Looking to treat yourself or someone else to something special this month? Here are the ten whiskies we’re loving right now, specially selected by our co-founder Sukhinder Singh and buying director Dawn Davies MW.

This month’s favourites showcase several award-winning single malts from classic distilleries, plus a small-batch bourbon we’re crazy about. Take your pick from a rich and fruity 18-year-old Talisker, a traditional Campbelltown gem from Glen Scotia, a long-aged sherried Speyside from Glenfarclas, a Dalmore Port Wood gift set with two tumblers – and more.

EXPLORE TOP 10 WHISKIES

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 409: Lambertus 5 Year Old Single Malt

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, tries another Belgian malt, albeit somewhat reluctantly: Lambertus… Mark is immediately wary. In 2011 and 2015 he tasted their single grain and then called it – somewhat irreverently, admittedly – Aqua Vitae Horribilis. But it was also really not drinkable in his opinion. When offered this bottle to taste, Mark was not immediately very enthusiastic.

https://youtu.be/miqNbimcpOQ

Buffalo Trace Distillery Awarded Level II

Accredited Arboretum Status By ArbNet 

Buffalo Trace Launches Online Tool for Public to Explore Distillery Gardens and Plant Life 

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (Nov. 9, 2021) Buffalo Trace Distillery, nestled on the banks of the Kentucky River, is best known for its vast bourbon portfolio, but anyone who has visited knows the magnetic allure of this Franklin County Distillery goes far beyond the bottles of whiskey it produces. Namely, the natural beauty of Buffalo Trace Distillery alone makes it worth the visit.

The Distillery, which has accessioned close to 4,000 plants, has just been awarded Level II arboretum accreditation by the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and the Morton Arboretum. The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta at various levels of development, capacity, and professionalism. Buffalo Trace Distillery is also now recognized as an accredited arboretum in the Morton Register of Arboreta, a database of the world’s arboreta and gardens dedicated to woody plants.

Buffalo Trace has long offered complimentary, in-person tours focused on its bourbon and history and occasionally guided tours of its gardens, which have been a big hit. Now fans can learn even more about Buffalo Trace’s diverse collection of plant life, with a new online tool designed to provide more information about each of the plants represented on site. To use the tool, visit www.BuffaloTraceDistillery.com and navigate to the Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Tour under the Visit Us tab, or follow this link https://www.buffalotracedistillery.com/our-tours/botanical-gardens-tour.html and then click to explore. Here users can research the Distillery’s plants by family, genus, or location on site and even explore the Distillery grounds by map.

The new feature offers a way to explore the more than 400 acres of lush gardens, carefully manicured lawns, and the resplendent variety of trees on the grounds. From the Albert B. Blanton Botanical Gardens surrounding his 1934-built residence on the Distillery’s campus, to the floral displays adorning the Visitor Center and the landscapes in between, all of the flourishing life at 113 Great Buffalo Trace is in areas accessible to visitors in-person, and now online too.

This new online database allows Buffalo Trace Distillery yet another way to share its gardens and support its Level II arboretum accreditation. This level of accreditation granted by ArbNet requires a public education program, at least 100 labelled woody taxa varieties, and a documented inventory of accessions. The Distillery has currently accessioned and mapped about 4,000 plants, of which there are 1,600 trees, 1,000 shrubs, and 1,400 herbaceous perennial plants.

To see the stunning displays of plants at Buffalo Trace Distillery in-person, self-guided and pre-registered, guided tours of the Distillery’s grounds are available. For more information on these complimentary tours, visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com/visit-us.html. 

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1775 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 35 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Its Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon was named World Whiskey of the Year for 2018 and its William Larue Weller and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac were named 2^nd and 3^rd finest whiskeys in the world for 2020.  Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 1,000 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com

Our November auction is now LIVE!

Place your bids from Friday 19^th November until Sunday 28^th November.

www.whiskyhammer.com

Every month, we present an incredible selection of whiskies and other fine spirits to our members right across the globe. You will find everything here from limited edition releases and vintage bottles to whole casks of rare whisky. There is certainly something for everyone – whether you are looking to collect, invest or enjoy!

