A bottle to give or one to produce with a flourish when guests come round, whisky is always welcome at this time of year
Cotswolds Founder’s Choice Single Malt Whisky– this cask strength release from the Cotswolds Distillery comes from founder Dan’s favourite casks: STR (Shaved, Toasted and Re-charred) American oak ex-red wine barriques. These uniquely active casks, designed by whisky expert Dr. Jim Swan, give a rich and intense maturation to the distillery’s fruity single malt spirit, offering notes of toffee, oak and red fruits, and a beautiful, deep colour.
RRP: From £69.95. ABV: 60.5%. Available from: Cotswolds Distillery, Master of Malt and House of Malt
Cotswolds Signature Single Malt Whisky – the award-winning Cotswolds Signature Single Malt Whisky was launched in 2017 and is the first whisky ever distilled in the Cotswolds. 100% locally grown, floor-malted barley and the whisky is matured in first-fill ex-Bourbon barrels and reconditioned red wine casks. The whisky is rich, fruity and sippable with notes of honey, Seville orange marmalade and dark red fruits. Delicious neat, mixed with ginger ale for a longer serve or as an excellent base for cocktail creation.
RRP: £39 for 70cl. ABV: 46%. Available from: Cotswolds Distillery, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Ocado, Majestic Wine, The Whisky Exchange and Laithwaites
Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey – Elijah Craig Small Batch is the signature Bourbon bearing the name of Reverend Elijah Craig, who founded his distillery in 1789 along Elkhorn Creek in present day Georgetown, Kentucky. He is credited with being the first distiller to age his whiskey in charred oak barrels, earning his place in history as the Father of Bourbon. Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon is naturally aged and presented in a contemporary bottle.
RRP: £44.95 for 70cl. ABV: 47%. Available from: Master of Malt, Amazon and The Whisky Exchange
Evan Williams Black Label Bourbon – a smooth, easy to drink Bourbon named after Evan Williams who, in 1783, opened Kentucky’s first commercial distillery along the banks of the Ohio River. Today, Evan Williams is the second largest selling Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskey in the world, distilled just a few streets away from the site where Evan himself built his distillery.
ABV: 43%. Available from: The Whisky Exchange, House of Malt and Milroy’s
Rittenhouse Straight Rye Whiskey – a Pennsylvania Rye with a heritage that commemorates Philadelphia’s famous Rittenhouse Square. It is produced in the tradition of the classic rye whiskeys that were once the pre-eminent American whiskey style. Rittenhouse meets the exact requirements for a Bottled-in-Bond; meaning it’s 100 proof (50% ABV) from one distiller in one distilling season and aged for a minimum of 4 years in a federally bonded warehouse under US government supervision. As a Bottled-in-Bond, it carries a stamp of quality, consistency and transparency, meaning the quality of this product is government certified. Rittenhouse carries the distinct, spicy flavour that is long associated with the brand.
ABV: 50%. Available from: The Whisky Exchange, House of Malt, Master of Malt and Amazon
Micil Inverin Small Batch – a five-part peated blend with a triple cask finish. Inspired by Micil’s (pronounced Mik-il) rich distilling heritage, it embodies the fruity spice of the finest Connemara ‘fuisce’ and the peat smoke of the illicit stills and kilns of Inverin. Finished in recharred ex-bourbon quarter casks, Pedro Ximenez casks & Micil peated poitín octaves, imparting a hint of sweet, smoky turf from the family land in Connemara. Production at Micil Distillery is headed up by Pádraic and Jimin Ó Griallais, sixth generation Connemara distillers and direct descendants of Micil.
RRP: From £33.95 for 70cl. ABV: 46%. Available from Micil Distillery and The Whisky Exchange
Micil Earls Island Single Pot Still – A fruity, spicy Single Pot Still Irish whiskey enriched by Bordeaux red wine casks, with hints of soft turf smoke from ex-peated whiskey casks. It pays homage to the great Galway distilleries of the past, and to the Latin wine merchants who made the city their home. The red wine finish from the ex-Bordeaux casks imparts a rich spice to the spirit, enhancing the ripe barley character of the pot still whiskey.
RRP: From £42.95 for 70cl. ABV 46%. Available from Master of Malt
Rampur Double Cask Indian Single Malt Whisky – produced in India’s oldest distillery, located in the foothills of the Himalayas, this super luxury premium whisky is distilled in traditional copper pot stills. The malt matures for two-thirds of its life in handpicked American Bourbon Barrels and a third in European Oak Sherry Casks and is then non-chill-filtered.
RRP: £60.00. ABV: 45%. Available from: DrinkSupermarket, The Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt
Rampur Asava Indian Single Malt Whisky – for the first time in history, a single malt matured in American Bourbon Barrels has been carefully finished in Indian Cabernet Sauvignon casks. The combination of Rampur’s unique distillation and maturation process sees Rampur Asava Indian Single Malt Whisky taking traditional Indian heritage and rooting it in contemporary culture.
RRP: £68.95. ABV: 45%. Available from: DrinkSupermarket, The Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt