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Sampling Two New Whisky Exchange ‘Exclusives’ – Balblair 2005 & Arran 1996 – Rare Summer Treats!

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More Whisky Exchange ‘Exclusives’!

The Whisky Exchange has released two more drams in it’s popular ‘Exclusives’ range!

First up is an ex-bourbon-matured Balblair 2005. Wonderfully fruity and a release that truly shows off a side of the distillery that is often overlooked.

The second dram is a 1996 Vintage Arran – matured in what The Whisky Exchange thinks was a wine cask – Arran’s records apparently are a bit spotty back in the early days of filling, and the exact cask type isn’t known!

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

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

Tasting Notes – Balblair 2005 – Whisky Exchange Exclusive (46%)

Balblair 2005


Region: Highland
Matured in a single cask
Cask Number: 213
Bottled: 2021

Not chill-filtered
Natural colour
180 bottles available

The Balblair retails at £145

Nose: Gorgeous aromatic fruits! Ripe & ready pears, green apples topped off with cane sugar syrup.

Palate: Sweet pears and apples, a little liquorice and shades of blackcurrant.

Finish: Punchy spice tempered with those pears. Grapefruit adds some dryness at the end.

Overall: Another quality dram from The Whisky Exchange’s ‘Exclusives’ range that doesn’t disappoint. The fruit flavours are the highlight of this dram – those pear aromas are amazing! A fresh, light whisky that’s perfect for the Summer – and long may the Sun shine!

Tasting Notes – Arran 1996: 24 Years Old – Whisky Exchange Exclusive (53.4%)

Arran 1996: 24 Years Old


Region: Island
Matured in a wine cask (possibly!)
Cask Number: 757
Bottled: March 2021

Not chill-filtered
Natural colour
273 bottles available

The Arran retails at £199

Nose: Powerful spiced orange that really dominates the nose – but only in a good way! Toffee with slight hints of smoke.

Palate: Rich mouthfeel, lots of orange, sweet vanilla, and plump fruits.

Finish: A little pepper to add to the finish but in the main it’s the initial palate that continues through to the end.

Overall: A beautiful dram! Incredibly morish and satisfying. It’s a rare treat at the price I know – but what a treat!

Once again, many thanks to The Whisky Exchange (@WhiskyExchange) for the tasters!

Sampling Kilchoman’s ‘PX Sherry Cask Matured’ – A Limited Edition – With No Limits In Flavour!

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Kilchoman’s ‘PX Sherry Cask Matured’ – A Limited Edition!

Kilchoman has scored another first, namely ‘PX Sherry Cask Matured’, a PX (Pedro Ximénez) Sherry Cask Matured limited edition!

Some may already have tasted the single cask releases matured in PX from Kilchoman, but this will be the first general release, available worldwide.

Recent releases of Fino and Oloroso sherry matured whisky from the distillery has shown how each individual style of sherry has added its own unique character to the Kilchoman spirit. Pedro Ximénez, commonly referred to as PX, is a sweet sherry that adds waves of richness and intensely sweet flavours to the whisky.

This first edition of the PX Sherry Cask Matured is a vatting of 33 casks in total, 9 fully matured casks and 24 finished in Pedro Ximénez for between 12 and 18 months. These casks were combined to produce 12,000 bottles at a strength of 47.3% abv.

Kilchoman PX Sherry Cask Matured is bottled at 47.3% ABV and is now available worldwide!

Pedro Ximénez casks aren’t always the easiest to work with. That was why we decided on a combination of full maturation and finishing, to balance the distinct PX influence with that of our spirit.

I’m delighted with the result; big and bold but with a delightful poise and balance of flavour.
– Anthony Wills: Kilchoman Founder

Kilchoman Distillery sits nestled amongst the traditional buildings of Rockside Farm on the north-west coast of Islay. Famous as Islay’s Farm Distillery, the distillery’s barley fields stretch west to the shores of Machir Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.

