SUPERB SPEYBURN, GLENGOYNE & CRAIGELLACHIE NOW IN INDIA

A WHISKY LOVER’S DREAM DRAMS

This is a hugely exciting time to be a Whisky drinker in the rapidly expanding whisky market in India, with brands emerging from within the country and across the world. Science and technology are filling in many gaps in the hitherto preserve of the epicureans, the aficionados and the cognoscenti to make these expressions available to the hoi polloi. Small distilleries are sprouting every other day across the globe, with a variance from time-honoured traditions, standing tall alongside the best whisky brands that have been pleasing lovers of the spirit for years. These whisky brands are introducing unique flavour profiles, unusual ageing methods, and thinking up new tricks as time passes to keep the drink at the forefront of our minds.

I have lined up a few brands of Scotch Whisky that you can mull over and, where possible, buy. They range from moderate to slightly expensive, so you have many options. I will write about our own brands soon, as the spate of new expressions starts to stabilise.

THE SPEYBURN RANGE

Speyburn is a light, natural, sweet, classic Speyside whisky.

It is Speyside. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Tradition and innovation are regular bedfellows in the world of single malt and Speyburn is a classic example. Its parent, International Beverage Holdings, is a believer in the old way of making whisky and has kept the distillery pretty much the same as when it was first designed by Charles Doig with inputs from Hopkins. It is a very picturesque distillery and is rated accordingly as the most photographed distillery in Scotland. 

Speyburn's stillhouse is the same (albeit now with steam-driven stills) and the worm tubs have been retained. As is characteristic with worm sites, this method of condensing produces a deliberately sulphury new make which changes in the cask to reveal the singular delicate, fragrant character which lies underneath.           

  

THREE OF THE FIVE CORE RANGES OF SPEYBURN WHISKIES- AGE STATED

In 1896, John Hopkins discovered a unique spot, in the heart of Speyside located opposite Glen Grant, which seemed suitable for making exceptionally smooth whisky. While hunting for the perfect spot for his distillery, John, along with his brother Edward, discovered the Granty Burn - an untouched stream hidden in that secluded Speyside valley. They knew that the exceptionally pure water of this burn would produce a remarkable whisky with a naturally refreshing character. The Hopkins trusted John's intuition and built the Speyburn distillery right there in the glen, using authentic river stones from the bed of the fast-flowing River Spey itself. Over 100 years after its founding, Speyburn remains the only distillery to use the pure, crystal-clear water of the Granty Burn. Water for other requirements is taken from the Broad Burn, another proximal tributary of the River Spey.

Set in a steep valley with limited space, Hopkins, with Charles Doig, the world-famous distillery designer and innovator, designed an entirely new shape of distillery, building up through the trees rather than building out. Instead of one vast drying floor, he raised his malt upwards using layer upon layer of mesh, infusing it with the vibrancy of the Speyside air. 

Speyburn started operating rather late, in 1897, one of a number of distilleries with a pagoda designed by Doig (the inventor of the distillery pagoda, for most people the defining feature of any plant). The pagoda was originally built to help ventilate the distillery’s kiln. Doig also installed the first ‘pneumatic’ (drum) maltings in the Highlands on site, allowing production not to be tied to the size of its malting floors. These stayed in use at Speyburn until 1968.

In time, it was absorbed into Scottish Malt Distillers (the malt arm of DCL) but changed hands in 1991 becoming part of Inver House till 2001, till bought by Pacific Spirits, which, in turn, morphed into International Beverage Holdings, a Thailand-based beverage company in 2006. Clan Speyburn, an online community for this brand was formed in 2012.

Its start was dramatic. 1897 marked the 60th anniversary of Queen Victoria’s reign and Hopkins promised all and sundry that he would create a distillery and bring out a bottle to mark that year. Nobody believed him! Production began on 01 November. Hopkins and his crew were able to get their new make flowing by Christmas. The team toiled through a storm of Arctic proportions to craft a whisky in time to toast the Queen’s Jubilee. Determined that their first bottle would bear the year 1897 on its label, the men battled against the elements wearing overcoats and mufflers to protect them from the freezing snow. After hours of hard work and with the heroic efforts of his distillery men, Hopkins finally triumphed and, on the last night of the year, was rewarded with the first barrel of Speyburn whisky.

120 years since distilling its first drop, Speyburn is now more than a whisky. Bold, bright and full of character, their Speyside single malts are as inspiring to newcomers as they are to seasoned whisky enthusiasts, allowing everyone everywhere to enjoy the beautiful simplicity of Speyside. To celebrate Speyside, they currently offer a range of expressions. Whichever Speyburn offering is selected, you can expect to enjoy the classic taste of Speyside in every dram. After all, Speyburn is Speyside.

In recent years, however, Speyburn has been marketed as a value-for-money malt in the US. While this has resulted in large volumes in terms of sales, the price pot hasn’t helped the whisky’s reputation. Strangely, this ninth-ranked malt brand in the USA is still unknown to most of the world and probably under-appreciated where it’s a best-seller.

Speyburn goes to great lengths to draw on the best this land has to offer. By sourcing consistently high-quality malted barley from their long-standing UK suppliers, they ensure that this key ingredient is the perfect first step to creating our award-winning single malt whisky. Before they fully extract the excellence locked in the grain, their 10-tonne twin-roller ‘Boby’ mill crushes the malt into grist 5.6 tonnes at a time. They then take four hours to complete one mashing cycle, to produce clear and flavoursome ‘wort’.

Speyburn uses both stainless steel and wooden washbacks, the latter made of Douglas fir. They are large tanks where wort meets yeast and the fermentation takes place, in a spectacle of frothing and churning; this is the most visually spectacular part of the process. Long fermentation times add to the character of the finished single malt whisky. The ‘wash’ already has much of the Speyburn character locked in it.

Sitting proudly at the heart of Speyburn Distillery is one large wash still used for first distillation and two smaller spirit stills for the second. The wash still charges both spirit stills at the same time, an unusual distillation regime which helps them achieve a light yet flavoursome spirit.

The stills are of classic Speyside shape, broad at the base with slender necks. They work in tandem with traditional worm tub condensers. This time-honoured method of turning vapour into spirit adds the familiar body and rich character to their whisky. The birth of charismatic Speyburn distillate is satisfying but the work is far from done. In fact, the wait is only beginning. All Speyburn single malt is matured in air-dried oak casks seasoned with bourbon or sherry. These excellent vessels help the spirit fully develop its natural qualities. Speyburn is matured in traditional dunnage warehouses. Those dark, cavernous buildings provide the optimum temperature and humidity for a long and even maturation process. As the whisky slowly ages it becomes smoother, sweeter and more flavoursome, resulting after many years in a single malt whisky they’re proud to call Speyburn.

