The archive

Single Malt Islay Whisky

Distilled at a distillery located on the North of Islay. For legal reasons we cannot reveal the location of the distillery.

Matured in a first fill Olorosso Sherry butt for a full 14 years, cask number #1828.

About the distillery

Islay is renowned for producing Scotland's most distinct and recognizable Whiskies. The small island which enjoys 130 miles of coastline and it’s own micro climate has distilled Whisky with a limited number of exceptional distilleries for centuries. We were very fortunate to obtain this beautiful single butt from a private collector but due to the gravity of the butt the name had to remain secret.

The light quality of the spirit produced from this distillery’s large stills have allowed for a delightfully balanced sherry influence. We were so impressed by the wood’s condition after the Secret Islay maturation that we have opted to use the Butt again, as it has so much left to give, for the further maturation of a Caol ila.

Tasting notes

Medjool dates, maple syrup and ginger

Price includes complimentary delivery and presentation carton box.

Tullibardine is an active distillery located at Blackford in Perthshire. Although the distillery is part of the Highland region, it is located just below the Speyside region due to the way regional map cuts around Speyside. 

The distillery has a long history, stretching back as far as 1488 when it was the site of an ancient brewery where King James IV bought ale on his way to Scone palace. The distillery was built in 1949, making it a relatively modern distillery. The name derives from the Gaelic ‘tullach bhardainn’, meaning hill of warning and its water comes from the Danny burn. The distillery currently lives outside the ownership of the big whisky conglomerates, with its own cooperage, warehouse and bottling hall on site.

The distillery was reawakened in 2003 after lying dormant since 1994. The new owners invested heavily in exceptional casks for their new spirit, the benefits of which we can enjoy now. Distillation was supervised by Master Distiller John Black, who regrettably passed away in 2013. 

Tullbardine produces well-balanced distillates of medium body and sweetness encompassing low malty notes and hints of sherry, honey and spice.

The cask was matured in a first-fill bourbon barrel for a full 11 years, giving it a distinct bourbon sweetness. 

On the palate expect flavours of creamy vanilla fudge with white chocolate bringing a vanilla sweetness and milk qualities, enhanced by a scattering of spicy black pepper.

Enjoy complimentary delivery in the UK. Delivery to anywhere outside the UK will cost an additional £20.00

Ardmore is an active distillery located within the Highland region near Huntly in Aberdeenshire. Founded in 1898 its name translates from Gaelic as ‘big promontory’. 

The distillery was created to provide a good-quality smoky spirit for blends and so for a long time it was very rare to find an Ardmore single malt.

The distillate produced is of a medium peat level, with a medium-body and sweetness, expressing malty and sherry notes with hints of honey and spice. 

This release of Ardmore was matured for 8 years in a first-fill bourbon barrel #2615b. Distilled on the 13th of October 2007. We took 50 litres to mature in a Pedro Ximenez sherry octave in the hope the spirit would extract those incredibly sweet sherry flavours. In no more than 3 months we had achieved that with a yield of 58 bottles.

On the nose, enjoy marzipan, honey and almonds with a lingering smokiness and hints of seaweed. The palate is immersed in strawberry bubble-gum with a smoky aftertaste.

Ardmore is an active distillery located within the Highland region near Huntly in Aberdeenshire. Founded in 1898 its name translates from Gaelic as ‘big promontory’. 

The distillery was created to provide a good-quality smoky spirit for blends and so for a long time it was very rare to find an Ardmore single malt.

The distillate produced is of a medium peat level, with a medium-body and sweetness, expressing malty and sherry notes with hints of honey and spice. 

This release of Ardmore was matured for 8 years in a first-fill bourbon barrel #2615b. Distilled on the 13th of October 2007 and bottled 4th of May 2018 at cask strength with no artificial colouring. 

The yield was relatively low at 173 bottles because around 50 litres were taken to be finished in an octave for a separate release.

Our tasting revealed sweet smoked bacon on the nose, with a maple syrup sweetness and cornflakes with added toasted grain notes on the palate and a lingering smoky aftertaste.

Price includes complimentary delivery and presentation card.

