75 products

Award Winning Whiskies

With thousands to choose from, we’ve spent some time narrowing down a selection that’s sure to impress, regardless of how much you spend. This compilation is taken from whisk(e)ys that have scored 95 points and above in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible, Category Winners from the prestigious World Whisky Awards and Double Gold Medal winners at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (one of the world’s major spirits shows). In short, it’s the best of the best, so picking a winning whisk(e)y has never been easier!
    • 97
    • 96
    Amrut Intermediate Sherry Matured Cask Strength Single Malt Indian Whisky (700ml)
    Bangalore, INDIA
    $220. 00
    Bottle
    $2640.00 Dozen
    ABV: 57.1%

    Note: Slight bruising to the top of the gift box.

    Prejudice usually breeds ignorance, and admittedly, there was a time when even we found the idea of a distillery in India entering the domain of luxury spirits implausible. Now seven years on, perhaps more than any other world whisky, Amrut has changed the way people think about this category - mostly because the quality is simply impossible to ignore. The best examples from this distillery surpass your expectations at every level.

    We'd been following the development of Amrut through the tasting notes of Jim Murray for some time, as the 2007 bottling earned 89 points with the closing statement "as 40% abv malts go - from any country - this is pretty spot on." In 2008 Amrut increased the ABV to 46% and much to Murray's delight ceased the use of caramel colouring, subsequently the whisky earned 91.5 points to cap off a salivating review. Amrut had our attention.

    A selection of cask strength expressions have recently become available for Australian whisky enthusiasts, and the quality is first rate, to the extent that these stand out as bargains on the world whisky stage. They are a revelation to almost anyone who tastes them.

    The present situation we're witnessing in India is in some ways akin to the early Japanese whisky industry. It remains a work in progress, and there are good reasons why it's taken decades to get this far.

    "You have seen and understand India," a local observed to one visitor who recently toured Amrut. "We need grain to feed people. Whisky is not important and rightly it's not a priority. We use what we have."
    He was indirectly referring to the vague and permissive laws which historically, saw almost 90% of Indian spirit produced from molasses. Blended malt styles often contained as little as 4% actual malt whisky. When Amrut was originally established in 1948 under the name of "Amrut Laboratories", it produced "rum" & "brandy" during the 50's and 60's. India was a huge market, but primarily at the lower end. Post-independence and with the liberalisation of licensing laws, Amrut's founder, Radhakrishna N. Jagdale, sensed an opportunity. “This is when he diversified into Amrut Distilleries, while also continuing with a division in the pharma industry,”recollects son, Jagdale who initiated the production of malt whisky during the 1980s.

    Amrut turned the traditional Indian approach on its head. "We understood the importance and complex chemistry of [barrel] maturation, thanks to our chemists’ background,” adds Jagdale. They near perfected the production process, ironically, with guidance from the Scots.

    But the company faced difficulties convincing consumers to try the product. Most believed that a good single malt could not be produced in India. To deal with the understandable prejudice, the company's early strategy targeted international markets, that would then, in theory, go on to ignite local demand given positive feedback. "We were confident of our single malt. From a marketing perspective, we thought if our product had to pass the test, why not do so in the toughest location. Scotland is the home of Scotch. If they acknowledge our single malt, then that’s good enough for me"said Jagdale. The group debuted its piece de resistance, Amrut Indian Single Malt, in Glasgow in 2004.

    "It was all worth it", recalls executive director of the company, Jagdale Junior, "... We had our jaw-dropping moment when the host at Glasgow's famous Pot Still whisky pub served Amrut to a group of connoisseurs, without telling them where it was from. Each person named a different region of Scotland as the likely place of origin, but they were unanimous in their appreciation."

    By the time Amrut launched in India in 2010, they were already selling fifteen variants of single malt to leading world retailers (Harrods, Selfridges across the UK,and Park Avenue Liquor Shop in New York, to name a few). It was risk that paid dividends on the brand's home ground.

    Amrut is situated in Bangalore, India, 3000 ft above sea level with the water and barley being sourced from Punjab and Pajasthan. Though the maturation takes place high up above the city, hot weather makes whisky mature faster in India than it does in Europe or the United States. The fraction lost to evaporation during ageing, known as the angels' share, is also higher in India, at 11–12%, as opposed to Scotland, where the annual evaporative loss is about 2%. Most Amrut whiskies are reportedly less than 6 years old, yet a steady stream of awards have been left in their wake. The company is now in the envious position of keeping up with demand, without compromising their down to earth philosophy of always exceeding customer expectations. (Is their any other formula to successfully break into new markets?)

    Fusion and Portonova remain the most popular whiskies in the portfolio. But at around 10,000 cases of malt whisky per year, Amrut is a relatively minor player. Demand from over 22 countries means allocations remain small. That may change. Let's hope the staggering quality currently on offer does not.

    "Intermediate" is created by initially maturing Amrut spirit in a combination of ex-bourbon and new American oak casks, followed by a brief maturation in sherry casks before returning to ex-bourbon casks for its final stint - hence the name 'Intermediate Sherry'. No shortage of rave reviews, including a whopping 96.5 point score from Jim Murray. We have to agree on this one.

    A full throttle, sherry-bourbon extravaganza!

    Tasting note: Deep copper. Is this Sherry or Whisky?! Stunning purity in the complex, wound up layers of orange rind and fruit cake - even nutty, rancio like qualities - as close as you can get to an old-style Sherry bomb sans sulphur. Sensory magic as this continues to unravel a dense sweet core and the subtle spices add further complexity (cardomom / wasabi?) Creamy satiny entry introduces a barely bittersweet mid palate with a superbly balanced amalgam of dried fruit; Juicy raisin cake enters late followed by a drying, spicy finale that goes on and on...Fig cake and walnut laced vanilla carry the fade. A triumph. If you buy top shelf Sherried malt at two or three times the price but ignore this we don't know what to say. Undeniably a bargain on the world whisky stage.57.1% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews...96.5 Points - (n24.5); (t24); (f23.5); (b24.5) how do you get three freshly emptied oloroso butts from Jerez to Bangalore without the casks spoiling, and not use sulphur? Answer: empty two cases of Amrut cask strength whisky into each of the butts before shipping them. Not a single off note. No bitterness whatsoever. And the fruit is left to impart its extraordinary riches on a malt matured also in American Oak. Amrut is spoiling us again. - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2013

    • 94
    Archie Rose Rye Malt Australian Whisky (700ml)
    Sydney, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA
    $120. 00
    Bottle
    $1440.00 Dozen
    ABV: 46%
    This is the World's Best Rye.


    Dave Withers has preferenced malted rye (and malted barley) over the far more commonly used unmalted rye to create a 'halfway' style. Why? "Using malted rye creates a more mellow rye flavour." explains Withers. "Some American rye whiskies [which use unmalted rye] are really big spice bombs. We wanted to bring that back a little bit and make something that sat between a single malt and something with that big, spicy intensity. We call this a ‘rye-malt whisky’ because it’s halfway between the two.”

    Matured in custom-made, virgin American oak casks, the wood used here is air dried, meaning the cut timber is left in the open for three years in order to break down some of the harshness. "It gives this really lovely, integrated oak flavour” says Withers. Sydney's wide diurnal temperature range works the casks hard, so the whisky achieves near perfect balance at a relatively young age - around 2.5 years.

    While Wither's admits rye is a pain in the neck to work with - difficult to mash and difficult to distil - he's adament there's something special about it. Instant success has encouraged further batches, so expect this to be an ongoing series.

    Franz Scheurer, of Australian Gourmet Pages and Gourmet Traveller Wine magazine describes the new whisky as “Layered and complex and a pure joy to drink. The best bloody rye whisky in today’s world.” It's already won a host of awards, not least, World's Best Rye at the World Whisky Awards in London 2020.

    Tasting note: [Batch 6] Pronounced aromas of Castlemaine Rock (peppermint & honeycomb), vanillan oak and honey cornflake crackles. Has the mouthfeel of a single malt, but with a Bourbonesque profile. Lots of wood pick up. Normally aggressive rye spices are tamed, so this is softer and sweeter than traditional styles. Finishes buttery, long, perfectly balanced. Whisps of toasty oak and oily grains through the aftertaste. Mouth coating and moreish. 46% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews... An apple-led nose with dried apples and dry cider, some anise, caraway and toasted bread crust. Palate has a thick, almost creamy texture. Spiced sponge, light ginger and star anise. Initial sweetness dries out with a medium, nutty, dry fruit finish.- World Whisky Awards London 2020

    • World's Best Rye Whisky - World Whisky Masters (London)
    • Australia's Best Rye Whisky - San Francisco World Spirits Competition (USA)
    • Australia's Best Rye Whisky - International Wine & Spirits Competition (London)
    • Australia's Best Rye Whisky - Los Angeles International Spirits Competition (USA)
    • Australia's Best Rye Whisky - SIP Awards (USA)
    • Best Rye Whisky - International Review of Spirits
    • 96
    Ardbeg 21 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $1199. 00
    Bottle
    $14388.00 Dozen
    ABV: 46%

    Note: Product has come from a private collection and as such has some minor scuffing/scratches/handling marks. Actual product pictured.

    If you thought Ardbeg would never release another age statement, you've just being proved wrong.
    In a surprising move, Ardbeg has skipped the 17-18 year bracket, instead opting for an unusual 21 year old expression. Importantly for drinkers and collectors, the distillery switched from its original decision to make this a Committee exclusive (that's the 120,000+ strong fan base that helps to ensure Ardbeg stays afloat) offerring this as a general release (albeit as a limited edition). Bill Lumsden, head of whisky production at Ardbeg, says "the whisky for this expression was distilled in 1993 and 1994 when Ardbeg was owned by Allied Domecq and only operated for a few weeks each year to produce peated malt whisky primarily for blending use."The owners of the casks (Chivas Regal) agreed to sell them back to Moet Hennessey - Ardbeg's parent company.

     

     

    In an interview with Mark Gillespie from www.whiskycast.com, Lumsden elaborated: “They very kindly agreed to sell us that stock back…now, when you buy stock back from someone which has been destined for blends, you’re never certain as to the quality of the wood that it’s been filled into. Prior to the purchase, I was sent samples from six or so casks out of the 270 or so we bought, so obviously when the deal went through and I had the stock moved to Ardbeg Distillery on Islay (it had been matured in Chivas Brothers warehouses on the mainland), I sampled every single cask, and I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised at how good the stock was.”

     

    Ardbeg’s production was halted in 1981, resumed in 1989 by Hiram Walker but continued at a low level until late 1996. Most Ardbeg enthusiasts will have tasted little from this distillery's 1994-1995 quiet period so this represents a genuine slice of Islay history.

     

    Other reviews... tap into Ardbeg with great care, like someone has done here, and there is no describing what beauty can be unleashed. For much of the time the smoke performs in brilliant fashion, somewhere between the ethereal and the profound. 46% Alc./Vol.
    96.5 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2017

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    Ardbeg Corryvreckan Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $199. 00
    Bottle
    $2388.00 Dozen
    ABV: 57.1%

    A replacement for the discontinued Airigh Nam Beist, 'Cauldron of the speckled sea' (aka Corryvreckan) is a whirlpool located between the Isles of Islay and Jura, and now the name of a whisky. It's base is Ardbeg 10 combined with spirit exclusively matured in French Limousin Virgin oak. We tasted an early batch back in 2011. Dull gold colour with a pale straw hue, it presents an unusual nose for an Ardbeg: Rich chocolate, vanilla, lemon butter and spice above a smoky salty layer, the only evidence that it's Ardbeg is the end note of terracotta/clay/wet charcoal. With time in the glass, fresh smoky characteristics emerge, but do not dominate. The intense palate is initially rich and creamy, quite heavily peated, rich chocolatey flavours mingle harmoniously with the lemon butter before the unusually overt oak grips dry and the peat explodes - softly! The back palate is dry, firm, overtly oaky, and extremely spicy. Excellent balance at cask strength. Warm, tingly, spicy finish. Lemon, dry cocoa, strong spice and gentle smoke dominate the lengthy aftertaste. Unusually dry for Ardbeg, otherwise an utterly brilliant, unique expression of Islay. 57.1% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews.... n23.5 excellent, thick, not entirely un-penetrable - but close - nascent smoke and a vignette of salty, coastal references save the day; t24.5 amazing; here we have Ardbeg nutshelled. Just so many layers of almost unaccountable personalities with perhaps the citrus leading the way in both tart and sweet form and then the oak, in vanilla form, in close proximity. The peat, almost too dense to be seen on the nose, opens out with a fanfare of phenols. it is slumping-in-the-chair stuff, the enormity of the peat taking on the majesty of Cathedral-esque proportions, the notes reverberating around the hollows and recesses and reaching dizzying heights; such is its confidence, this is a malt which says: 'I know where I'm going...!'; f24 long, outwardly laconic but on further investigation just brimming with complexity. Some brown sugary notes help the barley come up trumps late on but it's the uniquely salty shield to the mocha which sets this apart. Simply brilliant and unique in its effortless enormity...even by Ardbeg standards; b25 as famous writers - including the occasional genius film director (stand up wherever you are my heroes Powell and Pressburger) - appear to be attracted to Corryvreckan, the third most violent whirlpool found in the world and just off Islay, to boot, I selected this as my 1,500th whisky tasted for the historic Jim Murray Whisky Bible 2009. I'm so glad I did because many have told me they thought Blasda ahead of this. To me, it's not even a contest. Currently I have only a sample. Soon I shall have a bottle. I doubt if even the feared whirlpool is this deep and perplexing. 57.1% 96.5 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2009 / 2019

    ...Powerful, muscular, well-textured, and invigorating. Even within the realm of Ardbeg, this one stands out. The more aggressive notes of coal tar, damp kiln, anise and smoked seaweed are supported by an array of fruit (black raspberry, black cherry, plum), dark chocolate, espresso, molasses, bacon fat, kalamata olive, and warming cinnamon on the finish. Quite stunning! 96 points - John Hansell - whiskyadvocate.com

