AN 18 YEAR OLD HIGHLAND MALT IS CROWNED WHISKY OF THE YEAR 2022 IN BLIND TASTING

Deanston 18 Year Old has triumphed in The Whisky Exchange’s annual tasting, taking the top spot in the only official blind whisky judging undertaken by members of the public. 

Deanston, a Highland distillery housed in an old cotton mill on the banks of the River Teith, claimed the crown in the 8^th annual Whisky of the Year blind tasting hosted by specialist spirits retailer The Whisky Exchange. Their 18-year-old expression is a delicious fruity, sweet single malt that has been matured in first-fill ex-bourbon casks, cranking the distillery’s distinctive honeyed, fruity character up to eleven.

This year’s shortlist included whiskies from the highlands and the islands, bold sherry bombs, creamy bourbon barrel single malts and a chocolatey Welsh whisky. After much deliberation whisky-loving consumers were encouraged to critique each whisky for nose, palate and finish, and select a first and second choice via a voting form.

All whiskies in the tasting were under £75 retail price, and all ongoing, commercially available releases. In addition to Deanston 18 Year Old, the shortlist featured:

Glen Moray 18 (runner up)

Oban 2006 Distillers Edition
Penderyn
Mortlach 16 Year Old
Old Pulteney 15 Year Old

Brendan McCarron, Master Distiller at Distell, said: “Deanston is not your typical distillery and Deanston 18 is not your average dram. Matured for 18 years in American white oak, ex-bourbon barrels, the end result is a dram that is smooth and aromatic, typical of our Deanston distillery style: soft, sweet, honeyed and uniquely waxy in flavour & mouthfeel. This is Deanston in a bottle. We are truly honoured to have impressed the blind taste panel, and titles don’t get much bigger than whisky of the year.”

Dawn Davies, head buyer at The Whisky Exchange, comments: “I am super excited to see Deanston win this year. It is a really underrated distillery that is producing some great tasting whisky at the moment.”

The Whisky Exchange ‘Of the Year’ winner is given a dedicated landing page on thewhiskyexchange.com for the year to showcase the producer and the bottling, while customers can watch out for special offers online and in-store ‘Of The Year’ tastings.

ABOUT THE WHISKY EXCHANGE

Founded in 1999, The Whisky Exchange is the leading global retailer of whiskies and fine spirits, with an award-winning online shop and three shops located in the heart of London at Covent Garden, Great Portland Street and London Bridge.

As a family company, The Whisky Exchange believes in excellent products at competitive prices and exceptional service. The company’s philosophy is simple – never rest on your laurels. The team, led by founders and brothers Sukhinder and Rajbir Singh and buyer Dawn Davies MW, is constantly trying to find new products with genuine heritage and quality in all drinks categories, while continuing to innovate and ensure its website and shop are the best in the business. Above all, the company is built on its amazing range and its people, and is responsible for the loyal and ever-expanding fan base from around the world.
The Whisky Exchange in numbers: 4,000 whiskies including 3,000 single malt Scotch whiskies; 500 Cognacs and Armagnacs; 600 rums; 300 gins; 200 bourbons; 150 Tequilas; three shops.

London Shops

2 Bedford Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9HH / Tel: 020 7100 0088
90-92 Great Portland Street, Fitzrovia, London W1W 7NT / Tel: 020 7100 9888
(New) 88 Borough High Street, London Bridge, London, SE1 1LL / Tel: 020 7631 3888

Online

TheWhiskyExchange.com Tel: 020 8838 9388

The holiday season is here and at Compass Box, we’re kicking off proceedings with a bottle of delicious Scotch whisky for everyone at the table. Read on to discover some great gift ideas to share at your festive gatherings…

Hedonism

A whisky for the
Bon Vivant

Fudgy. Rich. Decadent. Hedonism is liquid proof that life is too short not to indulge.

