[Review] Vintage Bottlers - Highland Single Malt Secret Series NO.1 47.5%

Vintage Bottlers ltd

A look at a new indepedent bottler today, and we’re not looking at young cheap whisky here with Vintage Bottlers but only “the very best whisky Scotland has produced, past and present.” The first release -part of their Secret Series- is proof of it.

It is a 30 year-old Highland single malt, aged in an ex-Sherry cask, bottled of course uncoloured, unchillfiltered and at the natural cask strength of 47.5%

I know it’s supposed to be secret, but they still give us a clue with a set of coordinates, which take us straight to the Clynelish distillery…!

As they’ve been kind enough to send me a sample, here are my notes:



My tasting notes

Nose: Oaky, sweet, creamy, with straw, hazelnut chocolate cookies, marzipan, red apples, a little peach, almonds, desiccated coconut, slight sultanas, vanilla, hints of sandalwood and Madeira cake. What a start!


Palate: Citrus first on the palate before some oak spice, sultanas, salted caramel chocolate, stewed dark fruits, blackberry jam, honey, vanilla, some candies ginger, old oak furniture. Quite a waxy/mouth-coating texture. Delicious!


Finish: Leather, milk chocolate, nuts, hints of liquorice, sugar-coated almonds and toasted oak.


With water: Fresher nose with more fruit an a touch of lemon. The palate is less sweet and spicier with a little grapefruit appearing. The finish is a bit dried with more oak spice and some pepper.


Overall this is an absolutely delicious and rewarding dram. The sherry is not overpowering the whisky and you get such an array of flavours that you can lose track of time just enjoying both smell and taste… Amazing!


Only 325 bottles available and at £320 it might not be cheap, but for a 30 year-old Clynelish, I feel it’s not that expensive.

Vintage Bottlers have also been super kind and shared a 10% discount code which works on their whole shop and makes this one £288! (plus free postage if you buy 2 bottles!)


Use: MaltCask10


Thanks again to Vintage Bottlers for the sample of this delicious malt!


Slàinte all!

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