Old & Rare Spirits

A 1984 vintage Appleton Estate rum, matured for 37 years before being bottled in collaboration with bottler Velier, as part of the Hearts Collection. Aromas of black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, lime, marmalade and vanilla fill the nose, complemented by notes of coconut, orange, oak spice and tobacco throughout the palate.

A 2003 Appleton Estate rum that was matured for 18 years, before being bottled in 2021 by Appleton and bottler Velier as part of the Hearts Collection. Aromas of orange peel, treacle, toffee, dark chocolate, oak spice and Christmas cake fill the nose, complemented by notes of honey, vanilla, chocolate, toffee, ginger, citrus and soft smokiness throughout the palate.

70cl / 55.5%

A very special release of 25-year-old Ardbeg, bottled by Elixir Distillers as part of the Single Malts of Scotland Director's Special range in honour of the Whisky Show: Old & Rare's third outing. It's a classic Ardbeg of the era, with a mix of smoke, brine, fruit and tar that immediately conjures visions of the seashore by the distillery

Tasting Notes

NOSE A waft of pipe tobacco. As the smoke clears, an orchard comes into view with apricots and pears. Tarred rope and dusty wicker chairs surround a beach bon‑re. With water, lemon cake is served with a cup of sweet lapsang souchong tea.

PALATE

Burning oakwood chips. Grilled vegetables – capsicum and courgette – are sprinkled with sea salt and cracked black pepper. After a while,the spicy vegetal notes develop into liquorice and rich tannins.

FINISH

Once the ames on the grill have settled down, just the ashes remain. Sweetness returns with soft fruits and hazelnut.
Bottle Size: 70cl 
*Only Available for in store purchase or UK Delivery

70cl / 46%

A rare and sadly discontinued vintage release from Balblair.

A 1991 vintage single malt from Balblair, replacing their 1990 Second Release. The 1991 Third Release was drawn from a combination of bourbon casks and sherry butts, resulting in a balanced flavour profile of caramel, cherry, almond and buttery pastry.

Tasting notes from the producer

AROMA

The nose is expansive and complex with rich citrus fruits and vanilla notes, toffee and chocolate. The American oak ex-bourbon barrels and Spanish oak butts used in the maturation impart notes of honey, winter spices and apricot with just a hint of liquorice in the background

PALATE

On the palate Balblair's signature style of citrus orchard is followed with rich creamy chocolate and layers of stewed apples and pears, Christmas pudding and hot vanilla sauce.

FINISH

The finish descends slowly into brighter tonality, sparkling orange and toasted coconut overtones, accentuating full-bodied sweetness of vanilla and caramel. A rich and celebratory dram.

*Only Available for in store purchase or UK Delivery

Celebrate Oxford Circus station with this limited-edition single malt from West London distillery Bimber, made in collaboration with TFL and matured in a single ex-bourbon barrel. Aromas of sticky pineapple chunks, toffee apples, shortbread biscuits and creamy coffee fill the nose, complemented by notes of dried mango, lemon, ginger, toffee and nutmeg throughout the palate.

NOSE: Expressive charred pineapple chunks and crunchy toffee-covered apples sit with shortbread, rolled pastry, condensed milk and wonderfully creamy caffé latte.

PALATE: Full bodied and with immediate impactful flavour. Dried mango slices, lemon and ginger jelly and toffee-filed bon bons are livened by piquant wood spices.

FINISH: Sustained sweet and sour tropical fruitiness alongside dusty nutmeg.

 

This single cask release drawn from an AMERICAN OAK

EX-BOURBON CASK celebrates Waterloo station.

Waterloo Station was opened on 11th March 1848 and today is the UK’s busiest railway station. The main entrance ‘Victory Arch’ is a Grade II listed building constructed as a memorial to the 585 workers of the London & South Western Railway who lost their lives in the Great War. The station’s iconic four-sided clock face has long been used in film and fiction as a romantic spot for couples to rendezvous.

NOSE: Bright, succulent pineapple juice supported by nougat, bourbon biscuits delectable toffee. Gentle char sits alongside split vanilla pods and lithe minerality.

PALATE: A syrupy body packed full of tropical fruitiness, citrus sugar and freshly squeeze orange juice. Chocolate covered biscuits and burnt toffee provide a succulent core.