Established in 2005, Kilchoman is unique in many ways, most notably for their 100% Islay range, Scotland’s only Single Farm Single Malt. True to Islay’s rich farm distilling heritage, Kilchoman uses local Islay cut peat, slowly distilling by hand, maturing in traditional dunnage warehouses and bottling on site without colouring or chill-filtration.

Kilchoman PX Sherry Cask Matured is bottled at 47.3% ABV and is now available worldwide – RRP: £74.94

Kilchoman has kindly sent me a sample to try. (Thanks kilchomandistillery.com / @Kilchomanwhisky!)

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

Tasting Notes – Kilchoman PX Sherry Cask Matured Limited Edition Islay Whisky (47.3%)

Nose: Plump, stewed fruits with inviting wisps of peaty smoke. It’s accompanied with a salty coastal tang which is a delight! Later on there’s sherry, chocolate and toffee caramel at the very end.

Palate: More of those tempting stewed fruits but this time there’s cherries as well. Hints of mint and menthol with sherry and chocolate adding to the fun!

Finish: Smooth, long and very warming with peppery smokiness and strong underlying tobacco.

Overall: The smokiness builds up over time and makes an excellent partner for the sweeter side of the dram.

Another very enjoyable whisky from Kilchoman – they are really spoiling us!

Kilchoman is available to buy from these Merchants:-

Many thanks to kilchomandistillery.com (@Kilchomanwhisky) for sending me the sample!

About Kilchoman

Kilchoman Distillery is a small family run farm distillery based on the rugged west coast of Islay. The distillery was established by Anthony Wills in 2005, the idea was to build a new distillery which took whisky production back to its roots. Anthony and wife Kathy have been joined by their three sons; George, James and Peter.

Kilchoman produces its 100% Islay single malt from barley which is grown in fields surrounding the distillery and completes every stage of the whisky-making process at the distillery, including traditional floor malting. Kilchoman is the only distillery in Scotland to do this.

Since the first bottling was released in 2009, Kilchoman has quickly established itself as a high quality Islay Single Malt Whisky with these notable awards:

– Kilchoman’s exceptional quality was recognised at the prestigious International Whisky Competition (IWC) when Anthony Wills was named Master Distiller of the Year 2013.
– In 2016 both core expressions won major awards with Sanaig named Best Single Malt Scotch Whisky – no age statement at the IWSC and Machir Bay came first as Best Islay Single Malt Scotch in the International Whisky Competition.
– Machir Bay was also awarded a Gold Medal in 2015 at the International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC) with Loch Gorm being awarded a Silver Outstanding Medal and 100% Islay a Silver at the prestigious awards.
– Kilchoman won Malt Advocates Artisan Whisky of the Year 2011, only three years after the first bottling was released.

Sampling Seven Seals Whisky New ‘Zodiac’ Releases – Drams That Are Out Of This World!

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Seven Seals – challenging preconceptions about the maturation and categorisation of Single Malt Whisky!

Highfern.com now have available two new releases from Swiss distillery Seven Seals Whisky as part of their the new Zodiac line!

In the same way as the zodiac in astrology describes different traits of the human character with different virtues, likewise the new Zodiac line from Seven Seals features single malt whiskies which demonstrate particular qualities.

The first two releases are The Age of Scorpio and The Age of Aquarius. As per previous releases from Seven Seals, these whiskies have been produced by finishing Swiss Single Malt Whisky using Seven Seals innovative accelerated maturation process.

Developed by Dr Dolf Stockhausen this new patented technique for maturing whisky is efficient, quick, and environmentally friendly, without sacrificing quality, aroma or character and aims to challenge preconceptions about the maturation and categorisation of Single Malt Whisky.

For more on the Seven Seals method, please see this intro from Dr Dolf Stockhausen on youtube

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

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

‘The Age Of Aquarius’

Tasting Notes – ‘The Age Of Aquarius’ Single Malt Whisky (49.7%)

Limited edition in different batches of 365 bottles.

£69.00 per 500ml at 49.7%, presented in wooden gift boxes.

