Availability:
Sub $100 Super Value Single Malts
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Aberfeldy 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLAND$93. 99Bottle$1127.88 DozenABV: 40%Reserved for decades as the heart of the Dewars family of blended whiskies, Aberfeldy is now being released in limited quantities in 12 and 21 year old expressions. Recent awards for the 12 year old include:
- Grand Gold Medal – Monde Selection, Belgium
- Gold Medal – Concours Mondial, Belgium
- Silver Medal – International Wine and Spirits CompetitionTasting note: Bright gold. Initially impressions are of a fruit salad with striking scents of unripe canteloupe most salient along side dustings of dried coconut. Five minutes sees the fruity edge only slightly diminished. Light,silky entry builds into a soft, medium bodied, elegant and delicate malt. The fruity / vanilla combination repeats at mid palate, followed by hints of oatmeal and moderate length. A delightfully fruity Speysider. 40% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews... Fresh and floral, with lively tropical fruit, honey, and vanilla. Gentle on the palate, with a slight syrupy texture to its malty foundation. Youthful, orange marmalade finish with a hint of spice. A pleasant, easy-going whisky.82 points
- maltadvocate.com, 4th Quarter 2006 Issue-Vol. 15#4... Nose: Beautifully intense malt with a cidery-apple fruitiness. Gentle oak and honey round off superbly. Palate: Fresh, almost crisp mouthfeel with outstanding sweet maltiness and an almost Irish pot-still firm fruitiness. Mouthwatering. Finish: Softly spiced with a long, rich malt follow-through. Comment: Really outstanding example of massively complex, classy but undiscovered malt. 85 points
- Jim Murray, www.whiskymag.com![1009165_1.jpg]()
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AnCnoc 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLANDReduced from $99.99$79. 99Bottle$959.88 DozenABV: 40%"...so complex it is frightening…a more complete and confident Speyside malt you are unlikely to find." - Jim Murray
The AnCnoc label entered the scene in 1993 and is now flourishing with a range of expressions and age statements. The ‘flagship' 12-year-old is a sweet, floral, Summery whisky that's all about easy drinking. Made at the Knockdhu distillery (a major contributor to the Haig blends), five years after DCL closed the operation, it was acquired by Inver House Distillers Ltd who reopened it and created the AnCnoc brand to avoid confusion with fellow Speysider, 'Knockando'.
Knockdhu was founded in 1894 following the discovery of several springs of particularly pure water on the southern slopes of Knock Hill. When production first started, the distillery was a showpiece. Two pot stills could turn out 2500 gallons of spirit per week, motive power being supplied by a 16 horsepower steam engine. Cottages were built for the workers and their families, creating a new community around the distillery. Much has been done to modernise the buildings and machinery since, but very little has changed in the production process. Two originally designed pot stills remain, giving Knockdhu the same "fruity, citric and honeyed flavour" as was first described almost a century ago. Maturation includes both x Bourbon and sherry casks, and a substantial part of production continues to make its way into the Hankey Bannister blend which sells millions of bottles annually.
The twelve year old is a pale gold-coloured malt with aromas that caress the nose with the softest of whisky scents, almost floral, but there's also honey, toasty grains, plus some fruitiness (baked apple?) and possibly a whisper of peat, too. The palate concentration is good, with spices adding presence to the vanillas followed by a late juicy burst, fading dry and light with cocoa, gentle spices and understated orchard fruitiness. It's all very pretty, falling towards the elegant end of the Speyside spectrum. 40% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews… so complex it is frightening…a more complete and confident Speyside malt you are unlikely to find. Shimmers with everything that is great about Scotch Whisky… always a reliable dram, but this is stupendous. 94.5 points - Jim Murrays Whisky Bible
...The entry level anCnoc is aged principally in bourbon barrels, with a small element of sherry wood-matured spirit included in the mix. Floral and quite delicate on the nose, with barley, apples, and honey. Medium-bodied, smooth, and well-balanced, with more honey, apple, malt, vanilla, and cinnamon. The finish is relatively short, drying, and mildly oaky. 87 points - whiskyadvocate.com
...Colour: straw. Nose: I like this kind of fruitiness quite a lot. Imagine a good dose of stewed apples, topped with a honey and caramel sauce and touches of liquorice. Then it becomes more floral (dandelions) as well as obviously malty. A rather perfect all-rounder, as they say. Mouth: pretty much in line with the nose, with the same notes of apple pie, malt, barley sugar, light honey and liquorice (that gives it a faintly smoky/bitter profile). Caramel. Finish: medium, with more liquorice. Comments: it makes me think of some high-range blend. Easy and very good in my opinion. 84 points - Serge Valentin, whiskyfun.com
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Ardbeg Wee Beastie 5 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Islay, SCOTLAND$94. 99Bottle$1139.88 DozenABV: 47.4%"...shows more complexity than some whiskies twice its age, making it a remarkable find." - Number 6 in the 2020 Top 20 by whiskyadvocate.com
Matured in ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks, Wee Beastie is the latest permanent expression to join the Ardbeg family. Youthful, but with an enticingly fresh sea air quality on the nose, as well as hints of iodine, menthol, lanolin and pear, it carries the ABV effortlessly in a breezy, medium bodied delivery. The typically assertive Ardbeggian smoke is somewhat tamed. Instead, nuances of fruit'n'nut chocolate, menthol cigarettes, caraway and rye bread come through. The finish is gently peaty, with hints of fruit and a pleasant salt and pepper tang. An Ardbeg for all occasions. 47.4% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Other reviews... Starts off with a mesmerically youthful lustiness full of the sunny joys of a blossoming spring. Ends in the grey of a foggy autumnal evening.
91 points - Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2021...The youthful age statement may take many scotch drinkers by surprise, but don’t let double-digit bias prevent you from enjoying this exciting yet easy-drinking peat bomb. Salt water and seaweed, smoke and sweet peat tussle on the nose, while vanilla, fresh berries, and ample nuttiness spread out and take hold. The structured, balanced palate is creamy, nutty, and spiced, showcasing brown-sugar bacon, smoked salt, milk chocolate, pepper, and well-integrated oak, all wrapped up like a cigar with flakes of ash and sustained smoke. This precocious youngster shows more complexity than some whiskies twice its age, making it a remarkable find. Number 6 in the 2020 Top 20 94 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton 2020
...The bottle really reminds me of G&M’s early Connoisseurs Choices, or Avonsides. Black, gold, red… Retro keeps striking in whisky. No need to add that we love it that they would have boldly displayed a young age statement, that’s extremely smart, well done Ardbeg, s***w NAS! Colour: straw. Nose: but there, yes, aha, sure. It’s a bit steely at first (grandma’s old tin boxes), then goes onto agave, reaches brine-y aromas, gets to the citrus department, steals a few pears, and finally displays the right amount of tar and peat smoke. In the background, whiffs of raw wool and wet dogs. Dogs, I know we owe you one. Mouth: this feeling of smoked pears that we were expecting, then more sweetness and fruits (passion fruits, melons), then ‘the ashtray’ and notes of Corsican citron liqueur. And why not, Corsica’s an island too! I find it rather sweeter and fruitier than expected, and frankly gentler, but that’s an easier style that I enjoy mucho. It’s just not ‘a beast’ at all if you ask me. Finish: long, clean, rather citrusy and sweet, with moderate smoke. Some eucalyptus in the aftertaste, that’s always very good. Comments: I’m not disappointed at all. Sure they could have named it ‘For the Bar in the Little House on the Prairie’ instead, for it’s rather gentle, but there, well done, it’s one of my favourite recent official ‘begs. 88 points - Serge Valentin, whiskyfun.com
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Ardbeg 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Islay, SCOTLAND$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 46%"...a nimble touch and a disarming allure. Just close your eyes and enjoy." 97 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2023
Perched on a rocky headland, the Ardbeg distillery was founded in 1815 by the MacDougalls of Ardbeg. The distillery's scattered white-washed buildings are reminiscent of a Dutch settlement and add to the dramatic coastal landscape. Ardbeg has had a chequered history and in recent times had been closed down for many years. Glenmorangie acquired Ardbeg in 1997 and has set about restoring the distillery to its former glory. Despite the turbulence of its past, none of Ardbeg’s qualities have been diminished. All of the time-worn traditions have been carefully preserved and passed on to today’s whisky makers. The Ardbeg 10 Year Old is clear testimony to this. In his 'Complete Book of Whisky' Jim Murray said of it: 'If perfection on the palate exists, this is it.'
Other reviews...n24 more complex, citrus-led and sophisticated than recent bottlings, though the peat is no less but now simply displayed in an even greater elegance; a beautiful sea salt strain to this; t24 gentle oils carry on them a lemon-lime edge, sweetened by barley and a weak solution of golden syrup; the peat is omnipotent, turning up in every crevice and wave, yet never once over-stepping its boundary; f24 stuuningly clean, the oak offers not a bitter trace but rather a vanilla and butterscotch edge to the barley. Again the smoke wafts around in a manner unique in the world of whisky when it comes to sheer elan and adroitness; b25 like when you usually come accross something that goes down so beautifully and with such a nimble touch and disallarming allure, just close your eyes and enjoy... 97 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2013 / 2023
...Last time we tried our beloved Ten it was a circa 2015 bottling, and it was great (WF 89). Colour: white wine. Nose: I have the feeling that Ardbeg Ten got more crystalline, perhaps a tad simpler as well, and probably more distillate-driven than ever before. I’m so glad no obvious vanilla is dumbing it down, and of course no ‘wine’, so this is as bright as possible and full of lime, seawater, smoked salmon, and of these wee tarry/cardboardy touch that are so typically Ardbeg. Shall we call this nose ‘razory’? Mouth: lapsang souchong with lime, smoked almonds, kippers, plasticine, almond oil, whelks, brine, hessian… This is just perfectly perfect. Finish: rather long, smoky, almondy, lime-y, salty. Comments: the month is not over but Ardbeg 10 will possibly be March’s bang-for-your-buck bottling. Because in my little tasting book, Ardbeg 10 is simply back to… 90 points - whiskyfun.com
...the classic Ardbeg bottling, and one of the most heavily peated entry-level whiskies from all of Scotland. Ten years are just about right for taming Ardbeg’s fire, though the nose is still moderately heavy with straight, smoky peat notes, though also lightly briny but distinctly maritime in its tone. The body follows in lockstep, adding to the burning embers of driftwood notes of iodine, orange peel, coriander, and ginger. Beautifully balanced despite the heavy peat influence, it remains one of the most essential Islay whiskies — and an essential whisky that is required drinking for anyone who wants to form a base understanding of single malts. - drinkhacker.com
...Nose: Astoundingly smoky, yet delicate with subtle tarry notes behind. With water the smoke dies a little and raisin and caramelised apple notes emerge. Palate: An immediate waft of peat smoke. Full, robustly flavoured with turf and lapsang souchong tea. Finish: Salty, long and filled with fragrant peat reek. Comment: A punch in the chops from a stroppy Islay middleweight. Flavour-packed yet delicate. Rated: 9/10 - whiskymag.com
Cocktail: The Smoky Martini
This is an unusual combination that works surprisingly well. Some people use less peaty whiskies, however the true Smoky Martini requires the likes of Ardbeg or Laphroaig – Single Malts which lend their peaty, textured flavour to the creamy character of a good vodka.Method: Rinse a chilled martini glass with Ardbeg Malt Whisky and pour out any extra. Shake 60ml of Premium Vodka in a shaker filled with large ice cubes and strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with a lemon and orange twist.
