1937 products

Cask Strength

    • 93
    Aberlour A'bunadh Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) - Batch 076
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $149. 99
    Bottle
    $1799.88 Dozen
    ABV: 61.3%

    Handles water so well, it's like getting two bottles in one.

    Aberlour’s cask strength A’bunadh has long been a darling of single malt aficionados, released in batches and now onto #76 (overseas may have even more recent bottlings). Each varies in proof and flavour as proportions of older or younger material make the cut, but the brief remains the same: Make a 100% ex-oloroso sherry aged malt using the inventory at hand (anywhere from 5 to 25 years old). Keep it natural, which means zero chill filtration, keep it balanced and keep it affordable. No information about the number of bottles from each batch of A’bunadh is offered, but they're large outturns for a global community, which makes for a significant blending challenge. That hasn't stopped collectors and fans of sherried malts from stocking up on those that are deemed better than others. It's easy to be overly harsh or jump the gun with these bottlings. Unless you are willing to be patient and let them breathe, they can be muted, out of balance and slightly prickly at first - a bit like a wine that's uncorked before its prime. That's certainly the case here. Get past the intensity of the spices and batch 76 is closer in style to Batch 74; There are notes of figs, plums and raisins but it's not exactly a sherry bomb, instead American oak contributes an equal level of vanilla richness, amplified and softened by minimal water - which is where this gets a little dangerous. Don't be too quick to refill your glass (or your guests') or things could quickly get out of control. On the flip side, you can dilute away and still retain a surprising level of intensity - which is a bonus. Whichever way you like it, A'bunadh is worth checking out as you encounter it, at least so long as value remains Pernod-Ricard's priority. 61.3% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered.

    Notes from the producers... Auburn gold in the glass. Aromas of mixed spices, praline and spiced orange harmonising with rich, deep notes of Oloroso Sherry. The palate blends oranges, black cherries, dried fruit and ginger spiked with dark bitter chocolate and enriched with Sherry and Oak. Full bodied and creamy. Robust and intense finish with bitter-sweet notes of exotic spices, dark chocolate and oak.

    1982 Adelphi Miltonduff 40 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $1499. 00
    Bottle
    $17988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 50.4%

    224 cask strength bottles from a single refill Bourbon hogshead make up this venerable release, one of the oldest Miltonduffs on record. During its prolonged maturation, the distillery changed ownership three times. Famed for its robust and oily character that's used in large part in the Ballantine’s blends, official bottlings were rare until 2017 when it was included in a new range called the 'Ballantines Single Malt Series'. At the time of writing, we have one bottle only. 50.4% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. Collectable.

    Adelphi The Glover 6th Edition 6 Year Old Cask Strength Blended Malt Whisky (700ml)
    SCOTLAND
    $280. 00
    Bottle
    $3360.00 Dozen
    ABV: 57.6%

    Another Adelphi Fusion project involving an international collaboration: This year's combines peaty Ardnamurchan with the slightly oily character of Japan's Chichibu. The whisky was aged for six years. As with the previous releases, it's named after Thomas Blake Glover who worked in Japan as a merchant and diplomat in the 19th to early 20th centuries - best known for his contribution to the industrialisation of the country. 460 bottles. 57.6% Alc./Vol.

    2010 Adelphi Inchgower 12 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $220. 00
    Bottle
    $2640.00 Dozen
    ABV: 57.4%

    One of our favourite lesser-known Speysiders, Inchgower often shows a touch of coastal character and waxiness aligning it with several North Coast distillates. Maturation in a Palo Cortado sherry butt makes this edition a variation on classic sherried styles with one taster describing it as "...a creamy-sweet sherry board with full fruit that is pleasant and lovely... you can really notice the cream sherry." 57.4% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    Adelphi The Sandebud 6 Year Old Fusion Cask Strength Whisky (700ml)
    $230. 00
    Bottle
    $2760.00 Dozen
    ABV: 58.9%

    Adelphi achieves another world first in this cask strength fusion. The fifth in a series is a combination of two sherry barrels of six year old malt from Adelphi's own distillery, 'Ardnamurchan' and two barrels of Swedish single malt distilled at 'High Coast', drawn from x-Bourbon barrels. All whiskies in the mix were peated. Named, 'Sändebud' a Swedish word meaning 'envoy' or 'emissary', it's an appropriate title for this whisky, which is dedicated to Colin Campbell, a Scottish lawyer born in the 17th century who moved to Sweden in 1731 and set up the Swedish East India Company bringing huge trade and wealth to his adopted country. 1176 bottles at 58.9% ABV are on offer globally. Due to the limited allocation and expected high demand, this is limited to one per customer.

    Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Mild smoked mackerel, Arbroath smokies, Fisherman's Friends, ground ginger... Dried fruits, bbq smoke slight sweetness. Palate: Smoke, salt, ash, hawthorn berries... Finish: Spices leading to fruity finish. The perfect balance of Scottich and Swedish flavour and a great balance between bourbon and sherry.

    1998 Ardbeg Single Cask No.1275 Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $1999. 00
    Bottle
    $23988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 55.4%

    Note: Product has come from a private collection and as such has some minor scuffing/scratches/handling marks. Actual product pictured. This one, in particular, has some impact crumpling to the front, bottom edge. See picture.

    A single cask selection from a from first fill bourbon barrel, cask #1275 was limited to just 252 bottles. 55.4% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. Collectable.

    Other reviews... Colour: white wine. Nose: punchy, starting in an unusual way, on hints of green olive and even capers on top of a peatiness that isn’t huge but certainly bigger than the SMWS’. The rest is rather classic young Ardbeg, without any big bourbonny notes. Seawater, peat smoke, kippers and freshly cut apples. With water: more of the same, with an emphasis on the coastal notes and a little mint kicking in. Mouth (neat): powerful and very, very ‘Ardbeg’. Ashes, liquorice, smoked salmon, pepper, ‘raw’ peat, tar, green apples and a little salt. Not really complex but impressively punchy if you like them young. With water: clean, classic young Ardbeg, on apples, peat, pepper, marzipan, gentian and seashells. Finish: quite long, with quite some saltiness and notes of walnut skin as well as a little eucalyptus and lemon balm. Faint earthiness. Note that the finish is more pleasant when undiluted. Comments: very ‘young Ardbeg’, that is to say quite simple but very satisfying. I guess a good way of coming up with more complexity would be to marry various kinds of casks, including sherry. Hey, you could even call that Rollercoaster.  85 points - whiskyfun.com

    2011 Ardbeg Single Cask No.2198 Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $1999. 00
    Bottle
    $23988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 60.2%

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

    Single cask Ardbegs offer amplified distillery character. They're highly desirable but rarely surface. This particular release was distilled in August 2011 and left to age in a first-fill bourbon barrel for six years before bottling at cask strength in July 2018 with an outturn of 256 bottles. 60.2% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. Collectable.

    • Reduced
    Ardbeg Heavy Vapours Committee Release Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    Reduced from $299.00
    $250. 00
    Bottle
    $3000.00 Dozen
    ABV: 50.2%

    Ardbeg's latest Committee Release comes with a curious title that's due to a production modification. Head of Whisky Creation, Bill Lumsden removed the purifier, which typically catches the heaviest vapours from the distillation process. The resulting whisky is "all peat". In fact, Ardbeg says that it's their most full-blown expression ever with an intensity of flavour that's unmatched. Dramface.com add: "According to an interview Lumsden participated in for WhiskyCast, the experiment which gave birth to this year’s release was conducted 12 years ago. Even allowing for time of year and the time taken to dump casks, blend, package and distribute, it’s safe to assume this bottling is at least 11 years old, given that Lumsden claims the experiment was only ever conducted in one batch." Normally exclusively available to Ardbeg Committee members, we've just received our allocation. As opposed to the general release lower proof bottling, this edition lands at 50.2% Alc./Vol. Ardbeg completionists and collectors will be keen to get their hands on one of each. Non chill filtered.

