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After 18 years of buying spirits for K&L, this special parcel may be my crowning achievement. Just a few years ago, it would have been nearly unfathomable that we could gain access to stocks of this quality at such low prices. We have, of course, bottled similar whiskies before. Years back, we secured a 1991 version from Hunter Laing, and only last year we offered a Faultline barrel from 1998 that sold out almost immediately. Now, we bring you another "Single Vintage Blended Malt" a full decade that barrel's senior for exactly the same price. It is an absolute coup and, if I’m honest, may get me in a little trouble, but that surely will not stop me. My style has always been to ask forgiveness rather than permission. The true challenge with stocks like this is how you label them. We cannot, under any circumstances, place the distillery name on the label, even though it is beyond doubt where the whisky comes from. The once-accepted trade name Burnside belongs to our dear friends at Cadenhead, and out of respect (and good sense, given their well-known litigious nature) we would never infringe on it. So the question becomes, what do we call this whisky? Our friends at Duncan Taylor sold us that wonderful barrel for our Faultline label that they dubbed “The Huntley,” a reference to their hometown. That option was off the table for us. After some consideration, we settled on a playful nod to our friends in Campbeltown: “The Sideburns.” We are not the first to use the name, but ours is plural, because who on earth needs just one Side-burn? Needless to say, this is one of the most outrageous deals I have ever had the honor of brokering for our shop. It represents the pinnacle of my ongoing effort to push back against one of the most damaging trends in our industry: the erosion of value for the end consumer. If you destroy the primary market for great whisky by pushing prices beyond reason, you eventually destroy the market itself. Too many producers have forgotten the first rule of selling anything: give customers what they want at a price they can afford. Start with the customer’s experience and build the system backward from there, rather than forcing corporate projections and marketing jargon down their throats. What do customers want? Great old malt whisky. But in today’s marketplace, finding a bottle over 25 years old that delivers real value in the glass is nearly impossible. Certainly there are other ways brands create value for their customers through lifestyle, image, luxury packaging, or grand storytelling. But if the true measure is taste—and for me it always is—you will struggle to point to a single product that offers what this whisky does at anywhere near this price. This parcel is, without exaggeration, one of the finest opportunities ever presented to lovers of Scotch worldwide. I hope this is only the beginning. If we can continue to secure parcels like this through new channels, then perhaps we can begin to chip away at the barriers keeping customers from enjoying extraordinary old whisky rather than just looking at them. For now, I am confident in saying this is easily the greatest Scotch deal K&L has offered in its 40-plus year history.

One interesting aspect of creating store brands is the inherent skepticism many consumers have when presented with a product that looks too good to be true. That skepticism is understandable when more than one of our competitors is more concerned with the profits their store brands deliver than the quality inside the bottle. I stand by everything we've ever put our name on, from the lowly Faultline Blended Scotch for $20 to the single-barrel Buff Turkeys we bottled for many hundreds of dollars. If I'm going to put our name on it, I'm simply not comfortable having anything less than exceptional in the bottle. That said, it's very, very difficult to put great single malt into a bottle for under $50, and doing so in any meaningful quantity is simply impossible. Yet here we are with this incredible little Balblair, a rarity among independent bottlings, from a forgotten project that seems to have just been left to sit. Now, after many years finishing in old ex-Cognac octaves, this special little Highland malt is a pure joy. And while it won't be available indefinitely, we did get a nice little chunk of it, and I'm hoping we can periodically offer a great 10-year-old malt under our label for less than $40. So let's taste it. The color is a typical and attractive old gold (0.6). The nose offers an almost idyllic deep malt tone, with sweet, fudgy nougat and dense Highland shrubbery of heather and thistle, balanced by twinges of bright citrus and sweet stone fruit. It's not funky at all, as some naked Balblair can be, and the old French oak is extremely subdued, creating a beautiful frame for this special Highland malt. The palate offers chocolate and apricots, with a medium body and a pleasant spicy note that builds into a sweet, herbal finish. It's not a super powerful or in-your-face style, but it's damn drinkable and cheap enough to throw around or make a great Scotch cocktail with. We simply need more wonderful malt at this price point, and this is hands down my favorite thing on the shelf for the money.

