Blackadder RAW CASK is "Whisky as it was". Whisky as it has been. Every drop is "Whisky from the Old School". Blackadder does not believe in chill filtration or the addition of caramel. Instead, they believe that real is best. Blackadder RAW CASK is like any other whisky from Blackadder. But even more than that. They use a special bottling process that means that each bottle contains its own portion of the cask sediment and natural oils and fats to ensure that the greatest possible number of natural flavours are in each individual bottle.

Blackadder RAW CASK is a "Single Cask" whisky as it once was, when whisky was drunk directly from a cask behind the bar. As Blackadder RAW CASK is Cask Strength with a high alcohol content, we recommend that you mix it with almost an equal amount of water. However, as the amount of water added is highly personal, it is your choice how much water you want.

This whisky is part of Cotswolds 'Cask Expressions Collection'. It has been maturing in first fill bourbon barrels. This whisky has notes of creamy honey, vanilla and gentle fruits with a sweet and rounded finish.

Released in 2016, this is a small batch release of Finlaggan which is finished in sherry casks and bottled at 46% vol, for a ripe smoky flavour.

Tasting Notes: 

Nose: rich peat smoke, and big ripe fruits. Old leather and a hint of tobacco.

Palate: Thick chewy peat and rich fruity notes. make and sea salt. Oranges and dried fruits.

Finish: Long and warming. More smoke and fruit.

About this mezcal

Gracias a Dios Cupreata is made in Santiago Matatlan, Oaxaca using roughly 5,000 agave Cupreata that were harvested in Apango, Guerrero. The agave were harvested from the wild and took approximately 10 years to reach maturity. The agave were cooked in an underground pit oven, fermented in pine-wood tubs, and double distilled in copper alembic stills.

Gracias a Dios Mezcal

The team behind Gracias a Dios Mezcal opened a mezcalería in Querétaro, México in 2010. After two years of touring around Mexico in search of mezcal, they met mezcalero Oscar Hernández and were impressed by his mezcal. They decided to create a brand with Oscar and make him an equal partner. Oscar learned how to distill from his mother whose nickname is “La Jefa”.

Aside from a few special releases, Gracias a Dios is made in Santiago Matatlan, Oaxaca. It is 100% artisanal, handmade with piñas from Espadín agave and other varieties, ground and fermented in their own palenque in Santiago Matatlán, and distilled in copper by maestro mezcalero Oscar Hernández Santiago. Their Karwinskii agaves are shredded mechanically, due to the toughness of their fibers, and then tahona-crushed afterwards. All other agave used at this palenque are crushed by horse-drawn tahona only.

The recipe for the Filliers Dry Gin 28 was created in 1928 when Firmin Filliers ran the company. The master distillers refined this secret family recipe in 2012 without compromising the character and origins of this gin. The authentic production process, based on 28 different spice and fresh fruit distillates, still guarantees a premium gin of high quality today.

As the name suggests, this Tribute Gin is an homage to the Filliers family. The original recipe dates back to 1928, when third generation Firmin Filliers ran the company and developed the recipe.

The rich history of this gin is reflected not only in the flavour of the original recipe but also in the form of the original bottle.

At the time, Firmin could obtain the iconic pharmacy bottle through his cousin, a pharmacist in Antwerp, in order to bottle his product. It was an emergency solution at the time because glass was very expensive. A visionary move that still charatarises the Filliers Dry Gin 28 to this day.

The Young & Pure Genever has never been in barrel, which emphasizes the refreshing characteristics of the Genever.

Different aromas complement each other in a clear way, with the freshness of the juniper in the foreground. This makes this Young & Pure Genever ideal for the preparation of gin-based cocktails.

A 2002 Pulteney single malt from independent bottler Hunter Laing that was matured in a single ex-bourbon barrel for 19 years, before being bottled in February 2022 as part of its Old Malt Cask series.

TASTING NOTES:

NOSE: Clean, Citrus, Slightly maritime.

PALATE: Honey sweetness, herbal, white pepper.