SHOP NOW

THE STORY OF THE SPANIARD 

Get a taste
for exploration

The Story of the Spaniard is a whisky for adventurers. Bursting with flavours of citrus peel, red wine and spices.

SHOP NOW

ORCHARD HOUSE

An approachable,
all-round malt

Vibrant, sweet and welcoming. Orchard House is a monument to fresh fruity Scotch whisky.

SHOP NOW

A delicious match 

Orchard House goes delectably with extravagant cheeses. We suggest something soft and oozy.

Discover more food and whisky delights.

A new take on an old favourite

Try a Rob Roy with Hedonism to give this serve an alluring, vanilla-rich decadence.

See more of our seasonal serves.

P.S. Please do check the latest deadline dates when placing your order to ensure delivery by Christmas.

1990 Speyside Region 30 Year Old “Redacted Bros.” (Thompson/Dornoch) Single Refill Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) (Pre-Arrival)

$209.99 View

Another stupendous find from our friends at Dornoch Distillery. This cask of unnamed Speyside Single Malt came with no indications, clues or caveats. It’s just excellent old malt from one of Speysides 50+ distillers. Bottled at a cool 50.4%, this bottling sold out in minutes in Europe. Now we’re very lucky to have secured a significant portion of the cask, which yielded only a couple hundred bottles. Expect a classic creamy fruity Speysider with wonderful richness and complex waxy texture. This is the beauty that three decades in an ex-bourbon barrel can create. An absolute dream for any malt lover.

Browse our newest and most delicious drams here!

We are never short on exciting new releases landing at our warehouse and here is our round-up of notable highlights! One you should consider adding to the home collection is the second release from the Isle of Raasay distillery for all that sweet and smoky loveliness.

Isle of Raasay Batch 2 →
All New Releases →

SINGLE POT STILL – 12 YEAR OLD WHISKEY

COMES WITH COPPER BIRD FEEDER &

3 x 5cl MINIATURE PACK

70cl | 40% ABV

Made from a mash of malted and unmalted barley and then triple distilled in copper pot stills, Redbreast 12 boasts the flavour complexity and distinctive qualities of finest Irish Pot Still Whiskey. Matured in a combination of Bourbon seasoned American Oak barrels and Oloroso Sherry seasoned Spanish oak butts, the distinctive Redbreast sherry style is a joy to behold in each and every bottle.

The Redbreast Family Collection Miniature Pack contains 3 x 5cl miniatures: Redbreast 12 Year Old, 15 Year Old and Lustau Edition.

£74.95

Add To Basket

Saturday, December 11th, 10AM-4PM:

Sherried Whiskies with Sam Filmus

Master of all things Scotch and guiding light of JVS Imports, our friend Sam Filmus returns to The Whisky Shop with a selection of world-class single malt! Sam Filmus’ previous tastings have included some of the rarest and oldest drams ever tasted at The Whisky Shop, and this time, we have a full pourlist of sherry-casked expressions to taste.

Whether you’re looking for a unique new scotch experience or simply thirsty for a taste of whisky, this tasting is sure to delight and surprise

Click Here to RSVP

(or email us at info@whiskyshopusa.com)

Alistair Walker’s Infrequent Flyers, now available – Batch 8.

ralfy review 906 – Glenlivet 12yo @48%vol: (Illicit Still)

Double celebration as Glen Scotia named as Scottish Whisky Distillery of the Year 

For a second time this year, Campbeltown-based Glen Scotia has been recognised for its whisky-making abilities after scooping yet another prestigious award.

The distiller has been named the Scottish Whisky Distillery of the Year at the Scottish Whisky Awards, an accolade it receives just seven months after being crowned as the ‘Best in Show’ at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) for its Glen Scotia 25-Year-Old expression.

The SFWSC received over 3,800 entries from around the world across 31 separate categories, with Glen Scotia 25 Year Old being awarded the overall winner of the competition, which makes Glen Scotia 25 Year Old The Best Whisky in The World in 2021.

