LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR WHISKY COLLECTION
Our goal at Dram Good Single Malts is to source high-quality Scottish malt whisky directly from the distillery.
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We personally attend distilleries throughout the UK, sourcing select DISTILLERY-ONLY Bottlings,
SPECIAL EDITIONS, LIMITED EDITIONS, NUMBERED BOTTLES, and some from Independent Bottlers.
A STORY BEHIND EVERY BOTTLE
From our experience and knowledge of the whisky industry we know that whisky releases fall into several categories namely, INVESTMENT, COLLECTABLE, LIMITED EDITIONS, FIRST EDITIONS, NUMBERED BOTTLES, SINGLE CASK releases and DRINKABLE for the sheer pleasure to name but a few.
We use our rigid set of criteria as the foundation of our decision–making process.
Having satisfied ourselves that a particular whisky meets our criteria we will then make the trip to acquire it.
As collectors we want to document as much information as we can about the bottle of whisky we are interested in.
We feel this makes each bottle more personal and provides an added dimension to the history of that particular bottle. On our website each bottle will have a brief description.
As the first private owner you will have All the information researched by DGSM on any bottle you purchase.
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Take a look at our collection notes below.
ABOUT OUR CURRENT COLLECTION
THE MACALLAN RARE CASK BLACK 2022
Cask info: American & European sherry seasoned cask
DGSM secured: 21st May 2022
Price: £650
700ml 48% abv, Lightly Peated
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The Rare Cask Black is rarely produced by The Macallan distillery.
On Saturday 21 May 2022 we made our way to The Macallan Distillery. We have to say that the building design from the outside didn’t really appeal to us but it’s a different story when you enter the building. The interior is classic and elegant, looking around you it is not far removed from a modern art gallery. The whole interior is understated but subtly opulent and sophisticated. The glass wall display of Macallan whisky to your left as you enter is a fabulous feature.
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We know that the distillery’s intention was to achieve a Michelin Star for their restaurant, whether this has been awarded yet we don’t know. Luckily for us, The Rare Cask Black was also available to purchase at the distillery shop. We aren’t aware of how many bottles kept in a room behind the sales desk. We were later informed that all the stock of Rare Cask Black had sold out before 1pm that day.
We should also say that in true Macallan style we walked into the sales area without realising it. We thought we were looking at another display. The black glass, unusual, shaped bottle & the gold coloured stopper immediately drew us to this bottle.
The purpose of mentioning the above is to say that if you are a whisky lover then this is probably one distillery you should experience even if The Macallan whisky is not your cup of tea so to speak.
The Macallan are famous for their small still set up, 24 small volume spirit stills, 3900 litres & 12 washbacks of 12,000 litres.
Tasting notes:
Nose; Prominent, yet subtle peat smoke gives way to dried fruits, nutmeg & ginger with hints of vanilla.
Palate: An intense sweet raisin is followed by rich dates & figs underpinned by dry smokiness.
Finish; Long, fruity, with elegant wood smoke.
SWMS BENRINNES 13
Distilled: 17 June 2004
Cask info: first fill ex bourbon cask
Bottled: 2017
DGSM secured: 13 July 2022
Price: £300
70cl Cask strength 58.9% abv
1 of only 42 bottles from this Benrinnes single cask
A 13-year old single cask exclusive bottling by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society.
There is a great story behind this bottling which appealed to us as soon as we heard it.
(Full information to purchaser)
This is a Benrinnes single malt which is generally only available through independent bottlers such as the SMWS.
For us this is the smallest number of bottles obtained from a single cask that we have encountered. A further
interesting fact is that at least 3 bottles are known to have been opened leaving a maximum of 39 bottles sealed.
Further to this Benrinnes are owned by Diageo and very rarely bottle whisky under their own name.
All in all what you have here is a very small single cask bottling from a distillery that rarely bottles under its own
name and is generally only available via independent bottlers. The backstory adds another layer of interest
and makes this a great bottle of single malt whisky to own.
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Tasting notes
Nose: apple and rhubarb crumble, fresh baked bread with hints of lavender and jasmine.
