Glen Scotia 18 year old (The Single Cask) 1992

Distillery: Glen Scotia

Region: Campbeltown

Age: 18 years

Maturation Cask: not specified

Strength: 58.4%

Volume: 70cl

Bottler: Edition Spirits

Distillation Date: 1992

Bottling Date: 2010

Cask Number: tbc

Tasting Notes

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The Single Cask is a new range by independent bottlers Edition Spirits Ltd. specialising in old and rare whisky. The range deals primarily with exclusive bottlings for private collectors and specialist retailers, with few brands and expressions made available to the wider public.

Like many others, especially in the Campbeltown region, Glen Scotia distillery has a history beset by closures, and is one of the smallest operations still surviving with a staff of just three employees. Despite this, Glen Scotia has earned a reputation for good quality whisky, especially its Single Cask expressions.

Springbank Triple-Distilled 13 year old (NC2) 1997

Distillery: Springbank

Region: Campbeltown

Age: 13 years

Maturation Cask: not specified

Strength: 54.4%

Volume: 70cl

Bottler: Duncan Taylor

Distillation Date: 1997

Bottling Date: 2010

Cask Number: tbc

Tasting Notes

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NC2 stands for "non-coloured" and "non-chill-filtered" and as such bottlers Duncan Taylor proudly proclaim this range as "completely natural". Each cask in the NC2 range is matured at it's original distillery and hand-picked for bottling by Duncan Taylor.

Springbank is rare in still being a family owned distillery, and with most of its product sold as Single Malt and Single Cask. They are also one of only two distilleries in Scotland that performs every step of the process, from malting to bottling, all on the same premises. Even more unusual for Scotch whisky is their distillation process - even their own distillery branded bottles use a process they refer to as "distilled two-and-a-half times", which produces a purer, smoother spirit. However, it is also one of the most inactive distilleries, with the stills in operation for less than a third of the year. This mixture of quality and scarcity makes Springbank a highly sought-after malt.

Isle of Arran 12 year old (Whisky Galore) 1996

Distillery: Isle of Arran

Region: Island

Age: 12 years

Maturation Cask: not specified

Strength:46%

Volume: 70cl

Bottler: Duncan Taylor

Distillation Date: 1996

Bottling Date: 2008

Cask Number:

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Named for the Legendary Scotch which was smuggled from a wrecked cargo ship off the west coast of Scotland in 1941 (and the film of the same name based on those events), the Whisky Galore range is another of Duncan Taylor's unadulterated selections.

Since the closure of Lagg Distillery on the Isle of Arran in 1837 there had been no legal distilleries on the island for over 150 years. That is, until this young addition to the Single Malt world was founded in 1995. Despite its youth, Arran is developing a good reputation, perhaps in part due to the fact that almost all of its product is released as either Single Malt or Single Cask, with just a small portion used in blends and liqueurs, making it easily accesible.

Macallan 12 year old (Wealth of a Nation) 1997

Distillery: Macallan

Region: Speyside

Age: 12 years

Maturation Cask: not specified

Strength: 46%

Volume: 70cl

Bottler: Scottish Liqueur Centre

Distillation Date: 1997

Bottling Date: 2009

Cask Number: 981

Tasting Notes

Colour: Pale gold.

Aroma: Coconut, vanilla and mint.

Taste: Fruity, with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce.

Finish: Vanilla lingers on.

As the third biggest-selling Single Malt Scotch, Macallan will be a familiar name even to non-aficionados. Traditionally maturing in sherry casks, the supply of which dwindled during the late 20th century, in recent years the distillery has gradually shifted towards other used casks, such as bourbon. This Single Cask selection is a subtle shift from distillery bottled product - similar enough to be obviously kin, but different enough to delight a curious palate.

Royal Lochnagar 19 year old (Rare Auld) 1990

Distillery: Royal Lochnagar

Region: Highland

Age: 19 years

Maturation Cask: not specified

Strength: 54.6%

Volume: 70cl

Bottler: Duncan Taylor

Distillation Date: 1990

Bottling Date: 2009

Cask Number: 356

Tasting Notes

Colour: Straw.

Aroma: Powerful, grassy, with apple peel and wet stone.

Taste: Big and grassy again, with citrus, violet sweets and marmalade.

Finish: Long and complex, with almonds, orange and, once again, grass.

An outstanding collection, all aged 17 years and above, Duncan Taylor's "Rare Auld" range represents top-notch malts of impeccable quality, bottled from single cask and at cask strength.

