Distilled in 2010, this is always the youngest whiskey in the Collection, and is younger than last year’s release. I feel this is a slight liability, as it comes across a bit green and harsh for a Handy. Bold and spicy, with mint, clove, and cinnamon leading the way. Fig, caramel, and candied fruit round out the palate, but its youthfulness supersedes on the finish. One of the weaker offerings of Handy.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2016)

Think of an Almond Joy candy bar: coconut, almond, and milk chocolate, followed by the candy bar’s rival flavors: caramel, vanilla, and butterscotch. Then oak, leather, cigar box, marmalade, grape jelly, a plethora of baking spices, and toffee. This beautiful study of barrel strength bourbon needs no water. Caramel in all forms, from candied to syrup, follows this home for a long and delightful finish.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Winter 2016)

Expect six 2^nd step bottlings, each showcasing different personalities of Box single malt; peating, wood, and cask size will be tweaked in pursuit of world-class quality. The twin pleasures of fruity sherry and smoke wrinkle the nostrils delightfully. An admirable balance: prudent use of peat, countered by apple, chocolate Kendal mint cake, nougat, and a fresh minerality. Resplendent in noble oloroso; think apple flapjacks, sultana, fig, maple syrup, and toffee banana, with a prickle of spice lasting into the finish. (5,000 bottles) SEK747

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2016)

Complexity right off. Cherry candied nuance, smoke, caramel, French toast, vanilla, and apricot, but then an explosion of marzipan coats the palate with vanilla, freshly baked rye bread, and hints of brown sugar, nutmeg, toasted almond, and bittersweet chocolate. Finally, cherry cola and herbs walk you to a lovely, long, bitter finish with warm undertones. This is a year-round front porch sipper.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Winter 2016)

The importance of master blender Billy Leighton to Jameson cannot be understated. His whiskey expresses smooth, creamy aromas with floral top notes; a treat of poached pear, golden delicious apple, and peppercorn spices. There’s a thick, clingy mouthfeel, with sweet barley sugar, gingersnaps, sultanas, and a peppery flare. Undoubtedly the best spicy pot character of the three Whiskey Makers series, and that warming spiciness plows on into a lengthy finish. €70

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2016)

Every May, Jean Donnay searches for an exceptional single cask to bottle in honor of the patron saint of Brittany. This fresh bourbon barrel was an inspired pick. Summer honey, creamed coconut, honeysuckle blossom, vanilla panna cotta, and an attractive turf-rich peat note leap from the glass. Tart and juicy, with tangerine imbued with peat, its journey takes on a delicious malty and chocolate character, arriving at a delectable final plateau of nutmeg. He’s found superb balance this year. €95

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2016)

This is how to age gracefully. A remarkable, decadent drop released to follow the success of the Golden Age blend, this delivers heather honey, tangerine juice, banana chips, dried apricots, and sanded oak. It’s a whisky of big, expansive flavors. Citrus strands, candied peel, neroli, and dried mango swirl amidst a syrupy mouthfeel, steadily becoming creamier as it squeezes out yet more flavor. Dry, oaky finish with residual fruit, coffee beans, and pleasingly bitter oak tannins that tingle the gums. £600

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2016)

An inviting and complex nose of honey, orchard fruits, apple blossom, rosewater, and subtle cinnamon. Rich and creamy in the mouth, with initially intensely sweet fruit and spice notes, followed by ginger, toffee, and vanilla. The finish is warming, gently spicy, and medium in length. Diageo Special Releases 2016 bottling. (4,932 bottles)

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Winter 2016)

Distilled at a time when the future of the distillery looked bleak. It is non-chill filtered and mildly herbal on the nose, with soft peat, muted iodine, and a sprinkling of pepper, plus warm leather. The palate is initially peppery, then vanilla and green apples emerge, along with aniseed and rich peat. Peppery to the end, with a hint of iodine and coal smoke.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Winter 2016)

