Perhaps the most alluring name ever given to a whisky, this has a nose of bright, zesty, potent clementine with vanilla sponge cake, fudge, heady floral scents, toasted coriander seeds, and peppercorn. Citrus drives the palate, but it’s sweet and tangy, and arrives with vanilla, fudge, toffee, and twinkling little flights of spice. Brilliant blending and the tastiest exploration of Ballantine’s signature notes to date. (Travel Retail exclusive)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2020)

An exceptional blend from first-fill American oak casks, which has Glenburgie whisky at its heart. Dry oak, Rolos, cantaloupe, dried mango strips, papaya, and cinnamon on the nose. Rewarding and weighty, with caramel, orange, raspberry, layers of spice, and dark toffee, with a concentrated fruitiness and a smear of spices leading to a warm, dark, lengthy finish. (Travel Retail exclusive)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2020)

Sandy Hyslop has excelled at solely blending European oak sherry cask whiskies here. A dry, spicy nose to relish: rum-raisin ice cream, wafer biscuits, fennel seeds, roasted coriander, seasoned oak, and dense fruitcake. After the Cinnamon Toast Crunch and toffee sweetness disrobe, a riot of spices cavorts across the tastebuds, bedding down to a flavor of spiced, chocolate-covered toffee bars. For cigar lovers, this demands a fine, robust smoke. (Travel Retail exclusive)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2017)

As you raise the glass to your nose, this has refreshment written all over it. The fragrance of an early morning visit to a florist, zesty orange notes, honey, peach pits, a hint of salt, and the faintest trace of smoke. It’s silky smooth, glistening with honey, a firm edge of orange, vanilla tablet, barley sugar, powdered ginger, all elevated by the grains supporting the Scapa. A smooth, feather-light finish of sparkling light spices and creaminess. A joy to behold.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2015)

If Willy Wonka was ever inclined to condense a knickerbocker glory into a dram, it would nose and taste like this: caramel toffee, hints of cocoa, peeled banana, chewy marshmallows, cream, and gooey fudge sauce. The palate has banana, slightly burnt caramel, poached pear, and Banoffee pie layered over mixed peel flavors, adding to its delicious appeal. It’s sweet, dry, smooth, and comforting, like that final satisfying mouthful drained from a mug of hot chocolate. Comfort food for thirsty people.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Summer 2016)

With a heart of Glenburgie, its bourbon barrel finish delivers a heady hit of vanilla, red apples, and brown sugar sweetness on the nose, with support from baked hazelnut cookies and ground black pepper. Toffee apple, pear, vanilla, salted caramel, and a gentle pepperiness dissipate to reveal caramel, heather honey, pecan pie, cocoa, and dark chocolate. Try this with orange or cocoa bitters in your next Old Fashioned. £28

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2020)

The nose unravels with milk chocolate, thick hazelnut spread, and a slender twist of orange peel, though that delectable goodness is evenly balanced with peppermint patties and detectable light, floral top notes. This has a lush softness, with a perceptibly slow crescendo of flavors incorporating caramel toffee, popcorn, and chocolate praline. It’s beautifully integrated with a smooth, dense texture, and releases its grip reluctantly with just a whisper of a peppermint reprise.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Summer 2016)

Malt biscuits, runny caramel, blended black tea, melting butter sliding across a hot skillet, the leather uppers on new Oxfords, and a more enjoyable waft of peat smoke than expected. Clean, light flavors; lime jelly, root ginger, initially not overly sweet, then a boost of honey, caramelized fruits, with toffee and cocoa later still. It’s pricked with hints of smoke throughout, with a long finish of pepper and other spices. Perfectly enjoyable anytime.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Summer 2016)

Master blender Sandy Hyslop has deliberately attempted to capture Christmas in the glass, and so it should come as no surprise to find a rich, full, and flavorsome whisky with sherry trifle, red berries, orange fruit, and mince pie filling in the mix. It's put together with grace and style, mixes well, and is that rare beast — a blend that can be enjoyed on its own.

Reviewed by: Dominic Roskrow (Spring 2012)

Baked almond desserts liberally splashed with cream, light caramel, malted milk, and an invading cloud of smoke from newly ignited twigs: a lucky strike from a forest survivalist. On the palate, it is soft and blushing, with marmalade and warm butter, ground ginger, moving to chocolate orange, toffee, and Ovaltine. A whirl of spices and chunky chocolate round off this blend’s finish stylishly. This has all the hallmarks of a perfect nightcap.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Summer 2016)

Up close, this displays more sherry and dried fruits, particularly raisins, currants, and sultanas, with a deep strawberry note and dollop of marmalade. Quite pungent, and that resonates rewardingly at the back of the throat. The juicy mandarin flavor has some tartness, but then there’s cake mix, gingersnaps, clove, and toasted spices, though it gravitates back to the marmalade. The finish has dry, bitter orange, ginger, and spice, with a hint of lime zest. Confident and characterful.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2015)

Wow! A noticeable step up in quality than Ballantine’s Finest (see below) with a perceptibly higher malt content. After Eight mints, Rolo toffees, spring florals, clean and creamy, plus some wood combine to produce an appealing nose. One sip confirms that this is gorgeously honeyed, layered, thick, and creamy, with heather honey, sweet oak, and ripe fruits, especially orange and mango. The finish is short, drying, sweet, and the only weak spot in an otherwise decent composition.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Summer 2016)

Glentauchers distillery is another Chivas Brothers workhorse located deep in the Speyside countryside. Through the aromas of honey, caramel, and vanilla peek barley stalks, hard pears, and hints of Cadbury buttons. The flavor opens sweet, with red berries and Parma violets. Although this is intended to follow a lighter style, it’s very flavorsome, with creamy vanilla, poached pear, and dried apple. A juicy finish with fruitiness oozing from the cheeks.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2015)

A pleasant nose of light caramel, dried orange rind, butterscotch, sweet grain, and a lick of bonfire smoke, yet it’s like the volume has been dialed down to three. Delicate, to the point of shyness. Sweet barley, concentrated orange, a low rumble of spice, and the grain sings through. Accessible, well structured, and light-textured, leading to a finish of brown sugar around the gums, although it has a stronger grain character than many in its price range.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Summer 2016)

A light, oily nose, a little nutty, baked apple, cinnamon, nutmeg, and malt biscuits. There are seductive dark spices and cooked fruit, almost savory, like lifting the lid on a tagine. A thinner mouthfeel showing some lime zest before a warm, enveloping glow of malt sweetness, gentle spice, toffee, raisin, and char emerges. Savory, peppery finish. Like nightfall, it gets darker the longer you contemplate it. With water, sweeter with more candied citrus as honeys materialize.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2015)