Speyburn has a production capacity of 1.9 million litres of pure alcohol. There are several interesting features of whisky production at Speyburn. The fermentation is relatively quick at 48 hours. It utilises a six-ton mash tun and six 26,200 litre washbacks. The malt is lightly peated. Speyburn was the first distillery to introduce drum maltings. It maintained these until 1968 when it switched to a commercial malt producer.

The distillery has two pear-shaped stills. Pear-shaped stills are characterised by a wider neck than traditional Speyside stills. The wider neck promotes reflux, the condensation of the vapour within the neck of the still, so that it falls back into the pot and is redistilled. The process maximises the amount of copper contact experienced by the spirit.

Worm Tub Condensers: Such condensers are the traditional copper spiral, now largely replaced by modern shell and tube condensers. The latter maximises copper contact in the condensers, while the former minimises it, creating a deliberately sulphurous new make, often expressed as a meatier robust spirit. The average new make strength is 69.3%. Speyburn uses a combination of ex-bourbon casks and also ex-Pedro Ximenez (PX) sherry casks to mature its whisky. PX is a type of sherry made from partially resinated grapes. It is very sweet and viscous, almost syrupy, and imparts flavours of raisin, fig and other dried fruits, along with a distinct sweetness. The company operates two dunnage warehouses. These are the traditional Speyside warehouses with earthen floors and barrels stacked three high.

There are many different expressions of Speyburn malt from independent bottlers, the majority of which were released by Gordon and MacPhail and Douglas Laing. Distillers Choice also has a range of bottlings from a 13-year-old to a 30-year-old.

The distillery’s current core range consists of five expressions: 10 YO, 15 YO, 18 YO, Arranta Casks and Braden Orach. Arranta Casks are a non-age statement (NAS) bottling of specially selected casks that have a “uniquely bold and characterful flavour profile.” The last three are currently only available in the U.S. Bradan Orach, Gaelic for golden salmon, is also a NAS whisky. It has a light and fruity, classic Speyside style. Its name commemorates the world-class salmon fishing found on the River Spey.

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CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN INDIA

CARTON & CAN 1L & 750ml VERSIONS

Speyburn 10 YO, 40% ABV, 750 ml, ₹2,700-3,000

This is the bestselling of all of the Speyburn expressions. It is similar to Bradan Orach, but the aromas and flavour are more intense. The colour is light gold.

On the nose, the whisky is sweet. There is the distinctive lemon aroma typical of lowland malts. There are additional notes of honey, apple, pear and apricot, along with some anise, caramel and a hint of peat.

On the palate, there are the classic fruity Speyside flavours. The pear and apricot notes are quite distinctive, along with some ripe apple and cooked cereal notes, and a bit of anise and biscuit. The whisky has a sweet element, along with noticeable smoke and peat notes.

The finish is medium length, smooth, with lingering sweet fruit notes and a touch of smoke.

This is a great whisky. At an average retail price of around ₹2,700-3,000, it’s exceptional value.

Speyburn 15 YO, 46 % ABV, 750 ml, ₹5,200-5,600

According to the company, this expression is matured in a combination of American and Spanish oak casks. Presumably, these casks previously held bourbon and PX sherry but, if so, that is not disclosed. There is an obvious sherry cask element in this expression, although that can often be imparted by Spanish oak casks. The term Spanish oak refers to French oak (Quercus robur) grown in Spain.

The colour is rich amber. On the nose, it is incredibly fruity, with notes of citrus, especially lemon, tangerine and grapefruit, along with tropical fruit notes of mango and melon. There are dried notes of golden raisin, fig and prune, along with caramel, some wood spice and vanilla notes.

On the palate, there is a veritable fruit salad of flavours, including apple and tropical fruits, along with dried raisin and apricot and a bit of ginger pepperiness. The whisky is smooth and creamy with an oily, pronounced palate weight. As the whisky opens up more pronounced vanilla and some milk chocolate notes emerge, along with cinnamon and nutmeg.

The finish is long and creamy, with lingering sweet dried fruit notes.

This is an interesting whisky. Incredibly fruity, it makes an excellent sipping whisky. It reminds me of the Glendronach 18 YO or the Glengoyne 15 YO. It’s smoother with a touch of water. Price varies dramatically, depending on where it’s bought. 

Speyburn 18 YO, 46% ABV, 750 ml, $100-110

Like the 15 YO, the 18 YO Speyburn is matured in a combination of Spanish and American oak. The bottling commemorates the 18th anniversary of Speyburn’s distillery manager Bobby Anderson. Only 9,000 bottles were made available.

The colour is dark amber. On the nose, there is the classic rich, sherried Speyside aroma of nuts, citrus zest, raisin and fig. There is a slight medicinal note of eucalyptus and camphor, think Vicks VapoRub ointment, along with caramel, spice notes of cinnamon and nutmeg, also some biscuit and a hint of marzipan and some smokiness.

On the palate, the sherry notes are so prominent you could mistake it for a Macallan. There are flavours of dried orange and lemon zest, along with apricot, dried tropical fruit, walnut, milk chocolate and biscuit. There are also spice notes of black pepper cinnamon and nutmeg. There is a noticeable smoke and peaty note that hangs in the background.

The finish is exceptionally long, smooth and very flavourful. This is a classic sherried malt, with lingering notes of smoky, sweet dried fruit that ends on a bittersweet note.

Additionally, there are several higher proof expressions that are available only at travel retail. There is also the Speyburn Companion Cask expression, which is a NAS whisky matured exclusively in ex-bourbon casks from the Buffalo Trace distillery in Kentucky.

Speyburn is an exceptional whisky, especially the 15 YO and 18 YO expressions. These are outstanding in quality and reasonably well priced, offering the depth and complexity that classic sherried whiskies can offer. The 10 YO and the NAS expressions lack the complexity of their older siblings, but they are excellent whiskies, make excellent aperitifs and are phenomenally well priced. It’s a shame these whiskies are not better known. They all merit further exploration by the Scotch whisky enthusiast.

