This Travel Retail-exclusive from Glenmorangie is the inaugural expression in the distiller’s new Legends series. Glenmorangie Duthac is matured in a mix of charred virgin oak and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. Peaches, tangerines, cloves, vanilla, and toffee bonbons on the nose. Silky on the palate, with warm spices, honey, intense tropical fruit, and fresh ginger. Relatively long and creamy in the finish, with nutmeg, marzipan, and milk chocolate. Price is per liter.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Fall 2015)

This 15 year old has been fully matured in bourbon casks. Relatively reticent on the nose, with light vanilla. Becoming more aromatic and spicy, with tinned apricots in syrup. Medium-bodied, relatively dry, with ginger, oak, and cloves, before a touch of milk chocolate appears. The chocolate darkens. Aniseed and perpetual spice.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Fall 2015)

Lightly grassy and hay-like, with some wheat chaff. The nose is quite hot, but that cereal note (reminiscent of draff) is pleasing, sitting alongside clean apple and orange barley water. The palate is sweeter and more floral (pear blossom) compared to the nose, though retaining some nuttiness. Has good verve. When diluted, the finish shows real chocolate and some dry spice. A very interesting young ‘un. £54

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Fall 2015)

The most northerly of Northern Ireland’s distilleries, Bushmills ages this spirit in bourbon and oloroso casks before finishing in port wine casks. The sweet notes of fat, ripe blueberries, plum flesh, and dusty, dry warehouses sketch out the nose. It lands on the tongue dry but piquant, then the fruit swarms all over it; blueberry, black currant, and apple, with hazelnut, chocolate pralines, black pepper, and spice. This was once the pick of the range, but the port influence seems feistier than older bottlings and I miss how smooth this used to taste.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2015)

Made from malted Bavarian hard wheat and aged over 2 years in new and used American oak barrels, the nose is chocolate-covered pretzels and a dash of pepper spice with a slight edge. The entry is much softer than expected at this proof, driven by toasted wheat and dark chocolate, with vanilla and black pepper. A strong pepper kick at the end of the mid-palate drives a long, spicy finish. A surprisingly well-balanced and actualized young craft whiskey.

Reviewed by: Geoffrey Kleinman (Fall 2015)

Be more Swedish: escape the city and head to a rural, red-painted summer house with a tasty bottle of this little beauty tucked under your arm. A clean, fresh nose of marshmallows, Scottish tablet, warm spices, and reed matting. A thick, substantial palate with an array of lighter flavors; sweet barley sugar, honey, melon, vanilla frosting, gentle citrus, and spicy cinnamon. Great balance of power and delicacy here. The cinnamon rolls into a finish that really goes the distance. €65

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2015)

A rare bottling from a distillery that is more commonly released as a part of whisky blends. Light fruit and sweet malt define the nose, with apple, apricot, and honey. The entry is bursting with flavor, centered around malt, along with honey, salt, and apricot. The mid-palate adds a touch of oak, smoke, and spice, and is extremely well integrated and balanced. A medium-length finish ends abruptly and a little too dry, the only left turn in an otherwise superb whisky. (Julio’s Liquors only)

Reviewed by: Geoffrey Kleinman (Fall 2015)

I used to find this a little lacking in structure. Either I’ve changed my palate (or was always wrong), or the solera’s slow changes have added depth and complexity. The nose is all cooked plums, with some blueberry, stewing rhubarb. All is delicately scented, with some currant leaf, then sultana and sweet dried fruits. The palate is equally fruity—more hedgerow fruits now—but there’s grip and a little fresh acidity to balance. Hugely appealing and approachable.

