North Star Highland Star 11 Year

$71.99

This is an 11 year old single cask of reputedly Teaninich, bottled at 50%.

Producers Tasting Notes

Nose: Hay, greengages, a whiff of peat swiftly enveloped by coffee-dipped pastries.

Palate: Orange peel, caramel and almond. Still slightly grassy at points. A flinty touch or two here and there.

Finish: Grist, apricot and milk chocolate.

84pts Whisky Fun

"What’s fun with this series is that, while the distilleries remain technically anonymous, the labels provide the necessary latitude and longitude co-ordinates to find out. In the case of this wee bottling, google maps informs us that the whisky almost certainly comes from Tea.... Colour: white wine. Nose: straw, bailed hay, cider apples, pears, sooty porridge, chalk and things like river water and moss. No nonsense, rather pure malt whisky that does indeed bring to mind the ‘idea’ of ‘Highland’ malt whisky. Even if the concept of regions is a little daft these days (while indeed the concept of terroir is on the rise). With a little time there’s various lovely notes of herbs, lemon rind, greenery and petrichor. With water: chalk, aspirin, citric, malt bins, dry cereals, plain toast - perhaps a little more chiseled and mineral. Mouth: sharp, flinty, lemony, yeasty, bready and rather lively. Full of olive oil, hints of pineapple and other fruit syrups, cornbread and some white flowers and pebbles. With water: green apples now, lemon zest again, more chalky, crushed aspirin notes, bay leaf, trodden bracken and other such greenery. A slightly ascendant earthiness. Finish: good length, rather on oatmeal, dried cereals, baking soda, dried mixed herbs and a light pepperiness. Some watercress in the aftertaste. Comments: A very solid and natural wee dram and a great, young example of this particular make. Good hipflask material."

North Star Island Star 11 Year

$71.99

Just 12 bottles of this indepedently bottled Scapa are coming to KWM. Bottled at 10 years of age and 50% after matruing in a Refill Hogshead.

87pts @Whisky Fun

"This one hails from Orkney. Specifically from Mrs Cameron’s house which lies exactly between Highland Park and Scapa. At the time of writing she doesn’t yet have a visitor centre. Colour: gold. Nose: I get cooking oils and fresh breads to begin with. Then it moves more in the direction of mint julep, lighter coastal qualities and things like juniper, nettles and beach pebbles. Gets more coastal and evocative with time. There’s also hints of sweeter things like lemon barley water and barley sugar. With water: some lemony fruitiness, olive oil, poppy seeds, sponge cake mix and barley broth. Mouth: kiln air, sooty coal scuttles (I eat them regularly), heather ale, green pepper, herbal ointments, dried lavender and seaweed in miso broth. Some salted butter and chives as well. With water: a curious initial note of white chocolate then more toasted bread notes, salt and pepper, smoked herbs and umami paste. Finish: medium length and perfectly dry, crisp and full of heather and cereal notes. Comments: I suspect we’ve all got a pretty good idea which direction Mrs Cameron’s house is facing..."

North Star Islay Star 11 Year

$75.99

A 12 year old Caol Ila... supposedly, this is a mystery malt! Bottled at 50% and 11 years of age from a single Refill Hogshead.

88pts Whisky Fun

"This one hails from the Port Askaig region of Islay. Colour: straw. Nose: pretty textbook stuff. Shellfish, seawater, yeasty sourdough, white flowers, lemon juice, fish sauce, wood ashes. A touch of good malt vinegar on salty chips. With water: more ashes, more beach pebbles, some sheep wool, a wee hint of blue cheese and bandages. Mouth: great arrival! A soft, peaty oil slick. Lots of ash, brine, green olives, sea water, medical embrocations, black pepper, hot grist and lime juice on fresh oysters. It’s very hard to find fault with this make at this age and cask type. With water: dried seaweed, tarry rope, lemon infused oil, barley sugar, smoked German dark beers, smoky bacon fries and some good plain peat smoke. Finish: long and all on kiln smoke, anchovies, pine resins, cured meats, salted fish and newspaper ash. Comments: “Westering home and a song in the a...” etc, etc... "

Benriach Batch 15 1995 Cask 7383

$352.49

Part of BenRiach Batch 15 of single casks, the first released by Rachel Barrie. A 22 year old distilled in 1995 and bottled at 51.5% from a single Oloroso Sherry Butt.

Producer Tasting Note

Appearance: Deep walnut brown.

Nose: Elegant waxed apple and stewed pear with underlying roast chestnut oil on baked sourdough with a dusting of sugar.

Palate: Roast chestnut and smoked applewood meld with butternut and sage, leaving baked apple pie lingering long on the palate.

Benriach Batch 15 2006 Cask 2406

$162.99

Part of BenRiach Batch 15 of single casks, the first released by Rachel Barrie. This 2006 vintage was matured in a single Port Pipe and bottled after 11 years at 58.7%. 

Producer Tasting Note

Appearance: Antique gold.

Nose: Treacle toffee and butterscotch on cherry and blackcurrant fruit jelly, lifted by a fresh breath of eucalyptus.

Palate: Blackcurrant cream dessert in dark chocolate treacle, becoming liquorice and forest fruit into the toasted raisin finish.

Benriach Batch 15 2005 Cask 5014

$179.99

Part of BenRiach Batch 15 of single casks, the first released by Rachel Barrie. An unpeated BenRiach, matured in a single ex- Oloroso Sherry Butt and bottled after 12 years at 58.1%.

Producer Tasting Note

Appearance: Demerara brown.

Nose: Golden syrup and apple cider with dried apricot and yellow plum skin on buttered brioche with raisin pieces.

Palate: Sherry and raisin with caramelised orange and red apple segments, leaving a treacle and sultana-kissed finish.

Benriach Batch 15 2006 Cask 1855

$122.24

Part of BenRiach Batch 15 of single casks, the first released by Rachel Barrie. An 11 year old BenRiach matured in a Sauternes Barrique and bottled at 56.5% after 11 years!

Producer Tasting Note

Appearance: Bright summer gold.

Nose: Lemon curd and manuka honey on toasted granary loaf and toffee apple.

Palate: Apple and hazelnut cereal bar bound together by honey and lemon syrup.

Benriach Batch 15 1997 Cask 4437

$389.99

Benriach Batch 15 2005 Cask 2682

$179.99

Part of BenRiach Batch 15 of single casks, the first released by Rachel Barrie. Distilled in 2005 the peated spirit was matured in a Port Pipe and bottled after 12 years at 53.9%.

Producer Tasting Note

Appearance: Walnut ruby.

Nose: Bramble and baked apple pie topped with burnt orange and redcurrant on gentian-infused pastry.

Palate: Baked orange and redcurrant carried by walnut oil leaving liquoric, dark chocolate and tobacco leaf.