Like its Ledaig stablemate, this Tobermory is offered non-chill filtered at cask strength. Finishing occurred in manzanilla sherry casks. Orange marmalade, nutmeg, and developing vanilla on the nose. Full bodied, with a palate of citrus fruit and soft spices, aniseed, and developing tannins. Lingering in the finish, with spicy plain chocolate. Ultimately, the tannins fade and leave a fresh citric note.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2017)

Joining the core Pendleton lineup, with a new edition expected each September. Past releases of Director’s Reserve have been irregular, perhaps because a local rancher killed the buzz when he bought the entire first batch nearly a decade ago. A luxuriously creamy body coats your palate with mild vanilla, butterscotch, restrained white pepper, and nutty plum pudding. Pencil shavings punctuate a medium finish. Less complexity than its age predicts.

Reviewed by: Davin de Kergommeaux (Summer 2017)

Initially there’s a lot going on. Bakery confectionary meets spice rack, followed by dried oak, toasted oak, covered baked apples, canned peaches, and dried apricot. Then tobacco and leather strike before mouth-coating butterscotch and vanilla icing. Once these notes dissipate, lighter baked fruits and jams walk this into a medium finish. While good, this whiskey could have been great if it maintained its initial complexity.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Summer 2017)

A proportion of the component whiskies has been matured in virgin Black Sea oak casks, while the rest has been aged in bourbon barrels. The nose is sweet, with warm cloves and soft peat; a hint of brine. When it comes to the palate—curious! Menthol and herbal notes, toasted oak, plain chocolate, sweet antiseptic. Mildly tannic in the finish, with subtle peaty spiciness. An herbal peat note lingers long.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2017)

Angela D’Orazio matured a third of the component whiskies in cherry-wine casks for this seasonal creation. Rather than cherries, the fruity aroma of the wine is more apparent on the nose, together with crushed root ginger, hawthorn, drying tobacco leaf, and beefsteak tomatoes. This thick-textured dram exudes cherry, strawberry, and vanilla fudge, drawing the mouth before a late phase of rum and raisin, aniseed, peppermint, and menthol. 598 SEK

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Summer 2017)

This expression from Scapa in Orkney was distilled in 2001 and matured in first-fill bourbon barrels. Tropical fruit and butterscotch on the sweet, light nose, with very slight smokiness on the early palate, along with spicy, milky cocoa, hazelnuts, and more tropical fruit. The finish is medium in length, with a hint of char. An easy-drinking, nicely balanced dram at a good price.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2017)

Another expression from anCnoc’s first batch of Peaty Collection releases, this has the lowest phenolic level of the trio, at 11 ppm. Initial peatiness on the nose gives way to sliced pineapple, nougat, and spicy vanilla. Ripe apple, milk chocolate, and honey emerge out of soft peatiness on the palate. Old leather and a hint of spice in the medium-length finish.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2017)

Lovely aromas of charred toast, nut bread, biscuits, fresh grain, rye spice, and some grassiness give way to a palate-coating sweetness, including malted milk balls, cocoa, and dark baking chocolate. The finish offers fine balance, with cherry fruit nicely matched with drying oak tannins and laced with sandalwood and spices. Vatted from 23 barrels, primarily bourbon and rye, though the malt component offers great backbone.

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Summer 2017)

This expression of Glen Grant has been matured in refill bourbon casks and is arguably more characterful than the distiller’s own variant of the same age. Ripe orchard fruits on the nose, with honey and cinder toffee. The palate is light to medium in weight, offering more fresh fruit notes, vanilla, milk chocolate, and a hint of ginger. The nutty finish dries with just a hint of smoke.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2017)

This vintage Benromach has been finished in Sassicaia wine casks from the Bolgheri wine region of Italy after maturation in first-fill bourbon barrels. Red currants and warm peat, ginger, and vanilla on the nose. Initially, juicy fruit on the palate, but soon drier than expected from the nose. Dark berry fruits and subtle smoke develop. Relatively long in the finish, with gentle spices. Ultimately, sweeter soft fruit notes return. (8,000 bottles)

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2017)

A showcase of the wide range of Talisker’s characteristics. Very sweet fruits, vanilla, new leather, and a hint of brine on the nose. Smooth on the palate, with smoky dark berries, lively spices, and crème brûlée. Dark chocolate and slightly bitter tannins feature in the finish, along with ginger and very mild chili. (Travel Retail exclusive)

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2017)

A charmingly sweet nose with Christmas cake, swollen raisin, dates, sticky toffee pudding, walnut, nutmeg, and gentle spices confirm the presence of the oloroso cask at work. An oily texture, with butterscotch, tangy peel, and mandarin, becoming darker and nutty, with sultana and plum skin shading into menthol and streaks of bitterness. Finally, Brazil nut, macadamia, and clove, with a hot, dry, nutty finish. (771 bottles)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Summer 2017)

Samsara’s (reviewed winter 2016) younger sibling Adela presents an altogether different profile, having been matured in oloroso casks. Like Samsara, it has not been chill filtered. The nose is nutty, with quite dry sherry notes and prickly spice. Finally, fragrant toffee emerges. Very supple in the mouth, where the sherry becomes sweeter, along with black currants, licorice, and then black pepper. The finish is medium in length, dry, and peppery.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2017)

At first it’s a smorgasbord of cotton candy, vanilla, caramel, tapioca pudding, honey, and salted caramel. Then spice-bomb reality sets in with nutmeg, cinnamon, anise, and ginger. Finally, the spice gives way to caramel over cornbread, malt, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch. The medium finish ends what was developing into a great whiskey; alas, much is to be desired.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Summer 2017)

Can it really be six years since the distillery closed and they demolished the chimney stack? This nose has a much stronger grain character than the other two Old Particular releases, so one to try before you buy. Beach driftwood and toasted spice aromas, with flavors of warm butterscotch, mandarin, and peach on a peppery base, shuffling into dried fruits and muscovado sugar before a spicy nougat finish. This is hardcore. (K&L Wines exclusive, 243 bottles)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Summer 2017)

Straw color and extremely light in aromatics, this whiskey starts earthy and goes spicy, with Hatch chili, allspice, and jalapeño cornbread leading the way. Then the sweeter side kicks in, with powdered sugar donuts, caramel chew, and vanilla latte coming through. Spice takes over toward the finish line in a hefty, medium finish. Perfect for cocktails. Price is per 375 ml.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Summer 2017)

Bright and lively, with violets, plenty of fresh oak, and traces of mint and pine, leading to a palate of butterscotch, bright citrus, warming spice, and sweet vanilla with drying and dusty cocoa. There is a glimmer of youth, expected given that 20% of this blend is their own distillery-made rye, aged less than 2 years. It’s an exciting glimpse of what’s to come, but the younger rye does little to enhance the great stuff they’ve been sourcing.

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Summer 2017)

A toasty and spicier interpretation of an 18 year old blend. Toffee, salted pecans, Dundee cake, and sultana aromas. A beautiful, thick texture replete with ripe red fruits, cardamom, fennel, and star anise. Caramels drift past on a river of spice, wreathed in a fine layer of smoke, then oak, mixed nuts, and cracker bread. The fruity sweetness is momentary and fleeting, leaving the front of the mouth loaded with spice.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Summer 2017)