With a wholemeal and honey quality to the nose and the odd smoky tangent. A sweet, fruity core and a long round finish. Dalwhinnie has a little bit of everything, peat, honey and backbone. A classic malt for everyone.

This peaty Single Malt dates back to 1816, when John Johnston and Archibald Campbell each constructed a distillery on what today is the Lagavulin site. After Johnston died, Campbell consolidated the two, before selling it to malt merchant Alexander Graham. Today it continues to uphold the traditions of its past, using meticulous preparation to create powerful whisky. Their signature 16 year old malt has a strong peat, smoke and seaweed nose that is followed by a nutty complexity and light fruitiness. In the mouth characters of Charcoal, dry woodiness and iodine followed by chilli chocolate and a hint of toffee.

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.

A beautiful Scotch showing a magnificent balance between malt and peat. Aged for 14 years, slightly longer than most at the same price point, Oban is a whisky for those who love their Scotch's rich, smooth and intense.

Aged in ex-bourbon casks before being finished in sherry casks. Double Wood is an excellent example of what the Balvenie distillery can craft, even at 12 years.

The anticipated second release of Bruichladdich Port Charlotte 10 year old. The smouldering heat of peat and dark fruit is finessed by floral top notes, a twist of citrus and mellow oak. Full term in first-fill bourbon, sherry, tempranillo and French wine casks for a decade or more. Bottled at 50% alc. vol. using Islay Spring water. Heavily peated Islay Single malt - 40ppm. 18,000 individually numbered bottles only.

Co-created by one of Scotland’s most awarded Master Distillers, Jim McEwan, together with Cape Byron Distillery Co-founder and distiller Eddie Brook are two new Australian takes on a classic Scottish single malt. Many readers will already know of Jim McEwan who has more than fifty years of experience in the whisky business, having worked at Bowmore for 38 years, before overseeing the rebirth of Bruichladdich and most recently helping to get new Islay distillery, Ardnahoe, off the ground. Two editions are on offer: A Chardonnay barrelled limited edition, and this, the Cape Byron 'Original', aged in Scotland's traditional vessel of choice: American oak x-Bourbon casks. Says Brook, “They go together like a match made in heaven. [The whisky is] not overly dominated by the oak, it’s letting the spirit sing, and we’re seeing this marriage.” What partly accounts for the distinctive style is that the pair have resisted the temptation to use smaller barrels to ‘accelerate’ the ageing process. It's the opposite approach of most Australian distillers. “...We’ve got this climate that gives us faster maturation. Now that’s great, but it can also get too much, you can get too much tannin and then over-oaking in your whisky, ” Brook explains. "To avoid this, we only mature in full format barrels, between 200 to 300 litres in size". Specially designed warehousing facilities further offset Byron’s temperature extremes. According to McEwan, another factor is the distillery's proximity to the coast. “Walk down the barrel room... you’re getting that marine character and influence coming through" he says. "That moisture is falling on the oak staves, and slowly but surely, there’ll be a residue of salt and eventually as the whisky moves in and out, as the temperature increases, the alcohol will expand and it will touch the salt, and pull it back, and that brings a unique marine freshness to the spirit – quite different from anything else...” No surprise that McEwan reckons fans of Bruichladdich might taste some similarities in the Cape Byron spirit. “They’re not dissimilar. There’s no peat, [Eddie’s] using American oak, I used a lot of American oak Bourbon casks as well. I’ve used wine casks – and you’ve got all the wine casks there. There’s a similarity there between what I was doing in Islay and what Eddie’s doing here." As for the taste? Can't say there are many like this - either here or abroad - but you can appreciate why McEwen draws comparisons with Bruichladdich. Cape Byron's Original is a creamy, near voluptuous malt that defies its age. Peaches and cream come through with sweet barley and shortbread on the nose. The co-mingling of dried mango and juicy malt with the Bourbon vanilla aspects is nicely done, and there's a spicy edge adding vibrancy. At the finish, more peaches and cream, dried mango and a little grilled pineapple, pepper and coastal freshness develop. It's a whisky less about overt complexity, all about generous mouthfeel and precocious flavour. No doubt that equation will change over time. Right now, the creative forces behind the project have guaranteed one of the more compelling Aussie releases in recent years. Matured for three years in 200 litre ex-Buffalo Trace Bourbon casks. 47% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. Batch 001 tasted. Notes from the producers... The colour of a Byron Bay sunset. The palate offers soft vanilla, creme brulee and biscotti characters, layered over distinct notes of pear, coconut and buttery macadamia.

Dalwhinnie is the highest of all the distillers in Scotland and place so to take advantage of the cleanest springwater possible. Dalwhinnie has a smokey, floral aroma and a delicate palate of heather and honed malt. A serious Whisky, yet approachable to the beginners.

Chivas Regal 18 Year Old has been created by using whiskies matured for at least 18 years which has resulted in this very special Whisky. Exceptional richness with aromas of buttery toffee, dark chocolate and dried fruit. Hints of spices and smoke combine to produce a long, warm finish.

The Macallan 12 Year Old Double Cask is the perfect balance of 100% sherry seasoned American and European oak, a marriage of 2 wood types. Smooth, sweet and balanced. The defining style is American oak - citrus and light oak balanced by the expected Macallan character of rich fruit and wood spice.