Note: Product has come from a private collection and as such may have some minor scuffing/scratches/handling marks. Actual product pictured. Whisky is big business in Japan with Scotch whisky being especially popular, yet with their own history of brewing and sake production, it's only logical that the Japanese are now making whisky too. What began as a conscious imitation of Scotch, now has a style all of its own, and since commercial production began in the early 20th century, the quality has been steadily improving. Today, most of the malt whisky produced in Japan is for blending but Japanese distillers generally don't trade casks in the manner that Scottish distillers do. Consequently, it's up to each distillery to produce a diversity of styles that will form the base components of 'house blends' that offer unique and complex flavour profiles. Some Japanese blends will even include a percentage of Scotch whisky, rather than whisky from rival local distillers. This jealous reluctance to exchange is considered one of the major obstacles holding the industry back from the prominence it deserves: In a number of blind tastings recently organised by Whisky Magazine , which have included Japanese single malts in the lineup along with malts from distilleries considered to be among the best in Scotland, on more than one occasion, the results have had Japanese single malts scoring higher than their Scotch counterparts. After a long absence from the Australian market, we've finally managed to secure some world class Japanese whiskies from the Nikka distillery, Japan’s second largest whisky producer after Suntory. Now owned by the brewer Asahi, the company was originally set up by Masataka Taketsuru, who built Yoichi distillery in 1934, having previously spent two years studying the art of distilling in Scotland. (He also developed the now famous 'Yamazaki' distillery in Kyoto for Suntory which he managed for ten years). Yoichi typically produces rich, peaty and masculine malts. The whiskies get their distinct aroma and body from direct heating distillation, in which the pot stills are heated with finely powdered natural coal - a traditional method that's hardly used today, even in Scotland. Tasting note: Nose: Pronounced, astonishingly fresh, dry, peat. Palate: Mint creams, then orangey. Finish: After the creaminess, the peat surges back. Clean, sweetish, soft smokiness. Comment: This is a wonderful whisky at 10 Years Old. I love the almost shocking hit of heavy peating. Rating: 9/10 . - Michael Jackson, www.whiskymag.com

An independent bottling from Gordon &; MacPhail of Glenturret single malt scotch whisky. This independent take on the Glenturret spirit offers sweet peat, ripe banana and cocoa powder with a smooth, creamy body. Truly an easy drinking Highland malt.

A mix of first fill ex-Bourbon and first fill ex-Sherry casks were used to create this rich, lightly smokey malt.

The Caol Ila Whisky 2011 from Single Malts of Scotland is a true masterpiece of Islay spirit. Matured for 11 years in a single cask, this expression boasts a high ABV of 61.3%, showcasing the bold and robust character of the distillery. On the nose, rich peat smoke greets the senses, followed by notes of sea salt, brine, and a subtle hint of citrus. The colour is a deep golden amber, hinting at the complexity of flavours to come. On the palate, the smokiness intensifies, accompanied by a delightful sweetness and a touch of spiciness. The finish is long and warming, leaving behind a lingering smoky sweetness. This whisky embodies everything that makes Caol Ila a beloved and iconic distillery. A must-try for any whisky enthusiast, this 2011 vintage is a testament to the skilled craftsmanship of Single Malts of Scotland.

The Loch Gorm 2019 Edition is a vatting of twenty oloroso sherry butts filled in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011; the first edition to contain 12 and 13-year-old casks. Peat level 50ppm. NOSE Dried fig, orange peel and sea salt with hints of bacon, oaky spice, cinnamon and citrus sweetness. PALATE Stewed plums, morello cherries and dark chocolate with layers of salted caramel, herbaceous heather, honey and wet ashy peat smoke. FINISH Cooked apples and pears with waves of all spice, dark chocolate and barbecue smoke. Kilchoman's Loch Gorm Release: Named after a famously dark and peaty loch overlooked by the distillery, Loch Gorm is a sherry cask single malt matured exclusively in oloroso casks, extracting the rich spicy character of the European oak as it ages in Kilchoman's Islay warehouses. Loch Gorm is Islay's biggest freshwater loch with an abundance of wildlife and dark peat coloured waters. The Allt Gleann Osamail burn, from which Kilchoman collect their production water, is one of the loch's major tributaries. Loch Gorm is exclusively matured in oloroso sherry casks from the renowned bodega, Jose Miguel Martin. It is common for distilleries to use a variety of sherry producers but for Kilchoman's consistent quality and character, it is vital that they source them all from just one bodega. Kilchoman select a combination of sherry butts and hogsheads from Jose Miguel Matin that provide two separate styles of maturation. These ex-oloroso sherry casks impart a combination of heavy sherry notes, spicy dark chocolate, rich fruits and burnt sugar. This balances beautifully with the Kilchoman peat smoke and citrus fruits found within the farm crafted spirit.

Bakery Hill is a new Australian venture into the generally exclusive world of Whisky production. We say exclusive, because few distillers outside of Scotland have yet managed to create a whisky that approximates to the quality or style of the Scottish original, or when they have, the whisky has usually relied upon the importation of key ingredients from the ‘homeland’. Bakery Hill’s Single Malts, despite their youth, are very promising initial efforts, and as the spirits spend longer in barrel, one can anticipate some very interesting results. As with classic malts, Bakery Hill uses only malted barley [ from Tasmania ], yeast and water to achieve its flavour and aroma. No caramel is added in order to enhance the appearance. Barrelling at Bakery Hill is done using select second fill American Oak Bourbon barrels. French Oak casks are also used for the production of the classic double wood style. "The malt development on the palate is quite beautiful. A soft distant smokiness adds excellent weight to the lilting malt-oak richness." 46% Alc./Vol. - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2004.

(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.

Ardbeg's Corryvreckan replaced the discontinued Airigh Nam Beist . Unusually dry for Ardbeg, otherwise an utterly brilliant, unique expression of Islay. Tasting note: Dull gold colour with pale straw hue. quite an unusual nose for an Ardbeg. Rich chocolate, vanilla, lemon butter and spice above a smoky salty layer, the only evidence that it's Ardbeg is the end note of terracotta/clay/wet charcoal. With time in the glass, fresh smoky characteristics emerge, but do not dominate. The intense palate is initially rich and creamy, quite heavily peated, rich chocolatey flavours mingle harmoniously with the lemon butter before the unusually overt oak grips dry and the peat explodes - softly! The back palate is dry, firm, overtly oaky, and extremely spicy. Excellent balance at cask strength. Warm, tingly, spicy finish. Lemon, dry cocoa, strong spice and gentle smoke dominate the lengthy aftertaste. Austerely dry by Ardbeg standards but one of their best on record. 57.1% Alc./Vol.