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. Lagavulin 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky 700ml (Special Release 2022) was matured in and blended from a mix of refill and virgin oak casks; both American oak. The nose is delightfully clean and unadulterated…a classic Islay nose that exudes peat and smoke. It’s very earthy, yet complemented with hints of citrus, orange rind and vanilla. The palate cranks things up a gear, with the heavily peated malt bringing a smoky dryness to proceedings, yet maintaining superb balance and sweetness.

Johnnie Walker Black Label is a true icon, recognised as the benchmark for all other deluxe blends. Created using only whiskies aged for a minimum of 12 years from the four corners of Scotland, Johnnie Walker Black Label has an unmistakably smooth, deep, complex character. An impressive whisky to share on any occasion, whether you're entertaining at home with friends or on a memorable night out.

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.

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 occur in traditional dunnage warehouses, and bottling on site without any colouring or chill-filtration. A limited-edition single malt from Kilchoman, Casado takes its name from the Portuguese word for marriage. Initially matured in 38 first-fill ex-bourbon barrels, it was then married in a pair of Portuguese red wine vats for two years before it was bottled. On the nose bonfire smoke with dried apricot, Dr. Pepper, and some coastal salinity as well notes of marzipan and toffee apples underneath. On the palate black pepper is cracked over smoked fish as well as lemon peel, tannic wood and stone fruits. There's a sweet jammy element present throughout. The finish is aromatic spices and red berry tartness that linger.

Established in 1826 by James Allardice the Glendronach distillery was one of the first licensed distilleries in Scotland. The Glendronach is borne of the landscape and natural ingredients that surround, from the soft Highland water drawn from the underwater springs in the Balnoon hills to the Scottish malted barley sourced from our trusted partners. The hallmark of the distillery is the marriage of robust Highland spirit with the finest Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks from Andalucia in Spain. This exquisite duality brings exceptional depth, complexity, and character to their whiskies. The The Glendronach Allardice 18 Year Old Single Malt Whisky has been named after the renowned founder of the distillery, James Allardice. This exceptional sherried single malt is natural in colour and bottled at 46% ABV. Matured in the finest Spanish Oloroso sherry casks, this sublime richly sherried malt is truly unforgettable. This whisky is bright deep gold with a tawny centre. Sweet aromatics of fudge and Muscovado sugar. Fruit compote and glacier morello cherries provide added complexity. A rich dark and seductive palate. Remarkable flavours of stewed fruits and all-spice marry together with classic aged Oloroso sherry and toasted walnut bread combined with chocolate orange.

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 golden malt attains its indulgently sweet flavours from casks made of Scottish Sessile Oak (Quercus Petraea) sourced from the Atlantic coast. Before being filled, the wood is air dried for 36 months then toasted and charred to medium level. Due to its rarity, expense, and tendency to knot, Scottish Oak is seldomly used for whisky maturation, making this unique gem a truly magical experience. Golden Sunset in colour, the nose is bursting with baked oats, butterscotch and toffee, with notes of cinnamon, gingersnaps and heather honey. The palate has lashings of heather honey, orchard fruits and lemon zest, followed by white chocolate, cinnamon and ginger, with toffee and butterscotch on the finish.

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 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.

A Speyside single malt Scotch whisky as intriguing and extraordinary as Benriach could not have come to be without a unique whisky making heritage, dating from 1898, when founder John Duff built his distillery. Ruggedly beautiful, Benriach stands on the site of the old Riach farm in north Speyside, drawing water from a mineral-rich aquifer, deep beneath the distillery. Thanks to a long-standing tradition of distilling three styles of whisky; classic unpeated, Highland peated and triple distilled, together with an eclectic selection of casks from around the world, their whisky makers are able to explore the full flavour possibilities of single malt, creating some of the richest, most multi-layered whiskies in Speyside. Drawing upon decades of experience, Master Blender Rachel Barrie has skilfully combined some of our rarest malt to create Benriach The Forty. Fine bourbon casks made from American oak have gradually developed exquisite notes of honeyed pomelo and ripe stone fruits. This intricate character is interwoven with dark notes of chocolate, rich plum, and smooth walnut from port casks sourced from the Douro Valley in Portugal. The result is the ultimate expression of our signature, luscious, fruit-laden style. The colour is a deep bronze. The nose richly fruity, with the exquisite scent of sweet orange, plum, and honey pomelo laced with dark chocolate coated berries layered on smooth walnut and cherry liqueur. On the palate flavours of luscious orchard fruits, silky morello cherry, soft nectarine, stewed red apple, and white peach, lingering into the seductive velvety walnut and kumquat finish.