Nose: Creamy toffee with woodsmoke which builds and builds. Crisp, green apples make an appearance followed by sherried fruits.

Palate: Sherried fruits, toffee, dark chocolate, hints of mint – a flavoursome combo!

Finish: Warming spice which grows more intense. This is coupled with faint traces of woodsmoke, charcoal and tobacco.

Overall: A dark beast that initially hides it’s light under a bushel – it builds into some fine flavours and leaves a lingering woodsmoke, charcoal and tobacco on the palate.

Very tasty indeed!

‘The Age Of Scorpio’

Tasting Notes – ‘The Age Of Scorpio’ Single Malt Whisky (49.7%)

Limited edition in different batches of 365 bottles.

£69.00 per 500ml at 49.7%, presented in wooden gift boxes.

Nose: Rich, red wine, fruity blackcurrant accompanied by summer fruits and creamy vanilla. Wood aromas top it all off!

Palate: Very smooth and creamy with liquid toffee, blackcurrant and red wine.

Finish: The palate continues with some spice but it’s not too heavy. A little astringent at the end.

Overall: A very fine, fruity, dram that explodes on the tongue and doesn’t let up at all!

Two very different, fine drams that demonstrate a wide range of flavours – out of this World in fact – Oh, and very morish to boot!

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

Seven Seals Whisky is also available to buy from these Merchants:-

About Seven Seals Distillery

Seven Seals Distillery is a small, committed company in the innovative production and marketing of spirits!

The main focus of the company is on whisky production and the company is committed to innovation in spirits production, outstanding quality and simplifying the production of whisky and rum in particular.

Seven Seals shortens the time of production without losing quality, aroma or character and strives to improve production both ecologically and economically.

Seven Seals is pushing new boundaries, especially in finishing!

“Time doesn’t matter – time matters”
Time is far from being the main aspect of finishing, taste is the decisive factor.


· 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%,
Angels’ Nectar Single Malt Scotch Whisky – Islay Edition 47%.

Sampling A Whisky Exchange Exclusive: Kichoman 2007, 13 Year Old – A Real Special ‘K’ – And It’s Available From Today!

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Kichoman 2007, 13 Year Old – Whisky Exchange Exclusive!

The Whisky Exchange has, today, released another one of their Exclusives – namely a Kichoman 2007, 13 Year Old!

Aged Kilchomans are few and far between so it’s a real treat when they release a 13 year old.

So what goodies are on offer? Here are the details:-
Kichoman 2007, 13 Year Old
Region: Islay
Made with barley peated to 50ppm
Matured in a single, first-fill bourbon cask – number 197 (18/7/2007)
Bottled: 25/2/2021
Bottled at cask strength of 53.9% ABV

Not chill-filtered
Natural colour
204 bottles available

Kilchoman Distillery is a small family run farm distillery based on the rugged west coast of Islay. The distillery was established by Anthony Wills in 2005, the idea was to build a new distillery which took whisky production back to its roots. Anthony and wife Kathy have been joined by their three sons; George, James and Peter.

Kilchoman produces its 100% Islay single malt from barley which is grown in fields surrounding the distillery and completes every stage of the whisky-making process at the distillery, including traditional floor malting. Kilchoman is the only distillery in Scotland to do this.

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

Only 204 bottles are available!

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

Tasting Notes – Kichoman 2007, 13 Year Old – Whisky Exchange Exclusive (53.9%)

A 2007 Kilchoman single malt bottled in February 2021 exclusively for The Whisky Exchange after 13 years in a single ex-bourbon cask.


Nose: Sweet woodsmoke with fragrant peat. Fresh coastal notes. Attractive, crunchy, green apples. Later on it melds into toffee and vanilla.

Palate: Full-bodied mouthfeel. Dark, sweet peat with wisps of woodsmoke and green apples. Following on there’s mint on the highnotes and dark chocolate.

Finish: Biting spice and heady pepper – but it’s alright – that sweet vanilla woodsmoke saves those tastebuds! This then gives way to charred wood and burnt embers with a little dryness.

