The ultimate home bar essentials of 2023

Is Home the new Pub in 2023?

Since 2020, there has been a surge in shop-brought alcohol, with 55% of Brits spending less money on a night out and instead opting for a night in.

With growing economic concerns in 2023, more people are choosing to make cut backs and are choosing a stay-at-home occasion, drinking from their own home bars.

If home is becoming the new pub, then we’re ready to get involved!

Bringing you the ultimate home bar necessities.

A spirit of every kind

If you’re planning on setting up your own home bar, you’ll likely want a mix of spirits to offer to guests, providing you want to share your bar with friends and family, of course. So, let’s get started.

· Cognac

Interesting fact about cognac, only brandy produced from grapes grown in the region of Cognac and adhere to specific guidelines can display the name Cognac on its label.

Cognac can be served neat, on the rocks or in a cocktail. If you’re looking for the perfect cognac to join your personal bar, then check out our fantastic selection of cognacs.

Browse our selection of cognacs

Gin

Gin is a clear, distilled spirit and must contain Juniper berries to be classed as a gin.

An essential spirit for any brewing home bar, check out our gin-tastic selection of gins, including our award-winning Foragers Winberry Gin.

Check out our flavoursome selection of gins

Rum

Rum comes in various styles, from light, dark, rich and aged. Meaning there is always a rum for everyone. Lighter rums are typically used as mixers in cocktails, whilst darker rums are normally for sipping.

Discover the right rum for you and check out our current selection of rums.

View our rum-tastic selection of rums

Vodka

Clear in colour and with a neutral flavour, vodka can be made from a variety of crops. Perfect neat, or as a cocktail mixer, and can even be used as an antiseptic. Though we prefer to drink our vodka.

View our range of Vodkas

Whisky

A dark distilled spirit that is made from a variety of grains, it is distilled throughout the world. There are various styles of whisky and some countries have regulations that stipulate how the whisky is produced.

Here at Whisky Merchant, we have a world full of whisky options!

View our Other World Whisky

View our Scotch Whisky

View our Vintage Scotch

Now that we’ve found our spirits, no bar is complete without that statement piece that gets everyone talking.

This could be anything from unique bar furnishings, to collectable glasses or decanters.

Decanter

For years, whisky decanters were seen as a status symbol, today it’s easier to find a decanter that fits your personal style. Whilst they certainly stand out, they have their practical uses too.

A whisky decanter allows oxygen to interact with the whisky, making it easier for those nuanced aromas to really kick in.

If you’re looking for your new practical statement piece, then view our current selection of decanters.

Discover your decanter

Glassware

No bar is complete without your stylish glasses and tumblers to match! Plus, how else are you going to serve drinks? Whether you’re searching for a matching set, or individual glasses that just shout sophistication, we have it all!

Take a look at our glassware

The pub away from the pub

If you’re taking the plunge and building your own ‘home pub’, let us know! Contact us on social media and share a photo of your home pub.

Or sign up to our newsletter, so you never miss out on our current offers.

Whether you’re drinking from a pub, restaurant or at home, all we have to say is… cheers!

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

Bruichladdich Octomore 12 Releases

We have just received our stock of the new Octomore releases, and we are super excited! I always enjoy receiving new stock from Bruichladdich because they do a fantastic job of keeping things fresh in an industry that sometimes is resistant to change. From their branding and packaging, to their flavour profiles, they are keeping things exciting.

