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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.

Opened in 2014 by independent bottler Adelphi, Ardnamurchan Distillery takes its name from the peninsula on Scotland’s west coast where it stands. This Highland single malt’s Tokaji cask designation references the wines of Hungary’s historic Tokaj region, connecting its Scottish distilling roots with a distinctive Central European winemaking tradition.

Nc’nean was founded by Annabel Thomas and began distilling on Scotland’s remote Morvern peninsula in 2017. Named for Neachneohain, a Gaelic spirit queen associated with nature and independence, the distillery emphasizes organic production and lower-impact operations, using renewable electricity and a biomass boiler fueled by local woodchips. This organic Highland single malt embodies that environmentally focused approach.

Notes of pear and almond tart coupled with a hint of sea salt on the nose, interlaced with the distinctive scents of wet hessian, flapjacks, sea shells, and peppermint tea. The palate unveils refreshing bursts of fresh ginger, tobacco leaf, harmoniously integrated peat, along with whispers of orange blossom and salted caramel offering a grand texture. The outstanding blend of 84% peated spirit and 16% unpeated spirit, aged in 90% Bourbon and 10% Sherry casks, is unchill filtered, naturally colored, and vigorous with a 58.7% ABV. Each bottle, made exclusive through Blockchain-enabled QR code, guarantees authenticity and traceability.

This new release from the wonderful Ardnamurchan distillery represents a shift in their branding. Moving away from batch numbers on the label, the specifics of each batch are available via QR code on the bottle. Located on the far flung peninsula of the same name is one of the Scottish Highland's most remote. Situated seamlessly within the stunning beauty of Scotland's west coast, the new distillery was erected in 2013 and the first spirit drawn from the stills in 2014. The distillery was built to meet the challenges of a sustainable future using exclusively renewable local energy sources. The eye to sustainable production has not diminished their commitment to quality. This bottling of is a blend of equal parts peated and unpeated concerto malt. It was aged for an undisclosed period of time in 65% ex-bourbon and 35% sherry casks and bottled at 46.8% without chillfiltration or color additions of any kind. Expect a classically highland character filled with pungent citrus oil, baked fruit, honey and roasted nuts. The peat comes through the on the palate more offering some great salinity, deep umami, zingy grapefruit peel, roasted pear and a splendid campfire smoke on the finish. An absolutely exceptional additional to the single malt pantheon.

Nc’nean is an independent organic distillery on the remote Morvern peninsula in Scotland’s western Highlands, using renewable energy in its production. The Quiet Rebels series celebrates members of the distillery team, with each release reflecting an individual’s ideas through a distinct cask selection and whisky-making approach.

Ardnamurchan Distillery opened in 2014 on the peninsula of the same name in Scotland’s Western Highlands. This seven-year-old unpeated single malt was matured in ex-bourbon barrel #910 and bottled at cask strength—a release drawn from one individual cask rather than a marriage of several.

Drawn from the private reserves of Scotland’s oldest independent bottler, this Ben Nevis Chairman’s Stock release exemplifies the depth and individuality that have defined William Cadenhead Ltd since its founding in 1842. Bottled at 51.5% ABV after 25 years of maturation in a single bourbon hogshead, this whisky reflects the long held Cadenhead philosophy of presenting spirit in its purest form, with no chill filtration or added colour. The Chairman’s Stock range represents exceptional casks once reserved by the late Chairman Hedley G Wright, released sparingly to preserve the integrity and rarity of these mature stocks. On the nose, this Ben Nevis opens with an expressive array of strawberry lace, banana bread, dried pineapple, kiwi, gooseberries, and walnuts, offering both brightness and depth. The palate unfolds with honeycomb, dried apricots, white grapes, and soft icing sugar, balanced by the distillery’s signature weight and texture. The finish is long and composed, revealing lemon zest, crystallized ginger, gentle pepper, and herbal undertones that linger with quiet authority. This is a beautifully mature Highland malt that showcases Ben Nevis at its most elegant, pairing fruit driven complexity with the structural confidence that only long aging and careful cask selection can provide.

Bid on this 1-700 ml bottle lot of 2012 Ben Nevis 9 Year Old 2022 Limited Release (Murray McDavid: Tyndrum Whisky Exclusive Bottling) Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml).

Bid on this 1-700 ml bottle lot of Ardnamurchan Paul Launois Release 2026 Champagne Cask Finished Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml).

Bid on this 2-bottle lot of Oban 14 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (91WE). Wine Enthusiast: "Look for pleasant sweetness and spice up front, as the nose offers a complex mix of oak, maple sugar, fresh apple, clove, black pepper and cinnamon. The flavors dry to a spicy midpalate before exiting on a long, concentrated maple-like note. (KN)" (12/2015)