Year after year, Signatory brings us some of the best casks anywhere in the industry, and over the past two years they have recommitted to putting absolutely insane deals on the table for us. This year it’s a selection of classic Islays alongside this impeccable Ben Nevis. There was a period just a few years ago when similar casks were trading for twice this price, but here we have an absolutely perfect refill sherry butt, still very active, that simply transcends the market. There’s almost nothing anywhere in the world that’s better on the market today in this style, dollar for dollar. Here we go! This is ridiculously dark for a second fill sherry cask, a gorgeous mahogany (1.6). The nose is a huge mélange of waxy, earthy funk, pulverized rock, and sweet roasted nuts. It’s clearly holding so much at bay in its cask strength form, and air opens it into a basket of walnut brittle, loose leaf tobacco, dried cranberry, carnauba wax, old bike parts, semi dark chocolate, and dashi broth. Not at all for the faint of heart. We love an idiosyncratic Ben Nevis, but for the uninitiated we may need to take baby steps. On the palate it’s rich and oily, offering huge savory underbrush and salty nuts balanced by sweet raisin fruit and an underlying oily texture. It’s simply quintessentially, unapologetically original Ben Nevis. With water it softens and sweetens somewhat, though in this rare case I truly prefer it with air and time rather than the softening effect of water. The only complaint might come from those hoping for a Nevis in skimpier clothes, but the sherry is so well integrated and never overwhelms the density of the spirit that even the most staunch anti oak brigadier general might admit the superiority of this style. If you have only $80 to spend on malt this quarter and don’t need something peaty, this is the obvious slam dunk you’ve been looking for. I’m buying three.

The wild success of the Sideburns 35 Year has rattled the cage of more than one large company in Scotland. If you haven’t seen my review of that product, I highly recommend taking a look: https://shop.klwines.com/products/details/1918829 . The short version is this: we may be on the precipice of a new golden age of Scotch, and K&L is perfectly positioned to take advantage of the market asymmetry. While our marketing of the previous batch was met with side eyes and raised eyebrows from the original owners of the stocks and trademarks, other suppliers with similar inventories saw it as a signal. This was an opportunity. It would seem our prayers have been answered. Another incredible value in old malt has landed in our lap, and this time the deal is even more impressive. There are, of course, differences in the stock. This distillate comes entirely from November 1989 and was matured in refill hogsheads, rather than the first-fill sherry hogsheads of Batch #1. The proof is slightly lower, but still a robust 47-48% for a whisky of such advanced age. Remember, Scotch typically loses up to 1% ABV per year and enters the cask around 63%. So yes, older, slightly lower in proof, and without the fashionable sherry influence, yet 25% cheaper. If you ask me, old malt like this absolutely thrives in refill hogsheads. While I often insist on first or second fill for younger whisky, at this age the nuance of second or third fill can be profoundly beneficial. In any case, if it’s not already clear, this malt is drawn almost entirely from one of Speyside’s most beloved distillers. Search “Burnside,” the Cadenhead/Springbank-owned blended malt, if you want clues to the source. We’re being intentionally careful about naming names, but suffice it to say this parcel comes from the cellars of one of the industry’s most powerful blending houses. Whether it was once destined as a top note for premium blends or simply forgotten stock, it now stands as perhaps the greatest value I’ve ever offered. Twice in six months. It really does feel like the start of something bigger.

This special old barrel was bottled by our friends at Dornoch Distillery under the festive Dornoch Castle Hotel Anniversary label. This series of exceptionally curated casks was selected to commemorate 25 years of independent family ownership of the special property in the gorgeous little eponymously named town. The hotel is the site of both the original Dornoch Distillery and the fabulous whisky bar that Phil and Simon worked so hard to curate in the early years. It remains one of the world’s great whisky bars, tucked into a little corner of the hotel’s modest restaurant. It is simply unconscionable that the fabulous Glen Garioch distillery remains underappreciated by the wider whisky loving world. Founded in 1797 in the town of Oldmeldrum in Aberdeenshire, Glen Garioch is one of Scotland’s oldest operating distilleries. Long known for its robust Highland character, the distillery always maintained a muscular, cereal driven style that stands apart from many of its softer contemporaries. Today it remains a traditional plant with direct fired heritage and a reputation among insiders for producing spirit of remarkable texture and depth. That relative lack of mainstream recognition has translated into extraordinary opportunities at the higher end of the spectrum. It is remarkable that Thompson Bros has been able to secure such a high quality old Highlander at such a reasonable price. The obvious sleeper this year, but those who take the plunge will be greatly rewarded.