Caramel and earth on the nose, with freshly tilled soil, flowers, and oak just before an explosion of caramel, vanilla, allspice, and fruit. It really grows on you, with a buttery mouthfeel that presents cinnamon, honey, cornbread, marzipan, pecan pie, granola, nutmeg-dusted pumpkin pie, and a slight hint of candied ginger. Finishes long, with rich caramel. Quite tasty.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Winter 2016)

The nose is focused on cereal, hints of fresh ripe cherries, cooked fruit salad, herbs, and overt, bourbon-like charcoal. Take a sip though, and big, beautiful tones of real peat reek rush to the fore on the palate. These are sustained by sweet barley sugar, candied fruit, dry cereal, and a lush mouthfeel. The smoke, incidentally, comes from a few drops of real scotch added at blending. Very moreish. (British Columbia exclusive) $65 CAD

Reviewed by: Davin de Kergommeaux (Winter 2016)

The oldest of the 2016 Diageo Special Releases, distilled in 1975, then rested in refill American hogsheads. The initial nose is slightly balsamic, with green tea, ripe eating apples, and developing vanilla. Creamy on the palate, with big vanilla custard notes, white pepper, and dates. Relatively short in the finish, with soft spices and mild oak. No negative tannins, despite its age. (1,812 bottles)

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Winter 2016)

There’s a lot going on here: rich caramel, soft vanilla, gingerbread cookies straight from the oven, cinnamon, marzipan, honey, and peach. Then it’s a dance of the caramel/vanilla-combo richness with brown sugar, butter, and toffee. The thing is, you need to appreciate barrel strength whiskey to capture its essence, as the beasty alcohol overpowers. Even barrel strength lovers will find a splash of water opens it up, giving more caramel, walnut, and whoopie pie. Long caramel finish.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Winter 2016)

One for no age statement naysayers. An eloquent expression of sweet osmanthus, baked lemon, yuzu, violin resin, rich malts, and bonfire aromas on a favorite woolen jumper. It glides across the tongue with sweet barley sugar, but attests to greater depths; grapefruit, spicy ginger, and mandarin developing milk chocolate-coated, candied lemon flavors. A firm finish: green cardamom spices slowly releasing their grip on the front of the palate, leaving clingy vanilla. Unbound by an age statement, it’s a beautiful offering.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2016)

John Hall’s tenth annual release blends 4 to 9 year old single grain barley, corn, and rye whiskies from a mix of barrels. Sweet and sour fruits, prunes, and grassy green grapes, all inside a barrel warehouse, yield a complex nose. Pears, violets, barley sugar, vanilla fudge, and hot pepper fade slowly into barrel tones and gentle bitter pith. A slightly slippery palate grows hot and spicy in the middle. Not as lush as past releases, but equally as complex. $75 CAD

Reviewed by: Davin de Kergommeaux (Winter 2016)

Right up front, there’s really rich caramel with a lovely vanilla undertone. Then fruit, and lots of it: blackberries, blueberries, baked apples, and canned peaches, followed by wood, nutmeg, and maple syrup. It’s borderline complex, with a seamless balance and transition to the flavors. Extraordinarily rich caramel reappears over a medium, buttery, and satisfying finish.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Winter 2016)

After six ‘Work in Progress’ releases, Kilkerran from Glengyle Distillery has finally come of age with this core expression. It comprises 70% whisky from first-fill bourbon casks and 30% from sherry casks. Floral on the nose, with honey and a hint of brine, then peaty fruit notes develop. The palate is confident and oily, slightly earthy, with tinned peaches, black pepper, cinnamon, smoke, and a suggestion of medicine chests. The finish is relatively long, with pepper, licorice, and drying oak.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Winter 2016)

Dry and mildly dusty on first nosing, with a touch of pine pitch and red cedar. Tingling peppery spices and barrel notes carry onto the palate, bringing a slightly bitter counterpoint to luscious crème brûlée. Vanilla and hints of real maple syrup nuance apple pie sprinkled with baking spices, ripe black fruits, and a toffeeish but clean finish. Complex and beautifully integrated. Labeled 12 years old, Onyx includes some older whisky as well. (Europe exclusive) €27

Reviewed by: Davin de Kergommeaux (Winter 2016)