127 products

Single Grain

"I wish I had a twenty pound note for each time I had been told in recent years how much someone enjoys a single grain" says Jim Murray, "The ones the connoisseurs die for are the older versions." Grain whisky is distilled in a column still from a variety of cereals like corn or wheat with a touch of malted barley for good measure. It's wood matured and, yes, it's classified as genuine whisky. Just like single malts, grain whiskies have their own style and signature. But because they've been almost entirely reserved for the blended whisky market, they've been much harder to find. It's only in the last decade that more and more single grain whiskies are being offered to flaunt the fact that they can be stunning in their own right - and some with prices as big as their age statements!
    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
    Cameron Brig Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    Reduced from $84.99
    $74. 99
    Bottle
    $899.88 Dozen
    ABV: 40%

    No age statement appears on this single grain whisky from Scotland's oldest and largest grain distillery, Cameronbridge. In 2007, present day owners, Diageo allocated 40 million pounds to improve the site, including a new tun room, fermenters, three new mash tuns and an effluent treatment plant which supplies energy via methane gas to run the distillery. The facility operates three Coffey stills and one patent still with nine columns for producing neutral spirits such as gin and vodka. Whiskies produced here are mainly distilled from wheat then matured in ex-Bourbon casks. They tend towards light, fruity styles, worth introducing non-Scotch whisky drinkers to. 40% Alc./Vol.

    No tasting notes available.


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    • 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.

    • 92
    • Nick's Import
    2006 Claxton's Exploration Series Cameronbridge 15 Year Old Single Cask Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $150. 00
    Bottle
    $1800.00 Dozen
    ABV: 50%

    At first taste this relatively young grain feels like the richer vanillas are just starting to get the better of underlying spices and astringency. Give it enough air contact and the aromas and flavours soften then expand with creaming soda, gold rum, Bourbon soaked vanillas and hints of poached pear and pineapple. Dried coconut and milk chocolate follow in an oily finish that extends the aftertaste. Defies expectations. A classic grain profile with both body and balance. Ruby Port cask matured. 50% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    • 94
    • Nick's Import
    Claxton's Grain Barn 30 Year Old Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $199. 00
    Bottle
    $2388.00 Dozen
    ABV: 48%

    A polished and simply delicious grain at a bargain price.

    New for 2022, the Bourbon-barrelled 'Grain Barn' is as the name suggests, a single grain matured in former barns at Claxton's Dalswinton Bond. Created to bring the category further into the limelight, it's a shining example of just how assured grain whisky can be. At the time of writing, from the original 1500 bottles there were only about 50 left at Claxtons (word has got out!) It starts with a well-weighted bouquet mingling banofee pie, sticky date, vanilla fudge and cocoa, following on the palate with impressive depth and barely a hint of heat; You get a sultry, slow-motion cascade of Bounty bar, mocha and vanilla wafer biscuit flavours that continues to build texture. By the finish it's buttery and borderline luscious. A polished and simply delicious grain at a bargain price, it comes handsomely presented to boot. And like almost everything else from this bottler, it's nice to see they've released it at a decent ABV. Don't miss out. 48% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. Batch 001 tasted.

    2006 Cooper's Choice Girvan 16 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $180. 00
    Bottle
    $2160.00 Dozen
    ABV: 57.5%

    600 bottles make up a slightly larger outturn than is typical for Cooper's Choice in an unusual Oloroso sherry-finished single grain from Girvan. One of our favourites when it comes to grain distilleries, this relative youngster will have added weight and complexity from time in a sherry butt. 57.5% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    1993 Cooper's Choice Strathclyde 28 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $280. 00
    Bottle
    $3360.00 Dozen
    ABV: 49.5%

    Strathclyde is not too far from Glasgow and was originally built to produce gin, but has since become an important producer of wheat-based grain whisky for large volume Scotch blends. Owned by Pernod Ricard, it's safe to assume a majority finds its way into Chivas Regal products. This single cask example has spent its entire 28 years in an ex-first fill Bourbon barrel yielding 198 bottles. It sounds old for a whisky, but many grains at this age are still too young and disjointed. Having said that, we tasted a 26 year old Cooper's Choice several years ago (of the same or similar liquid) and it was solid. Anticipate another notable selection here. 49.5% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    • 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'.

    • 93
    Gleann Mor Spirits Distilled at a Lowland Distillery in Ayrshire 8 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $130. 00
    Bottle
    $1560.00 Dozen
    ABV: 50%

    Distilled in April 2013 at an undisclosed lowland Ayrshire-based distillery and bottled by Edinburgh based Independent bottlers, Gleann Mor Spirits in November 2021. 3-4 minutes of air contact reveals attractive malty definition and depth on the nose, following through in a superb melt-in-your mouth delivery of buttered pop corn, shortbread, honey, light caramels with sweet oily barley with tingling spices in support. Ends like a fruity Speysider (pears and apples). Simple but absolutely delicious malt that could be mistaken for a whisky twice its age. 50% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    Notes from the bottlers... A mix of sweet, dark fruit and fresh tobacco leaves. Sweet bourbon, dark honey, and oranges with a little mint in the mouth; a long sweet spicy finish.

    • 94
    • Hot Item
    • Nick's Import
    1992 House of MacDuff The Golden Cask Girvan 29 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $275. 00
    Bottle
    $3300.00 Dozen
    ABV: 52.9%

    A Girvan approaching peak maturity. All the usual suspects are present - heady vanillas, caramels, hints of bourbon and gold rum, but the sugars are checked by herbal teas (chamomile) and hints of green apples. Tasted after ample air contact, the palate softens and richens up like a fat, buttery Chardonnay. If sweet grains are your thing, this turns out to be a classically lush and well-rounded expression, right through to the fine-tuned sweet/dry ending that finishes like a great wine. 52.9% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. 107 bottles from an ex-Bourbon hogshead.

