1043 products

Collector's Corner

    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 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.

    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.

    • Hot Item
    • Nick's Import
    • Reduced
    Ardbeg Smoketrails Manzanilla Edition Single Malt Scotch Whisky (1000ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    Reduced from $310.00
    $269. 99
    Bottle
    $3239.88 Dozen
    ABV: 46%

    The first edition in Ardbeg’s inaugural travel retail series. One litre, 46% NCF.

    'Smoketrails' is the name for Ardbeg's new and first-ever collection of single malts exclusively dedicated to the travel market. Launched in late 2022 with annual batches in the pipeline, each edition will be a marriage of Ardbeg aged in American oak with Ardbeg matured in secondary casks sourced from around the world. This is the first edition, employing Manzanilla (dry) Sherry casks from Sanlúcar de Barrameda on Spain’s Atlantic coast. Light and fresh in style, Manzanilla sherries are aged close to the sea and are typically bone dry with a salty tang - well matched to Ardbeg's island profile.

    Distillery Manager, Colin Gordon says, “For each Smoketrails release we’ll pack our suitcase and zig zag across the globe in search of new flavour adventures...With a unique batch code on this and future bottlings, we hope Ardbeggians will jump at the chance to get their hands on this delectable, collectable dram when they are on their travels.”

    Ardbeg’s Master Distiller, Dr Bill Lumsden adds “In Ardbeg Smoketrails Manzanilla Edition, salty sea spray and deep, nutty notes mingle with pungent aromas of soot, dark chocolate and Brazil nuts. Clouds of pine and fennel fill the senses with notes of saddle soap and aniseed trailing gently behind. All I have to say to anybody who lays their hands on a bottle is… get ready for a smoky blast!” Available at selected airports around the globe, we've sourced a small parcel for Australian devotees who might otherwise miss out. 46% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    Other reviews... I've just seen that this one is still available in travel retail, for a price that's much lower than in regular shops. They were having dozens at Basel airport just last week, for example. It is a vatting of ex-American oak (Heaven Hill?) and ex-manzanilla casks. I remember some superb ex-fino Ardbeg around Feis 2005, but I'm not sure we've already tried some ex-manzanilla 'beg. But was Dr Bill's idea to add saltiness to saltiness? Let's see, while it's mentioned on the label that it should display some 'saddle soap'… Remember horses are another specialty of Jerez… Colour: straw. Nose: frankly, the territory of an (unsherried, ha) Ardbeg and that of some manzanilla are so close to each other that I'm finding this nose particularly tautological. Fresh walnuts shouting out, green apples and lemons, some chalk, a touch of mustard, sea spray, fresh almonds and chalk, then only a wee touch of mutton suet or something like that. Having said all that and while it's classic Ardbeg in my book, it is not really 'big'. Mouth: perhaps a little too much grittiness, fresh oak at first, making it bitterish (bell pepper, walnut skin), but also loads of salt, as expected. It feels young for sure. Cold ashes, lemon skin, tart cider apples, lemon jellybeans… I find it relatively simple, but Ardbeggy enough. Finish: rather long, still salty. Or, let's say it triggers a lot of saltiness. Walnuts and mustard in the aftertaste. Comments: now, what to do with a litre of this, if you've also got a bottle of the superior Ten in your cabinet? And I'm afraid I couldn't recognise any notes of saddle soap, but that is me. Don't get me wrong, it's some very good Ardbeg that we could quaff with langoustines on the shore of the Guadalquivir, in Sanlucar. 86 points - whiskyfun.com

    Notes from the producers... Nose: Lemon peel. Gentle smoke, not too peaty, more bonfire than medical. Some fruity notes. Taste: Sweet, toffee notes, milk chocolate, then the citric notes from the nose are coming back. Smoke is rather gentle. Finish: Long. Now reconcilable peaty, yet sweet.

    • 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.

    Ardbeg Traigh Bhan 19 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) - Batch 4
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $499. 00
    Bottle
    $5988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 46.2%

    Released in early 2022 but only recently landed in Australia, the highly allocated Traigh Bhan Batch TB/04-07.03.2003/22.CG continues a running theme, with a lengthy maturation in a combination of American oak and oloroso sherry casks - although the proportion of the latter is slightly increased in this edition. Bottled in much smaller quantities than the rest of the core range "under a full moon", as noted on the front label, it arrives non chill filtered at 46.2% Alc./Vol.

    Traigh Bhan is now firmly in collector-land. Consequently, few tasting notes are available. If you're looking to add to your collection or just want to find out what well-aged Ardbeg tastes like, don't hesitate on this offer. For those new to the label, the name is a reference to the local Traigh Bhan beach on Islay, which is known as the 'Singing Sands'. Each batch is intended to be slightly different from the last due to minor changes in cask selection. Expect rich wood smoke and menthol alongside bolder flavours of cayenne pepper and aniseed.

    Notes from the producers... NOSE: On the nose, rising aromas of herbal pine and fennel flow into sharp notes of citrusy lime sorbet and medicinal lozenge, while eucalyptus and saddle soap follow on the breeze. A splash of water releases a cascade of hazelnut, sweet vanilla, and currants, before rich minted chocolate brings the nose to a close. TASTE: An intense wave of wood smoke crashes over the palate, leaving ripples of decadent dark chocolate and ground coffee in its wake. Sweeter notes of lemon curd and peanut brittle cut through the swell to reveal delicate hints of creamy raisin fudge and hazelnut. The allure of this rare dram continues with suggestions of more medicinal, spicy notes. Menthol, fresh lemongrass, aniseed, clove and white pepper emerge from rich, smoky depths. FINISH: Sweet and peat collide with creamy vanilla fudge, dark cocoa powder, and a warm, woody clove tingle. A sharp, intense, and satisfyingly long finish.

    Ardbeg Hypernova 2022 Committee Release Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $399. 00
    Bottle
    $4788.00 Dozen
    ABV: 51%

    A logical progression to the Supernova series that ran from 2009-2019, Hypernova is Ardbeg's peatiest expression to date. Sporting phenol levels in excess of 170 ppm, expect nothing less than a peat bomb. It's also another exclusive to the Ardbeg Committee (the distillery’s fan club) as well as Ardbeg Embassies around the globe - of which Nicks Wine Merchants are one.

