THE COLLECTION

" Whisky is a mystery, a magic of locality. The foreigner may import not only Scottish barley, but Scottish water, Scottish distilling apparatus and set a Scot to work on them, but the glory evaporates: it will not travel " (Ivor Brown)

It has been customary to divide into geographical regions according to where they are made. A useful distinction is between Lowland and Highland malts. It is difficult to generalize about the regional flavour of malt whiskies - every one is different. However, there are certain broad characteristics:

LOWLAND Pale in colour, light bodied; a nose which is hay like or grassy, often with malty or cereal notes; the flavour tends towards dryness, or finishes dry. These whiskies are often drunk as "digestifs", and have been compared to fino .

HIGHLAND North Highland malts vary considerably. They tend to be medium bodied, sweetish (often with a dry finish) and fresh flavoured, with heathery, nutty, spicy or citric notes. West Highland malts are lighter bodied, with some peaty or phenolic characteristics, and some spice. South and East Highland malts (Perthshire and Aberdeenshire mainly) can be light, medium or full bodied; they often have flowery or herbal notes, sometimes with a trace of peat.

CAMPBELTOWN Although there are today only two distillers in Campbeltown, there were once 32, and the category is still recognised. Campbeltown whiskies are medium bodied, and have a slightly smoky or misty taste, with a trace of salt on the palate.

ISLAND (including Islay) These are the strongest smelling and tasting whiskies. They tend to be medium-bodied, dry and phenolic (i.e. redolent of peat, smoke, iodine, carbolic). Much of the Isle of Islay is peat and this taints the water. Some distilleries draw their water from springs to avoid this and produce a lighter- flavoured whisky; some use heavily peated malt to reinforce it.

SPEYSIDE Geographically, this is part of the Highlands. It is also the heartland of whisky production, and its whiskies have long been esteemed for their complexity and diversity. There are three styles: 1) Light bodied tending to be estery and floral scented, with some cereal notes. 2) Medium bodied, these are like Highlands, but more fruity/fragrant, and some are on the dry side. 3) Full bodied, these are sometimes powerfully sherried, rich and redolent of chocolate or fruit-cake - great after dinner whiskies.

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NOW AVAILABLE

OUR OWN SPECIALLY SELECTED AND BOTTLED PRIVATE LABEL

Knockinaam Lodge

9 YEAR OLD

Single Malt

A very special private bottling of a wonderful 9 year old

Glen Moray Speyside Single Malt

This malt has a wonderful golden colour. It is has a lovely aroma of biscuits and coconut. It is a smooth easy drinking malt with a hints of honey and lemon and a slightly peppery finish.

£6.00

We have miniatures of Glen Moray and also Glen Ord, a 16 year old Highland Malt, available for you to take home as a memento of your stay at Knockinaam

3cl £7.00

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"Moderation sir, aye, moderation is my rule. Nine or ten is reasonable refreshment, but after that it's apt to degenerate into drinking." (Old man in a Highland Tavern)

LOWLAND

AUCHENTOSHAN 12 Smooth and sweet with hints of tangerine and lime. £5.00 Aperitif Finished with ginger and a pleasant nuttyness.

GLENKINCHIE 12 Sweet and soft start with a smooth and creamy delivery. £5.00 Aperitif Richer than the discontinued 10 year old. Dry finish.

BLADNOCH SAMSARA Our local . A full bodied and fragrant malt £8.00 Aperitif/After Dinner with a rich core and lingering tail.

Matured for 10 years in a brandy cask giving it a greater GLENKINCHIE 20 depth of colour and roundness of body. The flavour is £19.00 After Dinner easily related to the younger classic malt, but with more medium bodied texture and depth of character.

BLADNOCH TALIA Our local malt whisky. A spicy yet silky whisky with £30.00 After Dinner mature sweet oaky notes and a hint of citrus to finish.

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CAMPBELLTOWN

SPRINGBANK 10 Slight sweetness with hints of coconut oil. Warming and £6.00 Aperitif very smooth.

This malt is only produced occasionally at the Springbank LONGROW 10 Distillery. It is pungent, earthy with a creamy, malty £9.00 Aperitif/After Dinner palate. Extremely dry with a salty, intense finish.

