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This 'teaspooned' whisky is for all intents and purposes mostly the beloved 1989 Balvenie with that tiny amount of Glenlivet added in order to declassify the cask

From the bottler: 

Distillers can be very protective of their hard-won malts, especially those who carry the most prestigious of names. From time to time, they must relinquish the hold on their casks, when one is sold to an independent bottler, for instance. Before spirit changes hands, the distiller - green-eyed and flush with passion - will take a single teaspoon of another distillery’s single malt, and add it to the spirit in the cask. Just a dash it takes, but that whisky can no longer bear the name its distillery of birth.

The distillery of origin is a darling of Dufftown, where nine stout stills produce a spirit rich in fruit and notably honeyed. Her sister, nestled close by in the Moray countryside, is where the ‘teaspoon’ of malt originated. Though nameless, together they are a powerful and stunning pair.

Independent bottlings of spirit distilled at the Balvenie distillery are rarely found on the market, and though the distillery is notable for having experimented with different cask types, this ex-bourbon cask allows the distillery character to sing finely and clearly, while accentuating the sweet vanilla and stone fruit character.

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Whiskey Del Bac Classic kicked off our journey into American Single Malt. Classic is a riff on the Scottish model of whisky-making, but made in a desert climate and aged in American oak. It is handcrafted from 100% barley malt that is mashed, fermented, copper pot distilled, aged in the American Southwest, and bottled on-site. It's never chill-filtered.

One of the world's Top 100 Spirits in 2021 with 93 Points from Wine Enthusiast, this American Single Malt Whiskey opens with bright stone fruits on the nose and is balanced with a sweet caramel and oak finish.

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Tropical and mature, with the texture of melted chocolate and one of the finest finishes a single malt can bring, this stunning whisky calls for quiet admiration. Round and velvety, yet developed and fresh. Smoothed over by time, but with a beating heart.

Leatherwood honey and spicy gingerbread followed by juicy prunes and fresh lemon peel on the nose followed by a palate bursting with dark chocolate, tropical fruit and spices. Long and mellow on the finish with notes of creamy vanilla and citrus.

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From the Distillery: Our Master Distiller, Billy Walker, has worked tirelessly on perfecting this expression since day one; evaluating casks and refining recipes to create something special. We’re proud to present the jewel in our crown; the GlenAllachie 15 years old. The GlenAllachie 15 Year Old is bottled at 46%, non chill filtered and natural colour.

TASTING NOTES
COLOUR
Rich Mahogany.

NOSE
Waves of heather honey, dark chocolate and figs, with notes of fruit cake, mocha and cinnamon.

TASTE
Lashings of fig syrup, mocha and treacle, followed by dark chocolate, sweet spices and heather honey, fused with ginger on the finish.

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From the bottler:

This venerable whiskey is reminiscent of the Springbank 25 year olds of the early 1990s, and so we believe the cask is one seasoned in the old style, a rare find in today’s market. Characteristic of Campbeltown whiskeys, salt dominates on the nose, followed closely by the rich fruitiness notable in Springbank whiskey, offering up dried apricots and spiced pear. Peaty notes creep up slowly, as the coastal style makes an impact with smoky, chocolate rich notes on the palate. A rich, oily middle and a long finish, the richness complemented by lighter lemon notes and barley sugar.

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Aged a minimum of three years, this 100% malted barley whisky is matured in former Bourbon casks sourced from Kentucky, adding depth and complexity. On the nose, aromas of vanilla, shortbread, give way to a touch of cedar. The silky body brings flavors of orange oil, toasted coconut, and graham cracker on the palate. The soft finish lingers with cinnamon and mild barrel spice.

This whisky showcases its light, natural color and is not chill filtered. Courage & Conviction Bourbon Cask is bottled in batches to highlight the nuance of each contributing barrel. The first batch, released in the Spring of 2021, is dedicated to one of Courage & Conviction's key mentors, Nancy Fraley. 46% ABV.

