Independent Bottlers

Part of Signatory's all new 'Small Batch' series, this expression of Aberfeldy has been selected from a range of ex Oloroso sherry casks. There is a lovely combination of both light and dark fruits, with notes of peaches as well as sultanas, cherries and vibrant red fruits. This fruitiness is balanced with notes of cedar wood, cocoa powder and hints of waxiness.

Adelphi's Private stock is a blend of whiskies selected by one of Scotland's most famed independent bottlers. This is a smooth dram with plenty of honeyed sweetness from Spey and Highland malts, a touch of sea-side maritime notes from a coastal distillery and a gentle peat-fire smokyness in the background. A very traditional and old-fashioned flavoured blend that belongs in any whisky drinker's cupboard.

The first independently bottled expression of Annandale we have seen since its rebirth in 2014, This seven year old example was bottled by Glasgow based bottlers North Star Spirits.  Distilled in 2015, before being laid down to mature in a single Oloroso Sherry Butt. The result is a soft mellow and rather sweet dram with elements of spun sugar, boozy fruit cake and gentle spice on the nose, followed along by notes of sticky date pudding, spicy gingerbread and wafts of freshly cracked black pepper on the palate.  The spices linger on the finish with wafts of sweet Christmas spices accompanied by sweet chewy caramel.

One of the few Highland producers who use peated malt, this 11 year old Cadenhead selection comes from the Ardmore disitllery. A rich aroma of smoked rhubarb, Turkish delight and smoky bacon crisps lead the nose, with a contrasting sweet stewed fruityness on the palate. Strawberries and cherries join flavours of black forrest gateau and a lingering peaty tang in the finish.

This expression was distilled at Ardmore distillery in 2008 before undergoing maturation for fifteen years in a selection of Gordon and MacPhail's own casks. The matured spirit was then cut to a strength of 46% and bottled free of colouring and non chill filtered.

Gentle smoke leads to vanilla, fresh apple and biscuit aromas. Smooth and sweet with tropical fruit, lemon zest anbd walnut, giving way to a medium finish with charred oak.

In this bottling of Ardmore, casks have been married together to showcase a nice dustiness, refined sooty ashes, old engine grease and soft menthol. Then mild leathery notes, mossy notes and burning hay. Yellow apples with lemon zest, toasted bread and drops of gentian. Slightly sweet, iodized smoke. Waxy and oily, with more sooty notes, camphor and wood polish. Mid-palate hints of roasted coffee beans appear, followed by firm salted notes, hessian and hints of old herbal liqueurs.

Selected from a small batch of casks laid down in 2012 at the Ardmore distillery, this new release from Signatory was matured in a unique type of cask - 2nd fill ex-bourbon barrels that were sourced from an undisclosed distillery on Islay (codenamed LA, suggesting Laphroaig). The nose opens with an industrial smokyness, evoking old workshops and savoury smoke. There is a touch of old hessian sacks and then a sweet barley tone that shifts to creamy and vanilla'd.

This expression of Ardmore spirit was distilled in 1998 and matured for 25 years in a single Hogshead cask, yielding a mere 171 bottles, making this a very special bottle indeed. On the nose there are aromas of cracked black pepper, green chillies and melted dark chocolate alongside squeezed limes. The palate opens up with notes of millionare's shortbread, alongside raspberry leaf tea and fresh mint, rounded off with a lovely long finish with minerality and herbacuous eucalyptus.

Bottled from a single first fill Oloroso butt, this Ardnamurchan is like a trip to an old-fashioned sweet shop. The aroma starts off with notes of freshly varnished oak, before leading to sugar coated cola bottles, the confectionary notes continue through the palate, think of menthol, aniseed wheels and lots of liquorice bullets. The liquorice lingers on through the palate, joined with notes of caramelised banana sweets and banoffee pie

A new addition to Gordon and MacPhail's 'Discovery' range, this expression was distilled at Auchroisk distillery before undergoing maturation for ten years in a selection of American Oak ex-Bourbon casks. Vanilla aromas are followed by apple and lemon blossom. Sweet and creamy with ripe banana and zesty orange balanced by cracked pepper., with lingering tropical fruit and oak on the finish.

Aultmore is not an expression that is often seen as a distillery bottling, however there is a large number of independently bottled drams on offer. usaually known for being rather light and floral, this expression from Cadenheads, aged in both Fino Sherry and Manzanilla casks shows of a richer side to the spirit.

the nose is rich sweet and rather Christmassy, with a slight nuttiness, notes of zesty orange peel, raw sugar and maraschino cherries.  

on the palate there are notes of fresh green apples, dried fruits and sweet cinnamon spice.

The finish is warm sweet and nutty, with notes of walnut brittle, maple syrup and pulpy orange juice.

This expression from Balmenach Distillery has been matured for 12 years with a secondary maturation in an ex Moulis-en-Medoc red wine Hogshead, resulting in a lovely sweet, desserty and fruity dram.