The Lochnagar malt owes its prefix to the Royal Warrant issued in 1848 after the distillery was visited by Queen Victoria and her family, who were staying at the Balmoral estate next door. Most of what the distillery produces is used in Johnny Walker Blue and Black label whiskies, making any Single Malt bearing the name Royal Lochnagar a rare and much sought after dram.

Isle of Jura 9 year old (Battlehill)

Distillery:Isle of Jura

Region: Island

Age: 9 years

Maturation Cask: not specified

Strength: 43%

Volume: 70cl

Bottler: Duncan Taylor

Tasting Notes

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The Battlehill range, named for the many sites of battles throughout Scotland, is a popular selection of predominantly young expressions bottled by Duncan Taylor.

The Isle of Jura is tucked away between the mainland and whisky mecca Islay, yet the solitary distillery on the island produces a softer, subtler flavour next to the heavy peat of it's neighbours. Aside from the ingredients used - soft, peaty water; plain malt dried with warm air - a major contributor to the style of Jura whisky is the use of very tall stills, creating a very light whisky.

Isle of Jura 18 year old (Rare Auld) 1990

Distillery: Isle of Jura

Region: Island

Age: 18 years

Maturation Cask: not specified

Strength: 52.4%

Volume: 70cl

Bottler: Duncan Taylor

Distillation Date: 1990

Bottling Date: 2008

Cask Number: 6401

Tasting Notes

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An outstanding collection, all aged 17 years and above, Duncan Taylor's "Rare Auld" range represents top-notch malts of impeccable quality, bottled from single cask and at cask strength.

The Isle of Jura is tucked away between the mainland and whisky mecca Islay, yet the solitary distillery on the island produces a softer, subtler flavour next to the heavy peat of it's neighbours. Aside from the ingredients used - soft, peaty water; plain malt dried with warm air - a major contributor to the style of Jura whisky is the use of very tall stills, creating a very light whisky. This 18 year old is as rare as the branding suggests - just 312 bottles from the cask!

Glenfarclas 40 year old

Distillery: Glenfarclas

Region: Speyside

Age: 40 years

Maturation Cask: Sherry

Strength: 46%

Volume: 70cl

Bottler: Distillery

Tasting Notes

Colour: Rich, dark gold.

Aroma: Antique leather, walnuts, chocolate raisins.

Taste: Sweet at first with orange and chocolate into burnt brown sugar.

Finish: Dry, with tannins and dark cocoa.

An independent distillery, the Grant family have owned Glenfarclas since 1860 producing whisky that many enthusiasts embrace as a personal favourite. So revered even a rival distiller is reputed to have proclaimed "of all the kings Glenfarclas reigns supreme", this 40 year old received an impressive 95/100 from Malt Advocate magazine.

Glenfarclas 25 year old

Distillery: Glenfarclas

Region: Speyside

Age: 25 years

Maturation Cask: Sherry

Strength: 43%

Volume: 70cl

Bottler: Distillery

Tasting Notes

Colour: Amber with dark gold highlights.

Aroma: A refined yet complex balance of peat, marmalade, honey, coffee, sherry, nuts and oak.

Taste: Full flavoured, balancing between sherry and oak, with a nutty smokiness.

Finish: Intense, long-lasting and smoky, with dark chocolate at the back end.

An independent distillery, the Grant family have owned Glenfarclas since 1860 producing whisky that many enthusiasts embrace as a personal favourite. So revered even a rival distiller is reputed to have proclaimed "of all the kings Glenfarclas reigns supreme", this 25 year old is a great after-dinner whisky, rich and sweet enough to be dessert itself.

Glenfarclas 12 year old

Distillery: Glenfarclas

Region: Speyside

Age: 12 years

Maturation Cask: Sherry

Strength: 43%

Volume: 70cl

Bottler: Distillery

Tasting Notes

Colour: Vibrant amber-gold.

Aroma: Light, with sherried fruit, sweet spice and oak.

Taste: Very full flavour of sherried fruit and oak, punctuated by just a hint of peat.

Finish: Long, flavoursome and spicy.

An independent distillery, the Grant family have owned Glenfarclas since 1860 producing whisky that many enthusiasts embrace as a personal favourite. So revered even a rival distiller is reputed to have proclaimed "of all the kings Glenfarclas reigns supreme", this 12 year old is a great introduction to the distillery style, although seasoned drinkers may prefer skipping straight to the 15 year old.

