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Sampling Penderyn Whisky For The St. David’s Day Tweet Tastings – What Could Be Better?

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The Penderyn ‘Gold’ Collection!

To celebrate St. David’s Day, the Welsh Distillery of Penderyn Whisky was the subject of Monday nights @TweetTastings!

On the night, Steve from The Whisky Wire, guided us through Penderyn’s “Gold” Collection which consisted of:-

  • Penderyn Madeira Finish
  • Penderyn Rich Oak
  • Penderyn Sherrywood
  • Penderyn Portwood
  • Penderyn Peated

The Penderyn Distillery, which launched in 2000, is located in the foothills of the Brecon Beacons National Park in South Wales.

Penderyn uses single copper-pot stills for its distillation, which creates a spirit at an industry high of 92%. These stills were created by Dr. David Faraday, descendent of the ground-breaking Victorian scientist, Michael Faraday.

In 2014, Penderyn also commissioned a pair of Scottish-style ‘lantern’ stills (producing spirit at around 67%) to allow them to experiment with new whiskies.

Penderyn proudly boasts an all-female distilling team. Led by Ditillery Manager Laura Davies, along with Blender Aista Jukneviciute and Trainee Distiller Bethan Morgans.

If you want to catch up on what all the tweet tasters had to say you can view their comments by searching for the hash tag #PenderynWhisky on Twitter.

So, what did I think?

Here are my tasting notes … and the one which was my favourite on the night!

Tasting Notes – Penderyn Madeira Finish (46%)

Penderyn Madeira Finish: 46% ABV – Single Malt Welsh Whisky – Available from their
online store for £41.82 (inc delivery)

The original Penderyn ‘house style’, initially matured in ex-bourbon barrels (Buffalo Trace) and finished in ex-Madeira wine casks.

Nose: Juicy, crisp green apples with toffee, cereal, a little banana and citrus. There are shades of wood and later on strong aromas of fruit salad sweets which is very welcome!

Palate: Those green apples coming through – quite a sweet dram.

Finish: A little vanilla and then a sharp, intense, peppery finish.

Overall: Pleasant dram with tasty fruits and toffee.
Available to buy from these Merchants:-

Tasting Notes – Penderyn Rich Oak (46%)

Penderyn Rich Oak: 46% ABV – Single Malt Welsh Whisky – Available from their online store for £48.00 (inc delivery)

Matured in a combination of specially selected ex-bourbon (Buffalo Trace) and rejuvenated oak casks.

Nose: Creamy toffee, sultanas and apples with some nice orange and cherry. It’s waxy with aromas reminiscent of old books.

Palate: Toffee, some apple and very spicy with fruity, creamy, strawberry tang!

Finish: More spice and it all goes together very nicely!

Overall: A fuller dram with more rich flavours than the Madeira Finish.

Available to buy from these Merchants:-

Tasting Notes – Penderyn Sherrywood (46%)

Penderyn Sherrywood: 46% ABV – Single Malt Welsh Whisky – Available from their online store for £45.28 (inc delivery)

Matured in a combination of ex-bourbon barrels (Buffalo Trace) and ex-Oloroso sherry casks.

Nose: Slow to impart for me this one … A little indistinct with hints of floral, some familiar toffee and cereal but sadly, no sherry aromas.

Palate: Palate is much better than the nose. Some nice toffee notes, very buttery.

Finish: A snappy, peppery finish!

Overall: Not for me sadly but a lot of the other twitter tasters on the night gave it a big thumbs-up! I’ll have to give it another go sometime soon.
Available to buy from these Merchants:-

Tasting Notes – Penderyn Portwood (46%)

Penderyn Portwood: 46% ABV – Single Malt Welsh Whisky – Available from their online store for £62.60 (inc delivery)

Initially matured in ex-bourbon barrels (Buffalo Trace) and finished in ex-port casks.


Nose: Port washed fruits and woody aromas – very nice! I’m getting strawberry creams, melted toffee and those fruit salad sweets from earlier are making another appearance but this time cherries have joined them!

Palate: Very sweet and jamy – rather lovely in fact! Bramble jam and sweet port (all jams on toast should be required to have it like that!) with some lovely tropical fruit flavours in the background.

Finish: Smooth and sweet to the last with no real discernable spiciness. Saying that it’s perfectly palatable and not over-sweet at all.

Overall: Glorious dram with lots of aroma and flavour. Highly recommended!
Available to buy from these Merchants:-

Tasting Notes – Penderyn Peated (46%)

Penderyn Peated: 46% ABV – Single Malt Welsh Whisky – Available from their online store for £47.77 (inc delivery)

Initially matured in ex-bourbon barrels (Buffalo Trace) for between 5-8 years, before being finished in ex-Laphroaig casks for several months.

Nose: Yum! Smokehouse rules! Lovely ‘liquid’ smoke with an absract of peat and sweet lemon. In there as well is buttery popcorn and burnt sugar.

Palate: Subtle blend of sweet fruits (lemon) and smokiness – very palatable indeed!

Finish: Buttery, enjoyable finish – again, no pepper but that’s okay!

Overall: A very nice peated dram – very accessable to those new to peated whiskies – and, to be honest, very palatable to those who are well-versed in peated whiskies!
Available to buy from these Merchants:-

My Favourite On The Night

Out of the 5, I think it’s got to be the Penderyn Portwood – I nearly went for the Peated but the Portwood was a nicely balanced revelation!

Many thanks to Penderyn for providing their drams!

Many thanks to Steve at The Whisky Wire (@TheWhiskyWire / @TweetTastings) for a great evening and Penderyn (@PenderynWhisky) for sending the samples and without whom!

