Aged in oak casks for at least sixteen years, this much sought-after single malt has the massive peat-smoke that's typical of southern Islay - but also offering a dryness that turns it into a truly interesting dram.

Nose - A thick coating of peat isn't enough to cover a soft, oaky background. Iodine appears alongside a pear-fruity sweetness. Delicate for a whisky so big.

Palate - Continuous gentle waves of dry peat lap upon the taste buds but are balanced by a sweet malt middle and the most hesitant of vanillas. 

Finish - Long and peaty, the shy vanilla now begins to show as the oak adds a certain dryness. Comment A gentle giant.

Source Jim Murray

Caol Ila is one of Islay's best loved distilleries and this 12 year old is their entry level bottling.

This expression is light and fresh with that distinctive Caol Ila smoke and notes of zesty limoncello. A perfect introduction to the joys of Islay malt and the mercurial qualities of peat smoked whisky.

Created by Jim McEwan from whisky matured in a multitude of different American oak casks, and chosen to represent the classic, unpeated distillery style. Bruichladdich's new signature bottling is made with 100% Scottish barley.

Nose: Elegantly sweet with honeyed barley, boiled sweets and orange petals. Wafts of sea air and a splash of sulphur.

Palate: Red apples and white grapes, with touches of sweet cinnamon and brown sugar. Still softly coastal.

Finish: Mineral-rich malt, with toffee and more honey.

Islay is mostly known for big, peaty, smoky whisky. Well, Bowmore is a little more dialled back, making it a balanced whisky featuring all those things you love about Islay, just in a more subtle way.Drink with: A splash of water if required.Established in 1779, Bowmore is the oldest legal distillery on Islay and one of the earliest in all Scotland. Located geographically and stylistically between the gentle whiskies to the north and the more powerful malts to the south of the island, Bowmore possesses a balance that ever-intrigues whisky aficionados. The malt is peated for a shorter period than with the stronger Islays, and the use of around a third of the casks for maturation being oloroso sherry contributes to its aromatic complexity and finesse. The past few years have seen Interest in Bowmore grow astoundingly.?

At just 5 years old, this feisty and intensely powerful smoky whisky, is untamed by age.

From elusive sea creatures to eerie hillside half-breeds, the Ardbeg Distillery has a history of exploring inexplicable legends in their bottlings. However, this next unearthly expression is said to have emerged from the peat bogs of Islay themselves. Ardbeg Wee Beastie has been described as a ‘monster of a dram’… with a formidable bite. 

Matured in ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks, Wee Beastie bristles with intense aromas of cracked black pepper, sappy pine resin and sharp tangs of smoke. An explosive mouthfeel bursts forth with chocolate, creosote and tar. As savoury meats sink into the palate, the long salty mouth coating finish slinks away.

Aroma: Very fresh, herbal, with hints of vanilla, pear, freshly cracked black pepper and
honey-glazed ham. Rich Turkish coffee, sappy pine resin. With water, more herbal notes like vetiver and fennel, along with aniseed, green apple and leather.

Taste: A rich, explosive mouthfeel with lots of chocolate, tar, creosote and smoked bacon,
followed by a burst of antiseptic lozenges, eucalyptus and more aniseed.

Finish: A long, salty and mouthcoating finish with hints of cocoa, fudge and savoury meats.

Casks: Ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry

With a rich sherry influence and aromas of fruit and nuts, this malt is guaranteed to transport you back to the shore at Bunnahabhain.

An Cladach, meaning ‘The Shore’ in Scots Gaelic, is as exquisitely layered and complex as its predecessors from the same range and as sweet and sherried as you would expect of a Bunnahabhain.

Un-chillfiltered / Natural colour

50% abv

Prepare to snatch the cloak from our latest  limited edition and reveal to the world the  palate-provoking, taste-tantalising, whisky wonder that is Ardbeg Spectacular.  A first for Ardbeg, this whisky has been  matured in highly sought-after port wine casks, then married with classic bourbon barrels creating an extraordinarily smoky and balanced Ardbeg dram that imparts all  manner of peculiar notes and aromas. This is  devilish sweet meets smoky peat!

Tasting Notes: Smoky pear crumble and cooling  menthol twist into notes of incense candles, perfumed  lavender and antique leather.

Cask Type: Matured in highly sought-after port wine  casks and classic ex-bourbon barrels

Ardbeg An Oa is singularly rounded, due in no small part to time spent in our newly established bespoke oak Gathering Vat where whiskies from several cask types - including; sweet Pedro Ximenez; spicy virgin charred oak; and intense ex-bourbon casks, amongst others - familiarise themselves with each other. The result is a dram with smoky power, mellowed by a delectable, smooth sweetness. Hallmark Ardbeg peat, dark chocolate and aniseed are wrapped in smooth, silky butterscotch, black pepper and clove, before rising to an intense crescendo of flavour.

