Booker’s Batch #4 – Phantom Pipes Batch!

There’s a story behind every batch of Booker’s® Bourbon and the last batch of 2025, Batch #4, the Phantom Pipes Batch, is no exception.

This one begins not with a barrel, but with a mystery: a maze of pipes discovered in the rafters of the Boston distillery that led…nowhere. Turns out, those “phantom pipes” were remnants of Booker Noe’s restless tinkering – an engineer’s playground born of determination, creativity, and a dash of good old-fashioned stubborn genius.

As Fred Noe recalls, “Dad was always connecting one thing to another, chasing the next great idea with whatever he had on hand.” Those pipes became a symbol of Booker’s way, not always the easy way, but the right way to make great bourbon.

That spirit of invention lives on in this batch. It’s bottled uncut and unfiltered at 126.4 proof after more than seven years in the rackhouses. It’s big, bold, and unmistakably Booker’s with rich vanilla on the nose, a full-bodied spice on the palate, and a long, lingering finish that reminds you why patience (and a little persistence) always pays off.

MSRP: $99.99 | Age: 7 years, 6 months, 15 days | Proof: 126.4

Booker’s “Phantom Pipes Batch” is made up of barrels from five different production dates. The youngest barrels in the batch are aged 7 years, 6 months, and 15 days at a proof of 126.4.

The breakdown is as follows:

• 22% came from the fourth floor of 7-story warehouse 3
• 11% came from the fifth floor of 7-story warehouse 1
• 30% came from the sixth floor of 7-story warehouse G (Waterfill)
• 9% came from the third floor of 7-story warehouse O
• 28% came from the fifth floor of 7-story warehouse 4

Johnnie Walker X Robert Wun
2026 Lunar New Year

Limited Edition Blue Label

70cl · 40% ABV

Lunar New Year 2026 celebrates the Year of the Horse, marking an exciting new collaboration between Johnnie Walker and renowned haute couturier Robert Wun. This year’s limited edition designs bring to life a bold, fashion-led interpretation of the Zodiac animal, symbolising progress, vitality, and a relentless drive to push boundaries. The Horse is a symbol of strength and forward momentum — perfectly echoing the spirit of Johnnie Walker.

£229.95

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Single Grain Whisky

Aged for 4 years in hand picked oak barrels,
our NEW Single Grain Canadian Whisky is here!

*While quantities last. Available online & in our Tasting Room

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Our latest ‘Heresy’ small batch blended malt has landed. Batch 34: Smouldering Mojo is the first Society release of a peated Islay whisky matured in casks previously used for smoky, fruity mezcal. This mesmerising marriage of Mexican and Scottish flavours delivers salty, rugged, coastal elements and delightfully earthy and herbal tones. If sticky-sweet, smoky and tarry notes are your thing, then this whisky is for you. Want to know more about Mezcal? Our whisky quality manager, Julien Willems, has all the details in his latest feature, which you can read on our new Unfiltered website.

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The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

LEGACY DE FORGE TO AUCTION E.H. TAYLOR, JR. SINGLE BARREL, PROCEEDS BENEFIT WHITE OAK INITIATIVE

The auction supports White Oak Initiative’s mission of sustainable oak forest management and white oak regeneration

LOUISVILLE, KY (November 24, 2025) – Legacy de Forge, a new global e-commerce platform powered by BlockBar for purchasing some of the world’s most coveted bottles, today announces it will host an online auction offering the opportunity to purchase one rare barrel of Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey. The winning bidder will join the Sazerac Barrel Select team for a private barrel selection experience, with proceeds supporting the White Oak Initiative’s (WOI) vital work to protect and restore America’s white oak forests.

