whisky at Drinkology

The Matsui The Peated Malt Whisky 0.7L 48% Japanese influences In order to always create a new taste, the distillery relies on the cooperation of whisky lovers and taste professionals. Nothing is left to chance here. In addition to the subtropical climate, which is caused by the proximity to the Sea of Japan, and the specially shaped copper stills, the choice of barrel type plays a significant role in the taste profile of a Matsui whisky. The Peated Malt Whisky The Peated Malt Whisky uses malted barley which is then peated. This is a much more powerful whisky than the Mizunara or Sakura Single Malt. This becomes clear when you look at this special label design. Another old woodcut is shown, this time it is the work of art by 'Katsushika Hokusai' - 'The Great Wave of Kanagaqa'. The image of the wave makes it clear that there must be something powerful in the bottle. In addition to the strong, full-bodied and sometimes complex aromas, the whisky leaves an equally powerful finish.

The Matsui Sakura Cask Single Malt Whisky 0.7L 48% Japanese whisky The Japanese distillery Kurayoshi from the city of the same name in Tottori Prefecture produces whisky of a special quality and aroma. It emerged from an old sake brewery that belonged to the Shuzo family between the 17th and 19th centuries. The region in which the distillery is located is known above all for its inexhaustible supply of the best drinking water, which is therefore particularly suitable for the production of whisky. Sakura Cask Single Malt After the whisky has undergone a double distillation, the maturation phase follows, as with all whisky. For this purpose, the distillate is filled into Sakura barrels, barrels made from Japanese cherry trees, and spends several years maturing there. Like the other bottles from the distillery, a special woodcut adorns the bottle's label. In keeping with the barrel type, it is a woodcut called 'Beauty in the Cherry Blossom Garden'. Maturation in cherry wood barrels gives the whisky a fine aroma of vanilla, coconut and spicy wood notes.

The Matsui Mizunara Cask Japanese Single Malt Whisky 0.7L 48% Kurayoshi Distillery With the Mizunara Cask Whisky, the Japanese distillery is presenting its first whisky that was not only bottled in Japan, but also fired and distilled there! After the distillation process, as with other whiskies, the maturation phase naturally followed. For this, however, the distillery did not leave it to mature in bourbon barrels like most whiskies; here too, local products were used and barrels made of Mizunara wood were used. This wood is extremely rare and so it is difficult to process into a barrel. By storing the whisky in this type of wood, it acquires its own unique aroma and stands out clearly from the crowd. The design of the label was also something special. Not only is it designed like an old parchment sheet, but it also features a special print: Mount Fuji is depicted with a red crowned crane, which is native to Japan. It symbolizes freshness and the special oriental character that the whisky is meant to reflect.

Bushmills Steamship Collection Rum Cask Reserve Triple Distilled Rare Release 0.7L 40% Bushmills Steamship Collection Following Sherry, Port and Bourbon Cask Reserve, comes the fourth bottling in the Steamshop Collection from the Bushmills distillery, which is intended for the travel retail market. To mark the 125th anniversary of the maiden voyage of the steamship SS Bushmills, which first traveled to America in 1890, the fourth whisky in the Steamshop Collection is set to impress across the board. The owners of the Bushmills distillery at the time brought back a wide variety of barrels from their journey from America via Asia, including rum barrels, Oloroso Sherry Casks and various other types of barrels with which they wanted to further improve their whisky. For the anniversary edition, the whisky was left to mature in rum casks this time, although it is not entirely clear whether the maturation took place continuously in these barrels or whether it was simply finished here. What is certain, however, is that this resulted in a rich and balanced whisky with tropical fruit notes, interesting spices and a hint of vanilla, which impresses with a creamy finish.