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Fall 2015)

Meaning double cask, this was designed as an easy-drinking, summer style of Alsatian whisky created from a balanced proportion of two casks finished separately in local Riesling and Gewürztraminer barrels. The nose is light and crisp, with peach, pear, lime zest, grapefruit, gooseberry, and rose-flavored Turkish delight. A sweet, velutinous palate, sufficiently weighted with grapefruit and lime. A little malted barley pokes through the gooseberry. Quite distinctive, which counts in today’s market. €45

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2015)

More nose than on the Reserve (see below); no surprise. Sweet spicy candy, alcohol heat, and oak. The spicy candy—clove, cinnamon, allspice—blooms in the mouth, firing up oak and corn, with a meaty fullness and a warming finish. Quite a bit more complex and interesting than the Reserve. Sourced whiskey.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Fall 2015)

This is the whiskey that introduces the American journalist to Belfast drinking culture in Colin Bateman’s Divorcing Jack. The sherry cask maturation is the key; mouthwatering autumn fruits plucked from the trees, cinnamon-apple cobbler, and cocoa-dusted raisins. A smooth, glistening dram from the North Antrim coast; weighty and fruity, the sweetness turning to raisin chocolate bars. There is a lot to bite on. It slips away reluctantly, leaving a long, dark sweetness behind it. One glass is never enough.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2015)

Since Canadian Club refined its batching process, this 12 year old whisky has begun to show pleasing differences among batches. And though a batch is exactly that, a batch, bottling codes reveal that different bottle sizes of a single batch can be filled weeks apart. Caramel, dark fruits, and luscious sweetness jump out of the glass to fill the room. Behind that, the classic Canadian Club pruniness, butterscotch, and hot pepper ride on a wagonload of dried oak timber.

Reviewed by: Davin de Kergommeaux (Fall 2015)

Pär Caldenby makes this 45 ppm peated island whisky off Sweden’s west coast, maturing it in 110L capacity virgin European oak and Bordeaux casks. Lemon bonbon, vanilla pod, crisped bacon rind, and burnt toast crumbs are backed with a blackberry note. The longer I nose, the more the peat edges over the sweetness. Syrupy with an intense alcohol flare: apple, lemon, and vanilla sponge, but dilutes to ground ginger, citrus, and herbal notes. The smoke is unobtrusive. Young, promising, and gutsy. SEK 1276

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2015)

Extreme peat smoke explodes out of the glass. It’s diesely, burnt tire smoke more than campfire. Past the peat, there's salt, paste, and honey. On the palate it's another blast of smoke. This nearly chokingly strong smoke dissipates slightly to reveal oyster shells, malt, paste, and honey. Make no mistake, the smoke is the star and will remind you of that fact hours after you finish your last sip. An uber-peated whisky that hardcore peatheads will surely adore. (U.S. only)

Reviewed by: Geoffrey Kleinman (Fall 2015)

Consummately blended from more than 30 different whiskies, this has chewy Highland toffee, freshly-baked banana muffins, shelled walnuts, and faint chocolate orange notes. A smooth, full mouthful of blossoming orange, thick malt, heather honey, dabs of espresso, and milk chocolate. The malty Horlicks flavors prevail to the end with some attractive, shimmering spices. Note the higher strength here, though the 45% malt content is consistent across the range.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2015)

Remarkably rich color, indicative of a first-fill cask. A clean if hot nose with carpenter’s workbench, Comice pear, and lots of oak. Aultmore’s acidity comes through on the palate, with its zingy intensity cutting through the wood and achieving a certain balance. The palate shows a mix of fruit and wood sugars. Young certainly, but bottled at the right time given the intensity of the wood element. Water makes it more sappy and summery. Not hugely complex, but fun.

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Fall 2015)

Brimming with distillery character. Gentle malty notes come through initially, accompanied by apple core and classic ‘Farclas weight. The alcohol, though high, is not obtrusive. In time there’s some orange marmalade, and this bittersweet element helps to add another layer of complexity. Water brings out toffeed depth. Even neat it isn’t too hot, showing heft rather than bludgeoning power. In time there’s black cherry, chocolate, and a hint of smoke. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Fall 2015)

Higher in strength than the standard Glen Scotia 10 year old, this heavily peated expression is part of the distillery’s Legends of Scotia series, and celebrates Campbeltown's historic Picture House. Just 6,000 bottles. Fruity peat on the nose, with lots of apricot and peach notes. Finally, fresh cigarette ash. Voluptuous in the mouth, and fruity, then sweet spice and drier peat notes develop. The finish is medium to long, with spicy tar. €70

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Fall 2015)