Suntory are the gods of the Japanese whisky scene and their Hakushu line is amongst the most popular. The Hakushi distillery is hidden in the forests near the Japanese alps and this particular offering is aged for 12 years. An exceptional single malt, Hakushu 12 year is a light and refreshing offering with hay and mixed peels on the nose and gentle barley malt, smokiness and hazelnut coming through in the taste. Sweetness is perfectly balanced against spice.

The holy island of Lindisfarne brings us more than religious piety, Lindisfarne Mead is a classic, traditional drink which is enjoyed in households around the country. Using honey which is sourced from around the world Lindisfarne Mead is a velvety smooth fortified wine which uses the natural water from an artesian well to develop its flavour. Herbs and fermented grape juice bring out the flavour and altogether a sweet, light flavour is created.

Osborne’s 103 white label brandy is a classic brandy de jerez and aged in casks formerly used for sherry, adding a distinctly Spanish flavour to the drink. A young brandy, 103 brings together both the flavours of the Spanish grapes and stronger fruity notes which are brought out during the maturation process. A slight hint of oak ensures the essence of a traditional brandy but with a lightness that makes it popular for long drinks and cocktails.

Ardbeg is another Scottish single malt of much worth. Straight from cask to bottle, Ardbeg offers a unique flavour which is different from others from regions. Tree bark, peat and vanilla fudge aromas are first to escape and on tasting a burst of smokiness, sea salt and sweet aniseed vanilla hit the palate. Honeyed notes help to mellow it out but it’s the smoky peat flavour which lingers on.

At the heart of the Bowmore range, this 12-year-old offering doesn’t disappoint with a mixture of coastal notes and earthy, gentle peat. On the nose, you’ll enjoy wonderful bright floral notes, with smoky heather and heady hits of peat. The palate is more rounded, smooth and mellow rich if floral perfumed smoke, dark peat and a touch of lemon and sea spray. Evokes coastal strolls and waves crashing against the shore.

One of the most well-known distilleries in the land, this 21-year-old Glenfiddich has all the flavours you want from an exceptional malt. Finished in specially selected Caribbean rum casks, rum-like notes come through in the nose alongside figs, caramel, evoking the festive period. The flavour is rich in spiced fruit depth, with ginger and lime standing out strongly. A long and dry finish is the perfect ending to a highly enjoyable drink.

Auchentoshan three wood is lowland single malt that spends time matured in three different casks. Pedro Ximenez sherry casks, oloroso casks and bourbon casks have the pleasure of playing a role in the maturation of this exceptional malt. The nose is rich with cooked fruit, toffee and sherry with a rum-like quality. The palate is rich, thick like a liqueur and balanced with notes of cherries and chocolate, like sumptuous black forest gateaux.

This 21-year-old Balvenie malt is the flagship of Balvenie's small group of port wood whiskies and is a refined and balanced offering. It spends time maturing in thirty-year-old port pipes which deliver elegance to every sip. White peach and light smoke flood the nose and are quickly followed by a delicate flavour with red fruits, raisins and vibrant floral honey. Balvenie’s 21-year-old malt is a wonderful example of delicate flavours blended perfectly together.

18-year-old highland park is an exceptional whisky that builds upon the already renowned reputation of its younger, 12-year-old brother. All the exceptional stand out notes you’d expect in a quality Orkney note are there with mature oak and aromatic smoke coming through in the nose. The full-bodied flavour hits the palate with gusto, with smoke, peat and honey blending together in a beautiful mix. A soft, long and rounded finish teases you into trying just one more sip.

Matured in American Bourbon, Portuguese sherry and virgin oak casks, this Glenfiddich offering is a fine and enjoyable choice. 15 years spent ageing makes this a staple of the distillery and one which every drinks cabinet should be home to. The nose is rich with sherry, bright citrus notes and dried oak. Its flavour enhances these notes with raisins and sherry, evoking Christmas cake, complete with light spicing. Oak lingers and takes centre stage as the endnote fades.

This 18-year-old offering from the core range of Glenfiddich is matured in a mixture of ex-bourbon and oloroso sherry casks, delivering a sweet, smooth flavour. As you open the bottle you’ll enjoy the zest of grapefruit, fresh apples and spiced dried wood. When your taste you’ll enjoy all these bright fruit flavours candied and spiced with ginger. Complimentary notes toffee and sherry give the drink further character.

The clue’s in the name with this one, Balvenie Doublewood single malt gets its name from the interesting distillation process, involving distillation in two kinds of wood. The maturation process involves moving the whisky from a traditional oak whisky cask to a Spanish oak sherry cask, adding more depth to its flavour and creating its warm, rounded character. Sweet fruit and sherry notes are apparent in its scent and the taste is mellow for a single malt, the sherry at work once more, with nuttiness and cinnamon notes building too.

This 18-year-old Macallan was aged in ex-bourbon barrels before bottling, creating a spicy, intense offering, part of the Macallan old malt cask range. A rum-infused nose rich with raisins, spice and caramel is the perfect introduction to a dark and brooding flavour, espresso and cocoa working in tandem with sweet biscuit spice and stem ginger also present. The malty finish is a satisfying way to round up an exceptional drink.

