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Sampling “Toast rack” (Cask No: 64.130) – An SMWS Dram Whisky That Packs A Great Palate Punch!

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“Toast rack” Cask No: 64.130!


The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Black Friday Offer Ends Soon!


Save £15 when you buy an SMWS Membership and get a Mystery Malt for £45!

Valid until Sunday 27th. November

The SMWS bottle exceptional and colourful whiskies that are ever-changing and exclusive to their members with over 20 released every month and a selection available online from over 120 distilleries.

An SMWS Membership is also a gift that keeps on giving, 12 months of whisky fun and entertainment and their Members’ Rooms are just as special as their whisky and together, deliver a one-of-a-kind magical experience that truly comes alive during the winter season!

So, with the above fantastic offer in mind I’ve kindly been sent a bottle of one their cask bottlings to try, namely “Toast rack” (Cask No: 64.130) which is a whisky profiled as ‘Juicy Oak & Vanilla’ – and the stock of which are quickly running out!

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

The 64.130

Tasting Notes – “Toast rack” Cask No: 64.130 (58.7%)

Juicy Oak & Vanilla
“Toast rack”
Cask No: 64.130
Cask Type: 1st fill American & European Oak Hogshead
Distillery: Mannochmore
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 58.7%
£65.90 – Only 6 left!

After nine years in ex-bourbon wood, this whisky was transferred to a custom toasted oak hogshead (60% American oak, 40% European)


Nose: Rich, creamy toffee and vanilla with apple, lemon a little orange. There’s aromas of damp wood. Later on some very nice chocolate makes it’s presence felt which is very inviting indeed!

Palate: Generous toffee with apple, lemon plus a little orange (similar to the nose) Add in chocolate, blackcurrant and liquorice all atop a hefty ABV and you’ll see why this whisky packs a great palate punch!

Finish: A deep warming spice with cracked black pepper and a little dryness at the end.

Overall: An outstanding dram that also works very well with water. An addition of a few drops brings out a lush sweetness and expands the other flavours with lots more chocolate and some grapefruit on the finish.

Many thanks to SMWS (@SMWSUK) for sending me a botle to try!

Explore Christmas at the SMWS with these Useful links:-

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.

Councillors Grant Planning Permission For Islay’s Smallest Distillery!

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Hopes are that the first whisky will be produced late 2024/early 2025

Members of Argyll and Bute Council’s Planning, Protective Services and Licensing Committee (PPSL) have approved the planning application for Islay’s smallest distillery!

The proposed distillery, situated close to Port Charlotte, will have a target capacity of 200,000 litres of pure alcohol per annum and the distillery will also act as a key visitor attraction for this part of Islay, taking advantage of the existing beauty of the surrounding landscape, with a visitor centre included as part of the proposals.

Materials for the distillery have been chosen to reflect a philosophy of ‘use natural, reduce and source locally’ helping to achieve the goal of net zero embodied carbon. This includes the use of natural building materials where possible, such as locally sourced timber and stone and only using concrete / steel where a natural / low-carbon solution is not suitable.

The planning application, now approved, includes 4.25MW of solar power, located over two sites; a 700kW hydrogen electrolyser; and a 5MW Battery Energy Storage System.

Islanders Bertie Nesselrode and Scott McLellan, who are behind the new project, have welcomed the news.

Today’s decision is a fantastic and significant milestone for the project. We believe passionately in the distillery and the many benefits we know it will bring to this part of Islay.

Along with producing a world-class, sustainable whisky, we are proud to be offering a community benefit fund, ensuring that all islanders have the opportunity to benefit from the distillery in the future.

We will now turn our attention to the next, exciting stage in the distillery’s development, and would like to thank all those who have supported us so far.
– Bertie Nesselrode

Councillors were unanimous in approving the proposals, with the development team hoping to begin on-site next year and the first whisky being produced late 2024/early 2025.

Sampling The Wares Of The Glasgow Distillery: Three Whiskies, Two Rums & A Whole Lot Of Flavour!