FINISH: Earthy nutmeg and powdered ginger with fading fruitiness.

A limited-edition single malt from Bimber distillery in West London, made in collaboration with Transport For London and matured in a single American oak ex-bourbon barrel, this whisky celebrates Baker Street station. Aromas of roasted pineapple, caramel, Turkish Delight, cocoa and ginger fill the nose, complemented by notes of banoffee pie, cinnamon, blackberries, dark chocolate and plums throughout the palate.

 58.1% 70c

A limited-edition single malt from West London distillery Bimber, made in collaboration with TFL, this bourbon barrel matured whisky celebrates London's iconic King's Cross station. Aromas of charred peaches, red apples, pineapple, creamy toffee and oaky spice fill the nose, complemented by notes of whipped cream, ripe apricots, chocolate mousse, vanilla and black pepper throughout the palate.

58.1% 70c

The second collaborative expression in the Masters' Selection of rare whiskies from Bowmore and Aston Martin is aged for 22 years in American oak hogsheads and sherry butts.

This release is bottled at 51.5% abv and shines with notes of honey, salt, peaches, eucalyptus and drying peat smoke

The newest member of the Bunnahabhain core range family, this first batch release of a 30 year whisky is one of our oldest single malts. Matured exclusively in ex-sherry casks in our coastal warehouses at the distillery, non-chill filtered and natural colour, this is a rich and sweet dram.

It takes patience and perseverance to perfect this whisky; three decades of watching and waiting, a unique character shaped by the salt-rich air at Bunnahabhain Bay.

Every dram of their 30 year old is matured in ex-sherry casks under the watchful eye of their Distillery Manager.  Only when it is fully formed is it freed from its coastal cocoon; its once-hidden bounty ready to be revealed and revered.  Expect notes of strawberries and cream, gradually developing into honey nut cereals and an abundance of rich toffee, before finishing with a hint of salted caramel and light spices.  The first batch produced for this new release, this is definitely not one to miss!

Nose

Aromas of  butterscotch, beeswax and sweet sherry

Palate

Strawberries and cream dominate the palate, gradually developing into honey nut cereals and an abundance of rich toffee.

Finish

A gentle aftertaste of stewed berries and ginger, with a prolonged and undulating combination of spiced oak and salted caramel.

 

70cl / 41.4%

A single-cask release of Bunnahabhain from the Single Malts of Scotland, bottled as part of the Director's Special range. This was distilled back in 1975 and aged for 43 years in a single refill-bourbon hogshead. Over the years, its strength has naturally dropped, concentrating its flavour. The result is a soft and fruity whisky that shows the delicacy of Bunnahabhain's normally boisterous spirit.

70cl / 66.5%

Part of the second release in Velier's Caroni Employees series, this 23-year-old rum honours David Charran, also known as Sarge. Distilled in 1996, this rum has a charming, almost floral character on the nose, with aromas of grapefruit, caramel, cocoa and brewers yeast over a backdrop of summer blossoms. The palate is rich and complex, with jammy fruit, tar, candied lemon and baking spices initially, developing notes of oak, vanilla, wood smoke and fruit compote that linger in the finish.

 70cl / 69.5%

Part of the second release in Velier's Caroni Employees series, this 21-year-old rum honors Kevon Moreno, also known as Slippery. Distilled in 1998, this rum has a sweet, fruity character on the nose, with aromas of vanilla, caramel, citrus peel, and exotic fruit, with undertones of petroleum jelly. The palate is rich, offering notes of brown sugar, buttery pastry, speculoos, and root ginger, with hints of wildflowers and oak spice lingering in the finish.

70cl / 65.2%

Part of the third release of the Caroni Employees series, this 2000 rum honours Nita "Nitz" Hogan, who worked at Caroni Distillery for 30 years. Distilled in 2000 and bottled in 2020, this rum is a marriage of six barrels matured for 20 years.

*Box is slightly damaged, see pictures for reference

70cl / 63.5%

Caroni crafted by committee, this 23-year-old was blended by a panel of 23 Caroni experts, and displays flavours from across the spectrum – light, fruity, vegetal notes at the lighter end and the heavy, powerful, oily tropical-fruit character for which the distillery is best known – all working together in harmony.

