Founded in 1824 The Macallan is a pioneer in Scottish whisky production, with a global reputation for its single malts. Founded by Alexander Reid, The Macallan draws its unique character from a confluence of influences. From the fertile Speyside region (historically called "Maghellan") to traditional methods and the natural resources of Scotland, Spain, and North America, each element contributes to the whisky's distinctive personality. The Macallan's unwavering commitment to quality is embodied in its "Six Pillars," a philosophy encompassing every aspect of production. From the "place" itself to the passionate people involved, each pillar reinforces the brand's dedication to excellence. Central to this philosophy is the "Mastery of Wood and Spirit." The distillery's reputation rests on the exceptional quality of its oak casks, meticulously sourced, crafted, and seasoned under the watchful eye of The Macallan's Master of Wood. Up to 80% of the final flavour profile is influenced by these casks, highlighting their crucial role in shaping the signature Macallan style. Another hallmark is the whisky's natural colour, derived solely from the wood during maturation. The distillery acknowledges the inherent variation in wood, with each cask imparting unique flavours and hues. Through expert cask management and selection, The Macallan ensures a consistent and beautiful colour spectrum across its bottlings, a key element of the brand's identity. The Macallan's dedication extends beyond Scotland. The distillery partners with Spanish cooperage companies, overseeing the entire process – from identifying oak trees in northern Spain to seasoning the casks for 18 months before their journey to Scotland. This meticulous approach, encompassing "tree to finished seasoned cask," underscores The Macallan's unwavering commitment to crafting an exceptional whisky experience. The Macallan Litha presents a unique proposition in the world of single malts. This whisky is crafted entirely from first-fill sherry casks sourced from Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. This meticulous selection embodies the harmonious coming together of Scottish and Spanish influences to create an exceptional spirit. The story of Litha begins amidst the sun-drenched vineyards of Jerez. Here, grapes destined for sherry production are meticulously cultivated. These casks, crafted to The Macallan's exacting specifications, then embark on a journey to Scotland. Upon arrival, they encounter The Macallan's "fruity new make spirit," sparking a remarkable union that defines the character of the whisky. The name "Litha" draws inspiration from the Celtic summer solstice. This astronomical event signifies a pivotal moment, a burst of new life and a shift in the balance of nature. Similarly, The Macallan Litha celebrates the transformative power that arises when two distinct forces converge. The vibrant presentation box, designed by award-winning illustrator Sija Hong, further enhances the whisky's allure. Two bold colour palettes represent Scotland and Spain, united by the central image of a tree. This symbolic representation underscores the crucial role that cask maturation plays in creating The Macallan Litha, a whisky born from the harmonious fusion of two worlds. The unique character and complex flavours of The Macallan Litha is derived from the use of first fill sherry seasoned oak casks, the whisky mingling with the sherry seasoned oak. The gentle scent of vanilla and butterscotch unites with a spark of citrus over a bright canvas of tropical fruits, reminiscent of a summer’s day and the radiance of the sun’s energy. As the flavour develops, smooth vanilla ice cream topped with a berry compote dances on the palate, beautifully balanced with warming wood spice, chocolate, salted caramel and pecans, with a lingering hint of sweet oak.

Johnnie Walker Aged 18 Years has rich sweet fruit aromas along with toffee caramel, vanilla and a hint of smoke. Its warming and sweet on the palate with dark fruits, malty cereal, smooth creamy vanilla, fragrant almonds and tangerines, and a gentle smoke developing. A lingering finish brings notes of dark chocolate, caramelised citrus peel and very light smoke.

Thirty minutes drive south from Glasgow, nestled in the heart of Ayrshire is a new independent family-owned distillery - now a rare thing in the Scotch whisky industry. Named Lochlea and distilling since 2018, their approach is small-batch, innovative and flexible without the constraints of a large corporate structure. Barley is grown on the farm and an on-site water source is employed, so there's full traceability over production. The venture recently kicked off a series of limited edition bottlings under the label, 'Sowing Edition First Crop', focusing on the growing of barley. This particular expression represents Spring when the barley seeds are sown. Matured in first-fill bourbon barrels and bottled without chill-filtration or added colour, expect a fruity whisky with notes of sweet red apples, vanilla pods, almond oil and a fresh finish. 46% Alc./Vol.

