"Unquestionably one of the great malts of the year...in spite of itself". - Jim Murray Tasting note: Deep gold / brass. Muted at first; builds with a PX top note almost overwhelming the expected distillery aromas; if only momentarily. Brandy soaked raisins and dark chocolate amid flashes of sweet peat and pepper. Three to four minutes exposure draws out smouldering cedar, cigar box and hints of elastoplast, accenting fruit cake in later inspections. Terrific balance in the sweet, smokey-malt mid palate; vanilla and Christmas cake add richness to the finish. Concludes prolonged and lozenge-like with Laphroaig's trademark medicinal edge and pepperiness breaking through late, finally checked by the sherry. Big PX influence here but deftly handled - think of it as drunken Christmas pudding, Islay-style . 48% Alc./Vol. Normally travel retail exclusive. Extremely limited stocks.

Kavalan have launched a new expression matured in three different Sherry casks, namely oloroso, Pedro Ximénez (PX) and Moscatel casks. Senior Blender, Zerose Yang adds, “Its main character, the dried fruits of the oloroso cask, are embellished with the sweetness of PX and Moscatel casks... The resulting liquid offers notes of cinnamon, candied smoked plum, and citrus, layered with a nose of berry, tropical fruits, and longan, alongside a dash of honey, chocolate, and toffee on the palate." For those who are used to the distillery's extravagant cask strength expressions, this takes a step back. The nose presents an attractive array of dried fruits and plummy malt, mingling with sweet spices. It's an accessible, middle weight style, with a convincing sherry lick and an appropriate dash of spice. You can't really fault the balance, but in the context of what this distillery is best known for, it's Kavalan light. 40% Alc./Vol.

Released in the UK in 2021, 'A Tale Of Winter' is the latest annual limited edition from Glenmorangie to arrive in Australia, coinciding with the approaching Winter season and World Whisky Day (Saturday the 21st of May). Like its predecessor, "A Tale of Cake', this is a concept whisky from the inside out. Bill Lumsden has used 13 year old (plus) x-Bourbon matured single malt and finished it in Sicilian Marsala wine casks. The flavours of Marsala typically hint at apricot, vanilla and brown sugar and range from dry to very sweet. Evidently Lumsden felt these casks were perfectly suited to provide the profile he was looking for. The marketing team have responded with an eye catching knit-sweater-patterned presentation to evoke the feeling of the season. As for the whisky itself, it kind of reminds you of mulled wine or spiced rum. The colour is deeper and the nose heavier and richer than most 'Morangies to date; Festive spices feature, with cinnamon and nutmeg over ginger snaps and hints of orange cake and boiled confectionary. The palate is more full bodied again with a deliberate spice theme: Ginger beer, fruit cake and persistent warming spices ricochet around the drying finish. Ultimately, it's a whisky that achieves exactly what the label suggests - a genuine Winter warmer. Besides sipping straight, Glenmorangie recommend it in a Winter Old Fashioned (recipe below). 46% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

The Chivas Brothers have a long and esteemed history in the art of blending rare Scotch whisky. This expertise is on display here with the Royal Salute 21 Year Old. Beginning where others end, the 21 Year Old is a complex Scotch, ranging from lemon and tea to chocolate and coconut. Available in the now famous porcelain bottle that comes in three different colours representing the jewels inlaid into the Crown Jewels. Sapphire blue, emerald green and ruby red.Please note: Specific bottle colours cannot be chosen online

Best balanced of the Tomintoul range with the fruity character of the spirit in perfect balance with the wood character from the cask.

“The elemental opposite of the sophisticated Lord of the Isles.” Perched on a wave washed, rocky headland, the Ardbeg distillery was founded in 1815 by the MacDougalls of Ardbeg. The distilleries scattered white washed buildings are reminiscent of a Dutch settlement and add to the dramatic coastal landscape. Ardbeg has had a chequered history and in recent times had been closed down for many years. Glenmorangie acquired Ardbeg in 1997 and has set about restoring the distillery to its former glory. First launched in 2003, “Uigeadail” (the loch from which all Ardbeg water flows) this cask strength, heavily peated Ardbeg is produced from a mix of bourbon casks and older sherry casks. The combination gives this whisky a velvety texture, with a sweet and smokey finish. Tasting notes: Bright gold appearance. Big, sweet sherry influenced nose offers dried apricot and marmalade scents over menthol and sweet cedar smoke. Some ripe green apple notes emerge with time in the glass. The palate is off dry with a rich, dark chocolate entry becoming heavier and fudge-like with orange chocolate, sweet cereal and the peat continually reinventing itself - at once dry and sooty, then tarry and finally kippery on the finish. Excellent balance at cask strength. Boiled lolly and spice aftertaste with a subtle spearmint fade. Latest batch tasted October 2010.