Overall: This 13 year old has some very satisfying peat notes and flavours and it’s a mighty fine dram for it! It’s aged well and developed lots of character and body.

I love Kichoman – I love this Kichoman even more than usual – it’s a real special K!
£125

Once again, many thanks to The Whisky Exchange (@WhiskyExchange) for the taster!

Sampling Two Whisky Exchange Exclusives: Glenfarclas 15 & 21 Year Olds – Speyside Whisky Perfection!

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The Glenfarclas 15 & 21 Year Old Whisky Exchange Exclusives!

I’ve been lucky enough to be sent a pair of samples from The Whisky Exchange’s “Exclusives” Range. Namely drams from the great Glenfarclas distillery: a 15 year old bottled at 100º proof (57.1%) and a 21 year old bottled at 95º proof (54.2%)!

The Whisky Exchange has worked with Glenfarclas since the early days of the online retailer, not only selling their great whiskies, but also selecting and bottling single casks and small batches.

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

The Glenfarclas 15 Year Old

Tasting Notes – Glenfarclas 15 Year Old – Whisky Exchange Exclusive (57.1%)

A fruity Glenfarclas single malt bottled exclusively for The Whisky Exchange after 15 years in sherry-seasoned oak.


Nose: Sweet sherry with plump sultanas and raisins. Then it gets all vanillary with baked apple coated in brown sugar.

Palate: Richly toffee sweet with more plump raisins and that baked, sugared apple detected in the nose makes a welcome appearance!

Finish: Intensely spicy with more fruit leading to a dry finish.

Overall: That ABV is a beast – almost knocked my mouth out! I didn’t try it with water though – I preferred it’s full strength, no-nonsense approach!
£74.95

The Glenfarclas 21 Year Old

Tasting Notes – Glenfarclas 21 Year Old – Whisky Exchange Exclusive (54.2%)

A rich and fruity 21-year-old Glenfarclas single malt bottled exclusively for The Whisky Exchange after 21 years in oloroso sherry seasoned oak.

Nose: Banofee pie, fresh apples, wisps of tropical fruits. After a spell the nose leads to sugary, plump raisins, creamy toffee, vanilla and sherry – rather nice!

Palate: Gorgeous thick mouthfeel. Sweet cake spices including cinnamon. There’s fruit cake plus, minty, dark chocolate.

Finish: Sweet finish with a lighter spiciness than the 15 year old – but it still makes itself noticed! Pronounced, dry bitterness at the end with some salt.

Overall: Another great Glenfarclas dram!

£125

Many thanks to The Whisky Exchange (@WhiskyExchange) for the tasters!

Sampling A Whisky Exchange Exclusive: The Caol Ila 2005, 15 Year Old – Get Ready For A Taste Bud Treat!

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The Caol Ila 2005 15 Years Old – Whisky Exchange Exclusive!

The Whisky Exchange has released another one of their Exclusives – namely a Caol Ila 2005 15 Years Old!

This 2005 Caol Ila single malt was matured in a single refill sherry hogshead for 15 years, before being bottled in January 2021 by Gordon & MacPhail as part of their Connoisseurs Choice range – exclusively for The Whisky Exchange.

Here are the details:-
Caol Ila 2005 15 Years Old
Region: Islay
Matured in a refill sherry hogshead #301507
Bottled: 06/01/2021

Not chill-filtered
Natural colour
266 bottles available

Gordon & MacPhail was established in Elgin, Scotland in 1895 and has always been a family owned and family run business.

They carefully select casks of whiskies from more than a hundred Scottish distilleries, many of which have since stopped production or simply vanished entirely.

Their ranges include Discovery – aimed at categorising Scotch whisky’s many facets and introducing new drinkers to new tastes in a manageable way – to the exclusive Private Collection and the iconic Connoisseurs Choice allowing them to cater for drinkers at every point on the Scotch whisky spectrum, from beginners to true connoisseurs.

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

“A glorious mix of orchard fruits and peaty smoke!”