• Single Traditional Column Rum
• Distillery Bottling

A super rare Japanese single malt whisky which was released in 2021. This is a vatting of seven barrels with a minimum age of five years, with some first-fill bourbon and some ex-peated whisky casks in the mix.

Chichibu Red Wine Cask 2012 Bottled 2020 5743 Cask Only 150 Bottles made

Chichibu Distillery is a very young distillery and a rising star in the Japanese whisky world. The winery was built in 2008. Its founder, Ichiro Akuto, once founded Venture whisky and Ichiro's Malt brand, and successfully packaged and operated the family's inventory of the winery, Hanyu. Old wine, and became popular, and then became famous internationally for its high-quality whiskey produced by its own Chichibu Distillery. For more details about Chichibu.

Chichibu Distillery-Chichibu 2012 Red Wine Cask TWE Exclusive (hereinafter referred to as C2012). This wine was selected by TWE barrels, distilled in 2012, and matured in barrel number. The 5743 Red Wine Cask, bottled in 2020, has an alcohol content of 62.9% ABV, a capacity of 700ml, and the number of bottles is 150 bottles.

Cask Number:

5743

Cask Type:

Kusuda Red Wine

Number of Bottles:

150

ABV:

62.9%

2012

70cl / 62%

Glengoyne 25 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Matured exclusively in hand-selected sherry casks for a quarter of a century, this unique malt is an important addition to the Glengoyne collection. This bright amber beauty has red fruits, leather and brown sugar on the nose and soft oak, cinnamon, stewed fruits and a Seville marmalade tang on the palate.The finish is very long with spicy liquorice. The malt is presented in a new heavy bespoke bottle and outer box. The bottle features a fine metal stopper, crafted cartouche and delicately branded neck tag and is attractively displayed in an oak box interior which includes an engraved plinth. The elegant exterior has a refined feather pattern subtly varnished on the pack.

An extremely rare and highly sought-after addition to the Hakushu range, this 25 year-old was rated 93/100 by Jim Murray, who called it "a malt which is impossible not to be blown away by".

• Tasting Notes by Dave Broom for Whisky Advocate

  • As the price may suggest, there ain't a lot of this around, but to see Hakushu at its most robust, try and find a bar with a bottle. Again, the sherry component has been upped, as has the smoked element. There is, however, always that graceful Hakushu purity running through, this time expressed as rhubarb and strawberry. The palate shows great oily depth, hints of walnut, and yes, a sprig of mint tying it to the 10 year old. 90 Points.

The 2019 release of Havana Club Tributo has rich, balanced aromas of raisins, dried fruit and subtle oak spice on the nose. The palate offers notes of sweet coconut, rich coffee, oak spice and sweet dried apricots.

70cl / 40%
No. Bottles Made: 2500

Hibiki is the flagship blend from Suntory, one of Japan's biggest drinks companies. Introduced in the 1970s following the construction of the company's second distillery, Hakushu, (the first being the famous Yamazaki), it has gone on to win a worldwide following and critical acclaim, culminating in the awarding of an International Spirits Competition Trophy four times in five years between 2004-2008.

Name	Hibiki 30
Producer	Suntory
Brand	Hibiki 30
Age	30 year
Size	70cl
Alc Vol	43%
Region	Japan
Country	Japan
Bottling	offical

This limited edition design of Hibiki Japanese Harmony offers a unique blend of ten different malt and grain whiskies carefully crafted to create a complex and mellow flavor. Enjoy the smooth and sweet taste of this blend that's been specially designed to embody its signature Suntory Harmony.

A blended whisky from the king of independent Japanese distillers, Ichiro Akuto, bottled in 2019. The nose is full of citrus and peach aromas, with wafts of vanilla in the background, while the palate offers notes of caramel and toasted oak as well.

The younger half of the Ruby Geishas – the penultimate release in the Karuizawa Geisha series – this 34-year-old release is exclusive to The Whisky Exchange and being sold by ballot. It was matured in a single sherry butt and its time in cask have given it a rich and complex character with layers of sherry-oak and spice.

70cl / 53.8%

Part of an exclusive series from The Single Malts of Scotland range, this delicious Laphroaig 20 Year Old has been bottled from a single sherry cask. Notes of red fruit, iodine and seaweed accompany finely structured smoke.

