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2024 Nicks Secret HEW UG Barossa ShirazBarossa Valley, South Australia, AUSTRALIAReduced from $89.99$19. 99Bottle$239.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2026-2034)ABV: 13.5%Closure: StelvinCrafted by a prominent Barossa Valley producer who specialise in Rhone varietals from old dry grown vines. Matured in old French oak barrels for at least 15 months, this plush, seductive Shiraz makes for superb drinking at a fraction of its normal price.
Rich, sleek and long yet beautifully proportioned and refined.
Impenetrable inky black colour with a deep dark red black tinged hue. Pronounced aromas of blackberry, liquorice and dark plum stream through the nostrils followed by smoky vanillin cedar, earthy fennel and pepper notes. Rich and plush yet showing a sense of refinement, the medium to full bodied palate is swamped with succulent blackberry, liquorice, black cherry and dark plum fruits. Subtlety smoked vanillin cedar, fennel and peppered earth elements extend across the back half. Understated in its power, it has fine grained, velvet like tannins and a long, finessed finish.
Drink over the next 6-8 years.
Alc. 13.5%Other Reviews….
From aged dry-grown vines, ungrafted of course, fermentation is with whole berries in open vats, before maturation in old French oak barriques, on lees, for fifteen months. Purple/mauve in colour, on the nose we have notes of bay leaves, cassis, chocolate, plums, vanilla, spices and mulberries. A wonderfully supple texture, there also hints of bacon fat emerging on the palate. The wine has serious length with bright acidity, impressive balance, good focus and satiny tannins on the finish. To be enjoyed over the next twelve to fifteen years. Drink 2026-2041.
96 Points
Ken Gargett – WinePilot.comThis comes off some very old dry-grown vines that unusually have never been grafted. The aromas are intense, with a plummery, slightly black fruit character merging. Palate is intricately integrated with the fine chalky tannins, plush, smooth fruit, and nicely applied oak. This is an exquisite wine where the palate offers so much. Bright with energy and drive. Gosh, I could drink a bit of this. Drink 2026-2036.
96 Points
Ray Jordan – WinePilot.comThe fruit here is both sweet and earthen; the oak is coffeed, toasty and beautifully integrated; the finish is run with black licorice. Peppercorn and violet notes fly here and there; everything about this wine is top notch. Feel, flavour and finish are all elite, as is structure, and there’s a bit of difference in play, courtesy of graphite and smoked floral characters. Drink 2027-2035+
95 Points
Campbell Mattinson – The Wine FrontOpulent and sensually appealing, the pristine fruit richness is enhanced by seductive complexity, showing dark and purple-fruit intensity, toasted spice, vanilla, and cedary oak characters on the nose. It's fleshy and flavoursome, yet structured and robust, with velvety tannins, finishing impressively long and satisfying. At its best: now to 2039.
96 Points
Sam Kim -
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Jacquart Mosaique Brut ChampagneChampagne, FRANCEReduced from $79.99$59. 99Bottle$719.88 DozenABV: 12.5%Closure: Diam CorkFounded in 1964 by a collective of Chardonnay growers, Champagne Jacquart has grown to become the region's largest grower-producer. Today, the brand maintains complete control over its production, sourcing 100% of its fruit exclusively from vineyards owned by its members.
Typically made from a blend of around 40% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir and 25% Pinot Meunier, Jacquart’s Mosaique generally includes 25-35% reserve wines and is matured for at least 3 years on lees.At less than $60, a Champagne of this quality is a rare find in today’s market.
Pours with a buoyant frothy mousse that overlays a pale straw coloured base with pale gold tinged edges. Very fine, energetic bead. Delighting the olfactory senses are aromas of baked bread, yeast lees and citrus which are complexed by whiffs of brioche and oily toast like notes. The palate beautifully meshes flavours of baked bread, yeast lees and roasted almond which carry an airy feel. Citrus, toast and faint ginger elements sit in the background. Crisp, refreshing acidity with a long enveloping finish that has a gentle creaminess to it.
Alc. 12.5%Other Reviews....
Effortlessly composed with an abundance of sunny stone fruit, ripe apples, honeysuckle and a backbone of nutty praline; focussed and expressive with a fine-spun, silky mousse.
96 Points
Decanter World Wine AwardsA famous old Champagne house, this is a non-vintage release from them, representing both flavour and value. How soon before we lament the days when we could find a good bottle of champers for under one hundred bucks? The blend sits around 35 to 40% each of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with the remainder Meunier. Dosage sits around 10 grams/litre, reasonably standard, or perhaps fractionally on the upper edge for these days, and around 20% of the blend is reserve wines. Deep yellow gold in colour, the nose has those lovely biscuity notes, along with peaches, figs, stonefruits and hints of hazelnuts. Richly flavoured and excellent length, this has fresh acidity and impressive length. Very attractive and an exciting cellaring prospect – if you think good Champagne can’t age and improve in the cellar, give it a shot. Lots to like here.
94 Points
Ken Gargett – WinePilot.com -
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2023 She-Oak Hill Estate Heathcote ShirazHeathcote, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$29. 99Bottle$359.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2026-2032)ABV: 14.8%Closure: StelvinEstablished in 1975, this little known estate is one Heathcote’s oldest and along with Jasper Hill and Mt Ida was one of the pioneering vineyards of the region. Further plantings were made in 1996, the dry grown vines from both vineyards now well established with deep roots in the mineral rich Cambrian soil. Winemaking is undertaken by the talented Mark Hunter from Sanguine Estate and maturation takes place in French oak barriques for a period of 18 months. The 2023 vintage was produced predominately from the 50 year old vines. Most of the fruit from the younger vines lost to a nomad herd of kangaroos who developed a taste for the delicious Heathcote fruit in the days before harvest.
A rich, power packed Shiraz made from some of the oldest vines in Heathcote.
Impenetrable inky black heart with a deep dark red black tinged hue. Potent blackberry, liquorice and ripe black cherry scents engulf the nostrils followed by some dark plum, vanillin oak, dark chocolate and subtle peppered earth notes. Rich opulent dark plum, liquorice, blackberry and dark chocolate fruits are gorgeously layered across the full bodied palate. Vanillin oak, subtle scorched earth, spicy mocha and pepper elements lie underneath. Power packed it possesses velvet smooth tannins and a long super plush finish.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
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2024 Margan Saxonvale MourvedreHunter Valley, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA$44. 99Bottle$539.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2026-2032)ABV: 13.6%Closure: StelvinRich, seductive and spicy.
