We now have in stock 6 of the Glendronach single cask whiskies from their second release. They are all stunners and all from sherry casks. In short supply so get them while you can!!!
Just starting to catch up with some new whiskies in the shop.
Mackillop’s Choice
I was introduced to this independent bottler at tasting at the beginning of the year and I was so impressed I got some in. These aren’t new bottling but they are all impressive.
Working with Gordon & MacPhail The WSD has produced it's first bottling and it's a real stunner. Being based in Dufftown our first bottling had to be a Mortlach. This cask strength non coloured non chill-filtered Mortlach is from a Refill Sherry Hogshead. It was selected by The Whisky Shop Dufftown owner Mike Lord. We've nicknamed it 'The PM' , the peated Mortlach (well it is election time in the UK), as it has a defined smokiness which was described by one expert as like cigar smoke. Until the end of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival it will be on offer at £40.00 per bottle (price after that £45.00).
We hope to work with other companies in the future to make available exclusive single cask malt whisky which is a bit different!
Tasting Notes
Nose: A complex noise of fruit cake and freshly baked chocolate cookies with further layers of plums, raisins, spearmint, menthol and hint of smoke from a heather bonfire.
Taste: Very rich and creamy in the mouth with flavours of chocolate fruit and nut, rum and raisin ice cream, honey and in the background definite phenol notes.
Finish: Long with a dark chocolate and raisins with a smoked chipotle chilli edge.
The most complex Glen Moray I have ever had. Well worth the money. You could contemplate the world with this dram but also enjoy it on a warm sunny day in the garden.
Another refined old blend of exceptional single malts from Duncan Taylor and Co. This one is an impressive 90% single malt and 10% grain whisky with a ratio of 80% bourbon cask to 20% sherry cask. The whiskies range from 40 to 44 years old and are from Bunnahabhain, Glenfarclas, Glenlivet, Glenburgie, Highland Park, Miltonduff, Springbank, Tamdhu and Invergordon.
Further New Releases from Duncan Taylor & Co
Rarest of the Rare Port Ellen 1983 26 Years Old
A fabulous cask strength Port Ellen from Duncan Taylor. A reminder of what Port Ellen's can really be like. Duncan Taylor say it’s like eating fruit in a sauna. Not sure which of the DT crew know about that but my money is not on Mark Watt but probably Jacque.
Some new single malt whiskies in from that irrepressible independent bottler Duncan Taylor. Not all of their new bottlings are available (even if some shops have them on their website) but I have managed to get in my pick of the new Octave range. These use reconstituted exsherrywood octaves for an extra 3 months of maturation and it does seem to work. This does mean that each expression is very limited stock!
What's a good Christmas whisky? We've asked a few industry experts to select their best single malt for Christmas:
Mark Watt of Duncan Taylor & Co
Anyone who has met me for more than three and a half seconds would be expecting me to pick Caperdonich for the best Christmas single malt, but I thought I would go with something a little different. The dearly departed Black Bull 30yo would be a great choice or its younger brother the 12yo [more] however this year my Christmas pick would be our (DTC’s) Glen Grant 1970 [more]. A dram to savour something to sit back relax after a healthy Christmas dinner and put the world to rights. A nice creamy dram with a touch of spiced oak, some delicate stewed fruits and a hint of spice! Cracking stuff!
Alex Bruce of Adelphi Distillers
The best Christmas dram is “the free one†or “the one in the biggest glassâ€, but if I was to select one from the Adelphi stable then BREATH OF SPEYSIDE 1991, 18 year old Speyside 54.3% vol, 1 of only 612 bottles from cask no. 5142 [more] is my best Christmas single malt. Hot on the heels of its sister cask (no. 5145), this is the 4th sherry butt in the Breath of Speyside range from Adelphi. A rich amber hue, we were immediately struck by how clean this whisky was. A lovely nose of well-aged balsamic vinegar with marmalade, plums and Maraschino cherries in the background. The whisky keeps opening, now revealing prunes, marinated in Armagnac; then hints of Calvados and plenty of brown sugar. To taste, the sugar is now more burnt and caramelized, with a thread of dark chocolate and Christmas cake wrapper. A rich, viscous texture to finish with Old English marmalade, and no tannins. Christmas in a glass. Reasons: kind of puts its own case forward…
Steven McConnachie of Whyte & Mackay
I recommend My Winter Warmer - Jura Prophecy [more] as the best Christmas whisky. If you like the darker/smokier side of whisky but not necessarily some typically heavy islay malts, then try this. Uncharacteristic of what is expected of Jura, its peatier than the sumptous Superstition with slightly more of a raw edge to it. Sit in front of a log fire and enjoy! Slainte.
Mike Lord of The Whisky Shop Dufftown
The above are all good suggestions for the best Christmas single malt. If you want to go with the sherry theme then ADR Benrinnes 13 [more] and Wemyss Barbeque Sauce [more] are both outstanding drams. If you want something old then I still have a couple of bottle of Duncan Taylor Caperdonnich 36 years [more] old which is phenominal. And if you want to go with the peat there are peated Bunnahabhain's in the NC2 [more] range and from Adelphi [more].
