Houston's first legal whiskey distillery offers a soft, approachable American whiskey.

Expert description

Yellow Rose Premium American Whiskey is the distillery's approachable core expression, bottled at 40%. Yellow Rose Distilling was founded in 2010 by neighbours and friends Troy Smith and Ryan Baird together with Randy Whitaker, none of whom had prior experience in the spirits industry. In 2014 the distillery opened the first legal whiskey distillery and tasting room within Houston's city limits, making Yellow Rose the city's first commercial whiskey distillery.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is soft with caramel, vanilla and a hint of grain.

Palate

The palate offers brown sugar, honey and light sweetness.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, soft and round.

Specifications

Name: Yellow Rose Premium American Whiskey
Distillery: Yellow Rose
Region/Country: Houston, Texas, USA
Type: American Whiskey
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Soft · Sweet · Caramel · Approachable

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A spiced rye from Texas's first commercial whiskey distillery.

Expert description

Yellow Rose Texas Rye Whiskey is the distillery's rye-forward expression, bottled at 45%. Yellow Rose Distilling was founded in 2010 by neighbours and friends Troy Smith and Ryan Baird together with Randy Whitaker, none of whom had prior experience in the spirits industry. In 2014 the distillery opened the first legal whiskey distillery and tasting room within Houston's city limits, making Yellow Rose the city's first commercial whiskey distillery.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is spiced with pepper, grain and a hint of fruit.

Palate

The palate offers rye, spice and light sweetness.

Finish

The finish is medium to long, dry and peppery.

Specifications

Name: Yellow Rose Texas Rye Whiskey
Distillery: Yellow Rose
Region/Country: Houston, Texas, USA
Type: Rye Whiskey
ABV: 45%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Spiced · Peppery · Grainy · Dry

See our full range of Yellow Rose

Yellow Spot 12 Year Old is the aged sibling of Green Spot, where 12 years of maturation across three different cask types delivers a deeper, more complex whiskey.

Expert Review

Yellow Spot 12 Year Old Pure Potstill Irish Whiskey is a Pure Potstill Irish Malt Whiskey, bottled at 46%.

The whiskey is triple distilled, non chill-filtered, and matured for 12 years across three different cask types: bourbon, sherry and Malaga casks. Like Green Spot, the name comes from Mitchell & Son of Dublin, where the family sold its own whiskey bottlings under colour codes such as Blue, Red, Yellow and Green Spot since 1887. The combination of the three cask types gives Yellow Spot a depth and complexity that sets it apart from the younger Green Spot.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fruit, spice and a hint of Malaga wine.

Palate

Complex, with sherry and bourbon sweetness.

Finish

Long and spiced.

Specifications

Name: Yellow Spot
Distillery: Yellow Spot / Midleton
Region/Country: Ireland
Type: Pure Potstill Irish Malt Whiskey
Age: 12 years
Cask: Bourbon, Sherry and Malaga Casks
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Other: Non Chillfiltered
EAN no.: 5011007024475

Flavour Profile

Complex · Fruity · Spiced · Sherried · Deep

Did You Know?

Yellow Spot is named after the yellow colour mark that Mitchell & Son of Dublin used to tell their different whiskey bottlings apart.
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Yellowstone steps outside traditional bourbon territory with this single malt.

Expert description

Yellowstone American 108 Proof Single Malt Whiskey is the distillery's take on an American single malt, bottled at a high strength of 54%. Yellowstone Bourbon was introduced in 1872 by the J. B. Dant Distillery and named after the American national park established that same year. After decades outside the family's hands, the brand was acquired by Luxco in 1993 and transferred to Limestone Branch Distillery in 2015 — a distillery founded in 2010 by brothers Stephen and Paul Beam, who as seventh-generation members of the Beam and Dant families can trace their distilling heritage back to their great-great-uncle Jacob Beam, who distilled bourbon as early as 1794.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is grainy with honey, malt and a hint of fruit.

Palate

The palate offers malted grain, caramel and spice.

Finish

The finish is long, warm and spiced.