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Arran Barrel Reserve Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Isle of Arran, SCOTLANDReduced from $89.99$79. 99Bottle$959.88 DozenABV: 43%As of late 2019, all the Arrans sport new packaging, designed by London agency Stranger & Stranger. The label now features iconography in the shape of Arran Island, with a pair of native eagles enclosed by 'ripples' reflecting the island’s mountain waterfalls. This entry level expression shows off Arran's house style; Soft aromas of vanilla and pineapple pudding follow with delectable pear strudel and vanilla malt flavours before finishing creamy, with a touch of coastal tang. There's decent weight and mouthfeel at 43%, while the overall balance remains spot on. A profile reminiscent of older Glenfiddichs, and very easy to like. 43% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews... White peach, juicy green pear, vanilla, and green tea meet the fresh aromas of clean sheets flapping on the clothesline in a crisp spring breeze. The palate is silky and light-bodied, sweet with biscuity malt, toasted almonds, cantaloupe, and milk chocolate; a few drops of water evoke oily sprays of lemon, grapefruit, and orange. Creamy and nutty on the finish, sprinkled with toasted almonds, bittersweet oak, and a whiff of tobacco. 91 points - whiskyadvocate.com
![Auchentoshan Triple Distilled 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]()
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Auchentoshan Triple Distilled 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Lowlands, SCOTLAND$89. 99Bottle$1079.88 DozenABV: 40%Auchentoshan distillery is located in Clydebank, in the heart of the Lowlands whisky region. Auchentoshan employ a triple distillation method, an unusual process which sees the spirit enter the cask at a staggering 82% Alcohol by volume. After maturation and bottling, the whiskies are typically light, fruity and pristinely balanced. In simple terms, they're dangerously drinkable and offer the devoted whisky drinker a 'go to' malt for warmer weather and the gift buyer an ideal choice when unsure about someone's whisky preferences.
Tasting note: Bright gold. Attractive and pure oatmeal / muesli bar accent to the malt; gets more dried grass-like with exposure with hints of fruit. A clean, fresh delivery offers dilute honey, cereal and warming gingery moments to round off a soft-centered, light to mid weighted whisky that's a simple pleasure. 40% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews... A delicious malt very much happier with itself than it has been for a while. 91.5 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2021
![Ben Nevis Coire Leis Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]()
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Ben Nevis Coire Leis Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLANDReduced from $120.00$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 46%Launched in late 2021 and named after a loch where the distillery's water source starts, Coire Leis is a no-age statement expression matured in first-fill bourbon casks for between 8 and 10 years. While it resonates with Ben Nevis' signature qualities (oily, full bodied), it's lighter in colour and not as heavy or textural as the standard ten year old. Orchard fruits come wrapped up in soft spices and some of the distillery's well-rounded, beefy malt character is captured. The finish isn't particularly long, and it tastes younger and less integrated than the tenner, but this is intended as an introduction to the distillery style, and it achieves that well. 46% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews... Nice story about some rocks around the distillery, not to mention waters and springs, but it's still only NAS. Shall we call it an access-Ben-Nevis bottling? Colour: pale white wine. Nose: big on porridge, mash and pears, plus dough, leek, eggplant, fennel, soot and mead. Some vanilla too. Feels really young and probably cleaner than your 'average' BN. Mouth: very good maltiness, with burnt herbs, burnt honey, then Ovaltine, then dried fruits and burnt fruit tartes. Some sweet peppers and some mustard too, this is well Ben Nevis, probably boosted with some rather active wood. Finish: long, rather rich, full of toffee and Ovaltine. Malty beer, spicy liquid caramel, cardamom… Comments: not much to add, this modern, extractive, boosted version of Ben Nevis works very well, it's even got a Japanese side (how surprising). By the way, did you ever read Compton Mckenzie's novel "Ben Nevis goes East"? Nah it's got nothing to do with whisky... 82 points - whiskyfun.com
![Benriach The Smokey Ten 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]()
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Benriach The Smokey Ten 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$89. 99Bottle$1079.88 DozenABV: 46%Other reviews... A replacement for the 10 year old Curiositas, this was aged in a combination of bourbon, Jamaican rum, and toasted virgin oak casks. The early nose yields light peat smoke, with hand-rolled tobacco, then tropical fruit and cigarette ash. On the palate there’s stone fruit, spices, vanilla, new leather, smoldering peat, and dark chocolate. The finish offers oak, black pepper, salt, and earthy peat. 87 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Gavin Smith 2020
![Benriach The Original Ten 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]()
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Benriach The Original Ten 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$84. 99Bottle$1019.88 DozenABV: 43%A Bourbon, sherry and virgin oak matured expression in Benriach's new presentation. 43% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews... It presents tropical fruits, vanilla, honey, and ginger on the nose. Soft fruits, malt, and milk chocolate inhabit the creamy, well-balanced palate. Hazelnuts, drinking chocolate, and light spices surface in the medium-length finish, with just a wisp of smoke. 88 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Gavin Smith 2020.
....A pleasant nose layered with pears and honey proves smooth on the palate where ripe quince mingles with vanilla and barley malt on a delightfully smooth palate. Behind the scenes, a bare whisper of smoke infiltrates to bring structure but not dominate. 92 points, Excellent, Highly Recommended - Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2021
...Nose: Juicy peaches right away mellow into cereal grains, but also the fresh loveliness of baked goods. The finish has the brightness of strawberry and the tartness of raspberry. Palate: The body is light all the way through. Just a touch of that fruit up front, bright, juicy peach and red grapefruit. This warms and sweetens to the back palate with note of red wine and cocoa. These great scotch distilleries are capable of a great range of flavors, even under the 15 year age mark, and these still stand out. The Original Ten has more flavor upfront and clearly, while The Twelve has similar flavors but deeper and richer. BenRiach is known for a touch of smoke across even their unpeated expressions. I didn’t get any of that from the Original 10, but it came through in The Twelve. Score: 4/5 - thewhiskywash.com
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Benriach The Smokey Twelve 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 46%Ranked number 3 in Whisky Advocate's 2020 Top 20. Other reviews... Benriach is a sleeper of a single malt, but that’s about to change. Part of a 2020 relaunch of its core line, this grabbed our attention with its sophistication, breadth of flavors, and lovely refinement. Much of the credit surely goes to master blender Rachel Barrie for creating a smoky whisky that both peat lovers and the peat-wary can enjoy. Rather than medicinal intensity, the peat is redolent of gentle, sweetly smoky fruits that integrate seamlessly with notes of vanilla, toasted almond, chocolate, blueberry, and bacon. It beckons like the wafting smoke of a warming autumn bonfire, then welcomes with its lush and velvety embrace. Number 3 in the 2020 Top 20.
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Bowmore 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Islay, SCOTLAND$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 40%"Easily by far the truest Bowmore I have tasted in a long while with myriad complexity. Even going back a quarter of a century, the malt at this age rarely showed such relaxed elegance." - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible
Other reviews… "...far more representative of Islay and the old distillery style. Easily, by far, the truest Bowmore I have tasted in a long while, with myriad complexity... Most enjoyable.