Palate: hot and tannic but with pleasant wood and sweet spicy flavours. Brandy snaps and ginger biscuits followed by stewed rhubarb with ginger and treacle toffee.
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In our opinion this bottle is a keeper.
KILKERRAN 16
DGSM secured: 15 April 2022
Information: dated pictures
Price: £110
46% abv 70cl
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Sherry influence and a hint of peat smoke
Obtained directly from Springbank Distillery on 15 April 2022.
This Kilkerran 16-year old single malt is distilled at the
Glengyle Distillery. This is the sister distillery to Springbank.
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The Glengyle Distillery re-opened in 2004 when the first 16-year old distillation was laid down. Glengyle is the first
distillery to re-open in Campbeltown for 125 years.
A fabulous combination of 75% bourbon and 25% sherry casks. This 2022 edition of 7000 bottles is the third release
bottling from Campbeltown’s newest distillery, however we have heard rumours that there are plans for up to 3
further distilleries to open in Campbeltown. Timescales are unknown.
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We should add, due to customer demand only 1 bottle per person was the permitted purchase quantity.
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Tasting notes
Nose: Soft and delicate on the nose. Malty cereal, apricot notes with hints of lemon and citrus.
Palate: Sweet and sticky with a waxy mouth feel and a hint of aniseed. Lemon, honey and pear notes are present.
In our opinion this bottle could be a drinker but equally it has a place as part of a collection from the Glengyle distillery.
KILKERRAN 12
DGSM secured: 18 April 2022
Price: £55
46% abv 70cl
70% bourbon, 30% sherry casks and lightly peated
A lovely drinking whisky from the Glengyle Distillery
but obtained at the Springbank Distillery shop, Campbeltown.
This is the new shaped bottle and purchases were limited to only 2 bottles per person such was the demand.
Tasting notes
Nose: Slightly floral and coastal, malt, passionfruit, limes and salt.
Palate: Soft and gentle peat smoke, honey and vanilla, lemons, subtle sea salt, fresh apples, hint of passionfruit, floral notes.
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Definitely a drinker than a keeper.
LINDORES ABBEY -
THE DISTILLERY CASK EDITION 2022
Cask filled: 13 April 2018
Bottled: 01 February 2022
DGSM secured: 19 March 2022
Price: £220
70cl Bottled at cask strength 62.8%
A distillery-only bottling
Lindores Abbey, the distillery cask edition 2022.
A young Lowland distillery but more importantly, Lindores Abbey is recognised as the spiritual home of Scottish whisky. The earliest written reference to Scottish whisky is recorded at Lindores Abbey in the year 1494.
This distillery cask edition completes a 528-year circle of history at Lindores Abbey from where whisky was first distilled. The monks of Lindores Abbey in the 1400s emigrated from the town of Thiron in northern France.
The virgin oak cask used to mature this whisky was sourced from a single oak tree growing just outside the town of Thiron, south west of Paris. This bottling was only available to purchase by attending in person at Lindores Abbey Distillery. DGSM secured this bottle on 19 March 2022 from the distillery.
We should add that whilst this is a very young whisky - 3 years, 10 months - and there are no tasting notes that we have found.
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In our opinion this is a keeper.
THE DALWHINNIE -
DISTILLERY EXCLUSIVE BOTTLING
DGSM secured: 19 May 2022
Price: £110
Batch number one (7500 bottles produced)
The Dalwhinnie Distillery exclusive bottling of only 7500 bottles
is a relatively small number in the scale of whisky production.
This release - coming immediately after the lockdown - was a nice surprise when we visited.
The Dalwhinnie distillery is located inside the Cairngorms National park in the Highlands of Scotland. An intriguing fact we were unaware of, but which has a big influence on the whisky produced, is the temperature. Dalwhinnie village and the distillery have an Annual average temperature of just 6 deg. Celsius. For 6 months of the year the average monthly temperature is under 10 deg. Celsius.
This background temperature Information is relevant since Dalwhinnie use the rare ‘worm tubs’ as their preferred method of condensing their spirit. The worm tubs are outdoors and are directly affected by the ambient air temperature. Operating with only 2 small capacity stills and their unusual condensing method, Dalwhinnie produces a light fruity and yet complex single malt whisky.