    • 92
    • Nick's Import
    1988 House of MacDuff The Golden Cask Invergordon 34 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $299. 00
    Bottle
    $3588.00 Dozen
    ABV: 51.9%

    This well-aged Invergordon suggests water crackers and white pepper before budding sweetness brings forward notes of toasted marshmallow, ripe peach and gold rum. Deeper on the palate, but remains a linear, sleek style of grain with surprising vibrancy. The later stages build complexity and body adding dried coconut, milk chocolate and hints of green wood. Late oily richness brings back the sugars. Add water to broaden the mouthfeel and accent Bounty bar and an old Bourbon character. 51.9% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. One of 266 bottles from an x Bourbon hogshead.

    • 92
    • Nick's Import
    2007 House of MacDuff The Golden Cask Invergordon 15 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $150. 00
    Bottle
    $1800.00 Dozen
    ABV: 63.8%

    Relatively young, assertive, but not aggressive and just starting to pick up sweetness. Light vanillas, creamy soda, cereals, cinnamon and white pepper come through on the nose. More mature in the mouth. Plump and rounded. Borderline buttery through the middle with oils adding an unctuous texture, balanced against the oak and late spices. Buxom and out of the ordinary for grain at this age. 63.8% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered. 258 bottles from an x-Bourbon hogshead.

    • 93
    • Nick's Import
    2006 House of MacDuff The Golden Cask Cameronbridge 15 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $150. 00
    Bottle
    $1800.00 Dozen
    ABV: 59.7%

    A teenager grain with a richness beyond its years. Sweetly scented woods, ginger, pine chips and vanilla develop on the nose, followed by a wave of vanilla wafers, dried peach, dates and caramel fudge on the palate. Bold and Bourbony, the juicy finish is long and textural, climaxing with lively spices and a succulent oily-grain character. Hints of pineapple pudding too. Precocious, with the personality of a corn-heavy Kentuckian or Irish pot still. 59.7% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered. 283 bottles from an ex-Bourbon barrel.

    • 93
    • Nick's Import
    2004 Lady of the Glen Port Dundas Single Cask #73895 17 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $180. 00
    Bottle
    $2160.00 Dozen
    ABV: 58.1%

    Tasting note: Normally matured in Bourbon barrels, Lady of the Glen take single grain whisky in a new direction with a twelve month finishing in oloroso casks. This Port Dundas shows a rummy aspect on the nose, followed by the usual grain vanillas, intensified by dried apricots and fig jam. Soft and sensual on entry with a burst of dried apricots and warming spirit. Sweet grain vies with oloroso at the finish which has a drying influence, almost clashing. Overall, the sherry gives the whisky a slightly 'maltier' feel and it works unexpectedly well - adding substance and interest to what might otherwise have being just another grain. 58.1% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. 603 bottles.

    Notes from the bottlers... Rosemary & thyme, Dried apricots and Toffee and nuts.

    • 91
    Loch Lomond Spearhead Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $59. 99
    Bottle
    $719.88 Dozen
    ABV: 43%

    When it comes to low ABV, NAS grain whiskies, expectations aren't high, especially when the marketing is aimed at the cocktail market. Spearhead’s website urges us to forget typical whisky stereotypes, declaring it to be “more mixable than your traditional tipple.” Like other single grains, the brand is distilled in a column still which some believe produces whisky with an average mouthfeel. Spearhead's a bit different because it's made at Loch Lomond where they employ 100% malted barley instead of 'lesser' grains like wheat or corn. It makes all the difference. Add to that a combination of infrared and fire-toasted American oak barrels and you have a winning formula. The aromas grab you with generous notes of poached orchard fruits (ripe red apples) young Bourbon, banana cake and dried coconut and translate nicely into a soft, rounded texture with ripe Summer fruits and an easy finish. Toasted marshmallows, coconut and spice add balance. It almost tastes like single malt. Prepare to be surprised. 43% Alc./Vol.

    1971 Murray McDavid Port Dundas 46 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $1250. 00
    Bottle
    $15000.00 Dozen
    ABV: 47.7%

    Another auspicious moment for grain whisky: Not quite the oldest, but up there with some of the most venerable Port Dundas bottlings to have ever graced our shelves. Either young or well-aged, output from this long-closed legend can be superlative, ranking among the best grains on the planet. Independents Murray McDavid released this single refill bourbon barrel #14001 in 2018 at a natural strength of 47.7% Alc./Vol. A fraction of the 200 bottle outturn has just arrived in Australia. Given Diageo's official 52 year old commanded $1300 back in 2018, the price of admission remains reasonable. Expect notes of buttery toffee, fruit crumble, nuts and oak spice with a super long, satisfyingly sweet finish. Non chill filtered. Closed distillery / Collectable.

    • Nick's Import
    1991 Signatory Vintage Cambus 30 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml) - 55.4%
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $399. 00
    Bottle
    $4788.00 Dozen
    ABV: 55.4%

    Signatory regularly offer a number of single grains, all worth consideration. Here's another, and one of the rarer selections. Prized by blenders, Cambus was closed in 1993. At a going rate of under $14 dollars per year of maturation, we'd say this is very reasonable buying. Pale coloured, Signatory have matured it in a refill butt before emptying it in 2022 with an outturn of 439 bottles. 55.4% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    1965 Wu Dram Clan Invergordon 55 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $1999. 00
    Bottle
    $23988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 40%

    An exceptionally old Invergordon bottled by Wu Dram Clan - three whisky fanatics who happened to meet on Islay and formed a lifelong friendship. The group consists of Takesado from Japan, Boris from Munich, and Sebastian from the Black Forest, Germany. Each of the founding members brings a unique skill set to the table and all adhere to the philosophy that what matters entirely is the content of the bottle. Single grain enthusiasts will already know Invergordon as one of the big names in the category. Established in 1960 and owned by Whyte & Mackay, it goes into a number of blends throughout Scotland. Aged for five and a half decades in an ex-Bourbon hogshead, this super-old single cask expression was distilled December 1965 and bottled June 2021 yielding 228 bottles at a natural strength of 40% abv. Grain whisky at this age can be an amazing experience - a fact that more and more whisky lovers are beginning to cotton on to. We have a tiny number of the original consignment allocated for Australia.