91 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2019Nose: Emphatic burnt grass. Peaty. Soft smokiness. Palate: Fragrant smokiness seems to waft against an oily, earthy, background. Some seaweed. Some sherry. Finish: Not only is the smokiness sustained all the way through, it surges in the finish. Lots of salt, too. Comment: Glad to see a Bowmore with an age rather than a brand-name. 8.5/10 - whiskymag.com
The unabashedly briny opening bouquet is all peat, sea salt and salted focaccia; time in the glass serves to bring out a refined Sherry scent. In the mouth, it’s lean, surprisingly sweet and acutely resiny. Ends pine-like, resiny, moderately salty, fruity (yellow fruit, like yellow plum or banana) and semisweet. 85-89 points - wineenthusiast.com
San Francisco World Spirits Competition Gold award 2018![1004478_1.jpg]()
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Cardhu 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$89. 99Bottle$1079.88 DozenABV: 40%"Just about the cleanest, most uncluttered, pure, sweet malt you will ever find..." - Jim Murray
Founded in 1824, Cardhu was built on a site where illicit distilling had been in progress since about 1813. The distillery is located in the town of Knockando, which, incidentally, has a distillery by the same name. The famous Tamdhu distillery also lies in close proximity. All three operations rest in the region informally delineated as the 'lower Spey'. Whereas the upper, more mountainous regions which the River Spey twists through are but sparsely dotted with stills, the lower region is home to more whisky labels than anywhere else in Scotland. Famous as the malty middle used in the Johnnie Walker Blends, Cardhu is considered an excellent beginner's malt. The aroma opens with pristine malt that's like fresh baked oat biscuit. Very delicately peated, some baked citrus emerges. Semi sweet flavours include honey laced cereals (in particular, oats) and again the peat lingering underneath adding depth to the silky mouth feel. A delicious drying crispness enters at mid palate while the gently warming spices persist well into the aftertaste before concluding fresh and clean. Remains more of a crowd-pleaser than an individualist, but this is a significant improvement on a previous bottling with much more vibrancy and lift. Classic. 40% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews... The decline in the Spanish market has resulted in Cardhu becoming more widely available, which is A Good Thing as far as I am concerned. This is a grassy malt, which at 12 years also has a heightened citric spray of sweet orange zest and a gingery aspect (it's great with ginger ale). Intense and vibrant with macadamia and a light heathery note, the palate confounds expectations, having a thick chewiness before the grass zings through, adding lift. 85 points - whiskyadvocate.com
First taste April 2010 from a 150ml sample Dull gold with a pale straw hue. There’s a just touch of smoke lingering in the otherwise malt rich nose that offers other aromas of mixed nuts and dried apricots, then sweeter vanilla notes. The palate is very soft, medium weight and medium dry. Vanillan oak and sweet cereals pass over imperceptibly into a shortish aftertaste of cereals, vanilla and spice. Perfectly balanced and nothing to actually dislike here, but like a perfectly proportioned model, nothing especially individual either. A beige whisky. 86 points
![Claxton's Exploration Series Lowlands 8 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]()
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Claxton's Exploration Series Lowlands 8 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Lowlands, SCOTLAND$114. 99Bottle$1379.88 DozenABV: 50%The origins of this mysterious Lowlander have not been disclosed by Claxtons. However, being a single malt as opposed to single grain, there aren't too many guesses available. Distilled in 2013 and bottled at 50% Alc./Vol. with zero chill filtration after eight years in a refill PX sherry hogshead. Our suggestion is Auchentoshan... but it could be Bladnoch.
![Claxton's Exploration Series Dalmunach 6 Year Old Single Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]()
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Claxton's Exploration Series Dalmunach 6 Year Old Single Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$109. 99Bottle$1319.88 DozenABV: 50%This will be new to most whisky lovers. Given the recent boom in both blends and single malts, companies like Pernod Ricard have been challenged to invest in expanding existing capacity or in building new projects, like Dalmunach. Established in 2015 on the site of the now closed 'Imperial Distillery' and named for a nearby pool in the River Spey, Dalmunach is one of the industry's babies but with a nod to the past - several of Imperial’s key design features have been adapted into the design. Pernod Ricard is the parent company of Chivas, so no doubt the majority of Dalmunach's output will be making its way into leading blends like Chivas, Ballantine’s and Royal Salute. From a 2015 distillation, Claxton's have bottled up a youngster, with an added twist of been matured in a red wine barrique. 50% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Other reviews... Right, a red wine finish, so I doubt we'll manage to get to the core of Chivas's Dalmunach today. Colour: salmon/blush wine. Thighs of a moved nymph, as 18th century painters would have said. Nose: fun. Burnt strawberry cake, natural rubber, Lambrusco and stewed peaches. Whiffs of peonies. With water: a little smoke, hints of bay leaves, Timut pepper, leaven, baker's yeast…Mouth (neat): but-this-is-good. Strawberry cake, touch of rubber once more, vine peaches and now wham-bam raspberries and cassis. Phew. With water: pretty good! No deviant berries, rather more malt, kriek, maraschino and just one goji berry. For glory. Finish: medium, perhaps more on blood oranges, with some terry pepper and some discreet cloves. Comments: this has been done with restraint. Extremely far from the disaster I was expecting, even more so after I had checked the colour. 84 points - whiskyfun.com
![Dalwhinnie 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]()
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Dalwhinnie 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLANDReduced from $129.99$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 43%From the highest distillery in Scotland (at 326 metres above sea level), set in the windswept Grampian mountains of the Highlands, comes this delicate malt to be savoured. Originally called 'Strathspey', the Dalwhinnie distillery was founded by James Buchanan in 1897. Buchanan became well known for his 'Buchanan' and 'Black & White' blends which used Dalwhinnie as a core component. Later renamed 'Dalwhinnie', (Gaelic for “meeting place” ) the distilleries site is where cattle drovers and smugglers met on their way to markets in the south.
The whisky itself is often referred to as 'The Gentle Spirit', in contrast to the rugged environment it is produced in. (Staff at the distillery have been known to climb out first-floor windows in order to get to work when snow piles up in the hard winters.) This is testified to by its subtle, smooth, lightly smoked character and heathery, honey finish. Barely classifiable as a Speyside distillery, Dalwhinnie's location is at least forty kilometres south of the dense collection of stills in the 'lower Spey'. The distilleries endless water supply comes from the Allt an t'Sluic spring, bedded in granite. Current management boast their use of traditional wooden washbacks and distinctive lye pipes leading from the tops of the stills.
Other reviews… Nose: sublime stuff: a curious mixture of coke smoke and peat-reek wafts teasingly over the gently honied malt. A hint of melon offers some fruit but the caressing malt stars; Taste: that rarest of combinations: at once silky and malt intense, yet at the same time peppery and tin-hat time for the tastebuds, but the silk wins out and a sheen of barley sugar coats everything, soft peat included; Finish: some cocoa and coffee notes, yet the pervading slightly honeyed sweetness means that there is no bitterness that cannot be controlled; Balance: a malt it is hard to decide whether to drink or bath in: I suggest you do both. One of the most complete mainland malts of them all. Know anyone who reckons they don't like whisky? Give them a glass of this ~ that's them cured. Oh, if only the average masterpiece could be this good.” 95 points. - Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2018.
![Glen Garioch 1797 Founder's Reserve Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]()
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Glen Garioch 1797 Founder's Reserve Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLAND$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 48%A character-filled no age-statement release named in celebration of distillery's co-founders, the Manson Brothers. Consider this the everyday drinker in the current Glen Garioch stable. The nose has a slightly citrusy-acidic lift before tea-biscuits and vanilla malt come to the fore. That characteristic is repeated on the palate with a grassy-fruity-peppery overlay to the cereal and honey sweetness. It's intense and assertive and shows off the typical distillery character, finishing with hints of brandy and fruit mince pie. Proofed to 48% ABV (higher than the average 43% to 46%) and non-chill filtered - which is unusual for entry level malt - it adds up to solid buying.
Other reviews... Butterscotch, vanilla, pepper, and citrus fruit emerge on the nose. A nutty, peppery palate features orchard fruits, chile spice, and a subtle meatiness. Lemon and oak tannins in the medium-length finish. 90 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Gavin Smith 2020
...Impressively fruity and chewy; some serious flavour profiles there. 87.5 points - Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2021
...We first tried this expression when it came out in 2009 (WF 80), time to revisit it. OH and it’s pretty cheap for a late 18th century vintage, isn’t it ;-). Colour: deep gold. Nose: it’s a rather leafy and grassy one, with pretty high oak extraction, and heavy notes of porridge and raw malt, as well as a grassy smokiness. Dairy cream, a fresh loaf of wholegrain bread, and only after a good five minutes, much more vanilla and light syrups (corn). Leaven. Looks like the distillate was young, and the oak pretty active. Mouth: tastes a bit like if it was hesitating between the distillery’s modern fruity style, and its smokier past, but that would be a grassy smoke once again. Quite some pepper, cut grass, leaves, apple peels, the whole remaining rather bitter and curiously unsexy given its positioning. A lot of green oak and quite some yeast too. Finish: long, peppery, sharp, leafy. Still not very sexy. Bitter and sour aftertaste. Comments: it remained a challenging dram in my book, much grassier than I remembered. 78 points - whiskyfun.com
Gold - Scotch Single Malt - Highland - 2017, International Wine & Spirit Competition
Gold - Single Malt Scotch - to 12 Yrs - 2013, San Francisco World Spirits Competition
After closing for two years in the mid-1990s, Glen Garioch reopened in 1997, switching from using its own peated, floor-malted barley to commercial unpeated malt. Doing so it maintained many of the best characteristics of the pre 1995 output, including rich cereal notes, a full, brawny mouthfeel, bolstered by a decent amount of spice. The new approach sees the entire range bottled at a surprisingly high 48% ABV (or cask strength) and even the entry level whiskies come non-chill filtered. Those who have kept Glen Garioch as their own little secret know the quality is already very good, but it's set to get even better. With a nod to the old ways, they're reintroducing floor maltings, installing direct-fired heating on the wash still, and increasing fermentation times. These developments will see Glen Garioch join the ranks of a small band of revered traditionalists, like Balvenie, Highland Park and Springbank.
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Glen Grant 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$77. 99Bottle$935.88 DozenABV: 40%Awarded: 'Best Single Malt Scotch 10 Years & Under'
- Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2015The Glen Grant distillery is named after its two founders, James and John Grant who built the distillery in Rothes in 1840. After their death, the son of James, Major James Grant took over the business, and built another distillery across the road naming it “Glen Grant II” (today known as Caperdonich). The Major always aimed at producing a first rate malt, and so designed the distilleries especially tall, slender stills and purifiers himself. He reputedly enjoyed leading guests through his exotic gardens to a nearby falls where, taken from his secret whisky safe, he’d offer drams of Glen Grant accompanied by spring water drawn from the same Speyside burn that still feeds the distillery today. When the Major died, his grand son, Major Douglas Mackessack took over the distillery, continuing its success.
Like most distilleries, Glen Grant closed its doors during the two World Wars due to a lack of barley and has since changed ownership several times. Most recently, the distillery was sold in 2006 to the Italian group Campari as a result of the acquisition of Allied Domecq by Pernod Ricard. Glen Grant remains one of the world's best-selling single malts (being especially popular in Italy), and is also available in various independent and vintage bottlings.
Tasting note: Pale straw colour. Moderate bouquet yields semi sweet, mildly fruity scents (nashi pear) followed by hints of dried grass. Light to medium bodied with subtle flavours of biscuity malt, vanilla and spice. Finishes dry and clean with a touch of fruitiness offering freshness. A little short. Light easy drinking. 40% Alc./Vol.