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

Tasting Notes – Caol Ila 2005 15 Years Old – Whisky Exchange Exclusive (57.5%)

Nose: Fruit and smoke battle it out in a friendly fashion! There’s wisps of woodsmoke and peat mixed with fresh orchard fruits, mainly apple, with some additional sweet, sherry notes – glorious!

Palate: Wonderful mix of orchard fruits and peaty smoke! Sweet sherry with shades of toffee and some zingy mint.

Finish: Fiesty spice with some serious punch to it! It’s tempered though with fading smoke and vanilla sweetness.

Overall: A great selection of flavours wrapped up in a very enjoyable dram. I love the combination of fruit and smoke – making for a fantastic taste bud treat!
£120

Once again, many thanks to The Whisky Exchange (@WhiskyExchange) for the taster!

Sampling “1770 Single Malt: The Coopers’ Cask Release” – Sadly Gone – But Definitely Not Forgotten!

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The 1770 Single Malt: The Coopers’ Cask Release!

The Glasgow Distillery Company, the first independent single malt distillery to open in the city since 1902, has once again sold out of one of its releases, namely their 1770 Single Malt: The Coopers’ Cask Release, after phenomenally high demand!

With only 403 individually numbered bottles available the The Coopers’ Cask Release was the result of a collaboration between The Glasgow Distillery and US based Kelvin Cooperage. It was launched in celebration of the ancient skill of coopering; the art of creating casks made from wooden staves bound by metal hoops.
(Click here for a full write-up.)

Glasgow Distillery very kindly sent me a sample of this very special dram to try, together with a lovely tasting glass. (Thanks Glasgow Distillery!)

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

A sample to savour!

Tasting Notes – Glasgow 1770 Single Malt, The Coopers’ Cask (53.3%)

Nose: Very Creamy toffee, sweet vanilla, refreshing crisp, green apples fresh, orchard fruits.

Palate: Sweet, creamy toffee, vanilla and shades of mint.

Finish: A long finish of fiesty pepper culminating in a sweet dry ending.

Overall: A classy dram for sure! Lots going on flavour wise and the very reasonable price point gave plenty of bang for your buck. I won’t be forgetting this Whisky anytime soon!

Once again, many thanks to Glasgow Distillery (@GlasgowDC) for sending me the sample!

Only 403 Bottles of the The Coopers’ Cask were released

Glasgow Distillery products are also available to buy from these Merchants:-

The SMWS April Virtual Tasting – Five Distinctive Drams – One Heck Of A Lot Of Flavour!

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The SMWS April Virtual Tasting!

Well last Thursdays SMWS April Virtual Tasting was a real ‘flavour’ blast!

Host Madeleine Schmoll was joined by Society favourites Olaf Meier and Kami Newton to guide us through five spectacular drams in this month’s Discovery Pack, all with the theme of which were the best drams to take if you’re out hiking / fell walking etc.

The drams tasted on the night were:-

· 48.118 Trekking in the jungle

· G8.17 Candles, kumquats and polished oak

· 26.160 Fruit market – candy store

· 82.31 Give free rein to the imagination

· 42.52 Wood smoke through a porthole

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

Trekking in the jungle – CASK No. 48.118



Region: Speyside
Cask: 1st. fill ex-bourbon barrel (Balmenach)
Age: 7 years
Date: 12 November 2012
ABV: 60.6%



Nose: Fresh, crisp apples, flowery and sherbet sweet with some hints of tropical fruits.

Palate: Ooh! Fresh, creamy, vanilla, sherbet sweetness with shades of mint.

Finish: Peppery and smooth finish.

Overall: Well punchy! Adding water: very pleasant with increased herbal tones.
See All That The SMWS Has To Offer!

Candles, kumquats and polished oak – CASK No. G8.17



Region: Lowland
Cask: Refill ex-bourbon hogshead (Cambus)
Age: 31 years
Date: 12 June 1989
ABV: 59.7%



Nose: Toffee, sweet biscuit, dusky libraries, age-old furniture polish, liquorice – surprisingly!

