This whisky undergoes a unique aging process, starting in bourbon casks before finishing in tawny port pipes. Its brilliant copper color with a rose hue sets the stage for a sensory journey. The nose entices with fragrant notes of toffee, pepper, dried fruit, berries, and toasted nuts. On the palate, it offers a luscious and warming experience, revealing flavors of fruitcake, cigar, chocolate, and red fruit, culminating in a long, spicy finish. Whether enjoyed neat or on the rocks, this whiskey promises a delightful sipping experience.

The Gordon & MacPhail (G&M) Distillery Label Mortlach 15 Year Old is a, 46% ABV Speyside single malt, matured in first-fill and refill sherry casks. Known for a robust, "meaty" profile, it offers notes of rich sherry, stewed fruits, and malt, with a long, spicy finish. It balances sweet, dark fruit flavors with savory, oaky depths.

The Aberfeldy 10 Year Old Equinox & Solstice Autumn 2023 by Decadent Drinks is a 48.5% ABV Highland single malt matured in refill barrels. This small-batch release (2013 vintage) offers a robust, waxy profile with notes of honeyed oats, green apples, digestive biscuits, and gentle spices. It is a vibrant, fruity, and slightly dry "warm" whisky, ideal for autumn, and is often presented with original, artistic labels.

Benromach 21 Years Old is a,43% ABV, single malt Scotch whisky from Speyside, matured in first-fill sherry and bourbon casks. It features a classic, subtle, soft smoky profile, offering notes of sweet Sherry, Seville orange, raspberry, and spices. It is known for a creamy, complex taste of charred oak and dark fruits.

Diaoyutai Yun Men Jin Cui is a premium 53% ABV sauce-aroma (soy sauce aroma) Chinese baijiu produced in Maotai Town, Guizhou, known for its elegant, long-lasting fragrance and complex, savory, and mellow taste. It is made from high-quality glutinous sorghum, wheat, and water, offering a luxurious mouth-feel, often described as a top-tier, refined spirit.

Floral notes emerge on the nose, dressing up hints of raspberry compote, while the medium- to full-bodied palate delivers raspberries, cherries, cinnamon, clove and pepper. The tannins on the finish are fine and silky. Drink now–2025.

The Hampden 2012 11-year-old is a Jamaican pot still rum from the Trelawny parish, typically featuring the OWH mark (low ester, 40-80 g/hlap). Distilled in 2012 and bottled around 2023 at high ABV (often 58-60%), these editions offer a "funky" yet approachable, tropical fruit-forward profile with notes of ripe banana, oak, and light spices.

The wine has a medium golden yellow color & a real viscosity. The honeyed aromas have an overlying honeysuckle perfume. The palate is hugely sweet with rich honey, juicy, ripe apricot & intense perfumed honeysuckle flavors. Acidity is balanced and alcohol adds warmth & roundness. The finish has notes of vanilla & marzipan touches, but ends sweet with opulent ripe apricot fruit.

Rose, violet, forest-berry and wild herb aromas fill the glass on this fragrant red. Firmly structured yet loaded with finesse, the linear palate shows strawberry, red cherry, star anise and menthol set against assertive fine-grained tannins and bright acidity. It's still youthfully austere but balanced.Kerin O’Keefe

Lobos 1707 Extra Añejo is a premium 100% Blue Weber agave tequila aged for three years in American white oak barrels and finished in Pedro Ximénez (PX) sherry casks using the solera method. It offers a complex, luxurious flavor profile of caramel, toasted oak, and dried fruit, designed for slow sipping.

Deep, dark, opaque purple-black color holds well to a vivid purple rim & stains the glass when swirled. The aromas are of concentrated dark-fruit. Concentrated fruit on the palate has a tight graphite nature at its core, but is lifted by good freshness. The tannins are fine, but a little drying. Alcohol seems balanced by the fruit. Lovely, juicy blackcurrant fruit emerges from the graphite on the finish – which has fair length.

