Scotch Malt Whisky Society 94.4

$179.99

ODE TO AUTUMN: 24 year old Highlander from refill hogshead cask at 52.3%. Only 201 bottles in the outturn!

Panel's Tasting Note: "We were greeted by a dusty, warm and malty aroma - like a hayfield at harvest time on a sunny afternoon, or sanding a wooden floor, or dusting off a Scalextric set not used for a long time and having a first go. In the taste sweet and rich with a herbal and fruity note; Italian biscotti biscuits with hazelnuts and dark cherries as well as aniseed, lemon and orange rind. Adding water, roasted red peppers stuffed with herb couscous accompanied by a salty/tangy ginger and lime dressing and the taste salty and sweet like an olive oil and balsamic bread dip. A unique example from the distillery with a unique cooling system for its spirit still - simply running cold water along the sides."

Drinking Tip: "After enjoying a lovely autumn day."

Scotch Malt Whisky Society 7.97

$161.99

CEDAR, SANDALWOOD AND CINNAMON

This Speysider is 20 years old and 53.9% after maturing in a refill hogshead

Flavour profile:  Juicy, oak & vanilla

Outturn:  201 bottles 

Panel's tasting note: "We found rich aromas of dark honey, vanilla, coconut, chocolate, menthol, abundant leather and the deep woodiness of a cooperage, but somehow the nose also drifted towards tropical fruits and garden impressions with fresh flowers and herbs. The neat palate tingled the tongue nicely with leather, orange zest, wood, green herbs and aniseed and ginger spice – sweet tobacco and floral perfumes kicked in to create a wonderfully balanced and rather sexy experience. Water brought cedar, sandalwood, cinnamon and candy floss to the nose and pleasant pot-pourri perfumes to the palate. An attractive offering from this Chivas distillery south of Elgin."

Drinking tip: "Set up a card game with some attractive dames and serve this - you can’t lose"

Scotch Malt Whisky Society 17.35

$112.49

VERY FRUITY, VERY TASTY: This 11 year old Orcadian is from that island's other distillery, 56.1% after maturing in a Refill Barrel. 

Panel's Tasting Note: "We found lots of good stuff on the nose – honey, toffee, vanilla, Battenberg cake, vanilla and a variety of fruits (pear, apple, tinned pineapple, strawberry, three-fruit marmalade). We also found tarragon, straw, putty, menthol, brass and a stationery cupboard. The palate was tasty – majoring on fruit (star-fruit, rhubarb, peach, pineapple) – but also with gummy bears, ‘soor plooms’ candies, some interesting ginger spice and a salty note. The nose shifted with water – oatcakes, tea caddies and pepper – the centerpiece still a bowl of fruit, but now sharper (gooseberry, lime). The palate became even tastier – Moffat toffees and coke with lime. Orkney’s smaller distillery."

Drinking Tip: "To serve before lunch in summer."

Scotch Malt Whisky Society 127.38

$110.69

ENTICING FUME OF A PEAT REEK: A 10 year old Ileach at a whopping 66.3% after maturing in a Refill Sherry Butt.

Panel's Tasting Note: "This nose is big and with so many facets that it will be difficult to describe with the limitations of a tasting note. Sweet smoke, bacon crisps, pork cracklings, honey and soy sauce, slightly burnt corn on the cob, oily mackerels, Germolene and tarry drift wood. The taste was absolutely huge, stunning, WOW! Sweet, smoky, ashy, briny; like a peat fire blazing in a croft house by the edge of the Atlantic grilling mackerels and honey smoked bacon. With water less intense sweet peat smoke with earthy (compost), herbal aromas like that of a good fish stock. The taste now Mediterranean pork with sage plums and oven-roasted tomatoes rolled in herbs."

Drinking Tip: "Just drink it!"

Scotch Malt Whisky Society 33.130

$128.69

THE FARMYARD AND THE CHIP SHOP: An 11 year old Ileach from the Kildalton Coast bottled at 56.1% from a 2nd fill barrel.

Panel's Tasting Note: "This presented two distinct scenarios which had the panel scratching collective heads. Malt in burlap sacks, sillage, tomatoes and compost in one camp. Fish and chips, in paper, oyster shells and lobster pots in the other. Vanilla pods andapple chutney and some tropical fruits popped up. Then the Islay personality roared into action with coal buckets, Germolene and barbecue smoke. With water it reminded one of a cedar wood chest of blankets with mothballs and another of laundry day at the beach. A curious creamy mouth feel of peach yogurt left the panel scratching their heads to the last drop."

Drinking Tip: "While eating fish and chips on the pier."

Scotch Malt Whisky Society 4.181

$133.19

A MUSCLE MAN FROM ORKNEY: A 16 year old refill sherry but matured Orcadian at 45.6% from Magnus' distillery.

Panel's Tasting Note: "A wolf whistle and ‘hello sailor’ was all we could muster at this muscleman of a dram from Orkney. Rustic, grizzly and animalistic, he swept us up with his robust arms and carried us past barges and oil rigs to rural lavender heather pastures. Thick burnt condensed coconut syrup, PX sherry, Dundee marmalade, honey glazed smoked pork buns and Demerara sugar were all unashamedly present. Smouldering and rich on the palate, our dream man presented chewy burnt toffee, Russian caramels, orange treacle and sweet dark chocolate. Water brought out a sweeter side to him: coffee liqueur, sweet molasses and dried pineapple, all with a dusting of coco powder. But don’t be fooled by this softness: scorched and decadent, our palates were left with a thick, chewy finish of sherry infused raisins and dry Brazil nut skins. He knows how to treat a lady."

Drinking Tip: "While reading a Jackie Collins novel."

Signatory Bruichladdich 1990

$211.49

SOLD OUT - No longer available. This is an older release which is likely not coming back.

Signatory Bunnahabhain 1988

$247.49

Signatory Caol Ila 1983

$359.99