    Notes from the producers... AROMA: Intense, pungent & aromatic, with a distinctive farmyard aroma, along with a crunchy aroma, like creosote or tarry rope. The smoke is all dominating, but has a slightly sweet edge to it, almost like dark chocolate. A splash of water opens the bouquet, with some dark chocolate cream, and a hint of smoked artichoke. TASTE: The mouthfeel is spicy/warming, with an initial burst of bittersweet flavours –coal dust, cardamon, peppermint, eucalyptus, and more dark chocolate with some coffee grits. In the background there are some old-fashioned boiled sweets, like aniseed twists, cinnamon balls, and antiseptic lozenges. FINISH: The aftertaste lingers long and bold with an ongoing, almost anaesthetising sensation.

    • Limit One per customer
    Ardbeg Ardcore Committee Release Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $399. 00
    Bottle
    $4788.00 Dozen
    ABV: 50.1%

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

    Another Ardbeg Day release arrives, bottled once and never to be repeated. This time around, it's created with roasted black malt - a first for Ardbeg. Incinerated to within an inch of its life, the malt defines the profile contributing charcoal and sweet smoke, aniseed and dark chocolate for an in-your-face Islay experience. Trumping past releases, Ardbeg's marketing department has gone to considerable lengths for the new release, this time focusing on brand’s alleged punk past, with Islay’s main port, Port Ellen, going by the nickname ‘Punk Ellen’ in the 1970s. Meanwhile, Ardbeg’s head of distilling and whisky creation, Dr. Bill Lumsden, describes the flavour being “like biting on a spiky ball.” More detailed tasting notes below. As usual, allocations are meagre, so in the interests of satisfying as many as possible, this is strictly limited to one bottle per customer. 50.1% Alc./Vol. Collectable.

    Notes from the producers... Spicy and savoury, Ardcore grips the senses with waves of marmite, burnt toast, chicory charcoal and infused coffee grounds making for a mosh pit in the glass. Like a safety pin through the septum, a classic Ardbeg herbal top note is present, while swirling, smoky bonfire and molasses loiter backstage. TASTE: A jaw dropping spicy and fiery mouthfeel leads to an explosion of rich, smoky flavours – cocoa powder, dark chocolate, peanut brittle toffee, smoked lime and a suggestion of soot and bonfire embers all pogo in unison on the palate. Amped up aniseed and malty biscuit elbow their way to the fore, punkturing taste buds. FINISH: In an altogether sweeter finish, long, lingering notes of treacle toffee, soot and smoke make for an anarchic, but delicious, aftertaste.

    • Limit One per customer
    2011 Ardbeg Single Cask No.2323 Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $2499. 00
    Bottle
    $29988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 58.2%

    Exclusively allocated to Ardbeg embassies with just 304 bottles available globally. This is one for the lucky few.

    Considering the cult following Ardbeg has developed over the last few decades, it's almost unbelievable to think that the distillery was closed on and off for fifteen years until 1996, when it was purchased by Glenmorangie. Part of the huge upsurge in popularity has been driven by a steady stream of new releases, targeting both drinkers and collectors. The latest super-premium addition is this all-natural expression matured in a first-fill x-Cote Rotie wine cask, sourced from the Northern Rhone Valley in France (the exact estate is not disclosed). Filled on the 22nd August 2011 and bottled on the 28th of July 2020 exclusively for Ardbeg embassies around the world, cask #2323 is also reported to be one of the last to be signed by Distillery Manager, Mickey Heads before retiring. The new Manager, Colin Gordon is set to take over the helm and drive the company forward to even greater success. Instantly snapped up in global markets, this is certain to show considerable future upside for ardent investors and promises a full-throttle Islay tasting experience. Official notes by Dr Bill Lumsden below.

    Notes from the producers... Nose – Deep, pungent and salty, with medicinal notes, dark chocolate, brambly fruit and the tiniest hint of vanilla. A splash of water brings out a flinty minerality, along with pungent floral notes like narcissus or lilies. As the bouquet continues to open up, the classic, smoky Ardbeg character starts to build. Palate – The mouthfeel is full and rounded. The primary flavour is bold and svaoury, with deep peat smoke, a curious rubbery note, and the suggestion of smoked cocoa powder. There is a soft oiliness throughout, with crunchy oak tannins and a touch of clove and nutmeg. The aftertaste lingers with salted peanuts, dark chocolate cream and a touch of coal tar.  Non chill filtered. 58.2% Alc./Vol. Strictly limited to one bottle per customer.

    • 95
    Ardbeg Scorch Committee Release Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $399. 00
    Bottle
    $4788.00 Dozen
    ABV: 51.7%

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

    Fans will already be aware that Ardbeg Day falls on the final Saturday of Islay’s annual Festival of Music and Malt. As usual, there are two new releases to mark the event. The 'Committee Release' is offered in smaller quantities than the general Ardbeg Day release and is bottled at cask strength. In 2021, Ardbeg pays homage to the myth of a dragon said to inhabit Islay. Labeled 'Ardbeg Scorch', it comes matured in heavily charred ex-bourbon American oak casks for an unspecified amount of time. Consensus amongst bloggers who received forward samples is that this is "one of the best special editions from Ardbeg in recent years."

    Tasting note: Deep brass gold. Drier and more reticent on the nose than the general release, offering less overt smokiness but more maritime / seaweed / ocean breeze character. Additional time in the glass adds peppercorns, liquorice bullets, pine sap and mezcal-like aromas rather than extreme peat. Beautifully rounded and balanced. A lushly Islay-esque delivery where the alcohol barely nips the sides of the tongue. Only marginally more intense than the 46% bottling and with a similar flavour range, but this maintains momentum and mouthfeel all the way; the final stages are almost honeyed while being briney / peaty / oily and invigoratingly fresh at the same time. Ends elegantly, with medicinal lozenges, fresh-cut pine and a satisfying spirit heat. 51.7% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    Other reviews... "A gently smoking barbeque on the nose, with cooked bacon, rubber, toasted wood and chewy tannins. There is a nice smokiness on the palate that gets nice and fruity, before becoming quite dry and bitter on the finish." Bronze Medal - World Whisky Awards 2021

    Notes from Ardbeg... On the nose, frighteningly intense aromas of soot and smoke lie in wait. Hints of aniseed and fragrant patchouli interlace with bold notes of quenched steel and saddle soap. With a drop of water, herbal top notes of briarwood, sage and pine wisp their way to the fore. Take a sip and experience lair upon lair of flavour. An oily mouthfeel grips the senses. Billowy clouds of sweet smoke and dragon charred oak permeate the palate, while grilled fare and black liquorice weave between notes of medicinal lozenge. A long and heroic finale, with a subtle tarry aftertaste. A finish that will drag on, well into its happily ever after.

    Ardbeg Supernova 2015 Release Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $999. 00
    Bottle
    $11988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 54.3%

    Note: Bottle has come from a private collection and as such has some minor scuffing/handling marks. 

    Released in September 2015 (originally for committee members only), this is reportedly the last of the Supernova series and potentially one of the most compelling to date. At 100ppm the peat will be firing on all cylinders. Expect something akin to a super-charged Corryvrecken. Very limited stocks.