    “This is without a doubt the smokiest Ardbeg ever,” said Dr. Bill Lumsden, Ardbeg director of distilling and whisky creation. “We wanted to really push the boundaries this time and boldly go where Ardbeg has never ventured before. A hypernova is a collapsing star explosion so powerful it threatens the fabric of the galaxy – while I don’t think this whisky will tear a hole in space and time, it’s certainly bursting with fantastically peaty flavour.” Bottled at 51% ABV, official tasting notes are below.

    Notes from the producers... Color: Pale Straw. Aroma: Powerful, pungent, almost brutal in its intensity, with waves of tar, smoke, sea salt and an almost ‘barnyard’ aroma in the background. There is some restrained fruitiness, reminiscent of flowering blackcurrants, and very pungent burst of peppermint. Water releases some more rounded top notes, with a touch of lavender and a chocolaty sensation, before finally returning to the curious, savoury barnyard smell. Taste: An explosive, peppery mouthfeel leads into a most curious juxtaposition of flavours sweet chocolate, cooling peppermint, pungent peat smoke, bitter almonds, and then a hugely long, lingering burst of spices like aniseed and clove. Finish: The enormous, heavy smoke is always present and even as the aftertaste starts to build, the aromatic, heathery smoke never fades, it remains right to the very end.

    • 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.

    • 90
    • Reduced
    Ardbeg Ardcore Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    Reduced from $235.00
    $184. 99
    Bottle
    $2219.88 Dozen
    ABV: 46%

    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 a memorable Islay experience. Trumping past releases, Ardbeg's marketing department has gone to considerable lengths for the new edition, this time focusing on the brand’s alleged punk past, with Islay’s main port, Port Ellen, going by the nickname ‘Punk Ellen’ in the 1970s. (There was even a punk posse led by the local hotelier's daughter, which reached as many as three at the height of its notoriety). Meanwhile, Ardbeg’s head of distilling and whisky creation, Dr. Bill Lumsden, describes the flavour as being “like biting on a spiky ball.” Collectors will love it, with the story and presentation being a hook for followers of the brand. The limited edition main release has landed (as opposed to the even more limited Committee Release) and as is always the case, it comes bottled at 46% and non chill filtered.

    The first sniffs bring young distillate to the fore, so from a fresh bottle give this a good ten minutes and you'll get a moderate lift of menthol-infused peat that also hints at anise, fennel and rye bread receding into sweeter smoke and vanilla malt with further air contact. It's medium bodied and sweetly peaty (think Caol Ila); hints of Elastoplast mingle with chocolate sponge cake and sprinklings of pepper; the finish is ashy and warming with citrus tang lacing late malt sweetness. Overall, in spite of the presentation and marketing, this is much more civilised and approachable than you might expect.

    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
    Ardbeg Traigh Bhan 19 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) - Batch 3
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $499. 00
    Bottle
    $5988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 46.2%

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

    Last year's release was summed up by Head Whisky Creator Dr. Bill Lumsden as "The epitome of Ardbeg". Batch 3 continues that theme, with a lengthy maturation in a combination of American oak and oloroso sherry casks. Bottled in much smaller quantities than the rest of the core range, Batch 3 is also the first in the series to be signed by new Distillery Manager, Colin Gordon since Mickey Head's recent retirement, and the first release in Ardbeg's history to be bottled "in a lockdown", as noted on the front label.

    Traigh Bhan is now firmly in collector-land. Consequently, few tasting notes are available (with the exception of Angus from whiskyfun.com who confirms a high standard has been maintained. See below). If you're looking to add to your collection or just want to find out what well-aged Ardbeg tastes like, don't hesitate on this offer. For those new to the label, the name is a reference to the local Traigh Bhan beach on Islay, which is known as the 'Singing Sands'. Each batch is intended to be slightly different from the last due to minor changes in cask selection. Lumsden comments, “The main difference with Batch 3 is that it has been imbued with an altogether more fragrant, spicy character.” Expect zesty lime and walnuts alongside bolder flavours of cayenne pepper and aniseed. 46.2% Alc./Vol. Non chill-filtered.

    Other reviews... The latest batch I believe. Is it just me, or are these batch numbers are longer than Bill Lumsden's joke book? Colour: pale gold. Nose: a highly aromatic and scented type of peat smoke that feels quite wispy, soft and permeating with impressions of sandalwood, furniture polish and crushed sea shells. Also things like smoked tea, menthol tobacco, myrtle and heather beer. Even though I suppose this is early 2000s Glenmorangie produced batches now, it feels more reminiscent of the 1990s Allied style. Which is quite reassuring in many ways. Mouth: pepper, smoked olive oil, very tarry, a lot of hessian, smoked cereals and some struck flints and other rather punchy mineral touches. In time it evolves these big camphor aspects but also quite a lot of dried herbs, aniseed, dried lime peel and hardwood resins. Finish: medium and with this warming peppery and peaty side (which seems to be an increasing hallmark of these modern Ardbeg), leather, pine cones, wood smoke and a little more aniseed. Comments: excellent whisky, no doubt about it. But perhaps the 8 was a tad more impressive simply by virtue of its youthful zest. Anyway, we're splitting hairs - this is lovely. 90 points - whiskyfun.com

    Notes from Ardbeg.... Nose: In this whisky, faint waves of scented woodsmoke mingle with sea spray and pine resin. Wisps of aniseed toffee and sweet lilies follow on the breeze while fresh citrus zest laps over notes of cayenne pepper. With a splash of water, waxy notes and charcoal flow into droplets of classic Sherry and linseed oil. Palate: A rush of rich, sappy textures is followed moments later by classic sweet smokiness. Tarry rope and treacle toffee plunge the palate into a second wave of soot and aniseed twists. Smoke bobs on the horizon, while smoked brown sugar, walnuts and spices gently dissolve away. Finish: A long, unhurried finish carries bitter almonds and clove in its wake, before slowly drifting away.

    • 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.

    Ardbeg Monsters of Smoke Limited Edition Single Malt Scotch Whisky Tasting Pack (3x200ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $89. 99
    Bottle
    $1079.88 Dozen

    Ardbeg's new collectable packs are an affordable way to sample the core range in an ‘at home’ tasting experience. They're also a great gifting opportunity. The presentation is inspired by old B-grade horror movie posters and each bottle has a peelable label that reveals unique artwork lurking beneath.
    The pack comprises 3 x 200ml bottles: The flagship Ardbeg Ten Years Old, the feisty and youthful Ardbeg Five Years Old Wee Beastie and Ardbeg An Oa, which is finished in three different cask types. This is a once-off release so Ardbeg enthusiasts take note!

