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.

Something of a mystery Laphroaig with very little information available. Created from selected casks from each of the distillery's key styles (Quarter Cask, PX, Triple Wood, and 10 year old) with one exception - the heart of the spirit is sourced from a final maturation in virgin American oak. Seasoned whisky drinkers will be aware that new wood is rarely used in Scotch Whisky maturation. Instead, almost all whisky is put into casks that have previously held other beverages, usually Bourbon or Sherry. New wood tends to stamp its inherent flavours into the whisky in a definitive way. Can we expect this to be a battle between peat reek and coconut? Natural colour.

From first fill of bourbon casks creating a creamy, sweet and smoky single malt whisky is Bowmore No. 1.

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.

"...shows more complexity than some whiskies twice its age, making it a remarkable find." - Number 6 in the 2020 Top 20 by whiskyadvocate.com Matured in ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks, Wee Beastie is the latest permanent expression to join the Ardbeg family. Youthful, but with an enticingly fresh sea air quality on the nose, as well as hints of iodine, menthol, lanolin and pear, it carries the ABV effortlessly in a breezy, medium bodied delivery. The typically assertive Ardbeggian smoke is somewhat tamed. Instead, nuances of fruit'n'nut chocolate, menthol cigarettes, caraway and rye bread come through. The finish is gently peaty, with hints of fruit and a pleasant salt and pepper tang. An Ardbeg for all occasions. 47.4% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

Bold with plenty of backbone as this monster unfolds its fiery fangs on your palate. & not for the feint hearted. Take a generous mouthful . Hold it long in your mouth allow the thick tar peat smoke and creamy liquorice to penetrate every part of your tongue. A rugged fusion of sea spray, bonfire smoke, damp earth and spicy cinnamon immediately arouses the senses. Powerful aromas of peat moss and wet grass before notes of crushed pear apple and freshly baked bread provide the prefect finish

An unusual age statement is inspired by Alfred Barnard's visit to the distillery in 1887 which became part of his book, “The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom”. According to Diageo Director of Whisky Outreach, Dr. Nick Morgan, “At the end of the tour, he was given a taste of the whisky…he tasted an eight-year-old Lagavulin, which, of course, remember at the time was actually quite old…whiskies were considered to be venerable once they got around six years old in the 19th Century,” Morgan said in an interview with www.whiskycast.com. “He declared that whisky to be exceptionally fine, so our mission with this bottling was to find an exceptionally fine eight-year-old liquid which we thought Barnard would quite like if he were to be back here tasting it today.” Tasting note: Very pale straw gold showing considerable legs. Powerful and complex aromas include cocoa, sea spray, white pepper, dilute Elastoplast and lanolin followed by hints of citrus zest. Several minutes air contact accents the latent malt as well as dark chocolate. Concentrated but also surprisingly soft; almost creamy with grassy malt and a juicy vanilla, kelp and peppermint finish that goes long into the aftertaste. A departure from the 16, but terrific young malt. 48% Alc./Vol.

Bowmore No 1 Whisky 700mL has flavours of vanilla sweetness, cinnamon spice and oak smoke to complement the citrus and lime finish.

The extreme northern archipelago of mostly uninhabited islands around Orkney is in every sense isolated. It's not known when the first distillery was established in Orkney, but there were almost certainly local producers by the middle of the eighteenth century. Above the capital, Kirkwall, is a rise with fine views out to the northern isles traditionally known as the ‘High Park’. It's here that Highland Park distillery was said to have been founded in 1795. There have been several different owners, before coming into the hands of James Grant and family in the late 1800s. By 1826 when the distillery became legal, the site had already become known as 'Highland Park'. Now owned by The Edrington Group , its location must partly be accountable for the distinctive character of the malt, through the surrounding ocean, the local peat and the Orkney spring water. To blenders, the distillate is prized - many of whom claim it possesses unique 'catalystic' properties which enhance flavours in other whiskies. Nearly always ranked alongside the classic malts, revered as a spectacular after-dinner drink and without doubt '...a malt to challenge any Cognac or Armagnac', the house style is fragrant and floral with a smooth, honeyed character over hints of citrus and smoke. The phenol content of the distillery's own malt is 30-40ppm but the remainder which is imported from Simpson's is unpeated. The distillery is serious about quality oak, spending $20 million a year on wood alone, more than any other Scotch distillery - despite having a fraction of the output of some of the larger brands. First released in 1979, the 12YO is still the best introduction. Employing about 20% first-fill sherry casks, a name change and packaging update took place in 2017. Retasted 2019 ...Surprisingly full at 40% ABV but loses vitality and flattens out towards the finish. Otherwise, mostly unchanged. 90 points First tasted 2012... Brilliant, bright gold appearance. Almost floral in delivery. Honey and toasted barley mingles with a perfectly balanced waft of peat and brine. An exceptionally soft, silky entry offers good concentration and the same seamless integration as found on the nose. Medium dry, subtle nashi-pear fruitiness combines with a judicious slap of peat. Crescendos with a spicy flourish at mid palate. Finishes more peaty than some previous bottlings with drying brine, spice and smoke lingering before a honey fade. Getting closer to what this whisky was 10 years ago. 40% alc./vol. 92 points

Glenmorangie Master Distiller, Bill Lumsden, delivers one of the most consistently high-quality portfolios in Scotland. But it’s his ‘entry level’ product, the Glenmorangie 10 Year Old that sets the bar for the rest to follow. Jim Murray is rapturous about this expression declaring it to be “...one of the great single malts” rating it 94 points. Elegant swan-necked stills ( said to be the tallest in Scotland) are claimed to contribute to the lightness of the spirit. Maturation takes place in ex-Bourbon casks, made from oak sourced from Glenmorangie's own section of forest in the Ozark Mountains in Missouri. Our tasting found delicate aromas of creme brulee, pineapple, pear drops, barley sugar, vanilla, cocoa and spice. The palate is medium dry, supremely soft and full of flavour. Vanilla custard, toffee, toasted coconut and cocoa are aided by a softly spiced, malty background. Hints of dried fruit emerge. The balance is very good and there's a lingering aftertaste of vanilla, cocoa and toasted coconut. Put simply, there’s an alluring delicacy and complexity to this whisky that seems to punch above its price point. 40% Alc./Vol.