    Other reviews... Gosh! Few whiskies pulse so impressively, or smoky, the next gritty, then acidic...Not peat on steroids, as someone once described it, to me this is far too natural and beautiful...a huge beast of a malt with seemingly insurmountable peat...until it encourages, then allows you to climb on its back. Magnificent. 54.3 % Alc./Vol.
    97 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2016

    • 97
    • 96
    • 96
    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

    2011 Ardbeg Single Cask No.3063 Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $1999. 00
    Bottle
    $23988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 63.3%

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

    Filled on 19th October 2011, this rare single cask was released exclusively for Ardbeggians in Australia. Described as "a ripper of a dram", Cask no. 3063 was created during a period of experimentation at the distillery. In order to mastermind a malt with a new flavour profile, Dr. Bill Lumsden filled new x-Bourbon casks at higher alcohol levels than normal. Suffice to say it worked… and the result is an outturn for the outback with a unique herbal complexity, all the way from Ardbeg to Adelaide and beyond… Labeled as an Australian Exclusive, we have one unit only from the total yield of 202 bottles. 63.3% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    • Reduced
    Ardbeg Ardbog Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) - NO GIFT BOX
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    Reduced from $699.00
    $599. 00
    Bottle
    $7188.00 Dozen
    ABV: 52.1%

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

    If you love peaty whiskies but don't quite understand why they taste like they do, it's because of peat, or more precisely, peat smoke, which when burnt releases chemicals called phenols. These phenols are absorbed by the malted barley during the drying process in a kiln. The level of phenols is measured in ''PPM' (parts per million) and controlled by the length of time that the barley is exposed to the smoke, the amount of smoke produced and the type of peat used.

    Even if 'bogs' are not your thing, peat is actually far more fascinating than first impressions might suggest. It is a relic of the Carboniferous period some 300 million years ago when much of what is now Britain was swampland. As trees, roots, ferns, grasses, animals and even people died or fell into the swamps they were subsumed into the stagnant water and partially decomposed, but did not rot away entirely. Instead an organic fuel formed by their decomposition. Peat is black because of its rich carbon content (the CO2 is not released into the atmosphere as normally takes place in decomposition around oxygen). Yet compared to wood, peat is relatively inefficient to burn. Without a proper furnace, it tends to smoke rather than create much heat.

    For a long time a lack of alternative fuel forced 'Highlanders' to burn peat. Coal was simply too expensive for most and there were few trees. The situation began to change around the turn of the 1960's, with the help of technological progress in large industrial scale maltings. It then became possible to produce vast quantities of malted barley without peat. Speyside and Lowland distilleries were amongst the first to change to coke (a high carbon form of coal) as a combustible, as new railway networks to transport the fuel encouraged the transition. Remoter regions like Islay persisted with peat.

    Today, there's no question that peat-smoke derived flavours in whiskies are increasingly desirable. Consequently, peat is now used not only on Islay by the likes of Ardbeg, but also on Orkney, in the Highlands, Campbeltown, as well as in Speyside. Peat is usually extracted close to the distillers or maltsters. Distilleries prefer the top part of the bog, because the upper crust of peat found there tends to be 'richer', more rooty and generate more smoke and impart more flavour.

    At some stage of his or her drinking career, every hairy chested peat freak has probably wondered "Why don't peaty whiskies all have the same kind of 'peatiness'." Instead, we find that peat comes in a remarkable array of sensory guises, and also contributes an almost oily mouth feel, as well as added depth, richness and sweetness. Its flavours are expressed differently in whiskies from different distilleries and range from notes reminiscent of lanolin, wet wool, iodine, seaweed, bacon, tobacco smoke, engine oil, tar, manure and wet earth.

    As much of Scotland is (in parts) covered by a meter-thick layer of peat, it's been supposed that different types of organic matter in the different regions, have created different types of peat which impart, in turn, different flavours to the finished whisky. For example, historically there have been few trees on the Orkney islands so there are no tree roots in the peat, making it lighter and quicker to burn. Whiskies from this area, like Highland Park, tend to have a more lightly smoked flavour than Islay malts. Is this an argument for 'peat' and 'terroir'?

    Patrick Brossard of http://www.whisky-news.com recently reported on a study that approaches this question. In 2009, B.M. Harrison and F.G. Priest published an article on the composition of peat in the production of Scotch Whisky and the influence of its geographical source, extraction depth and burning temperature: "Peat samples from four locations (Islay, Orkney, St. Fergus (Aberdenshire), and Tomintoul (Speyside) were analyzed using Curie point pyrolysis in combination with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry".
    [As in the simpler process of distillation where small molecules fly out first, followed by the big ones (so alcohol is separated from water), with gas chromatography a sample is heated to evaporation in order to release volatile compounds. Since all the molecules of a given structure will behave more or less identically, they exit the machine collectively and at the same time. As each 'puff' of molecules is released, a computer generated graph peaks corresponding to the most abundant chemical compounds. The higher the peak, the greater the number of molecules of acertain type are present].

    "In total, out of the 106 products identified, 92 compounds were having a significant effect on the separation of the four geographical locations. The compounds were broadly split into the following classes: phenolic compounds, carbohydrate derivatives (“sugars”), aromatic compounds, and nitrogen-containing compounds".

    "The ratio of phenol derivatives (carbohydrate derivatives to guaiacols, syringols, and phenols) was the major discriminator between the samples of the different geographical regions, explaining more than 60% of the variance. St. Fergus and Islay samples were characterized by high percentages of guaiacols (aromas described as aromatic, phenolic, burnt, woody, bacon, savoury, smoky, and medicinal), syringols (aromas described as aromatic, phenolic, spicy, smoky, baconlike, sweet, medicinal, creamy, meaty, and vanilla), and phenols (aromas described as aromatic, phenolic, burnt, woody, bacon, savoury, smoky, and medicinal) in the pyrolysate [i.e. burnt peat]. Relatively high proportions of carbohydrate derivatives in the [burnt peat] characterized Tomintoul and Orkney samples."

    "In the distillate (new make), the origin of the peat could be clearly identified by analytical methods. By sensory analysis (by “human nose”), the spirits using Tomintoul (Speyside) peat were more medicinal than the spirit using Hobbister (Orkney) peat. The level of peat aroma was low in the St-Fergus spirit (Aberdeenshire) despite a high abundance of aromatic peaty aromas, but the spirit was sweet, spicy and medicinal."

    The upshot of the study indicates that the source of peat will have an impact on the flavour of the whisky. It's a conclusion which may reignite the debate over Scotch whisky 'terroir' beyond the simplistic Highlands / Islands / Lowlands trichotomy. If for you, that's just all too involved, simply pour yourself a glass of Ardbog and revel in the remarkable synergy that whisky and ancient earth can offer.

