Sauternes is the famous French dessert wine made from botrytised grapes (that's grapes that have essentially gone a bit mouldy in the vineyard and thus shrivelled up and become more concentrated and sweet). In wine it famously adds flavours of marmalade and this really does shine through on the nose and palate of this whisky. This expression is considered one of the best of the wood finish series from Glenmorangie.

Producer's Tasting Notes

AROMA
Tempted by the aromas wafting through the door of a French patisserie, you step inside to discover a tangy tarte au citron with its crisp pastry case and smooth lemony cream topping. Next to it is with its fluffy sponginess and milky vanilla aroma is a Genoise cake decorate with crystallised lime and orange peel. You can smell plump juicy sultanas, dates, warming ginger, coconut and nutmeg. In the background, gingerbread is baking in a wood-burning oven. Slip some water into the whisky to release the frothiness of lemon meringue pie and the rich aroma of baking fruitcake and warm gingerbread drizzled with crème anglaise

TASTE
The smooth, melting creaminess of lemon tart leaves the mouth full of citrus tang that gives way to crème caramel and zesty lime. This is replaced by warming ginger coupled with the mellow nutty flavours of nutmeg and toasted almonds that add warmth and chewiness that melts into oozing lemon meringue and melting honeycomb.

FINISH
Languid and sweet with lemon zest, vanilla cream and delicate hints of ginger and nutmeg

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.

The Isle of Jura is nestled off the west coast of Scotland. It's a place rich in legend yet shrouded in mystery. A place where good fortune holds a bewitching grip over the islanders, and the three highly distinctive Paps of Jura cast a long and foreboding shadow over the landscape. It’s a magical haven where a sense of solitude is all-pervading: one road, one distillery, one community. There is no whisky and no island quite like Jura.

This 18 year old completes the all new, revamped Jura line up and has been matured in a combination of ex Bourbon and former red wine casks. Richer and fuller bodied than its siblings this expression has warming aromas of toffee, tropical fruits and cinnamon; followed by flavours of black forest fruit, dark chocolate and hints of coffee in the finish.

One of four new Fettercairn expressions to be launched in August 2018, the Fettercairn 12 Year Old was intended to embody the distillery’s floral and exotic fruit-driven character. It was matured in American oak ex-Bourbon casks and bottled at 40% ABV.

Nose: Refreshing nectarine, white flowers and milk chocolate emerge initially. Black toffee and subtle roasted coffee provide darker notes underneath,

Palate: Tropical fruit and sticky Jamaican ginger cake add a sweet and spicy depth which a flicker of bitter herbs and vanilla complement.

Finish: Orchard fruits and soft spices linger.

A limited edition bottling of Scallywag blended malt from Douglas Laing, released in celebration of the company's 70th anniversary. The fact that this expression is a 10 year old blended malt is not a coincidence - in dog years, it would be 70 year old. The cheeky fox terrier on the label even has the monocle to prove it.

46% ABV

An indulgent smooth single malt matured in American white oak ex-bourbon casks and aged Tawny Port pipes. These casks were sourced from well-known port producer W&J Graham's

Nose: Clove-studded orange, raspberry and prune.

Palate: Chocolatey at first, before waves of dried fruit and stem ginger notes appear. A touch of earthy bitterness develops later on, balanced by runny honey.

Finish: Roast chestnuts, gingerbread and tobacco.

This Speyside single malt has been matured in a combination of American oak casks and a variety of sherry casks. This is a fruity, rich whisky with aromas of raisins, orange and vanilla. The palate offers notes of dried fruits, warm spices and rich caramel.

40% ABV

The whisky that kicks off the Glenlivet range, one of the oldest and most reputable distilleries in Speyside. Named in honour of the distillery's founder, George Smith. It's classic Glenlivet, with a creamy and fruity character bolstered by the use of first-fill American oak to mature some of the whisky.

Burgundy Chardonnay barrels were used for the maturation of this Speyside whisky. The result is a fresh, clean Speyside with noticeable Chardonnay notes of butter, citrus and vanilla. This is an excellent value whisky.

From Dufftown on the banks of the River Fiddich, The Singleton of Glendullan is, much like House Tully, a product of the Riverlands – just with a lower-case 'r'. A sweet and fruity dram, this single malt is heaving with vanilla, chocolate and cereal notes, all lifted by a lively spice.

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%

Single malt Scotch whisky from the Knockando distillery in the prolific Speyside region, aged for a dozen years before being bottled. Interestingly, they seem to have done away with including the vintage for this bottling...

Nose: Banana chips, honey'd barley and a few fleeting floral flourishes.

Palate: Cadbury Fingers, brown bread with butter, sultanas and honeydew melon.

Finish: A slow build-up of cinnamon and black pepper.

Glenmorangie gathers the silky, fruity spirit from their giraffe-high stills and let it steep in American oak casks. No less than 15 years later, a portion goes into Oloroso sherry casks for three more years.

Once 18 years have passed, the two spirits are reunited to create a warm balance of sweet, floral lushness. Rich marmalade flavours brush against honey and fig, touches of caramelized orange and far-off campfire smoke.