Wild Turkey Straight Bourbon Whiskey 1.0L 50.5% Wild Turkey Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a full-bodied whiskey, copper and amber in color, with hints of maple, lavender, dried peaches, a little honey and walnuts. Wild Turkey Rye Whiskey dances fiery and sharp in the mouth and is very intense in taste, has an oily, heavy character and wonderfully expresses the spiciness typical of rye. The beautiful balance between spice and wood notes, paired with slightly nutty aromas, makes this rye whiskey an affordable alternative to many high-priced rye whiskey bottlings. Wild and impetuous, an outstanding whiskey!

Wild Turkey Longbranch 1.0L 43% Wild Turkey Distilling Company The Ripy brothers founded the Texan Ripy distillery in 1869 in Lawrenceburg Kentucky. They had their breakthrough a few years later at the Chicago World Fair in 1893, where they were allowed to represent the state of Kentucky with their whiskey. Their whiskey quickly became very well known beyond the borders of Kentucky. However, it did not receive its name 'Wild Turkey Whisky' until almost a century later. When distillery manager Thomas McCarthy was hunting with friends and toasted 'wild turkeys', the name 'Wild Turkey Bourbon' was born. Collaboration with film star In order to create a connection between the states of Texas and Hollywood, the distillery developed a special whiskey. With Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey, who has been the distillery's brand ambassador since 2016, a wonderfully smooth 8-year-old straight bourbon whiskey with a fruity, sweet character was created. The filtering certainly contributed to the special taste. Here, the whiskey was not only filtered through wooden hollows made from American soft oak, but also charcoal from the Texas sweet chestnut tree. The taste is very complex with sweet and fruity nuances and spicy, smoky, peppery notes on the finish.

Catto's Blended Scotch Whisky 0.7L 40% A pioneer Whisky has always played an important role in Scotland. Many distilleries have existed for several hundred years, but only a few have had someone on the team who was revolutionary for the whisky industry. The Catto distillery in the Highlands has such a person. James Catto was the first to devote himself to the art of blending. In 1861 he brought the first product in this new direction onto the market, Catto's Rare Old Scottish Highland Scotch. Due to the location right on the harbor in his hometown of Aberdeen, it didn't take long for the blends to make it across international borders. Thanks to his acquaintance with the founders of the well-known P&O and Withe Star, Catto's whisky became number one on the very glamorous cruise ships of the time. Catto's Blended Scotch Whisky For the Rare Old Scottish Blended Scotch Whisky, only unpeated Highland and Speyside malts are used. These are mixed with Lowland Grain to create a whisky with a high malt content. A beautiful warm golden tone appears in the glass. The aroma of the whisky lies between fresh citrus fruits and warm honey. The taste and finish show spicy, rounded sweet notes.

Tenjaku Blended Whisky 0.7L 40% Japan Who hasn't seen the picturesque mountainous region around Mount Fuji in Japan? Tenjaku, not just the name of the whisky, but a town to the east of Kofu, in the Yamanashi region, is a very fertile land. High mountains and, above all, peach orchards and vineyards characterise the landscape. Tenjaku Blended Whisky A wonderful blend of single malt and grain whisky. After distillation, it is diluted with clear mountain spring water to a pleasant drinking strength of 40% vol. Light enjoyment, that is also what the label reflects. It depicts a sign of the harbinger of spring, Hibari, which in German best approximates the word Feldleche. The whisky should also reflect the freshness of spring and light enjoyment. The aroma has subtle smoky notes and a slight sweetness. On the palate, as expected, it is very mild and velvety soft. Vanilla, caramel and honey further refine the taste. Sweet fruit notes and oak notes round off the finish.

