This expression was aged in remade American oak bourbon hogsheads and French oak Burgundy barriques. Floral aromas on the early nose, with classic BenRiach spicy honey and apple juice emerging, along with vanilla and white pepper. The palate is full and rich, with almonds, more honey, port wine, apple pie, sweet oak, and cocoa powder. The finish is luxurious, with oak tannins and persistent wine notes.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Winter 2019)

A delicious dram with a sunny disposition, this drums out aromas of butter biscuits, raisins, vanilla sugar, cane honey, and abundant tropical fruit notes of guava and papaya. It’s a light and nimble blend that weaves through white chocolate, biscuit notes, chewy granola bar, apricot, and mandarin. Spices rattle around a fruit core on the finish. Rum powerhouse Bacardi acquired Dewar’s in 1998; they should have done this years ago. Best Values

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2019)

Peated to 96.9 ppm, this 8 year old was aged for 4 years in first-fill American oak and then in third-fill French oak sauternes casks. Sea salt and buttery smoke on the early nose, becoming more honeyed. The palate is oily and relatively mellow, with pineapple enveloped in rich, spicy peat smoke. Quite long in the finish, with Jaffa oranges, pepper, and chili. (24,000 bottles; Travel Retail exclusive)

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Winter 2019)

New to Glen Moray’s core range, this was initially matured in bourbon barrels before finishing in port pipes. The nose is fragrant and inviting, with raspberries, ginger, vanilla custard, and sultanas. Voluptuous in the mouth, with honey, cherry liqueur, coconut, marzipan, and milk chocolate vying with contrasting dried fruit and wood notes. The chocolate darkens in the finish, with raisins, licorice, and slightly tannic oak. (4,000 bottles; 1,200 for U.S.)

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Winter 2019)

Here’s a grain that mellowed as it matured, wrapping itself in the wood while retaining its distinctive character. Nectarine, cilantro stalks, celery tops, gently herbal, candied lemon slices, and Jaffa cakes on the nose. Warm buttery flavors initially, with citrus, herbal notes, and energetic spices leading to a finish of soft ripe fruits and cinnamon. Really worth the experience; try playing with the dilution to control the spiciness.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2019)

A marriage of three malts matured in cognac casks and new French and American oak brings a nose of fresh Bartlett pear, vanilla, white pepper, cognac, zested lime, and a rainbow of pâtes de fruits flavors. White fruits, fresh banana, cantaloupe, apricot, orange, and light spices; the cognac notes yield to let the sweetness of the pear shine through. Short spice finish with melon and slight grapefruit bitterness. (675 bottles for the U.S.)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2019)

Two parcels of whisky of varying ages from the same Northern Highland distillery were blended together in this expression. Floral on the nose, with ginger biscuits, malt, vanilla, and peach blossom. The palate is voluptuous, with sweet orchard fruits, more malt, and cinnamon spice. Nutty, with cocoa and oak in the ultimately drying finish. (4,394 bottles)

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Winter 2019)

The nose says gentle and light: banana cream pie, Nilla wafer, lemon custard, bubble gum, pineapple soda, blanched almonds, white flowers, pistachio, and graham cracker crust. But the palate is rich and robust, with nuts, tobacco, mocha, gingerbread, and vibrant spice to counter the banana, almond, and vanilla-chocolate shake sweetness. The finish is short but satisfying, with spiced pecans, cigar, semi-sweet chocolate, and mocha. (3,750 bottles)

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Winter 2019)

Sebastian Castan only releases his whisky one cask at a time, and this variant comes from a single red wine barrel. A dark amber whisky with aromas of vanilla, toffee, peanut brittle, polished oak, dried orange peel, overripe strawberries, Brazil nut, and finely ground spices. Delicious, but a limited evolution of flavors, with dark toffee, clove, ginger, pepper, licorice, plum, red fruit, roasted nut, dark sugar, and chocolate brownies. (1,000 bottles)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2019)