ISLAND

BRUICHLADDICH Dates and juniper berries infused with citrus, less peat than WAVES £5.00 you would expect form a traditional Bruichladdich. Aperitif

BUNNAHABHAIN 12 Smooth, softer, less pungent Islay, nutty, malty sweetness, £5.00 Aperitif very full flavour.

CASK ISLAY Lively, peaty and full of flavour with notes of burnt toffee, £5.00 Aperitif/After Dinner barley and rich peat smoke.

ISLE OF JURA 10 Very delicate, lightly peated a pleasant oily nuttiness. £5.00 Aperitif Smooth, dry, salty finish.

LAPHROAIG 10 Big Islay peaty flavour, iodine/medicinal, a lingering, £5.00 Aperitif unique, dry finish.

POIT DHUBH 12 A vatted malt, smooth with a touch of dryness. Lightly £5.00 Aperitif peated, long, smoky, perfumed finish. 43% volume.

An initial moderate and clean sweetness is rapidly followed ARDBEG 10 by a mouthful of deep peat notes, with tobacco smoke and £6.00 Aperitif/After Dinner strong espresso coffee, which then gives way to treacle sweetness and liquorice.

HIGHLAND PARK 12 Succulent, with smoky dryness, heather-honey sweetness £6.00 Aperitif/After Dinner and maltiness.

LEDAIG Dry, smoky sea taste with a hint of sweetness, light and £6.00 Aperitif long finish with a soft warmth.

SMOKEHEAD Fresh, fruity and immense, with notes of , iodine, £6.00 Aperitif/After Dinner toffee and sea salt.

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TALISKER 10 Smoky, malty-sweet, peaty, dry and spicy, very peppery, £6.00 Aperitif/After Dinner long finish.

After maturing in a sherry cask, this whisky was filled into THE ARRAN MALT a Bordeaux wine cask from St. Estephe. This ‘finishing’ £7.00 After Dinner process accentuates the fruity apple notes.

BOWMORE 12 Sherry sweetness. Spicy, heathery, seaweedy, salty. £7.00 Aperitif Complex. Long, salty finish.

CAOL ILA 12 A good bodied whisky with hints of boiled sweets, tar and £7.00 Aperitif/After Dinner smoke with a long peppery finish.

Spice, honey, pine and peat aromas make a dramatic JURA SUPERSTITION impact, the long years in casks create a long, lingering £7.00 Aperitif and tantalising aftertaste. Medium bodied malt of rich dark chocolate flavours with a LEDAIG 1993 slight nuttiness and long lingering finish. Finished in St. £7.00 After Dinner Joseph wine casks for 40 months. BRUICHLADDICH Youthful and oaky with hints of vanilla sweetness, spices The Classic Laddie £8.00 and cloves and a long finish. After Dinner

LAGAVULIN 16 Big, peaty, dry, very smooth with a long smoky finish. £8.00 After Dinner

PORT CHARLOTTE Long and mellow peaty malt with a hint of vanilla £9.00 Aperitif sweetness to the finish.

BOWMORE 14 Creamy, sweet and slightly smoky with a hint of salted £10.00 After Dinner peanut caramel.

HIGHLAND PARK 23 Liquorice, salt and burnt treacle with a hint of tobacco. A £15.00 After Dinner very rare HP sherry cask – Orkney heaven.

HIGHLAND PARK 25 Full, rich burst of flavour, medium sweet. The finish is £30.00 After Dinner rich, long and amazingly sweet.

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HIGHLAND

South Highland

ABERFELDY 12 Slightly peaty, smoky, tangy fruit, nice long and dry finish. £5.00 Aperitif

GLENGOYNE 10 Clean, sweetish, quite dry with a smooth, buttery vanilla £5.00 Aperitif/After Dinner character.

STRONACHIE 10 Smooth with tastes of honey and biscuits finishing with £5.00 Aperitif pepper and cereal notes

DEANSTON 12 Notes of heather honey, vanilla, creamy caramel and sweet £6.00 Aperitif/After Dinner oak with a clean, dry finish.

INCHMURRIN 12 Smooth rich palate with barley malt and salt caramel. £6.00 Aperitif/After Dinner Medium long finish.

STRONACHIE 18 Full-bodied, robust and oily-smooth. Malted biscuits £6.00 After Dinner with rich honey then lingering pepper and spice.