Specifications

Name: Yellowstone American 108 Proof Single Malt Whiskey
Distillery: Limestone Branch Distillery
Region/Country: Lebanon, Kentucky, USA
Type: American Single Malt Whiskey
ABV: 54%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Malty · Powerful · Grainy · Spiced

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Each year Limestone Branch assembles a unique batting for Yellowstone's limited edition.

Expert description

Yellowstone Limited Edition 2018 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is that year's release of the distillery's annual limited release, composed as a batting of several cask types and ages, bottled at 50.5%. Yellowstone Bourbon was introduced in 1872 by the J. B. Dant Distillery and named after the American national park established that same year. After decades outside the family's hands, the brand was acquired by Luxco in 1993 and transferred to Limestone Branch Distillery in 2015 — a distillery founded in 2010 by brothers Stephen and Paul Beam, who as seventh-generation members of the Beam and Dant families can trace their distilling heritage back to their great-great-uncle Jacob Beam, who distilled bourbon as early as 1794.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is full with caramel, dried fruit and a hint of spice.

Palate

The palate offers brown sugar, toasted wood and dark fruit.

Finish

The finish is long, warm and spiced.

Specifications

Name: Yellowstone Limited Edition 2018 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Limestone Branch Distillery
Region/Country: Lebanon, Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 50.5%
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Limited Edition 2018

Flavour profile

Powerful · Spiced · Full-bodied · Fruity

Investment potential

Medium

Did you know?

As an annual limited release with a unique batting each year, the 2018 edition differs from earlier and later vintages and draws collector interest among bourbon enthusiasts.

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Caribbean rum meets Kentucky bourbon in this entry from Yellowstone's Special Finishes Collection.

Expert description

Yellowstone Rum Cask Finish 100 Proof Special Finishes Collection Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is finished in casks that previously held rum, bottled at 50%. Yellowstone Bourbon was introduced in 1872 by the J. B. Dant Distillery and named after the American national park established that same year. After decades outside the family's hands, the brand was acquired by Luxco in 1993 and transferred to Limestone Branch Distillery in 2015 — a distillery founded in 2010 by brothers Stephen and Paul Beam, who as seventh-generation members of the Beam and Dant families can trace their distilling heritage back to their great-great-uncle Jacob Beam, who distilled bourbon as early as 1794.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is sweet with molasses, tropical fruit and a hint of spice.

Palate

The palate offers brown sugar, rum and a light tropical sweetness.

Finish

The finish is medium to long, warm and sweet.

Specifications

Name: Yellowstone Rum Cask Finish 100 Proof Special Finishes Collection Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Limestone Branch Distillery
Region/Country: Lebanon, Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Special Finishes Collection – Rum Cask Finish

Flavour profile

Sweet · Tropical · Spiced · Molasses-driven

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An approachable core expression carrying the historic Yellowstone legacy forward.

Expert description

Yellowstone Select 93 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the distillery's approachable core expression, bottled at 46.5%. Yellowstone Bourbon was introduced in 1872 by the J. B. Dant Distillery and named after the American national park established that same year. After decades outside the family's hands, the brand was acquired by Luxco in 1993 and transferred to Limestone Branch Distillery in 2015 — a distillery founded in 2010 by brothers Stephen and Paul Beam, who as seventh-generation members of the Beam and Dant families can trace their distilling heritage back to their great-great-uncle Jacob Beam, who distilled bourbon as early as 1794.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is soft with caramel, vanilla and a hint of fruit.

Palate

The palate offers brown sugar, honey and light spice.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, warm and round.

Specifications

Name: Yellowstone Select 93 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: Limestone Branch Distillery
Region/Country: Lebanon, Kentucky, USA
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 46.5%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Soft · Sweet · Round · Caramel

See our full range of Yellowstone

From Taiwan's mountains comes a single malt named after the island's highest peak.

Expert description

Omar Yushan Bourbon Cask is a Taiwanese Single Malt Whisky matured in ex-bourbon casks. Omar is produced by Nantou Distillery, founded in 1978 as part of Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor Corporation and home to whisky production since 2008. The name Omar combines 'Old Man' with the Taiwanese word for whisky, while the Yushan range is named after Taiwan's highest mountain. Nantou is located in central Taiwan, where the subtropical climate with high humidity and wide temperature swings drives significantly faster maturation than in traditional whisky regions.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose offers vanilla, tropical fruit and a hint of coconut.

