Scotch Single Malt A-Z

The Wolfburn distillery is one of Scotland's newest distilleries, founded in 2013 in Thurso, making it the most northerly distillery in Scotland. Wolfburn is a traditional coastal Highland style, made with unpeated malt and aged in quarter casks that formerly held peaty whisky. Softly fruity and sweet to start, with buttery, fruity (pears, ripe banana), nutty flavours that drift towards a very subtle and lingering peat smoke finish. This is a truly accomplished whisky for such a new distillery, and a taste of great things to come.

The Arran Barrel Reserve is a new expression from this West-coast Scottish distillery, carefully selected from a small number of barrels that show its classic style - wonderfully fruity, honeyed and with a lush vanilla scent and flavour.

After an initial maturation in first fill ex Bourbon barrels, this unpeated spirit from Lochranza has been re racked into what are known as ‘quarter casks’ which are just 125 litres in volume. This increases the contact the spirit has with the oak and resulting in a more robust and intense maturation. Inviting aromas of rich vanilla, full bodied cinnamon and peppery spice combine with an initially fruit forward tropical palette and an abundance of sweet oaky spice result in this cask strength expression being intensely full bodied and perfectly balanced.

After initially maturing in traditional oak casks for approximately 8 years, The Arran Single Malt in this bottling was finished in a selection of Sauternes wine casks sourced from an artisan producer of this iconic Bordeaux sweet white wine. There are notes of honeysuckle, melon and marzipan on the nose, which continues to develop on the palate with rich honey and vanilla flavours.

A superb example of all that is good about Arran. A vanilla sweetness gives way to kiwi, banana and melon, with a hint of cocoa powder. A very mellow dram with a delicate nose but a weighty and oily palate, sweetness softened by gentle woody tones.

This release from Arran distillery is limited to 12,000 bottles. It has been maturing in both first and second fill sherry Hogsheads and first fill Bourbon Barrels. It has notes of green apples, oak, gentle spices and marmalade on the nose. The palate is zesty with orange notes, creamy vanilla and fruits. The finish is soft, with chocolate notes.

One of the few remaining distilleries in the Lowlands of Scotland, Auchentoshan is tripple distilled which contributes to its light yet complex nose and palate, offering up toasted almonds, hints of citrus (mandarin) and fresh grass and a rounded caramalised toffee mouthfeel. An excellent dram to get the evening started.

Matured exclusively on Islay, primarily in ex-Bourbon casks and a small number of wine casks, The Bruichladdich Eighteen is the epitome of Bruichladdich's signature unpeated house style.

Full bodied and beautifully fragrant, notes of honey, butterscotch, and citrus orange open on the nose, with a medley of tropical fruits and toasted mellow oak lingering on the palate.

Situated on the beautiful north east coast of Islay, looking out over the paps of Jura, Bunnahabhain is described as the 'gentle Islay', a more approachable style compared to the classic peat smoke characteristic the island is so well known for. The nose is aromatic with a subtle glimmer of smoke and a faint hint of seashore that continues into the palate. Light fruit mingles with a savoury nutty character and rich malty caramel sweetness. A lingering gingery spice on the finish. A unique Islay malt which is a must-try for anyone exploring the diversity of west coast drams.

Produced at the oldst distillery on Islay, their 15 year old combines the use of classic American-oak casks and a final maturation of 2 years in Oloroso sherry casks. A classic example of the rich, dark and tropical fruit flavours of the distillery, with a soft, mellow peatyness throughout.

Complex yet perfectly balanced, the Bowmore 12 carries notes of subtle citrus, berry fruits, honey and silky peat smoke. A gentler style of Islay smoke from the islands oldest distillery.

This whisky from Talisker is a combination of toasted and refill American oak casks and has been bottled at 45.8%. It has gentle smoky notes, brininess and uplifting burst of citrus.

This 12 year old represents the classic style of GlenAllachie - a rich medley of flavours from careful cask selection and distillation. A layered aroma of honey, butterscotch and sticky raisin is joined by a notable cinnamon, mocha spicyness. To taste, a burst of orange zest cuts through the honey and rich dried fruit of fig and date, rounded by a dark chocolate bitterness to finish.

GlenDronach's 'Revival' 15 years old has been matured in both Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez, giving it a rich, robust and mouth-filling palate and a complex and rewarding nose. Dense with flavours of heavy toffee, macerated dried fruits and a distinctive hint of dark chocolate. One of our most popular whiskies and an excellent example of the iconic Highland Scotch whisky style.

A classic Speyside dram, Aberlour 12 is a vatting of ex-Sherry and ex-Bourbon casks. It carries notes of dried fruit (juicy raisins and sultanas) and vanilla toffee, leading into a slightly spicy and lingering finish. A very worthwhile replacement to the 10 years old.

This 14 year old release from Aberlour Distillery has been maturing in American oak casks and Sherry oak casks. There are initial notes of sweet vanilla and honey are found on the nose which develops into ripe cherries and creamy milk chocolate. The palate has notes of creamy caramel which complements deep notes of blackberry and blackcurrant jam with gentle ginger notes. The finish is long and sweet.

Aberlour a'bunadh is a natural cask strength single malt whisky. Taken directly from specially selected sherry casks it is bottled as simply as possible without the use of modern filtering methods or the addition of water. This is a dark, strong mega-sherried Aberlour a'bunadh, matured exclusively in Spanish casks that formerly were home to Oloroso sherry. This is one of the best-value cask strength whiskies available.

Ardbeg's latest addition to their lineup has finally arrived, the appropriately named 'Wee Beastie'. Selected from both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, this is Ardbeg at it's best - punchy, intense and smoky. The flavour carries an immediate kick of peppery, tarry and ashy peat smoke, along with smoked and salty meats. The surge of smoke gives way to a full mouthfeel and taste of chocolate, with hints of pine resin and herbal/medicinal notes that becomes sea-side salty dry and again the sweet, savoury & smoky contrast.

Legendary to those who have come to crave Scotland's big peat-flavoured drams, Ardbeg achieves a balance between surging smoke and peat, with notes of fresh tar, medicinal carbolic soap, wood smoke and a distant coastal element. The palate has a surprising sweetness and an oilyness that is offset by a fruity, citrus hint. One of our most popular Islay malts.

Ardbeg Corryvreckan is one of two constantly available Ardbegs bottled at high strength. It is made up of a combination of Ardbeg matured in standard Ex Bourbon casks and in French oak casks. This maturation gives the Corryvreckan great balance of sweetness and spiciness backed up by a huge punch of drying, ashy smoke.

Distilled at the Ardmore distillery in 1998, this single cask expression shows a bright and zesty character of the make, with lime zest and white pepper notes leading, moving to a dusty chocolate and heathery, smoky quality. A kick of chili pepper heat (not related to alcohol strength) comes along with more lime juice and light peat smoke again.

The Glenfiddich Solera system is unique amongst Scotch whisky distillers. Fifteen-year-old Glenfiddich matured in either Spanish Oak Ex-Sherry or new oak is married in a large Solera vat made of Oregon pine. The vat is always kept at least half full, ensuring a consistent quality of whisky is maintained whenever it is topped up. The result? A full and fruity nose, with delicate honey and vanilla notes. The taste is elegantly smooth, with a deep flavour that reveals fruit, gentle spice and a touch of oak. The finish is long and satisfying.

What first hits you about the fresh and fragrant Glenfiddich 12 Year Old is the touch of pear in the nose, followed by a distinctive, well-balanced flavour of rich fruit, subtle pine and a hint of peatiness. Expect a satisfyingly long, lingering and rounded aftertaste. One of the most famous names in whisky and arguably the one that started it all.