Other Reviews: (95 points) - (n23.5) OK: let's take turns in counting the rungs on the barley ladder here...the usual crisp aroma, but softened by deft, if unspecific fruitiness (maybe the distant aroma of a very old orange and by no means unpleasant!), myriad vanilla and butterscotch notes can do without the toffee one; (t24) magnificent! A malty delivery which simultaneously melts in the mouth, yet offers granite-like barley that crashes into your teeth; the star, perhaps are the sugars which vary from caster, through golden syrup and pans out somewhere in the muscovado range - curiously honey-free, though; (f23) a tad tangy, though the caramel returns to turn out the lights after the butterscotch and marzipan say goodnight...; (b23.5) unquestionably the best official 10yo bottling i have tasted from this distillery. Absolutely nails it! Oh, and had they bottled this at 46% abv and without the trimmings...my word! Might well have been a contender for Scotch Whisky of the Year. It won't be long before word finally gets out just how bloody good this distillery is. - Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2013
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Glen Grant 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$89. 99Bottle$1079.88 DozenABV: 43%"A slightly different slant on previous 12 year olds, but still within the expected and brilliant spectrum. Fabulous." - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2023 / "...an outstanding daily dram at a solid price". - drinkhacker.com
Read enough of any whisky writer and you'll soon work out they have their favourites. At whiskyfun.com Serge Valentin loves Clynelish (or even better, Brora) but is rarely keen on Loch Lomond or Auchroisk. Read the Whisky Bible and you’ll quickly realise one of Jim Murray's all-time greats is Glen Grant, regardless of age. Driving home that point in the 2023 Bible are four separate reviews for the 12 year old, each as concise as they are complementary. Seldom found in Australia, at well under $100 the consensus is that it's one of the best values in lighter, everyday drinking. The brand's success must be partly due to the fact that Master Distiller, Dennis Malcolm has been on the job for sixty years. Experience over that sort of time span is a rare thing. Aged in a combination of Sherry and Bourbon casks so that it's not overly-sherried, the distillery’s signature spring flowers, fresh apple and pear notes are given a little added weight at 43%. As an alternative to Glenlivet, AnCnoc or Glenfiddich, Glen Grant 12YO might just become your new evening favourite.
Other reviews... Beautifully distilled, thoughtfully matured and deeply satisfying malt. 95 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2023
...Aged in a combination of bourbon and sherry barrels. Bold notes of butter cookies on the nose, with some spice and incense notes. Very fresh and toasty, with a clear grain and wood influence. The palate finds influences of coconut, almond, walnut, cinnamon, and cloves — lots going on, with a hint of orange peel influence driven by the sherry. This is particularly pronounced on the finish, which also sees notes of licorice and more almond peeking through. This is an outstanding daily dram at a solid price. - drinkhacker.com
Gold - Single Malt Scotch - to 12 Yrs - San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2022
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Glen Scotia Double Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Campbeltown, SCOTLAND$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 46%A NAS release, "Double Cask" is initially matured in first-fill bourbon barrels before being finished in Pedro-Ximenez-sherry casks. Other reviews...PX means the complexity of a malt can easily come to a sticky end. That has happened here with both the malt and grape cancelling each other out...Soft and easy drinking with an excellent early delivery spike of intensity. But a dull middle and finish.
- 85.5 points 46% Alc./Vol. - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2017 ...Sweet, red berry notes on the nose, with slightly smoky vanilla and caramel. Voluptuous in the mouth, with spicy, rich sherry notes, sultanas, and ginger. Spicy sea salt and lingering sherry in the finish. 84 points - Gavin Smith (Fall 2015), www.maltadvocate.com![510150100_1.jpg]()
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Glencadam 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLANDReduced from $110.00$109. 99Bottle$1319.88 DozenABV: 46%"My God, the guy who put this one together must be a genius, or something." - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible.
Pale straw gold. Opening inhalations include toasted marshmallows followed by melted butter and grain store; the seductive buttery characteristic persists in later passes. Sweet malty entry hints at shortbread while also being mildly grassy. Delicious, sweet, exuberant malt through the middle stages. Ends bright and spicy with hints of lemon barley sugar and orchard fruits. Great length and mouthfeel. Pristine barley is the focus from start to finish. 46% Alc/Vol. Non chill filtered. Tasted from a 20ml sample.
Other reviews... Sophisticated, sensual, salivating and seemingly serene... My God, the guy who put this one together must be a genius, or something. 95 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2021
...Impeccable balance from start to finish; clean and structured. The nose is floral and fresh with jasmine, freesia, and apple blossom, plus green pears, lemon, talcum powder, and almond cream. Lemon, coconut, and vanilla form a sweet bright palate that revels in its celebration of malt: Think of apricot jam in a shortbread thumbprint cookie. Sweet and clean finish with persistent lemon, vanilla, and mouthwatering oak.
92 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Spring 2021)Bright fino sherry yellow color; impeccable purity. First scents after the pour are all about new saddle leather/leather gloves, sour malted barley, new spirit, grapefruit then the later sniffs detect more of the grapefruit and a touch of lime but the oak remains hidden while the barley dances a jig. Entry reinforces the grapefruit/tropical fruit asset while the midpalate goes more grainy/malty and sap-like, almost but not quite succulent. Finishes medium long, slightly resiny, leathery, lean but not austere and pleasingly youthful and sprightly. 3 Stars / Recommended - spiritsjournal.com
Silver Medal, International Wine & Spirit Competition London – 2010
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Glenfarclas Heritage Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$79. 99Bottle$959.88 DozenABV: 40%You're likely to find this no-age-statement expression on mainland Europe rather than the UK - let alone Australia. Its old-gold colour suggests more bourbon than sherry input, but we'd heard it talked up as one of the distillery's better values and were intrigued enough to ship a small quantity. There are two things we like about this whisky: The first is the price. The second is even at an entry-level ABV you get a surprisingly full-bodied dram - considerably richer and rounder than Glenfarclas's official release 10 year old, which leads us to think some older material is in the mix. One quibble is a sulphury note that comes across like pickled ginger, or perhaps, a vague nuttiness. However you describe it, it detracts from the sweetness and dulls the finish. Add water or a few drops of peated whisky to subdue it, but if that character doesn't bother you, then this simple, tasty, honest malt lives up to its reputation as a hidden value in the Glenfarclas stable. 40% Alc./Vol.
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Glenfarclas 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$94. 99Bottle$1139.88 DozenABV: 40%Tasting note: [tasted from a a near empty bottle] Amber gold. Pedestrian, though quite lifted with notes of plump malt and some attractive sherry overtones. Relatively light and thin by this distillery's standards with most of the action at the finish. Well balanced with cocoa, vanilla and soft spices carrying the aftertaste. 40% Alc./Vol. Other reviews... Always an enjoyable malt but for some reason this one never seems to fire on all cylinders... 80 points. - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2012![Glenglassaugh Torfa Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]()
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Glenglassaugh Torfa Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLAND$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 50%2014 marks another benchmark with "Torfa" - the first peated whisky from this revived distillery, fully matured in ex-bourbon barrels and peated to 20ppm. It takes its name from the Old Norse language with which the Scots dialect spoken in North East Scotland has an affinity and translates to “turf” or “peat”. Non-chill filtered. Natural colour. Retasted April 2018... Bright gold. White pepper and sweet earthy phenols combine with beeswax and biscuity malt; more cocoa / dark chocolate-like after extended time in the glass. A full bodied, succulent delivery with toasted barley, hints of fruit and a superb slathering of sweet peat. Melts in your mouth with near zero heat, the buzzing spices ricocheting through the finish. Uncomplicated but very pure. Beautiful malt. 50% Alc./Vol. First tasted April 2014... Pale straw gold. Opening sniff detects hints of vanilla wafer biscuit, dried grass and white pepper; more cocoa like after exposure as mild peat infuses dark chocolate, accentuating with time in the glass. Quite sweet but remains in check with the mid palate featuring juicy vanilla malt and the finish highlighting the peat as wet-wool / lanolin. Controlled spices add length and continue into an attractive choc-peat fade. Smokey, but in an accessible Caol Ila kind of way. Nicely done. 93 points![1026156_1.jpg]()
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Glenglassaugh Revival Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLAND$84. 99Bottle$1019.88 DozenABV: 46%Glenglassaugh has been described as a 'coastal' distillery, being located on the north coast of Speyside near Glen Deveron and Banff. Founded in 1875, between 1960 and 1986 it produced malt whiskies for the blending market, in particular the Cutty Sark and Famous Grouse blends. However, it suffered from the recession riddled decline that plagued the Scotch whisky industry in the early 1980's and was mothballed in 1986. It restarted production in November 2008 after being acquired by independent investors, the Edrington Group, following a complete refurbishment by the new owners.
The malt has always been popular with blenders so few official distillery bottlings have ever made it to market. Until recently, that is. In 2009 the new company released some of the old stocks with outstanding success. At the 2009 International Wine and Spirit Competition Awards the 30 Year Old expression was awarded a Gold Medal (Best in Class) and the trophy for Best Cask Strength Scotch Whisky and the 40 Year Old was awarded Gold Medal (Best in Class) and the trophy for Best 40 Year Old Scotch Whisky. The 40 year old was also awarded Best 40 Year Old Scotch Whisky and 96 points in Jim Murray's 2010 Whisky Bible.
In 2009 the company also introduced two new innovative products which are produced using the same process as that used for making single malt scotch whisky but without the ageing process. "The Spirit Drink that dare not speak its name" is the result of 1 mash of malted barley, fermented and distilled twice. The product is bottled without ageing at 50% abv.
"The Spirit Drink that blushes to speak its name" is also produced in the same way but is allowed to age for 6 months in casks that have previously held red wine. The result is a spirit with a rich rose hue and a flavour of soft fruits and spices and is ideal as a cocktail base or for making long drinks.
Glenglassaugh 'Revival' is the first widely-available single malt from the 'new' distillery and was matured in both first and refill casks and finished in first-fill oloroso sherry butts for a period of six months. Non chill filtered.
