The 2022 Diageo Special & Rare collection is known as "Elusive Expressions", drawn from some of Scotland’s most interesting, legendary distilleries and curated by Master Blender Dr Craig Wilson, portrays the otherworldly beings which have fiercely protected the heartlands of remote Scottish distilleries for an eternity, according to our ancient fables and the mythical creatures come to life revealing their true characters. This year each bottle has its own unique QR code which, when scanned, takes you on a multi-sensory experience that tells you the story of the whisky, the mythical creature behind the artwork, and gives you some tasting notes to prompt your nose and palate along the way. The label artwork follows almost as a sequel to the 2021 range, revolving once again around the theme of mythical beasts and stories. Illustrator, Ken Taylor, returns again and is joined this year by digital visualisation artist, Kevin Tong. The Singleton of Glendullan 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky 700ml (Special Release 2022) was matured in refill American and European oak, then finished in ex-wine casks. The nose on this is soft, delicate, and complex. Given time and patience, it grows and expands into a kaleidoscope of aromas that are as diverse as they are many. Grassy, floral, fruity, malty, sweet, and even a touch of oak – it’s all here. And that’s just the nose! On the palate, the whisky has that classic highland Glen Ord austerity, with the wine cask influence introducing some drying tannins and fruitiness.

Maker's Mark is a unique and full-flavoured, hand-made Bourbon, made using the old-style sour-mash method and sealed with the iconic red wax.

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.

The team behind Morris Distillery has over six generations of craftsmanship in winemaking, blending and aging passed down through bloodline. This has allowed them to really master the production of the truly remarkable flavour in their Australian Single Malt Whisky. Maturated in a combination of French and American oak ex-Australian red wine casks and finished in barrels that have held our Morris of Rutherglen 10yr-Aged Amber Apera (Sherry). The Aged Amber is a full flor fino, produced predominantly from the Palomino grape. It exhibits a drier style, showing elegance and complexity from years of long-term aging in cask, making it a beautiful compliment to the whisky. The result is a well integrated and very approachable Australian single malt which the broad whisky consumer can embrace. A nose of Spun toffee, baked fruit flan with peach compote and fresh sherry cask notes. A well-structured whisky with subtle spice, toasted nut and clean oak characters, candied lemon with gentle sage and marjoram herbal notes.

Balanced, rich and elegant, The Glenlivet 18 Year Old single malt scotch whisky that’s made for special occasions. Over the course of 18 years, our Master Distiller, Alan Winchester, takes this expression through a combination of cask types, including both first and second-fill American oak (for tropical fruitiness) and ex-sherry oak (for spicy complexity). The result of this deft navigation of the distilling arts is a gorgeous single malt scotch whisky that is complex, yet elegant and balanced. The Glenlivet 18 Year Old has won more awards than any other expression; every bottle is a true example of the quality and taste of The Glenlivet and deserves pride of place in your cabinet… perhaps to be held back for a fitting occasion? It is, after all, crafted to impress. Flavour: Ripe citrus, winter spice. Nose: Rich fruit, toffee

"One for no age statement naysayers... Eloquent & beautiful." - whiskyadvocate.com Back in 2015, Nikka announced they were discontinuing their age statement and No Age Statement (NAS) releases for the Yoichi and Miyagikyo labels and consolidating them into two new bottlings. These whiskies have now arrived in Australia. Two NAS versions that differ slightly to the previous versions now represent the entire portfolio. It was yet another move that triggered a buying rush. Reports have it that Tokyo is now pretty much out of age statement Japanese whiskies, unless you visit bars or auction houses. Nikka's reasons for the radical new strategy are now familiar. They simply have no old stocks to sell. Decades ago, both local and world demand for Japanese malts was low, so few barrels were being laid down for extended periods. Stefan Van Eycken, writing for www.nonjatta.com explains "...there were years, at both Yoichi and Miyagikyo distillery, when the barrels laid down for maturation could be counted on the fingers of one hand. The ‘stock shortage’ is not an excuse or a PR stunt – it’s very real. Sources within Nikka have said that it is ‘likely’ that age-statement single malts will be brought back in 5 or 6 years’ time. No official statement to that effect has been made for the simple reason that doing so – in Japan – would be interpreted as a promise (which could come back to haunt them in 6 years’ time)." The dropping of age statements doesn't always translate into a drop in quality. Early reviews for both releases have been very positive. Evidently, Chief blender Tadashi Sakuma has risen to the challenge of creating a great assemblage from a restricted inventory.

