Kilchoman Distillery was established in 2005 and is true to Islay's rich farm distilling heritage. The distillery uses local peat cut in the traditional way, slowly distilling all spirits by hand, allowing maturation to occure in traditional dunnage warehouses, and bottling on site without any colouring or chill-filtration. Named after a famously dark and peaty loch overlooked by the distillery, Loch Gorm is a sherry cask single malt matured exclusively in oloroso casks, extracting the rich spicy character of the European oak as it ages in Kilchoman's Islay warehouses. All Kilchomans casks come from the renowned bodega, Jose Miguel Martin. It is common for distilleries to use a variety of sherry producers but for consistent quality and character, Kilchoman purchase them all from just one bodega. The 2023 edition of Loch Gorm features whisky from a parcel a total of 22 casks, matured for a minimum of 8 years. 8 of these casks were distilled in 2013, 6 distilled in 2014, and 8 distilled in 2015. A combination of sherry butts and hogsheads are used to provide 2 different styles of maturation. These ex-oloroso sherry casks impart a combination of heavy sherry notes, spicy dark chocolate, rich fruits and burnt sugar. This balances beautifully with the Kilchoman peat smoke and citrus fruits found within our farm crafted spirit. The nose has hints of cacao with an essence of leather, black cherry and light smoke. On the palate flavours of roasted hazelnuts, dark chocolate and roasted dark fruits give way to light ashy peat smoke with a long balanced finish with a fresh Islay sea breeze.

The GlenAllachie Distillery, situated in Aberlour in Speyside, was established in 1967 and designed by William-Delme Evans, with construction carried out by Mackinlay McPherson. The distillery was meticulously designed to be almost entirely gravity-fed, reducing energy consumption. After Mackinlay McPherson became part of Invergordon in 1985, the distillery was mothballed until Campbell Distillers acquired it in 1989 and recommenced production in April of that year. In 2017, The GlenAllachie Distillers Company Limited was formed by Billy Walker, Trisha Savage and Graham Stevenson, who released their first core range of single malt whiskies in July 2018 and launched MacNair's Lum Reek in November of that year. The distillery opened its doors to visitors in May 2019 and has won numerous awards, including the Visitor Attraction of the Year for 2022. The GlenAllachie Distillery continues to innovate, releasing a 15-year-old whisky in April 2022 and a celebratory trilogy of Speyside Single Malts in honour of Billy Walker's 50-year career. In January 2023, they introduced The GlenAllachie 2012 Cuvée Wine Cask Finish and in March 2023, they released three new expressions, highlighting their commitment to innovation and excellence in the whisky industry. The GlenAllachie distillery is known for its impressive collection of casks, with over 50,000 casks spanning across 16 on-site warehouses. The passionate team at GlenAllachie has complete control of the end-to-end maturation process, allowing them to make decisions for all the right reasons. They use a variety of casks including ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, and virgin oak to create unique and complex flavours in their single malt whisky. They also have a range of cask finishes such as Port, Madeira, and Tokaji to add depth and complexity to their whiskies. Their commitment to quality and attention to detail has earned them numerous awards and accolades, cementing their position as one of Scotland's top independent distilleries. Billy Walker, the Master Blender of The GlenAllachie Distillers Company, has transformed the distillery since acquiring it in 2017. With a 50-year experience in the Scotch Whisky industry, Billy has received numerous awards, including Master Distiller/ Blender of the Year (World Whisky Awards, 2020) and was inducted into Whisky Magazine’s Hall of Fame in 2021. He played a key part in the resurrection of Deanston and Tobermory Distilleries and acquired BenRiach, GlenDronach and Glenglassaugh Distilleries, leading them to phenomenal success. Billy's hands-on approach is reflected throughout all stages of production, with a focus on quality over quantity. He hand-picks the finest casks to create exceptional quality whiskies to be enjoyed across the globe. The GlenAllachie Virgin Oak Series, was first matured in American Oak (Quercus Alba) Ex-Bourbon Barrels. To add a delicate and distinctive twist, the whisky then underwent additional maturation for approximately 18 months in specially selected Virgin Oak Casks. The subtle flavour differences in this series are led by a variety of influences: the Oak species, the local terroir and the period of natural air drying, along with the toasting, charring and coopering of the casks. Each of these reacts uniquely with the GlenAllachie spirit, adding superb texture, depth and variety. This mahogany malt obtains its spicey, treacly flavours from hogsheads made of Spanish Oak (Querous Robur) sourced from the regions of Galicia and Asturias, in particular the Cantabrian Mountains, which have a cooler climate and greater humidity. Before being filled, the wood is air dried for around 18 months, opening up the oak for the GlenAllachie spirit to extract its flavours. Mahogany in colour the nose has lashings of orchard fruits, baking spices and sticky toffee pudding, with notes of brown sugar, glazed cherries and citrus. The palate is bursting with chocolate, coffee and heather honey, followed by notes of pepper, ginger and molasses, with banana and sultanas on the finish.

