Deeper, darker, more intense than the Barrel Head Aged expression. Toffee, pit fruit, Earl Grey tea, cinnamon, pencil shavings, and tobacco lead to a tannic, gripping finish. The French oak influence is tangible. Price is per 375 ml.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2015)

A 23 year old single malt from 1991 finished in French oak Ànima Negra casks from Mallorca, producing a dark, ruby colored whiskey. Rich and earthy: raisins, treacle, strawberry Jell-O, sawdust on dunnage floors, gingerbread, and traces of peppermint. Early creaminess is swept aside by intensely fruity waves of blackberry, blueberry, strawberry, grapefruit, and Seville orange that draw the mouth. Sweet Jaffa cake centers emerge later. Soft, never boisterous, and finishes with dry heat and fig paste (334 bottles). €325

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2015)

Barton 1792 distillery’s first-ever wheated bourbon, where the wheat replaces rye as the ‘spice’ ingredient (similar to Weller and Maker’s Mark). A sweet and fruity whiskey, with vanilla wafer, cotton candy, caramel custard, blackberry, and ripe peach. Soft oak spice and polished leather on the finish keep the sweetness in check. Very gentle in personality; a great starter bourbon.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2015)

Plenty of color, and the nose says it ain’t lying. Sharp warehouse oak aroma puts an edge on an authoritative nose of honey, Indian pudding, spicy hard candy, and old-fashioned root beer, the not-too-sugary kind. Fiery and bold on the tongue as oak roars from start to finish, but the sweetness builds sip-by-sip: cornbread, buckwheat honey, King syrup, and a teasy bit of citrus peel. Long finish as the oak dies down. At this price, let’s keep it our secret. Sourced whiskey.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Fall 2015)

Need you ask? An unmistakable classic and an exemplar of a blended Scotch whisky, famous around the world. Toffee, swirling caramel, whole almond, and mashed banana amid twisting white smoke. The palate has such poise, balance, and dexterity that it sets the standard for many less accomplished blends to aspire to. Conspicuously iconic, and the closest thing you will find to a complete whisky at this price.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2015)

This potent grain whisky from a refill hoggie bears ripe pears, green apples, vanilla sugar, polished horse chestnuts, and a waft of acetone. Neat, there is sweet fudge, runny caramels, and heat, but natural dilution dissipates the sweetness to boiled candy with faint cocoa. At this strength, it really takes water generously, illuminating fruitiness and softening the heat. Dry, sweet vanilla pricked with orange seals the finish. There’s a sweet spot where this is deliciously drinkable. (114 bottles) £190

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2015)

The trend to higher-proof Canadian whisky continues. This massive gem from Highwood shows us how that benefits the whisky drinker. Toffee and spicy rye on the nose become toffee and sizzling hot pepper on the palate. While toffee lurks in the shadows, a lingering oaky base begins to assert itself. Sweetness and pepper subside as the wood emerges with a complexity not even hinted at on the nose. Enjoy it neat; love it with ginger ale. (Canada only)

Reviewed by: Davin de Kergommeaux (Fall 2015)

Big smoke. Smoked fish, in fact, with some linked oily elegance, along with touches of hot tar and a cooked agave quality, adding a slightly sour/sweet element; then come poached pear and pepper. The palate is rootier, but always with this deep, clinging texture. As it moves it sweetens briefly, then comes creosote. Water gives the sweetness more space before the big phenols come powering back. It’s a barbecue in your mouth. Classic Laphroaig, in fact. £91

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Fall 2015)

You can feel the power, taut and straining, underneath the sweet nose of powdered sugar, sliced banana in custard, packing straw from tea chests, apple fritters, and sweet oak. There’s instant gratification, as this colossal whisky is fit to burst with honey, tropical fruits, apple, melon, and strawberry candy. Water adds shafts of sweetness to the nose and more jamminess to the palate. Made in Glasgow in the fall of 1988 and delivered at perfect drinking strength: they’ve bottled sunshine. (154 bottles) £90

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2015)

There’s no doubt that this is from Glenlivet; there’s still that pure combination of fruit and flowers, now given a little nudge toward a more concentrated expression: the flowers are dried and heathery, the fruits tinned pineapple, windfall apples. An added cedar/nutmeg note adds to the complexity. Liquorous and tongue-clinging with custard tart notes before the autumn fruits come through. A sense of the curtains being drawn and a settling in for the winter. Recommended.

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Fall 2015)

Soft and direct. The initial impression is of birthday cake icing with marzipan beneath, then comes preserved lemon, greengage, and discreet maltiness. It becomes more scented (linden/privet blossom) in time. The palate is a little strong initially, then a hint of coconut. Improves further with water, showing a fascinating, subtle evolution: herbal with iris flowers. A classy dram from an overlooked distillery. Check it out. £53

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Fall 2015)

A nose like Big Red gum—juicy-sweet cinnamon—and some sweet dough, with sharp alcohol heat. Hot as expected on the tongue, but exciting: more cinnamon and sweetness—like snickerdoodles—with wet corn, a touch of bitter oil, and hot spearmint. Adding water eases the heat, and brings out the oak. Good stuff, if a bit simple. Sourced whiskey.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Fall 2015)

The final cornerstone of Douglas Laing’s Remarkable Regional Malts range, this blended malt celebrates the best from the Islands. The peat smoke finds harmony with the nose of pine, lemon curd, dewy lawns, and vanilla fudge. This is gloriously full-flavored; the peatiness certainly delivers, but there is a pleasant nip of saltiness too. The black pepper finish leads to a long lasting salty smack on the lips. Make this your hipflask essential for bracing excursions along the shoreline. £38

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2015)

Following bourbon cask maturation, this spent a further 4 years in red wine casks from Domaine Des Anges. It has a gentle, coastal brininess of smoked eel with apple relish, seashells, lemongrass, with beet root and black fruits. This is a real chewer; toffee bars, raisin, juiced apples, and raspberry. The smokiness builds powerfully and unrelentingly. After a final catch of smoke, the finish has lush mint toffees. A mighty, peaty Irish whiskey from you know where. (351 bottles) €150

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2015)

This is Mortlach in musing mode. An aroma that initially brings to mind a woolen mill, then opens into sweet spice, light syrup, with the sense of the distillery’s weight always present. A rippling kind of muscularity with some rapeseed oil. With water the palate starts lighter and more fruity than you’d expect, then comes rooty weight with, yes, a distinctly gingery slant. Water shows more beeswax/honeycomb. Substantial and spicy. £85

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Fall 2015)

The most expensive of Glen Scotia’s new trio has been finished in deeply-charred barrels and bottled non-chill filtered at cask strength. Soft and sweet on the nose, with peaches, fudge, and a hint of oak. Full-bodied and slightly oily on the palate, with wood spices, vanilla, and blackberries. Smoky ginger and lively char in the lengthy finish.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Fall 2015)

Distilled in October 1997 and aged in a single refill hogshead, 360 bottles were released in 2014 as part of Langside’s Distiller’s Art range. The nose is mildly herbal, with green wood, heather, and developing soft toffee notes. Soft and gently spiced on the palate, with hazelnuts, and peaches in cream. The finish is relatively long, with milk chocolate, and tingling sweet spices. £62

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Fall 2015)

This bourbon-cask matured 12 year old was distilled using organic barley. 9,000 bottles released globally. Pears and pineapple in brine on the early nose. Peanut brittle, licorice, and subtle peat. Sweet and intensely fruity on the viscous palate, with developing nuttiness, vanilla, spice, and peat smoke. The finish is medium in length, with sweet fruit, more licorice, and sea salt.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Fall 2015)