THE CRAIGELLACHIE RANGE: AVAILABLE IN INDIA   

EARLY DAYS

Craigellachie Distillery Status: Operational

Established: 1891

Owner: Bacardi Limited

Capacity: 4,000,000L per annum

Craigellachie Distillery has been producing very characterful, heavy and sulphurous malt whisky for more than 125 years, but has managed to slide under the radar, keeping itself fairly insular and protected. Sulphur has become an emotive subject in recent years, but it is one which is also misunderstood. There are two ways in which you can get sulphurous notes in whisky. The first is through the burning of sulphur candles in casks to stop bacterial infection, a procedure once standard in Jerez. However, with the rise of bespoke casks for the whisky industry, the practice has now been outlawed.

The second form of sulphur comes from barley and is naturally produced during the whisky-making process. If you cut down the amount of copper available to spirit vapour, the sulphur levels in the new make will increase. Apparently, what has been understood is that this sulphur disappears in time. It acts as a marker; an indication that once its cloak has been lifted a spirit will emerge either as meaty (Cragganmore, Mortlach, Benrinnes) or fragrant (Glenkinchie, Speyburn, Balblair, AnCnoc, and Craigellachie) In other words, sulphur can be desirable.

Craigellachie revels in its sulphurous nature. The first thing you smell as you enter the distillery is the notes of cabbage and beef stock. This is rising from the worm tubs which sit at the back of the distillery. It is the small amount of copper contained within them that helps to promote this character. They also add weight to the palate of the mature spirit.

Long fermentation has however fixed fruitiness within the spirit and this tropical/floral note emerges in the mature spirit. It’s this character: full, yet aromatic which has made Craigellachie a prized malt for blending: it has been a major contributor to White Horse since the late 19th century – with the result that it had to wait until 2014 to receive its promotion to the rank of front-line malts.

STANDING TALL TODAY

Craigellachie Distillery was born off a collaboration between blenders and merchants led by Alexander Edward and Peter Mackie. The two were whisky legends of their time, both with solid experience in establishing and running distilleries and building brands. Craigellachie was one of Edward’s first ventures away from his family which had a long tradition of distilling in Banffshire, with Benrinnes under the control of his father since 1864. Edward, though only 25 when the distillery was built, was already the lessee of Benrinnes. He also owned a local brickworks, built new villas in the growing village and, in 1896, constructed a large hotel. He would go on to build Aultmore, Dallas Dhu and Benromach.

Mackie, of Lagavulin fame, also came from a distilling family: his father was a farmer, grain merchant and distiller while his uncle, James Logan  Mackie, co-owned the Lagavulin Distillery in Islay, which was where Peter Mackie found himself working in 1878. Just twelve years later – a year before his collaboration with Edward – Mackie would help his uncle’s company set up its own blend, called White Horse, to which Craigellachie’s fortunes would be tied over the coming decades.

Craigellachie’s distillery, however, was built in 1890. The original Craigellachie Distillery was designed by Charles Doig of Elgin and sported one of his iconic pagoda-style roofed chimneys, which to this day protrudes proudly above the surrounding buildings. As one of his earlier designs, it’s an example of his classic E-shape pagodas, if somewhat compressed. It was built with all modern conveniences with the express intention of making a lighter fruitier character than the older distilleries – one of the earliest descriptors of Craigellachie mentions pineapple as a desirable aroma.

Edward pulled out in 1900 to concentrate on the other interests, leaving Craigellachie in White Horse’s ownership. It was the core malt within Mackie’s Old Smuggler and Old Gaelic brands which were hugely successful in Australia and South Africa. White Horse – and therefore Craigellachie – became part of DCL but when that firm merged with IDV in 1998, the Monopolies Board insisted that it sell off some of its estate – specifically John Dewar & Sons and five distilleries, one of which was Craigellachie. They were snapped up by Bacardi which still owns the distillery.

Two years after being founded, Craigellachie was incorporated as a limited company and in 1896 it was reconstructed as Craigellachie-Glenlivet Distillery Ltd. The year before, following James Logan Mackie’s death, Peter Mackie had become chairman of his uncle’s company, in charge of its White Horse blend.

Despite this activity, some sources have suggested not a drop of whisky was produced before 1898. To the contrary, tasting notes from Alfred Barnard, who visited Craigellachie in 1893/94, suggest at least some whisky was being produced. He stated that 2,000 quarters of barley were waiting to be steeped, and noted “the chief characteristic of the Craigellachie brand is the pineapple flavour it develops with age”. However, the Pattison Crisis starting 1898 – a period when whisky was overproduced with the Pattison brothers, owners of multiple distilleries, artificially inflating prices and caused a crash- saw Craigellachie largely unscathed despite Alexander Edward being caught up in the drama and forced to temporarily close some of his distilleries which had supplied the Pattisons. The market was flooded with too much whisky, leaping from an annual output of two billion gallons to 13 billion, Craigellachie’s first few years were slow ones.

That the distillery survived was perhaps something to do with the conservative Peter Mackie who remained organisationally cautious. He described his business sense as one that favoured independent status, personal authority and familial recruitment. He believed traditionalism and predictability were just as important as sales.

After Edward withdrew from the partnership, Mackie and the remaining blenders and merchants carried on with Craigellachie’s production. The early years of the new century were quiet but the distillery underwent its first reconstruction when a reservoir and filter beds were added in 1902 – designed to put an end to periods of short-term closure due to draught. By the time war came, Peter Mackie’s company had total control of Craigellachie, which was forced to close due to barley shortages, reopening in 1919 - the same year Peter Mackie was given a baronetcy. Before his death, in 1924, he spent time trying to organise the company to unite with Buchanan-Dewar, and while this was something that never came to fruition, he finally decided to take the company public as White Horse Distillers Ltd.

After the death of the founders, life continued ut semper for the workers at Craigellachie.  Change was coming and in 1925 the big three whisky companies – John Walker & Co., James Buchanan & Co., and John Dewar & Sons – united to form Distillers Company Ltd. Two years later DCL bought White Horse Distillers. In 1930, the whisky distilleries from all four companies where transferred to a subsidiary of DCL, known as Scottish Malt Distillers. Craigellachie, like all Scottish distilleries, was most likely forced to close during World War II due to barley shortages, although this isn’t recorded anywhere. Two years after the war ended, in 1947, the Speyside Cooperage was established on the south side of the distillery and remained there until 1992 when it moved further down the road due to the need for expansion.

The 1950s were another quiet decade for whisky production, especially at Craigellachie where not much changed. It was during the 1960s, however, that the whole distillery was overhauled: from 1964 to ‘65 many of the original buildings were torn down and rebuilt, leaving only Doig’s floor maltings, kiln and the pagoda roof.

