Islay Whiskies

Rich, smoky single malt from Bruichladdich aged in a combination of casks including sherry butts and sauternes barriques from Bordeaux. Expect ripe fruity notes of pineapple and nectarine underpinned by fine peat, polished leather and toasty French oak. This is the first entry in Bruichladdich’s cask exploration series to be made with 100% Islay barley - all the grain used to create it was grown at farms within 10 miles of the distillery.

A rich and smoky 10-year-old single malt from Laphroaig that has been finished in oloroso sherry casks, creating a rich, full-bodied character. Aromas of TCP, Manuka honey, clove, smoked bacon, leather and pine tar fill the nose, complemented by notes of treacle, wax, toffee, maple syrup, dark chocolate, pine needles, chestnut honey and rich peat smoke throughout the palate.

The 17th incarnation of Lagavulin 12 in the Diageo Special Releases, a testament to the sheer likeability and complexity of this whisky. Its relative youth compared to the phenomenally popular Lagavulin 16 can be misleading: this Islay whisky is rewardingly diverse, with smoke and fruit melded into minerality. Expect swirling layers of smoke, liquorice, charred meats and green tones of apple and sweet pear. This cask-strength whisky has been created from refill American Oak hogsheads, each at least 12 years old.

A bottling of Bruichladdich 10 year old from the 1990s. This would have been distilled in the 1980s and released around the time of the distillery's 1995 closure.

Kilchoman's ongoing Machir Bay is a vatting of whisky matured in first-fill bourbon casks for around six years, married and then finished in oloroso sherry butts before bottling.

Bowmore 12yo has a place in many hearts as Islay's 'medium-peated' malt. A pronounced iodine character with plenty of pepper, the current 12yo bottling is a welcome return to the classic Bowmores of the 1960s and '70s, with the emphasis on tropical fruit and smoke. A deserved runner-up in our Whisky of the Year 2014-15 blind tasting.

A 2014 Caol Ila single malt from the Single Malts of Scotland Reserve Casks series, Parcel No.9, that was matured in a batch of just six American oak barrels for eight years. Aromas of bonfire smoke, ocean breeze, lemon drizzle cake and vanilla fill the nose, complemented by notes of cinnamon, clove, lemons, limes, nutmeg, candied ginger, liquorice, sea salt and ripe pears throughout the palate and lingering in the finish.

From the brand that makes the peatiest whiskies in the world, this has been matured in various types of cask, including some ex-wine examples, for a minimum of seven years. This is extremely smoky with exceptionally balanced fruit flavours, and a very long finish.

A rich, velvety limited-edition Bunnahabhain single malt, created to celebrate Feis Ile 2022 and inspired by the waters of Islay. Abhainn Araig - meaning Araig River in Gaelic - has been matured in a combination of ex-bourbon casks, Pedro Ximenez sherry casks and sherry octaves, creating a bold, spicy whisky with a complex character. Aromas of chocolate, ginger and dried tobacco fill the nose, complemented by notes of milk chocolate, raisins, dried raspberries, honey, macadamia nuts, toffee and cinnamon throughout the palate.

A fine drop of Ardbeg bottled at cask strength. A marriage of Ardbeg from bourbon barrels and sherry butts which gives a sweet and smoky finish to this malt. Uigeadail is the loch from which all Ardbeg water flows. An absolutely stunning whisky, and following the demise of Airigh nam Beist, this probably represents the best value in the core range.