whisky at Drinkology

Fettercairn 12 Year Old PX Sherry Cask Edition Single Malt Scotch Whisky 1.0L 40% Fettercairn Distillery The Scottish whisky distillery is located at the foot of the mountain, which is reflected in the name, because translated into Gaelic this means 'fettercairn'. It was founded there in 1824 by Sir Alexander Ramsay, before a fateful fire almost completely destroyed it a good 60 years later. But this did not get them down and the distillery was painstakingly rebuilt. Just three years later, whisky could be produced regularly again. This production phase did not last long, however, because things got quiet around the brand, so production had to be stopped in 1926. It was only after the sale to Associated Scottish Distillers LTd. in 1939 that the distillery resumed production. Production was ramped up again, but things initially remained very quiet around the company. It was only between 1960 and 1970 that the distillery experienced a strong boom again; the number of stills even had to be increased. In August 2018, the whisky company underwent a makeover and brought some special vintages from the core range onto the market. In addition to the relatively young 12-year-old, the release included an 18-, a 40- and a 50-year-old. 12 Year Old PX Cask Edition Highland Single Malt Whisky After long-term maturation in American oak barrels, an additional finish of 18-24 months in former Pedro Ximenez sherry barrels takes place before bottling. These not only give the whisky its relatively dark color, but also provide sweet sherry notes. On the nose, there are initially only clear orange notes accompanied by a pleasant sweetness. On the palate, the 12YO has a very soft, almost buttery texture. Here too, it is the aroma of orange that characterizes the aroma. Vanilla and notes of other tropical fruits slowly join in. The finish is relatively short but again characterized by intense orange and spicy sherry notes, so that it stays in our memory for a while.

The Balvenie 12 Year Old The Sweet Toast of American Oak Single Malt Scotch Whisky 0.7L 43% Balvenie Distillery The Balvenie distillery is also a whisky distillery based in Dufftown, Scotland. It was founded at the end of the 19th century by William J. Grant, who, if you know a little about the world of whisky, is also known as the founder of Glenfiddich and near whom the Balvenie distillery is also located. At first, whisky was produced specifically for the company's own blending. In 1973, single malt was bottled as standard for the first time. Peated whisky has been produced again since 2002. The Balvenie Stories The whisky range, which has been around since 2019 and is also strictly limited, has already included a 14YO 'The Weak of Peat' and a 26YO 'A Day of Dark Barley'. Now there is a third representative of the range and it is a fairly young single malt Scotch whisky. Each individual whisky in the limited edition is intended to represent the development of the renowned distillery. The 12 YO 'The Sweet Toast of American Oak' is a single malt that combines complex aromas with fruity-sweet notes. The beautiful design of the bottle packaging provides some information about this. For example, it can be found out that the maturation took place first in ex-bourbon barrels and the whisky was then transferred to toasted American oak barrels for further maturation.

Redbreast Single Pot Still Irish Whisky Lustau Edition 0.7L 46% Manufactured by the Midleton Distillery The Midleton Irish Whiskys Distillery is one of the largest distillery companies in Ireland. It is the origin of many different brands, for example Jameson Whiskey, The Irishman Whiskeys and Redbreast Whisky are produced here. The company itself can look back on a very long history, but the distillery as we know it today has only existed since around 1975. At that time, three entrepreneurs joined forces and founded the Irish Distillers Group so that production could be combined at one location. Redbreast Lustau Edition The name of the single pot still whiskey is based on a small bird, the 'Redbreast'. It is the only bird that does not flee its homeland in the harsh, cold Irish winters. It is made from a special mash that consists of both malted and unmalted barley. This is then distilled three times in a Coppar pot still system, from which powerful and characterful whiskeys are produced and for which Irish whiskeys and especially whiskeys from the Midleton distillery are known. The Redbreast was then matured in sherry barrels from Bodega Lustau to give it a little more depth. The aroma is therefore rich in dark fruits and dried fruit, with notes of almonds and toasted oak. The finish is sweet with overtones of various spices and memories of Oloroso sherry.

