Glenfiddich Fire & Cane Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Think you know peaty whisky? Think again. Glenfiddich, the worlds most awarded single malt Scotch Whisky, has launched Glenfiddich Fire & Cane, an unexpected combination of their rarely-seen peated whisky with unpeated bourbon-aged single malt, all of which is finished in Latin rum casks. The result is a surprisingly sweet and smoky dram that blends rich caramel and spice notes with fresh green fruit and soft pillowy smoke. A worthy continuation of the series that's very interesting to pair with different types of food try it with spicy sausage or ice cream, for example!
Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve Scotch Whisky
Johnnie Walker Gold Label is one of the world's most iconic whiskies. Showing flavours of maple syrup, spices and malt on the nose which is then followed by a dry smokiness and a sweet creamy vanilla mouthfeel. The inherent richness evolves on the finish with a raisiny, sweet sherry flavour.
Drambuie Liqueur
Drambuie is a very famous whisky liqueur made with Scotch whisky, heather and herbs and spices. Produced in West Lothian, Scotland, Drambuie offers flavours such as anise, nutmeg and saffron. This half bottle makes the perfect gift for any Scotch Liqueur lover.
The Botanist Islay Dry Gin
Islay artisans, Bruichladdich, turn their hands to producing the first and only Islay Dry Gin. The botanicals used comprise of nine classic gin varietals, plus 22 wild, Islay botanicals that are hand-picked from the wind-swept hills, peat bogs and the Atlantic shores. The result is a highly distinctive, complex, floral gin with outstanding finish and impeccable provenance. In an age of re-badged industrial gins, the Botanist stands out as a truly artisanal, small-batch, hand-crafted labour of love and distiller's art. A breath of botanical Islay in every glass.
Craigellachie 13 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
One by one, The Last Great Malts of Scotland will leave their distillery gates. Deemed the bad boy of Speyside, Craigellachie is an unapologetically unique and challenging Single Malt. This is a complex dram, packed with flavour and texture. 13 Years Old, from an 1891 distillery. Bottled at a punchy 46% ABV. A stubborn, sulphurous single malt, condensed in rusted worm tubs on an inhospitable rocky bluff.
Cotswolds Dry Gin
Cotswolds Dry Gin has a delectable blend of nine carefully considered botanicals. Upfront and clean on the palate, followed by fresh grapefruit and a hint of coriander seed. Black pepper spice builds with a touch of dryness. Clean and balanced finish with a hint of lime and lavender.
GlenDronach 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
This superb richly sherried single malt is matured for at least 12 years in a combination of the finest Spanish Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks. Non chill filtered, natural colour and bottled at 43%, The GlenDronach 12 Year Old original is a sweet, creamy dram.
Eden Mill Hop Gin
Lindores MCDXCIV Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Lindores Abbey is the officially recognised site of the first recorded distillation of Scotch whisky. It was back in 1494 that King James IV commissioned Brother John Cor at Lindores Abbey to make aqua vitae with eight bolls of malt. For more than 100 years, the preservation of the ruined abbey has fallen to Drew McKenzie-Smith and his family. Several years ago he learned of the abbey’s significance to the industry after visiting a website called Connoisseur Scotland . Further inspiration came when he was shown a copy of the late Michael Jackson’s book, ' Scotland and Its Whiskies .' In it, Jackson wrote of Lindores, “For the whisky lover it is a pilgrimage”. Following fifteen years of careful planning, construction work began on a new distillery that would not only capitalise on this whisky connection but also provide the means with which to preserve the abbey for future generations. In 2017, after five centuries of silence, the stills at Lindores Abbey began flowing again. There are actually two releases now in Australia: Lindores MCDXCIV and the MCDXCIV Commemorative First Release. They're essentially the same liquid, distinguished by a subtle notation on the label. Both come aged in a combination of ex-bourbon, ex-sherry and STR red wine barriques from Burgundy. Both are three and a half year old Lowlanders. You might expect Lindores to be on the lighter side, however it's more like a young Speysider, nicely balanced and not shy on flavour. There's even a nod to Linkwood on the nose where the aromas show surprising weight; Cream tea biscuits, pear drops, light beeswax, cocoa and citrus are echoed with impressive purity, depth and texture of the palate. A fine astringency checks the length, but it's auspicious as far as inaugural releases go - all that's needed is more time to add further layers of complexity. 46% Alc./Vol. Tasted from a 15ml sample.
The Botanist Gin
The once mothballed Bruichladdich Distillery on Islay is better known for its idiosyncratic and eclectic range of single malts. Now they’re making a gin that’s the talk of the town. Mark Reynier, one of the key instigators in this distillery’s recent revival, explains, “Botanist gin came about because we are curious about distilling. For us it is not a question of merely pushing buttons, we like to test our distilling skills, we are intrigued. With Trestaraig and X4 we have explored triple and quadruple distillation, so with a Lomond still that we had liberated from Inverleven in 2003, we were wondering how to use it. It was an experimental still, the first of its kind and now the last”. The resulting gin uses nine of the classic gin aromatics – orris root, cassia bark, coriander seed, etc – and augments these with a heady harvest of 22 wild, native island botanicals, hand-picked by Bruichladdich’s expert foraging team from the windswept hills, peat bogs and atlantic shores of this Hebridean island of Islay. These include wild Islay Juniper, Elderflower, Bog Myrtle, Tansy, Hawthorn Flower, Birch Leaves, White Clover, Sweet Cicely and Lady's Bedstraw, amongst others. This truly seasonal and exotic cocktail is then slow "simmer" distilled in the lomond pot-still, nicknamed "ugly betty". Head distiller, Jim McEwan explains, “Betty prefers to work at low-pressure and won’t be rushed. So our precious botanicals are slowly and gently coaxed into releasing their complex, signature aromatics. Jim says he had to "learn a new dance" with Betty, and none of us knew what to expect from that first, achingly-slow 17 hour distillation. The result: a highly distinctive, complex, floral gin with outstanding finish and impeccable provenance. In an age of re-badged industrial gins, the Botanist stands out as a truly artisanal, small-batch, hand-crafted labour of love and distiller's art. A breath of botanical Islay in every glass. Tasting note: [30ml sample] Crystal clear, slightly viscous appearance. Powerful bouquet opens with fresh juniper and thyme followed by orange peel, coriander and pine. Excellent complexity and purity. Medium dry, concentrated profile delivers a creamy-yet-peppery mouthfeel with a nice balance between citrus peel and juniper. Orange peel on the finish leads into a subtle, persistent peppermint / eucalypt aftertaste. Great stuff - and if you're mixing, it lends a lovely creaminess to G&T’s. 46% Alc./Vol.