Kaiyo is a negotiant bottler started by a drinks group led by former Asahi employee Mr. Watanabe who was able to purchase "teaspooned" malt whisky barrels from an unnamed Japanese whisky supplier via his connections in the industry ("teaspooning" is when a distiller adds a teaspoon of another whisky into the barrel before selling it, thus preventing the purchaser from claiming it as a single malt from that distillery). The whiskies are purchased as teaspooned new make (unaged distillates) and then put into Japanese Mizunara oak barrels from Ariake, considered one of the best manufacturers in the world.

A fruity, zesty and softly-smoky Japanese whisky, matured in mizunara oak casks. Aromas of orange peel, jasmine, soft cedar and coastal air fill the nose. The palate offers notes of earthy coffee, green apples, black tea and fresh herbs, with hints of cinnamon pastries and mango that linger in the finish.

Distillery notes.

Thanks to the forestry commission, sawmill and cooperage in France, we use the finest virgin French oak casks to enhance our whisky.

Layers of complexity and flavour emerge from a maturation journey that begins in American White Oak ex bourbon casks before a portion of the whisky is split between six different virgin oak casks sourced from across various regions of France (Limousin, Troncais, Allier, Vosges, Jupilles & Les Bertranges).

The result is a fruity and spicy whisky with flavours of crème caramel, baked peach and sweet liquorice.

At the top of the House of Hazelwood range sits the 25 Year Old expression, presented beautifully in a bottle and box inspired by 1920s Art Deco design.

Nose: Pancakes and golden syrup, lime, oak furniture and oodles of vanilla.

Palate: Burnt sugar, cut grass, honey'd cereals. A few pinches of exotic spice.

Finish: Drying and quite oak-y.

Celebrating this Chinese New Year, Johnnie Walker Blue Label announces the launch of Year of The Dog.

This limited edition design is inspired by the Dog as a symbol of prosperity and tells the story of Johnnie Walker and his clever canine companion journeying around the world, bringing good fortune to all as they rejoice in the arrival of the new year.

First launched to mark the opening of Johnnie Walker House in China, the coveted collection captures the auspicious delights of the 12 animal signs in the Chinese Zodiac.

Bringing together Scotland?s whisky heritage and stunning Chinese art in perfect harmony, each of the 12 bottles depicts one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. From the Rat to the Dragon and Rooster, each animal is elegantly engraved in 18K gold on Johnnie Walker?s signature square bottles.

First launched to mark the opening of Johnnie Walker House in China, the coveted collection captures the auspicious delights of the 12 animal signs in the Chinese Zodiac.

Bringing together Scotland?s whisky heritage and stunning Chinese art in perfect harmony, each of the 12 bottles depicts one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. From the Rat to the Dragon and Rooster, each animal is elegantly engraved in 18K gold on Johnnie Walker?s signature square bottles.

A lightly coloured young, extremely peaty whisky from an unnamed distillery somewhere in Scotland. It's got the rampant smoke you'd expect from a beastly named whisky as well as a pleasant, citrussy fresh fruitiness. The packaging is pretty striking too, with a scary monster and a (deliberately) singed label. Bottled at 46% and un-chillfiltered, just how we like 'em

46% ABV

Distilled in 1972 and aged in a single sherry butt until August 2015, this is one of 565 bottles produced from cask number 3551. These bottles were released in the Winter 2015 batch of Family Casks.

This eight year old expression was aged in ex-pot still Caribbean rum casks - a first for the distillery. It's a big whisky served at 57.9% with smoke, fruit and the distillery's trademark peppery spice and meatiness all singing in harmony. Smoke, molasses and stewed tropical fruits on the nose align nicely with the palate leading to a feisty, spicy finish.

Love gin but fret about the environmental impact of distilling? Look no further for your spiced gin of choice! Cuckoo Spiced Gin is made at the Brindle Distillery, which uses local raw materials as far as possible, and botanicals are from ethical and sustainable sources. The still (known as Maggie) is powered by biomass boilers, and byproducts are transformed into all kinds of animal feed or compost. What about the gin? If warming spices take your fancy, make space in your gin cabinet and get some Cuckoo in with haste. It's even made with Tellicherry black pepper, thought by some to be the finest the world has seen!

Tasting Notes: 

Gorgeous warming spices are pleasingly prominent on nose and palate – think: cinnamon, clove ginger and black peppercorns. Floral notes provide balance, with rose and jasmine most apparent. Try it with ginger beer!

Four Pillars Spiced Negroni Gin is a highly aromatic, rich and (yes) spicy gin with great power and intensity. First, we took our base botanicals and upped the amount of Tasmanian pepperberry leaf and cinnamon. Then we added an exotic West African spice called Grains of Paradise. This is one of the most unusual spices in the world, with clove and sichuan characters. But although very powerful, the spice tends to glow rather than become hot.

Four Pillars are an Australian distillery with a focus on the craft of distilling. This gift box comes with three 200ml bottles of Four Pillars gin. Contains:

- The original Rare Dry Gin

- The Bloody Shiraz Gin

- The Olive Leaf Gin

Macon is the southernmost terroir in the Bourgogne wine region. The warmer Southern climate produces richer, fruitier Chardonnay's in comparison to the wider region. The M?connais white wines are floral and fruity on the nose and rich and well structured, but with good acidity. 

This Chardonnay is made to be drunk young. The nose shows floral aromas and a distinct freshness. On the palate, the wine is vibrant and fruity with balanced acidity. This is an extremely food friendly and versatile wine.

The finger limes highlight the Asian spices like coriander and star anise, and are complemented by the fresh ginger. Then turmeric adds weight to the palate and a fresh but earthy quality, not unlike dill.

The resulting gin has lifted aromatics of lime curd, pine needles, and fragrant spices with a vanilla character which pulls it all together. The palate is intense - sweet and juicy - but it is still very clean.