Finlaggan Single Malt Scotch Whisky Red Wine Cask Matured 0.7L 46% The Vintage Malt Whisky Co. The independent bottler 'The Vintage Malt Whisky Company' can be found in Milngavie, a small suburb of Glasgow. It was founded in 1992 by no unknown person. The company's founder is the former director of Morrison Bowmore Distillers, Brian Cook. After starting out with the blended malt 'Glenalmond', the Finlaggan brand quickly followed. Finlaggan whiskies are whiskies that contain a range of smoky, peaty single malts. The Finlaggan Red Wine Cask Matured was subjected to a special maturation process for The Vintage Malt Whisky Co series, because this is not a 'post-maturation', but the whisky was stored throughout in, as the addition suggests, red wine barrels. In this case in particular, these were Rioja red wine barrels from the Basque Country. Bottlers Note At the beginning, there is immediately noticeable peat smoke together with red berries. On the palate, there are now also noticeably stronger peat and smoky notes, a sweet aroma of various berries and plums, and a pinch of sea salt. The aftertaste is long-lasting, with sweet smoky notes.

The Glenlivet Nadurra First Fill American Oak Single Malt Scotch Whisky 1.0L 48% Nàdurra, meaning 'natural' in Gaelic, is a series of small batch expressions from The Glenlivet, made using traditional 19th century techniques. The Glenlivet Nadurra First Fill Single Malt Scotch Whisky 48% is made from American white oak, which has never been used to mature Scotch whisky before. This single malt is not chill filtered and therefore has a rich texture. The oak casks favoured by The Glenlivet distillers since the early 20th century give this wonderfully rich The Glenlivet whisky hints of creamy vanilla, sweet pear, tropical pineapple, ripe banana and citrus notes. The color is bright gold, while the nose reveals sweet pears and soft vanilla fondant. The palate is creamy with vanilla and ripe fruit notes of juicy pineapple, ripe banana and citrus peel. The finish is medium long and refreshing.

The Dalmore Single Malt Whisky Cigar Malt Whisky 1.0L 44%

Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky Huddart 0.7L 46% Old Pulteney Distillery In the tranquil village of Wick, on the very northern tip of the Scottish mainland, you can find the Old Pulteney Distillery. It is a small fishing village and was considered the 'herring capital' of Europe in the 19th century. Where many workers came together and did hard work, alcohol was often not far away. So James Henderson founded the Old Pulteney Distillery in 1826 to quench the workers' thirst. The name of the distillery is also closely related to fishing: Henderson named his whisky after the then director of the fishing company, Sir William Johnstone Pullteney. Huddart Single Malt The new product from the Old Pulteney distillery is named after the street on which the production facility is located. It is a whisky with a strong character, with notes of honey, smoke and leather as well as fruity notes such as apple and sweet vanilla. It is ideal for whisky newbies who want to gain their first experience with a much smokier and slightly peaty whisky.

Nikka Peated Single Malt Whisky Miyagikyo Discovery Series 0.7L 48% Nikka Distillery After living abroad in Scotland and learning the art of distilling Scottish whisky, Masataka Taketsuru returned to his homeland of Japan. Here he looked for similar conditions in Scotland, with a cold climate, perfect humidity, clean air and access to a water source. Taketsuru found all of this in the small community of Yoichi and founded the distillery of the same name there in 1934. With the desire to create more complex whiskies, Taketsuru explored the northern part of Honshu and found the ideal conditions to open a second location, the Miyagikyo distillery, in 1967. Discovery Series The 'Discovery Series' of the Japanese whisky distillery Nikka includes two new products: Yoichi Non-Peated and Miyagikyo Peated, which are released as strictly limited editions and reflect the different tastes of the two locations. The series will include some special whiskies that will be released annually from now on and will span a long period into 2024, when the distillery will celebrate its 90th anniversary. Single Malt Miyagikyo Peated Whiskies from the 'Miyagikyo' distillery have a rather elegant, fresh character. For the limited edition, this character is given additional fine peat notes. This creates a very balanced, fruity single malt with fine smoky notes.