    • 94
    Ardbeg For Discussion Committee Release 8 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $124. 99
    Bottle
    $1499.88 Dozen
    ABV: 50.8%

    Way back in 2004, Ardbeg launched the first of the “For Discussion” series. Labelled as 'Very Young', it gave Ardbeg enthusiasts the chance to sample a ‘work in progress’. This latest 'Committee-exclusive' bottling revisits that theme. It's the result of an experiment by Master Distiller, Dr Bill Lumsden and an attempt to answer his question "what if, in an alternative universe, Ardbeg Ten was not the distillery’s “flagship” aged expression?"

    Lumsden adds, "An aged ex-Sherry whisky is new territory for us, so naturally, we want some thoughts. We’re sharing this with the Committee’s experienced palates to help us find that smoky sweet spot. It’s more than guaranteed to provoke discussion among those privileged enough to taste it.”

    Historically, Committee release bottlings have not been offered to retail. We've managed to secure a small quantity for Australian Ardbeg fans.

    Other reviews... When smoke melts in the mouth, when the sugars are directly in equal proportion to the measured spices, when the mouth feel is enriched by oil but light enough to allow the more delicate structures to stand unbowed after the tsunami of phenol... then you know this is Ardbeg being true to itself. 94.5 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible

    ...It's great that these bottles have more 'common sense' L codes these days. Colour: bright straw. Nose: delicately salty, this sense of things like smoked and pink sea salts. Bath bombs, sandalwood, briny pickling juices, kippers - feels notably more mature after the 5yo, perhaps deceptively so. But still, it's another very good one. With water: getting more aromatic and medicinal now with things like witchhazel, wintergreen and aniseed. Some touches of germoline and camphor as well. Mouth: hoho, lovely oily and textural peat, slathered on phenolics, engine grease, tar extracts, some punchy hospital vibes, gauze, iodine, black pepper and thick sooty notes. Totally superb and the texture is really what impresses most! With water: wonderful peat flavour, cough medicines, pepper and anchovy paste. A terrific tarriness that feels totally Ardbeggy. Finish: good length, peppery, tarry, slightly fishy and still with this wonderfully oily and phenolic vibe. Comments: I find this wee baby just absolutely superb, what I love most is that it feels not only technically good, but with this wonderfully texture it also feels like it has a soul to match. Benchmark young modern Ardbeg at its best. I will be buying a couple of bottles and you may take that as a firm seal of approval. 90 points - whiskyfun.com

    Notes from the producer... Pale Straw. NOSE: Intense with a burst of charcoal, creosote, tar and treacle toffee, with curious hints of something vegetal, like fennel, celery and green peppers Once these subside, there are hints of milk chocolate, aniseed and wood smoke. With a little drop of water, some more herbal notes appear, like fennel, coriander and lavender, along with some characteristic Ardbeg aromatic wood smoke and a hint of fresh, salty sea spray. TASTE: A distinctively peppery mouthfeel eases into a complex symphony of flavours treacle toffee, aniseed, salted caramel chocolate, eucalyptus, menthol and briar wood, to name but a few. The ‘ peppery sensation on the palate continues, with the sweeter flavours giving way to more savoury notes like charcoal, smoked bacon, burnt toast and tar. FINISH: The aftertaste is long and lingering, with a suggestion of peppermint and clove. 50.8% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. 

    • 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 25 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $2699. 00
    Bottle
    $32388.00 Dozen
    ABV: 46%

    The newest, oldest whisky to join Ardbeg's core range is an impressively packaged 25 year old, an age statement not seen since the 'Lord of the Isles' bottlings over a decade ago. It's also the oldest permanent addition to the brand, distilled in the 1990s, and available in limited quantities due to its age and rarity. Readers should note that very little whisky was produced at the distillery in the middle '90s. Ardbeg’s production halted in 1981, then resumed in 1989 under Hiram Walker but remained at a low level until late 1996. Most Ardbeg enthusiasts will have tasted little from this distillery's 'quiet period'. Hence, this first edition represents a genuine slice of Islay history.

    Dr Bill Lumsden, Ardbeg’s chief whisky creator, comments: “After a quarter of a century in the cask, you’d be forgiven for imagining that Ardbeg 25 Years Old would have lost some of the hallmark smoky punch. I can assure you it hasn’t.... And yet there’s also a remarkable complexity and elegance to this whisky that I find utterly captivating. It’s unmistakably Ardbeg, but unlike any Ardbeg you’ve tasted before.”

    Strikingly presented in a gun metal coloured bottle, Ardbeg 25 comes housed in a case featuring a modern metallic take on the classic Ardbeg knotwork, symbolic of the untamed complexity of this extraordinary whisky.

    Notes from Ardbeg... smoked cream, peppermint, toffee, fennel and pine resin on the nose, leading to a ‘vibrant, hot peppery mouthfeel’ with flavours of sherbet lemon, carbolic soap and tar, creamy toffee, aniseed and chilli pepper. The finish is said to be long, mellow and lingering, with cream, fudge and antiseptic notes. Non chill filtered. 46% Alc./Vol.

    • 89
    Ardbeg Traigh Bhan 19 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) - Batch 2
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $499. 00
    Bottle
    $5988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 46.2%

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

    95 points - whiskyadvocate.com
    "...the epitome of an aged Ardbeg". - Dr. Bill Lumsden.

    'Traigh Ban' is a permanent addition to the Ardbeg stable, released in much smaller quantities than the rest of the core range. Each batch is intended to be slightly different from the last. The 2020 edition continues to focus on ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry matured whiskies, offering notes of "fresh lime, roasted tea leaves and smoked pineapple". Jackie Thompson, the Distillery Visitor Center Manager adds, "Not only is the dram incredibly rare and mellow, but the small quirks and originalities on the bottle itself make it highly collectible – something we know our Ardbeg fans love."

    Allocations are well down on Batch 1. Batch 2 is also destined for controversy, receiving massive praise from Whisky Advocate (95 points is about as good as it gets). Serge Valentin at whiskyfun was equally impressed, however Jim Murray thought it was "just ok" (all reviews below). No denying these annual Ardbegs are the latest must-haves that avid collectors are scrambling for. If you're looking to add to your collection or just want to find out what well-aged Ardbeg tastes like, don't hesitate on this offer.