Single Malt Islay Whisky

Octave 170000006B yielded 59 bottles

50 litres of eight year old Single Malt was taken from a secret distillery on North Islay and carefully matured in a 2nd fill Pedro Ximenez Octave for 4 months. Marrying the intense flavours of Islay with the dark sweet fruits of Pedro Ximenez Sherry.

Tasting notes

Leather, brine and salted caramel

About the release

Pedro Ximenez has a reputation as one of the finest styles of Sherry being naturally sweet and intense. An Octave can only fit approximately 50 litres of spirit and the greater wood to spirit contact, compared to a traditional hogshead, encourages more flavour extraction from the oak but evaperation increases meaning the yield is further reduced. We can't reveal the distillery where the single malt was distilled, only that the distillery is located on North Islay and that it is peated but it is very recognizable upon taste...

Price includes complimentary delivery and presentation carton box

Single Malt Speyside whisky

Barrel #13209 yielded 243 bottles

Distilled on the 10th of September 2007 and bottled 22nd January 2018 at cask strength with no artificial colouring. 

The light bodied sweet spirit has soaked in the lavish bourbon flavours from the first fill barrel.

This is a great example of a bourbon barrel Whisky and one for traditional bourbon lovers

Tasting notes

Buttery walnut, drippy honey, apricot

About the Distillery.

Mannochmore was founded in 1971 in the heart of Speyside, south of Elgin in Morayshire. The distillery's water source is the Bardon Burn which it shares with Glenlossie distillery.

The majority of the distillery's output is used in Diageos finest blends, making single malt releases and in particular single cask releases very rare. Despite it's lack of public exposure the distillery has produced cult releases such as the 'Cu Dhub' and the 'Black Whisky'.

Price includes complimentary delivery and presentation carton box

Temporarily unavailable

Single Grain Lowland Whisky

We acquired just 63 bottles from the Bourbon Hogshead #54459

Distilled on the 22nd of April 1991 and bottled 22nd January 2018 at cask strength with no artificial colouring.

The cask was acquired through a private seller looking for urgent bottling due to the ABV dropping quicker than anticipated. However, what made this Whisky of particular interest was it's heavier body for a grain Whisky and yet it still retained a light sweet taste on the palate,

Tasting notes

Ripe banana, sweet toffee and coffee

About the release

Only our 2nd Single grain release since we started in 2012 and so it had to be a good one! 

Founded in 1963, the distillery has since produced a vast amount of essential stock for blending. Due to the workhorse nature of the distilley single casks have been relatively rare despite them releasing a great batch of releases in the mid 1990s for exclusive release in Europe under the name Black Barrel.

Our old cask has been bottled as a matter of urgency as the ABV was dropping due to the low volume in the cask but the aromas are a grain delight, typical of older well matured grains ideal for sipping.

Price includes complimentary delivery and presentation carton box

Silent Single Grain Lowland Whisky

Butt #61981 yielded 55 bottles

Distilled on the August 1991 and bottled November 2017 at cask strength with no artificial colouring.

A lowland distillery with origins from 1806 but ceasing distillation in 1993

Matured fully in an Oloroso Butt, 50 litres were taken to be finished in a first fill sherry octave for a prolonged period resulting in these 55 bottles.

Tasting notes

Cherries, dates and leather

Price includes complimentary delivery and presentation carton box

Single Malt Island Whisky

Butt #900154 yielded 353 bottles

Distilled on the 2nd of October 2008 and bottled July 2017 at cask strength with no artificial colouring.

We described this as a mighty Sherry bomb from the Inner Hebrides because of it's intense colour and strength. The spirit managed an incredible amount of extraction during the relatively short maturation period which was likely due to the high alcohol original fill. This Tobermory could have enjoyed further maturation but we felt it was suitable for consumption now based on the deep flavours already obtained.

Tasting notes

Molasses, cocoa and raisin

ABOUT THE DISTILLERY

Founded in 1798 on the largest Island on the Inner Hebrides, the unspoiled Isle of Mull. The water source remains the Mishnish Lochs.

Price includes complimentary delivery and presentation carton box