    "Bottled at 114 proof, this spins you right 'round, baby right 'round. Smoky bacon fat turns into seaweed turns into blackberries turns into cigar ash turns into white pepper; such a fun ride, this whisky is. This certainly isn't your old man's Scotch." 93 points - distiller.com

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    • 93
    Ardbeg An Oa Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $130. 00
    Bottle
    $1560.00 Dozen
    ABV: 46.6%

    Named after a peninsula on the southernmost point of Islay, Bill Lumsden has mixed it up with this release employing a combination of casks: Pedro Ximénez, charred virgin oak and ex-bourbon. The liquid all goes into Ardbeg’s French oak "Gathering Vat". The concept seems to be that some of the spirits in the vat will get older as new casks are added, so it's a Solera of a kind. The age of the whiskies is never disclosed. An Oa (pronounced “an oh”) is set as a part of the core range joining the 10 year old, Uigeadail, and Corryvreckan. Lumsden describes the whisky as "...smoky, sweet and rounded, with unusually, grilled artichokes in the finish." As always with Ardbeg, the aroma is deceptively complex developing with sherried oak aromas, lanolin, sooty vanilla and later, dark chocolate and suggestions of smoldering green pine. Entry is assertively salty, kippery, peppery. Mid palate is oily, medium dry, offering sherried richness along with piney juniper, over-baked sponge cake, black tea and hints of smoked meats at the finish. No shortage of peat, but loses some momentum in the final stages. Non chill filtered. 46.6% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews... Ardbeg at its driest and most sooty: a real acidic bite to the huge phenol...sublimely textured with an immediate roll call of sugars... effortless and easy like gear changes on an automatic car. It is also beautifully delicious. 95.5 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2018

    ...Ardbeg's first standard release in nearly a decade, An Oa is matured in virgin oak, Pedro Ximénez, and bourbon barrels, with component whiskies married in the distillery's French oak 'Gathering Vat.' The nose offers sweet peat, smoky lemon rind, ginger, and angelica. A soft and sweet palate entry is followed by hot peat, black tea, peppery cloves, and aniseed. Black pepper lingers through the long, smoky finish. 93 points - whiskyadvocate.com

    ...For now, anyway, in a lot of ways, this comes across a bit like “starter Ardbeg.” The peat is dialed back on the nose, which allows notes of crisp brine, toasted marshmallow, and hints of nutty sherry to emerge. The palate finds sherry-driven citrus dominating, with tea leaf and a rounded vanilla character creeping up behind it. Peat weaves in and out of all of this, along with notes of grapefruit, gingerbread, and some more raw petrol notes that linger on the finish. All told, it’s a bit of a melange of flavors that, if not exactly “starter Ardbeg” then at least comes across like “greatest hits Ardbeg” — a mix of this and that that feels at times like a blend of leftovers that didn’t get used in other expressions. That’s not totally a bad thing, really. Infinity bottles are fun for everyone! - drinkhacker.com

    • 92
    • Double Gold - World Spirits Competition 2016
    • 87
    Benromach 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $99. 99
    Bottle
    $1199.88 Dozen
    ABV: 43%
    Category Winner: Best Speyside Single Malt 12 Years and Under at the World Whisky Awards 2017.


    Sometimes described as one of Speyside's "Best kept Secrets", and no wonder given the sheer class vs scale of the operation: Benromach is managed by just two workers and runs at a maximum capacity of a mere half million litres annually. Prior to this, in 1983 it was mothballed and it wasn't until a decade later that the distillery was acquired from United Distillers by Gordon and MacPhail. Production recommenced in 1998 with whiskies peated slightly higher than other Speysiders at around 8-12ppm. Since that time there have been myriad releases and an output that consistently receives high praise. According to whisky writer, Dave Broom, G&M’s aim has been to make a classic pre-1960s Speyside style: across the range, the integration of the smoke and malt is seamless and judicious, allowing the fruity spirit to shine through. Always some of our most liked Speyside whiskies at tastings, the entry level 10 year old is where the fun starts, recently awarded Best Speyside Single Malt 12 Years and Under at the World Whisky Awards 2017. Move up from there to sophisticated wood finishes, a world-first organic malt and a cracking cask strength expression. Whatever your preference you’re guaranteed to find something to love here, else stop drinking whisky!

    This is 80% ex-Bourbon / 20% ex-Sherry matured for 9 years, followed by 12 months in an Oloroso Sherry cask for the tenth year.

    Tasting notes: Pale gold appearance. Gorgeous aromatics with a sultry amalgam of poached pear, dried fruits, dark chocolate and the gentlest wafts of peat. Aeration draws out hints of baked apple and sweet spices. A clean, crisp malt delivery supported by lively spices; fine threads of smoke and a delicious fruity edge; sweet barley dovetails into grassy, citrus freshness at the finish while light pepper warmth and sooty peat round out the aftertaste. Superb purity. One of a handful of 10 year olds that really engages, and with a price that places it in the top 3 or 4 values in its category.

    Other reviews... For a relatively small still using peat, the experience is an unexpected and delicately light one. 87.5 points- Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2017

    The first 10 year old release containing whisky produced entirely by the new owners. I love the interplay here between the malt, sherry, and smoke, with all getting a chance to shine. A rich vanilla-tinged malty foundation, deep caramel, rhum agricole, an array of lush fruit and dark chocolate, along with grassy/hay notes, honeysuckle, subtle spice (cinnamon, anise), and lingering earthy smoke. A vast improvement from the “Origins” release last year. I would only make three changes to make this whisky even better (and elevate it to 90+ status): a couple more years on oak, bottling at 46%, and not chill-filtering it. Still, this is one of the best efforts from this distillery. Well done! 88 points (Vol. 19, #1) - www.maltadvocate.com, reviewed by: John Hansell

    ...Nose: Mellow, vanilla cream (Chantilly?), cinder toffee,fresh wood shavings,with time fresh coffee. Palate: Slightly bitter wood at first then bursts of spice,nutmeg,that cream is now a custard note,cooked apples. Finish: Spicy,long and warming. Comment: A good whisky that does not really give its age away. 84 points   - whiskymag.com

    Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2020.

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    • Nick's Import
    • Reduced
    Bowmore 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) - DAMAGED GIFT BOX
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    Reduced from $240.00
    $230. 00
    Bottle
    $2760.00 Dozen
    ABV: 43%

    San Francisco World Spirits Competition Double Gold award 2018

    This is the standard retail issue of Bowmore 18 Year Old, not to be confused with the Duty Free version that's very similarly presented, subtitled "Deep & Complex". 

    Other reviews... This replaces the 17 year old in the standard Bowmore portfolio. (The 17 year old will now be Duty Free Only.) The difference is significant. This one is more sherried than the 17 year old, and it wears the sherry well. I know that many of you, like myself, adore the 17 year old. Indeed, I feel that the 17 year old displays the true essence of Bowmore. But this 18 year old integrates the sherry notes with the Bowmore signature to create a richly flavored Islay whisky experience. Thick toffee, ripe fruit, and tar-tinged smoke are accentuated by dark chocolate, cocoa powder, burnt raisin, dates, and sea salt. Long, entertaining finish. 43% Alc.Vol.
    91 points. - maltadvocate.com, (2nd Quarter 2007 Issue-Vol. 16#2)

    International Wine & Spirit Competition Gold award 2018

    ...Still the older livery. An arch-classic Bowmore. Some periods have been difficult (terrible in the early 2010s), but I noticed very recent batches were recovering fast. There’s also a newish ‘deep and complex’ version around, but that should not suggest the regular 18 is neither deep not complex. Well, I suppose, let’s see… Colour: deep gold. Nose: no f**** lavender that I can detect, those years were over when this was distilled. Phew! Smoked oranges, blond tobacco, dried kelp, blood oranges, a little olive brine, and just a little caramel ‘from the pan’. Mouth: do I notice some nods to Lagavulin 16? Same kind of orange-y, leathery, tobacco-ish, salty arrival, then many oranges. This is much peatier than that White Sands, much fuller, and much more assertive, as they say. Finish: rather long, full, on some kind of salty oranges. Comments: full form again, I do confirm. Well, only a personal opinion, as always. And adios lavender, and adios violets.
    87 points - whiskyfun.com

    • 93
    Bowmore 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $220. 00
    Bottle
    $2640.00 Dozen
    ABV: 43%

    San Francisco World Spirits Competition Double Gold award 2018

    This is the standard retail issue of Bowmore 18 Year Old, not to be confused with the Duty Free version that's very similarly presented, subtitled "Deep & Complex". 

    Other reviews... This replaces the 17 year old in the standard Bowmore portfolio. (The 17 year old will now be Duty Free Only.) The difference is significant. This one is more sherried than the 17 year old, and it wears the sherry well. I know that many of you, like myself, adore the 17 year old. Indeed, I feel that the 17 year old displays the true essence of Bowmore. But this 18 year old integrates the sherry notes with the Bowmore signature to create a richly flavored Islay whisky experience. Thick toffee, ripe fruit, and tar-tinged smoke are accentuated by dark chocolate, cocoa powder, burnt raisin, dates, and sea salt. Long, entertaining finish. 43% Alc.Vol.
    91 points. - maltadvocate.com, (2nd Quarter 2007 Issue-Vol. 16#2)

    International Wine & Spirit Competition Gold award 2018

    ...Still the older livery. An arch-classic Bowmore. Some periods have been difficult (terrible in the early 2010s), but I noticed very recent batches were recovering fast. There’s also a newish ‘deep and complex’ version around, but that should not suggest the regular 18 is neither deep not complex. Well, I suppose, let’s see… Colour: deep gold. Nose: no f**** lavender that I can detect, those years were over when this was distilled. Phew! Smoked oranges, blond tobacco, dried kelp, blood oranges, a little olive brine, and just a little caramel ‘from the pan’. Mouth: do I notice some nods to Lagavulin 16? Same kind of orange-y, leathery, tobacco-ish, salty arrival, then many oranges. This is much peatier than that White Sands, much fuller, and much more assertive, as they say. Finish: rather long, full, on some kind of salty oranges. Comments: full form again, I do confirm. Well, only a personal opinion, as always. And adios lavender, and adios violets.
    87 points - whiskyfun.com

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    Bulleit 95 Straight Rye Whiskey (700ml)
    Lawrenceburg, Indiana, UNITED STATES
    $75. 99
    Bottle
    $911.88 Dozen
    ABV: 45%

    In 2004 Bulleit won the Gold Medal for being in the top of its class at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition - beating more expensive and better known premium bourbons such as Knob Creek, Maker's Mark and Jim Beam Black. The company has recently launched a cracking 95% rye packaged in the same award winning 1880s replica bottle design.

    Owned by Diageo, Bulleit doesn’t technically distill its Bourbon or their new Rye. They contract with other distilleries to produce both of these whiskeys (the bourbon is made at Four Roses). The new 95 Rye gets its name from the 95% rye grain mash bill from Lawrenceburg Distillers Indiana (LDI).

    Tasting note: Deep brassy gold appearance. From a freshly opened bottle, the nose takes some time to 'wake up' offering very little aroma whatsoever. Aeration gradually draws out moderate scents of stewed apple / apple peel, beeswax, mustard seed and spicy rye. Ten minutes more brings cocoa and hints of peppermint to the fore. Classic rye complexity. The palate delivers a wonderfully crisp, concentrated, spicy rye profile; mustard seed combines with dustings of dark chocolate and vanilla on the finish. Concludes with a prolonged, drying aftertaste with the spicy rye notes persisting. Cracking stuff! 45% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews...Only the rye from the Lawrenceburg Indiana distillery can quite conjure a perfect rye aroma such as this...Cinnamon and crunchy moscovado sugar crystal on green apple...so soft...so rigid...so unique...Exactly as the nose is fashioned, so is the delivery... But nothing compares in nose and delivery to this...in fact few whiskies in the world even get close. 45% Alc./Vol. 96 points - Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2013size>

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    Bushmills Madeira Finish 21 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey (700ml)
    County Antrim, IRELAND
    $330. 00
    Bottle
    $3960.00 Dozen
    ABV: 40%

    Bushmills 21 year old once again adorns our shelves amongst an increasing range of Irish. Production appears to have remained the same, with the whiskey aged nineteen years in Oloroso sherry and American Bourbon casks before marrying in Madeira 'drums' for its final two years. We were lucky enough to receive a 50ml sample. The first sniff evokes superbly pure scents of fruit pastries, vanillan oak, warm butter and fruit compote. Those notes are reflected in a silky, melt-in-your-mouth delivery where the wine input contributes hints of fruit jam and Madeira cake then dries with prunes, creaming soda, fruity dark chocolate and hazelnuts. It's a light bodied and breezy malt, yet full of flavour at the same time - a contradiction that makes you wonder how they pull it off. With some serious length to boot. 40% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews... Bushmills' sumptuous magnum opus spins aromas of sultana, brown sugar, walnut oil, date slice, chocolate-covered cranberries, leather gloves, and a hint of espresso. The dark, crepuscular mystique continues in the syrupy mouthfeel redolent of forest honey, banana bread, nuts, browned butter, sultana, date, and blackberry. Utterly beguiling, the Madeira finish works wonders here, right through to the last moments of the smooth, sweet finish. A must-try for all. 96 points - whiskyadvocate.com

    "As Veruca Salt would say, "I want it now!" With the intensity of the sweet fruit and chocolate notes on the nose, could you blame her? The trail mix filled dram also has deep malt flavors with the texture creamy, not cloying. Towards the finish, the whiskey becomes dry and spicy. A comparable Scotch whisky would be almost double the price so snatch up what you can." 97 points - distiller.com

    ...oaky and drying, with complex notes of toffee, dark chocolate, toasted nuts, caramel and a spicy finish. 93 points - wineenthusiast.com

    (n24.5) this remains something of a Chinese puzzle on the nose: just how do all those different notes, sometimes soft and rounded, sometimes hard and angular, many of them fruity, manage to intertwine...yet never clash? And why can you never detach one without another clinging onto it. If Sherlock Holmes tried to solve it, this would be a three pipe conundrum...except the use of tobacco would ruin the experience. Just marvel at the greenage and physalis, the flaked vanilla and liquorice, the ulmo honey and hickory...so much else besides; (t24) as melt-in-the-mouth as a whiskey can be: amazingly juicy barley offers the cutting edge and lead while a plethora of delicate sugars dissolve on impact; the fruit is solved as a perpetual mixed salad; (f23.5) this is where i am really impressed. Despite all the complexity of the nose and delivery, at the finish the Bushmills trademark flaky vanilla and delicate barley comes through...a signature unique to one distillery in the world; (b24) an Irish journey as beautiful as the dramatic landscape which borders the distillery. Magnificent. 95.5 points - Jim Murray Whisky Bible 2013

    • 94
    • 95
    Chivas Regal 25 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $650. 00
    Bottle
    $7800.00 Dozen
    ABV: 40%
    Scotch Blended Whisky of the Year (over 12 years)' -
    95 points Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2010.