Glenburgie year old (Wealth of a Nation) 1983

Distillery: Glenburgie

Region: Speyside

Age: 26 years

Maturation Cask: not specified

Strength: 46%

Volume: 70cl

Bottler: Scottish Liqueur Centre

Distillation Date: 1983

Bottling Date: 2009

Cask Number: 9798

Tasting Notes

Colour: Dark copper.

Aroma: Toffee and walnut.

Taste: Mixed fruit with ice cream and chocolate.

Finish: Very long and full of flavour.

With a history of just over 200 years, Glenburgie is one of the oldest surviving distilleries, and with only a dozen of those years officially hit by closure, one of the longest producing as well. A distillery of aliases, Glenburgie was originally called Kilnflat and in the latter half of the 20th Century also released a special malt under the name Glencraig. These days much of what is produced at the distillery ends up in blends like Teacher's and Ballantine's, leaving the Single Malt and Single Cask bottlings as rare luxuries.

Caol Ila 28 year old (The Single Cask) 1981

Distillery: Caol Ila

Region: Islay

Age: 28 years

Maturation Cask: not specified

Strength: 49.1%

Volume: 70cl

Bottler: Edition Spirits

Distillation Date: 1981

Bottling Date: 2009

Cask Number: 3537

Tasting Notes

Colour: Light golden.

Aroma: Strong, with bonfire smoke, oysters and clams.

Taste: Seaweed and leather with hints of apple.

Finish: Smoky with lingering leather.

The Single Cask is a new range by independent bottlers Edition Spirits Ltd. specialising in old and rare whisky. The range deals primarily with exclusive bottlings for private collectors and specialist retailers, with few brands and expressions made available to the wider public.

Hidden away on the north-east shore of Islay, facing the Paps of Jura, Caol Ila is known for being lighter than most Islay malts. A turbulent history of closures throughout the 20th century was resolved with demolition and rebuilding of a larger distillery in the 1970's, and since then expressions from Caol Ila have regularly rated highly in competition. The distillery also produces spirit that is used heavily in certain blends, in particular Johnnie Walker.

Caol Ila 9 year old (Wealth of a Nation) 2000

Distillery: Caol Ila

Region: Islay

Age: 9 years

Maturation Cask: not specified

Strength: 46%

Volume: 70cl

Bottler: Scottish Liqueur Centre

Distillation Date: 19/10/2000

Bottling Date: 17/7/2009

Cask Number: 309535

Tasting Notes

Colour: Light, slightly hazy.

Aroma: Peaty and floral, with apples.

Taste: Fruity, cooked apples and a kipper-like combination of smoke and sea.

Finish: Fruit gives way to lingering sea-smoke.

Hidden away on the north-east shore of Islay, facing the Paps of Jura, Caol Ila is known for being lighter than most Islay malts. A turbulent history of closures throughout the 20th century was resolved with demolition and rebuilding of a larger distillery in the 1970's, and since then expressions from Caol Ila have regularly rated highly in competition. The distillery also produces spirit that is used heavily in certain blends, in particular Johnnie Walker.

Bowmore 10 year old (NC2) 1998

Distillery: Bowmore

Region: Islay

Age: 10 years

Maturation Cask: Sherry

Strength: 46%

Volume: 70cl

Bottler: Duncan Taylor

Distillation Date: 1998

Bottling Date: 2008

Cask Number: tbc

Tasting Notes

Colour: Golden.

Aroma: Peaty with seaweed and a hint of vanilla.

Taste: Salty and peaty, again with traces of vanilla.

Finish: Medium finish of peat and seabreeze with continued vanilla presence.

NC2 stands for "non-coloured" and "non-chill-filtered" and as such bottlers Duncan Taylor proudly proclaim this range as "completely natural". Each cask in the NC2 range is matured at it's original distillery and hand-picked for bottling by Duncan Taylor.

Bowmore is the "capital" of the Isle of Islay, located on the shore of Loch Indaal, and it's distillery, established in 1779, is reputed to be one of the oldest in Scotland and the first (legal) one on the island. As with other Islay malts Bowmore displays the character of the famous whisky-producing island through it's peatiness and aroma of sea-spray.

Bowmore 13 year old (Wealth of a Nation) 1996

Distillery: Bowmore

Region: Islay

Age: 13 years

Maturation Cask: not specified

Strength: 46%

Volume: 70cl

Bottler: Scottish Liqueur Centre

Distillation Date: 1996

Bottling Date: 2009

Cask Number: tbc

Tasting Notes

Colour: Rich, dark copper.

