One of two single cask bottlings of 17 year old Clynelish released by Wemyss Malts in the fall of 2014. The hogshead provided 373 bottles. Pineapple and nectarines on the nose, with salted caramel. Mildly herbal. The palate is rich and viscous, with a sprinkling of pepper over sliced red apples, sweet spices, vanilla, and hazelnuts. Lingering in the finish, with lemon; nutty and lightly oaked. £68

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2015)

Big sherry influence immediately, with walnut skin, raisin bread, and mixed peels. Seems pretty dry, and the malty undertow here is whole grain bread. Balvenie’s signature sweetness comes across like soft brown Demerara sugar before it shifts into forest floor, mulch, nut, and dried berries. Just enough residual sweetness to keep the tannins at bay. Water makes it more woody, with burlap, cacao, a little earthiness, and a slightly bitter exit.

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Spring 2015)

A non-age stated single malt from Washington State. Light amber in color, there’s more oak on the nose than you’d expect, along with baked apple, chocolate, cinnamon, and clove. Chocolate leads the entry, followed by clove, cinnamon, baked apple, and salt. A spicy mid-palate picks up some ginger and a dash of heat. The finish is fairly short and dry. This feels a bit young and lacks depth. An interesting start; let's see where it goes from here.

Reviewed by: Geoffrey Kleinman (Spring 2015)

A venerable bottling from its proprietor, and there’s no doubt from the nose that you’re dealing with an ultra-mature whisky. Like going in to meet your aged grandfather who is sitting in his library surrounded by old books, with a little sunlight filtering through the drapes. In time, there’s dried peach and envelope gum. The palate is wooded and concentrated, but it is dry and lacking in the required energy. Water stirs it into life, but kills the flavor. £450

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Spring 2015)

Here, talented distiller David Fitt shows us his latest expression of heavily peated whisky. The nose has jalapeño and bell peppers, with pungent peat smoke that catches at the back of the throat. The smoke is sooty coal dust buoyed with some sweetness, but without a medicinal edge to the phenols. Sipping brought lemon bonbons, herbal elements, and some burnt toast character. It swells out in the middle before relenting, leaving a quenching, sweet finish and a smoky aura. £45

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2015)

Distilled in February 2005. Earthy peat, brine, vanilla, cereal, and a hint of cinnamon on the confident nose. Finally, wood smoke. Lively in the mouth, with nutty spices and pipe tobacco, while peat briefly takes a back seat before reasserting itself. Ginger and peat embers in the medium-length finish. (Whisky Shop only) £35/500 ml

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2015)

The nose features strong rye spice accompanied by sharp, young oak along with black pepper, graphite, and a touch of green apple. The entry is much heavier and sweeter than you’d expect from such a young whiskey. Things quickly change in the mid-palate with a spice blast of cinnamon, black pepper, rye, and oak. A solid dash of heat gives the mid-palate some kick and drives a short, dry finish. Some nice ideas hampered by the reality of youth.

Reviewed by: Geoffrey Kleinman (Spring 2015)

Heavy caramel, hints of pansies, dustiness, warming spices, gentle pepper, and bushels of fruit. The amontillado sherry finish gives a tannic red wine feel without much wineyness. About that finish: rather than “rejuvenating” barrels by pouring in sherry and swishing it around before adding the whisky, sherry was blended directly with mature 8 year old Canadian rye, which then spent two months in American oak barrels. Whisky purists may recoil, but the result is very tasty dram. (U.S. only)

Reviewed by: Davin de Kergommeaux (Spring 2015)

The first thing to note is the strength. It’s surprisingly not that hot initially, rather there are hints of soft orchard fruits, gentle smoke, and seashells. With water, the fruits show up—mango and peach—but the alcohol is still masking things. Water goes in immediately to produce a palate that is cool, slightly sweet, with seashore notes, wet stones, and those fruits, but there’s still a real tension to the whole experience. For the brave. £110

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Spring 2015)