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Three whiskies and two rums!

Three whiskies and two rums were the treats we could look forward to with last Wednesday nights @TweetTastings, which was once again ably hosted by Steve from The Whisky Wire!

They all hailed from the Glasgow Distillery who also produce blended Whisky, Gin and Vodka!

On the night we sampled:-

  • 1770 Original
  • 1770 Tokaji Cask Finish
  • 1770 Golden Beer Cask Finish
  • Banditti Glasgow Spiced Rum
  • Banditti Smoky Rogues Rum

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 #GlasgowDistillery on Twitter.

So, what did I think?

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

Tasting Notes – 1770 Original (46%)


Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Casks: Initially matured in first fill-ex Bourbon barrels, before being finished in Virgin oak casks
ABV: 46%
£49.00

Glasgow 1770 The Original is their Flagship unpeated bottling. ItÕs a true representation of the whisky they produce and showcases their production philosophy and dedication to quality.

Nose: Creamy toffee with some apple and pineapple in there for good measure. Spicy wood with hints of chocolate and the spice gets fruitier with the passing of time.

Palate: Fruity cane sweetness with powerful orange, pineapple and toffee.

Finish: A warming spice that grows in pepperiness with grapefruit and some salt coming along at the end.

Overall: A great go-to dram.

Tasting Notes – 1770 Tokaji Cask Finish (58%)


Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Casks: Initially matured in first-fill Bourbon barrels, before being finished in Hungarian Tokaji wine casks
ABV: 58%
£59.00 (Coming Soon)


Nose: Thick caramel and peanut butter with apple, pineapple and shades of clove and jasmine tea. (Thanks to @fishoop for that one!) Creamy strawberries damp wood add up to a very inviting nose!

Palate: Sherbet fruity sweetness with pineapple and creamy strawberries – Yum! Tingling, fizzy spice on the tongue couples with chocolate. The spice is pretty powerfull – I think my mouth is a little numb!

Finish: Woody with again a salty end.

Overall: A really lovely dram with bags of flavour and profile!

Tasting Notes – 1770 Golden Beer Cask Finish (56.2%)


Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Casks: First-fill Bourbon, then finished in a PX Sherry cask that held Innis & Gunn Golden Beer for 3 months.
ABV: 56.2%
£59.00 (Coming Soon)


Nose: A bit quieter this one … woody with cream but a very shy dram overall! More beery notes come through later with toffee and some woody overtones.

Palate: A subtle initial palate. Woody with sweet chocolate and there’s some lovely fruit there as well with creamy malt.

Finish: Nutty and very spicy. It’s also a pretty dry finish.

Tasting Notes – Banditti Glasgow Spiced Rum (44%)


Casks: Matured for up to 12 months in oak barrels
ABV: 44% ABV
£25.00

Banditti Club Rum Ð Glasgow Spiced is matured and spiced in Glasgow, made using rum distilled from freshly pressed sugar cane juice on the Island of Madeira.

Banditti Club takes its name from a company of bold rogues who would meet in GlasgowÕs local public houses; singing, eating and playing music late into the night.

Nose: Ah! Delightful – liquid Christmas cake in a glass! Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and orange! Sweet and minty, herbal menthol (which is a surprise) arrives after a while sat sitting in a glass.

Palate: Not at all rum like: minty, herbal, menthol with lemon!

Finish: Sweet orange and ginger with some peppery spice.

Tasting Notes – Banditti Smoky Rogues Rum (52.2%)


Casks: Initially matured in oak casks, before being finished for 18 months in Glasgow 1770 Peated whisky casks
ABV: 52.2% ABV
£28.00

Launched earlier this month, Banditti Club Rum Ð Smoky Rogues, is a limited-edition, single cask incarnation of their Glasgow Spiced rum, which has been finished in peated whisky casks.

Nose: Musky rooms, cloves and mince pies. Cinnamon, nutmeg follows, similar to the Banditti Glasgow Spiced Rum.

