Single-Malt Scotch

Expert Reviews

Falstaff Magazine - Harmonious aromas with notes of vanilla, sweet dried fruit, coffee, citrus and sherry nuances. Also very harmonious in the mouth with a sweet opening and an intense taste experience through to the long, spicy-sweet finish. - 94

Wine Enthusiast - Silky and downright succulent, this Scotch is made with two types of oak casks—as the DoubleWood name suggests—but it's really all about the influence of the ex-Sherry cask. Aromas suggest golden raisins and dried apricots. The silky palate starts out moderately smoky, but glides into a richer, honeyed, nutty profile that finishes with cocoa and clove accents.

Producer Description 

The Balvenie DoubleWood is a 12 year old Single Malt which gains its Distinctive Character from being matured in two woods. During its period of maturation The Balvenie DoubleWood is transferred from a Traditional Oak whisky cask to a First Fill Spanish Oak Sherry cask. Each stage lends different qualities to the resulting single malt- the traditional casks, having previously held Bourbon, soften and add character, whilst the Sherry Wood brings depth and fullness of flavour. 

Experience the Excellence of Macallan DOUBLE CASK 12 Year Single Malt Scotch

International Review of Spirits Tasting 95 Points | "Macallan 12 Year Old Double Cask has been aged in a combination of American oak and ex-sherry casks. This is a rich whisky which combines fruity citrus and caramel with spicy ginger and nutmeg."

Double Gold Medal - San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2017
Gold Medal & 95 points - International Review of Spirits Tasting 2017

Rich Flavor Profile

Macallan DOUBLE CASK 12 Year Single Malt Scotch offers a truly remarkable flavor experience. It features a harmonious blend of sweet dried fruit, vanilla, and subtle spices that tantalize the palate. The aging process in both American and European oak casks adds unique character, enhancing its rich complexity. Because of this careful aging, you can taste the dedication and craftsmanship in every sip.

Perfectly Balanced

This Scotch is renowned for its balanced profile. The interplay between the sherry sweetness from the European oak and the lighter, citrus notes from the American oak creates a well-rounded spirit. It's not just about the initial taste; the finish is equally impressive, leaving a warm and lingering sensation that makes you reach for another glass. So, whether you're celebrating a special occasion or enjoying a quiet evening, Macallan is always an excellent choice.

Ideal for Any Occasion

Macallan DOUBLE CASK 12 Year is a versatile whisky suitable for both connoisseurs and new drinkers. It can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or used as a base for classic cocktails. The low 86 proof makes it approachable, allowing the flavors to shine without overwhelming the senses. As a result, it’s perfect for sharing with friends or savoring solo, making it a staple in any spirit collection.

Expert Review

90-95 points: Wine Enthusiast | Off-dry malted barley and light toffee smells greet the olfactory sense along with flowery fragrances of heather, rose petal and pine. Entry features sweet grain and candied apricot tastes; the midpalate is mellow, malty, fruity (white raisins, apricots) and sophisticated. Ends on a buttery note. Remains the Speyside benchmark.

Expert Review 

Wine Enthusiast 90 Points | Soy sauce, olive brine, peat, honey, oloroso Sherry, brewer's yeast, bread dough, barley malt and cigar smoke in the bouquet. The flavor that magically includes the innate intense peatiness of Islay malts and the masterly employment of oak barrels phase defines "classy Islay.? Concludes sweetly, without sacrificing the tangy, astringent peatiness that is inherent. Gorgeous.

Producer Description 

Lagavulin 16-Year-Old is satisfying in a way that many other things are not. You might not like it, but if you enjoy whisky, it is essential for you to buy a bottle of Lagavulin 16, and drink it. It might take you the rest of your life, but it’s important.

Appearance:  A deep, dusky amber.

Nose:  Oh, geez. There’s peat, first of all, a big, pungent whack of it, laced with smoked fish and driftwood and salty rocks. But underneath that, there’s a great big ocean of sweet, caramelized malt, all baked apples and cobbler crust. Plenty of industrial character, too—soot, rubber, hot electrical equipment, and that magical, grimy petrichor of a dirty urban sidewalk after a summer’s rain.

