Single Cask Club
Tasting Notes
October, nights are fair drawin in! Rowan trees are full, and the farmers are whispering we’re in for a harsh winter... I best get some big sherry bombs and restorative drams in the wings to keep everyone warm.
Some new releases to the website you may not have seen. 2 brand new Single Cask releases from Ballindalloch firstly an Oloroso Sherry Butt and a First-fill Bourbon Hoghead. Only their second releases of Single Cask juice and it's just as good as the first!
Hearach Oloroso Sherry – in-store and online. Think dark chocolate and honeycomb with a light layer of peat.
Raasay Dun Cana – Raasay Oloroso Sherry release. More Salinity then the Hearach and a bit more of a bite.
Lochlea Fallow Edition 2024 – you guessed it something something Oloroso sherry Cask, something something PX.... Its juicy, Raisin'd with bags of muscovado sugar.
Both drams this month are from our pals Morrison Distillers and their Carn Mor Strictly Limited Range... But will there be Oloroso...?
Dram 1 - Glen Elgin - First - Fill Bourbon
Glen Elgin First-Fill Bourbon. Getting sweetness but not from sherry... a complicated distillery based in Fogwatt just South of Elgin, very near BenRiach for reference. A lovely fruity spirit created using a clear wart, a 90-hour fermentation, a slow distillation to clear out the sulphur and then using worm tub condensers to add weight and meatiness at the end. Currently owned by Diagio and a big component in White Horse blend, a classic for the club – Not often seen as a full single malt! Lovely!
(although I do currently have 2 other single cask, cask strength Glen Elgin’s in....)
Distilled in 2017 and bottled in 2024 as a 6-year-old after a full matuation in first-fill bourbon, bottled at 47.5% ABV with an outrun of 648 bottles. Pear drops, barley and green apple citrus fill the nose. The palate is sweet and bright with a meaty back bone which gives touches of vanilla and toffee, the finish is a lovely lingering sweet freshness with the occasional waft of oak.
A great little dram!
Shelf price £53.50
Club price £48.15
Dram 2- Dalmunach Oloroso Sherry Butt
Dalmunch, built on the former site of the Imperial distillery on the North bank of the River Spey. Dailiaune to just across the river to one side and Glenfarclas to the other, so we’re right in the guts of it all! Owned by Pernot Ricard the during the boom of 2013 they were deciding what to do with the Imperial site that had laid dormant for some time and came to the decision instead of a complete overhaul they’d knock it down and start again... Very French. So in 2013 lead by a chap called Douglas Cruickshank who happened to have his first job in the whisky industry aged 15 at Imperial lead the way. The red Aberdeen brick was kept to create a sympathtic entrance and the wood from the Washback’s has been used to clad the walls in the Tun room. Doesn’t effect what the Whisky tastes like though does it! Now Dalmunach is a fairly large distillery with 16 stainless steel wash backs, a fermentation of 54 hours and onion/tulip shaped stills together this helps create a meaty and heavy spirit.
And you know what heavy spirit is perfect for...? OLOROSO SHERRY!! YAY
This dram was distilled in 2015, bottled in 2024 as an 8-year-old after a full maturation in first-fill Oloroso Sherry Butt’s with an outrun of 1756 bottles at 47.5% ABV.
The nose is malt loaf, chocolate orange and soft spice.
The palate is more chocolate and more chocolate, then rum soaked raisins, dates and sticky brown sugar.
The finish is more of the same, and a lovely length. A touch of tanin then back to sherry. I think this is great for the money. Soooo,
I’ve bought quite a bit of it!
Shelf price - £56
Club price - £50.40
Frost this morning heat wave next week. Mungo’s all-weather chat and I’ve gone for a couple of Autumnal drams to smooth things over.
GlenAllachie 35-Year-olds are pretty special and didnt last long! We are trying to source some more!
Remember to use your Single Cask Discount code for 10% off bottles of whisky.
Dram 1 -Benrinnes 8 Year-old Sherry Butt
A Benrinnes from the Provenance range of Douglas Laing. Based in the North shadow of its namesake mountain. A distillery that produces huge amounts for blending due to its big heavy and oil new make character created by dumpy stills and very cold worm tub condensors.
Distilled in May 2014 and bottled in January 2023 at 46% after a full maturation in a refill Sherry Butt with an out run of 798 bottles. The nose is honey’d barley, dark toffee and milk chocolate. The palate is thicker and oilier than expected, carrying great weight of sherry with spiced oak and some raisin/apricot dried fruit. The finish is lengthy and warm with more raisins and almost slight plums.
Shelf price £49.50
Club price £44.55
Dram 2 - Highland Park 8 Year Old - Single Cask
A new bottler to the club. Finn Thompson, whisky has run in the Thompson family for the past 9 generation and Finn is that latest to bring some brilliant single cask, cask strength ideas to the market. With bottlings up to 50 years old, yes 50! He has a single cask Glenlivet that after 50 years yielded 126 bottles.... and we have one, do get in touch!
This one unfortunately isn't a 50-year-old... It's an 8-year-old Highland Park. Not often you see Highland Park that isn’t teaspooned, so this is brilliant! Finn first tried this cask as a 6-year-old and thought a drop of sweetness would go a long way, so it spent the next 2 years in a Maderia cask. Highland Park’s level of peating is something that matches this perfectly, the Orcadian Peat made from Sphagnum moss and Heather is floral and light which brings great balance to the sweet Maderia.
Distilled on 22nd of April 2016 and bottled on the 23rd of June 2024 at a cask strength of 54.7% with an out run of 343 bottles. First, in the glass the colour is fantastic! Rose gold, almost like a good Southern French Rosè wine! The nose gives you that tease of soft smoke and boiled sweets. The palate gives great aromatic peat initially, then great spice rolling across your tongue, to black pepper and bramble fruit. The finish gives the spice cupboard of cinnamon and nutmeg and a fresh sweetness.
Shelf price £72.50
Club price £65.25
So..those of you who got one of the Kyrö’s from Little Brown Dog...that's something a bit different isn’t it! Malted rye Finnish Whisky finished in a cognac cask! Bonkers, but brilliant.
This month we have a brace of summer drams, playful light numbers to be shared with pals.
Coming later this week - watch out for the latest Springbank Ballot! We’ve got a great allocation this time round!
Remember to use your Single Cask Discount code for 10% off bottles of whisky.
Dram 1 -Auchroisk 7 Year Old - First-Fil Sherry Butt
From our pal Morrison Distillers Carn Mor range this Auchroisk [Orth-rusk] is a beefy, malty slightly honeyed number. Auchroisk is between Keith and Boat-a-brig on the River Spey, a distillery that is mainly used for blending. Its spirit is design to be big, bold and heavy. A rapid mash and quick fermentation give it the best start, then at the wash stills they use a rapid boiling regime which pretty much cooks any solids left in the wart leading to some solids being carried over. All of this creates a big heavy spirit perfect for sherry casks! It’s fairly like Blair Athol in new make style, but maybe just a little less sexy of a distillery.
This dram has had a full maturation in a first-fill sherry butt, a 475-500 litre barrel. It has been bottled as a 7-year-old at 47.5% with an out run of 1638 bottles.
The nose is honey, nutty & meaty. Almost beefy biltong with a slight dried grass leading to a soft pine resin. The palate is kind of chewy but light, its caramelly and woody straight away with a soft spice. Its lovely light and summery with a soft vanilla barley sugar.
The finish is medium and light and the soft spice rolling away leading to a vanilla stop.
Shelf Price - £60
Club Price - £54
Dram 2 - Drookit Dug Batch 2 - Little Brown Dog
Little Brown Dog – Drookit Dug [Wet Dog]. The little brother of the other limited release blend they do, the Wee Mongrol. A vatting of Bourbon and Sherry casks with a minimum age of 8 years old.
The youngest spirit in the cask was distilled on the 24th of March 2016 but there is also a good bit of older tackle in this too. A high malt blend of at least 70% malt gives a real softness and makes it incredibly drinkable at 45.3% ABV.
The playful little dram’s nose is tropical fruits, a slightly waxy note with a hickory/apple wood tannin softness. The palate, its honey, its chocolate, its barley spices with a bit of wood and a decent length finish. It's an absolute banger for a sub £45 bottle of whisky.
Unfortunately, there is very little on this one so we can’t do the usual 10%... it's already at a banger of a price at £44.50!
July’s drams. I had to go for cask strength numbers this month to keep us warm from the rain and cold! Great for ducks, terrible for summer activities.
I am aware I’m always moaning about the weather!
One thing I won’t moan about is that we’ve released some mega bottles into the Single Cask Club in the last month and it’s great so many of you have been able to get a bottle!