Nikka Tailored Blended Whisky 0.7L 43% Whisky from the top segment After the Japanese Msataka Taketsuru discovered his passion for whisky, his desire for more and more knowledge and to learn the art of distilling became so great that he decided to travel to the land of whisky, Scotland, to gain all the knowledge he could about the distillate. Driven by the vision of one day being able to produce his own Japanese whisky, Taketsuru absorbed every knowledge that had anything to do with whisky. After returning from Scotland, it took a few more years, but finally in 1934 he founded his own distillery, the Yoichi distillery in Hokkaido. A few years later, a second distillery followed, the Miyagikyo, where he wanted to produce whisky for blending in the Scottish style. Unfortunately, Taketsuru did not live to see much of his true success with the high-quality products, as he died in 1979. Nikka Tailored The aroma of the blended whisky impresses with round, fruity notes. In addition to apple, you can recognize apricot and white fruits along with notes of honey and dark chocolate. On the palate, the fruity-sweet notes are more reminiscent of baked cake with vanilla, as well as dark chocolate and citrus notes such as lemon and candied orange. The finish again reveals gentle vanilla and fruity-tart notes, accompanied by fine roasted aromas.

Macallan Edition No. 6 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 0.7L 48.6% Without packaging Success story since 1824 Scotland's first legal distillery has stood for the very best whisky since the early 1824s. At first, only blended whisky was produced on the banks of the Spey, but over the years, especially from the late 1960s, the company increasingly devoted itself to the production of single malts. But what exactly has contributed to the distillery's immense success, that has caused whisky to increase so enormously in value over the years? The secret of Macallan lies in the art of standing out from the crowd and thus not keeping up with the masses of whisky, as Jim Beam does, for example. The Macallan distillery continually brings strictly limited products onto the market, so they keep a close eye on each individual production and demand for the products remains high. Edition series One of these special 'small batch' bottlings, as they are often called, is the 'Edition series', which has had its last product in the form of 'Edition No. 6'. For Edition No. 6, Master Distiller Steven Bremner used five different cask types during the maturation phase. As is usual with Macallan, this can be seen on the packaging, where you can find the well-known cask image, which shows the cask types in layers. It is characterized by an incredibly harmonious and complex aroma. On the nose, it entices with the sweet aroma of red fruits and toffee, but also with spicy components such as oak and ginger. Ginger is even more evident on the palate, followed by orange notes, nutmeg and oak again. The finish also offers the full force of aromas: a great balance between fruit and spiciness lingers.

Nikka Yoichi Single Malt Whisky 0.7L 45% The history of Nikka Whisky The Nikka Single Malt Whisky Yoichi is produced by the Nikka beverage company in Japan. Its origins go back to 1934, when the then forty-year-old Japanese Masataka Taketsuru founded the Nikka company. The young Taketsuru went to Glasgow as a student in 1918 to study brewing technology. However, he soon realized that his passion was whisky and so he continued his studies in the Craggellachie, Lagavulin and Hazelburn distilleries, where he learned the art of distilling. After several years of teaching, he returned to Japan with his Scottish wife, whom he had married in the meantime, and took a job as production manager at the Yamazaki Distillery. Yamazaki was the first and only distillery in Japan at the time, and together with its boss Shinjiro Torii, Taketsuru brought the first whisky from Japan onto the market in 1929. Five years later, they parted ways and Masataka Taketsuru set up his own business with the Nikka Distillery. He got himself a small pot still and chose the small town of Yoichi on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido as the location for the Nikka distillery. The climatic conditions in Yoichi are similar to those in Scotland, which is why he found all the raw materials necessary for the production of Nikka whisky in the best quality. In 1940, Taketsuru was finally able to officially bring the first Nikka whisky onto the market, but had to cease production during the Second World War. After the end of the war, Nikka whisky went steadily uphill. Nikka now has several distilleries and is the second best-selling whisky in the country. The production of the Nikka Single Malt Whisky Yoichi The Nikka Single Malt Whisky Yoichi is still produced in the original Nikka distillery in Yoichi. There it is produced in a very traditional way using the methods learned by Masataka Taketsuru in Scotland. The pot stills in Yoichi, for example, are fired with charcoal and the whisky is then carefully stored in oak barrels and finally bottled at a strong 45% ABV. The taste of the Nikka Single Malt Whisky Yoichi The Nikka Single Malt Whisky Yoichi is probably one of the most typical whiskies from Nikka. On the nose, the Nikka Single Malt Whisky Yoichi has a delicate smoky aroma and pleasant fruity notes. On the palate, the Nikka Single Malt Whisky Yoichi presents fine malty aromas that end in a silky smooth aftertaste. We recommend the Nikka Single Malt Whisky Yoichi to anyone who wants to approach Japanese whisky in an uncomplicated way.