Palate: Quite medicinal with sweet herbs, cloves and menthol.

Finish: The medicinal flavours continue and it’s all wrapped up in a slightly smokey coat!

My Favourites On The Night

1. 1770 Tokaji Cask Finish
2. Banditti Smoky Rogues Rum

A lovely dram with all it’s fruity and spicy goodness and that rum is REALLY different!

Catch up on what all the tweet tasters had to say with #GlasgowDistillery on Twitter

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

Whiskies and Rums are available to buy from The Glasgow Distillery

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

Sampling Four Speyside Distillery Whiskies – But Which One Is My ‘Desert Island Dram’?!

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The Four Speyside Distillery Whiskies Sampled!

Wednesday nights @TweetTastings, which was once again ably hosted by Steve from The Whisky Wire, gave us the opportunity to sample the wares of The Speyside Distillery; a mid-week savouring of four great drams!

The whiskies sampled were:-

  • Spey Trutina
  • Spey Chairman’s Choice
  • Beinn Dubh
  • Spey Fumare

Production at The Speyside Distillery started in 1990. The distillery took its name from the original distillery of the same name, located in Kingussie, which was operational from around 1895 – 1911.

The distillery is small in comparison with it’s closest neighbours (Dalwhinnie & Tomatin), with a 4.2 ton Semi-Lauter mash tun, 4 stainless steel washbacks and one pair of stills (11,000 wash & 8000 spirit).

Speyside Distillery uses a wide range of casks. The majority of these are American ex-bourbon barrels, but they also use casks sourced from Spain, Portugal and France.

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 #SpeysideDistillery on Twitter.

So, what did I think?

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

Tasting Notes – Spey Trutina (46%)

Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
AGE: NAS
Casks: Bourbon

SPEY Trutina, which takes its name from the latin for ‘honest & pure’, is said to signify the natural, simple characteristics of the Speyside Distillery. This release is limited to 18,000 individually numbered bottles.


Nose: Sherbet sweetness with green apples and some citrus. Some toffee notes and after a while the citrus increases with the addition of some herbs. In fact the nose started to remind me of a gin!

Palate: Strong lemon citrus balanced by sugary sweetness and chocolate.

Finish: Dry and powerful spicy pepper which is rather Yummy! The palate gets quite bitter at the end.

Tasting Notes – Spey Chairman’s Choice (40%)


Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
AGE: NAS
Casks: Bourbon and Sherry

On Christmas Day in 1787, John Harvey (acting in his capacity as Chairman of the company) personally selected the whisky to be used only by family. John Harvey called this exclusive and secret family whisky, SPEY “Chairman’s Choice”.


Nose: Creamy caramel with sherry – tremendous! I also picked up some wood with dark vanilla fruits.

Palate: Thin mouthfeel with juicy sweet fruits and a little coffee and chocolate.

Finish: There’s some nice spice to this one and the chocolate gets creamier and creamier but I’m wondering (with the light mouthfeel) what the cask strength would be like? I reckon gorgeous!

Tasting Notes – Beinn Dubh (43%)


Beinn Dubh
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
AGE: NAS
Casks: Bourbon barrels before being finished in heavily toasted Ruby Port casks

Beinn Dubh, which means Black Mountain, has been produced using water from the Cairngorm Black Mountain, and finished in heavily toasted Ruby Port casks from The Douro Valley.

Nose: What an inviting looking dram this is! On the nose there’s rich dark fruits with red wine and vanilla. It gets more porty as time goes on with some added coffee.

Palate: Port and dark chocolate in abundance! Dark fruits including prunes, wood, creamy vanilla and a little licorice.

Finish: The spiciness grows but there’s sweet coffee and chocolate aplenty to keep it in check!

Tasting Notes – Spey Fumare (46%)


SPEY Fumare
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
AGE: NAS
Casks: Bourbon

SPEY Fumare, was the first ever peated distillery bottling and is produced using peated barley, which the distillery only uses for a small part of the year (December). A limited release of 18,000 individually numbered bottles.