    Other reviews... This IS cask strength and most probably the oldest grain whisky ever bottled (ready to be proven wrong). These people are crazy. Colour: full gold. Nose: it needs to be said that the 1960s Invergordons do rule supreme over my 'grainy list' (which doesn't quite exist in real life but there). This is rather a kind of complex soup, with bits of artichoke, asparagus, leek or cauliflower, all that seasoned with whisky and triple-sec as well as a little miso and umami sauce. A little crushed overripe banana too, perhaps manioc, celeriac, parsnips… It's getting fractal, in fact, just wait and many tinier aromas will start to parade under your nostrils. Mouth: salty and slightly varnishy at first, with some bouillons, then rather on seasoned fruit juices. I was about to mention sweet guacamole. Perhaps not. Banana chutney, mango chutney, more bouillon… The body's obviously a notch thin(nish) but in no way does it become frustrating. Drops of banana wine, mullein syrup, woodruff syrup… Finish: short, naturally, but once again that isn't frustrating at all. Sweet teas, vanilla-ed rooibos, a tiny touch of liquorice wood, perhaps a few mirabelles… Once again a faint varnishy return in the aftertaste, which is typically 'grain whisky' in my book. Comments: I'll say it, I liked the Cameronbridge rather better, but I find it crazy that this imperilled masterpiece was still alive, and rather beautifully so. An ode to time. 89 points - whiskyfun.com

    Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Very bright and gentle. The generic coconut notes seem to have evaporated after all these years, here I find more ripe bananas, tinned pineapples and guavas, with marzipan and fresh citrus. Minty notes. Natural vanilla. Hints of cellulose varnish, nicely integrated. Hints of fragrant sandalwood and caramelized nuts. There’s a great rummy side to it as well. Palate: Lacking the thick, creamy side that you often get in grains, but not weak. Fresh citrus, dried ginger, still some pineapple notes. Pleasant sour notes which make it brighter. Hints of ‘pencil liqueur’ (let’s hope it doesn’t exist), which means you get an oaky touch but in a sweet and rounded way. Almonds and a hint of white pepper in the end. Finish: Surprisingly long, with bananas, nutmeg and a pinch of pepper. This is a surprisingly fresh senior, kind of a rum and grain mix-up. The underlying sweetness keeps the wood at bay and brings along a Caribbean character.

     

     

    1972 Adelphi Invergordon 43 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Highlands, SCOTLAND
    $599. 00
    Bottle
    $7188.00 Dozen
    ABV: 42.2%
    The latest installment of whiskies from the acclaimed independent bottler, Adelphi, has just arrived in Australia. This year, the allocations are smaller than ever with some expressions limited to just one bottle.

    The Invergordon Distillery occupies an eighty-acre site on the northern shore of the Cromarty Firth in the northeast Highlands, surrounded by some of the best arable land in Scotland. The place takes its name from an eighteenth-century laird, Sir William Gordon. It is one of the best deep-water harbours in Europe and was an important commercial port and naval base. The distillery was commissioned in 1959 to create employment in the area, following the departure of the Royal Navy.

    This ultra rare expression is one of only 140 bottles from a refill ex-Bourbon barrel. 42.2% Alc./Vol.
    • 93
    • Reduced
    1991 Asta Morris Cambus 24 Year Old Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    Reduced from $270.00
    $170. 00
    Bottle
    $2040.00 Dozen
    ABV: 50%
    Tasting note: Matured in a Bourbon cask. Bright gold. Slightly bashful; hints of baking apples, vanilla wafer and light caramel but better after 5 minutes. A sweet and silky grain with a delicious thread of cream sponge and kit-kat bar; thicker and more luxurious towards the finish, finally unraveling with hints of vanilla malt, caramel fudge and ripe peach. Medium long but rebounds late. 50% Alc./Vol. Just under 200 bottles.
    1996 Berry Bros & Rudd North British 18 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $220. 00
    Bottle
    $2640.00 Dozen
    ABV: 56.8%

    Jim Murray described a sister cask of this as "Exemplary." (94 points). We have one only of this Berry's selection, and it's all the more unusual for being matured in an oloroso sherry butt, which the bottlers say, is particularly evident on the nose where you'll pick up some marmalade notes, dried fruits and brittle toffee. It's also one of the darkest single grains we've ever seen!

    North British is Edinburgh's last remaining distillery, continuing to supply famous blends such as J&B, Cutty Sark, The Famous Grouse and Johnnie Walker. They never bottle whisky under their own label. A high percentage of maize (corn) is combined with a smaller proportion of malted barley. Non chill filtered. 56.8% Alc./Vol.

    • 94
    • Nick's Import
    1996 Berry Bros & Rudd North British 20 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $199. 00
    Bottle
    $2388.00 Dozen
    ABV: 54.8%
    Another grain whisky demonstrating this category deserves long overdue respect.

