Malt Whisky Guide

 

v Review our range of malts  

v Learn about the whisky regions

v See offers for our “Whisky Trails”

v Read our tasting notes for each whisky

 

Uisge Beatha: Gaelic for aqua vitae – “water of life” pronounced: “whisk – beeth”.

Whisky is derived from the first part as mis-pronounced by the arriving English.

 

Our whiskies with tasting Notes             Lists by region        Link to Whisky tasting notes by region

Campbelltown

Traditionally full-flavoured and full-bodied whiskies, famous for their depth of flavour and for their slightly salty tang in the finish.

Highland

This is the largest region and has many variations within the malts it produces.  Northern Highland - medium-bodied, complex and delicate, dryish, salty and spicy.

Eastern Highlands - full to medium-bodied, smooth, sweetish, dry finish and malty, lightly smoky with fudgey, citrus notes and spice.

Southerns tend to be lighter, fragrant with honey and heather with a dry finish.

Island

The Islands stretch from the Orkney y down the west coast encompassing Skye, Jura, Mull, and Arran except Islay (Eye-luh) which is its own region. Producing whisky that is peaty, smoky nose with a salty, briny some peaty like Highland Park and some in the lighter style like Jura.

Islay

Strong, peaty, renowned for their phenolic, iodine, seaweed-like qualities. For the advanced drinker!

Lowland

Light in colour, dry finish, low aromatic intensity, grassy, green or herbal, with grain and floral notes. Using lightly peated malt giving a sweetness in the mouth.  Lowland malts are regarded by many as an excellent aperitif. 

Speyside

Contains over 50% of all the malt distilleries in Scotland. Elegant, complex and a refined smokiness. In two main groups: Big, sherry style – like The Macallan, Glenfarclas and Aberlour. Light and subtle style – like The Glenlivet, Tomintoul Tamnavulin and Glenfiddich. Lighter than Highland, those matured in sherry wood can have a chocolate taste.

 

Whisky Trails - Sample a trail of fine whisky – a measure of each at 6 for the price of 5 – ask at the bar for the Tasting Notes – you may record your own notes as you work through the list during your stay – the notes are for you to review and add your own thoughts.  

Classic Six

Campbelltown Oban Highland Royal Lochnagar

Island Highland Park

Islay Laphroaig

Lowland Glenkinchie

Speyside The Macallan

Speyside Six

Aberlour

Balvenie

Benromach

Glenfarclas

The Macallan

Tomatin Highland Six

Royal Lochnagar

Glen Garioch

Old Pultney

Glenmorangie

Clynelish

Balblair

“Slainte Mhath” (slawn'-cha-va) – your good health.

 

Campbelltown

Springbank 10yr 43% from Kintyre & favourite of the Prince of Wales. Mild floral nose, Warming, grassy, toffee, sherry, long.

Oban 14yr 43% - A bit highland a bit island style, spicy, sherry, lavender nose, vanilla, peat, spicy, oily, big, finish.

Highland – East

Royal Lochnagar 12yr 43% - Our local at Balmoral – Sweet, mild peat, dry, warming, sherry, long.

Glen Garioch 15 yr 43% from Inverurie. Earthy, sweet  nose. Light, spicy, floral, grassy, sherry finish.

Fettercairn 1824 12yr 40%. Grassy, floral, phenolic nose, Oily, dry, spicy finish.

North

Old Pultney 12yr 40%. From Wick. Sweet, fruity, orange, bananas nose, Tingly, roasted banana, heather, caramel, warm, long.

Glenmorangie10 yr 40% - from Tain. Spicy, grassy nose, caramel, butter, peaches, smooth, long.

Glenturret 10 yr 40% - Crief. Pale, lemon, mild peat nose, warming, honey notes, aperitif.

Balblair 16 yr 40% - Edderton nr Dornoch. Light, spicy nose, effervescent, peppery, smooth, aperitif.

Dalwhinnie 15 yr 43% (Meeting place) – Ginger, caramel nose, spicy, sherry, smooth, long.

Clynelish 14yr 46% - Brora. Seashore, spicy, smoky, oily, caramel.

South

Edradour 10 yr 40% - Pitlochry. Sweet, sherry aroma, sherry, vanilla, warming.

