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It's been over a decade since we've revisited the Balvenie range. From the 12 Year Old, right up to the venerable 30 year old expression, the house style emerges as one of the lightest and most delicate to be found from Speyside with almost no peat evident. 'Doublewood' gains its character from maturation in two woods, transferred from traditional x-Bourbon American oak to a Sherry oak casks for its final maturation. It's sometimes described as the classic, "essential" expression in Balvenie’s core range. From a 30ml sample, the nose is lifted with vanilla, dilute honey and dried fruits. The entry is featherweight, unfolding into a medium-weight dram with moderate flavours of dried fruit and a warm mouthfeel. An aftertaste of dried grass and drying oak sustains a little prickle. All up, this is uncomplicated and typical of the distillery style, but even at 12 years old, Doublewood still tastes surprisingly young. 40% Alc./Vol.

“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.

This story is a celebration of David C. Stewart M.B.E.’s creativity and inventiveness, when he created The Balvenie Classic – and in doing so, pioneered wood finishing. It is also the story of the team who helped him, through patience and perseverance, to try something new, and create something exceptional. The original cask finish. Probably the finest highland malt whisky. Those were the words on the first ever bottle of The Balvenie Classic. This story is a celebration of David C. Stewart M.B.E.’s creativity and inventiveness, when he created The Balvenie Classic – and in doing so, pioneered wood finishing. Aromatic and lively, aromas of vanilla and spice evocative of dried clove and chai are layered on a base of earthly, malty undertones reminiscent of Balvenie’s own barley loft. On the palate there is a perfect complement of light oatmeal syrupiness and brittle toffee are followed by delicate hints of spice and a rich drying sensation from European oak.

Caribbean Cask has been matured in traditional oak whisky casks for 14 years, and then finished in casks that previously held Caribbean rum. To create the ideal finish Malt Master David Stewart, filled American oak casks with his own blend of select West Indian rums. When he judged the casks to be ready, the rum was replaced with the 14 year old spirit and the wood was put to work adding the final touches. The result is an exceptional single malt whisky with the traditional smooth, honeyed character of The Balvenie, married with notes of toffee and a hint of fruit,with a warm, lingering finish. The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14yo Awarded Trophy for Best Single Malt Whisky 15 Years and Under 2017

The Dalmore story began in 1839 with Alexander Matheson who lived in the Highlands of Northern Scotland. Matheson found the rich peat and pure water sources of the Highlands to be the makings of a perfect whisky. He built a distillery in the area and produced small batches until 1886, when the Mackenzie family acquired his operation. When a member of the Mackenzie family risked his own life to save Scotland’s ruler, King Alexander III, from a charging stag, the grateful king offered a token of his appreciation by bequeathing the stag to the Mackenzie family as a symbol of valor and courage. And more than 130 years later, the stag head still appears on every bottle of The Dalmore. Today, Dalmore distillery has ten stone warehouses and eight pot-stills, several which date back to the late 1800s. Much of the distillery burned down during World War I while occupied by the U.S. Navy, but production resumed in 1922. The production process is meticulous and includes double distillations in copper pot-stills and aging in white oak and sherry wood casks.

From Scotlands biggest-selling single malt producer comes a whisky that was never meant to leave the shores of the USA. With the history making, limited-edition Glenfiddich 14 Year Old Bourbon Barrel Reserve, the distillery has done something its never done before.Created in Dufftown at the heart of Speyside and exclusively finished in virgin American oak, Glenfiddich 14 Year Old Bourbon Barrel Reserve delivers the balance and sophistication of Scotland with a sweet kick of Kentucky. After spending 14 years in ex-Bourbon barrels, the whisky was then meticulously transferred into new American oak barrels built especially for Glenfiddich by the Kelvin Cooperage in Louisville Kentucky.Having originally been founded on the banks of the River Kelvin in Glasgow in 1963, Kelvin Cooperage packed up shop and moved to Kentucky in 1991. Perhaps it was no coincidence that they made the move at the same time as the Scotch industry was in the middle of a massive downturn, with many distilleries putting down minimal spirit or even worse getting mothballed. Regardless, the decision to move was a good one, allowing them to focus their energy on being closer to the source of the casks that make up around 90% of the Single Malt industry. And the oak that was selected for Glenfiddich was as close to the source as you could get. Bent into place, toasted and then charred to exact specifications, its created the perfect cask complement, adding an even deeper complexity to the worlds most awarded single malt.The result?One of the most delightfully enjoyable Glenfiddichs weve ever tasted: you could spend an entire night just nosing it! Bottled at 43%, youll find sweet pineapple, shortbread and roasted almonds on a divinely creamy chewy palate; lemon meringue, lychee and flaming marshmallows on the nose; and a soft lingering finish of Jersey Caramels, chocolate-orange swirl and lightly buttered toast.Weve tried, tested, and deemed it delicious, and finally the Clubs first Glenfiddich Whisky of the Month since 2016 is here. At $120.00 this is a Glenfiddich with a big Bourbon soul, and one youll want sitting on your whisky shelf. This one-off bottling is exclusive to the Club in Australia, and the first and only time youll see an official Glenfiddich 14 Year OldBourbon Barrel Reserve outside the USA, all thanks to the mighty buying power of Australias biggest whisky community. Limited stocks are remaining, so be very quick: Sign Up Free now to get your hands on a bottle.