Matured in a combination of second and third use French oak barrels for 9 months. Deep dark red core with black shaded edges and a dark red hue. Attractive dark plum and liquorice scents are complimented by some blueberry, dried herb, scorched earth and spice notes. Rich, concentrated and plush yet not heavy, the mid weighted palate is layered with juicy dark cherry, liquorice and dark plum fruits. Notions of blueberry, earthy dried herbs and spice also make an appearance. Velvety tannins with a long seductively spiced finish.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 13.6%
Other Reviews……
2027 Other Reds & Blends of the Year. Scored awarded by the Halliday tasting panel at the annual Awards judging. TP writes: Vines off block SZM2, planted on own roots in 2010, with cuttings from the VERE vineyard. Sustainably certified. Fermented in open fermenters and matured in seasoned French oak. The result is a stunning example of mourvèdre, sweet-fruited and supple, with fabulous depth. Fragrant morello cherry, blueberries, subtle herbs and loam. The energy, shape and flow set this wine apart from others. A true Hunter highlight!
97 points
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2026 RieslingFreak No. 4 Eden Valley RieslingEden Valley, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$24. 99Bottle$299.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2026-2034)ABV: 11.5%Closure: StelvinA zesty Riesling with laser beam like acidity and a tense, flinty finish.
Brilliant water like core with green tinted surrounds. Intense lime and citrus aromas jump out of the glass trailed by some orange rind, chalky talc and mineral notes. Zesty lemon and lime fruits are dispersed across the mouth watering palate with plenty of zing. Granny Smith apple, wet steel and flinty mineral elements line the back half. Super crisp acidity cuts it way through like a laser beam. Finishes, tense, dry and flinty.
Drink over the next 6-8 years.
Alc. 11.5%
Other Reviews……
Neighbourhood Freak by SWOOP plays loudly. This comes from a blend of Eden sites.
It’s very good. It’s all that an Aussie riesling lover seeks, or so. Blackcurrant leaf and berry with tart lime, a touch of pickled Japanese ginger, some alpine herb and menthol notes, a scratch of dried and fresh green apple. It’s got some very, very frisky acid veins, briny almost, plenty of flavour, lots of get up and go. Quiet complexity in all this and a great sense of tension and energy. Right on. Pow. Rock the house. Drink 2026-2035+
95 points
Mike Bennie – The Wine Front
Riesling sourced from across the southern ranges of the Eden Valley: High Eden for velocity and structure, and sites around Angaston and Springton for aromatic lift and flavour intensity. Pale with a flash of green. As high tensile and sizzlingly precise as ever. Fresh lime, lemon juice and crunchy green apple, with hints of ozone, grapefruit soda, crushed quartz, sliced fennel, Christmas lily, finger lime and lemongrass. Crystalline, with a laser-like focus and a head-spinning velocity. It's taut, sleek and lip-smackingly sapid. The freak has done it again.
95+ points
Dave Brookes - James Halliday's Australian Wine Companion -
- Nicks Import
2013 Edradour Bourbon Cask Matured 12 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLAND$149. 99Bottle$1799.88 DozenABV: 60.7%While not super-complex, these cask-strength Ibisco bottlings intend to show off another side of Edradour. They're for those who enjoy a big vanilla hit, accompanied by citrus, honey and hints of Bourbon in a chewy setting. Typically needing several drops of water to open up and tame the heat, experimenting with dilution is part of the fun. Water tends to expand the mouthfeel and extend the lingering oak sweetness. The youngest component was distilled in August 2013, so liquid slightly older than 12 years old will also be included here. Eight casks yielded 1628 bottles at 60.7% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered.
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2026 Turkey Flat Vineyards RoseBarossa Valley, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$27. 99Bottle$335.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 2 Years (2026-2028)ABV: 12%Closure: StelvinLight, fresh and fruity with a gentle tang across the shapely finish.
Turkey Flat have been refining the style of their Rose over nearly 30 years, the 2026 version is as good as ever. Made entirely from Grenache grapes.
Vibrant damask pink colour. Uplifted scents of raspberry, pomegranate, guava and musk greet the nostrils followed by whiffs of Turkish delight and spice. Light, fresh and fruity, delicious raspberry, cherry and musk flavours slide across the palate. Flashes of water melon and subtle stony mineral characters are also apparent. Crisp acidity with a gentle tang across the shapely finish.
Drink over the next 1-2 years.
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2022 Fraser Gallop Estate Parterre Cabernet SauvignonMargaret River, Western Australia, AUSTRALIA$54. 99Bottle$659.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2026-2034)ABV: 14%Closure: StelvinEstablished in 1999, Fraser Gallop has quickly ascended the Margaret River hierarchy to become one of the regions top producers. The excellent 2022 Parterre is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Merlot matured in a combination of new and second use French oak for a period of 18 months.
Elegant and structured, this an expressive Margaret River Cabernet with a long, finessed finish.
Midnight black in colour with a dark red black tinged hue. Delightful red to black currant, mulberry, cedary tobacco, earthy black olive and subtle spicy bay leaf scents enchant the olfactory senses. The elegant, mid weighted palate is detailed with blackcurrant and mulberry fruits which meld into a cedary tobacco, dried herb, earth and spicy black olive back drop. Structured fine grained tannins with a long, finessed finish.
Drink over the next 6-8 years.
Alc. 14%
Other Reviews…..
There’s an approachability and evenness to this, with everything that’s good about cabernet from this region sealed within. Mulberries and blackberry compote, cassis and currants with fresh mint and bay leaves, nori and licorice with spicy, nutty oak all coming together well. Fuller-bodied with open-knit, textural tannins. The palate is supple. This is ready to enjoy now but will obviously garner more complexity in time. Drink by 2036.
95 points
Jane Faulkner - James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion
A blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon with Malbec and Petit Verdot from a single dry-grown vineyard. Lovely cassis on the nose, with a herbal gum note, moss, cooling wet stone and pretty violets. Slate and polished aniseed notes create beautiful aromatic complexity. Juicy and perfectly weighted acidity with plush tannins and vibrant, layered fruit. Savoury spice with a succulent, moreish character that saturates the palate. So long on the finish, with great length and persistence. An excellent expression of Wilyabrup terroir with harmonious integration of all elements. Drink 2025-2038.
95 points
Decanter
The 2022 Parterre Cabernet Sauvignon is super bright and seductive, with raspberry pip, hints of coffee grounds and aniseed, star anise and freshly turned earth and brine. It's a lovely wine, showing the pedigree of the season. The tannins are powdery and chewy and gorgeous. Really pleasurable. Sealed under screw cap. Drink 2024-2042.
95 points
Erin Larkin – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
This is the most stylish expression of cabernet, which has about 5% malbec, 5% petit verdot, 3% cab franc, and 2% merlot. So it's a classic Bordeaux blend, and shows elements of that sinewy, minerally tannin profile that you might expect. Nice dark fruits on the nose with a lift of bay leaf and a distinct oyster shell character. The palate has good medium-bodied flesh supported by those fine sinewy tannins and integrated oak. It's a classically defined cabernet.