For a few years in the late 18th century, Lochlea was the home and workplace of the famous Scottish poet, Robert Burns. The farm was acquired in 2006 and current owner, Neil McGeoch gained planning permissions in 2014. Despite converting the former piggery, byre and midden into a distillery and repurposing the cattle sheds into bonded warehouses, Lochlea is and remains a working farm, which is what sets it apart from almost every other Scotch whisky distillery. All of the required barley is grown in the fields surrounding the facility. The man in charge of production is Malcolm Rennie who has worked for some of the Scotch industry's biggest names, including Bruichladdich, Ardbeg and Kilchoman. He brings with him more than thirty years of whisky-making nous. Having started production in August 2018, the current offerings are around 3-4 years old. ' Our Barley' is based on a recipe honed by ex-Laphroaig Manager, John Campbell and is comprised of a combination of maturations across first-fill Bourbon barrels, Oloroso Sherry casks, and shaved-toasted-recharred (STR) barriques. It's the distillery's first core bottling and showcases what the producer's describe as Lochlea's signature fruitiness. 46% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. Notes from the producers... Nose: Pear syrup, fruit bonbons, warm cut grass, marmalade. Palate: Golden syrup, pepper, rye bread, macadamia nuts, cream soda. Finish: Long finish with a lasting orange beeswax note.

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.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label is the pinnacle of the Johnnie Walker Whisky stable. Created to reflect the the style of whiskies of the early 19th century, it is created using the rarest casks in House of Walker, the largest in the world. The casks are hand selected and set aside for their exceptional quality, character and flavour while retaining the signature smokiness of Johnnie Walker whiskies.

Note: Product has come from a private collection and as such has some minor scuffing/scratches/handling marks. Actual product not shown. Following on from the duo of Rich Cacao and Fine Cacao comes the second instalment in Macallan's limited annual series. 'Intense Arabica' and 'Smooth Arabica' are said to be influenced by the Ethiopian Arabica coffee bean. Both special malts exude flavours of sweet oak, tiramisu and dark chocolate and reportedly provide a delightful whisky and coffee pairing experience. The story goes that Chief Whisky Maker, Steven Bremner wanted to create an expression that would pair perfectly with an espresso, so he worked with a group of caffeinated experts including Ethiopian grower Kenean Asefa Dukamo, Scottish roaster Lisa Lawson and acclaimed American barista Andrea Allen. “Exploring the world of coffee with our masters in the industry, who shared their knowledge, creativity, and love for their art, was both an education and an inspiration,” says Bremner. “There are many parallels between the approach to creating incomparable whisky and coffee. Each requires unique skills and craftsmanship to achieve depth and complexity of taste and both worlds aim to deliver an extraordinary consumption experience.” Each whisky was aged in a combination of American and European oak casks but have different accents. As the name suggests, Smooth Arabica brings a creamy, silky character to Macallans malt, retaining the dark spice and heavy fruit we've come to expect. Also one for the collectors to complete the set. Drawing inspiration from a connection to the natural world, the distinctive packaging incorporates organic by-products and gives them new life. These are made partially from repurposed coffee bean husks, created by Italian paper mill, Favini. Very limited stocks.

Kirin Fuji Single Blended Masterpiece Japanese Whisky 700ml is a beautiful single blended whisky from the Fuji Gotemba distillery. They are one of Japan's most popular producers or grain whiskies. The natural environment around Mt. Fuji is blessed with lush forests, crystal clear water, and pure air. FUJI whiskies are delicately fruity and mellow, and have been nurtured over time in this environment, with its unique climate and terroir. Mt. Fuji Distillery is nestled at the foot of Mt. Fuji, 620 meters (2,035 feet) above sea level and 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) from its peak. Since this is a misty area, Mt. Fuji can only be seen about 1/3 of the year, despite being at such a close distance. The high humidity maintained by a year-round blanket of fog, a cool highland climate with a yearly average temperature of 13℃ (55℉), and air purified by the forests at the foot of the majestic mountain has been combining to form its climate and terroir around the distillery. This natural environment, the cool highland climate with moderate temperature changes and high humidity, is ideal for making whisky. Because of this climate and terroir, the whisk(e)y produced at Mt. Fuji Distillery is mellow, and delicately fruity on the palate. Water plays a vital role in high-quality whisky production. With excellent and abundant water being essential, we call its water “mother water,” meaning it is a blessing from Mother Earth. This excellent water source is one of the main reasons why Mt. Fuji Distillery was built at its location. The “mother water” is drawn from the aquifer that runs 100 meters (328 feet) deep underground, where snow and rain that falls on Mt. Fuji is filtered and polished for 50+ years to reach the aquifer. Master Blender Jota Tanaka is formerly of Four Roses Distillery, in fact the Barrels used at Fuji Gotemba are purchased from the same cooperage and the ex-bourbon barrels used for ageing some of the distilleries whiskies are from Four Roses as well. This single blended whisky has been produced using four different stills and includes both malt and grain all grown and produced at the distillery. The blend and includes whiskies up to 30 years old with an average age of over 15 years, there is also a small amount of peated whisky in the blend. The nose is heady with caramel, dark cherry, poached pears, honey and chocolate. The palate leads with sherry, stewed stone fruits and crisp rye spiciness lingering on the finish.