    This limited edition Ardbeg was matured for ten years in American oak ex-bourbon barrels and Spanish oak manzanilla sherry seasoned butts and bottled without chill filtration. Flawless bright gold appearance. Opening aroma offers up choc fudge and brandy cream, yet with a lovely freshness that accentuates on the second inspection, which, minutes later sees the bouquet lighten slightly and turn more salty, with citrus peel and hints of balsamic. A light entry develops into a concentrated mid palate, superbly balanced for the strength, dry to medium dry, creamy, vanilla laced peat flavours building towards the salty, tangy, gently warming finish. Concludes with dried herb / lavender-like notes and the vanilla / choc fudge returning into the lengthy aftertaste. 52.1% Alc

    Other reviews... The follow-up to last year's Ardbeg Day, here's the cult distillery in its funkiest guise with a nose that's reminiscent (I'd imagine) of a frontier trading post: all pitch, furs, and gun oil. Some mint hangs around in the background alongside eucalyptus. This is an earthy, in-your-face Ardbeg with a hint of box-fresh sneakers indicating some youthfulness. The mouth is thick and chewy: wild mint, oily depths, and the slightly manic energy typical of Ardbeg's young. 91 points - whiskyadvocate.com

    • 93
    Ardnamurchan Single Cask AD/12:15 CK.778 Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) - Australian Exclusive
    Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $229. 99
    Bottle
    $2759.88 Dozen
    ABV: 57.3%

    One of the last single cask Ardnamuchans filled in 2015 that will be released. According to the distillery, the 2015s are ageing so well they're reluctant to sell more, instead, they’re holding on to the remainder to see what happens with further maturity. 256 units of peated distillate from a first-fill Bourbon barrel were reserved for Australia. Tasted from a 50ml sample, the nose presents a relatively thin veil of smoke that wavers over a base of creamy vanillas and honey-drizzled malt. There is a light citric freshness too that hints at salted limes. If you missed the peat at first sniff, you’ll get it on the palate: Oily peat reek on entry gives way to the intensity of the malt, while a touch of coastal brine adds lift. The balance is precise. The lingering buttery sweetness shows off the quality of the wood selection. We already knew Ardnamurchan was good. This bottling confirms it’s only going to get better. 57.3% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    • 94
    Ardnamurchan AD/09.22 Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $140. 00
    Bottle
    $1680.00 Dozen
    ABV: 58.4%

    Racked out of fifty barrels in September 2022 and created from 94% peated malt, the new Ardnamurchan cask strength lands on the smokier side. Just like last years, it delivers a precocious combination of wood smoke, coastal complexity and poached fruits that also boasts serious length, right through to the ashy, pepper-laced finish. If you are looking for analogous styles, think Talisker or even cask strength Kilchoman. The maturation regime has been tweaked: 88% is from Bourbon wood with the remainder sherry casks - and despite the outturn being slightly higher than 02.22, it's now sold out at major UK retailers. The Australian allocation has just arrived. Judging by the reception given to previous editions, about half of that will be stashed away. This label is emerging as a West Highlander with charisma that's also collectible. 58.4% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. 13,460 bottles.

    Notes from the producers... Nose: Orchard fruit, smoked cheese, chippies at the seaside, oyster shells, eucalyptus. Palate: Cigar box, bonfire embers, butterscotch, galangal, brine, hay bales.

    • 93
    Arran Sherry Cask The Bodega Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Isle of Arran, SCOTLAND
    $140. 00
    Bottle
    $1680.00 Dozen
    ABV: 55.8%
    Tasting note: One of the highlights in the new-look range, this harkens back to some of the earliest Arrans which were mostly matured in Sherry casks. Ginger snaps, cinnamon and fruit'n'nut dark chocolate aromas follow with a lovely dried fruit aspect (figs, dates, apricots). Bold but balanced; drier in the mouth than the nose suggests with fresh dried fruit flavours, leaning towards apricots. Pepper, cinnamon and ginger bread spice up the medium long finish. A flavoursome 'contemporary' sherried style that's different to traditionalists like Glendronach or Macallan. 55.8% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
    • 93
    • 92
    • Reduced
    Arran Quarter Cask The Bothy Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Isle of Arran, SCOTLAND
    Reduced from $130.00
    $109. 99
    Bottle
    $1319.88 Dozen
    ABV: 56.2%

    Matured in first-fill ex-Bourbon barrels for seven years before being transferred to smaller 125 litre Quarter casks for a further two years. The process amplifies the impact of the wood. Fumey alcohol gives way to hints of dried coconut, raisin chocolate, pine needles and a vaguely cider-like fruitiness. It's a big, chewy malt with a fabulous fanning flavour rush and impressive control. Summer pudding and vanilla come through on the finish before the aftertaste ends crisp and pleasingly astringent. Delicious. 56.2% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    Other reviews... Initially matured in bourbon casks for 7 years, this spends another 2 years in quarter casks, taking on aromas of vanilla, shortbread, canned pineapple chunks, wax, and cinnamon, all buffeted by the bright saltiness of fresh sea air. A hefty deep palate is unencumbered by the cask and instead trumpets its clean sweet flavors: lemon, orange, pineapple, fresh ginger, blueberry, cinnamon, shortbread, and saline. Full-flavored to the last, this whisky is muscular, but never aggressive. 92 points - whiskyadvocate.com

    • 93
    • Reduced
    Arran Machrie Moor Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Isle of Arran, SCOTLAND
    Reduced from $140.00
    $119. 99
    Bottle
    $1439.88 Dozen
    ABV: 56.2%

    We were enamored with Arran's early efforts which were defined by pristinely clean, sweet, unpeated malt. Like many others, Arran has diversified its portfolio since its inception, now offering a range of wood finishes, cask strength bottlings and even a peated whisky under the Machrie Moor label (it seems every distillery has to have at least one nowadays!) Their collection places Arran along side the likes of Springbank and Bruichladdich for sheer innovation and breadth. The cask strength version peated at 20ppm was released in 2014 and was a slightly disjointed but notable debut. The latest version [2023] takes the spirit to new heights, particularly in terms of texture; It's intense and malty with a kind of juicy grilled pineapple quality that dominates, the finish reclaiming some of the smokiness, lingering with tingling peppers, chillie heat, ash and trace lanolin. Rather than trying to mimic Islay, this revels in the quality of the distillate, leaning towards traditional Highland peated malts, especially on the palate. 56.2% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    Other reviews... a heavily peated cask strength monster of a whisky, but being an Arran it manages to retain a sweet fruity core for that peat to balance against. It walks that delicate line between peat explosion and fruit bomb and is truly a tasty whisky. The addition of water brings up more honey, malt and even more fruit notes, but doesn’t do much to increase the depth. It all seems to come across fairly topical and it doesn’t take too much water to neuter it completely. So if you pick up a bottle of Arran Machrie Moor Cask Strength go easy with the water. I only needs a bit to open it up, but even without it’s a lovely crisp, sweet and peaty malt. - thewhiskyjug.com

    [First batch tasted]. Wood smoke, warm tar, and emerging new leather on the bold nose. Sweet peat and spices on the palate, barbecue sauce, and black pepper. Long in the finish: vanilla, with sweet smoke and chili. 84 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2015)

    • Nick's Import
    1997 Benriach Single Cask No.15059 Oloroso Puncheon 24 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $899. 00
    Bottle
    $10788.00 Dozen
    ABV: 55.7%

    This should certainly appeal to sherry heads looking for increasingly elusive age statements at natural strength. Originally exclusively available via French retailer, Le Comptoir Irlandais, it was drawn from first-fill cask number 15059 that previously contained Oloroso sherry. 665 numbered bottles are on offer globally. A tiny fraction of that has landed in Australia. 55.7% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    Notes from the bottlers... Colour: stained teakwood. Nose: crème brulée and chocolate-coates hazelnut, with cherrywood, driad apple and fig. Palate: cherry and banana parfait with dark chocolate, toasted vanilla, dried apricot and fresh cream.

    1992 Benriach Batch 15 Single Cask #979 Port Cask 25 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $499. 00
    Bottle
    $5988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 53.9%

    Note: This is a back release and as such the boxes may have varying degrees of minor bruising and/or scuffing.