The Macallan Lumina is an exquisite marriage of three select sherry-seasoned cask types. The Macallan Lumina directs the journey from the forests of the United States to Spain. European and American oak sherry-seasoned casks are combined with hogsheads to create a whisky that is grounded in the old world, but inspired by the new. Characterised by its bold flavours with notes of creamy vanilla, ginger and wood spice, this is a single malt whisky that guides Macallan's quest for excellence. The Macallan Quest Collection celebrates Macallans enduring desire to journey further and seek out the exceptional oak casks for which The Macallan is world-renowned. The Collection tells the story the unrivalled, tireless commitment to the mastery of wood and spirit. Each whisky is a new chapter in exploring the casks, flavours and aromas that begins in the forests and cooperages of distant lands and culminates in a singular Macallan experience. A rich sensory experience that reveals how hand picked, sherry-seasoned oak casks make the greatest contribution to the quality, natural colour and full flavours at the heart of this single malt whisky and The Macallan Quest Collection.

The 2022 Diageo Special & Rare collection is known as "Elusive Expressions", drawn from some of Scotland’s most interesting, legendary distilleries and curated by Master Blender Dr Craig Wilson, portrays the otherworldly beings which have fiercely protected the heartlands of remote Scottish distilleries for an eternity, according to our ancient fables and the mythical creatures come to life revealing their true characters. This year each bottle has its own unique QR code which, when scanned, takes you on a multi-sensory experience that tells you the story of the whisky, the mythical creature behind the artwork, and gives you some tasting notes to prompt your nose and palate along the way. The label artwork follows almost as a sequel to the 2021 range, revolving once again around the theme of mythical beasts and stories. Illustrator, Ken Taylor, returns again and is joined this year by digital visualisation artist, Kevin Tong. The Singleton of Glendullan 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky 700ml (Special Release 2022) was matured in refill American and European oak, then finished in ex-wine casks. The nose on this is soft, delicate, and complex. Given time and patience, it grows and expands into a kaleidoscope of aromas that are as diverse as they are many. Grassy, floral, fruity, malty, sweet, and even a touch of oak – it’s all here. And that’s just the nose! On the palate, the whisky has that classic highland Glen Ord austerity, with the wine cask influence introducing some drying tannins and fruitiness.

The 2022 Diageo Special & Rare collection is known as "Elusive Expressions", drawn from some of Scotland’s most interesting, legendary distilleries and curated by Master Blender Dr Craig Wilson, portrays the otherworldly beings which have fiercely protected the heartlands of remote Scottish distilleries for an eternity, according to our ancient fables and the mythical creatures come to life revealing their true characters. This year each bottle has its own unique QR code which, when scanned, takes you on a multi-sensory experience that tells you the story of the whisky, the mythical creature behind the artwork, and gives you some tasting notes to prompt your nose and palate along the way. The label artwork follows almost as a sequel to the 2021 range, revolving once again around the theme of mythical beasts and stories. Illustrator, Ken Taylor, returns again and is joined this year by digital visualisation artist, Kevin Tong. Cardhu 16 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky 700ml (Special Release 2022) was matured in re-fill and re-charred American oak, then finished in Jamaican pot still rum-seasoned casks. A richer, fuller nose that has the hallmark traits of rum-finished whisky, there are soft fruits and pastry notes on the nose. The palate is spicier, certainly drier, and has hints of ginger, stone fruits, and perhaps some mint or eucalyptus.

Glenlivet is a Sherry-finished Speyside malt Whisky. Honey in colour, spiced on the nose and a smoky palate make this a gorgeously luxurious Scotch.

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 whisky has recently been repackaged as a standard 21 Year Old as opposed to its previous incarnation as 'Gran Reserva'). Glenfiddich resurrects the lost tradition of maturing whisky in rum casks with this Glenfiddich 21 Year Old single malt Scotch whisky. Rum distillers from Sancti Spiritus, near the Sierra del Escambray in the heart of Cuba, worked to develop this unique Cuban rum finish. Casks of Cuban rum are decanted at the distillery in Scotland and then filled with 21 Year Old Glenfiddich to absorb the unique character lingering in the wood. The result is the unmistakable Glenfiddich flavour revealed through a new and vibrant overtone.

Dalmore has always set the highest standards in whisky craftsmanship. A pioneer in the art of cask curation, Master Distiller Richard Paterson has been the creative force behind The Dalmore for nearly five decades. Inspired by the vision of The Dalmore’s founder, Sir Alexander Matheson, and the achievements of the Mackenzie family who came before him, Richard is admired across the globe for his passion and innovative flair. The epitome of Dalmore's house style the 15 Year Old single malt is finished in different styles of sherry casks including Apostoles, Amoroso and Matusalem oloroso. This whisky has aromas of orange marmalade, cinnamon and nutmeg. Flavours of mandarin, vanilla, ginger and crushed apples flow across the palate to a peppery spice and oak finish.