Founded in 2017, WOI was established as an advocacy group and catalyst for sustainable oak forest management, with a focus on white oak regeneration. This work is critical to the bourbon industry, as not only tradition, but federal law requires that bourbon be aged in new, charred oak barrels, with white oak being the most common. In support of this mission, Sazerac aims to honor bourbon’s heritage while helping safeguard its future by auctioning a single barrel of Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. – a tribute to Taylor’s enduring legacy of integrity and innovation.

“Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr.’s pioneering vision continues to inspire and guide our industry today,” said Elizabeth Wise, Chair of the White Oak Initiative and Chief Global Government Affairs Officer for Sazerac. “Much like white oak saplings that grow straight and tall to eventually be transformed into bourbon barrels that add flavor and color to our uniquely American spirit, Taylor had foresight and purpose. Through this auction, we’re honoring Taylor’s standards for excellence while supporting the White Oak Initiative’s critical work to ensure bourbon’s future.”

The auction winner will receive:

• A private barrel selection experience at Buffalo Trace Distillery for the winner and seven guests;
• Personalized bottles from the selected Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. single barrel, along with the barrel itself;
• A VIP, behind-the-scenes tour of Buffalo Trace Distillery;
• A one-night stay in Stagg Lodge for the winner and seven guests, including a dinner with a private chef.

“The future of America’s bourbon industry is inseparable from the future of its white oak forests,” said Jason Meyer, Executive Director, White Oak Initiative. “This auction celebrates that connection and the shared commitment of partners like Sazerac to ensure white oak continues to thrive for generations to come.”

The auction began on November 21 at 10am ET. All bids must be received by 11:59pm ET on December 1. Bidding begins at $20,000, and those participating may bid as many times as they want. Those looking to participate in the auction must have a registered account on Legacy de Forge. To create an account and participate, please visit legacydeforge.com/release.

About the White Oak Initiative

Founded in 2017 by the University of Kentucky, the Dendrifund and the American Forest Foundation, the White Oak Initiative brings together industries, universities, state and federal agencies, nonprofits, private landowners, conservation organizations and trade associations that are committed to ensuring the long-term sustainability of America’s white oak forests as well as the economic, social and environmental benefits they provide. To learn more about the White Oak Initiative, visit whiteoakinitiative.org.

About Sazerac

With over 400 years of history, Sazerac is one of the world’s largest distilled spirits companies. Now in the fourth generation of the current family ownership, Sazerac strives each day to bring the finest spirits to consumers and communities around the world.

Over 500 of the world’s most extraordinary brands are part of the Sazerac portfolio, including Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Eagle Rare, Weller, The Last Drop Distillers, Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, Southern Comfort, Wheatley Vodka, Meyers’s Rum, White X Cognac, Sazerac de Forge Cognac, Paddy’s Irish Whiskey, and many more.

Sazerac is also the steward of many fine distilleries internationally, including Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky, United States; Domaine Sazerac de Segonzac in Cognac, France; Paul John Distillery in Goa, India; and Hawk’s Rock Distillery in County Sligo, Ireland. Additional impressive locations can be found in New Orleans, Montréal, London, Cork and Sydney, to name a few.

To learn more visit www.sazerac.com.

Craigellachie Distillery, located in the heart of Scotland’s Speyside region, is known for producing a bold and distinctive single malt whisky that stands apart from the region’s typically lighter style. Often described as a robust single malt, Craigellachie whiskies feature notes of tropical fruit, toasted malt, and a hint of sulphury depth, creating a complex and satisfying profile.

13 Year Old

70cl · 46% ABV

Was £54.95

Now £49.95

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17 Year Old

70cl · 46% ABV

Was £119.95

Now £99.95

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19 Year Old

70cl · 46% ABV

£199.95

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23 Year Old

70cl · 46% ABV

£299.95

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Our Final Whisky Releases Of 2025 Are Here

(Think of us as clever little elves)

Let us brighten up your dark nights, warm the cold evenings and excite your tastebuds. It’s our last whisky release of the year and it’s been worth waiting for. Islay, Speyside, somewhere in the Highlands, France, and the Gulf Stream are our inspirations. Each one was chosen because it offers something unique, something you will find hard to get elsewhere. Oh, and we’ve also got something new you might not have been expecting.

