Set 1
Set 1
Cragganmore, 12 Y
Speyside
John Smith, Scotland's most experienced distiller at the time, built the Cragganmore distillery in 1869. The spirit stills, which he designed himself, stand out because of their unusual shape. He himself designed them at the time to produce a lighter end product. The heavier alcohols condense, fall back into the still and do not end up in the final product. This explains the enormous complexity of the Cragganmore malt. Whisky journalists Michael Jackson and Dave Broom both chose Cragganmore as their big favorite in this price range.
40% Vol.
Cardhu - Gold Reserve
Speyside
Cardhu comes from one of the oldest of the Speyside distilleries, which have nestled in foothills near the River Spey for 200 years. The Cardhu Master Blender has carefully selected casks to create a mouth-wateringly sweet malt whisky with a quietly spicy finish. Gold Reserve is fruitier and warmer than the classic 12 year old, its initial sweetness is cut by crisp orange zest followed by a subtle mineral dryness. Cardhu Gold Reserve is a great choice as a sweeter aperitif.
40% Vol.
Glenkinchie, 12 Y
Lowland
The distillery was once named Kinchie, but is known as Glenkinchie since 1837, and is situated not far from Edinburgh – resulting in the nickname “The Edinburgh Malt.” Whisky from the Lowland region is known for its light and floral character. After comprehensive testing, the Classic Malts distillers unanimously decided that 2 years of extra aging in American oak gives Glenkinchie a richer profile, without losing its essential Lowland character. This Scotch single malt is also used in many Johnnie Walker whiskies.
43% Vol.
Dalwhinnie, 15 Y
Highland
Located 326 metres above sea level, the Dalwhinnie distillery is Scotland's highest distillery. In 1897 the distillery was built under the name Strathspey and in 1905 the name changed to Dalwhinnie. Due to its location, it used to be a resting place for cattle traders. The distillery has undergone little change in the more than 100 years of its existence. Dalwhinnie speaks of "The Gentle Spirit" when one talks about the malt. This 15-year-old Single Malt matured in Bourbon barrels.
43% Vol.
Talisker, 10 Y
Isle of Skye
Talisker, founded in 1830, is the only distillery on the island of Skye and was founded by the brothers Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill. Although there are occasional slight shifts in emphasis, the connection between peat smoke, maritime influences, sweetness and white pepper remains a golden combination. Since the introduction of the Classic Malts in 1988, Talisker has rightly been a favourite of many, who appreciate this explosive and complex character. For them, this whisky is also known as "The golden spirit of Skye".
45.8% Vol.
Clynelish, 14 Y
Highland
In the north of Scotland, not far from the small town of Brora and coast of the North Sea, stands Clynelish distillery. It was built in 1968 and stands right next to the former Brora distillery – which closed in 1983, but was founded from 1819. Clynelish matures in bourbon casks and is mainly used for blended whiskies. This Scotch single malt is a signature component of Johnnie Walker, 18 Y Gold Label. Only a few percent of production is released as single malt: a robust Highland whisky with a subtle smokiness.
46% Vol.
Set 2
Set 2
Singleton, 12 Y
Speyside
Over half of Scotland’s malt whisky distilleries are found on Speyside, and Dufftown distillery is at the centre of this fertile region, caught between mountains, rivers and sea. It’s situated in the burgh of Dufftown, which has been dubbed the world capital of malt whisky. The unmistakable taste of The Singleton comes from a selection of European oak and American oak casks. It is a rich, smooth single malt and a perfect introduction into Scotch whisky.
40% Vol.
Caol Ila, 12 Y
Islay
Caol Ila was almost completely demolished in 1969 to make room for a newer, more modern distillery, which opened in 1974. The Caol Ila spirit ages almost exclusively in refill casks. This 12-year old Scotch single malt features a powerful flavor profile. On the nose and palate, the complex, smoky character shines. This whisky is at the heart of all Johnnie Walker blends, but also comes highly recommended for whisky drinkers that prefer the iconic Scotch single malts of Islay.
43% Vol.
Knockando, 12 Y
Speyside
The Knockando distillery (1898) is located on the river Spey. Knockandu does not bottle at a predetermined age, but only when the right maturity has been reached. The distillation date is indicated on the bottle. For the aging process, Bourbon casks and a small proportion of Sherry casks are used. The proportion of Sherry casks is limited so that they do not predominate in the taste. Only natural ingredients are used. The end result is a subtle, fruity single malt that has all the characteristics of the best Speyside malts.
43% Vol.
Oban - Little Bay
Highland
Nestling beneath the cliff that overlooks Oban, this unusual distillery is just a few short steps from the shore. Unusual in that it is an urban distillery, as well as a seaside one. The first official record of distilling at Oban dates from 1799, and ever since its reputation has kept on growing. Nowadays Oban is one of the smaller distilleries in owner Diageo’s portfolio, but its whisky is anything but. Oban Little Bay is married in Quarter Casks, the smallest casks available at the distillery. The result is remarkable, as it’ll transport you to the Scottish coast.
