Halò Single Malt Mates,

Kilchoman is an Islay distillery that sounds Japanese to me but isn’t. It is Islayese.

Here is the expression.
Kilchoman
2011 Single Sherry Cask Royal Mile Whiskies Exclusive 57.2% 70cl

Details
Producer Kilchoman
Bottle Size 70cl
Alc. Volume 57.2%
Bottler Official
Region Islay
Vintage 2011
Country Scotland

Description
Delight! That’s a great word to express how we feel about this exclusive single cask of Kilchoman. It has been matured in a sole sherry butt before being bottled at natural cask strength. A rich, full and surprisingly fruity dram. A rare whisky that will delight fans of peat and sherry influence.

Official Tasting Notes
Nose: Rich spices, cinnamon with peat smoke, cooked fruits and citrus.
Palate: Peat smoke, sweet toffee, pears, dried fruits and dark chocolate.
Finish: The finish is long and clean with layers of sherry sweetness and rich smoke.

This is a cask strength single cask Islay. I believe that this will be liked by most even if you don’t like peat.

I have found that if you don’t like a whisky at first, try something you do like and then go back to it…

Inspiring bold John Barleycorn!
What dangers thou canst make us scorn!
Wi’tippeny, we Fear nae evil;
Wi’usquabae, we’ll face the devil!

Lift ’em high and drain ’em dry
To the guy who says, “My turn to buy.”

A h-uile la sona dhuibh‘s gun la idir dona dhuibh!
May all your days be happy ones!

Slainte Mhath

Your Scotch Spirit Master

Halo Single Malt Mates,

When in Alba last, we visited BenRiach. A guid visit. I hae mony expressions from them. Very guid drams…

So here is a collectable from the distillery:

Benriach 2007
Oloroso #3071 58.3% 70cl

Details
Producer Benriach Distillery Co.
Age 10 Year Old
Bottle Size 70cl
Alc. Volume 58.3%
Bottler Official
Region Speyside
Vintage 2007
Country Scotland

Description
Oloroso sherry cask number 3071 was filled with peaty Benriach spirit on 21st February 2007. Now, ten years later, 628 bottles have been filled with a glorious looking liquid

Official Tasting Notes Nose: Smoky bacon rind and apple in chestnut stuffing with black peppercorn and traces of butterscotch.
Taste: Baked apple and sourdough cake progress into peppered butterscotch lingering into the savoury finish.

“There is no such thing as bad whiskey. Some whiskeys just happen to be better than others.” William Faulkner

“Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough.”

― Mark Twain

Lang may yer lum reek wit’ ither peoples coal!

Slàinte mhòr agus a h-uile beannachd duibh.
Great health and every good blessing to you.

Your Scotch Spirit Master

Halò Single Malt Mates,

Glenallachie is a Speyside Distillery near Abelour in Banffshire Scotland..It was founded in 1967 and has released some really incredible expressions in 2018.

Here is one of them:

Glenallachie
12 Year Old 46% 70cl

Details
Producer Glenallachie Distillers Company Ltd.
Age 12 Year Old
Bottle Size 70cl
Alc. Volume 46%
Bottler Official
Region Speyside
Country Scotland

Description
The flagship release at the revitalized Glenallachie distillery. This 12 year old release has been matured in quite the combination of casks. It has spent time in ex- Pedro Ximenez, ex-Oloroso and Virgin Oak casks to create a warm depth of character and flavour.

Staff Tasting Notes
Nose: Caramel and chocolate initially but more prominently apples, peaches after a while. Some buttery notes.
Palate: Woody, butterscotch and pepper at first with some citrus. An oily texture with dried fruits emerging after some time.
Finish: Long, smooth and lots of creamy notes. Vanilla ice cream and wafers.

Official Tasting Notes
Nose: Butterscotch and honey playing the lead with raisins and mocha in the background.
Taste: Honey, marzipan and bananas, with lashings of butterscotch, raisins and a delicate hint of mocha.

I loes maturations in Sherry PX and Oloroso. Virgin Oak is a different maturation altogether. I don’t believe it is charred which gives a different chemical infusion into the whisky. Some argue that it bourbonizes scotch maturation. But I disagree.

Here’s to the men of all classes, Who through lasses and glasses Will make themselves asses!

Lift ’em high and drain ’em dry
To the guy who says, “My turn to buy.”

Slainte gu Soirriadh

Your Scotch Spirit Master

Halò Single Malt Mates,

I loes AnCnoc. I hae a 22 that is to die for. This is a collectable as it is a single cask expression with only 222 bottles in existence.

Here tis:

AnCnoc
2005 Royal Mile Whiskies Exclusive Single Cask 58.1% 70cl .