My fellow Tweet Tasters on the night were:-


@TheWhiskyWire @thedramble @whisky_jamie @StillSurreal @whiskyrover @InverurieWhisky @DistilleryBikes @PhilScott101 @newdramrising @VJOsgood @whiskywings @WhiskyUnplugged @whiskeychap @LeedsWine @jwbassman_ @Whiskyviewer @WhiskysideO @MashtunandMeow @MrEdwardMilner @rodbodtoo @CEVokins @samdrinkswhisky @SpiritAndWood @jenkaloid

Penderyn is available to buy from these Merchants:-

Tweet Tasting Bowmore’s Whiskies – ‘Timeless’ – But (With Drams This Good) How Can We Live Normal Lives Now?!

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Bowmore – Legendary, Timeless!

I was lucky enough to take part in the recent Bowmore ‘Timeless’ @TweetTastings – and it was truly Legendary!

Once again ably hosted by Steve from The Whisky Wire, we were also joined on the night by David Turner, Distillery Manager at Bowmore, who imparted his wisdom!

The malts sampled were:-

  • Bowmore 12 Years Old
  • Bowmore 15 Years Old
  • Bowmore 18 Years Old
  • Bowmore ‘Timeless Series’ 27 Years Old
  • Bowmore ‘Timeless Series’ 31 Years Old

Bowmore was the first licensed Islay distillery, and has stood on the shores of Lochindaal, a sea loch opening out into the wild Atlantic Ocean, since 1779.

The distillery still operates in traditional ways, honouring the origin whisky-making techniques, refining their craft for over 240 years.

Bowmore uses the soft fresh water from the nearby River Laggan, barley malted in their proprietary malt barns and perfectly-timed fermentation periods with a cocktail of cultivated yeast to produce their single malt.

The Malt Barns are hand crafted, the tradition has been handed down through generations. It’s an art of time, turning the Barley by hand for 7 days. The tropical fruits Bowmore is well known for start out in the Malt Barns and get carried through the process to the whisky.

The Mash is run very slowly, stirring a maximum 3 times in 5 hours and 30 minutes which gives a nice semi-clear wort. This is what brings the fruity flavours through from the Malt Barns.

Fermentations are for 66 hours, using two different yeasts to give the Fermentation the flavours Bowmore requires.

The Spirit Stills are also run slowly – 16 litres per minute from each Spirit Still. This is to ensure only the finest and lightest of flavours carry over the neck of the Stills and into the Condensers and Spirit Safe.

If you want to catch up on what all the tweet tasters had to say you can view their comments by searching for the hash tag #BowmoreTimeless on Twitter.

So, what did I think?

Here are my tasting notes … and the one which was my favourite on the night!

Tasting Notes – Bowmore 12 Years Old (40%)

Bowmore 12 Year Old: Matured in a combination of Bourbon barrels and Oloroso Sherry casks. The oloroso sherry casks come from Bodega Jose y Miguel Martin in Jerez, Spain.

Nose: Peaty smoke with lovely coastal aromas – creamy vanilla with hints of citrus.

Palate: Sweet and pleasantly smokey which makes it very sippable! Zesty lemon and some floral notes.

Finish: A dry spicy finish with yummy peppery bite!

Overall: Lovely sipping dram with some great floral and smokey flavours!
Available to buy from these Merchants:-

Tasting Notes – Bowmore 15 Years Old (43%)

Initially matured in a combination of 12 years in Bourbon barrels and finished for 3 years in 1st. fill Oloroso Sherry casks.

Nose: Mmm, creamy sherry – completely different to the twelve! Raisins, plump fruits, dusky polish and very faint hints of strawberry! Plenty of toffee, toffee, toffee as time passes and this dram also gets smokier after a good long sit in the glass!

Palate: Ooh! Nicely sherried with plenty of fruit! Some smokey backburner action going on as well!

Finish: A spicy finish with blackcurrant & chocolate.

Overall: A big step-up from the twelve and a great dram to boot! As often is the case, the 15 of any range is a good compromise between taste (of an 18) and price-point (of a 12).
Available to buy from these Merchants:-

Tasting Notes – Bowmore 18 Years Old (43%)

Matured in a combination of Bourbon barrels and Oloroso Sherry casks.


Nose: Very fruity with plump blackcurrant. There’s more tropical fruitiness and also dusky roominess & furniture polish ‘Liquid’ smoke & toffee!

Palate: Very smooth and creamy with tropical fruits to the fore! There’s some dark chocolate and blackcurrants as well.

Finish: Growing smokiness with salt and increasing spicy pepper. Slightly medicinal at the end.

Overall: A classy dram with rich flavours of tropical fruits, chocolate and smokiness!
Available to buy from these Merchants:-

Tasting Notes – Bowmore 27 Years Old (52.7%)

Bowmore Timeless Series 27 Year Old: Limited to 3,000 bottles – Now available from specialist retailers, with a RRP of £1,500.00.

Initially matured in a combination of Sherry casks and Bourbon barrels for 15 years, before being matured for a further 12 years in first-fill Oloroso butts.

Bottled at natural Cask Strength of 52.7%, non-chill filtered and natural colour.

Shaped by centuries of skill and tradition, it’s single malt harnesses the power of it’s history in every single drop.

The Timeless Series reflects this legacy, celebrating the timeless creation, as patience and dedication combine with an unwavering attention to detail.

Bowmore are continually seeking different ways to bring their story to life and drive intrigue, as well as desirability. The Timeless Series supports this approach but also offers the consumer a limited edition proposition with the most exceptional single malt.

Nose: Rich, cane sweetness married with tropical fruits and loads of toffee! Heavy, stewed fruits, a little blackcurrant & loads of love! It’s woody, dusty, rich, creamy, chocolatey and timeless!

Palate: Rich, satisfying, mouthfeel with Chocolate, heavily stewed fruits & more chocolate! Blackcurrant, sweet vanilla toffee & tobacco.