    There aren't many 25-year old single cask bottlings around. Part of the seventeen barrels making up Benriach's annual Batch release (batch 15), cask #979 previously contained Port and yielded 275 bottles when emptied back in 2018. Being distilled in '92 under Seagrams ownership (and before Benriach existed as a single malt label!), this would've contained a portion of the distillery's own floor-malted barley. The maltings were de-commissioned in 1998 and the distillery was mothballed by October 2002. Very limited stocks.

    Notes from the producers... Colour: Tawny brown with gold highlights. Nose: Honeysuckle and rosehip tea with traces of camomile, orange blossom and cocoa leaf. Taste: Nectarine, lemon peel and yellow plum drying out to lingering rooibos, burdock and caraway. 53.9% Alc./Vol. Non Chill filtered.

    • 94
    1995 Benriach Batch 16 Single Cask #7385 Peated Oloroso Cask 23 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $399. 00
    Bottle
    $4788.00 Dozen
    ABV: 51.1%

    Note: This is a back release and as such the boxes may have varying degrees of very minor bruising and/or scuffing.

    [20ml sample] Peated, though it's not immediately obvious, likewise the Oloroso needs time to show its wares. Ample air contact sees the phenols at the forefront. Finally, the smoke recedes, becoming meaty, sweet and leathery with a touch of burnt orange. An enormous malt with the peat and sherry in controlled tension, and yet you can enjoy it uncut. Smoked meats and hints of seville orange lead into an intense, peppery finish. Ends tangy, vibrant and long. Rewards patience. 563 bottles. 51.1% Alc.Vol. Very limited stocks.

    1995 Benriach Batch 15 Single Cask #7383 Peated/Oloroso Cask 22 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $380. 00
    Bottle
    $4560.00 Dozen
    ABV: 51.1%

    Note: This is a back release and as such the boxes may have varying degrees of very minor bruising and/or scuffing.

    Notes from Benriach... Appearance: Deep walnut brown. Nose: Elegant waxed apple and stewed pear with underlying roast chestnut oil on baked sourdough with a dusting of sugar. Palate: Roast chestnut and smoked applewood meld with butternut and sage, leaving baked apple pie lingering long on the palate. 51.1% Alc./Vol. 563 bottles

    Benromach 40 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) - 2022 Release
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $3499. 00
    Bottle
    $41988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 57.6%

    Benromach's second annual release of what is one of the oldest official bottlings on record is limited to just 1,132 bottles worldwide, slightly up on last years. Bottled at a cask strength of 57.6% and laid down in finest first-fill Oloroso sherry casks, it was drawn from stocks laid down well-before current owners Gordon & Macphail took over in 1992. According to several reports it's a sherry extravaganza and comes with another big review from whiskyfun.com. Suitably presented in a striking black stained solid oak wooden box with copper-coloured detailing and printed metal plaques, a bespoke Benromach bottle features an embossed gold foiled label and completes the quality feel. Collectable.

    Other reviews... Benromach's latest 40 yo, last year, was utterly stunning (WF 93) while an earlier version at 43% vol., named 'Heritage' had been almost as much to my liking (WF 91). The Distillery's mildly peaty style makes wonders, but it is to be remembered that these batches had still been distilled and filled by ex-owners United Distillers, later to be merged into Diageo. Also remember that the Distillery got closed in 1983, only to be restarted by current owners Gordon & MacPhail in 1998. So, in theory, next year's possible 40 yo would make for the last proper 40 before… 2038. Let's first find a proper sparring partner…Colour: full gold. Nose: a little unusual given that this should be ex-first fill sherry, with rather more butterscotch than expected as well as some cassata and that very insane thing you'll sometimes find in Italy, proper caramel ice-cream, this time covered with blackberry cream or liqueur. Works with guignolet/Heering too. Behind that, pipe tobacco and drier raisins, plus something that really makes me think of certain old armagnacs I've enjoyed so much lately. With water: drier, rather on old teas, including our beloved old pu-ehrs that we keep mentioning. Mouth (neat): grand. Walnuts in all their guises, as cakes, tartes, liqueurs, wines and cordials. With water: some sweetness now, fruitcake, marmalade, baklavas, kumquats (dag!) and, this time again, a tiny Campbeltownian side. Spent engine grease, you know. Finish: long, splendid. Tobacco, marmalade, sweet mustard and walnuts. Oh and 'engine grease' indeed. A classic cocoa – coffee – cigars combo in the aftertaste. Comments: I agree this whisky deserved a longer tasting note, but there, my glass is empty. Another very good sign. 92 points - whiskyfun.com

    Bruichladdich Black Art 10.1 29 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $699. 00
    Bottle
    $8388.00 Dozen
    ABV: 45.1%

    The 2022 limited edition of Bruichladdich's Black Art was distilled using unpeated barley, before the distillery shut down in the mid-nineties, only to re-open in 2001. As with past releases, there's no information on what type of casks make up the maturation, so it could be anything. That doesn't seem to put off collectors who are hooked on the series. It's the tenth instalment and the sixth to have been overseen by Adam Hannett as Master Distiller. 45.1% Alc./Vol.

    Notes from the producer... Nose: Warm and inviting, a bright fruity note welcomes you. the fragrant toasted oak brings chocolate praline, cedar, leather, and subtle hints of clove and nutmeg, before moving to fruit notes of sweet apricot jam, ripe melon, dark cherries and blackcurrants. there is a light touch of citrus with lemon zest and gooseberries dipped in honey, with delicate floral notes of geranium and honeysuckle balanced with a hint of iodine and leather. Palate: Orange barley sugars, ginger nut biscuits, and lemon meringue pie are followed by sweet apricot jam and marzipan. The toasted oak brings smooth chocolate and vanilla notes, beautifully complemented with syrupy fruit, raisins, plum, and melon. Over time, iodine and a hint of coconut come through, with delicate oak spices of warming ginger and cinnamon. A velvet texture, the depth and balance of this single malt glides across the palate. Finish: Tablet and smooth fudge bring a softness to the finish, while ripe soft fruits, subtle tobacco, and a hint of ginger linger.

    • Nick's Import
    Bruichladdich Octomore 13.1 Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $320. 00
    Bottle
    $3840.00 Dozen
    ABV: 59.2%

    While some prefer Port Charlotte, you have to admit Octomore is rarely ever boring. We're now into the lucky thirteens of what is arguably the most heavily peated whisky in regular production. There are three variants on offer in this batch. 13.1 is a 5 year old (as usual), bourbon-barreled, and peated to 137.8ppm of phenols. Distilled in 2016 from a 2015 harvest, like all the other .1 editions, it's made using Scottish mainland barley. 59.2% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    Other reviews... No surprises here, as this release hits as very sharp and ashy on the nose, punchy with the notes of a big bonfire that’s been piled high with evergreen branches. The palate tempers the smoke a bit with notes of fruit, lemon and apple, oily and mashed into oblivion, then moving into a very briny finish that evokes smoked kippers and iodine, lingering just about forever. All told, there’s no shortage of smoke in the experience from start to finish, making for a fairly typical and traditional expression of this classic whisky, for better or worse. Water’s a plus here. - drinkhacker.com

    Notes from the producers... A viscous texture across the palate, the feeling is of densely smoked grain which comes through like smoked granola with honeyed fruit. A second sip brings the opportunity to decipher the complexity on the palate, with smoked apricot jam, barley flour, peat embers and burnt heather balanced with gooseberry citrus and sweet Turkish delight. Oak chips, sugared almonds and chocolate-limes with spicy aniseed comes toward the finish. A drop of water intensifies the smoke and brings out the minerality of the whisky.

