Finished principally in Pedro Ximenez Spanish sherry casks, Tullibardine 500 Sherry has a fragrant nose, with new leather, beeswax, apple, and vanilla. The palate is smooth and sherried, with more leather, brittle toffee, orange peel, honey, and nutmeg. The fruity finish is notably spicy, with lingering wood polish notes.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2013)

This is the second batch of Arran 12 year old in cask strength format, and it contains a higher percentage of sherry cask-matured whisky than the first. The out-turn is just over 13,000 bottles. Fresh and sweet on the nose after an initial note of resin, with oats and hot butter. Full-bodied, syrupy and sweet on the palate, with apricots, ripe bananas, nutmeg, and walnuts. The finish majors in plain chocolate, maraschino cherries, and a suggestion of smoky sherry.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2013)

Einar was joint Earl of Orkney from 1014, and this bottling moves the Warrior Series slightly further into familiar Highland Park territory. Some gentle smoke on the nose, with fresh newsprint, ginger, caramel, and a hint of halibut oil. Peat smoke, vanilla, and citrus fruit on the palate. A little peat smoke in the medium-length finish. €53/liter

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2013)

At the moment, this is only available through Suntory’s Whisky Shops ‘W’ in Osaka and Tokyo, but as these act as mini-testing outlets, this grain whisky is one that should be noted. The nose is buttery and needs water to allow a flow of fudge, orange peel, crème brûlée, and green banana. It’s a bit like an alcohol-laced Danish. In the mouth there’s chewy toffee-cream sweetness offset by tart red fruits. A lovely, poised grain. ¥3,150

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Summer 2013)

Triticale is a wheat/rye hybrid, which I guess appealed to the wheat-mad Dry Fly distillers. Aromas of grass, bubble gum, and oak. Taste is young, brashly sweet, but smooth enough to spread easily over the tongue. There’s spice—light cinnamon, a zip of allspice heat—and grassy brightness, but they’re dressing on the juicy sweet center. Not flawed, and well-made, but I wish it had more to say. Price is per 375ml.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Summer 2013)

Crystal clear and colorless. Somewhat rich for unaged corn spirit: corn, baked apple, grass, and a very light honeysuckle syrup. Quite mellow on the tongue; sweet, but with a drying finish of baked grain, sweet dried grass, and finally, just a hint of heat high in the mouth. A pleasant little glass.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Summer 2013)

Arguably the world’s most improved whisky, Limeburners is unrecognizable from the fledgling releases of a few years back. This is matured in 100-liter American oak barrels and finished in port. It is big and rich in flavor, with oily fruit and floral notes, a trace of young green barley, and menthol, licorice, and spicy cardamom. Australian whisky is a tidal wave starting to swell. It has some way to travel, but when it strikes it'll be huge. A$130

Reviewed by: Dominic Roskrow (Summer 2013)

Described as “an exotic mix of bananas, mango, pitaya, pineapples, guava, passion fruit, and raisins, all balanced perfectly by deep charred peaty notes.” It sort of is, but this isn't a soft, silky smooth dessert whisky; it's Rod Stewart singing Air Supply's “All Out Of Love.” It's soft and gentle, but the gravel may put off the softies, and it's far too bland to appeal to fans of Maggie May. Between a rock and a hard place.

Reviewed by: Dominic Roskrow (Summer 2013)

This, with finishing time in sherry wood, is the most straightforward of the quartet, showing lovely touches of Seville orange rather than heavy dried fruits. With water there’s a slight meaty/new leather note that seems a more natural companion to Hanyu’s density, here with an extra earthy note from black cherries, juniper, and star anise. Water triggers tannins but there’s enough fruit here to balance. The most successful of the four, with the wood in balance. ¥8,500

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Summer 2013)

Tullibardine 228 Burgundy is finished in red Burgundy casks from Chateau de Chassagne Montrachet, the home of Maison Michel Picard, which owns Tullibardine distillery. The nose features charred oak, vanilla, milk chocolate-covered Turkish Delight, and mild, sweet chili. Sweet and spicy on the nutty palate, with eating apples, cranberries, and a silky texture. Allspice and damsons in the lengthy finish.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2013)

Matured in first-fill bourbon casks for an unspecified period, Sovereign offers a nose that is floral with new-mown hay, vanilla, and soft fudge. Fruity on the palate, with milk chocolate, malt, and subtle cinnamon. Cocoa, vanilla, and more spice in the finish. Relatively uncomplicated but very drinkable.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2013)

This year’s bottling mixes 4 and 5 year old bourbon casks with the younger element finished in oloroso, though this is hardly sherried. Here is smoke, samphire, and Kilchoman’s fleshy core giving echoes of 80s cuisine: scallops and white peaches anyone? Watering shows sea-washed rock, light flowers, and hot sand. The palate is sweet, sour, and smoky, with a chalky edge and a peppery palate, but water releases blossom and a little gunsmoke: a duel in the dunes? £39

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Summer 2013)

Named after the Viking chieftain whose exploits are central to the Orkneyinga Saga, Svein is the least typically Highland Park of the initial three Warrior releases. The nose is oily, with starch and ozone, then ultimately freshly-squeezed orange and lemon juice. The palate offers a suggestion of smoke, sawdust, and vanilla. Nutty and slightly peppery in the finish, with just a suggestion of peat. €40/liter

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2013)

There’s a reason why bourbon distillers don’t char their barrels to this intensity. Aged over 15 years, this is a bold whiskey, with lovely honeyed fruit and creamy vanilla on the nose and palate. But it’s bullied by the charred oak, brandishing oak tannins and leather, along with background tobacco and over-roasted nuts. Dry, charred oak finish. There’s a lovely sweetness that does challenge all this charred oak, but it eventually loses the battle. Price is per 375ml.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Summer 2013)

Matured in a refill hogshead, the out-turn was 262 bottles. The nose is malty, with the oiliness of figs, plus dates and tinned peaches. Supple on the palate, with vanilla, honey, and spicy resin notes. The finish is medium in length, warming, and slightly herbal, with nutmeg and malt. £90

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2013)

Finished off in a 500-liter American oak puncheon, this has typical Hanyu robustness with a burnt edge hinting at roasted corn. A little touch of fresh varnish and wax polish adds a savory air before fruits come through: strawberry, sloe, and plum. The palate is, to this mouth, very, very hot. Water reveals more dense fruit, and on the palate there’s plenty of toasted oak, stewed rhubarb, and dry-roasted peanuts on the finish. A very solid example.¥12,000

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Summer 2013)

Tullibardine 225 Sauternes is finished in Sauternes dessert wine casks from Chateau Suduiraut in Bordeaux, and the nose majors in citrus fruits, vanilla, pepper, and a discreet herbal note. Citrus fruits carry through to the spicy palate, with Jaffa orange to the fore, plus malt. Spicy to the very end, with milk chocolate and a suggestion of passion fruit.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2013)

Made in Washington State with Washington barley in a copper pot still, and aged “over a year” in new, charred, 10 gallon oak barrels. Good color; nose is frisky and young, with fresh oak and big pear aromas, and a hot feel. Hot and direct in the mouth: grainy, some of that pear, and a somewhat bland but appealing cereal sweetness. Finish is more of the same, with a flick of heat at the end.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Summer 2013)