    After a 98 year absence, Chivas Regal 25 returned in 2007, paying homage to the first ever Chivas Regal blend. First released in 1909, the Inclusion of single malt whisky from the Strathisla ditillery, Speyside is said to give Chivas its defining sweetness.

    Tasting notes: Deep brassy gold colour. Rich and heady bouquet offers a sublime medley of fruits and nuts, dark chocolate, nougat and vanilla. An exceptionally pure, soft and svelte textured delivery possesses remarkable vibrancy for a whisky of its ilk. Stewed fruits combine with lively spices, cocoa and vanilla wafer biscuit. Outstanding length and balance. Concludes long and fresh, almost peppermint like, with hints of spice and cocoa persisting. A brilliant example that showcases what extra aged Scotch Whisky is all about. 40% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews...Nose: Exotic fruit of the first order: some pretty serious age here, seemingly older than the 25 years (23.5) Taste: Mesmerisingly two-toned, with a beautiful delivery of velvety grains contrasting stunningly with the much firmer, cleaner malts. Softly chewable, with a gentle spice fizz as the vannilla begins to mount; unbelieveably juicy and mouth-watering despite its advanced age. (23.5) Finish: Long, wonderfully texturedand deft; some cocoa underlines the oak involvement, but there is not once a single hint of over-ageing. (24) Balance: unadulterated class where the grain-malt balance is exemplary and the deft intertwining of well-mannered oak and elegant barley leaves you demanding another glass. Brilliant! (24.5) 95 points -Jim Murray's Whisky Bible

    A polished nose of red apple, cinnamon, caramels, and salted almonds makes for an enticing prospect on this showpiece dram. The taste exemplifies smoothness. The indulgent palate comprises dark cooked fruits, coffee, malty cocoa, sticky toffee pudding, fudge, and a fine line of orange. Roll it around the mouth: the integrated aged grains enable these select malts to achieve their full flavor potential. An exceptionally long finish has remnants of that toffee pudding and a well-sucked aniseed ball. Treat yourself.
    88 points Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2016) – www.maltadvocate.com
    • 95
    • Reduced
    Dalwhinnie 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Highlands, SCOTLAND
    Reduced from $129.99
    $99. 99
    Bottle
    $1199.88 Dozen
    ABV: 43%

    From the highest distillery in Scotland (at 326 metres above sea level), set in the windswept Grampian mountains of the Highlands, comes this delicate malt to be savoured. Originally called 'Strathspey', the Dalwhinnie distillery was founded by James Buchanan in 1897. Buchanan became well known for his 'Buchanan' and 'Black & White' blends which used Dalwhinnie as a core component. Later renamed 'Dalwhinnie', (Gaelic for “meeting place” ) the distilleries site is where cattle drovers and smugglers met on their way to markets in the south.

    The whisky itself is often referred to as 'The Gentle Spirit', in contrast to the rugged environment it is produced in. (Staff at the distillery have been known to climb out first-floor windows in order to get to work when snow piles up in the hard winters.) This is testified to by its subtle, smooth, lightly smoked character and heathery, honey finish. Barely classifiable as a Speyside distillery, Dalwhinnie's location is at least forty kilometres south of the dense collection of stills in the 'lower Spey'. The distilleries endless water supply comes from the Allt an t'Sluic spring, bedded in granite. Current management boast their use of traditional wooden washbacks and distinctive lye pipes leading from the tops of the stills.

    Other reviews… Nose: sublime stuff: a curious mixture of coke smoke and peat-reek wafts teasingly over the gently honied malt. A hint of melon offers some fruit but the caressing malt stars; Taste: that rarest of combinations: at once silky and malt intense, yet at the same time peppery and tin-hat time for the tastebuds, but the silk wins out and a sheen of barley sugar coats everything, soft peat included; Finish: some cocoa and coffee notes, yet the pervading slightly honeyed sweetness means that there is no bitterness that cannot be controlled; Balance: a malt it is hard to decide whether to drink or bath in: I suggest you do both. One of the most complete mainland malts of them all. Know anyone who reckons they don't like whisky? Give them a glass of this ~ that's them cured. Oh, if only the average masterpiece could be this good.” 95 points. - Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2018.

    • 96
    • 95
    • 93
    • Nick's Import
    Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey (700ml)
    Kentucky, UNITED STATES
    $109. 99
    Bottle
    $1319.88 Dozen
    ABV: 50%

    "...you can buy me a dozen of these roses any day of the week." - breakingbourbon.com

    If you're a Bourbon drinker whose still not familiar with Four Roses, then your time has come. The brand dates back to the 1860s and was one of the few to survive Prohibition, becoming the best-selling bourbon in the U.S. through the 1930s and '50s. Decades later it was an export-only product and became difficult to procure until 2002, when Japanese brewing giant, Kirin purchased the Four Roses brand and re-introduced it to the United States.

    The distillery is unique in that it uses five different yeast strains and two mash bills to create ten distinct whiskies based on ten different 'recipes'. The strain used for the Single Barrel bottlings is Four Roses' version “V” which is described as "delicately fruity, spicy, and creamy." The recipe here is referred to as 'OBSV' (60% corn, 35% rye and 5% malted barley) which emphasises delicate fruit and rye flavours. Ages vary, but will always fall somewhere between 7-9 years. Regardless, the aim is to bottle when the whiskeys are deemed to have reached their peak. Each release is individually marked with a warehouse and barrel number which is not predictable and subject to change. It's also part of the fun: No two barrels create identical bourbons, thus the single barrel concept provides the opportunity to appreciate and compare whiskies from different barrels and warehouse locations.

    Our tasting of barrel RN 8-4R (and several subsequent bottlings) has found the quality to be consistently high and true to style. Four Roses Single Barrel kicks off with a robust Bourbon sniff; a dense core of vanilla custard and caramel fudge overlaid with peppermint, balsa wood, cocoa and hints of cherry. At 50% ABV, the whiskey is concentrated yet controlled with razor sharp sweet/dry balance; a burst of vanillan oak, honey and spiced peach are offset by a tangy, vibrant finish. Glace cherry is followed by late mint freshness. The poise and length are close enough to perfect, delivering as complete a Bourbon as you could expect to find in its category. That high standard was recently confirmed at the 2024 World Whisky Awards where it was judged World's Best Single Barrel Bourbon, Best Kentucky Single Barrel Bourbon and Best Kentucky Small Batch Bourbon. Brent Elliott, Master Distiller commented "Hand-selecting each barrel is a meticulous process, so to be highly awarded in both the Single Barrel and Small Batch Bourbon categories is an extraordinary honor." More reviews below.

    Other reviews... brilliantly flinty nose with the Demerara sugars positively crunching under the sniff. Light golden syrup fits the bill perfectly. An immediate small grain explosion of the very highest calibre. Adorable spices wade into the sugary mix. Though there, the liquorice-hickory combination is happy to take a back seat to the heather honey; Can't get enough of that developing chocolate. The best Four Roses I have tasted in a very long time. Complexity levels are off the charts and the sugar-spice balance just can't be bettered. As breath taking as it is majestic. 95.5 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2024

    This gently honeyed bottling is a very good example of the distillery looking tough...but being a real sweetie. 92 points - Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2023

    ...Full of flavor, regularly available on shelves, and a reasonable price… you can buy me a dozen of these roses any day of the week. I found this bottle of Four Roses Single Barrel OBSV to be spicier than the Four Roses Small Batch, which I normally find to be a subtle balance of sweet and I often describe as a good beginner bourbon. I’d say a good description for the standard Single Barrel offering, is that it’s the grown-up version of their small batch product. The flavor is fuller, the finish is longer... - breakingbourbon.com

    ...'This big, sweet, warming bourbon strikes all the right chords. Sizzling sweet corn meets generous oak, like dusty old books, but the bright peach nectar, wet walnuts, and vibrant spice beam through in abundance. Unctuous and concentrated on the palate, it evokes cinnamon-dusted peach pie, with hints of clove and pepper on the finish. A solid and seamless whiskey, with fruit, floral, oak, and spice in perfect harmony. 93 points - whiskyadvocate.com

    Double Gold Medal - San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2023

    • 89
    • 95
    • Nick's Import
    Glen Grant 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $77. 99
    Bottle
    $935.88 Dozen
    ABV: 40%

    Awarded: 'Best Single Malt Scotch 10 Years & Under'
    - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2015

    The Glen Grant distillery is named after its two founders, James and John Grant who built the distillery in Rothes in 1840. After their death, the son of James, Major James Grant took over the business, and built another distillery across the road naming it “Glen Grant II” (today known as Caperdonich). The Major always aimed at producing a first rate malt, and so designed the distilleries especially tall, slender stills and purifiers himself. He reputedly enjoyed leading guests through his exotic gardens to a nearby falls where, taken from his secret whisky safe, he’d offer drams of Glen Grant accompanied by spring water drawn from the same Speyside burn that still feeds the distillery today. When the Major died, his grand son, Major Douglas Mackessack took over the distillery, continuing its success.

    Like most distilleries, Glen Grant closed its doors during the two World Wars due to a lack of barley and has since changed ownership several times. Most recently, the distillery was sold in 2006 to the Italian group Campari as a result of the acquisition of Allied Domecq by Pernod Ricard. Glen Grant remains one of the world's best-selling single malts (being especially popular in Italy), and is also available in various independent and vintage bottlings.

    Tasting note: Pale straw colour. Moderate bouquet yields semi sweet, mildly fruity scents (nashi pear) followed by hints of dried grass. Light to medium bodied with subtle flavours of biscuity malt, vanilla and spice. Finishes dry and clean with a touch of fruitiness offering freshness. A little short. Light easy drinking. 40% Alc./Vol.

    Other Reviews: (95 points) - (n23.5) OK: let's take turns in counting the rungs on the barley ladder here...the usual crisp aroma, but softened by deft, if unspecific fruitiness (maybe the distant aroma of a very old orange and by no means unpleasant!), myriad vanilla and butterscotch notes can do without the toffee one; (t24) magnificent! A malty delivery which simultaneously melts in the mouth, yet offers granite-like barley that crashes into your teeth; the star, perhaps are the sugars which vary from caster, through golden syrup and pans out somewhere in the muscovado range - curiously honey-free, though; (f23) a tad tangy, though the caramel returns to turn out the lights after the butterscotch and marzipan say goodnight...; (b23.5) unquestionably the best official 10yo bottling i have tasted from this distillery. Absolutely nails it! Oh, and had they bottled this at 46% abv and without the trimmings...my word! Might well have been a contender for Scotch Whisky of the Year. It won't be long before word finally gets out just how bloody good this distillery is. - Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2013

    • 92
    Glenfarclas 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $149. 99
    Bottle
    $1799.88 Dozen
    ABV: 46%

    Famous as one of Speyside’s most masculine whiskies, Glenfarclas 15 is matured in 60% x-Sherry casks, with the remainder x-Bourbon, but with a difference. The latter barrels are shaved back in order to minimise their flavour input, putting the focus almost completely on the sherry. Bottled at 46%, the result is one of most full-bodied in the Glenfarclas stable. It's also one that tasters tend to notice the most batch variation in. Re-tasted in early 2022, the latest bottling takes some time to develop and blow off minor sulphur blemishes. Aromas pick up speed, echoed in attractively sherried flavours of raisin cake, fruit mince pie and digestif biscuits. The finish adds suggestions of pickled ginger and baking spices. Though not long, the flavours are surprisingly intense, well-proportioned and approachable without dilution. Give a freshly opened bottle thirty minutes to begin to show its best. 46% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews... Some classic sherried Speysider that everyone should have tried. WF 84 last time I had, but that was in… 2006 (feeling shame here at WF Towers). Colour: gold. Nose: not that different from the 10, just cake-ier, more sherried, and rather more complex, with small herbs, a mossy side, and a large chocolate cake. Touches of yeasty porridge in the background. Fresh pumpernickel bread. Mouth: really very cake-y, malty, with raisins and some very lovely touches of spearmint. I’m also finding a delicate wood smoke, as well as the usual walnuts when we’re having a sherried malt such as this one. Goody good. Finish: rather long, and shall I dare mention Christmas cakes? And yet it’s not heavy. Comments: I just couldn’t tell you which one I like best, between the 10 and the 15. Both are top class in their categories. 46% Alc.Vol. 84 points - whiskyfun.com

    ...Energetic, heady, rich. Wakes up the palate and demands to be heard. The marshmallow note is uncanny and overpowers the rest of the dram at points, but overall this regains its footing, albeit with a somewhat abbreviated finish. All in, a step up from the 12 year old expression and solid value for money. - malt-review.com

    • 95
    • 95
    • 93
    • 95
    • Nick's Import
    • Reduced
    Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (1000ml)
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    Reduced from $149.99
    $139. 99
    Bottle
    $1679.88 Dozen
    ABV: 60%

    Unquestionably Australia's Best Deal in Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

    Cask strength whiskies have not always been available to the general public. In fact, the very idea was incidental, and only materialised in 1968 when a fourth generation member of the Grant family bottled a single cask straight from the warehouse, and sent the bottles to family and friends as Christmas gifts. George S. Grant created a simple, hand written label for the bottles noting only the name of the distillery and the strength of the whisky (which happened to be 105 British Proof.) By the end of January the recipients requested further bottles. George obliged, and since then, Glenfarclas 105 has gone onto become one of the most highly sought after expressions in the Glenfarclas range.