Non chill-filtered with a strength of 46.6% ABV.

Source - Ardbeg

Kilchoman - Machir Bay, named after the isle of Islay’s most spectacular beach, is a vatting of Kilchoman whisky matured in both bourbon and sherry casks. The high proportion of bourbon barrels creating a distinct balance of classic Islay character and fresh floral complexity.

This expression offers an irresistible doubling of flavour due to the double maturation in two casks made of American oak.

Still-maturing whisky from our standard ex-bourbon barrels is transferred to quarter casks and left to rest in our warehouse just a stone’s throw from the Atlantic shore.

This process represents Laphroaig breathing new life into a once-defunct tradition: the use of the smaller cask size, which ensures increased contact with the oak, creating a soft and velvety edge to complement Laphroaig’s distinctive peatiness.

On the nose the sensation is toffee and caramel, caused by the vanillas and tannins of the American oak, plus a dryness from the wood oil.

The finish is long and alternates between this sweetness and smoke.

Ardbeg BizarreBQ Limited Edition is the Distillery's first ever barbecue-inspired whisky.

From the eccentric and experimental mind of Dr Bill Lumsden, Director of Whisky
Creation, and in collaboration with grilling guru, Christian Stevenson (AKA DJ BBQ), this single malt was made to pack a meaty, peaty punch.

The same way it is with grilling, there's one vital element in creating the first BBQ-inspired malt fire. Toasting a selection of three casks, double charred oak casks, Pedro Ximenez sherry casks and BBQ casks, this combined recipe comes together to bring a sweet, tangy, smoky flavour perfect for BBQ!

Aroma - Puffs of charcoal and soot mingle with smoky wood and aromatic herbs and spices. Treacle toffee, hickory smoked ham and cinnamon-dusted espresso rise up.

A splash of water releases distinctively sharp citrus aromas, along with herbal notes such as fennel and aniseed. Grilled artichokes and a suggestion of seared meat sizzles the senses. The undeniable smell of bonfire and BBQ embers lingers in the background.

Taste - The mouthfeel is alive with spice, like BBQ ribs smothered in chilli. A myriad of deep, warming smoke follows close behind in flame-grilled steak, chilli oil, cured leather and clove. Ginger, aniseed and tar crackle on the palate with an aromatic woodsmoke edge.

Finish - The massive, hot aftertaste lingers on and on, with more grilled artichoke, black olives and a sooty note that slowly simmers away.

Ardbeg Uigeadail (pronounced Oog-a-dal), takes its name from the brooding mysterious loch which provides the peat-laden water for Ardbeg.  This is a special vatting of different styles of Ardbeg, marrying together its traditional deep, smoky notes with the luscious, sweet, raisiny tones of old ex-Sherry casks.

This second edition in the collection has been aged for 14 years in a marriage of aromatic Madeira casks and classic Ardbeg bourbon.

The influence of these rare Madeira casks is undeniable. In a dram where peat meets sweet, syrupy sponge pudding and tropical baked fruits mingle with peat smoke, cedarwood, and camphor. A rare breed of Ardbeg indeed.

Colour:
Pure Gold

Aroma:
Rich, sweet, aromatic, and fruity, baked banana bread and syrupy sponge pudding fill the senses. Notes of treacle trot into a distinctive whiff of burning cedarwood.
A splash of water releases a bounty of tropical fruits. Eucalyptus oil mingles with soft aromatic smoke.

Taste:
Zesty notes of lime and sweet peaches canter across the palate. A burst of rich smoked fruit and baked bread prance into antiseptic lozenges, creosote, and aniseed. Soft barley malt combines with nutmeg and peat smoke.

Finish:
The influence of these rare Madeira casks is undeniable. A whimsically smoky finish welcomes a long and lingering aftertaste of menthol, clove, wood smoke and camphor.

SAMAROLI ISLAY
SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
BOTTLED IN SCOTLAND IN 2023

Our eye - or better our nose - dwells on this youngster, allowing us to bottle yet another iteration of our philosophy of Islay, the queen of Scotland. We stand before a young, arrogant and daring Caol Ila. Despite its youth, the mastery conferred by wood presents us with a slightly peaty note. In addition, we sense shy hints of yeast, butter and smoked meats reminiscent of our hearth after last night’s fire is spent. And now almond, hazelnut and candied fruit. 

The saline plane surprises us in terms of equilibrium and harmony. Suggestions of herring and anchovy, a classic marina scent with flashes of the mineral. Those caper bushes descending towards the Sicilian sea are now evoked. To the right the Pillars of Heracles. To the left, the mysterious and intriguing East. There is a narrow border between the ocean and the sky which is lighter and therefore easy to identify. Some may say that Brittany is where we can best learn to distinguish this.

A.W.B. 

COMPOSITION: 3 casks of Caol Ila 2013 - Hogshead - Refill Bourbon
BOTTLES PRODUCED: 1104
ABV: 45%