Island single malts are the single malt Scotch whiskies produced on the islands around the perimeter of the Scottish mainland. The islands (excluding Islay) are not recognised in the Scotch Whisky Regulations as a distinct whisky producing region, but are considered to be part of the Highland region. Islay is itself recognised as a distinct whisky producing region (see Islay whisky).
The whiskies produced on the Islands are extremely varied and have few similarities, though can often be distinguished from other whisky regions by generally having a smokier flavour with peaty undertones.
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Arran The Exciseman Smugglers’ Series Volume 3 75cl, 56.8%
Arran Smugglers’ Series Volume 3 / The Exciseman
A rare third and final release of this Limited Edition, Arran The Exciseman Smugglers Series Volume 3 Single Malt Whisky.
Bottled at natural Cask Strength in 2017 and a Limited Edition of 8700 bottles, Arran pay homage with “The Exciseman” to the exuberant character of those striving to outwit the Government’s representatives in the pursuit of the production of the famed Arran Waters..
A very cool nod to the shady history of Arran’s distilling. Back during the 18th and 19th century the island was a producer of illicit whisky. Presented in a book style package to hide the goods.
This is the 2017 third release in the highly acclaimed Arran Smugglers’ Series, following on from the Illicit Stills and High Seas.
Matured in Madeira and smaller bourbon quarter casks.
Distillery Arran
Bottler Distillery Bottling
Bottling serie Smugglers‘ Series No. 3
Bottled 2017
Cask type Madeira and Quarter Casks
Quarter Cask Matured in 125L Ex-Bourbon Barrels
Madeira Cask Maturation Matured in 225L European Oak Barrels
Number of bottles 8700
Strength 56.8 %
Vol.Size700 ml 750 ml
Highland Park Cask Strength Release No. 3 (5cl, 64.1%)
The third installment of Highland Park’s Cask Strength series is here! Master whisky maker Gordon Motion opted for a higher proportion of Orkney peated malt than previous releases, resulting in a richly smoky profile. The single malt was matured in a combination of first-fill and refill sherry seasoned American and European oak casks, rounding off the hearty peat smoke with zesty layers of fruit and warming spice. Bottled up at a cask strength of 64.1% ABV, a drop of water certainly helps to bring out layers of soft fruit and floral malt beneath the intense smoke.
Highland Park Loki 15 Year Old (The Valhalla Collection) Damaged (70cl, 48.7%)
NOTICE the white lettering on the bottle is damaged
The pictures are from the actual bottle frond and back, if you’d like more detailed photos just get in touch!
The second release in Highland Park’s Valhalla Collection following last year’s Thor release. Loki is Thor’s adoptive brother, a mischievous soul, possibly even a shape-shifter and certainly an enigmatic character.
Highland Park have sought to create a whisky that matches Loki’s unique personality with this 15 year old single malt. Unusually, some heavily peated casks were used for part of the maturation.”
Number of bottles 21000
Highland Park Dark Origins (70cl, 46.8%)
Highland Park Dark Origins is a new core bottling that celebrates the early days of Magnus Eunson’s illicit distilling on Orkney, back before the distillery was even founded in 1798. Magnus worked as a butcher and church official by day, but by night he was a legendary whisky smuggler and distiller outwitting the exciseman.
To honour their hero (the Batman of the Orkney Islands, if you will), Highland Park have created a whisky with a suitably ‘dark’ character. Using 80% first-fill Sherry casks (20% refill) – 60% are first-fill European oak, with 20% being first-fill American oak – an exciting, spicy, chocolatey whisky has been produced.
Mossburn Signature Casks Series Speyside Blended Malt Cask Bill No.2 70cl, 46%
One of two initial releases from the Mossburn Signature Casks Series, which is a range of blended malts exploring the regional differences of Scotch whiskies. Each one is finished in specially-coopered casks designed to accentuate the particular stand-out flavours of each region’s whisky. For the second release, Mossburn have set their sights on Speyside, finishing the whisky in casks made from first-fill Oloroso sherry butt staves and heavily charred American oak cask heads.