    The increasing popularity of cask strength single malts comes as no surprise. They provide an opportunity to taste whisky in its purest and most natural form without visiting a distillery, and conversely, to dilute to your preferred strength rather than the bottler's. Typically, they have minimal or zero filtration which tends to retain more flavour and texture. One has to take the good with the bad. Extreme alcohol can be prickly, and can even anaesthetise the mouth resulting in a less pleasurable experience. A high tax/alcohol ratio also means such spirits can be excessively pricey. If there was a holy grail of malt, then for many it would be the discovery of affordable cask strength whisky that's also achieved balance - to the degree that you can enjoy it undiluted. This is one. There are 'softer' cask strength releases on the market, but rarely in this style and very, very rarely at this price/volume ratio.

    Tasting note: Beautiful polished brass / amber gold. Opening pass detects toffee apple, polished leather and juicy, grapey malt. Second pass finds marzipan and toasted oats followed by crunchie bar and intense vanilla. The aromatic range is matched on the palate, delivering a concentrated, medium dry, peppery attack with a delicious interplay between sugar, tannin and spice. Bracing yet balanced. Finishes with flashes of dates, creme-caramel and crunchie bar before drying with oatmeal biscuit, toffee apple and dappled explosions of sweet spice. Those who religiously follow Aberlour's Abunadh will discover similar thrills here. Tremendous whisky. 60% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews... long, luxurious, with a pulsing vanilla grape mix and a build up of spices; light oils intensify and elongate. I doubt if any restorative on the planet works quite as well as this one does. Or if any sherry cask whisky is so clean and full of the joys of Jerez. A classic malt which has upped a gear or two and has become exactly what it is: a whisky of pure brilliance. 95.5 points
    - Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2014

    ...This Scotch is named for the proof (105) of a bottle that Chairman John Grant’s father, George S. Grant, bottled in 1968 as a Christmas gift for family and friends. Nut-colored, it has a markedly bold toffee aroma and lots of flavor and drama. Hazelnut, espresso and cocoa flavors linger, with hints of allspice and drying oak tannins. Though it needs more than a splash of water to arrive at a nuanced sippability, don’t hold that against this almost Bourbon-like beauty. 95 points - wineenthusiast.com

    ...Sweet scents of Boston cream pie, citrus, and fresh forest, growing more fragrant as the liquid rests in the glass. On the palate, the citrus sweetens to baked orange tart and lemon meringue pie, with underpinnings of chocolate malt, raisins, and pepper spice. The mouthfeel is creamy and concentrated, and the finish is like a rich, full, spiced chocolate dessert. Water enhances things, bringing out more spice and chocolate. 93 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: David Fleming 2021

    ...I'm really following these seminal NASses, the 104-then-105, but last time I tried it that was in 2017 (WF 86). Colour: light gold. Didn't the 105 lose some colour over time? Nose: I seem to remember quite some sherry used to be involved, but this time we're rather on malty and leafy stuff, fruit peelings, honey-glazed vegetable (try that, eggplants, turnips…) and beers. With water: beers, bitters, roasted nuts, pumpernickel. The blackest, moistest breads. Mouth (neat): I find this extremely good, if a little brutal, which was the whole point anyway. Huge maltiness, roasted nuts, concentrated syrups, artichokes and Brussels sprouts, stout… With water: takes water extremely well, it is ready for the 100 metres freestyle at the Tokyo Olympics. Excellent sweeter maltiness, barley syrup... Finish: rather long, perhaps a tad sweet(ish) but all these breads and grains can't be wrong. Comments: gold medal! What a drop, this 105, one day post-Covid we'll go to the distillery and do the largest verticale of 104-105s that's ever been done. For example, this one was maltier, and less sweet than a 2017 batch.
    87 points - whiskyfun.com

    • 90
    • 95
    Glenfiddich 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $179. 99
    Bottle
    $2159.88 Dozen
    ABV: 40%

    Note: New blue packaging, not old brown packaging.

    While the twelve year old is a relatively non-descript malt, older Glenfiddich bottlings are now gaining high praise including one award as the world's best single malt Scotch whisky. However, as a representation of the house style, the 18 year old pretty much nails it. Always a centre-piece of the portfolio, the company has further emphasised its place by redesigning the packaging to give it a more superior look than its 12- and 15-year-old stablemates.

    The Glenfiddich distillery lies on the river whose name it bears. 'Fiddich' refers to the fact that the river runs through a valley inhabited by deers – hence the company's logo which features a stag. A proportion of the whisky in this version of Glenfiddich is supposedly even older than the label suggests.

    Tasting note: Deep gold colour. Moderate aromas include honey, clove and vanilla laced malt. On the palate, dried apricots and spice are augmented by soft peat, adding depth to the toasty malt. Plush mouth feel. Clean, dried fruit and spice finish. Rich and round, in the mainstream of Sherry influenced malts. 40% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews... the smoke which for long marked this aroma, appears to have vanished...one of the most complex deliveries Speyside can conjure....long, despite the miserly 40% offered, with plenty of banana custard and a touch of pear; at the moment, the ace in the Glenfiddich pack. If this was bottled at 46%, unchillfiltered etc, I dread to think what the score might be. 95 points- Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2016

    Luxe and easy-sipping. Look for enticing notes of butterscotch, baked pear, cinnamon and clove on the nose and palate, swathed in just the right amount of smokiness.
    96 points - www.wineenthusiast.com

    • 89
    • 93
    • Packaging may vary
    Glenmorangie The Lasanta 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $120. 00
    Bottle
    $1440.00 Dozen
    ABV: 43%
    Awarded Best Single Malt Scotch Whisky in the 12 YO category at the 2019 International Whisky Competition.

    The newly packaged Lasanta has retained the same ABV of 43% and comes finished in Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez Sherry casks after an initial spell in Bourbon barrels.

    Other reviews... Following a decade in bourbon barrels, Lasanta is finished for 2 years in oloroso and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. Caramel, milk chocolate, and hazelnuts merge on the nose with the spicy dried fruit and orange notes associated with sherry wood maturation. Spicy sultanas, and damsons on the full, sweet palate, with more caramel, milk chocolate, nutmeg, and oak. The finish is long and smooth, with dark chocolate and wood spices.
    89 points - whiskyadvocate.com, Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2019)

    [2010 bottling] Gold ochre/polished brass appearance. The opening scents of muted rubber band and pickled onion are a little off key so we'll let this sit. Three minutes after the first pour, the aroma hasn't really budged dramatically except for the addition of spiced raisin cake. Final pass finds the sultana / dried berry characteristics accented. A light and silky entry develops into a semi-sweet ginger, vanilla and raisin cake profile. Some flashes of sulphur. Finishes a little hot with the spicy red fruits persisting and traces of pickled onion in the fade. 89 points 43% Alc./Vol.

    • 95
    • 95
    • 94
    Highland Park 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Orkney Islands, SCOTLAND
    $299. 99
    Bottle
    $3599.88 Dozen
    ABV: 43%

    "The very latest bottlings have been astonishing...a glass of something honeyed and dazzling calls!" 95.5 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2024

    Perhaps more than standing stones, Neolithic settlements, a Viking Cathedral and Norse sagas, Orkney is famous for two distillieries: Scapa and Highland Park. The latter at 18 years of age has earned a place in the Scotch Whisky pantheon as one of the 'classics'. In short, a whisky every one should experience. Or, in the words of spirits writer, F.Paul Pacault, "It fits my profile of what makes a perfect whisky. Which is to say it’s totally in harmony. There are no rough edges and everything is melded together brilliantly". Slow-burning, aromatic peat from Hobbister Moor and Sherry seasoned European oak casks result in a style that was once evocatively described as "...An empty honey jar which once held peaty embers." We received a sample in late 2017. The whisky offers a sophisticated sniff evoking nuances of dried fruits (fig, dates), honey, gristy malt and delicate brush strokes of sweet smoke is followed by hints of waxy apple, orange spice cake, choc ripple cookie and cinnamon. After 5-10 minutes the nose drops off leaving dark chocolate and trace sulphur. Honeyed barley and sherry notes beautifully harmonise with earthy peat; the sweetness balanced by orange zest and a touch of salt...rebounds in the aftertaste. Almost full circle round the flavour wheel, and for that reason, one of the most quintessential of all Scotch single malts. Some tasters found the Sherry input slightly less than years gone by, but otherwise, about as good as it's been since the inaugural 1997. 43% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews... Gentle peat, soft toffee, floral notes, and honey on the beautifully fragrant nose. Superbly balanced on the velvety palate, with brittle toffee, stewed fruits, peat, honey, and a hint of coffee. Smoke and more toffee mingle in the long, elegant finish. 94 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2012)

    Nose: An empty honey jar which once held peaty embers. An enormous nose which seems to improve with each bottle I sample, though the characterstic salted butter is always present. Fabulous. Palate: Beautifully sweet: even sweeter than the 12 year old with peat on the back of the palate. Beautifully chewy, oily and substantial. Finish: Still peaty and now a little oaky. Cocoa and toffee cream compexity. Comment: This has to be my favourite Highland Park of them all, and each new bottle I taste (this was my sixth sample) seems to underline the overall class and consistency of this distillery. Brilliant.. 95.5 points - Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.

    ...Copper. Rich roasted walnuts, caramel and spice on the nose. A soft, satiny entry leads to a dryish full-bodied palate of dried fruits, burnt caramel, peat, and heather. Finishes with a long fade of peat and honey with choice wood spice notes in support. Fantastically balanced. 95 points (Exceptional) - tastings.com

    ...An old favourite, haven’t try the 18 since a good six years though. Loved it in 2011 (WF 88). Colour: pale gold. Nose: so typically HP! There’s that heather honey that wasn’t quite to be found in the 15 and Valkyrie, more roundness, more dried fruits (figs, dates, pears, raisins) and earth rather than smoke. Orange blossom, dandelions, honeysuckle, and some nice whiffs of humus and garden peat. In short his baby’s more refined, and perhaps more civilised. Not quite Viking stuff this time, if you like. Mouth: indeed, a different world. Superb dried fruits mingled with some herbal syrup (Chartreuse, genepy, eucalyptus) and the expected honey, with a feeling of charred wood in the background. Rather a gentleman’s HP, if you will. Finish: medium, a tad rougher and grassier, but still quite wonderful. Ah our good old HP 18!… Comments: a little less fan of the finish, but Highland Park 18 years old remains a classy classic. 2016 tasting. 88 points - whiskyfun.com

    ...deep, smoky flavors, vanilla notes and lovely texture through the long finish. It's a wonderful whisky for a winter's evening.' - Gerald D. Boyd, San Francisco Chronicle.

    '...nothing short of an aromatic miracle..' - The Spirit Journal, USA

    • 95
    Jameson Irish Whiskey (700ml)
    Dublin, IRELAND
    $58. 99
    Bottle
    $707.88 Dozen
    ABV: 40%
    No bar is complete without a bottle of Irish Whisky, and more than likely that whisky will be Jameson's - a timeless spirit combining the ancient traditions of Irish Whisky-making with a contemporary expertise.

    In 1780, John Jameson established his distillery in Bow Street, Dublin. Determined that his whisky would be the finest in the world, he laid down rules for quality that have been maintained to this day. John Jameson was fastidious as a whisky maker and patriarchal as an employer. His dedication to quality went through every aspect of the business, from the barley strain, which he encouraged the farmers to grow, to the choice of sherry casks used for maturation.

    The growth enjoyed by Jameson Irish Whisky in the 1960s meant that expansion of facilities became necessary. In 1975, production was moved to the Midleton Distillery, Co. Cork. The new Distillery has remained true to the original methods and standards. Today, the Midleton Distillery is acknowledged as one of the finest whisky distilleries in the world with world wide sales of 1.5 million cases a year.

    Triple distilled for smoothness, Jameson Irish Whisky's production process differentiates it from Scotch and American whisk(e)ys. Made with pure water and a combination of malted and unmalted barley, the malted barley or malt is dried by warm air. This ensures that smoke does not come into contact with the grain and that the natural taste of the barley shines through in the final whisky. This is unlike the Scotch production process, in which peat smoke is blown through the malt and flavours it.In Ireland, one of the secrets of making whisky lies in the slow, triple distillation in copper pot stills. This method of distilling gives the whisky its remarkable smoothness and round flavour. Other whiskys are distilled only once or twice. Meanwhile, the mellow, sweet taste of Jameson Irish Whisky is attributed to the length of time the spirit is allowed to mature in seasoned American and Sherry oak casks.

    Tasting Note: Light gold hue. Floral aromas abound over a grainy background. A typical Irish blend - nutty, sweetish palate, relatively simple and light-bodied but exceptionally smooth and clean. Ends shortish with a sweet grainy aftertaste and a lovely, mild spririt warmth. Almost liqueur like in texture. Excellent value. 40% alc./vol.

    Other reviews… Nose: Very aromatic. Waxy orange skins. Linseed oil. Leather. Palate: Big, oily, creamy, sociable. Finish: Delicate. Peppery. More-ish. Comment: A superb Irish for everyday drinking. I love this, though not quite as much as the 1780.
    Rating: 75 -  Michael Jackson, www.whiskymag.com

    'The inclusion of extra pot still is one thing; getting the balance as fine as this is something else. Truly magnificent: this is the current Irish masterpeice. As classically Irish as someone called Seamus O’Grimmins. '
    Rating: 95
    - Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2006.