Retasted April 2018... Bright gold. A teasing bouquet that rewards patience; gradually developing with sponge cake, vanilla, cream biscuits and fresh oak…deliciously crisp delivery, evoking caramelised fruits and cream tea biscuits, balanced by suggestions of lemon tart and straw at the finish. Beautiful purity and poise. Massively improved over its first incarnation. 46% Alc./Vol. First tasted January 2013: [from a 10 ml sample]. Pale gold. Scents of flat ginger beer and vague cereals present in the initial pass, gaining sweetness and definition with subsequent sniffs. Opens light and lively in the mouth though a tad sulphury followed by bittersweet spices at mid palate. Warming spirit. Thins out, tailing off to a delicate and rather fleeting conclusion. 86 points Other reviews... Initially a little mashy, with beer-like aromas. Quite sweet and mildly sherried, with developing roasted malt notes, ginger, hazelnuts, and caramel. Leather and insistent spice on the palate, majoring in nutmeg and cinnamon. Straightforward in the finish; spicy and nutty. Probably a crackerjack in another dozen years! 46% Alc./Vol. 82 points - www.maltadvocate.com (Vol. 21, #3) Reviewed by: Gavin Smith![Glenglassaugh Evolution Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]()
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Glenglassaugh Evolution Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLAND$89. 99Bottle$1079.88 DozenABV: 50%Glenglassaugh has been described as a 'coastal' distillery, being located on the north coast of Speyside near Glen Deveron and Banff. Founded in 1875, between 1960 and 1986 it produced malt whiskies for the blending market, in particular the Cutty Sark and Famous Grouse blends. However, it suffered from the recession riddled decline that plagued the Scotch whisky industry in the early 1980's and was mothballed in 1986. It restarted production in November 2008 after being acquired by independent investors, the Edrington Group, following a complete refurbishment by the new owners. Retasted April 2018... Brilliant gold. Super pure with scents of beeswax, pineapple pudding and fruit’n’nut chocolate. Rounded and poised with a chocolaty edge to the malt, following through to a juicy, textural finish featuring tangy tropical fruits and a spicy burst that fans out in the mouth. Fine sweet-dry balance. Delicious. 50% Alc./Vol. First tasted November 2013... [ from a 20 ml sample]. Brilliant pale straw gold. A brief shellac and glue blemish turns to peppermint and honeycomb - a combination that's a sheer delight. Gains more vanilla and toffee with aeration. Delivers semi sweet, caramelised fruit flavours before crescendoing with a tingly, warm and spicy flourish that hollows out the profile towards the finish. Ends dry, numbing but long. Sound balance at this high ABV. Subtle spicy, caramelised fruit fade. 90 points 57.2% Alc./Vol. Other reviews... Following on from Revival, Glenglassaugh has released 6,000 bottles of Evolution, an expression also made after the distillery’s reopening in 2008. It has been matured in first-fill George Dickel barrels and bottled at cask strength. Peaches and gingerbread on the nose, with brittle toffee, icing sugar, and vanilla. Luscious soft fruits dipped in caramel figure on the palate, with coconut and background stem ginger. The finish is medium in length, with spicy toffee. 86 points
- maltadvocate.com (Vol. 22, #1) Reviewed by: Gavin Smith![Glengoyne 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]()
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Glengoyne 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLAND$92. 99Bottle$1115.88 DozenABV: 40%A while back we offered a ridiculous deal on a whisky rarity - Macallan 12 Year Old 100% Sherry wood. Here’s another distillery producing a ‘sister style’ in the South - ‘Glengoyne’. Although geographically removed, they’ve built their reputations on identical points. Firstly, both air dry their malted barley rather than dry it over a peat fire. Secondly, they’re very particular about barley selection. Barley is the reason why malt whisky tends to taste 'better' than other kinds of whisky. Quite simply, it contributes more flavour than most other cereals (rye is the exception here). If you've ever tasted a grain whisky made mainly from maize or some other grain like wheat, you'll have noticed they're much more lightly flavoured. (Seek out ‘Cameron Brig Grain’ or ‘Greenore Single Grain’ on this site for some good examples of what we’re talking about).The question of which barley makes for a better whisky remains contentious. Within the industry some still maintain the only thing that’s required from the grain is that a good amount of fermentable sugar is obtainable after malting. At the same time, Grand Marques like Macallan have built their reputation during the early 1980s and ‘90s in large part by emphasising hardline traditional practises - 100% Sherry maturation and a predominant use of a special variety of barley called “Golden Promise”. In fact, they released a 50 Year Old (one of their most expensive whiskies) made exclusively with Golden Promise. This dunce performer of the barley world is relatively low yielding and disease-prone enough for most farmers to have happily forgotten about, yet in the Scotch whisky world, it’s traditionally been highly prized for its rich, nutty flavour. As production has expanded at Macallan, they’ve surreptitiously surrendered the fact that since 1994 Golden Promise constitutes no more than 30% of their mash bill. Purists should note - if Macallan last used its original ratio of Golden Promise barley in 1993, then our current stocks of 18 year old (distilled pre 1992) will be near the last made from the same. The taste of ‘true’ Macallan may not be had for much longer at any price.
OR you could simply buy Glengoyne for a fraction of the cost.
All Glengoyne’s whiskies are filled into Sherry and Bourbon casks and matured on site. No colouring is added.
It is now the only distillery that continues to use majority Golden Promise and one of a dwindling few to completely avoid peat. The resulting whisky lets the purity of the barley take centre stage, positioning Glengoyne firmly at one end of the malt whisky spectrum - relatively light bodied, but with surprising depth and a trademark grassy / fruity interplay that’s a delight. The house style coincides with a close proximity to famous Lowland distilleries like Rosebank and Littlemill, yet Glengoyne's labelled as a Highland - not out of choice, rather it’s part of new regulations imposed by the Scotch Whisky Assosciation. Glengoyne’s Scott Hendry comments: “We are in the Highland camp and must remain so, but to be honest, being a Lowland isn't something that I'd see as a negative, given how cluttered the Highland category is we'd probably achieve better stand-out if we were a Lowland (and no, this isn't the start of a campaign to change our classification, we're staying put!)'
Tasting note: Bright gold colour. A delightfully clean bouquet leads through aromas of nutty cereals, lucerne hay and suggestions of unripe pear, becoming more salient with aeration. Light to medium bodied, the palate offers good concentration. Semi sweet, pristine, chewy malt combines with delicate spices before seamlessly dovetailing into a light, dry finish with the spices lingering. Hints of dried grass and vanilla follow with remarkable persistence before a surprisingly late cocoa fade. Stylistically, this is rare in the whisky world in that it delivers lightness of body combined with depth of flavour. And yes, after malting, milling, mashing, fermentation, distillation and barrel-aging, the flavour of the barley per se really is distinguishable. Putting this against a lightly peated Speysider would be an interesting cross tasting that makes a point. 40%![Glenmorangie The Original 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]()
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Glenmorangie The Original 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLAND$84. 99Bottle$1019.88 DozenABV: 40%Glenmorangie Master Distiller, Bill Lumsden, delivers one of the most consistently high-quality portfolios in Scotland. But it’s his ‘entry level’ product, the Glenmorangie 10 Year Old that sets the bar for the rest to follow. Jim Murray is rapturous about this expression declaring it to be “...one of the great single malts” rating it 94 points. Elegant swan-necked stills ( said to be the tallest in Scotland) are claimed to contribute to the lightness of the spirit. Maturation takes place in ex-Bourbon casks, made from oak sourced from Glenmorangie's own section of forest in the Ozark Mountains in Missouri. Our tasting found delicate aromas of creme brulee, pineapple, pear drops, barley sugar, vanilla, cocoa and spice. The palate is medium dry, supremely soft and full of flavour. Vanilla custard, toffee, toasted coconut and cocoa are aided by a softly spiced, malty background. Hints of dried fruit emerge. The balance is very good and there's a lingering aftertaste of vanilla, cocoa and toasted coconut. Put simply, there’s an alluring delicacy and complexity to this whisky that seems to punch above its price point. 40% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews... Original is eager to please, yet not lacking complexity. A soft nose features honey, vanilla, sweet orange, and caramel. Hazelnuts dipped in honey and more orange, along with red apples on the rounded, buttery palate. Vanilla and cocoa powder in the lightly spiced finish, which boasts just a hint of smoke. 87 points - whiskyadvocate.com
...Fully matured in bourbon casks and currently at 29.99€ at our nearest Leclerc supermarket. Glenmorangie 10 was one of the seminal malt whiskies here, together with Glenfiddich NAS/8/12. We've even got singer Françoise Hardy who did a song mentioning Glenmorangie in the 1980s, give it a listen it's called 'VIP'. Of course in French it's GLENmorangie and not GlenMOrangie. Colour: pale gold. Nose: very light, pretty floral (orange blossom) and then on a basket of ripe fruits, apples, bananas, mirabelles, greengages, pink gooseberries… Also vanilla extracts and whiffs of assorted jellybeans and babies, as well as some fruitier green tea, or perhaps Wulong/oolong. The very embodiment of a fresh, pleasant, fruity malt whisky. Mouth: I find it really very sweet, as if a part of the casks had been recharred/deep-charred. Some light molasses honey, some mirabelle liqueur ripe butter pears, plums… I find it clearly fruitier and less on butterscotch than earlier batches of Glenmo 10. Finish: short/medium, still fresh and fruity, but with more green tea. Green tea with milk, and some vanilla in the aftertaste. Comments: I think it 'progressed back', even if it got a little more summery than before – or am I dreaming? 81 points - whiskyfun.com
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Glenrothes 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 40%Billed as the classic “house” Glenrothes style, aged only in Sherry casks, this is the second in the new 'Soleo' series devoted to sherry matured expression ranging from 10 to 25 years of age. Tasting note: Showing more 'breed' compared to the entry level bottling, the 12 year old is also softer and more rounded, offering moderate weight and length. All of the dried fruit, dark chocolate and spice notes you’d expect from a sherried Glenrothes are present, with nothing in excess. It's the ultimate easy-drinking Speysider. 40% Alc./Vol. Other reviews.... Light berry fruit notes, with resin, walnuts, and icing sugar on the nose. More confident berry notes on the palate, with a hint of cloves, then developing licorice, dark chocolate, and tangerine. The finish is spicy, with aniseed. 40% Alc./Vol.