    Edinburgh's last remaining distillery, North British supplies famous blends such as J&B, Cutty Sark, The Famous Grouse and Johnnie Walker. They never bottle whisky under their own label. A high percentage of maize (corn) is combined with a smaller proportion of malted barley. This one's all the more unusual for being matured in refill sherry butts, which the bottlers say is particularly evident on the nose where you'll pick up some marmalade notes, dried fruits and nut shells. Distilled in 1996 and bottled in 2017, this gets huge praise from Jim Murray below. Non chill filtered. 54.8% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews... Let's say you were a blender working on a high grade 21 year old blend and a sample of this came your into your lab as you worked out the next year's batch. You would be thrilled. This gives everything you'd want as it is far from neutral and a few casks of those would bolster your honey profile to sort out any oak from elsewhere which have gone a bit dry and gung ho early on. Exemplary. 94.5 points - Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2020
    • 94
    • Nick's Import
    • Reduced
    2006 Berry Bros & Rudd Girvan 11 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    Reduced from $160.00
    $120. 00
    Bottle
    $1440.00 Dozen
    ABV: 56.6%
    Tasting note: Finished in a Laphroaig cask. Pale gold. Like no other grain we’ve tasted before… A dry, minerally, earthy smokiness infuses the bitter cocoa and vanillas. Later, lucerne bails, a touch of old kelp... Sooty and fruity on entry, the smokey dark chocolate notes surfacing through the middle stages. More ashy, textural and finely tannic to finish. Lots of dark chocolate, lanolin, light vanilla and earthy peat through the aftertaste. No need for water. Enjoy as is. 56.6% Alc./Vol.
    • Nick's Import
    • Reduced
    1988 Berry Bros & Rudd Invergordon 28 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    Reduced from $240.00
    $199. 00
    Bottle
    $2388.00 Dozen
    ABV: 57.9%
    Previous Invergordon selections from BBR have been more complex than your usual extra-aged grains. At near three decades old, barrel # 26962 promises aromas and flavours of roasted oak, apple and melon peels with a hint of menthol, some honey and cinnamon, while the Bourbon barrel's influence comes through with notes of buttery vanilla and crème caramel.
    Very limited stocks. Non chill filtered. 57.9% Alc./Vol.
    • 88
    1992 Berry Brothers & Rudd North British 18 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    $220. 00
    Bottle
    $2640.00 Dozen
    ABV: 56.8%
    Tasting note: [Sherry Butt #224776 tasted] Dull copper / amber colour. A whiff of rubber band and a blast of spirit heat. Several minutes fails to stimulate the aromatic range beyond vague notes of vanilla and stewed apple. A creamy entry leads into a mildly bittersweet attack. Fleeting rum like sugars are closed by bitter cocoa, alcoholic prickle and drying oak. Narrows to next to nothing in the final stages. 56.8% Alc./Vol.
    Cadenheads Port Dundas 20 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $160. 00
    Bottle
    $1920.00 Dozen
    ABV: 55.4%
    Wow! Look at the price on this twenty year old! (A 52 year old was recently selling for $1200!) Matured in a Bourbon hogshead and bottled at cask strength with zero chill filtration. From a total outturn of 258 bottles we have a handful. Snap it up!
    Notes from Cadenhead's tasting team: "Nose: Sugared almonds; sweet icing sugar; perfume. Palate: An initial burst of flavour which then develops into smooth well rounded dram."

    Based in Glasgow, the historic Port Dundas distillery was a big contributor to blends like Bell's, Black & White, Haig, J&B and Johnnie Walker, amongst others. It closed in 2009 after Diageo moved the majority of its grain whisky production to Cameronbridge.
    1987 Cadenheads Single Cask Caledonian 28 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $320. 00
    Bottle
    $3840.00 Dozen
    ABV: 52.3%
    There are quite a few closed grain distilleries in Scotland: Carsebridge, Cambus, Dumbarton, Garnheath. Not to mention the very rare Caledonian, one of the biggest of them all, founded in 1855 and closed in 1988. This cask strength edition from Cadenhaeds was drawn from a single Bourbon hogshead. One only available. 52.3% Alc./Vol. 246 bottles.
    1989 Cadenheads Original Collection Strathclyde 31 Year Old Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $280. 00
    Bottle
    $3360.00 Dozen
    ABV: 46%
    Strathclyde is a massive grain distillery owned by Pernod Ricard, located in the Glasgow suburb of the Gorbals. Churning out 40 million litres of spirit every year (primarily using a wheat base), the majority goes into blending. However, even grain distillers like to set a small portion aside for some advanced ageing. This one's all-American oak matured and well priced given the considerable age statement. Very limited stocks. 46% Alc./Vol.
    1989 Cadenheads Small Batch North British Distillery 24 Year Old Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $169. 00
    Bottle
    $2028.00 Dozen
    ABV: 46%
    The joys of a well-aged single grain whisky! Admittedly they're not for everyone, but if you can find decades-old examples at reasonable prices, they're almost irresistible. Find one with serious complexity and you'll be hooked. This promises the lot.

    The North British distillery supplies famous blends such as J&B, Cutty Sark, The Famous Grouse and Johnnie Walker. They never bottle whisky under their own label. So whilst almost any whisky lover would have tried a whisky to which North British has contributed, very few would have had the opportunity to taste it on its own. This example from Cadenheads was distilled in 1989 and bottled in 2014 after maturation in a Bourbon barrel yielding just 240 bottles. We have less than a handful on offer.

    Notes from Cadenhead's... "Nose Lots of toffee, melted butter, white chocolate and hints of ginger. Palate Thick and chewy vanilla ice cream, some biscuity notes and lots of caramel notes. Finish Following the intense creamy toffee notes more of the spices emerge, particularly ginger and cinnamon with sparkling lemon notes." 46% Alc./Vol.
    1972 Cadenheads Small Batch Invergordon 43 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $299. 00
    Bottle
    $3588.00 Dozen
    ABV: 48.3%
    What other whisky category will give you a 43 year old dram for $300?! (Good single malt of the same age will set you back well over $1000). Distilled in 1972 and bottled in 2016, this remarkably old expression is one of only 468 bottles from two ex-Bourbon barrels. Going by the tasting notes, it's a classic grain profile. Sneak it into a blind bourbon session and see what happens.

