Freya is the third release in Highland Park’s Valhalla Collection; unusually, it has been matured in first-fill bourbon casks. It fits into the core range between the 12 and 18 year olds. The nose is sweet, floral, and heathery, with pineapple, mango, and a background earthiness. Finally, vanilla and milk chocolate. Smooth on the palate, with passion fruit, and more overt peatiness than is apparent on the nose. Subtle peat, char, and a hint of licorice in the finish.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2014)

The Old Particular non-chill filtered single cask expression of Highland Park was distilled in November 1995, matured in a refill hogshead, and bottled in December 2013. The outturn was 322 bottles. Initially quite reticent on the nose, then toffee, cardboard, table salt, and very faint smoke. Quite viscous on the palate, and dry peat becomes relatively prominent, with allspice and sea salt. The finish offers licorice and lingering spices. £100

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2014)

Diageo is releasing five triple matured single malts, all exclusive to Friends of the Classic Malts and without age statements. Initial maturation was in refill casks, followed by a period in charred American oak hogsheads, and finally European oak refill casks. Sweet on the nose, with heather honey and gingerbread; slightly herbal. Resinous and waxy. Cloves, cinnamon, oak, and black pepper notes on the buttery palate. Medium length in the finish, with lingering cloves and freshly-sawn oak. £80

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2014)

The first of three Iron Dram single cask Amrut whiskies released for the European market. The Pedro Ximénez cask certainly has the upper hand here. Black cherry, dried cranberry, blueberry, and mixed peel mingle with apple peelings, baked pear, thick-skinned sultanas, and chocolate frosting. Tart piquancy to the fore on the palate, but it melts to show glacé cherry, baked apples, pear, and ground almonds. Water brings the childhood sweetness of old-fashioned Kola Kubes. Oodles of character. £77

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Summer 2014)

The closed grain distillery niche is small, but Cambus rightly has its followers. The latest in a series of sequential cask releases from Signatory, this refill butt signals a grassy nose of green hay bales, tangerine, potting compost, white pepper, and almond-studded nougat. To drink, it’s like joyously biting into a tangerine marshmallow, to be rewarded with thick cloudy puffs of flavor with a peppery accompaniment.  Dabble with the water to reveal the delights of orange creamsicle pie. £65

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Summer 2014)

The richest of the quartet. Super-dense with a note of burnished brass, then light leather and cashew alongside sandalwood. The waxiness and tropical fruit typical of old whiskies is in the background before it moves into lanolin. The palate starts sweetly, with added liqueur cherries, earth, and smoke but for me, after the complex nose it fails to deliver, especially since it is so scarily priced. £600/500 ml

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Summer 2014)

A 1996 expression is the latest Clynelish to take its place in the Connoisseurs’ Choice lineup. Maturation occurred in refill sherry butts. Fruity on the nose, with ripe bananas, malt, dark toffee, lemongrass, and a splash of brine. Ultimately, a green, herbal note. Relatively full-bodied, creamy and slightly waxy on the palate; spicy sherry, Golden Delicious apples, and old leather. The finish is medium to long, with lingering ginger. £60

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2014)

Austria now boasts more than a dozen distilleries. Combining maturation in fresh bourbon, sherry, and Madeira casks can help younger whiskies like this to combine different flavors. The Madeira and sweet sherry dominate the nose initially, but there are dried cherry, fresh fig, marzipan, and shelled pistachio too. It’s a smooth, light to medium-weight dram with good maltiness, ground almond, latte, dry sherry, milk chocolate, apple, and baked pears. The long finish leaves raisins and a coffee-bean intensity. €48

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Summer 2014)

Ontario government retailer LCBO bought this barrel for an exclusive bottling, and it’s a doozie. The first nose is all fresh flaxseed before peppermint, anise, and sweet fragrant flowers waft in. A few minutes later the nose morphs into peach cobbler with lingering suggestions of dry grain. Cooked peaches sustain the palate until sweet spices arrive, bringing hints of oak and creamy barley sugar with them. There’s lots of action in this whisky glass. (Ontario only) C$70