FINISH: Long with more sweet herbal.

Taiwanese heavyweight Kavalan, most recently ranked 24^th on the World’s Most Admired Whiskies List by Drinks International, is unveiling the global launch of an all new Kavalan Triple Sherry Cask single malt whisky

• Kavalan is launching a new Triple Sherry single malt bottling featuring a mix of whiskies matured in Oloroso, Pedro-Ximenez, and Moscatel Sherry barrels.
• The distillery describes the whisky as having “characteristics of cinnamon, smoked candied plums and citrus, berry, tropical fruit and longan scents, slightly honey, chocolate and toffee tickle the taste buds cheerfully, just like a supple flamenco dance."
• It will come with an all new packaging which visually expresses the profile of the whisky through intertwining patterns of white, gold and red, which were painted with acrylic, to symbolise the smooth taste of the three Sherry casks used.
• This will be a real balancing act for the Taiwanese distillery as it must avoid becoming overly-sherried, which can be sharp and too intense, whilst drawing out the mellow, honey sweetness from the PX and Moscatel barrels, and the dried fruits from the Oloroso barrels.

Flavour: Ripe, mature berries and dried fruits fill the nose, with fresh scents of grapes and citrus interlaced with chocolate brownie and toffee sweetness. Hints of cinnamon, clover and spiciness, blend into pleasant oakiness and fragrant rosemary.

Palate: Lingering flavours of sherry dried fruits. Warm and smooth with a mellow texture. A lively flamenco dance of candied fruit, caramel, and honey sweetness on the taste buds. Multi-layered and perfectly balanced, it's an unforgettable feast for the palate.

Tasting: Best paired with desserts, dark chocolates, nuts, seafood salads, smoky meats and mildly spicy cuisine.

Taiwanese whisky has been a 'thing' for a while now, since 2008 in fact, but the highly-regarded Kavalan whiskies are now finally available in NZ !!!

KAVALAN Solist Brandy Cask matures in selected first fill brandy casks, which give it its sweet and balanced taste. It is unchill-filtered with no added coloring and is bottled as a single cask at cask strength. Each bottling carries a serial number, cask type and the signature of the master blender.

Tasting Note 

Nose: Peaches and cream, strawberry jam, freshly cut passion fruit, creamy toffee, baking spices and warm honey.

Palate: Tinned peaches, oily with dark toffee, toasted nuts and tropical fruits.

Finish: A long finish of stewed peaches, lychee and cocoa.

The name Kavalan means ‘flatland people’ and is named after the local indigenous tribes who originally inhabited the area. The land on which the distillery sits is known for its cold spring water and salty ocean air and let’s not forget the subtropical heat which helps with accelerated maturation taking the whisky only two years to produce.

“We strive to produce quality and distinctive Taiwanese whisky and we are confident that it will please the whisky connoisseurs worldwide. Kavalan whisky is now available in most European countries and will be launched in the US and Russia very soon. Our goal is to make Kavalan available globally.”- Ian Cheng Kavalan Distillery Master Distiller

The top floors of this warehouse at the distillery can reach up to 108 degrees Fahrenheit, causing an angel’s share of no less than 15% annually. The distilleries most memorable awards coming from the Whisky Magazine’s most prestigious awards Icons of Whisky being named ‘Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year’ in 2011′, The Kavalan Fino being named Asian Whisky of the Year 2013, and The Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique being named 2015 World Whisky of the Year’

The second whisky in the Kavalan Concertmaster series is aged in the distillery’s own special reserve of refill casks, then finished in the Spanish ex Sherry casks. Bottled at 40% abv with no colouring.

Our Tasting Notes

Nose: Tropical fruits of mango and coconut, red fruits of raspberries and cranberries, milk chocolate and creamy vanilla toffee.

Palate: Ripe dark fruits of raisins and figs, toasted walnuts and almond flakes, creme brûlée and strawberry jam.

Finish: Dark chocolate, creamy toffee and red fruits.