Palate

The palate is sweet with caramel, banana and light honey.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, soft and fruity.

Specifications

Name: Omar Yushan Bourbon Cask Single Malt Whisky
Distillery: Nantou
Region/Country: Nantou, Taiwan
Type: Taiwanese Single Malt Whisky
Cask type: Ex-bourbon casks

Flavour profile

Tropical · Sweet · Fruity · Soft

Did you know?

The Yushan range is named after Taiwan's highest mountain, Yu Shan, which rises nearly 4,000 metres above sea level — a nod to the distillery's pride in Taiwanese nature and identity.

See our full range of Nantou

Not all whisky from Ærø is single cask. Small Batch No 1 takes a different approach — a selection of casks from the 2017 distillation, vatted and reduced to 43%. The result is a more approachable entry into the Ærø universe, but with the same genuinely local ingredients and the same malt floor.

Expert description

Ærø Whisky 2017 Single Malt Small Batch No 1 is a Danish Single Malt Whisky at 43%, bottled at 50 cl. It is the first small batch expression from Ærø Whisky A/S and marks a different direction from the distillery's single cask series. Ærø Whisky produces exclusively from locally grown barley from the island of Ærø, malted on the distillery's own malt floor and double-distilled in a closed circuit. The distillation dates from 2017, and the whisky is matured in oak casks — a combination of sherry casks and new oak. The small batch method means the contents are vatted from a selection of casks, producing a more consistent and accessible style than the cask strength expressions.

Tasting notes

Nose

Mild and inviting. Vanilla and light oak from the maturation, with dried fruit and a gentle sherry note in the background. The local malt gives a fresh, slightly nutty undertone.

Palate

Round and soft at 43%. Caramel and honey with dark fruit. The oak is present as structure, not dominance. Light spice towards the end.

Finish

Medium-length and warm. Light spice and dried fruit gradually retreat.

Specifications

Name: Ærø Whisky 2017 Single Malt Small Batch No 1
Distillery: Ærø Whisky A/S
Region/Country: Denmark, Ærø
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 43%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: Oak casks (sherry and new oak)
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 2017

Flavour profile

Small Batch · Sherry · Fruity · Smooth · Vanilla

Investment potential

Medium. Ærø Whisky 2017 Small Batch No 1 is the first small batch expression from one of Denmark's most locally rooted micro-distilleries, produced in limited quantities. Inaugural expressions in a new series from a dedicated island distillery of this profile tend to attract collector attention over time.

Did you know?

Ærø Whisky is one of very few producers in the world that still malts barley on its own malt floor. It is a time-consuming and physically demanding process, but it gives the master maltster direct control over the drying degree and malt character that cannot be achieved with purchased malt.

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In 2021 Ærø Whisky filled another cask. Cask No 6 from that season has now been bottled directly and undiluted at 60%. It is a young whisky — but it does not hide that, and does not need to. What it lacks in maturation it makes up for in intensity.

Expert description

Ærø 2021 Single Cask No 6 is a Danish Single Malt Whisky at 60%, bottled at 50 cl from a single cask distilled in 2021 at Ærø Whisky A/S in Ærøskøbing. It is the sixth single cask in the distillery's series, produced from locally grown barley from Ærø, malted on the distillery's own malt floor and double-distilled in a closed circuit. A cask strength release from the 2021 distillation offers a rare glimpse into what is happening in Ærø's casks before extended maturation. Uncompromising and direct — add water to unfold the flavour.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh and powerful. Young malt and new oak dominate. Sweetness from the wood and a fresh, spirity undertone. With water, floral notes and light fruit open up.

Palate

Explosive at 60%. Oak and sweet malt with light fruit notes. Water is needed to unfold the full breadth. Young and raw but with clear structure.

Finish

Warm and long with dry oak and sweet malt that holds. A promise of what more maturation will do.

Specifications

Name: Ærø 2021 Single Cask No 6
Distillery: Ærø Whisky A/S
Region/Country: Denmark, Ærø
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 60%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: Oak casks
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 2021

Flavour profile

Single Cask · Cask Strength · Young · Oak · Fresh

Did you know?

