Single Malt Whisky

Bowmore 12yo has a place in many hearts as Islay's 'medium-peated' malt. A pronounced iodine character with plenty of pepper, yet the malt is balanced and smooth as well as smoky.

An 8 year old whisky from Glen Garioch, bottled before they revamped their entire line-up in 2009.

The quiet malt in the Chivas Brothers stable, a fruity sherried dram that doesn't get the attention that it requires. A favourite of blenders and single malt connoisseurs alike.

An overlooked malt that has passed to Pernod Ricard as part of the Chivas Brothers portfolio, Strathisla 12yo is highly-regarded by blenders and connoisseurs of its fruity sherried style.

A bottling of single malt whisky from the Isle of Arran distillery bottled to honour Scotland's favourite son, the bard himself, Robert Burns. Bottled at 43% and created to be malty and sweet with a 'spicy twist on the finish'.

A dense, heavily-sherried dram from a distillery now producing again after a six-year layoff. A malt best suited to after-dinner sipping.

This Auchentoshan 12 yrs expression replaced the old 10 year-old a few years ago in 2008, when the range was totally revamped, and has been hailed as a big improvement on the occasionally lacklustre 10yo.

An official bottling of 10yo single malt from the Macduff distillery. Previous bottlings of Glen Deveron have been vintage releases - perhaps the dropping of the vintage statement indicates that bigger batches are being created, which might suggest that demand for this neglected malt is going up.

A rare bottling of Loch Lomond's lightly peated Inchmurrin malt matured in American oak casks.

Birnie Moss is a heavily-peated NAS expression of BenRiach originally produced to appeal to the young whisky loving folk of Spain but that has spilled over into being hit across Europe.

A polished, mellow, very approachable Speysider, Tomatin was once the largest distillery in Scotland with 23 stills and a production capacity of 12 milllion litres of alcohol per year. These days capacity is down to 5 million litres, the majority of which goes into the delicious Antiquary blend.

New packaging for Tobermory 10 in 2011 and a modern look for this Mull distillery that also produces the peaty Ledaig.

Glen Moray's 12 year old single malt whisky. A classic Speysider with honey and spice.

Highland Park 12yo remains one of the gold standard malts for other distillery bottlings to aspire to. With a delicious sweetness (heather-honey is their preferred description), a trace of smoke and a warming, silky mouthfeel, this is a whisky that never lets you down.
World Whiskies Awards 2012 - Best Island 12 years and under

A top-quality packaging update (farewell, stags!) for this Founders Reserve Glen Garioch which has been bottled at 48% and priced very sensibly. A very welcome return to form for a distillery with enormous potential.

This lip-smacking 12yo An Cnoc (formerly Knockdhu) is a top-quality proponent of the non-sherried Speyside style, showing polished malt and a delicious spiciness throughout a warm, complex palate and lasting finish.

A much-loved single malt, Cardhu is an easygoing, charming Speysider. With clean, crisp oak and sweet malt evoking flavours of honeyed flapjacks and home-made caramel squares, this is one for the sweet-toothed among you.

Glengoyne is one of the only Scottish whiskies to be distilled from unpeated malt - the malt is allowed to dry naturally before fermentation and distillation begin, resulting in an elegant, medium-bodied style.

Glenrothes traditionally bottle single malts from specific vintages, so this no-age-statement example raised a few eyebrows when it first appeared. However, the only thing recent batches have raised is the bar - this is tremendous easy-drinking Speyside.

Dalwhinnie 15yo is a good introduction to the delights of single malt whisky - elegant, smooth and medium-bodied with a light, fruity palate and a whiff of heather on the finish. Part of Diageo's Classic Malt range.