It seems to be that time of the month again, that is to say the appropriate moment to divulge a few delightful tipples that have been entertaining us as the nights draw in. Interestingly we seem to be taking a slight break from the somewhat stereotypical wintery warmer associations of sherry casks and smouldering peat smoke, instead leaning towards a more fruity, vanilla laden quartet.

There’s a classic, and “slightly” wallet-thinning Islander in the form of Highland Park’s ever-consistant 30 year old, while a long lost Lowlander is getting it’s second airing on the blog after an already favourable review. Then comes a surprise entry from India – in terms of the distillery at least – that had, until recently, been all but unknown to the whisky fraternity at large. Then finally we have a true cracker from the first batch of Buffalo Trace’s dependably excellent Antique Collection. Enjoy!

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It’s been too long since one of the Compass Box whiskies has featured on the blog, and that certainly isn’t down to a lack of new and interesting bottlings on their part. Last time we did take a look at one of John Glazer and Co’s releases it was a new addition to the company’s core range in the form of the Great Kings Street Arist’s Blend. This time around it’s a more limited bottling and 2012’s version of the much admired Flaming Heart.

This is the fourth incarnation of the company’s typically peated, annual blended malt and like the others this version has already found favour in a number of quarters. As before, this new version is composed of highland and Islay malts alongside Compass Box’s ubiquitous French oak, but this time a little sherry influenced stock has found its way into the mix. A comment must be levelled at the work that has clearly gone into the packaging of this release – and the vast majority of the company’s other bottlings for that matter, its simply beautiful; let’s hope the whisky is likewise.

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As far as any single scotch goes, Littlemill whisky must surely be a prime candidate for surprise of the year. Cask after cask –shared or otherwise – has come to the market and regardless of bottler, quality has been exceptionally high. The refill or bourbon casks have been both fresh, zesty and rounded while the sherry casks (such as the Littlemill 1988 Archives we reviewed in August) have offered varying degrees of contrasting, dark-fruited richness.

This example from the good chaps at The Whisky Barrel comes under their popular “Burns Malt” series and is listed as a Sherry Cask. Judging from the colour, it’s from fairly inactive refill wood and may therefore serve as a perfect contrast to that aforementioned, well sherried Archives release. What a shame it is that, along with a number of much loved distilleries, we are discovering such quality only after Littlemill is lost to history.

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If Japanese whisky now stands as an equal to Scotch, then it must be said that this status is owed in no small part to Karuizawa whisky. This sadly closed distillery was a small, craft orientated operation and resolutely adhered to a production centred around Golden Promise barley and the finest Sherry casks available. However, the quality of Karuizawa’s output was discovered too late as, like Port Ellen for example, the spirit requires long maturation to reach the heights that have garnered it such widespread praise in recent years.

This example was bottled for this year’s The Whisky Exchange -Whisky Show and managed to stand out among the events veritable Smörgåsbord of dramming delights – not to mention several other spectacular Karuizawa’s -. Its offers a rare opportunity to taste the distillery’s make devoid of the heavy sherry-influence that has helped build Karuizawa’s near mythical reputation, and thus maybe offering us a clearer glimpse of what was undoubtedly a top-quality new-spirit.

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Since 2001 Diageo’s annual special releases have offered up some of the most anticipated, hyped and desirable bottlings of any given year. It’s hardly surprising when you consider the featuring of such legendary names as Brora and Port Ellen, alongside unusual examples from much loved distilleries like Lagavulin or Talisker. It’s a set of bottings that has always excited drinkers, collectors and speculators alike though admittedly, by virtue of rising prices, the range now leans toward the latter.

This year sees the continued inclusion of the usually excellent 12 year old Lagavulin and the curious unpeated Caol Ila. Talisker is also represented once more, but this year sees the introduction of a 35 year old bottling rather than the more familiar 25 or 30. There’s another hugely desirable Port Ellen of course, and a 35 year old Brora –perhaps one of the last?-, both of which are sure to disappear in double quick time, even while sporting the highest retail prices yet. This year’s less predictable bottlings come in the form of a 25 year old Dalwhinnie, a sherried 30 year old from the rarely encountered Auchroisk and the re-introduction of the revered 21 year old Lagavulin.

