Aromas of ripe peach, barley, dry spices, waxy green leaves, baked citrus, scorched earth, and dried flowers on Hombo Shuzo’s debut whisky from Mars Tsunuki Distillery, produced in the 2016–2017 season. Sipping reveals sweet orange, chocolate, and clove, though the spices are straining at the leash and the high-strength alcohol can KO unwary taste buds. Dilute and the fruits shine beautifully while the spices are kept in check. (9,984 bottles)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2020)

Mosstowie was the name given to single malt produced on Lomond stills at Miltonduff Distillery. Butterscotch, ripening peaches, ripe plums, and a hint of lime on the nose. The palate is viscous, with red berries, peach, and vanilla. Drying steadily in the finish, with aniseed, black pepper, and, finally, black tea. (164 bottles, 16 for U.S.)

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Winter 2020)

Blended from imported whiskies along with Chichibu, the component whiskies in blue label are at least 10 years old, but often much older. The aromas tease with barley sugar, smoked venison, aromatic pan-roasted spices, peppercorn, and smoked paprika. Pepper and root ginger pummel sweet orange flavors of sherbet and Creamsicle. The citrus sweetness sees off the hefty spices, leaving the mouth awash with creamy orange peel notes and tropical fruits.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2020)

Malted to 208 ppm and matured in a mix of virgin oak and first- and second-fill bourbon and Tennessee whiskey barrels. The nose is fragrant, with pepper, iodine, intense peat smoke, and lemon peel. Juicy orchard fruits and more smoke on the palate, with treacle, caramel, and spice. Black tea, licorice, lingering woody peat, and chile in the finish.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Winter 2020)

The nose indicates the partial base of whiskey distilled from beer (it’s blended with straight rye) right away, with citrusy pine aromas, as well as brown sugar, milk chocolate, almond nougat, and peanut brittle. The palate has a mineral quality, dry with chamomile and tobacco, but remains true to the lemon and pine essence that the nose outlines. There’s also dark-roast coffee, chocolate, black pepper, and tea leaf. Medium-length on the finish, with consistent lemon, chocolate, coffee, and oak flavors. (900 bottles)

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Winter 2020)

Disgorged from a 440-liter new oak cask, this is like a spiced blueberry muffin. The aromas evolve before your very nose; spicy punch, dried conifer cone, dark toffee, cola candy, strawberry laces, baked plum, banana skin, and ground pepper. A light palate, mouth-drawing at times, with pastry, butter croissant, and dried raspberry, developing richer fruits and sweetness, with toffee, black fruits, chewed leather, and base notes of pepper. (420 bottles)—

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2020)

The well-balanced nose is terrific, with jasmine-scented candles, banana, peach pit, Banoffee pie, and polished oak, becoming lush and fruity with blackberry, green apple, and fragrant spices. In the swirl of aromas, there’s harmony. Light bodied with satsuma segments, cotton candy, milk and cookies, dried fruits, and fruity candy toward the end. The low filling strength may be the cause of less influence of the mizunara cask over the 24-month finish. (2,004 bottles)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2020)

Chocolate Crispy Thins, graham cracker, barley, peppercorn, aniseed, ground exotic spices, and cracker bread, but there’s also some perceptible glue-like young whisky notes. The flavors on the palate show the inherent promise of Waterford: barley sugar, oat granola, baked orange, and hefty spices, particularly aniseed, followed by unsweetened cooking chocolate melting under the spice. This develops into chocolate-covered Brazil nuts and a deep warming glow on the finish. (U.S. Exclusive; 6,000 bottles)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2020)

The Hokkaido Akkeshi Distillery started in 2016, and with access to local peat, it has designs on a distinctive Islay style. This high-strength expression is lightly peated and shows molten caramel, crushed spices, campfire smoke, dried coconut strips, peppercorn, and rice cakes. Toffee, cooked apple, and marmalade on first sip, it’s tangy with mango, canned peaches, dried papaya, and a streak of clove and pepper.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2020)

