Bowmore, Islay's oldest distillery, has long been renowned for the quality of its distillate, with elusive old bottlings among the holiest of grails for enthusiasts and collectors. Now, after years of almost exclusively official distillery releases, indie-bottled Bowmore is back! Living Souls has bottled this venerable old Bowmore from a small batch of first fill bourbon barrels. It harks back to the golden age of Bowmore with its abundant tropical fruit notes - mango, roasted pineapple, overripe banana - which sit alongside soft smoke, cream soda and vanilla custard. Age may have mellowed the peat, but this is no subtle dram.
A characterful Highlander from the cult favourite Balblair distillery. Citrus predominates, with Seville marmalade and lemon curd notes, as well as something faintly resinous, like pine sap. The finish in XO Cognac octaves (small casks, built to increase the contact between spirit and wood) has lent it some gorgeous spice aromas - allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon.
To commemorate the 40th anniversary of From the Barrel's debut, Nikka is releasing this limited edition featuring double the marriage time, up to 6 months of marrying in oak which results in whisky with richer flavor and a longer finish.
A superb value vintage malt from a certain Orkney distillery, finished in first fill oloroso sherry butts for amazing richness and colour. HP's signature heather smoke and herbal aromatics are joined, but not overwhelmed, by cinder toffee, prune and dried orange peel.
A luxuriously sherried Linkwood from the always excellent Signatory Vintage. This is one of those under-the-radar distilleries whose output really shines when bottled independently. Showcasing the distillery's gentle, elegant style, this malt displays subtle hints of ginger and pink pepper alongside walnut, nougat, prune and an almost Armagnac-like richness. The insider's choice.
This single malt, drawn from a Pedro Ximénez hogshead, brings the boldest sweetness in the line-up - layering deep syrup notes over our signature smoky backbone. A richly expressive dram, where cask and character find their stride.
On the nose, thick molasses and cereal sweetness rise first, followed by burnt raisin, toasted fruit, and a thread of light, lingering smoke.
The palate is bold and concentrated- raisin, caramelised sugar, and PX richness balanced by a savoury edge and coastal brine. Sweet but never cloying. The smoke stays present, steadying the sweetness from start to finish.
COLOUR: Amber
AROMA:
Very distinctively oily, with touches of extra virgin olive oil, sweet briar wood, aromatic herbs (coriander & sage) and a suggestion of smoked lemon peel. A splash of water releases more oiliness, like linseed oil, a gentle waxiness, and a burst of perfumed, aromatic carbolic soap, and finally, a whiff of crème brulee
TASTE:
A soft, oily, mouthcoating texture leads into a rich, sweet, smoky palate, with hints of oak moss, treacle, aniseed lozenges and a lovely, sweet, woody/balsamic flavour. This is then followed by smoked apricots and eucalyptus oil
Finally comes a lingering, sweet/smoky aftertaste, with a touch of cumin, cardamon and the merest hint of coconut
From a secret distillery in the Speyside region, perhaps the most famous and sought-after of the lot, this represents really outstanding value compared to the distillery bottlings! This bottling is finished in Pedro Ximenez sherry butts, imparting layers of deep, rich dried fruit flavour and a dash of treacle. Though an overused phrase, 'Christmas in a bottle' is apt here.
A magnificent sherried expression from Filey Bay, all of whose whiskies are made with their own estate barley. Moscatel sherry is quite different to other sherries - it is much more floral and aromatic. The Moscatel cask maturation imbues the light, fruity spirit with notes of orange peel, chocolate orange and honey.
A richly sherried, indulgent Irish whiskey, drawn from a small selection of Oloroso, Pedro Ximénez and Pajarete casks and encompassing Pot Still, Grain and Malt components. An excellent exposition of the blending tradition that defined Ireland's whiskey heyday.
PLEASE NOTE: This item is a Cambridge Wine Merchants barrel select, certified 7 years old, but is missing the gold medallion displaying this information
The Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery makes a light, fruity spirit from its estate-grown barley which is elevated here by the use of shaved toasted and recharred (STR) red wine casks from Rioja! These casks provide a huge amount of flavour in a short time, giving notes of biscuit, marzipan, boiled sweets and red fruits.
This Starward single malt is finished for 18 months in ex-Lagavulin peated casks, combining vibrant tropical fruit with rich coastal smoke and a long, dry oak finish.
Something very unusual here - a Manuka wood smoked New Zealand single malt! We were blown away when we tried this. It's properly savoury, with layers of complexity involving notes of bonfire smoke, lemon zest, roasted pineapple and toasted almond. A novel, and brilliant, Islay alternative.
A celebration of ten years of distilling at the Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery, this special release of only 2016 bottles contains whisky from the very first cask ever laid down at the distillery. A mixture of ex-Bourbon and ex-Madeira casks, which imbue the fruit forward distillate with notes of exotic spice, caramelised biscuit, honey and vanilla.
In May 1836 Glenfarclas Distillery was officially licenced for the first time, adding the designation "Distillery" to Rechlerich Farm. Therefore, 2026 marks 190 years of legal distilling and Glenfarclas is celebrating the anniversary with a limited-edition bottling, containing whisky from five different decades stretching all the way back to the 1970s! Decadently sherried, it perfectly displays Glenfarclas' robust, rich style.
Using the same batch of Scottish barley malted to the same 101.4ppm, the 16.2 has been housed in a fine selection of Oloroso and Bordeaux casks before being finished in Madeira and Portuguese Moscatel for a rich and complex flavour. Caramelised sugar, roasted nuts, and dried fruits abound, enveloped in sweet campfire smoke.
A well-aged, very limited release from Glengoyne which has, remarkably, been finished in virgin Scottish oak casks for two years. These casks are made with wood sourced from Killearn, just five miles from the distillery, and lend the spirit a drier, more savoury character. Notes of malted milk biscuit, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and toasted hazelnut.
Continuing the Series 16 odyssey, this elegant single malt explores the influence of barley grown in Church Field on Octomore Farm, Islay. A symphony of honeyed malt, toasted grain and a distinctive earthiness meet delicate threads of smoke and salinity.
A super-limited release from the outstanding White Peak distillery, this is an 'anti Black Friday' bottling exclusive to high-street retailers. Only 295 bottles have been drawn from a single Portuguese Moscatel wine barrique, which has imparted notes of Battenberg cake, orange peel, cinnamon buns, yoghurt coated raisins and candied ginger.
Named after the river that flows from the Distillery through Sligo town into the Atlantic Ocean, Garavogue Whiskey is a bridge between past and present, honoring the rich traditions of Irish whiskey while embracing innovation and discovery. Every small-batch release under the Garavogue name will be limited and experimental in nature, exploring different ages, maturation techniques and possibly even different types of Irish whiskey.
Tasting Notes
Nose: A vanilla rush with warm peach, apricot and spun sugar. The sweetness is counteracted by musky floral notes and raisin.Palate: Vanilla sweetness with a hint of citrus intertwine with buttery, ripe apples progressing to black coffee, walnut and ground pepper before returning to raisin and sugar cane.Finish: Long and warming, full of fresh fruit bursting with sweetness.
One of Scotland's most underrated distilleries, Ardmore produces a robust spirit with a certain earthy smokiness thanks to the use of Highland peat. This expression, matured in second-fill Oloroso butts, combines savoury characteristics of smoked brisket and bonfire with notes of sultana, candied orange peel and pastel de nata.
