Whisky Advocate is moving out into the unknown, turning over the rocks and discovering beautiful and unfamiliar creatures like this one. In tiny distilleries in Switzerland, Sweden, and, er, Swansea, they're throwing the rule book up in the air and creating new whiskies based on how it falls. This has spent four years in a beer barrel and then a year in a port cask, and it's fabulous. Think licorice, aniseed, and cherry-flavored soda. Then add cream, fruit…and yowza! €35

Reviewed by: Dominic Roskrow (Summer 2013)

Taken slow and easy, this 100% corn whisky tells a story, one you have to suss out gradually. It’s big and flavorful with hints of sweet corn, cow barn, and spices, followed by peppermint, lime peel, lilacs, and oak. Then it turns fresh, creamy, and alive with invigorating pepper and just a smidgen of sweetness, blending lemon drops, vanilla, and barley sugar until the story resolves satisfyingly on your palate. (Canada only) C$40

Reviewed by: Davin de Kergommeaux (Summer 2013)

This “amped-up” version of John K. Hall’s signature Barrel Select is not so much better as it is bigger and bolder. Cloves, ginger, and cinnamon burst over creamy rich butterscotch and searing red pepper, restrained only by dry rye grain and bitter orange. The initial fireworks complete, figgy dark fruit and nutty milk chocolate swirl capriciously over fragrant spring flowers, soft vanilla, and delicate herbal maple syrup. Dramatic and delightful.

Reviewed by: Davin de Kergommeaux (Summer 2013)

The Dalmore has added a new expression to its Travel Retail portfolio, namely Valour. This variant carries no age statement and maturation began in first-fill bourbon casks and 30 year old Matusalem oloroso sherry butts before undergoing a finishing period in port pipes. The result is a nose of black currants, caramel, and musty sherry. The palate is medium-sweet, with damsons, Jaffa oranges, and printer’s ink. Dark berries emerge in time. The finish embraces drying spices, figs, and mildly astringent oak.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2013)

After twelve years, it’s time for a revisit. No age statement; aged in a variety of woods. The whiskey is a pale gold and has a pleasantly sweet and layered nose; honeycomb, dried apricot, sugar cookies, and hints of an ice wine richness. It’s a bit hot for 43%, which robs the palate of some complexity, but that honeyed fruit and cookie is there in the mouth, too. Overall, quite nice indeed.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Summer 2013)

The least well-known of the Fogwatt trio which includes Longmorn and BenRiach, it’s unlikely that Glen Elgin will become a major brand anytime soon, given how important it is to blenders. A combination of long, slow ferments, and distillation coupled with worm tubs gives a ludicrously fruity spirit, which here is bulging with ripe peach, apricot, and Galia melon coated in cinnamon and nutmeg, given thick weight by the worm tubs. A classic. £34

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Summer 2013)

The oak staves are placed in a “hot box” at 133 degrees and then steamed before being built up into a barrel. Aged over 16 years, this is pleasant whiskey (if not overly complex), with caramel, tropical fruit, marzipan, a hint of toasted coconut, and a nice creamy texture. My favorite of the two experimental releases. Price is per 375ml.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Summer 2013)

This is whisky made in a European style; don't expect scotch. Reset your taste buds, free your mind. This is 6 years old and spent five and a half of them in a beer barrel—the whisky is made from an award winning beer—and six months in a Merlot wine cask. It's fabulous. Honeycomb, creamy toffee caramel, European sappiness. It's slightly flabby, like an overfed but much-loved puppy. €35

Reviewed by: Dominic Roskrow (Summer 2013)

Not burning my nose; mild bread and vanilla aromas. Peppy stuff, but not explosive on the palate; easily held five seconds on the tongue, but fiery once it gets aerated. Sweet grain with a big saw-toothed edge of cinnamon and hot vanilla, and a circling brim of zingy mint that tightens toward the finish. Pretty interesting stuff for wheat whiskey; a more expressive nose would seal the deal. Price is per 375ml.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Summer 2013)

The Wild Geese whiskeys offer much, but seem to lack the conviction to strike out and be bold. Ironically, though this is the one you'd expect to play safest of all, in fact, it's the most interesting of the bunch. There are trademark apple notes, but it flip-flops appealingly. It has a creamy and toffee-ish heart, is full, soft, and sweet, and has some orange fruit, apricot, and peach notes. Not unlike a classy Canadian whisky.