A 15 year old Glen Garioch which is unique as the first from the distillery to be fully matured in French Bordeaux wine casks. The casks in question are tonneaux de vin rouge from Saint-Julien, and distillation took place on June 23, 1998. Just 450 cases are available globally. Sweet berries on the early nose, with milk chocolate, ginger, and spicy oak. Malt, ginger, plums, and honey on the rich palate, while the long finish offers spicy malt and honey.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2015)

I’m playfully perplexed as to whether the titular “vintage” refers to an elderly strawberry or an aged punnet. Undaunted, this example from the Highland powerhouse noses much better than promised with fresh mint, small, tight strawberry buds, sandy loam, and a saccharine sweetness. It has a sweet, syrupy, fat flavor, in turn revealing caramel, buttery notes, white chocolate, vanilla, and black currant. A satisfying finish of browning butter and warm chestnuts. (242 bottles) £82

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2015)

This 17 year old refill hogshead-matured expression of Dalmore was distilled in May 1997, and 237 bottles have been released. It is an interesting example of Dalmore uncut, without the proprietary sherry maturation-spin usually put on it. The nose is sweet, with caramel, tinned peaches and pineapple, and a smearing of honey. Zesty spices open the palate, which becomes nutty, with Jaffa oranges, gingery oak, and dark chocolate. Long and warming in the finish, with more oak and plain chocolate. £78

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2015)

Unusually, Wemyss Malts simultaneously offered two single cask bottlings of Clynelish in October 2014, both distilled in 1997 and matured in hogsheads. ‘Bench with a Sea View’ provided an out-turn of 371 bottles. The nose is sweet and fruity, with green apples and chocolate mousse. Slightly oily on the palate, with black pepper, salt, and orchard fruits. Persistently peppery in the finish, with citrus fruit, oak, a hint of brine, and cocoa. £68

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2015)

Initial maturation of Valour takes place in first-fill bourbon casks, before a period in 30 year old Matusalem oloroso sherry butts from Gonzales Byass. Finally it is transferred to port pipes from the Duoro region of Portugal. The nose is floral, with sherry notes, ripe oranges, and marzipan, while the palate offers dark sherry, with bitter orange, contrasting chocolate-coated fudge, and gingersnaps. The finish is medium to long, with lively spices and berry bitterness. (Travel Retail only) Price is per liter.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2015)

Unripe pears, honeycomb, strawberry millefeuille, and vanilla custard. A light and pleasant expression, but it’s not the kind of complex dram that will hold your attention all night. This batch of unpeated 5 year old single malt from St. George was disgorged from just four American standard barrels, and the taste consists of waxy lemons, vanilla cream, and banana splits, with a growing caramel presence. A dry finish of light spices and sweet lemon. £45

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2015)

An 11 year old Fettercairn from Douglas Laing, this is an undemanding but pleasing Highland dram. It comes from a distillery which tends to polarize opinion among drinkers. The nose is light and crisp, slightly floral, with pear juice and a hint of honey. Sweet and spicy on the palate, with hazelnuts and drinking chocolate. Powdery in the finish, with tangerines and a suggestion of Parma violets. £37

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2015)

Onyx (East Hartford, Conn.) ages their 'moonshine' in new charred oak barrels to make this expression.  Nose is fresh-sawn oak and sugar cookies, with a bit of cinnamon spice. Tons of fresh oak in the mouth (I'd guess this is small-barrel whiskey) with a spicy sweetness, a hallmark of young craft whiskey, as is the quick finish. Still, no real flaws, and pleasant enough.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Spring 2015)

I reviewed a couple of these one-off Wigle Whims earlier. This one’s quite roasty indeed, almost coffee-like, made with roasted barley and wheat, and caramel and chocolate malts. It smells of burnt grain with sweet toffee underneath. Lots of chocolate and cocoa struggle with ash and burnt grain, leading to a hot finish where they end up, finally, in agreement, a smoky mocha mouthful, espresso whiskey. Invigorating. Price is per 375 ml.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Spring 2015)