Rock Oyster Cask Strength – Buy 2 Bottles & Get An Extra Bottle FREE!
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 Douglas Laing / Rock Oyster Cask Strength. £49.50 Buy 2 bottles and get extra bottle free!
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 Compass Box / Tobias & The Angel. £450.00 Country: Scotland Region: Blended Age: Strength: 48%. Summary: COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland/Various. CATEGORY: Blended Malt. DISTILLERIES: Caol Ila and Clynelish. BOTTLER: Compass Box. BOTTLED: 2018 CASK TYPE: Hogsheads. NUMBER OF BOTTLES: 2650 ABV: 48% Vol. Made from just two parcels of whisky, which they are unlikely to source again at these ages, Tobias & the Angel is a culmination of two decades of whiskymaking. They have a long-held reverence for the whiskies of the Clynelish and Caol Ila Distilleries. Ever since Eleuthera, which they created in 2002, they have understood that these two distillery whiskies complement each other exquisitely. So great is their reverence for the flavour profiles of these distilleries, and so elevated are the ages of the individual whiskies they have used in this blend, to inspire their label artwork they turned to the paintings of the Renaissance. They have chosen Tobias & the Angel, produced at the studio of Andrea del Verrocchio in the 15th century. One of the young apprentices, and the painter of the small tousle-haired dog and the gleaming fish Tobias carries, was Leonardo da Vinci. We love the beauty in the work, and the symbolism of the naïve boy and the divine angel. It speaks to how we see the relationship between the ethereal character of the 24-year-old whisky, sourced from the Clynelish Distillery, and the aromatic smokiness exhibited by the considerably older spirit from Caol Ila Distillery. Like the painting, this whisky charms and dazzles. It is a singular work, a testament to all they have learned in nearly 20 years of whisky blending. |
 Compass Box / Stranger & Stranger. £147.50 Country: Scotland Region: Blended Age: Strength: 46%. Summary: COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland/Various. CATEGORY: Blended Malt. BOTTLER: Compass Box. BOTTLING SERIE: Limited X Edition. BOTTLED: 2018 NUMBER OF BOTTLES: 4802 ABV: 46% Vol. WHISKY DETAILS PROVIDED BY WHISKY ISRAEL: A new Compass Box whisky review today (happy me), and quite an unusual one, if I might say… Some may call it sacrilege, but Compass Box thought the addition of one year old ‘sacrificial spirit’ would be the perfect component to use in their limited edition blend to celebrate ten years of collaboration with their good friends at the package design company Stranger & Stranger, hence the name. ‘Sacrificial spirit? what?!’, you ask… well, let me explain. John Glaser & Co., have made a brilliant blended whisky and put a finger in the SWA’s eye, they have included a one year old grain spirit, which can not be whisky, hence making the entire concoction NOT A WHISKY, by definition. Of course it’s whisky, and of course it’s brilliant as always, but this is another of their “in your face” sort of action, protesting against the SWA’s regulations which do not allow for 100% transparency. Remember the 3 year old de-luxe? which included some old whiskies, and some 3 year old just for the kick of it? well, this goes one step further. Brilliant, and a very coragoes move on behalf of CB, which know this whisky will sell well no matter how they call it (actually they refer to it as “Scotch malt whisky blended with wheat & barley spirit“). so what’s inside? 80% Malt Whisky from Glenlossie distillery in a re-char Hogshead, 14% Malt whisky from Glen Elgin in re-char Barrels, 5% Malt Whisky from Linkwood in a Sherry Butt, and 1% of the “Sacrificial spirit” from Girvan grain distillery from a re-fill Hogshead : (The spirit spent one year in their experimental American oak barrels to season the wood. After the spirit fulfilled its original purpose of seasoning these experimental barrels, they filled it into a refill hogshead for safe keeping while they created this new blend) *(The spirit spent one year in their experimental American oak barrels to season the wood. After the spirit fulfilled its original purpose of seasoning these experimental barrels, they filled it into a refill hogshead for safe keeping while they created this new blend) NOSE: lovely and fresh with lots of apple, pear and a sweet sugary note as well,apple pie, and sweet dough, a hint of candied ginger, bordering on unripe tropical fruit, candied pineapple, and wood. Wow. Nice start! So light, green and fresh, with the dominating Glenlossie apples. Bingo! PALATE: richer thicker and sweeter, with butter stewed apples, honey, vanilla and spice toasted oak and bitter chocolate,filled with sweet caramel. More fruit comes on the 2nd wave of sensations, mostly plum and some apricot, and burnt sugar,pepper then the pineapple kicks in. FINISH: spicy, with pepper, ginger powder sweet caramel, and toasted oak. CONCLUSION: No surprise here, as with many CB Whiskies, with a gimmick or without the gimmick, this is a beautiful dram: from the rich apples on the nose, through a more robust and sweet/fruity palate, and a delightful finish. This is a blending tour de force on behalf of Glaser & Co. Splendid stuff. Not cheap though at $200. Call it what you like, this is damn good dram. Gal Granov / Whisky Israel January 24th 2019. |