We’ve got some Glenallachie 21 coming at the end of the month as well as the next releases from Little Brown Dog, I’ve had a sneak peek and they're anything but sh*t!
We’ll pop an email out to you guys to have a look at them before they go on general sale.
Remember to use your Single Cask Discount code for 10% off bottles of whisky.
Dram 1 -Lochlea Cask Strength - Second Release
The second release in the line of Lochlea Cask Strength releases. Lochlea is a single farm distillery in Ayrshire.
They grow the barley, distil and mature all on site. Formerly the farm where famous Scottish poet Robbie Burns was raised, they converted the piggery on the farm into the distillery all headed up by ex-Laphroaig Distillery Manager John Campbell. The spirit Lochlea produce is light and fragrant focusing on barley and citrusy notes.
Cask Strength Batch 2 is a mixture of PX, Oloroso and STR (Shaved, Toasted & Re-charred) casks bottle at 60%. The nose is apple, marmalade and peach syrup moving to rose petals, wild lavender and dark chocolate on the palate. The finish is a welcome black pepper spice to balance the sweetness but with the class dried fruit sherried finish.
Shelf Price - £66
Club Price - £59.40
Dram 2 - Lindores Sherry Butt Release 2
Lindores Abbey. The spiritual home of Scotch Whisky. Lindores Abby (Church by the water) looking over the River Tay estuary was founded in 1191 by David Earl of Huntingdon.
The earliest record of distilling in Scotland, written in the Exchequer Roll, comes from here when in 1484 King James IV ordered Brother John Cor, a monk at Lindores Abbey, to turn 8 bolls of barely into Aqua Vitae (now known as Whisky). This was about 500kg of barley which made about 400 bottles of whisky.
Some 533 years later in 2017 Drew McKenzie Smith now the “Custodian of Lindores”, began making whisky on the site again.
This dram is the ‘Lindores Abbey Sherry Butt Release 2’. Distilled and matured on site in a mixture of Oloroso, STR Wine Barriques and Bourbon really shows off some meaty power at a bottle strength of 49.4%. The nose is dates, figs, molasses, vanilla ice cream and dark chocolate. The palate is more of the same with soft raisins, dates, dark chocolate and cinnamon spice with a silky soft mouth feel. The finish is medium long with dried fruits and a lot more of the same as before! Lovely.
Shelf price - £60
Club price - £54
Can you believe we are already into June? The weather certainly doesn't feel like its summer!
This month we've got drams from Independent bottlers Douglas Laing and Cooper's Choice .
We've also got the Springbank and new bottling from Little Brown Dog ballots coming out so look out in your emails.
Remember to use your Single Cask Discount code for 10% off bottles of whisky.
Dram 1 -Dailaine 8 Year Old
Douglas Laing are family owned and operated third generation independent bottlers, in fact one of Scotland’s oldest independent bottlers.
Dailuaine Distillery is based in the shadows of Ben Reinnes in Speyside, on the south side of the river not to far from Macallan Distillery.
A distillery equipped with 6 large stills, their process is a long fermentation and a rapid distill which creates this big heavy malty spirit. The majority of Dailuaine’s spirit is used in blends and often found in the Flora and Fauna range.
However here we have a single cask 8 year old Dailuaine from the Provenance range of Douglas Laing. Distilled in June 2014, bottled at 46% ABV in August 2022 with 393 bottles produced from the refill hogshead, all natural colour and no chill filter.
Tastings Notes
Nose-
Citrus barley with brown sugar and a slight ginger spice giving off green freshness.
Taste -
Creamy maltiness, soft spices with vanilla. A great summer dram!
Finish-
Soft, long , warming with a cereal note carrying all the way through. A great youthful bright fun dram!
Shelf price - £47.50
Club price - £42.75
Dram 2 - Glenturret 2013
From Coopers Choice - an independent bottlers founded in Glasgow back in 1992, who quickly grew a name for themselves with some of their rare bottling including such distillers as Ardbeg, Springbank and Port Ellen. In recent years they’ve started to release lots of wine cask finishes which have seen a second maturation.
Glenturret is based in Crieff, west of Perth. A little distillery with a farmyard feel with it, including wooden wash backs but the spirit in character is light, acidic and intense.
Distilled in March 2013, bottled in 2022 at 9 years old after maturing in a Bourbon barrel. The outrun was 360 bottles at 58% ABV.
Tasting Notes
Nose-
Smoked Bacon crisps, wood smoke, maple , citrus and a lovely earthy vanilla aroma
Taste-
Oaky spice, sweet oak, five spices, smoked caramel, toffee and vanilla. Chewy but light and fragrent
Finish-
Long, lingering, produces a sharpness around the tongue. All very well balanced.
Shelf price - £75
Club price - £67.50
Well, that's been a few nice days of sunshine!
This month we've got a couple of Douglas Laing drams both single cask refill hogsheads but with very different styles!
Ardnahoe Inaugural release I hope everyone saw the ballot email!
Remember to use your Single Cask Discount code for 10% off bottles of whisky.
Dram 1 -Glenglassaugh 8 Year Old
From the far Northwest reaches of Aberdeenshire nestles the picturesque distillery of Glenglassaugh, on the outskirts of Portsoy. Originally built in 1874 buy a local James Moir it ran for 18 years before falling a victim to the early 1900’s drop. It was reopened some years later but then again in the 1970s it was seen as surplus due to the difficulty of blending the spirit. The unique medium bodied, very fruity and floral spirit with a heavily honeyed note is where it found its downfall.
It was then bought again in 2008 by a Russian firm who rebuild and subsequently sold it BenRiach Distillers – Billy Walker’s gang. Being distilled in 2015 this spirit was made under the watchful eye of Billy, cool! After 8 years maturation in a refill hogshead this dram was bottled without colouring or chill filtration to a bottle strength of 46% ABV with an out run of 351 bottles.
The nose is full of fresh citrus, brown sugar and honeycomb. On the palate it shows warming honey immediately with a hint of fresh mint and lemon peel giving balance, you can see how it's hard to hide it in a blend! This honeyed note becomes softer with some spice and warm barley notes. The finish is the same as what's come before but with some buttered pastry fluffiness.
A lively little summer dram.
Shelf price - £58.50
Club price - £52.65
Dram 2 - Jura 12 Year Old
From the wee West coast island of Jura is this 10-year-old from the Clan Denny range of Douglas Laing.
Jura’s distilling history in Craighouse dates to as early as 1810 and has the classic story of various owners and moth balls until it finally released its first single malt in 1974 and the current distillery was built in the 1960’s backed by a larger blender. The spirit was designed with a short fermentation and very high stills 7.7m to add rigidity and weight which meant it needed very active casks or a good few years to fully develop.
This was distilled in June of 2009 and bottled in March of 2022 at at 48% after 12 years full maturation in a refill bourbon hogshead with an outrun of 285 bottles.
Two very light drams this month with such contrasting styles!
The nose is sweet brown sugar, heavier butterscotch turning to buttered brown bread or raw pumpkin pie batter. The palate is thick, much thicker than expected. Honeyed cream, but not like Glenglassaugh. It shows fresh active tannins that bouncy around the mouth in a welcome fashion to balance the sweetness. Soft cinnamon and possible cardamon are also there. The finish is buttercream ice-cream, toasted brown bread and gristly barley.
Shelf price - £58.50
Club price - £52.65
Hoping this month brings the start of the sunshine and with that a couple of slightly more summery drams to try and encourage it along!
Ballots for first release Strathearn this morning which is exciting as well as a few new lines added to the range including new faces from Ballindalloch Distillery in Speyside.
Remember to use your Single Cask Discount code for 10% off bottles of whisky.
Dram 1 -Dailuaine 9 Year-old Oloroso Sherry
From the Auld Goonsy’s range with great Dailuaine which sits in the shadow of Benrinnnes in Speyside. Using a long fermentation and a rapid distillation to force through a lot of heavy malty character through the stills matched with stainless steel condenser to limit copper contact.
This single cask, cask strength Dailuaine was distilled on the 26th of August 2013 and bottled on the 6th of February 2023 after a maturation in a 2nd fill Oloroso sherry hogshead with an out run of 309 bottles at a natural strength of 57.8% ABV.
The nose is full of buttery, big meaty Soren malt loaf and granary loaf with lemon and citrus barley notes. The palate is super malty, the weight hides the alcohol well. It becomes more stewed ginger with citrus still apparent. The finish is spiced dried fruits, sweet tea and candied apple.
Shelf price - £49.50
Club price - £44.55 - limited stock, absolute bargain.