95 points
RayJordanWine.com.au -
- Nicks Import
2013 Edradour 12 Year Old Air Ambulance Charity Bottling Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLAND$119. 99Bottle$1439.88 DozenABV: 46%A whisky created in honour and support of the Scottish Charity Air Ambulance Service (SCAA). Edradour's ongoing partnership with the SCAA supports its mission to provide life-saving emergency care to Scotland's rural population as quickly as possible; a portion of the proceeds goes towards these charitable initiatives. The style is reported to be full-bodied, oily and robust with honey and dried fruit combining with spicy oak, cocoa and a subtle nuttiness; notes of praline and fine hints of leather round off the profile. Matured in Sherry Butts, like most Edradours it comes bottled without chill filtration. 3216 bottles produced. Very limited stocks.
- Red Mill Original Rum (700ml)Sydney, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA$109. 99Bottle$1319.88 DozenABV: 45%
First bottled in 1933, Red Mill Rum is now entirely new again thanks to the founder’s great-grandson. The brand was trademarked by George "Bunny" Fesq and originally sourced casked rums from the CSR refinery and distillery in Pyrmont. David Fesq's contemporary expressions started offsite using borrowed equipment. Considered a great success, these were barreled in the Spring of 2021. Fesq now produces rums in Sydney. Red Mill has a special approach to elevage: Alongside a traditional bourbon barrel program are more exotic casks that previously held some of the world’s great wines and spirits, including Sauternes, Cognac, various Whiskies, Madeira, Sherries, plus dry red & white wines. There are barrels ranging from 125L to 1600L in size, their contents blended into regular bottlings and rare special expressions. The distillery's primary ingredient, molasses, is sourced from the Harwood Mill in the Northern Rivers of NSW, with the rums distilled in both pot & column stills.
Red Mill's 'Original' is an ode to the history of both Red Mill and Sydney Harbour as a rum capital. Though not intended as a replica, Fesq has used the historic original as a reference point. His version has the stronger, punchier flavours of white oak cask rums, but with the refinement and elegance of all of the Red Mill spirits. The rum is batch blended from 75% ex-Bourbon and 25% ex-Scotch Whisky barrels (American oak), before resting for three months in a 1000L French oak foudre. The resulting rum remains on the savoury-dry side, so it’s a bit more elegant than most. The presentation is a modern interpretation of the bottles that existed in the 1960s, replete with a retro gold square label. 45% Alc./Vol.
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2025 Coriole NeroMcLaren Vale, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$27. 99Bottle$335.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2026-2031)ABV: 14.3%Closure: StelvinA juicy, intensely flavoured Nero d’Avola.
Very deep dark red black tinged colour with a vibrant red purple hue. Fragrant dark cherry, liquorice and earthy incense aromas blossom out of the glass trailed by some Mediterranean herb and spice notes. The mid weighted palate is awash with juicy dark cherry, red liquorice and red plum fruits which overlay an inky earth, incense, Mediterranean herb and spice infused back drop. Inky feel with plenty of energy, slightly chewy tannins and a long, bright yet succulent conclusion.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 14.3%
Other Reviews…..
Made with 15% whole bunch; neutral oak for six months. A warm year, yet a frisky release, with a wild-fruited energy. Sour black cherry, damson plum, tart raspberry, a layering of ground white pepper, dried thyme and bay laurel. It starts to lean into sarsaparilla/chinotto, still taut and coiled, but with bitter alpine herbs, bushland scents and a savoury cola note. The fragrance unlocks with air, but this needs a little time in bottle to swell the palate. The quality is there, though. Drink by 2031.
92+ points
Marcus Ellis - James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion -
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2018 Taittinger Vintage ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$185. 00Bottle$2220.00 DozenCellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2026-2034)ABV: 12.5%Closure: Diam CorkRefined, stylish and sophisticated Champagne.
The Taittinger Vintage Brut is produced exclusively from first press wines, blended from 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir. Grands Cru vineyards make up a significant proportion of the blend at 70%, while the other selected villages are all classified as Premiers Crus. Aged on lees for over 5 years.
Pours with a satiny mousse that slowly fades into a pale straw to pale gold coloured base which is threaded by a very fine and extremely persistent bead. Elevated pear and citrus aromas are accompanied by yeast lees, faint quince, chalk and delicate cashew notes. Refined, stylish and sophisticated, the airy palate is detailed with pear, baked bread, yeast lees and subtle oily cashew flavours. Some citrus and delicate brioche characters linger across the back half. Pillowy textural feel with crisp, chalk tinged acidity and a long, gorgeously finessed finish.
Drink over the next 6-8 years.
Alc. 12.5%
Other Reviews……
A layered and lively wine with aromas of strawberries and hints of currant bush, lemons, earth, chalk and white pepper. Medium-bodied with structure and freshness. Lively and energetic. Half chardonnnay and half pinot noir. Disgorged February 2025. 9 g/L dosage. Released March 2026. Drink or hold.
94 points
JamesSuckling.com - 2025 Monte Tondo Frog SoaveVeneto, ITALY$16. 99Bottle$203.88 DozenABV: 12%Closure: Stelvin
The Monte Tondo vineyard can be found nestling in the gentle hills of Soave just a few kilometres from Verona on a slope overlooking the valley. Today it is 4th generation brother and sister team, Luca and Marta Magnabosco, who carry on their family’s passion for the land and its wines.
Twenty-five hectares of vineyards are situated on the best plots that the Soave zone can offer on predominately volcanic soils: Monte Tenda, Monte Foscarino and Monte Tondo. The wines produced, from 100% Garganaga, are intensely perfumed with an unmistakable Soave character somewhere between florals and fruitiness. -
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- Nicks Import
Jean Luc Pasquet L'Organic Folle Blanche L.XIV Cognac (700ml)Cognac, FRANCE$129. 99Bottle$1559.88 DozenABV: 48.6%Originally from the west of France, the Folle Blanche grape is likely native to the Charentes and has been grown in the region since before the first recorded distillation in 1630. For two and a half centuries, it was “the” grape variety, contributing enormously to the reputation of French eaux-de-vie, cognac, and armagnac. After the phylloxera crisis, the grape of choice in the region became the Ugni Blanc. Pasquet have since replanted a section to Folle Blanche in Grande Champagne, which they harvest, vinify and distil separately. Every year they produce between 4 and 5 casks of 100% organic Folle Blanche eau-de-vie. L.XIV is the latest in the series, matured for ten years in French oak.