Ezra Brooks Straight Rye Whiskey 0.7L 45% Ezra Brooks The Ezra Brooks distillery is a whiskey distillery from Kentucky that has existed since 1957. In 2018 it moved to Bardstown. This is where it was renamed 'Lux Row' - Distillers after the striking row of trees on the property. Indiana Whisky The Ezra distillery's rye whiskey from Kentucky is bottled at a strong 45% vol. It is a pure rye whiskey, which alone has special characteristics. It was previously matured in freshly charred American oak barrels, which gave it its quite intense aroma. The taste can be described as intense, robust and very spicy. On the nose, fine notes of vanilla with cedar wood, light spice of white pepper and rye. The palate convinces with the same aromas, plus a light sweetness and clearly more intense rye notes. The finish is accompanied by fruity notes such as apricot or banana and a hint of honey.

Rosebank Single Malt Whisky 30 Years 1990/2020 Release 1 0.7L 48.6% 'King of the Lowlands' This is the name by which the whisky from the Rosebank Distillery was once known in its heyday. The distillery, which has been closed since 1993, was officially founded in 1840 by James Rankine. Unofficially, the Stark brothers had been distilling there since the end of the 18th century. Rosebank Distillery is also one of the five founding distilleries of the Scottish Malt Distillers and, as already mentioned, was completely closed in 1993. At the beginning of the 21st century, the remaining buildings were sold to 'British Waterways', and five years later the distillation equipment was stolen from there during British holidays. Finally, the entire property, the last stocks including the trademark rights from the previous owner Diageo, were bought by Ian Macleod Distillers. With Release 1, the Rosebank Distillery wants to start a 'new chapter'. Before the distillery was closed in 1993, however, a whisky was distilled three years earlier, which has been stored in peace ever since. The new 30 Year Old is now being released in a limited edition of around 4350 bottles worldwide.

Laphroaig Single Malt Whisky 25 Years 2021 Edition Cask Strength 0.7L 51.9% The Laphroaig distillery Laphroaig is the southernmost distillery on the island of Islay, which the distillery has taken advantage of. Due to its direct location in the sheltered bay, the warehouses were built in close proximity to the shore. These are now regularly washed by sea water. Together with two other factors, the salty sea water and the peaty water, these combinations ensure the typical Laphroaig Islay taste. This extraordinary taste has been around since 1815, the year the distillery was founded by siblings Alex and Donald Johnston. Taste profile On the nose it has aromas of sweet vanilla, juicy fruits, oak and the well-known, typical smoky notes. On the palate it is a very full-bodied, strong Islay whisky. The typical sea air smoky notes are accompanied by sweet bourbon notes with hints of vanilla and toffee. The finish is long-lasting, with the already familiar aromas of sweetness, hints and oak. Laphroaig 25 years was bottled in 2021 and comes in a beautiful, high-quality box, which makes the whisky a wonderful gift idea.

The Midnight Silkie Blended Irish Whiskey Non Chill Filtered 0.7L 46% Sliabh Liag Distillery The well-known Sliabh Liag distillery is behind the Silkie whiskey brand. This is the first whiskey distillery in Donegal in over 175 years. The aim of the distillery is to bring the authenticity of the landscape and the taste of whiskey from before the industrial revolution back to life. Harmonious blend It is often said that less is more. However, this is absolutely not the case with The Midnight Blend from Silkie. Despite the blending of 35%, drippy, triple distilled single malt and four different triple distilled single malts that were also stored in different barrels such as Sherry Cask, Oloroso Cask or Virgin Oak barrels, they managed to create a very rich but nevertheless harmonious whisky. Despite the smoky character, the focus in terms of taste is clearly on the fruity components. When tasting, you can clearly detect notes of juicy pear, which are subtly accompanied by sandalwood and oak and a hint of chocolate.