Category Blended Malt
Bottler Mossburn – Distillers & Blenders (MDB)
Bottling serie The Mossburn Cask Bill No 2
Bottled 2018
Cask Type Refill ex-Bourbon + Oloroso Sherry Finish
Strength 46.0 % Vol.Size 700 ml
Mossburn Signature Casks Series Island Blended Malt Cask Bill No.1 70cl, 46%
Mossburn are cask experimenters, and this Island Blended Malt is a successful example of their excellent work. Initially blended from American oak barrels of whisky from the Scottish islands, the resulting whisky was then filled into ex-bourbon barrels with toasted, virgin European-oak cask heads (aka ‘Mossburn Cask Bill #1’), adding an extra kick of spice.
Category Blended Malt
Bottler Mossburn – Distillers & Blenders (MDB)
Bottling serie The Mossburn Cask Bill No 1
Bottled 2018
Cask Type ex-Bourbon Barrel
Strength 46.0 % Vol.Size 700 ml
Talisker 10 Year Old 70cl, 45.8%
A classic Island dram from the Isle of Skye. Aged for a minimum of 10 years in American oak casks, this welcome member of Diageo’s Classic Malts series has been recognised numerous times for its excellence.
It was an Editor’s Choice at Whisky Magazine, a gold medal winner at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2017 and was awarded ‘Best Islands Single Malt’ at the 2017 World Whiskies Awards.
Arran 25 Year Old 70cl, 46%
A 25-year-old Arran single malt, released in Arran’s 25th year of production, this whisky has been matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks for a quarter of a century. Aromas of rich oak spice, nutmeg, baked figs, sultanas and black cherries fill the nose. The palate offers notes of fruit cake, toasted almonds, cinnamon, orange zest, honey and apricots that linger in the finish.
25 year old single malt from the Arran Distillery, located on the island which shares its name. Launched in 2020, the 25th year of Arran’s production, this expression was aged in a combination of 35% ex-sherry and 65% ex-bourbon casks, and it was all allowed 12 months of maturation in first-fill and refill sherry hogsheads before bottling. Here’s to a quarter of a century of top whisky from Arran, and here’s to many more!
Distillery Arran
Bottler Distillery Bottling
Bottled 2020
Stated Age 25 years old
Cask Type 65% Bourbon Barrels 35% Sherry Casks
Number of bottles 3000
Strength 46.0 % Vol.Size 700 ml
Arran Port Cask Finish 70cl, 50%
Rich and full bodied, Arran seems to suit red wine, and this Port Cask finish is testament to that. Great maturity and at 50% for additional complexity. This expression was released in 2010.
Arran Sauternes Cask Finish (70cl, 50%)
The Arran Malt finished in Sauternes casks. These casks that previously held Bordeaux sweet wine give a honeyed sweetness to the isle of Arran’s only single malt distillery.
Drinks By The Dram Peaty Whisky Advent Calendar (2024 Edition) 75cl, 48.1%
December! The best time for cosy fireside sipping, and this Peaty Whisky Advent Calendar from Drinks by the Dram will keep you stocked up with a daily dose of deliciousness all the way up until Christmas. Behind each door, a different sample of peaty whisky awaits, sourced from an array of impressive producers, and it’s not just Scotland that uses peat you know – there are a few smoky examples from other global producers in the mix here too! There are 25 30ml wax-sealed samples in total, meaning you’ll have no trouble keeping track of the days as Christmas draws near. If you’re after a gift for a whisky lover who enjoys the smoky side of things and a classic Islay profile, or you yourself are a bit of a peat fiend, this is the Advent Calendar for you.
Drinks By The Dram Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar (2024 Edition) 75cl, 45%
Get your tasting glasses ready folks, the Whisky Advent Calendar from Drinks by the Dram is back, ready to guide us through the dark days of December and into the shining fairy lights of Christmas! There are 25 different samples of incredible whisky to explore here, spanning an array of styles and origins, and sourced from some of the most exciting producers around. What better way to get into the festive spirit, and what a supreme gift this would make for a whisky lover.
Drinks By The Dram Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar (2024 Edition) 75cl, 48.1%
Transport your tastebuds to Scotland this Christmas with Drinks by the Dram’s Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar! It’s jam-packed with 25 incredible samples of whisky, sourced from some of the best distilleries and producers across Scotland. Each day of Advent, take a peek behind a door and you’ll discover a different 30ml wax-sealed dram, waiting for you to crack it open and indulge in the majestic liquid within. What better way to get in the festive spirit, and what better gift for a Scotch whisky fan?
