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Appearance: Showing a brilliant old-brass colour courtesy of the bourbon wood and that unique concentration through the ageing process.

Nose: this whisky jumps out of the glass with notes almost reminiscent of a great White Burgundy. Crushed river stones and struck flint alongside golden delicious apple and herbes de provence come across on the nose.

Palate: The palate is gentle as one would expect from the lower ABV but it is oily and viscous with a sensation of scented candle followed by sea salt, delicate earthy peat and a return of that golden delicious apple note.

Finish: Extremely long and gentle with the initial notes of crushed stones mingling with sea salt and stewed orchard fruit.

This twelve-year-old Highland Single Malt was distilled in 2008 at the Blair Athol Distillery along the banks of the River Tummel. Drawn from a single, undersized 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel previously used by the Koval Distillery, it is a youthful pale golden colour with bright aromatics of red apple and pear as well as fine vanilla and warm baking spices. A generous, well-balanced highlander from one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland dating back to 1798, this is a personal favourite and a fitting first bottling of the Stiùbhart Single Cask Selection. Bottled at a natural cask strength of 58.9% without chill filtration or added colouring.

A single cask Islay malt matured in undersized ex-Bourbon barrels previously used to mature Bourbon whiskey at the Koval Distillery, showcasing Caol Ila’s classic oily maritime qualities with aromas of sweet, earthy peat, sea breeze and iodine alongside pungent, warming spices evoking cinnamon, cumin, smoked pepper and cardamom. A finish laced with eucalyptus and dried mint makes for a restrained, finessed Islay with a long, dynamic finish. Bottled at a natural cask strength of 58.1% without colouring or filtration.

The second bottling from the Stewart Whisky Company in their Stiùbhart Single Cask selection, released in March 2021 at 13 years of age in a limited run of just 132 bottles.

Initially this single cask Glen Garioch is restrained, revealing only the most delicate and refined aromatics. Glen Garioch is one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland, with its origins in 1797 in the Aberdeenshire village of Oldmeldrum. If the heavily sherried styles endemic to Speyside are Cru Classé Bordeaux, then this is 1er Cru Burgundy in its finesse and fine-boned structure. Just 328 bottles filled from Cask 1637 at 45% ABV.

Colour: Full, rich dark gold.

Nose: Rich, complex fruit aromas with sherried, malty tones.

Flavour: Sherry, cognac, demerara rum characteristics alongside fruit, nuts and marzipan. Indulgent Christmas cake spiciness.

Finish: A whisky you never want to end and it almost feels as if it won't, the finish goes on forever with spice, decadent dark cocoa and forest floor.

Founded in 1871 as “The Great Distillery of Inchgower” near the fly fishing haven of Buckie on the River Spey, Inchgower is a true Blue-Blood of Speyside. Small scale by owners Diageo’s standards, the spirit running off of Inchgower’s stills is remarkably hard to find in official bottlings. Once a popular member of the Flora & Fauna stable it has been sadly discontinued and independent bottlings remain the prime outlet for this refined Speysider.

While Auchroisk shows notes of fresh-cut grass, Inchgower’s aromatic profile is more reminiscent of dried hay; red apple rather than green and summer flowers rather than spring blossoms. Its complexity is what has earned it a central role in the world famous Bell’s blended scotch whisky alongside stablemate Blair Athol and as it matures, that complexity comes in with unique elements of aniseed and even turmeric.

Best aged in Bourbon but no slouch in Sherry wood either, this is a versatile spirit and one that has show it can fetch admirable prices when bottled at an advanced age. We expect the discontinuation of the Flora & Fauna bottling coupled with the success of Indy icons such as That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Càrn Mor and Douglas Laing give this cask ample scope for value appreciation in the medium to long term.

The peat is fine-grained, much more clearly highland peat than Islay or Coastal as it foregoes the iodine and TCP or boat oil, more reminiscent of an autumn bonfire somewhere in the distance. The sherry brings in the classic Macallan profile to work in perfect balance with that unique peat-inflected edge. A true masterpiece of the bottler's art. Just 690 crystal decanters filled at 47%.

Whisky Base (92)

Whisky Bible (94.5)

Superstar whiskies that give us all a reason to live... Very enjoyable malt. But odd to see Port Ellen in sherry: so much of their output was in bourbon. Had to actually pick up and define the character of the distillery itself. That said, a punchy and enjoyable dram.

Nose: 23.5; Taste: 23.5; Finish: 23.5; Balance: 24