    Bruichladdich Octomore 12.2 Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $299. 00
    Bottle
    $3588.00 Dozen
    ABV: 57.3%

    Octomore seems to be getting a second wind of popularity - not that it was ever unpopular. Added to that is a sense of scarcity with allocations becoming smaller every year. 12.2 is no exception. The .2s in the series are known to showcase the impact of different wine barrels on the heavily peated Islay whisky. Distilled in the winter of 2015 from 100% Scottish grown Concerto barley, 12.2 weighs in at 129.7ppm and was matured in ex-Bourbon barrels, followed by 18 months in rare first-fill Sauternes casks. Knowing how well 'sweet & peat' can work, it's destined to be one of the more desirable editions to date. Bottled at cask strength, expect something sweet-ish with a salty edge, lots of earthy peat, sweet bonfire smoke plus hints of maritime complexity. 57.3% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. Very limited stocks.

    • 95
    • Nick's Import
    Bruichladdich Octomore 10.1 Dialogos Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $399. 00
    Bottle
    $4788.00 Dozen
    ABV: 59.8%

    "Oh the peat etc... the peat! Etc. We've been here before."
    - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2021

    Distilled from Scottish barley in 2013, Bruichladdich consider 10.1 the benchmark of the 10 series. Deliberately stripped back to an ex- American oak maturation and aged five years - which is more typical for Octomore, the intention here is to showcase the structure and presence of the spirit. It's a whisky that's first and foremost about a considered, patient distillation. Second comes the heavy peating at 107 PPM. Bottled non chill filtered at 59.8% Alc./Vol, 42,000 bottles have been released worldwide. Very limited stocks.

    Other reviews... this one has a bit more vanilla on hand, as well as some sweetening oils. 95 points - Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2021

    ...This one entirely from Scottish grown Concerto barley apparently. Colour: pale straw. Nose: After the terrifying phantasmagoria of the 3yo this feels almost merciful. Drying kelp, wet rocks, chalk, sandalwood, lime juice, mineral salts, brine cut with olive oil. Classical, modern, pure and rather elegant for an Octomore. Lemon peel in a rock pool almost. With water: bath bombs, citrus oils, more mineral salts, crushed sea shells, limestone, hessian cloth and gauze. Really lovely nose. Mouth: extremely salty. Pure brine, pink sea salt, green olives, capers, anchovy paste and fish sauce mixed with lime juice. Almost brutally coastal and there’s a tiny animalistic farmy note underneath as well. A very precise head-butt of coastal purity. With water: develops more towards medicine and pure antiseptic now. Lemon juice, fresh oyster, mercurochrome and olive pickling juice. Finish: long and pin-sharp. Some peat smoke, black pepper, seaweed broth and smoked mussels. Comments: When I think of Octomore, this is pretty much the flavour profile that comes to mind. It’s a style of almost militant purity, one that it has pretty much made its own and I think this bottling does it as well as any. 88 points - whiskyfun.com

    Note: The Octomore range often arrive in to our store suffering from minor damage in transit. This is out of our control. When we dispatch to you we will re-pack to avoid further damage in transit but you should allow for possible dents and scratches to the metal tins.

    • Nick's Import
    Bruichladdich Octomore 08.2 Masterclass Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $599. 00
    Bottle
    $7188.00 Dozen
    ABV: 58.4%

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

    At eight years of age, 8.2 in the Masterclass edition arrives with a slightly lower peating than some of the others in the series (167ppm). The cask regime is also unusual: Ex French red wine casks that previously held Mourvedre – a varietal noted for intense red fruit flavours, edging towards earthy, even gamey notes. Also in the mix were x-Austrian sweet wine and x Sauternes casks that previously held some of the world's most revered dessert wines. Finally, to round things off, the whisky was finished (or as Bruichladdich call it: "ACEd") in fresh Amarone casks for an additional two years. Otherwise exclusive to Travel Retail, we've managed to secure a small volume for Octomore completionists.

    Notes from Bruichladdich... Nose: Peat smoke comes first but not dominant, there is red fruit, aniseed and barley sugar/boiled sweets. Smoke weaves between the other notes as they come, stewed apple, raspberry, blackcurrant, dried apricots and chocolate. Orange, mince pies and Turkish delight hint at the cask history then cherry wafers and coconut open out to floral notes of hay, geranium and Parma violets. Taste: Warming and sweet, deep fruit and satin-like smoke. The oak feels a little dry then lifts to become toasted bread, bubble-gum sweetness and strawberry Jam. Adding a drop or two of water opens up the Islay DNA of salt spray, ozone and citrus. As it opens you find rose petal, Turkish delight, praline and more strawberry jam, all the while the smoke is in the background holding everything together. Finish: Typical Octomore. Smoke comes through, a dry peat smoke, with malted barley and cherry, then goes out on its own. 58.4% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    • 93
    1998 Bunnahabhain Manzanilla Cask Finish Feis Ile 2023 Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $599. 00
    Bottle
    $7188.00 Dozen
    ABV: 52.3%

    Since the annual event began in 1986, Fèis Ìle has become a time for the coming together of friends from around the globe to celebrate all-things Islay. Boosting and lengthening the island's summer tourist season, the festival is also a magnet for whisky lovers. And what better way to celebrate than with a special dram dedicated to the island's most famous export? There can be dozens of Fèis Ìle bottlings every year, and not all of them are exclusive to visitors during the celebration. Both independents and larger players are putting their best foot forward with limited editions aimed at offering something a little bit special or out of the ordinary from their core range. Outturns can be anything from a few hundred to many thousands of bottles. In this example from Islay’s most northern distillery, known for unpeated, classically sherried single malts, Manzanilla sherry has been employed - a style that's coastal, salty and nutty - characteristics that are similar to Bunnahabhain's spirit. The harmonious match makes for a memorable distillery expression, building on the purity and poise found in the 2022 cask strength release. Presumably, well over two decades old, the Feis Ile 2023 edition is a nicely integrated whisky in which oily, sweet malt and cocoa combine with a nutty, briney edge. Sink yourself into the bouquet and there's flor sherry input that repeats on the palate giving authenticity and added nuttiness. It certainly tastes like well-aged whisky and the finish picks up on some of the earlier salted-chocolate character while spices add vibrancy. But the final hook is the price. Check out what this is selling for overseas (read AU $700+) and you'll notice that for once, Australia has got the better end of the stick. Rumour has it that the discrepancy is due to Bunnahabhain's owners, Distell Group, making a serious error on a premium allocation for Australia, so they did the importer a deal on this whisky by way of an apology. Distilled on the 28th October 1998 and filled into American oak casks then transferred into first-fill Manzanilla sherry casks in 2016, the official outturn is not stated. Tasted from a 30ml sample. 52.3% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered. Collectable.

    Notes from the producers... Nose: Notes of freshly baked pastry with sweet almonds, rose petals, grapefruit and dried spices are balanced with a touch of mahogany and incense. Palate: Coastal influence of seaweed and fresh sea air are met with raisins and dates and intertwined with creamy fudge, waxed red apples and a warm sweet spice reminiscent of star anise. Finish: Spicy and aromatic with caramelised walnuts; the star anise fades to reveal lemon peel and pears with a lingering note of sea salt.

    1998 Bunnahabhain Calvados Cask Finish 23 Year Old Feis Ile 2022 Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $799. 00
    Bottle
    $9588.00 Dozen
    ABV: 49.7%

    This is one of two Fèis Ìle 2022 releases that have made it to Australia. Distilled in 1998 and matured for two decades before being transferred over to Calvados casks (French apple brandy), it's not every day you see single malt Scotch whisky finished in these sorts of barrels, especially one as old as this! Bottled in January 2022. 49.7% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. Very limited stocks.

