Archives for September 2019

Springbank / 15 Year Old Single Malt.

Summary: 

COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland/Campbeltown.

CATEGORY: Single Malt.

DISTILLERY: Springbank.

BOTTLER: Distillery Bottling.

STATED AGE: 15 years old.

STRENGTH: 46.0 % Vol.

Like a storm gathering off the Kintyre coast, the 15-year-old Springbank is dark and ominous, yet delicious. Best enjoyed after dinner or with your favourite cigar, this is a true classic.

NOSE: Demerara sugar, dark chocolate, Christmas cake, almonds, toffee, oak.

PALATE: Creamy, raisins, dark chocolate, figs, marzipan, brazil nuts and vanilla.

FINISH Oak and sherry notes sustain and mingle with hints of leather.

Brora / 40 Year Old 200th Anniversary.

Summary: 

COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland/Highland.

CATEGORY: Single Malt.

DISTILLERY: Brora.

BOTTLER: Distillery Bottling.

BOTTLING SERIE: 200th Anniversary.

CASK TYPE: .

DISTILLED: 1978

BOTTLED: 2019

AGE: 40 Year Old.

NUMBER OF BOTTLES: 1819

ABV: 49.2% Vol.

Brora 40-Year-Old is a limited-edition Single Malt whisky bottled to commemorate two centuries in the lifetime of a distilling icon. Drawn from one dozen casks of vintage stocks from 1978, each of the 1,819 bottles, reflecting the year the distillery opened, offers a rare glimpse into a golden era of Brora’s past.

Encased in a deep burgundy velvet display case, the bottle is adorned with the Brora emblem of the Scottish Wild Cat – crest of the distillery’s founder, the Duke of Sutherland.

From 2020, Brora’s gates will open after some 36 years of quiet, following meticulous, brick-by-brick restoration currently underway to bring the legendary whisky house back to life. To welcome this new era and celebrate the past craftsmen that made Brora over its 200-year history, comes this new release 40-year-old expression. Diageo Master Blender Dr Craig Wilson has selected just twelve American oak hogshead casks from Brora’s vintage stocks to celebrate a moment of the distillery’s history: The Age of Peat.

In searching for the casks for this release, Dr Wilson worked alongside the Diageo Archive Team that had unearthed original Brora production records as part of their ongoing work to assist in the distillery restoration. This allowed the master blender to identify the years at which this now revered smoky style of Brora was at its peak, and following careful nosing of the individual casks, Dr Wilson made his selection: a 1978 40-year-old Single Malt of immense complexity that perfectly reflected this moment of Brora’s past.

“Of all the stories of Brora, there is one that seemed particularly fitting to tell on its 200th Anniversary. From 1969-83, there was a new experimentation phase in production and the Brora distillers created a smoky malt used heavily-peated Northern Highland barley. Used primarily in blends at the time, the few casks that are left from this Age of Peat, matured remarkably well and what remains is a multi-layered and complex Single Malt of astonishing quality. Little did the craftsmen at the time know, they had created a masterpiece. It is emblematic of the varied past of the distillery that makes it so special to all that know it: a humble story of experimentation, craft and happy coincidence.”

Dr Craig WilsonDiageo Master Blender

Tomatin / 2006 Amontillado Sherry Edition.

Summary: 

COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland/Highland.

CATEGORY: Single Malt.

DISTILLERY: Tomatin.

BOTTLER: Distillery Bottling.

BOTTLING SERIE: .

CASK TYPE: Distilled in 2006, moved to Amontillado Sherry Butts in 2015, finished for 3 years.

DISTILLED: 2006

BOTTLED: 2019

AGE: 12 Year Old.

NUMBER OF BOTTLES: 5400

ABV: 46% Vol.

Tomatin / Cask Strength.

Summary: 

COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland/Highland's.

CATEGORY: Single Malt.

DISTILLERY: Tomatin.

BOTTLER: Distillery Bottling.

BOTTLED: 11.04.2017.

CASK TYPE: Bourbon & Sherry Casks.

STRENGTH: 57.5% Vol.

The Cask Strength Edition is their most vivacious expression, yet still retains Tomatin’s characteristically rich and sweet undertones. Matured in a classic combination of first fill ex-Bourbon and ex-Oloroso Sherry casks, aromas of golden syrup and ginger biscuits prevail while flavours of malt loaf and marzipan lead to a dry, lingering spicy finish.

Glencadam / Aged 13 Years.

Summary: 

COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland/Highlands.

CATEGORY: Single malt.

DISTILLERY: Glencadam.

BOTTLER: Distillery Bottling.

STATED AGE: 13 years old.

STRENGTH: 46% Vol.

Glencadam Distillery proudly announces the release of a rare 13 year old expression.

Rare because in the Autumn of the year 2000, Glencadam distillery fell silent. This silence became a deep sleep for three years until its joyous “Re-Awakening” in the Autumn of 2003. This rare, 13 years old limited edition from the re-start of distillation truly represents and commemorates “The Re-Awakening” of Glencadam Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

COLOUR: Shimmering gold.

NOSE: Floral and malty with summer fruits, gentle sweetness and subtle vanilla.

PALATE: Refined for its age with ripe fruit notes accompanied by smooth vanilla sweetness.

FINISH: Full and rich with hints of oaky-spice.

Glencadam / Aged 18 Years.

Summary: 

COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland/Highlands.

CATEGORY: Single Malt.

DISTILLERY: Glencadam.

BOTTLER: Distillery Bottling.

STATED AGE: 18 years old.

STRENGTH: 46% Vol.