This wine's nine months in French oak, 30% new and 70% neutral, is a winning combination. A pronounced raspberry-pie aroma is joined by notes of sage and orange zest. There's a meatiness to the palate, with tart cherries blending with fennel and Italian sausage notes. The acidity is zippy and the mouthfeel crisp.

Cambridge Truffle Gin is a luxurious, savory spirit, recognized as the world's first "digestif gin," featuring authentic white truffle from Alba, Piedmont. Distilled by Cambridge Distillery, it balances traditional juniper with deep, earthy truffle notes, offering a viscous texture and a long, complex finish.

Miyasaka Miyama Nishiki is a premium, aromatic Junmai Ginjo sake from Nagano, Japan, brewed with 55% polished Miyama Nishiki rice. It is characterized by a light, crisp, and refreshing profile featuring delicate notes of melon, white peach, and pear, balanced with a subtle, airy sweetness and lively acidity.

Kinokawa Nigori is a 15% ABV, premium Japanese cloudy sake from Nagasaki, featuring a creamy, opaque appearance with visible rice solids. It offers an aromatic, off-dry, medium-bodied experience with notes of Granny Smith apple, banana, and savory hints like marinated mushrooms. It is best served chilled, offering a smooth finish with hints of horchata.

Deep, dark and elegant, this full-bodied wine sips easily despite significant tannins since they are silky and fine-grained. Black cherries, blackberries and blueberries blend with hints of charred oak and iron for a complex, edgy palate.

The Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseur's Choice Ardmore 2008 (2024 bottling) is a 16-year-old Highland single malt, matured in a refill bourbon barrel at a high strength of 57.2% ABV. This expression features a dry, ashy peat smoke balanced with sweet, orchard fruit notes, including apple and lemon, complemented by creamy milk chocolate and cured meat flavors.

Nose: Aromas of ripe yellow apples, citrus zest, and toasted almonds.
Taste: Rich and creamy with flavors of baked pear, lemon curd, and hazelnut.
Palate: Well-balanced acidity, a touch of minerality, and a long, elegant finish.

Nose: Intense aromas of red cherries, raspberries, and strawberries, with hints of dried herbs and earthy undertones.

Taste: Bright and lively on the palate, with flavors of ripe red fruits, including cherries and cranberries. Subtle notes of black pepper and a touch of smokiness.

Palate: Medium-bodied with well-integrated tannins and a refreshing acidity. The finish is long and persistent, leaving a pleasant fruity aftertaste.

Nose: Intense aromas of ripe black cherries, dried figs, and raisins, with hints of tobacco and dark chocolate.

Taste: Rich and full-bodied, with flavors of blackberry jam, plum compote, and sweet spices like cinnamon and cloves.

Palate: Velvety smooth tannins, balanced acidity, and a long, lingering finish of dried fruits and a touch of vanilla.

Burly and powerful, this is an explosively complex and satisfying wine, full bodied and brooding in black cherry and tobacco, its tannins mild and lengthy.

Violets, sweet black fruits, balanced, leafy notes.

Nose: Aromas of ripe pear, citrus zest, and white flowers.
Taste: Flavors of crisp apple, lemon curd, and a hint of toasted almonds.
Palate: Medium-bodied with a creamy texture, balanced acidity, and a long, mineral-driven finish.

Nose: Aromas of blackberries, cherries, and plums with hints of cedar and tobacco.

Taste: Rich and velvety, with flavors of dark fruits, vanilla, and spices.

Palate: Well-structured with smooth tannins, balanced acidity, and a long, lingering finish.

Nose: Intense aromas of blackberries, black cherries, and plums, with hints of violets, black pepper, and smoked meat.

Taste: Rich and full-bodied, with flavors of ripe dark fruits, including blackberries and blackcurrants, complemented by notes of licorice, cloves, and a touch of earthiness.

Palate: Velvety smooth with well-integrated tannins, showcasing a harmonious balance between fruit and savory elements. The finish is long and lingering, leaving a pleasant impression of black fruit and spices.

Nose: Aromas of blackberry, cassis, and dark cherry, with hints of vanilla and cedar.