GLENGOYNE 17 Soft, rich and smooth, sweet oaky vanilla, spicy, malty, £7.00 Aperitif/After Dinner long finish.

STRONACHIE 12 Rounded firm character with a hint of heather. £7.00 Aperitif

Combines the aroma or oranges and cedarwood on the nose GLENGOYNE 28 with a hint or apple on the palate and a long medium sweet £21.00 After Dinner finish.

West Highland

OBAN 14 Fresh hint of peat. Quite silky with a smoky, dry, delicate £7.00 After Dinner finish.

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Eastern Highland

AN CNOC 12 Medium bodied malt with good sweetness. Hints of £6.00 Aperitif Madeira, winter spices and toasted granary bread.

FETTERCAIRN FIOR A rich flavour of cocoa, espresso, spices, fruit and £7.00 Aperitif almonds. Fior is Gaelic for “true”.

GLEN GARIOCH 12 Matured in both bourbon and sherry casks this whisky has £7.00 Aperitif/After Dinner lots of character with a smooth and spicy finish.

ROYAL LOCHNAGAR 12 Sweet, clean, creamy and slightly peppery. £7.00 After Dinner Sweet, warm and spicy with dried fruit cake and creamy AN CNOC Peter Arkle vanilla tones followed by a zesty orange finish. Special £9.00 After Dinner edition bottle designed by freelance illustrator Peter Arkle.

KNOCKDHU 23 This malt is full and rich on the palate with £40.00 After Dinner an aromatic and smokey finish.

North Highland

DALMORE 12 Full, medium-sweet, spicy with a slight smokiness. Malty, £5.00 After Dinner smooth, dry finish.

GLENMORANGIE 10 Beautiful aroma, subtle hint of peat. Medium-bodied with £5.00 Aperitif a sweet, fresh finish.

GLENTURRET 1998 Glenturret claims to be the oldest distillery in Scotland and rests on the banks of the River Turret, near Crieff. £5.00 Aperitif/After Dinner Pronounced fruity notes with a touch of black pepper.

DALWHINNIE 15 A gentle aromatic bouquet. Has a light, honey sweet £6.00 Aperitif finish.

EDRADOUR 10 Fruity, sweet and smoky. Has a nutty almond like £6.00 After Dinner aftertaste.

TOMATIN 15 A light bodied malt with a soft palate of toffee, caramel £6.00 Aperitif and citrus.

TULLIBARDINE 1993 Notes of citrus, caramel and pepper. The finish is spicy £6.00 Aperitif/After Dinner and peaty but very calm. Overall a very smooth whisky.

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GLENMORANGIE Port brings out the toffee-ish notes, it also adds sweeter, Port Wood winey notes that meld beautifully with the Glenmorangie £8.00 After Dinner spiciness. Sweet and fruity with hints of summer berries and orange. BALBLAIR 1991 Finished in Crozes Hermitage casks for 40 months. £10.00 After Dinner Medium bodied malt with a long finish. GLENMORANGIE Toasted oak and vanilla are intricately woven with honey, Sauterenes Cask lemon and spices, a silky texture and a long, lingering £13.00 After Dinner finish.

GLENMORANGIE 18 Sherryish and sweet, then spiciness with a nutty, aromatic £13.00 Aperitif/After Dinner finish.

GLENMORANGIE 25 The lingering scent of fruit orchards laden with cherries, plums & blackberries is melded with chocolate and coffee £27.00 After Dinner tones followed by the icy clarity of fresh wild mint.

SPEYSIDE

ABERLOUR 10 Rich, malty aroma. Hint of smoke. £5.00 After Dinner

ARDMORE LEGACY Smoky notes joined by drying oak, pear drops and subtle £5.00 Aperitif grassy touches. Finishes with peat smoke.

BENROMACH Peat Smoke Full-bodied and complex with a seriously smoky character, £5.00 yet balanced with the fruity elegance of Speyside. Aperitif BENROMACH Finishing this Benromach whisky in Hermitage wine casks. Hermitage Full and fruity on the palate, with citric elements balanced £5.00 After Dinner by creamy, sweet spices.

CRAGGANMORE 12 Malty, medium-sweet with herbal-flowery notes. Slightly £5.00 After Dinner smoky, long finish.