Reviewed by: Dominic Roskrow (Summer 2013)

Following on from Thor, Loki is the second release in Highland Park’s Valhalla Collection. Loki has been matured in a mix of sherry and heavily-peated casks. Initial notes of marzipan on the nose, then orange, oriental spices, and chili. In time, yellow plums, vanilla, and floral notes. Soft and sweet on the palate, with pink grapefruit, overt smoke, and a touch of salt. The finish features contrasting barbecue and vanilla notes, citrus, and lots of spice.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2013)

Soft, elegant, and nicely rounded, with honeyed orchard fruit and gentle spice on a bed of vanilla and caramel. Very versatile; a pleasing, unchallenging bourbon to suit most moods and situations. I actually like it better than the new, older 10 year old expression (reviewed in this issue), because it is so beautifully balanced.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Summer 2013)

Nobody hollers louder than an Aussie when he wants to. This malt is matured in 100-liter American oak casks and finished in port barrels, just as Cask M76 is (also reviewed this issue), but if M76 is about pub rock, this is Wolfmother, a hard-hitting, rich, forceful but complex wave of loveliness, with fig and date to the fore, baked peach, and crystallized brown sugar. It's creamy, rich, mouth coating, and there's some menthol cough drop in there for good measure. A$130

Reviewed by: Dominic Roskrow (Summer 2013)

Two out of three ain't bad. While Kavalan doesn't quite pull off the hat trick, this is no album filler either (can we still say that?). It is Karaoke Kavalan, Taiwanese X Factor whisky: a perfect reproduction of a big, plummy, pruney, tannin-soaked rich fruit compote with late fall damp forest notes. It says a lot about this distillery that five years ago we'd have marveled at this. Today, and by its own standards, it's Kavalan doing an Aerosmith ballad.

Reviewed by: Dominic Roskrow (Summer 2013)

This 15 year old bottling of Diageo’s Sutherland single malt comes courtesy of The Creative Whisky Co., whose Exclusive Malts range of single cask, cask strength Scotch malt whiskies has recently been imported into the U.S. Fleeting burnt sugar on the nose, then mango and brittle toffee. Vanilla emerges, with slightly smoky malt. Finally, cloves. Mouth-coating, with lively spices, fruit and nut milk chocolate on the palate. Relatively long in the finish, with ginger snaps and a wax-like texture.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2013)

Harald Fairhair was King of Norway and a major figure in Viking history. This Warrior variant takes us closer to Highland Park’s traditional DNA, with the nose offering potato peels on a barbecue; earthy and herbal, with developing notes of heather in bloom and even violets. Lively fresh fruits, newly-baked cake, nutmeg, and ginger figure on the palate. The spicy finish is relatively long, with candied citrus peel and licorice. €75/700 ml

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2013)

Elgin distiller, bottler, and whisky merchant Gordon & MacPhail has revamped its prestigious Rare Old range of veteran single malts, many from lost distilleries, and this bottling from Glenugie in Peterhead is one of the latest releases in the lineup. Sweet on the nose, with marshmallows, wax polish, creamy caramel, and milk chocolate. Quite full-bodied, with white pepper, ginger, muted citrus fruit, and cocoa. Soon starts to dry…drying steadily through the nutty finish, with musty oak and aniseed. £430

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2013)

The world’s best-selling single malt. Isn’t that sufficient to give this dram some respect? It might be me, but it strikes me that ’Fiddich has more heft to it these days, with a sherried element giving the pear, apple, and light cereal of the distillery character a sweet, plump, sultana underpinning. This then adds chewiness to the palate, balancing the dry nuttiness and receding on the finish where those green fruits come through to add fresh acidity. Great balance.

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Summer 2013)