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.

Dalmore, located on the northern shores of the Firth of Cromarty, deep in the Scottish Highlands has been making single malt whiskies since 1839 and the bottles still bear the stag crest of the Clan Mackenzie. Their Cigar Malt Reserve is a wonderful blend of three different oak types of 10-15 year old whiskies. White American oak, 30 year old Matusalem Olorosso Sherry casks and Premier Cru Cabernet Sauvignon wine barriques. The final blend has an enveloping aroma and flavour of the finest hand-made cigars; rich and smoky and extremely long lasting.

To create its well rounded flavour, Glenmorangie 18-Year-Old Extremely Rare Malt spends fifteen years maturing in American white oak casks, then approximately 30% is transferred into Spanish Oloroso casks for a further three years. Then both elements are blended back together to create a whisky with a rich bouquet and full, rounded flavour.

Since 1896 all Mortlach whiskies have been 2.81 distilled. Unlike with any other whisky, our spirit criss-crosses between six copper stills of completely different silhouettes 0.81 more times than is Scotch tradition. It is an exact science graced with a touch of magic from The Wee Witchie.The Wee Witchie is the smallest of our six stills. Since it was first forged more than 120 years ago we have fastidiously ensured every dent and detail remains unchanged because it is within this copper chamber that the specific richness of taste which has earned Mortlach the reputation as The Beast of Dufftown is created. We dedicate this 12 year old Single Malt Scotch Whisky to the still that bears the beast. It has been double cask matured in both European and American oak to enhance the distinctively rich and robust character that makes Mortlach whiskies legendary.

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.

Matured exclusively in the finest sherry oak casks. Vibrant summer fruits burst on the palate, followed by a rewardingly long finish. Natural colour and un-chillfiltered.

Another Ardbeg Day release arrives, bottled once and never to be repeated. This time around, it's created with roasted black malt - a first for Ardbeg. Incinerated to within an inch of its life, the malt defines the profile contributing charcoal and sweet smoke, aniseed and dark chocolate for a memorable Islay experience. Trumping past releases, Ardbeg's marketing department has gone to considerable lengths for the new edition, this time focusing on the brand’s alleged punk past, with Islay’s main port, Port Ellen, going by the nickname ‘Punk Ellen’ in the 1970s. (There was even a punk posse led by the local hotelier's daughter, which reached as many as three at the height of its notoriety). Meanwhile, Ardbeg’s head of distilling and whisky creation, Dr. Bill Lumsden, describes the flavour as being “like biting on a spiky ball.” Collectors will love it, with the story and presentation being a hook for followers of the brand. The limited edition main release has landed (as opposed to the even more limited Committee Release) and as is always the case, it comes bottled at 46% and non chill filtered. The first sniffs bring young distillate to the fore, so from a fresh bottle give this a good ten minutes and you'll get a moderate lift of menthol-infused peat that also hints at anise, fennel and rye bread receding into sweeter smoke and vanilla malt with further air contact. It's medium bodied and sweetly peaty (think Caol Ila); hints of Elastoplast mingle with chocolate sponge cake and sprinklings of pepper; the finish is ashy and warming with citrus tang lacing late malt sweetness. Overall, in spite of the presentation and marketing, this is much more civilised and approachable than you might expect. Notes from the producers... Spicy and savoury, Ardcore grips the senses with waves of marmite, burnt toast, chicory charcoal and infused coffee grounds making for a mosh pit in the glass. Like a safety pin through the septum, a classic Ardbeg herbal top note is present, while swirling, smoky bonfire and molasses loiter backstage. TASTE: A jaw dropping spicy and fiery mouthfeel leads to an explosion of rich, smoky flavours – cocoa powder, dark chocolate, peanut brittle toffee, smoked lime and a suggestion of soot and bonfire embers all pogo in unison on the palate. Amped up aniseed and malty biscuit elbow their way to the fore, punkturing taste buds. FINISH: In an altogether sweeter finish, long, lingering notes of treacle toffee, soot and smoke make for an anarchic, but delicious, aftertaste.

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.

Note: New blue packaging, not old brown packaging. While the twelve year old is a relatively non-descript malt, older Glenfiddich bottlings are now gaining high praise including one award as the world's best single malt Scotch whisky. However, as a representation of the house style, the 18 year old pretty much nails it. Always a centre-piece of the portfolio, the company has further emphasised its place by redesigning the packaging to give it a more superior look than its 12- and 15-year-old stablemates. The Glenfiddich distillery lies on the river whose name it bears. 'Fiddich' refers to the fact that the river runs through a valley inhabited by deers – hence the company's logo which features a stag. A proportion of the whisky in this version of Glenfiddich is supposedly even older than the label suggests. Tasting note: Deep gold colour. Moderate aromas include honey, clove and vanilla laced malt. On the palate, dried apricots and spice are augmented by soft peat, adding depth to the toasty malt. Plush mouth feel. Clean, dried fruit and spice finish. Rich and round, in the mainstream of Sherry influenced malts. 40% Alc./Vol.