    Dr. Bill Lumsden, Director of Whisky Creation comments "… this whisky is the epitome of an aged Ardbeg. It somehow manages to balance the complex with the classic. It’s a truly unique bottling and we hope Ardbeggians everywhere look forward to comparing notes with the previous batch. I know I did!"

    Other reviews... The early nose offers hand-rolled tobacco, ginger, black pepper, and fragrant woodsmoke. Medicinal notes, brine, and lemon develop in time. Sweet peat smoke, tropical fruits, toffee, and aniseed on the palate, with smoked haddock and a suggestion of tar. Iodine, black pepper, and sea salt in the lengthy finish. 46.2% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. 95 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Winter 2020)

    ...So new Wellies or not new Wellies? Colour: white wine. Nose: new Wellies indeed, but small size. Other than that, fresh almonds and fresh putty, a dollop of liquid tar, then whiffs of old shed, garden pit, kelp and really quite a lot of marzipan. I find it pretty light and gentle for Ardbeg, but well-balanced and rather admirably fresh. Mouth: it’s good that it wouldn’t be too modern (a.k.a. oak-influenced) and that both tar and lemon would play first fiddles, while more salty and coastal elements would chime in after three seconds, such as salted fudge and whelks. Always loved the humble whelks. No huge smoke here, rather cigar ashes, and perhaps touches of peaches, ala Ardmore. Finish: this is where you’re closest to ‘old’ Ardbeg – we’re meaning early 1970s – with this natural rubber, tar, smoke and a feeling of old cough syrup. Awesome finish. Comments: superb post-reopening Ardbeg and proof that they hadn’t changed much to the recipe. Thank you Stuart Thompson (and thanks anyone who’s not decided to dump this superb juice into whacky woods). Now, here’s that seminal question, was the purifier working or not? 91 points - Serge Valentin, whiskyfun.com

    ...A quite thick set smokiness drifts off towards the toasty sugars. For a moment, there is an air of Ardbeg normality as the light vanillas pulse; all understated and full of trickery. Vague minty notes blossom on the light heather-honey phenol. The oak sticks to that salty tang.... and tang is the right word. Pretty much ok and enjoyable despite the slight mess on the nose and mildly odd landing. But not sure when just ok was acceptable for Ardbeg. 89 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2021.

    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

    • 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

    • 93
    Ardbeg Twenty Something 23 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $1399. 00
    Bottle
    $16788.00 Dozen
    ABV: 46.3%

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

    An historical bottling, distilled in the 1980s and 90s when production at Ardbeg had “slowed to a trickle”,so not surprisingly, stocks are tiny. It’s a whisky that celebrates the fact that Ardbeg persisted even during the lean years, and thrives today.

    Mickey Heads, distillery manager and chairman of the Ardbeg Committee comments, “This magnificent whisky was created within the retired iconic still which stands proud outside our distillery today,” adding “It’s a glimpse back into Ardbeg’s turbulent past and reaffirms just why the distillery couldn’t be allowed to be disappear.

    Dr Bill Lumsden, director of distilling, whisky creation and whisky stocks at Ardbeg, said: “The ex-bourbon and oloroso casks I selected for Ardbeg Twenty Something have delivered a beautiful dram, bursting with rich, deep flavours. It has an incredibly smoky, silky quality which is outstanding. The fact that we’re releasing this 23-year-old in honour of the Ardbeg Committee makes it even more special.”

    Other reviews… …full on tannin at first. The fragile citrus and more ample barley begins the job of restoring balance, which it does with typical Ardbegian elegance. There is a delicate smokiness which can be found lightly brushed over the milky, vaguely minty mocha which has gathered up enough dark sugars to form the nucleus of the resistance movement;…a malt forever treading on eggshells, trying not to disturb the tannins…
    93 points - Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2017

    • 95
    Ardbeg Grooves Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $399. 00
    Bottle
    $4788.00 Dozen
    ABV: 46%

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

    The annual releases mark the final day of Islay’s Festival of Malt & Music (Fèis Ìle). This year, it’s June 2nd. As usual, you won’t be able to buy the cask strength bottling unless you’re a Committee member, however, the whisky comes in a 46% variant for general retail. Volumes aren't specified, but this year's seems more severely allocated than any we can recall.

    And the story behind the quirky title?
    The intention of any Ardbeg Day bottling is to offer an unusual blend or introduce a novel production technique that differs from the distillery’s traditional practice. For 'Grooves', director of whisky creation, Dr Bill Lumsden has employed heavily charred red wine casks, the heat creating grooves in the surface of the wood. The expectation was to release flavours and aromas accenting "smoked spices, distant bonfires and chilli-seasoned meats".

    "Casks made with grooved wood aren’t entirely new" notes Whisky Advocate. "Dewar’s released “Scratched Cask” a few years ago, where it finished whisky in heavily charred casks that had been scratched at the char layer, while Maker’s Mark offers grooved “cuvée” staves in its Private Select barrel program. The grooves offer additional surface area for the spirit to come into contact with, meaning heavier wood influence in the final whisky’s flavor.”

    The marketing team have followed through with packaging inspired by 1960s hippie culture. And if you're lucky enough to attend the festival, this year will see the distillery transport whisky fans back in time, to the Ardbeg village of the late 1960s. Manager, Mickey Heads, adds “It was a very different place – a groovy wee community, with its own post office, billiards hall, two choirs and even a football team." It sounds like fun, but we'll have to settle for the whisky.

    Tasting note: Amber to deep gold in colour. A great sniff: Sooty and salt laced. Develops over 5-10 minutes yielding aromas of baked citrus, stewed plums, wine soaked pears and suggestions of smoked fish and beef jerky. Later passes accent the sweet malt countered by 'fresher' notes of smoldering eucalyptus, lanolin, menthol tobacco and butter menthol lozenge. Quite soft on entry, but at 46% still manages a decent attack; lots of wood sugars melting into the phenols; the honeyed-smoked combo evokes (heavily peated) Highland Park. Creamier to finish with a salty-sooty deluge. Dapples of chillie heat and menthol-rub through the aftertaste. The wood vies with the peat in controlled tension. 46% Alc./Vol.

    • 91
    Ardbeg Drum Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $250. 00
    Bottle
    $3000.00 Dozen
    ABV: 46%

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

    Last year’s Ardbeg Day release was Ardbeg Grooves, a whisky matured in re-toasted red wine casks which were intensely charred to create heavy grooves in the surface of the wood. The Committee Release was so popular that unexpectedly high demand caused Ardbeg’s website to crash. The general retail release also sold out apace. (At the time of writing, it’s on the secondary market at around AU $200).

