Whisky

Types of Whisky

Malts and grains are combined in various ways.

Vatted malt is blended from malt whiskies from different distilleries. If a whisky is labelled "pure malt" or just "malt" it is almost certain to be a vatted whisky. This is also sometimes labelled as "blended malt" whisky.

Single malt whisky is malt whisky from a single distillery. However, unless the whisky is described as "single-cask" it will contain whisky from many casks, and different years, so the blender can achieve a taste recognisable as typical of the distillery. In most cases, the name of a single malt will be that of the distillery (The Glenlivet, Bushmills, Yoichi), with an age statement and perhaps some indication of some special treatments such as maturation in a port wine cask.

Pure pot still whiskey refers to a whiskey distilled in a pot-still (like single malt) from a mash of mixed malted and unmalted barley. It is exclusive to Ireland.

Cask strength whiskies are rare and usually only the very best whiskies are bottled in this way. They are usually bottled from the cask undiluted. Rather than diluting, the distiller is inviting the drinker to dilute to the level of potency most palatable (often no dilution is necessary, such is the quality of single cask whiskies). Single cask whiskies are usually bottled by specialist independent bottlers, such as Gordon & MacPhail.

Whiskies do not mature in the bottle, only in the cask, so the "age" of a whisky is the time between distillation and bottling. This reflects how much the cask has interacted with the whisky, changing its chemical makeup and taste. Whiskies which have been in bottle for many years may have a rarity value, but are not "older" and will not necessarily be "better" than a more recently made whisky matured in wood for a similar time.

A small list of the whisky we normally stock if you are after some special or rare just give us a call or email we have access to some of the best whisky out there.

Achentoshan, Balvenie, Bell's, Bowmore, Brora, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Canadian Club, Chivas Regal, Cragganmore, Cutty Sark, Dalmore, Dalwhinne, Glen Grant, Glenfarclas, Glenfiddich, Glenkinchie, Glenlivet, Glenmorangie, Glenrothes, Highland Park, Isle of Jura, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Makers Mark, Monkey Shoulder, Oban, Suntory, Talisker, Grouse, Macallan, Tullamore Dew, Wild Turkey.