A mercurial nose like many rice whiskies: pear, honeydew, chopped ginger, lemongrass, green herbal notes, wild garlic, white pepper, mineral elements, and seashells. Drawn from a combination of refill sherry, refill new oak, and one red wine cask, the aromas are matched by a dense palate of honey, herbal notes, melon, poached pear, ginger spice, lemongrass, pepper, vanilla, and lemon peel, with a tingly, spicy aftertaste. Definitely worth experiencing. (3,824 bottles)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2020)

Tawny and ruby port casks have robed this whisky in fantastic colors, and on the nose, there are baked cherries, blueberry muffin, sloes, caramel, and mild spice notes to enjoy. The palate swirls with sweet caramel, cola candy, bitter orange, plum, damson, and peppercorn, before hitting its stride with creamy vanilla toffee, baked apple, and fruit syrup flavors, and ending with a satisfying return of spice on the finish.£48

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2020)

Mandarin, breakfast pastries, lemon meringue pie, warm peach, sweet grapefruit halves, and a fine layer of spices on the nose make for an appealing introduction. Baked orange, sweet fudge, and pepper on first sip, with later development of grilled pineapple, vanilla, and dried mango. With its instantly likeable flavors, this is a great recruiting whisky for new drinkers, though the palate development has its limitations. £48

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2020)

This breezy, coastal dram revels in aromas of lemon, pine needle, ozone, clotted cream, lavender, rock pools, and light peat smoke, though there’s no smoking Tommy gun. A good-weight dram with bitter lemon, royal icing, vanilla, and toffee, plus assertive pepper, oak char, and burnt sugar that pummel away like a street fighter, finally calming to an olive oil finish. This is a proper Islay whisky, if you dare. (U.S. Exclusive; 2,000 bottles).

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2020)

Orange segments and grapefruit peel with a spritz of peel oils, accompanied by gentle spice, bakery notes, and fruit-flavored jelly candies. Vanilla, sweet orange, honey, grapefruit peel, peppery spice, and lavender, then baked orange with deeper honey tones. Their first bottling, called The One, in 2014 was poor: this isn’t. Master blender Dhavall Gandhi joined the distillery in 2016 and he has turned this into a terrific dram.£39

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2020)

Bright and citrusy, this is a big handful of orange gumdrops, mandarin slices in syrup, and curaçao, laced with lemon oil and baking spice. On the palate, there is more fruit—grapefruit and melon—that comes wrapped in soft spices with the alluring flavors of root beer barrels and sassafras leaf. A medium-bodied whiskey that strikes a fine balance.

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Winter 2020)

This spirit was laid down five years before the distillery closed and has a classic grain whisky nose of green herbs and spice, with notes of aromatic woods, tarragon, dune grasses, and plain popcorn. The mouthfeel is smooth, with evident strength, and flavors of honey, corn flakes, vanilla, granola bars, dried banana, golden syrup, crunchy oak cookies, sultana, and sesame oil, with a hot, dry, and slightly nutty finish. (232 bottles, 60 for U.S.)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2020)

This is the best of the range: It carries more weight and shows greater depth than Royal Oak Distillery’s other Buskers. An enticing nose of fresh conference pear, apple peels, baking spice, nutmeg, and a hint of smoked orange peel. Its well-rounded and smooth character carries flavors of toffee, apple, sultana, and vanilla essence, broadening out with chocolate ganache, active spices, milky coffee, caramel, and rich fruit. Best Value

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2020)

Distilled in 2014 from barley grown at Octomore Farm, with a peating level of 194 ppm, and aged 5 years in barrels from Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, Jack Daniel, and Jim Beam. There’s a maritime note and prickly ginger on the nose, with a bit of smoke and a hint of cloves. Sinuous on the palate, with sweet cereal, big spicy peat, and dark chocolate. The long finish yields ashy peat and chocolate-covered ginger. (18,000 bottles)

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Winter 2020)