£99.95

Details
Producer International Beverages
Bottle Size 70cl
Alc. Volume 58.1%
Bottler Official
Region Highland
Vintage 2005
Country Scotland

Description
The first ever UK exclusive single cask of AnCnoc! It has been matured in a sole 1st-fill bourbon barrel at the wonderful Knockdhu distillery, before being bottled just for us. This lightly peated, yet fresh spirit is limited to only 222 bottles and has been bottled at its natural cask strength

Official Tasting Notes
Nose: Aromatic herbal smoke, with heathery lemon balm notes overlaying, a rich toffee apple character.
Palate: Lots of herbal earthy smoke, with vanilla fudge, berries, lime marmalade and spice.

If you are looking at a collectable this is a 13 year old expression. I highly recommend it.

Thoughts on whiskey: “Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough.” Mark Twain

Here’s tae the heath, the hill and the heather,
The bonnet, the plaid, the kilt and the feather.

A h-uile la sona dhuibh‘s gun la idir dona dhuibh!
May all your days be happy ones!

Slainte mhor agad

Your Scotch Spirit Master

Halò Single Malt Mates,

Bruichladdich is a verry popular Islay. They usually produce a really peaty expression.

This one is a rare sherried ‘laddie’.

Bruichladdich
1986/30 The Magnificent Seven 44.6% 70cl

Bruichladdich

1986/30 The Magnificent Seven 44.6% 70cl

Details
Producer Rmey Cointreau
Age 30 Year Old
Bottle Size 70cl
Alc. Volume 44.6%
Bottler Official
Region Islay
Vintage 1986
Country Scotland

Description
An ultra-rare release from the warehouses from Bruichladdich. It has been fully matured in sherry casks, spending 26 years in ex-Oloroso butts before being ‘super-chraged’ in ex-Pedro Ximenez for four further years. These are the last seven casks of Bruichladdich that were distilled in 1986

Official Tasting Notes
Nose: Dried fruit – raisins, fig syrup, prunes and Christmas cake. Muscovado sugar, a hint of hot sand and candied peel, dried tea leaves, pipe tobacco and leather rolled in PX.
Palate: The aroma is truly astounding. On the palate the experience raises the bar still further with sweet PX notes, raisins, dried figs, dates, grape sugar. Leather, cigar boxes and Christmas cake. Everything a Sherry matured whisky should be and more. The complexity and balance is retained as the marine freshness and fruity notes of apricot and apple come through from the Bruichladdich DNA.
Finish: Never-ending. Sweet fruit, PX, salted caramel, cinder toffee and a hint of smoke.

All I can say is like wow. This is a collectors item for sure. I’d buy it if I had the quid.

‘Inspiring bold John Barleycorn [whisky]!
What dangers thou canst make us scorn!
Wi’ tippeny [tuppenny ale], we fear nae evil;
Wi’ usquabae [whisky], we’ll face the devil!’

Slàinte mhor a h-uile là a chi ‘s nach fhaic
(Great health to you every day I see you
and every day I don’t)

Your Scotch Spirit Master

Halò Single Malt Mates,

Distilleries are moving into more exotic maturation territory..Auchentoshan is the next in the our line of exploration of guid malts.

Now some distilleries use different wine barrels and whisky barrels for maturations all in the same expression.

Here is a wee new expression that was cobbled together by twelve bartenders and Auchentoshan.

Auchentoshan

The Bartenders Malt 47% 70cl

Details
Alc. Volume 47%
Bottler Official
Region Lowland
Country Scotland

Description
The Bartender’s Malt is a collaborative effort between Auchentoshan and a dozen renowned, innovative bartenders from across the globe. These 12, together selected a range of casks from Auchentoshan’s warehouses, varying between American oak, European oak, Sherry casks, Red Wine barriques, and spanning maturation ages across five decades. The result is a deep and complex malt, combining mixed fruits, chocolate, tobacco and spices. This is the first of what will be an annual release of unique bottlings.

Official Tasting Notes
Nose: Dried apricots, milk chocolate, honey, and green tobacco leaf.
Palate: Zest, cherry blossom, brioche and ginger.
Finish: Edgy and expanding with a long lasting warmth.

This is juist what the doctor ordered tae me. Looking forward to seeing if the local stores will carry this..

“Love makes the world go round? Not at all. Whiskey makes it go round twice as fast.”
― Compton Mackenzie

May the best ye’ve ever seen
Be the warst ye’ll ever see
May a moose ne’er leave yer girnal
Wi’ a tear drap in his e’e
May ye aye keep hale an’ he’rty
Till ye’re auld eneuch tae dee
May ye aye be jist as happy
As we wish ye aye tae be

Free translation

May the best you have ever seen
Be the worst you will ever see
May a mouse never leave your girnal
With a tear drop in his eye
May you always keep hale and hearty
Till you are old enough to die
May you always be just as happy
As we wish you always to be

A h-uile la sona dhuibh‘s gun la idir dona dhuibh!
May all your days be happy ones!

Slainte Mhath

Your Scotch Spirit Master

Halò Single Malt Mates,

I hae been doin my research and stumbled onto this fine expression!

This is most likely from Highland Park or the the ither Orkney Distillery. Single cask o Joy!

