The archive

DISTILLED on 8th January 2010 and BOTTLED on 12th September 2023

A medium bodied spirit with a strong balance of fruity, floral and spice notes. Matured in a hogshead and re-racked in 2018 into a profiler ex-wine barrique, sourced from J Dias Cooperage for the remaining years.

This distillery produces a light and dry spirit that we see as a blank canvas to offer additional cask flavours. In this case, the whisky has spent over 5 years finish in a profiler wine barrique produced by the J.Dias cooperage in Portugal. The process of producing these casks, unique to J.Dias, is similar to an STR cask however, the toasting and re-charring is more gentle. This retains more of the residual wine flavours opposed to the intense oak from traditional STR casks.

Tasting revealed - black cherry, hazelnut chocolate and juicy citrus fruits.

DISTILLED on 17th November 2014 and BOTTLED on 29th September 2023

Our latest ‘Myosotis’ bottling - the Latin name for the ’Forget-Me-Not’ flower. This is the perfect name for this bottling as it is a result of the remnants of a cask previously bottled to meet an exact yield. We rescued the nearly forgotten last drops to create a special edition of only 49 bottles. Fully matured in an ex-oloroso butt, this classic sherry bomb is surprisingly fresh and lively despite it’s rich and deep colour.

Tasting revealed - Black treacle, old leather and dark chocolate orange.

DISTILLED on 13th February 2013 and BOTTLED on 13th September 2023

Founded in 1852 in central Speyside and recognised for producing a full bodied spirit with malty and smoky hints. Repacked into a fresh first fill ex-tawny port cask cask for rich dried fruit and caramel notes.

This full bodied malt is rarely seen out-with the world of independent bottlers. The extra weight of this spirit allows us to be more adventurous with our finishing cask and in this case, it stood up well to over 2 years finish in a tawny port cask that added luscious dried fruit, toffee and caramel notes to the whisky.

Tasting revealed - medjool dates, creme brûlée and new leather.

DISTILLED on 25th July 2013 and BOTTLED on 6th September 2023

A peaty distillate matured in a refill hogshead before being finished in a first fill ex-ruby port cask for eight months adding floral and red fruit notes.

Islay’s largest distillery by far produces one of the island’s purest and cleanest spirits. This lighter character backed up by a peaty backbone provides versatility when it comes to adding secondary cask maturation. In this case the finishing cask has added red fruit, floral and chocolate characteristics from more than 8 months in an ex-ruby port hogshead from our good friends at Josafer cooperage in Portugal.

Tasting revealed - charred seaweed, dark chocolate and stewed red fruits.

DISTILLED on 17th September 2013 and BOTTLED on 18th September 2023

Located near idyllic Pitlochry and with foundations dating back to 1778. The distillate is medium bodied, sweet and fruity. Fully Matured in a refill wine barrique.

This medium bodied highland malt gives us independent bottlers a lot of character to work with. In this case we have a single cask where the spirit has matured for its entire life in a refill ex-wine barrique allowing the spirit to take on a balance of the French oak notes and some softer wine characteristics over a longer period of intergration.

Tasting revealed - brioche, orange fondant and parmesan cheese.

DISTILLED on 19th January 2011 and BOTTLED on 9th August 2023

A light and fruity distillate matured in a traditional hogshead cask and then finished for over a year in an ex-Islay refill Pedro Ximenez octave for intense coastal notes and dried fruit sweetness.

A long time finish (by octave terms) in a cask that once held Caol Ila has imparted a rich smoky and dry oak spice character to the spirit. Not too much to lose the delicacy of the Speyside character..

Tasting revealed - Bergamot orange, sea shell and honey on toast.

DISTILLED on 20th May and BOTTLED on 18th July 2023

Founded in Banff by the river Deveron. Recognised for a medium bodied and sweet distillate with nutty and spice notes. Matured in a hogshead and then finished in a first fill ex-oloroso cask for six months.

Another distinctive highland whisky who’s medium bodied spirit is capable of standing up to a more aggressive oak influence. Hence the reason we chose this whisky for finishing in a quarter cask where the oak will be assertive in a short space of time due to the smaller than normal size of cask. The small cask has offered this spirit a delicious citrus and oak spice character.

Tasting revealed - orange marmalade, dark chocolate and ginger snaps.

DISTILLED on 14th December 1992 and BOTTLED on 4th July 2023

Fully matured in its original refill barrel for all of its 30 years, this old single grain whisky has been rescued from blended whisky obscurity and bottled by us right at its peak. This is our charity bottling this year where all profit from the bottles will go to our charity partner Big Hearts Community Trust who are based out of Tynecastle Park, conveniently next door to the North British distillery.

Tasting revealed - Dried coconut, peaches & cream and vanilla.

DISTILLED on 12th April 2011 and BOTTLED on 14th July 2023

Located just outside Elgin, the distillate is recognised as sweet and fruity with toffee notes. Matured in a butt and finished in a first fill Ex-Pedro Ximenez hogshead for six months for layers of dried fruit and spice.

Highly prized by blenders and easy to see why, this distillery is rarely represented by independent bottlers. This sophisticated Speyside whisky lends itself well to active cask maturation and that’s exactly what we have here. Matured for most of its life in a 2nd fill oloroso butt we then transferred it to a fresh ex-PX hogshead to add sweetness and enhance the sherry character already present.

Tasting revealed - New Leather, coffee chocolate and dried fruit.