    This year’s Ardbeg Day celebrations take a Caribbean twist with the release of the distillery's first rum-finished expression, a no-age-statement single malt matured in ex-Bourbon casks and then finished in ex-rum casks from South America. According to Brendan McCarron, Head of Maturing Whisky Stocks for The Glenmorangie Company (which makes Ardbeg), it was a good ten years in the making from the initial idea. Bottled non chill filtered at 46%, not surprisingly, it’s described as having notes of "pine resin, wood smoke, ripe banana and pineapple". Distillery Manager Mickey Heads, agrees, adding that drinkers can expect to find “a multitude of complex flavours across the palate – including lavender, licorice, and vanilla strutting into a long, smoky finish.”

    There's some speculation as to the provenance of the rum barrels, with suggestions the Diamond Distillery based in Guyana was the source. Ardbeg Drum ‘Committee Release’ was only available from the website via a secret link that sold out in 24 hours. With allocations for the general retail release less than last year's 'Grooves', expect this to go fast.

    Tasting note: Pale straw gold. Less overtly smokey than you might expect, evoking a creamy vanilla sweetness on the nose: hints at grilled pineapple becoming fresher with citrus, menthol and whiffs of seaspray. Quite intense and Mezcal-like with char grilled fruits, vanilla, white chocolate and spikes of paprika and brine through the brisk, sooty finish. 46% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews... This Ardbeg Day 2019 bottling was aged in bourbon barrels before a period of finishing in rum casks. Characteristic Ardbeg citrus and smoke on the nose, but with the addition of green figs, eucalyptus, antiseptic, and brine. Very smooth on the palate, with woodsmoke, mango, and papaya. Big peat and black pepper notes in the finish, underscored by tangy citrus. Ultimately, ashy smoke.
    89 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2019)

    • 96
    Ardbeg Perpetuum Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $399. 00
    Bottle
    $4788.00 Dozen
    ABV: 47.4%

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

    A double whammy for the distillery's 'Ardbeg Day' creation for 2015, which also celebrates its 200th anniversary.

    Perpetuum is a vatting of young and old Ardbeg from ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. Absent of much of the superfluous marketing of previous Ardbeg Day releases, Bill Lumsden has instead let the whisky do the talking.  Only 12,000 bottles produced worldwide.

    Tasting note: Bright, pale straw/gold colour. Lifted bouquet is fresh, assertive and multi-faceted ranging from smokey vanilla cream, choc fudge through to boot polish, damp earth, sea spray, split pine, smoked ham, baked citrus and more. Three or four minutes settles the aroma down as smouldering pine, cocoa and vanilla. Almost endlessly complex. Entry is smokey and mezcal-like. Mid palate is medium dry, intense and captivating; a delicious sooty/oily/salty vanilla-malt combo fans out across the tongue with a slow motion salt and pepper surge. Finish is fresh, salty, lipsmacking, fruity yet keenly dry then ashy and light but prolonged. Fisherman's friend in the fade. Must try Ardbeg. 47.4% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews... A rumbustious malt with tar, coal dust, peat smoke and creosote - as you'd expect of Ardbeg, but tamed with honey, pineapple, chocolate and creamy custard 4.5 Stars - www.diffordsguide.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
    • Not gift boxed
    Ardnamurchan AD/ Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $109. 99
    Bottle
    $1319.88 Dozen
    ABV: 46.8%

    The latest release from Ardnamurchan is also their first core range bottling. Simply named "AD/", the batch numbers have been removed, with a redesigned front label featuring the Ardnamurchan lighthouse. 25,200 bottles are on offer worldwide - which sounds like a lot - but it's allocated in Australia. We've grabbed as much as we could. The whisky remains an equal split between peated and unpeated spirit, with 65% bourbon cask and 35% sherry maturation.

    Building on the profile of previous editions, AD/ is something akin to Ardmore-meets-young Talisker with a splash of Ledaig thrown in for added depth. The first sniff finds grapefruit, citrus, pepper and saline to the fore with a fabulous coastal / low-key peaty drift that develops as rock-pools then earthier, farmyard notes of lucerne mulch and lanolin. You realise there’s something a bit special about AD/ at first taste; mostly, it's the remarkably sprightly nature of the delivery. It's also relatively dry by Highland standards, so you have to roll it around your mouth to extract more of the fruity malt sweetness (strange as it sounds, winter strawberries come to mind). Vivacious, briney and minerally, with sugar sprinkled grapefruit to finish, some bitter dark chocolate too, AD/ is easily one of the more complex young malts money can buy and a whisky that truly conveys a sense of place - the fact that they’ve already nailed a very distinctive style in itself seems like a near impossible achievement. 46.8% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    Notes from the producers... Nose - Toasted marshmallows on a pebbled Fascadale beach, minerals, orange oil and popcorn. Palate - Salted popcorn, smores, pebble beach, mineralic, sea salt, briney, lime cordial, charred marshmallows, bitter orange, dark chocolate, smoky old fashioned cocktail.

    Ardnamurchan Spirit 2019 AD (700ml)
    Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $150. 00
    Bottle
    $1800.00 Dozen
    ABV: 57.4%
    This is the fourth release of spirit from Ardnamurchan. Already on collector's radars, as with previous editions, some of the composition is under three years old which means this can't be called 'whisky' as yet. This release contains liquid from 2 butts, 6 hogsheads and 21 octaves, all from American and Spanish oak ex-sherry (Oloroso and PX). Just over 5000 bottles are on offer globally.

    Notes from the bottlers... Deep copper gold with amber lights with good beading. Crème caramel with candied orange. Manuka honey and mango; rock salt, liquorice, maple-cured smoked bacon and extinguished peat kilns. 57.4% Alc./Vol.
    • 94
    1969 Balblair 43 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $3499. 00
    Bottle
    $41988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 41.4%
    Bottled in 2012 as a limited production of 999 bottles, this is one of the oldest Balblairs ever released.