    Cadenhead's notes… Nose: vanilla, caramel custard, milk butter and marzipan. Palate: Cream, butter, salted popcorn and oatcakes. Finish: Cheesecake, lemon zest, oranges and pears with milk bottle chews. 48.3% Alc./Vol.

    The Invergordon Distillery occupies an eighty-acre site on the northern shore of the Cromarty Firth in the northeast Highlands, surrounded by some of the best arable land in Scotland. The place takes its name from an eighteenth-century laird, Sir William Gordon. It's one of the best deep-water harbours in Europe and was an important commercial port and naval base. The distillery was commissioned in 1959 to create employment in the area, following the departure of the Royal Navy. Here's one for all you Springbank aficionados: Invergordon is the distillery where Frank McHardy started his career in whisky production. It was also the home of the stills for Ben Wyvis, which now produce Glengyle in Campbeltown.
    Cadenheads Small Batch Strathclyde 25 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $240. 00
    Bottle
    $2880.00 Dozen
    ABV: 57.8%
    Single grain whisky in this form is most unusual, even on the shelves of passionate whisky retailers like ourselves. Independent releases are scarce, while official bottlings are almost unheard of.

    Grain whisky is the foundation for all blended Scotch whiskies, thus grain whisky producers tend to be large operations, mostly located in the Lowlands and using continuous stills only, as opposed to pot stills. The whisky can be produced from almost any type of grain, however the most commonly used are wheat and corn along with a little malted barley. These former cereals are cheaper than barley used for single malts, and unlike single malt distilleries, upscaling production is quite viable, hence the non proliferation of these projects in Scotland. Instead, they just get bigger. There numbers have actually declined in the last few decades. There are only about seven currently in operation.

    The joys of a well aged grain whisky are not universally appreciated, and in comparison to single malts, single grains are often much maligned. Those who have experienced the superb complexity that the best examples attain try to keep these gems of the whisky world their own little secret. This peculiar bottling comes from the Strathclyde distillery, located in the heart of Glasgow and now owned by Pernod Ricard (think Chivas). Established in 1927, distillation here takes place in a two column system.

    Distilled in 1989 and bottled in 2014 at natural strength after 25 years in Bourbon barrels, a mere 348 bottles have been made available from the reputable independent bottler, Cadenheads.

    Other reviews... Nose: Quite rye like, lots of digestive biscuits, melted butter with pineapples and clotted cream. Palate: Sweet, dried bananas, some grassy notes and then pineapple chews. Soft strawberry yoghurt notes and then white pepper. Finish: Big whisky, very creamy, lots of dry spices and then coconut, hints of peanut butter and then more creaminess. - Cadenheads
    Cadenheads Individual Cask 19 Year Old Cameronbridge Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $150. 00
    Bottle
    $1800.00 Dozen
    ABV: 59.4%
    Founded in 1824 by John Haig, Cameronbridge is the oldest grain whisky distillery in Scotland and remains the largest. Apart from producing one of only two proprietary bottled single grain Scotch whiskies available in the U.K. (Cameron Brig), Cameronbridge is ocassionally 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.

    We enjoyed the previous bottling of this whisky oddity. Given Cadehead's track record for selecting seriously good casks, we anticipate this to be quite unique. Blenders demand means grain whiskies are rare. Finding one at natural strength and with decent age behind it is a whisky completionist's dream.

    Filled into a Bourbon hogshead in March 2009. Only 301 bottles produced. 59.4% Alc./Vol.

    No tasting notes available.

    1988 Cadenheads Small Batch Port Dundas 27 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $230. 00
    Bottle
    $2760.00 Dozen
    ABV: 50.9%
    Based in Glasgow, the historic Port Dundas distillery closed after Diageo moved the majority of its grain whisky production to Cameronbridge. It traditionally contributed to blends, including Bell's, Black & White, Haig, J&B, Johnnie Walker, Vat 69 and White Horse. This is a relatively old example from Cadenheads, distilled in 1988 and bottled at natural strength after nearly three decades in two Bourbon hogsheads. For such an old whisky, the value for money speaks for itself.

    Cadenheads notes…. Higher alcohols initially that fade into a biscuity and creamy nose. Honeycomb, brown sugar, golden syrup and ginger nut biscuits. The finish is very mouth warming, more ginger nuts and spicy sticky toffee pudding. 50.9% Alc./Vol.
    1985 Cadenheads Small Batch North British Distillery 32 Year Old Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $280. 00
    Bottle
    $3360.00 Dozen
    ABV: 55.2%
    The joys of a well-aged single grain whisky! Admittedly they're not for everyone, but if you can find decades-old examples at reasonable prices, they're almost irresistible. Find one with serious complexity and you'll be hooked. This promises the lot.

    The North British distillery supplies famous blends such as J&B, Cutty Sark, The Famous Grouse and Johnnie Walker. They never bottle whisky under their own label. So whilst almost any whisky lover would have tried a whisky to which North British has contributed, very few would have had the opportunity to taste it on its own. This example from Cadenheads was distilled in 1985 and bottled in 2018 yielding just 582 bottles. We have less than a handful on offer.