Yamazaki – 55 Year Old

Macallan – 40 Year Old (2017 Release)

Karuizawa – 29 Year Old & 23 Year Old (Single Cask)

Flora & Fauna – Complete Collection (26 bottles)

Strathisla – 1953 (Gordon & MacPhail) Private Collection  

Selling whisky? Why not arrange the pick-up of your bottles using our global courier service? If you’re based in Scotland, you might want to arrange the personal collection of your bottles. Wherever you’re based in the world, we will make getting your bottles into our monthly auction as simple as possible. Get in touch with the Whisky Hammer team now by dropping them a message at sales@whiskyhammer.co.uk.

BRUICHLADDICH UNVEILS SCOTLAND’S FIRST BIODYNAMIC WHISKY

Distilled in 2011 and matured for 10 years in first fill ex-bourbon cask, this pioneering spirit is the latest expression to push the boundaries of sustainable whisky

November 16, 2021 –The team at Bruichladdich Distillery pride themselves on their barley obsession and have done so since the distillery doors reopened in 2001. Inspired by the world of wine and the belief that terroir can exist in whisky, that obsession has led to the release of some of Scotland’s most innovative malts.

Today, the latest chapter in the Hebridean distillery’s story is released and aptly named The Biodynamic Project. The first-ever biodynamic Scotch whisky to be released, this unpeated spirit was distilled in 2011 from a single farm and matured for a decade on the island of Islay. This expression has been bottled straight from the sample room of head distiller, Adam Hannett, under the Bruichladdich Distillery ‘Projects’ moniker.

This biodynamic barley has been grown outside of Scotland, at Yatesbury House Farm, near Wiltshire in England, which is uniquefor the distillery. All Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte and Octomore single malts are distilled with 100% Scottish barley, so this biodynamic is the exception to their rule.1

Like organic farming, biodynamic methods don’t use chemical pesticides or chemical fertilisers. The method also enlivens the soil through biodynamic preparations and strengthens plants to guard against disease. Many wine growers in France apply biodynamic principles to nurture the soil in the belief that they improve the quality of the raw ingredient, resulting in a superior flavour.

Not only is this whisky exceptional to drink, a recent carbon audit completed at Yatesbury House Farm by farmer Dr Richard Gantlett found that 10x more carbon was sequestered there than was emitted. Supporting crops from this carbon positive farm is proof that the whisky industry can work directly with growers to put the planet at the heart of making exceptional food and drink. It is a fundamental first step towards supporting more regenerative agricultural systems and playing a part in climate change solutions.

“When we started distilling our Organic, Islay-grown and Bere barley expressions, it was driven by the curiosity to seek new and diverse flavours in Scotch whisky”, explains Bruichladdich’s head distiller Adam Hannett. “We approached Richard and asked him to certify biodynamically with that same flavour mission in mind. Many years on, we are delighted to know the positive impact these grains have on the environment. They have been crucial to us further examining what crops we purchase and how they play a part in supporting regenerative agriculture.”“

The flavour of the biodynamic, from when it was first distilled through to maturation is superb. There is a wonderful elevation of the fruity character of Bruichladdich with the Biodynamic malt. Apple and pear notes on the spirit are intensified and with a little water the floral notes burst through, with lots of lilac, honeysuckle and rose. Texturally there is an extra depth which carries the flavours beautifully.”

Bruichladdich Distillery’s The Biodynamic Project will be available exclusively from www.bruichladdich.com.A total of 5,000 bottles will be released at an RSP of £100 from the 16thNovember 2021. As with all of the distillery’s single malts, it is bottled unchill-filtered and colouring free inside the distillery gates on Islay. For further information or to request samples, please contact Praytell at bruichladdich@praytellagency.com.

Bruichladdich Distillery:

•Bruichladdich Distillery is located on the remote Scottish island of Islay and was built in 1881

•Bruichladdich Distillery crafts four different spirits:

•Bruichladdich, unpeated Islay single malt Scotch whiskyoPort Charlotte, heavily peated Islay single malt Scotch whisky (40PPM)

•Octomore, the world’s most heavily peated Scotch whisky series (80+PPM)

Bruichladdich Distillery matures and bottles all their single malts on the island of Islay. They are due to install on-site maltings in the near future, which will enable them to complete a proportion of their annual production on the island.