Octomore is youthful experimentation at the highest levels! Careful calculations of wood, ingredients, and environment produces some of the best peat explosions that your tastebuds will experience. They push the boundaries of Islay whisky, in the best ways. If you’re not into the bold peaty and smoky whiskies, best to turn back now! Ha

Here are the Octomore 12 releases:

12.1 – 130.8 PPM – 5 Years – 59.9%

Nowhere is the dualism of our Octomore super heavily peated series more pertinent than in our .1 edition. Never as expected, delicate but powerful, this is unadulterated heavy smoke balanced with our vivacious and dynamic, fruity and floral distillate. While Octomore in itself does not conform to tradition, our Head Distiller Adam Hannett is inclined to mature Octomore .1 editions solely in ex-American whiskey casks for 5 vibrant years. Octomore 12.1 is the necessary control for the rest of the series, as experiments within an experiment, but our baseline should not be underestimated. Mainland grown Scottish barley is distilled in a patient and considered trickle. The stripped back maturation profile allows a sensory conversation that highlights the cereal-rich, malty notes of this barley-forward single malt. Vanilla, citrus and fudge culminate in an enigmatic challenge to received whisky wisdom.

12.2 – 129.7 PPM – 5 years – 57.3%

Octomore 12.2 follows in the footsteps of previous Sauternes legends. The now infamous Octomore 4.2 (Comus) became one of the most acclaimed and sought- after whiskies in our distillery’s portfolio, confirming that heavy peat smoke combined with sweet dessert wine of Sauternes is an incredible pairing. This Octomore 12.2 would spend three and a half years in ex-American oak casks, building a solid foundation of fruity and floral spirit in our lochside warehouses before being recasked in to impeccable quality Sauternes casks. The pivotal role of the Sauternes casks would add 18 months of supercharged fruit. Melon, white peach, honeysuckle and coconut add a real twist and sweetness to compliment the peat smoke of this heavily phenolic malt.

12.3 – 118.1 PPM – 5 years – 62.1%

Octomore 12.3 is single vintage, single field, single malt. Raised in Church Field on Octomore Farm by friend and farmer James Brown, this Islay grown barley has been trickle distilled through our tall narrow necked stills just two miles from where it was grown. This terroir-driven spirit would take two separate journeys before being combined; 75% was filled into ex-American whiskey casks, while the remaining 25% spent five years maturing in genuine Pedro Ximenez Solera casks from Jerez bodega Fernando de Castilla. This Islay barley spirit has breathed slowly and delicately for five aged years, its salty citrus marine note resulting from the locale of where the barley was grown and our warehouses proximity to the sea. The Pedro Ximenez casks contribute sweet dried fruit notes which highlight the rich dry peat smoke of Octomore.

We do still have a few older releases as well, so make sure to check them out as well here.

Till next time. -Andrew

Diageo Special Releases 2021 Announced

Diageo has announced the lineup for this fall’s Special Releases, and they look exciting! This year’s releases, for the first time, are featuring artwork from a popular illustrator.

Each bottle will feature a different ‘Legend’’ that the master blender felt best represented the core characteristics of each chosen distillery. Theses legends being the mythical creatures that inhabit the lands surrounding each distillery. Each bottle will contain a QR code for an auditory tasting experience that will mix the mythical world.

The stories and Legends will be revealed later this autumn during their release! Until then, here’s the quick breakdown of what’s being released.

Singleton of Glendullan 19 Years Old

ABV: 54.6%

Region: Speyside

Cask: Refill American oak casks, finished in Cognac casks

Talisker 8 Years Old

ABV: 59.7%

Region: Island/ Isle of Skye

Cask: Heavily peated refill casks

Oban 12 Years Old

ABV: 56.2%

Region: Coastal Highland

Cask: Freshly charred American oak casks

Royal Lochnagar 16 Years Old

ABV: 57.5%

Region: Highland

Cask: American oak and European oak refill casks

Cardhu 14 Years Old

ABV: 55.5%

Region: Speyside

Casks: Refill American oak casks, finished in red wine casks

Mortlach 13 Years Old

ABV: 55.9%

Region: Speyside

Cask: Virgin and refill American oak casks

Lagavulin 12 Years Old

ABV: 56.5% ABV

Region: Islay

Cask: Refill American oak casks

Lagavulin 26 Years Old

ABV: 44.2%

Region: Islay

Cask: PX/oloroso-seasoned first-fill casks

Until these amazing looking releases come out, go check out some of the previous Diageo releases HERE.