    Notes from Cadenheads suggest aromas of green olives and cheesecake base, along with a subtle palate of ground spices and soft chewy toffee. 55.2% Alc./Vol.
    • 97
    • Nick's Import
    1975 Cambus 40 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml) - Special Release 2016
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $1299. 00
    Bottle
    $15588.00 Dozen
    ABV: 52.7%
    From a closed distillery, this investment-grade grain was one of the highest rated whiskies in Jim Murray's 2020 Bible. "Flawless." 97 points - Jim Murray

    Cambus has been marketed at various ages, as well as a no-age-statement. Now a grandfather 40-year-old is on offer as part of Diageo’s 2016 Special Releases. It's also the oldest whisky in this year's collection and only the third time a grain whisky has featured since the Special release programme commenced in 2001.

    A roller coaster history that started in the early 19th century finally came to a close in 1993 as part of Diageo’s infrastructure reorganisation. In 2011, the distilling equipment was removed and Cambus was converted to a warehouse and cooperage, consolidating nearby Carsebridge and Dundashill in Glasgow.

    In Scotland, grain whiskies can be produced from almost any type of grain, however, the most common examples employ wheat, corn and a little malted barley. Column stills replace copper pot stills, the former resulting in a light, clean and fruity spirit, mostly used to stretch out blends. Not surprisingly, single grains are maligned by malt snobs yet this underdog category has its place. Matured in refill American oak hogsheads, just 1,812 bottles of this extraordinary dram have been produced. One for collectors, whisky nerds and completionists, it also comes with a glowing review from Serge Valentin below. Stocks are extremely limited.

    Other reviews... One of the old closed grain distilleries, Cambus stopped working in 1993. The bottle is superb, I have to admit. Colour: gold. Nose: medicinal alcohol on croissants and coconut cake, plus a lot of custard and herbal tea. Dog roses, perhaps? Notes of mirabelle pie. A rather elegant grain whisky, I especially enjoy all this white chocolate that comes through after two minutes. With water: toasts and marmalade, in all softness. Mouth (neat): really very good (yes, S. speaking), full of mangos and papayas, plus plums and hay jelly. Hay jelly’s excellent, try that on foie gras! What’s really excellent as well is that it’s not too dominated by vanilla and coconut. Well it’s not dominated at all. Great surprise. With water: a little grenadine, rhubarb, and more rhubarb. Rhubarb pie with a little cinnamon, and drizzles of lime juice. Perhaps wacky guavas too. Finish: medium, clean, limy, soft, with a little lavender (sweets) and violet drops. Comments: seriously, this is an excellent surprise, on second thought there are even nods to high-end tequilas. Now could grain whisky, even when old, be worth £750, I don’t quite know, but what’s sure is that I like this Cambus just as much as last year’s Caledonian.
    89 points - www.whiskyfun.com
    • 89
    Cameronbridge 26 Year Old (Special Release 2022) Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $599. 00
    Bottle
    $7188.00 Dozen
    ABV: 56.2%

    Other reviews... Matured in refill American oak, the nose has honey on hot porridge, peppercorn, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, green foliage, and hints of toffee. At full strength there is orange peel, grapefruit, pepper, red apple, and fiery spices, followed by pomegranate and cherry Life Savers, with more measured fruitiness as the spices ebb away. Although the grain distillery is named Cameronbridge, the expression’s name acknowledges past bottlings like Cameron Brig. 89 points - whiskyadvocate.com

    1995 Carn Mor "Celebration of the Cask" North British 22 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $399. 00
    Bottle
    $4788.00 Dozen
    ABV: 57%
    Unusual to find grain whisky matured in a sherry cask. This one from cask number 51762 was a run of just 234 bottles offered at a natural strength of 57% Alc./Vol. Grain lovers will know North British distillery supplies famous blends such as J&B, Cutty Sark, The Famous Grouse and Johnnie Walker but never bottle whisky under their own label. Very limited stocks.
    • 90
    1991 Carn Mor "Celebration of the Cask" Cambus 28 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $299. 00
    Bottle
    $3588.00 Dozen
    ABV: 60.6%
    Tasting note: Cambus is a Diageo owned distillery that's recently been marketed with some impressive age statements. This one's a 'late middle ager'. Bright gold. Beyond the opening whiffs of modelling glue, rum-like aromatics come to the fore: Peppermint rock lollies, vanilla fudge, bounty bar and drier scents of oak shavings. A cross between Irish Pot Still and gold rum, the palate delivers medium-sweet; vanilla, caramel fudge and banoffee pie flavours before turning gently bitter, with butterscotch, cocoa and raw sugar. Big ABV yet remarkably tame and accessible. 60.6% Alc./Vol. 515 bottles drawn from a sherry butt.
    1970 Carsebridge (Special Release 2018) 48 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    SCOTLAND
    $1399. 00
    Bottle
    $16788.00 Dozen
    ABV: 43.2%
    Of the ten expressions on offer in Diageo's 2018 collection, this one's the oldest. Just 1000 bottles are available worldwide. Sourced from one of Scotland's long lost distilleries, Carsebridge closed in 1983 and was subsequently demolished. Matured in x Bourbon barrels, it arrives with a massive score from whiskyadvocate.com. Just four bottles were allocated to Victoria. We have one only to sell.

    Other reviews... Sure, the oldest of this year’s Diageo Special Releases manifests the brown-and-orange world of 1970 incarnate, but it does so in glorious fashion. Golden and warm, dessert-like, with bread-and-butter pudding, spun sugar, plenty of oak character, lavender honey, golden puff pastry, perfumery scents, and the first fruits plucked from the orangerie. Quite simply the grooviest thing to come out of Alloa this year.
    95 points Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2018)
    • Nick's Import
    1989 Claxton's Warehouse No.1 North British 32 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $250. 00
    Bottle
    $3000.00 Dozen
    ABV: 51%

    Opportunity knocks in a three decader grain whisky selling for a song. Matured in a PX Sherry hogshead, it will likely have gained enough weight and mouthfeel to make it taste closer to a malt. We have very limited stocks from a run of 344 bottles at a natural strength of 51% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered.