Other reviews... a distinctive Cognac that showcases bright aromatic intensity. The nose opens with white flowers and fresh fruit notes such as peach and pear, followed by subtle hints of pastry and honey. The palate is energetic yet smooth, with the 48.6% ABV bringing vibrant clarity rather than heat. There's a natural sweetness and creamy mouthfeel that makes each sip memorable. The long, clean finish reveals delicate spices and floral impressions. - cognac-expert.com
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2022 Nicks Secret PH McLaren Vale TempranilloMcLaren Vale, South Australia, AUSTRALIAReduced from $29.99$13. 99Bottle$167.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 4 Years (2026-2030)ABV: 14%Closure: StelvinFrom the same estate as the 2021 Nicks Secret PH SK McLaren Vale Shiraz, this Tempranillo was sourced from a single vineyard located in the Sellicks Hill sub region of McLaren Vale. Maturation took place in French oak barriques for a period of 8 months.
Offering incredible value, this is a rich, generously fleshed Tempranillo that possesses the variety’s signature chewy texture.
Pitch black heart with a deep dark red black tinged hue. Ripe black cherry and liquorice scents waft out of the glass with some subtle earthy dark chocolate, vanillin cedar and spice notes also chiming in. Rich black cherry, dark plum and liquorice fruits make a generous, well fleshed entry onto the palate. Notions of earth, dried herbs and spicy vanillin cedar sit in the background. Lively acidity and chewy tannins impart a sculptured feel across the robust yet savoury finish of ample length.
Drink over the next 3-4 years.
Alc. 14% - Naud 10 Year Old Anejo Colombian Rum (700ml)COLOMBIA$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 40%
While rooted in traditional cognac-making, Naud sources sugarcane from South America to create bespoke rums, this time partnering with Casa Santana. The column-distilled ten year old is matured in ex-Bourbon barrels, before further benefiting from a six month finishing period in French oak in the cellars of Maison Naud. 40% Alc./Vol.
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2000 Signatory Vintage Laphroaig 25 Year Old Symington's Choice Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Islay, SCOTLAND$899. 00Bottle$10788.00 DozenABV: 54.5%At several hundred dollars less than the official cask strength 25 year old, Symington's cask #4078 delivers a strong value in venerable Islay. 521 bottles from an oloroso sherry butt make up the outturn. 54.5% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered.
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1995 Signatory Vintage Glenburgie 30 Year Old Symington's Choice Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$399. 00Bottle$4788.00 DozenABV: 49%Glenburgie is another anonymous blend-filler that's very slowly gaining traction amongst malt lovers. We say 'slowly', not because it's considered mediocre, rather because bottlings are hardly ever released, even via independents. Evidently this one's a bit special, having made the grade for a Symington's Choice selection. Cask #205 was finished in a first-fill Pedro Ximenez Hogshead that yielded 336 bottles. 49% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
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2022 De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon (375ml)Riverina, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA$34. 99Bottle$419.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2026-2031)ABV: 10.5%Closure: StelvinSweet, viscous and mouth coating.
Bright yellow gold tinged colour with brassy gold edges. Intense honeyed apricot and peach scents engulf the nostrils followed by some toffee apple and marmalade notes. Sweet luscious honeyed peach and apricot flavours overlay a dried pineapple and spicy marmalade back drop. Viscous and mouth coating it finishes long and sweet.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 10.5%
Other Reviews……
A reticent wine on the nose, this was a very good vintage for botrytis, so hold space for what is to come with time in the bottle. Marigold flowers, honeysuckle and loquat fruit. Golden-hued plums and pineapple turnover. There is a shortbread and baked madeleine biscuits thanks to the use of new oak but it sings a chorus behind the ripe fruit, which sits in front. Acidity is long and stretched at the seams which makes for a succulence. A very elegant wine with the power to take its avid drinkers into the far reaches of pleasure. This is a wine with a very long future and definitely the vintage to collect. Drink by 2034.
96 points
Shanteh Wale - James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion -
- Nicks Import
1995 Signatory Vintage Fettercairn 30 Year Old Symington's Choice Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLAND$399. 00Bottle$4788.00 DozenABV: 58.5%Founded in 1824 and recently celebrating its 200th anniversary, Fettercairn is owned by Whyte & Mackay and represents one of their key blending resources (two others being Dalmore and Tamnavulin). The distillery style is sometimes described as slightly tropical, including notes of pineapple and mango, while verging on the spicy side. Signatory's hogshead #2381 filled 223 bottles at a natural strength of 58.5% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
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Strathbogie Select PX Barrel Finish Peated Single Malt Australian Whisky (700ml)Nagambie Lakes, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$119. 99Bottle$1439.88 DozenABV: 58%A delicately sweet PX expression with impressive peat reek. The spirit was laid down in a large-format cask and left at the front of the distillery, where it spent two years moving through Nagambie's heat and cold. The result approaches Caol ila in style. Mouth-warming, borderline succulent, with hints of baked citrus, smoked dark chocolate and oily peat, drying with smouldering potpourri and lingering chilli heat. Sherry helps to smooth out some of the bristly spices. Nicely balanced uncut; adding water amplifies the texture and releases more of the oils. 58% Alc./Vol.
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1995 Signatory Vintage Clynelish 30 Year Old Symington's Choice Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLAND$999. 00Bottle$11988.00 DozenABV: 54.5%A Clynelish that's reported to be not so much about 'waxiness', rather, having a little more spice to it along with old barn notes, maple syrup, red fruits and leather, coffee beans and brown sugar. 504 bottles were charged from a single refill sherry butt in late 2025. 54.5% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
- 78 Degrees Dry Vermouth (750ml)Adelaide Hills, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$36. 99Bottle$443.88 DozenABV: 18%
Created with McLaren Vale Chenin Blanc at its base, a variety that showcases ripe stonefruit, citrus and herbaceousness, while adding great mid-palate fruit characteristics which carry the botanicals. The Chenin Blanc is then aged in old oak and stainless steel with a modern blend of Torino inspired roots, herbs and spices. From here, this Dry Vermouth gets its distinct Australian air by utilising the French method of adding salinity in the form of karkalla, resinous herbal notes of native thyme and a rounding off of undertones of honey and nuts imparted from roasted wattleseed, tying all of the botanicals together with the varietal characteristics of the Chenin Blanc. 18% Alc./Vol.
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2022 Catena Zapata Nicasia Vineyard MalbecMendoza, ARGENTINA$140. 00Bottle$1680.00 DozenCellar: Drink now - 10 Years (2026-2036)ABV: 13.5%Closure: CorkRich, concentrated and polished, this is a wonderfully finessed and powerful Malbec.