Bruichladdich Distillery is the largest private employer on the island of Islay

The Biodynamic Project:

The Biodynamic Project is the world’s first biodynamically grown Scotch whisky to be released

•The liquid profile is as follows:

•Barley Variety: Westminster

•Harvested in 2010 by Richard Gantlett at Yatesbury House Farm, Wiltshire

•Malted: By Bairds in Inversness at 0ppm, it is unpeated

•Distilled: Slowly using the original Victorian machined at Bruichladdich Distillery in 2011

•Matured: In first fill ex-bourbon casks for 10 aged yearsoBottled: On Islay using Islay spring water, it is unchill-filtered, colouring free and 50% abv.

•Bottled under the ‘Projects’moniker, The Biodynamic Project is the second small-batch experiment to be released straight from Adam’s sample room. The first was a recipe combining Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte and Octomore single malts, named The Ternary Project.

•The Project releases are available via www.bruichladdich.comonly

Evan Williams American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund Announces 2021 Grant Recipients

Veteran Community Action Grants awards $75,000 to nonprofits that serve the veteran community

As an American-made and owned Bourbon, Evan Williams is proud to support U.S. military veterans through the American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund. First established in 2020, the fund continues the brand’s support of veteran communities since launching the Evan Williams American-Made Heroes program and limited-edition label in 2015. To date, Evan Williams has recognized 42 veteran heroes on its American Hero Edition bottles and donated more than $450,000 to nonprofits.BARDSTOWN, Ky. – Evan Williams Bourbon announced today 15 recipients of the American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund grants. The 2021 Veteran Community Action Grants awarded $75,000 across projects that make a meaningful difference in the enjoyment and quality of life for veterans. From training service dogs to professional development and therapy, each program supports giving back to those who served.

“The 2021 recipients of the American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund grants are an inspiring, diverse group whose extraordinary programs continue to uplift our veteran communities,” said Julie Cole, Evan Williams Senior Brand Manager. “We are proud to continue the brand’s efforts to celebrate and support veterans who protect the American spirit of service.”

The 15 recipients of the 2021 Veteran Community Action Grants awarded by the Evan Williams American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund are as follows:

MISSION WORKING DOGS: Studies show that service dogs can provide life-saving therapy and assistance for veterans with PTSD and mobility challenges, which were especially felt during the pandemic. In response, Mission Working Dogs was founded to train and provide service animals for veterans in need. Every dog must pass extensive health and temperament checks and undergo a minimum of 250 training hours before they can graduate to saving lives. Learn more about Mission Working Dogs at www.missionworkingdogs.org.

OPERATION WELCOME HOME: Some veterans have difficulty navigating the civilian workforce once they’re out of the military. Operation Welcome Home enlists large and small businesses to provide opportunities to veterans for professional development, as well as career placement. Since May 2012, Operation Welcome Home has successfully arranged full-time employment for more than 600 veterans, with a 92% success rate. Learn more about Operation Welcome Home at welcomehomewv.com.

WARRIOR EXPEDITIONS: Transitioning from military to civilian life can be challenging. Warrior Expeditions programs use the great outdoors to give veterans better lifelong coping strategies for mental and physical challenges resulting from their military service. This year, Warrior Expeditions provided more than 240 veterans with free, life-changing therapy. Learn more about Warrior Expeditions at warriorexpeditions.org.

ABOUTFACE-USA: AboutFace‐USA® is a peer-led community organization existing, as an initial point of contact, to empower and encourage veterans and their families to find help. Working to get past the stigma of PTSD and confront mental health concerns, these programs provide support services, activities and resources geared toward understanding mental health so that they can cope better, improve their relationships, and change the direction of their future for the better. Learn more about AboutFace-USA at www.aboutface-usa.org.

DTOM 22/0: The mission of the DTOM 22/0 Foundation and Veterans Ranch is to provide a safe place for healing and recovery for military service members, veterans, and their families. These programs also engage and positively impact veteran lives through hope, self-conviction, and family activities, while helping them learn to live again with purpose. DTOM also aims to end suicide among veterans through mentorship, support, and building stronger families. Learn more about DTOM 22/0 at dtom220.org.

BATTLEBETTY FOUNDATION: BattleBetty Foundation is a community-based nonprofit and first Women Veteran focused organization within South Carolina committed to empowering Women Veterans as they navigate post-transition life. The BattleBetty Resource Center provides an emergency shelter, clothes closet, empowerment workshops, and fosters community reintegration for women veterans. Learn more about the BattleBetty Foundation at battlebettyfoundation.com.