Ice cream cone, vanilla, and white chocolate, with a twist of orange peel. The new and refill American and European oak casks give this a soft, milky comforting nose. The medium-weight palate includes light fudge, vanilla, and green fruits with spices on the fringes and a glowing orange core developing over time. A sweet, creamy finish with a hint of spice. This will win you over with its effortless charm. (1,800 bottles)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2019)

Distilled exclusively with organic barley grown the previous year by Mid Coul Farms near Inverness, this 8 year old was aged in bourbon barrels. Barley, salted butter, peach, malt, and vanilla on the nose, plus cocoa powder. Quite piercing citrus fruits on the smooth palate, with more vanilla, fudge, overripe banana, and milk chocolate. Spicy oak and a suggestion of brine in the finish. (18,000 bottles)

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Winter 2019)

Aged first in #3 char new American oak and then in #4 char new American oak. The result is depth and complexity, starting with a nose that’s pretty and aromatic. There’s an appealing hint of mustiness and scents of bitter chocolate, cherry, dried herbs, licorice, and figs. A spiced palate delivers dark fruits, burnt marshmallow, espresso, and oak char. It also finishes with a char note, along with bitter chocolate, raisins, and prunes. (60,000 bottles)

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Winter 2019)

Matured in Pedro Ximénez and red wine casks, blender Dhavall Gandhi’s first main release has a nose of pomegranate, cranberry, and fine spices. The red fruits come through slowly on a wave of alcohol, developing a tasty flavor of chewy toffee, with fruitcake, cinnamon, and vanilla. Water exposes a spicier character, but it’s worth experiencing this at full strength for that exceptional fruit-edged toffee flavor. (5,922 bottles) £65

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2019)

Chocolate, rich berry fruit, honeydew, green grape, oat cookies, dark toffee, and oak spices on the nose. Flavors of chocolate flakes, Oreo, cinnamon, malt, and hazelnut, with a concentration of spices on the tip of the tongue, before a flavorsome finish of Hershey bars. It’s delicious and well-made, but occupies a very specific place on the flavor spectrum, so one to try before you buy.(792 bottles for U.S.)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2019)

Composed of whisky matured in refill American oak, first-fill American oak, and a single wine cask, this light golden dram has mandarin, zested lime, peeled lychee, summer flowers, incense, cracked black pepper, and dried grasses on the nose. With a sweet hit of vanilla, red fruit candy, spices, baked orange, and oat cookies, it feels stronger than its ABV. Busy spices under the tongue, vanilla cream, and hints of orange on a lengthy finish. (2,117 bottles)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2019)

Canada’s Yukon Territory, with its wolves, bears, and numbing cold, does not evoke images of fine single malts. Nosing the dark fruit and malty goodness of Two Brewers whiskies corrects that misconception. Complex tobacco, sweet dark chocolate, red wine, and halva become vaguely tannic barrel tones and searing spices cushioned in sweet canned fruit and cream. Malt melds into Band-Aid and dry grain. Artfully balanced complexity. $98 CAD

Reviewed by: Davin de Kergommeaux (Winter 2019)

A veteran Dalwhinnie, matured in refill hogsheads and butts. The nose is floral, with honeysuckle, marshmallows, almonds, ginger, and green fruit in time. The palate is creamy and offers quite insistent spices, with sweet orange, fondant notes, more honey, and cocoa. Medium in length, spicy, with persistent orange and milk chocolate in the finish, plus just a wisp of smoke. (7,586 bottles) £500

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Winter 2019)

Most American single malts aren’t aiming to recreate the flavors of scotch, but this well-balanced whiskey made in San Jose could easily blend into an Islay lineup. Briny, with rubbery, mineral peat on the nose, along with lemon peel, Asian pear, red apple, grilled pineapple, and beach bonfire. The palate is sweet and savory, with salty peat, burnt ends, charred nuts, tobacco, lemon peel, and black pepper. It finishes nutty, with tobacco, espresso, pepper, and lingering smoke.

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Winter 2019)