Palate: Glorious sugar cane sweetness! Vanilla, toffee, strong liquorice and fennel!

Finish: Some of the aged notes start to come through in the finish, particularly the liquorice and fennel.

Overall: A very dignified grain whisky with some very interesting flavours – a revelation!
See All That The SMWS Has To Offer!

Fruit market – candy store – CASK No. 26.160



Region: Highland
Cask: 2nd. fill ex-bourbon barrel (Clynelish)
Age: 9 years
Date: 19 September 2011
ABV: 56.7%



Nose: Parkin cake, black treacle and fresh, green apples.

Palate: Very sugary sweet, vanilla, little mint.

Finish: Warming spiciness that gets pretty hot as it goes on!

Overall: A little something for everyone this – sweet, fruity, spicy – tasty!
See All That The SMWS Has To Offer!

Give free rein to the imagination – CASK No. 82.31



Region: Highland
Cask: 2nd. fill ex-bourbon barrel (Glencadam)
Age: 9 years
Date: 16 March 2011
ABV: 61.9%



Nose: Rich, creamy caramel, shortbread, popcorn with some spicy notes!

Palate: Rich, creamy caramel, buttery popcorn, sugar cane sweet.

Finish: Strongly spicy as per it’s strength!

Overall: Forget the popcorn, sit down with this to watch your favourite movie!
See All That The SMWS Has To Offer!

Wood smoke through a porthole – CASK No. 42.52



Region: Highland
Cask: Refill ex-bourbon hogshead (Tobermory / Ledaig)
Age: 13 years
Date: 29 March 2007
ABV: 58.3%



Nose: A smokery! Peat, woodsmoke, rich BBQ, sweetly coastal.

Palate: Lovely combo. of sweetness and smokiness – loads of peat!

Finish: The palate continues apace! This dram makes me SO hungry – I’m dreaming of smoked foods!

Overall: For the strength it is surprisngly mild and has bags of flavour. A real joy BUT a word of warning – have plenty of savoury snacks on hand – you will need them!
See All That The SMWS Has To Offer!

On the night I most enjoyed Wood smoke through a porthole – CASK No. 42.52, though to be honest, they were all good in their usual classy SMWS way!

Many thanks to SMWS (@SMWSUK) for such an enjoyable evening and for sending the samples!

About The SMWS

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is a club unlike any other.

As well as being a place to connect with other like-minded whisky lovers, they are also internationally renowned for their mission: “to provide our members with an adventurous and fun journey of discovery of the world’s widest collection of single cask whiskies.”

Conceptualised in the late 70’s and established in 1983, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, now 35 years old, has branches and partners bars in 19 countries globally. The Society has a selection of over 500 casks every year, each cask yielding a few hundred or less whisky bottles which are unique to that cask.

Rather than name their Whiskies after the distillery, the Society has a coding system. The Society also creates fantastic tasting notes summaries for their Whiskies and other bottles. The whiskies are straight from the cask single malt, undiluted, without chill-filtration or colouring at cask strength.

More recently the Society has been named Independent Bottler of the Year in Whisky Magazine’s prestigious Independent Bottlers’ Challenge (IBC) competition.

Sampling The Lakes Distillery “Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.4” – More Please!

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The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.4

English whiskymaker The Lakes Distillery has announced the release of their latest single malt whisky, The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.4!

An evolution in the journey to define their sherry-led house style, the new whisky is an artistic exploration of maturation and blending. Supremely balanced and complex, it is a single malt whisky matured in the finest, meticulously sourced Oloroso, PX and red wine casks, comprising Spanish, American and French oak.

A single malt whisky matured in the finest, meticulously sourced Oloroso, PX and red wine casks!

At 52% ABV and bottled at natural colour, it possesses the same sherry-led, wood-forward and flavour-packed characteristics of previous releases, with a more restrained, sophisticated, and almost Moorish influence.

From the American and Spanish oak casks, big notes of Manuka honey, sun-dried dates, and roasted cashew nuts lead to layers of dried fruit, nuts and spice, with an indulgent velvet-cream finish.