The Ileach Peated Islay Malt Whisky 0.7L 40% The Ileach Whisky The Scottish single malt whisky is a minor celebrity on the island of Islay. It takes its name from the Gaelic and is the name for an inhabitant of the island. For a very long time, the distillery's whisky was only available to buy on the island. Since 1999, however, we in Germany have also been lucky enough to be able to enjoy Islay whisky. It is produced by the Highlands & Islands Scotch Whisky Co. distillery and is a worthy representative of the island's taste. Unfortunately, we do not have an exact age, but one thing is clear: it is a strong, peaty, smoky whisky. In 2008, it even received a review from Jim Murray, who gave it 94 out of 100 points. On the nose, it is reminiscent of the rugged coasts of Islay and exudes smoky and peaty notes. On the palate, however, these are not quite as pronounced and are somewhat softened by fine spicy notes.

Nikka Miyagikyo Japanese Non Age Blended Whisky 0.7L 45% Nikka Miyagikyo Japanese Whisky is produced by the Nikka Whisky Distilling Company on the Japanese island of Honshu and has a light gold color.Nikka Miyagikyo Whisky has a rather floral taste, with fresh notes of green apples, tones of sherry and a lively, silky body. The aftertaste is soft, with pleasant freshness.

Jack Daniels Bottled in Bond 100 Proof Tennessee Whiskey 1.0L 50% 100 Proof Botteld in Bond The newest member and a limited release bottling of the Jack Daniels family was first bottled for the travel retail market, but is now also available elsewhere. This 'Botteld in Bond' is intended to commemorate the year 1897. At that time, the US government passed the so-called 'Botteld-in-Bond Act'. In the 19th century, whisky was not usually bottled, which meant that many shop owners who wanted to sell it added additives or diluted the whisky after purchasing it from the distilleries in order to make more profit. Jack Daniels was one of the first companies to start bottling whisky in 1895. This was to ensure that no one could subsequently change anything in the whisky. The Botteld in Bond Act set certain requirements for the whisky to ensure its quality. One of these was, for example, bottling as 100 proof (for us that means 50% vol.) or the whisky could only come from one distillery in order to receive the quality award. Taste of the new Jack Daniels It is a very rich and strong whisky with an intense character. When you open the bottle, a lush aroma exudes. Notes of dried fruit with cinnamon, caramelized sugar and the sweet note of almonds. If you then pour a sip into the glass and let it react with the air for a moment, a wonderfully fruity bouquet opens up. You can taste green apples and the aroma of baked bananas, a little sweet Canadian maple syrup and the spice of black pepper. The aftertaste is excellent with notes of oak and toffee, ending in a persistent, warming finish.

1792 Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon 0.7L 62.50% World Whisky of the year If you are a small distillery in the whisky sector, it sometimes takes time to establish yourself on the market, or you need a special award to be able to play at the top. Back in 2018, the distillery received the award for 'World's Best Bourbon' at the World Whisky Awards for its 1792 Full Proof Bourbon. For 2020, Jim Murray, a well-known and respected author in the whisky industry, has once again given his annual assessment. This year, for the most important category in the whisky industry, the 'World Whisky of the Year', he chose a whisky from a small distillery, the Barton 1792. This is said to have achieved an incredible 97.5 out of 100 possible points. And not only that, the distillery's whiskeys also came in second and third place. 1792 Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon With the 1792 Full Proof Bourbon, the distillery has brought its fourth limited release version onto the market. The maturation period for this bourbon is 8 ½ years and takes place in various warehouses that are flooded with daylight/sunlight through surrounding windows. The taste can be described as follows: A powerful whiskey with fine vanilla notes and the aroma of dried, dark red cherries. A wonderful aroma of oak and sweet caramel notes can also be detected.

