Whisk(e)y

The Laphroaig 10 years old is ”the most richly flavoured of all Scotch whiskies” as they say it at this Islay distillery. A core range single malt with lots of peat, smoke and a hint of iodine. This The Boot Bag is a giftpack consisting of a 750ml bottle of the 10yo packed in a green rubber bag like a Wellie boot.

Distilled in 1989, this rare single malt whisky has been carefully nurtured for three decades in our finest Sherry hogsheads and Bourbon barrels. Bottled at a cask strength of 45.3%, this 30-Year-Old is a celebration of Bowmore’s rich fruity and subtly smoky style.

No exaggeration – here’s a dram for those who seriously reflect on flavour, want high ABV and relish super heavily peated whiskies. We mustn’t forget with Octomore that it’s much more than a peat monster.

Edition 14.3 of Bruichladdich’s Octomore series was made with 100% Concerto Barley from Octomore farm on Islay and matured for five years in first-fill ex-American whiskey casks and second-fill wine casks.

Black Art 11 has been created using pre-renaissance casks from Bruichladdich Distillery (pre-2001) which have been safeguarded and maturing on Islay for 24 years.

From Diageo’s most prestigious whisky range comes this superb 1997 Lagavulin. Matured in three refill American oak casks, it was bottled in 2022 at a considerable 25-years-old. Aromas of carbolic soap, birchwood bonfires and bergamot oil fill the nose and lead to notes of lapsang souchong and sea spray on the palate.

This 2023-release continues the collaboration between Bowmore’s master blender Ron Welsh and Aston Martin’s chief creative officer, Marek Reichman. Matured in a combination of American oak and ex-oloroso sherry casks for 22 years, this whisky offers aromas of heather, honey, cherry, lychee, tobacco leaves and aniseed on the nose.

The 2022 release of Talisker 30 Year Old has spent all of those decades maturing in American oak. In that time, all that coastal smoke has been sweetly mellowed, and the peated Scotch is joined by plenty of pepper notes, along with ripe orchard fruits, and drizzles of salted caramel.

The fourth volume in Laphroaig's Ian Hunter Story series is a 1987-vintage single malt that was matured in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels and finished in first-fill European oak ex-oloroso sherry casks, before being bottled at 34-years-old.

Octomore 13.1 is as youthful and dynamic as its super-heavily peated predecessors. Distilled patiently from the 2015 harvest of 100% Scottish Mainland barley, this single malt is malted to a stratospheric 137.3 PPM and matured in the highest quality American oak casks. ABV: 59.2%.

The Bowmore 22 Year Old Aston Martin Masters’ Selection is a luxurious Islay single malt Scotch whisky, crafted in collaboration with the legendary automotive brand. Aged for 22 years, this exceptional whisky boasts rich notes of dark chocolate, dried fruits, and signature peat smoke, delivering a smooth and complex experience.

Nose: Smoke rises with a cloying sweetness. Intense, pungent and aromatic, a distinctive farmyard scent drifts, along with a crunchy aroma, like creosote or tarry rope. A splash of water disturbs the vapours and dark chocolate cream billows, laced with a ribbon of smoked artichoke.

Lagavulin Distillers Edition benefited from refining in second maturing Pedro Ximenez sherry casks, which contained a wine made from sun-dried grapes with intense flavors. Masterfully chosen for its grainy sweetness, it magically accentuates and deepens every aspect of the rich and intense character of Lagavulin.

The enriched Talisker, Amoroso seasoned casks impart a wonderfully rounded and luscious, fruity sweetness, complementing the familiar crisp, dry peat smoke and pepperiness.

Part of the 2022 lineup of Diageo's Special Releases, this 12-year-old Lagavulin is a deliciously peaty Islay single malt that was matured in American oak refill and virgin oak casks, then bottled at 114.6 proof. Sweet, spicy, and intensely smoky, it's the iconic Lagavulin, doing what it does best.