The Perfect Fifth acquired this exceptional 36-year-old Glenrothes with every intention of releasing it as one of the prestige bottlings in its range, but somehow the whisky never actually made it to market. Had it been released as planned, a single cask Glenrothes of this age would reasonably have carried a retail price around $2,000. Instead, years later, we've managed to get our hands on this tiny parcel under circumstances that make the original economics almost irrelevant. Cask #2128 was filled on March 4, 1986 and matured for more than 36 years in ex-bourbon oak before being bottled on December 15, 2022. After more than three and a half decades in cask, it had naturally fallen to just 43.3% ABV, yet remained above the legal minimum and was bottled exactly there at full cask strength. Glenrothes of this age is already exceptionally rare, but the ex-bourbon maturation makes this particularly fascinating. So much of the distillery's reputation has been built around sherry-matured whisky that an ancient bourbon-cask Glenrothes offers an entirely different window into the character of the spirit itself. A 1986 vintage, 36 years in a single cask, natural cask strength, and a release that essentially disappeared before it ever happened. This is precisely the sort of old Scotch we thought the modern market had made impossible to sell at prices like this.

This gorgeous barrel of Braeval probably won’t strike a chord with the distillery’s devoted fans because, well, there really aren’t many Braeval fans. That’s not to say we haven’t sold plenty of excellent examples over the years, but the complete absence of official distillery bottlings and lingering confusion around the name, originally Braes of Glenlivet, have kept this excellent little malt off almost everyone’s radar. It doesn’t help that much of the spirit is destined for blending and often filled into less-than-inspiring cask stock, which may explain why only the oldest Braevals have historically achieved true greatness. But take this lovely Highland malt and place it in a fresh Oloroso hogshead, and you have a recipe for something wonderful. Here we go. The beautiful color tells us we’re firmly in sherry-bomb territory, a healthy auburn (1.4). The nose is explosive, with baking spices, roasted almonds, tinned stone fruit, and complex aromas of dark-roasted coffee. The palate is dense and chewy, offering surprising depth of roasted malt and zesty orange oil alongside rich, sweet dried fruit. It’s a classical, if not entirely unexpected, style. We might have assumed that enthusiasm for dense, dark, sherried malt would have faded decades after aficionados first embraced it, but drinkers both new and old still adore this profile. It may never have gone out of fashion, but it has certainly become far more expensive. For sherry lovers, this is the deal of the year. Hands down.

Craigellachie remains one of the most interesting and complex distillers in the Highlands. One of just 20 or so distillers still using worm tubs, its characterful spirit has many sides to it. This is the home of the heart of the John Dewar’s brand and one of the most interesting plants in all of Speyside. What makes it unique are the fat, onion-shaped stills, the surprisingly steep lyne arm and the steel worm tubs. The resulting spirit tends to be oily and rich and can offer character ranging from industrial engine oil to the ultra-fruity. With that, we often see heavier wood or oak treatments, but it’s refreshing to see the spirit on full display here, with a feeling of great maturity alongside that freshness. Let’s try it! The color is pale gold (0.3). The nose is full of stone fruit and crushed rocks, white cherries, manzano bananas, crisp, fresh malt and baking spice. The beautiful fullness of flavor continues on the palate, but doesn’t wade into the aggressively greasy or weird, with a fruity front palate retaining the nearly tropical fruit and the big, juicy core building through the center. Adding water here is really interesting and adds weight and complexity, but only a couple of drops are needed. Now some of the oilier notes come forward, but the apricot-y tone takes over from the tropical banana stuff. It’s simply a lovely, spirit-driven whisky without obstruction. Considering where many other bottlers put their older Craigellachie, it’s quite a good value as well. A perfect one for someone really into exploring this special spirit, but pretty enough to attract any malt lover’s attention.