Nose: Ooh! smokehouse peat is back! Savoury liquid BBQ smoke with some sweet fruitiness and snack inducing peat aromas!

Palate: Rich fruity smoke and peat with antiseptic overtones but a pleasant sweetness levels things up nicely.

Finish: Punchy pepper at the end!

Overall: This could easily be one of my ‘Desert Island Drams’ – staring into my homemade fire on the beach!

My Favourite On The Night

1. Beinn Dubh
2. Fumare

I do love a peat dram but maybe it’s the time of year because the Christmas dram ‘Beinn Dubh’ really wins it for me! Christmas dram contender anyone?

Speyside Distillery Whiskies can be bought directly from thesnugspeysidedistillery

Speyside Distillery Whiskies are also available to buy from these Merchants:-

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

My fellow Tweet Tasters on the night were:-


@TheWhiskyWire @WhiskyWings @TallmanFM @whiskygraeme @RealDramRob @PadWhisky @sprungatom @PhilScott101 @whiskyodyssey @BillyCowan @FiShoop @StillSurreal @rodbodtoo @pswhisky @CEVokins @DramofWar @WhiskyWithMolly @jwbassman_ @KiltedDrammer @ExeterWhisky @WhiskyUnplugged @moonbites @TwoWhiskyBros @TheWhiskyphiles

“Best Whisky” For Cù Bòcan Highland Single Malt!

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“Best Whisky” for Cù Bòcan Highland Single Malt!

Cù Bòcan Highland Single Malt has been awarded with “Best Whisky” at the prestigious Highlands and Islands Food and Drink Awards!

Following a successful re-brand in 2019, the brand has grown from strength to strength. 2021 saw a fantastic period of recovery following on from the pandemic and that success has continued into 2022.

The award winning experimental Highland Single Malt is distilled every winter at Tomatin Distillery

The award winning experimental Highland Single Malt is distilled every winter at Tomatin Distillery in limited batches and made with lightly peated Scottish barley for its signature wisp of smoke. In late 2005, after Tomatin had achieved its annual production quota, the Distillery Manager at the time brought in a load of lightly peated barley allowing the distillery to produce its own peated spirit for the last week of the year.

This production coincided with incredibly low water temperatures and resulted in a slightly oilier mouthfeel in the new make spirit. Recognising the quality of this spirit, the distillery continued to produce Cù Bòcan in small batches every winter since 2005.

Cù Bòcan is renowned for exploring innovative maturations, creating whiskies full of intrigue and surprise. Earlier this year the brand released two new expressions within their Creation series, Creation #3, matured in Moroccan Cabernet Sauvignon casks and Creation #4, matured in a combination of Port and Cognac casks. More recently the brand released it’s first age stated whisky, Cù Bòcan 15 Year Old, matured fully in Oloroso Sherry casks.

The current Cù Bòcan range now comprises of Cù Bòcan Signature, the only ongoing product within the range, matured in Bourbon, Oloroso Sherry and North American Virgin Oak casks, the limited edition Creation series and the newly released limited edition Cù Bòcan 15 Year Old.

Sustainable practices such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing the use of non-fossil fuels are the cornerstones of the Tomatin Distillery and Scotch Whisky Industry’s efforts to make manufacturing more sustainable and support a low carbon economy. Earlier this year Tomatin Distillery invested in a partnership with Highland Tourism, promoting sustainable tourism in the Highlands.

“The accolade of “Best Whisky” proves that our commitment to quality, taste and sustainability has been recognised and we’re delighted with the win.!

Tomatin Distillery is working with fellow members of the Scotch Whisky Association towards achieving the ambitious target, for the industry, of being carbon net zero by 2045 as well as supporting the responsibility to the local community by protecting the local environment.

The accolade of “Best Whisky” proves that our commitment to quality, taste and sustainability has been recognised and we’re delighted with the win.