43% Vol.
Royal Lochnagar, 12 Y
Highland
Three years after the construction of the Lochnagar Distillery at the great location at the foot of the Cairngorms Mountains, Queen Victoria moved into the adjacent Balmoral Castle. She visited the distillery. And so it happened that the distillery was given the title of "purveyor to the court". At the end of the 19th century a large part of the whisky was used for the blend Vat 69. Royal Lochnagar was very rare until 1980 and in the 60's it was even the most expensive whisky in Scotland.
40% Vol.
Lagavulin, 8 Y
Islay
The Lagavulin distillery was founded in 1816 and is located on the southern coast of Islay, where the' Lords of the Isles' reigned centuries ago and their fortress kept out strangers. Lagavulin celebrated their 200th anniversary with this Limited Edition, inspired by the visit that Alfred Barnard made to the distillery in 1885, when he tasted a whisky which he considered to be "exceptionally fine". The whisky matured on refill barrels of American oak.
48% Vol.
Set 3
Set 3
Amrut - Fusion
India
Indian whisky is conquering the world, and Amrut is the absolute frontrunner, stunning connoisseurs with their exquisite single malt whisky. The warm climate in India is perfectly suited for maturing whisky, of which the Amrut Fusion is an excellent example. The name is apt, because Amrut Fusion is made with barley grown in India, as well as peated barley from Scotland. This single malt is a clever combination of the best both countries have to offer.
50% Vol.
Suntory - Toki
Japan
Suntory is one of Japan’s largest producers of whisky, as they own several different distilleries. The Suntory Toki is one of their new modern releases, and is a blended whisky created from Suntory’s three distilleries: Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita. It works great as an easy sipping whisky to spend an evening with, but the Suntory Toki also does really well in a highball – a popular combination of whisky and soda that has captured the imagination of Japan.
43% Vol.
Black Velvet - Reserve, 8 Y
Canada
This whisky was first produced in 1951. The brand was known at the time as 'Black Label', but after the first batch was sampled by Jack Napier, it was changed to Black Velvet. The Whisky is known for its velvety smooth taste. Black Velvet has been producing the 'Reserve' since 1991; an 8-year-old Whisky made by mixing the Rye of both aged and non-aged corn after which the mixture matures for 8 years, giving it a nutty and spicy character.
40% Vol.
Frysk Hynder - Red Wine Cask
Netherlands
This Limited Edition Single Malt whisky is traditionally distilled in the Scottish way in the Dutch Us Heit distillery. All the whiskies produced here undergo a two-fold distillation process. Maturing in different types of casks, such as Wine, Cognac and Sherry casks, gives each bottling its own unique taste. With 3-year maturation on Bordeaux Wine casks, this whisky developed beautiful aromas with fruit and hints of red wine. The cork with pewter horse's head symbolises the power of their whisky.
40% Vol.
Bulleit - Bourbon
USA
Bulleit Bourbon is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey whose high-rye content and iconic frontier inspired bottle is a favourite among bartenders and mixologists across the world. When Tom Bulleit set out to make a bourbon unlike any other, he was inspired by a recipe created by his great-great grandfather Augustus Bulleit more than 175 years ago. Crafted using pure limestone-filtered water and charred American oak barrels for all of the colour and some of the flavour, Bulleit is especially high in rye content, giving it a bold, spicy character with a distinctively smooth, clean finish.
45% Vol.
Penderyn - Legend
Wales
Somewhere in the late nineties, a group of friends were sitting in a pub somewhere in Wales. They openly dreamt about building a Whisky distillery. And after a lot of effort, it was ready in 2004. After more than a hundred years Wales had a distillery; The Penderyn. They make Whisky of excellent quality on a small scale. The Legend has matured in bourbon barrels and gets a finish on Portuguese Madeira barrels. The end result is soft and spicy with lots of character.
41% Vol.
Set 4
Set 4
Yamazakura
Japan
Sasanokawa Shuzo is a Japanese producer of Sake and Shochu, which has been active since 1745. Since 1946, they have been buying Whisky from various Japanese Whiskybusinesses and make a blend of them. This whisky is a blend of Grain and Single Malt, whose producer does not mention where they come from. The name of the Whisky means Yama (mountain) and zakura (cherry tree). The Yamazakura Whiskies are almost impossible to find outside Japan.
40% Vol.
Nikka - Days
Japan
Nikka Days is a beautiful blended whisky with a fresh and subtle smoky taste profile. For the blend, single malt whisky from well-known Japanese distilleries such as Miyagikyo and Yoichi was used. Nikka is a legendary whisky producer founded by Masataka Taketsuru, also known as the 'Father of Japanese Whisky'. Nikka Days is a whisky Taketsuru can be proud of!
