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.

At the peak of the Jura distillery's core range (relaunched in mid-2018) sits the Isle of Jura 18 Year Old. This expression aged in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels before enjoying a finishing period in Premier Grand Cru Classé Bordeaux barrels, imparting a rich fruitiness. Top stuff for late evening dramming.

The GlenDronach Revival Aged 15 years now returns to the core range of the distillery’s line-up. The expression embodies The GlenDronach’s signature style of Spanish Sherry Cask maturation in fine Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks from Andalucía, quietly growing in stature for 15 years in the darkness of our dunnage warehouses. In flavour, the expression offers sumptuous notes of dark fruits, rich chocolate and manuka honey with an enveloping, memorable finish worthy of this monumental malt’s history. This luxuriously sherried Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky is bottled at 46% ABV, non-chill filtered and natural in colour. Nose: An intoxicating burst of maraschino cherry, ripe bramble and dark chocolate mint with hints of orange bitters and walnut liqueur. Palate: Honey-glazed apricot and ripe fig with a crescendo of black cherry, angelica and muscovado. Long and enveloping finish with dark manuka honey, herbal bitters, and dark chocolate.

Ardbeg's latest annual offering comes with a curious title that's due to a production modification. Head of Whisky Creation, Bill Lumsden removed the purifier, which typically catches the heaviest vapours from the distillation process. The purifier is also responsible for Ardbeg’s balance between extreme peat and floral fruitiness. The resulting whisky is "all peat". In fact, Ardbeg says that it's their most full-blown expression ever with an intensity of flavour that's unmatched. A spokesperson for the brand describes the flavour profile as, "Defined by a distinctive pungent earthiness, aromatic clouds of dark chocolate, a billow of aniseed and cinnamon, and a lingering tang of sharp peppermint." Dramface.com add "According to an interview Lumsden participated in for WhiskyCast, the experiment which gave birth to this year’s release was conducted 12 years ago. Even allowing for time of year and the time taken to dump casks, blend, package and distribute, it’s safe to assume this bottling is at least 11 years old, given that Lumsden claims the experiment was only ever conducted in one batch." We've just received our allocation. The whisky's unusual conception is brought to life with accompanying graphics created by celebrated comic artist and illustrator, Dilraj Mann. The nose is slightly reticent while the flavour profile leans towards smokey dark chocolate, oily malt, chimney soot and white pepper followed by a dried herbal quality. The aftertaste is ashy, drying, medium long and vaguely fruity in a mezcal kind of way. Like last year's Ardbeg Day release (Ardcore), Heavy Vapours is not quite as intense or complex as anticipated, although it does taste slightly more mature and feels like the texture is amplified, particularly at the finish where cured meats and a salt'n'pepper tang recall middle-weight Caol Ilas. In a word, more elegant than "extreme". 46% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

Cragganmore Distillers Edition Single Malt Scotch Whisky appears warm gold in colour with a sweet nose of jelly, juicy fruits and a slight smokiness. Light to medium body with a firm, sweet palate of smoky undertones and nutty fruitiness. Medium finish with lovely oaky expressions, banana and vanilla notes linger on the tongue.

Aged in bourbon, sherry and American White Oak new casks, "Cosmo" blended malt whisky is named after a mountain in the Japan Central Alps close to the Mars Whisky Distillery.

Lark Tasmanian Single Malt Whisky is proudly unique in character and style. Entirely made by hand, Lark consistently distills some of the worlds most prized Whiskies, with no more than 100 litres at a time. Distilled in locally crafted copper-pot stills, this exceptional classic cask is the flagship product of the Lark Distillery. This Whisky is best described as a complex mix of vanilla-caramel-maple syrup with some slightly spicy, floral notes and gentle hints of fresh pepper on a flavourful lingering finish. Excellent neat or with a drop or two of filtered water.

Now available in a 1L bottle, Grey Goose Vodka is distilled using French wheat from the La Beauce region and made with water from the Gensac that is filtered through champagne limestone; Grey Goose lay claim to make the

By using new French oak casks to finish this scotch, a fantastic vanilla and spice character is leeched into the whisky. This compliments the sweet malt and floral characters perfectly.

From the Hakushu distillery in the foothills of Mount Kaikomagatake comes their Distillers Reserve single malt whisky. A no-age statement expression that captures the smoky, herbaceous characteristics of their whiskies. Both lightly-peated and heavily peated malts were used for this complex and deeply enjoyable whisky. A hint of smoke and a lovely long finish.