    Classic Cocktail: The Irish Coffee

    Joe Sherdian, a barman at Foynes 'Flying Boat Terminal' (now known as Shannon International Airport) in Ireland, orignally prepared this drink. Sheridan had a habit of greeting weary travellers sneaking into war-torn Europe on seaplanes from the United States with hot coffee laced with Irish whisky and topped with lighlty whipped Irish cream.

    50ml Irish Whiskey 90ml Fresh Coffee 25ml Brown Sugar Syrup  2.5cm Whipped Irish Cream Method: Combine the whiskey, coffee and syrup in a tody glass. Ladle 2.5cm of cream on top.
    Variations include: Cafe Amore: Amaretto and brandy. Calypso Coffee: Rum and Kahlua. Jamaican Coffee: Rum and Tia Maria. Kioke Coffee: Brandy and Kahlua. Mexican Coffee: Tequila and Kahlua.
    - recipe taken from The Craft of the Cocktail, Dale DeGroff 2003

    Click here to learn more about Irish Whiskey

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    • 95
    Jim Beam Pre-Prohibition Style Rye Whiskey (700ml)
    Kentucky, UNITED STATES
    $64. 99
    Bottle
    $779.88 Dozen
    ABV: 40%

    Rye whisky was the traditional American saddlebag whisky. It is, as its name suggests, simply made using a larger proportion of Rye as opposed to corn. Rye whisky must be produced at no more than 160 proof and be aged in new, charred oak barrels for at least two years to be designated 'straight'.

    Tasting note: Amber gold. Some piercing rye spiciness that's also minty, mustard-like, then the sweeter base notes enter edging the bouquet towards rye-heavy Bourbon. Nice intensity with medium dry flavours suggesting dried dill and spearmint over background vanilla and bubblegum. Peppers up at the finish which is vibrant, warming, minty, mildly tannic, medium long and try to style. Value buy. 40% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews... Very similar to how Jim Beam Yellow Label was over 20 years ago. In other words: Simply Superb!
    95 points - Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2017

    ...Nose: Oily. Hemp-like, very aromatic. Palate: Again, very oily. Minty. Moving to orange. Becomes very fruity and succulent. Expressive. Flavoursome. Finish: Sweet. Lingering. Teasing. Comment: I have always had a sneaking admiration for this whiskey, and have long wondered why it is not more widely available. It is as though the Jim Beam family quietly accommodates its crazy cousin.
    -whiskymag.com

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    • 95
    • 93
    • Reduced
    Lagavulin 16 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    Reduced from $189.99
    $139. 99
    Bottle
    $1679.88 Dozen
    ABV: 43%

    Lagavulin, pronounced 'Lagga-voolin' (meaning 'the hollow where the mill is') is distinctive and powerful. Once described as 'liquid bandaid' for its strong medicinal character,  it is perhaps the most assertive, complex and intensely dry of all the Islay malts.The palate overwhelms like an ocean wave with powerful peaty, salty overtones that re-emerge on the finish. The taste sensation lingers long in the mouth. On a cold wet winters night, there is perhaps no finer tonic than a dram of Lagavulin.

    Other reviews… If anyone has noticed a slight change in Lagavulin, they would be right. The peat remains profound but much more delicate than before, while the oils appear to have receded. A different shape and weight dispersal for sure. But the sky high quality remains just the same. 95 points - Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2022.

    ...This has been Lagavulin’s principal expression for more than 30 years. Iodine, rich peat, and caramel on the early nose, with sherry, sea salt, and charcuterie. The oily, briny palate offers peat and a medicinal note, along with black tea, Seville orange, toffee, cinnamon, and a hint of smoked fish. Peat embers and hot tar in the lengthy, spicy finish. Deeply satisfying! 93 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Gavin Smith 2020

    ...Nose: Massive peat. Ultra-intense iodine carries a shade more spice than of old. The fruity-sherry notes are clean, vanilla is much deeper. Beautifully layered. Palate: Peat so thick you could stand a spoon in it. Chewy iodine bolstered by sherry and big oak. Finish: A little spice lightens the grip of the peat and vanilla. Dries off with malt, dried dates... and iodine. Comment: A true classic in every sense that offers breathtaking depth. 95 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2006

    ...Nose: Lapsang Souchong and fruity sherry. Palate: The dryness is at first offset by the sweetness of the sherry character. As the palate develops, oily, grassy, and, in particular, salty notes emerge in a long, sustained, aggressive, attack. Finish: A huge, powerful, bear-hug of peat. Comment: The driest of Islay malts, and an established classic. 9.5 /10 - Michael Jackson, whiskymag.com

    More about the Distillery... Lagavulin legitimately claims to being one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland. Situated in a small bay near the south coast of Islay, Lagavulin stands near the ruins of Dunyveg Castle. From here 1,000 Islaymen set sail to fight alongside Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn in 1314, and in this bay the Macdonalds maintained their power base as Lords of the Isles until finally driven out by the Campbells three centuries later. Distilling on the site is thought to date from as early as 1742. In the late 1700s it is believed that there were up to ten illicit stills operating in the district. The Lagavulin distillery officially became legal in 1816 and by the 1830s only two distilleries remained in the bay. In 1837 these distilleries unified under the Lagavulin title, coming under the ownership of the Graham brothers and James Logan Mackie. By 1875 the distillery was producing 75,000 gallons of whisky annually. The distillery's water is sourced from a nearby stream. The maturation warehouses are by the sea and when the seas are high, Lagavulin's outer walls are knee-high in salt water. Lagavulin uses Larch wood washbacks and individual onion-shaped stills with unique steep swan-necked lye pipes which the distillers claim profoundly affect the taste and refuse to change in any way.

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    • 90
    • Nick's Import
    • Reduced
    Laphroaig Quarter Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    Reduced from $159.99
    $109. 99
    Bottle
    $1319.88 Dozen
    ABV: 48%

    "Layer upon layer of sexed up peatiness. Hits mega malt status" - Jim Murray Whisky Bible

    Two hundred years ago, when the Scotts began moving whisky around the country in smaller barrels (aka quarter casks) they were improving more than methods of logistics. The smaller vessels made it easier for mules to carry and for the distillers to smuggle (what better way to inspire innovation than a ploy against the tax man!). In more recent times, with the rise of the micro distiller, smaller casks have played an important part by rapidly speeding-up the maturation process, increasing the whisky to oak contact ratio, in theory making it more palatable, at a faster rate.

    For this release, after an initial period in x-bourbon barrels, the liquid was transferred into new, specially produced quarter casks for a final seven-to eight-month period. It's also bottled at a higher ABV to keep in line with older traditions. There's a serious complexity to the bouquet, with the first passing reeking of choc fudge and vanilla-laced peat. After a few minutes in the glass, the nose loses a little punch, but becomes more maritime; A subtle peppermint note combines with hints of bandaid and seaweed. In the mouth, this is a robust, oily, mouth-filling Laphroaig experience with waves of sweet smoke, salt, pepper, iodine and vanilla delivered in a creamy, warming mouthfeel with a mild prickle. The finish is refreshingly dry with cocoa, more peat and subtle baked citrus note lingering. Quarter Cask is not a gentle Laphroaig, but it’s much more compelling than the standard issue 10. If you can score a bottle close to one hundred dollars, don't hesitate. 48% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews...  “Nose: Burning embers of peat in a crofter’s fireplace; sweet intense malt and lovely, refreshing citrus as well; Taste: mouthwatering, mouth-filling and mouth-astounding: the perfect weight of the smoke has no problems filling every crevice of the palate; builds towards a sensationally sweet maltiness in the middle; Finish: really long and dries appropriately with smoke and spice. Classic Laphroaig. Balance: a great distillery back to its awesome, if a little sweet, self. Layer upon layer of sexed up peatiness. The previous bottling just needed an extra complexity on the nose for this to hit mega malt status. Now it has been achieved” 96 points - Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2015

    The whisky begins sweet and creamy, with notes of vanilla, honey, and ripe malt (reminiscent of a malting floor). Then the Laphroaig signature peat smoke, seaweed, tar, and medicinal notes emerge. Bottling at 48% and without chill-filtering keeps the whisky from being dulled down. A whisky that is very dynamic. Nicely done. 90 points - whiskyadvocate.com

    • 95
    • 96
    • Nick's Import
    • Reduced
    Laphroaig PX Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky (1000ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    Reduced from $199.00
    $159. 99
    Bottle
    $1919.88 Dozen
    ABV: 48%

    "Unquestionably one of the great malts of the year...in spite of itself". - Jim Murray

    Tasting note: Deep gold / brass. Muted at first; builds with a PX top note almost overwhelming the expected distillery aromas; if only momentarily. Brandy soaked raisins and dark chocolate amid flashes of sweet peat and pepper. Three to four minutes exposure draws out smouldering cedar, cigar box and hints of elastoplast, accenting fruit cake in later inspections. Terrific balance in the sweet, smokey-malt mid palate; vanilla and Christmas cake add richness to the finish. Concludes prolonged and lozenge-like with Laphroaig's trademark medicinal edge and pepperiness breaking through late, finally checked by the sherry. Big PX influence here but deftly handled - think of it as drunken Christmas pudding, Islay-style. 48% Alc./Vol.

    Normally travel retail exclusive. Extremely limited stocks.

    Other reviews... This ultra sweet wine is often paired with smokey malt, often with disastrous consequences. Here it has worked, but only because the PX has been controlled itself by absolutely outstanding oak. And the ability of the smoke to take on several roles and personas simultaneously. A quite beautiful whisky and unquestionably one of the great malts of the year...in spite of itself.
    96 points - Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2015

    • 96
    • Nick's Import
    Laphroaig 25 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) - 2016 Release
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $1199. 00
    Bottle
    $14388.00 Dozen
    ABV: 48.6%

    A direct import of the 2016 bottling of Laphroaig's natural strength 25 YO, matured in both Oloroso and American oak casks. Jim Murray is in raptures over this declaring it one of the finest examples he's ever experienced. John Hansell of Whisky Advocate adds, "The 30 year old is softer, mellower, drier, and more debonair. The 25 year old is bolder, more youthful, more dynamic, richer, and sweeter -- bottling at cask strength really helps here".

    Other reviews.... Quite possibly the finest bottling of Laphroaig I have ever encountered. And over the last 35 years there have been a great many bottles. 96.5 points 48.6% Alc./Vol. - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible

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    • 90
    • Packaging may vary
    Makers Mark 46 Bourbon Whisky (700ml)
    Kentucky, UNITED STATES
    $86. 99
    Bottle
    $1043.88 Dozen
    ABV: 47%

    Surprisingly, this is Makers Mark’s first new product since the distillery was founded more than 50 years ago. It's essentially a variation on traditional Makers Mark, whereby the finished product is transferred in just–emptied barrels containing a series of heavily seared French Oak staves – the number '46' refers to the stave profile utilized, not the ABV - which is left to interact, and season the Bourbon for an additional 2-3 month period. The searing eliminates any tannic bitterness within the oak, contributing a series of spicy notes otherwise non-existent with traditional wheat Bourbon profiles.

    Other reviews... - (n23.5) crushed toasted hazelnuts dappled with honeycomb and delicate hickory; beautifully even and well mannered; (t24.5) quite superb: an initially thick, intense delivery which fans oak in directions; excellent weight as those honeycomb notes go into overdrive; a dotting of wheaty and oaky spices but it’s the way the softest of silky and highly complex flavours crash feather-like into the taste buds which cranks up the points; (f23) surprisingly light and simplistic with the accent firmly on vanilla; (b24) some people have a problem with oak staves. I don’t: whisky after all, is about the interaction of a grain spirit and oak. This guy is all about the nose and, especially the delivery. With so much controlled honey on show, it cannot be anything other than a show-stopper. Frankly, magnificent. I think I’ve met my Maker’s. 47% (94 proof) - 95 Points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2013

    ...It’s not earth-shattering bourbon, however it levels up one of the most iconic bourbon brands on the planet to a really enjoyable level. I’m normally not the biggest Maker’s Mark fan, so I went into this tasting a little skeptical. While the bourbon definitely starts strongest in the nose and fades from there, Maker’s 46 still left me pleasantly surprised. Everything about Maker’s 46 seems to be more refined than the standard Maker's. From the more sophisticated looking bottle, one that breaks away from the iconic square influence of regular Maker’s, to the flavor profile, which is all around an enhancement of the standard Maker’s Mark profile. It should be noted however, that individuals who love the flavor profile of Maker's Mark may be turned off by this enhanced fuller finish. That being said, while I may not stock my bar with Maker’s Mark, I would gladly buy another bottle of Maker’s 46. - breakingbourbon.com
    ...This is original “Red Wax” Maker’s Mark bourbon that received additional aging in barrels containing internal “seared” French Oak staves. The original Maker’s Mark, being a wheated bourbon (instead of rye, which is typically used), is a rather mellow, easy-to-drink bourbon. The French Oak staves in “46” add firm, complex, dry spices (lead by warming cinnamon, followed by nutmeg and clove), herb (a suggestion of Green Chartreuse liqueur, perhaps?), and some polished leather “grip”, which dovetails well with Maker’s trademark layered sweetness (caramel, vanilla, a hint of honey). I’m also picking up some dried fruit in the background. The seared oak stave influence is somewhat aggressive but never to the point of being excessive... 90 points- John Hansell - whiskyadvocate.com

    Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt 21 Year Old Blended Malt Japanese Whisky (700ml) - Cardboard Box
    Hokkaido, JAPAN
    $1199. 00
    Bottle
    $14388.00 Dozen
    ABV: 43%

    Note: Product has come from a private collection and as such has some minor scuffing/scratches/handling marks. Actual product not shown.

    DISCONTINUED.

    Following Suntory's lead, Nikka has discontinued its lines of extra-aged whiskies, with some reports that the shortage could last up to a decade before the taps are turned back on.