Finish: Spicy pepper leads us out accompanied by that glorious stewed fruit sweetness.

Overall: A Very different dram, to me, than the 31 year old. A Fantastic flavour extravaganza though and an experience to be cherished!

Tasting Notes – Bowmore 31 Years Old (45.4%)

Limited to 3,000 bottles and available exclusively through Global Travel Retail for a RRP of £1,725.00

Initially matured in Bourbon barrels for 28 years, before being matured for a further 3 years in Spanish Oak Matusalem Sherry seasoned butts.

Inspired by the classic hourglass shape, each Timeless Series edition is housed in a distinctive black box.

Inside the bottle sits alongside an hourglass, designed to encourage the drinker to turn it and allow nature’s gravity to release the grains of sand into the base of the hourglass.

This gives three precious minutes to enjoy the nose of this beautifully balanced masterpiece that has taken decades to perfect.

Nose: Creamy, sweet vanilla with hints of background smoke. Dusky, oaky, old leather, tropical fruits including pineapple – WoW!

Palate: Very floral (rosewater) and amazingly so! Distinctive parma violets, pineapple & other lovely tropicalness.

Finish: Much the same with just a hint of pepper to increase the joy!

Overall: The 27 and 31 are heady drams and I defy anyone to say they don’t like them! They are an amazing taste bud experience and I wish the samples allowed me to spend more time with them. As ever, they ran out all too soon but I certainly won’t forget them!

My Favourite On The Night

Out of the 5, I think it’s got to be the Bowmore 27 Years Old – just stunning!.

Many thanks to Steve at The Whisky Wire (@TheWhiskyWire / @TweetTastings) and Bowmore (@bowmore) for providing such glorious, special drams!

Many thanks to Bowmore for providing such glorious, special drams!

My fellow Tweet Tasters on the night were:-


@TheWhiskyWire @thedramble @TheWhiskyphiles @ocdwhisky @MaltMusings @rodbodtoo @WhiskyWings @Whiskylassie @MarkBylok @GreatDrams @joewb69 @KristianeSherry @cowfish @Whiskyexperts @PosDrinking @MoodieDavitt @MashtunandMeow @MrEdwardMilner @LaCaveDeCobalt @ChrisMCoates @ShayWaterworth @char_mcmanus @EdinburghWhisky @TheTRBusiness @T_M_Insider

Bowmore is available to buy from these Merchants:-

Sampling The Lakes Distillery Newest Release: “The One” Moscatel Cask Finished Whisky!

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Moscatel adds a new dimension to The Lakes Distillery’s The One whisky!

Seduced by the floral nature of Moscatel wine, The Lakes Distillery has unveiled the latest cask finished expression of The One fine blended whisky.

The One Moscatel has been finished in hand-selected Moscatel wine casks

An uplifting and fragrant whisky, The One Moscatel has been finished in hand-selected Moscatel wine casks from southern Spain. It complements a series of cask finished whiskies which demonstrate the influence oak and cask seasoning has on the flavour elevation of a singular blended whisky.

Similar in style to PX, albeit less sweet, the Moscatel wine is made with grapes from the small town of Chipiona, in the Cádiz province of Andalucía.

Benefiting from the Soleo process – sun-drying the grapes before pressing them – the resulting reduction in water and relative change in sugar level alters the viscosity, flavour and aroma of the juice, giving rise to fresh and floral characters in the cask.

With The Lakes Single Malt at its heart, the blended whisky has been expertly crafted by The Lakes’ Whiskymaker, Dhavall Gandhi, using select Scotch grain and malt whiskies from the Highlands, Speyside and Islay.

The influence of the Moscatel cask creates a delicate and fragrant whisky, perfect for enjoying neat or with a mixer.

… easy to drink on its own but versatile enough to enjoy in a refreshing highball or cocktail!

Using an identical recipe for each expression enables us to showcase the impact oak and cask seasoning has on the whisky’s flavour.

The floral characteristics of Moscatel, in combination with American oak, have transformed the blend into a fresh and uplifting whisky which is easy to drink on its own but versatile enough to enjoy in a refreshing highball or cocktail.
– Dhavall Gandhi: The Lakes Distillery Whiskymaker

Bottled at 46.6% ABV, non-chill filtered and natural colour, The One Moscatel Cask Finished Whisky has a recommended retail price of £48 and is available from LakesDistillery.com from 25th February 2021.

The Lakes Distillery have kindly sent me a sample of their new dram to try (thanks!)

So, what did I think? Here are my tasting notes …

Tasting Notes – The One Moscatel Cask Finished Whisky (46.6%)

Nose: Sweet toffee with apples and appetising hints of dry sherry.

Palate: Honeyed, syrupy, cane sweetness with vanilla, toffee. Some fruitiness then starts to break through.

Finish: Clean finish with a little dryness and some pepper. Quite a long finish.

Overall: A morish whisky from The Lakes Distillery with that familiar honeyed sweetness adding to it’s qualities.

A dash of soda will go down well with this dram I think as it offsets the sweetness. But then again, why not sit back, relax and enjoy it as a ‘one-piece’? (See what I did there?!)

The One Moscatel is available now!

Other Lakes Distillery Whiskies (& Gins) are available to buy from:-

About Lakes Distillery

On the shore of Bassenthwaite Lake, near Keswick, in The English Lake District, The Lakes Distillery creates an exceptional collection of whiskies, gins and vodkas and attracts over 100,000 visitors each year.

Twice named ‘one of eight distilleries to visit before you die’ by the World Whisky Day campaign, the visitor centre, bistro and tour has held Visit England’s Gold accolade for the last three years and was voted the Icons of Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year 2019 by Whisky magazine.

On 7 September 2019, The Lakes Distillery unveiled the first in a series of widely available single malt whisky releases that will showcase their house style, defined by whiskymaker Dhavall Gandhi.

