A bold, meaty whisky, but one with complexity and finesse. After dinner drinking. Mortlach was the first of Dufftown's seven distilleries when it was established in 1823. The distillery has always been held in high regard and is locally thought on as one of the very best Speyside whiskies. Mortlach has one of the strangest distilling processes, with three wash stills and three spirit stills, all of different sizes and not paired up in any way. However a complex process results in a top quality spirit.

86

Scotch Single Malt

Scotland

Appearence : Amber
Aroma : Medium pungency and rich overall. (Straight) Cognac-like, with some sulphur and a whiff of peat. Sulphur disappears, and the spirit becomes sweeter (icing sugar) with some acetone and seaside salt. (Dilute) These aromas remain when water is added, but reduced. Some bubblegum and a light hessian scent. Fresh and faintly floral (bog myrtle).
Flavor : Medium mothfeel, smooth; easy to drink, with a good balance of primary flavours. Starts sweet, engages the whole palate and finishes dry, with faint but distinct peat- smoke in the finish.
Development : Mulch, chicken mash.

80

Scotch Single Malt

Scotland

www.malts.com

Oban The Distillers Edition 1993 Double Matured West Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

The Distillers Edition of the Classic Malts of Scotland brings a new dimension of taste and exploration of the enjoyment of Single Malt whisky. The Western Highland style of Malt is epitomized by Oban's gentle sweetness and surprising richness of palate and finish. The peatiness of the Islands it faces across the Firth of Lorn is softened by the influences of the Highlands at its back. To underline its sea-laced flavors, Oban's Master Distiller has chosen Montilla Fino. This dry, delicate cask-wood beautifully enhances Oban's distinctively graceful style. The color is deep gold. The tastes are sweeter than usual on the palate, rich fruit flavors are nonetheless complemented by a typical briny character.

80

Scotch Single Malt

Scotland

 

96

Scotch Single Malt

Scotland

An unequivocally vivid and evocative maritime-influenced dram, a malt that could only be produced in this exceptional geographical location"
Oddbins Malt Whisky 2001 Brochure.

Established in 1826 in Wick, Pulteney Distillery is the most northerly distillery on the Scottish mainland and at that time was only accessible by sea. The barley was brought in by sea, the whisky shipped out by boat and many of the distillery workers were also employed as fishermen. Sadly the herring fishing industry is no longer part of daily life in Wick but Pulteney Distillery continues to operate, distilling one of the finest Highland malts available. During 12 years of maturation, Old Pulteney has taken time to absorb the sea breeze creating a distinct flavour and unique product.

The heritage of Wick is strongly portrayed in the presentation of Old Pulteney. The distinctive still shaped bottle is screen printed with a traditional Wick herring drifter. These boats were used to catch herring at the beginning of the 19th century. The first herring drifter to sail into Wick was ‘The Content’. The distinctive bottle is presented in a specially created oval canister, which is printed inside and out to give a premium product finish. The canister bears the traditional Wick herring drifter on the front with striking rustic shades in the background. An ancient map of the north of Scotland is printed on the inside, pinpointing Pulteney Distillery – the most northerly distillery on the Scottish mainland.

86

Scotch Single Malt

Scotland

Sweet, fruity on the nose with a hint of woodiness. Full bodied with vanilla and floral overtones and a long-lasting finish.

The casks used to create Old Pulteney 17YO have been specially selected by Fred Sinclair, Pulteney Distillery Manager. The whisky is non-chill filtered and non-coloured in its most natural form to appeal to the whisky connoisseur.

92

Scotch Single Malt

Scotland

Appearance: Golden amber with straw highlights

Nose: Full bodied with traces of fruits (apples and pears); slightly fragrant with spicy overtones

Taste: Sweet to start with a light fruitiness; hints of honey and vanilla followed by a dry finish.

"This is an exciting addition to a carefully planned range. Our 21 year old is quite different to anything else that we've produced previously and the initial feedback we've received from connoisseurs who have tried it is very encouraging"
Margaret Mary Timpson,
Old Pulteney Brand Manager

As a non-chill filtered and non-coloured single malt whisky, Old Pulteney 21 year old is bottled in its most natural form, giving it a superior quality and mouthfeel. The aroma is full bodied and sweet to start. The complex flavour is light and fruity with hints of honey and vanilla, developing to a dry, smooth finish.

 

92

Scotch Single Malt

Scotland

"Awoken from its gentle slumber and eased gently into bottle, this cracking malt is just waiting to explode into a glass. After fourteen years peaceful rest, the flavours are demanding to be released. This new expression is a wonderful taste of the Orkneys.

A classic coastal style of malt, it has sweet, toffee edges with notes of heather honey on the silky-smooth papalte. Medium-bodied with some gorgeous sea-salt characters behind the sweetness, it is a fantastic bottling of this historic distillery.

Distilled over looking the famous Scapa Flow, that has sheltered ships since before the Vikings long may Scapa malt whisky continue to lie in slumbering in barrels until it is time to unelash the flavour. After all, its simply too good not to drink."

