Edradour 10 Year
Edradour is from the Scots Gaelic Eadar Dhà Dhobhar, meaning “between two rivers.” This is an old distillery that makes the claim of being the smallest in Scotland, producing only eighteen casks per week (trust us – it sounds like a lot but isn’t, comparatively). They also claim to have the smallest stills and traditionally employ just three men. Somehow, they offer an extremely broad collection of drinks, likely meaning that the vast majority are of limited release and rarer than a hot day in the Orkneys. Fun fact: their current owner, Andrew Symington, is a Master of the Quaich.
Clynelish 14 Year
Located just north of Inverness, Clynelish has been operating at its current location for almost 50 years. Curiously, the distillery provides a great deal of the spirit that is used in Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve and only has two commercial products, a Distiller’s Edition and this 14 year offering (there is a “distillery only” bottle available on sight that is cask strength). With such a narrow single malt offering and so much of their output going to blended use, what sort of exploration will this highland malt offer?
Highland Park 12 Year
The Highland Park 12 has been receiving high marks for about as long as there have been people to drink it. Moreover, this whisky hits that nice balance of good taste, regular availability and relative affordability. They are also a 21st century distillery, with a website full of short videos on their products, history, and the joy of malted exploration.