Dram 2 - Glenlossie 2013 Red Wine Barrique
Glenlossie from Morrison Distillers Carn Mor Strictly Limited range. Sharing the same site as Mannochmore, Glenlossie is mainly used as a big blending component for Diageo blends, with the use of its purifier pipes which take heavier alcohols back to the body of the still be to redistilled it has an oily and textured spirits which is why it is so good for blending, but it also means it absolutely loves wood!
This single cask, cask strength version was distilled in 2013 and bottled in 2023 as a 10-year-old having been finished in a red wine barrique with an out run of 243 bottles being bottled at a natural cask strength of 58.7%. The nose is dates, figs and blackcurrants with almost a treacle sponge sweetness. The palate is very creamy with ripe red fruits, apricots and short bread. The finish is more berries, demerara sugar and a creme brule creamy sweetness.
Shelf Price - £72.50
Club price - £65.25
Teaninich was an absolute hoot! Its popularity caught me a little off guard I’ll admit, I shall bear this in mind going forward. I do agree it’s a cracker, so when there are new interesting releases, I shall be sure to grab a few more cases to fill a few more glasses.
Thanks to all those who went for the Springbanks, as ever a roaring success and we will endeavour to try to increase allocations of them. The 26th of this month brings the release date of the next batch of ‘The Hearach’ from the Isle of Harris Distillery.
Members as usual, will be given exclusive access to the stock before it goes on general sale so keep an eye on your emails if you're keen on that! We will be able to ship to both UK & US customers. Anyhoooo, onto our March drams....
Dram 1 - Probably Orkney's Finest - Provenance Douglas Laing
Coming from the Provenance line of Douglas Laing, third-generation family-owned distillers and bottlers of whisky, this “Probably Orkney’s Finest” is just an independently bottled Highland Park (legally they can’t use the name Highland Park).
What I love about Highland Park is the use of Orcadian Peat made of millions of years of plant decay from the island. Peat from Islay is full of phenolic notes from sea weeds and other marine material, Highland peat has far more trees and bushes so it is more bonfirey (if that’s a word) with its style.
Orcadian peat has heather and sphagnum mosses so brings a light, aromatic and fragrant style to the barley. Burning this peat in their own kiln and using only 20% peated malt per mash it allows a glorious fragrance to be adopted by the whisky.
This dram was distilled in January of 2015 and bottled in June of 2023 at a bottled strength of 46% at 8 years-old having been matured in a refill sherry butt with an outrun of 791 bottles. The nose is cocoa powder with a gloriously earthy heart, damp oak with a good bit of woody funk all matched well with a welcome salty bite. The palate is cinnamon, soft caramel, plums and stewed fruits then a whallop of salty seaside.
The finish is classic sherry in style, creamy and full of a soft spicing with the sweetness if salted caramel.
Shelf price - £57.50
Club price - £51.75
Dram 2 - Coal Ila 9 Year-old Amontillado Sherry
Caol Ila from the Auld Goonsey’s range. Caol Ila has a fresh pear, grassy almost juniper style with an iconic smokiness and maritime feel. Caol Ila uses the same level of peated barley as sister distillery Lagavulin but with a longer fermentation, a higher cut point and taller still all helping to reduce the heavy phenols to give a lighter style of smoke.
This bottling was distilled on the 29th of August 2013 and bottled on the 6th of February 2023 at a natural cask strength of 58.4% having been finished in a 1st fill Amontillado Sherry hogshead producing 299 bottles.
Amontillado sherry is a darker than it’s very dry brother Fino but lighter than Oloroso. The nose here is pipe smoke and beach bonfire with a great meaty umami heart. It shows a nutty edge also - smoked almonds. The palate is creamy, with a subtle yet powerful smoke body balanced well by dark chocolate tones.
The finish is sweeter, more peppery and the nuts are now more roasted chestnuts or hazelnuts.
Shelf price - £69.50
Club price - £62.55
February 2024 Month 26
January felt like it flew by, which was great! The Six Nations has started, the snow drops are coming and Spring isn’t far away!
Welcome to some new members this month, across the pond! A slightly slow start with some customs hold-ups but now thankfully all running smoothly!
Don't forget to use your Single cask club discount codes, all our friends from across the pond please contact us regarding shipping and we will arrange a deal for you guys!
Happy dramming!
Dram 1 - Carn Mor 9 Year Old Teaninich
Coming from the Carn Mor Range of Morrison Distillers this wonderful Teaninich hails from Alness just north of Inverness, one of Diageo's work horse distilleries but I think this is an unsung gem.
Using a mash filter instead of a mash tun for the efficiencies of the distillery is a rarity in whisky. Used a lot in the brewing world this technique allows them to use a lot more flour for the wart giving a greater extraction from the barley. This coupled with fat stills gives a fragrant, exotic and grassy new make while still having weight and some oiliness.
Distilled in 2013 and bottled in 2023 as a 9-year-old with an out run of 1174 bottles at 47.5% ABV in natural colour and non-chill filtered. The nose is vanilla, melon and brioche buns with fresh tropical fruit notes. The palate is pears, melon and vanilla with some oak tannins providing balance. The finish is sweet, subtle barley and lingering vanilla closing well with fresh oak.
Shelf Price - £72.50
Club price - £65.25
Dram 2 - Isle of Raasay. The Dùn Cana
One of my favourite new distilleries from the past few years, Isle of Raasay. The Dùn Cana meaning “dun” Strong hold in Gaelic and “Cana” being a legendary Norse prince who used to hold Raasay during the Viking times, Dùn Cana is also the name of the flat-topped volcano on Raasay.
Raasay’s new make involves a long fermentation, a cooling jacket on the wash stills lyne arm and an upwards facing lyne arm on the spirit still creating a clean and fruity spirit. This bottling has a mixture of peated and non-peated spirit having had a primary maturation in American Rye barrels before being finished in PX & Oloroso Sherry Quarter Casks.
Bottled at 52% ABV, natural colour and non-chill filtered. The nose is green peppery spice, rich dried fruits, salty sea wood smoke, roasted nuts. The palate is vanilla toffee, charred oak with a soft peaty body and soft spice. The finish is sweet, warm softly spiced matching this glorious sweetness with a slightly dunnage warehouse oak funk. Great.
Shelf price - £85
Club Price - £76.50
January 2024 Month 25
Ahoy! Welcome back, or welcome for the first time – great Christmas present! January... the days are getting longer, it's almost light having breakfast and at some point, it might stop raining. Maybe I shouldn’t get too excited for that.
We've got 2 great easy-going drams this month to ease us into the year, one which I hope will bring lots of excitement and tastebud adventures.
Remember to use code "SCC10" for 10% discount on all our whiskys
Dram 1 - Carn Mor - Glencadam 11 Year Old
This is from Morrison Distillers Carn Mor range, and it is from Glencadam, just over the hill from us in Brechin. Glencadam is known its glorious new make nose and style of flowers and pear drops. With an upward facing lyne arm as well as a few other tricks to maximise the flex in the still their aim is to create a very light and delicate style of new make.
Distilled in 2011 and bottled 2023 after maturation in a refill bourbon barrel with an outrun of 544 bottles at 47.5% ABV this 11-year-old has been given time to develop on that gloriously soft new make into this beauty of a dram. On the nose it is wafts of bananas sweets, sweet vanilla, lemon zest and banoffee pie. The palate is like bottled whisky banana bread with bags of sweet vanilla malt – lots of sweet things but enough tannin from the barrel for the structure. The finish is more of the same, it's not hugely complex it is just a solid hitting Glencadam. Banana, vanilla & oaky spice to finish. Lovely.
Shelf price £65
Club price £58.50
Dram 2 -Auchroisk 13 Year Old
Auchroisk! Auld Goonsey’s malt – with their range it is all, single cask, cask strength and I think marvellous value! Auchroisk isn’t well known for its single malt as its mostly used for blending due to its heavy new make. A rapid mashing and quick fermentation mixed with a rapid boil in the wash still which carried over a lot of weight. The new make is almost semi honeycombed in style with a big malt loaf gut...
This was distilled on the 7th of September 2009 and bottled on the 6th of February 2023 at 13 years old and at 54.5% ABV. Primary maturation was in a refill hogshead before being re-racked into a first fill port hogshead – a winning combo...? The nose is golden syrup, toffee and gingerbread which is matched with a lovely musky wood. The palate is thick and malty, oranges, oak and a malt load grape-y sweetness. Serious. The palate is almonds, praline and sweet & sour sweets. Basically, it's a pudding whisky with a bit of punch.