The Lakes’ Story

The Lake District has long been a crucible for creativity, a place in which the imagination can flourish, and it’s no different for The Lakes Distillery. Taking inspiration from the UNESCO World Heritage Site where our state-of-the-art distillery has been built meticulously within a 160-year-old farmstead on the banks of the River Derwent, the idea of distilling being distinct individual elements is not how we look at the art. Rather it is part of a continuum, a net of possibilities where everything is interlinked. Change one element and the effect will change everything else.

Only by understanding how flavours are created throughout the spirit’s journey through the distillery can our whiskymaker fully comprehend the possibilities. That is why, unusually, Dhavall Gandhi is actively involved at every stage. It is holistic whisky-making, to ensure every flavour possibility is achieved.

Find out more about our whisky story at www.LakesDistillery.com

Recent Awards

Named by The London Stock Exchange Group as one of the ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain 2020’ and 19th fastest growing brand in Alantra’s 2019 Food and Beverage Fast 50, The Lakes’ portfolio of award-winning spirits includes single malt whisky, blended malt whisky, blended whisky, gin and vodka. Recently, they received the following prestigious World Drinks awards:
2020:
World’s Best English Single Malt Whisky, No Age Statement (Gold Award) – The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.2
International Spirit’s Challenge (ISC), World Single Malt Whisky (Gold Award) – The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.2
International Wine And Spirit Competition (IWSC), Spirit Gold Award – The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.1
2019:
World’s Best Blended Malt Whisky, No Age Statement (Best in English Category) – Steel Bonnets
World’s Best Blended Limited Release Whisky, No Age Statement (Best in English Category) – The ONE Sherry Expression
World’s Best Gin (Gold Award) – The Lakes Gin
World’s Best Gin Liqueur (Gold Award) – The Lakes Rhubarb & Rosehip Gin Liqueur
World’s Best Vodka (World’s Best) – The Lakes Vodka
World’s Best Chocolate Liqueur (World’s Best) – The Lakes Salted Caramel Vodka Liqueur

Sampling New Edradour & Ballechin Exclusive Bottlings From The Whisky Exchange – Put Simply – They’re Two Cracking Drams!

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New Edradour and Ballechin from The Whisky Exchange!

The Whisky Exchange has released two new whisky exclusives and they’re cracking drams!

They are a pair of sherried drams from Edradour distillery, namely:-

Established in 1825 and claimed to be the smallest distillery in Scotland, Edradour distillery was traditionally run by three men, but now there are just two. Only eighteen casks are produced each week!

Previously owned by Pernod Ricard, since 2002 Edradour has been owned by the Signatory Vintage Scotch Whisky Company.

The Whisky Exchange has kindly sent me a sample of each to try (Thanks @WhiskyExchange!)

So, what did I think? Here are my tasting notes …

Tasting Notes – Edradour 2008 11 Year Old Exclusive Bottling (58.3%)

Distilled on 28/11/2008
Bottled on 08/05/2020
Matured in first-fill sherry butt #372 for 11 years
58.3% ABV
709 bottles
£79.95



Nose: Rich, creamy sherry with generous whiffs of red wine. Add in some green crunchy apples and finish up later with caramel vanilla fudge and that’s a great nose right there!

Palate: Satisfying mouthfeel, cane sweetness and creamy sherry.

Finish: Smooth and punchy but the peppery chilli is held nicely in check via the sherry sweetness.

Overall: I haven’t tasted a sherried dram like this before – it’s highly sherried and very tasty to boot! Highly recommended for those who’ll love a punchy, sherry dram!

Tasting Notes – Ballechin 2005 14 Year Old Exclusive Bottling (58.8%)


Distilled on 15/08/2005
Bottled 08/05/2020
Matured in second-fill sherry hogshead #158 for 14 years
58.8% ABV
296 bottles
£94.95



Nose: Smokey gloriousness! A vintage smokehouse vibe. Coastal, peaty and earthy with polished wood and old library books later on – classy and educational!

Palate: Cane sweetness with some lovely barbecue smokiness and added treacle.

Finish: Warming and full of glow – it’s punchy, peppery warmth goes right down to my toes!

Overall: THAT DRAM IS GORGEOUS! To say I love it is an understatement! It’s smokey but the balance of sweetness allows it to be enjoyed by all, not just the hardcore smoke fans.

Sampling New Release Langatun & Smögen Whiskies – Drams That Live Up To All Expectations!

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Langatun Swiss Single Malt Whisky and Smögen Swedish Whisky!

Langatun Swiss Single Malt Whisky and Smögen Swedish Whisky have two, new, but limited edition whiskies available – right now!

They are:-

Langatun Swiss Single Malt 10 Years Old – Second Edition – Pinot Noir Single Cask

For the second time Langatun is launching a 10-year-old Swiss Single Malt Whisky and they have selected an exceptional Pinot Noir cask.

Bottled at their signature strength of 49.12% it is a limited edition of just 555 bottles.

A must try for all lovers of wine cask matured whisky.

rrp £132.00

Smögen 8 Years Old – Batch 2

Smögen’s second 8 years old release – a vatting of seven first fill former bourbon barrels and one former sherry hogshead was filled in spring 2012 and then bottled at 59.8% in October 2020.

Distilled from heavily peated optic barley with Smögen’s trademark peat smoke in abundance!

rrp £109.98

Robert from Highfern has very kindly sent me some samples (Cheers Robert!)

So, what did I think? Here are my tasting notes …

Tasting Notes – Langatun Swiss Single Malt 10 Years Old – Second Edition (49.12%)

Nose: Very sherried with polished wood and fruity, creamy, toffee.

Palate: Thick mouthfeel, creamy toffee and sweet red wine – very tasty!

Finish: A balanced chilli finish with caramel and sugar.