The White Oak distillery is perhaps the least known of Japan’s whisky producers, but it has a legitimate claim to be the country’s oldest with a license to make whisky granted in 1919 — four years before Yamazaki was built. It's located in the city of Akashi in Hyogo Prefecture, west of Kobe, facing the Seto Inland Sea. The distillery was founded by Eigashima Shuzo in 1888 to produce sake. Eigashima Shuzo obtained a license to manufacture whisky in 1919, but it was when the company moved to their current facilities in 1984 that White Oak Distillery was born. White Oak’s whisky stills are only in operation for one month every year and so their production is very small. Most of it's blended whisky, but when the single malts do come on the market the whisky is named ‘Akashi’ after its hometown. The first Akashi release was in 2007. This 'No Age Statement' bottling is a new product for White Oak, released in September 2012. It's a blend of 7 YO, 5 YO & 4 YO malts from 3 types of cask. The intention is for this to become the distillery's 'house' expression. This release is limited to 4500 bottles. Non chill filtered and no colouring added. No tasting notes available.

Suntory Whisky was founded in 1923 by Shinjiro Torii. For over three generations, Suntory's master blenders have devoted themselves to pursuing the harmony of Japanese nature and craftsmanship. Shaped through masterful technique and served with a reverence for Japanese omotenashi, Suntory whiskies are among the most awarded and admired in the world. Hibiki is the paragon of harmony - launched in 1989 to commemorate Suntory's philosophy on living in harmony with people and nature. The name Hibiki means "resonance" in Japanese. Suntory Whisky Hibiki resonates with the subtleties of nature infused by the twenty-four reasons of Japan's traditional calendar and reflected in the twenty-four facets of its bottle's designs. Hibiki is a noble blend of innumerous malt and grain whiskies from Suntory's globally acclaimed Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita distilleries. These whiskies are meticulously blended to created a sense of "wa" - a oneness which unveils a full orchestra of flavours and aroma. Hibiki is embraced as an icon of Japanese luxury from the award winning House of Suntory Whisky.

Note: Product has come from a private collection and as such has some light creasing/scuffing/scratches/handling marks. Actual product not pictured. DISCONTINUED. Following Suntory's lead, Nikka has discontinued its lines of extra-aged whiskies, with some reports that the shortage could last up to a decade before the taps are turned back on. Winner World's Best Blended Malt at the 2018 World Whisky Awards. Nikka's range of blended, pure malt and single malt whiskies will be exciting new discoveries for any Whisky enthusiast. This now discontinued 17 Year Old bottling is dedicated to the Father of the Japanese Whisky Industry, Masataka Taketsuru. The tale of Taketsuru's life is of the same fabric legends are made of. Sent in 1918 as young apprentice to Scotland by his Japanese employers to crack the secrets of Whisky, he not only came back with that knowledge but also with Rita Taketsuru (nee Cowan), who went on playing a decisive role in the development of the Japanese Whisky industry. Thanks to her connection to Japanese high society, Masataka was able to finance the company that is now known as Nikka Whisky. Forward a century later, Taketsuru 17 yo is awarded the Best Blended Whisky at the World Whisky awards 2012 and 2018, a fitting crown for this blend of Malts from the two Nikka distilleries, Yoichi and Miyagikyo.

While some prefer Port Charlotte, you have to admit Octomore is rarely ever boring. We're now into the lucky thirteens of what is arguably the most heavily peated whisky in regular production. There are three variants on offer in this batch. 13.1 is a 5 year old (as usual), bourbon-barreled, and peated to 137.8ppm of phenols. Distilled in 2016 from a 2015 harvest, like all the other .1 editions, it's made using Scottish mainland barley. 59.2% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.