    Other reviews... A charmer. Don't even think about touching this until it has stood in the glass for ten minutes. 94.5 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2020

    ...This veteran Balblair was distilled on February 7, 1969 using barley malted on site and coal-fired stills. Opens with slight saltiness on the nose, almost ozone, then lemons and pine, and finally, vanilla fudge. Overt citrus notes on the palate, with aniseed, some oak, brittle toffee, and a smokiness not found in younger Balblairs. The finish is long and discreetly spicy, notably cinnamon and black pepper. 41.4% Alc./Vol. 89 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2013)
    • 92
    Balvenie 30 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) - Wooden Box
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $3999. 00
    Bottle
    $47988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 47.3%

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

    Other reviews... Rarely have I come across a bottling of a whisky of these advanced years which is so true to previous ones. Amazing. 92 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2017

    I always loved the Thirty. The strength hasn’t changed, it’s always a cask-strengthish 47.3%, in true William Grant fashion. I think I also had it at the World Whisky Awards 2013. Colour: full gold. Nose: oh, this is so much more to my liking on the nose. Pure honey, really. In my experience almost all official Balvenies are honeyed (especially the old ones) but this is actually even more honeyed than honey. You may add a few very ripe apricots and yellow plums (mirabelles). Enough said. Mouth: superb, punchy yet silky, extremely honeyed and jammy, with some brown sugar and fudge coating the whole. I love this richness that never becomes ‘too much’. Vanilla-infused acacia honey like a good friend uses to make. Finish: long, smooooth, rounded, honeyed, with a little orange and mint in the aftertaste that keep your palate as fresh as a baby’s. Comments: perfect, one of my favourite honeyed Speysiders (as opposed to the sherried ones). 91 points - whiskyfun.com

    • Nick's Import
    Balvenie Rare Marriages 25 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $1999. 00
    Bottle
    $23988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 48%

    Other reviews... This is the proper new Balvenie 25, not one of those doublewoods or single barrels, you understand? Colour: gold. Nose: fully Balvenie. Touch of nail polish at first, then mirabelles and quinces, then croissant and brioche, then custard and acacia honey. That's all folks, and that was very much already. Mouth: absolutely splendid, perhaps a tad rougher than earlier vintages (the glorious 1970s) but indeed full of plums, yellow ones, green ones… Quinces are there too, sugarcane as well, tiny notes of Victoria pineapple, then just vanilla and the best part of oak. It is not a very complicated malt whisky, it's even a tad simple, but I find it epitomically Balvenie, which is enough for me. I must be on my lucky day. Finish: lovely finish, creamy, ueber-Balvenie-ish, on preserved mirabelles with just a dash of sawdust. Vanilla and barley syrup in the aftertaste. Comments: close to the core. My main problem is that I cannot not remember the early 1970s Balvenies – and the ones before. Balvenie 'As we get it' anyone? Maybe I need some kind of reset. 88 points - whiskyfun.com

    Benriach The Forty 40 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $5999. 00
    Bottle
    $71988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 43.5%

    Brown Forman, the parent company of Jack Daniel’s, acquired Benriach in 2016 and has been slowly lifting the distillery's profile with a slew of premium releases to match better-known neighbours like Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, Macallan and Aberlour. While Speyside is not famous for its peated whisky, Benriach committed to using peated malt in the 1970s (albeit in small batch runs). Peat has continued to play a role for over fifty years, an identity that Benriach retains with its recent Smoke Season releases. Their new 40-year-old is a liquid reference to that decision, although the whisky itself won't be particularly peaty. With so much time in barrel, peat is on the retreat, though you might find some antique notes of well-aged soot and char amongst the fruitiness. Master Blender, Rachel Barrie explains “Maturation in fine bourbon casks has gradually developed exquisite notes of honeyed pomelo and lush orchard fruits to create Benriach The Forty. Over the decades, the smoky character of peated Benriach spirit refines and mellows, transforming into ripe fruit sweetness. This intricate character is interwoven with dark notes of chocolate, rich plum and smooth walnut from port casks sourced from the Douro Valley." In conclusion, she adds "...it has been an exceptional opportunity to craft such rare whisky of this age, to express the exquisite nature of Benriach at its peak. At forty years old, Benriach has developed a seamlessly silken fruit and oak complexity, finessed by the fresh Speyside air and enriched by the alluring aromatics of cask maturation age, which I can only describe as the ultimate Speyside delicacy.” 43.5% Alc./Vol. Collectable.

    • 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.

    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

    1991 Berry Bros & Rudd Springbank 26 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Campbeltown, SCOTLAND
    $6999. 00
    Bottle
    $83988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 44.9%

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

    A very desirable Springa' distilled in 1991, then bottled by Berry Brothers & Rudd from single cask #455 in 2018. The company's spirits buyer, Doug McIvor has a reputation for high class barrel picks. This one comes with positive reviews. There's no reference to the kind of cask used, nor is the number of bottles produced stated. Non chill filtered and cask strength at 44.9% Alc./Vol.

    Notes from the bottlers... A complex nose of orange blossom and rose water, interwoven with brine, apricot jam, white pepper and lemon oil. Butterscotch, salted caramel and damp ash appear on the palate initially, with over-ripe orange, tinned pineapple, ginger and a whiff of peat building with time. The finish is long, with wood smoke and brine. Quite beguiling.

    Bowmore 25 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) - Older bottling
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $2999. 00
    Bottle
    $35988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 43%

    Note: Product has come from a private collection and as such has some scuffing/scratches/handling marks. Most notably, the original labelling on the outer box has completely faded away. Actual product pictured.

    We place this 'old seagull label' 750ml Bowmore as being released in the early to mid 1990s. There were a few similar looking iterations from the same era, so the review below from whiskyfun is indicative only. 43% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews... Colour: gold. Nose: very round and very rich, starting with more honey than both the 17yo that we had before and the latest 25. This richness and roundness almost ‘block’ the citrusy and coastal notes that are well there in the background but that seem to be a little shy… for now. From honey, evolves towards leather and cigarette tobacco for a while (‘a freshly opened pack of Camels – or maybe Chesterfields’), then meatier touches (bouillon) probably from the sherry casks, then rather camphor and eucalyptus… And it’s only after that that we get more peat smoke, sea air and tropical fruits (only hints of ripe mangos here). The latest 25 is much wilder, peatier and less polished. Mouth: very good attack but indeed, I can see why many friends thought that the old 21 was better. This is a little weaker (of course it’s not weak whisky at all) and maybe a little drier, with more oak and more ‘dry’ spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon and white pepper. Notes of bitter chocolate, and then the classic tropical fruits but maybe a little more as jams than as fresh fruits. Great palate, though, maybe just a little less directly exciting than the 21’s. Finish: medium long, a tad drier now. Strong salted tea. Comments: excellent whisky but not totally up to the phantastik 21. The new 25 has much more violets and lavender on the palate but it’s still one point above this older one in my book because I feel it’s better ‘composed’. Yes, splitting hairs. 89 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.