We have exciting plans for the future and we look forward to opening up the world of lightly peated whisky with Cù Bòcan single malt.
– Julia Mackillop: Senior Brand Manager

Each Cù Bòcan Single Malt offers an exploration in the subtleties of smoke, the character of the casks and the mastery of maturation. The range is always non-chill filtered and natural in colour. Cù Bòcan Single malt is available online and in specialist retailers worldwide.

Sampling Fettercairn Scottish Oak 18 Year Old Whisky – A Dram That Really Spoils The Senses!

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Fettercairn Scottish Oak 18 Year Old!

Fettercairn distillery has entered a new age with its launch of their 18 Years Old single malt and their first ever whisky finished in locally sourced Scottish Oak!

“At Fettercairn we are passionate about the potential of Scottish Oak and the unique flavour characteristics it offers to the whisky maker.” – Gregg Glass

Brought to life through their ground-breaking Scottish Oak programme and calling on a 100% finish in Scottish oak sourced from the Scottish Highlands, this whisky represents a long-term vision coming to life. Born from an initiative which extends far beyond cask production to the creation of a circular economy and the future-proofing Scottish Oak for the next generation of whisky makers.

Progressive and innovative in style and substance, this whisky celebrates what makes Fettercairn different – from the surprisingly tropical house style achieved by the distinctive copper cooling ring distillation; to their future focused, innovative approach to local sourcing and working with the land in Aberdeenshire – ‘The Garden of Scotland’.

Fettercairn 18 is a culmination of an approach to whisky making I have developed across a number of years. This first release reflects the dedication not just of myself, but of our partners ‘from Forest to Field’, who each played a role in rekindling the skills required to harvest Scottish Oak.

At Fettercairn we are passionate about the potential of Scottish Oak and the unique flavour characteristics it offers to the whisky maker.
– Gregg Glass: Master Whisky Maker

Fettercairn has kindly sent me a sample of the 18 Year Old to try.
Cheers fettercairnwhisky.com (@FettercairnWh) for the opportunity!

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

Tasting Notes – Fettercairn Scottish Oak 18 Year Old Whisky (46.8%)

Natural in colour and non-chill filtered.

Nose: Tropical fruits are very much to the fore and then along comes crisp apples, cane sugar and toffee. After a while a strong citrus develops mainly consisting of lemon. Cereal finishes off a very fine nose indeed!

Palate: Creamy and smooth with powerful tropical flavours leading to vanilla, toffee and nice dark coffee.

Finish: Strong, warming spice with a little pepper and a dry finish.

Overall: A lovely, smooth dram that really spoils the palate! A broad range of flavours that you’ll want to revisit time and time again!

Fettercairn Scottish Oak 18 Year Old Whisky is now available at an RSP of £175

Available from October onwards at an RSP of £175

Fettercairn Whiskies are also available to buy from these Merchants:-

About Fettercairn

Driven by a progressive ethos at the heart of our distilling philosophy since 1824, today Fettercairn Distillery lives by a long-standing commitment to unfettered thinking.

We’re not like other distilleries and we’ve never been afraid to tread our own path. It’s only by defying convention, tradition and expectation, we can adopt an enlightened and progressive approach.

Take our cooling ring, our home-grown Scottish oak and single estate whiskies, the special collaboration with 200 local farmers, the Warehouse 2 Collection. And not forgetting the unicorn on our bottle!

Our vision is future facing, so we don’t need to look back to move forward. But ultimately, all of this leads to an unwavering commitment to a prosperous and sustainable future for whisky making.

We are Fettercairn; the home of enlightened whisky making.

About Gregg Glass- Master Whisky Maker

Respected whisky maker Gregg Glass joined Whyte and Mackay in 2016, where he has been a leading light in the rejuvenation of Fettercairn alongside Distillery Manager Stewart Walker.