 

At 25 years old this whisky embodies the richness, depth and sweetness of all Ardbegs. Light gold in colour and powerful in character. A phenomenal, much-sought-after bottling of a really outstanding malt.

 

70cl / 43%
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky Gordon & MacPhail.

This very rare single malt that has been aged in oak for so long. It is a piece of history. Macallan single malt whisky is highly regarded, and late 40's/early 50's  particularly so.

A famous old expression of The Macallan 30 year old, matured entirely in sherry oak casks. This was the last edition of the sherried 30yo before the introduction of the Fine Oak series, and also the last 30yo before Macallan revamped their bottle shape and packaging, ditching the wooden boxes for 25yo and 30yo.

• Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• Distillery Bottling

70cl / 43%

2014 Release
American Bourbon Whiskey
70cl / 57.1%

A stunning 20-year-old bourbon from Michter's selected from a single barrel. These barrels offer enticingly rich flavours of toasted oak, nuts and dark fruits.

• NOSE

  Rich and polished, and surprisingly bright considering its age. Seductive notes of leather and mocha.

• PALATE

  Toffee and classy oak dominate, then solid spiciness comes through. The richness masks the high abv.

• FINISH

  Very long, with complex spice intertwining with the oak and fruit. Sensational.

 

 

 

 

70cl / 60.9%

• Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• Distillery Bottling

The eighth release of Diageo's Port Ellens is the fourth from 1978 and arrives in slightly tweaked packaging with a new box design, although the label remains largely the same.

A magnum of Rémy Martin's famed super-premium cognac, the Louis XIII, presented in a large numbered Baccarat crystal decanter. This set includes the presentation box and numbered stopper, but not the numbered booklet.
150cl / 40%

A special bottling of the famous 23 year-old Zacapa Centenario to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of its first release.

49.5% 70cl

The fifth release in Elixir Distillers' Rosebank Roses series, Fascination is a 21-year-old single malt which, like the others in the collection, has been released to celebrate Valentine’s Day. This single malt is a combination of spirit distilled in both 1990 and 1991, matured in ex-Madeira casks and American oak barrels for 21 years. Citrussy aromas of candied citrus peel and fresh lemon are joined by rye bread, white chocolate, sherbet pips and mint on the nose, complemented by notes of green apple, sugared almonds, custard and vanilla cream throughout the palate.

• NOSE

  Sweet cream, honeysuckle, and spring meadow flowers lead. Apple blossom and creamy vanilla custard follow, with sliced apple and pear, and rich citrus peel notes orange and lemon. Candied flower petals – violet and rose – develop, wafting delicately over a field of buttery malt.

• PALATE

  The sweet cream from the nose returns, with spicy bodyguards: cinnamon and nutmeg to one side, white and black pepper on the other. Stewed apples roll in, with licorice and anise touches. Sweetshop notes hide at the bottom: candy necklaces, apple chews, and creamy milk chocolate. Floral notes develop, with delicate petals and sweet syrup tinged with a hint of leafy mint. Water softens the spice but leaves the intensity of flavour. Buttery notes are amplified, and fruit and cream notes develop strawberry- and orange-creme-filled chocolates.

• FINISH

  A burst of buttermint fades to leave sweet floral touches and gentle green leaf notes. 

 The 2021 release of Springbank Local Barley 10-Year-Old single malt has been made with locally-grown barley and matured in oloroso sherry casks for a decade, before being bottled in December 2020. Aromas of raisins, prunes, coffee beans, dark chocolate, and walnuts fill the nose, complemented by notes of crème Brulee, orange zest, nutmeg, maraschino cherries, and caramel shortbread throughout the palate.

 

70cl / 46%

The 2020 release of Springbank 21 Year Old is a creamy, complex single malt with a distinguished maritime character. It has a strong Campbeltown spirit, with creamy toffee aromas alongside freshly picked strawberries and sweet grains. The palate offers notes of sugared almonds, rich, cereal sweetness and warm cinnamon notes.

• Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• Distillery Bottling

A stunningly presented bottle of Suntory Yamazaki aged 25 years in sherry wood. The incredibly dark colour would suggest that this is from an outstanding oloroso cask.

Tamdhu's second exclusive Cigar Malt dram has been carefully crafted to perfectly complement the complex aroma and mouthfeel of a handmade cigar.