More of a drinker than a keeper in our opinion.
GLENGYLE DISTILLERY -
KILKERRAN 8 YEAR OLD
Bottled: 12 January 2021
DGSM secured: 15 April 2022
Price: £160
56.9% abv 70cl
Glengyle distillery is the sister distillery to Springbank distillery,
both being a matter of meters apart in Campbeltown.
This young 8-year old whisky is the annual UK-only limited release of 11,000 bottles.
A heavy sherry influence in this young bottling. We were fortunate in our timing since staff at the distillery informed us that there were only approximately 300 bottles available in stock. Again, due to demand, bottles were limited to 1 per customer.
Tasting notes
Nose: well balanced, rich and softly peated. Juicy and sticky with notes of cherries, coffee beans and light smoky aroma.
Palate: rich and fruity with plums, cherry and sweet raspberry, cooking apples and cocoa powder and a dry yet delicate peat smoke towards the end.
In our opinion this bottle could be a drinker but equally it has a place as part of a collection from the Glengyle distillery.
GLENROTHES
Sample room
Distilled: 07 September 1991
Bottled: 05 May 2005
DGSM secured: 17th June 2022
43% abv 70cl
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This is the most unusual bottle of whisky we have found to date.
Incredibly, we found this bottle on sale in Spain.
This is a 15 year old single malt which is now 31 years since it’s distillation. The bottle is still in it's original two sided cardboard box package with rope handle. The original Glenrothes adhesive seal is still in place and secured on the outside of the cardboard display box, one corner of the seal has lifted slightly. The print on the cardboard is still black and unfaded even though the bottle has apparently been in Spain for 15 years.
We tried to speak to the shop staff but they didn't speak English so we couldn't find out any information about the
history of this bottle. The paper seal over the cork (we assume) has been affected by the heat/ time and has
become detached from the glass on both sides. We have never taken the bottle out of its display box.
(additional Information & photographs from Spain to the purchaser)
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We don’t have much else in the way of information about this bottle but we have seen some very positive reviews about its flavour profile.
Tasting notes
Palate: Berry notes, vanilla and butterscotch
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We would have to say that if this bottle remained in its present condition and with its highly unusual history,
we would be inclined to hold onto it.
The Abbey Whisky Bar - Edinburgh
First Edition/ Family series
Date Distilled: 21 August 2012
Cask Information: First fill Madeira, cask no. 31379
Date Bottled: 26 August 2022
DGSM Secured: 11 December 2022 @ The Abbey Bar
Price: £200
700ml 56.5% abv single cask @ cask strength
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This is an independently bottled 10 year old single cask, single malt from the Benrinnes distillery for The Abbey Whisky Bar, 65 South Clark Street, Edinburgh EH8 9PP.
This maiden release from one of Edinburgh’s well known whisky bars celebrates their staff who are featured on the label.
The Abbey holds some 600 quality malts, we ’d suggest a visit if you’re ever in auld Reekie (Edinburgh) and we can confirm the food is great too. Further releases are expected from The Abbey at some point.
Benrinnes distillery is owned by the Diageo company and located at Charlestown of Aberlour. Now from what we understand, Benrinnes have only bottled & released a very small number of editions under their own name as the vast majority of their production services Diageo branded whisky.
We are aware that some casks are made available to Independent bottlers which is exactly the situation we have here. As far as we are concerned these are the bottles of whisky we love to find and for us & you to become part of their history.
A limited edition of 50 numbered bottles is generally, the smallest batch size produced.
This whisky fitted our brief exactly, it’s only 50 bottles, it’s a maiden bottling, they are numbered and we personally collected it from the pub on 11 December 2022. We each have a bottle in our own personal collection.
In our opinion this one is a keeper.
Arran White Stag
2022 Seventh Release
Cask Information: 2 ex Oloroso Sherry Puncheons
DGSM secured: 2 March 2023 @ Lochranza Distillery
700ml 53.4% abv Cask strength sherry influence
995 bottles Limited Edition.