    • 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.

    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.

    • 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

    Dalwhinnie Game of Thrones House Stark Limited Edition Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $150. 00
    Bottle
    $1800.00 Dozen
    ABV: 43%

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

    House Stark’s resiliency, strength and ability to thrive under the most intense situations are greatly shaped by Winterfell’s frigid temperatures. Dalwhinnie, known for being the highest distillery in all of Scotland is cold and remote much like The North where House Stark calls home, making the two an iconic pairing. Honey and fresh fig develop on the palate followed by a delicious maltiness and rich fruit cake. 43% Alc./Vol.

    1983 Douglas Laing & Co. The Old Malt Cask 50° Port Ellen 22 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $2499. 00
    Bottle
    $29988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 50%

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

    A very desirable Port Ellen from Douglas Laing's Old Malt Cask series, notable for being distilled in 1983 - the year production ceased. Bottled in February 2006 from one refill butt yielding 660 bottles, this seems quite reasonably priced for a PE of its age. If you're planning on drinking rather than investing, according to at least one reputable reviewer (Serge at whiskyfun.com), 1983 was a great vintage for the distillery. Non chill filtered. 50% Alc./Vol. Collectable.

    • Nick's Import
    • Reduced
    1964 Douglas Laing & Co. XOP Xtra Old Particular Dumbarton 55 Year Old Single Cask Limited Release Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    Reduced from $3,999.00
    $2499. 00
    Bottle
    $29988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 44.6%

    Beyond investment grade - now more a museum piece, and deserving of a place in any serious whisky collection.

    From the long closed Dumbarton plant, this is all the more unusual for its extraordinary age. Grandfather Dumbartons are frequently off the charts when it comes to ratings in the single grain category. This is definitely one of the oldest, if not the oldest ever bottled upping the ante on a 1975 Gordon & Macphail 45 YO released earlier in 2022. Beautifully presented in a heavyweight bottle housed in a wooden box, Douglas Laing are offering 215 bottles to the world, drawn from one refill hogshead at natural strength with no chill filtration. Anticipate aromas and flavours of Scottish honey, maple syrup, candied apples, ginger, nutmeg and milk chocolate with a lengthy poached pear, pistachio and marmalade finish. Extremely limited stocks. 44.6% Alc./Vol.

    Also known as 'Inverleven', Dumbarton was built in 1938, just south of the Highland border near Glasgow and for a while was the largest operation of its kind. Classified as a lowlander by Michael Jackson, production was predominantly set aside for the Ballantine's blends. When bottled by Indies, Dumbarton is typically the label for grain whisky. Inverleven the single malt, but it's not a rule. Nowadays stocks are "undeniably rare". The notable feature of the plant was its American-style stainless steel columns (rather than the traditional Coffey stills). A focus on maize, meant its spirit was rather heavy in character. In 1956 a third Lomond still was added with an attached rectification column designed to produce different styles of spirit. The distillery was decommissioned in 1985, though its column still was salvaged by Bruichladdich to produce its now famous 'Botanist gin'.

    1982 Douglas Laing's Old & Rare Platinum Selection Port Ellen 25 Year old Single Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Islay, SCOTLAND
    $4999. 00
    Bottle
    $59988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 57.7%

    Note: Product has come from a private collection and as such has some minor scuffing/scratches/handling marks. Specifically, there is some wear to the bottle's neck sticker and minor cellar bloom on the certificate of authenticity contained inside the box. Actual product pictured.

    Distilled one year before Port Ellen closed and bottled in January 2008. There's a cask from the Laings of the same age and vintage rated 90 points by whiskyfun.com, so expect the quality to be high again. We have one only from the original outturn of 300 bottles at natural strength. 57.7% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. Collectable.

    Notes from the bottlers... On the nose it is literally a breath of sea air, with a hint of Caledonian MacBrayne's ferry as a back drop, plus distinct heathery peat heading to a sweet and smokey oakiness. Initially dry, ashy and salty on the palate, this moves through a gristy sweet barley phase to something more creosoted at its tail - and this runs really long at the finish which is tarry too, moving late onto a dry, spiced, ashy (again) style.

    1996 East Asia Whisky Company Asanoha Dragon Springbank 24 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Campbeltown, SCOTLAND
    $12999. 00
    Bottle
    $155988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 48.8%

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

    Referencing certain Karuizawas in both presentation and collectabliity is this stunning Springbank bottled by the independent East Asia Whisky Company in 2020. The Singapore-based operation focusses on blue chip distilleries including Macallan, Bowmore, Chichibu and Caroni. Matured in a single first-fill Oloroso sherry cask followed by a Madeira wine finish, this whisky was considered so extraordinary that the company used it to launch a new collection known as the Yokai series. Just 151 bottles were offered globally. The heavy decanter and laser etched timber box come adorned with a golden dragon donning a traditional Japanese pattern instead of the usual fish scales. The box is fitted with neodymium magnets and a pulley-ring to operate the sliding mechanism, while the liquid inside promises a hedonistic, super complex Campbeltown experience. 48.8% Alc./Vol. Collectable.

    Notes from the bottlers... Fruitcake, honey and a touch of salinity on the nose, giving way to a palate full of dates, dark chocolate, cinnamon, with a characteristic oily texture and juicy barley malt. Long and unctuous on the finish, with baking spices and dried fruits.

    • 93
    • Reduced
    2012 Glen Scotia Australian Exclusive 9 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Campbeltown, SCOTLAND
    Reduced from $150.00
    $129. 99
    Bottle
    $1559.88 Dozen
    ABV: 53.3%

    A perfect excuse to get acquainted with Springbank's nearest neighbour.

    West Highlanders produce many of Scotland's most charismatic malts, led by Oban and Ben Nevis and joined by the Campbeltown community further south west. Springbank is legendary, but there's another Campbeltowner on the rise: Glen Scotia. One of the country's smallest distilleries, the core range is the realm of supermarkets in Australia (though the quality is generally good). That leaves others to source the 'proper stuff'. In this exclusive bottling, you get the chance to try Glen Scotia in all of its unpeated glory: Young and feisty, but already distinctive and most importantly, uncut.