Palate:  You know that saying “turns to ashes in your mouth?” This is like the opposite. At first, it’s like a mouthful of recently extinguished ashes—charred, powdery, astringent—but then a lush, maritime garden quickly comes into Technicolor focus. Basically, Lagavulin 16 tastes just like a real boat: varnish, diesel, salty nets, ocean spray, and the sticky lanolin-rich smell of a thick wool sweater a hardworking man has been wearing one too many days in a row. Over several minutes in the glass, ghosts of fruit emerge—orange and red cherry, mostly—but never seem to break through the low-hanging haze. That’s alright – a suggestion is enough.

When people talk about Scotch whisky, maritime imagery comes up a lot. So let’s start with a beach metaphor.

Wonderful Glenmorangie is like visiting a beach in San Diego. It’s great! It’s 85 degrees, it’s sunny, the water is warm, and everybody’s having a fantastic time. Lagavulin is like a visit to the Oregon Coast. Describe the experience objectively—it’s cold, it’s grey, it’s rainy, there’s not much to do and certainly no place to swim without a dry suit or a death wish—and some might wonder why bother going at all. To others, there’s nowhere else in the world they’d rather be.

Sunny beaches are terrific. But sometimes you need an experience with a little more grit, something that reflects the grimy, complex, trying, sometimes objectively bad experience of real life. For times like that, there’s Lagavulin. It’s peaty, medicinal, pungent, smoky, a Band-aid factory in the throes of catastrophic meltdown, and when you really need it, nothing else will do.

 Producer Description 

Mahogany. Full, slightly sweet; toffee, ginger and dried fruits accompanied by sherry and cloves. Rich in both dried fruit and sherry, with a subtle toffee sweetness and pleasant touch of spice flavour with a touch of sherry sweetness and wood. Medium long. 

Expert Review

Wine Enthusiast 93 Points | Look for a rich butterscotch scent and a hint of fresh apricot. On the palate, this Sherry-matured single malt layers on concentrated caramel, butterscotch and custard, finishing long and spiced on a hint of orange peel. 

Expert Review 

The Dalmore 12 is recognized as a whisky with character far beyond its age. The spirit is initially matured in American white oak ex-Bourbon casks, yielding soft vanilla and honey notes. A proportion of the spirit is then finessed in pinnacle Sherry casks, including 30-Year Old Matusalem Oloroso casks, exclusive to The Dalmore, to give the whisky a rich, nutty character. 

Producer Description 

Discover the distinct flavors of the islands of Scotland with Oban 14 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky. This whisky holds a delicate balance of dried figs and honey-sweet spices followed by a long, smooth-sweet finish. The best of the Highlands and coastal influences, centuries of local distilling tradition are what make our whisky so exquisite. This spirit is best served neat in a tumbler, perhaps with a splash of cool spring water.

Expert Review

The Wine Enthusiast 91 Points | Look for pleasant sweetness and spice up front, as the nose offers a complex mix of oak, maple sugar, fresh apple, clove, black pepper and cinnamon. 91 Points 

Producer Description 

The Glenfiddich 12 Year is distinctively fresh and fruity with a hint of pear on the nose. The palate for this single malt is characteristically sweet, with undertones of butterscotch, cream, malt and a hint of oak. It finishes long, smooth and mellow. See for yourself why this is one of the world's most popular single malts.

Producer Description 

GlenDronach 12-Year-Old epitomizes our unyielding dedication to the mastery of our craft. Matured in fine Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks from Andalucía in Spain, this richly sherried Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky presents smooth vanilla, soft fruits and a memorably long, nutty finish, for which it has become renowned. This smooth scotch is bottled at 43%, non-chill filtered and natural in colour.