SHAMROCK REINS: Shamrock Reins and its special horses foster positive life-changing experiences for veterans, their families, and the families of fallen heroes by assisting with recovery and by offering comfort and kindness in a safe environment. Learn more about Shamrock Reins at shamrockreins.org.

HEALING PAWS FOR WARRIORS: A resilient program that represents veterans helping veterans from personal experience and trained service dogs, Healing Paws for Warriors’ program focus is save a veteran and rescue a dog. The program provides service training for local rescue dogs by partnering with veterans faced with PTSD, TBI, or MST at no cost. By increasing self and family health and wellness, Healing Paws gives hope and healing to veterans and reduces number of canines in shelters. Learn more about Healing Paws for Warriors at www.healingpawsforwarriors.org.

SERVE OUR WILLING WARRIORS: The average hospital stay for recovering warriors is about 300 days. Serve Our Willing Warriors provides cost-free retreat stays and programs that positively impact wounded, ill, and injured service members, disabled veterans, and their families. Learn more about Serve Our Willing Warriors at www.willingwarriors.org.

WHITEHAVEN CANINE: WhiteHaven Canine rescues dogs from local shelters or donated from individuals and trains them as Emotional Support Animals. Highly skilled in obedience and service, these canines are then given to veterans at no cost. Learn more about WhiteHaven Canine at whitehavencanine.org.

HELP OUR MILITARY HEROES: Help Our Military Heroes provides fully equipped, adaptive minivans to severely wounded, injured, and ill service members who sustained their injuries while on active duty. The customized vans return mobility and independence, as well as transportation that would otherwise be financially devastating for many. Learn more about Help Our Military Heroes at www.helpourmilitaryheroes.org.

VETS CHAT AND CHEW: The Vets Chat & Chew Program provides a simple guide to better health and a supportive community. The program is a science based nutritional education featuring live healthy recipe demonstrations to help veterans feel mentally and physically better. Learn more about Vets Chat and Chew at vetschatandchew.com.

SAVE Farm: The Servicemember Agricultural Vocation Education, Corp. (SAVE) is a transition program for veterans through a pathway to farming and wellness. SAVE trains veterans for an agricultural career and incorporates a holistic approach for veterans healing from stress, physical injuries and issues that might be influencing the mind, body and soul. Learn more about SAVE farm at www.thesavefarm.org.

AURA HOME WOMEN VETS: Aura Home helps women veterans from all services with housing, counseling, financial guidance across Western North Carolina. By providing self-education opportunities, Aura Home houses homeless veteran women by giving them access to affordable housing, jobs, therapy, and more. Learn more about Aura Home Women Vets at www.aurahomewomenvets.com.

SALINA INNOVATION: The historic Salina Masonic Temple building has offered veterans a room at no cost for a community resource center. This space has grown to include weekly coffees for veterans, support groups, information sessions, town hall meetings, regional chapter meetings, information services, and assistance with benefits. Learn more about Salina Innovation at salinainnovation.com.

As the second-largest selling Bourbon in the world, Evan Williams is proud of its American heritage and honored to broaden its support of veteran communities across the country. The 2022 American-Made Heroes will be selected from affiliate organizations who applied through the American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund grant process. The 2022 American-Made Heroes class will be announced in early May along with the individualized limited-edition bottles. To learn more about the Evan Williams American-Made Heroes Program, please visit american-madeheroes.com.

ABOUT EVAN WILLIAMS: The flagship Bourbon of Heaven Hill Distillery, Evan Williams is among the leaders in the rapidly growing American Whiskey segment as the world’s second largest-selling Bourbon. Evan Williams is a proud sponsor of Major League Baseball and the World Series, first forming a partnership with the national pastime in 2016. As an American-made and American-owned brand, Evan Williams has recognized true American heroes through their exceptional stories of honor and bravery on special edition American-Made Hero labels for the past seven years, now supported by the American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund. The Evan Williams Bourbon Experience (www.EvanWilliamsBourbonExperience.com) celebrates the legacy of Evan Williams through an immersive visitor’s center experience which brings to life the history and tradition of Kentucky’s native spirit as an official stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

ABOUT THE AMERICAN-MADE HEROES FOUNDATION FUND: Evan Williams is honored to broaden its support of veteran communities across the country through the launch of the American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund, announced in April 2020. The American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund was established to show Evan Williams’ pride in being American-made and owned, and to give back to those who served. Our purpose is: to provide a platform for sharing inspiring veteran stories; to raise public awareness for causes impacting the veteran community; and to support nonprofit organizations that help veterans through a specialized grant program.