Glenalmond Highland Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 0.7L 40% Vintage Malt Whisky Co. After several years as export director of one of the best known Scottish whisky distilleries, Brian Crook founded what is now Vintage Malt Whisky Co. in 1992. Since its founding, the company's aim has been to make Scotland's best malt whiskies accessible to independent wine and spirits importers from all over the world. His idea was exactly the right path; today the company is one of the leading independent bottlers in Scotland. Glenalmond Highland Blended Malt Scotch Whisky In addition to typical whisky notes such as vanilla and caramel, the new addition to the Glenalmond distillery also surprises with aromas of malt and honey. On the palate, it surprises with fruity notes such as cherry. Due to the maturation in ex-bourbon and sherry casks, an undertone of spiced wood is always present.

Arran Single Malt Whisky Sauternes Finish 0.7L 50% Wine Finish Series The whisky varieties in the wine finish series are all finished in specially selected wine barrels after distillation and the actual maturation period of a good 8 years in an ex bourbon cask. This special bottling was finished in French Sauternes white wine barrels from Bordeaux. The exact maturation period is meticulously controlled by master distiller James MacTaggert himself and cannot be set in general terms. He waits for exactly the right moment when the optimal balance between fruitiness and sweetness has been achieved. This not only creates a pleasantly sweet taste, but also its golden hue. The aroma moves between floral notes, slightly sweet almonds and marzipan and is topped off with a slightly spicy tough. The taste offers a fine aroma of sweet, sticky honey with spices, but there is also a more bitter note of toasted oak.

Arran Single Malt Whisky Amarone Finish 0.7L 50% Scotland The Arran distillery comes from the Scottish Isle of Arran of the same name and is the only distillery there for over 150 years, as the Lagg Distillery was once located there from 1825 to 1837. Compared to many other whisky distilleries in Scotland, the Arran distillery is a relatively young one. It was only built in the early 1990s by Harold J. Currie, the former managing director of Seagram, and whisky was first produced in the mid-1990s. The distillery opened in 1997. Whisky from the distillery has therefore only been available on the market since 2001. Range You will often find single barrel bottlings of the brand that have undergone a special finish in different barrels such as sherry, cognac or rum. Amarone Finish Amarone is a special Italian red wine from the Veneto region. This is not a wine that you enjoy with food. An Amarone is a comparatively heavy wine, but still has a wealth of aromas. On the nose, fruity notes such as sweet and sour currants or raspberries paired with wood spices appear and develops into a soft, sweet whisky on the palate. Here, too, the memory of red fruits is strong. A light sweetness of honey and spicy aromas are also present. The creamy Amarone whisky fades slowly but powerfully with fruit and oak notes.

Aerstone Single Malt Whisky 10 Years Landcask 0.7L 40% William Grant & Sons William Grant & Sons has made a name for itself in recent years, particularly with the best-known whisky distilleries Glenfiddich and Balvenie. But the company's portfolio now also includes many smaller distilleries. One of these distilleries, which is now under the patronage of William Grant & Sons, is the Ailsa Bay Distillery. The Ailsa Bay Distillery can be found on the grounds of the Girvan Distillery. It is the youngest of all the distilleries in Scotland and was built in just nine months. They exclusively produce whisky for blends from William Grant & Sons here. Lowland Whisky If you compare the Aerstone 10 year old Land Cask with other representatives of the Lowlands, you have to clearly emphasize that this is one of the few representatives of smoky whisky from the Lowlands. This makes it the exact opposite of another product from Aerstone Whisky, namely the Sea Cask. This matured for 10 years in warehouses near the rugged Ayrshire coast and the Land Casks in the Lowlands. The aroma of the whisky matured in the country is between earthy peat smoke and sweet vanilla and candied orange notes. This is also reflected in the taste. A silky soft character that also surprises with salty caramel notes and a splash of fruity, fresh lime. A pleasant note of smoke paired with a not too intrusive fruity sweetness continues into the finish.