Ledaig 10 Year Old Old Bottling (70cl, 46.3%)
A peated whisky from the Tobermory distillery on the Isle of Mull, named after the distillery’s previous rebirth. Maritime and smoky, this whisky rivals Islay whiskies in terms of strength, and the 10-year maturation balances the intensity of youth with a rounded, well-aged spirit.
Ledaig 10YO is neither a smooth nor elegant whisky, but it is crisp, engaging, complex, colourful, tasty and naughty, and that may not sit well with conservative whisky fans.
Ledaig single malt Scotch whisky is produced at the Tobermory Distillery, the only distillery on the picturesque Hebridean Isle of Mull.
Its name comes from the original name for the area, Ledaig (Led-chig), from the Gaelic, meaning ?safe haven?. Ledaig, unlike Tobermory, is distilled from heavily peated malted barley. During the malting process, burning peat is used to dry the barley in a kiln. The reek from the burning peat is absorbed by the barley through the husk of the grain, and the reek remains through the mashing, fermentation and distillation processes, eventually leading to a single malt with a highly distinctive peaty, smoky taste. The result is an intricate Island Malt Scotch Whisky. The 2011 revamp of Ledaig, with new packaging and a solidly peaty whisky. Good work from Tobermory.
Arran Machrie Moor 10 Year Old (70cl, 46%)
A ten year old edition of Arran’s Machrie Moor, which introduces a smoky edge to the distillery’s excellent single malt. The peaty elements pair wonderfully with the vibrant, fruity, softly grassy whisky, and with ten years of maturation in first fill bourbon casks behind this one, you can expect a fab flavour profile right here. The name, if you’re curious, comes from peat bog on the western side of the island.
Arran Machrie Moor Peated Cask Strength (70cl, 56.2%)
A Peated single malt whisky from the isle of Arran, bottled at cask strength. Previous editions have been released in yearly batches, but in 2018, the Arran distillers decided that these whiskies had become so popular that they deserved to be a permanent part of the range! Ideal! This punchy expression is named after the mystical peat bog western side of the island – which is fitting, considering the plentiful peat notes running throughout.
Lagg Corriecravie Oloroso Finish 70cl, 55%
This is the second core range single malt released by Lagg distillery – which is named after a parish in the village of Lagg. Its peated malt and finishing period in ex-oloroso casks impart aromas of smoked walnut, spiced red berries and burnt chocolate on the nose, leading to notes of toasted oak, peat smoke and blackberry on the palate.
Lagg Kilmory 70cl, 46%
Excitingly, this is the flagship single malt and the first core range expression to be released from Lagg Distillery. We have been waiting for whisky from Arran’s Peated sister distillery for some time but here it is: Kilmory! It’s made from peated Concerto malted barley and water from the distillery’s own borehole and matured in first-fill bourbon casks in order to preserve the house style of the Lagg distillery. It was bottled at 46% ABV, without chill filtration, and with no added colouring.
Arran Gold Whisky Liqueur 70cl, 17%
A tasty whisky liqueur based on Arran single malt. At Whisky Magazine’s World Whiskies Awards 2007 this was named “World’s Best Whisky Liqueur”.
Arran Robert Burns Single Malt 70cl, 43%
A single malt from the Isle of Arran distillery, celebrating the famed Scottish poet, Robert Burns. This tasty bottling is officially endorsed by the World Burns Federation, making it perfect for Burns Night as well as any other time of year!
Arran The Bothy Quarter Cask 70cl, 56.2%
Arran’s The Bothy single malt has joined the Island distillery’s permanent range! Matured initially in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels, this expression is finished for two years in quarter casks, which are much smaller than your average run-of-the-mill cask. Finally, it’s bottled at a generous 56.2% ABV.
Arran Sherry Cask 70cl, 55.8%
A well-sherried Arran single malt? Oh yes! This particular expression has been dubbed The Bodega, and after it was distilled at Lochranza the whisky has been matured for seven years in first-fill sherry hogsheads. It’s presented in a rather elegant and handsome bottle. Lots of dried fruit and chocolate over here.
Ledaig 21 Year Old Oloroso Cask Finish Darkness (50cl, 47.9%)
This peated Ledaig single malt from Tobermory matured for 12 years, including a finish in a custom-made oloroso sherry octave cask. Octaves are the cask of choice for indie bottler Darkness, their smaller size ensures greater interaction between spirit and wood during maturation, in turn ensuring heaps of sherry character in the final whisky.