A second pair of stills were also installed in 1965, doubling the capacity for distillation. The branch line through Craigellachie town was scrapped under the Beeching rail reforms, leaving a picturesque walking track today known as the Speyside Way. Craigellachie continued its production under Scottish Malt Distillers throughout the 1970s and managed once again to escape unscathed by the bust in the market during the 1980s. Many other distilleries were forced to close, some never to reopen.

In 1987, DCL merged with Arthur Bell & Sons, both owned by Guinness, to become United Distillers & Vintners. Ten years later United merged with Grand Metropolitan to form what we know today as Diageo. Deemed to hold too great a monopoly on the whisky industry the company was forced to sell Dewar’s whisky company, including Craigallechie, alongside John Dewar and Son’s, Aberfeldy Distillery, Aultmore Distillery and Royal Brackla Distillery. The package, plus Bombay Sapphire Gin, was snatched up by Bacardi for £1.15 billion.

For much of its history, Craigellachie supplied most of its production to the White Horse blend, but as part of the John Dewar & Sons group of distilleries (incidentally a move Peter Mackie had tried to engineer back in the 1920s). Craigellachie is now available as a single malt. The first official single malt expression from the distillery was released in 2004 as a 14-year-old, and Craigellachie is a respected single malt in its own right, as well a component in the Dewar’s blend.

Craigellachie Distillery has been producing very characterful, heavy and sulphurous malt whisky for more than 125 years, but has managed to slide under the radar, keeping itself fairly insular and protected. The journey from field to bottle for Craigellachie whisky is similar to the majority of Scotch malt whisky brands. It is the nuances in malting, fermentation, distillation and maturation that shape the individual nature of the whisky’s character, and in the case of Craigellachie it is the malting process that particularly stands out. 

THE PORTEUS MILL

Malting: Craigellachie sources its water from underground springs by the Blue Hill Quarry, adjacent to the distillery, fed by a pipeline directly into the distillery. It uses Concerto malted barley from Glenesk malting in Angus, with the specific requirements from John Dewar and Sons to only use barley grown in the UK, preferably Scotland. Importantly for the character of Craigellachie whisky, during malting, rather than a gas burner being used to spread hot steam through the grains, heavy fuel oil is used, producing steam with sulphur in it. The oil-fired kiln at Glenesk maltings is only used for Craigellachie and the malt produced in it kept separate from those destined for other distilleries.

A Richard Sizer Porteus Mill processes 10 tonnes of malt per grind, taking a little over two-and-a-half hours to process. The old mill, dating from the 1860s, is kept working by the mill engineers. Two grist bins, rather than the typical one, allow Craigellachie mill to process two millings by the time one mash is finished.

Fermentation: Every Tuesday morning the yeast tank is refilled with a cream MS-1 strain. Craigellachie uses 192 litres of yeast per batch, with a capacity in the tank of 4,500 litres. As a ratio, it works out at 19 litres of yeast per one ton of mash. The use of liquid yeast represents a transformation from the situation pre-2008 when the distillery still brought yeast in dry form in sacks, mixing it with water to create a ‘slurry’. The use of liquid yeast eases handling and has speeded up the process.

Mash Tun: The old mash house has a large stainless steel plate in the floor covering the hole where the mash tun was historically situated. The new mash tun, installed in 2001, sits in an adjoining purpose- built mash house. This 10 ton Steinecker mash tun is a full lauter, meaning the rakes can move vertically as well as horizontally, while computer control and monitoring for pressure differentials negates the need for an underback. The temperature of the mix of malt, yeast and water in the mash tun is raised until it reaches 67.3°C, considered the optimum temperature to start sugar extraction. At this temperature, the enzymes needed in fermentation are preserved – in Scottish whisky production it is illegal to add enzymes, in contrast to American or Irish whiskey, hence all enzymes must come from the malt. Having collected the first water (wort) containing the extracted sugars and precious enzymes, the temperature is gradually increased in subsequent waters to tease as much sugar out of the malt as possible.

The mash tun produces 47,000 litres of wort which is pumped to one of the eight larch wood wash-backs where fermentation takes 55-65 hours. Craigellachie typically operate 21 mashes per week.

Wash back : The fermented wash is pumped into the two wash stills – one mashing produces enough to charge each of pair of stills with 22,730 litres of wash. Another element that distinguishes Craigellachie is its use of worm tub condensers – a coil of copper tubes lying in a large iron container filled with constantly flowing cold water. The vapour coming off the stills is directed through these tubes and is cooled and so condensed by the surrounding water.

Wash stills : Many companies have phased out worm tubs in favour of modern shell-and-tube condensers as worm tubs are notoriously prone to leaks, meaning water coming through the spirit safe and alcohol being lost in tub – and then consequently down the drain where the used water flows from the tubs. To guard against this, workers regularly drain down each tub, gas test it and then run water through it to see if there are any leeks. The continued use of worm tubs not only maintains distilling tradition; they also beneficially affect the character of the distillate produced. Worm tubs offer less copper contact than shell-and-tube condensers so produce more complex spirits with a heavier mouthfeel.

At Craigellachie, 20,000 litres of wash at about 8% alc./vol. enters the first still, which produces low wines at about 27% alc./vol. The low wines from both wash stills are combined along with feints from the previous 2nd distillation to charge the spirit stills with 22,730 litres. In the spirit stills, foreshots (heads) are allowed to run for around half-an-hour until the distillate reaches 72% alc./vol. at which point the run is switched to spirit (heart). The spirit run lasts between four-and-a-half to five hours and the final cut to faints (tails) is made at around 63% alc./vol.. Inside the still house, the scent of sulphuric malt is evident in the air – a smell specific to Craigellachie.

Spirit stills: The new-make spirit is sent by tanker to Dewar’s maturation and bottling plant in Glasgow. Here the whisky is stored mostly in ex-American bourbon barrels, with around 10% refill European oak, for a minimum of three years and anywhere up to 21 years, before blending and bottling.

A little bit of sulphur in a spirit can be a good thing, giving it a full body and a savoury, meaty character. Age goes a long way in polishing sulphur’s ragged edges, so intensely sulphurous new make doesn’t necessarily mean a finished whisky will share its rustic qualities. Starting in 2014, the distillery released a series of new official bottlings, including 13, 17 and 23 YO expressions, with others expressions having since followed. Although it’s still Dewar’s primary blend malt, Craigellachie is quickly becoming a single malt of some renown. The distillery’s 31 year old expression was named World’s Best Single Malt in the 2017 World Whiskies Awards.