I am completely in love with Longmorn, but the distillery has been sadly absent from our shelves for many years. We used to do exceptionally well with the well-priced 16-year, which was creamy, delicious, and easy to recommend. Eventually, though, the price went wild, and then the whisky was discontinued altogether. When the owners relaunched the brand, they got so much right: a limited-release 18-year-old, non-chill filtered, cask strength, small batch whisky from one of Speyside’s great underappreciated distilleries. There was only one problem: the price was absolutely insane. Nearly $300! Now, at more than half off, we are getting serious about this one. Apparently, this is the last discount they will be offering on the product, but who cares? If the price keeps going down, we will keep reloading. Let’s have a go. The color is burnished gold (1.1). The nose is absolutely classic Longmorn: rich roasted vanilla, a huge pan of roasted fruits, persimmon, pear, and pineapple, and dense, zingy barrel spice with galangal, cinnamon, more vanilla, and clove. With water, it opens toward Seville orange peel and fresh-baked biscuits, though the core remains firmly centered on roasted fruits and earthy spice. The texture is full-bodied and almost thick, with wildflower honey, wax fruit, roasted malt, dark chocolate, and buttercream. It absolutely loves a splash of water, softening and broadening in a wonderful way without losing its depth. This is still a special luxury whisky, but at this price it feels extremely fair rather than sort of silly and over the top. If you love Longmorn or Speyside whisky in general, this is an easy choice.

A port cask finish gives this Scotch a copper penny hue. The aroma suggests baked apple, while the palate has a chewy, concentrated vanilla-oak profile, leading to walnut, leather and espresso. The rounded finish sings with sherry and spice. Adding water coaxes out baked apple sweetness and dials back the oak. (KN)

The Glenturret Distillery is one of Scotland's hidden gems. Founded in 1763 as the "Thurot" distillery in a hollow outside Crieff, it was undoubtedly the site of illicit distillation at least 50 years prior. They claim to be Scotland's oldest licensed distiller, which several other distillers dispute, but its clear distillation occurred here very early. This picturesque part of Perthshire was once the baronial lands of Sir Patrick Murray of Ochtertyre, whose records establish the distillery's early naissance. The Murray family sold to the MacInnes in 1814 and the distillery was renamed The Hoth distillery. Finally in 1873, it was renamed the GlenTurret distillery and would eventually become an important part of the Famous Grouse blend. While it was an important and well-regarded distillery to many, it was an afterthought to the modern owners Edrington (owners of Macallan and Highland Park) who didn't bother to market the single malts much outside of the UK. In 2019, the Swiss luxury lifestyle company Lalique -famous of course for their crystal- purchased the small distillery and began a journey to reposition the high quality distillery on the international seen. Now, the first US release is available, the second under the new ownership. The triple wood is a blend of three cask types - American and European oak sherry as well as ex-bourbon barrels. Expect a soft subtle character pointed by exotic fruit and rich malt.

The Balvenie remains one of the very few Scotch distilleries still practicing traditional floor malting, and this limited 12-year-old release takes that increasingly rare craft to its logical extreme. While home-malted barley contributes to the wider Balvenie range, this bottling was produced entirely from barley malted by the distillery, sourced from the Mains of Balvenie and partner farms. The process is famously labor intensive, with the germinating barley turned by hand as many as four times a day, seven days a week. Malt Master Kelsey McKechnie matured the whisky in American oak before finishing it in a European oak ex-sherry butt from Jerez, bottling at a generous 47.5% ABV. The result is classic Balvenie with an unusually direct connection to the distillery's oldest traditions: honey, warm biscuit and creamy toffee lead into barley sugar, ginger, raisin and beautifully integrated sherry spice. Created as part of the 1931 Collection in collaboration with contemporary artist Daniel Arsham, it's an unusually compelling combination of serious old-school whisky production and modern presentation.

Silky and downright succulent, this Scotch is made with two types of oak casks—as the DoubleWood name suggests—but it’s really all about the influence of the ex-Sherry cask. Aromas suggest golden raisins and dried apricots. The silky palate starts out moderately smoky, but glides into a richer, honeyed, nutty profile that finishes with cocoa and clove accents. *Top 100 Spirits of 2015* (KN)

The Macallan's benchmark excellence is nowhere more evident than in the 18 year old, which is matured for a minimum of 18 years in seasoned sherry casks. Classic Macallan, with aromas and flavors of dried apricots and figs, spice, chocolate and orange zest. Made exclusively in hand-picked sherry oak casks from Jerez, Spain. As always, the Macallan is bottled with its natural color. This is the new package but the same old Mac 18!

This gorgeous barrel of Auchroisk is so classical and creamy it's a real drinker. I'm not sure what qualifies this to have been bottled for the inauguration of Ardnahoe, but if they were going for the most typical in style from this particular distillery, I'd believe it. Let's have a go. The color is white wine (0.1). The nose is big orchard fruit -tangy green apple, Bartlett pear, fresh malt, kiwi skins, graham cracker and creme anglais. On the palate it's equally juicy with big apple-y fruit and more pithy citrus. The creaminess of the nose is lost to some earthy malt character, but a dash of water bring is roaring back. It surely doesn't need the water and will drink nicely if you like the edge of full 100 proof. Perhaps not unusual or bold, but just damn good malty mid-aged Speysider for a wonderful price.