Nicola Catena planted his first Malbec vineyard in Mendoza in 1902 and today the estate is run by Nicholás Catena and his daughter Laura. Malbec continues to be the estate's focus and the winery's pristine vineyards lie at the base of the Andes on soils of sand, lime and stone at altitudes between 920 and 1120 metres above sea level. Over the last 20 years, the fastidious vineyard work of Nicholas and Laura has paid dividends and Catena Zapata is now one of Argentina's most famous estates.
2022 was an exceptional year at Catena Zapata from every possible qualitative standpoint. Alejandro Vigil, Catena Zapata’s Head Winemaker says: “This is the best year that I have lived through”.
Magnificent depth of colour featuring a super saturated inky black heart along with a dark purple black tinged hue. Perfumed aromas of violet, red to black currant, blueberry and liquorice stream through the nostrils complimented by some vanillin cedar, subtle tobacco, earth and spicy dried herb notes. Rich and concentrated yet gorgeously refined, the mid weighted palate has a deep coating of blackcurrant, blueberry, dark cherry and liquorice fruits flowing across it. Compact, grainy tannin structure with notions of vanillin cedar, earthy dark chocolate, subtle infusions of fresh herbs and delicate spicy tobacco elements outlined across the back half. Polished and fresh with a slightly dusty feel, its wonderfully finessed and powerful. Finishes long, juicy and expansive.
Drink over the next 8-10 years.
Alc. 13.5%
Other Reviews…..
The 2022 Malbec Nicasia Vineyard was sourced from Paraje Altamira and aged for up to 21 months in oak barrels. Aromas of violets and lavender blend with cassis and intense blue fruit notes. Delicate yet juicy with a plush texture, it shows fine oak integration. It's precise in its fruit expression, finishing long with refined structure and a polished impression. The fresh, dry 2022 vintage lends additional nuance to this delicious wine. Compared to Catena Zapata’s single-vineyard wines, Nicasia typically receives less attention, but this is a distinctive, captivating Malbec in and of itself. Drink 2025-2045.
97 points
Joaquín Hidalgo – Vinous
This is concentrated, with dense dark fruit. The nose shows blue fruit, tar and tapenade. The palate is juicy and medium- to full-bodied, with delineated concentration, dark fruit flavors and voluminous presence balanced by precise tannins. Drink now.
96 points
JamesSuckling.com -
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1995 Signatory Vintage Fettercairn 29 Year Old Symington's Choice Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLAND$399. 00Bottle$4788.00 DozenABV: 59.8%Fettercairn eludes many a malt buff, not only in physical form, but in its taste profile which tends to elicit varied and polarising reactions. This sounds like a good example, with comments on whiskybase.com ranging from "a decent whisky with a fairly broad palette of derivatives," to "Delightfully fruity" and "menthol-like". A conversation starter, no doubt, and reported to show its best with water. Symington's 2025 bottling was drawn from a single hogshead yielding 211 bottles. 59.8% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
- 1992 Douglas Laing & Co. Old Particular Cameronbridge 30 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain & Kilchoman Small Batch 2023 Edition Single Malt Scotch Whisky Bundle Buy (2 x 700ml)SCOTLAND$299. 00Bottle$3588.00 Dozen
This limited bundle buy equates to getting a FREE Kilchoman Small Batch when purchasing a 30YO Cask Strength Cameronbridge! That's $160 of FREE whisky!
Notes on 1992 Douglas Laing & Co. Old Particular Single Cask Cameronbridge 30 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
Of all of Scotland's grain whiskies, we do find that Cameronbridge often surpasses expectations. Even at middle age it's capable of delivering a whisky that's slightly richer and more malt-like than its peers. Thanks to independents, we're occasionally getting access to some great values from what remains an under-appreciated category. Distilled in September of 1992 and matured in a second-fill barrel, this Douglas Laing edition arrives without chill filtration or dilution, at a natural cask strength of 48.2%. The colour looks reasonably deep for a grain, suggesting that they didn't use a completely inactive cask. With good wood and three decades behind it, this promises to be a text-book example.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Shows some early barley sugar sweetness, with dry grains amongst an old book library ambience. Palate: Wonderfully dulcet with a mixed spin of vanilla and citrus, topped by florals... Finish: Catch some warm cocoa ahead of subtle spices, serial cereal and more late vanilla fudge.
Notes on Kilchoman Small Batch 2023 Edition Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
A Kilchoman matured in specially selected shaved, toasted & re-charred (STR) red wine casks, bottled non-chill filtered at high strength. The combination of 75% Bourbon, 20% red wine and 5% sherry casks results in a classic Kilchoman profile of citrus and peat smoke with layers of red fruits, cinnamon sweetness, and fresh vanilla. Founder, Anthony Wills adds, "...Rather than dominating, Loch Gorm’s oloroso maturation works in harmony with the natural character of Kilchoman. The 2023 release has a fantastic spectrum of flavour, from rich spices and macerated peaches to fresh citrus, ginger, orange zest and waves of salty peat smoke." 2520 bottles are available at 48.7% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered.
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2022 Peter Lehmann 8 Songs ShirazBarossa, South Australia, AUSTRALIAReduced from $49.99$44. 99Bottle$539.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2026-2034)ABV: 14.5%Closure: StelvinRich and opulent with a long, seductive finish.
First produced in 1996, Peter Lehmann’s Eight Songs is sourced from old, low yielding vineyards in the Barossa with maturation taking place in French oak hogsheads (40% new) for a period of 14 months.
Dense inky black heart with a very deep dark red black hue. Liquorice, blackberry and dark plum scents waft through the nostrils with impressive intensity complimented by vanillin oak, earthy fennel, subtle dark chocolate and pepper notes. Rich, concentrated and opulent in its texture the palate is engulfed with sumptuous ripe blackberry, liquorice and dark plum fruits. Earthy fennel, dark chocolate, vanillin cedar and pepper elements lurk underneath. Velvety yet underlyingly sturdy tannin structure. Outstanding depth and power with a long, seductive finish.
Drink over the next 6-8 years.
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2025 Saracco Moscato d’Asti (375ml) – Half BottlePiedmont, AUSTRALIA$22. 99Bottle$275.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 3 Years (2026-2029)ABV: 5.5%Closure: Glass StopperLusciously fruited and spritzy with a light, airy feel.
Described by Vinous Media wine critic Ian D'Agata as the 'DRC of Moscato d'Asti', this is a captivating example of Moscato.
Pours with a delicate fizzy mousse. A gentle spritz flows through the very pale coloured base. Freshly squeezed grape juice, mango, pineapple and subtle floral musk like notes fill the nostrils. Light, refreshingly sweet and frisky, the palate is decorated with flavours of grape juice, tropical fruits, mango and musk. Finishes long, fruity and effervescent.