Kanosuke Single Malt Japanese Whisky embodies Kanosuke Distillery’s concept of "mellow land, mellow whisky. It was produced using all 3 of their pot stills, aged in several varieties of oak barrels, and blended together after 3 years of maturation. The Second Edition of the 2021 Kanosuke was distilled from unpeated malt in 2018, this release is largely matured in first fill re-charred ex-bourbon barrels for about 3 years. About 5,000 bottles have been released at a cask strength ABV of 57%. Citrus, Vanilla, Honey and Lemon Tea on the nose leading to a flavours of grapefruit with some cinnamon sweetness, sweet fresh fruits, vanilla and dark chocolate bitterness.

Yuza Distillery was established in 2018 and to date has released just two single malts (The First Edition has already picked up Gold at the San Francisco International Spirits Challenge) and is well on the way to becoming one of the country’s newest cult distilleries. Sitting at the base of Mount Chōkai in the heart of Japan’s snow country, Yuza is the first Whisky distillery in the country’s Yamagata prefecture. Operational since November 2018, from day one, Masaharu Sasaki and his young team have drawn on the example laid down by Chichibu’s Ichiro Akuto, to perfect an authentic Japanese Whisky that could compete with the world’s best, while remaining true to their sense of monozukuri and producing Whiskies that are uniquely Yuza. It’s early in the piece and yet all the signs — not least the meticulous attention to detail and limited production — point to Yuza becoming one of the brightest stars in Japan’s Whisky firmament. Yuza sits on the flats near the Sea of Japan and enjoys an abundance of soft water from snowmelt and underground springs fed by the sponge-like crevices of lava of the nearby volcano. Chosen for this purity of water and access to the port for their specialised equipment, the area also experiences a massive 40°C average temperature difference over the year. This is projected to super-charge the maturation of the Whiskies in barrel; Masaharu Sasaki estimates eight years maturing in Scotland will equate to just five years in Yamagata. To hone their craft, the Yuza Distillery team partnered from the start with Forsyths, world leaders in distillation equipment. Yuza’s entire distillery team is fresh to Whisky but nurtured and overseen by the Scottish still-makers, providing an essential blank slate to be moulded to a completely new formula, key to Yuza’s dedication to an unfettered style. Facility equipment is centred around five Canadian Douglas Fir washbacks and two stills, including a Glendronach-inspired spirits still with an extended line arm, designed for more surface contact to give cleaner flavours with fewer sulphites. Dedicated only to Single Malt production, this small operation (the distillery covers just 620 square meters) has passed up the opportunity to release any ‘newborn’ expressions. The wash is currently 100% barley from Crisp Maltings with plans to eventually include a local option. Early bottlings point to a non-peated house style, but several heavily-peated batches have also been laid down. While Yuza’s barrel program remains secretive - even when touring the facility, you’ll find all the barrelheads are painted over - the early signs pointed to a preference for ex-Bourbon barrels. Now there is a portion of Sherry cask in the mix and Masaharu Sasaki has spoken of his desire to increase his inventory, picking up stock whenever he can. This cask strength Whisky was carefully selected from barrels from the first season at Yuza Distillery from February to July 2019. It’s estimated, that this selection could contain up to 80% ex-Sherry barrels. As distinct from the First Edition - a very bright expression raised in ex-Bourbon cask - the Second Edition was blended for more complexity, depth and luxurious flavour. This has a very old-world flavour profile (slightly reminiscent of top-shelf Speyside) and the alcohol sits in excellent balance with the complexity of the spirit. There’s a whisper of peat on the nose, with fragrant cereal notes before a progression towards deeper stone fruits and fig. It’s luscious and oily in the mouth, round and slightly earthy with spice and oat notes. It finishes dry with traces of liquorice and a mineral tang.