COLOUR: Ripe barley;

NOSE: Pineapple and banana bond with malty spice. Wafts of cigar box and white-pepper spice complete the mélange of elegant and complex aromas;

PALATE: Floral and spicy with sophisticated mix of fruits, nutmeg and sweet maltiness;

FINISH: Brave and proud with gentle pepper and spice.

AWARDS:  Points / Jim Murray's 2015 Whisky Bible.

Highland Park / Viking Tribe.

Summary: 

COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland/Orkneys.

CATEGORY: Single Malt.

DISTILLERY: Highland Park.

BOTTLER: Distillery Bottling.

BOTTLED: 2018

ABV: 46% Vol.

Introducing Highland Park Viking Tribe, an exceptional and unique single malt bottling at marrying strength of 46% ABV. Bottling at 46% ABV (compared to 40% or 43% as is normal) allows the whisky to be filtered at a higher ambient temperature. The result is intensified flavours of citrus fruits, sweet vanilla and peppery spices, balanced with Highland Park's characteristic aromatic smokiness.

The term 'marrying strength' refers to the marrying process, which gives this whisky valuable time to harmonise in the cask before being bottled. A deliberately slow and unhurried stage, long since abandoned by many distilleries, cask harmonisation remains one of the five keystones of Highland Park production. The selected casks are combined together with natural spring water to reduce the strength of this whisky to 46% ABV, before leaving the newly married spirit to rest in casks for at least a month. During that resting period, flavours from the different casks harmonise, gathering depth and consistency.

Auchroisk / Old Particular Chairmans Choice 10 Year Old.

Summary: 

COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland/Speyside.

CATEGORY: Single Malt.

DISTILLERY: Auchroisk.

BOTTLER: Douglas Laing.

BOTTLING SERIE: Old Particular – The Chairman's Choice.

DISTILLED: .March 2009

BOTTLED: May 2019

AGE: 10 Years Old.

CASK TYPE: Refill Hogshead.

NUMBER OF BOTTLES: 216

ABV: 62.1%

A creamy cereal and coconut quality on the nose developing to lime juice and Malted barley. The palate is full of vanilla notes, buttercream and oat biscuits. The long finish reveals American oak and toasted almonds.

GlenAllachie / 15 Year Old.

Summary: 

COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland/Speyside.

CATEGORY: Single Malt.

DISTILLERY: Glenallachie.

BOTTLER: Distillery Bottling.

BOTTLED: 2019

CASK TYPE: Pedro Ximenez Pucheons and Oloroso Puncheons.

STRENGTH: 46% Vol.

COLOUR: Sunset Bronze.

NOSE: Overflowing with raisins, butterscotch and sweet spices.

TASTE: The rainbow of sweet spices, raisins and butterscotch develops to banana, orange peel and dark chocolate.

It’s now almost two years since the GlenAllachie Distillers Company was formed, bringing the distillery back into private ownership. In that time, they have opened a Visitor’s Centre, added two warehouses, grown from seven to 21 employees and their GlenAllachie and MacNair’s whiskies are now recognised as outstanding malts, receiving numerous medals and awards across both ranges.

It’s now time for them to expand the GlenAllachie core range and showcase more of what their whisky has to offer. The Master Distiller, Billy Walker, has been working tirelessly on this new expression since day one; evaluating casks and refining recipes to create something special. We’re proud to present the jewel in their crown; the GlenAllachie 15 years old.

Compass Box / Myths & Legends I.

Summary: 

COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland.

CATEGORY: Vatted Malt.

DISTILLERY: Single malt whisky distilled near the village of Edderton, Northern Highlands.

BOTTLER: Compass Box.

BOTTLED: 2019

NUMBER OF BOTTLES: 4394

ABV: 46% Vol.

Scotch whisky has a rich array of stories, myths and legends.

However, what start as myths can become received wisdom, influencing our understanding and restricting our enjoyment. We have deployed blending to challenge assumptions, biases and prejudices concerning Scotch in this limited edition series we call Myths & Legends.

It may surprise some, but blending is as crucial to the creation of single malts as it is to blended whisky. Myths & Legends I highlights the extent to which individual casks are often unreliable authorities for the style of whisky made at a distillery; it is by blending casks together that a fuller picture of distillery character can emerge.

Two parcels of malt whisky from the same Northern Highland distillery tasted markedly different: the younger parcel was malty and citrusy, the older one much creamier with a ripe fruit character. Two distinct personalities but from the one distillery.

By combining these two parcels Compass Box have created a whisky full of fragrance with a more rounded complexity, one that provides a richer understanding of what this distillery can produce.

Compass Box / Myths & Legends III.

Summary: 

COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland.

CATEGORY: Vatted Malt.

DISTILLERY: Single malt whisky distilled near the village of Longmorn, single malt whisky distilled near the village of Port Askaig and single malt whisky from Orkney.

BOTTLER: Compass Box.

BOTTLED: 2019

NUMBER OF BOTTLES: 4564

ABV: 46% Vol.

Scotch whisky has a rich array of stories, myths and legends.

For Myths & Legends III we have taken some of the same parcels of malt whisky used in Myths & Legends II and added peated malt whiskies from a pair of celebrated island distilleries. Some would object to our actions on principle.

Famous single malts are always too precious for blending, they say; the sanctity of the category seems to take precedence over quality.

However, thanks to our parcels of well regarded malt whiskies, the tropical fruit and butterscotch notes of Myths & Legends II are now further enriched by a deep and enchantingly aromatic smoke profile.

Never blend the famous names? The breadth of generous and complex flavours found in Myths & Legends III dismantles such superstitious thinking.