Ærø Whisky numbers each single cask sequentially — No 6 is the sixth individual cask bottled from the distillery. A simple but effective way to document the distillery's growing single cask series and allow customers to follow the development from cask to cask.

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Ærø is a small island in the South Funen Archipelago. The distillery in Ærøskøbing is even smaller. Barley is grown locally, malted on the distillery's own malt floor, and double-distilled in a closed circuit. What comes out the other end is some of Denmark's most genuinely local whisky.

Expert description

Ærø Single Cask No 1 First Release is a Danish Single Malt Whisky at 61%, bottled at 50 cl and presented as a gift set with two whisky glasses. It is the first single cask release from Ærø Whisky A/S — the absolute debut of the distillery's single cask series. Ærø Whisky is a passionate micro-distillery located on Torvet 5 in Ærøskøbing, founded in 2013, producing whisky exclusively from local ingredients from Ærø. The barley is grown on local fields, malted on the distillery's own malt floor, and double-distilled in a closed circuit. The whisky is aged in oak casks — a combination of sherry casks and new oak. A single first-fill cask at 61% is a rare find from one of Denmark's most locally rooted distilleries.

Tasting notes

Nose

Rich and complex with oak and a touch of sherry. Honey, vanilla and dark fruit from the maturation. A fresh, local malt base that shines through the concentration.

Palate

Powerful and full-bodied at 61%. Fruit, dried plum and caramel. The oak provides structure rather than dominating the flavour. Water opens floral notes and light spice.

Finish

Long and warm. Dark fruit and oak hold and gradually recede.

Specifications

Name: Ærø Single Cask No 1 First Release Gift Set Single Malt Danish Whisky
Distillery: Ærø Whisky A/S
Region/Country: Denmark, Ærø
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 61%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: Oak casks (sherry and new oak)
Distillation method: Double distilled

Flavour profile

Single Cask · Cask Strength · Dark Fruit · Oak · Sherry

Investment potential

High. Ærø Single Cask No 1 First Release is the debut expression of the distillery's single cask series, produced in extremely limited quantities from one of Denmark's most craft-focused and locally rooted distilleries. First releases from micro-distilleries of this calibre are historically an interesting category for collectors.

Did you know?

Ærø Whisky produces a maximum of 50 bottles per year of their most exclusive expression. This is not about scale — it is about one island, one malt floor, and one distillery that takes no shortcuts.

See our full range of Ærø Whisky

Forty-eight point two percent runs across the whole line. Signatory's Small Batch range is built to be lined up side by side — same strength, different distilleries.

Expert description

Craigellachie 2012/2024 Signatory Vintage 11 years Edition No. 5 is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 48.2%.

The release belongs to Signatory's Small Batch range, in which several casks are married into one expression rather than bottled individually. That gives more balance and a steadier character without the distillery style disappearing. Craigellachie still condenses in worm tubs and makes a heavy, almost meaty spirit, and eleven years is enough to round the edges without the cask starting to take over.

Tasting notes

Nose

Young and fresh. Green apple, pear and pineapple, with cereal, vanilla and a dry mineral note underneath.

Palate

Oily and spiced. Malt, citrus and baked fruit, with the flinty edge from the worm tubs as a dry undercurrent. The 48.2% gives good body without turning hard.

Finish

Medium and dry, with cereal, oak and a lightly smoked mineral note.

Specifications

Name: Craigellachie 2012/2024 Signatory Vintage 11 years Edition No. 5 Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 48,2%
Distillery: Craigellachie
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 48.2%
Size: 70 CL
Distilled: 2012
Bottled: 2024
Edition: Small Batch Edition No. 5
EAN no.: 5021944125401

Flavour profile

Fruity · Malty · Mineral · Spiced · Oily

Did you know?

Signatory's Small Batch range is deliberately bottled at the same strength every time. The idea is that you can line several distilleries up together and taste the difference between the houses rather than between alcohol levels.

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Fifty-four months in port casks. That is four and a half years, and it is not a finish — it is a second maturation laid on top of the first. Wilson & Morgan chose 2nd fill port pipes precisely so as not to run over a Speyside spirit that is lighter than it looks.

The expert's description

Glen Moray 2007/2022 Wilson & Morgan 15 Year Old is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky finished in port casks and bottled at cask strength 57.9%.

