The Spirits Guide 2018
Put down that glass of supermarket scotch. These are the bottles you need to enjoy a very good year
Rémy Martin Louis XIII
£1,995
The cognac to end all cognacs: it takes a century to create the perfect Grande Champagne eaux-de-vie inside every bottle. From the nose of fresh flowers and jasmine to its complex, rich spice taste, it’s very much for special occasions only. louisxiii-cognac.com
Loch Lomond 50 Year Old single malt
£12,000
The oldest and rarest whisky ever produced by the Loch Lomond Distillery, this single malt was distilled in 1967 and has been maturing for half a century in first American oak hogshead and then in European oak hogshead. The result is a remarkable whisky full of spice, tropical fruit and richness. Limited to 60 hand-blown crystal decanters worldwide, this is primed to be the crown jewel of even the most covetable whisky collections. For more information, see lochlomondwhiskies.com
Black Bowmore 1964
£16,000
The fifth and final edition of the Black Bowmore 1964 distillation. The last cask to be discovered of Black Bowmore has spent 50 years maturing in Bowmore’s No.1 Vaults, the world’s oldest Scotch maturation warehouse. Suffice to say it's worth the wait. bowmore.com
Yamazaki Mizunara 2017 Edition
£1,000 RRP
A very special whisky from the Japanese experts. Blended from single malt whiskies aged in Mizunara casks for a minimum of 18 years, the 2017 Edition is a truly special drink. Only 5,000 are available globally so you better be quick.
Glen Scotia 25 Year Old single malt
£250
This 25-year-old single malt from Campbeltown distillery Glen Scotia is a real heavyweight. Laden with rich vanilla oak, spice, aromatic fruits and a salty twang (appropriate for a coastal town), this is a whisky of great depth and character. For more information, see glenscotia.com
Conker Gin
£35.75
Lovingly created in Dorset, Conker Spirit’s gin is distilled with marsh samphire and New Forest gorse, making it equally at home in a gin & tonic or a martini. And you thought conker season was over... masterofmalt.com
Princess Plymouth Gin Commissioning Kit
£5,000
So you’ve got your shiny new yacht but no cocktail set to match? Amateur… This made-to-order collaboration between Plymouth Gin and Princess Yachts is delivered in a beautiful Macassar Ebony wooden box, sturdy enough to handle the stormiest of seas, and filled with all of the drinks accessories you’ll ever need. princessyachts.com
Hibiki Japanese Harmony
£51.45
A blend of Japanese malt and grain whiskies. You'll certainly feel very harminous while holding a glass of this. thewhiskyexchange.com
Grey Goose VX: Vodka Exceptionnelle
£125
Exceptional vodka deserves an exceptionnelle bottle. Grey Goose VX is a quality blend of 95% French vodka, with a splash of cognac for good measure. greygoose.com
El Dorado Grand Special Reserve
£2,750
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Guyana’s independence from the UK, this is a special blend of rum aged between 33 and 55 years old. thewhiskyexchange.com
Pothecary Handcrafted Dorset gin
£39
G&Ts at Christmas? Absolutely. This Dorset-based gin has unusual botanicals by the bottleful: Provençal lavender, Anatolian mulberries and Sicilian lemon. pothecarygin.co.uk
Chivas Regal Ultis
£168
The first blended malt Scotch from Chivas, Ultis uses only five of the finest single malts from Speyside to create a luxury whisky. Each cask is individual nosed to ensure the highest quality. Magnificent. thewhiskyexchange.com
Martell Cordon Bleu Intense Heat
£125
A limited-edition cognac made from the same blend as Cordon Bleu, yet specially finished in a heated cask. The 'coolest' part? It becomes red when touched. fortnumandmason.com
Glenfiddich IPA Experiment
£45
Old-school distillery trying craft beer experiment – the result is a huge success. thewhiskyexchange.com
Jura Tastival 2016
£86.95
A trio of whiskies aged in different types of sherry cask. One Tastival you want to buy a ticket for. thewhiskyexchange.com
Glenmorangie Midwinter Night’s Dram
£49.95
Buy this because the name is almost as brilliant as the whisky inside. masterofmalt.com
The Balvenie PortWood Aged 21 Years
£132
Rare Balvenie transferred to port casks for extra depth and flavour. We likey. thewhiskyexchange.com
Raasay While We Wait
£54.95
Two single malts from the same undisclosed distillery, one peated and one unpeated. Don't wait: get a bottle immediately. masterofmalt.com
