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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.

Aroma: A beautifully complex nose that develops as the whisky sits in the glass and warms. Rich malt and fruit pastilles give way to delicate florals and musk sticks. Flavour: A sweet and elegant palate that maintains the body and alcohol warmth expected of a cask strength. Stewed apple and spices develop as the whisky moves across the palate. Finish: A long sweet finish with jelly babies and gummy bears giving way to oak, mixed spices, and orange peel. The Coachhouse Cask Strength pays tribute to the temporary location of our distillery when we first moved to Dysart House. The historic coach house was home to our distillery until the new distillery building was completed in 2021. During this time, the coach house played an integral role in the story of Old Kempton Distillery, producing whiskies that will be enjoyed far into the future. This cask strength release is a collection of carefully selected casks that beautifully capture the flavour profile at the heart of Old Kempton whisky. To achieve this, we select cask types from across our range, including Tasmanian Pinot Noir and Australian Fortified Wine casks, and match them together to create a perfect balance between the bright fruit and rich malt style of Old Kempton spirit and the layers of complexity which comes with age and maturation. This whisky drinks well either as it is, or with a touch of water.

Ten years marks a significant period in the development of Old Kempton Distillery. Along with Lyn Lark, James Reid and Amelia Hope, we started what was going to be a small craft distillery. Over time, the distillery attracted a few passionate friends who shared our vision. They were welcomed into our family bringing expertise and enthusiasm guiding OKD to what it is today. We are also fortunate to have a wonderful support team to facilitate OKD’s commitment to becoming a true artisan distillery. On behalf of OKD, I thank you for your support and making the future look bright. We look forward to welcoming you to the distillery and being able to share more of our amazing Tasmanian spirits. Cheers for now, Bill Lark – Co Founder OKD Tasting Notes by Rob Tyson, Head Distiller. Aroma: A rich and ever developing aroma with dried fruits (raisins and sultanas), tinned pears, coffee with dark chocolate, orange peel, rich malt, and toasted almonds. Palate: Rich oil, and creamy across the palate with a good balance of both sweet and dry elements (ANZAC biscuits, Seville orange, and oak). Finish: Great mouthfeel with good spread and balance (Gingernut biscuit with spice and toffee). This release marries together spirit distilled at both our original site at Redlands Estate and at our new home at Dysart House, Kempton. Whist our location has changed, the delicate fruit and malt driven spirit that we produce has been consistent across our sites and is central to the style of whisky we produce.

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. GlenAllachies very first bottling of The GlenAllachie 10 Year Old Cask Strength happened by chance. In 2017, whilst reviewing parcels of stock from 2007 and 2008, their Master Distiller Billy Walker was so delighted by the balance and depth of the samples that he immediately decided to add a younger expression to our core range. Their fourth batch was awarded ‘World’s Best Single Malt’ at the World Whiskies Awards 2021, so the bar has been set high as they introduce their sixth release. The GlenAllachie Cask Strength Batch 9 is an intense mahogany in colour with a nose bursting with ripe red berries, hazelnuts and heather honey, with hints of orchard fruits, cinnamon, spice and gingersnaps. The palate has lashings of dark chocolate. honeycomb and caramelised demerara sugar followed by notes of treacle. mocha and ginger, with plum and toffee on the finish. Batch 9 is bottled at 58.1%, non chill filtered and natural colour.

Highland Park 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky 700ml, known as "Viking Pride", this superb 18 Year Old single malt pays tribute to the 5 keystones of production of Highland Park. Matured in a high proportion of first-fill sherry seasoned European and American oak casks, this is rich and mature whisky with a honey sweetness, hints of chocolate and cherries and subtle notes of aromatic peat smoke. Named as ‘Best Spirit in the World’ (Spirit Journal), 18 Year Old Viking Pride is highly-awarded, being honoured with both a Gold and an Ultimate Recommendation (with a score of 96) in the 2021 International Spirits Challenge.