Craigellachie 13-Year-Old Non chill-filtered, 46% ABV, No Artificial Colouring

Appearance: Pale gold.

Nose: Astringent. Green, plenty of alcohol burn, which dissipates fairly quickly. A pretty rugged aroma of sweat, salt, raw peanuts, dried limes, herbs, pepper and mild spices, bitter phenol and burn toast meets the nose. Barley sugar. It’s not particularly enticing, and smells a little like a dive bar. A half-teaspoonful of water segregates the components. Camphor, mint, chlorophyll, grapefruit, quite Irish.

Palate: Fiery, with toasted nuts, model airplane glue, dry vanilla and salty peanut brittle. It’s very sweet, with an almost liqueur-like mouthfeel.Then the sour funk. 

Slightly smoky barrel char. 

Candy oak, lozenges, the sour funk again, demanding. Much like Tyrconnell.

Finish: Long and lingering, clean. Tannin crispness. Ends with sweetness and chemicals.

Fruity and funky, savory and sour, Craigellachie 13 is a robust dram with quite a bit of complexity. The sour notes are more pronounced when the bottle is initially opened—exposure to air seems to knock some of these notes out, but they still remain lurking a bit. And I should be clear—this is a good type of sour. The type of funky sourness that holds your attention and brings everything together, not the type of sour that makes you think something is wrong with the product.

This is really quite an enjoyable single malt. It’s not peated and it’s not heavily sherried (although I think there is a small sherry influence), but it is a dram with a ton of old time Scotch whisky character and complexity. Throw in the fact that it’s very reasonably priced, and the end result is a fantastic bottle that I highly recommend. Excellent value for money.

Craigellachie 17-Year-Old

17 YO 46% ABV, Un Chill-filtered No Artificial Colouring

This whisky was awarded Whisky Advocate's 2014 Speyside malt of the year after Dewar's rolled out an impressive selection of single malts from distilleries which didn't have much in the way of official bottlings before that point. This is an unpeated single malt, with a focus on the cereal notes in the blend - the malt is ground very finely, and is drained to be quite a cereal-laden wort - as expected, the malt notes to be quite central to the character of the blend.

Colour Bronze.

On the nose: Here’s something curious. All of the “elements” of this whisky seem to be on show, but somehow they feel individual, rather than melded into a harmonised whole. Vegetal, almost dieselly touch of sulphur and tyre rubber from the worm tubs: check. Honeys, melon and cooked apple and pear from the casks and spirit: check. Quite mellow and behaved. Rich, dried fruit right off the bat. You soon see that the malt is coming together, growing in body, complexity, and integration. Rummy, with some light molasses, light brown sugar, lightly heavy and meaty – but not as much as the 13, it is quite a different malt – raisins, apple, sweet malt, spices (clove, nutmeg), and light dusty earthiness. Dried pineapple, dried papaya. The malt is so central, and it is brilliant. Elderflower. Bourbon cask notes tend to come with time, and the oak grows.

Palate: The palate again carries malt centrally, with very slight malty acidity- lightly floral and more herbal than the nose. Oily and full-bodied. The flavours more or less pick up where the nose left off, with perhaps less input from the sulphur and fruit, and more from the honeys and malt. Flapjacks, custard creams, and millionaire’s shortbread. A sugary cereal finish – like a cross between branflakes and frosties. And we have some nice peach, and spices which meld really well with the malt – cinnamon, and something a bit sharper, cloves, nutmeg. Papaya comes in at the end. The oak is quite present, but very well integrated.

Finish: The finish is relatively short, but complex with a slight bite similar to the 13 year old. A malty influence, as from a decent lager, and light menthol on the end. The dry glass yields some wonderful sweet oak. Wisp of sulphur returns at the death.

Craigellachie 23 Year Old

Craigellachie 23 YO 46% ABV Non Chill-filtered Natural Colour

Colour: russet, but very vibrant.

Nose: that’s lovely: a nice oily, slightly dirty and industrial note balanced by orchard fruits. And it’s in that baked apple, heather honey and mead zone that the dram settles. Sulphur – just a hint, just enough. Slightly soapy too, with a flash of tarragon and something meaty, like a chicken broth. I would say that despite the age and interesting presence in the glass, it isn’t too complex. No smoke so rest easy.

Palate: baked apples, pears and a heft of meatiness dominate the palate. Oily, and the characterful sulphur comes to the fore. Herbal, and slightly ashy. Honey, but it’s not that sweet. Nutmeg. I think this one just feels too heavy on the refill casks; so there’s a lovely texture that comes through, but the complexity doesn’t follow. And there’s an oaky, tannic bitterness with cloves and pepper that unbalances things on the finish.

Finish: Medium length. Nutmeg and cinnamon linger the longest, with mild oak spice. Some dried apple. Faint bitter cardboard note also persists to the end, unfortunately. Water adds some additional simple sugar, but doesn’t help with the bitterness on finish. This is an interesting experience, and one that seems driven by both the distillate and the cask aging (or some combination thereof). It has a lot of character for a light malt, but some of the notes may be off-putting. Serve on any occasion or buy as a gift for whisky lovers.

THE ONLY GLENGOYNE AVAILABLE IN INDIA: THE 12 YO 70CL 43% ABV ₹4,000

In the stillness of our quiet glen at Glengoyne Distillery, we know patience is rewarded. For every minute other whiskies spend in their stills, ours spends three. Only then is it transferred to casks themselves prepared for six years, producing the fruity, complex flavours that can only be the end result of our famous Unhurried way.

Glengoyne distillery was founded in 1833 in a cluster of farm buildings at the foot of Dumgoyne Hill. The sites proximity to Glasgow meant the owners were able to build up great relationships with the city’s blenders. The Edmonstone family (the main landowner of the area) began production but soon passed control to the MacLelland family in the 1850s who, in turn, sold it to the Glasgow-based blender Lang Bros in 1876. It was they who changed the distillery’s original name, Burnfoot, to Glen Guin which was anglicised to Glengoyne in 1905. It played a vital role within Lang Brothers' blends [the best known being Supreme] and those of Robertson & Baxter (now Edrington). The latter firm bought Lang Brothers in 1965.