Shelf price - £70
Club price - £63
December 2023
Month 24
And Christmas has sprung... So, a little festive dram to add to this mix for this month. 2 single cask, cask strength numbers and very new to the market whisky! So hopefully you enjoy these. Don’t forget to use your discount for Christmas shopping! Thank you for all being part of The Strong Water Co’s Single Cask Club, I hope you all have a lovely Christmas and a joyful New Year!
Going into Christmas don’t forget you all get 10% off whisky online via the QR code or instore, just make sure we are aware your members and we will sort that out at the till.
Dram 1 - Auld Goonsy's Malt - Blair Athol 9 Year old
Blair Athol from the Auld Goonsys range. Auld Goonsy is known in the industry having literally worked in all aspects of it and having a great nose for cask selection.
This single cask of Blair Athol distilled 5th June 2013 matured in a 2nd fill oloroso sherry hogshead and bottled on the 6th of February 2023 at a natural cask strength of 57.7%, the outrun was a total of 286 bottles.
Blair Athol has a cloudy wart with a short fermenation which creates a very nutty malt style of spirit which is perfect for this 2nd fill hoggy. The nose is like Soreen Malt loaf, green apples and cinnamon the palate shows bags of cereal and grist barley followed by raisins and figs with a lovely think mouth feel. The finish is a glorious buttercream, dried fruits and a hint of black pepper.
Shelf Price - £55
Club Price - £49.50 (that’s a hell of a bottle of whisky for under fifty quid!)
Dram 2 - Red Cask Co. Dailuaine 9 Year Old
Dailuaine 9-year-old from the Red Cask Co, again single cask & cask strength. Dailuaine’s long fermentation and rapid distillation with the stainless-steel condenser which limited the copper contact really increases the weight of the new make and turns up the malty character.
Distilled on the 26th of August 2013 for a primary maturation is a bourbon hogshead before it found its way to a glorious 1st fill PX sherry hogshead where it was finish. Bottled at a natural cask strength of 58.6% with an out run of 296 bottles.
The nose is full of red fruits, demerara sugar and refreshing oak tannins. It coats the palate straight away with a great sharp, stewed fruits and chewy oak. It moves to pears, blackcurrants and blueberries. The finish is long and chewy grabbing the side of your tongue before softening up with raspberries and candy. Really enjoyable.
Shelf price - £83
Club Price - £74.70
Dram 3 - Broody Hen - 10 Year Old Single Malt
The Broody Hen 10-year-old. A new release from the guys at Summerhall Distillery in Edinburgh. Based in the old Dick Vets building they’ve been beavering away with their gin Pickering's for a good few years now and this is their first floret into whisky.
It's an unnamed Highland distillery 10-year-old, showing soft vanilla and toffee on the nose. The palate has a great spice with a heather hillside soft peatiness to it, a great finish that just leads you to wanting the next... A great lunchtime festive dram!
Shelf Price - £55
Club Price - £49.50
November 2023
Month 23
Well... the Hearach, finally the long wait was over for many. We will be getting more stock of this from Harris at the end of this month and maybe some more into December from another supplier.
Unfortunately, the Whitlaw is a different story, many of you are huge fans of that dram! Good to know.
Going into Christmas don’t forget you all get 10% off whisky online via the QR code or instore, just make sure we are aware your members and we will sort that out at the till.
Dram 1 - Lochlea - Fallow Edtion - Second Crop
From our pals at Lochlea Distillery in Ayrshire. An independently run whole farm distillery working towards a total field to bottle approach, which I think is incredible and cannot wait to enjoy their journey.
Construction started in 2017 and the stills stated to produce spirit in August of 2018 having converted the former piggery on the farm into the distillery. Overseeing the process is Laphroaig legend John Campbell. This is the Fallow 2nd Crop, the second release of the Fallow edition, which is one of my favourites they do! Maturation is done using oloroso & PX sherry casks to create the manuka honied, golden syrup nose that has layers of gingerbread and mocha too. The palate, to me is like chocolate orange... thick and rich.
A welcome spice then builds into a glorious demerara sugar almost plum sake style of finish.
Shelf price - £51.50
Club price - £46.35
Dram 2 - Ardnamurchan Rum Cask AD/10.23
Ardnamurchan.... oooh. This is the first every Rum cask release Ardnamurchan! Since 2013 when they started distilling Ardnamurchan have always been of interest with the ethics of sustainability and a forward-thinking distillery. This is a mix of 2016 Un-peated casks and 2017 Peated casks that have both had a primary maturation in Bourbon, they then undergo a secondary maturation in Barbados Rum casks and bottled at 55%.
I’m a big fan of the 55% bottled strength of this dram, it's very well suited. The nose is grapefruit and salted lemon with earthy spices and musky wood notes bringing intrigue.
The palate is bright peaty wood smoke with banana and nutty wood, it shows a lot more of the classic rum finish flavours, but I found the banana matched with peat a flavour I really enjoyed (I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I do). The finish has good length of wood smoke and now sweeter vanilla notes.
Shelf Price - £70
Club Price - £63
October 2023
Month 22
Last month's drams seemed to hit the spot for the Mannochmore selling out quickly and the Dalrymple closing in on the final few bottles too.
This month's drams bring us the hotly anticipated “Hearach” from the Isle of Harris Distillery, is this what we expected? Let's find out!
Dram 1 - Isle of Harris " The Hearach" Batch 7
The Hearach – Isle of Harris Distillery. Having started in 2015 with the idea of making whisky and a little gin to prop up the business until they released any whisky the gin rocketed, and I think they must have surpassed any ideas of its success.
While this has been ripping along the whisky has been slowly maturing awaiting its time to shine. Using Scottish Concerto ™barley and Harris Peat at a ppm of 13.8 this batch 7 of the inaugural release of 8 batches is a minimum of 5 years old having had a split maturation between Heaven Hill & Buffalo Trace Bourbon Casks and Oloroso and Fino Sherry Casks.
It's classic West Coast peat on the nose with a bright maritime style. Its tarred harbor ropes with a soft sweetness of vanilla. Nutty softness follows soon after to balance the peat. The palate is full of rolling Harris peat and a meaty heart, again the sweetness of the bourbon brings a welcome balance to the peat which becomes almost candied fruits at the end. The finish is long and lingering peat rounded by soft vanilla.
Usually, this is where the price is, but unfortunately, it all sold... but at least you’ve now had a dram!
Dram 2 - Whitlaw - 2013 - Oloroso Sherry
This big sherry bomb is a Whitlaw by Carn Mor Strictly Limited. Whitlaw is one of the names that Highland Park carries when bottles independently. Having been finished in some glorious Oloroso sherry casks and bottled at 47.5% ABV this is one that really hits that autumnal feel.
It has bags of dark chocolate on the nose with hazelnuts and praline plenty. The palate is orange peel, mocha, and more of a maritime saltiness. The softness of Highland Park gently creeps in in the background bringing a balance to the weight of the sherry. The finish is long and chewy, showing more figs and sultanas. One of my recent favourites.
Shelf price - £68.50
Club price - £61.25
September 2023
Month 22
Lots of excitement and a flurry of new bottlings coming our way this month. I have taken on a few new independent bottlers so over the coming months we will be seeing some fresh faces, which is exciting.
This month we have a couple of favourites with Morrisons Distillers and Little Brown Dog delivering the goods with a single cask sherry bomb.
Dram 1 - Mannochmore 2010 Bourbon Hogshead
Mannochmore 2010 from the Carn Mor Strictly Limited range by Morrisons Distillers.
This 12-year-old dram has matured in Bourbon Hogsheads with an out run of 794 bottles and bottled at 47.5% ABV. With Mannochmore we do not see much outwith the classic Flora & Fauna bottlings which is a shame as its soft fruity distillate marries so perfectly with bourbon barrels. It is a big blending component for Haigs and Dimple, so both of this month's drams are similar in that sense.
On the nose lots of green apple, honied granola with layers of tropical fruit and vanilla. The palate starts immediately with almonds and more of tropical fruits - mango, papaya and pineapple. The finish is spun sugar sweetness with vanilla and candy floss.
Shelf price - £67.50
Club price - £60.75
Dram 2 - Dalrymple Oloroso Sherry Butt - LBD
An interesting number from the guys at Little Brown Dog. A Dalrymple which is a “teaspooned” Ailsa Bay from the William Grants distillery in Girvan. This another spirit that is not often seen in this style, so getting a 1st fill oloroso sherry butt of the stuff bottled at a natural cask strength of 56.8% is a winner for me! Distilled in 2012, bottled in 2023 and maturing in a glorious oloroso butt has created an absolute sherry bomb!
