Review | Glen Grant The Glasshouse Collection

The Speyside distillery of Glen Grant has revealed a new set of whiskies named The Glasshouse Collection. The trio represent the oldest permanent expressions to be released by the distillery. They also represent the final bottlings created by legendary Dennis Malcolm OBE, the legendary Master Distiller who is due to retire shortly after over 60 years at Glen Grant. 

The collection is inspired by James 'The Major' Grant - a key figure in Glen Grant's history. He was an avid plant collector and travelled the world during the Victorian era, bringing specimens back to Scotland to grow in a huge greenhouse that he built on the distillery grounds. The different names refer to how the light changes during the day in the glasshouse. 

Review | The Singleton Gardens of Abundance Collection

The Singleton Scotch whisky single malt brand has a new core range that will be exclusive to the travel retail market - The Singleton Gardens of Abundance Collection. The new series features four expressions, each featuring a different cask make-up. These are named Radiant Spring Garden, Golden Autumn Orchard, Exotic Spice Grove, and Deep Forest Riches. 

Review | The Glenallachie 35 years old

The Speyside distillery of Glenallachie has announced the launch of its oldest single malt whisky to date - The Glenallachie 35 years old. The whisky has been released to represent the distillery’s unwavering commitment to cask craftsmanship and small-batch whiskies, and has been crafted by Billy Walker, the owner and Master Distiller at Glenallachie.  

Review | Glenfiddich Perpetual Collection Vat 01

The Perpetual Collection is a series of whiskies created by the famous Speyside distillery of Glenfiddich. The series is exclusive to the travel retail market and are therefore only available in selected airports worldwide. The final whiskies are taken from huge marrying solera vats at the distillery. These have never been emptied, hence the 'perpetual' tag, and are said to contain some very old whisky. 

Review | Glenallachie 15 years old

The 15 years old forms part of the compact core single malt range from the Speyside distillery of Glenallachie. It sits alongside expressions released at 12- and 18-years of age, plus the 10 years old Cask Strength. The Glenallachie 15 years old sees initial maturation in ex-bourbon, before a lengthy finishing period in ex-Oloroso and ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry puncheons and butts. The core range has been created by Billy Walker - the co-owner and Master Blender of Glenallachie. The Glenallachie 15 years old is bottled at 46% ABV and is both non-chill filtered and of natural colour. It is available from specialist retailers worldwide. A bottle should cost around £65.

Review | Glenallachie 12 years old

The 12 years old forms the cornerstone of the core single malt range from the Speyside distillery of Glenallachie. It sits alongside expressions released at 15- and 18-years of age, plus the 10 years old Cask Strength which is released in batches. The Glenallachie 12 years old features a combination of three cask types - first-fill ex-bourbon, first-fill ex-Oloroso sherry and virgin American oak. This whisky, and the rest of the core range, have been created by Billy Walker - the co-owner and Master Blender of Glenallachie.The Glenallachie 12 years old is bottled at 46% ABV and is both non-chill filtered and of natural colour. It is available from specialist retailers worldwide. A bottle should cost around £45.

Review | Speyburn 18 years old

This 18 years old single malt form part of the core range from the Speyside distillery of Speyburn. It sits the no age statement Bradan Orach, plus 10 years old and 15 years old in the range. There are also three travel retail exclusives currently available - Hopkins Reserve, a higher strength version of the 10 years old and 16 years old. The Speyburn 18 years old has seen spirit matured for the full term in either American oak ex-bourbon or Spanish oak ex-sherry casks, which are then married together. It was first released to the core range in 2018.

Review | A Good Old-Fashioned Christmas Whisky (2023 Edition)

Each November, the renowned spirits retailer The Whisky Exchange releases a special single malt for the forthcoming festive period - A Good Old-Fashioned Christmas Whisky. The annual release tends to lean towards rich, bold ex-sherry cask characteristics and the 2023 Edition is no different. The whisky is a 15 years old single malt from an unnamed Speyside distillery and has been entirely matured in ex-sherry casks sourced from Spain. These are both first-fill and re-fill, which were then married together.

Review | Meikle Tòir by Glenallachie

 

Meikle Tòir, which translates from Gaelic as 'big pursuit', is a new peated single malt brand from the Speyside distillery of Glenallachie. The range features peated spirit produced at Glenallachie since Master Blender Billy Walker and The Glenallchie Distillers Co. took over in mid-2017. Previous to this no peated whisky had ever been distilled there. The range has four editions in the 2023 batch, each aged five years.

Review / Glen Moray Twisted Vine

This whisky is a new permanent addition to their core range from the Speyside distillery of Glen Moray. The Glen Moray Twisted Vine has been matured in ex-Cognac casks made from French oak. These were sourced from the famous brandy producing region of Cognac in France. It is the latest release from the distillery to be from an 'unorthodox cask type', something that Glen Moray has a reputation for. The packaging shows a vine with golden grapes against a blue background. The single malt is supported by an advert campaign and bar activations in four UK cities. Glen Moray Twisted Vine is bottled at 40% ABV and will be available in UK specialist retailers and selected markets. A bottle will cost £28/ $US35. 

Review / Dalmunach 6 years old

This new whisky is the inaugural bottling from the Speyside distillery of Dalmunach that is available for general release. The Dalmunach 6 years old will form part of a trilogy of whiskies from the distillery in a series named Mythical Creatures. All will be inspired by Scottish mythology. The first features the wulver, a mysterious beast said to hunt and fish around the coast of the remote Shetland isles. The whisky has been matured in American oak ex-bourbon casks and will be exclusive to The Whisky Exchange. The Dalmunach 6 years old Mythical Creatures 'Wulver' is bottled at 60% ABV and will cost £59.95 per bottle. To purchase - click here.