Overall: A tasty dram with some classy flavours – very satisfying!

Tasting Notes – Smögen 8 Years Old – Batch 2 (59.8%)

Nose: Whoah! Loads of peaty liquid smoke – sweet & cheerful! Woody, coastal and aromas of full-on smokey barbecue – I think you get the idea!

Palate: Much of the same as the Nose! It’s also surprisingly sweet.

Finish: Punchy, warming and powerful it’s sweet, smokey barbecue sauce on the tongue!

Overall: I just love peat n’ smoke so I’m a big fan from the get go and this dram lives up to all expectations!

Many thanks to highfern.com (@angelsnectar) for sending me the samples!

Langatun is available to buy from these Merchants:-

Smögen is available to buy from:-


· Highfern Ltd are the proprietors of Angels’ Nectar Whisky and importers of Langatun Whisky, Seven Seals Whisky, Smögen Whisky, Strane Gin & Kinghaven Rum. Alongside the Cairngorms Edition, Angels’ Nectar also offer Angels’ Nectar Blended Malt Scotch Whisky – Original 40%, Angels’ Nectar Blended Malt Scotch Whisky – Rich Peat Edition 46% and Angels’ Nectar Single Malt Scotch Whisky – Islay Edition 47%.

· For more information about Angels’ Nectar, please see: angelsnectar.co.uk

Sampling ‘Angels’ Nectar Cairngorms 2nd. Edition – A Dram Of Two Halves – But A Perfect Match!

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The Angels are supporting the Cairngorms Trust!

Grantown-on-Spey based Highfern Ltd have made a donation to the Cairngorms Trust of £1230, raised from sales of the Angels’ Nectar Cairngorms Edition, their Speyside Single Cask Scotch Whisky.
This donation will be used by the Cairngorms Trust for environmental and community projects in the Cairngorms National Park.

Cairngorms 2nd Edition

The Angels’ Nectar Cairngorms Edition, a Single Cask Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky, was released by Highfern Ltd in the summer in partnership with the Cairngorms Trust. Whilst the cask is now more or less sold out, a few bottles of this limited edition are still available from the Balliefurth Farm Shop and The Whisky Castle.

Following the success of the project, Angels’ Nectar have announced the release of their Cairngorms 2nd Edition. Whilst every single cask is different, like the previous release this is an 11 years old single cask which has been bottled at 46% and at natural colour, and as before distilled at a speyside distillery in the Cairngorms National Park.

This exclusive dram has an inviting sweet nose with hints of vanilla fudge and floral notes, which opens on the taste to reveal more sweetness, brandy butter and dried tropical fruit. Thanks to the Angels’ share, the cask has given just 146 bottles.

As before a donation from each bottle sold of the Angels’ Nectar Cairngorms 2nd Edition will go towards the Cairngorms Trust, whose vision is to encourage sustainable and community led development, which enhances wildlife conservation, outdoor recreation and cultural heritage in the Cairngorms National Park.

Nancy Chambers and Robert Ransom

We are absolutely delighted that Angels’ Nectar are continuing their support to environmental and community projects around the Cairngorms National Park with the release of a second cask of the Cairngorms Edition.
– Nancy Chambers: Cairngorms Trust Manager

Firstly I would like to thank all those who have supported the important work of the Cairngorms Trust via their whisky glass! Looking ahead may we suggest the Angels’ Nectar Cairngorms 2nd Edition is the perfect Christmas gift for those who love whisky and the Cairngorms.
– Robert Ransom: Angels’ Nectar Founder

Amongst others the Angels’ Nectar Cairngorms 2nd Edition is now available from The Speyside Centre and from Highfern’s own on-line store highfern.com at £79.98 per bottle.

Free upgrade to 1st Class!

Orders placed on highfern.com until the 22nd. December:-
Pay for Royal Mail 2nd Class Signed For & they’ll send Royal Mail 1st Class Signed For!
Hopefully this will help ensure all drams arrive in time!

Robert from Highfern has very kindly sent me a sample (Cheers Robert!)

So, what did I think? Here are my tasting notes …

Tasting Notes: Angels’ Nectar Cairngorms 2nd. Edition – Single Cask Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (46%)


Nose: Quite buttery with soft toffee, vanilla and white wood. Fresh apple grow and grow and there’s even a little citrusy lime! – It’s a lovely gentle nose that gets more and more tropical the longer it sits in the glass!

Palate: Creamy vanilla toffee with accompanying sweetness coupled with fresh apples and citrus – very fresh and light.

Finish: Gentle spice that blends with the sweeter flavours. This eventually takes over to release a powerful, long, peppery, chilli finish with tanin dryness at the end.

Overall: This dram grows on me as I sip!

It’s a balance of two halves with a refreshing first-half followed by a more fiery, punchy second-half.

A perfect match!

Many thanks to highfern.com (@angelsnectar) for sending me the sample!


· Highfern Ltd are the proprietors of Angels’ Nectar Whisky and importers of Langatun Whisky, Seven Seals Whisky, Smögen Whisky, Strane Gin & Kinghaven Rum. Alongside the Cairngorms Edition, Angels’ Nectar also offer Angels’ Nectar Blended Malt Scotch Whisky – Original 40%, Angels’ Nectar Blended Malt Scotch Whisky – Rich Peat Edition 46% and Angels’ Nectar Single Malt Scotch Whisky – Islay Edition 47%.

· For more on the Cairngorms Trust please see cairngormstrust.org.uk

· Cairngorms National Park: With an area larger than Luxembourg, the Cairngorms National Park, is the UK’s largest National Park, but home to just 18000 people. Endangered wildlife resident in the park include capercaillie, wildcats, golden eagles, and black grouse. Four of the UK’s five highest mountains are in the park. The headwaters of the River Spey are within the park. For more see cairngorms.co.uk and visitcairngorms.com

· For more information about Angels’ Nectar, please see: angelsnectar.co.uk

Port Charlotte 10 Crowned The Whisky Exchange’s “Whisky Of The Year 2021”!