Glenmorangie X Single Malt Scotch Whisky 0.7L 40% Glenmorangie since 1843 The well-known, artisanal whisky distillery was founded in 1843 by the married couple Anne and William Matheson. With the distillery, the couple fulfilled a long-held dream that is still honored today. Especially suitable for mixing The new X Single Malt Whisky was created in collaboration with top bartenders. In terms of taste, it is a sweet and rich whisky that, thanks to its versatility, goes well with all kinds of cocktails and long drinks. The aim is to encourage whisky lovers to try new things and combine whisky in different ways. The distillery also provides some cocktail recipes on its website. The aromas are sweet and fruity with notes of pear, vanilla, caramel and orange peel. The selection of different barrels also brings out a certain spiciness and subtle aroma of oak.

Fettercairn Warehouse 2 Batch No. 002 2021 Highland Single Malt Whisky 0.7L 48.5% Fettercairn and the unicorn The whisky distillery is based in the town of the same name, Fettercairn, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It was founded in 1824 by Sir Alexander Ramsay and was the second distillery in Scotland to receive an official distillery license. The distillery can be found at the foot of the Grampian Mountains in the Scottish Highlands, which is reflected in the name of the brand. Translated from Gaelic, Fettercairn means something like 'at the foot of the mountain' and not, as one might think from the company logo, something to do with a unicorn. The brand's logo is thanks to its founder; the unicorn has always been Sir Alexander Ramsay's private coat of arms. ...To be continued... After the very successful warehouse bottlings that have already been released, the second small batch bottling is now underway. The Fettercairn distillery is now launching Warehouse 2 Batch No. 002, which again comes from warehouse No. 2. The barrels selected for this limited edition this time are 29 first-fill rye and first-fill bourbon barrels. These have been stored in the warehouse since 2009 and are now being bottled. The golden-colored whisky initially impresses with tasting notes of sweet barley, honey, various mild spices as well as tropical fruit notes and vanilla. On the palate, the whisky offers a soft flavor with a wide range of aromas. Tropical and citrus fruits are dominant here, accompanied by spicy notes such as cinnamon and vanilla as well as sweet maple syrup. Cocoa bean aroma is also recognizable.

Knappogue Castle Irish Single Malt Whiskey 12 Years Barolo Wine Cask Finish 0.7L 46% Knappogue Castle Distillery If you drive through the mountains and valleys of Ireland, you will notice an incredible number of stately country houses from centuries long forgotten. One of these many impressive buildings is Knappogue Castle, which dates back to the 15th century. In 1966 it was bought by Mark Edwin Andrews, who restored the castle together with his wife, a very well-known architect at the time. It was also at this time that Andrews began buying rare pot still whiskeys from the distilleries in the region that were (still) producing them. At first they matured for some time in his own warehouse until Andrews died and the stock was passed on to his son. He discovered the potential in the whiskeys and gradually sold them under the Knappogue Castle label. One of the oldest vintages in the inventory was a 36-year-old whiskey from 1951. Cask Finish Series - Marchesi di Barolo Limited Release The series includes a range of single malts that were finished in different types of barrels. The 12YO Barolo Wine Cask Finish uses special barrels from the well-known Barolo Winery, in which the whiskey is aged after 12 years in bourbon barrels. Special aromas are fruity notes of strawberry, cinnamon and caramel. On the palate you discover further fruit aromas paired with a finely balanced spiciness. The finish is slightly peppery and spicy with smoky oak.