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From the importer: This single malt whisky exemplifies the Mars approach to experimentation, taking full advantage of Japan’s vast and varying terrain by distilling in Nagano, 2,625 feet above sea level, then transporting the whisky south for aging in Yakushima, an island 60 km off the Kagoshima mainland. Distilled in 2015 and 2016, this non-chill filtered, lightly peated single malt has aged for just over 3–4 years in primarily ex-bourbon barrels and some sherry casks. Juicy citrus on the nose gives way to vanilla custard on the palate with hints of peat; fresh orange and lemon resurface on the bright finish. 53% ABV Learn More

Distiller Notes: For years we’ve released a bold, heavily-smoked American Single Malt inspired by the super-smoky single malts of Islay (ai – luh). Formerly known as Winter Release, we’ve renamed this classic expression “Ode to Islay.” This expression is our way to raise a glass to tradition and pave our way with Southwestern ingredients – Ode to Islay is heavily mesquited. Not peated. It also joins the Global Cask Collection as a limited annual release like Frontera and Normandie.

This year’s Ode to Islay is our mesquited-not-peated American Single Malt finished in a mix of ex-rye, bourbon, and second-use Whiskey Del Bac Dorado casks.

The final result is a beautiful love letter to both inspirations. The last Ode to Islay expression earned a 9/10 from Malt Review Magazine and secured 91 points from Whisky Advocate.

On the Nose: 

You may find cocoa nibs, cinnamon, charred mesquite, and earth. On the palate, you may find soft vanilla up front, blossoming into plumes of mesquite smoke and white pepper, tapering off into soft cinnamon and candied toffee.

On the Rocks: 

You may find the mesquite moves to the forefront, contrasting against new notes of vanilla and dried stone fruit. The pepper spice recedes, replaced by notes of honey and butterscotch.

Our recommendation is to serve Ode To Islay with one large ice cube.

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For nearly a decade, we have traded our freshly-emptied barrels with some of our brewing collaborators. They have in turn “seasoned” them with Stout before returning them. Stout Cask pushes the boundaries of flavor. It begins with Westward Whiskey Original and is then aged for one year in Stout casks.

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The not so new any longer Ardnamurchan distillery is shaping up to be one of Scotland's most exciting. Every single bottling takes ratchets up the quality to new heights. This extremely delicious 100% Sherry Cask Aged release was drawn from 10 peated sherry butts and 15 unpeated sherry hogsheads aged entirely in Ardnamurchan's warehouses on the rugged western coast of Scotland. The resulting whisky is complex and delicious offering quality that few modern distillers can match. Expect a beautifully balanced bonfire smoke melding with dense nutty sherry. We rarely see such special whisky available, but only 2000 bottles for the entire US, it surely won't be for long.

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Created in collaboration with famed whisky writer and master blender, Jim Murray. 

Òran is, unashamedly, an old school blend - one recognizable to whisky lovers in the heyday of blended whisky some 100 years ago. Where the grain and malt contents are created separately but ultimately act as the perfect foil for the other. The objective is delicate complexity and finely tuned balance.I trust that you will find it here.

 

 

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Juveniles is the latest in a long line of excellent collaborations between whisky blender Compass Box and Paris wine bar Juveniles Bistrot à Vins. Whiskymaker John Glaser and Tim Johnston are long-time friends and this special whisky has been created to celebrate wine and friendship. Every Juveniles collaboration has featured a jester on the label, and this release has one of his bells in the punt of the bottle, ready to give a jingle every time you pour. For this Limited Edition, Compass Box was asked to create something “...bright, smooth, not smoky... an assemblage perhaps between 12 and 15 years-old…”. John Glaser has pulled together whisky from Strathmill, Balmenach, Clynelish and Glendullan from refill hogsheads, re-charred hogsheads and both first-fill and refill sherry butts to create a zesty dram that balances crisp barley sugar and pear drop notes against rich vanilla and soft herbal notes. Perfect for dinner – chilled or over ice as an aperitif, or with cheese as the evening continues. Not chill-filtered. Natural color. Bottled at 46% ABV.

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The World’s Best Single Malt Whisky of 2023.

To create this whisky, we traveled to Spain and had Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry made especially for us. The casks, once filled with quality sherry and seasoned for one year in Spain, were brought to the distillery to mature our New-Make spirit for a wonderful complex whisky. The M&H Elements Sherry is the first and only kosher single malt whisky in the world, aged in Sherry casks. This single malt reveals robust flavors of red fruit, dark chocolate, and oaky notes.

Double gold winner at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2024.

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This rare release from The Perfect Fifth was distilled at Highland Park on Scotland’s Orkney Islands and matured for 31 years before bottling. Known for its balance of gentle peat smoke, maritime influence, and rich malt character, Highland Park’s spirit develops exceptional depth with extended aging. Bottled at cask strength, this expression highlights the distillery’s ability to marry power and elegance over decades in oak.