    Cask No.19/660-2 was a first-fill Tawny Port hogshead, which has no doubt contributed to the whisky's auburn / polished mahogany colour. In the absence of peat, Glen Scotia's profile can fall somewhere between nutty and fruity. Here, both aspects vie for your attention. The aroma opens peppery, then nutty and gingery with a twang of sulphur and sea breeze lending a coastal edge. 4-5 minutes releases sweeter scents of spiced pears and cinnamon apples over earthier, root vegetable-like notes. The palate is intense and long, unfolding with ginger snaps, spiced apple and salted dark chocolate in a tactile, even slightly 'gritty' delivery. That light sulphur note returns, but adds complexity rather than detracting (those with the 'sulphur gene' will find some satisfaction here). Throat lozenges - think Fisherman's Friends - round off a powerful, heartwarming finish. There's little trace of the port cask, instead what's highlighted is yet another fascinating West Highland make. If you're sulphur sensitive, add water. Those notes dissipate and the profile harmonises in a contrasting and beautiful way.

    With just over a kilometre between them, speculation as to whether Glen Scotia will be the next Springbank is inevitable. Given the distillery's versatility and quality of output, the potential is there, but it probably won't balloon anytime soon (then again, just a few years ago many seasoned whisky lovers were oblivious to Springbank...) Place your bets. Right now, here's a perfect excuse to get better acquainted with Glen Scotia. 313 bottles for Australia only. 53.3% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.


    • Limit One per customer
    • Nick's Import
    2010 Glenallachie Single Cask #804032 13 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) - Selected for Belgium
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $350. 00
    Bottle
    $4200.00 Dozen
    ABV: 58%

    Another single cask selection from the Glenallachie stables, bottled exclusively for Belgium. This should be a whopper from a single PX puncheon boasting waves of chocolate, ginger spice, heather honey, sultana, mocha and orange zest. 688 bottles were released at 58% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    Glendronach Grandeur Batch 009 24 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $2999. 00
    Bottle
    $35988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 48.7%
    A whisky that continues to be on strict allocation and getting harder to source every year. 1,487 bottles of this sherried Speysider were released to the public with Australia allocated a fraction of that. Personally selected by Master Blender, Rachel Barrie, from some of the most extraordinary and remarkable Spanish oak sherry casks from 1990, 1992 and 1993, it promises a typically super-complex and full-bodied whisky for which the distillery has become famous. Presented in a handsome wooden case. Expect an utterly luxurious sensory experience.

    Notes from Glendronach... NOSE: A carefully woven tapestry of stone fruit, baked quince and glazed cherries on a seductive bed of sandalwood, roast chestnuts and subtle musk- scented leather. The freshness of oak balsam lifts and lengthens throughout, sustaining the exceptional balance and complexity. PALATE: An elegant, deep and perfectly integrated palate combines a myriad of sherry cask tastes in each sip; an initial burst of rich sherry-laced fruitcake intriguingly opens up to reveal baked orange, sultana and luscious black cherries. CONCLUSION: As time slowly passes, the taste lengthens and deepens towards an elegant dark chocolate mint, raisin and angelica root velvet finish. 48.7% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
    1971 Glendronach Single Cask No.2920 Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon Cask Strength 43 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $8999. 00
    Bottle
    $107988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 48.6%

    Note: Product has come from a private collection and as such has some minor scuffing/scratches/handling marks. Actual product not pictured. This one, in particular, is starting to show some lifting of the paper on the left panel and there is some mild denting along the left rear verticle edge.

    The Glendronach Single Cask bottlings are always keenly anticipated by whisky enthusiasts seeking extended age, hard-to-find, 'old school' sherried malts in the most unadulterated form imaginable.
    Just launched in Australia is the new Batch 11. Across the board, it's impossible to ignore the striking sienna brown colour of these whiskies, each promising a flavour extravaganza for Sherry-heads. Unfortunately, colour and distillery notes are all we have to go on. There are no samples (the miniscule allocation doesn't justify it) and at the time of writing, it seems reviews of these whiskies are non-existent (despite the official UK launch being in January this year.) Six months later almost no one has caved in to opening a bottle - a fact not only indicative of a growing industry trend but symptomatic that "collecting mania" has set in at Glendronach. If for you, Batch 11 is just another opportunity to 'diversify a portfolio', this is at least one annual release where speculation (arguably) presents less risk than other offers of its kind. After all, it is the collection that routinely dazzles spirits writers. Jim Murray commented of last year's, "...when this distillery gets it right, your taste buds don't stand a chance. Almost brain-explodingly complex". At the very worst you're going to be stranded with a great bottle of whisky.

    Ranging from 43 to 18 years old, there is once again, huge and intriguing variety across the nine expressions in Batch 11, six of which were matured in Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheons, two in Oloroso Sherry Butts and one in an Oloroso Sherry Puncheon. All nine single casks have been hand-selected by BenRiach’s Managing Director and Master Distiller Billy Walker who comments:

    “I believe Batch 11 makes a very simple point - the wood has a huge influence on the spirit. You immediately sense - and taste - the influence of the casks on these nine sublime single malts.... In these nine expressions you feel the pulse of our inventory at GlenDronach and the idiosyncratic personality of the casks coming through. That, plus the passion and craftsmanship of our people, is what produces these incredible whiskies time and time again.”

    Walker adds that batch Eleven has a number of highlights:
    The oldest, 1971 cask number 2920, at 48.6% vol, is a monster 43 year old malt matured in a Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon. Intense treacle toffee floods over sour plums and roasted coffee. Harmonising waves of leather and tobacco give great depth and are balanced perfectly by a subtle toasted walnut and date back note. As a contrast, the 18 year old from cask number 244, at 56.9% vol, is the youngest, distilled in February 1996. Matured in a fine Oloroso Sherry Butt, there is a tremendous balance of mixed candied peel and stewed dark fruits sprinkled with dark Demerara. Delicious waves of toffee, cracked barley and warm oak spices combine to give a long and elegant finish.

    Just like last year's collection, all the whiskies are in exceedingly short supply. Whether for drinking or investment, buying early will maximise your PFM (pleasure for money ratio).

    Distilled in 1971, cask 2920 is a Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon. Bottled November 2014, this 43 Years Old is at a natural strength of 48.6% Alc./Vol. Only 523 bottles produced.

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