New Awards For Stalla Dhu!

We are extremely happy to see Stalla Dhu bottlings take home a new round of awards! The World Whiskies Awards 2023 have been quite lucarative for the most recently released bottles. Taking home 3 Silver and 2 Gold from the New Releases. In addition to those 2 other Silver and a Bronze was awarded to 3 of the Core Range.

A lot of time, effort, and most importantly quite a bit tasting goes into picking the right casks to be bottled under the Stalla Dhu label. Each one Ron chooses is one that he believes will give you a unique representation of the chosen distillery. Maybe a way you haven’t seen the distillery before.

Our two gold medal winners are:

Glenrothes Late Hour Port Finish Cask Strength

Toffee apples on the nose and toasted caramel notes emerge beautifully. The palate is complex and rich with notes of nougat and woody tobacco hints. Definitely one of our favourite’s!

Linkwood Reserve Cask Strength

This “handsome” release of 13-year-old Linkwood will surely surprise you, as even if bottled at the high abv of 57.3% it carries itself extremely well. Balanced notes of nougat richness, silky mouthfeel, and hints of salinity on the finish. Just delicious.

Check out the full list here!

15 Fettercairn Years Old Single Cask	Silver
Linkwood Reserve Cask Strength	Gold
Teaninich 15 Years Old 100 Proof Single Cask	Silver
Glenrothes Late Hour Port Finish Cask Strength	Gold
Soars Aois Single Cask	Silver
Orchant Seleccion Highland Single Malt Whisky	Silver
Islay Single Malt Whisky	Silver
Speyside Single Malt Whisky	Bronze

Slanj,

Andrew

6 Fabulous Whiskies To Make The Holidays Better

Are you looking for some gift ideas for the holiday? We are always here to help if you need some suggestions. Here is a small list of some absolutely lovely drams I have been enjoying lately. You have Scotland, England, Japan, Taiwan, and America represented. Something for everyone here!

Stalla Dhu Cask Strength Linkwood 13-Year-Old Reserve – 57.3% 70cl

Toffee apples on the nose and toasted caramel notes emerge beautifully. The palate is complex and rich with notes of nougat and woody tobacco hints. Definitely one of our favourite’s!

Kavalan Classic Single Malt Whisky – 40% 50cl

The Taiwanese distillery, despite only being in business since 2005, has stunned the industry with their young but full-flavored whisky, focusing on their distinctively enjoyable tropical fruit notes.

Nikka Miyagikyo No Age Statement – 70cl 43%

Masataka Taketsuru, known as the; Father of Japanese Whiskey; created Nikka in 1934. The Miyagikyo distillery, located close to Sendai in northern Japan, produces this rich, fruity, and smooth Single Malt which presents flavours of honey, citrus peel, and freshly cut grass.

The Lakes Whiskymakers Reserve No.5 – 52% 70cl

The fifth edition in The Lakes Whiskymaker’s Reserve series is a great example of an outstanding English single malt! This bottling presents a distinctively sherried style, bottled at 52% ABV and made using a combination of Pedro Ximénez sherry, Oloroso sherry, and red wine casks.

Legent Bourbon – 47% 70cl

Legent bourbon is truly unique while remaining true to the core of bourbon’s principles, bringing together over 225 years of bourbon-making heritage and nearly 100 years of Japanese whisky artistry. Partially finished in red wine and sherry casks, it has a complex combination of spice and fruity undertones.

Lindores Cask of Lindores STR Wine Barique – 49.4% 70cl

This is the second release in the Casks of Lindores series from Lindores Abbey distillery, and has been matured exclusively in STR (shaved, toasted; re-charred) red wine barriques and bottled at 49.4% vol. A warming, sweet dram with complex spice.

Hopefully one of these has piqued your interest enough to try! If not, peruse the site, and you are bound to find a fabulous treat. If you are stuck, send us a message, and we’d be glad to help.

Slàinte,

Andrew

Lochlea ‘Our Barley’ Single Malt Whisky

Another amazing family-run distillery crafting some fabulous spirits! We still have stock of their new ‘Our Barley’ release.

Lochlea is an incredibly rare entity these days in this industry, an independent family-run distillery. Without a large corporate hierarchy, it gives them more control over innovation and approaching their small batch production.