Redbreast Irish Whiskey 12 Years Cask Strength 0.7L 58.10%

Tamdhu Speyside 15 Year Old Limited Release 0.7L 46% Tamdhu Distillery The Tamdhu Distillery Company was founded in the midst of the whisky boom at the end of the 19th century. It was founded by a union of merchants and whisky blenders. In addition to the well-known William Grant, a well-known architect, Charles Doig, was brought on board to build one of the most modern distilleries for the time. Just one year later, the first whisky was distilled and bottled. As with most distilleries, many closures and changes of ownership followed in the 20th century. Production was most recently discontinued between 2009 and 2012, with the Edrington Group, which had owned the company since 1999, selling the distillery and all associated shares to Ian Macleod Distillers in 2011. Ian Macleod Distillers recognized the potential behind the brand and decided to get the still fully functional distillery up and running again and give the 'Tamdhu' brand a new image. At the same time, they still maintain that the whiskeys have a strong sherry influence. Tamdhu 15 year old bottling Lovers of whiskey with strong sherry influences will be very happy with this 15 year old Tamdhu. The 15 year old Tamdhu matured in Oloroso sherry casks and has a strong aroma full of dark fruits and a bouquet of various spices.

Tamdhu Single Malt Whisky Batch Strength No. 6 Limited Release 0.7L 56.8% Sixth limited edition This is the sixth time that the award-winning bottling has been released in the 'Batch Strength' series. After Batch Strength No. 005, which won gold at 'The Spirits Buisness Luxury Masters' in 2020, its successor Batch Strength No. 6 follows. Batch Strength No. 6 is an unfiltered whisky with an alcohol content of 56.8% vol. This series is matured exclusively in Oloroso sherry casks, which sets it apart from its competitors, as usually only the finish takes place in sherry casks. Particular emphasis is placed on a high proportion of first-fill barrels. The aim here is to achieve a complex taste profile, resulting in an intense oak aroma with sweet, dry sherry notes. The rich taste really develops on the palate: Red summer berries with fine vanilla and a creamy mouthfeel. If you add a few drops of water, clear notes of orange, lemon and oak spice emerge. The finish is, as always, Tamdhu's 'trademark': Very long-lasting and also with a wealth of aromas. Again, the notes of fruit, spices and the distinctive sherry notes accompanied by spicy notes such as cinnamon.

Aberlour Single Malt Whisky Casg Annamh Batch 5 Non Chill Filtered 0.7L 48% Aberlour Distillery The Aberlour whisky distillery has been located directly on the small river Lour since 1879. This perfect warehouse is used to its full potential in whisky production, using the soft water of the Lour, which rises from the granite rocks. To refine the taste of its whiskies, the Aberlour distillery is known for finishing in bourbon and sherry casks, which clearly characterize the taste of the whiskies. A rare cask If you translate Casg Annamh from Gaelic into German, this means 'rare cask', which is quite fitting, because only a limited number of casks are available from Batch 5. The selected casks are finished in Oloroso sherry casks, which wonderfully complement the taste of the Aberlour distillery. In terms of taste, you can look forward to a rich, intense whisky that is bursting with fruity overtones. Spice notes such as anise, ginger or cinnamon round off the taste experience.

Bushmills 10 year old Irish single malt whiskey Causeway Collection 2021 German release Cuvee finish 0.7L 54.8% Bushmills distillery The Bushmills whisky distillery is the oldest distillery still in existence in Northern Ireland. Inspired by the Giant's Causway, a formation of over 40,000 hexagonal basalt columns, which is now a stone's throw away, the whisky distillers Bushmills developed the Causeway Collection, which is now released annually and now includes 12 bottlings. In addition to the 30 Year Old New American Oak Cask, the second bottling is now being released for the German market. Characteristics The Bushmills 10 year old Causeway Collection 2021 cuvee finish is a non chill-filtered whisky that was bottled at cask strength and as a limited edition. It is not entirely clear whether coloring was used, but it is assumed that it is probably colored. The top notes of this whisky are fruity, with a fresh lemon zest aroma, vanilla and a hint of oak. On the palate, the vanilla sweetness that is typical of Bushmills comes through more clearly, with toffee notes joining in and underlining the fresh lemon flavor. Spice notes of allspice are more in the background, but clearly enough in the foreground to be recognizable. The aftertaste is again characterized by citrus freshness and the stronger notes of oak.