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Hunter Laing & Co. Scarabus Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Islay, SCOTLAND$94. 99Bottle$1139.88 DozenABV: 46%Third generation indie bottlers and blenders, Hunter & Laing, originally created the Scarabus brand for the 2019 Feis Ile (Islay Festival of Music and Whisky). The name refers to a mystical area on the Isle of Islay, and the name dates back to 13th century, translating to “a rocky place” in Old Norse. This particular bottling carries no age statement (NAS) and the source is is not disclosed (other expressions are in the pipeline). It comes handsomely presented and bottled at 46% / non chill filtered with a flavour profile summed up as "A great all around Islay".
Other reviews... ... showcasing a real skill for blending and if Compass Box were to release this – noting the branding and visual apparel is very much of their ilk – it’d be wrapped up in more nonsense than a Boris Johnson leadership campaign;... Thankfully, we have a common sense approach, delivering a worthwhile whisky and an affordable one. It shows what can be achieved with a little skill. Setting a fair price for the experience and not trying to fleece whisky drinkers. A welcome surprise and something to quell the overhyped passion many have for the Lagavulin 8-year-old. - malt-review.com
Notes from the bottlers... Islay peat smoke and sea salt on the nose, followed by warming leather notes, stewed rhubarb and a wonderful vanilla sweetness in the mouth, leading to a rich lingering finish.
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Laphroaig 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Islay, SCOTLANDReduced from $109.99$94. 99Bottle$1139.88 DozenABV: 40%"So consistent is the Laphroaig 10, that this is one of the whiskies I test myself each day with to check that my nose and palate are on song". - Jim Murray
From the remote island of Islay in the Western Isles of Scotland. Laphroaig, pronounced 'La-froyg', is a Gaelic word meaning 'the beautiful hollow by the broad bay'. The full history of Laphroaig seems to be lost in the mists of time. It's clear that the Irish had been distilling on Islay for many years and that the locals picked up the skills when they left, but because it was illegal the small stills on the farms were rarely discussed - just a nod and a wink in the right direction!What is known, is that the family called the Johnstons started farming there around 1800, and that soon after messers Charles and Willie Doig were asked to do some 'work on a distillery' at Laphroaig. By 1815 Laphroaig's reputation had spread and the tax man was getting suspicious so they 'officially' established 'Johnston & Johnston' - the legend of Laphroaig had begun.
Laphroaig is a malt to either love or hate. Full of the smoke and iodine, seaweed character Islay has become famous for, it has spurred some commentators to describe it as 'mouthwash', 'hospital gauze' or at best, 'medicinal'. Suffice to say, this is not a whisky for the faint hearted. Take Laphroaig neat like a stalwart, or with a splash of soft water. Roll it around on your tongue, release the pungent earthy aroma of blue peat smoke, the sweet nuttiness of the barley, the delicate, heathery perfume of Islay's stream and either swallow or spit. The final judgment on Laphroaig must always be left to the individual. 40% Alc./Vol.
Re-tasted 2019... Tamer than previous incarnations, earthier too with a farmyard edge. Less iodine / elastoplast than before, more peppermint, baked citrus, kipper and lanolin, creaming up towards the finish, trailling off with hints of Fisherman’s Friend.
Other reviews... 95 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2022
...An essay in voluptuousness. The oils speak volumes here, gathering the two-toned phenols and gathering them in all corners of the palate and ensuring they stick there... The finish is not so much enormous as controlled and long, with a sublime bit of mocha moving in for the last blissful moments. Glorious still, after all these years. 40% alc./vol. 94 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2019
...This expression offers an uncompromising note of brine-laden peat and iodine, with charcoal and sweeter fruit notes also present. The palate is equally out there, with old-fashioned fabric Band-Aids, bladderwrack seaweed, black pepper, smouldering peat, vanilla, caramel, and sweet oak. The finish is as big as everything else, with barbecue, iodine, and asphalt. Still a classic! 92 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Fall 2018)
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Ledaig Sinclair Series Rioja Cask Finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Isle of Mull, SCOTLAND$94. 99Bottle$1139.88 DozenABV: 46.3%Ledaig's foray into the value peated category is a noteworthy success.
Summed up by one taster as "Sweet and smoky, with loads of fruit and more complexity than you'd expect for the price", this bottling represents the first instalment of a new series paying homage to the founder of Tobermory distillery, John Sinclair. The combination of red wine and smoke is a tried and tested formula with peated malts. Ledaig add another twist with this expression finished in a Spanish Rioja cask. The nose goes through several stages; firstly, obviously peaty and dappled with ripe berries, then slightly feinty and dried-grass-like (as Tobermory often is) and finally more aligned with its Islay cousins as it exudes a fresh maritime edge. There is no denying the punch of peat on the palate. Ledaig is sometimes compared with Ardbeg, but most bottlings of the latter don't come close to the kind of peat-blast offered here. The intensity is almost cask-strength with pepper augmenting the sensation; the peat takes on a rustic aspect with an earthy, lanolin feel. Add to that a deliciously salty tang combined with a succulent berry character and Sinclair is not only massively tasty but also surprisingly complex. Pushing into the value bracket, this is a more than worthy alternative to regular Islays whose prices continue to head north. 46.3% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered. Natural colour.
Silver Medal. 92 points - International Wine & Spirits Challenge 2022.
Notes from the producers... Nose: Notes of Turkish delight and rose petals balanced with candied fruits and grapes followed by rich leather and a beautiful peppery spice. A hint of chocolate comes through at the back. Palate: Creamy mouthfeel packed full of almonds, barley and sweet malt with notes of peppery Ledaig, which give way to black raspberries, sweet vanilla and cocoa interspersed with cinnamon spice and hints of freshly cut grass. Finish Lingering smoky finish with red fruit and sea spray.
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Ledaig 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Isle of Mull, SCOTLAND$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 46.3%Ralfy's Whisky of the Year 2022. - ralfy.com
Ledaig ten year old has come a long way since it debuted in 2010. The latest incarnations have maintained momentum, so much so that popular Youtube blogger, Ralfy named it his whisky of the year for 2022. You only need a small sample to get the gist: Powerful aromas of cocoa and sooty malt come with traces of brine, salted nuts and peppercorns, lanolin and beeswax. The palate develops into a typically brawny, briney Ledaig experience combining vanilla, malt and peat before finishing dry and mildly peppery with excellent balance. The aftertaste sees a return of the wet wool / lanolin notes which linger with good persistence. Great to see this obscure malt back on Australian shelves and in terrific form. Non Chill-filtered. 46.3% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews... I love the intensely malty and enticingly peaty opening aroma that emits pungent notes of filled ashtray, soot, sea breeze and kippers. Palate entry is dry initially then rapidly turns off-dry and salty; at midpalate, the taste profile explodes on the tongue in flavors of salted peanut, smoked fish, paraffin, light toffee and salted butter. 92 points - winenthusiast.com
[+/- 2017 bottling] ...I last tried this expression in 2012. I appreciated it… moderately (WF 80). Colour: white wine. Nose: fine, light, with whiffs of carbon paper and new leatherette, new plastic bags at the supermarket (banned in France, though), lemon zests, smoked tea, and coal/soot. It’s not big, but I think it’s cleaner than its earlier inceptions. Mouth: no, it’s good, really. It’s lacking a part of the lemony side that works so well with many young indies, but on the other hand, there are nice notes of coffee and vanilla, from the wood, most probably. That’s the problem with most distillery owners, they tend to overdo the oak part. But we’re fine here, it’s, well, a very fine dram. And hey, let’s remember that earlier official Ledaigs had been terrible, feinty, butyric, gym-socky, puk… Ok, ok, we’re all done here. Finish: medium, brine-y, a tad sour. Comments: a very, very fine Ledaig, for sure. It’s just that the thousands of indie bottlers around us are having even better ones these days. Only IMHO, of course. 83 points - whiskyfun.com
![McDonald's Celebrated Traditional Ben Nevis Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]()
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McDonald's Celebrated Traditional Ben Nevis Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLANDReduced from $120.00$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 46%A 'replica' Highland whisky and one of the smokiest Ben Nevis to date.
A distillery that’s garnered a quiet cult following, especially as its whiskies have become harder to find...
Initially launched as a limited edition, the first McDonald's outturn amounted to roughly 700 bottles and featured an historical label. It quickly sold out with demand far exceeding supply. Realising it warranted a wider release, Ben Nevis followed through. And according to the blogosphere, many tasters prefer this bottling to the official Bennie 10.
Majority matured in Sherry casks (the remainder x Bourbon), reports have this to be at least 5 years old, but with material up to 13 years of age. Self described as an attempt to replicate the spirit produced at Ben Nevis in 1882, malt is sourced from Port Ellen Maltings on Islay (peated to around 35ppm) - which means this is smokey, but in an ashy/sooty way rather than a maritime way, and it's also non chill filtered. To reflect its heritage, the label refers to a time when Ben Nevis was producing peated malt under the directorship of Donald Peter McDonald (son of the famous Long John McDonald) for use in the then world famous 'Dew of Ben Nevis'. Typically it was bottled as a relatively young whisky. Putting it all together you get a faithful replica of an ‘old-Highlands’ style, starting with a beaming polished copper colour showing considerable legs, and thick malty aromas, developing hints of dried apricot, hazelnut chocolate, chimney soot and trace lanolin. And it's repeated in a chewy, oily delivery; Spices fan out in a sultry burst of malt and sooty peat, with smoke and fresh oak rounding out the mid palate richness. Nicely balanced uncut, a small amount of water accents the latent fruitiness and sweetens the profile. Either way it's tasty stuff. 46% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Other reviews... Liquid Gold Award - 2014 Jim Murray's Whisky Bible.