Producer Description 

Caribbean Cask has been matured in traditional oak whisky casks for 14 years, and then ‘finished’ in casks that previously held Caribbean rum. To create the ideal finish, Malt Master David Stewart filled American oak casks with his own blend of select West Indian rums. When he judged the casks to be ready, the rum was replaced with the 14 year old spirit and the wood was put to work adding the final touches.

The result is an exceptional single malt whisky with the traditional smooth, honeyed character of The Balvenie, married with notes of toffee and a hint of fruit, with a warm, lingering finish. Rich, sweet and creamy toffee on the nose combines with fresh fruit notes. Rounded with vanilla and sweet oak notes, with a fruity character that develops with time. Soft and lingering.

Expert Review 

Wine Enthusiast 92 Points | After regular maturation, this Scotch is extra matured in former rum casks. The end result layers rich, mouth-coating dried apricot, honey and Sherry notes on top of Balvenie s usual caramel and light peat profile. It finishes flavorful, though with a distinct burst of alcohol warmth. 

Producer Description 

After 14 years maturing in casks that previously held Bourbon, malt master Brian Kinsman finishes this Scotch Whisky in deep charred new American oak barrels from Kentucky for a rich, sweet and vibrant malt.

Expert Review

Wine Enthusiast 90 Points | Aged 14 years in former Bourbon barrels, this is an amber-colored whisky that s scented with vanilla and peach. The palate is also peachy, highlighted by hints of almond, oak and sandalwood. The finish is drying and lightly spiced.

Expert Review

Wine Enthusiast 94 Points | The name of this whisky is a nod to how it s matured in three different casks: American Bourbon, Spanish oloroso and Pedro Ximenez Sherry. It s robust, with a deep amber hue and rich caramel scent. The flavor profile shows toffee, campfire smoke and a mouthwatering butterscotch note on the exhale. It almost reads like a peated Bourbon.

Producer Description 

Suntory Whisky's Yamazaki 12 Year Old Japanese Single Malt Whisky. A Japanese single malt whisky, The Yamazaki 12 Year is known for its "noble" aroma. It hails from Kyoto, the capital of ancient Japan, which takes its nobility status up a notch or two. 

The Yamazaki 12 Year is considered the nation's premier single malt whisky, but it's safe to say that whisky fans around the globe appreciate this award-winning spirit. Since 1984, The Yamazaki Distillery has produced its Single Malt 12 Year. Its mash bill boasts 100 percent malted barley, and its cask-aged in The Yamazaki Distillery for 12 years before being bottled and arriving at your front door.

So how does it Taste? This golden whisky boasts complex aromas and superior drinkability. The nose features hints of fruit, including peach, grapefruit, pineapple and candied orange, along with spices such as clove and orange. This whisky also has notes of rich coconut and tart cranberry, while the long finish features spicy ginger and cinnamon.

This is a whisky made for savoring. Try it straight, served in a tulip glass or drink it on the rocks, poured over a whisky stone. If you're looking for something bubbly, mix it with club soda to add a hint of brightness to its mellow character and to bring out its oakiness. Or mix it one-part whisky with two parts water for a chilled-out finish to your day - Producer Description 

Expert Review

Wine Enthusiast 95 Points | No shrinking violet, this copper penny-hued Scotch hits the nose and palate with a robust but harmonious mix of toffee and peat smoke, in equal measures, finishing dry and spicy. Darkest is an apt description for a whiskey partly matured in former oloroso Sherry casks, which adds deep, raisiny tones.

Producer Description 

Brilliant gold. Powerful peat-smoke with sea-water saltiness, the liquor of fresh oysters, and a citrus sweetness. A rich dried-fruit sweetness with clouds of smoke and strong barley-malt flavours, warming and intense. Peppery at the back of the mouth. Finish: Huge, long, warming and peppery in the finish with an appetizing sweetness.

Producer Description 

Exemplifying our family’s tradition of innovation, our 15 Year Old expression is created using a technique pioneered by our Malt Master and its warm, spicy flavours are transformed with the alchemy of the Solera Vat.