Maker's Mark 46 Kentucky Bourbon 0.7L 47% Maker's Mark 46 is the flavor vision of Bill Samuels, Jr., owner of the Maker's Mark brand. Creating his signature bourbon requires a unique finishing process that begins with fully aged Maker's Mark at cask strength. Ten seared French oak staves are fitted into the barrel before the whiskey is aged in a limestone cellar under ideal conditions. The result is an easy-drinking bourbon with notes of caramel, vanilla and baking spices that greet the palate in layers.

Abasolo El Whisky de Mexico 0.7L 43% El Whisky De Mexico A whisky from Mexico is a rarity in the already broad whisky market, but should not be underestimated. The Destilería Abasolo is located on a property that was originally used to grow and dry corn. In order to keep the tradition of the property and the centuries-old Mexican tradition of growing corn alive, a corn whisky was created. For more than 200 years, a special type of corn, 'Cacahuazintle corn', has been grown by local farmers in Mexico and the knowledge about it has been passed down from generation to generation. Cacahuazintale corn is a white corn and has an extraordinary taste. The production of the whisky also draws on a tradition that is thousands of years old, the so-called 'nixtamalization', which has always been considered a classic preparation for corn and serves to prevent malnutrition. For this, alkaline substances (e.g. slaked lime or wood ash) are dissolved in water, the washed corn kernels are boiled in it and cooked for three to four hours. The whole thing is then taken off the heat and left to swell overnight. The taste of Abasolo whisky is very different from classic European whisky varieties. El Whisky de Mexico has notes of roasted corn, honey and vanilla as well as black tea and a hint of leather.

Chivas Regal Blended Scotch Whisky The Icon 0.7L 43% Blended Whisky With 'The Icon', Chivas Regal presents this year's annual bottling, a combination of over 20 rare Scottish whiskies, some of which come from distilleries that have already 'disappeared', so-called 'ghost distilleries'. In order to continue to focus on this exclusive blended whisky, Chivas Ragal spared no expense or effort to showcase this special product. To honor the special nature of these whiskies from irreplaceable barrels, the limited blend was bottled in hand-made, crystal-clear decanters by the master craftsmen at Dartington Crystal and is intended to be reminiscent of the iconic Chivas Regal bottle from over a hundred years ago. Furthermore, the bottle is packed in a kind of suitcase, which immediately looks like a secret chest that hides true treasures. The taste of The Icon The different types of barrels in which the individual whiskies matured give the whisky a basic aroma reminiscent of hazelnut. The nose also delights with aromas of honey, juicy pears and notes of dark orange chocolate. The palate now offers a true explosion of aromas, with orange being joined by other fruity components such as peach, and hazelnut also making its presence felt here. Vanilla rounds off the palate and at the same time ushers in a long, sweet finish.

Bowmore Single Malt Whisky 21 Years Aston Martin Masters Selection 0.7L 51.8% Whisky meets automotive design In cooperation with the well-known luxury car brand Aston Martin and after the successful refueling in 2020 with the Bowmore DB5 1964, Bowmore is presenting the new Masters Selection - Edition1 together with Aston Martin. Responsible for the new edition are Bowmore Master Blender Ron Welsh and Aston Martin Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichmann. The base for the new edition was a 21-year-old Bowmore that matured in both First Fill Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks. This was married with older matured products. The aromas on the nose are primarily sweet and reminiscent of Manuka honey and maple syrup. Fine notes of hazelnuts and leather, as well as various spices, underline these sweet notes. A very soft, powerful whisky presents itself on the palate. Sherry notes are more clearly evident here. Other aromas are dark chocolate, spicy black pepper, vanilla and coffee. The finish is a warming whisky with sweet and spicy oak notes.