Taste: Rich and concentrated flavors of blackcurrant, plum, and black cherry, with notes of chocolate and spice.

Palate: Full-bodied with velvety tannins, balanced acidity, and a long, lingering finish.

Hououbiden Higeban Junmai Daiginjo (often referred to in the context of high-end Kobayashi Sake Brewery releases) is a premium, aromatic, and refined sake from Tochigi Prefecture. It features a, typically using high-quality rice like Kissui polished to 50%. It is characterized by a silky, velvety texture with notes of lush melon, pear, and a gentle, clean finish.

Sweet black plums, black cherries, chocolate, espresso, and licorice on the nose, are also found on the fresh, forward, chalky palate.

This is a luscious wine. Its tannins are cushioned by the ripe plum and prune fruits. That doesn't mean it is likely to develop too quickly, but is ready to take its time, bringing out the opulent character of the wine as well as its structure. Drink from 2028. Roger Voss

Nose: Aromas of ripe red cherries, blackberries, and hints of violet. Subtle notes of earth and spice.

Taste: Rich and concentrated flavors of dark berries, cherries, and plums. Slight hints of vanilla and oak.

Palate: Well-structured with firm tannins and a balanced acidity. Smooth and velvety texture. Long and lingering finish with a touch of minerality.

A lovely deep, not quite opaque, purple/ruby color holds well to the rim. Refined aromas combine ripe, red-plum fruit, concentrated dark-licorice, integrated cedar & sweet spices. Fresh acidity lifts lively red-plum fruit on the palate. The structure is smooth & refined with silky tannins. Rich, warming alcohol is balanced by concentrated, ripe, dark-fruit. The wine finishes with earthy notes, truffles & dried leaves. The finish is complex & mature.

Nose: Aromas of ripe red cherries, blackberries, and plums, with hints of dried herbs and earthy undertones.

Taste: Rich and vibrant flavors of dark cherries, blackberries, and raspberries, complemented by notes of tobacco, leather, and a touch of vanilla.

Palate: Medium-bodied with well-integrated tannins and a balanced acidity. The palate is smooth and velvety, with a long and persistent finish.

Nose: Intense aromas of blackberry, cassis, and dark chocolate.

Taste: Rich and full-bodied with flavors of black cherry, plum, and vanilla.

Palate: Smooth and velvety texture with well-integrated tannins and a long, lingering finish.

Ripe, lush, round and packed with crushed rocks, herbs and spice, is already easy to taste. The majority of the blend is Grenache with a bit of Syrah and Mourvedre and is a selection from various parcels.

This Pinot comes from the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, now towards the south of Willamette Valley, harvesting around two to three weeks later than Dundee Hills for example. Biodynamically farmed since 2007, this vineyard is planted on its own roots and the wine sees around 25% whole bunches in the ferment. An interesting nose here, not nearly so buoyant and expressive as some, with a savoury, iodine, almost seaweed-herby character. The black fruit quality comes through on the palate - still savoury and dark, a little roasted chestnut note, firm and taut tannins and a cherry skin bite to the really quite salty, sour orange acidity, though a sweeter cherry flesh fruitiness does begin to assert, the whole picture structured, savoury and multi-faceted.

Superripe Merlot gives a wine that is succulent, rich, and densely packed with balanced blackberry fruits and solid tannins. The wine's layers of ripeness promise great things. Drink from 2025. Roger Voss

The nose of this wine needs some air in order to wake up but soon notions of ripe Amalfi lemon and butter rise from the glass. On the palate, freshness takes center stage, with a playful, concentated finesse that dances across the tongue. The wine is wonderfully sprightly and refreshing, with unforced resonance. Anne Krebiehl MW

Kill Devil Rum Trinidad is a premium, independently bottled single cask series by Hunter Laing, featuring aged molasses rum from distilleries like Caroni or TDL. Known for its high-proof, natural, and additive-free presentation, it typically offers intense notes of tropical fruits, caramel, oak, and sometimes a characteristic petroleum/smoky "Caroni" funk.