Be Well. -Andrew

Exciting New Release from Lindores Abbey!

It’s exciting to see this distillery releasing its first single malt whisky! Lindores Abbey is rooted deep in Scotch whisky history and with the new operation of the distillery they have now dusted off that history book.

The abbey is officially recognised as the site of the first recorded distillation of scotch in 1494, which appears in that year’s Exchequer Roll. Over 500 years ago a Lindores monk named Brother John Cor turned 8 bolls of malt into Aqua Vitae on a commissioning from King James IV. With this knowledge of this history they are planning to keep Lindores Abbey in the history books for another 500 years.

It is after 15 years of planning that the vision of this distillery is now a reality.

This spirit has one of the longest wash fermentation periods in the industry, distilled in unusual sister spirit stills, and matured in a selection of barrels (bourbon barrels, wine barriques, and Sherry butts) that makes this unique.

Our early maturing spirit gives us great confidence that our whisky will be as sought after and enjoyed as it was in MCDXCIV (1494)

Nose: Elegant, soft, mellow vanilla, caramel notes playing with orchard fruits and sweet pear drops. Reminiscent of toffee apples!

Palate: Smooth with a creamy texture and a perfect balance of mellow vanilla, dried fruits, citrus touches with a hint of spice.

Finish: Medium length, delicate but lingering finish.

Grab yours here!

New Springbank and Longrow Releases

We are very excited to be receiving the new shipment of the Springbank 17y/o Madeira and Longrow 21. Springbank is easily one of our favourite distilleries, so to say we are a little excited would be an understatement! As one of the few family run distilleries, and one that does every step of the process in house, just makes them that more special.

We will have these available online for purchase shortly, so keep an eye out for that announcement. Until then, here is a breakdown of the two new releases.

Springbank 17 y/o Madeira – 47.8% – Limited to 9,200 bottles.

Casks: 14 years Bourbon & Rum
3 years Fresh Madeira

Nose:
Sweet and jammy. There are aromas of
parma violets, boiled sweets and buttery
tablet with a note of fennel. Sticky ginger
cake, strawberry jam with a tang of
grapefruit and lemon sherbet. There is a
familiar coastal saltiness on the nose.

Palate:
The briny, maritime characteristics follow
through with light peat smoke. Sticky
toffee pudding, caramelised sugar and a
spicy, herbal hint of black cracked pepper
and tea leaves.

Finish:
The finish is nutty, smooth and slightly
woody. Notes of walnuts and pecans with
subtle peat smoke to the end.

Longrow 21 y/o 2020 – 46% – 3,600 Bottles.

Nose:
A sweet yet meaty dram with aromas
of glazed cherries and cured meats.
Stewed dark plum notes and chewy
black wine gums. Maple syrup and
crispy bacon with a medicinal influence
from the robust peat smoke. A vibrant
nose with a touch of zesty orange peel.

Palate:
Sweet, smoky and waxy with a twist of
citrus. Caramel shortbread with
marzipan, lemon zest and a dusting of
icing sugar. Wax crayons and rich dried
fruits with a touch of clove spice.

Finish:
Rich and plummy with flavours of black
forest gateaux, bitter chocolate and
soft dark fruits. There is a recognisable
cereal, earthy, farmyard characteristic
in the finish.

Have a look at our selection of other Campbeltown whiskies in the meantime!

New Westland Bottlings to Look Forward to.

If you have not yet explored any of Westland Distillery’s range of bottlings, you should really do so! If you are interested, I would start with the Sherry Wood release! Wonderful maple syrup flavours and oaky sweetness from the four different casks used in the creation of it!

Westland Distillery, based in Seattle, focuses all their effort on producing high quality American single malt whiskies. They highlight the use of local components in the crafting of their whiskey, like Pacific Northwest oak and peat from a local bog. They are proud of their local contributions to the whiskey world, but also want to honour the more traditional single malt world. I’d say they are doing a very good job at both!