Aroma: Fragrant peat mixed with sea air.

Taste: Sweetly peaty with hint of iodine.

Finish: Slightly smoky, very long and complex.

Bowmore is the "capital" of the Isle of Islay, located on the shore of Loch Indaal, and it's distillery, established in 1779, is reputed to be one of the oldest in Scotland and the first (legal) one on the island. As with other Islay malts Bowmore displays the character of the famous whisky-producing island through it's peatiness and aroma of sea-spray.

Bladnoch 19 year old (Wealth of a Nation) 1990

Distillery: Bladnoch

Region: Lowland

Age: 19 years

Maturation Cask: not specified

Strength: 46%

Volume: 70cl

Bottler: Scottish Liqueur Centre

Distillation Date: 1990

Bottling Date: 2009

Cask Number: 2425

Tasting Notes

Colour: Light, like straw.

Aroma: Fruit candy, with citrus and grassiness.

Taste: Oats and other cereals, very dry.

Finish: Short and fresh.

The most southerly distillery in Scotland is located on the banks of the river Bladnoch, for which it is named. A turbulent 20th century led to it being closed and dismantled in 1993, but was restored and reopened in 2000 by an investor sympathetic to the local community. Trade agreements restrict the permitted output of the distillery, making even modern bottlings fairly rare and sought after.

Ben Nevis 10 year old (Whisky Galore) 1999

Distillery: Ben Nevis

Region: Highland

Age: 10 years

Maturation Cask: Port

Strength: 46%

Volume: 70cl

Bottler: Duncan Taylor

Distillation Date: 1999

Bottling Date: 2009

Tasting Notes

Colour: Light caramel hue.

Aroma: Creamy toffee and dried fruit.

Taste: Sweet, but with body, creamy toffee with dark sugary undertones.

Finish: Slightly spicy and woody, giving way to a vanilla maltiness.

Named for the Legendary Scotch which was smuggled from a wrecked cargo ship off the west coast of Scotland in 1941 (and the film of the same name based on those events), the Whisky Galore range is another of Duncan Taylor's unadulterated selections.

Ben Nevis Distillery sits in the shadow of the mountain it is named for, the highest peak in the British Isles. Established in 1825, it remains one of the oldest licensed distilleries in Scotland, later becoming one of the first to produce malt and grain whiskies simultaneously.

Auchentoshan 8 year old (Battlehill) 1999

Distillery: Auchentoshan

Region: Lowland

Age: 8 years

Maturation Cask: unspecified

Strength: 43%

Volume: 70cl

Bottler: Duncan Taylor

Distillation Date: 1999

Bottling Date: 2007

Tasting Notes

Colour: Golden.

Aroma: Begins with fresh green apples, cooking through to a baked apple ending, with a hint of vanilla along the way.

Taste: Malty and sweet, hint of fruit pie and lemon zest.

Finish: Spicy citrus, but short.

The Battlehill range, named for the many sites of battles throughout Scotland, is a popular selection of predominantly young expressions bottled by Duncan Taylor.

Auchentoshan (Gaelic for "the corner of the field") is one of the few remaining lowland distilleries, located at the foot of the Kilpatrick hills, just outside Glasgow. It is also the only distillery in Scotland to triple-distil all of it's whisky. This, combined with the use of only unpeated malt, makes Auchentoshan slightly sweeter and more delicate than most Scotch whiskies.

Aberlour 14 year old (Duncan Taylor NC2 range) 1995

Distillery: Aberlour

Region: Speyside

Age: 14 years

Maturation Cask: Port Pipe

Strength: 46%

Volume: 70cl

Bottler: Duncan Taylor

Distillation Date: 1995

Bottling Date: 2009

Cask Number: 964

Tasting Notes

Colour: Bright and golden.

Aroma: Fresh peaches and pears, into buttery cereal and giving way to floral notes.

Taste: Sweet start, with candied fruit, finishing with spicier hints of ginger and pepper.

Finish: Medium finish with spice and liquorice undertones.

NC2 stands for "non-coloured" and "non-chill-filtered" and as such bottlers Duncan Taylor proudly proclaim this range as "completely natural". Each cask in the NC2 range is matured at it's original distillery and hand-picked for bottling by Duncan Taylor.

The Distillery at Aberlour (gaelic for "mouth of the chattering stream") is located in a glen between the rivers Lour and Spey overlooked by the peaks of Ben Rinnes. Utilising pure spring water and the moist Speyside atmosphere, Abelour whiskies are surprisingly complex and multi-layered.