Whisky

NOSE
Quite aromatic, with balanced American oak notes. Floral, malty, grassy, vanilla and honey with hints of tobacco and nutmeg.

PALATE
Sweet and spicy, citrus, barley sugar, gingerbread, Manuka honey and white pepper flavours.

FINISH
Dry and spicy with a warming gingery honeyed tail.

Another heavily sherried whisky from GlenDronach's outstanding lineup. The 21 is quite legendary - sweet toffee apples, vanilla pods, cookies'n'cream ice cream, tinned peaches and porridge drizzled with brown sugar, fruit salad, fruit cake, and gunsmoke. This came first in our Sherried whisky Tasting.

The Quartet is refined and fragrant. Finished in four casks -first fill ex-bourbon, 30 Year Old Matusalem sherry, 30 Year Old Apostoles sherry and Bordeaux Cabernet Sauvignon. It has a rich flavour profile of red grapes and juicy raisins with whispers of chocolate and liquorice.

41.5% ABV

Croftengea is the name for a peaty whisky made at the Loch Lomond distillery, which is famous for its different expressions named after the islands in the loch. This one has aged for 14 years in an ex-bourbon cask and only 257 bottles were produced.

Nose: Subtle peat smoke, wrapped up in sweet vanilla and a touch of butter.

Palate: Quite nutty ? almonds, pistachios, and chocolate peanuts. Still has some smoky elements running through it.

Finish: Lingering peppery spice.

Straddling the line bewteen Highland and Lowland Malts - the distillery is in the Highlands, but the warehouse is in the Lowlands. They also reckon they have the slowest distillation in Scotland - grab a bottle and see what slow distillation tastes like. Glengoyne 10 is a lightish, fruit and nut style whisky - they type that will please everyone, but might not blow the socks off a hardened Islay drinker (but that's why we have Ardbeg). Matured in sherry and refill sherry, and bottled at 40%;

The Cadboll is a limited edition whisky by Glenmorangie which was intended for the travel retail market in select countries and is part of the Glenmorangie 'Legends' collection. The Glenmorangie Cadboll is aged in bourbon casks initially and is then aged in casks that were previously used to age two wine varieties which are Semillon and Muscat. The name Cadboll comes from the Cadboll cup which is a silver goblet which dates back hundreds of years and was used to enjoy wine.

43% ABV

Smooth and balanced, with a dry finish

Clynelish is a delicious and distinctive Single Malt Scotch Whisky from one of Scotland's most northerly distileries, which is situated at Brora on the stormy north east coast.

Aged for 14 years in specially selected oak casks then bottled at a full 46% abv, this is a light yet firm-bodied maritime single malt.  Fresh and creamy-smooth on the palate, it has a smoky, sea-spicy character and a very pleasing texture which is highly regarded by malt whisky connoisseurs.

The Edradour 10 is bursting with aromas of fresh vanilla pod and a hint of sulphur, creme caramel, and the palate carries bitter almonds, pepperment chocolates and a dry vanilla'd finish. Unlike its bigger production neighbours, Edradour rely on word-of-mouth of whisky connoisseurs - and because of this they have become one of the most-visited distilleries in Scotland.Their whiskies are a great all-rounder - an ideal dram for a newcomer as well as the collecter that has 200 drams in their cabinet.

At Dalwhinnie, clear worts and long ferments create a starting point form which one might expect a light floral whisky. However, the stills are run in such a way as to minimise the conversation between malt and copper, and when this is combined with the use of worm tubs to condense, the result is a heavy and somewhat sulphurous malt. After fifteen years in cask though, this is combined into the whisky, and the thick honeyed and almost sticky quality that Dalwhinnie is so famous for, shines through.

Nose: Aromatic, toffee, fruit salad, lush nectarine, custard. Floral, apple blossom, honeysuckle. Apple peels, pear, touch of smoke.

Palate: Malty. Walnuts steeped in manuka honey with vanilla sponge. Gentle smoke weaves its way through the cereal with a touch of spice.

Finish: Long, malty, walnut, almond.

As an operating distillery, the production of Oban is quite limited. It only has two stills, which are among the smallest in Scotland. The standards at Oban distillery are exacting, and only the finest barley that is malted to their specifications isused. The whisky is well-rounded with distinctive maltiness and shows a misty, briny character against a background of smoke, heather and peat. The mild, temperate climate of the area, warmed by the Gulf Stream and the soft rain also contributes to its style. Oban is indeed a complete style, ideal after dinner, and covering all the bases, it provides a quintessential Scottish single malt experience!

The Lasanta was extramatured in Spanish oloroso sherry casks following a minimum of ten years in ex-bourbon casks. In Gaelic, Lasanta means warmth and passion, and this refers to the key notes of toffee, raisins and walnuts. Upon further nosing and tasting, rich undertones of sultanas, oranges and chocolate emerge, with the dessert sherry wood showing its worth. 

Nose - Like the most delicious dessert menu imaginable, Lasanta taunts the senses with chocolate covered raisins, honeycomb and smooth caramel toffee. Citrus notes clear the way for the crispy burnt sugar and melting softness of creme brulee to be replaced by the rich aroma of rum and raisin ice cream

Palate - The full, sweet flavour typical of Spanish sherry with sultanas, orange segments, walnuts and butter toffee. The bite of hazelnut tasted through a chocolate coating, spice notes and hints of leather add the overwhelming sense of richness

Finish - Satisfyingly long with spiced orange and chocolate enrobed hazelnuts 

The darkest and most intense whisky in the extra-matured range, Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban has spent 10 years maturing in American white oak casks, before being transferred into specially selected ruby port pipes from the Quintas or wine estates of Portugal.

Extra maturation in these port pipes develops Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban into a voluptuous spirit with a complex balance of sweet and dry flavours and an intriguing contrast of smooth and crisp, cooling textures. Non-chill-filtered for additional aroma and mouthfeel.

GlenDronach is, quite simply, the go to distillery for sherry aged whiskies. This large, imposing Victorian distillery makes whisky to match and some of their single cask offerings are as dark as night and like drinking liquid Xmas pudding and cr?pes suzettes.

This is the archetypal 12 year old, aged in ex-oloroso and PX sherry casks. The nose is rich and lifted with honey, caramel, treacle, vanilla sugar and prunes dominating. The palate is rich and rounded with dried fruit, sultanas and milk chocolate. A fantastic all-round whisky and a must for the cabinet at home.