TOP 10 WHISKIES £50-£100

Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 
Bottled by: Gordon & MacPhail 70cl / 43%

A 13-year-old Caol Ila bottled at 43% by Gordon & MacPhail for their Discovery Range of great value, accessible single malt whiskies. The Discovery Range is colour-coded, with this Caol Ila 13-year-old's grey packaging indicating a Smoky flavour profile.

We were so impressed when trying the whiskies from the Discovery Range that we could not believe the RRP. In our opinion, these Gordon & MacPhail bottlings are better than a lot of whiskies at twice the price, and are a must for anyone looking to get into single malt whisky.

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Tasting Notes

Official Tasting Notes

Nose: Sweet vanilla and dried cured meat aromas with peat smoke undertones are complemented by banana and apricot.

Palate: Ripe banana, kiwi with vibrant hints of fresh citrus.

Finish: Long sweet and smokey.

Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery Bottling 70cl / 46%

The second general release from Torabhaig distillery on the Isle of Skye, Torabhaig Legacy Series Allt Gleann is a progression of the distillery's evolving Well Tempered Peat style, kicking up the initial phenols to 77ppm, with 17ppm residual in the spirit.

Torabhaig's Inaugural Release in the Legacy Series caused a sensation earlier this year, so we can't wait to crack one of these Allt Gleann open to try the next step in the Torabhaig story.

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Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 
Distillery Bottling 70cl / 46% 

Please note: The insets in the presentation boxes have slight damage.

A very smart Kilchoman whisky glass gift pack comprising a full bottle of the distillery's flagship Machir Bay peated Islay single malt whisky, which is a mix of predominately ex-bourbon casks with a small percentage of sherry casks in the assemblage.

This marvellous Kilchoman Machir Bay Islay whisky gift pack comes in a gift box with a pair of very cool Kilchoman branded whisky tumbler glasses and makes the perfect present for a peaty whisky fan, or just a great treat for oneself.

Please Note slight damage to insert that can not be replaced

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Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery Bottling 70cl / 46%

Ben Nevis is a distillery enjoying a remarkable surge in popularity right now, so this relaunched Ben Nevis 10-year-old with a very classy minimal new label couldn't have come at a better time. The distillery's earthy, gutsy spirit shines at 46% and was well overdue a revival.

Ben Nevis's owners Nikka have been custodians of the distillery since the late 1980s and now that they won't be needing the distillery's spirit for any of their Japanese blended whiskies we're hoping that this new Ben Nevis 10-year-old is a harbinger of further releases to come. 

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Tasting Notes

Nose: Abundance of character on the nose with floral, fragrant, honey, citrus fruits of orange and beeswax with elements of toffee and vanilla aromas.

Palate: Initial spicy notes lead to cereal flavours. Smooth creaminess of dark chocolate invites you to sample another drop.

Japanese Single Malt Whisky
Distillery Bottling 70cl / 43%

Suntory's Yamazaki Distiller's Reserve is a Japanese single malt whisky from the famous Yamazaki distillery - Japan's first proper single malt whisky distillery, established in 1923.

Introduced in 2014 to replace the iconic Yamazaki 12-year-old, Yamazaki Distiller's Reserve is composed of a mix of different ages of Yamazaki single malt, matured in a  combination of casks including sherry wood, wine casks and Japanese Mizunara oak. A fresh, fruity, multilayered whisky with hints of Mizunara's unique floral, incense-like spices.

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Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery Bottling 70cl / 46%

Edradour's enormously popular Caledonia 12-year-old made its first appearance in 2009 and has been a mainstay of the range ever since.

This Edradour is a tie-in with Scottish singer-songwriter Dougie Maclean and is named after his most famous hit song Caledonia, written in 1977 and still a much-loved unofficial Scottish anthem today.

Bottled at 46% without colouring or chill filtration, this delightful 12-year-old Edradour Caledonia started life in bourbon casks before what must have been an extremely impactful finishing period in Oloroso sherry casks, judging by the (natural) colour.

A must for Edradour fans.

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Tasting Notes

Official Tasting Notes

Nose: Sultanas and figs balanced with honey.

Palate: Liquid Christmas cake, toasted almonds and just a hint of orange spice. Just a little water opens up the depth and complexity as the fruitiness and Oloroso sherried wood comes to the fore. The result of traditional, time tested distillation processes rolls over the tongue like syrup.

Finish: Gently warming, spicy and dry from a time long forgotten.

Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery Bottling 70cl / 46.4%

Following on from their limited Inaugural Release at the end of 2020, this is the first general release of Isle of Raasay Single Malt, appearing in mid-2021. Isle of Raasay distillery began production on the eponymous Inner Hebridean island in September 2017.

As you might expect, the Isle of Raasay distillery is on the small side - their capacity is just under 200,000 litres per year, thanks to small stills and a long fermentation time.

Raasay have aged both their peated and unpeated whiskies separately in a unique combination of first fill American rye whiskey casks, virgin Chinkapin oak casks and Bordeaux red wine casks to create this historic Isle of Raasay R-01 whisky: a lightly peated Island single malt with a rich, dark fruity style, bottled without colouring or chill filtration at 46.4%. 

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Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 
Bottled by: Gordon & MacPhail 70cl / 43%

A 10-year-old heavily peated Bunnahabhain bottled by Gordon & MacPhail for their splendid Discovery Range, which gives whisky lovers a tour of various flavour profiles and characters and showcases what Gordon & MacPhail are good at.

The Discovery Range is colour-coded for easy recognition, with this Bunnahabhain 10-year-old's grey packaging indicating a Smoky flavour profile. As ever with G&M, the prices are profoundly reasonable, and the whisky's quality will delight new fans and experienced quaffers alike.

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Tasting Notes

Nose: Vanilla, toffee and light fruitcake with peat smoke.
Palate: Hints of sea salt, zesty lemon, sweet candied lime and liquorice.
Finish: Smouldering bonfire.

Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery bottling 70cl / 47%

Glenfiddich Project XX is a limited edition bottling first released in 2016 as the second release in the Experimental Series from Glenfiddich, who invited 20 of their brand ambassadors from all over the world to the distillery to explore the Conval warehouse and pick a cask that intrigued them the most.

The final 20 casks that were chosen were a mix of port pipes, virgin oak, ex-bourbon and sherry butts and when expertly vatted together by Malt Master Brian Kinsman produced a refined, stunning and elegant whisky.

The success of the project has led to  further editions of Glenfiddich Project XX, and with a higher-than-normal bottling strength of 47% Project XX remains one of the best drams in Glenfiddich's range for experienced malt fans looking beyond the distillery's standard offerings.

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Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky 
Distillery Bottling 70cl / 59.7%

The 2021 Special Release Talisker 8-year-old has finally arrived, which is something to be thankful for, particularly as it's one of the diminishing number of Diageo Special Releases that cater to normal people who don't want to spend over £100 on a bottle of whisky (ie almost everyone).

Even better, this is one Special Release with a cask recipe that wasn't selected by throwing darts blindfold in a wine cellar: Ex-bourbon and refill casks all the way, baby! Bottled at 56.2%, and with an impressively high score from a certain influential moustachioed Bugatti-fancier based in Alsace, this 2021 Talisker 8-year-old also features an anime Sea Dragon on the label - nobody tell Bowmore, please.

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Tasting Notes

Official Tasting Notes

A straight and classic Talisker, this is a wonderfully clearsighted, powerfully fire- breathing sea-monster of a malt, with a direct and bold nature.