Bruichladdich

As independent bottlers occasionally we get the opportunity to purchase something special. Really special. This falls into that category. We’ve been sitting on it for a wee while now and it’s everything we dreamed it would be. In fact the only disappointment is there are only 140 bottles of it available. It’s a 22 year old from a single bourbon cask, filled on the 25 May 2003. We bottled it last month. We used a 20 micron filter instead of the usual finer ones so you can get the full cask experience. This isn’t one to miss.

Longmorn

Smooth is an overused word in whisky and one we normally try and avoid, but that’s not going to stop us using it to describe this rather wonderful 11 year old Longmorn 2014. We can’t think of a better adjective that helps conjure the taste of this smooth Speyside. We don’t get too much Longmorn and that’s a shame because we rather like it. It’s like Pierce Brosnan and Steve McQueen had a lovechild, it’s that smooth.

Ssshhh…

Can you keep a secret? We’re terrible at it, which is why we leave Easter Eggs (ask a teenager) on the label and description. Legally we’re not allowed to tell you which exciting distillery near Brora this 2011 cask strength comes from. But we can’t stop you guessing.

Mid Atlantic Twang

Do you know someone who went to live in America and developed a stupid accent after about half an hour there? Is there anything more annoying than a half British/half American accent? Well OK, there probably is, but for the purposes of this let’s agree it’s quite grating and we require compensated for having to put up with it. Well, for the first time, we might have something that’s half from here and half from there and is actually rather good. Some clever people in Invergordon decided to distil an authentic American bourbon in Scotland. The result is excellent, however as it wasn’t distilled in America it’s not a bourbon. Likewise, although it was expertly created in Scotland it’s not a whisky, pitched enzymes during fermentation are verboten. So it’s not a whisky and it’s not a bourbon, but it is really good. We’ve called it a High Rye Scottish Spirit and there are only 299 bottles of it available.

Liberte, Egalite, Brandy

Amongst an abundance of exceptional whisky a man in a beret is valiantly raising a tri-color, with an obedient poodle by his side. It would be a crime to overlook a 31 year old vintage French brandy and yet many people do. We are so fortunate to be able to bring this to you. This is the best of French distilling, more impressive than 100 men in lycra cycling round France while taking performance enhancing drugs. No performance enhancement was required for this, it’s cask strength and natural coloured.

…Now For something Completely Different

A big part of what we love about what we do is finding those hidden gems, the spirits that don’t conform, that have aged differently, trodden their own path. Yet we’ve always recognised that arguably the greatest challenge every blender faces is consistency. Creating a spirit that is not only great but consistently great, every barrel matching the one before. A wee while ago we decided we wanted to put our skills to the fore too. So we’re proud to introduce you to our first ever core expression – The Little Brown Dog Aberdeenshire 12 Year Old Single Malt.

As sometimes happens in life not everything went to plan. While we’re delighted with the whisky, it’s exactly what we were aiming for and we’re really excited to hear what you think of it, the labels weren’t going to arrive in time for us to launch this year.

Soooooo…. we’ve made some temporary labels and bottles until the real ones are ready. The whisky is excellent, the label, well, maybe it’ll be a collector’s item one day. Maybe.

As a gesture of goodwill if you purchase a bottle we’ll give you a £5 off another bottle with the correct label on it when we get them next year. We’re really getting the hang of this capitalism lark.

Introducing Highgrove Evergreen – A Tribute to the English Countryside

Highgrove and Cotswolds Distillery proudly present Highgrove Evergreen English Whisky – a beautifully crafted single malt inspired by nature, heritage and the enduring craftsmanship of English whisky making.