Tullibardine 1993 – Blackford. Spicy, oranges, grassy, fiery, vanilla.

Island – Orkney

Highland Park 12 yr, 42.7% - Soft, sweet, warming, smooth, faint peat, long.

Scapa 14yr 40% - Light, salty, vanilla finish.

Mull

Tobermory 10 yr 40% - Light, some peat, malt & toffee, smooth.

Ledaig Sherry finish – Aroma - Peaty, strong. Warming, smoky, mild peat, toffee, long.

Skye - Talisker 10 yr 43% - powerful & smoky, smooth, mild peat.

Jura – Isle of Jura 10 yr 40%. From Craighouse, salty, sweet hints, pepper.

Islay – (Eye-la).

Ardbeg 10 yr 40% Nose – peaty, vanilla, Peat, oily, smoky, warming, long.

Bowmore Legend 40% - A lighter Bowmore 9 year old. Nose - Mild peat, spice, Spicy, mild peat, fizzy, caramel, smooth, warming, long.

Bruichladdich (Brook-laddy) Links – Mild, peaty nose, Warming, fizzy, peaty, long.

Bunnahabhain 12 yr 40% - (Boon-a-ven “mouth of the river”) - Mild, less peaty, light smoke, fruity, sherry. long.

Lagavulin 16 yr old 43% - Heavy intense, phenolic, peaty, warming and smooth.

Laphroaig 10 yr 40% – The “hollow of the cave” – Big, smoky, dry, seaweed good night-cap but not for the fainthearted. One of the most powerful Islay’s.

Caol Ila 12 yr 43% (Cull-eela) – Spicy, peaty nose, oily, smooth, spicy, long finish.             

Lowland

Auchentoshan 10yr 40%. From Dalmuir, near Glasgow. Triple distilled, mellow, accessible, fruity nose, warming, peat, caramel fizzy finish.  

Glenkinchie 10 yr 43% - The “Edinburgh malt” from Pencaitland, East Lothian, Sherry, spicy nose, warming, sherry, spicy vanilla finish.

Rosebank 12 yr 43%. From Falkirk at the site of the Wheel. Mild, peat, some iodine nose. Smooth, caramel, soft peat, mild fizz,, long.

Speyside

Aberlour 10 yr 40% - Spicy, sherry nose. Mild, rich, warming spicy finish.

An Cnoc (a-noc) 12yr 40% From Knock near Huntly.  Nose - Floral, grassy, caramel. Mild fizz, mild peat, caramel, grass, fiery.

Balvenie 10 yr Founder’s reserve 40% - Sweet, spicy, sherried fruit, liquorice, light fizz.

Benromach Traditional 40% from Forres - Nose – straw, peat, grass. Toffee, spicy, smooth, balanced, piney, smoky.

Glenfarclas 10 yr 40% - true classic, big and complex style with good sherry character. Vanilla, spice, mint nose, Warming, floral, grassy, treacle, complex, long.

Glenfiddich 12 yr 40% - Sweet vanilla nose. Fizzy, warming, grassy, mild peat finish.

The Glenlivet 12 yr 40% – The first licensed distillery (1824). Dry, floral, syrup nose. Vanilla, warming, grassy, spicy, mellow, mild.

Knockando 12 yr 43% - “The little black hill”. Nose – sweet, floral, spicy. Mild peat, caramel, oily, spicy, warming, long.

Tamdhu 40% – From Knockando in Morayshire. Iodine, peaty nose. Fiery, smooth, mild peat, spicy, long.

Tamnavulin 12 yr 40% - “The hill with the mill” from Ballindaloch. Nose – mild peat, spice, Fizzy, fiery, mild, spicy, mace, cloves finish.

The Macallan 10 yr 40% - from Craigellachie. Matured in dry Oloroso sherry casks. Big, peat, grassy nose. Sherry, spice, mild peat.

Tomatin 12 yr old 40% - Malty, peat, rich, oily, fiery.

Tomintoul 16 yr old 40% - From the highest village in the highlands at Ballindalloch.  Malty, sherry nose. Fiery, grassy, spicy, toffee, treacle finish.

 

Whisky list & information