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Gordon and MacPhail, a name now steeped in history and with a reputation for foresight and quality that spreads throughout the core of the industry and beyond. When blends were king and the words “Single Malt” were spoken by a reverent few, Gordon and MacPhail were quietly laying down stocks with the idea that soon enough, the output of a single distillery would be considered the pinnacle of sophistication for whisky drinkers. What was considered an eccentric idea at the time has now become an example of exceptional vision, a vision that has helped many distilleries through difficult times.

This unending faith in the quality and longevity of Scotch whisky is now paying great dividends, leaving this family owned company with some of the most enviable casks in existence. In March 2010 Gordon and MacPhail launched its Generations series and shared with the world a prime example of what has made their company different for so many years; the oldest whisky yet released. This 70 year old gem from the Mortlach distillery belied its age with a delicate grace and richly fruity personality. This was to be followed just a year later by a similarly remarkable Glenlivet whisky of the same age. The second batch – of the same bottling – has recently been launched in Canada, giving us a prime excuse to revisit and review this rather special whisky.

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It’s that time of the month again; we at WM towers have been attending to the “challenging” task of selecting a few favourite bottlings that we feel worthy of your consideration. It seems that the shifting seasons may be beginning to move our tastes away from the the more delicate, summery end of the flavour spectrum and back towards the rich and autumnal. This is hardly unusual of course and “playing to your palate” is rarely a bad idea.

This time around the common themes of sherry and peat feature across the board, with a group split between a pair of densely peaty old favourites from Islay, a recent, very well received BenRiach and another favourite from the ever-enlightening Amrut distillery of Bangalore. Regardless of seeming similarities in style this is a highly eclectic set of bottles, each with its own distinctive take on a theme, just as whisky should be. Enjoy

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An excellent trip to Balblair distillery a few weeks ago left me with every intension to talk about the new vintages we were fortunate enough to taste. However, such are the complexities of whisky, the visit served as a catalyst for a more contemplativemeander through the broader themes of whisky, marketing and people. Back to the reviews today though, and being as it’s both rather affordable and starting to reach retailers’ shelves, the 2002 is an ideal place to start these new releases. Incidentally, it seems all future vintages from the distillery will be bottled un-chill filtered, without artificial colour and at a minimum of 46% abv. Certainly something everyone here at Whisky Marketplace and the vast majority of whisky lovers will be pleased to hear.

The last “entry level” Balblair was, unsurprisingly, the Balblair 2001 – you can see Pierre waxing lyrical about that one on the first episode of the rather lovely WMTV whisky podcast – a vintage that seemed to go down very well in most quarters, offering a light, fresh and rather naked example of the distilleries characteristically fragrant make. At the distillery we had the opportunity to taste a 2002 cask sample, cut to bottling strength, as an early example of the general profile for this new release. Even following some very high quality drams it managed to impress; time to find out if the final vatting carries forward the charm of that sample.

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It’s fast approaching, the dram-tastic weekend (6th-7th October 2012) of excess that is the TWE Whisky Show is almost upon us. Happily we at Whisky Marketplace have a pair of tickets for the Sunday to bestow upon a lucky reader of this here blog. The show is unquestionably a highlight of the whisky calendar, offering attendees the rare opportunity to taste some of the world’s most exclusive and exceptionally delicious drams, all in the atmospheric surroundings of the Borough Market adjacent, Vinopolis.

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Of late, these ’77 Glenturret whiskies have been a highlight in the outturn of a great many independent bottlers. The Whisky Agency, Malts of Scotland, Maltbarn, Master of Malt and a number of others have all taken turns in sharing casks from this esoteric distillery, and without exception these have been high quality, good value releases. In many ways this veritable flood has really put Glenturret on the map as a slightly unusual yet very charming whisky, deserving of much more attention than it generally enjoys.

This particular bottling comes from the rather reliable Berry’s Own Selection range. Doug McIvor, Berry Bros and Rudd’s Spirits Manager, is responsible for the company’s own label whiskies and reportedly holds this particular Glenturret in high regard. Doug is not a man known for disingenuous enthusiasm which makes this praise, and bottling, of particular interest. It’s worth mentioning that the distillery is home to The Famous Grouse Experience, a notable tourist attraction that regularly sees yearly visitor figures in excess of 100,000 and lends Glenturrent a measure of more widespread notoriety.

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