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Port Charlotte 10 – The Whisky Exchange’s annual Whisky of the Year 2021!

Port Charlotte 10 has triumphed in The Whisky Exchange’s annual tasting, taking the top spot in the only official blind whisky judging undertaken by members of the public.

Islay distillery Bruichladdich won the tightly fought battle in the annual Whisky of the Year blind tasting by specialist spirits retailer The Whisky Exchange. Their 10-year-old expression – a heavily-peated, rich and spicy whisky lives and breathes the distillery’s ethos that Islay whisky should express the aspects of the island’s character, from rich smoke to bracing sea breeze.

“Port Charlotte whisky is a joy to create …”

Six whiskies went head to head after they were nominated by global customers of The Whisky Exchange, with more than 2000 putting forward their favourites. The blind judging of the most popular was opened up to the world via the Whisky of the Year Perfect Measure Judging Set and online voting on 22 September. The sets were very popular with customers, selling out online in less than three weeks and resulting in more than 500 votes cast!

Starting with a blind tasting led by Dawn Davies MW at Virtual Whisky Show in October and continuing in the weeks after, whisky-loving consumers were encouraged to critique each whisky for nose, palate and finish, and select a first and second choice via the online voting form.

All whiskies in the tasting were under £65 retail price, and all ongoing, commercially available releases.
In addition to the winner Port Charlotte 10, the shortlist included:

Runner Up: Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 14 Year Old

Johnnie Walker Green Label 15 Year Old

Nikka Coffey Malt

Kilkerran 12 Year Old

Lagavulin 16 Year Old

Port Charlotte whisky is a joy to create. The spirit is versatile and approachable, offering an alternative to the traditional Islay style, it’s a softer, heathery style of smoke.

I’m delighted to have the Port Charlotte 10 recognised by The Whisky Exchange as Whisky of the Year – it’s a testament of the commitment and passion our Islay team put into every bottle.
– Adam Hannett: head distiller of Bruichladdich Distillery

The aim of the Whisky of the Year competition is to make excellent affordable whiskies known to all spirit-lovers around the world. Port Charlotte is an exceptional rich and smoky whisky with a maritime tang – a worthy winner of the title.
– Sukhinder Singh: co-founder and owner of The Whisky Exchange

This year, the company wanted to recognise other drinks categories and has introduced Rum and Gin Of The Year alongside the Champagne of the Year – the fourth year it has been awarded. Each category has been nominated by industry experts and staff at The Whisky Exchange based on their quality and value for money.

This year’s winners are:
Gin of the Year 2021 : Lind & Lime Gin

Rum of the Year 2021 : Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend Rum

Champagne of the Year 2021 : Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne

All of The Whisky Exchange ‘Of the Year’ winners are given a dedicated landing page on thewhiskyexchange.com for the year to showcase the producer and the bottling, while customers can watch out for special offers online and in-store ‘Of The Year’ tastings!

Whisky-loving consumers were encouraged to critique each whisky for nose, palate and finish, and select a first and second choice via the online voting form

The Whisky Exchange kindly sent me the six samples to try (Thanks @WhiskyExchange!) so I got a chance to sample them and make my own voting choice.

So, what did I think? Here are my tasting notes …

Tasting Notes – A (45%)


Nose: Cane sweetness, toffee apples but this dram is slow to give up it’s flavours. After a time they fill the glass nicely – especially creamy toffee!

Palate: Smooth and sweet toffee, fruity, slightly tropical.

Finish: Tasty spice which is not too powerful. There’s a little grapefruit at the end.

Overall: Good abv and very easy to drink!!

Tasting Notes – B (43%)


Nose: Apples, tropical fruits, slightly cakey, toffee, slightly peaty as well with some furniture polish. Gives of itself quickly!

Palate: Shades of peaty smoke and tropical fruits.

Finish: Chilli spice, fruit, more apple with a short finish.

Overall: The smoke was a surprise – dunno why!

Tasting Notes – C (46%)


Nose: Smoke n’ peat, not too heavy – very nice! Sweet wood and quite coastal.

Palate: Cane sweetness, smoke, peat, slightly antispetic – gorgeous!

Finish: very smooth with just a smidgeon of pepper at the very end – which is long.

Overall: Fireside sipper when the winds howling outside – so that no-one can hear you pouring another dram!

Tasting Notes – D (46%)


Nose: Dark rich chocolate, molasses, sherry and toffee.

Palate: Rich toffee and vanilla. Sherried fruits, chocolate with hints of orange.

Finish: Breathtaking spice and richly fruited.

Overall: Slow to develop but certainly worth the wait!

Tasting Notes – E (50%)


Nose: Smokey with treacley peat, salty and coastal.

Palate: Sherbet sweetness, smoke, charred wood and peat.

Finish: Intense spice but still very sweet – quite unusual! Long finish.

Overall: A tasty dram that is the sum of two very different halves – but better for it!

Tasting Notes – F (43%)


Nose: Tropical fruits, furniture polish, plasticine, leather. Smoke gradually grows at the back.

Palate: Tropical sweetness paired with smokey fireside flavours!

Finish: Peaty with sweetness added.

Overall: A classy dram that doesn’t dissapoint.


So, which ones did I vote for?

MY FIRST CHOICE VOTED FOR WAS: D

MY SECOND CHOICE VOTED FOR WAS: E

And, the actual drams were:-

Whisky A – Nikka Coffey Malt
Whisky B – Johnnie Walker Green Label 15 Year Old
Whisky C – Kilkerran 12 Year Old
Whisky D – Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 14 Year Old (Runner-Up)
Whisky E – Port Charlotte 10 (Winner)
Whisky F – Lagavulin 16 Year Old

YaY! I nearly got it right – just the wrong way round!