On the nose its exactly as expected sticky toffee pudding and caramel sauce. The palate open with a very welcome maltiness, like Soreen malt loaf turning to prunes and fresh figs. The finish is like fresh baked cinnamon rolls and caramel. Fantastic!
Shelf price - £66
Club price - £59.40
August 2023
Month 21
August is upon us; July flew past here and so did that Mortlach! A great success, I shall keep my eye out for more of that. A few requests for a smoky number this month, so I've fulfilled that! October we are getting our allocation of the greatly anticipated Isle of Harris Whisky – Hearach, so be sure to keep an eye out for the Single Cask Club Ballot email for this one.
It’ll be first week in October we plan to run the ballot as soon as we have the stock, but we will not fulfil orders until its official release date of 2nd of October. We will have this as a dram in the single cask club also!
We'll be making some small changes to the Single Cask Club starting from next month, but we'd like to hear if you guys are members have any feedback or things you'd like to see.
Dram 1 - Lochlea - Cask Strength Batch 1
From our pals at Lochlea down in Kilmarnock, this is Cask Strength Batch 1. Lochlea is a whole farm distillery looking in the future to do everything on site, their motto of “Dare to be honest and fear no labour” captures their ethos which leads to creating a truly brilliant lowland style whisky. Using 1st fill bourbon and 1st fill Oloroso for its maturation they work especially well at high strength which amplifies the fruity, nutty and cereal characters that are so indicative to Lochlea.
The Bourbon barrels arrive fresh from Loretto, Kentucky helping to give more coffee & oak shavings to the nose and the fresh Jeres Oloroso Sherry butts give a lifting orange & tropical fruit punch top note. The nose is tropical fruit punch, cigar cabinet, cocao and coffee beans. The palate gives fresh juicy barley, brazil nut and a very classy sherry warmth. Finishing with oranges, juicy sweet oaky barley and succulent sugar drops.
Amazing for something at 60.1% ABV! Good juice.
Shelf price - £65
Single cask club price - £58.50
Remember to use code "scc10" for 10% off.
dram 2 - Ledaig 10-year-old by Douglas Laing
A summery smoke. Ledaig 10-year-old from a refill hogshead, bottled at 46% ABV by Douglas Laing, Provenance range. With an out run of 411 bottles this peated version of Tobermory is a lovely addition is a summer evening. The nose is full of maritime, oceanic peat with new leather and smoked mean styles. The palate gives a lovely tickle of spice quickly taking you to smoked sausage, sweet barley with a lovely soft yet powerful peat punch.
The finish is dark chocolate with ginger and rock salt along with some awesome sweet barley notes and a lingering vanilla finish.
Shelf price - £66.50
Single cask club price - £59.85
July 2023 - Month 20
How good was that Glengoyne?!?!
I think we should have a few more of them involved. That is the style that’s being well received so we’ll continue with numbers like that. As promised last month this month we have the new Ardent Spirits bottling.
Dram 1 - Old Particular Douglas Laing - 12 Year-old single cask Mortlach
This month comes from Old Particular brand from Douglas Laing, this 12-Year-old Single cask Mortlach is great. Coming from Dufftown in speyside, Morlach has one of the more unusual distillation processes with their 2.81 times distilled method. They do this by taking the low wines from wash stills 1 & 2 and splitting them into 2 parts – 80% goes into spirit still 2 and 20% goes into sprit still 1 “The Wee Witchie” which is run three times and on the 3rd times with only the heart being taken on the final run.
This process really adds to the meatiness of the spirit and helps create Mortlach to be the cult it has become. This Mortlach was distilled in January 2011 and bottled May 2023 at 48.4% having been aged in a refill hogshead having an outrun of 361 bottles.
The nose is fresh yeasty bread almost with a baguette style sweetness followed by vanilla, biscuits and long du chat – French almond and vanilla biscuits. The palate is super fresh with apricots more almond maltiness and a bright chewy caramel. The finish is custard creams and crème Englises with a soft oak tanin is frame everything at the finish. Lovely.
Shelf price - £72.50
Your Price - £65.25
Dram 2 - Ardnamuchan Sherry Cask Release 2023
The new Sherry Cask release Ardnamuchan. Hailing from the far west coast mail land Ardnamurchan takes a lot of its flour influence from the rugged landscape it sites within. 100% sherry matured in a mixture of Hogsheads and Butts from Spanish Oak PX and Oloroso and American Oak Oloroso. A vatting of 15 unpeated hogsheads to provide a bright sweetness have been married with 10 peated Butts all distilled in 2018 and being bottled on the 20th of April 2023.
The notes are beach bonfires and maple cured meats with almost a roast pork sweetness coming too. The palate is peated and damp going tosmoky bacon quickly and an engine oil/pencil shave style minerality to it which then turns to this very moreish salted peanut sweetness. The finish is long, like an old fireplace in a salmon bothy it has a sooty smokiness and gloriously welcome woody sweetness.
Shelf Price - £65.00
Your price - £58.50
June 2023
Month 19
So, a single cask Nc’nean, that was rather good! I’ll look forward to the next batch of bottlings from LBD and hopefully one of our own from them one day too! With the weather we currently have I thought it best to find something summery and go with a sweetie and a smoky style following similar cask styles, so I hope you enjoy!
We have some great bottles getting prepared for ballot very soon too! Glenallachie 18 had landed and 100% of our allocation will be coming straight into the club along with some Ardbeg’s about to come out.
Dram 1 - Carn Mor 11 Year old Aberlour
Coming from the Carn Mor range from Morrions Distillers this lovely 11-year-old Aberlour has been resting in a 1st fill bourbon barrel to absorb all its vanilla applely goodness which it certainly has making it a super summer dram. Distillery in 2011 and bottled 2023 with an out run of 1245 bottles at a bottle strength of 47.5% it leads itself for a very sessional summer whisky. Green apples on the nose with pears and orchard fruits are matched with caramel and vanilla.
The palate is green apples straight away leading straight to a glorious vanilla, caramel tang which develops into a soft mint lingering finish of fresh. Clean barley with a welcome barley backbone.
Dram 2 - Seven Sons Rhaud Maor 9 Year Old
A new bottler for us from the people behind 8 Doors distillery in Caithness. The idea behind the 8 Doors brand is that of Dutchman Jan de Groot the man who John O’Groats was named after and lived not far from where the distillery is now. Jan De Groot, the Dutchman from which John O’Groats takes its name, came to the area during the reign of James IV. He ran the ferry from the Scottish mainland to Orkney for the price of one Groat (around 2p). He had seven sons and legend has it that they were arguing about who should sit at the head of the table during family gatherings, bit like mine really!
To avoid family conflict Jan built an octagonal house with each of the eight sides having a separate door and window, one for each of his sons and himself. Each door led to the centre of the house where there was an eight-sided table. As no one person could occupy the head of the table this stopped the arguments and gave a great name for the distillery!
Seven Son’s is the label their bottlings will come under until the distillery spirit is released as whisky. This gives us some great news and more single cask indy bottlings on the market, great!
This dram comes from Ruadh Maor (a peated Glenturret) distilled in October 2013 and bottled in December 2022 having been aged in a 1st Fill European Oak Hogshead producing 465 bottles at 46.7% and being natural colour and non-chill filtered.
On the nose this wonderful earthy, saline, ripe apple, oak smoked meat aromas transport you on a softly peated journey. The palate is spicy tobacco initially, honey and pine resin while the finish is distinct soft peat, turning more maple BBQ meats.
Just great!
May 2023
Month 18
The Glenallachie was great, wasn’t it?
And remember you can still use you discount on the rest of the range of the Glenallachie’s! This month we have another banger from Little Brown Dog Spirits this time something that’s only ever been seen once before, now that’s fun!
I hope you enjoy!
Dram 1 - Douglas Laing's Provenance Ben Nevis 8 Year Old
From Ben Nevis, this 8-Year-Old bottled under Douglas Laing's Provenance range is a spritely number showing some classic Ben Nevis style with a lovely soft vanilla character. From a refill barrel distilled in July 2014 and bottled last August for an outrun of 450 bottles, bottled at 46% ABV and of course being natural colour and non-chill filtered. On the nose it’s super soft with a classic funk coming from the Dunnage warehousing which is synonymous with the Ben Nevis.
The palate gives more classic cerealiness and barley sweetness, matched wonderfully with a freshly baked ginger sponge. The finish is all vanilla, toffee and honey with a gloriously soft spiced end.
Dram 2 - Nc'Nean STR - Little Brown Dog
Only the second time to be bottled as a single cask by an Indy bottler Little Brown Dog where just pipped the Boutique-y but they only did 50cl’s... Soo... here is the first ever 70cl Independently bottled Single Cask, Cask Strength Nc’nean! Bloody cool! But what does it taste like?!?!?