Old Pulteney Single Malt Whisky 18 years 0.7L 46% History of Old Pulteney The distillery was founded in 1826 by Mr. James Henderson. He chose the perfect location, right by the fishing port of Wick in the north of Scotland. It was common practice at the time, and one of the few transport routes, to ship whisky directly across the sea to all parts of the world. The distillery remained in family ownership for another 100 years, until it was finally sold to James Watson & Son in 1920, and later bought back by John Dewar & Son. The distillery did not remain in their possession for long, either, as DCL bought Old Pulteney in 1925, only to shut it down five years later. It took until after the Second World War, until 1951, for a lawyer named Cumming to buy the closed distillery. He already owned the Balblair Distillery. Today it belongs to Inver House Distillers. 18-year-old The 18-year-old edition of Old Pulteney offers a fruity bouquet. On the nose, it evokes memories of warm apple strudel, balanced with fine spices such as cinnamon, vanilla and raisins. Something chocolatey and a hint of oak join in and continue the aromatic journey on the palate. Something salty, reminiscent of a sea breeze, comes to the fore and continues with an aftertaste of roasted nuts and orange peel in a long finish. This whisky is to be enjoyed and not a run-of-the-mill product. It offers a fantastic combination of finesse, complexity and sophistication and presents itself with a deep amber color.

Black Bush Irish Whiskey 0.7L 40% Originally, this triple distilled Irish whiskey was known as Old Bushmills Special Old Liqueur Whiskey and was launched in 1934. Its black label prompted fans of this delicate tipple to change the rather long original name to Black Bush - a circumstance that was later taken into account by the Bushmills distillery and led to the name change. Black Bush Irish Whiskey matured largely in Spanish sherry casks and is a wonderful example of the high quality of Irish whiskeys. Strong with a full body, aromas of malt and sherry with nutty nuances. Black Bush, in fact!

Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey Old No. 7 - 0.7L 40% Jack Daniels Whiskey is not, as is often assumed, a bourbon whiskey, but the label proudly documents in large letters its origin from Tennessee, a neighboring state of Kentucky, in which there are now only 2 distilleries.Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey is filtered through maple charcoal before storage in the so-called Lincoln Country process and has a sweet, gentle character.Jack Daniels Old No. 7 Whiskey is golden amber in color and the nose offers aromas of burnt caramel, fruit tones and a little smoke. Sweet on the palate with tones of toffee and full body and character.

The Legendary Dark Silkie Blended Irish Whiskey 0.7L 46% The Sliabh Liag Peninsula The Sliabh Liag distillery of the same name is based in the tranquil town of Donegal on the peninsula of Ireland's west coast. The distillery is the first distillery in County Donegal in over 175 years, which was once a major distillery. The new establishment aims to bring this heritage back to life and create something that the entire community can be proud of. They named their whisky after the Irish seal mythical creatures, which, according to legend, are said to transform into irresistibly beautiful women on land. The legendary Dark Silkie Blended Irish Whiskey This whisky is a tribute to the old Donegal whiskies of days long gone. With the new variant of the Legendary Silkie Irish Whisky, the company is breaking new ground and is open to change. For the Silkie Dark Blended Irish Whisky, double-distilled single malts are mixed with triple-distilled, peaty single malts and finally married with soft grain whisky. On the palate it is flattering and very soft. It has a pleasant sweetness that is not too strong.

Highland Park Single Malt Whisky 21 Years November 2019 Release 0.7L 46%