Mild honey and almond aromas beckon on the nose. The palate opens with sweet spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla, leading into velvety caramel and a hint of dried fig. The fin- ish glimmers with cayenne, a burst of lemon peel acidity and a hint of peat smoke.

After regular maturation, this Scotch is "extra matured" in former rum casks. The end result layers rich, mouth-coating dried apricot, honey and Sherry notes on top of Balvenie's usual caramel and light peat profile. It finishes flavorful, though with a distinct burst of alcohol warmth. (KN)

Founded near Elgin in 1821, Linkwood is a long-established Speyside distillery. This Old Malt Cask release was distilled in 2002 and matured for 22 years in a single sherry butt, presenting an individually matured expression of Linkwood single malt Scotch whisky in a 700ml bottle.

When word got out that we were finally seeing a Macallan 12 Year Old at 110 proof, the collective gasp from the Scotch community was audible. For years, we have loved the Sherry Oak 12 for its elegance, but we have always wondered what that iconic Speyside spirit would look like if it were allowed to keep its muscles. Most Macallan is dialed back to 43% ABV to stay polite, but this "Distillery Exclusive" style bottling is anything but. This is Macallan with the volume cranked up, proving that underneath all that luxury branding, there is still a powerful, oily, and intensely characterful malt. This isn't just about the heat, though. At 55% ABV, the sherry influence isn't just a suggestion; it is a full-blown conversation. The higher proof acts as a magnifying glass for those classic European oak spices and the rich, dried fruit notes that have made this distillery a legend. It is a dense, brooding, and unapologetically bold expression that reminds me of the great "Cask Strength" bottlings of the early 2000s. It's not just another raisin bomb either. Diving in, the nose is a massive wave of Oloroso sherry, leads with sticky medjool dates, singed orange peel, and a heavy dose of holiday spice. You do get that classic Macallan "Christmas cake" aroma, but with an added layer of espresso grounds and dark manuka honey. On the palate, the texture is incredibly viscous. It coats the tongue with layers of dark chocolate, ginger snaps, and stewed plums, while the higher proof brings a vibrant black pepper and cinnamon zing that keeps it from feeling too heavy. The finish is epic, trailing off with a dry, resinous oak and a lingering sweetness of golden raisins and clove. This is Macallan at its most raw and impressive.

Earthy notes of dried leaves, wet wool, and a hint of maltiness start things off on the nose, then citrus and red apple. The palate is sweet and balanced, offering warm apple tart, cinnamon, cooked blueberries, raisins, toffee, and Christmas cake, with a slight and appealing hint of soapiness. A lengthy finish brings chocolate cake, glazed orange, pfeffernusse cookies, and winter spice. A delicious holiday warmer. (DF, Winter-2021)

The newly redesigned Glendronach 15 year marks the beginning of a new era at the Glendronach distillery. No longer is the 15 year a triumphant revival of a lost label, but now it's the core malt in one of Scotland's most well regarded distillers. It remains exclusively filled into Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks from Andalucía in Glendronach's old dark dunnage warehouses located outside of the small eastern highland town of Huntley. Tasting notes from teh distiller, "Color: Antique copper with a golden hue. Aroma: An intoxicating burst of maraschino cherry, ripe bramble and dark chocolate mint with hints of orange bitters and walnut liqueur. Palate: Honey-glazed apricot and ripe fig with a crescendo of black cherry, angelica, and muscovado."

Look for a rich butterscotch scent and a hint of fresh apricot. On the palate, this Sherry-matured single malt layers on concentrated caramel, butterscotch and custard, finishing long and spiced on a hint of orange peel. *Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Spirits 2017* (KN)

Distilled during Ballindalloch’s inaugural year, this single malt was filled on October 23, 2014, into the 60th cask ever laid down at the family-owned Speyside distillery. The whisky was made from Concerto barley, the variety used at Ballindalloch before its transition to Laureate. Its production reflects the distillery’s slow, traditional approach: a roughly seven-hour mash, 140 hours of fermentation in Oregon pine washbacks and slow distillation through copper pot stills fitted with exceptionally long worm tub condensers. Cask #60 spent its entire maturation in a first-fill Pedro Ximénez Sherry hogshead before bottling on June 8, 2026, at more than 11 years old. Ballindalloch’s first single cask release for the United States, it is available exclusively in the U.S. with just 300 bottles allocated. Bottled at a natural cask strength of 59.2% ABV, without chill filtration or added color.