Gregg enjoyed a childhood in the heart of whisky making country, the Black Isle. With 22 years in industry notably 11 years at innovative whisky maker Compass Box, Gregg joined Whyte and Mackay in 2016 to work alongside renowned Master Distiller Mr Richard Paterson OBE.

Gregg has enjoyed 15 years career as a blender and whisky maker. At Whyte and Mackay Gregg has led whisky development for Fettercairn Single Malt Whisky, Jura Single Malt Whisky and in 2017 launched Whisky Works – an independent innovation wing of Whyte and Mackay.

Gregg is devoted to his craft and believes in flavour-led hands-on whisky making. Gregg is passionately involved in every aspect of the whisky making process from ‘acorn to glass’ and since 2020 leads whisky making across the Whyte and Mackay portfolio.

Kilchoman Launch ‘Casado’ Single Malt Whisky – Their Autumn Limited Edition Release For 2022!

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Casado Single Malt Whisky!

Kilchoman launch Casado, the Autumn Limited Edition Release for 2022!

Experimenting and exploring different flavours throughout the whisky-making process is something Kilchoman is always doing. 

ANTHONY WILLS: Founder

In recent years barley variety and yeast influence have been discussed in depth but wood management remains a key part of any single malt. 

Anthony Wills, Kilchoman Founder and Managing Director, had the idea to try something out of the norm and purchase 6,000 litre red wine vats at char level 2 and 3, each giving a slightly different impact on the whisky finishing inside, then marrying them together after a longer than usual finish.

The red wine marriage gives the whisky layers of red fruit and spices which complement the vanilla and butterscotch influence of the bourbon barrels beautifully.

– ANTHONY WILLS: Founder

12,900 bottles available!

Tasting Notes:

Nose: An opening note of intense campfire smoke balanced with ripe summer stone fruits; peach, plum and cherry. Deep notes of marzipan become the focus combined with layered maritime notes
Palate: The red wine vatting brings pepper and spice on the first taste. Dry, salty peat smoke sits on the palate, yet fruit notes of apricot and lemon find their way through
Finish: A long finish which brings a hot, spicy character from the marriage in Portuguese red wine vats. Stewed, cooked fruit notes bring a sweet-jam profile providing an on-going sweet-ness that the classic Kilchoman smoke balances beautifully

Kilchoman is available to buy from these Merchants:-

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 Loch Gorm 2022

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:

– The IWSC 2022 competition – Machir Bay scored 98 points and was awarded ‘Gold Outstanding’. 100% Islay was also awarded a “Gold Award’ and scored 95 points.

– The International Spirits Challenge 2022 – Machir Bay and Sanaig were both awarded Gold Medals.

– 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 Borders Malt & Rye Blended Scotch Whisky – The Taste Of Things To Come!

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WS:01 Borders Malt & Rye Blended Scotch Whisky

Last Wednesday nights @TweetTastings, which was once again ably hosted by Steve from The Whisky Wire, gave us a great opportunity to savour a brand new dram and to experience it amongst friends!

Only 5,988 bottles will ever be sold in the UK

The dram in question was WS:01 Borders Malt & Rye Blended Scotch Whisky which is the first Blended Scotch Whisky to leave the Scottish borders in 185 years!

To create this whisky, The Borders Distillery distilled a small batch of rye spirit and matured it in the same fresh-fill bourbon casks as their malt.

Each bottle of WS:01 Borders Malt & Rye, which is the first Scotch whisky blend from The Borders Distillery to be entirely distilled at its Hawick based site, is individually numbered. Only 5,988 bottles will ever be sold in the UK.

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 #TheBordersDistillery on Twitter.

So, what did I think?

Here are my tasting notes …

Tasting Notes – WS:01 Borders Malt & Rye (40%)


The Borders Distillery Ð Workshop Series

WS:01 Borders Malt & Rye
Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Cask: Bourbon
Comprised of: 63.8% Single Grain Ð 36.2% Single Malt
£40.00


Nose: Not sure I’ve seen a paler dram! Very tropical on the nose with apples and toffee. This morphs into delightful apple pie & custard. Later on the sweetness is balanced by some cereal & biscuit.