We believe that the world of whiskey is not flat and that it is time to step beyond what we have inherited. We find ourselves at the edge of a new frontier, but the edge is not the end of what we know, it is just the beginning of what we have yet to explore.

The new Outpost Range is going to feature three different bottlings that will explore different trails to the possibilities that American Single malts can achieve. As they put it, the frontier of whiskey is vast! The new collection will be made up of Garryana (previously released on it’s own), Colere, and Solum. Garryana, named after the Pacific Northwest’s native oak, will represent a new oak species in the world of whiskey. Colere is crafted to highlight the barley impact on flavour, exploring new and forgotten varietals of Pacific Northwest barley. Solum is for all those peat heads out there, they will charting their own path through the use of local peat and exploring what new flavours can be unearthed.

The whole range looks exciting to me, and exploring the unknown in whiskey is something that could bring about some truly tasty treats! As they come closer to availability, we will definitely keep you up to date. The Garryana Edition 5 will be the first to be released, followed by Colere, then Solum. If you are interested in checking out the 2019 release of Garryana, before it was added into the outpost lineup, you can check that out here.

Untamed Peat

Last week the peat powerhouse unveiled a new bottling to be added to their core range. Wee Beastie is bringing a new flare to the Ardbeg lineup.

The most notable change to the new bottling is the very different red foil top as opposed to normal less flashy dark top. In addition to that, Wee Beastie will wear it’s young age of 5 years old as a badge of honour! Not many whiskies out there have such a young whisky as part of their core range, let alone have the number printed on the label! While most companies usually try to hide their young age statement whiskies, Ardbeg is making it known that they are very proud of that 5 years.

They have definitely geared this one to the peat fanatics out there! Traditionally these heavily peated spirits are aged to tone down the intensity of the peat and medicinal flavours. That’s not the case with Wee Beastie. They are really turning those intense flavours up a few notches, noting that this bottling is intended to be “untamed by age”.

“I am sure that many Ardbeg fans will love this tongue tingling expression. The selected casks create a bottling that can be enjoyed neat or is a delicious main ingredient in a powerfully smoky cocktail.”
Ardbeg’s Director of Whisky Creation, Bill Lumsden.

The availability will be sometime in May and we will let you all know when we are to receive our stock. It will definitely be a welcomed distraction from the craziness of the outside world. We will for sure be experimenting with what super smoky cocktails we are able to come up with.

Images from Moet-Hennessy

International Wine and Spirits Competition Winners

All of us here are super pleased and proud that a few of our bottlings have taken home awards at this years IWSC!

As a company, we take great pride in bringing our customers the best products we can. So when we are sampling different casks to potentially be able to mature and bottle, we take great care in choosing something special! To be able to enter our carefully chosen whiskies in these competitions and take home awards just motivates us to bring our customers more! It makes us extremely happy when the outside world tastes and enjoys our offerings!

As much as we love our bottlings…we don’t want to be the only ones drinking them!! Please, share a glass with us!

Bellow is a bit about our Stalla Dhu range if you are not familiar:

STALLA DHU

A rare collection of small batch and single cask malts from Scotland’s finest distilleries.

First and second generation members of our family of independent bottlers carefully select the whiskies showing particular promise.

We begin by managing the wood and continue by housing the environment and casks that best affect the ageing to achieve the unique results we strive for.

We let the whisky slumber till the time is right and then select the correct ABV to bring a very special wee dram to you.

The following took home awards :

Stalla Dhu Speyside 40% – Silver 2019

Stalla Dhu Single Cask Saorsa Single Malt – Bronze 2019

Stalla Dhu Auchroisk 1997 19 YO 47% Single Malt – Bronze 2019

Stalla Dhu Single Cask Ardmore 60.5% Single Malt – Silver 2019

Many thanks to all of you whisky lovers out there! Click on the photos to purchase any of the bottles or just peruse through our huge selection of other spirits!

Have a wonderful weekend!