Whisky

A fabulous Tamdhu, matured exclusively in a combination of first-fill and refill Oloroso sherry casks for 12 years. Sherried Speyside whisky is always a winner, with oodles of fruit and spice. Check out that handsome retro bottle, too. Stunning stuff.

Nose: Orange Starburst, cinnamon swirls and toasted oak, along with some mint chocolate.

Palate: Lots of plum, juicy raisin, fried banana, raspberry jam doughnuts and oak spice.

Finish: Chocolate fudge and just a whisper of smoke, with sweet cinnamon returning.

Thanks to years of closure over the past century, Glenglassaugh is a distillery with two types of whisky: very young or very old. This is one of the latter drams, bottled as part of the third batch of single casks released by the distillery. Matured in a cask that previously contained Massandra – a Crimean fortified wine, similar to sherry – and bottled in November 2016, it's a rich and dark dram, packed with dried fruit notes.

Distilled well before the distillery was closed for more than 20 years (1986 - 2008), this is a rich and fruity single malt that provides a delicious piece of Glenglassaugh history. These bottles, part of batch three in the distillery's Rare Cask series, have been filled from a single Pedro Xim?nez puncheon that was discovered in Glenglassaugh's coastal warehouses by its new owners.

With lashings of dried fruit and dark chocolate flavours, accompanied by hints of walnut loaf and oak, this will delight lovers of long-aged sherried whisky.

A fantastic 27yo from the BenRiach distillery aged for 27 years in Madeira hogsheads and bottled at 53.9%.

The entry point of the Mortlach range, combining both ex-bourbon- and ex-sherry-matured whisky to balance the distillery's traditionally weighty, dried fruit character against fresh fruit and vanilla notes. The result is a success, combining the best of both of these worlds while still showing off the meaty Mortlach spirit

43.4% ABV

Here we have an absolute classic Speysider from a long-time family-owned distillery. This 25 year old single malt from Glenfarclas spent its days in 100% Oloroso sherry casks. It?s complex and delicately sherried, a whisky that?s sure not to disappoint. It won gold at the 2019 International Spirits Challenge and makes a great after dinner treat. Awesome.

Nose: A touch of menthol. Classic Sherry notes, less pronounced than the 15 year old perhaps, but the complexity is greater.

Palate: Incredibly clean central palate, but amazingly tangy. Really zingy top notes. Sherry and creamy barley, hints of gingerbread and nutty chocolate.

Finish: Very, very long and complex finish, oak-rich, hints of smoke, cocoa, buttery...

This is the introductory release from The Balvenie Stories range! These releases all give light to events and people in Balvenie's past and present - this one, for example, takes inspiration from apprentice malt master Kelsey McKechnie and her idea to import virgin oak barrels from Kentucky and deeply toast them at the distillery's cooperage. They were then filled with Balvenie's ex-bourbon oak aged whisky for a finishing period, resulting in this fine dram.

Nose: Lusciously malty with some sweet fudge, followed by citrusy and oak vanilla aromas with layers of spicy oak notes of ginger and cinnamon.

Palate: Candied orange and lemon peel, vanilla toffee and butterscotch, layers of blossom honey, some melted brown sugar and oak spices at the end.

Finish: Rich and malty with gentle waves of oak vanilla and subtle spices.

Tamdhu is well-known and much-adored for its excellent use of sherry casks, and those of you with a penchant for single malt with heavy sherry influence will be delighted to know that the distillery's 15 Year Old expression continues that theme. This one has spent is maturation in oloroso sherry casks, resulting in generous helpings of dark fruit and Christmas spice.

Nose: Charred pineapple, earthy barley and a hearty slice of dense fruitcake, then some toasty oak warmth, orange zest and fennel.

Palate: Still packing heavy dried fruit notes, with a hint of orange oil and dried apricots cutting through. Earthy vanilla appears later on with touches of cedar, leather and cinnamon.

Finish: Warm and sweet, with waxy peels, clove, chocolate ice-cream and oily walnut.

This was the first whisky to be bottled at cask strength in the late 1960s and, as such, set the bar for non-age statement cask strength whiskies. It is thought that the malt is around 8-10 years old and from both sherry and bourbon casks. 

A beautifully deep and rich whisky with plenty of punch. 

This right here is the entry level expression from Glen Moray's Elgin Heritage range (a series of bottlings showing off the distillery's approachable flavour profile). It's a 12 year old single malt which has been aged exclusively in American oak casks.

Nose: Vanilla-y and sweet, with subtly herbaceous oak developing.

Palate: Chewy barley with a drizzle of syrup and crushed honey-roasted nuts.

Finish: White chocolate and stacks of apricots.

A well-aged Benromach, what a treat! A duo of first-fill sherry and bourbon casks housed this one for over two decades, until it was bottled at 21 years old. This Speysider boasts that classic subtle smokiness we know and love from the distillery alongside gentle spices and fruit.

Nose: Deep Oloroso sherry comes through, with stewed plums, raspberry jam and juicy sultanas initially followed by hints of Pinot Noir, orange peel and dried apricots. Vanilla, toasted brown sugar, milk chocolate and aromatic ginger spice appear underneath with sweet peat warmth throughout.

Palate: Notes of stewed orchard fruit, chocolate-covered raisins and Seville orange marmalade are followed by hints of set honey, praline, red berries and gingerbread. In the backdrop, there?s cracked black pepper, tangy oak and smoke from a smouldering bonfire.

Finish: Sherry tones lead the finish, with a hint of buttery toffee apples, oak spice and fruitcake.

Polished copper colour. Orange cake, juicy malt then fruit mince pie and gobstopper. Aeration adds oatmeal biscuit to the aroma list. Almost chewy in texture - a sublime harmony of honeyed malt and light Christmas pudding at mid palate; then buttered raisin bread, followed by hints of caramel fudge and grassy freshness late in the fade. Woody to end, though still good vibrancy. Distinguished by its subtle staying power.

This gem from Islay displays a delicate peat smoke but also has a lovely fruity flavour and a cracking meaty finish, highlighting the characteristic you?d expect from a peaty Islay dram and more.

Distillery : Caol Ila
Age: 12
%Volume: 46
Volume (ml): 700
Cask Type: 100% Bourbon
Spirit Region: Islay

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Faint candle smoke, peppermint, toasted marshmallows.

Flavour: Stewed apples, vanilla yoghurt, kiwi fruit.

Finish: Burning coals, honey ham, salted caramel.

anCnoc has released its second batch of Peatheart single malt, a heavily-peated expression packing a hefty 40 PPM measurement! We've been very impressed with the peaty expressions coming from anCnoc, and Peatheart once again offers up marvellous waves of BBQ-style smoke and earthy richness, brilliantly balanced by zesty tropical fruit.

Nose: Mango and mint leaf, swiftly followed by waft after waft of roasted meat and charred oak.

Palate: The peat is a touch more subdued on the palate (though definitely still integral tot he flavour profile), making a little room for pineapple and runny caramel.

Finish: Bonfire embers and a hint of straw.

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