    Notes from the bottlers... NOSE: Ripe banana. Fruit salad. Sweet oak. PALATE: Sweet at first but bursting with ripe fruits (peach, melon). FINISH: Long and sweet with aniseed, ripe pear and hints of cola.

    • 92
    • Nick's Import
    2000 Claxton's Warehouse No.1 Dumbarton 21 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $199. 00
    Bottle
    $2388.00 Dozen
    ABV: 58.6%

    Also known as 'Inverleven', Dumbarton is one of the more revered single grains, partly because the distillery was decommissioned in 1985, but mainly due to its reputation for high quality. We've tasted some older versions that have been nothing less than stunning. This is middle-aged for the category. A sprightly nose, at first nondescript, then sporting intense aromas of mocha, coffee cake and sticky date pudding before late marzipan gives way to a twang of sulphur. Because it's maize (corn) based rather than wheat, it's far from your average single grain profile with a 'sherry-esque' quality that would satisfy malt lovers. The Amarone barrique leaves no distinctive trace of the wine, besides an unctuous mid-palate where sweet red fruits almost break through the bitter chocolate, spice and chewy astringency leaving you with a fleeting grapey juiciness. Experiment with water. Any way you approach it, this is no grain for beginners. 197 bottles produced. 58.6% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. Collectable.

    Notes from the bottlers... NOSE: Crème Brulee. Chartreuse. Poached pear. PALATE: Icing sugar. Marzipan. Hint of grape juice. FINISH: Big and sweet finish. Hints of oak and spice.

    • 90
    • Nick's Import
    • Reduced
    2006 Claxton's Warehouse No.8 Cameronbridge 15 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    Reduced from $199.00
    $150. 00
    Bottle
    $1800.00 Dozen
    ABV: 48.3%

    Looks, smells and tastes more like a single malt, or perhaps, well-sherried Irish Pot Still. The give-away is the advanced colour, the result of a spell in an Oloroso sherry octave. The nose starts off creamy and soft followed by sweet leather, hints of hazelnuts and grilled pineapple. Equally intriguing on the palate: A big, booming, malt-like dram with a zap of spices; Nutty oloroso rallies at the finish followed by fruity dark chocolate, pipe tobacco and new leather. Quite a statement for a humble grain. Just 43 bottles were filled! 48.3% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    • Nick's Import
    • Limit One per customer
    1970 Claxton's Dalswinton Series North of Scotland 50 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $899. 00
    Bottle
    $10788.00 Dozen
    ABV: 45.8%

    This 50 year old single cask has been selected to showcase the best of the Lowlands. A now silent distillery, 'North of Scotland' was considered one of the more flavoursome grain whiskies going around. Owner, George P. Christie made sure to include a higher than usual amount of congeners in the spirit cut. It was sold for the last time in 1982 to Distillers Company Ltd. However, prior to that, it was producing large volumes of both grain and malt whisky. In 1957, George P Christie purchased Robert Knox’s Forth Brewery for £10,000 and quickly converted the building into a malt and grain operation. In 1958 North of Scotland started producing grain whisky from its three patent stills. Malt whisky was produced from copper stills on the same site under the name of 'Strathmore'. North of Scotland continued turning out grains until 1980, when Christie, then concerned with the over production of grain whisky, took the decision to close. The building is now used solely as a bonded warehouse by Diageo. Claxton's very rare release was drawn from a single hogshead at 45.8% Alc./Vol. At the time of writing, it's the first time this ghost distillery has been available in Australia. Non chill filtered.

    Notes from Claxton's... Nose: Tiramisu. Crème Anglaise. Fresh vanilla. Hints of Maple syrup, ginger and biscuit. Palate: Soft at first with an oaky-vanilla sweetness. Aniseed and cinnamon. Cloves and honey. Finish: Deliciously dessert-like. An aftertaste full of brandy butter and brandy snaps.

    • 90
    • Nick's Import
    • Reduced
    2006 Claxton's Warehouse No.1 Port Dundas 15 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    Reduced from $150.00
    $125. 00
    Bottle
    $1500.00 Dozen
    ABV: 58.1%

    A fairly typical, sweet, middle-aged Port Dundas, light on the nose, with near zero alcohol burn and notable vanilla and Bounty bar aromas and flavours. It doesn't possess great complexity or length, but it's super-pure, and the subtle hints of pineapple pudding add interest to the finish. You could enjoy this straight or fluff it up with minimal water. 299 bottles from a Bourbon cask. Closed in 2009. 58.1% Alc./Vol Non chill filtered. Collectable.

    • 95
    • Nick's Import
    1991 Claxton's Warehouse No.1 Girvan 30 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $250. 00
    Bottle
    $3000.00 Dozen
    ABV: 55.5%

    Dryish, woody nose suggests pencil shavings. Some sprightly peppers add zing and lift. Enough air contact adds typical vanilla and bourbon notes plus a little peachy fruitiness. Satiny entry, intensifying in a sensational rush. Liquid Bounty Bar at mid palate; desiccated coconut beautifully defined through the finish. No shortage of vanillas or high end bourbon character either. Ends drier, pulsing on at length. Gorgeous grain. This is a steal. 55.5% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. 150 bottles.

    Notes from Claxton's... Nose: Melon balls. Soft vanilla and hints of oak. Sweetcorn in syrup. Palate: Sweet oak and spice at first. More soft fruits and corn flavours. Finish: More oak in the finish with waves of vanilla and sweetcorn.