Glengoyne, technically classed as a Highland whisky, toes the Highland line some 20 miles north of Glasgow. In fact, its warehouses sit on the south side of the road, in the Lowlands! There likely aren’t many whiskies that can claim to be distilled in the Highlands and aged in the Lowlands. Single malt bottlings began in the early 1990s, when Glengoyne was sold as 'the unpeated malt', while much was also made of its geographical uniqueness, i.e., the distillery in the Highlands and its warehouses, directly across the road, in the Lowlands. Edrington considered it surplus to its requirements in 2003, selling it to Ian MacLeod for £7.2m. Its new owner has subsequently (and successfully) focussed on developing the brand as a single malt and the distillery as a multifunctional tourist destination. It now gets in excess of 50,000 visitors a year.

Glengoyne is a small facility with limited production, which contributes to its consistently high-quality malt. It runs a combination of long (and very long) fermentations, while distillation in its three stills (one wash, two spirit) is extremely slow. All of the stills have boil bulbs, which increases the amount of copper availability, while the gentle heating of the wash and spirit also helps to maximise the amount of time the alcohol vapour can play with the copper. This maximising of reflux produces a gentle, sweet, and fruity new make. The quality and refinement in such a relatively unknown 12 year-old Scotch whisky is impressive. Glengoyne is a particularly green distillery, with 100% of its power coming from renewable energy. They shun peat in the drying of their barley. Glengoyne’s marketing is very adamant that the whisky has absolutely no peat character at all, either from the process water or from the barley, which is unusual at zero ppm (traditionally unpeated Highlanders like Glenlivet have around 2 ppm). The distillery has a right to market its insistence on showcasing the barley, as it is one of two remaining producers that use Golden Promise barley. The other is The Macallan. Golden Promise is considered to be of higher quality, but much more expensive to grow than high-yield commercial strains.  

There is however sufficient weight in the spirit to be able to balance with maturation in ex-Sherry butts – a signature of Edrington’s distilleries – which has been retained by Ian MacLeod. The distillery uses a mix of first-fill sherry, refill sherry, and ex-bourbon casks, although its whisky is immediately recognisable as a sherried Highland-style whisky. The 12-year, now bottled at 43% ABV, also uses some first-fill Hogshead ex-bourbon barrels – a first for Glengoyne. All Glengoyne has natural colour, but this bottling (and all other Glengoyne, except the cask-strength version) is chill-filtered. Ah…were it not so and a 46% ABV!

Nose: Hot. Faint elements of sherry – mildly nutty and fruity. Shy – I can’t determine much from the nose. After a rest in the glass, there’s a bit of caramel.

Palate: Soft and silky. Light fruits and nut butters initially, very well integrated. Like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in distilled form – very unlike anything else I’ve tried.

Finish: The sherry is more dominant on the finish, with distinct notes of berry jam and fruit juice. Fades with hazelnuts and no bitterness.

With Water: Water fails to wake up the nose, and does nothing interesting for the palate. I’d skip the water.

Overall: Slow fermentation (56 hours) and slow distilling with maximum copper contact are responsible for the nutty character of Glengoyne’s malt, as is its careful use of both first-fill sherry casks and ex-bourbon casks. Process water comes from the Glengoyne burn which flows from Loch Lomond, in the Highlands. This malt has a lot going for it. Despite the tardy nose, there is a delectable balance of nutty and fruity notes on the palate that is unrivalled by sherried malts in this price range. The balance here is impeccable, and the finish is flawless – no overly-wooded character flaws. A dram of real quality and sophistication; very well balanced and great value for money.

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

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SAN FRANCISCO WORLD SPIRITS COMPETITION 2022

Scotch Finalists SFWSC 2022

                                                                                               IMAGE COURTESY THE TASTING ALLIANCE TEAM

Every year, just a few of the very best of each category go head-to-head for the judges at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) to determine the Best In Class for dozens of spirit categories. The finalists for Best Scotch of 2022, including Best Blended Scotch – No Age Statement, Best Blended Scotch – 16 Years and Older, Best Single Malt Scotch – No Age Statement, Best Single Malt Scotch – Up to 12 Years, Best Single Malt Scotch – 13 to 19 Years, Best Single Malt Scotch – 20 Years and Older.are listed below.

The world’s best spirits were judged in what was the penultimate round of judging and results announced for the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition on 18 May. As many as 100 Scotch whiskies won awards, with 70 brands winning double gold. Many more whiskies from other countries fared very well. Kavalan from Taiwan was outstanding. The final results will be announced mid June.

This competition is a total waste of time. Similar competitions are held in Singapore and New York. There were as many as 3,200 winners of awards, down to Silver. So what kind of contest is this, anyway, where you seemingly have to just pay the entry fee and bag an award? I have little interest in covering this farce in depth. Anyway, now that I have begun, lets just do the honours, shall we?

In the NAS category, Glen Scotia and Ardbeg Uigeadail topped the list. In the Single Malt up to 12 Years, Glengarry 40% ABV, Lindores 46% ABV and Bruichladdich Port Charlotte 10 YO Heavily Peated whisky bagged the honours. In the 13-19 YO class, Lagavulin 16, Highland Park 18 YO and Loch Lomond 14 YO 46% ABV topped the list.

In the 20 YO and over, Ardbeg 25, Ben Riach 25 and Benromach 40 YO were up there. The Indies had two toppers, Smokehead 43% ABV NAS and Great Drams, both from Islay.

The three that made it in the 12 YO Blended Scotch category were Old Parr 12, Flor and Barrowman's. In the older category, the race would be between Dewar's Double Double 32 YO, The Clansmen NAS and Midnight Peat NAS, all of which were in the 40% ABV class. Johnnie Walker Green label, Blackhound Highland NAS and the Naked Malt (the erstwhile Naked Grouse) would do battle in the Blended Malt field.

I might as well add the World Whisky Category. The World Whisky category was dominated by Kavalan, a perennial contender, which had two of the three finalists: Kavalan, Podium Single Malt Whisky, 46% ABV, 750 ml and Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky, 55.6% ABV, 750 ml.Starward, Fortis Single Malt Whisky, 50% ABV, 750 ml is the third finalist in the Best of Class, World Whisky category. The Starward Fortis was the top expression of more than a dozen Australian single malt whiskies that scored Double Gold at the 2022 SFWSC.Yes, everyone wins an award. I've left the Irish Whiskey and the Canadian Whisky segments out.

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

OLD PULTENEY: THE CLASSIC MARITIME MALT

 PULTENEY HIGHLAND SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY DISTILLERY

Pulteney is no longer mainland Scotland’s most northerly distillery, now that Wolfburn has staked that claim, but its stills remain the country’s oddest. Their design to that installed by James Henderson can best be described as gross expansion of those used by smugglers in the bygone era.

