The ultimate decorative piece! Nikka Gold & Gold Samurai bottling, a Nikka Japanese blended whisky from the Yoichi distillery. Complete with removable samurai armour and helmet, this limited release is made available only to Japanese duty free. This eye catching package consists of a presentation box, Nikka blended whisky 43% 750ml, decorative metal cast armour and shield/ samurai suit, G&G samurai booklet, and slow-pour attachment.

A combination of rich sweetness with a smoky dryness and appetising spice distinguishes this lovingly-matured Highland malt.

OBAN Little Bay. Bold and complex. This whisky boasts luscious notes of christmas pudding, citrus, and spice, with a dark-chocolate finish.

MALTED TO 130.8 PPM
DISTILLED IN 2015 FROM THE 2014 HARVEST OF 100% SCOTTISH GROWN CONCERTO BARLEY
FULL TERM MATURATION IN FIRST FILL AMERICAN WHISKEY CASKS
MATURED ENTIRELY ON ISLAY FOR FIVE YEARS
BOTTLED UNCHILL-FILTERED AND COLOURING FREE AT BRUICHLADDICH DISTILLERY
BOTTLED AT 59.9% ALC./VOL

For its Octomore 12.3 release, the Bruichladdich Distillery used barley distilled on Islay - specifically from Octomore Farm. Peated to 118.1PPM, this expression was aged in a combination of first-fill American whiskey casks and first-fill Pedro Ximénez sherry casks from Fernando de Castilla (75% American whiskey casks, 25% Pedro Ximénez casks). Powerfully peaty, with radiant notes of sherried fruit shining through.

The 13.1 edition in the Octomore series from Bruichladdich distillery sees this single malt Scotch whisky start its journey in much of the same way as other Octomore releases, with 100% Scottish barley and aged in a mixture of bourbon and Tennessee whiskey casks. In true Octomore fashion, this 5-year-old was made with 137.3 PPM malt, for a real explosion of smoke. This particular expression was also re-casked into more American oak in 2021, for extra layers of sweet, oak influence amongst the smoke.

Independently bottled single malt Scotch whisky, matured for 12 years, from 2007 to 2019 in a single refill butt cask. After that slumber, it was bottled by Douglas Laing for the popular Old Particular range, with only 389 bottles produced.

A 2006 Aultmore single malt from indie bottler Douglas Laing, matured in a single refill hogshead for 14 years, before being bottled in October 2020 as part of its Old Particular series. Rich aromas of toffee, Christmas pudding, Chantilly cream and dried fruits fill the nose, complemented by notes of honey-glazed nuts, pecan pie, vanilla custard and orange zest throughout the palate.

Douglas Laing's exceptionally laudable upbeat Cheers to Better Days miniseries continues with this 2009 Benrinnes, a single refill hogshead (yum) bottled as a 12-year-old under the Old Particular label.

This refill hoggie 12-year-old Benrinnes will be a fascinating dram for anyone who's only tried the sherried Flora & Fauna edition, and with its hopeful message this Cheers to Better Days dram would be the perfect place to start exploring the unsherried side of Benrinnes.

Douglas Laing are well known for bottling excellent single casks in their Old Particular range and for producing Big Peat, a best selling Islay blended malt, and with this special release they have combined the two. This is a single cask from an un-named Islay distillery, but it's a good bet that it's a distillery that contributes to Big Peat's blended malt. It's been drawn from a re-fill sherry butt, where it slumbered for 15 years, then bottled at a hearty 48.4% with no added colour and no chill filtration. Expect smoky BBQ, espresso and sweet cereal notes from this mysterious dram. 

How splendid, a refill sherry butt of Bowmore with a good amount of ageing on it - look at that lovely colour. This particular butt was from the 2002 vintage and was bottled by Douglas Laing for the Old Particular series at the back end of 2020 (see what I did there).

Even at Douglas Laing's preferred drinking strength of 48.4% this 18 year old refill sherry cask gave up just 284 bottles and we'd be surprised if our share doesn't sell out pretty sharpish. A no-brainer.

54.5% ABV. Charged from an ex-bourbon barrel. 201 bottles. Distilled May 2005. Bottled February 2021.

“Cheers to Better Days” is a new 'mini-series' from the Laings that includes a limited edition Jura, Port Dundas, Linkwood and this Bunnahabhain, each from just one single cask. The family firm says the series has been bottled in recognition of a brighter future ahead. All four editions are noted to be bursting with Summer time character, and visually led by an orange label featuring a bespoke, hand-drawn illustration intended to signify “joy, warmth, health and success.”

Bottled at a punchy alcohol strength of 48.4% and proudly offered without colouring or chill-filtration, the Bunnah' is said to balance “a melody of zesty citrus juices and sweet spices.”

Cara Laing, Douglas Laing’s Director of Whisky, further commented: “The light at the end of the tunnel, that we are all so desperately craving, has been truly and beautifully represented by this mini-series."