Product Information: Sherried, intense, and bottled at cask strength. Enjoy the rich and complex flavours of A'bunadh – First placed in the favourite whisky category at the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Awards 2024. Meaning ‘the original’ in Gaelic, A’bunadh is made in homage to Aberlour’s founder, James Fleming. A’bunadh is a whisky hand-made from start to finish with each batch being created to ensure rich and complex profile. It is bottled at cask strength resulting in a robust and deeply intense, sherried whisky. Notes of ripe red apples, honey, vanilla, and cinnamon. Dark bitter chocolate on the palate, exotic spices for a final flourish at the finish. A real centre piece for celebrations. Maker: At Aberlour, they believe in substance over style. Their whisky is born out of craft, passion, and knowledge that has been passed down through generations. The story is of community, locally sourced ingredients and families of craftsmen who have shaped Aberlour into who they are today. The whisky with its depth of flavour and character, speaks for itself. Rather than boasting about the distinctive qualities of his Aberlour single malt, our founder, James Fleming remained true to his family’s motto since the days of Robert the Bruce, ‘Let the deed show.’ The proof is in the drinking. This saying simply translates as, ‘actions speak louder than our words’. James Fleming let his whisky do the talking. It was his actions then, and the actions now of all craftsmen that have followed that define the character of Aberlour. Born in the Speyside village of Aberlour, A’bunadh is made with local spring water from the Ben Rinnes and barley, locally sourced from the fields near the Aberlour distillery. In Gaelic, A’bunadh means 'the original' because the distillery make every bottle as they would have done 100 years ago: in batches, with no chill-filtering. Let the deed show A'bunadh is as close as you can get to tasting a dram at original cask strength at the distillery; just as founder, James Fleming, would have done in 1879. Distillery: James Fleming founded Aberlour Distillery 1879, choosing a location that not only provided a sure supply of pure spring water that flowed over the pink granite of Ben Rinnes, but also a place rooted in ancient times and noted for its magical relationship with water. Steeped in centuries of legend and surrounded by the dramatic Highland scenery of Ben Rinnes, the village of Aberlour lies at the very heart of Speyside, where the Lour burn joins the River Spey. The exceptionally pure, soft spring water used for making Aberlour whisky is drawn from nearby natural springs. In this special place, the resources of nature and the founder’s passion for making the best single malt combine to make the generously multi-layered whiskies of Aberlour. The expert crafting of spirit and cask has created a range of superlative single malt whiskies with layers of complexity and a velvety richness Tasting: Nose - Cherry, Cinnamon, Orange Zest Aromas of Spiced orange, dark bitter chocolate on the palate harmonising with rich, deep notes of Oloroso Sherry. Palate - Dried Fruits, Sherry Soaked Oak, Dark Chocolate Orange, black cherries, dried fruit and ginger spiked with dark bitter chocolate and enriched with Sherry and Oak. Full bodied and creamy. Finish - Red Fruit, Bitter Sweet Chocolate, Oak Spice Long and luscious. The sweetness of the red fruit lingers and is eventually replaced by a bitter sweet chocolate, spice and oak. A little water opens up the whisky and reveals more of the fruitier side of the profile, but at the cost of that rich, chewy mouth feel.