    • 95
    • Nick's Import
    2000 Claxton's Exploration Series Port Dundas 20 Year Old Single Cask Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    $130. 00
    Bottle
    $1560.00 Dozen
    ABV: 50%

    Built at the highest point in Glasgow on the banks of the Forth & Clyde Canal, closed in 2010 then demolished a year later. Port Dundas starts life as a light and sweet distillate with long barrel ageing slowly adding body and depth. Here, the whisky is let down by the lacklustre bouquet with atypically dry grain aromas suggesting pine wood and shredded coconut. It needs ample coaxing to tease out sweeter rum-like notes but rebounds completely on delivery: Peaches, cream, mouthcoating vanillas and impeccable American oak combine with a sustained freshness. Bounty bar and vanilla wafer melt into the aftertaste. An alpha cask that could pass for A-grade Bourbon. Also a bargain. Surprises like this are why we love indies! 50% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    Notes from Claxton's... Nose: Melon balls. Icing sugar. Rum & raisin ice-cream. Anise. Palate: Sweet fruits at first before more rum notes and rich spices. Finish: Long sweet finish with lots of vanilla and icing sugar.

    • 92
    • Reduced
    1992 Cooper's Choice Cameronbridge 29 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    Reduced from $225.00
    $199. 99
    Bottle
    $2399.88 Dozen
    ABV: 51%

    One of the better price / age ratios we've tasted for this distillery. One shipment only.

    If you've never encountered Cameronbridge, it's the oldest grain whisky distillery in Scotland (est.1824) and remains the largest in Europe at over 130 million litres of spirit every year. Apart from producing one of only two proprietary bottled single grain Scotch whiskies available in the UK (Cameron Brig), Cameronbridge is occasionally available from independent bottlers. Wheat is sourced from the east coast of Scotland. 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 1992, this edition spent just shy of thirty years in an ex-bourbon cask. Compared to the Cooper's Choice North British tasted side by side (same age and vintage) this is slightly richer and more malt-like. While the aromas remain fairly predictable for the category, they also show an enticing freshness and depth that includes hints of citrus peel and roasted nuts. The palate takes off with a medium-dry, full bodied 'malty' middle rounded out by notes of balsa wood, vanilla and pepper-cinnamon warmth. Light oils enter alongside caramel chocolate, but it's never overly sweet; tingling spices and oak continue to develop through the aftertaste. Solid buying at this price. 240 bottles. 51% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    • 91
    • Reduced
    1992 Cooper's Choice North British 29 Year Old Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)
    Lowlands, SCOTLAND
    Reduced from $225.00
    $185. 00
    Bottle
    $2220.00 Dozen
    ABV: 44.5%

    Priced at less than $8 per year of maturation, expect this to go fast! One shipment only.

    Thirty years is usually a good time for single grains. A richness bestowed by long ageing accumulates, while some of the spirit's youthful spark is retained. The right balance gives you a profile that can approach venerable single malts for weight and texture (less the four figure price tag). In this case, we have a blossoming North British that feels like it's still got room to develop. A 20ml sample revealed classic notes of dried banana, vanilla bean, desiccated coconut and milk chocolate. The palate is almost rum-like at first; unripe banana and pineapple merge into dark chocolate, drying with fine astringency and a peppery kick before light vanilla wafers carry the aftertaste. Beyond the usual grain whisky notes, it's those unusual fruity elements that contribute interest to this surprisingly intense, very tasty example. North British continues to supply grain whisky for use in blends such as Cutty Sark, Famous Grouse, Chivas Regal, J&B, Isle of Skye and Johnnie Walker. They never bottle whisky under their own label, so this is a genuine opportunity for completionists. A fraction of the original 390 bottles are on offer. 44.5% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

Show 48 More

Single grain whiskies - more than just a background canvas for blends.

We love a good single grain whisky, but they're an unusual sight even on the shelves of passionate whisky retailers like ourselves. In Scotland the style can be produced from almost any type of grain, with the resulting whisky mostly used to stretch out blends. Not surprisingly, single grains are much maligned by malt snobs. Yet this underdog category is has its place. For whisky nerds or completionists, extra matured bottlings are well worth tasting. 30 or even 50 year old expressions can be surprisingly affordable. Older examples from Cameronbridge, Cambus and Girvan are all worth seeking out.

Making Single Grain Whisky.

Today there are seven grain distilleries operating in Scotland. They're large, functional, industrial style buildings with little of the colourful history and romance that attracts throngs of tourists to the charming Single Malt distilleries. The creation of single grain whiskies is broadly similar to that of malt whisky, only the raw materials and the equipment are different. The mash from which grain whisky is made uses unmalted cereals - usually wheat or maize, it doesn't matter which, so distilleries can buy at the best price - together with a small amount of 'green' malt (barley which has germinated but not been kilned). Usually about 16% of malt is added: it has to be there to convert the starches in the other cereals into sugar, so it can be turned into alcohol by the yeast. Tall column stills are used in place of copper pot stills, the former resulting in a light, clean and fruity spirit that works as a catalyst when blended, releasing the flavours of the malts.

Add first-fill Bourbon casks to the mix, and you have an elegant, semi-sweet whisky which can develop layers of flavour and sophistication as it ages. Nikka's Coffey grain is a great young example. At 30 or 40 years, these whiskies can deliver a unique experience bordering on hedonism: Complex and shifting bouquets matched by luxurious textures and sumptuous flavours falling somewhere between the finest gold Rums or Bourbons or the very, very best Irish. For almost any wood-aged spirit category (bar Armagnac) the price / age ratios are frequently astonishing.

Buy Single Grain Scotch Whisky Online.

While a wide selection is not readily available, Nicks Wine Merchants endeavour to stock at least a few examples of Single Grain Whisky which you can buy online and have delivered to most of Australia.