 Bunnahabhain / 40 Year Old Single Malt. £1,650.00 Country: Scotland Region: Islay Age: Strength: 41.9%. Summary: COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland/Islay. DISTILLERY: Bunnahabhain. DISTRICT: Islay. BOTTLER: Distillery. ABV: 41.9% Vol. Four long decades have crawled by as this precious whisky slowly and silently matured within our warehouses by the sea. Indeed, the casks that this whisky was maturing in were all but forgotten, until our blender discovered them whilst reviewing the warehouse ledgers. Sourced from the legendary wines and spirit merchant, J.G Turney, these casks have been home to this stunning whisky for the past forty years. This unique 40 Year Old is as rare as it is prized – if you’re ever lucky enough to hold one, be gentle, you’re holding a piece of history! TASTING NOTES: Dr Kirstie McCallum, Senior Blender describes the Bunnahabhain 11 year old Pedro Ximénez as: COLOUR: Rich lemony gold. NOSE: Hints of tropical fruits, banana, berries, creamy toffee, vanilla, rich nuttiness and delicate sweet oak. PALATE: Sweet malt, creamy caramel, vanilla, creamy berries, with hints of toasted nuts, tropical fruit, banana and pineapple. FINISH: Long sweet and fruity. |
 The Glasgow Distillery Co. / 1770 Whisky Release No.1. £130.00 Country: Scotland Region: Lowland Age: Strength: 46%. Summary: COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland/Lowland. CATEGORY: Single Malt. DISTILLERY: The Glasgow Distillery Co. BOTTLER: Distillery Bottling. BOTTLING SERIE: Release No. 1. BOTTLED: 2018 AGE: 3 Years Old. CASK TYPE: 1st fill Bourbon, Virgin oak finish. NUMBER OF BOTTLES: 5000 ABV: 46% Vol. TO THE EYE: A vibrant golden glow. TO THE MOUTH: Refreshing and warming all at once. TO THE NOSE: Pears and rhubarb, with hot custard and a sprinkling of pepper. TO THE END: A lingering peppery spice, yet sweet finish. |
 Auchroisk / Old Malt Cask 15 Year Old. £80.00 Country: Scotland Region: Speyside Age: Strength: 50%. Summary: COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland/Speyside. CATEGORY: Single Malt. DISTILLERY: Auchroisk. BOTTLER: Hunter Laing (HL). BOTTLING SERIE: Old Malt Cask. VINTAGE: 11.2002 BOTTLED: 02.2018 STATED AGE: 15 years old. CASK TYPE: Refill Hogshead. CASK NUMBER: HL 14747 NUMBER OF BOTTLES: 337 STRENGTH: 50% Vol. NOSE: Vanilla and apple with just a hint of sea-salt. PALATE: Orange, malted barley and a grassy note. FINISH: Lingering with vanilla and grapefruit. |
 Balvenie / 12 Year Old Doublewood. £37.50 Country: Scotland Region: Speyside Age: Strength: 40%. Summary: COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland/Speyside. CATEGORY: Single Malt. DISTILLERY: Balvenie. BOTTLER: Distillery Bottling. BOTTLING SERIE: DoubleWood. BOTTLED: 2015 STATED AGE: 12 years old. CASKTYPE: Sherry Cask Finish. STRENGTH: 40% Vol. The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 year old single malt whisky gains its distinctive character from being matured in two wood types. To make The Balvenie DoubleWood, David Stewart MBE takes whisky that has spent at least 12 years in traditional whisky casks, American Oak ex-bourbon barrels and hogsheads, and moves it to Spanish oak ex-Oloroso sherry casks for an additional nine months. The whisky is then transferred to large oak vessels called “tuns” for 3-4 months to allow the whiskies to “marry”. Each stage lends different qualities to the resulting single malt whisky. The traditional casks soften and add delicate character, the sherry wood brings depth and fullness of flavour and the final few months in our tuns allow the whiskies to marry harmoniously. NOSE: Sweet fruit and Oloroso sherry notes, layered with honey and vanilla. TASTE: Smooth and mellow with beautifully combined flavours ~ nutty sweetness, cinnamon spiciness and a delicately proportioned layer of sherry. FINISH: Long and Warming. |
 Balvenie / 12 Year Old Single Barrel. £52.50 Country: Scotland Region: Speyside Age: Strength: 47.8%. Summary: COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland/Speyside. CATEGORY: Single Malt. DISTILLERY: Balvenie. BOTTLER: Distillery Bottling. BOTTLING SERIE: Single Barrel. STATED AGE: 12 years old. CASKTYPE: American Oak. ABV: 47.8% Vol. The Balvenie Single Barrel First Fill is a 12 year old single malt whisky, aged in a first fill, ex-bourbon cask. Almost all Scotch whisky is matured in casks previously used by Bourbon distillers. When brought to Scotland and used for the very first time they are known as ‘First Fill’. The Malt Master samples the aged whisky, cask by cask and selects only those characterised by sweetness and subtle vanilla oak to be bottled as The Balvenie Single Barrel First Fill. A series of “limited editions” – Each bottle is one of no more than 300 drawn from a single cask and each is hand-numbered and carries the number of the cask in which it matured NOSE: Honey notes, overlaid with sweet fruits and subtle spices. TASTE: Rich and complex with deep vanilla oakiness. FINISH: Lingeringly sweet. |