Palate: Dry on the palate with cane sweetness and fruit. Lemon citrus then comes to the fore quite forcefully.

Finish: There’s some creamy spice and little bit of coffee and it all finishes warmly.

Overall: I wish the ABV had been higher – it would have given more flavour options but it’s a grower though! A progressively moreish dram that works well on the palate.

The great thing though is the chance to sample a developing and exciting brand – good things to come I think!

This is the first Blended Scotch Whisky to leave the Scottish borders in 185 years!

Many thanks to Steve at The Whisky Wire (@TheWhiskyWire / @TweetTastings) for a great evening and Border’s Distillery (@thebordersdistillery) for sending the samples and without whom!

Cù Bòcan Releases Limited Edition 15 Year Old – The First Age-Stated Whisky Added To Their Range!

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Cù Bòcan Limited Edition 15 Year Old!

Cù Bòcan Single Malt has released a limited edition 15 Year Old which is the brand’s first age-stated whisky expression. The 15 Year Old has been fully matured in Oloroso Sherry casks for a minimum of 15 years and this 2022 Edition is the first in a series of planned annual batch releases!

Only 3,000 bottles available worldwide …

The award winning experimental Highland Single Malt is distilled every winter at Tomatin Distillery in limited batches and made with lightly peated Scottish barley for its signature wisp of smoke. In late 2005, after Tomatin had achieved its annual production quota, the Distillery Manager at the time brought in a load of lightly peated barley allowing the distillery to produce its own peated spirit for the last week of the year.

This production coincided with incredibly low water temperatures and resulted in a slightly oilier mouthfeel in the new make spirit. Recognising the quality of this spirit, the distillery continued to produce Cù Bòcan in small batches every winter since 2005. The newly released Cù Bòcan 15 Year Old features some of the first lightly peated spirit to be laid down in casks.

Matured fully in Oloroso Sherry casks for a minimum of 15 years, Cù Bòcan 15 Year Old is a decadent single malt with sun dried fruits and smoky exotic spices. The Oloroso Sherry casks impart flavours of dried fruits, flamed orange peel, cinder toffee, black cherry and cardamom. The peat provides a traditional earthy dryness rather than an obvious smoke, this has helped keep some of the sweeter elements of the sherry casks perfectly balanced.

Cù Bòcan is also renowned for exploring innovative maturations, creating whiskies full of intrigue and surprise. Earlier this year the brand released two new expressions within their Creation series, Creation #3, matured in Moroccan Cabernet Sauvignon casks and Creation #4, matured in a combination of Port and Cognac casks.

The current Cù Bòcan range now comprises of Cù Bòcan Signature, the only ongoing product within the range, matured in Bourbon, Oloroso Sherry and North American Virgin Oak casks, the Creation series and the newly released Cù Bòcan 15 Year Old.

We are delighted to introduce the 15 Year Old into the Cù Bòcan range, this whisky takes us back to where it all began, when we first started producing lightly peated spirit in the midst of winter back in 2005.

This release is a celebration of how far we have come since then, and a nod to all the exciting plans we have in store for Cù Bòcan, opening up the world of lightly peated whisky.
– Graham Nicolson: Sales Director

Each Cù Bòcan Single Malt offers an exploration in the subtleties of smoke, the character of the casks and the mastery of maturation.
The range is always non-chill filtered and natural in colour.
Cù Bòcan 15 Year Old, 2022 Edition, has been bottled at 50% Abv. and is a limited batch release with only 3,000 bottles available worldwide.

Cù Bòcan 15 Year Old, 2022 Edition, is available in specialist shops worldwide with an RRP of £95 per 700ml bottle.

