Scottish Whisky : Scotch

An 'explosive' limited-edition whisky from Smokehead, adding in a punch of sherry character to the anonymous peaty dram. It's matured in Oloroso sherry casks, fusing the big smoke with equally big sweetness and dried fruit notes.

A high-ABV variation on the classic Smokehead Islay single malt, Smokehead High Voltage is described as an "all-out attack" on your senses by its producer. Which, y'know, sounds pretty intense. If you're a fan of heavily-peated whisky, you're in for a treat.

Nose: Burnt biscuits, dried earth and a kick of black pepper.

Palate: Oily barley and intense campfire smoke, with a hint of brown sugar underneath.

Finish: Sea salt, oat cakes and smoked paprika.

Nose: Heavy smoke and peat. Amazing richness. Lemon, fresh ginger, plum jam. Salty and spicy.

Body: Like a cannonball - hits the palate at once with cocoa, peat and some honey sweetness then explodes with peppery spice and more earthy peat. Spreads to all the areas of your mouth with more peat and light sweetness.

Finish: Even more peat, spice, mandarin - then dries up. When you think it?s all over the peat comes back to hit you again.

A smoky, tropical whisky from Smokehead, matured in ex-rum casks, that offers notes of medicinal peat, sweet caramel, burnt pineapple and caramelised bananas.

Sherry and peat go toe to toe with Smokehead Sherry Bomb! It's a well-peated single malt from an undisclosed Islay distillery, matured in Oloroso sherry casks, boasting smoke and dried fruit by the truckload. It's a powerfully flavoursome dram, and unashamedly so. 

Nose: Dark chocolate, seaweed, a hint of medicinal peat smoke, prunes and clove.

Palate: BBQ smoke, stem ginger, sherried peels, sea salt, rum-raisin ice cream.

Finish: Clove, red chilli flake, treacle.

Speyburn 16yo Single Malt is matured for sixteen years exclusively in American oak ex-bourbon barrels and bottled only for Travel Retail; the resulting dram is bursting with notes of zesty fruit and creamy vanilla. Sweet pears and tropical pineapple give way to hints of white chocolate and honey; all wrapped together with a gentle spiciness.

A very easy drinking single malt Scotch whisky from the Speyburn distillery, situated right on the river Spey. An excellent value dram with flavours of creamy toffee, citrus (particularly oranges, marmalade), delicate floral notes and a drying finish with a wee whiff of smoke in the background. A lovely and easy-to-drink malt from the heart of whisky in Scotland.

The Speyside distillery is one of the most southerly in the 'Speyside triangle', located near the town of Kingussie. Distilled back in 1998, this bottling represents a relatively early effort as production only commenced in 1990 (33 years after the initial building plans were submitted!) According to the Laings, anticipate tangerines on the nose with butter pastry and lots of toasted almonds followed by zesty citrus fruits at the finish. Drawn from a refill sherry butt (DL13295) with an outturn of 256 bottles. 61.3% Alc.Vol. Non chill filtered.

A rare bottling from the now discontinued, and beautifully packaged, Flora and Fauna range. This 12 year old was distilled at the Speyside based Strathmill distillery.

The nose is quite soft yet very fruity. A hint of grassy greenness with a nuttiness, there are notes of cut herbs and apples, hints of cut hay. The palate is silken smooth in delivery. Notes of winter spice and vanilla custard, there is a nutty oiliness which carries everything gentle. The finish is soft and slightly herbal with a peppered delivery.

The set up at Talisker produces a highly individual new make which mixes smoke, fruit, sulphur, salt and pepper. The malt is medium-peated, the worts clear and the fermentation long, but distillation is atypical with minimal copper contact, plenty of reflux and the use of worm tubs. The result is a heavier style of malt which lends itself nicely to a coastal influence and a smoky peat that is definitely there, but not too heavy.

Nose: A fresh and fragrant nose. Through pungent smoke comes sweet pear and apple peels, with pinches of maritime salt from kippers, seaweed.

Palate: It's a bonfire of peat crackling with black pepper, with a touch of brine and dry barley. A welcome delivery of orchard fruit provides a delicate and beautiful balance.

Finish: In a long finish, bonfire embers toast malt and crystallise a sugary underlay.

The 2022 Diageo Special & Rare collection is known as "Elusive Expressions", drawn from some of Scotland?s most interesting, legendary distilleries and curated by Master Blender Dr Craig Wilson. They portray the otherworldly beings which have fiercely protected the heartlands of remote Scottish distilleries for an eternity, according to our ancient fables. This year each bottle has its own unique QR code which, when scanned, takes you on a multi-sensory experience that tells you the story of the whisky and the mythical creature behind the artwork, whilst providing tasting notes to prompt your nose and palate along the way.

Talisker 11 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky 700ml (Special Release 2022) was matured in and blended from a mix of 1st-fill ex-bourbon casks, refill casks, and wine-seasoned casks.

The nose instantly transports you across to Skye, with the smell of bitumen on the road infusing into your nostrils, together with Talisker's signature iodine and medicinal notes. Briny maritime notes abound; there's sea spray in the air. The nose is complex, there are also hints of tobacco leaf and saddle leather. The palate is a bit softer, rounded, and grounded in the earthy peat. It possibly lacks for sweetness ? the wine casks have made it a bit drier and more savoury than the sweet and punchy 8yo Taliskers that featured in the 2020 and 2021 Special Releases.

55.1% ABV

Seven years older that Diageo's 2018 Special Releases Talisker, this is a big, sooty, earthy single malt, with lashings of ripe citrus and treacle sponge, and heaps of warming spice. Plenty of heft and darkness to be found here, alongside classic, coastal Talisker character for purists to revel in.

57.3% ABV

Talisker, one of the most remote distilleries in the world, is situated on the storm lashed Isle of Skye and has a colourful history dating back to 1830. Denounced by the local clergy, praised by none other than Robert Louis Stevenson and even suffering a still-room fire in 1960, Talisker has survived and today produces some of the smoothest and characterful malts in Scotland. The 30 Year Old is sweet and mild to begin, with some acidity and saltiness. Extraordinary flavour development then envelopes the palate that becomes dry and minerally with a mild dusting of ground white pepper.

45.8% ABV

This eight year old expression was aged in ex-pot still Caribbean rum casks - a first for the distillery. It's a big whisky served at 57.9% with smoke, fruit and the distillery's trademark peppery spice and meatiness all singing in harmony. Smoke, molasses and stewed tropical fruits on the nose align nicely with the palate leading to a feisty, spicy finish.

Talisker's Dark Storm is matured in heavily charred oak casks, imparting yet more smoke and spice to the already intensely smoky whisky. A fantastic release from the distillery on the Isle of Skye. 

45.8% Alc