40% Vol.
Togouchi - Single Malt
Japan
Created by master distiller Taihei Yamamoto, this single malt is a marriage from ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. It was distilled at the Sakurao distillery in the Hiroshima region, which only opened in 2018. The whisky matured in an old railway tunnel nestled in the heart of a forest, repurposed as the warehouse for Togouchi. This dark storage space maintains a cool temperature throughout the four seasons and is an important contributor to the aromas and flavor of Togouchi.
43% Vol.
Mars Maltage - Cosmo
Japan
Mars Maltago Cosmo is a blended malt, consisting of both Japanese and Scotch whisky. It’s unknown from where the Scotch whiskies are sourced, but the Japanese whisky is produced at Mars Shinshu, a distillery with a decades long history. It lies at an altitude of almost 800 meters in the Japanese Alps. During winter time, temperatures drop to 15 degrees Celsius below zero. Mars Maltage Cosmo is a fine example of how the Japanese search for ultimate balance in their whisky.
43% Vol.
Akashi - Blended
Japan
This version of Akashi is specially produced for the European market using a mixture of Japanese and foreign-made malt and grain whisky. Akashi Blended is a product of the White Oak whisky distillery in Akashi. The distillery is operational just 2 months a year, which means that the batches are available in very limited quantities. This blend has been aged for about 5.5 years in oak barrels.
40% Vol.
Nikka - Super Nikka
Japan
The Nikka Super Rare Old takes a special place in the line-up of this Japanese whisky brand. It was first created in 1962 by founder Masataka Taketsuru, not long after the death of his Scottish wife Rita, to represent his deep love for her. Without her help he could never have accomplished his dream of making genuine Japanese whisky. A large portion of the Nikka Super Rare Old consists of malt whisky produced at the iconic distilleries Yoichi and Miyagikyo.
43% Vol.
Set 5
Set 5
Proper - No. Twelve
Ireland
When it first was released, Conor McGregor’s Proper No. Twelve whiskey sold out in an instant. It is a testament to the attention to detail that was given to the MMA fighter’s whiskey, which is much more than just an attention grab. In a short period of time Proper No. Twelve has already become a staple on the Irish whiskey scene. McGregor partnered with Bushmills distillery and its former manager David Elder. Together they created a triple-distilled, ex-bourbon matured gem of a whiskey, that turned heads the world over.
40% Vol.
Irishman - The Harvest
Ireland
The Harvest, previously called Founder’s Reserve, is a blend of 70% Single Malt and 30% Single Pot Still. Single malt whisky is made from malted barley, while for single pot still a percentage of unmalted barley is also added. This may not sound like much of a difference, but it massively influences the taste of whisky. The Harvest is triple distilled and matured in ex-bourbon casks. It won a Gold Medal at The International Spirits Challenge in London, and was rated 93 points in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible under it's former name.
40% Vol.
Connemara - Original
Ireland
Connemara is made at Cooley, the 1987 distillery on the east coast of Cooley Peninsula, County Louth, to stop the decline of the Irish Whiskey. Connemara is an ode to the forgotten Whiskey's of Ireland, when the barley was still dried above a peat fire. Connemara is therefore smoky and is the only Irish peated Whiskey. Connemara won the most prizes of all Irish Whiskey's.
40% Vol.
Redbreast, 12 Y
Ireland
Redbreast is a Single Malt Pot Still Whiskey; the best Ireland has to offer. This Whiskey is made at Midleton and is considered to be the heart of the blended Jameson Whiskey. The very best barrels are not in Jameson's blend, but are kept separate and marketed under the name Redbreast. It is the most highly regarded Irish Whiskey worldwide; Redbreast has won many prizes and is very popular among connoisseurs.
40% Vol.
Writer’s Tears - Copper Pot
Ireland
Even though the name might suggest otherwise, no writers were harmed in the making of this whiskey. Instead, the name Writer’s Tears draws inspiration from the many great Irish novelists, poets and playwrights from the 19th century. Writer’s Tears is a brand owned by the Irish Walsh Whiskey Distillery, but the whiskey is likely produced elsewhere. This Copper Pot expression is a marriage of Irish single pot still and Irish single malt whiskey. It’s triple distilled, non-peated and matured in charred American oak bourbon casks.
40% Vol.
Roe & Co - Traditional Irish Whiskey
Ireland
Roe & Co Irish Whiskey is a new blend named after George Roe, an iconic Irish whiskey maker from the 19th century. During this Golden Age of Irish whiskey, George Roe’s distillery in Dublin stretched over 17 acres. The new Roe & Co Irish Whiskey is a tribute to George Roe and offers a refined, subtle and smooth blend of malt and grain whiskey aged in bourbon casks.
45% Vol.