The Whisky Exchange Releases An Exclusive Loch Lomond – Sampling The Bountiful Orchard!

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The New Loch Lomond 2010 exclusive bottling from The Whisky Exchange!

New Loch Lomond 2010 exclusive bottling from The Whisky Exchange!

The Whisky Exchange is continuing its programme of exclusive whiskey offerings with a new release from Loch Lomond distillery – Loch Lomond 2010, 10 Years Old Cask #849!

Only 241 bottles have been produced

Selected by the team at The Whisky Exchange and available exclusively from them, this distillery bottling shows off the fruity character of Loch Lomond’s spirit, and how the distillery’s team amplify those flavours throughout the whisky making process.

The creation of the whisky’s character starts early in production, with the team using a wine yeast known for producing high quantities of esters – compounds that lead to fruity flavours and aromas – to ferment the wort.

The resulting wash was distilled using Loch Lomond’s unique straight-necked pot stills and collecting a narrow cut of spirit at high strength, again concentrating the fruity flavour compounds.

This was then matured in a first-fill ex-bourbon barrel, a smaller size of cask that gives more oak influence, giving the final whisky a complex character, combining the fruitiness of the spirit with sweet vanilla and spice from the wood.

The Whisky Exchange has kindly sent me a sample to try (Thanks @WhiskyExchange!).

So, what did I think? Here are my tasting notes …

Tasting Notes – Loch Lomond 2010, 10 Years Old Cask #849 (57.7%)

– 241 bottles available
– Buy Now: £62.95 (70cl)


Nose: Orchards of crisp, crunchy, green apples! Blended with creamy vanilla, fresh pastry and white wood. There’s also hints of citrus, orange and some toffee which wanders along later.

Palate: Syrupy, cooked apples with a sugar dusting – delightful!

Finish: Lip-smacking chilli spice which is coupled with an apple pie finish that sure takes your breath away! Some liquorice and maybe a hint of blackcurrant. It’s a long finish that ends with a tannin dryness.

Overall: Plenty of punch to this one! It’s both fruity and spicy and each one assails the taste buds full on!

You might want to add a few drops of water to this dram to tone the chilli down a bit – it can take it!

All-in-all a cracking dram that has plenty to offer for fruit and spice fans alike!

Sampling The Whisky Exchange “Black Friday” Malt 2020 – A Little Bit Of Everything For Everybody!

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The Whisky Exchange Black Friday Malt 2020!

An Exclusive limited edition 22 year old whisky
– specially for Black Friday!

For the fourth year running The Whisky Exchange has unveiled a limited-edition single malt whisky to celebrate Black Friday 2020!

Bottles customarily sell out in under an hour!

With bottles customarily selling out in under an hour, these Black Friday whisky releases have become more and more successful each year.

After scouring the Scottish Highlands for something exceptional, The Whisky Exchange located a distillery near the Speyside borders.

The distillery is known for its distinctively smoky style that sets it apart from its neighbours, making this whisky highly sought-after by whisky fans around the world.

This one-off, smoky 22-year-old Highland whisky is a complex yet well-balanced dram, priced at fantastic value for money. This is set to put a smile on the face of everyone who is lucky enough to get their hands on a bottle!

Customers want something different on Black Friday and we’re the only whisky specialist that produces its own special bottling for the day. Our customers trust us, so while nobody knows what to expect when we reveal our Black Friday whisky, they take a chance on it, and for good reason: we’re well-known for finding very nice whiskies.

Plus it’s a bit of fun!
– Sukhinder Singh: co-founder of The Whisky Exchange

Only 1308 bottles are available

The Whisky Exchange has kindly sent me a sample to try (Thanks @WhiskyExchange!).

So, what did I think? Here are my tasting notes …

Tasting Notes – The Whisky Exchange Black Friday Malt 2020 (50.5%)

Distilled at … The Scottish Highlands (That’s all we know!)
Aged for 22 years.
Only 1,308 bottles are available.
£99.95 (plus £4.95 with gift tube)


Nose: Lots of apples, toffee, hints of orange, peat and old waxy furniture.

Palate: Creamy apple, hints of smoke but not too much. Then there’s cane sweetness with a little pineapple to top it all off!

Finish: Robust spiciness with apple sweetness. Wisps of peat and smoke but it’s sort of hiding for me! Smokey dryness at the end.

Overall: An enjoyable dram with a little bit of everything for everybody.

Eminently fitting for this time of year because, of course, it’s this time of year that we should be able to enjoy a little bit of everything … for everybody!

Compass Box’s Peat Monster ‘Arcana’ Whisky – A Virtual Sampling With Founder John Glaser!

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Compass Box’s Peat Monster Arcana!

Last Sunday I had the pleasure of Virtually attending Compass Box’s tasting of their limited edition Peat Monster Arcana!

The tasting was part of their continuing 20th anniversary celebrations of Compass Box Whisky.

Only 8,328 bottles have been produced globally

Our host was Compass Box Founder John Glaser and he was joined virtually by James Saxon, lead Whiskymaker for Peat Monster Arcana and author and freelance cookery writer Amanda Schuster who explored food pairings.

We explored the story behind their latest edition which is an experiment into oak and smoke and compared The Peat Monster, from the Compass Box Malt Whisky Collection and Peat Monster Arcana.

We have been experimenting with French oak since the early days of our company. Peat Monster Arcana is the first Compass Box to feature smoky whiskies matured in French oak.