It is the first time that one distillery has won both awards in the same year, demonstrating the increasing stature and visibility of the Campbeltown whisky producer.

Glen Scotia hails from Scotland’s smallest whisky-producing region. Once known as the

“Victorian Whisky Capital of the World,” in its heyday, the small coastal town was home to over 30 distilleries. Today, Glen Scotia is one of just three surviving distilleries but through a programme of continued investment and local effort, Glen Scotia is growing its presence in the UK and international markets, allowing the potential of Campbeltown to once again be realised.

Iain McAlister, Master Distiller and distillery manager at Glen Scotia, said: “For a long time Campbeltown was the forgotten whisky region, however, in recent years there has been a real resurgence in interest in the type of whisky we produce here.

“From the Victorian era until the present day, whisky has always been at the heart of this community. The techniques and craftsmanship that make our whisky so unique have been passed through generations, and I am thankful that we have managed to revive the whisky-making heritage of Campbeltown long after many of its distilleries fell away.

“Our distillery is small, but this allows us to focus on quality, and it is so humbling to once again be recognised for our craft.

“To win Best Whisky in the World for our Glen Scotia 25-Year-Old and to now achieve the status of Scottish Whisky Distillery of the Year is beyond anything we imagined 2021 would bring. It has been a good year for Campbeltown whisky but we’re not stopping here. We are witnessing the town’s renaissance and it is truly wonderful.”

For more information, please visit www.glenscotia.com

About Glen Scotia:

• Independent distiller Glen Scotia has been producing single malt whisky in Campbeltown since 1832.
• Glen Scotia is one of three surviving distilleries in Campbeltown.
• Glen Scotia 25-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch whisky was named ‘Best In Class’ and ‘Best In Show’ at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2021, with Glen Scotia 10-Year-Old collecting a Double Gold Medal, Glen Scotia 15-Year-Old a Gold Medal and Glen Scotia ‘Harbour Single Malt’ a Silver Medal.
• Glen Scotia 15-Year-Old was awarded a Gold at the Scottish Whisky Awards 2021
• Glen Scotia Double Cask was awarded a Silver at the Scottish Whisky Awards 2021 and Gold Medal at the Scottish Whisky Awards 2019.
• Glen Scotia 18 Year Old won Best Campbeltown Malt at the World Whisky Awards 2018.
• Images and interviews with key staff from Glen Scotia are available upon request.
• glenscotia.com
• Twitter: @GlenScotiaMalts
• Instagram: @glenscotiamalts
• Facebook: @GlenScotiaWhisky

Let the Society and our whisky be at the heart of your celebration this Christmas with show-stopping drams and great gifts that are sure to impress.

EMINENTLY EFFERVESCENT

CASK NO. 28.51

CASK TYPE:  1st fill ex-bourbon barrel

AGE:  8 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Spicy & sweet

A PLEASURE FROM START TO FINISH

CASK NO. 9.199

CASK TYPE:  1st fill ex-bourbon barrel

AGE:  17 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Sweet, fruity & mellow

NAVY STRENGTH SHERRY

CASK NO. 2.128

CASK TYPE:  1st fill ex-Oloroso butt

AGE:  13 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Deep, rich & dried fruits

MEANDERING A MAZE OF SOUKS

CASK NO. 24.151

INITIAL CASKS:  Ex-Oloroso butts

FINAL CASK:  1st fill ex-Pedro Ximenez hogshead

AGE:  12 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Deep, rich & dried fruits

RAIDERS OF THE FLOSSED ARK

CASK NO. 53.320

CASK TYPE:  Refill ex-bourbon hogshead

AGE:  12 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Peated

A SLICE OF PEAT HEAVEN

CASK NO. 10.213

CASK TYPE:  2nd fill ex-Oloroso butt

AGE:  7 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Heavily peated

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada
Suite 160
104 – 1240 Kensington Road NW
Calgary, AB T2N 3P7
403-969-8225
curious@smws.ca
www.smws.ca