On the nose there are aromas of yellow fleshed stonefruits, rum and raisin fudge and sweet almond praline. To taste, there are notes of toast with plum jam, burned brown sugar, pecan pie with vanilla ice cream and hints of allspice

One of the team's favourite west-coast Scottish distilleries is Ben Nevis from the small town of Fort William. This is an incredibly rare example of its aged profile, distilled in 1991 and matured for 31 years prior to bottling from Hunter Laing & co. At this age it is extremely uncommon to see such a high natural strength, sitting at an astonishing 62.1%. Tasting notes from Hunter Laing describe a rich and concentrated flavour, with plums, blackberries and chococlate joining a very savoury character of beef stock and herbal amario type notes. The finish is rich with Europeak oak influence, lingering long and with great complexity.

This new release from Signatory Vintage comes from a selection of two sherry butts from the Ben Nevis distillery in Ft. William. This robust and characterful highland malt often carries a curious savoury edge - somewhat yeasty and meaty. Matured in ex-sherry Oloroso butts, bringing out flavours like orange marmalade and mochaccino.

This expression from Benriach distillery is part of Murray McDavid's 'Benchmark' range and has been finished for three years in Hungarian Tokaji wine Barriques, amrrying perfectly wioth Benriach's vibrant, fruit forward spirit.

On the nose there are aromas of dried pears, tropical fruit and blossom, joined with notes of bright citrus, cereal and spicy oak on the palate, with a sweet, malty and floral finish.

Matured for 12 years in an ex-refill sherry butt, this single cask whisky hails from the Benriach distillery in the heart of Speyside. At its core, this is a classic Benriach, fruity with raisins and apricots surrounded by a blanket of heather honey and vanilla. A long note of milk chocolate coated dried fruit lingers in the finish.

This expression from Bowmore distillery showcases the unique style of old Islay whisky, with a delicate balance between rich, sweet and smoky notes. Bottled after 25 years in a refill barrel, yielding 280 bottles, the nose opens up with  earthy and herbal aromas, followed by sweet scents of toasted macaroons and rum baba layered over Bowmore's signature sweet peat. Sweet, tangy fruit notes of cranberries and peaches combine with spicy cinnamon and cracked pepper notes on the palate, followed with hints of soft peat and bog myrtle. After a quarter of a century in the same refill barrel, the distillery character  is very much to the fore.

This single cask offering from Braeval distillery in Speyside has been matured for fourteen years, with a two year finish in a single Oloroso puncheon. Aromas of sugared macadamia nuts, stewed sultanas and a dusting of cocoa waft out of the glass, followed by lashings of toasted desiccated coconut. The palate is sweet, slightly dry, with hints of nuttiness. Dark chocolate coated walnuts combine with demerara sugar, dates and chewy caramels with an undercurrent of allspice and cloves.  

An incredibly rare sight these days, this late 90's Bunnahabhain was chosen from a single refill ex-Oloroso sherry Gorda cask. Adelphi's tasting notes describe a very dense and rich whisky, laden with notes of sultanas, dried figs, quince, dark chocolate and intense fruit loaf. To taste, star anise and tobacco leaf, with caramel and salt cutting through. Waves of chocolate and caramel join intense umami savoury notes of oyster sauce and Chinese black vinegar.

Bunnahabhain distillery is especially famous for its unpeated, ex-sherry matured style malts with salty, herbal and fruity undertones. This new expression from Gordon & MacPhail is an example of the rarer peated make. Matured in standard barrels, this showcases the smokier character, but still with plenty of herbal and salty undertones to keep in line with the distinctive Bunnahabhain characteristics - sweet, salty and smoldering smoke.

This expression from Gordon & MacPhail's 'discovery' range is fully matured in ex-sherry casks sourced from the Bunnahabhain distillery. Rich and sweet with fruitcake flavours, there is a rounded vanilla and caramel quality on the palate. Spiced stewed fruit (plum) combines with nutty milk chocolate in the finish. A classic example of this great unpeated Islay malt.

Filled from a single ex-sherry butt, again showing a relatively mild wood influence, this Bunnahabhain is very typical of its style, waxy, fruity and nutty. With flavours of of roasted nut & fruit mix, there is also the classic note of beeswax and honeycomb coming through. There is a creamyness to the palate, with fruit leather and a drying, salty minerality - a classic unpeated Bunnahabhain from the northern reaches of Islay.

Made from peated barley, this 10 year old Bunnahabhain from Cadenhead shows the sweet, salty and savoury character of the distillery's 'Staoisha' peated spirit. The nose opens with crispy smoky bacon, moving to smoky fish soup (Cullen skink) and lashings of peat. The finish has a minty, herbal twist, remaining coastal to the end.

Founded in 1842, Wm. Cadenhead are Scotland's oldest independent whisky bottlers, who are also renowned for their rum selections. The Cadenhead 'Classic' rum is a blend from distilleries in the Caribbean, bottled from a selection of casks and reduced to 50% ABV. The nose starts immediately rich, with molasses, demerara sugar and asian spices. The palate is very full and rounded, starting sweet before building to a spicy and slightly phenolic (rubbery, hot tarmac) note. For the rum purists, this has no added sugar content of any sort.