Drink over the next 2-3 years.
Alc. 5.5%
Other Reviews….
White peaches kissed with fresh mint flowing through jasmine petals and wild thyme, each aromatic layer floating like summer memories. The palate dances with perfect balance, where ripe nectarines and elegant sweetness ride waves of vibrant acidity. This is Moscato d'Asti showing its truest self, where delicate bubbles and pristine fruit linger. Pour it with spicy Vietnamese spring rolls now, save some for fresh peach tart later, this wine knows no boundaries.
95 points
Wine Enthusiast
There’s a lot of terrible Moscato about, especially some of the gross sickly local examples, but when Moscato is good, it’s very much a refreshing treat.Juicy white peach, mint, perfume. There’s a tickle of fine bubbles, acidity balances sweetness, and that tussle between those two things is the hallmark of good Moscato. There’s a feathering of grip and the finish is juicy and long. Bloody yum. This is a banger. Drink 2026-2027.
94 points
Gary Walsh – The Wine Front -
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Glenmorangie The Nectar 16 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLAND$149. 99Bottle$1799.88 DozenABV: 46%"Big whisky with a delivery to die for." - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2025/26
Other reviews... Now finished for 2 years in a combination of sauternes, monbazillac, muscatel, and tokaji casks, this has mouthwatering aromas of peach syrup, warm brioche, orange cake, fruit pastries, and ripe apricot. The palate is drenched in baked fruit flavors, with apricot, orange Jell-O, and orange honey, plus pepper. The mouthfeel is succulent and unctuous, revealing baked pastries, flaked almond, brioche, cinnamon toast, bananas Foster, and creamy toffee to finish. No. 8 in our Top 20 of 2024. 94 points - whiskyadvocate.com
...This is ridiculously salivating, both those fizzing spices and those firm, fruity elements kicking in. Despite all this, the malt not only gathers, but multiplies to form the inner core... Big whisky with a delivery to die for. Glenmorangie has no idea how not to do complex and here they don't even bother trying. 95 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2025/26
- Kilchoman Feis Ile 2023 Release Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Islay, SCOTLAND$299. 00Bottle$3588.00 DozenABV: 55.3%
For the Fèis Ìle special bottling of 2023, proprietor Anthony Wills selected three casks: two ten-year-old bourbon barrels and an eleven-year-old sherry butt. The chosen casks were filled with spirit created from Publican barley grown in Kilchoman's own fields in 2011 and 2012. First sold to visitors on Kilchoman Open Day and available at the distillery’s visitor centre for a few weeks afterwards, what was left was distributed to select global markets. Wills commented, “Selecting casks for our annual Fèis Ìle release is the highlight of my year. I’ve always enjoyed the balance of character achieved by combining both bourbon and sherry casks, the bourbon barrels enhance and exhibit the character of the Kilchoman spirit whilst the sherry butt adds layers of richness and complexity. The result is a beautifully balanced example of Kilchoman Single Farm Single Malt, a credit to the hard work of all the team, both on the farm and in the distillery.” The whisky lands at 55.3% Alc./Vol. with a relatively small outturn of 1159 bottles. Non-chill filtered.
- 2013 Kilchoman Single Cask #728 Mezcal Finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) - Bottled for AWASIslay, SCOTLAND$199. 99Bottle$2399.88 DozenABV: 54%
In 2019, the Scotch Whisky Association updated the regulations on cask maturation. It was a response to an industry trend of ageing whisky in increasingly exotic casks in order to offer consumers new taste experiences. Kilchoman was one of the earliest to take advantage of the change. Here's just one example: Cask #728 was exclusively bottled for AWAS (the Australian Whisky Appreciation Society), peated to 50ppm, and matured for over 7 years in a bourbon barrel before being finished in a Mezcal cask for 11 months. In our experience, peat smoke and mezcal combine surprisingly well. Of sister cask #828, whiskyfun.com commented "I'm not hundred percent sure I found the mezcal, to be honest, but it is an excellent Scottish-Mexican drop." We're confident it's an Islay that's worth exploring. 54% Alc./Vol. Non-chill-filtered.
- Morris Rutherglen Smoked Sherry Single Malt Australian Whisky (700ml)Rutherglen, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$169. 99Bottle$2039.88 DozenABV: 50%
The smoked Australian whisky category continues to challenge and expand. This addition was initially matured in STR ex-wine casks from wineries in the Barossa and Coonawarra, then finished in Morris Mia Aged Amber Apera casks that have undergone a heavy char method developed by Copper & Grain coopers. Weighing in at a solid 50% Alc./Vol., the aim has been to create “a marriage of impressive dried citrus sherry notes with a lingering smoky finish.”
Other reviews... By super heavy charring casks that previously held Morris Mia Aged Amber Apera – a wine I love, and which sits between a fino and amontillado sherry – the team have created a much drier and nuttier experience, altogether different from a peated sherry or port cask Scottish malt. (I’m fascinating to see how peated whisky fans take to this.) It’s another bold release from a brand that has quickly developed a large following on the back of sharply-priced, well-balanced whiskies. Despite their immediate success, the Morris folks have still got an appetite for pushing boundaries and striving for distinctly Rutherglen-style whiskies. The more of that kind of thinking we see in Australian whisky, the better... Bigger here than the Morris Smoked Muscat release, and palpably drier. The smoke drives down the palate on the higher ABV, but the creamier, fruitier elements from the apera casks provide much needed balance. Rewards multiple passes. At points, you find juicy citrus and walnut flavours from the apera, in other moments, nutmeg, wood spice and campfire. Doesn't take well to a drop of water, though, gets a bit wobbly and disjointed... Unlike any sherry cask whisky you've come across before, and as a uniquely Australian rendition of an old world style, this is a real achievement. It's a seriously adult whisky. Compared to the richer and stickier Morris Smoked Muscat, this is tightly balanced between something spry and nutty and something fresh out of a fire pit. And if you're not put off by the smoke, there's balance and finesse to be found here. It will definitely polarise, but absolutely worth trying. - Luke McCarthy, ozwhiskyreview.com.au
"...a great choice for single malt drinkers and for anyone curious about “peat-adjacent” whiskies — those that offer smoky complexity without the full Islay-style peat punch." - thewhiskyscribe.com
- Kilchoman Feis Ile 2022 Release 16 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Islay, SCOTLAND$399. 00Bottle$4788.00 DozenABV: 52.1%
A combination of five first-fill bourbon barrels filled in 2006 and seven casks filled in 2005, which at the time of bottling for Feis Isle in 2022 represented some of the earliest casks ever filled at Kilchoman. 865 bottles were produced at a strength of 52.1% Alc./Vol. Non-chill-filtered.