One of our most complex yet approachable whiskies in the series to date, this is a well-balanced and contemplative whisky, ideal to enjoy after dinner or with good friends.
– Dhavall Gandhi: The Lakes Distillery’s whiskymaker

Available now from LakesDistillery.com – the RRP is £65 for a 70cl bottle.

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

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

Tasting Notes – The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.4 Single Malt Whisky (52%)

Nose: Sherry in abundance! Vanilla, creamy fudge, toffee which is countered by sharp blackcurrant, rich dark chocolate and blood oranges.

Palate: Punchy with sweet sherried fruits, dark chocolate, hints of blackcurrant and orange.

Finish: All the flavours above continue along very nicely with the finish ending in dry spiciness.

Overall: Morish the Press Release says? Yes I say!

A very satisfying blending with some nice sweet, tangy, spicy flavours.

More Please!

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 Kilchoman’s Loch Gorm 2021 – A ‘Jack Of All Flavours’ – And A Master Of All Of Them!

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The Kilchoman Loch Gorm 2021!

The hotly anticipated Loch Gorm 2021 from Kilchoman Distillery has once again had its annual release!

Named after Islay’s largest freshwater loch neighbouring the distillery, Loch Gorm is their only annual limited edition matured entirely in oloroso sherry casks.

Year on year the vatting of Loch Gorm subtly changes (and sometimes not so subtly), in age, colour and character. 

The 2021 edition is a vatting of 24 oloroso sherry butts filled in 2011 and 2012

The 2021 edition is a vatting of 24 oloroso sherry butts filled in 2011 and 2012. These large 500 litre sherry butts have been sourced from Bodega Miguel Martin in Spain and filled with Kilchoman spirit peated to 50ppm.

Once these casks had been matured for a minimum of 9 years, they were then vatted together and bottled at 46% abv, resulting in 17,000 bottles being made available to Kilchoman fans around the world. 

Although we have always filled the bulk of our spirit into ex-bourbon barrels, the Loch Gorm releases have shown how well our peated Islay spirit can combine with sherry casks, something that’s not always an easy task.

Rich bold flavours with a breadth, depth and balance of character that sets it apart, the 2021 edition is packed with juicy fruit, macerated lemon and sweet chargrilled BBQ smoke.
– Anthony Wills: Kilchoman Founder and Master Distiller

Kilchoman Loch Gorm 2021 retails in the £69.95+ range.

Kilchoman has kindly sent me a sample to try (Thanks kilchomandistillery.com / @Kilchomanwhisky!)

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

Tasting Notes – Kilchoman Loch Gorm 2021 Islay Whisky (46%)

Nose: Rich, smokey, peaty nose with smooth sherry. Then along comes some apple and vanilla with buttery biscuit. The peatiness fades away after a time to be replaced by lemon creams and fruit cake – delightful!

Palate: Sweet, thick, plump fruits with sweet spices including cinnamon. Add in some lemon citrus and dark chocolate and you have a gorgeous palate right there!

Finish: Strong black pepper, sweet liquorice, smokey polish finishing with a dry peat, smoke finish.

Overall: A cracking dram and I love it! Rich flavours abound and I can’t fault it. This whisky is a ‘Jack of all flavours’ – and it’s the Master of all of them!

Kilchoman is available to buy from these Merchants:-

Many thanks to kilchomandistillery.com (@Kilchomanwhisky) for sending me the sample!

About Kilchoman

Kilchoman Distillery is a small family run farm distillery based on the rugged west coast of Islay. The distillery was established by Anthony Wills in 2005, the idea was to build a new distillery which took whisky production back to its roots. Anthony and wife Kathy have been joined by their three sons; George, James and Peter.

Kilchoman produces its 100% Islay single malt from barley which is grown in fields surrounding the distillery and completes every stage of the whisky-making process at the distillery, including traditional floor malting. Kilchoman is the only distillery in Scotland to do this.

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