Distilled from Plumage Archer barley grown on the Highgrove Estate and matured in a rare combination of Bourbon and STR red wine casks, this whisky delivers a rich and elegant profile. Expect layers of orchard fruit, honeyed malt and warm spice, lifted by a gentle red berry sweetness from the red wine cask influence.

Every element of Evergreen tells a story of provenance and purpose, capturing the spirit of the English countryside from barley field to bottle. Presented in a stunning gift box, each bottle features A View from the Wildflower Meadow – an illustration painted by King Charles III in 1995.

Priced at £100 and bottled at 46% ABV, Highgrove Evergreen will join the Cotswolds Distillery’s permanent portfolio, marking an ongoing collaboration rooted in sustainability and respect for the natural world.

Please note, orders for Highgrove Evergreen can now be pre-ordered via our website and will be dispatched after 4th December 2025.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Honeyed malt and orchard fruits.

Palate: Red berries, toasted oak and soft spice.

Finish: Rich, balanced and naturally coloured; non-chill filtered

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ralfy review 1105 Extras – Comparing & Contrasting two peat-monsters.

Ballantine’s Unveils Chapter Three Of Its Exclusive 40 Year Old Masterclass Collection: ‘The Moment’

Ballantine’s, the world’s No. 2 Scotch whisky continues to celebrate its legacy of skilled makers, unveiling the anticipated third chapter of the revered Ballantine’s 40 Year Old Masterclass Collection: Chapter Three ‘The Moment’.

‘The Moment’ is an all-new expression within the Ballantine’s 40 Year Old Masterclass Collection; a series of five unique 40 Year Old blends that pay tribute to the valued skills and knowledge passed down through generations of Ballantine’s Master Blenders.

This latest chapter, The Moment stands as a testament to the art of precision and timing in whisky craftmanship. It beautifully demonstrates the story of how former Master Blender, Jack Goudy taught current and well renowned Master Blender, Sandy Hyslop the importance of being able to decipher, from the hundreds of casks and samples being nosed, which were ready to be selected for blending.

This exceptionally rare, hand-crafted whisky showcases the rich character of Miltonduff distillery, a cornerstone single malt in the Ballantine’s blend. Offering a rich, sweet and creamy finish, balanced by subtle, warming spice, The Moment encapsulates Ballantine’s distinctive signature style.

Commenting on the release of Chapter Three, Master Blender, Sandy Hyslop, said: “Crafting a whisky of this age is an exercise in patience, but The Moment speaks to something even more profound. The precise instance when a whisky reaches its absolute peak. It’s about recognising that perfect harmony amidst thousands of casks, a skill Jack Goudy taught me, and one that defines the very soul of Ballantine’s. This release is a tribute to that critical discernment, celebrating the Miltonduff character that shines through, and the enduring legacy of those who came before us.”

Complementing the outstanding liquid, each individually serialised bottle is elegantly displayed in a hand-finished wood veneer cabinet. Sustainable oak surfaces, veiled in finely-woven fabric, are enhanced by burnished and engraved metal hardware. Further elevating the presentation, each Chapter features an intricately folded paper panel by noted Scottish artist Kyla McCallum. Its elongated, grounded design sits behind the bottle, symbolising the moment the whisky reaches its peak.

The artist’s meticulous design for The Moment vividly recalls the scene inside Ballantine’s warehouses, where rows of maturing casks stretch into the distance. From hundreds of casks, only the blender’s expertise determines the exact readiness of each for blending and bottling.

Master Blender Sandy Hyslop personally blends each 40 Year Old liquid at cask strength. This ensures a distinct and unique profile for every release within the Masterclass Collection, underscoring the brand’s commitment to individuality and quality.

Just 108 bottles of Ballantine’s 40 Year Old Masterclass Collection: Chapter Three ‘The Moment’ will be released globally, presented in individually numbered bottles. Available for purchase from November 2025 at specialist retailers at an RSP $13,000 USD. Follow @ballantines or visit ballantines.com to discover more.