By using new French oak casks to finish this scotch, a fantastic vanilla and spice character is leeched into the whisky. This compliments the sweet malt and floral characters perfectly.

Co-created by one of Scotland’s most awarded Master Distillers, Jim McEwan, together with Cape Byron Distillery Co-founder and distiller Eddie Brook are two new Australian takes on a classic Scottish single malt. Many readers will already know of Jim McEwan who has more than fifty years of experience in the whisky business, having worked at Bowmore for 38 years, before overseeing the rebirth of Bruichladdich and most recently helping to get new Islay distillery, Ardnahoe, off the ground. Two editions are on offer: A Chardonnay barrelled limited edition, and this, the Cape Byron 'Original', aged in Scotland's traditional vessel of choice: American oak x-Bourbon casks. Says Brook, “They go together like a match made in heaven. [The whisky is] not overly dominated by the oak, it’s letting the spirit sing, and we’re seeing this marriage.” What partly accounts for the distinctive style is that the pair have resisted the temptation to use smaller barrels to ‘accelerate’ the ageing process. It's the opposite approach of most Australian distillers. “...We’ve got this climate that gives us faster maturation. Now that’s great, but it can also get too much, you can get too much tannin and then over-oaking in your whisky, ” Brook explains. "To avoid this, we only mature in full format barrels, between 200 to 300 litres in size". Specially designed warehousing facilities further offset Byron’s temperature extremes. According to McEwan, another factor is the distillery's proximity to the coast. “Walk down the barrel room... you’re getting that marine character and influence coming through" he says. "That moisture is falling on the oak staves, and slowly but surely, there’ll be a residue of salt and eventually as the whisky moves in and out, as the temperature increases, the alcohol will expand and it will touch the salt, and pull it back, and that brings a unique marine freshness to the spirit – quite different from anything else...” No surprise that McEwan reckons fans of Bruichladdich might taste some similarities in the Cape Byron spirit. “They’re not dissimilar. There’s no peat, [Eddie’s] using American oak, I used a lot of American oak Bourbon casks as well. I’ve used wine casks – and you’ve got all the wine casks there. There’s a similarity there between what I was doing in Islay and what Eddie’s doing here." As for the taste? Can't say there are many like this - either here or abroad - but you can appreciate why McEwen draws comparisons with Bruichladdich. Cape Byron's Original is a creamy, near voluptuous malt that defies its age. Peaches and cream come through with sweet barley and shortbread on the nose. The co-mingling of dried mango and juicy malt with the Bourbon vanilla aspects is nicely done, and there's a spicy edge adding vibrancy. At the finish, more peaches and cream, dried mango and a little grilled pineapple, pepper and coastal freshness develop. It's a whisky less about overt complexity, all about generous mouthfeel and precocious flavour. No doubt that equation will change over time. Right now, the creative forces behind the project have guaranteed one of the more compelling Aussie releases in recent years. Matured for three years in 200 litre ex-Buffalo Trace Bourbon casks. 47% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. Batch 001 tasted. Notes from the producers... The colour of a Byron Bay sunset. The palate offers soft vanilla, creme brulee and biscotti characters, layered over distinct notes of pear, coconut and buttery macadamia.

Fresh, sweetly fruity and smooth-bodied, Caol Ila 12 YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky delicately balances a range of tastes. The clean, appetising nose shows subtle citrus fruit with just a puff of smoke. Firm and smooth, it begins sweetly then yields a fragrant smokiness and a sweet-smoky, lingering finish.

Appearance: Oloroso, brilliant clarity, 8/10 viscosity.Nose: Big baked stone fruits and dark vanilla, old oaked sherry, and warm caramel with crisp toffee. Very old oak and sweet tobacco.Taste: Very big, round and smooth, concentrated dark malts with sherry, a hint of dark chocolate, brittle toffee and licorice.Finish: Long, warm sherried and old oak

Matured first in bourbon barrels then Oloroso casks, there's no finer example of a sherry cask finish than our 15 Year Old. It's the final three years spent in Oloroso sherry casks that gives Bowmore 15 Year Old the rich, deep colour and robust warming finish.

The Macallan Sherry Oak 12 Year Old is matured exclusively in hand-picked sherry seasoned oak casks from Jerez, adding richness and complexity. A matured character, the 12 Years Old delivers rich wood spice and dried fruits and a natural rich gold colour.

Rounded and smoky - like burning Applewood - with creamy toffee, aniseed, treacle and dates. A curious suggestion of juicy fruits, such as peach and banana. With a drop of water, reminders of Ardbeg's classic fragrance lime, pine resin, fennel, saddle soap and tar. A gentle waxiness, like fragrant candle wax, and hints of smoked herbs. An Oa gives a final subtle reminder of the sea with briny notes and seaweed but always accompanied with creaminess. A smooth, creamy texture leads into a huge syrupy sweetness, flavours of milk chocolate, treacle toffee, aniseed, orange and smoky tea leaves. Gentle, sweet spices (nutmeg & cinnamon), some cigar smoke, and a very unusual flavour of grilled artichokes. Wood is always present in the spirit, gently nutty and reminiscent of a carpenter's workshop. A long, sweet finish, with floral overtones, mint toffee and some gentle malty biscuit notes.

Aberlour a'bunadh is a single batch single malt that is sourced exclusively from the Speyside region - abunadh meaning 'The Origin' in Gaelic. Straight from the cask without chill-filtration and alcohol reduction, this whisky is heavy bodied and jam packed full of flavour. Abunadh is not for the faint hearted as with each batch of Abunadh they mature the Aberlour spirit exclusively in Spanish Oloroso Sherry Butts. The nose, is simply Christmas in a glass. Dried dates combined with heavy spices, cloves star anise and cinnamon sticks with burnt orange in the back. The feeling of black cherries with luxury dark chocolate coat the mouth with sherry and oak laced into it. An extremely robust Scotch leaves a finish full of exotic spices and wonderful oaky notes.

Oban Little Bay is crafted by selecting small batches of their finest single malt whiskies, and marrying the whiskies in their smallest casks to allow more contact with the wood. This unique process, combined with the expert nose and palate of Malt Master, Dr. Matthew Crow, delivers a richer, smoother OBAN® expression with the signature distillery character of citrus and sea salt.

Deep, golden mahogany in colour, Dalmore has a fantastic nose of orange, marmalade and aromatic spice. Elegant and rich on the palate with concentrated citrus, oloroso Sherry with hints of sweet vanilla pod. An amazing and lingering finish.