Distillery Tasting Notes
Colour: Deep honeyed gold

Nose: Heavy, butterscotch sweetness, dried fruits, subtle hints of orange

Body:Smooth and full

Palate: Perfectly balanced wild honey and heather, delicate spices

Finish: Very rich and long with a distinct dry after taste.

80

Scotch Single Malt

Scotland

Scapa is a relatively small outfit on Orkney Island, which is why Scapa gets to put the awesome word “Orcadian” on its label.
Inside the bottle is a 16-year-old Scotch, which replaces the distillery’s 14-year single malt (which, in turn, replaced the distillery’s 12-year-old). Scapa’s just a one-whisky outfit, it seems.

This is a racy whisky, with a rye, grain-like character. A touch of peat smoke fades into a modest butterscotch sweetness, touched with notes of sage and black pepper. Scapa is made with local water that smells of heather, which certainly accounts for some of the greenery notes in the glass, but it’s the briny salt that comes on strong in the finish that reminds one that this is an island whisky at heart.

Sweet and salty in one glass? You bet. It’s a lively expression… but one which might drive whisky traditionalists into fits. Definitely one to try at least once. You’ll either run away immediately or be back for more in minutes. 80 proof.

80

Scotch Single Malt

Scotland

Pure Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 8 Years. Sheep Dip was originally distilled in Scotland for the village of Oldbury in Gloucestershire.

80

Scotch Single Malt

Scotland

This is the newest edition to the range and is marketed as the older sibling to the regular version of Sheep Dip. The whisky is a vatting of Ardbeg, Dalmore and Fettercairn single malts that have been matured seperately for the first 10 years and then married together and matured for a further 10 years. Therefore, the price of £45-50 offers great value for money. It is bottled at 40% ABV and is available from specialist whisky retailers. The name is taken from a rare breed of Scottish sheep called Old Hebridean, that is depicted on the packaging.

The colour is golden yellow and the nose offers clues to the whiskies included – especially some caramel and zesty candied orange from the Dalmore and pungent smoke from the Ardbeg. There is also honey, vanilla and a hint of spices (think of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove). On the palate, this is bold and expressive but there is a softness and balance that demonstrates the age and sympathetic marrying of the whiskies. It feels rich and indulgent with plenty of honey, vanilla, distinct cereal grains and slightly bitter bonfire-like smoke. These are backed up by wood spices (imagine cinnamon and nutmeg again), candied orange peel, dried fruits (think of raisins and sultanas), toffee, a drop of iodine and a tangy saltiness (imagine brine). The finish is long with the bonfire smoke becoming more peaty. It starts sweetly, with honey and toffee prominent, before becoming pleasantly more bitter and dry with the spices and iodine coming through. Truly delicious!

80

Scotch Single Malt

Scotland

The Singleton of Glendullan may be new, but its impact has been immediate, most notably on the experts from the Beverage Testing Institute who gave The Singleton the highest ranking of three leading malt whiskies with a score of 92 and a rating of ‘Exceptional’.

The Singleton of Glendullan has a rich, smooth character that is derived from the combination of spirit matured in European Sherry Oak casks and American Bourbon Oak casks.

American Oak brings subtle, honeyed hints of sweet vanilla while European Oak brings lush fruit and balancing dryness. It’s this blend of American Bourbon Cask and European Sherry Cask aging that provides the unique balance and character.

This round, elegant and finely balanced malt comes from the heart of Speyside. Malted barley, often locally grown, is carefully selected, and pure water is drawn from the high, wooded hills above the distillery glen. We bring them together slowly, to ensure the spirit’s round, elegant and beautifully balanced nature. We take longer still to prepare each distillation, pausing to find the most fragrant, rich fruit flavors.

80

Scotch Single Malt

Scotland

Smokehead is a rich, seaweedy and intensely peaty whisky. The flavour is fresh, fruity and immense, with notes of sherry, iodine, toffee, smoke and sea salt all fighting for recognition.

A really vigorous whisky not for the faint hearted ... savour and enjoy!

- Heavily peated Islay single malt whisky of the highest quality

- Contemporary, individual and exciting!

- Like a cannonball - an explosive rollercoaster of peat, smoke and spice with some delicate sweetness

- Modern 'stand-out' designer packaging. Very distinctive and tactile embossed and debossed tin generates shelf impact, consumer 'wow' factor and brand value

- Main front bottle label is uniquely placed on the bottle rear reflecting adjectives describing the whisky back through the spirit itself

- Accessible and stylish brand to be enjoyed predominantly by the modern, discerning and adventurous male drinker

Nose:
Heavy smoke and peat. Amazing richness. Lemon, fresh ginger, plum jam. Salty and spicy.

Body:
Like a cannonball - hits the palate at once with cocoa, peat and some honey sweetness then explodes with peppery spice and more earthy peat. Spreads to all the areas of your mouth with more peat and light sweetness.

Nose:
Heavy smoke and peat. Amazing richness. Lemon, fresh ginger, plum jam. Salty and spicy.