Aged in European oak sherry casks and new oak casks, the whisky is mellowed in our unique Solera Vat, a large oak tun inspired by the sherry bodegas of Spain and Portugal. Never emptied, and kept half full of whiskies since 1998, our Solera Vat is the culmination of curious minds and the pioneering spirit of our family. It’s also the secret behind this whisky becoming the first 15 year old expression to enter the top ten best selling single malts. 

Producer Description 

Quinta Ruban 14 year has spent 10 years maturing in American white oak casks, before being transferred into specially selected ruby port pipes from the Quintas or wine estates of Portugal.

Expert Review

Whisky Advocate 92 Points | This Quinta Ruban succeeds the 12 year old version, adding two additional years of finishing in port casks, while maintaining the same bargain price. The result is a symphony of understated opulence. Marzipan, fresh apple and pear, milk chocolate, red berries, candied ginger, and praline on the nose build slowly, leading into a fruity, spiced palate. Flavors of soft gingerbread, molasses cake, cherry pie, spiced plums, almond nougat, and dark chocolate intermingle with faint strains of pipe tobacco. It sings on the finish, with a parting crescendo of hazelnut, spice, cigar wrapper, and lengthy oak.

Producer Description

Initially very fruity, with waves of tropical fruits, ripe apples, melons, and oranges then some touches of milk chocolate, spice and old engine oil. Packed with flavors of bittersweet chocolate, quince, orange marmalade, cloves, ginger and other spices. There's a slight hint of smoke, but not peat smoke, more like charred oak and vanilla. Water opens up some delicious tropical fruit flavors of mango and pineapple with hints of red berries.

Through innovative cask maturation and finishing techniques, Teeling has crafted a unique, award-winning Single Malt Whiskey full of flavour. Made with Irish Whiskeys distilled from 100% malted barley, matured and finished in casks that impart the influence of five wine casks (Sherry, Port, Madeira, White Burgundy, Cabernet Sauvignon), this Irish Single Malt Whiskey delivers a unique fruit-forward flavor profile that is complex yet balanced and has often been described as “a symphony” of flavor. Producer Description. 

Expert Review

90 Points Wine Enthusiast | Hints of green apple and almond lead the nose. The palate opens with roasted grain and lemony astringency; adding water releases hints of vanilla custard and buttered toast. Sprightly lemon-pepper and cayenne sparks warm the exit. Finished in five distinct wine casks, including sherry, port, Madeira, white Burgundy and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Producer Description 

Spicy, mellow smoke with honeyed sweet maltiness and hints of pepper on the nose. The first taste is rich & sweetly mellow followed by a spicy heat with elegant balance of sweet, smoke & salt, and a clean, warm finish. 2020 SIP Awards Platinum winner.

Producer Description 

An elegant, composed and stylishly vibrant spirit that showcases the absolute finesse, purity, definition and elegance of organically grown barley. Late summer barley. Opens on a light almond note with a twist of candied lemon. Followed by the magical aromatics of toasted barley, floral and fruit notes with a hint of lemon honey intermingling beautifully. Toffee sweetness comes from American oak cask and as the spirit opens little drifts of succulent papaya, melon and kiwi can be found. 

The texture is sensational, the spirit gliding over the palate like warm syrup. The taste buds love the purity and the sensational clarity of flavours being presented. A real sweetness on the front palate, barley sugar, honey almonds, green jelly beans, pear drops all splashed with fresh lemons and balanced by the crispness of malted barley. 

An intensity and definition of flavour that is unparalleled. Incredibly fresh giving an unforgettable palate experience that leaves the taste buds tingling and overwhelmed. 