    Nikka's range of blended, pure malt and single malt whiskies will be exciting new discoveries for any Whisky enthusiast. This 21 Year Old bottling is dedicated to the Father of the Japanese Whisky Industry, Masataka Taketsuru.

    The tale of Masataka Taketsuru's life is of the same fabric legends are made of. Sent in 1918 as a young apprentice to Scotland by his Japanese employers to crack the secrets of whisky, he not only came back with that knowledge but also with Rita Taketsuru (nee Cowan), who went on playing a decisive role in the development of the Japanese Whisky industry. Thanks to her connection to Japanese high society, Masataka was able to finance the company that is now known as Nikka Whisky.This blend of malts is from the two Nikka distilleries, Yoichi and Miyagikyo.

    Other reviews... A much more civilised and gracious offering than the 17 year old...Serious whisky for the serious whisky drinker. 88 points- Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2014

    World's Best Blended Malt Whisky at the 2010 World Whiskies Awards.

    • Nick's Import
    Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt 21 Year Old Blended Malt Japanese Whisky (700ml) - Wooden Gift Box
    Hokkaido, JAPAN
    $1299. 00
    Bottle
    $15588.00 Dozen
    ABV: 43%

    Note: Box has come from a private collection and as such has some light creasing/scuffing/scratches/handling marks. Actual product not pictured. This one, in particular, has small bits of wood missing from the inner railing. Outside of box not affected.

    DISCONTINUED.

    Following Suntory's lead, Nikka has discontinued its lines of extra-aged whiskies, with some reports that the shortage could last up to a decade before the taps are turned back on.

    Nikka's range of blended, pure malt and single malt whiskies will be exciting new discoveries for any Whisky enthusiast. This 21 Year Old bottling is dedicated to the Father of the Japanese Whisky Industry, Masataka Taketsuru.

    The tale of Masataka Taketsuru's life is of the same fabric legends are made of. Sent in 1918 as a young apprentice to Scotland by his Japanese employers to crack the secrets of whisky, he not only came back with that knowledge but also with Rita Taketsuru (nee Cowan), who went on playing a decisive role in the development of the Japanese Whisky industry. Thanks to her connection to Japanese high society, Masataka was able to finance the company that is now known as Nikka Whisky.This blend of malts is from the two Nikka distilleries, Yoichi and Miyagikyo.

    Other reviews... A much more civilised and gracious offering than the 17 year old...Serious whisky for the serious whisky drinker. 88 points- Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2014

    World's Best Blended Malt Whisky at the 2010 World Whiskies Awards.

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    • 89
    • Reduced
    Nikka Coffey Malt Japanese Whisky (700ml)
    JAPAN
    Reduced from $139.99
    $124. 99
    Bottle
    $1499.88 Dozen
    ABV: 45%

    Jim Murray's Japanese Whisky of the Year 2018.

    Yet another first for Australia - Nikka decided to add their Coffey Malt to their core portfolio in 2014. It completes the Coffey range, originally launched in September 2012 with the Nikka Coffey Grain. Each offers insight into the whiskies that constitute the base of Nikka’s blends. This edition is produced from 100% malt, though technically it's not a single malt due to its distillation in Coffey stills (Nikka imported two from Scotland in 1963). Scheduled as a European exclusive, we're very fortunate to have received a tiny quantity into Australia.

    Tasting note: Brilliant deep gold colour. Semi-sweet aromas of creamy soda, creme caramel, vanilla bean and shortbread followed by flavours of butter menthol lozenge, cream biscuits and an ultra pure, high pitch vanilla bean, dried coconut finish that maintains excellent sweet/dry balance. Creamy soda and bounty bar aftertaste. A gorgeous, one of a kind, melt in your mouth malt that's a must try. 45% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews... Now a hugely welcome part of the core range, this whisky—made in Coffey stills at the Miyagikyo distillery—uses 100% malted barley as its base. The nose is all tinned peach, tropical fruit juice, and baked banana, with a surprising green celery note, coconut, and sherbet. The palate is silky, with some chocolate, biscuity oak, and orange blossom honey. Water brings those green notes forward to add freshness to the peach cobbler sweetness. The grain revolution builds. 45% Alc./Vol.
    89 points - whiskyadvocate.com, (Fall 2014) Reviewed by: Dave Broom

    • 92
    • 95
    Paul John Bold Peated Single Malt Indian Whisky (700ml)
    INDIA
    $94. 99
    Bottle
    $1139.88 Dozen
    ABV: 46%

    Tasting note: Bold, but not as overtly peaty as the name might suggest. Gentle puffs of smoke come between the honey-soaked barley, giving a Highland Park-esque feel to the nose. Full, vaguely fruity, superbly weighted, effervescent malt - the phenols glaze over the barley rather than smother it. No shortage of flavour. At the finish, an earthy, farmyard-like character is accented, the peat taking on a lanolin-like aspect through the final stages. 46% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    Other reviews... the smoke tries to rule the roost but is not allowed to....melt in the mouth malt: a silky delivery- what else do expect from India? - is shaped again by oak-studded honey... one of the most weighty and chewable Indian whiskies of all time - yet it is not just about peat. So many elements to this, you expect a bottle to weigh the equivalent of a block of lead. This truly great whisky, so complex and absorbing, needs a good 20 minutes of your time to adequately explore.
    95.5 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2016

    • 96
    • 96
    • Reduced
    Port Askaig 100 Proof Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    Reduced from $150.00
    $139. 99
    Bottle
    $1679.88 Dozen
    ABV: 57.1%
    Jim Murray's 2017 Runner up for Best No Age Statement Whisky of the year (Multiple casks). 96.5 points.

    We first tasted whiskies under the Port Askaig label several years ago and found them to be immensely appealing. These fruity-smokey styles are sourced from an "unknown Islay distillery" (presumably Caol Ila) and bottled by Specialty Drinks Ltd. who are also responsible for the "Elements of Islay" indie bottlings. A 100 proof edition was launched in 2015 and has just arrived in Australia ("100° Proof" refers to the traditional system of alcohol measurement - the actual abv here is 57.1%.) As there is no distillery called Port Askaig, this dram has been named after the ancient ferry port and fishing harbour situated on the East coast of Islay. The whisky was matured in refill ex-bourbon casks and bottled without an age statement, though the youngest component is reported to be seven years old. The rest will be considerably older.

    Tasting note: Very pale straw-gold appearance is almost water-like. Nosing detects a sultry amalgam of smoke-infused brine / pepper combined with baked citrus and latent creamy vanillas. The oily, mouth coating delivery sets this apart...the peat perfectly tuned with the thick malt. Viscous and saline to finish, this powers on; the oils oozing sooty peat, hints of cured meats and late jaffa in the aftertaste. Near 60% but you'd never know it. Pick of the bunch. 57.1% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews... what perfect oak must have been deployed here. No off notes or buzz. Just the insistent and steadying hand of vanilla / butterscotch to add a gentle counter to the spice and smoke. ; just exemplary, high quality Islay; a must experience malt. If you find a more beautifully paced, weighted and elegant Islay this year, I'd really like to hear about it."
    96.5 points - Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2018

    Very enjoyable, and definitely great value for money. The finish falls off a little, and it's not overly complex, but if you dig these flavours (like I do), it's definitely a winner! Pure, unadulterated Caol Ila, but nicely amplified and concentrated over the regular official bottlings. Lovely. I must admit I sometimes shy away from independent and/or mystery bottlings that I'm not familiar with, but there's no reason to do so in this case. These guys clearly know what they're doing. If you're a fan of Caol Ila but you wish they'd turn up the volume, or you've had your fill of the standard bottlings, this is a sure-fire way to satisfy that desire.
    3.5 Stars - peatedperfection.blogspot.com.au
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    • 96
    Redbreast 12 Year Old Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey (700ml)
    County Cork, IRELAND
    $139. 99
    Bottle
    $1679.88 Dozen
    ABV: 40%

    This is the world's best whisky! Drinkstrade.com.au have reported that Redbreast 12 Year Old has won the World Whisky Trophy at the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) 2019. The competition awarded Redbreast 12 an impressive 98 points, narrowly beating world whisky competitors from Australia, South Africa, Denmark, India, Taiwan and Switzerland, among many others.

    The judges said: “It starts with a gorgeous nose, a fantastic composition of aromas all complementing each other. Think of roasted coffee, toffee apples, malt and warm Christmas spices. The palate is bold but very elegant with a nice balance and all in order to a great finale with dried fruits, candied oranges and sweet spices.”

    For decades, serious whiskey drinkers drank Irish "blended" whiskey, mixing it with cola or adding a dash to coffee. But, John Hansell, editor and publisher of Malt Advocate magazine, says that's changing. "The line between Irish whiskey and Scotch whisky has become blurred," says Hansell, since Irish whiskey companies like Bushmills and Jameson have expanded their range to include deluxe whiskies from aged blends to pure pot stills and their own brand of single malts. "The top Irish whiskeys are just as good as many single-malt scotches. It's too bad more people aren't aware of how complex some of these whiskeys have become."

    Here's a case in point. From Irish Distillers Ltd, Redbreast is a 'Single' unblended, pure pot still Irish whiskey made with malted and unmalted barley which has been triple distilled. Our tasting found powerful, sensuous aromatics, at first reminiscent of creaming soda then vanilla wafer and sweet cereals enter giving this a Bourbon slant. The entry is soft and light. Mid palate turns deliciously creamy with semi-sweet, toasty cereals and brandy cream sauce flavours superbly counterpointed by spicy, drying oak. Finishes crisp and dry with terrific length as the vanilla wafer biscuit again emerges followed by a late creme-caramel fade. An Irish with soul and distinctive style, this also offers a mouthfeel that’s uncommon. Its lightness of body combined with depth of flavour make for a terrific aperitif. 40% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews...Very elegant, complex, and stylish. Honeyed and silky in texture, with toffee, toasted marshmallow, nougat, maple syrup, banana bread, and a hint of toasted coconut. Bright fruit and golden raisin blend in nicely with the layers of sweetness. Impeccable balance and very approachable. Classic Irish whiskey! (Value Pick) 96 points
    - maltadvocate.com, (Vol. 19, #4) Reviewed by: John Hansell

    ... Probably the softest Redbreast delivery of all time... a Cadbury's chocolate and fruit and nut finale with grain being surprisingly reticent; lots of toffee and vanilla late on. One of the most docile and pacific Redbreasts I've encountered in the last 30-odd years. Lovely, though.
    93 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2021

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    • 96
    • 88
    • Reduced
    Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey (700ml)
    Kentucky, UNITED STATES
    Reduced from $99.99
    $94. 99
    Bottle
    $1139.88 Dozen
    ABV: 45%

    "the nose and delivery are just about as good as it gets." - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2019

    Sazerac Rye dates back to the 1800’s and symbolizes the tradition and history of New Orleans saloons. It was at the Sazerac Coffee House on Royal Street where local patrons were served toddies made with Rye whiskey and Peychaud’s Bitters. The libation became know as the “Sazerac” and America’s first branded cocktail was born. This 6 year-old version of the famous Sazerac Rye is produced at the scenic Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort (probably using a 'barely legal' rye recipe), home of numerous other whiskies such as Eagle Rare 10 year-old, Eagle Rare 17 year-old, Blanton's, Rock Hill Farms and George T. Stagg. The beautifully designed bottle harks back to the pre Civil War days when barrels of whisky were poured into ornately engraved decanters supplied by the distiller, displaying the colour of the whiskey to good effect. In what seems to be a company tradition, the price is nowhere near the kind of money many other ryes command.

    Our re-tasting since last visiting this stalwart in 2008 found moderate aromas suggesting caraway and oak shavings then green apple, orange zest, wood spice and sweet nutty/vanilla notes. This is a soft, plush 'fruity' style without compromising depth of flavour - dried apricots, apply rye and white pepper come counterpointed by light vanilla oak. The keynote grain isn't aggressive like some others, while the balance is near perfect, and there's dark rye bread, more pepper and a subtle muddled mint refreshing the fade. In short - Sazerac is a broad appeal whiskey with enough mid-palate sweetness, complexity and kick to convert one-eyed Bourbon nuts - or even the odd malt enthusiast. Keep this as the 'proper' choice for a Manhattan or Sazerac Cocktail. 45% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews... the nose and delivery are just about as good as it gets. Anyone thinking of making a clean and succulent rye whiskey should plant this on a dais and bow to it every morning before heading to the stillroom. 96 points- Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2019

    ... Youthful and very lively. Bold, crisp, spices (mint, cinnamon, vanilla) are softened by soothing, sweeter notes (candied fruit, coconut, caramel, and rum notes), becoming dry, flinty, and spicy on the finish. It is very clean and polished, and it is superior to other rye whiskeys in this age range. Nicely done! 88 points. (4th Quarter 2005 Issue-Vol. 14#4) - whiskyadvocate.com

    ...From its simple throwback bottle design to approachable flavor profile and better than fair price, Sazerac Rye is an essential rye for everyone’s whiskey collection. - breakingbourbon.com

    • 93
    Starward Nova Single Malt Australian Whisky (700ml)
    Victoria, AUSTRALIA
    $99. 99
    Bottle
    $1199.88 Dozen
    ABV: 41%
    WINNER: BEST AUSSIE SINGLE MALT at the WORLD WHISKY AWARDS 2017

    A new ongoing concept for the distillery, this time under the Starward label.  Matured exclusively in re-coopered 100Lt and 200Lt Australian wine barrels.  

    Tasting note: Perfect clarity / polished copper. Definite wine character; comes over like Nebbiolo or Brunello di Montalcino with dried cherry, hints of prune and plum amid flashes of varnish, sweet spice and vanilla malt. Likewise on the palate, the biscuity malt beautifully dovetails with the later wine input as hints of plum and fruity dark chocolate develop at the finish. Ends finely tannic, pleasantly spicy and with the winey nuances echoed in the aftertaste. A deftly handled wine/whisky fusion, the source of the barrel is a secret, but we can tell you it's from one of South Australia's top Shiraz producers. 41% Alc./Vol.