The whisky was distilled in 2007 and bottled in 2022 from casks number 5878, 5879 and 5880. Its final fifty-four months were spent in 2nd fill port pipes, and the bottling gave 586 bottles, non-chill filtered and with no added colour. The choice of used port casks is clearly deliberate: there is colour and dark fruit, but the wine never takes charge.

Wilson & Morgan is Italian. Fabio Rossi started the firm in 1992 and runs it from Treviso north of Venice, and the house has built its reputation on single casks and small batches chosen with an Italian eye for texture and finish rather than sheer power. Glen Moray carries a mineral, almost waxy mouthfeel, which the port casks here make more muscular without blurring.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dark and red cherries, with liqueur-filled chocolates. Creamy and dark rather than fruit-sweet, and underneath sits a dry, mineral note from the spirit.

Palate

Maraschino cherries and Sachertorte, with dried plums and a spiced edge. The sweetness is there but not sugared, and the waxy mouthfeel of Glen Moray comes through clearly at 57.9%.

Finish

Warm and building. The spice grows in strength while the cherry retreats into a dry, almost cocoa-like close.

Specifications

Name: Glen Moray 2007/2022 Wilson & Morgan 15 Year Old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 57.9%
Distillery: Glen Moray
Bottler: Wilson & Morgan
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 15 years
ABV: 57.9%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished for 54 months in 2nd fill port pipes
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2007
Bottled: 2022
Number of bottles: 586
Edition: Barrel Selection - Cask Strength
EAN no.: 8057760350007

Flavour profile

Dark fruit · Cherry · Spiced · Creamy · Cask Strength

Did you know?

Wilson & Morgan has been bottling Scotch whisky since 1992 without ever having distilled a drop itself. The firm belongs to an Italian tradition in which importers had access for decades to casks that never reached the British market, and several legendary bottlings from the 1970s and 80s came exactly that way.

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The bulk of the years in American oak, then a spell in oloroso at the end. The order matters here — had the sherry been there from the start it would have eaten the salty Campbeltown edge. Instead it sits as a layer on top.

The expert's description

Glen Scotia 18 Year Old is a Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in American oak with a finishing period in oloroso casks, bottled at 46%.

The whisky spends most of its eighteen years in American oak casks, where the maritime character of the spirit is given room to settle. Only then is it moved into oloroso casks, and the short finish is enough to lay walnut and dried fruit in without covering the salt and minerality. The result is clearly sherried without being a sherry bomb.

Eighteen years is where Glen Scotia begins to show its other side. The younger bottlings from the distillery are taut and direct, while the older ones unfold and turn rounder. It is still Campbeltown — there is still sea air in the glass — but the frame around it has softened.

Tasting notes

Nose

Walnut and honey first, then digestive biscuits and toffee. There is an aromatic spice note behind it, and after a couple of minutes the sea air emerges beneath the sweetness.

Palate

Deep and broad. Candied orange, honey, nuts and raisins, with a spiced structure holding it all together. The maritime minerality sits under the sherry rather than alongside it.

Finish

Long and aromatic. Dried fruit and walnut first, then a dry, lightly salted close with spice.

Specifications

Name: Glen Scotia 18 Year Old Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46%
Distillery: Glen Scotia
Region/Country: Campbeltown, Scotland
Type: Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 18 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American oak with a finishing period in oloroso casks
EAN no.: 5016840181200

Flavour profile

Sherried · Nutty · Spiced · Maritime · Honeyed

Did you know?

Glen Scotia's pot stills have onion-shaped bodies and unusually short necks. The shape carries more of the heavy vapours across into the spirit, and that is a large part of why the whisky from this house is oily rather than light and floral.

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Six months. That is the whole time the whisky spends in oloroso, after twenty-one years in bourbon casks and hogsheads. A period that short is not an attempt to change the whisky — it is a last stroke of the brush.

The expert's description

Glen Scotia 21 Year Old is a Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in refill bourbon casks and American hogsheads with a six-month finishing period in 1st fill oloroso casks, bottled at 46%.

The main maturation takes place in used casks, which give less wood and let the distillery character come through. Only at the end does the whisky go into 1st fill oloroso, and even after six months the imprint is clear — 1st fill sherry casks work fast. The whisky is non-chill filtered and carries natural colour.