By using our own barley grown on the farm and our on-site water source, we have full traceability over the ingredients going into our process, allowing us a higher level of quality control and creating a flavour profile unique to Lochlea.
Lochlea Distillery

Our location offers the best of both worlds. Nestled in the heart of Ayrshire, we have beautiful rolling hills all around, yet are easily accessible from many of the major towns and cities in Scotland. Head north, and you’re in Glasgow in 30 minutes, south west and several scenic seaside towns along the coast.

Lochlea has set out to flip you preconceptions of Lowland whisky on it’s head!

Our Barley is the distillery’s first core single malt. Matured in first-fill Bourbon barrels, Oloroso Sherry casks and STR barriques. Bottled at 46% ABV and is non chill-filtered with no added colouring. Beautifully crafted by Production Director John Campbell.

Nose: Pear syrup, fruit bon bons, warm cut grass, marmalade.

Palate: Golden syrup, pepper, rye bread, macadamia nuts, cream soda.

Finish: A long finish with a lovely lasting orange beeswax note.

Grab your bottle HERE.

Chocolate Bitters From Snowdonia Distillery

Snowdonia Distillery has released new chocolate bitters under their Marsette Liqueurs label. This label has the Monsoon Coffee Liqueur and the Peruvian Chocolate Essence, both incredibly moreish with a rich experience. These new bitters were released to complement their liqueurs and help elevate your cocktail experience. As with their Chocolate liqueur, the bitters use the same Single Estate cacao from Peru. The chocolate from Tesoro Amázonica is of incredible quality and produced by fantastic folks who believe in creating a delicious product, as well as taking care of the community involved.

The quality of the chocolate really does come through in these products. If you’re in the market for some quality bitters for your home bar or at work, I’d suggest giving these Marsette bitters a go! We have been having a blast with a bit of trial and error in creating different cocktails with these. Snowdonia Distillery is a great craft distillery that puts out an array of award-winning products.

Available in a pipette or a spray option. Bottled at 7.1% abv. Shop Now.

Tomatin’s Final Warehouse 6 Release

The final release in the distillery’s outstanding Warehouse 6 Collection is available. This release was created from casks 32 and 33, which had been distilled over 45 years ago. Maturing peacefully the entirety of its life in hand-selected Traditional Oak Hogshead casks. These casks were married together resulting in only 350 bottles total. Bottled at 46%.

This release is absolutely an exquisite bottling that is going to be for those looking for an investment, or better yet, to drink on a special occasion. It is not getting past the fact that this is an über luxury bottle. If you find yourself in the presence of an open bottle, with the opportunity to taste it, I’m sure you won’t be let down! This release is in the company of only two other whiskies to receive a score of 99 from the International Wine & Spirit Competition.

This is the perfect expression to conclude Tomatin’s successful Warehouse 6 Collection. The first time I tried this whisky I knew it was something very special. Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy some extraordinary whiskies, but this one still stands out from the rest for me. Over four and a half decades of watchful waiting has seen this exclusive expression instilled with great complexity, yet it presents a tremendous youth and vibrancy which is a remarkable balance to achieve – I’ll be sad to see it go!
Graham Eunson, Tomatin’s Master Distiller

Each of the 350 units is decanted into an exquisite hand blown Glencairn Crystal decanter with unique copper decoration. This luxury bottle is presented with two glasses (also Glencairn Crystal), a solid copper stopper, along with a numbered certificate detailing the remarkable journey of the whisky.

In perfect harmony, aromas of strawberry liqueur, tropical fruits and roasted coconut balance out with an exotic spicy character. Golden syrup and marzipan add to the complexity, developing into rich chocolate, coffee and brown sugar on the palate. The exotic spices appear once again with a long, refined, lingering ﬁnish.
Tomatin Tasting Notes.

If you want to own a piece of whisky history, you can grab yours here!

New Releases from Snowdonia Distillery

One of favourite distilleries has just released not 1, not 2, but 3 new bottlings! The folks over at Snowdonia Distillery in North Wales have just given us 2 new variations of their El Rumbo Rums and 1 new addition to their Marsette Liqueurs. The distillery, who of course is responsible for Foragers Gin, put an incredible amount of time and heart into each of its spirits. They have taken multiple awards across the whole lineup, most recently a Silver for the Y Bēt Chocolate Vodka. The small team there really does an incredible job at bringing you the best that Wales has to offer.

