Review / Kingsbarns Doocot

This new whisky is the first permanent bottling for global release from the Lowland distillery of Kingsbarns. The Kingsbarns Doocot is a non age statement single malt has seen maturation in ex-bourbon barrels and STR (shaved, toasted and recharred) ex-Portuguese red wine casks. The whisky is named after a dovecote (which translates as 'doocot' from Gaelic) at the distillery, which offers nesting and roosting spots for doves and pigeons. It is bottled at 46% ABV and is both non chill-filtered and of natural colour. The spirit has been produced using barley grown within a six mile radius of the distillery. The Kingsbarns Doocot will be available in specialist retailers worldwide with a bottle costing £45. 

Review / InchDairnie Ryelaw

This whisky is the highly anticipated first release from the Fife distillery of InchDairnie. The Ryelaw was distilled from a mix of 53% malted rye and 47% malted barley in 2017. Both cereals were grown at farms in the Kingdom of Fife, including Ryelaw Farm from which the whisky takes its name. The spirit was then matured in charred virgin American oak casks for five years. It has been bottled at 46.3% ABV and is both non chill-filtered and of natural colour. Ryelaw is made for just one week each year at the groundbreaking distillery, which features one of only two mash filters in the Scotch whisky industry (the other is at Teaninich in the Highlands) and a bespoke Lomond still. 

Review - Treacle Chest & Vanilla Burst by Wemyss Malts

The Wemyss family have released these two new whiskies as the first in a new series called The Family Collection. The collection has been crafted from whiskies held within the Wemyss family's own private portfolio of casks. These first two releases - entitled Treacle Chest and Vanilla Burst - represent two differing styles of whisky, one has been matured in ex-Sherry casks and the other in ex-bourbon casks. The names refer to the expected flavour characteristics from each cask type.