Laphroaig 10 Year
$88.99
Laphroaig's peat is principally what makes it different. Harvested in a low-lying part of the island it has layers of salt and seaweed not found in other peat deposits. This gives Laphroaig a medicinal, briny, smoky character distinctly different from all other Islay whiskies as well as any other made elsewhere in the world. Laphroaig is among on 6 distilleries which malt some of their own barley.
Bunnahabhain 12 Year
$83.99
A few years back Bunnahabhain bumped their strength up to 46.3%, bottling it without colouring or chill-filtering. This is the entry level bottling of the Bunnahabhain Distillery, known as the "Gentle Giant of Islay." Bunnahabhain's whisky is generally unpeated, bucking the trend of most Islay distilleries, though it does also produce peated malts. Bunnahabhain is the anchor whisky of the Black Bottle Blend.
Producer Description
"As the original member of our current Core Range, Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old holds a special place in our hearts. First launched in 1979, the Bunnahabhain 12 year old has endured almost 40 years, thanks to the passion and dedication of our distillery team, not to mention the love and support from our fans and friends around the world.
"Our 12 Year Old has set the tone and the benchmark for the rest of the range – only the best will do. Double Matured in Ex Bourbon and Ex Sherry Casks, this whisky is beautifully rich and full-bodied, achieving the perfect balance of the characteristic nutty and sherry flavours of Bunnahabhain."
Bruichladdich The Botanist Gin
$61.99
Produced by Bruichladdich Distillery. 46% ABV
Producer Description
"Wild. Foraged. Distilled. The first and only Islay Dry Gin. A progressive exploration of the botanical heritage of our isle of Islay," according to the Bruichladdich team. "Sweet delicate menthol, apple mint, spring woodlands, juniper, coriander with aniseed undertones, lemon and orange peel, a bouquet of summer flowers on the machir, honey from thistle, coconut from gorse, wild mint and summer meadows. It’s a magical melody of Islay’s’ natural bounty from the Atlantic washed beaches to the summit of heather covered hills."
Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie
$78.99
Produced exclusively from Scottish barley, which is only very lightly peated in line with the classic Laddie style, this core release has been bottled at 50% after maturing predominantly in American oak. The actual cask composition is evolving and varries from batch to batch. We have been consistently impressed with this whisky.
Producer Description
"Our signature bottling and the definitive Bruichladdich. Showcasing the classic, floral and elegant Bruichladdich house style, The Classic Laddie is made from 100% Scottish barley, trickle distilled, non-chill filtered and colouring free.
"The foundation for our Classic Laddie is not a recipe set in stone, but a distilling philosophy. We have no interest in precise uniformity, instead - year by year - the variety and provenance of our barley shapes our spirit, and an ever-increasing range of casks are sourced to evolve the variety of flavours in our warehouse."
Laphroaig Lore
$234.99
Originally released to replace the 18, or was it the 15, who can recall, that was well before Covid... Bottled at 48% from an NAS marriarge of whisky matured in five different cask types.
From the Distillery: "‘Lore’ is a complex marriage of both classical Lahroaig styles and many ages of Laphroaig. The marriage draws from the peaty power of Laphroaig in the same vein as Quarter Cask but with the smoothness of double matured stock finished in European oak hogsheads. To add even further depth and complexity we used our mosy heavily peated whisky matured in ex-Laphroaig barrels along with some fully sherry matured casks. To ensure none of this amazing flavour was lost we bottled Lore at a full 48% ABV and simply barrier filled before bottling. The result is stunningly complex."
Kilchoman Sanaig
$109.99
The Kilchoman Sanaig was featured on Day Ten of our 2022 KWM Whisky Calendar. You can find the blog post on it here.
Also available in 50ml / Mini bottles
The Sanaig is part of Kilchoman's regular release lineup along with the Machir Bay. Kilchoman Sanaig, which is named after an Inlet off the NorthWest coast of Islay, is made from a combination of about 20% ex-Bourbon casks and 80% ex-Sherry Casks - mostly Oloroso Sherry in style. We have noticed the colour on this dram has gotten a fair bit darker over the past few years - possibly due to more first-fill ex-Sherry casks being used... Bottled at 46%.
From the Distillery
"Sanaig, a small rocky inlet North West of the distillery is the name given to this continuously available release. Sanaig has a predominantly sherry cask influence owing to the significant time spent in oloroso sherry Hogsheads. These aged oloroso casks contribute a drastically transformed depth of colour and character compared to the mostly Bourbon cask matured Machir Bay. “A beautiful marriage of bourbon and sherry maturation balanced with classic Islay peat smoke and light citrus sweetness” Anthony Wills, Founder.
Ardbeg An Oa
$107.99
"An Oa" is named for Islay's wild Mull of Oa on the south-west coast. The prominent headland offers the Kildalton coast a bit of shelter from the tempestuous North Atlantic. The area was in centuries past the scene of much illicit distilling. The whisky is the first new core release in the Ardbeg range for close to a decade. Crafted to offer a more approachable take on Ardbeg whisky, the spirit was matured in a mix of PX Sherry, Virgin Oak and Ex-Bourbon casks. The mix was then rested in the distillery's new Gathering Vat'.
46.6% ABV
Producer Description
"A welcome new addition to the Ultimate range. Ardbeg An Oa is singularly rounded, due in no small part to time spent in our newly established bespoke oak Gathering Vat where whiskies from several cask types - including; sweet Pedro Ximenez; spicy virgin charred oak; and intense ex-bourbon casks, amongst others - familiarise themselves with each other. The result is a dram with smoky power, mellowed by a delectable, smooth sweetness. Hallmark Ardbeg peat,dark chocolate and aniseed are wrapped in smooth, silky butterscotch, black pepper and clove, before rising to an intense crescendo of flavour."
Bruichladdich Port Charlotte 10 Year
$96.99
The latest edition of the Port Charlotte 10 Year is in, and in sexy new packaging! It is heavily peated 40ppm and bottled at 50% after maturing in First & Refill Ex-Bourbon and Refill French Wine Barriques.
Bruichladdich Organic 2011
$124.99
Distilled from organic "publican" barley grown at Mid Couls Farm near Inverness. The whisky was matured in first fill Bourbon before bottling after 11 years at 50%.
Producer Description
"Mid Coul farm, located close to Inverness in the north of Scotland, provided our first crop of Organic barley back in 2003. A progressive 2,755 acre estate, Mid Coul has a closed-loop fertility system that generates electricity using an anaerobic digestor while allowing almost all waste material to be recycled as fertiliser.
"With no artificial input, barley is fertilised from the ground up and is therefore the purest expression of its terroir – the soil, the climate and geographical location of where it is grown.
"Working in harmony with nature, this sustainable spirit is the future of whisky and an important expression in our Barley Provenance series.
"The delicate floral spirit is matured in classic American oak, bringing a wonderful combination of creamy vanilla and fudge with honeyed citrus notes, ripe fruit and delicate spices."