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.

Vietti is a winery with a rich history spanning almost 150 years. Founded by Carlo Vietti in the late 1800s in the heart of the Langhe, on the highest point of the medieval village of Castiglione Falletto, the winery was transformed into a high-quality wine producer by Carlo's son, Mario Vietti, upon his return from living in the United States in 1917. In the 1950s, Alfredo Currado, oenologist and art lover, brought new intuitions to the winery, intertwining wine knowledge with art and culture. Vietti produced one of the first Barolo Crus in 1961 and the first vinification of Arneis in 1967. The wines were accompanied by Art Labels starting in 1974, making the Vietti brand an icon and standard-bearer of important revolutions. The winery's commitment, vision, culture and passion have contributed to its growth and recognition as one of the best Italian wine labels. The Krause Family purchased Vietti in 2016 and decided to extend the winemaking properties with new, renowned crus in the denomination of Barolo and Barbaresco. In 2023, the Heritage was taken over by the Krause Family, already owner of the Cellar since 2016 and standard-bearer of the new future of the Vietti brand. Vietti maintains its founding values and looks towards the future with even more promising and stimulating prospects, with each wine being the result of artisanal work and the profound understanding and interpretation of each individual terroir. Since 1974, Vietti wines have been adorned with specially-designed original works inspired by the wine of that particular vintage. These works include lithographs, xylographies, etchings, silkscreens and linocuts. The print run is the same as the number of bottles produced and the first hundred labels are signed by the artist. Each work is only used once, just for the wine of that vintage. Since the presentation of the 1982 Barolo Villero in 1988, the artist’s labels have been dedicated exclusively to the wines grown on this great vineyard. The idea for these unique labels was conceived by Alfredo Currado and a group of artist friends over a bottle of Barolo Rocche. They believed that wines like these deserved to be graced with labels unlike any other and the idea began to take shape the following day. These art labels have become an iconic part of the Vietti brand, adding a touch of art and culture to their already exceptional wines. Barolo is a renowned red wine produced in the Piedmont region of Italy. The wine is made from Nebbiolo, a small, thin-skinned red grape varietal known for its high acidity and tannins. Harvesting of Nebbiolo grapes generally takes place in late October, as it is one of the first varietals to undergo budbreak and last to be picked. Barolo wines are required to be solely composed of Nebbiolo, with no exceptions. The Barolo DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) is the highest classification for Italian wines and guarantees specific production methods and quality. Wines from the Barolo DOCG must be 100% Nebbiolo and aged for at least 38 months, with 18 of those months in wood barrels. This results in a wine with a unique flavor profile and exceptional quality. Vietti's Barolo Lazzarito is a premium wine made from grapes grown in the MGA “Lazzarito” vineyard in the municipality of Serralunga d’Alba. This fabulous amphitheatre-shaped plot has a south-western exposure and is situated at an altitude between 260 and 390 m asl. The soil is rich in limestone and clay, making it ideal for growing high-quality grapes. The average age of the Guyot-cultivated vines is 42 years, and there is a density of around 4500 plants per hectare. The Vietti Barolo Lazzarito Serraluna d’Alba 2019 is a stunning example of a Barolo D.O.C.G. wine made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes. The grapes were harvested by hand on 09 October 2019 and underwent gentle pressing before fermenting for around four weeks in a steel tank, in contact with the skins. The wine was aged for around 30 months in oak barrels and for a small portion, barriques. This wine has an intense ruby-red color with garnet hues and an alluring and profound nose. Notes of hay, cut grass, tobacco, white pepper and wild mint emerge. On the palate, it is robust and potent, with a taut, mineral finish. As is typical of Serralunga, the tannins are stark, sharp and very profound. The sweet persistence of the finish is delightful. This wine pairs perfectly with game, red meats and cheeses. The Vietti Barolo Lazzarito Serraluna d’Alba 2019 is an exceptional wine that showcases the best of the Nebbiolo grape variety and the unique terroir of the Lazzarito vineyard.

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.