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Glen Scotia Unpeated 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Campbeltown, SCOTLAND$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 40%Other reviews... Matured in first-fill bourbon barrels, the nose has toffee, vanilla, heather honey, and salty maritime qualities. Add in ground cumin, pencil shavings, green apple, and a spritz of lemon peel, and it’s rather appealing. A sweet hit of vanilla, honey, and spice on the palate, then layers of marmalade, gingerbread, spiced apple, and dry oak, with a lasting finish of fudge sweetness, cinnamon cookies, and ground ginger. 90 points - whiskyadvocate.com
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2022 Nicks Secret OF McLaren Vale ShirazMcLaren Vale, South Australia, AUSTRALIAReduced from $69.99$19. 99Bottle$239.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2026-2032)ABV: 14.5%Closure: Diam CorkFrom a producer who specialises in sourcing Shiraz and Grenache from old vine single vineyards, this Shiraz comes from two old vine sites in McLaren Flat and Blewitt Springs. Maturation took place in 50% French oak and 50% American oak hogsheads (20% new) for a period of 28 months with only the best barrels selected for the final wine.
Lush, velvety and power packed, this is a superb expression of old vine McLaren Vale Shiraz.
Impenetrable inky black colour with a deep dark red black tinged hue. Alluring scents of dark plum, liquorice and dark chocolate captivate the olfactory senses followed by vanillin oak, subtle mocha and spicy earth notes. Lush and velvety, the weighty palate is engulfed with rich dark plum, liquorice and blackberry fruits. Subtlety toasted vanillin oak, earthy fennel, mocha and spice elements sit in the background. Concentrated and power packed it has very polished yet underlying sturdy tannins and a long, sumptuous conclusion that has a plump feel to it.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 14.5%Other Reviews….
Gorgeously complex and inviting, the bouquet showcases dark fruit intensity, cake spice, toasty oak, and dark chocolate notes, followed by a wonderfully weighted palate that delivers a plump mouthfeel, backed by layers of fine tannins, finishing plush and flavoursome. At its best: now to 2037.
95 Points
Sam Kim – Wine OrbitTwo old-vine plantings of shiraz, open fermented, finishing in barrel, both French and American, an undisclosed though not intrusive portion new. There’s an old-vine gravitas here, a hard-won intensity, borne from vine roots digging deep over decades, suffusing the fruit with deeply moody dark-fruited intensity. There’s no excess, just depth and intensity, with spice notes, coffee, cacao, a tasteful nip of Captain Morgan and some woody herbs detailing. A milk chocolate feel to the palate, supple, slightly creamy, the tannins fine and the length sustained. Drink by 2032.
94 Points
Marcus Ellis - James Halliday’s Australian Wine CompanionA marriage of fluorescent red berries, redcurrants, raspberries and black cherries. Some soft bay leaf and tobacco pouch. Acidity is measured for flow and even grace across the palate, granular tannins but carry the intensity right to the finish. There are undercurrents of granitic earth and brown soil, some olive fleck savouriness too. French oak rounds out the finish. This will age beautiful over another 5–8 years. Drink now–2033
95 Points
The Vintage Journal -
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2026 RieslingFreak No. 5 Off Dry RieslingClare Valley, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$24. 99Bottle$299.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2026-2032)ABV: 10.5%Closure: StelvinA fruity, off dry Riesling with a mineral zing to the finish.
Brilliant water like colour with green tinged edges. Red apple, lime and orange blossom scents drift from the glass intermingling with whiffs of honeysuckle and mandarin along the way. Crunchy red apple, mandarin and lime fruits lead the way on the palate with gentle notions of honeysuckle and flinty mineral characters extending across the back half. Crisp acidity with a mineral zing to the fruity, off dry finish.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 10.5%
Other Reviews......
Some of the most charming, easy-to-drink, fun wines on the planet are made from riesling in an off-dry style. This doesn't miss a trick. It has the skittish crimps and crackles of saline minerality found in bone-dry riesling, but offers up the gentle lip-plumping of honeyed citrus and red apple fruitiness that are the tells of residual sugar. There's no sense of 'sweet wine' here, just a textural nod and a fruitiness. The balance is sublime. Wildly drinkable and charming. Drink by 2030.
95 points
Mike Bennie - James Halliday's Australian Wine Companion -
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2015 Douglas Laing & Co. Old Particular Single Cask Talisker 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Isle of Skye, SCOTLAND$199. 99Bottle$2399.88 DozenABV: 48.4%Independent bottlings of Talisker are almost unheard of. Hence, this Old Particular may even have some appeal to collectors. It's just ten years old, but Diageo's annual 'Special Releases' have highlighted just how good young Talisker can be. The style here should be like a stripped back and souped-up official 10 year old. Expect a whisky with a mouth-coating, oily texture, layered with coastal brine, damp ash, orange rind and peppery peat. In short, West Highland single malt at its most expressive. A decade maturing in a single refill hogshead yielded 356 bottles. 48.4% Alc./Vol. Non-chill-filtered.
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2012 Douglas Laing & Co. Old Particular Single Cask Glenallachie 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$139. 99Bottle$1679.88 DozenABV: 48.4%A second darker-coloured release from our Old Particular shipment is this high strength Glenallachie. Judging by the beautiful auburn hue, it looks to be from a single re-fill sherry butt. 415 bottles were filled. 48.4% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Vanilla'd oak and baking spice give way to butterscotch and ginger. Palate: Layers of chocolate and mocha alongside honey'd barley and cinnamon. Finish: Dark berries, dried fruits, juicy plums and more spice linger on and on.
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2011 Douglas Laing & Co. Old Particular Single Cask Braeval 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$119. 99Bottle$1439.88 DozenABV: 48.4%It could be argued that some of Scotland's distilleries produce spirit that's best reserved for blends, and not particularly suited to showcasing as single malts. But then there are others that do produce large amounts of "blend filler" that can also deliver noteworthy malts. Little-known Braevel is one, offering a whisky that can be both rewarding and surprisingly complex. The first official release only debuted in 2017, so it remains novel, even for seasoned drinkers. Independents continue to seek it out. This expressions consists of 395 bottles from a refill hogshead. 48.4% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Opens replete with rich, sweet home-baking - develops to warm damp sugar and mocha. Palate: Big and tannic with citrus, spices, the juiciest of barley, lightly burnt cake and late Bourbon. Finish: The citrus has been flamed and sugar added creme brulee style with a cereal backdrop.