Another Ardbeg Day release arrives, bottled once and never to be repeated. This time around, it's created with roasted black malt - a first for Ardbeg. Incinerated to within an inch of its life, the malt defines the profile contributing charcoal and sweet smoke, aniseed and dark chocolate for a memorable Islay experience. Trumping past releases, Ardbeg's marketing department has gone to considerable lengths for the new edition, this time focusing on the brand’s alleged punk past, with Islay’s main port, Port Ellen, going by the nickname ‘Punk Ellen’ in the 1970s. (There was even a punk posse led by the local hotelier's daughter, which reached as many as three at the height of its notoriety). Meanwhile, Ardbeg’s head of distilling and whisky creation, Dr. Bill Lumsden, describes the flavour as being “like biting on a spiky ball.” Collectors will love it, with the story and presentation being a hook for followers of the brand. The limited edition main release has landed (as opposed to the even more limited Committee Release) and as is always the case, it comes bottled at 46% and non chill filtered. The first sniffs bring young distillate to the fore, so from a fresh bottle give this a good ten minutes and you'll get a moderate lift of menthol-infused peat that also hints at anise, fennel and rye bread receding into sweeter smoke and vanilla malt with further air contact. It's medium bodied and sweetly peaty (think Caol Ila); hints of Elastoplast mingle with chocolate sponge cake and sprinklings of pepper; the finish is ashy and warming with citrus tang lacing late malt sweetness. Overall, in spite of the presentation and marketing, this is much more civilised and approachable than you might expect. Notes from the producers... Spicy and savoury, Ardcore grips the senses with waves of marmite, burnt toast, chicory charcoal and infused coffee grounds making for a mosh pit in the glass. Like a safety pin through the septum, a classic Ardbeg herbal top note is present, while swirling, smoky bonfire and molasses loiter backstage. TASTE: A jaw dropping spicy and fiery mouthfeel leads to an explosion of rich, smoky flavours – cocoa powder, dark chocolate, peanut brittle toffee, smoked lime and a suggestion of soot and bonfire embers all pogo in unison on the palate. Amped up aniseed and malty biscuit elbow their way to the fore, punkturing taste buds. FINISH: In an altogether sweeter finish, long, lingering notes of treacle toffee, soot and smoke make for an anarchic, but delicious, aftertaste.

Note: New blue packaging, not old brown packaging. While the twelve year old is a relatively non-descript malt, older Glenfiddich bottlings are now gaining high praise including one award as the world's best single malt Scotch whisky. However, as a representation of the house style, the 18 year old pretty much nails it. Always a centre-piece of the portfolio, the company has further emphasised its place by redesigning the packaging to give it a more superior look than its 12- and 15-year-old stablemates. The Glenfiddich distillery lies on the river whose name it bears. 'Fiddich' refers to the fact that the river runs through a valley inhabited by deers – hence the company's logo which features a stag. A proportion of the whisky in this version of Glenfiddich is supposedly even older than the label suggests. Tasting note: Deep gold colour. Moderate aromas include honey, clove and vanilla laced malt. On the palate, dried apricots and spice are augmented by soft peat, adding depth to the toasty malt. Plush mouth feel. Clean, dried fruit and spice finish. Rich and round, in the mainstream of Sherry influenced malts. 40% Alc./Vol.

This peaty Single Malt dates back to 1816, when John Johnston and Archibald Campbell each constructed a distillery on what today is the Lagavulin site. After Johnston died, Campbell consolidated the two, before selling it to malt merchant Alexander Graham. Today it continues to uphold the traditions of its past, using meticulous preparation to create powerful whisky. Their signature 16 year old malt has a strong peat, smoke and seaweed nose that is followed by a nutty complexity and light fruitiness. In the mouth characters of Charcoal, dry woodiness and iodine followed by chilli chocolate and a hint of toffee.

Uniquely located on the border that separates the Lowlands from the Highlands, Glengoyne are also unique in that this historic distillery air dry their barley rather than the accepted Scottish practice of peat smoke drying. This imparts a subtlety and grace that other whiskies do not have. The 18 Year Old Single Malt has spent 18 long years maturing ex Sherry casks, the majority of which are first-fill. This patience has borne a whisky that shows spicy vanilla fruit, ripe apples and a rich, luxurious mouthfeel. Enjoy neat or with a dash of pure distilled water to get the most out of this individual malt.