In addition to the incredible gins they put out, the distillery team likes to venture into the more fun and unique side of spirits. As shown in their El Rumbo lineup by bringing in aged Cuban rum, then letting the rum rest in freshly emptied cognac casks. Now creating an Anejo and Coconut versions of their El Rumbo!

Now their Marsette Liqueurs are absolutely brilliant for the dessert cocktails we’ve been making around here. The Monsoon Coffee liqueur is incredibly moreish and makes a stunning espresso martini! So with the addition of the new Chocolate Essence liqueur it is going to make for some fun in house experimentation!

So, lets introduce the 3 new arrivals:

Ron El Rumbo Premium Cuban Anejo Oro Rum – 40%

El Rumbo Premium Cuban Anejo Rum is an expression that benefits from our Solera aging process at Snowdonia. Aged for three years in Cuba to then be transferred into our fresh cognac casks at Snowdonia.

An aroma of classic desserts – sticky toffee pudding and vanilla fudge, this premium spirit is perfect to enjoy with a squeeze of lime and a Cuban cigar.

Nose: Toffee apple, vanilla fudge, hints of cocoa, cognac aromas.

Palate: Soft, mouth coating, a cognac warmth with lingering apple and pear finish.

Ron El Rumbo Cuban Coconut Rum – 36%

El Rumbo Cuban Coconut Rum is an expression of natural flavours from the tropics.

Fresh Madagascar Coconut and Cuban Sugar cane combines aromas of fresh coconut milk, pineapple, and a refreshing sweetness.

This superior mixer can be enjoyed as a classic mojito or float it to enhance the flavour of a daiquiri.

Nose: Coconut husk, Madagascan vanilla, candied pears, coconut milk and sugar cane.

Palate: An ice cream texture with hints of walnuts and almonds. A palette coating, coconut milk finish.

Marsette Peruvian Chocolate Essence – 30%

Marsette Peruvian Chocolate Essence is an enhanced spirit perfect for sipping over ice or enjoyed in cocktails.

The Single Estate Peruvian Chocolate allows for a light experience of 100% cacao with its nutty nature.

Nose: Dark chocolate, a clean break of fresh cocoa, slight hint of banana and freshly roasted walnuts aromas.

Palate: Soft sweetness of vanilla and cream, powerful dark chocolate and a long, viscous, warm finish.

So head over to pick up a new release or 2, so you have some incredible spirits for your summer cocktails!

Until next time.

-Andrew

Cù Bòcan Creation 3 & 4

We have received our shipment of the two newest Creation releases from Cù Bòcan. I am a fan of the Tomatin Distillery, so I was on board when I heard they were releasing a slightly peated range all those years back! They have most definitely come a long way in that time, with these 2 releases taking gold medals at this year’s San Francisco World Spirit Competition. When a distillery can step away from its “normal” way of crafting whisky to do something “experimental”, then succeed at that endeavor, I’m all for it.

Cù Bòcan is made with lightly peated Scottish barley and distilled in small batches every winter. The spirit is then put into carefully chosen casks that are not your run-of-the-mill combinations. Those cask decisions are what gives the finished product the uniqueness they are after. Resulting in a wonderfully balanced sweetness with whiffs of subtle smoke.

Creation # 3:

Moroccan Cabernet Sauvignon + North American Rye Casks

“The tastes and smells of a Moroccan Souk are brought to life with the exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon casks used for this innovative Creation. Light smoke with a touch of strawberries in balsamic vinegar, exotic spices, citrus and tropical fruits.”

Creation #4:

Tawny Port + Cognac Casks

“Our fourth Creation is a nod to The Antrim Cocktail, marrying two of Europe’s most revered drinks, Port and Cognac. The end result is a medley of plum jam, grilled peach, stewed forest fruit, cinnamon, and sweet campfire smoke.”

So if you are a fan of Tomatin Distillery and have not given this range a try, you should rectify that! The Highland sweetness you love, with just a hint of smoke.

Until next time!

-Andrew

Stalla Dhu Taking Home 2 More Amazing Awards!