[+/-2020] ...We've tried an earlier expression back in 2013 and were not totally flabbergasted, but it was good (WF 83). Colour: white wine. Nose: more peat than I remembered. Dirt and scoria, gravel, soot, old stove, apple peelings and last year's walnuts. Definitely kind of metallic as well. Then ripe plums, tartes and cakes. A little brine too, capers… Mouth: hold on, this is good. More dirt and soot, ashes, kippers, green apples, some grist and flour, perhaps a tiny olive, seashells… It's peatier than I remembered. Finish: good length, with a little vanilla coating it. A grassy peatiness and some pepper and coconut in the aftertaste. Comments: probably a little young (that coconut) but the spirit is pretty vigorous, hale and hearty. And peaty. 84 points - whiskyfun.com
![2009 Miltonduff Artist Collective 9 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]()
- Nick's Import
2009 Miltonduff Artist Collective 9 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$119. 99Bottle$1439.88 DozenABV: 43%Famed for its robust and oily character, the single malt produced by Miltonduff is used in large part in the Ballantine’s blends. The result of a combination of eight first-fill bourbon barrels, this complex and rich expression promises loads of sweet malt and fruits at an accessible 43%.
Notes from the bottlers... the unctuous initial nose is vanilla and fruity (pear). Allowed to breathe, it becomes exotic (banana, passion fruit) medicinal and spicy (black pepper). The powerful attack is then medicinal (ointment), honeyed and fruity. The mid-palate is both chocolatey and malty. The rich, well-balanced finish evokes an apple tart. The end of the palate is characterized by notes of tobacco and spice (nutmeg). On the retro-nasal olfaction, black fruits (bramble) guide the tasting towards new lands.An LMDW exclusive.
![Murray McDavid Cask Craft Linkwood Madeira Cask Finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]()
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Murray McDavid Cask Craft Linkwood Madeira Cask Finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$79. 99Bottle$959.88 DozenABV: 44.5%A fourth entry-level NAS malt under Murray McDavid's 'Cask Craft' label is a typically textural Linkwood, judiciously sweetened by a Madeira finish. On the nose and palate there are suggestions of apples and pears, a faint waxiness and a lingering fruit cake quality rounded off by a warming finish. Fruity, uncomplicated and a little sweet with nice body and mouthfeel. 44.5% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews... Nose: Soft, dried fruit. Leather combined with hints of almonds and wellies. Caramel pudding. Taste: Medium to full body. Delicate note of almonds. Sugary sweet. Tropical fruits and dried fruits in a merry combination. Finish: Medium long finish. More of the same, albeit a little darker now. Sweet all the way. 85 points - whiskysaga.com
![Murray McDavid Cask Craft Dailuaine Bourbon Cask Finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]()
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Murray McDavid Cask Craft Dailuaine Bourbon Cask Finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$79. 99Bottle$959.88 DozenABV: 44.5%Dailuaine was the first of Scotland's distilleries to proudly adorn a ‘pagoda’ designed by the renowned architect, Charles Doig in 1889. Quick distillation creates a versatile spirit suited to a wide variety of maturations. Independents, Murray McDavid have chosen x-Bourbon quarter casks from Koval for this NAS example. On opening, it has a typical refill cask sniff, the malt laced with vanilla wafer and ripe peach notes that are also hinted on the palate. After air contact, Dailuaine's slightly oily, grassy character is better expressed through the oak before a crisp, spicy finish. This beginner's style delivers fresh, everyday drinking, plus a bit of added sweetness from the wood. 44.5% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews... Nose: Fresh notes of citrus and other assorted tropical fruits. A little sour-ish. With time more vanilla and caramel. Taste: Medium body. Juicy fruits. Melon, pineapple, and ripe green apple. Creamy vanilla. Finish: Medium to short finish. More of the same really, not much development. 83 points - whiskysaga.com
![Murray McDavid Cask Craft Mannochmore Port Cask Finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]()
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Murray McDavid Cask Craft Mannochmore Port Cask Finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$79. 99Bottle$959.88 DozenABV: 44.5%Mannochmore's heavier distillate lends itself to finishing in a cask type equal to its nature. Portuguese Port barrels have been employed for this expression. Creamy on the nose, with a dollop of boysenberry jam adding further richness but more straightforward and malt-focused on delivery with medium-bodied flavours of dried berries, vanilla, cream tea biscuits, sprinklings of white pepper and milk chocolate through the aftertaste. If you've not ventured into Port finishes before, this is a good place to start. 44.5% Alc./Vol.
![Murray McDavid Cask Craft Croftengea (Loch Lomond) Marsala Cask Finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]()
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Murray McDavid Cask Craft Croftengea (Loch Lomond) Marsala Cask Finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLAND$79. 99Bottle$959.88 DozenABV: 44.5%Loch Lomond and its numerous variants (Inchmoan, Inchmurrin, Inchfad, Croftengea, Rosdhu…) have shone in recent years, delivering super-tasty alternatives to island peaters. Their rise is mostly thanks to a few independent merchants. Here's one from Murray McDavid, re-racked into Marsala barriques from Sicily. Compared to cask-strength bottlings, this delivers an affordable lower ABV expression while maintaining impressive texture and flavour. Sweet cured meats through the mid-palate turn to smoked fish, dark chocolate and barrel char before the wine kicks in a layer of richness and extends the length adding honeyed cereals, grilled pineapple and a sweet cough lozenge character. The balance is near perfect. If you are partial to peated malts with any kind of sweet finishing, you'll enjoy this. 44.5% Alc./Vol.
Notes from the bottlers... Light, sweet smoke with mellow orchard fruits. Sweet hickory, honied cereal and bbq tropical fruits.
![2010 Old Pulteney Flotilla Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]()
- Nick's Import
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2010 Old Pulteney Flotilla Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLANDReduced from $120.00$89. 99Bottle$1079.88 DozenABV: 46%"...this is excellent... it lost a few points in the end, but I’m still relatively in love with this fresh little baby." - whiskyfun.com
A vintage-dated Old Pulteney that has some similarities to Highland Park's style. 'Flotilla' here simply refers to a small fleet of boats, appropriate as this is a maritime malt matured next to the sea. Hand-selected first fill ex-bourbon barrels held the whisky for ten years before being bottled for the West European market. The profile promises vanilla sweetness with hints of zesty lemon and green apples, rounded off with a distinct maritime note, typical of Pulteney. 46% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews... A brand new Flotilla! Seriously, silly names do not bother me as long as there is a proper age statement, quite the contrary. So, ‘flotilla’, you say that’s Gaelic?* Colour: white wine. Nose: I’m falling in love already. Ten years old, a well-behaved wood, and a rather pure distillate, that’s the recipe for a winner in my book. Shall we call this baby ‘the HP 10 of the mainland’? Lovely sunflower oil, williams pear, gooseberries, candlewax, artisan cider, ale, bread, seaweed… What’s not to like? Mouth: yeeppie! Sure it’s a little on ripe pears and juicy sultanas, so perhaps a tad ‘too easy’, but let's not deny ourselves our joy, this is excellent. Reminds me of those ripe jujubes that they sell in Chinese food markets (no, not next to pangolin meat). So loads of pears, but also vanilla, barley syrup, the said jujubes, a touch of turmeric and ginger… What I’m missing is a little more coastalness at this point, but there, it’s a fine dram. Finish: rather long, sweet, on pears, plums, grass, beer, hay… Comments: it lost a few points in the end, but I’m still relatively in love with this fresh little baby. Rather drink at 12°C, like a white wine, would I say. Ehhh? 85 points - whiskyfun.com
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Old Pulteney Huddart Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLAND$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 46%Named after the street where the Pulteney Distillery is located in Wick, 'Huddart' is one of three new products released in 2018 along with a 15 year and 18 year old. Matured in second-fill American oak ex-bourbon barrels, it was finished in barrels which formerly held heavily peated whisky. The nose suggests wood shavings, salted water biscuits, muesli and pepper with mere hints of maritime smoke, the latter more salient on the palate where it's intermixed with subtle orchard fruits, spiced citrus and a salt'n'pepper tang through the fresh, drying finish. Solid depth at 46%.
Other reviews... This NAS expression is part of the new 2018 Old Pulteney core lineup. Sweet woodsmoke, crème brûlée, green apples, and cinder toffee on the nose. The smoke is more peat-induced on the palate, with banana fritters, and subtly sprinkled with sea salt. The finish features caramel and herbal notes. 46% Alc./Vol. 87 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Winter 2018)
...This is ex-bourbon Pulteney, probably young since there’s no age statement, finished in ex-peated casks. As for the ‘shouldn’t this rather be a blended malt then’ debate, we’ll do that later. Perhaps. Probably not. Colour: pale gold. Nose: they have a thing with these ex-peater finishes, because this works very well on the nose, really. Some apple pie that would have been baked near the ocean – or on a boat – while someone in the neighbourhood was burning lemon wood, whilst smoking eucalyptus cigarettes. Mouth: really, I find this surprisingly good. It’s as if Pulteney’s slightly coastal character was amplified, in a Spinal-Tap way. Some butterscotch too, toffee, charred US oak, salty lemons, a touch of ginger and nutmeg… All is very fine here. Finish: quite long, with a rounder texture (newish US oak indeed?) and a beautiful mentholy freshness. Comments: crikey, I seem to be enjoying this little NAS quite a lot. 86 points - Serge Valentin, whiskyfun.com
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Old Pulteney 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Highlands, SCOTLAND$89. 99Bottle$1079.88 DozenABV: 40%"yesss! Spot on Pulteney character with the malt bristling the taste buds..." 91 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible.
Suitably marketed as 'The Maritime Malt’, Pulteney’s sweet and fruity style comes with a lick of salt and sea air. It's one of a small number of coastal distilleries turning out a very distinctive style, further distinguished by its extreme northern location. Owned by a relatively small company without the promotional muscle of the major players, many whisky enthusiasts only 'discovered' Pulteney after Jim Murray named the now discontinued 21 year old World Whisky of the Year, (replaced by the superb 18YO). Choose any age statement and Pulteney promises a solid northerner, frequently matured in x Bourbon where you get the best feel for the distillate, but also suited to sherry when handled with care. Apart from the notable saline character, we often find hints of beeswax and light smoke that give it a Clynelish-like feel.
Established in 1826, for a long time the distillery was only accessible by sea. Barley was brought in by boat, the whisky shipped out and many of the distillery workers were also employed as fishermen. The herring fishing industry is no longer part of daily life in Wick, but the heritage of the region is referenced in the packaging of Old Pulteney, the labels incorporating the depiction of a traditional Wick herring drifter.