Review / Benromach 40 years old (2022 Edition)

The small traditional Speyside distillery of Benromach has announced the second annual release of its rare 40 years old. It follows a similar 2021 release, which scooped the Best In Show prize at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2022. The new edition has been created from a handful of ex-sherry casks selected by Keith Cruickshank, the Distillery Manager at Benromach. It is the distillery's oldest age statement release. 

Review / Tamnavulin White Wine Cask Edition

This new whisky is the latest addition to the core range of Tamnavulin, the up-and-coming Speyside single malt brand. The Tamnavulin White Wine Cask Edition follows a series of successful ex-red wine cask expressions that have been launched over the last two years. The new whisky was initially matured in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels before being transferred for a finishing period in ex-Sauvignon Blanc wine casks. White wine casks are used much less than red or fortified wine casks for maturing whisky. The Tamnavulin White Wine Cask Edition is bottled at 40% ABV and is available now in the UK and USA, and will be shortly available in selected European markets. A bottle will cost £32/ $42 US/ €38.

Review / Glenallachie 8 years old

This new whisky is the latest expression to enter the core range of the Speyside single malt distillery of Glenallachie (pronounced glen-alla-key). The Glenallachie 8 years old sees whisky from four different cask types married together. These are virgin oak casks, ex-red wine barriques, plus ex-Oloroso and ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry puncheons. The casks were hand selected by Billy Walker, the Master Blender for Glenallachie, for this first batch. It is bottled at 46% ABV and is both non chill-filtered and of natural colour. The Glenallachie 8 years old will be available via specialist whisky retailers worldwide and is expected to retail for £42.50/ $55.50 US.

Review / Craigellachie 13 years old Armagnac Cask Finish

The Speyside distillery of Craigellachie has revealed a new range of single malts and the first whisky in that range. This Craigellachie 13 years old Armagnac Cask Finish bottling kicks off the Craigellachie Cask Collection. The series is designed to show off the distillery's heavy style of single malt, which is created through the use of traditional worm tub condensers. The concept will see whisky finished in barrels from other spirit producing regions that use similar traditional methods. Initial maturation was in re-fill and re-charred American oak ex-bourbon barrels. The whisky was then transferred to French oak Bas-Armagnac brandy casks sourced from a distillery in the Gascony region of France.

Review / Glenallachie Wood Finishes (2021 Releases)

These three new limited editions from the boutique Speyside distillery of Glenallachie will go into their Wood Finishes Series. The latest additions feature whiskies finished in ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry, ex-Ruby Port and ex-Madeira wine casks. All have been created in small batches and are bottled at 48% ABV. They are also all non chill-filtered and of natural colour. Exact numbers of each bottling have not been revealed.

Review / Glen Moray Barolo Finish

This whisky is the latest addition to the Speyside distillery of Glen Moray's limited edition Warehouse 1 Collection. The series is designed to show some of the experiments and hidden gems maturing in the Elgin distillery's premium warehouse. The new whisky is the oldest in the collection to date and follows Tokaji and Sauternes wine expressions. It was distilled and filled to ex-bourbon casks in 1998, before being finished for 18 months in ex-Barolo wine barrels sourced from the Piedmont region of Italy. There are just 863 bottles available and they will be exclusive to the UK market including specialist whisky retailers and the distillery shop.

Review / Benriach Malting Season (First Edition)

This whisky is a very special new limited edition from the innovative Speyside distillery of Benriach. The Benriach Malting Season is the first in over a century that uses barley malted exclusively at the distillery using the traditional floor maltings that were restored in 2012. This First Edition has seen the spirit produced from the floor malted barley then matured in ex-bourbon and virgin oak casks. There are 23 casks in total and they were married together by Dr. Rachel Barrie, the Master Blender for Benriach, to create the final product. This inaugural release used a variety of barley called concerto. Benriach is one of only two distilleries in Speyside to have an operational floor malting. Balvenie is the other.

Allotment Drams / Bimber Oloroso Cask & Spey Chairman's Choice

Matt is back at the allotment and has two more whiskies to review. First, he takes a look at Batch #4 of the Bimber Oloroso Cask and talks about the London-based distillery and its phenomenal early success. Then discover his thoughts and tasting notes on this limited edition single malt. 

Then on his next visit to the plot, he heads back to Scotland and the small Speyside single malt brand of Spey. This is distilled at the Speyside distillery near Kingussie and is beginning to gain some decent awards. Watch as Matt gives a few details about the distillery and the Chairman's Choice bottling, before going on to give his thoughts and tasting notes.

To keep up-to-date with our latest videos or to watch previous episodes of the Allotment Dram series, then please subcribe to our YouTube channel by clicking here.

#AllotmentDram

 

Review / Tamnavulin Red Wine Cask Edition

This whisky forms part of the core range from the Speyside distillery of Tamnavulin. The Red Wine Cask Edition has first been matured in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels before a finishing period in ex-Cabernet Sauvignon wine barrels sourced from France. It sits alongside two other wine cask finished whiskies in the range. These have been part-matured in ex-Grenache and ex-Pinot Noir wine barrels. All three are released with no age statement. The core range also features the best-selling Double Cask, the Sherry Cask Edition, a travel retail exclusive Tempranillo Finish and a series of limited edition vintages dating back to 1970.