The 2022 Whiskies Awards was another successful competition for the Stalla Dhu range! Two high awards have been given to the Caol Ila 11 year and Truth Be Told 22. With Caol Ila taking World’s Best Single Cask Single Malt and Truth Be Told taking Best Scotch Blended Limited Release. That’s an amazing showing from a small family built independent bottler. It’s fantastic to see the awards keep rolling in!

Fortunately/unfortunately, after the announcement all of the remaining Caol Ila sold out within a couple days! There are still bottles of the Truth Be Told in stock.

Truth Be Told 22:

Some famous distilleries are fiercely protective of their whiskies and adapted a process called tea-spooning; as in adding a teaspoon of another malt.

This is so ‘Independent Bottlers’ cannot call it a Single Malt or use the Distillery name.

This exceptional cask in its previous incarnations was known as ‘Wardhead’ and clues to its identity lie within the label.

Taste: Soft sophisticated spice, toffee touches, lovely lingering long finish.

2 New Releases from Snowdonia Distillery

New incredibly delicious releases from the folks behind the award winning Forager’s Gin! 2 unique spirits created to excite our taste buds.

1 gin and 1 liqueur!

These two are staying on the same path as all the other releases from the Welsh distillery. Quality craft spirits from a small team, using the best ingredients, to deliver their customers something special. From start to finish, the team there puts their heart and passion into every step of the process. I love when you find small distilleries like that!

The new additions are:

Forager’s Winberry Gin

“Foragers Winberry Gin encompasses the flavours foraged along our Welsh coast and throughout its cascading hills.

A complex blend which presents a profile of fresh citrus, robust berries and warming floral notes.

The Winberry is the most unique of berries, only being ready for one very short harvest a year. This then results in a very rare botanical to find.

It is stunningly sweet, small in size but generous in flavour with a long tart finish. A vibrant colour, candied like sweetness to an award winning spirit.

Celebrate this marriage of flavours with muddled blackberries, fresh mint leaves and tonic water.”

Marsette Monsoon Coffee Liqueur

“Marsette presents an artesian liqueur from the heart of the Indian Monsoon Rains – Handcrafted, copper distilled, small batch production.

We take the Monsoon Malabar bean to produce a coffee liqueur like no other. The bean swells in the humidity of the Monsoon Rains, allowing us to play with robust aromatic flavours, perfect for the mixologist.

The cold brew rests with a blend of Welsh Spirit and Madagascan Vanilla essence, creating a subtle hint of Tiramisu and a long, mouth coating finish of whipped cream and blue agave. “

Stalla Dhu New Releases!

We have received 3 new bottlings from the Stalla Dhu lineup! We are definitely excited when new whiskies come through the door.

Stalla Dhu, if you don’t know, is an award winning range of independent bottlings. Each bottle comes from different carefully chosen cask or distillery that can bring something special to the table.

Here are the new additions:

Stalla Dhu Single Cask Ben Nevis Proven8

This particular cask was specially selected by Ron Morrison in a blind tasting between eight different casks from Ben Nevis to be part of the Stalla Dhu’s new Single Cask bottlings. Limited to 237 bottles.

Nose: Sweet and rich biscuity aroma, lime curd and fresh wood shavings.
Taste: Creamy, sweet almonds followed by slight citrus notes.
Finish: Nutty sweetness and lingering creaminess.

Stalla Dhu Single Cask BenRiach 11yo

Limited to 327 bottles!

Nose: Toffee caramel, peachy fruitiness, soft white grapes followed by an earthy rhubarb aroma.
Taste: Cake and ice-cream mouthfeel, nougat, and sticky toffee pudding notes.
Finish: Lovely leathery finish followed by spice notes.

Stalla Dhu Single Cask Royal Brackla 15yo

A distillery quite literally Fit for a King, Royal Brackla was the first Scotch whisky ever granted a Royal Warrant, by King William IV in 1833, The King’s Own Whisky, still reigning true today. It’s also quite rare to find Royal Brackla whisky as a Single Cask bottling. Limited to 310 bottles.

Nose: Pear, cognac, winter fruits and spice aromas.
Taste: Buttery richness, warm spices followed by a fruity sweetness.
Finish: Warm, palate coating, complex finish.