We’re delighted to be able to build on this experiment in our 20th anniversary year and we hope dedicated fans of The Peat Monster discover a new side to this charismatic whisky.
– John Glaser: Compass Box Founder and Whiskymaker

It is a truly delicious release and one that has taught us so much about the influence of French oak. Of course, there will always be further mysteries to explore.
– James Saxon: Lead whiskymaker for Peat Monster Arcana

It was all-smoke on the night with a real celebration of the Compass Box style that these two drams have in abundance!
We also talked about what it is about smoke that people find so attractive?
To me, Smoke is nostalgia. It reminds me of cosiness, warmth, being with friends. And it’s great for sharpening the appetite!

Compass Box kindly sent me some samples to try for the tasting – the ‘Arcana’ and their ‘Peat Monster’ (Thanks @CompassBoxWhiskyCo (Instagaram)!)

So, what did I think? Here are my tasting notes …

Tasting Notes – Peat Monster Arcana Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (46%)

AN EXPERIMENT INTO OAK & SMOKE
“What if we matured The Peat Monster in French Oak for a few years? Peat Monster Arcana is the result; using complementary malt whiskies, we have captured the richly spicy and more subtly smoky profile of three experimental casks.”

WHISKY SOURCING
The Talisker Distillery, The Miltonduff Distillery, The Ardbeg Distillery, The Peat Monster (finished in French Oak custom casks).

TECHNICAL DETAILS
Bottled at 46%. Natural colour. Not chill-filtered.
A limited edition of 8,328 bottles.

LEAD WHISKYMAKER
James Saxon.

Serving Recommendations: Peat Monster Arcana rewards experimentation. Explore how the addition of water or soda reveals new textures or discover how its sweet smokiness reacts with different foods.

I asked if Compass Box ‘char’ their barrels prior to casking?

All casks we use for secondary maturation are prepared in some way. Charring (recharring) the casks is a typical method. The degree of char, toast or preparation varies depending on the whisky project we are focusing on.

Our French oak casks we use three different toast (not char) levels, whihc each give a different flavor profile. The American Oak barrels we use are all charred beforehand.

What was the toast on the Arcana French-oak casks?

We used 2 French oak casks in Arcana. 10% of the recipe is a refill french oak cask at a HEAVY toast and 2% is a Custom French Oak Barrel also at a HEAVY toast.


Nose: Peat n’ smoke – lovely and lots of it! Smokey fires and smokey clothes! Sweet white wood. creamy coffee.

Palate: Sweet and fruity with lots of smoke and peat but the peat is more in the background than I expected. Lovely creamy chocolate.

Finish: More of the same and the cane sugar sweetnss balances the smoke very well. Antiseptic, licorice and it’s quite peppery as well with a dry tanin mouthfeel at the end.

Overall: The fruitiness was a very pleasant surprise to this dram – I really wasn’t expecting it! It manages to stand it’s ground against peat which is no mean feat!

I love the peat aromas – very much a ‘hanging around bonfires too long’ vibe to it!

It was all-smoke on the night!

Tasting Notes – The Peat Monster Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (46%)

PEAT WITH ELEGANCE
“A whisky that layers peaty and smoky elements. The recipe has evolved to include older and more elegant Islay malts.”

WHISKY SOURCING
The Caol Ila Distillery, The Laphroaig Distillery, our Highland Malt Blend (single malts from the Clynelish, Dailuaine and Teaninich distilleries).

TECHNICAL DETAILS
Bottled at 46%. Natural colour. Not chill-filtered.

LEAD WHISKYMAKER
John Glaser.

What were the reasons behind the Peat monster recipe change in 2018?

we noticed the palate of the peated whisky drinker had evolved a lot over the past 15 years since we released Peat Monster, so we wanted to modernize the style a bit.


Nose: Peatiness coupled with burning embers. It’s sweet with buttery popcorn.

Palate: Sweet and fruity with apple and slightly tropical flavours. Peaty and smokey – smokehouse rules!

Finish: Spicy with sweet peppery notes coupled with a fruity blend.

Overall: A lovely dram – fruity peat in a well balanced package!

ABOUT COMPASS BOX

We are Scotch whiskymakers. This word ‘whiskymaker’ is our word – it does not appear in a dictionary. And for 20 years we have been relentlessly focused on reinventing Scotch whisky, with every new blend designed to help make the world of whisky a more interesting place. Of course, we have not done it on our own. We have collaborated with some of the world’s most visionary bartenders and designers to really push the boundaries of what is possible. We have won more awards for innovation than any other producer in Scotland because we are always experimenting. Always looking for sparks of creativity that will deliver something totally compelling, yet completely surprising. Whiskies that just must be experienced. This vision motivates us as whiskymakers. Our blends are consistently rated equal to or better than the great single malts of Scotland by the most respected voices in the industry. Six-time Whisky Magazine Innovator of the Year. 2020 Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame Inductee, John Glaser, Founder of Compass Box.

JOHN GLASER, WHISKYMAKER

American ex-pat John Glaser is the founder and head whiskymaker of Compass Box, the boutique Scotch whisky blending house widely recognised in the industry for their innovative approach to the creation and enjoyment of whisky. John began his career on a path to become a winemaker, before re-routing himself through the corporate world and ending up as a Marketing Director for Johnnie Walker in London. With a desire to do things differently, John started Compass Box from the kitchen of his west London home in 2000 in order to bring the joys of Scotch whisky to more people. From the beginning, his vision has been to create one of Scotland’s finest and most compelling whisky companies, re-imagining the standards for quality and style in the industry. In 2020, John was inducted into the Whisky Magazine’s Hall of Fame. Two decades later, Compass Box now has two blending rooms in London, a team of 20 working internationally and stocks of maturing whiskies in Scotland. In 2020, Compass Box celebrates its 20th anniversary. With a forward-looking approach and unrelenting focus on creativity and integrity, John and his team continue to take forward his mission to make the world of Scotch whisky a more interesting place.

Compass Box is available to buy from these Merchants:-

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