 Balvenie / 14 Year old Peat Week (2003 Vintage). £60.00 Country: Scotland Region: Speyside Age: Strength: 48.3%. Summary: COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland/Speyside. CATEGORY: Single Malt. DISTILLERY: Balvenie. BOTTLER: Distillery Bottling. BOTTLING SERIE: Peat Week. VINTAGE: 2003 BOTTLED: 2018 STATED AGE: 14 years old. CASK TYPE: American Oak. STRENGTH: 48.3 % Vol. The Balvenie Peat Week Aged 14 Years (2003 Vintage) is the result of trials undertaken in 2001 by The Balvenie Malt Master David C. Stewart MBE and our former distillery manager Ian Millar. At a time when few Speyside distilleries were using peat in production, The Balvenie decided to distil a batch of heavily peated malt, which was laid down to mature at the distillery in Dufftown, Scotland. Ever since then we’ve dedicated one week each year, named Peat Week, to using 100% Highland peat to dry our barley. Instead of coastal elements of iodine, salt and medicinal characteristics so commonly associated with Islay peat, Highland peat imparts earthy, woody smoke notes. This means that even though Peat Week is made using heavily peated malt (30ppm) it has an unexpected sweetness deeply rooted in the Speyside regional character. The Balvenie Peat Week Aged 14 Years (2003 Vintage) is a single vintage bottling, limited and rare by nature. This non-chill filtered expression is bottled at 48.3% ABV and matured solely in American Oak casks, providing a velvety and round taste with woody peat smoke balancing oaky vanilla and honey. NOSE: Gentle sweet peat smoke with some lighter floral notes and delicate butterscotch honey. TASTE: Velvety and round to taste with the peat smoke balancing citrus flavours, oaky vanilla and blossom honey. FINISH: Gentle smoke with a lingering and creamy vanilla sweetness. |
 Balvenie / 17 Year Old Doublewood. £95.00 Country: Scotland Region: Speyside Age: Strength: %. 700 ml. Summary: COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland/Speyside. CATEGORY: Single Malt. DISTILLERY: Balvenie. BOTTLER: Distillery Bottling. BOTTLING SERIE: DoubleWood. BOTTLED: STATED AGE: 17 years old. CASKTYPE: Sherry Cask Finish. STRENGTH: % Vol. SIZE: 700 ml. To craft The Balvenie DoubleWood 17 year old single malt whisky Malt Master David C. Stewart MBE returned to one of his most celebrated achievements – consecutive maturation in two different types of cask, a process often referred to as ‘cask finishing’. This technique is at the heart of The Balvenie DoubleWood – it sees the whisky matured first in American oak barrels, which impart soft sweet vanilla notes, before being transferred to European oak sherry casks, where the second cask ageing adds rich spicy flavours and a depth and fullness of flavour. The DoubleWood 17 year old is an elder sibling to DoubleWood 12 year old and shares its honeyed, spicy characteristics, but it is distinctly different, with deeper vanilla notes, hints of green apple, creamy toffee and a striking richness and complexity. NOSE: Elegant and complex oak, vanilla, honeyed sweetness and a hint of green apple. TASTE: Sweet with dried fruits, sherbet spice, toasted almonds and cinnamon, layered with a richness of creamy toffee notes and traces of oak and deep vanilla. FINISH: Vanilla oak, honey and spicy sweetness. |
 Balvenie / 25 Year Old Single Barrel. £425.00 Country: Scotland Region: Speyside Age: Strength: 47.8%. Summary: COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland/Speyside. CATEGORY: Single Malt. DISTILLERY: Balvenie. BOTTLER: Distillery Bottling. BOTTLING SERIE: Single Barrel. DISTILLED: 1992 BOTTLED: 2018 STATED AGE: 25 years old. CASKTYPE: American oak. ABV: 47.8% Vol. The Balvenie Single Barrel Traditional Oak is characterised by subtle spices and rich honeyed sweetness. Malt Master David C. Stewart MBE only selects casks of whisky for bottling that have the character he expects of Balvenie matured for 25 years exclusively in American oak. However, no two casks will ever produce an identical single malt. As such, this 25 year old single malt whisky from a Single Barrel Traditional Oak Aged is unique and no more than 300 bottles will be filled from any one cask. This is reflected on the bottle label – hand numbered and carrying the distillation date, bottling date and cask number in which the Scotch whisky was matured. |
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