Price: £425
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As you know we love a whisky with a story, this bottle has a story. On this occasion not a romantic or heartfelt story but a bit of skullduggery. (full story to the purchaser)
This is the seventh annual White stag release from the Lochranza Distillery, Arran. By all accounts this is a cracker of a drinking dram but also as a very collectable bottle. The limited information available is that this is an unusual marriage of a young whisky and an older matured whisky, both in Sherry Puncheons and hand picked by Distillery Manager Stewart Bowman.
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One quote we found was “ Something pretty special, a sherry lovers dream”.
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As with many of the bottles we search out, the Arran White Stag was in such demand and with only 995 bottles available it was sold by means of a Ballot.
There’s no doubt a great many people wanted this bottle for their collection to add to the first six releases and some will have missed out.
We travelled to the Isle of Arran on the 2nd of March 2023 and we fully admit we had paid more attention to Speyside recently and had completely missed this bottle. The staff at the distillery were superb and knowledgeable directing us to the White Stag.
As soon as we saw the case & bottle we absolutely loved it. This bottle & display case immediately rated in our top 10 bottles for visual appeal and that was even before there was any mention of taste.
The white case with delicate artwork and slide out black felt lined bottle holder were stunning to say the least. Then came the matt black bottle with black label & wooden topped stopper, the contrast between bottle & case was just beautiful.
Nose: Soft red fruits & a hint of maltiness. Buttered toast with jam and a slight touch of hazelnut. Complex in character.
Palate: Red berries and sweet spices dance beautifully on the tongue. Toasted oak and a suggestion of dark chocolate. With a touch of water classic notes of orchard fruits come to the fore. The contrast of sweetness and fresh acidity brings the flavour of Toffee apples to mind.
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Finish: Long & lingering. A wonderful balanace of weighty maturity and fresh Youth. This enticing expression of Arran single malt will both delight & Intrigue you.
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Man O’ Words is we can only presume named in celebration of The Poet Robert Burns and in appreciation of his art of finely crafting words at which he excelled.
On the 24 April 2022 we travelled to Annandale Distillery where we made sure we took the distillery tour.
Whilst in the distillery shop, and bear in mind this is 7 years after this bottle was produced, our conversation turned to the early days of the distillery. We knew that obtaining a 2014 bottling would be an impossibility (the year the distillery opened) but what about 2015. Lo and behold after a trip to the store room did a member of staff not return with bottle no 067 from cask 0537 from 2015.
We were delighted and even more so when we discovered the connection with Robert Burns the poet who was an excise man in the Annan area. We also knew that he held court in the Globe Inn, Dumfries where he read poetry, pontificated on the news and events both locally & nationally. We have been to the Globe Inn, parts of which are unchanged and original dating from the late 1600’s, early 1700’s, when Burns frequented the public house. ( you can even sit in his chair)
This was a great find for us and as such we needed to record the event. We took pictures of the bottle at Annandale distillery and then made our way to Dumfries and took pictures of this bottle at the Globe Inn, granted they are outside the Globe as it was closed. We felt this was a nice way to complete a near 300 year historical tribute to one of Scotland’s most celebrated genius sons.
Leading on from the Burns connection, Jim Murray’s WHISKY BIBLE 2022 while not addressing cask 0537 directly, refers to cask no. 0150 giving this cask an overall rating of (96) “”superstar whisky giving us all a reason to live.”” He goes on to write.... “ I think we are going to have to consider the possibility that we have a truly world class distillery in our midst.” He further goes on to write extremely favourable comments about this 5 year old whisky. I don’t think it would be too much of a leap to consider cask 0537 will have a similar taste profile and be worthy of the same comments as cask no. 0150.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Apricot, Peaches, coconut & Vanilla.
Palate: Melon, Soft orchard fruit, coconut and some heat.
Finish: Lingering notes of vanilla & creamy caramel.
ANNANDALE
MAN O' WORDS
2015
Cask information : 2nd fill ex bourbon cask, cask no. 0537
Bottled : 2015
DGSM Secured : 24 April 2022 at Annandale Distillery
Information Pictures at Annandale Distillery & The Globe Inn
70cl 59.3% abv single cask
WE'RE ALWAYS HAPPY TO DISCUSS OUR COLLECTION IN GREATER DETAIL
If you want to know more about our whisky collection, or need help in making a purchase, please feel free to get in touch.