Quick lowdown on Nc’nean first, the first spirt flowed into casks in March of 2017 after the Drimnin Estate came to the Lewis family in 2012. The distillery was part of the estate revamp and was an idea that came to fruition from early in the estate's revival. Daught Annabel Thomas took on the project as CEO after leaving her London job to bring the dream to a reality. A completely organic distillery run 100% on renewables with all by products going to livestock feed. Good eggs doing good things.
This dram distilled in 2017 and bottled this year at 57.9% after maturation in a STR (Shaved, Toasted & Recharred) cask with only 317 bottles available gives a super creamy nose, with the shariness of cranberries with a superb tannin oak char influence. The tannin balanced against the sweetness is what caught me on the nose. The palate is like warm Birch woodland in after rain, its bright fruity with this lovely musky oak character that is apparent throughout the dram, the mouth feel is thick and sticky with a great spiciness to it.
The finish is long and coating the mouth in thick cream and soft oak, writing this after tasting it is now like toffee apples and maple.
April 2023
Month 17
Last month's Benrinnes went down an absolute storm! Absolutely love the liquid that the guys at Little Brown Dog are releasing, whispers are we may even have our own single cask in the pipeline from them... we shall have to wait to see. I’m happy to say there will be another LDB bottling in next month's drams also!
This month I’ve gone for 2 summery feeling drams, lighter sherried and niche oak.
I hope you enjoy!
Dram 1 - Morrison Distillers Carn Mor - GlenTauchers Amontillado Sherry 11 Year Old
This is a Glentauchers from the Morrisons Distillers Carn Mor Strictly Limited range. Glentauchers is a lovely light spirit with loads of creamy softness. Distilled in 2011 and bottled in 2023 as an 11-year-old having spent the last few years of its maturation in Amontillado sherry.A sherry that is not as dry as a fino with a bit more alcohol content to it, but rich in flavours that marry perfectly with this Glentauchers spirit.
On the nose it opens with rich almonds, amaretti biscuits and a childhood favour of mine Langues du Chat a wonderful vanilla\almond biscuit. The palate is more of the same almonds moving to stewed apricots and the Portuguese custard tarts finishing with a gloriously long creamy mascarpone and vanilla ice cream style.
Dram 2 - Glenallachie 8 Year old - Scottish Oak Finish
Glenallachie – ohhh yes, this is from the recently released Virgin Oak series – Scottish Oak. Designed around showing how different terroirs effect the flavour of oaks this Scottish Sessile oak (Quercus Patraea) is a tightly grained slow growing oak, grown on the Atlantic coast and then air dried for 36 months to bring out the flavour hidden within. Once dried the staves were toasted to a medium level maximising the use of the sugars within the wood. Rarely do we get to sample whisky from Scottish Oak as it is often too knotted to be used.
The nose offers an array of toasted portage oats and barley citrus with lashings of butterscotch and toffee. Cinnamon, ginger, and heather honey are also there offering welcome balance to the sweeter notes before. On the palate heather honey coats the mouth with poached pears and light orchard fruits also apparent. The finish is almost caramelised white chocolate and more of the wonderful butterscotch and toffee.
March 2023
Month 16
Back in a bit of a winter wonderland for a few days, so a couple of drams to easy the cold incoming.
Dram 1 this month is something we do not see a lot of so was necessary to get it open and into this and Dram 2 is a first from the guys at Little Brown Dog with their new release Benrinnes.
I hope you enjoy!
dram 1 - Morrison Distillers Carn Mor Strictly Limited Pulteney
From Morrison Distillers Carn Mor Strictly Limited range this Pulteney from a first-fill bourbon barrel is a cracker. Pulteney have the oldest stills in Scotland with massive boil bulb as wide as the base, the still has a flat top, a purifier pipe and a very convoluted lynne arm which all helps maximise the reflux in the stills this mixed with the worm tubs used for condensing all really helps add weight, leatheriness, oiliness and great fragrance to this spirit. Distilled in 2011 and bottled in 2023 bottled as an 11-year-old at 47.5% ABV with an out run of 1182 bottles.
On the nose it is all salted butterscotch and vanilla snaps. The palate have a savoury maritime style buttered croissants with a fresh green apple bit. The finish is more savoury sweet and citrus with a lovely delicate nutty balance.
Dram 2 - Little Brown Dog - Benrinnes Distillery
From the guys at Little Brown Dog this glorious little Benrinnes is exactly right for this cold snap! Cask strength and a wonderfully balanced sherry finish.
Benrinnes has a massive demand for blenders and does not have any front-line malt release, a tripled distilled spirit again using worn tubs but run at a very cold temperature to create more weight and meatiness into the spirit. Distilled in 2012 and bottled this year at a natural cask strength of 55.4% ABV drawn from a refill oloroso sherry cask.
The nose is all tinned stewed strawberries and custard with a good cedar backbone. Palate is clootie dumpling and dried tropical fruits with a fantastically full mouth feel. The finish is fresh citrus and soft spice, pink peppercorn and cinnamon being framed by the cedar back bone.
We do not have much of this so please get in-touch if you would like one, its first come first serve.
February 2023
Month 15
Well January went in a bit of a flash, hopefully not too many of you were doing anything too silly like dry January and you all managed to tuck into your drams.
This month we got a couple of cool drams I think, a mainstream and something a touch different.
Dram 1 - Badachro - Bad-na-h-achlaise - Rum Finish
A non-aged statement un-peated highland whisky in first-fill Caribbean dark rum casks. A total of 1300 bottles at a bottle strength of 46% ABV natural colour and non-chill filtered.
The look of the spirit gives little away, do not let this deceive you! It opens with great orange peel, vanilla fudge and pineapple on the nose with deeper notes of tropical fruits like mango and banana.
On the palate pineapple appears more with a great citrus, lemon sponge sweetness which leads you gloriously to the marmalade finish. Lingering to more sweetness and great toasted oak character. e
Dram 2 - Glenallachie Wine Cask Finish Cuvee 9 Years Old
This comes from the wonderful Glenallachie, in the form of their latest release the Cuvee Cask Finish. Distilled in 2012 and bottled in 2022 this 9-year-old was bottled at 48% after being aged in ex bourbon barrels before a secondary maturation in European Red wine Barriques from a mixture of 4 different reds – Bordeaux, Languedoc & Valpolicella.
On the nose its very classic red wine finished whisky with lots of red fruits, maraschino cherries, orange blossoms, cinnamon, and some slight chocolate notes. The palate is coated in the most wonderful warm dark chocolate and cocoa with a touch more orange zest and a great liquorice bite which wraps the side of the tung. The finish is muscovado sugar, softer milky chocolate, and a great length.
January 2023
Month 14
I trust everyone had a marvellous Christmas and New Year and plenty of drams were shared and enjoyed! Last month's Glenburgie PX I have to say was really one of my top 3 drams of 2022 it was a stunner, and they certainly flew off the shelves once you had tried them!
So, as we look forward to 2023 and wonder with great excitement what drams it will bring, we start our first month's drams.
Dram 1 - Fettercairn 10 Year Old - Clan Denny
From Fettercairn bottled under the Clan Denny label of Douglas Laing they give us this great little 10-year-old single cask number. 1 of 435 bottles bottled at 48% holding natural colour and non-chill filtered. It is such a splendid example of simple and easy Fettercairn and its delicate spirit that needs to be treated with care.
Opening with some lovey damp wood notes with soft cereal and gristy barely in the back, the palate is gentle and smooth leading to a soft, long buttered pastry style.
Dram 2 -Raasay Single Malt - Distillery Special Release - Sherry Finished (1st Release)
As I sit here still chewing through its West Coast peaty sweetness I think how much I enjoy the whisky from the Isle of Raasay. This is the Isle of Raasay Distillery Special Release which is their Annual release and with that this is their first sherry finished Whisky they have released too. A primary maturation in Peated ex-rye whiskey cask followed by ex-oloroso and px sherry quarter cask is a great match.
On the nose is bags of seaside salt and earthy breeze, the palate gives a crunch of freshly toasted rye bread with marmalade. As the spice rolls up the side of you tongue to meet the sweetness at the back of the palate it truly is a thing of great beauty and a celebration of how a younger spirit can produce such an interesting dram.
december 2022
Torabhaig, very well received. Great dram and very exciting to see the future for them, I think the way the peat is delivered plus a very more years will produce a glorious dram. This month I have to say I have gone with bit of a festive theme.
I should say drams for Christmas day.. Of just winter at any time.
