Wemyss Malts names the sources of these single cask bottlings for the first time in the series. ‘Caribbean Fruits’ is a 1990 Glencadam. The hogshead in which it was matured has yielded just 320 bottles. Sweet on the nose, with apricots, fudge, creamy vanilla, and drinking chocolate. Tropical fruits on the palate, with malt, hazelnuts, and spicy oak. Tannins and cocoa powder in the finish. £80

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2012)

The second bottling from Bruichladdich in this range shows the ‘traditional‘ side of a distillery that is famed for the variety of its expressions. This, in other words, is Bruichladdich in its sweet, honeyed, gentle guise partnered with American oak to produce a mashed banana character, an unctuous palate, and a light touch of almond on the finish. Lovely. £55 (500 ml)

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Spring 2012)

Light and airy on the nose, and delicately creamy on the palate. Gently sweet personality, with caramel custard, vanilla bean, candy corn, and crème brulee. Shows more oak on the palate than the nose, with increasing dried spice notes on the finish. A peculiar whiskey, if not overly complex or inspiring.Price is per 375 ml.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2012)

A blend of straight bourbon and rye whiskeys. A younger-tasting expression when compared to High West’s original Bourye. Pleasant enough to drink neat or with a splash of water, but that certainly wouldn’t be my first choice. Sweet foundation (caramel, vanilla custard, candy corn), along with honeyed fruit, macadamia, cinnamon, nutmeg, and soft mint. Comes across as a bit confused at times, and the flavors aren’t always well defined.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2012)

Smells like sweet, dead-ripe cherries, mashed up in bourbon with some brown sugar and just a dust of cinnamon. It's sweet, a bit thick, but 80 proof warming, and the bourbon — the Beam cinnamon note comes out clearer now — is dominant over the cherries here. The finish sees more cinnamon, even a hint of barrel oak, and manages to dry out a bit.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Spring 2012)

Cragganmore is a whisky that typically needs time before it starts to get going and which then goes through many changes on its journey to its complex, layered apogee. Here it is at a slightly contradictory midpoint. The nose is fragrant and fruity: apricots, stewed apple, and yes, lemon; and, with water, a hint of smoke. The palate meanwhile shows more of the earthy depth and sloe berry richness that will slowly emerge. A pleasing dram, nonetheless. £75

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Spring 2012)

Spice nose, but some alcohol notes put a hot twist to it. A blast of baking spices — nutmeg, anise, allspice, mace — hits the palate, along with shots of citrus and vanilla that take a while to get organized and settled down, leading to a sweet finish where the orange dominates. If Spicebox is a fireside drink, this is a snowy woods outdoors drink; a bit hotter, more rustic, more rough.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Spring 2012)

This 1995 vintage is exclusively available from Whisky Shop in the UK. The whisky was selected by distillery manager Ian Mackay and his team, and matured in Matusalem sherry and American white oak casks. 1,800 bottles are available. Worn leather, candied orange, malt, and cinnamon on the nose. Spicy orange, sherry, mixed nuts, and licorice on the palate. The finish is slowly drying, with dark chocolate and smoky caramel notes. £85

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2012)

An established regular member of Diageo’s annual set of Special Releases, this expression celebrates the lesser-known side of Islay’s largest distillery; its production of a non-smoked expression. It was this unpeated style that saved Caol Ila during the great decimation of distilleries in the early 1980s. This example is intense and needs LOTS of water for its fragrance of cut grass, sherbet, and coconut water to emerge. The palate shows boiled sweets and has a pleasingly clinging quality. £53

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Spring 2012)

It often takes time for a new distillery to find its feet, but Kilchoman’s spirit was top quality from the first day. Its limited-edition releases act as markers on a work in progress, but are precociously advanced for their tender years. This, the first 5 year old, leads with a note like wet rushes/wet dog (that’s good!) alongside lightly turfy smoke. The palate is sweet, smoked, and thick with allspice on the finish. A star is born.

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Spring 2012)

An Irish blend matured in used bourbon barrels and finished in Concannon Petite Sirah wine barrels. Very clean and fresh, with mouth-coating honeyed malt, vanilla, tropical fruit, and golden raisin. Fleeting, light oak finish. My only issue with this whiskey is that it tastes young. I would like to see another four to five years of aging (in bourbon casks, not Sirah) for this whiskey to really develop. (Available only in the U.S.)

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2012)

Jura Elixir is exclusive to the Sainsbury’s supermarket chain, and takes its name from the legend that the water of Jura possesses life-prolonging qualities. Elixir was finished in a mix of American white oak and ex-sherry casks. The nose is mildly fungal, with caramel and sea salt. Treacle toffee, ginger, and citrus fruits on the palate, which is ultimately slightly acrid. The finish is medium in length and spicy, with licorice. £16 (350 ml)

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2012)

The first spirit distilled at Abhainn Dearg is now 3 years old and legally Scotch single malt whisky. The distillery has celebrated with a single cask, non-colored, non-chill filtered release of 2,011 500 ml bottles. Apricots, crystallized ginger, candied peel, and papier-mâché on the nose. The palate features fresh fruit, spicy oak, honeycomb, and finally, toffee. Quite short in the finish, with more toffee, and a nutty note. £150

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2012)

Ichiro Akuto, whose family previously owned the now demolished Hanyu distillery, and have five centuries of experience in sake production, opened his boutique distillery outside the town of Chichibu just over three years ago. This is the first official release of whisky (rather than new make) and it’s delicious. Lightly scented with touches of lemongrass, fennel pollen, sweet pear, and cookie dough, it has lovely balance and weight. Water allows it to spread over the tongue. One to watch. £90

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Spring 2012)

As cask strength examples of young Bowmore — sold at a very keen price — the small-batch Tempest range is already picking up a cult following. This third release does not disappoint in the smoke department, while the nose also shows some orange zest aromas. That said, it is a little restrained, showing its youth with a pea pod-like character on the palate, while its fruits are emerging but aren’t fully ripened. More of a strong breeze than a tempest.

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Spring 2012)

Thomson is a small, independent New Zealand whisky company with a limited amount of stock originally distilled at the Willowbank distillery, and this is as young as New Zealand whisky currently gets. One suspects it would have benefited from a couple more years, but its simple sugar and spice combo and rich citrus heart make it an uncomplicated but very drinkable session malt. It's a waltz of a whisky that kicks a bit at the death. NZ$85

Reviewed by: Dominic Roskrow (Spring 2012)

Originally a one-off bottling for Friends of the Classic Malts, ‘Moch’ (Gaelic for dawn, though the association between daybreak and the dram is beyond me — one for the morning ‘skailk’ maybe?) appears to have taken the place of the Cask Strength expression. It shows a saline, seashell-like freshness, light smoke. and a pleasant mix of salami and grassiness. The palate is clean and intense with a continuation of that oyster liquor character. Great in a smoky Highball. £36

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Spring 2012)

Despite close proximity to Islay, stylistically Jura make has far more in common with its Highland cousins. The entry level 10 year old variant offers resin, oil, cereal, and pine notes on the delicate nose. Comparatively light bodied, with malt and drying saltiness in the mouth, along with a hint of aniseed. The finish is malty and nutty, with more salt, plus just a wisp of smoke.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2012)