Here tis:
Orkney Single Malt
2002 The Exclusive Malts Creative Whisky Company 56.7% 70cl

Details
Producer Creative Whisky Ltd
Age 15 Year Old
Bottle Size 70cl
Alc. Volume 56.7%
Bottler Independent
Region Island
Vintage 2002
Country Scotland

Description
Although we don’t know which distillery this whisky comes from the fact it’s from Orkney really narrows it down (there are only two distilleries there!) This single cask from the Creative Whisky Company has been bottled at natural cask strength.

Since it is a single cask and limited bottling there are no tasting notes.. However it looks like a pure barry dram!

There is no such thing as bad whisky! Only some whisky is better than others..

Here’s to those whos loes us or gives us a lift!

Slàinte mhor a h-uile là a chi ‘s nach fhaic
(Great health to you every day I see you
and every day I don’t)

Your Scotch Spirit Master

Halò Single Malt Mates,

I won a 27 year old Balblair me sel.. I shall open it on my family tasting in October. MIne however is a 1990 vintage. This one is a 1991 vintage. Which leads me to believe that mine is yet again a collectors item. It happens a lot with really guid Scotch..

Here is the new 27!

Balblair

1991 46% 70cl

Details
Producer International Beverage Ltd
Bottle Size 70cl
Alc. Volume 46%
Bottler Official
Region Highland
Vintage 1991
Country Scotland

Description
The natural colour of this tasty dram from Balbalir has been heavily influenced by the ex-sherry casks used in maturation. To bring a lovely balance to the character ex-bourbon barrels have also been used, which has added an undercurrent of light vanilla to the big spicy fruit character.

Official Tasting Notes
Nose: The nose is expansive and complex with rich citrus fruits and vanilla notes, toffee and chocolate. The American oak ex-bourbon barrels and Spanish oak butts used in the maturation impart notes of honey, winter spices and apricot with just a hint of liquorice in the background.

Palate: On the palate Balblair’s signature style of citrus orchard is followed with rich creamy chocolate and layers of stewed apples and pears, Christmas pudding and hot vanilla sauce.

Finish: The finish descends slowly into brighter tonality, sparkling orange and toasted coconut overtones, accentuating full-bodied sweetness of vanilla and caramel. A rich and celebratory dram.

I shall pair the 90 vintage with Creme Brulee and it will be and astounding pairing. I am sure.

A h-uile la sona dhuibh‘s gun la idir dona dhuibh!
May all your days be happy ones!

Here’s tae the heath, the hill and the heather,
The bonnet, the plaid, the kilt and the feather.

Slàinte mhor a h-uile là a chi ‘s nach fhaic
(Great health to you every day I see you
and every day I don’t)

Your Scotch Spirit Master

Halò Single Malt Mates,

Here is an interesting bottling from The Exclusive Malts Creative Whisky!

Ardmore
1999 The Exclusive Malts Creative Whisky Company 56.4% 70cl

Details
Producer Creative Whisky Ltd
Age 18 Year Old
Bottle Size 70cl
Alc. Volume 56.4%
Bottler Independent
Region Highland
Vintage 1999
Country Scotland

Description
A very interesting bottling of Ardmore from the Creative Whisky Company. Aged for 18 years the single cask was previously used to mature rum. Ardmore is always a favourite here at Royal Mile Whiskies and we’re very excited to try this one.

Thoughts on whiskey: “Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough.”

Here’s to those who loes us or gives us a lift!

Slàinte mhòr agus a h-uile beannachd duibh.

Your Scotgh Spirit Master
Great health and every good blessing to you

Halò Single Malt Mates,

I hae been to the BenRiach Distillery near Elgin, Scotland. A guid visit indeed!

Here is a new cask strength peated expression matured in sherry and bourbon puncheons! Oh Joy!

Benriach
Peated Cask Strength 56% 70cl

Details
Producer Benriach Distillery Co
Age No Age Statement
Bottle Size 70cl
Alc. Volume 56%
Bottler Official
Region Speyside
Country Scotland
Description
Benriach have peated a proportion of their spirit for many years now, taking the style back to how Speyside whiskies were in the 19th Century. This addition to the peated range follows the popularity of their standard, unpeated Cask Strength batch release. The combination of Oloroso Sherry cask and Bourbon barrel matured peated spirit gives this whisky a balance of campfire smoke, sweet fruit, toffee apples and oak.

Official Tasting Notes
Nose: Butterscotch drizzled over campfire-roasted apples combined with crisp white pepper. A gentle, earthy oak character adds to the subtly peated back note.
Palate: A warm, toasted oak sweetness combines with toffee apples and ripe nectarines. A sweet heather smoke slowly builds, leaving a lingering peat note alongside Scottish tablet and rich stewed barley.

You guys might really like this one. Sherry and bourbon maturation and smoooth as silk Yeah.

Here’s tae us ? Wha’s like us? Gey few and they’re a deid. Mairs the pity

A h-uile la sona dhuibh‘s gun la idir dona dhuibh!
May all your days be happy ones!

Slàinte mhòr agus a h-uile beannachd duibh.
Great health and every good blessing to you

Your Scotch Spirit Master