The British Fishery Society had established fishing ports at Tobermory (1787) and Ullapool (1788), but when shoals of herring away from the west coast, authorities turned toward Wick as a good prospect for the herring industry. From circa 1790 until ~1915, the northern port of Wick was the capital of the herring trade. William Pulteney, head of the Fisheries Board was instrumental in Wick’s expansion, from 1803 till completion by 1811. It soon became a bustling harbour with the rise in fisheries, the size of the town increased, and Wick replaced Thurso as the centre of both shipping and trade in Caithness.

This explosion in trade in turn necessitated housing and in 1810 Thomas Telford built a new town on the south bank of the river which he named Pulteneytown. In 1825, James Henderson, who had been distilling out of sight of the law in Stemster, moved into Pulteneytown and started making whisky.

At a time when road links to the town were yet to be established, the distillery was dependent on the sea for its supply of barley and for the shipping out of its malt whisky and Wick became known for the barrels of silver (herring) and gold (whisky) which left the port in vast numbers. When the Pulteney Distillery was established in 1826 it was only accessible by sea. The raw materials required for production being brought in by sea, and the whisky was shipped out again by boat. Many of the distillery workers at that time were also employed as fishermen.

The wash still is extremely unusual in that it is without a swan neck – supposedly the result of emergency surgery after it was discovered that the still was too tall for the building in which it was to be housed. The wash still now has a massive boil bulb almost as large as the base of the still and a flat top. This helps to produce high levels of reflux and separate specific alcohols. The unique shape of the bottle points to the oddity in the configuration of the wash still. In addition, Old Pulteney is one of only a handful of distilleries still using a worm tub condenser - more unusual still in that it is made out of steel rather than wood. The spirit still has both a purifier pipe and a very convoluted, coiled lyne arm. Again, reflux is maximised here, with that purifier conceivably adding oiliness to the character as the condensing in worm tubs which add weight. The brand is named Old Pulteney and it demonstrates this balance between the heavy, leathery and oily, with a fragrant nautical freshness.

PROHIBITION: In 1922, the Wick town council voted to make the town a ‘dry’ one with no sales of alcohol permitted. The distillery remained in production under repeated change in ownership until 1930, when a downturn in the market forced it to close. Its doors re-opened in 1951 – four years after Wick’s ‘Prohibition’ ended-but, by 1995, it was in dire need of repair. Since then, the distillery has been renovated, a visitors’ centre has opened and the Old Pulteney brand has been successfully established.

 THE OLD PULTENEY RANGE

Highland distillery Old Pulteney on the North Sea shore, the maritime single malts distillery has seen its core range expanded over recent years, and now stretches from the no-age-statement Huddart, which takes its name from the street on which the distillery is situated, to the yearly releases of its acclaimed 18 Year Old. All the whiskies retain the maritime flavour that has won Old Pulteney so many fans, and each boasts a delightfully distinctive character that make them worth of consideration.

Its classic 25 Year Old is all set to join the core range; in fact, many enthusiasts state that the 25 YO has alread been added. It is, however, a limited edition and only 440 bottles were exported to the USA. If integrated, which is quite likely, it is a recent super premium addition to the core single malts, replacing the multi award-winning 21 years old, which won the prestigious Whisky of the Year 2012 in Jim Murray's annual almanac in the range, and the now-extinct 17 Year Old. It has been bottled at 46% ABV and is non chill-filtered.

Old Pulteney 25 Year Old 70cl / 46% ABV / £588.57 per litre

The 2019 release of the ever-popular Old Pulteney 25 Year Old has been matured for a quarter of a century breathing the invigorating sea air of the Caithness coast for 22 years. Sheltered from a fast-changing world by the darkened calm of a distillery warehouse, the spirit mellowed at its own steady pace, echoing the reassuring rhythm of its hometown port. Few, if any, expressions in the brand’s portfolio are as arresting as this one. It’s a marvellous whisky, 22 years in ex-bourbon casks before spending three more in ex-oloroso Spanish oak butts, imparting a spicy sweetness and glimmering bronze colour. Old Pulteney is affectionately known as the “maritime malt,” and the effect of marinating for a quarter-century in the invigorating sea air of Wick is unmistakable—the oily mouthfeel and brininess serve as a perfect counterbalance to the expressive dark chocolate and honey flavors that are evident straight away. As the whisky begins to open up, citrus notes, honey, and baked apple are also revealed. The finish is a marathoner, awash in an array of taste-bud tantalizers, including sweet biscuit, cinder toffee, and black walnut.

Old Pulteney 12 Year Old 70cl / 40% ABV/ £46.36 per litre

A very popular Highland dram, with banana and sweet citrus fruit notes alongside a faint whiff of brine. A winner at the World Whisky Awards 2010 and a perennial favourite.

Colour: Deep amber with a slight pink hue.

Nose: Medium to high intensity, dry with a briny hint of sea air.

Palate: Sweet, floral, citrus: lemon and lime plus dry banana skin. Smooth and faintly salty.

Old Pulteney 15 Year Old 70cl / 46% ABV / £98.93 per litre

A rich, elegant single malt that's part of Old Pulteney's new range for 2018. This 15-year-old single malt has been matured in both ex-bourbon and Spanish oak casks.

Nose: Intense yet balanced. Bursting with rich dried fruit, ripe apples and citrus, with honey sweetness and a generous chord of creamy vanilla. Slightly chocolaty and floral in the background. Palate: Fragrant spices and Christmas cake, with layers of chocolate and a distinct dark toffee sweetness. There is a hint of salty sea air on the finish, a clear connection to the influence of the sea on this single malt.

Old Pulteney 18 Year Old 70cl / 46% ABV/£168.57 per litre

A 2018 induction, Old Pulteney's 18 Year Old is aged in both ex-bourbon and Spanish oak casks. This is an intense and warming incarnation of the beloved maritime malt.

Nose: Intense and warming. Indulgent chocolate and creamy vanilla, with rich honey sweetness tempered by vibrant spices. A whisper of flowery fruitiness yields to crisp bursts of citrus and apple.

Palate: Chocolaty indulgence layered with honeyed spices and Christmas cake. Floral notes lend a dash of finesse, while zesty hints of citrus and green apple enliven a lovely long finish.

