Speyside Whisky

A sumptuous peaty number from Benromach owned by the independent bottlers Gordon & MacPhail. This is very bourbon forward with aromas of apricot custard pastries and tobacco smoke leading to billowing peat smoke and toasted coconuts on the palate that has a finish that is long, spicy and fruity.

A 21 year old from the Aultmore distillery.

Gorse and heather filtered waters of the Foggie Moss and malted barley free from peat smoke go into this beauty from the Aultmore distillery

Bottled from a refill hogshead at 46%.

The Original Ten encapsulates the signature smooth and multi-layered character of Benriach. Three cask matured for at least ten years in bourbon barrels, sherry casks and virgin oak, to create layers of luscious orchard fruit, sumptuous honeyed malt and toasted oak, all interwoven with a subtle trace of smoke. The perfect introduction to our signature style and richly layered Speyside Single Malt.

In the early 1970s, Benriach broke convention in Speyside by returning to distilling batches of whisky in the old, 19th century style, using malted barley smoked with Highland peat. This wood rich Highland peat imparts distinctly sweet and smoky notes into Benriach peated whiskies. Benriach The Smoky Ten has been crafted from a combination of unpeated and peated spirit and three cask matured for at least ten years in a combination of bourbon barrels, Jamaican rum casks and toasted virgin oak. The whisky is then expertly married together to create sublimely smooth layers of sunripe fruit, aromatic smoke and toasted oak spice, lingering into the perfectly balanced sweet and smoky finish.

Nose: Toasted coconut, aromatic smoke and a touch of greengage.

Palate: Cinnamon, ginger and dry smoke, shortly followed by maple syrup and peach.

Finish: Waves of fresh vanilla, salted butter and toasted barley.

Cragganmore was founded in Ballindalloch, Speyside, in 1869 and was the first distillery to take advantage of the railway system for transportation, with its own railway siding on the Strathspey route. The distillery was designed by Charles Cree Doig and the stone used came from the local hill 'Craggan Mor' (meaning 'big rock') which gave the new distillery its name. 

Cragganmore's Distillers Edition series welcomes another delicious vintage! This 2005 vintage was finished in Port pipes for greater clarity and depth in its fruity, sweet notes. Bottled in 2017 at a smooth 40% ABV, there's plenty of room for those flavours to breathe.

Nose: dark fruit, cured ham and granary toast,  winter spices and oily walnuts.

Palate: A gorgeously balanced concoction of blackberry jam, iron-rich meat, firewood, fruit cake and nutty oak are eventually joined by more of those winter spices.

Finish: Fizzy oaky tannins and armchair leather simmer in a dry finish.

To make Benriach Quarter Cask, Benriach spirit is first matured in bourbon barrels then undergoes a second maturation in bespoke quarter casks. These smaller casks allow more interaction between wood and spirit, intensifying maturation for depth and richness of flavour, to create layers of glazed orchard fruit and rich vanilla, finishing with notes of ripe barley and oak spice. All in perfect balance.


Nose
Burnished gold

Colour
Candied fruit, rich vanilla, fresh oak

Palate
Sugared pear and honeyed apricot with finishing notes of fresh barley cream and oak spice

Distilled in 1972 and aged in a single sherry butt until August 2015, this is one of 565 bottles produced from cask number 3551. These bottles were released in the Winter 2015 batch of Family Casks.

A Rich, intense whisky with honeyed sweetness thanks to a high proportion of first-fill American white oak casks, traditional casks and ex-sherry casks. Luxurious, velvety, juicy pears and honey on the palate lead to a complex balanced finish.

An elegant, sophisticated Knockando, Master Reserve 21yo is made with casks lying in the coolest part of the warehouse. These casks take longer to mature and the resulting malt is extremely smooth.

Nose: Ginger, oak spice, ice cream and pralines.

Palate: Almond and clove, with a touch of Sherried raisin. Honey-covered apples.

Finish: More honey, with a little touch of spearmint.

Mannochmore's delicate and fragrant addition to Diageo's Flora and Fauna range. One of the only bottlings you'll find with the distillery name on the front.

From the distillery

Smoky whiskies are not traditionally associated with Speyside, but look back through its distilleries? archives and it?s clear that heavily peated single malts were the preferred palate of the region back in the 19th century. Both intensely smoked and exquisitely sweet, the special edition has been two-cask matured in both American virgin oak and bourbon barrels - wood types intentionally selected to amplify the toasted sweet notes in Benriach?s smoky spirit.

"Celebrating the time of year where peated spirit runs through Benriach stills, a tradition revived by the distillery over 50 years ago, Smoke Season is a small batch release which captures one of Benriach?s time-honoured production techniques. Both intensely smoked and exquisitely sweet, the special edition has been two-cask matured in both American virgin oak and bourbon barrels - wood types intentionally selected to amplify the toasted sweet notes in Benriach?s smoky spirit. With a new recipe finely tuned by Master Blender Dr. Rachel Barrie, this expression is the most intensely smoked whisky to be released by the distillery."

A fruity, creamy Glen Elgin here from Douglas Laing, distilled in April 2011. Into a single refill hogshead it went, where it stayed for the next eight years. In January 2020, it was bottled for the Provenance series, with a release of just 359 bottles.

Distilled - April 2011

Bottled - January 2020

Refill Hogshead - REF - DL13789

Nose: Grassy & fresh .... green apples, barley sugar and caramelised nuts. 

Palate: An oak warmth initially then comes sherbet, meringue and clotted cream.

Finish: Long with runny honey and toffee balanced nicely by citrus peels (CSL).

The latest outturn from Douglas Laing offers one of the oldest Inchgower's we've ever stocked, as well as one of the youngest. At just eight years old, this is proper, pure, young malt whisky. Expect something uncomplicated but very tasty from this East Speyside underdog. 46% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. 420 bottles.

Distilled - May 2011

Bottled - January 2020

Refill Hogshead - REF - DL13791

Nose: Milk chocolate buttons developing nicely to caramel and wood polish. 

Palate: Thick with lots of wonderfully vanilla'd fudge, warm sponge cake and spiced oak.

Finish: Long.... more of that spicy style (cinnamon) coupled with candied apples and barley (CSL).

The Silvano?s Collection label is produced by Masam, an independent bottling company run by Maryse Accorsi Samaroli, the wife of the legendary Silvano Samaroli. The Samaroli firm has been run by Antonio Bleve since 2008, however casks from Silvano's private collection have also been bottled under the Singles of Silvano Samaroli banner. These were initially supervised by the man himself, but since his death in 2017, the tradition has been lovingly continued by his wife.

This whisky was distilled in 1967 and aged in single casks #4688 and #5425. It was bottled in 2018 to celebrate Samaroli's 50th anniversary in the whisky industry.

Tomintoul distillery was built in Speyside in 1965 by two whisky brokering companies. It was later acquired by the parent firm of Whyte & Mackay, and folded into their portfolio in 1973. While its main function was the provision of its blends, as with all of its distilleries, Whyte & Mackay also had faith in its appeal as a single malt. It was introduced in the iconic "perfume bottles" at the end of the 1970s. The single malt brand was given more of a focus when the distillery was bought by Angus Dundee in 2000, who also introduced a peated variant called Old Ballantruan in 2005. Bottles from independent labels have also been common over the years.

One of 180 bottles.

A whisky that focuses on the richer side of Benriach's spirit, as well as it's darker smokier side. Aged for 12 years in a combination of bourbon, sherry and marsala casks, the peat smoke is complimented by dried fruit and vanilla from the bourbon and sherry casks, and rich, sweet fruit from the marsala.