At the time of writing, 'Vinaya' is the distillery’s widest release since the Lowland project was resurrected by Australian, David Prior and Head Distiller Dr. Nick Savage in 2015. The name comes from a Sanskrit word meaning ' respect and gratitude'. Says Dr.Savage, “As we embark on the 204th year of Bladnoch, the launch of Vinaya feels particularly significant. It is important for us to show gratitude to the previous custodians of this historic brand and estate as we move forward into our most ambitious year yet.” As for the whisky, it's matured in first fill ex-Bourbon and first fill ex-Sherry casks, which is a new combination for Bladnoch. Pale gold in colour, Vinaya is a bit sleepy on the nose, but teases out light apple, pear and vanilla. It's a spritely and youngish tasting malt with a faint backdrop of orchard fruits, developing richness on the back palate but overall remaining relatively tight, crisp and brisk, placing this in the realm of aperitifs. It's also one of the most affordable in the line up, so if you're looking to introduce yourself to Bladnoch's house style, start here. 46.7% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

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.

The heart of the Bowmore range, the 12 year old exhibits some beautiful coastal notes with a gentle peat, it is the balance that the floral element presents that makes this a great entry bottling for Bowmore.

A new Kavalan that showcases the distillery's signature fruity sweetness. If you're used to the cask strength bottlings, think of this as Kavalan 'Light'. Tasting note: Deep copper colour. The aroma pretty much matches the flavours, evoking tropical fruits, bush honey, toasted sponge cake and a gingery warmth. Medium bodied and made for casual drinking, the finish buzzes with cinnamon and all-spice, followed by a touch of orange zest and cocoa. The result comes across like Sherry-meets-European oak-meets-Bourbon combined with Kavalan's own unique fruity spirit - an arrangement that should find broad appeal. 40% Alc./Vol.

The Tomatin (Gaelic meaning ‘the hill of bushes’) distillery was built in 1897 and is one of the highest distilleries in Scotland sitting nearby the Hill of Parting which is where the Jacobite clans settled after their defeat at Colloden. The distillery was founded by a Japanese company and it is currently owned by a different Japanese company Takara Shuzo and Okura. The water source for this distillery is All-na-Frithe a burn which is found locally. This helps the distillery produce 5,000,000 litres of whisky each year which makes it one of largest producers in Scotland. The still room has 23 stills in total. The Tomatin 12 Years Old is the flagship single malt of the Tomatin distillery, smooth and easy to drink this single malt is the start of a whisky journey of outstanding quality and flavour. After spending time maturing in traditional oak casks, this particular Tomatin spends the last six to nine months of its maturation exclusively in Oloroso Sherry casks.

Rich and smokey with a hint of sweetness, Lagavulin 8YO Single Malt is loaded with peach, orange, lemon and black pepper characters. Crafted to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the founding of Lagavulin distillery, this fine drink is the perfect way to finish a meal.

Glen Moray Sherry Cask Finish uses only the finest Oloroso casks to mature this extraordinary single malt. The Elgin Classic's unmistakable vanilla and light oak is still evident but, with vibrant dried fruit and earthy, nutty notes of the sherry, the finish is multi-faceted.

Goodradigbee's Ironbark Red is a world's first innovation being the only single malt spirit matured in Australian Red Ironbark sourced from the New England Ranges, and in Goodradigbee's whisky maturation cubes, not barrels. The spirit is a rich, red and surprisingly complex spirit. It has a sweet honey and charred citrus flavour upfront, then moves to dark chocolate and golden syrup swiftly followed by subtle notes of seasoned wood and a nutty maltiness. The finish is powerful and succinct.