Reviewed by: Davin de Kergommeaux (Summer 2014)

A pale grain from the colossal Fife distillery, released at 18 years old as part of Signatory’s Vintage Single Grain Collection. Vanilla icing, digestive biscuits, pumpernickel, toasted coconut flakes, crushed cumin seed, and a background note of fresh mint are apparent. The vanilla and blossom honey flavors are in union with the buttery, lightweight texture, and there’s a pulsating spiciness that lives on in the finish. A refreshing alternative. £26

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Summer 2014)

Whiffs of whole cloves quickly turn to cedar shavings, acetone, menthol horse liniment, corn syrup, and German rye bread. Brighter and fresher than other 100% ryes, but somehow a bit muddied with a grainy, earthy, wet-clay mealiness. Searing spices turn rye drinking into an extreme sport. Leather, peppermint, sweetish rye grain, and firewood gradually emerge. A blistering finish pulls like tannic black tea, while underlying rye grain notes drift along forever.

Reviewed by: Davin de Kergommeaux (Summer 2014)

A new Small Caliber Series bottling, distilled from 100% rye. Nose gives rye dough, mint candies, and a push of rye oil and crushed grass. Punchy and perky on the tongue, hot and spicy young rye character with black pepper and bitter rye slicing through a sweet body; quite dynamic. Ranger Creek makes exciting whiskeys, for sure, and this one shows an increasing talent for balance. Price is per 375 ml.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Summer 2014)

According to the maple syrup geeks who make Sortilège, Quebec’s sugar maple forests produce their sweetest, woodiest, most robust flavors in the early days of the late-winter syrup season. This maple whisky is proof positive. Creamy sweet, slightly peppery, leafy in a good way, and richly imbued with woodsy maple, Sortilège stays firmly in the whisky camp, though just downwind from the sugar shack. Like maple syrup itself, it leaves the palate slowly. Price is per 375 ml.

Reviewed by: Davin de Kergommeaux (Summer 2014)

Lifted, quite estery and delicate, with fruit blossom, preserved lemon, and light minerality. It needs water; when added, out burst blossoms, brioche, and fondant icing. On the palate, there’s a frothy pink party going on: marshmallows, flowers, raspberry, and cream. Water adds silkiness, while the finish throws out yuzu, then tightens in the manner typical for a young whisky (it’s 3 years old). Not only on the way, but getting there. ¥25,000/700 ml

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Summer 2014)

Very grassy, with dry earth and pink peppercorn layered in, but none of the heat you’d expect from unaged 92 proof rye. Very well-behaved on the tongue; oily, bittersweet, with the 95% rye mash rolling like an unhurried river, one long, smooth wave of rye flavor. A whiskey like this could be called too simple, but this is strikingly single-minded. A likely candidate for cocktails at the price.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Summer 2014)

The nose is more reticent than that of its younger sibling, with less spice and succulent fruitiness. A hint of nougat, but overall, drier and ‘quieter.’ The palate is silky, with walnuts and allspice, while fruit notes are provided by plums. Following the overall theme here, the finish is also drier than that of the 16 year old variant, featuring a sprinkling of spicy cocoa powder. Relatively lengthy. Exclusively available to travelers at World Duty Free Group stores in selected airports throughout the UK and Spain. £90/liter

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2014)

This Dalmore single cask variant was distilled in October 1996 and filled into a refill hogshead, which yielded 139 bottles in January 2014. Freshly-mown hay, then marzipan and nectarines on the well-spiced nose. Nutty caramel in time. The palate features Terry’s chocolate orange, vanilla, and nutmeg. Citrus fruits and malt in the finish, with hazelnuts and a hint of oak. £90

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2014)

A very laid-back start with the sweetness of the sherry cask bringing a fat, figgy, dried fruit aroma which initially suppresses the peat, only allowing a little pipe smoke and smoked meat to emerge. With water, there’s balsam, tar, dried seaweed, and fabric Band-Aid. This is repeated on the tongue, with dark fruits suddenly changing to spent kiln and bonfire ashes, but there needs to be more cohesion between the elements. £80

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Summer 2014)