Stalla Dhu Win Big at the World Whiskies Awards 2022

We are very pleased to announce that our very own Stalla Dhu won six awards at the World Whiskies Awards 2022!

The World Whiskies Awards are the global awards selecting the very best in all the international recognised styles of whisky by doing this they award and promote the world’s best whiskies to consumers and trades across the globe.

Created by Ron Morrison and Mitchell Orchant and bottled by Stalla Dhu Whiskies. Stalla Dhu is Scottish Gaeilic for "Black Cliff" and with this exclusive whisky, there are two different regions, the Islay edition and a Speyside offering.

First and second generation members of our family of independent bottlers carefully select the whiskies which show a particular promise. To begin, the wood is managed and we continue to house the environment and casks which best affect the aging to achieve the unique results which we strive for. The whiskies are then left until the time is right and then select the correct ABV to bring to you a very special dram.

Below are all of our expressions that have won at the World Whiskies Awards 2022:

Stalla Dhu Ardmore - Single cask Single Malt, No age statement - Category winner

Ardmore is the original, peated Highlander; this expression has been left at Cask Strength, a whopping 60.5%, which makes it rather special as the high alcohol volume carries the whisky extremely well.

Caol Ceo on the label can be translated from Gaelic to “Light Smoke” (or a thin mist).

Bonfire aromas open up to beautiful vanilla and toffee notes. The palate provides rich spice, warming smoke, slight oaky notes with hints of vanilla sweetness leaving you with a finish of roasted almonds coated in a mellow smoke, warm finish.

We would pair with a cigar such as the Alec Bradley Skinny. It coats and cleanses the palate whilst the complexities gently dance together.

Stalla Dhu Caol ila - Single cask single malt, 12 years & under - Category Winner

This beautiful limited-edition bottling from the Islay distillery, Caol Ila, has been bottled at the cask strength of 60.4% abv and aged during 11 years in a Hogshead cask.

Pronounced “cull-eella”, the distillery is situated on the North Eastern shores of Islay. The name was derived from Gaelic Caol Ìle for "Sound of Islay", in reference to the distillery's location overlooking the strait between the Islay and Jura islands.

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 release, we recommend trying to add a few drops of water to open up the flavours. We can find more tropical notes followed by a peaty, lingering sweetness.

Toasted aromas of slightly burnt barbecue wood embers. Citrus notes and tropical fruitiness. On the palate you’ll notice the lightly salted sweetness, white pepper notes, citrus, slight notes of toasted almonds towards the finish, warming barbecue embers. The finish is rich, and peaty, lingering to a satisfyingly sweet heat.

Stalla Dhu Truthbetold - Blended limited release, 21 years & over - Category winner

Some famous distilleries are fiercely protective of their whiskies and adapted a process called tea-spooning; as in adding a teaspoon of another malt.

This is so ‘Independent Bottlers’ cannot call it a Single Malt or use the Distillery name.

This exceptional cask in its previous incarnations was known as ‘Wardhead’ and clues to its identity lie within the label.

On the nose you’ll get hints of exotic fruits, butterscotch, vanilla. The palate provides surprisingly sophisticated spice, toffee touches, lovely lingering long finish.

Stalla Dhu Glen Elgin Port Wood - Single cask single malt, 12 years & under - Silver medal

Limited to only 268 bottles, this beautiful whisky was aged for 10 years in an ex-bourbon barrel and finished in a first fill Port cask.

Distilled in 2010 and bottled in 2020 at the abv of 48% making the perfect dram for most whisky enthusiasts and collectors.

Aromas of red wine, treacle sweetness dominate with underlying sweetness from green apples. On the palate you’ll notice toasted nuts, nougat and delicate plum sweetness, mellow gooseberries notes. The finish is palate coating with winter fruit nuances.

We suggest adding a few drops of water to this magnificent single cask whisky, instantly smooths out the flavours, intensifying the creamy and fruity notes with a slight dark chocolate undertone to it.

Stalla Dhu Islay - Single malt, no age statement - Bronze medal

Aromas of smoke, honey and citrus complement the flavours of oak with peat and subtle hints of salted caramel and apples, leaving you with a finish of maritime salt and lingering hints of sweetness.

Stalla Dhu Speyside - Single malt, no age statement - Bronze medal

On the nose you’ll have sweet and citrusy notes, on the palate there is plenty of dried fruit, sweet caramel and subtle spice with a long sweet finish.

Written by Oliver Partington