Another Top 10 Staff Picks

Ardbeg Corryvreckan - Ardbeg Corryvreckan takes its name from the famous whirlpool that lies to the north of Islay, where only the bravest souls dare to venture. Swirling aromas and torrents of deep, peaty, peppery taste lurk beneath the surface of this beautifully balanced dram. Like the whirlpool itself, Corryvreckan is not for the faint-hearted! Awarded The World’s Best Single Malt in 2010 by the World Whiskies Awards.

Glendronach 18 Year Old Allardice - Glendronach is one of those distilleries that has an absolute treasure trove of heavily sherried whisky in its warehouse. The 18 year old is named Allardice after the founder of the distillery, James Allardice. A man who originally chose quite a "different" route to market in the 1820's in Edinburgh (he gave his whisky to the ladies of the night to spread the word).

C.Gars Orchant Selection Cigar Malt Whisky - Mitchell Orchant and Ron Morrison are both highly regarded in the cigar and whisky industries, having spent their lives hunting down innovative and exciting taste sensations. Together, they bring to you the fruits of their combined quest; Cgars Malt – The journey to the perfect pairing, ends here. C.Gars Malt Orchant Selection is a rich but extremely well-balanced whisky with a harmony of malty notes delicately accented with wisps of vanilla and sweet spicy flavours, beautifully complimenting the complexity of a Havana cigar, whilst balancing and sometimes contrasting with premium New-World blends.

Nikka Yoichi NAS Single Malt Japanese Whisky - The latest Yoichi single malt will replace both the previous NAS release and the remaining age statement whiskies. The change comes as demand continues to stretch Nikka's aged stock, with this new Yoichi Single Malt (made of whiskies of various ages) aimed at representing this special distillery's direct-coal-heated, peated yet fruity style. Firm and powerful, a well-balanced dram bringing aromas of peat, smoke, spices, fresh fruit and almond notes. The mid-palate starts off with chocolate notes, but the peat soon takes the lead once again.

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Ron El Rumbo Cuban White Rum - Ron “El Rumbo” began its journey in the sugar cane fields of Cuba, after distillation the molasses settles in for the first year of aging, followed by two more years in American Oak barrels. Awaiting the arrival of the rum are freshly emptied Cognac casks, directly at the Foragers distillery in the heart of Wales, seeping with the richness of the previous spirit. The rum will then be transferred to these hulking great barrels whose spirited perfume fills the air! It rests and embraces the characteristics of the cask for a period just long enough to adopt the elusive mystery of the cognac. When it emerges from these sleepy months it is bottled at 50% ABV.

WhistlePig 10 year old Straight Rye Whiskey - Ingenuity, innovation, and a fearless pursuit of flavour led WhistlePig to the discovery of an aged Rye Whiskey stock in the Great White North. Rescuing it from a hapless fate, aging it anew in virgin American Oak, before hand-bottling it on its own, in all its glory. Perhaps there was a stroke of good luck in the mix. The palate is sweet, with hints of caramel and vanilla, followed by rye spice and mint. Presents a long finish with warm butterscotch and caramel notes.

Dew of Ben Nevis Special Reserve Blended Scotch Whisky Decanter - A beautiful ceramic decanter of Dew of Ben Nevis Special Reserve Blended Scotch Whisky, complete with presentation box. This traditionally-shaped flagon contains a delicious blend of Scotch whisky from the cult distillery, Ben Nevis, presenting flavours like sweet caramel, delicious biscuits and a slight hint of smokiness. Definitely a collector´s piece!

Trois Rivieres Cuvvee de L Ocean Rum - This rhum agricole from Trois Rivières is a rather interesting expression. It's made with sugar cane grown in fields on the south coast of Martinique, very close to the sea, resulting in a maritime rum, with hints of sea spray added to the classic agricole notes of grass and sweet fruit. This works especially well in a Daiquiri.

FEW Bourbon Whiskey - The fantastic FEW Bourbon, packed full of toffee, clove, vanilla and warming spice goodness! This splendid craft beauty comes presented in a gorgeous bottle adorned with a label showing off some local heritage, depicting a scene from the Chicago World’s Fair of 1892. A vibrant spirit filled to the brim with character. The flavour profile is sweet with notes of toffee and caramel, followed by spicy notes of cardamom and cloves.

Stalla Dhu Cask Strength Caol Ila 11 Year Old - This excellent Independent limited-edition release of Caol Ila, has been bottled at the cask strength of 60.4% abv and aged during 11 years in a Hogshead cask. Distilled in 2008 and bottled in 2020, each bottling comes with a unique number, with only 287 bottles being released. As this is a cask strength spirit, we recommend trying to add a few drops of water to open up the flavours, finding more tropical notes followed by a peaty, lingering sweetness.