Dram 1 - Glenburgie 2010 PX Sherry
From Glenburgie Distillery, this is a 12 year old that has spend 10 years in PX Sherry Hogsheads. Distilled in 2010 and bottled in 2022 with sister casks giving an outrun of 1418 bottles at 47.5% ABV.
We don’t see a lot of Glenburgie the vast majority goes into Ballantynes blend with a short still run producing a heavy spirit really lends itself to sherry wood and this shows just how good it can be! Its full on Christmas cake and fudge on the nose, demerara sugar and sticky toffee pudding.
WHAT A NOSE! The palate has a glorious spice to settle the sweetness and the finish is wonderfully long, lingering toffee, maple syrup, vanilla and a warm hug by the fire. Lovely!
Dram 2 -Ardnamurchan AD/09.22 Cask Strength
Many people doubt that the sequal will ever live up to the first edition but here I feel like it takes proud steps forwards showing the superb character that the AD guys produce. Distilled in 2016 and bottled 2022, using 94% peated spirit and 6% un-peated then matured using 88% ex bourbon and 12% sherry to give this brilliantly balanced smokey and sweet combo.
The nose starts with loads of stewed apples and pears with a sweet saline vanilla character that married with the softer smoke on the palate is great.
The palate offers a touch of sweetness at the start, quickly leading to a spicy, cigar wood & beach bonfire mouth feel. Big flavours bouncing around but there remains a great sweetness in vanilla and butterscotch finish. As you can imagine, a long smoky finished wrapped in vanilla.
november 2022
So last month's Glen Keith was a good hit! What a monster of a sherry bomb that was. Given our constant demand and want for more GlenAllachie I have another pretty ripper example of this this month with a single cask, cask strength number.
Second dram this month is from a new full-time listing from us, Torabhaig which I’m a huge fan of the peat and sweetness balance.
Dram 1 - Coopers Choice GlenAllachie Ruby Port
So here we have a non-age stated GlenAllchie that has had an initial maturation in American oak and then a “finishing” period in Ruby port. I have to say there is a lot of chat around whether re-racking casks and still being called single cask goes on, but in my humble opinion if this is the results they produce, crack on!
This opens with bags of Strawberry laces, travel sweets covered in icing sugar along with a soft red current spice in the background. The palate is sweet initially which quickly turns to this juicy summer fruits and soft spice combo, banging. The finish is long and subtle at points with the strawberries coming back over and over.
I am an enthusiastic fan of this dram as it is something a bit different and not just GlenAllachie from another glorious sherry cask. A different take, I like that.
Dram 2 -Torabhaig Allt Gleann
Relatively newly out having started production is 2017 this peated west coast dram I think is an absolute banger. Being in a 200-year-old listed farmstead they were restricted on still size and shape so to get around this and create the style of whisky the wish to make they ended up with an extremely long 96-hour fermentation and they run the stills very slowly to get a light spirit. They start with a heavily peated malted barley that is at 77ppm of peat and once fermented and distilled this comes out at 17ppm of peat. This still gives you bags of peat smoke but also always the sweet undertones to really shine through.
From first- fill bourbon and refill whisky barrels this is a great marriage of peat smoke and vanilla.
The nose is subtle smoke from a damp beach bonfire with bags of saltiness coming through too, on the palate it is softer the smoke with a welcome spice to bring balance to the palate, it gives an oiliness of salted nuts and a ruggedness of autumnal hill heather. The finish is sweeter with gentle vanilla with apples and pears running into this soft smokey saline wash.
october 2022
Well, the Glenallachie went down well! I am chuffed that went so well and a lot of love for the Lochlea also! Great Stuff.
This month we have an Isle of Raasay ballot coming out for some single cask stuff from them, that will be coming very soon so keep your eyes peeled for that.
We have a couple more from Morrisons distillers this month, they just keep release wonderful spirit, so I have got to keep sharing!
Dram 1 - Glen Keith - Carn Mor Strictly Limited.
Glen Keith is a wonderful distillery tucked away behind the Strathisla Distillery in Keith and produces a tripled distilled spirit on thinnish still with upward running lynarms which help produce a fruity light spirit. Mothballed in 1999 and reopened in 2013 this is some of the first spirit to have run from the stills again.
Distilled in 2013 and bottled in 2022 this 9-year-old was finished in PX sherry hogsheads with a final yield of 1410 bottles at a bottled strength of, of course 47.5% ABV.
This really opens with a lovely bright golden syrup note that carries throughout the dram, it brings a vibrant fig and datey note with the PX which leads to a darker chocolate and mocha mid to finish on the palate. A welcome spice helps to add balance and structure to lead to you a long lingering sweet milk chocolate finish.
Dram 2 -Ardmore - Carn Mor Strictly Limited
Ardmore is a peated Highland spirit in Kennethmont Aberdeenshire. Using local peat to smoke the barley helps to add local character to the spirit. As the peat in Aberdeenshire is made from trees and heather it creates more of a wood smoke character then the marine life structures that create west coast peat. Downward lynarms and onion shaped stills also help create a bigger heavier spirit.
Distilled in 2012 and bottled in 2022 at 9-years-old having being finished in Bourbon barrels with a total out run of 1184 bottles at 47.5% ABV.
The initial nose is like a cold wood fire on an Autumnal day, the citrus coming through creates this glorious saline quality that’s almost salted caramel. The palate brings more of that wood smoke and a soft spiced sweetness. The finished is medium long with more if a lemon méringue style sweetness.
september 2022
The Royal Brackla repeat is quite an interesting one, such a difference yet they hold such strong similarities and that Orkneys Finest is lush and disappeared very quickly!
This month is great to share something new and something a bit rare. Actually they’re both very interesting so a bumper month!
Dram 1 - Lochlea Harvest Edition - First Crop
Many of you may of already tried a Lochlea which is great, here I feel they are really starting to set their mark with the type of whisky they want to be releasing and I’m looking forward in to the future to more of their seasonal releases to enjoy they flavor profiles they are building.
So here they’ve grown the barley on their farm, produced the spirit and aged it in a combination of Port pipes, ex-oloroso sherry cask and ex-bourbon wood to create this luxuriously Autumnal fruit/late summer fruit spirit. It leads with pear drops and stewed apples with balance coming in the form of the sweet barley back bone. The palate is instantly sweet barley and the summer fruits from the Port pipes comes through hand in hand with a soft spice.
Lovely, we’re currently trying to get a few more bottles – if we do you guys will be the first to know. I think it would be good to get bottles into drams as well as the ballot so everyone is winning!
Dram 2 -Carn Mor Strictly Limited Glenallachie 2013
This Glenallachie distilled in 2013 and bottled in 2022 after its time in Oloroso Sherry Hogsheads is a stunner I think. 9 Years Old show that age really isn’t the leading factor is the quality of wood that really helps. It coats your month in glorious dried fruits with figs and muscovado sugar, soon follows but the remarkable Oloroso woodiness that bring great balance to the sweeter side of the dram.
I think this one might disappear rather swiftly too so make sure you don’t miss out!
august 2022
So, the Ardent Royal Brackla was quite the banger wasn’t it! This month I’ve got another Royal Brackla as I thought it would be good to show the true heart of the spirit before being piled on with sherry.
2 from the Douglas Laing Provenance range this month, given this heat currently they are 2 perfect summer drams.
Dram 1 - Royal Brackla 8 Year old from Provenance by Douglas Laing
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Dram 2 -Orkneys Finest 8 Year Old - (Highland Park)
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july 2022
Dram 1 - Inchgower 2016 - 1st Fill Bourbon
From Inchgower distillery near Buckie, this lovely coastal distillery produces a very distinctive spicy new make spirit with a lovely waxy back bone to it. This dram distilled in 2016 and bottled in 2022 after maturation in a lovely active first fill Bourbon barrel being bottled at the ripe age of 5 years.
An exciting dram as the young age is a bit deceptive! The great barrel gives a a sweet nose of home baking and digestive biscuits. The mouth feel is fantastic here! It’s big and thick and lingers with lovely heather honey notes.
Bottle Info
Distilled - 2016
Bottled - 2022
Casks Type - 1st Fill Bourbon
Casks Yield - 910 Bottles
Aged - 5 Years Old
Bottled Strength - 47.5% ABV
Dram 2 -Royal Brackla 7 Year old Single Malt Cask Strength - Ardent Spirits
A second ever from Ardent Spirits our pals in Banchory and goodness me do we have a naughty little number here. From Royal Brackla Distillery just outside Cawdor it has a steep lyn arm and lots of copper contact producing a great orchard fruit style new make with great acidity to balance a favored maturation in sherry. Distilled in June 2015 and bottled in June 2022 at 7 years old after a few years in a very good Oloroso Sherry cask.
