Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 2Speyside Single Malt Scotch whisky Distillery bottling 70cl 50. 6% After the success of Batch 1 Balvenie quickly followed with a second batch. For me this one surpassed the first one with its velvety layered richness and quite phenomenal complexity. This series is a real masterclass in cask selection and vatting and this one is probably the best of the four releases so far. The Balvenie Tun 1401 takes its name from the traditional wooden tun in which

1990s vintage Ardmores all seem to have a great fat smokiness with lots of juicy waxy

in years gone by

and slightly leathery with cereal and citrus notes throughout

Ardbeg 10 Years Old is still a firm favourite among connoisseurs of single Islay malts and this 1 litre bottle will last just a little longer

Hints of ground coffee beans and mixed peel add a perfect contrast to the rich finish

oak and a lingering smokiness

A great dram

and as we've only got one of these it's first come

A special edition Balvenie 2005 single cask bottled at full cask strength in 2015 as one of five vintages in Chapter One of Balvenie's DCS Compendium

Benriach Vestige is the holy grail of Benriach: one of only two casks that remain from the takeover of the distillery in 2012

Bottling Year 1980s

This version at 40% is still a super satisfying