Four Single Malts with personalised labels (The Whisky Exchange)

Single Malts with personalised labels

The Whisky Exchange already had a personalisation service where they can engrave some text on existing bottlings. Now they’re taking it a step further, introducing four single cask releases that you can give a personal label.

Choose one of nine beautiful label designs (with nice metallic coatings), pick a quote and choose a dedication. It will definitely make a great gift, let’s have a look at the whiskies they have on offer.

Bottles with personalised labels will be available all year round, but obviously distilleries, casks, ages etc. will vary.

 

 

Speyside 12 Years - personalised whisky labelGlen Elgin 12 yo (49,6%, The Whisky Exchange 2019, bourbon barrel, 306 btl.)

Nose: bright and fresh, full of juicy pears and creamy confectionary notes. Pineapples on syrup, lemon candy. Brioche bread and vanilla cake. Touches of honey.

Mouth: pears again, only now with added hints of candied lemon peel and ginger. Light menthol and vanilla. Lightly bitter, zesty notes. Pine wood and darker herbal notes.

Finish: medium, on oak spice, liquorice and lingering lemon and grapefruit.

Youngish malt revolving around citrus fruits and light oak. Not ground-breaking but a very sensible choice if you’re looking for an easy-drinking summer malt.

Personalise this bottle over at TWE

Score: 83/100

 

 

Speyside 21 Years - personalised labelImperial 21 yo (46,8%, The Whisky Exchange 2019, refill hogshead, 294 btl.)

Nose: beeswax up front, a little paraffin and orange peel. Quinces, ripe yellow apples and peaches. Orange flower lokum. Acacia honey, sultanas, hints of hay. Almonds.

Mouth: a waxy profile again, with a syrupy fruitiness in the background and grassy touches. Light pepper and vanilla. Drier hints of fresh barley. Lemon skin, dried flowers. Some minty oak and a very light mustardy hint.

Finish: quite long, on wildflowers and oak spice, with lingering creamy fruits.

Warm and fruity. Plus, beeswax always works for me. Speyside whisky with mucho character and a reasonable price for this closed distillery as well, if you ask me.

Personalise this bottle over at TWE

Score: 88/100

 

 

Highland 18 Years - personalised whisky labelHighland single malt 18 yo
(48,4%, The Whisky Exchange 2019, refill hogshead, 276 btl.)

Nose: dried fruits with a background hint of sooty smoke and unlit matches. Green tea and herbs. Sweet apples. Old dusty cloth. Not an easy one, but it kinda works.

Mouth: rather sweet, slightly dusty and gritty. The matchsticks are still here. Baked apples and raisin sweetness. Then more towards chocolate. Liquorice, aniseed and cold herbal tea.

Finish: medium, still quite chocolatey with mild smoke and oak spice.

A whisky that’s hard to pin down, but there’s more than a hint of Highland Park. Reasonably complex, with a true Islands character and some sherry influence.

Personalise this bottle over at TWE

Score: 84/100

 

 

Islay 10 Years - personalised whisky giftCaol Ila 10 yo (51,2%, The Whisky Exchange 2019, refill hogshead, 294 btl.)

Nose: very clean and lemony. Lots of pure mezcal notes. Iodine and apple eau-de-vie. Beach bonfires and charcoal. Fresh kelp and limestone. Wet dogs. Totally spirit-driven, totally Caol Ila.

Mouth: same story, a bit more intense and peaty than expected. Clean smoke, menthol cigarettes, saltwater and smoked fish. Apple notes and zesty lemons in the background. Tarry ropes and just a hint of wasabi.

Finish: quite long, a little sweeter again. Big ashy notes and some lemon as usual.

I’m usually not the biggest fan of young Islay whisky but this is a great one. Clean and slightly reticent on the nose but very rich and ample on the palate. A cracking gift for peat lovers.

Personalise this bottle over at TWE

Score: 88/100