A mix of first fill ex-Bourbon and first fill ex-Sherry casks were used to create this rich, lightly smokey malt.

The first-ever master blend of whiskies from six famous coastal single malt distilleries: Caol Ila, Clynelish, Lagavulin, Oban, Inchgower and Talisker. A gloriously pleasing and affirming whisky that captures the character of coastal malts perfectly

Pour yourself a dram of the fantastic Benromach 15 Years Old! Golden amber in colour thanks to the long maturation in sherry and bourbon casks. Beautifully balanced sherry aromas with vanilla pod, zesty orange and spicy ginger complemented by delicate chamomile and menthol notes. Rich fruit cake with stewed plum, red apple skin and the sharp edge of kiwi fruit.

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

The Macallan Double Cask 15 Years Old is a balanced single malt whisky created by bringing the perfect harmony of two oaks into one exceptional single malt whisky. Sherry seasoned American oak adds delicate vanilla to the subtle spice of European oak, delivering a whisky with a sweeter, warmer taste and character.

LARK DISTILLERY Limited Release Christmas Cask Finish Single Malt Whisky 44% ABV, Tasmania

This four-cask matured, extra-aged Benriach was first offered in 2018 and now debuts in Australia. Matured in a combination of Bourbon, Virgin oak, Pedro Ximénez sherry and red wine casks, Head Distiller, Rachel Barrie describes it as full of candied peel, honeyed malt and barley sugar flavours. 46% Alc./Vol.

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.

Highland Park had a 15 year old on the market over a decade ago, bottled at 43%. The age statement is being revived in this re-packaged version composed of a ‘high percentage’ of first-fill European oak sherry-seasoned casks. Complimenting this are first-fill American oak sherry casks, adding flavours of vanilla and crème brûlée. Meanwhile, a small proportion of refill casks give ‘gentle’ heather peat and ‘lightly fruity’ character. Perhaps what's most striking is the vessel itself. The whisky has been filled into heavily embossed 'ceramic' style bottles, made in partnership with UK-based Wade Ceramics. The design was inspired by ancient earthenware vessels, which would have been used to store whisky a century or two ago at the distillery. The new 15 year old is set to become a permanent edition to the core range. 44% Alc./Vol.

Ardbeg's latest annual offering comes with a curious title that's due to a production modification. Head of Whisky Creation, Bill Lumsden removed the purifier, which typically catches the heaviest vapours from the distillation process. The purifier is also responsible for Ardbeg’s balance between extreme peat and floral fruitiness. The resulting whisky is "all peat". In fact, Ardbeg says that it's their most full-blown expression ever with an intensity of flavour that's unmatched. A spokesperson for the brand describes the flavour profile as, "Defined by a distinctive pungent earthiness, aromatic clouds of dark chocolate, a billow of aniseed and cinnamon, and a lingering tang of sharp peppermint." Dramface.com add "According to an interview Lumsden participated in for WhiskyCast, the experiment which gave birth to this year’s release was conducted 12 years ago. Even allowing for time of year and the time taken to dump casks, blend, package and distribute, it’s safe to assume this bottling is at least 11 years old, given that Lumsden claims the experiment was only ever conducted in one batch." We've just received our allocation. The whisky's unusual conception is brought to life with accompanying graphics created by celebrated comic artist and illustrator, Dilraj Mann. The nose is slightly reticent while the flavour profile leans towards smokey dark chocolate, oily malt, chimney soot and white pepper followed by a dried herbal quality. The aftertaste is ashy, drying, medium long and vaguely fruity in a mezcal kind of way. Like last year's Ardbeg Day release (Ardcore), Heavy Vapours is not quite as intense or complex as anticipated, although it does taste slightly more mature and feels like the texture is amplified, particularly at the finish where cured meats and a salt'n'pepper tang recall middle-weight Caol Ilas. In a word, more elegant than "extreme". 46% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.