    Notes from the producers... Nose: Barley sugar, pear drops, toffee apples. Followed by a burst of dates and a floral top note like conifer trees. Taste: Sweet and fruity, lots of green apple and pear candies. Some signature cereal, oily notes of Bunnahabhain and more toffee mixed with dried fruits. Finish: Spicy powerful then floral on the palate.

    2011 Bunnahabhain Aonadh 10 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $230. 00
    Bottle
    $2760.00 Dozen
    ABV: 56.2%

    Pronounced "oon ouch", (Gaelic for “Union") this September 2021 release proved an instant hit having already sold out at the distillery. A combination of sherry and port casks resulted in a profile of creamy vanilla, caramel, oak, nuts, fruit and cinnamon spice with a subtle salty note. Approximately 14,000 bottles are on offer globally. 56.2% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    Notes from the producers... Aromas of vanilla, brandy butter, caramel, dark berries and oak spice fill the nose, complemented by notes of cinnamon, plums, blackberries, roasted walnuts, dark chocolate and a salty tang throughout the palate.

    2006 Cadenheads Small Batch Ord 10 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $140. 00
    Bottle
    $1680.00 Dozen
    ABV: 58%

    Another sleepy Diageo distillery which has been trickling out official bottlings since 2002. Honeyed malt, milk chocolate and hints of orange typify Ord's easy drinking style, but this cask-strength youngster should pack a punch. Distilled in 2006 and bottled in 2016 from two ex-Bourbon casks with an out-turn of 612 bottles. 58% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    Notes from the bottlers... “Chewy and mouth coating syrup. Cold meats and mellower waxy note with honey. Finish: Honeycomb, lemon, syrup and fruity notes coming through.”

    2008 Cadenheads Small Batch Miltonduff 11 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $130. 00
    Bottle
    $1560.00 Dozen
    ABV: 56%

    A 2008 distillation, bottled way back in 2019 by Cadenheads, but only just landed in Australia. Drawn from four x-Bourbon hogsheads and bottled at natural strength it's described as a bit of a fruit bomb. Miltonduff is another distillery in Pernod Ricard's growing portfolio with a style that tends towards a fresh, citrusy distillate that goes into the Ballantine's blends. 1116 bottles are on offer. As with all Cadenhead Small Batch expressions, the whisky is non-chill filtered with no added colouring.

    Other reviews... This one from 4 casks, so singularities may have been erased this time. Colour: white wine. Nose: the AC was clearly superior, this is rather a fruity, easy, syrupy one. Sugarcane, green bananas, ripe plums, pancake syrup… With water: whiffs of fruity ale now. Sweet dough, brioche from this morning, apple peel… Mouth (neat): in a way it is spectacular. A true fruit bomb, full of very ripe plums, bananas and pineapples. It is almost some liqueur, you would almost believe someone’s added a lot of muscovado sugar, which was obviously not the case. Unless, unless… I am joking. With water: still sweet, but with fine herbal notes, peelings, some hay… Finish: medium, thick and syrupy. Is it possible to make some liqueur out of bamboo shoots? More sweet ale in the aftertaste, IPA… Comments: I still prefer Cadenhead’s single cask, by far, but this one really doesn’t cheat either. 85 points - whiskyfun.com

    Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Crisp and dry, Portuguese tarts, vanilla pods and white chocolate. Palate: Faint lime pickle, coconut, whole ginger and olive oil. Green apple skins, hint of soya sauce with mint and fennel. Finish: Cappuccino, almond butter, sweetcorn and growing creaminess. Very refreshing.

    1989 Cadenheads Small Batch Cameronbridge 29 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $280. 00
    Bottle
    $3360.00 Dozen
    ABV: 57.8%

    Two Bourbon hogsheads matured this sweet cask strength gem from Cadenheads. Their notes read, "Thick and chewy with rye like spices. Hints of oak with honey butter, coconut flakes, green grapes and cardamon pods." Bottled in 2019 at 57.8% Alc./Vol. 432 bottles produced.

    Founded in 1824 by John Haig, Cameronbridge is the oldest grain whisky distillery in Scotland and remains the largest in Europe. Apart from producing one of only two proprietary bottled single grain Scotch whiskies available in the U.K. (Cameron Brig), Cameronbridge is occasionally available from independent bottlers like Cadenheads. Wheat is sourced from the east coast of Scotland, while water is sourced from on site bores. Gin and vodka are also produced, with three Coffey stills and one Patent still currently in action. The house style is light, clean, fruity and flavourful, providing the backbone for Diageo's blends, including Haig Club.

    • Reduced
    2006 Cardhu 14 Year Old (Special Release 2021) Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) - DAMAGED GIFT BOX
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    Reduced from $199.00
    $170. 00
    Bottle
    $2040.00 Dozen
    ABV: 55.5%

    Other reviews... Ripe honeydew, whole lime, and summer meadow florals on the initial nose, this unleashes spices like a sting in the tail, notably chile flakes and paprika. Caramelized apple and heather honey flavors, then pepper and clove spices arrive and never fully depart, accompanying later flavors of apple-and-blackberry crumble and red apple peels with the sweetness of baked goods to finish. 87 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Jonny McCormick 2021

    • 86
    Cardhu 16 Year Old (Special Release 2022) Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $299. 00
    Bottle
    $3588.00 Dozen
    ABV: 56%

    Other reviews... This Jamaican rum-finished Cardhu has a nose dominated by grapefruit flesh, with white pepper, ripening mango, zested lime, clementine peel, and grilled pineapple. The palate has bitter citrus and grapefruit acidity, pepper, clove, and a belligerent rush of cask-strength alcohol that cries out to be quelled with water. Once subdued, the rum sweetness shines alongside flavors of dried mango, green banana, vanilla, and aniseed. 86 points - whiskyadvocate.com

    ...More of this year's very esoteric and lavishly illustrated Special Releases. This one matured in refill American oak and was then finished in Jamaican rum. They've also filled some of those very lovely 20cl bottles, as they did in the past with some Port Ellens and some… Loch Dhu. And the Classic Malts, naturally. No, nothing to do with shrinkflation. Colour: white wine. Nose: a little fruity glue at first, or nail polish, with some peach and strawberry syrups, then indeed a few tropical fruits from the rum, mostly pineapples, as well as fresh raisin rolls. This was finished in Jamaican pot-still rum but I'm not fining anything really 'funky'. Probably not what they would have tried to come up with in the first place. With water: perhaps, indeed, a little olive oil, which would make the texture rather a little thicker on the nose. Some good folks are making chocolate using olive oil, which I find rather good too. Nice nose, nonetheless. Mouth (neat): really to my liking, rather spicy but more malt whisky than rumsky, if you see what I mean. It's just a little hot. More raisin rolls. With water: the rum's influence got more obvious, with more pineapple, a little more olive oil, Juicy Fruit… Finish: medium, on allspice, honey and, perhaps, papaya ice cream. A touch of viognier too but indeed, viognier can get very tropical. A wee salty smokiness in the aftertaste. Comments: you could argue that we need no one's help to make our own rumskies (try 85% young Highland Park or Clynelish with 15% young Hampden or Worthy Park, for example) but it's good. Wat's more, I don't think 'Cardhu needs rum' was the message in the first place, was it? 85 points - whiskyfun.com

    • 87
    2006 Cardhu 14 Year Old (Special Release 2021) Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $199. 00
    Bottle
    $2388.00 Dozen
    ABV: 55.5%

    Other reviews... Ripe honeydew, whole lime, and summer meadow florals on the initial nose, this unleashes spices like a sting in the tail, notably chile flakes and paprika. Caramelized apple and heather honey flavors, then pepper and clove spices arrive and never fully depart, accompanying later flavors of apple-and-blackberry crumble and red apple peels with the sweetness of baked goods to finish. 87 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Jonny McCormick 2021

    1997 Carn Mor "Celebration of the Cask" Glen Grant 24 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $450. 00
    Bottle
    $5400.00 Dozen
    ABV: 51.4%

    A well-aged Glen Grant, distilled on the 10th of July 1997 and matured in bourbon barrel 95650 before being bottled on the 2nd of May 2022 at natural cask strength. We have a small allocation from the total release of 197 bottles. 51.4% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered.