GLEN GRANT 1989 Soft, dry and nutty on the palate with a mellow but £5.00 Aperitif warming finish.

INCHGOWER 1997 This whisky has a sweet and fresh character with a delicate £5.00 Aperitif/After Dinner touch of mixed spices.

KNOCKANDO 12 Soft and sweet, lightly smoky, dry. £5.00 Aperitif

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MILTONDUFF 10 Fragrant with a slight vanilla edge, then slightly smoky and £5.00 Aperitif nutty.

A slightly sweet floral nose develops into a delightfully ROYAL BRACKLA 10 malty and sweet palate, which builds to a robust fruitiness £5.00 Aperitif with spicy overtones.

TAMDHU Medium-sweet, biscuity and quite smooth. £5.00 Aperitif/After Dinner

TAMNAVULIN 1991 Light and delicate with hints of pepper, spice and sweet £5.00 Aperitif fruits.

BALVENIE 12 Beautiful combined flavours, nutty, sherry, orange and £6.00 Aperitif/After Dinner cinnamon spiciness.

DUFFTOWN 15 Light, flowery, pleasant aroma, taste lingers on the palate. £6.00 Aperitif

GLEN KEITH 1993 Medium bodied with a hint of winter spice and exotic fruit. £6.00 Aperitif A long dry oaked finish.

GLENROTHES Select Reserve Ripe fruits, citrus, vanilla and hints of spice. £6.00 Aperitif

LINKWOOD 12 Full bodied with a hint of sweetness, a touch of spice. Dry, £6.00 Aperitif smoky finish.

MACALLAN GOLD From the 1824 series of whisky. A citrus taste with hints of ginger and cinnamon. The finish is medium sweet, malty £6.00 Aperitif/After Dinner and slightly dry.

CRAIGELLACHIE 11 Viscous and meaty, apricots and a long toasty finish. £7.00 Aperitif/After Dinner

GLENLIVET Sweet, fruit notes of zesty oranges and pears with a hint of Founders Reserve candy and toffee apples. Well balanced with a long creamy £7.00 Aperitif and smooth finish.

BALVENIE 14 Matured in oak casks then transferred to rum casks to Caribbean Cask impart extra flavour. A well rounded whisky with notes of £8.00 After Dinner fruit and vanilla.

THE BENNACHIE 17 Aroma of citrus and apple, rich and fruity on the palate and £8.00 Aperitif has a dry finish.

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GLENFIDDICH 15 Full and fragrant, it is very smooth and delicious with great Solera £8.00 depth of flavour and a long finish. Aperitif/After Dinner

AUCHROISK 23 Stewed apricots and sultanas with a sweet and malty finish. £9.00 After Dinner

THE BENNACHIE 21 Rich with an aromatic tang and traces of passion fruit. The £9.00 Aperitif/ After Dinner finish is medium dry and very long.

GLENROTHES 2001 A top notch whisky, sweet and oaky, with hints of vanilla, £9.00 After Dinner black cherries and soft spices. Fairly long finish.

CRAGGANMORE 13 Rich and medium-sweet with quite solid peat and of good £10.00 After Dinner weight. Long, sweet finish. 59%.

CONVALMORE 1984 A medium bodied whisky with a peppery fruitiness. £10.00 After Dinner

THE SINGLETON 10 Sweet, fruity, smooth. Liqueur-ish with a hint of smoke £15.00 After Dinner and cloves in the finish.

LINKWOOD 26 Matured in a rum cask for 14 years. Pleasantly warming and chewy, with a vanilla cream and brown sugar £19.00 After Dinner sweetness. Long, hot, cedar-dry finish. BENROMACH GLENLIVET 17 Aged in 100 year old casks, it is sweet spicy, with cloves £40.00 and cinnamon giving away to a dry, smoky finish. Aperitif/After Dinner

IRISH MALT WHISKIES

MAGILLIGAN A soft and mellow malt although spicy and strangely dry. £6.00 Aperitif

CONNEMARA Evidence of peat and smoke, giving away to sweetness. £7.00 Aperitif Long, dry, peaty aftertaste.

KNAPPOGUE CASTLE 1992 Aged in bourbon casks. Exceptionally smooth and unique. £7.00 Aperitif

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