Glenmorangie has distilled single malt near Tain in the Scottish Highlands since 1843. The whisky maker partnered with Harrison Ford for “Once Upon a Time in Scotland,” a cinematic campaign filmed in the Highlands that highlights the distillery, its craftspeople, and the surrounding landscape.

The vast majority of the liquid from this Highland distillery that dates back to 1798 ends up in the Bells line of blended scotch whisky, but among enthusiasts, it’s highly regarded when found in independent bottlings. This one in particular highlights the classic highland style, dominated by the toasted oaky spice from the four-and-a-half year secondary aging in toasted French barrique casks. Honey and orchard fruits emerge in plenty, with the creamy toasted oak connecting the dots between floral and butterscotch notes. It finishes with a touch of nuttiness that emerges through the oaky spice. This is a lovely, rich dram that defies its age.

A period of finishing in a combination of Pedro Ximénez and oloroso sherry puncheons and hogsheads distinguishes this release. The nose is fragrant, with spicy red wine, raspberries, ginger, milk chocolate, and nutmeg. Viscous on the palate, with lots of cloves, plus vanilla, raisins, and instant coffee with a slug of sherry in it. Dark chocolate, licorice, and black coffee feature in the finish. Overall, nicely balanced. (GS, Winter-2019)

The wonderful Craigellachie distillery remains underappreciated outside of core group of diehard fans. It's oily rich character can be exceptional both in sherry and when aged in fresh bourbon barrel like this one. The old home of Dewar's, this distillery isn't Speyside's prettiest but it is one of its best. Just across the river from the Macallan on the road to Dufftown, the old plant continues to produce full flavored rich malt of the highest quality. This little barrel was distilled in 2008 and filled into a fresh bourbon barrel for 15 years before being bottled at full cask strength without chillfiltration or coloring of any kind. Expect a fruity fragrant side of Craigellachie -Peaches, apple, and fresh fragrant floral aromas. The palate is full of spice, pears and fudge.

Aultmore is one of those distilleries that kind of pisses me off. The owners do not seem interested in selling the product, even though they have gone out of their way to create a new, posh looking package. There is no visitor center or even a website dedicated to the distillery in any meaningful way. I really enjoy the little Aultmore that makes its way here, and I even really like the distillery bottlings, but they are simply impossible to find. So I am excited to taste this wonderful big butt of Aultmore, which yielded nearly 700 bottles, fewer than 80 of which made it to the US. Aultmore in old sherry barrels can be gorgeous, and I very much enjoy the character of this whisky, so I was glad to see one in this style, especially since the previous Aultmore we had was an absolute sherry monster. Here goes. The color is an inspiring old gold (0.6), and I think we will see more malt than wine here. The nose is soft and subtle, quite elegant, with gentle poached fruit and a bright malt base note. There is a third layer as well, almost like wet clay mixed with dry hay, but it is very subtle and does not protrude beyond the fragrant fruity nose. The palate offers a good medium bodied texture, with sweet malt up front and hints of sherry offering subtle spice and zesty citrus. Throughout, baked apples rather than fresh are clearly the star. With water, it becomes all apples and pear pomace, juicy and delicious. It might be a summer whisky, but it is sunny here so I am loving this. All in all, a very appealing and approachable whisky that will suit any lover of the softer Speyside style who is not after a big sherry note, yet still wants a bit more complexity.

This expression is described by the distillers as 'the heart of our range.' Matured in virgin oak, Pedro Ximénez, and oloroso casks. Oily on the nose, with ripe banana and a hint of oak. Quite full-bodied and slick on the palate, with vanilla, honey, and almonds. Milk chocolate and lime in the medium-length finish. (GS, Winter 2018)

Caol Ila stands on Islay’s eastern coast overlooking the Sound of Islay, the strait separating the island from Jura. Distilled in 2006, this 19-year-old single malt is a single-cask release in the Single Malts of Scotland range, presenting an individual cask from this island distillery.