Sampling The Lakes Distillery Latest Release: The Whiskymakers’ Editions ‘Infinity’ – A Whisky Designed For The Curious…

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Infinity – a whisky designed for the curious…

The Lakes Distillery has released The Whiskymaker’s Editions ‘Infinity’ – a whisky designed for the curious!

Unlocking a new dimension with every sip, The Whiskymaker’s Editions Infinity is inspired by a never-ending fascination with the interconnectedness of fragrance and flavour.

Designed for the curious whisky drinker, this single malt is described by its maker to “stimulate profound thought” and “offer a unique experience” as it delves deep into the notion that everything in nature is entwined in a state of perpetual motion, leading to somewhere new.

Available online and from The Lakes Distillery from Friday, 7 October 2022

Matured in a multitude of The Lakes Distillery’s finest sherry butts, including rare Palo Cortado seasoned American oak casks, it is the art of blending, carefully layering complimentary and contrasting flavours, and learnedly counterbalancing aromas that makes it possible for Infinity to appear in a state of constant evolution on both the nose and palate.

Simultaneously complex and enigmatic, bewildering and delightful, each inimitable taste entices you to go deeper and deeper into a metaphorical rabbit hole of flavours, offering the opportunity to explore infinite ever-changing combinations that make it difficult to define where they come from and where they lead.

Created with a modern approach and a wide variety of exceptional sherry casks, Infinity is a whisky that offers a unique experience.

With layer upon layer of continuously changing aromas and flavours, perfectly balanced and each jostling to shine through, it is a complex whisky that unlocks a different dimension with every sip. As one door closes, another one opens up in this constantly evolving whisky.
– Dhavall Gandhi: Whiskymaker at The Lakes Distillery

Non-chill filtered, bottled at the natural colour, and 52% ABV, The Whiskymaker’s Editions Infinity will be available this weekend at the Whisky Show London. Following the show, it will be available online and also from The Lakes Distillery from Friday, 7 October 2022.

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 Editions ‘Infinity’ (52%)

Nose: Heady shades of lemon citrus and orange with sugary cane syrup, banoffee pie and creamy chocolate.

Palate: Creamy, sherried notes with luscious toffee, chocolate and a little citrus.

Finish: Smooth with a lovely punchy, slightly dry, peppery finish.

Overall: This is a super dram and really recommended – possibly one of the best Lakes Distillery expressions I’ve ever tasted!

Great flavours abound and the ABV, though high, is not harsh at all. I’d say this is certainly a dram to take you to infinity – and maybe even beyond!

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


THE LAKES DISTILLERY

On the shore of Bassenthwaite Lake, near Keswick, in The English Lake District, The Lakes Distillery design an exceptional collection of spirits and attracts over 30,000 visitors to their whisky distillery each year.

Twice named “one of eight distilleries to visit before you die” by the World Whisky Day campaign, their bistro and distillery tour experience has held Visit England’s Gold accolade since 2018 and was voted the Icons of Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year 2019 by Whisky magazine.

In September 2019, the brand unveiled The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.1, their first widely available single malt whisky in what has become an internationally award-winning series showcasing their sherry-led signature style.

Named by The London Stock Exchange Group as one of the ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain 2020’, The Lakes’ portfolio of spirits includes single malt whisky, blended whisky, gin, and vodka.

Recently, The Lakes Distillery received the following prestigious awards:

2022: World’s Best Single Malt Whisky, World Whiskies Awards: The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.4
Outstanding Gold (98/100), International Wine & Spirits Competition: The Lakes Pink Grapefruit Gin.

2021: Best English Blended Whisky, World Whiskies Awards: The One Sherry Cask Finished

2020: Best English Single Malt Whisky, World Whiskies Awards: The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.2
Gold Award, International Spirit’s Challenge: The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.2
Spirit Gold Award (95/100), International Wine & Spirit Competition: The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.1

2019: World’s Best Vodka, World Vodka Awards: The Lakes Vodka
World’s Best Chocolate Liqueur, World Vodka Awards: The Lakes Salted Caramel Vodka Liqueur

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