  • The Milk & Honey Distillery Elements Sherry Single Malt Israeli Whisky (700ml)
    ISRAEL
    $130. 00
    Bottle
    $1560.00 Dozen
    ABV: 46%

    Judged World's Best Whisky at the 2023 World Whisky Awards.

    To create this whisky M&H commissioned seasoned Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez barrels from Spain. After twelve months in Jerez, the barrels were transported to the distillery and filled with new-make. It's not clear how or why, but this has been declared / classified as the first and only kosher sherry matured single malt whisky in the world. The shyness of the nose doesn't give away much, except that it's whisky. However it's more expressive on the palate where a nutty / dried-fruit kind of sherry is evident, followed by bitter cocoa. Youthful spices add lift and vibrancy before tea biscuit-like malt enters late. One of the drier sherried styles going around, but grows on you. 46% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    Other reviews... "Fruity aromas of citrus zest and white peach with a dash of wood varnish. Sweet to the taste with a weighty mouthfeel, this whisky has flavours of golden syrup, vanilla, tropical fruit and iced tea, before a finish of oak tannins with hints of anise and lemon peel." - World’s Best Single Malt – Category Winner, Best Israeli Single Malt, Gold, World Whisky Awards 2023

    Bourbon casks kosher. Sherry casks unkosher. So what's this then?...Actually, I'm scratching my non covered bit of head to work it out. Like the peated malt, you get the feeling there is some kind of alien intervention that is playing games with the grape and sending confusing messages. The one thing that escapes the melee is the malt itself, which certainly manages to stand up for itself, and proudly. You know this is well made: the lusciousness of the mouthfeel confirms that. But...
    87 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2021

    GOLD - The Spirits Business, World Whisky Masters 2020
    GOLD - World Whisky Awards 2020

    Notes from the distillery... This single malt reveals robust flavours of red fruit, dark chocolate, and oaky notes. Aroma: Dominant rich red fruit notes, covered by gentle oak, caramel scent and lemon freshness. Palate: Medium bodied. Light fruity sherry sweetness, rich fruits and dark chocolate, followed by gentle oaky notes. Finish: Long. The dark chocolate notes linger in the palate for a while, followed by tobacco and oak notes.

    • 95
    • Packaging may vary
    Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve 10 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)
    Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, UNITED STATES
    $79. 99
    Bottle
    $959.88 Dozen
    ABV: 45%

    At the Wild Turkey Distillery, bourbon is a family tradition with Master Distiller Jimmy Russell following his father and grandfather before him. You’ll still see Jimmy, now joined by his son, Eddie, early in the morning, inspecting shipments of grains as they come in, checking the stills, or wandering through the warehouses to make sure the barrels are getting the proper circulation.

    Jimmy and Eddie recently realized they had more in common than just their family connection. “Both Eddie and I believe 10 years is a wonderful stage of maturity for a bourbon,” comments Jimmy. In fact, it was Eddie who suggested to Jimmy that they offer a special bottling for consumers to enjoy. Jimmy agreed and in honor of their joint effort, he put their name on it. Russell's Reserve is deep amber in color with a nose that is rich in vanilla, oak, toffee and a touch of old leather. The body is huge, and the palate is very spicy with notes of chili peppers, tamarind, almonds and cumin. The Whiskey was awarded a Silver Medal at the 2000 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

    Tasting note: Initially a robust Bourbon sniff offering spicy toffee apple, sweet cereal, vanilla, dark chocolate and dried fruits. Settles down after several minutes becoming more pancake and maple syrup like. The palate exhibits a mouthwatering sweet / dry balance with massive, crisp, crunchy grains (plenty for rye lovers here) followed by beautifully integrated spices. Finishes perfectly clean, dry with hints of cool mint freshness that goes on an on. Remains one of the Bourbon world’s top values.

    First tasted June 2011... Gold colour. Shellac at first, then clears with attractive scents of vanilla and clove becoming distinctively nougat and nutty. Initially soft in the mouth  but becomes big and spicy. Mid palate shows semi sweet char grilled corn flavours, then turns dry like a good rye, before finishing wonderfully fresh and clean with a subtle peppermint burst. Amazing length with gentle spices and peppermint persisting. Lovely stuff that’s also atypical from this distillery. 45% Alc./Vol. 93 points

    'A controlled explosion of complexity... Entirely flawless whiskey'. - Jim Murray.
    Other reviews... 
    Nose: Fascinating layering of diverse aromas ; something almost smoky to this one, perhaps from extracting a peculiar, heavy-ish character from the oak; thinned by a delicate gooseberry note (yes, really!) - as opposed to the usual citrus - which itself is sandwiched between subtle Demerera sugar and vanilla; the rye also makes itself heard; Taste:  the body flexes muscles enough to compound the rich brown sugar/liquorice background and intense rye fruitiness. Serious chewing required; Flavour: excellent depth, with the oaks now offering impressive soft bitter balance; remains long and consistent as the spices amplify; Body: unquestionably an upgrade on the last bottling i examined and shows complexity of this world great distillery. But i still cannot even begin to get my head around that a whiskey named after bourbon legend Jimmy Russell is bottled at 90 proof and not his own preferred 101. One of the true wonders of the whiskey world, that...45%
    Rating: 94 - note sourced from Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2010

    Nose: Stunning rye-citrus combo...Taste: seriously mega for its age, not so much in the firm cocoa oak, but the utter enormity of the small grain depth...Finish: gentle, minty spices cool the mouth... Entirely flawless whiskey.
    Rating: 96 - note sourced from Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2006



    Click here to learn more about Bourbon Whiskey.

    • 94
    • 95
    Willett Pot Still Reserve Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)
    Kentucky, UNITED STATES
    $144. 99
    Bottle
    $1739.88 Dozen
    ABV: 47%
    "Another fabulous whiskey from Willett." - Jim Murray

    Established in 1935 and still a private family owned and operated company, Willett Distillery (aka Kentucky Bourbon Distillers or ‘KBD’) have built a reputation as a bottler for a wide portfolio of brands including Johnny Drum, Rohan's Creek, Noah's Mill and Kentucky Vintage amongst others. In short, they're rather like an American version of a Scottish-style independent bottler. They purchase barrels of young whiskey and age them in their hill-top warehouses south of Bardstown.

    Unmistakable in its bottle shaped after a copper pot still, Willett Pot Still Reserve was first released in 2008. This latest expression is a restrained, drier style, so if you're looking for layered vanilla and caramel richness in your whiskey, look elsewhere.

    Tasting note: [Batch 15D1 tasted] Honey amber hue. Vapoury spirit before the aroma settles into form; dry and spicy at first developing blood orange, gum and sweet oak notes with further air contact deepening and sweetening the bouquet as vanilla, rock lolly, corn cob and peppermint come to the fore. Medium dry, full bodied delivery. Dried corn, orange zest and cocoa. Firm oak and a touch of tea leaf before the finish gains momentum with a thread of sugars. Concludes peppery, dark rye bread-like, mildly sappy and with solid length. Showcases the flavour range of bourbon and rye with a finely tuned sweet-dry balance. 47% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews... Another fabulous whiskey from Willett. You can so often trust them to deliver and here they have given us a Bourbon showing serious oak injection, yet a sweetness that counters perfectly. 95.5 points - Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2017

    First tasted 2011... Deep gold, brassy colour. The nose has a restraint and softness that's very appealing. Aromas of grilled corn, roasted nuts and vanilla; a hint of blood orange emerges with time in the glass. On the palate, this is a big, spicy whiskey, but by Bourbon standards it's on the drier side. Roast chestnut and dried corn flavours at mid palate, with a hint of rye making an appearance on the finish. Excellent balance and length. 91 points
    • 95
    Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Bourbon Whiskey (700ml)
    Kentucky, UNITED STATES
    $99. 99
    Bottle
    $1199.88 Dozen
    ABV: 43.2%
    A new Woodford that’s set to be part of the core range. This is finished in heavily toasted, lightly charred barrels.

    Other reviews… Well done blender on creating a Bourbon not just of beauty but of great significance.
    95 points – Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2018

    [45.2 ABV tasted] Woodford’s first permanent line extension. Aged in two barrels with different toast and char amounts. More visceral than the standard Woodford Reserve, with a darker personality, extra wood spice, and a nice sweet foundation. Notes of cinnamon stick, dark berried fruit, roasted nuts, caramel, creamy vanilla, and polished leather. - www.maltadvocate.com
    88 points - www.maltadvocate.com, reviewed by: John Hansell (Summer 2012)

    2015 San Francisco World Spirits Competition: Double Gold Medal
    A.D. Laws Bottled in Bond Small Batch Secale Straight Rye Whiskey (750ml)
    UNITED STATES
    $189. 00
    Bottle
    $2268.00 Dozen
    ABV: 50%
    A whiskey described as "Aggressive, full of character and unapologetic."
    Like Laws' standard 95% rye, this also contains 5% heirloom barley - the difference is it's aged for over four years instead of just three, thus meeting the standards of the 'Bottled in Bond Act of 1897.' The act also requires that the whiskey be a product of the grain of a single season, made by one distiller at a single distillery, and aged in a federal government-bonded warehouse. The act came as a response to the widespread adulteration in American whiskey around the late 19th century. It was an attempt by the federal government to act as a guarantor of the spirit's authenticity.

    Other reviews... [Batch BB#4 tasted] A nice jolt of violets, pepper, and sawn oak on the nose is underscored by some green stick and leafy sassafras notes, turning a bit more dark and chewy on the palate, with caramel, figgy fruit, green peppercorns, and a long and bold finish dominated by dark chocolate. Softens up nicely with water, and reveals more fruitiness. 50% Alc./Vol.
    84 points - maltadvocate.com, reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Spring 2017)

    World Whisky Awards 2017 Best American Rye.
    • 94
    • 97
    Ballantines 17 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Dumbarton, SCOTLAND
    $110. 00
    Bottle
    $1320.00 Dozen
    ABV: 40%
    Scotch Whisky of the Year' & 'Third Finest Whisky in the World'
    - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2013.

    Speaking at the publication of Jim Murray’s 2011 edition of the Whisky Bible, the man of the hour commented, “Blends are seen by many as the poor relations to single malts. Ballantine’s 17 proves, quite spectacularly, what many of us have known for a great many years: it isn’t. A blender has the chance to create something unique and quite beautiful by putting together many whisky styles. With Ballantine’s 17, the blender has done his job in glorious, quite majestic fashion.”

    Note: we have the 40% ABV bottling. Jim Murray's review refers to the 43% bottling, however we would expect the whiskies to be very similar.

    Tasting note: Impressive, bright deep, gold colour. The nose offers powerful sweet grainy scents, beautifully integrated with cocoa, charry vanillan oak and a very soft, gentlly wafting sweet peat adding depth. There’s a subtle grapiness too. Concentrated and mouth filling by blended standards and quite spicy, the palate is pristinely clean offering rich sweet malt, followed by cocoa and some smokey, honeyed, biscuit flavours. Outstanding length. Remains spicy, becoming dry - the aftertaste is a remarkable quality of this whisky - pulsing for a good 10-20 seconds and beyond. A first-rate blend with loads of character. 43 % Alc. Vol.

    Other reviews: (97.5 points)(n24.5) deft grain and honey plus teasing salty peat; ultra high quality with bourbon and pear drops offering the thrust; a near unbelievable integration with gooseberry juice offering a touch of sharpness muted by watered golden syrup; (t24) immediately mouthwatering with maltier tones clambering over the graceful cocoa-enriched grain; the degrees of sweetness are varied but near perfection; just hints of smoke here and there; (f24) lashings of vanilla and cocoa on the fade; drier with a faint spicey, vaguely smoky buzz; has become longer with more recent bottlings with the most subtle oiliness imaginable; (b25) now only slightly less weighty than of old. After a change of style direction it has comfortably reverted back to its sophisticated, mildly erotic old self. One of the most beautiful, complex and stunningly structured whiskies ever created. Truly the epitome of great Scotch. To the extent that for the last year, I have simply been unable to find a better whisky anywhere in the world. 43% - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2013

    • 96
    • Limit Two per customer
    • Nick's Import
    • Reduced
    Ballantines 30 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Dumbarton, SCOTLAND
    Reduced from $499.00
    $399. 00
    Bottle
    $4788.00 Dozen
    ABV: 40%
    "Simply one of the world's most sensual drams." - Jim Murray.

    George Ballantine, the founder of Ballantine's came from a farming family in the Scottish borders. He established a grocers shop in Cowgate, Edinburgh in 1827, eventually extending his business into wines and spirits. His son, also named George, set up in Argyll Street, Glasgow, in 1872 as a whisky, wine and cigar merchant with many export interests, especially the promotion of the Old Glenlivet and Talisker Fine Malt brands. In 1903 the family business was granted a Royal Warrant and was recorded as "transacting an immense trade in supplying wines and spirits to families of distinction all over Scotland and in many parts of England and Ireland." The company was subsequently sold, however the new owners had similar success, establishing solid markets in the United States and elsewhere. The rest is history...

    Today Ballantine’s is one of the largest spirits brands in the world. The flavour profile of all the Ballantine’s bottlings is largely dependent on fingerprint malts from Miltonduff and Glenburgie.