Not a lot can go wrong with a nicely aged Craigellachie in a good quality sherry butt. There was a period when many of these barrels showed strong sulfur character, so much so that certain Scotch lovers actively seek out that style, but modern bottlings rarely exhibit those intense flavors. This, however, is not one of the rarer lighter-style Craigellachies that could feel as if they were distilled anywhere. Instead, it is a very classical expression, showing the telltale aromatics of that heady old-school spirit. The label does not indicate that this is a refill barrel, yet the color is not particularly dark, suggesting a somewhat subtler wine influence compared to others we have seen over the years. That bodes well for a balanced, complex, and classical profile, which I typically love. Let me check. The color is amber (0.7). The nose is immediately expressive, with dense aromas of machine shop, cured meats, candied pineapple, and malty syrup. There is a tiny twinge of sulfur funk, but it is well within expected bounds and likely comes from the spirit rather than the cask. The palate is absolutely gorgeous, shedding that hint of funk and instead showing a powerful, oily texture. The sweetness on the front palate is undeniable, with nutty caramel sauce, citrus oils, and sweet fruit, pulled back by dark fudgy cocoa and a subtle salty, earthy finish. This is exceptionally pleasurable and well balanced. I should have tasted it with water, but it is perfectly lovely neat. It also loves oxygen, and the patient drinker will be rewarded as this malt continues to build in the glass. Fabulous value here.

Owner Inver House Distillers has revamped its Balblair portfolio replacing its vintage releases with age statement versions. The 12 year matures in American oak ex-bourbon and "double-fired" American oak. Bottled at natural color with no chill filtration at 46%

The Glendronach “Ode to the Dark” is the most indulgent release yet in the Master's Anthology collection, matured exclusively in select Pedro Ximenez casks and bottled at a generous 50.8 percent ABV. This Highland single malt delivers the deep sherry intensity that defines the distillery's style, with a nose full of mocha, black cherry, and dark chocolate, followed by crème brûlée, raisin, brown sugar, and ginger. The palate layers smooth espresso and crème caramel with black grape and mint chocolate ganache, all carried on Glendronach’s famously full-bodied malt. Crafted under the guidance of Master Blender Dr. Rachel Barrie, this release reflects her rare combination of scientific precision and creative intuition. With over 30 years in whisky and early work alongside Dr. Jim Swan, Barrie has become one of Scotch whisky’s most respected voices. Since joining Glendronach in 2017, she has elevated the house style through careful cask selection and deep sensory analysis. Natural in color and non-chillfiltered, “Ode to the Dark” is both a technical triumph and a deeply expressive whisky that rewards those who appreciate sherried intensity and Highland structure. It is one of the most luxurious statements Glendronach has made in the modern era.

Founded by James Fleming in 1879, Aberlour stands in the Speyside village that shares its name. A’Bunadh—Gaelic for “the original”—is released in individually numbered batches; Batch 079 is bottled at cask strength and reflects the distillery’s established use of oloroso sherry casks for this expression.

This Speyside Scotch is rich with vanilla notes, along with bright tropical fruit and a touch of smoke on the finish. *Best Buy* (KN)

Deanston occupies a former cotton mill on the banks of the River Teith in the Scottish Highlands, where whisky production began in 1966. Distilled in 2008 and matured for 17 years, this single-cask release under the Single Malts of Scotland label connects independent bottling with a distinctive chapter of Scotland’s industrial heritage.

Released in 2022, the Balvenie 16 year old is matured in American oak before being transferred to French casks that once held Pineau des Charentes, an aromatic white wine fortified with grape brandy that often has honeyed, fruity tones that evoke sherry. The distiller says that on the nose, "beautifully balanced light floral notes from lotus and geranium flowers dance between hints of fresh meadow grass and pealed apple skin." While on the palate, "An energising zing from tangy lemon rind and grapefruit meet the delicate subtle sweetness of glazed fruits and spice from root ginger."

The Macpherson-Grant family has cared for the Ballindalloch Estate since 1457, and its connection to Scotch whisky stretches back more than two centuries. The family established the licensed Delnashaugh Distillery in 1824 and later helped found both Cragganmore in 1869 and the original Speyside Distillery in 1895. That history continues at Ballindalloch Distillery, where estate-grown barley is transformed into single malt through a deliberately traditional process. Mashing takes approximately seven hours, fermentation runs for 140 hours in Oregon pine washbacks, and the spirit is distilled slowly through copper pot stills with unusually long worm tub condensers. The Family Heritage Selection marks Ballindalloch’s first release in the United States, more than a decade after the distillery began production. This small-batch single malt brings together whisky matured in first-fill ex-Bourbon barrels and first-fill ex-Sherry hogsheads. It is bottled at 50% ABV without chill filtration or added color.

