Tasting note: Nominated as one of the twenty defining whiskies of the past twenty years by Malt Advocate back in 2013, this new incarnation of Arran 10 opens slightly woody and acidic on the nose developing attractive honeyed, chocolatey notes. On the palate, American oak underscores the malt; juicy orchard fruits and vanilla shine through in a fresh, spicy delivery. The finish offers stewed pears and hints of cinnamon. Uncomplicated but very tasty. 46% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

Whilst many Australian whisky enthusiasts are familiar with the traditional sherried bottlings from Aberlour distillery, many parts of Europe are privy to its more curious variants which combine whiskies derived from both sherry and bourbon casks, varying in proportion. We have sourced a small quantity of these relatively unknown expressions just to showcase what this distillery capable of.

(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.

Kavalan have launched a new expression matured in three different Sherry casks, namely oloroso, Pedro Ximénez (PX) and Moscatel casks. Senior Blender, Zerose Yang adds, “Its main character, the dried fruits of the oloroso cask, are embellished with the sweetness of PX and Moscatel casks... The resulting liquid offers notes of cinnamon, candied smoked plum, and citrus, layered with a nose of berry, tropical fruits, and longan, alongside a dash of honey, chocolate, and toffee on the palate." For those who are used to the distillery's extravagant cask strength expressions, this takes a step back. The nose presents an attractive array of dried fruits and plummy malt, mingling with sweet spices. It's an accessible, middle weight style, with a convincing sherry lick and an appropriate dash of spice. You can't really fault the balance, but in the context of what this distillery is best known for, it's Kavalan light. 40% Alc./Vol.

Suntory's Flagship whiskey, the Yamazaki takes its place as the number 1 single malt whiskey in Japan. Also available in 12, 18 and 25 year varieties the Distillers reserve is the youngest in the lineup. Crafted using malt matured in sherry casks which gives the whisky a rich spiced nose of sherry soaked plums and raisins. On the palate you’ll find coffee and chocolate with a hint of smoke. A fantastic Japanese malt and one of the best currently produced bearing the Takesuru name.

The culmination of six "Work In Progress" releases is this core bottling from the Glengyle Distillery: a lightly peated and non-chill filtered 12 year old malt matured in a combination of 70% Bourbon casks and 30% Sherry casks. If the intention has been to create an accessible all-rounder that appeals to a wide audience, then this certainly succeeds. Offering a beautiful integration of aromas and flavours ranging from rich cereals, light sea spray freshness, a touch of lanolin and even a farmyard earthiness in the thread of peat stitching the whole together, it straddles the breadth of flavours we’ve enjoyed in the “Work in Progress” series, only delivered in a softer package. Because Kilkerran run just one bottling per annum, allocations will be ongoing - even though this is now part of the core range. 46% Alc./Vol. * All Kilkerran whiskies now arrive without presentation tubes or boxes.

In 1918, a young Japanese man with an ambition to make genuine whisky went alone to Scotland to unveil the secret of whisky making. He is Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka Whisky. Given the chance to go to Scotland, Masataka became the first Japanese ever to master how to make whisky. Given the chance to go to Scotland, Masataka became the first Japanese ever to master how to make whisky. He enrolled at the University of Glasgow, took chemistry courses and then apprenticed at three Scotch distilleries. In 1920 Masataka returned to Japan with his Scottish wife Jessie Roberta (Rita). The two had married earlier that year and Rita decided to immigrate to Japan to support her husband’s dream. However after returning to Japan, Masataka and Rita were heartbroken to find out that Settsu Shuzo, the company which invested in Masataka to learn in Scotland, had to abandon its plan to produce genuine whisky in Japan due to recessions after World War I. In the meantime another company, Kotobukiya Limited (Suntory), was in search for someone who could conduct whisky production. Being the only Japanese who knew how to produce whisky at that time, Masataka was hired by Kotobukiya in 1923 to direct building the Yamazaki Distillery. There he led the project and devoted himself to producing Japan’s first genuine whisky. These limited edition 2 bottle set of the Yoichi and Miyagiko has been finished in Nikka’s apple brandy casks and bottled in 2020 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Masataka and Rita’s marriage in 1920. At the foundation in 1934, apple products helped Nikka to keep the business sustainable while the first whiskies were maturing, just like Rita supported Masataka’s dream. Both of these whiskies have the delicate aroma of apples, with the expression showcasing a beautiful harmony of finesse and sweetness brought by apple brandy casks. The Yoichi single malt’s original characteristics appear such as rich malt flavors, gentle peaty notes and smokiness and the Miyagikyo single malt’s has its original characteristics such as distinctive hints of Sherry and spiciness like cinnamon.

Glenglassaugh is produced using the highest quality of Scottish barley and traditional distilling methods, their key focus being on quality. While many distilleries have become highly automated, at Glenglassaugh their spirit is still handcrafted by a small, highly skilled team dedicated to creating the highest quality product. Only the finest casks are selected to slowly mature their precious spirit in their coastal warehouses until it is ready. Since 1875, Glenglassaugh distillery has sat quietly on the edge of the picturesque Sandend Bay, breathing in the North Sea air which flows through its warehouses and invigorates its sweet Highland spirit with notes of the sea. Silent for a period of more than 20 years, the distillery was re-awakened in 2008 and its stills brought back to life. Unearthed from the coastal warehouses, a rare collection of vintage casks were discovered from before the distillery fell quiet. These forgotten whiskies can now be experienced as part of their Glenglassaugh rare cask series. Glenglassaugh rare single casks are a discovery to be made, each cask telling its own story. All casks are bottled without chill filtration, for natural character, with the pure colour drawn entirely from the wood of the cask. The latest release in the distilleries rare cask series, Batch 3, features whiskies that are no younger than 30 years old, and provides a unique glance into the history of the distillery and the heart of Glenglassaugh. These elegant old whiskies offer a lush, ripe Highland single malt Scotch whisky experience, evoking notes of tropical fruit and the sea, while each cask type offers a unique taste influence. This whisky was matured for forty-four long years and finished in the finest Massandra Sherry Cask. Hand selected by GlenGlassaugh's Master Distiller Billy Walker. Bottle Information Batch - 3 Cask No - 1721 Distilled Date 25/10/1972 Bottling Date - 11/2016 Bottle Number - 157 of 479 Note - the bottle number in the image does not reflect the correct bottle number.

Continuing 40 years of excellence in distilling Japanese grain whiskies at Chita distillery, the House of Suntory Whisky's Master Blenders have created an outstanding single grain whisky. In 1972, on the shores of Chita Peninsula, Keizo Saji—Suntory’s second Master Blender—built a distillery dedicated to creating the highest quality Japanese grain whisky. Born in September 2015, Suntory Single Grain Whisky Chita is completely different from the ordinary grain whiskies used in blended whisky. To imbue greater complexity and depth of flavour, Shinji Fukuyo chose to age Chita grain whisky in wine and Spanish Oak casks, in addition to American White Oak.The result is a milder, smoother grain whisky with unparalleled sophistication and a clean, clear finish. With versatile flavours and exquisite balance, Chita grain whiskies have traditionally been used as the "dashi" or broth that enhances the harmony of Suntory blends. Through continuous research and innovation, Chita’s grain whiskies have achieved an unrivalled sophistication and a level of complexity that lets them finally take centre stage.

The Glenfiddich 18 Year Old Ancient Reserve is a truly superb single malt aged in Oloroso (Sherry) and Bourbon casks. Then up to 150 of the most exceptional casks are hand-selected by the innovative Malt Master, Brian Kinsman. These casks are then married in small batches in oak tuns for up to three months, to give a remarkably deep, rich and complex flavour.