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2009 Douglas Laing & Co. Old Particular Single Cask Mortlach 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$159. 99Bottle$1919.88 DozenABV: 48.4%Since the 1920s and to this day, a significant amount of Mortlach's output has been dedicated to the Johnnie Walker blends. In 2014, owner Diageo launched four 'luxury' Mortlachs, resuming a line of offerings as the distillery did so many years ago. Releases remain relatively rare, with more recent bottlings focussed on super premium age statements. Laing's edition sits in between the official 12 and 20 year olds. The outturn was 282 bottles from a refill hogshead, presumably sherry, but it's not stated on the label. 48.4% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Instantly aromatic, so fragrant, showing the gentlest spices with a cedar wood and gristy aspect. Palate: Still piquant, now giving way to butter cream, a range of cereal based flavours and a syrupy backdrop. Finish: The same spices are now cool and minty; running to a later sugar toffee, crushed sugar style.
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2008 Douglas Laing & Co. Old Particular Single Cask Aberlour 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$169. 99Bottle$2039.88 DozenABV: 48.4%Many entry-level bottlings from this distillery can feel a bit mild to seasoned drinkers, so higher ABV Aberlours are always welcome. We're not quite at A'bunadh strengths, but we're getting close! As with the A'bunadh Alba, maturation in ex-bourbon barrels should bring a different side to the profile (fruitier notes like apples, honey and vanilla), as opposed to the more typical, sherry influenced flavours. 319 bottles were drawn from a refill hogshead. 48.4% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Barley and soft spices give way to moreish caramel and vanilla richness. Palate: Thick and creamy with buttery biscuits, charred oak, candied peel and pastry. Finish: Lingers with much of what has gone before plus apricot conserve and butterscotch.
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2008 Douglas Laing & Co. Old Particular Single Cask Tobermory 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Isle of Mull, SCOTLAND$179. 99Bottle$2159.88 DozenABV: 48.4%As one of Scotland's older distilleries (est.1798), Tobermory should be better known by now. Its notoriety is slowly gathering steam. New management and quality releases are making this Hebridean stalwart a go-to island whisky experience. The distillery produces both peated an unpeated whisky for use in the Black Bottle and Scottish Leader blends, as well as the super peaty Ledaig and Tobermory single malts. This indie release totals 243 bottles decanted from a Bourbon barrel. 48.4% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: A sweet candied character with fruit salad and vanilla/spicy tang. Palate: Detect brown sugar and cinnamon with sweet Malt and stone fruits. Finish: a freshly baked pastry style lingers on alongside toffee and pear drops.
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2008 Douglas Laing & Co. Old Particular Single Cask Glenburgie 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$159. 99Bottle$1919.88 DozenABV: 48.4%Glenburgie debuts in the Old Particular range! The Pernod Ricard distillery remains a critical component in the mega-conglomerate Ballantine’s blend. Unfortunately very, very little gets released under the Glenburgie label, so it's not a name widely recognised here or overseas. The spirit has the potential to deliver a fruit bomb, loaded with notes like peach, pear, apple, and mandarin. Laing's outturn is 317 bottles from a refill hogshead. 48.4% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Orange rind is immediately apparent developing to a gristy, sugary sweetness. Palate: Gentle spiced oak gives way to creamy cereal, toffee apples and hard candy. Finish: Baking spice linger with more of that earlier fresh fruit sweetness.
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2008 Douglas Laing & Co. Old Particular Single Cask Royal Brackla 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLAND$139. 99Bottle$1679.88 DozenABV: 48.4%Chosen by King William IV in 1835 to be known as the King’s own whisky, Brackla was given a Royal Warrant, the first of its kind, and from then on was called "Royal Brackla". Today, the distillery’s range has been revamped, re-entering the market in 2015. Known for employing an unusually long fermentation combined with tall stills to create an ester-rich spirit, the malt is typically fruity and fairly robust, working well with sherry casks. This one sees 269 bottles filled from a refill hogshead (x-Bourbon, we'd expect). 48.4% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Creamy cereal with just a hint of spice, polished wood and apricot jam. Palate: Barley-rich with some nutmeg and brown sugar apparent alongside vanilla'd oak. Finish: Lingers with a citric tang plus buttery pastry and more of that earlier barley depth.
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2008 Douglas Laing & Co. Old Particular Single Cask Speyburn 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$139. 99Bottle$1679.88 DozenABV: 48.4%Speyburn's distillers take a wide spirit cut, aiming for a fruity character that still retains some body. 'Apples' are one note that's often repeated by tasters. For this middle-aged independent expression, 357 bottles were charged from a refill hogshead. 48.4% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Opens crisp, clean and attractively spiced, with a sweet cereal based, gristy content. Palate: Carries a barley sugar based and honey'd style, warming gently amongst intriguing spices. Finish: Still as absolutely sweet, now with a nutty content - those earlier spices still apparent.
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2011 Douglas Laing & Co. Old Particular Single Cask Balmenach 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$119. 99Bottle$1439.88 DozenABV: 48.4%Unlike relatively light or floral Speysiders, Balmenach uses traditional worm tub condensers and fast distillation in small stills, producing an oily, weighty, meaty new-make that's sought after for blending or independent casks. Aficionados often give the malt high marks, an opinion that coincides with the blended whisky community. This edition from Laing & Co. sees 348 bottles drawn from a refill hogshead. 48.4% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Buttery pastry, warm croissants alongside dried apricots and polished wood. Palate: A thick, syrupy sweetness mingles with cinnamon and buttered toast. Finish: A charred oak style lingers with caramelised nuts and orchard fruits.
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2008 Douglas Laing & Co. Old Particular Single Cask Mannochmore 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$139. 99Bottle$1679.88 DozenABV: 48.4%Mannochmore is another Diageo blend filler, being the signature component in Haig. The general style falls under the fruity' category, with a texture that's often creamy or waxy with a crisp, dry finish. Laing & Co. have charged 325 bottles from a refill hogshead. 48.4% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Aniseed and orange rind give way to caramel and honey'd malt. Palate: Golden syrup and double cream with freshly backed buttery biscuits. Finish: Long with hard candy, spiced oak and a raspberry conserve sweetness.
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2009 Douglas Laing & Co. Old Particular Single Cask Bruichladdich 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Islay, SCOTLAND$350. 00Bottle$4200.00 DozenABV: 48.4%One of the few Islay malts on offer from Douglas Laing, this Bruichladdich saw 15 years in an x-Bourbon barrel resulting in an outturn of 286 bottles. Tasting notes suggests it's a very gently peated expression. 48.4% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Nose: A barley, malty sweetness develops to fresh vanilla pods and home baking. Palate: Creamy and wonderfully thick - custard cream biscuits with just the perfect hint of earth/smoke. Finish: Lingers on and on - salted caramel with buttery popcorn and a dried fruit style.
















