Producer Description 

Aromas of prune brandy, bakery shop, honey, nuts, dried strawberry and dried orange peel. The palate is smooth, silky, pretty with good complexity. D&M Tasting Notes
Second Maturation in port barrels

Our malt mill, glistening copper mash tun and traditional wooden washbacks form part of a vigorous but carefully attended process. Our elegant copper pot stills distil and re-distil the richest spirit which is then filled into the finest casks and left patiently maturing in our warehouses. Nearly 70% of the flavour in whisky is derived from the cask it has been matured in. Wood’s important, which is why we adopt a ‘no compromise’ approach when choosing our world renowned sherry casks to enrich our whisky. Over the years of extended maturation, these carefully seasoned casks help create the unique richly sherried style that The GlenDronach is famous for.

Tis was just the season for fruit cake, boxes of citrus deliveries, and gift boxes filled with dried fruits and chocolates. To keep the flavor theme going, you can chase down a bottle of The GlenDronach Port Wood. The rich fruity notes and well-timed heat of this single malt delivers the Highland experience, taking you on a journey across the ocean, away from the land of whiskey, to the land of whisky. The Whiskey Wash

It was initially “matured in the distillery’s signature Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks, followed by a second maturation in some of the finest port pipes from the majestic Douro Valley in Portugal.” Non age statement. 

Matured exclusively in hand selected American oak ex-bourbon barrels.

Tomintoul 10 Years Old is a delicate well-balanced single malt.Gentle and smooth with a medium body, Tomintoul 10 Year Old is a lovely expression from Speyside, Scotland.

This has some barley, sugar, vanilla, malt and coffee on the nose with a hint of oak. The palate is made up of toasted cereal, honey, barley sugar, malt and some sweet vanilla.

A fan favourite in the Tomintoul range, our 10 Years Old has been awarded gold medals for its taste by  some of the most prestigious spirits competitions in the world

Producer Description 

Created with roasted black malt, roasted to the extreme, this spirit is all about what happens up front – centre stage. The malt is what defines its distinctive profile. Described as tasting like ‘biting on a spiky ball’, Ardcore is a dram that wears its heart on its sleeve… its black heart! 

Producer Description 

The Macallan Sherry Oak 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whiskey forms part of our Sherry Oak range, which features a series of single malt whiskies matured exclusively in hand-picked sherry seasoned oak casks from Jerez for richness and complexity. A full-bodied palate of mature oak, ginger and raisin flavors is complemented by a light mahogany natural color.

It is an iconic Macallan with a robust flavor. It has aromas of dried fruits and fiery ginger, as well as sweet vanilla and warm cinnamon. The palate offers notes of raisins, cloves, orange, baking spices, and toasted oak, before developing orange zest, crystallized ginger and dried fruits that linger in the finish.

When matured exclusively in Oloroso sherry seasoned oak casks from Jerez, Spain, our rich, fruity and full-bodied 'new make' spirit is transformed into an iconic single malt. Once filled, the maturing spirit remains undisturbed in the same casks for 18 years and is brought together in this rich and complex single malt characterized by mature oak, ginger and raisin flavors.

The Macallan's meticulous distilling process, as well as the insistence on only the finest ingredients, ensure that every sip of The Macallan Sherry Oak 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whiskey exhibits unparalleled depth and complexity. Enjoy!

Producer Description 

Created in partnership with Nick Offerman, Lagavulin Offerman Edition 11 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky is a woody and peaty, fruity and spicy offering. The woody, peaty notes lead from the front, gently tingling the tongue in a cha-cha before fading to reveal a veritable waltz of sweet berry and orchard fruit notes. Aged in a mix of refilled and rejuvenated American Oak barrels, this whisky demands to be served in a traditional whisky glass, neat or with a little water.

Carrying on a 200-year-old tradition of distilling excellence, the Lagavulin distillery is said to be one of the oldest distilleries on Islay. Founded in 1816 by farmer John Johnston and later led by Peter Mackie in 1890, the name Lagavulin was to become the last word on the delicacy of Islay malts. Miles and miles of peat bog in the west of the island provide the raw material which imbues the barley with their iconic smoky flavor, and the rich peaty water from the tranquil Lochan Sholum in the hills above the distillery makes the flavors so unique. It takes time, but patience is their finest virtue and rushing good whisky is just not how they take care of things in Islay.