Here at cask strength of 61.9% its a right punchy number but it holds itself together very well.
It's got great candied fig and dates on the nose, the palate is so full and boisterous yet graceful with the delivery of flavor. The finish is really long and lingers for a good while, continuing to deliver this wonderful brown sugar style finish. This is a total banger.
Bottle Info
Distilled - Royal Brackla
Distilled in - June 2015
Bottled - June 2022
Cask Type - Oloroso Sherry Cask
Cask Yield - 295
Bottled Strength - 61.9% ABV
700ml
Tasting notes
Nose: Full of dark then red fruit, from its Sherry cask history, plus a subtle array of burnt spices and malt.
Palate: Chewy and intense, with fruit-flavoured toffee, wonderful spices, burnt toast and a hint of mint.
Finish: Big on dried citrus; running to gristy sugar-inclined malt, graduating to late dry mixed spices.
june 2022
Dram 1 - Mannochmore 10 Year Old
Bottle Info
Distilled - July 2011
Bottled - November 2021
Cask Type - Refill Hogshead
Cask reference - DL15446
Cask Yield - 349 Bottles
Bottled Strength - 46% ABV
Tasting Notes
Nose: Open with full on spice and citrus, running to raisins, barley and later vanilla
Palate: Dulcet and sugared in style; still, tongue tinglingly spiced, and barley hued.
Finish: More vanilla amongst now soft spices and autumnal fruit with later cereal.
Dram 2 -Glengoyne 12 Year Old
Bottle Info
Distilled - November 2008
Bottled - October 2021
Cask Type - Refill Butt
Cask reference - DL15409
Cask Yield - 539 Bottles
Bottled Strength - 46% ABV
chill-filtered and natural colour.
Tasting notes
Nose: Full of dark then red fruit, from its Sherry cask history, plus a subtle array of burnt spices and malt.
Palate: Chewy and intense, with fruit-flavoured toffee, wonderful spices, burnt toast and a hint of mint.
Finish: Big on dried citrus; running to gristy sugar-inclined malt, graduating to late dry mixed spices.
may 2022
Dram 1 - Jura 10 Year Old
Bottle Info
Jura 10 Year Old from Provenance range of Douglas Laing. From the Isle of Jura but it is classed as Highland Region Whisky and naturally its Single Cask, natural color and non chill filtered. Distilled April 2011 matured in a refill barrel until bottling in September 2021 at 10 glorious years old with an out run at 46% ABV of 302 bottles.
Tasting Notes
Nose - Initially barley sugar sweet and gentle spiced, plus later malty gristiness
Palate - Oily, with damp warm sugar, orange marmalade on brown toast and candy
Finish - Complex - chocolate, buttered malt loaf, vanilla and mixed spices (FHL)
Dram 2 -Glenburgie 10 Year Old
Bottle Info
Glenburgie 10 Year Old from the Carn Mor Strictly Limited range by Morrisons Distillers. Distilled in 2011 for a primary maturation in refill barrels followed by a very good finish in some glorious PX hogsheads has created a wonderful last hooray for winter whisky.. For now. Bottled in 2022 at 47.5% with an out run of 1737 bottles i’ve been trying to keep people away from it in the shop to allow it to get to you guys!
Tasting notes
Nose - Decadent sweetness, stewed red fruits and treacle.
Palate - Warming sweetness with candied sugar toasted pecan nuts balances spice.
Finish - Vanilla and golden syrup, long mouth coating sweetness and a rounded fruity finish.
april 2022
Dram 1 - Arran 8 Year Old
Bottle Info
Distilled - June 2013
Bottled - November 2021
Casks Type - Ex Bourbon
Casks Yield - 343 Bottles
Aged - 8 Years
Strength - 46.0% ABV
From the Provenance range of Douglas Laing's collection. Provenance gives us access into single cask whisky at great ages and value for money, this Arran really proves that point. So this is an 8 year old, ex bourbon barrel Arran. Distilled in 2013 and bottled November 2021 with a yield of 343 bottles is a great example of single cask whisky reaching great heights.
On the nose it shows hard candy and spiced oak backed by a lovely malty sweetness. The palate is gloriously thick and creamy with fresh tropical fruit and maple syrup. The finish is long, butter and rich, showing orange citrus and a lovely oatiness.
Tasting Notes
Nose - Hard candy is apparent alongside spiced oak and a real sweet malty style
Palate - Deliciously thick - fresh fruit salad with maple syrup and charred wood.
Finish - Long... buttery pancakes, orange rind and a creamy, oat complexity.
Dram 2 -Dailuaine 2012 Sauternes
Bottle Info
Distilled - 2012
Bottled - 2021
Casks Type - Sauternes Finish
Casks Yield - 816 Bottles
Aged - 9 Years Old
Strength - 47.5% ABV
Back to our pals at Morrisons Distillers and the Carn Mor Strictly Limited range. This month a Dailuaine, finished in a Sauternes cask. Distilled in 2012 and bottle in 2021 yielding 816 bottles, bottled at 9 years old and 47.5% ABV.
This is why I love wine cask finishes and the ability they have of imparting super interesting flavors within the drams. Right off the bat you get a lovely floral rosewater scent on the nose, delicate yet direct. The palate shows a lovely almost minty bergamot freshness, followed by this medium finish giving you chocolate hazelnuts at the end.
Tasting notes
Rosewater and bergamot freshness followed by chocolate hazelnuts
march 2022
Dram 1 - CARN MOR GLENBURGIE 10 YEAR OLD
Bottle Info
Distilled - 2011
Bottled - 2022
Casks Type - 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel
Casks Yield - 847 Bottles
Aged - 10 Years Old Bottled
Strength - 47.5% ABV
Tasting Notes
Tarte au citron with a generous helping of creme pâtissière piped on top
Dram 2 -CARN MOR WHITLAW 7 YEAR OLD - STR
Bottle Info
Distilled - 2014
Bottled - 2022
Casks Type - STR - Shaved, Toasted and Recharred red wine Cask
Casks Yield - 1603
Bottles
Aged - 7 Years Old
Bottled
Strength - 47.5% ABV
Tasting notes
Home baked gingerbread loaf, sweet and sticky with molasses
February 2022
Dram 1 - Balmenach 10 Year Old Provenance
Bottle Info
Distilled - April 2011
Bottled - September 2021
Cask Type - Refill butt
Cask
Yield - 867 bottles
Bottles
Aged - 10 Glorious years
Tasting Notes
Nose - Sweet and gristy immediately developing to a hot toddy style and marmalade and brown sugar
Palate - A touch of ginger and cinnamon alongside a citrus tang, buttery pastry and vanilla espresso
Finish - Lingers with more of that citric zest plus sawdust, buttered wholemeal toast and caramel (CSL)
Dram 2 - Carn Mor - Glen Moray 2013 - 8 Year Old
Bottle Info
Distilled in - 2013
Bottled - 2021
Cask Type - Virgin Oak
Cask
Yield - 898 Bottles
Bottled Strength - 47.5% ABV
Tasting notes
Oak spice, dark chocolate and a hint of chili at the end
january 2022
Dram 1 - Tormore 10 Year Old Provenance
Bottle Info
Distilled - August 2010
Bottled - July 2021
Cask Type - Refill barrel
Cask Yield - 331
Bottles
Aged - 10 Glorious years
Tasting Notes
Nose - Aromatic, rich and full with sweet syrup and spice tones, warming to citric sherbet and cereal
Palate - Gingery and gentle peppered, showing the same spices, plus sugary citric acid and malted flavours
Finish - The citrus is now lemon/lime based, and the spices are dry and warming, with a late gristy style (FHL)
Dram 2 - Ben Nevis 10 Year Old Batch 1 Cask Strength - Ardent Spirits
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Dram 1 - Blair Athol 8 Year Old
Nose: Spiced oak and honeycomb give way to green apple peel and buttery pastry
Palate: A peaches and cream style alongside milky cereal, autumn fruits and barley
Finish: Lingers nicely with tropical fruit character plus wood shavings and a touch of vanilla CSL
Dram 2 - Macduff 9 Year Old - Strong Water Co Single Cask
The Strong Water Co's single cask release, especially selected by Guy we bring you this glorious Macduff 9 Year Old.
Drawn from 1 single cask of Macduff that has been aged for 9 Glorious Years at Macduff Distillery.
Nose: Deep demerara sugar with dried apricots, cacao nibs and winter brandy baskets
Palate: Toffee apple with maple sweetness paired with winter spice and a cream back bone.
Finish: Fresh spices balance the malty sweetness with brandy cream ending. Ripper.