Founded in 1891, Craigellachie Distillery stands near the River Spey in the village whose name it bears. Single Cask Nation selected this 18-year-old Speyside single malt from first-fill Oloroso sherry cask #160618 and bottled it at cask strength, preserving the individual identity of a single maturation vessel.

Whiskey Advocates #1 Whiskey 2023 Top 20.

Baking spice aromas lead the nose. The palate opens with lemon peel and Granny Smith apple tartness. Adding water pulls out mild nutty tones, finishing long with nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. (KN)

The succulent aroma develops with aeration in the sweet forms of barley, cream, light caramel, and a trace of tropical fruit. Palate entry is round, borderline plump, breakfast-cereal sweet, and honeyed; at midpalate, there's a slightly oily peat smoke. Sweetly concludes with the focus on the malt. *Best Buy* (PP)

Few names carry more weight in Formula One design than Adrian Newey, the legendary engineer behind some of the most dominant cars in the sport’s history. For the second year of Glenfiddich’s partnership with the Aston Martin Formula One Team, Newey’s philosophy became the inspiration for a whisky engineered with equal attention to the details beneath the surface. Malt Master Brian Kinsman built this 16-year-old from five precisely chosen components: first-fill bourbon barrels, Port pipes, Oloroso sherry casks, red wine casks, and a final touch of Fino sherry butts. Much like the hidden aerodynamic elements of an F1 car, every cask serves a purpose, contributing sweetness, richness, structure, or lift to the final composition. The whisky moves from rich stewed fruit, flowers, marzipan, and polished leather into silky toffee, caramelized sugar, ripe orchard fruit, and finely controlled dry oak. Bottled at 43% ABV with a long, elegantly sweet finish, Release No. 2 combines Aston Martin glamour, Newey’s relentless pursuit of performance, and Glenfiddich’s extraordinary whisky reserves in one remarkably polished package. This is Formula One engineering translated into single malt.

The GlenAllachie’s Masters of Wood series gives Billy Walker a chance to lean fully into the obsessive cask management that has become a defining feature of the distillery, and this 19-year-old may be one of the most unusual releases yet. The whisky was matured in Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso casks that had previously held Sherry within traditional solera systems for more than 55 years before being filled with GlenAllachie spirit. Unlike freshly seasoned casks, these ancient vessels have spent decades undergoing repeated cycles of extraction and replenishment, building layers of oxidative character while gradually softening the direct influence of the oak. The combination of rich PX and dry, nutty Oloroso gives the whisky tremendous depth, with the distillery describing layers of plum, treacle, mocha, black cherry, honey, cocoa, cinnamon and ginger. Bottled at a substantial 50% ABV, without added color or chill filtration, this is a fascinating expression of Walker’s philosophy that great whisky is ultimately as much about the history of the wood as the age of the spirit itself.

Founded by James Allardice in 1826, The Glendronach distillery stands in the Forgue valley of the Scottish Highlands. This 12-year-old single malt is matured in Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks, continuing the distillery’s long-established focus on sherry-cask maturation.

Founded in 1824 by Sir Alexander Ramsay, Fettercairn was among the first distilleries licensed after Scotland’s 1823 Excise Act. This 12-year-old Highland single malt comes from the Eastern Highlands distillery, known for the distinctive cooling ring that bathes its copper still necks with water during distillation.

Part of a trio of whiskies celebrating Glendronach’s use of sherry casks, Ode to the Embers is a peated malt that leaps out of the glass with smoke and cinders, the dense peat melding with the sherry cask influence to create a meaty impression with barbecue spices and charred aromas. The palate dials back the peat and lets the cask influence shine: Ripe berries, apples, and heather honey blend into a slightly smoky, very fruity finish. - SE

The bouquet is austere and leathery with curious aromas of beeswax, vegetable oil and oaky resin. Palate entry is focused on the resin; midpalate is splendidly multilayered and offers elements of black pepper, dried orange blossom, honeysuckle, dried fruit, sage, fennel and confections. Aftertaste is deep and unabashedly sweet and honeyed. *Superb, Highly Recommended*