Created using a small selection of first fill European oak sherry casks with a suitably robust character and bottled un-chillfiltered at 53.8% ABV, this is a dram dedicated to richness and strength.

53.8% / 70cl

While all Tamdhu matures exclusively in the finest Oloroso Sherry Casks, Tamdhu Cigar Malt uses a small selection of first fill European oak sherry casks with a character robust enough to support the rich flavour of a top quality cigar, each cask meticulously hand-selected for this purpose.

As with each leaf in a cigar, these rare casks deliver both colour and taste while owing everything to nature and nurture, the final flavour coming exclusively from oak casks and single malt spirit, with nothing else added.

Finally, Cigar Malt is bottled un-chillfiltered and at high strength, allowing a richness of texture and strength of flavour in this whisky to perfectly compliment the complexity of aroma and mouthfeel of a handmade cigar. A magnificent Speyside Single Malt for the Scotch and cigar connoisseur.

Immerse yourself in the extraordinary world of The Devil’s Keep 2023 Edition, the latest triumph from The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. This ultra-rare Irish single malt whiskey, limited to a mere 333 bottles, is a reflection of our deep-rooted heritage and cutting-edge spirit. Continuing the acclaimed legacy of our Inaugural Edition, which sold for a record-breaking $60,000 at auction and was voted The World’s Best Irish Single Malt at The World Whiskies Awards, The Devil’s Keep 2023 Edition epitomises our relentless pursuit of perfection.

 

In the 11th batch of The GlenDronach Granduer series, master blender Rachel Barrie has personally selected well-aged whisky drawn from oloroso casks. At 28 years old, this single malt from the Highland distillery was bottled at 48.9%, with a release of 3,181 bottles, each housed in a wooden presentation box.

Tasting notes:
Appearance: Ruby tinged walnut

Nose: opulent and powerful with a symphony of sherry aromatics interwoven with dark manuka honey, roasted almond and walnut baked plum and ginger captivate the senses, deepening to rustic vintage leather and freshly ground coffee.

Palate: Intense and full-bodied with dark fruit notes on a base of velvet and fine leather. A crescendo of black cherry and espresso adorns each mouthful.

Conclusions: Richly rewarding, with a persistent chocolate, liquorice and walnut finish.

70cl / 43.7%

The Macallan Masters of Photography: Magnum Edition marks the seventh limited edition release in The Macallan Masters of Photography series. This awe-inspiring collection of images, taken by six world renowned Magnum photographers, capture different aspects of the iconic distillery.

Macallan Masters of Photography is an elegant Speyside single malt, made using whisky aged in eight different types of cask including first-fill American oak, an ex-European wine cask and a refill Speyside whisky cask from Macallan itself. This combination creates an incredibly complex single malt with notes of candied fruits, honey, butterscotch, red berries and spicy ginger.

Created to celebrate both photography and whisky-making at Macallan, Masters of Photography features exclusive collaborations with six of the world’s best-known photographers, to capture each stage of the process – and the new Macallan distillery – in a different light.

• Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• Distillery Bottling

70cl / 43%

• Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• Distillery Bottling

The 2020 edition of Macallan 25 Year Old Sherry Oak has been matured exclusively in hand-picked oloroso sherry casks from Jerez for a quarter of a century before bottling. This creates aromas of orange, cinnamon, sherry and wood smoke on the nose, complemented by notes of dried fruit and crystalised ginger throughout the palate.

*Only available for UK Delivery or Instore Purchase

75cl / 63.45%

The 2015 cask-strength rye-based release from Buffalo Trace's much anticipated annual Antique Collection series. Always highly regarded, the 2012 edition won World Whisky of the Year in Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2013.

70cl / 46.8%

A very limited run of gorgeous, long-aged Irish whiskey, bottled exclusively for us by The Whisky Agency. The late 80s and early 90s were a sweet spot for whiskey from this anonymous Irish distillery, with a huge amount of fruity flavour in every bottling. This one zeroes in on mangoes, and is one of the juiciest drams we've ever tried. A must-taste for fans of the style.

The Yamazaki Limited Edition 2017 builds upon the reputation established by previous Limited Edition releases. Suntory has been sparse on details regarding the 2017 release. What we do know is that this whisky combines multiple single malt vintages that have been matured in a variety of casks with some of it having been aged for over 20 years. A must-have for every Japanese Whisky enthusiast!