Old Pulteney Huddart 70cl / 46% ABV /£63.93 per litre

An intriguing Old Pulteney that's part of the revamped range for 2018. This non-age-statement single malt has been finished in barrels that previously held peated whisky, giving it mellow smoke notes alongside the classic Pulteney character.

Nose: Rich and warming. Brimming initially with mellow wood smoke, honey and oily leather, blooming later into crisp green apple. Creamy vanilla and a hint of burnt toffee in the background.

Palate: Freshly-ground spices and soft vanilla balance the notes of smoke and peat fire. There are both richly sweet and distinctly salty coastal flavours in the background, together reminiscent of salted caramel. 

The other bottling commonly available is the new 10 Year Old. Unveiled in October 2018, the Old Pulteney 10 Year Old is one of three travel retail exclusive whiskies from the Pulteney distillery in Wick on the north coast of Scotland. Matured for 10 years in second-fill American oak, ex-bourbon barrels it has been bottled at 40% ABV and is presented in a 1 litre bottle.

Old Pulteney 10 Years Old 1 L/40% ABV/£40

The Old Pulteney 10 is a welcoming and warming whisky that clearly reflects the renowned character of the classic Maritime Malt. Matured for 10 years in second-fill American oak, ex-bourbon barrels, this whisky is defined by a seamless union of rich sweetness and tangy citrus vibrancy, capturing the spirit of the sea through hints of salt. This golden nectar embraces a subtle spectrum of flavours from creamy vanilla and toffee to fragrant floral notes and mellow spice. A touch of leather adds complexity to a lovely lingering finish. A wonderful, very enjoyable light style Pulteney and a great example of a second-fill American oak, ex-bourbon barrel matured single malt whisky. It demonstrates that the quality spirit they produce at Pulteney doesn't need the intense influence from first fill or wine influenced casks to make it a good whisky.Even at 10 years old it has a feistiness about it.

BUNNAHABHAIN TRIO FOR FEIS ILE 2022

 Unveils Three Limited Edition Releases In Celebration Of Feis Ile 2022

Bunnahabhain has revealed the first three of its special limited editions that will feature prominently at this year’s Feis Ile. These are the Abhainn Araig, 1998 Calvados Cask Finish and 2004 Moine Tokaji Cask Finish.

Bunnahabhain Day at Feis Ile will be celebrated in whisky markets across the world, through a series of online and in-person events at the distillery on 3 June 2022. Islay's most remote distillery has announced an exciting Feis Ile 2022 programme as it opens its distillery doors to festival fans for the first time since 2019 as well as revealing the first three of its special limited editions.

The Bunnahahbain Day events (June 3) will be celebrated around the world and have been specially curated by the team at the distillery, led by Distillery Manager Andrew Brown, alongside Master Blender Julieann Fernandez and Master Distiller Brendan McCarron. This trio will all be on hand to guide whisky lovers through the distillery's diverse portfolio of internationally sought-after expressions through masterclasses, warehouse tastings and distillery tours as well as a Facebook live tasting.

The distillery has also released a collection of limited-edition expressions in honour of Feis Ile, including: Abhainn Araig, a non-age statement marriage of Bunnahabhain spirit, 2004 Moine Tokaji and 1998 French Calvados cask finish. For those participating in Bunnahabhain Day, the team will also have a few surprises in store, with exclusive details on another new limited-edition product to be revealed live during the Masterclass tasting.

Abhainn Araig or ‘Araig River’ in English, is a river located on the isle of Islay. This feeds in to the Margadale River, the pure spring water source for all Bunnahabhain whisky. The Araig water is vital to the production process at the distillery, feeding cooling water for the condensers.

The Whiskies

Abhainn Araig is a marriage of Bunnahabhain spirit that has been matured in ex-Bourbon casks and ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry, octave casks, made from the finest specially seasoned European oak. These highly concentrated Octave casks were hand-selected to push the boundaries of sherry maturation. Not all whiskies stand up to full maturation in sherry casks, let alone specially seasoned octaves. Bunnahabhain, however, really stands up to this challenge. This special, limited festival whisky is quintessentially 'Bunnahabhain' - unpeated, sherried, bold and complex. It is bottled with natural colour, non-chillfiltered and with an ABV of 50.8%.

Interestingly, this was actually the first whisky that Master Distiller Brendan McCarron tasted when he joined Bunnahabhain in 2021 on his first visit to the distillery following his appointment! This will be available in markets across the globe.

Nose: Chocolate, powdered ginger and cigar box.

Taste: A velvety rich texture , initially creamy milk chocolate then sweet raisins and dried raspberries. As the PX develops balsamic vinegar and honeyed macadamias come through.

Finish: Deep and rich, with dark toffee and a final spicy burst of cinnamon.

1998 Calvados Cask Finish. Distilled on the 28th of October 1998, this exceptional limited edition 1998 Cask Finish has also been bottled in celebration of Feis at 49.7% ABV. This bottle has slumbered peacefully for two decades on Bunnahabhain's shores. On the 11th of November 2019, it was then transferred into casks that once held sweet and fruity French Calvados Brandy to finish for almost two years. Tawny in colour, this dram contains notes of barley sugar, pear drops and toffee apples on the nose, and green apples, pear candies and toffee on the palate with a lingering floral finish. This will also be available in markets across the globe.

Nose: Barley sugar, pear drops, toffee apples. Followed by a burst of dates and a floral top note like conifer trees.

Palate: Sweet and fruity, lots of green apple and pear candies. Some signature cereal, oily notes of Bunnahabhain and more toffee mixed with dried fruits. Finish: Spicy powerful then floral on the palate.

Available exclusively at the Bunnahabhain distillery and on Bunnahabhain.com, the Moine Tokaji finish is the strongest of the three, bottled at 52.5% ABV, and is produced using Bunnahabhain Moine, meaning 'peated' in Scots Gaelic. The perfect balance of smoke and sweetness, the 2004 Moine Tokaji was finished in casks which once held the finest Hungarian Tokaji white wine. Caramel in colour with touches of white sugar, sandalwood and citrus on the nose, the palate features smoky vanilla pods, white chocolate, lemon zest and pear, with the sweetness of the Tokaji drops leaving notes of freshly sawn-oak wood. 

Bunnahabhain 2004 Moine Tokaji Cask Finish (RRP£199) will be exclusively available from the distillery visitor centre and Bunnahabhain.com. Abhainn Araig (RRP £95) and Bunnahabhain 1998 Calvados Cask Finish (RRP £400) are already available from some specialist online whisky retailers such as Hard To Find Whisky.