The twelve year old presents a pale gold colour in the glass and a minor sulphur note is evident beneath the light, salty, peppery malt that leaves one with an overall impression similar to fino or manzanilla sherry; it sweetens slightly with aeration releasing hints of fruit. The medium dry, biscuity palate has a pleasantly spicy burst - over all, dry and saline. The finish is crisp and fresh with delicate bready notes followed by a late coastal tang. In the spectrum of single malts, this belongs at the aperitif end, and is all the more refreshing for its individuality. 40% Alc./Vol. [2007 batch tasted].
Other reviews... Remarkably consistent.... The salt continues to ensure lustre, though this bottling has a little extra - and welcome - barley gristiness. 91 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2022
...The only survivor from Old Pulteney’s core range shake-up of 2018, this has been matured in first and second-fill bourbon casks. The nose is delicate, with almonds, honey, and floral notes. Malt and toffee on the palate, with spicy oak and a hint of brine. The medium-length finish is nutty, with wood spices. 87 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Winter 2018)
![2009 Signatory Vintage The Un-Chillfiltered Collection Glendullan 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]()
- Nick's Import
2009 Signatory Vintage The Un-Chillfiltered Collection Glendullan 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$94. 99Bottle$1139.88 DozenABV: 46%Glendullan is the name of the distillery, but its production is better known as a brand: 'The Singleton'. Often considered as a recruitment malt in the industry - that is, one for beginners to try before heading into more assertive styles - its approachability has resulted in massive sales growth, recently tempered, but still strong. Long fermentations are responsible for what can be a relatively green and grassy distillate. This expression from Signatory was drawn from a pair of hogsheads in mid 2022. 46% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
![2008 Signatory Vintage Mannochmore 13 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]()
- Nick's Import
2008 Signatory Vintage Mannochmore 13 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$89. 99Bottle$1079.88 DozenABV: 43%An amber-gold coloured Mannochmore from a pair of hogsheads. At the time of writing, there's very little from this Diageo underdog available. At the best of times, Mannochmore remains one of Speyside's rarer offerings, defined by its distinctive lighter style. Founded in 1971 in the heart of whisky country, south of Elgin in Morayshire, the majority of Mannochmore's output is used in Diageo's finest blends, making single malt releases and in particular single cask releases very obscure. Despite its lack of public exposure the distillery has produced minor cult releases such as the 'Cu Dhub' and the 'Black Whisky'. Expect this to be quite spicy and zesty. 43% Alc./Vol.
![Smoky Scot Caol Ila 5 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]()
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Smoky Scot Caol Ila 5 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Islay, SCOTLAND$74. 99Bottle$899.88 DozenABV: 46%Smoky Scot is from Aceo Ltd, an independent bottler that took over Murray McDavid from Mark Reynier when Bruichladdich was sold off. This super affordable Islay whisky is a Caol Ila matured in bourbon casks for five years. Pale straw gold. Lifted whiffs of oily malt, tar, chimney soot, baked fruits and vanilla. Air contact adds a little seashore / maritime freshness. Entry is oily, fruity and richly phenolic evoking quality mezcal with flavours of char grilled pineapple, dried herbs, lanolin and sooty peat. Big and bold, the finish adds enough oak and spice to balance. Packs loads of distillery character. 46% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Other reviews... Aceo are the current owners of Murray McDavid, so in a way, this is a wee peater by Murray McDavid, said to be only five (and therefore no ages are stated). Colour: pale white wine. Nose: pristine lime juice, oysters, crabs, kelp, light ashes and charcoal, in a very Coal-Ila manner. Elastoplast and fresh almonds in the background, which is even more CI in my book. Mouth: pure salty lemon juice, with less smoke than on the nose, but with more seawater, oysters, seaweed and all that. Finish: pretty long, still pure, still on a lot of seawater, anchovies in brine, and even with olives, which always puts me on cloud nine. Comments: we just did a mezcal session the other day, and we now realise how close to each other both spirits can be. I mean, some Caol Ilas and some mezcals. Brilliant wee drop, absolutely love it, even if there are zillions of very similar casks snoozing away in the centre of Scotland. 88 points - whiskyfun.com
![Talisker Skye Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]()
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Talisker Skye Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Isle of Skye, SCOTLANDReduced from $99.99$79. 99Bottle$959.88 DozenABV: 45.8%Skye is a new addition to the range as of 2015, named after the beautiful island on which the distillery resides. It follows in the footsteps of an increasing number of distilleries now offering NAS (No Age Statement) bottlings. Matured in a combination of refill and toasted American oak, with a slightly higher proportion of the latter, by all reports, this is a toned down and highly accessible Talisker with a slightly sweet edge. 45.8% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews... Gorgeously salivating with concentrated, sharp barley; the peat is now more muffled and then vanishes under the toffee. Has some sublime moments on the nose and delivery but eventually vanishes under the weight of the unforgiving caramel. 89 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2024
...The latest release from Talisker is an NAS bottling which contains whisky matured in toasted and refill American oak casks. According to the distiller, this is “An easy-drinking Talisker…more approachable, but still definitely Talisker.” Certainly approachable on the nose, with tangerines, honey, and milk chocolate, before ozone and peat smoke develop. Ginger and a hint of coal tar. Medium-bodied, with citrus fruit and increasingly hot spices, though never overwhelming. Spicy peat, white pepper, and aniseed in a nutty finish. 84 points - whiskyadvocate.com
...I have to say the first batches, around 2014 or 2015, did not quite convince me but as they say in rock and roll, you sometimes need tough love… Colour: light gold. Nose: it’s nice-ish, it’s just not very complex, although, could be that they improved the recipe, I’m not too sure. I find less of the straight coconut-and-vanilla elements this time, and more tin, concrete, menthol, camphor and green pepper. Mouth: the oak feels, there’s a drying bitterness, then salt and lemon peel. I find it tough, and god knows I love the 10yo, which shouldn’t be that older. The oak gets louder (sawdust). Finish: medium, gritty and drying. Needs polishing. The aftertaste is a little nicer, read more on smoked brine, but that’s a little late. Comments: duties done, can we have the new 31 Prima & Ultima now? Seriously, there are only two Taliskers which I don’t like a lot, Skye and Port Ruighe. All the others, from Storm to the oldest glories, I really like or love a lot. 77 points - whiskyfun.com
![Talisker Storm Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]()
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Talisker Storm Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Isle of Skye, SCOTLANDReduced from $99.99$89. 99Bottle$1079.88 DozenABV: 45.8%A new no age statement whisky released at the beginning of 2013.
Other reviews... much more salient peat than in earlier bottlings...and though naggingly young, there is an attractive structure and character to this, especially on the nose and finish. 89.5 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2023
...Old gold color. Aromas and flavors of honey butter on grilled muffin with a pleasant hint of peat, warm sand and pepper. Dry-yet-fruity and medium bodied with a burning ember, buttercream, poached pear, and cigar tobacco accented finish. Nice integrated honeyed grain, fruit and smoke flavors that would be a great refreshing, introduction to peaty island Scotch whiskies.
International Review of Spirits Award: Gold Medal - 92 points (Exceptional) - tastings.comGold Medal, Distillers' Single Malts 12 years and under - 2014 International Spirits Challenge
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Tamnavulin Double Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$69. 99Bottle$839.88 DozenABV: 40%Tamnavulin has been out of the Australian market for decades. New for 2018 is 'Double Cask', named for having spent time in both x Bourbon and sherry casks.
Other reviews... Entirely pleasant as it is with an attractive, clean maltiness to the thinned golden syrup.... a 92 plus whisky just waiting to happen.
87.5 points - Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2018...Double Cask sure is a difficult name for any whisky, it’s like if you’d have named your newborn son Donald J. or Adolf. And boo, there’s no age statement either… Colour: gold. Nose: wait, this is nice! There’s this typical vanilla-ed and banana-y profile that screams US oak, but there are good pastries underneath, and marmalade and quince jelly, and then raisins with a touch of mint (leaves). This may have seen some sherry-seasoned oak at some point. It’s a nice, well-carved nose. Mouth: a little more kick would have been welcome, especially since treatments with active wood demand stronger spirits and do not favour heavy reducing too much, in my humble experience. What I’m trying to say is that it’s all a tad too modern for me (again, bananas, vanilla, raisins, coconut), but I agree it’s still a very fine dram, done with care, and very pleasant to drink. Indeed it is a drinker. Finish: short, a tad tea-ish, pleasant. Apricots. Comments: I was having fears – not just because of the unimaginative name – but I was wrong, it really is a fine dram. 80 points - Serge Valentin, whiskyfun.com
![Arran Machrie Moor Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)]()
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- Reduced
Arran Machrie Moor Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Isle of Arran, SCOTLANDReduced from $110.00$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 46%"... the spirit itself is nothing short of brilliant." - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible.
Machrie Moor is a reference to an area of Arran island strewn with Bronze Age stone circles and standing stones, once used by a giant to tether its favourite dog (hence the label). The whisky is moderately peated at 20ppm and started as a regular 'limited release' of around 18,000 bottles, but became so popular, the distillery decided to make it a part of the core range. This label has now been superseded by a ten year old and a cask strength version. The style offers a balance between Arran's fruity malt and moderate phenols which are applied in soft brush strokes. More Highland than Island, the middle stage oily-sweetness is followed by a surge of pepper and sooty smoke before turning ashy and medium dry (think high-quality Ardmore). It's pretty close to spot-on in terms of overall balance while packing a decent punch at 46% ABV - and with more peat than the nose suggests. If the intention was to create a compelling alternative to entry-level Islay, then Machrie Moor is a success. Non-chill filtered. 46% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews... [5th Edition] A few tired old Bourbon barrels have taken the score down slightly on last year. But the spirit itself is nothing short of brilliant.
91.5 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2019Second Edition tasted... Pale straw gold. Opens muted, gradually releasing notes of choc-chip cookie, Fisherman’s friend and dried kelp after several minutes exposure. Unusual palate - think quality Japanese green tea with some sweet spices thrown in... The peaty malt adds depth towards the finish. Weird but wonderful to try Arran in this guise. 46% Alc/Vol. 90 points
