Scotch Whisky
Learn more about Scotch Whisky
The styles of Scotch Whisky:
- Malt Whisky is produced only from 100% malted barley.
- Grain Whisky derives from a mixture of cereals (e.g. corn, maize) that may or may not include barley.
- Blended Whisky combines grain and malt whiskies.
- Vatted Malt Whisky (aka Blended Malt) involves the blending of several single malt scotch whiskies from different distilleries.
The traditional regions of Scotch whisky
Lowlands: North of the English border, and south of a line drawn between Greenock in the west, and Dundee in the east, Lowlands produces subtle whiskies of delicate floral, grassy character and little or no peat influence.
Highlands: This is a broad area, lying between Speyside and with distinct regional variation in the malts produced, ranging from richness and fullness of flavour (Northern Highlands) to sweet, delicate peatiness (Eastern Highlands), to maritime characters (Western Highlands), the clean fruitiness (Perthshire)
Speyside: It encompasses more than half of Scotland's distilleries. Speysides are essentially sweet whiskies, with just a whiff of peatiness, typically highly perfumed, feminine and elegant.
Islay: The peaty soil and Islay's maritime exposure on the west coast of Scotland results in the most robust, oily, heavily-peated, medicinal style of malts.
Campbeltown: At the toe of the Kintyre peninsula, it counts only two active distilleries, Glen Scotia and Springbank. The whiskies share a distinct maritime influence (salty and sewed characters) overlaid with smoky notes
The Scottish Islands: Orkney, Shetland (with Scotland's most northern distillery), Skye, Mull, Jura and Arran typically produce robust malts, at various degrees of peat and smoke intensity. Some are more akin to Highland malts, others evoke Islay malts.
As well as the whiskies listed below in the BBR website, the Spirits Room in our London Shop holds further stocks of rare and premium whiskies, many exclusive to Berry Bros & Rudd.
Small
£7.50
Bottle
£35.00
The variety of Vintages and cask types gives it a balance of mature experience and vibrant youth. For example:
- Vintage 1989 is the oldest bringing mellow oak and dried fruits.
- Vintage 1998 , makes up over 25%, adds soft, mature, sweet vanilla notes.
- Vintage 2007 is the most youthful adding the uplifting lemon citrus notes.
Like all our Reserves Gordon Motion hand selects from just 3% of our very finest casks. The process is complex yet rewarding. Only bottling whisky that is mature and ready, whatever its age ,to suit the taste profile.
Appearance: Brassy gold
Bouquet: Unusually fragrant, soft in style, wafts of mature citrus and honeycomb accompanied with characteristic red fruits.
Palate: Very soft silky/creamy mouth-feel. Red berry fruits swirl and dominate with time over the nebulous nuttiness.
Finish: Mid to long citrus and honeyed vanilla and the faint reminder of 1st fill sherry casks
Ronnie Cox, The Glenrothes Brand Heritage Director, describes the Vintage Reserve as:
Unlike other malts that bottle by age, we choose whiskies that represent the best of a particular year and marry them together when they are ready. With 10 Vintages, the Vintage Reserve is an extraordinary feat: our most complex Reserve.
Vintage Reserve has been awarded Double Gold at the China Wine & Spirits Awards (CWSA) “Best Value” 2015. The CWSA is the biggest and most prestigious Wine & Spirit competition in Hong Kong and China holding two major competitions every year.
Please note – The ‘Small’ sized bottles contain 10cl of liquid.
Small
£7.50
Bottle
£35.00
The Glenrothes typical characteristics are all there, of course, but in the 1991 the emphasis is on vanilla, butterscotchy flavours. Try this with Chopin's Nocturne in D flat major. A calming and comforting dram...ideal for taking you away from the rush and dash. Like a leisure walk in a luxurious garden on a late summer afternoon
(Martine Nouet - editor, Whisky magazine, France - May 2006)
Small
£18.00
Bottle
£18.95
Bottle
£19.95
H/Bottle
£24.95
H/Litre
£30.00
Deep amber, red gold, with a slight pink hue. The nose evokes the maritime location of the distillery, with notes of the sea breeze, supplementing vibrant citrus aromas. On the palate it is herbaceous, floral, showing a seductive honeysuckle character with nuances of sea salt and sherry cask sweetness.
Bottle
£38.90
Bottle
£38.90
Bottle
£39.35
Colour: Straw gold.
Nose: Lively, intense. Grassy freshness and citrus tones with hints of spicy oak.
Palate: Rounded elegance. Clean, crisp citrus tones. A pleasing harmony between a natural sweetness and the soft spicy oak.
Finish: Long and soothing. Rich, clean barley and gristy sweetness.
Bottle
£39.35
Bottle
£39.95
Bottle
£39.95
Bottle
£40.65
Robert Whitehead - Spirits Specialist
Bottle
£41.45
Bottle
£41.95
Bottle
£41.95
Bottle
£42.50
Bottle
£42.95
Bottle
£43.15
Bottle
£43.15
Palate: Intriguing and unusual. Very subtle and balanced with a touch of smoke and salt an appealing clean malty sweetness.
Finish: Medium,clean and fruity with smoky underlay.
I have a bit of a blind spot when it comes to Longrow.This is a revelation!
Dominic Roskrow, Whisky Magazine Nose
Dry smoke. Cigars and canvas. Rockpools/wet stone and rain moistened tweed. Water makes it more like oilskins (maybe put on over the tweed?) and turned earth. Young but enigmatic.
Palate
Smoke,then an unctuous thick feel. Clings to the tongue. Deep syrupy fruit,semi-dried peach. Brooding and powerful. Complex.
Finish
Black treacle.
Comment
A belter. Highest recommendation
Dave Broom - Whisky Magazine Issue 70
Bottle
£44.65
Bottle
£44.65
Delving into the distillery’s history they found one of the first associations of distilleries was with a company called Highland Distilleries back in 1887. This was an association formed between Glenrothes and the Islay Distillery Co Ltd.
This was enough to provide the inspiration for this expression and reflects one of those happy serendipitous results. Using some excellent whisky from Vintage 1992, The Glenrothes was given a temporary home in a cask hailing from the peaty lands of Islay.
It doesn’t take much time to add a kiss of peat smoke to complement but not overpower the usual Glenrothes characters.
Bottle
£44.80
Bottle
£44.80
Bottle
£44.95
Bottle
£44.95
Bottle
£44.95
Bottle
£45.15
Bottle
£45.80
Please note – The ‘Small’ sized bottles contain 10cl of liquid.