Heaven Hill reminds you to “Think Wisely. Drink Wisely.”

Dekanta

2-49-7 Minamiikebukuro Toshima-ku, Tokyo,

Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old
Cask Strength 2021 Edition

A cask strength Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old, this is definitely one that will set alight the tastebuds of any Bunna fan! This limited edition dram is inspired by the distillery’s famous Warehouse 9. Master Distiller Brendan McCarron decided to give people the opportunity to experience the 12 Year Old in its most natural form; bottled at 55.1% abv, the core characteristics of Bunnahabhain are beautifully enhanced. Wonderfully sherried, spicy, and unpeated, this is a testament to the distillery’s skilful balancing act in crafting iconic, great-tasting whisky.

£75.00
Buy Now

Glen Garioch
32 Year Old

Old & Rare Single Cask

Glen Garioch 1988 Single Cask

New 2021 bottling of the Highland distillery from Hunter Laing & Co. for the Old & Rare series. Glen Garioch 32 Year Old 1988 vintage Highland single malt Scotch whisky. Single cask refill hogshead bottled February 2021 by Hunter Laing & Co. for the Old & Rare series. 85 bottles. Single cask refill hogshead yielding just 85 bottles. Expect dark fruits, toffee, honey and a satisfying oily finish. This deep amber whisky has a complex and inviting nose of coffee, dark chocolate, tobacco and nutmeg. Dark fruits on the palate, toffee, sweet oak and honey along with a wonderfully satisfying, oily mouthfeel. The finish takes an age to diminish, and leaves a faint and haunting impression of old, earth-floored dunnage warehouses.

Buy – Glen Garioch 32 Years – £349.20 / €344* / $390 / c$490

Various dates are given for the establishment of Glen Garrioch Distillery but it is likely to have been late on in 1785 making it one of the oldest working distilleries in Scotland. This distillery resides in Oldmeldrum in the Highland whisky region and currently operates with two stills. Its traditional floor maltings were in use up until 1993 thus its whisky produced up until that time was slightly smoky. The core distillery range includes the Glen Garioch 12 Year Old with independent bottles offer an interesting selection including Cadenhead’s and the Old Malt Cask.

2014 Bunnahabhain Staoisha Heavily Peated 6 Year Old “Signatory K&L Exclusive” Dechar/Rechar Cask Strength Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) $79.99 View

Bunnahabhain sits on the Northern shores of Islay and has made a famously unpeated Islay malt in that remote location since 1881. Beginning in the 1990s Bunna began to experiment with varying levels of peat and has sold peated Scotch under a number of different names since then. In the last 5 years or so we’ve seen several casks on the independent market trading under the Staoisha name for Bunnahabhain’s heavily peated offering. These extraordinary casks taste absolutely fabulous when they are very young and they are just getting better and better with more age. Now 6.5 years of age this cask was distilled on 10/20/2014. Bottled 5/24/2021. Matured in a dechar/rechar hogshead. This unique process involves scraping a cask to expose new oak and then recharring the wood to seal it and caramelize the sugars. They drink a bit like first-fill bourbon casks due to the fresh char, but with the most robust tannins removed from the casks first use. The result is a best of both worlds scenario and it marries with heavy peat just perfectly. Cask No 10568. 59.4% ABV.

2010 Linkwood 11 Year Old “Signatory K&L Exclusive” Charred Wine Hogshead Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) $89.99 View

Linkwood has been the blender’s greatest secret for decades. A little bit of Linkwood used correctly takes a fine blended Scotch and amps it up to a very good or great blended Scotch. It’s like salt to a chef for the whisky blender and it’s this unique characteristic that makes it so rare as a single malt – it’s too valuable for the blend. Fortunately for fans of great Single Malt, the independent bottling market has stepped in to fill this void. We’ve seen more and more casks come to market in the last 5-10 years, but most of those single casks don’t come in super active wood. This isn’t necessarily bad – you get a great look at the naked malt, which is incredible, but the barrels don’t always pop as much as they could if treated to great wood. Not so with this young Linkwood from Signatory. Aged 11 Years, this extraordinary Linkwood is a beautiful dark amber due to the charred wine hogshead it was aged in. Quite a strange vessel for malt aging, but it turns out, with this barrel of Linkwood at least, it WORKS. Distilled on 5/18/2010. Bottled 5/24/2021. 59.2%ABV.

2007 Glen Elgin 14 Year Old “Signatory K&L Exclusive” Hogshead Cask Strength Collection Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) $89.99 View

While many distillery owners prefer shell-and-tube condensers because they are cheaper and easier to maintain, it is no secret that, for many great malts, a worm tub is critical to the final character. Glen Elgin is a classic worm tub distillery. Juicy fruit and palate weight are the major hallmarks of Glen Elgin, situated in Speyside’s small hamlet of Fogwatt. The distillery has very long fermentation times (ranging from 80 to 120 hours) and an unusually clear wort. Combine that with very slow distillations and you have a vibrant fruity malt. Condense that fruity malt in a slow, meandering worm tub, and you’ve got robust body. This somewhat paradoxical profile has lead Glen Elgin to be prized by blenders and have a cult following among single malt enthusiasts. Fortunately for K&L customers, Signatory has secured a choice cask for us. Aged 14 years, matured in hogshead. Distilled on 5/1/2007. Bottled 5/21/2021 53.2%ABV. Cask No 800253. It’s big and rich with bushels of stone fruit and chewy malt

Westward K&L Exclusive Single Barrel #277 Cask Strength Single Barrel American Single Malt Whiskey (750ml) $99.99 View

Westward has long been producing some of the finest American single malts available due to a few very intentional choices and Scottish-like climate. We’ve selected one of their oldest available casks and it’s a classic. Westward only uses Pacific Northwest grown barley and it’s all malted just 10 miles from the distillery at Great Western Maltings. This two-row barley is malted to spec—high color pale malt—which would be something akin to a medium or medium + coffee roast. This brings out an array of beautiful toasted flavors ranging from filberts, almonds, and coffee to chocolate nibs and cereals. Perhaps the biggest flavor differentiator is in the yeast choice. The vast majority of distillers use an highly efficient distiller’s yeast, not so here. Westward employs the Chico Strain ale yeast—the very same yeast that accounts for Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale’s famous flavor. Combine that with a low and slow 5-day ferment and the tropical fruit esters in the whiskey are off the charts. Sweet mash leads to a little extra variation from barrel to barrel making the selection that much more special. Our barrel was aged in brand new #2 char 100% American oak for over 5 years in Clackamas, OR. The predominantly cool and wet climate with a short hot summer isn’t all that different from Scotland allowing for that ester development combined with barrel extraction that makes great single malt so special. Distilled 4-21-16. Bottled 6-10-21.

1998 Inchgower 22 Year Old “Sovereign” K&L Exclusive Single Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) $109.99 View

A Diageo blending workhorse, Inchgower is a principal component (along with Blair Athol) of the Bell’s blend which we sadly don’t see here in the United States. Due to a cloudy wort and a slightly unusual middle cut that runs from 70% all the way down to 55% in the spirits run, Inchgower tends towards the fuller spicier side of things and away from the high-toned fruits found early in the spirits run. Couple that with 22 years in a refill sherry butt and we’ve got a decadent spicy whisky on our hands with the mellowness of long aging. A wonderful combination and a screaming deal at just over a hundred bucks.

1994 Tomatin 25 Year Old “Hunter Laing Old & Rare” Single Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) $249.99 View

Tomatin is a fascinating distillery with a unique history and many incarnations, from starting as a bulk blender and supplier and eventually shifting to a steadfast focus on quality single malt production. From the early 1900s through the mid ’70s, Tomatin grew continuously. They added stills multiple times as demand for their product increased exponentially. By 1975, they were the largest single malt production facility in Scotland. Sadly due to market forces they never operated at their full capacity, and by the mid ’80s the massive bust in the market for Scotch was impossible to ignore. Tomatin was liquidated and became the first of many Scottish distilleries to be purchased by Japanese companies. Today owned by the company known as Takara Shuzo, Tomatin has many bottlings on the market, but it is the choicest single casks that command the most attention. Here we have an incredible single cask of sherry-finished Tomatin 25 Year Old at a natural strength of 49.3% ABV. Expect a great value single malt with tropical and stone fruits in abundance, melded with sherry spice and orange peel dipped in chocolate.