    Notes from the bottlers... Nose: tropical fruit, gingerbread and citrus with flowering heather and nutty aromas. Palate: tropical fruit and heather honey with nuts and ripe red fruit aromas. Finish: warming with ginger and sticky toffee pudding.

    • Nick's Import
    2016 Claxton's Warehouse No.8 Mannochmore 6 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) - 58.2%
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $170. 00
    Bottle
    $2040.00 Dozen
    ABV: 58.2%

    This is close enough to a repeat on a previous Claxton's release (same age and maturation), the only difference being it's slightly higher ABV. The earlier cask was a precocious balancing act considering it was one of the youngest Mannochmore's ever bottled. Expect the same here. Be quick if you're keen - the outturn was just fifty bottles. Decanted from a refill ruby port octave. 58.2% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    Notes from the bottlers... NOSE: Rich with pastry and spices. Dark fruits. Cedar wood. PALATE: Rich and warming. Waves of sweet fruits and oak. FINISH: Dessert-like finish with dark, ripe fruit and oak.

    • Nick's Import
    2013 Claxton's Warehouse No.8 Caol Ila 9 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $190. 00
    Bottle
    $2280.00 Dozen
    ABV: 58.4%

    Those who enjoy Caol Ila's Distiller's Edition bottling (Moscatel finish) may find similar pleasures in this expression from a PX sherry octave. Not quite ten years old, but as they say, "valour does not depend upon age" - especially true when it comes to this distillery. 58.4% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered. 68 bottles only.

    Notes from the bottlers... NOSE: Rich Sherry and fruit with a thick wave of smoke at the edges. Cherry candy. PALATE: Sweet and fruity at first. The peat is intermingled with oak and Sherry notes. FINISH: Long and elegant. Perfect balance of thick oak and sherry flavours.

    • Nick's Import
    2013 Claxton's Warehouse No.1 Blair Athol 9 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $160. 00
    Bottle
    $1920.00 Dozen
    ABV: 57.8%

    Young Blair Athol, STR Barrique matured (shaved, toasted & re-charred), so this should boast plenty of sweet fruit and rich oak flavour. From an outturn of 313 bottles. 57.8% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered.

    Notes from the bottlers... NOSE: Rich malt. Vanilla. Cream soda. Fruit salad with Golden Syrup. PALATE: Juicy, rich/ripe fruits. Sweetness from the malt and oak. Warming. FINISH: Dessert-like finish with perfect balance of oak sweetness and fruitiness.

    • Nick's Import
    2012 Claxton's Warehouse No.1 Orkney Islands 9 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Orkney Islands, SCOTLAND
    $170. 00
    Bottle
    $2040.00 Dozen
    ABV: 61.2%

    Scapa or Highland Park? Judging by Claxton's tasting notes, it's almost certainly the latter and reads like it's leaning towards HP's classic 'honey and smoke' profile. If youth is a concern, remember this distillate doesn't necessarily require long maturation to shine. From an outturn of 338 bottles. Refill hogshead matured. 61.2% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered.

    Notes from the bottlers... NOSE: Sweet heather and peat bonfire. Custard cream biscuits. PALATE: Malty and honey at first before a wave of white pepper peatiness. FINISH: Long peppery finish with smoky honey waves in the aftertaste.

    • Nick's Import
    2006 Claxton's Warehouse No.8 Cameronbridge 16 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $199. 00
    Bottle
    $2388.00 Dozen
    ABV: 57.1%

    From the oldest grain whisky distillery in Scotland (est.1824). Wheat is sourced from the east coast. Gin and vodka are also produced, with three Coffey stills and one Patent still currently in action. The house style is light, clean, fruity and flavourful, providing the backbone for Diageo's blends. Distilled in 2006 this spent 16 years in an Oloroso sherry octave which means it's probably not your standard grain profile, rather, one that's taken on some of the qualities of a sherry matured single malt. 65 bottles only. 57.1% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    • Nick's Import
    2010 Claxton's Warehouse No.8 Tormore 11 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $180. 00
    Bottle
    $2160.00 Dozen
    ABV: 62.4%

    Predominantly used in blends like Ballantines, Tormore has an easy-going feel that doesn't carry a lot of weight. For added interest, Claxton's have matured theirs in a refill oloroso sherry octave before bottling at a potent 62.4% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered. 66 bottles only.

    Notes from the bottlers... NOSE: Brandy butter. Dry Sherry notes. Christmas pudding. PALATE: Sweet and dry. Bittersweet oak with rich spice and herbs. FINISH: Powerful finish with oak and sherry notes dominating. Long spicy aftertaste.

    • Nick's Import
    2012 Claxton's Warehouse No.8 Balblair 9 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $220. 00
    Bottle
    $2640.00 Dozen
    ABV: 56.1%

    Some have dubbed Balblair as "The fruitiest Highlander of them all", but will the oak and sherry be too much for the spirit’s fresh fruitiness in this example? With just 65 bottles available only a few will ever find out. Oloroso sherry octave matured. 56.1% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered.

    Notes from the bottlers... NOSE: Rich oak and cream Sherry notes. Tannins. Stewed fruits. PALATE: Sweet and Sherried at first. Again big tannin hit. Bittersweet oak. FINISH: Bittersweet oak and Sherry notes. Lots of oak in the aftertaste.

    • Nick's Import
    2012 Claxton's Warehouse No.8 Auchroisk 9 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $170. 00
    Bottle
    $2040.00 Dozen
    ABV: 58.3%

    Another quite young whisky from a little-known distillery that indies often bottle. Sometimes it's worth it when the distillate is characterful, and sometimes it's not. Coming from Claxton's and matured in an oloroso sherry octave, this should err towards the former. One thing that's certain is its rarity. Just 59 bottles are available! 58.3% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered.

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Cask Strength Whisky: Pros & Cons.

Cask Strength whiskies are bottled undiluted at the whisky's natural strength. As whisky matures the proof reduces from around 70% Alc./Vol. following distillation to 50-60% after 15 years or so of maturation in barrel. This is because alcohol evaporates at a lower temperature than water. In short, natural strength equates to a more fundamental whisky experience, almost as if your tasting from casks still maturing in a distillery's dunnage house.

Pros: Given the above, the increasing popularity of cask strength single malts comes as no surprise. Such whiskies also provide an opportunity to dilute to your preferred strength rather than the bottler's. What'smore, they typically have minimal or zero filtration which tends to retain more flavour and texture.

Cons: 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.

The Holy Grail of Malt Whisky

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. Look for examples from Glenfarcas, Glenlivet and Springbank, as well as many independent bottlings, especially those from Adelphi or Douglas Laing.