Tasting Note:
The nose opens with soft peat smoke, coastal salinity, and honeyed malt. On the palate, layers of smoky sweetness unfold alongside notes of dried fruit, licorice, and warm baking spice, supported by polished oak. The finish is long and warming, lingering with refined smoke, subtle spice, and a quiet sweetness that reflects its long maturation.

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Ardnamurchan distillery turned ten in the summer of 2024 and to celebrate this milestone we launched a unique batch of Ardnamurchan 10 Years Old whisky.

This 15,000 bottle batch was made up of 100% first-fill bourbon casks, where roughly half of the batch was subsequently finished, for over one year, in Champagne Paul Lanais barriques.

The spirit is 100% unpeated and bottled at 50% ABV.

Nose: The nose opens with an overtly tropical offering; replete with ripe mangoes, pineapple cubes, lots of honey. There are baked bananas, brown sugar, figs, and wine gums. With time, we go a little deeper into darker tones of crème caramel, toffee, and meringues with white chocolate.

Palate: Oh, hello there, waxiness! The theme of honey continues, backed up by linseed oil, warming spices, gingerbread, fresh pineapple, and cedar. Oily, waxy, showing great depth!

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Made from 100% Malted Barley.

This American Single Malt is aged for several years in first-fill bourbon barrels from premium Kentucky distilleries before being finished in virgin toasted oak barrels from the Blue Ridge Mountains. Aromas of honeysuckle, while baked apple and
cinnamon brightly dance on the palate.

700ML - 93 Proof - 46.5% Alc/Vol

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Maclean's Nose Blended Scotch Whisky, blessed with a splendid West Coast character, offers a unique value proposition. With a high malt content of 70% – a percentage usually associated with much pricier labels – and a considerable proportion drawn from ex-Sherry casks, this whisky delivers premium quality and exceptional flavor at an unbeatable price. Further fortified by its eco-friendly packaging, the whisky is non-chill filtered and displays a natural color, contributing to its authenticity. Holding an ideal 46% ABV, the whisky is part of an initial release of 25,000 bottles, and is now making its mark across the United States. Colored burnished gold, it evokes a delightful surge of burnt citrus peel, sea salt, bonfire, nectarine syrup, and lime marmalade. The palate is taken on a flavourful journey – puffed rice, homemade rice pudding, and citrus, culminating in a whisper of Ferrero Rocher. The lingering taste of burning heather and smoked praline on the finish accentuates its excellent value. Maclean's Nose offers an indulgent Scotch experience that doesn't compromise quality for price.

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The intense nose reveals empyreumatic notes that evoke both ashes, toast and moka. Subtle touches of spices (cinnamon, nail clove) and liquorice reinforce its complexity.​

The mouth is thick, mellow and oily. Its salinity gives it a fresh and harmonious balance. Its structure is coated thanks to its elegant tannins.

The finish is long and persistent on aromas peat characteristics.​

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The Macallan 1952 – Bottled 2002 (Cask No. 1250)

Distilled in 1952 and bottled in 2002, this extraordinary release from The Macallan represents a rare surviving cask from one of the most revered eras in Scotch whisky history. Matured for half a century and drawn from Cask No. 1250, it stands as a testament to Macallan’s traditional production methods and long-standing commitment to exceptional oak maturation.

Produced at Easter Elchies during the post-war period, decades before modern expansion and luxury repositioning, this whisky reflects a time when Macallan’s identity was defined by small-scale production, long fermentations, and a deeply textural spirit. While the cask type is not specified, the bottling is entirely consistent with Macallan’s classic sherry-led maturation style of the era.

Officially bottled by hand by The Macallan Distillers Ltd, this 1952 vintage is exceptionally scarce and highly sought after by collectors worldwide. Bottlings of this age and provenance are now seldom seen outside of major auctions, making this a remarkable opportunity to acquire a true piece of Macallan history.

Distilled: 1952
Bottled: 2002
Cask: No. 1250
Style: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Origin: Craigellachie, Scotland

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This beautiful sherried whisky is made from spirit laid down in a combination of ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks. Benefitting from long fermentation and slow, gentle distillation, the spirit is laid down on site in our purpose-built warehouses. At the end of the maturation process the casks are brought together to create an exceptionally smooth and perfectly balanced dram. Learn More