The 21 year old sits as a link between the distillery 18 and 25 year olds. Where the 18 still has the tautness of youth and the 25 has pulled towards the dry and ashy, the 21 lands somewhere in between: perfumed, spiced and with the sea air intact.

Tasting notes

Nose

Sweet, almost perfumed notes from the sherry first, then spiced red apple and peppercorn. Beneath it sits the characteristic Campbeltown aroma with a trace of sea air.

Palate

Baked red apples and raisins, with cloves, star anise and cinnamon. The structure is soft and spiced at the same time, and the 46% keeps the whisky together without making it heavy.

Finish

Long, dry and delicately sweet. Maritime undertones and a subtle spiced complexity that keeps shifting on the palate.

Specifications

Name: Glen Scotia 21 Year Old Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46%
Distillery: Glen Scotia
Region/Country: Campbeltown, Scotland
Type: Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 21 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill bourbon casks and American hogsheads with six months in 1st fill oloroso casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
EAN no.: 5016840162124

Flavour profile

Sherried · Spiced · Fruity · Maritime · Elegant

Investment potential

Medium. Glen Scotia in that age bracket is produced in limited quantity, and Campbeltown has only three working distilleries to supply old whisky from the region. A 21 year old with a documented cask build is a bottle that becomes hard to replace once the batch is gone.

Did you know?

The Galbraith family held Glen Scotia from its founding in 1832 right through to 1919. Nearly ninety years under one family is rare in Scotch whisky, and it is a large part of why the distillery survived the Campbeltown collapse at all.

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No sherry. Not a single sherry cask in twenty-five years. That is an unusual call for a whisky of this age, where most distilleries reach for oloroso to add depth — here the bourbon wood has been left to work the whole way, and the whisky only woken at the end.

The expert's description

Glen Scotia 25 Year Old is a Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in refill bourbon casks with a twelve-month finishing period in 1st fill bourbon casks, bottled at 48.8%.

For most of its life the whisky sits in used bourbon casks, where the wood gives slowly and lets the distillery character lead. In the final year it moves into 1st fill casks, which add fresh vanilla and lift to a whisky that would otherwise have turned very dry. It is a move that demands good timing — too little and nothing happens, too much and the twenty-five years get covered over.

Twenty-five years is where Glen Scotia starts to resemble something other than itself. The maritime character is still present, but it has become brine and an ashy smoke note rather than fresh sea air. This is the oldest permanent bottling in the distillery range.

Tasting notes

Nose

Lemon and ginger first, then pine resin and a trace of sea salt. After a couple of minutes it develops towards banoffee pie and maple syrup, with leather and cocoa underneath.

Palate

Luscious and smooth. Big orchard fruit notes, honey and malt, with a discreet spice and a hint of ashy smoke. The 48.8% gives weight without making it hard.

Finish

Long and drying. A wisp of smoke, brine and peppery oak that lingers well after the fruit has gone.

Specifications

Name: Glen Scotia 25 Year Old Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky 48.8%
Distillery: Glen Scotia
Region/Country: Campbeltown, Scotland
Type: Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 25 years
ABV: 48.8%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill bourbon casks with twelve months in 1st fill bourbon casks
EAN no.: 5016840161226

Flavour profile

Maritime · Fruity · Lightly peated · Dry · Honeyed

Investment potential

Medium. Twenty-five year old Campbeltown whisky exists in very small numbers, because the region has only three working distilleries and stocks from the 1990s were thin. The bottling is also the oldest permanent release in the distillery range, which makes it a natural reference point for collectors of the region.

Did you know?

Loch Lomond Group bought Glen Scotia in 2014 and has invested heavily in the site since — greater production, new warehouses and a visitor centre. It is the first time in more than a century that the distillery has had an owner able to build rather than merely survive.

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No two hand-made jugs are alike — that's the whole point of choosing one that didn't come off a production line.

About the product

This hand-made pint jug holds 0.5 litres and carries the small variations in shape and surface that only happen when glass is shaped by a person rather than a machine. It works well as a water jug for the whisky glass or as a general table jug.

A piece of functional craft that becomes more personal every time it's used.