Body:
Like a cannonball - hits the palate at once with cocoa, peat and some honey sweetness then explodes with peppery spice and more earthy peat. Spreads to all the areas of your mouth with more peat and light sweetness

80

Scotch Single Malt

Scotland

The nose is elegant and light. Boiled apricot and roasted almonds hints.
The taste recalls licorice and is rather sweet and pleasant. A hint of vanilla completes the impression.

80

Scotch Single Malt

Scotland

80

Scotch Single Malt

Scotland

Springbank is the only single malt to be distilled two and a half times. This whisky is lightly peated and matured predominantly in bourbon barrels together with a smaller proportion aged in sherry butts.

Colour: Chardonnay

Nose: Extremely fresh and aromatic; dried fruits and honeyed sweetness beautifully balanced with a hint of peat.

Palate: Velvety smooth, round and full with excellent depth. Briny in character, with a myriad of flavours on the palate. Coconut, vanilla and mint are all evident, backed by a rich malty sweetness.

Finish: Complex yet refined. Clear evidence of the sea-salt character that is hallmark of Campbeltown malt whiskies.

92

Scotch Single Malt

Scotland

www.springbankwhisky.com

Released in March 2010 and a welcome addition to their core range. Matured in 60% fresh sherry hogsheads and 40% refill sherry butts, this is another Campbeltown cracker.

Colour: Golden Straw
Nose: Very rich and lush with strong toffee and caramel notes to begin with. The nose then develops to really thick treacle with heavy notes of marmalade. This whisky has a really "meaty" nose with some hints of cinnamon and smoke.
Palate: An amazingly full bodied whisky, rich with a thick and oily texture. It has a very rich taste of oranges, tangerines and clementines as well as a hint of cocoa.
Finish: Sweet and very rich, long finish with a hint of smoke.

92

Scotch Single Malt

Scotland

www.springbankwhisky.com

The original Springbank whisky has been distilled legally on the site of the present distillery since 1828, and probably illicitly since well before then!

Known and loved amongst whisky enthusiasts the world over, Springbank is produced using lightly-peated barley and a unique two-and-a-half-times distillation.

This gives the whisky a character all of its own, making it stand out as a must-have dram on anyone's shelf.

Produced using the most traditional of production techniques, from floor malting all the way through to the bottling stage, Springbank can best be described as a "hand-made" single malt.

The classic Springbank complex, rich character can be found throughout the various bottlings available: the 10 year old is matured mostly in bourbon casks, emphasising the distillery's character; the 100 proof 10 year old is considered by many to be Springbank in it's purest form with its salty, briny flavour; the 15 year old, matured in sherry casks, is a fine after-dinner dram full of sweet, rich flavours like dark chocolate and raisins.

92

Scotch Single Malt

Scotland

www.springbankwhisky.com

Springbank CV is the product of a variety of different cask types and sizes, all specially selected by Director of Production Frank McHardy and Distillery Manager Stuart Robertson. Frank and Stuart's years of experience allowed them to choose a range of casks, every one complementing the other to ensure a great whisky with lots of flavour and the classic Springbank style.

What does CV mean? Chairman's Vat? Currriculum vitae? Curvee of Vintages? It means whatever you want it to mean, enjoying the whisky is the most important thing.

Nose: The initial nose is a mix of subdued sherry sweetness, subtle peat notes, menthol and eucalyptus. Further nosing revealed a meaty character with complex hints of sesame oil and soy sauce.

Palate: Subtle sherry notes come through along with a depth of oak and spice. These then evolve into notes reminiscent of our traditional Dunnage warehouses.

Finish: The flavours remaining are mainly coming from the sherry casks, although right at the end a hnt of port tannins can be detected, perhaps suggesting the pedigree of casks used for the Springbank CV.

92

Scotch Single Malt

Scotland

www.springbankwhisky.com

At Strathisla in the heart of the Scottish Highlands, they have been distilling fine malt whisky since 1786. Little has changed over the centuries; this is still a craft, not an industry, and the fact shows in the quality of the whiskey itself. Fresh water from the springs, lightly peated barley malt, are the only ingredients. Strathisla has been discribed by an expert as "very smooth, long, soothing."

86

Scotch Single Malt

Scotland

Appearence : Full gold, bright and shot with pink
Aroma : Pungent and complex; sweet overall, but dries out.(straight) Noticable peat smoke and even iodine. Very light sulphur, toffee and faintly fishy. (dilute) Sherry and kippers; wax paper and candlewax; iodine, hemp, pine resin. Fresh.
Flavour : Full bodied. The primary taste is sweet and salty, with a powerful peat-smoke 'catch' in the finish, which is relatively short. Other flavours are of resin and burnt butter.

91.6

Scotch Single Malt

Scotland

www.malts.com

Golden amber color. Buttered nuts and caramel with a cardboard-like, wet wood note. A very round entry leads to a mild light-to medium-bodied palate with subtle buttery caramel and roasted oily nuts. Finishes with a mildly sweet and spicy fade of nuts caramel, and wet wood.

www.tastings.com

80

Scotch Single Malt

Scotland

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