One of the world’s most revered whiskies and one which if you can taste it, you simply must! macallan’s exceptional 25-year-old malt is the epitome of Speyside, winning awards and lifelong fans alike. The nose is rich in orange and pear, with sweet spices and just the slightest touch of smoke. Its effect on the palate is textbook, malty apricots, prunes and figs are paired with cinnamon and sweet nutmeg. All bound together with a burst of honey, firmly planting this malt at the heart of the speyside scene.

An excellent 18-year-old single malt from Glenlivet, this bottle is a classic Speyside offering which has won awards for its style and refinement. Classic flavours come through in a well-rounded and vibrant nose, fresh with sherried peel, apple blossom and chewy sultanas. On sipping you’ll enjoy the sharpness of tannic oak, walnuts, orange peel and manuka honey. Toasty cereals are spiced up and hints of fennel draw each sip to a satisfying close.

This entry-level Bunnahabhain single malt is a lightly peated offering from islay and is aged for 12 years. Enjoy a light, fresh dram with a higher than average proof and a complex yet enjoyable flavour profile. The nose is rich in salty seaweed, warm malts and sweetness. This inviting aroma leads into a flavour which offers up notes of sherry, nuts, malt and juicy sultana. It’s wonderfully warming and sharply spiced without being overwhelming and it’s one you’ll find yourself reaching for time and again.

A classic from the isle of Skye and a critically acclaimed offering, Talisker 10 year old is a tangy and tasty malt. The nose is bitingly sharp with thick pungent smoke. Apple peels and light fragrant notes help to mellow the sharpness which is how the flavour is dominated with smoke, peppery peat and real intensity. The long finish is welcomingly sweet, with barley and malt, mellows the intense peaty and smoke.

A highly commended malt which offers wonderful value for money and exceptional flavour, this 15-year-old Dalwhinnie lets its simple yet effective flavour notes do the talking. On the nose, it’s all about aromatic toffee, sweet nectarine, apple blossom and just the slightest touch of smoke. When it comes to the palate you can reveal in malty walnut depth, sticky manuka honey and that gentle smoke weaving into the midst. Simplicity at its best.

Matured for 12 years, Cragganmore is a delicious, sherry-infused single malt representing Speyside and offering up both fruity warmth and slight floral notes. As you open the bottom it’s those floral notes that come first, closely followed by heather, smoked almonds and honey. Stone fruits dominate from your first sip, with a rich honey depth, chestnuts, walnuts and almonds enhancing the flavour even further. Delicate pepper spice brings each sip to a close in understated yet delectable style.

A single malt that many lusts after, Lagavulin 16 year old is a southern islay offering which combines bright rich notes with a light dryness, creating an interesting, concentrated flavour. The nose is reminiscent of lapsang souchong tea, exceptionally smoky with undertones of sweet sherry and vanilla. The flavour is equally intense, with a thick richness on the palate, rich in malt and sherry with bright fruited sweetness and the smoky peat always there in the background. A masterpiece of the smoky style.

A legend in its own right, 12-year-old highland park is an Orcadian classic. Made from the finest barley malted over peat fires and blended with the fresh waters of the isle, its character is intensely satisfying. Fresh peat notes stand out strongly against the classic malted barley and even heather comes through, offering a fresh, floral dimension. Medium-bodied and enhanced by its aromatic floral notes, this is one classic single malt.

The entry-level bottle from the Glenkinchie distillery, this 12-year-old malt is rich in the classic flavours whisky lovers look for. The nose is light and fragrant, with cereal notes and a little barley sweetness most prominent. The flavour is fruity with notes of sweet Madeira, calvados and tannic oak flooding the mouth. Fresh and rounded, this dram is vibrantly refreshing with just a little gentle spice coming through.

A west highland malt of real esteem, this 14-year-old Oban is traditional in its flavour but this isn’t something to overlook. Rich and smoky on the nose, this Oban has a medicinal flavour about it, with notes of the sea, coast and seaweed all coming through together. Smooth sweetness is offered up by citrus-infused vanilla but it’s the medicinal notes which truly make this a memorable dram.

This smoky little number will not let you down. 10-year-old offering from the esteemed Laphroaig distillery, it has that classic medicinal taste we all know and love. The powerful muscle of peat comes through in the nose with liquorice and sweet baking spices following behind. As far as the flavour goes it’s sultry, with a real coastal feel and has notes of sweet vanilla, strong oak and spicy chilli there too. It ends dryly, inviting you to give it another sip.

The talents of Scotland and America are combined in each bottle of Glenmorangie. The finest single malt whisky of Scotland is matured in American mountain oak casks, delivering the characteristic aromatic flavour of Glenmorangie. A light and inviting aromas only hints at the flavour, enticing you to taste the fresh and floral flavours within. Notes of vanilla balance gently alongside sweet orange and peach, the latter lingering in a satisfying aftertaste.

A classic Speyside offering, Glenfiddich’s 12-year-old blend spends time in both American and European oak casks, developing a truly distinguished flavour. Your traditional Speyside flavours are released as you open the bottle with a slightly floral, mineral-inspired malted aroma, with citrus honey and orchard fruit notes. The floral notes come to a head in the flavour, with spices carrying the drink to a new level, smoothness ruling throughout. A true benchmark of quality.

A range of Craigellachie single malts was released for the first time in 2014. The distillery is known for its meaty character, and the 13-year-old is sweet, spicy and slightly smoky.