    Other reviews......Simply one of the world's most sensual drams...
    96 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2017

    ...The nose unravels with milk chocolate, thick hazelnut spread, and a slender twist of orange peel, though that delectable goodness is evenly balanced with peppermint patties and detectable light, floral top notes. This has a lush softness, with a perceptibly slow crescendo of flavors incorporating caramel toffee, popcorn, and chocolate praline. It’s beautifully integrated with a smooth, dense texture, and releases its grip reluctantly with just a whisper of a peppermint reprise. 43% Alc./Vol. 89 points - www.maltadvocate.com, reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Summer 2016)

    ....Colour: full gold. Nose: this is different and, most amazingly, much closer to the old one, with these whiffs of old books, old herbs liqueurs and metal polish, then moss and mushrooms. There’s also more oak, obviously, vanilla custard, cinnamon… And then mead, old roses and Turkish delights (very vivid). Rather beautiful! Mouth: bigger, richer, sweeter and fruitier than the 17. Starts with tinned pineapples and apricots and goes on with pomegranates and cinnamon from the oak. There’s also a little honey, aniseed and touches of rancio (and sherry), then more oak. Just like the 17, it becomes a little dry after a while, a little light… but it remains pretty excellent. Finish: medium long, a notch smokier. Bitter oranges in the aftertaste. Comments: again, it’s no big whisky but it’s complex and beautifully balanced. 85 points
    - Serge Valentin, www.whiskyfun.com
    • 89
    • Nick's Import
    Black Bull 10 Year Old Rum Cask Finish Blended Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    SCOTLAND
    $69. 99
    Bottle
    $839.88 Dozen
    ABV: 50%
    Winner: Best Scotch Blended Limited Release WWA 2019.

    With roots going back to 1864, the Black Bull Blend was the very first 100-proof blend in whisky history. Duncan Taylor create this with an unusually high malt-to-grain ratio and continue to bottle the range at a robust ABV.

    Tasting note: A bold blend finished for a period of 16 months in ex-rum casks from Brazil, Barbados, Jamaica, Guatemala, Guadeloupe and Fiji. Bright gold. Fumes of alcohol and grassy, rum-like aromas lead into a soft, full bodied whisky; well balanced with light rum sugars at the finish and hints of molasses cake, raw sugar and cinnamon. Not overly sweet, but the rum pick up may be too much for some. Add water and you could mistake this for rum. 50% Alc./Vol.

    What the WWA said... "Nose of biscuit-like pastry and fresh black cherries. A little sour, some nail varnish and quite alcoholic. The palate has lemon drops, honey, icing sugar and a melt in your mouth texture. Warming finish with more vanilla, shortbread fingers and a pleasing subtlety."

    Notes from Duncan Taylor... Rich and delightful aroma with tropical notes of coconut and passion fruit and crisp candy floss. Grassy flavours with notes of grapefruit and apples covered with a creamy sweetness and topped with a hint of mint. The finish offers more fruit and mint balanced with a hint of vanilla oakiness.

    Best Scotch Blended Limited Release at the World Whiskies Awards 2019.

    • 92
    Bladnoch Adela 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $185. 00
    Bottle
    $2220.00 Dozen
    ABV: 46.7%
    New for 2017, this expression was matured in oloroso sherry casks, both Spanish and American oak – for a minimum of 15 years and includes a number of first fill butts for a added richness.

    Tasting note: Bright gold. Slightly muted aromas suggest shortbread, followed by pears and cream. Follows through with a light to medium-bodied, vibrant, grainy, sponge cake-like profile and a soft aftertaste that hints at citrus zest and dried fruits. Warming in the fade. Very attractive easy-drinking. 46.7% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    Other reviews... DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL, San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2017
    • 93
    Bladnoch Talia 25 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $599. 00
    Bottle
    $7188.00 Dozen
    ABV: 49.2%
    This is the high point in three new Bladnochs to be released for 2017, which, incidentally, remains the only Scotch whisky distillery to be owned by an Australian.
    Brought together using a blend of three different woods – ex Bourbon, ex Sherry and ex Whisky, before a final finishing in brand new American Oak, Master Distiller, Ian McMillan adds, "Talia retains the Bladnoch DNA because it has those grassy notes to it and some citrus and orange peel in there with a little hint of gingerbread as well. It is bottled at cask strength and is coarsely filtered so it is as near as you can get to coming straight out of the cask. It is bottled at 49.3 per cent, so again it is quite a deceptive whisky."

    Tasting note: Deep gold. A slightly sharp/ acidic whiff initially, later hinting at ovaltine, lemon sponge and cheese cake. Sweet orchard fruit notes develop with extended air contact. Full bodied, building at length with delicious grain / poached pear / apple tart flavours. Finish is juicy, lipsmacking. Aftertaste perfectly counterpoints the mid palate sugars with fine tannins and a seam of vanilla and pear tart. Beautifully integrated Lowland whisky with many of the hallmarks of high-end Speyside. 49.2% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. Around 600 bottles worldwide.

    Other reviews... DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL, San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2017
    • 95
    • 95
    • Nick's Import
    Caol Ila 25 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $599. 00
    Bottle
    $7188.00 Dozen
    ABV: 43%
    "Completely ignoring the current peat battle between Ardbeg and Bruichladdich and heading off into an altogether more refined and delicate direction." - whiskyadvocate.com

    Caol Ila(Gaelic for 'the Sound of Islay') is situated on the north eastern shores of the island, with magnificent views across the Sound to the spectacular Paps of Jura. Despite being the largest distillery on Islay (in terms of production anyway), nearly all of Caol Ila's output ends up in blends. The distillery's gently fruity-smoky style sets it apart and comes down to the production process: "...although it receives the same spec of malt as sister distillery Lagavulin, Caol Ila’s distillation regime – longer fermentation, higher cut point and taller stills, help to reduce the heavy phenols." Extended maturation further integrates the peat.

    Voted Best Islay Whisky at the World Whisky Awards in 2010, the delicate maritime notes in the 25 year old make a stunning accompaniment to seafood such as oysters or smoked salmon.

    Tasting note: Amber gold. Opens slightly restrained, but give this ten minutes in the glass and it builds a heady bouquet of all-things Caol Ila; sooty peat, baked citrus, vanilla and that lovely mentholated / salty / maritime edge that completes the picture and keeps you coming back. Ever softer, better integrated and more engaging with further air contact, twenty five years leaves a finely woven tapestry of flavours with a drying, mineral edge. No shortage of power here either; the barley sugars at mid palate burst, giving way to ash and campfire, tar, chilli chocolate and hints of hemp. Beautifully balanced uncut, a little water draws out citrus, adds to the length and sweetens the barley. So complete, close your eyes and it could be every Islay malt vatted into one by a blending maestro. 43% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews... The sugars start to mount up impressively, while the spices become positively warm... the smoke rumbles along with spicy mischief. Even after all these years this malt cannot only lay on its Islay credentials with its eyes closed, but does so with an almost haughty air, cocking a smoky snook at the passing of a quarter of a century.
    95.5 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2020

    This is to be a permanent addition to the core Caol Ila range, but it will raise a few eyebrows, completely ignoring the current peat battle between Ardbeg and Bruichladdich and heading off into an altogether more refined and delicate direction. This is a dignified and complex malt, which doesn’t give everything up immediately. There’s soft pear and guava on the nose, and the trademark oiliness and distinctive peat are there, but there’s a buttery quality, too, as well as some brine and spice, apple pip, and traces of aniseed. You get a sense of its age late on, with some oaky tannins and sharper spice, but overall this is an unhurried, complex, and sweet whisky with just enough peat to keep it honest. Very impressive. 88 points - www.maltadvocate.com (Vol. 19, #3)

    Always a fun bottling to follow. Colour: gold. Nose: ahhh yes! Gentle medical embrocations, dried seaweed, seashore, various shellfish, lemon infused olive oil, dried herbal aspects, some light petrol notes and lots of old school cough medicines. The height of sophistication and elegance! Mouth: this is the missing link between these great early 1980s casks and the mid-1990s ones. Many medical balms, cooking oils, gentle smoke, sootiness and a rather earthy and herbal peat profile. Wee touches of camphor, ink and waxed canvas. Some pebble-driven minerality too. Great balance and perfect poise. Unequivocally excellent. Finish: good length, some wonderfully resinous coastal and salty characteristics. Smoked fish, black pepper, olive tapenade and oyster sauce. Comments: I think this bottling improved again over some previous batches. A kind of old fashioned style of bottling that you might have found more readily in the 1990s (Caol Ila’s Laphroaig 30 year old if you see what I mean?), but I think it really works very well. Effortless and charming stuff.
    90 points - Serge Valentin, whiskyfun.com
    Colonel E.H. Taylor 100 Proof Straight Rye Whiskey (750ml)
    Kentucky, UNITED STATES
    $299. 00
    Bottle
    $3588.00 Dozen
    ABV: 50%

    Rye has experienced a strong resurgence in the American whiskey landscape. This small batch, bottled-in-bond 100 proof straight rye pays tribute to the former distillery owner. According to producers, Buffalo Trace, it is “An altogether different recipe and profile than Sazerac Rye, containing just rye and malted barley, no corn. The result is an aroma full of dried fruit, black pepper, and touch of fresh dill.”

    Other reviews... Very different than other straight rye whiskeys you might be familiar with: there's no corn in the recipe, just a large percentage of rye and a small amount of malted barley. It's youthful, with spice as the defining character (cinnamon, mint, allspice, freshly ground pepper), balanced by blackberry preserve, caramel, butterscotch, and a hint of cotton candy. Lingering dried spice and polished oak on the finish provide balance to the sweeter notes. 50% Alc./Vol. 85 points
    www.maltadvocate.com (Vol. 21, #4) Reviewed by: John Hansell size>

    ...F. Paul Pacult's Spirit Journal Rating: 5 stars/Highest Recommendation

    2013 World Whiskies Awards - Best Rye American Whiskey No Age Statement.

    • 93
    • 95
    • Reduced
    Cotswolds English Single Malt Whisky (700ml)
    UNITED KINGDOM
    Reduced from $120.00
    $99. 99
    Bottle
    $1199.88 Dozen
    ABV: 46%

    Hugely flavoursome young whisky. Liquid gold - Jim Murray.

    The first whisky ever distilled in the Cotswolds, England. The core release is aged for just over three years and comes bottled non-chill filtered. Daniel Szor, founder and CEO, comments "Our Single Malt is the culmination of years of hard work, combining over five decades of ‘grain to glass’ production knowledge from internationally-renowned experts with the region’s best-in-class ingredients. We’ve managed to produce something truly remarkable, and we couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve achieved."

    Tasting note: [Batch 01/2018] Polished copper colour. An alluring mix of barley cake, shortbread and orchard fruit nectar – as well as a decent dose of cocoa and vanilla. A little lighter and fresher than the nose suggests: Perfectly rounded – no rough edges here – the oily malt carrying flavours fruit nectar, cocoa and hints of confectionary ; the oak dominates the finish, with warming spice and fine tannins balancing the whole. Great length. Jim Swan's legacy is evident in this hugely flavoursome young whisky. 46% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews... World Whiskies Awards 2018 — Best English Single Malt

    95 points Liquid Gold - Jim Murray Whisky Bible 2018

    ...Honey, sugar-sprinkled shortbread, peach tarts, marzipan fruits, glacé apricot, finely shredded citrus peel, and young pink rhubarb. Flavors of heather honey, chili flakes, Christmas spices, caramelized sugar, malt; then marmalade, dried red fruits, and cappuccino. A great all-rounder. More please!
    91 points - maltadvocate.com, reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2018)

    There aren’t many distilleries that could claim more auspicious beginnings than Cotswolds. Taking inspiration from Bruichladdich, this 'terroir focused' venture is a tick list for quality and attention to detail: 100% locally grown floor-malted barley, long fermentations, unusual yeast strains, innovative distillation cuts and bourbon and shave-toast-rechar red wine casks indicate a producer at the high end of the passion scale. In an effort to improve transparency, the barley variety and farm it was grown are also listed on each bottle. Commencing production in 2014, the use of ‘STR' casks has been key to early success. These vessels were designed by the late whisky consultant, Dr. Jim Swan. Readers might be familiar with his involvement with other ‘new world’ ventures, bringing quick recognition to brands such as Kavalan and Amrut.

    • 95
    • 97
    • Nick's Import
    Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye Blended Canadian Whisky (1000ml)
    CANADA
    $99. 99
    Bottle
    $1199.88 Dozen
    ABV: 45%
    Better late than never...Here it is, your chance to snap up the World's Best Whisky for 2016 in a direct import, 1 litre bargain bottle.


    The Gimli Distillery, situated on the shores of Lake Winnipeg in central Canada is one of the world’s most remote distilleries, as well as being home to the Crown Royal brand. Although Canadian whisky is commonly known as rye, this new CR edition is one of only a handful which is actually made from near 100% rye grain. Most others are distilled from corn or wheat with rye and other flavourings added. Jim Murray gave the Northern Harvest Rye a record-qualifying 97.5 out of 100 points in his 2016 Whisky Bible commenting: “Rye, that most eloquent of grains, not just turning up to charm and enthral but to also take us through a routine which reaches new heights of beauty and complexity. To say this is a masterpiece is barely doing it justice.”

    While the whisky was never scheduled for release here, we've managed to secure a small quantity in 1 litre format at an exceptional price for Australian whisky lovers. Find out what all the fuss was about before it's too late!

    Tasting note: Brilliant amber gold. Fabulous purity with whiffs of apple/peach tart and fresh-picked mint over vanilla wafer biscuit, pencil shavings, hints of gum and green banana. Crisp and spicy in the mouth. The rye is assertive, oily, dense. An almost brittle mouthfeel. Finish offers buttered ryvita biscuit, vanilla custard, cocoa, pepper and sustained mint freshness. Long, concentrated and beautifully harmonised. 45% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews... A blend of 95% rye-grain flavoring whisky with a variety of base whiskies. Its big whisky cocktails will tempt mixers into sipping. Very fruity and floral, with prunes, peaches, red apple skins, and bouquets of spring flowers all boosted by vibrant peppery spices on a slightly oaky base. Crown Royal’s signature balsam resin note and hints of vanilla round it out. The long, spicy finish ends with hints of citrus pith. A complex, tightly woven blend. 91 points
    - www.maltadvocate.com, (Fall 2015) Reviewed by: Davin de Kergommeaux

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