The fall of communism in Hungary saw many new beginnings, and one of note for wine lovers was the formation of The Royal Tokaji Company by wine-writer Hugh Johnson, and a consortium of foreign investors with the sole vision of revitalising the magnificent sweet wines of Hungary. The Royal Tokaji Company today is a benchmark for the noble wines of the region, from their 3 Puttonyos wines at around 60-90 grams per litre of residual sugar through to the intense Essencia at 450-850 grams, they are wines that offer the drinker a unique insight to one of the great wine styles of the world. In truly exceptional years Royal Tokaji selects the finest berries from its finest vineyards and carefully produces a few barrels of Single Vineyard Aszú. 2017 was such a year, just the eighth this century, showing exceptional richness, structure and backbone balanced by lively acidity - a truly volcanic vintage. Summer was hot, so we began the Aszú berry harvest in early September and continued to pick steadily in the ideal autumn weather. In particular October provided three textbook weeks for fine quality Aszú, with day after day of early morning mists, afternoon sunshine and drying winds. The Aszú wines show great structure, plenty of botrytis, depth and freshness with excellent complexity, all attributes of long ageing potential. The excellent Aszú berries with good structure and perfect botrytis were macerated in fermenting must for two days. After pressing and finishing fermentation in barrel the wines were filled into Hungarian oak casks in our extensive, deep underground cellars to mature for over two years. The final blends were carefully crafted in the spring of 2020. Bottled at 203.3 grams of residual sugar per litre. Nyulászó (meaning “a good place to catch hares”) is a celebrated First Growth vineyard overlooking the village of Mád. Its volcanic bedrock is overlaid with rich, brown clay interspersed with lighter rhyolite tuff, consistently producing racy, perfumed, elegant wines with a steely backbone. This wine is lively and elegant, highly perfumed on the nose with ripe peach and apricot on the palate balanced by silky acidity. The finish is long and incredibly complex.

Piper-Heidsieck's roots trace back to Florens-Louis Heidsieck, who created the original company of Heidsieck & Co. Christian Heidsieck joined the venture alongside Guillaume Piper and once Florens-Louis died in 1828, the duo decided to continue the adventure side by side, founding Champagne Piper-Heidsieck. Émilien Boutillat offers a reflection on time with Brut Sauvage 1982 and Hors-Série 1982, presented in the Diptyque 1982 gift box, numbered, and released in a limited edition of 500 boxes. Offering more than a mere flashback, the Chief Winemaker proposes a particularly unique tasting: Émilien Boutillat shares a real reflection on time in his pairing of the two cuvées in one box. A dialogue between two facets of one vintage, of one blend, of one philosophy, revisiting bygone times, each with its own vision. The results of the 1982 harvest are considered amongst the most exceptional ever witnessed in the history of Champagne. The grapes grew under steady weather conditions. The results were irreproachable and the harvest abundant! The grapes, all varieties included, were in excellent condition and stood out for their nesse, equilibrium and grandeur, hallmarks of a great year in Champagne. The fruit of the same vintage, the same blend and dosage, Brut Sauvage 1982 and Hors-Série 1982 each boast a distinctive character, a result of their different ageing processes. There are two ways for a champagne to age: on lees or in a corked bottle following disgorgement. Disgorged in 1992, Brut Sauvage 1982 was cellared on lees for 10 years and cork-aged for 29 years. Hors-Série 1982 spent 39 years on lees before being disgorged in 2022. Tasting the two together offers a truly unique experience as these two cuvées showcase a new perspective on time, revealing different phenomenal sensations and precise generous aromas on the nose and the palate. Hors-Serie 1982 Tasting Note: With a pale golden robe, Hors-Série 1982 being recently disgorged present quite young, luscious notes of mirabelle plums, kumquats, dried pineapple, and fresh quince, with a touch of ginger and earl grey tea. Smoky accents of coffee beans and toast balance out the wine’s minerality. Brut Sauvage 1982 Tasting Note: Harbouring a golden robe and glints of copper, Brut Sauvage 1982 presents a clean, fresh structure and long finish. Initial accents of candied fruits, pastry notes of brioche and frangipane and a touch of vanilla and nutmeg pave the way to warm harmonies of chestnut honey, aged rum and Espelette pepper.

The Michter's "US 1" bottlings are so named to honour Michter’s heritage. The brand was established in 1753 as America’s first whiskey company. Washington and his troops drank Michter’s while they were hunkered down in Valley Forge.

Brokenwood are an icon of the Australian wine scene and arguably the greatest producer the Hunter Valley has ever seen. As they grew vineyards through Victoria & South Australia were acquired. This shiraz is from the premium viticultural region of McLaren Vale. For this vintage, the region had a lovely warm, fine growing season, allowing the fruit to be picked at optimum ripeness. The wine is matures for 12 months in French oak, brining out bright plum and spice aromas, carrying to the palate with fine, subtle tannins and a clean, long 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.