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Martinborough Pinot Noir did superbly well in a blind tasting on NZWinerater.com, results of which were released this month.  The top wine of the tasting was from North Canterbury's Pegasus Bay winery and Martinborough wines scored extremely well in the top slots, with several receiving 96/100, including the 2019 Palliser Estate Pinot Noir - which is from our winery of the month; Martinborough's Palliser Estate. Pinot Noir is unequivocally New Zealand’s signature red grape variety and Martinborough rules the roost in quality with the current vintages on the market right now, say the founders of NZWinerater.com, who released the results of their first annual Pinot tasting this month. “In terms of inherent quality, Pinot Noir leads the way with a much higher percentage of wines scoring top marks in our latest tasting than any other variety,” says Master of Wine Steve Bennett, director and co founder of NZWinerater.com Pictured above is Martinborough winemaker Larry McKenna (right) with fellow winemaker at The Escarpment Vineyard, which he founded but has now sold to Torbreck, a South Australian winery. McKenna remains as managing director until April 2022. “While it was once the speciality of just a handful of regions, the variety is now performing strongly across the country. Featuring amongst the highest 10% of the scores we awarded were wines from Auckland, Canterbury, Central Otago, Martinborough, Marlborough, and Nelson.” Pinot Noir occupies 14% of the country’s vineyard area, which is five times that of the next most planted red variety, Merlot. Bennett and winemaker Lynnette Hudson founded their relatively new NZWinerater.com website last year and they conduct double blind tastings regularly throughout the year. Both are extremely experienced wine tasters, both in terms of New Zealand wines and global wine styles. They have travelled extensively to wine regions around the world and been working professionally with wine for decades.  The result of their inaugural Pinot Noir tasting have been described as “A bit of a coup for the Martinborough district” by one of the region’s first winemakers, Larry McKenna of The Escarpment Vineyard. The top wines and scores are on NZ Winerater.com * We have wines from all of these brands here but not all of these specific wines. Buy here links appear next to the wines we have in stock: 2019 Palliser Estate Pinot Noir 96/100 Buy Palliser Pinot Noir here The full list of rankings and tasting notes are here NZ Winerater.com

The name is apt and the region is dry as a bone. Dry River Wines is situated in the driest region in the North Island, Martinborough, which may be a mere 90 minutes drive from Wellington but is a world away in terms of climate, as anyone who has planted anything in the ground there can attest. Wilco Lam is just such a person.  He is the winemaker at Dry River today and he introduced his latest wines to the Regional Wines & Spirits retail team late last month, along with a snapshot of the winery's story. It's always inspiring, as is the fact that Wilco is now the winemaker at the helm of this iconic winery - and, as such, he is taking the wines of Dry River to new heights which retain the integrity of the brand and its exceptional aromatics. Here are the new releases we have (and, in a couple of cases, will soon have) in store at Regional Wines.  Pop in for a look or to pick up a bottle or two or, if time is tight, click our links below to buy these great wines online.  New Dry River wine releases in store 2020 Dry River Chardonnay - buy here Big, bold and beautifully elegant. Full bodied creamy flavours are balanced by bright fresh acidity which adds length, crispness and finely tuned detail to this impressive Chardonnay. 2020 Dry River Craighall Riesling - buy here A great Riesling from an outstanding vineyard in Martinborough, which is meticulously managed and produces exceptionally high quality aromatic grapes. Flavours of lime zest, green apples and a core of ripe peach all intermingle in this complex, youthful Riesling which will reward cellaring. 10 grams residual sugar 2020 Dry River Pinot Gris - buy here A rich style of Pinot Gris with a dry taste and off dry residual sugar, which adds body and weight. Super impressive wine. 10 grams residual sugar 2020 Dry River Lovat Gewurztraminer - buy here Rich in style but balanced by fresh acidity to add definition to the luscious beautiful old fashioned red rose aromas and floral flavours in this wine. 10 grams residual sugar 2019 Dry River Pinot Noir - buy here A spring frost in  2019 lowered the production of Pinot Noir at Dry River by about 30%. The resulting wine is outstanding in concentration with juicy acidity, beautiful concentration, softer tannins than in the past. Oak has steadily been reducing and this vintage includes 20% new oak, all hogsheads. Whole bunch fermentation of 45% adds savoury flavours and dark tannins. Unfined and unfiltered. 2017 Dry River Lovat Syrah - buy here Big, bold, dark and delicious. We have one bottle of this beauty left and eagerly await the 2018 which we tasted - and which will be in store soon. Watch this space. Buy and explore Dry River Wines here   When was Dry River founded? The Dry River Wine story began in 1979. Neil and Dawn McCallum planted their vineyard on the dry gravel soils that are now known as the Martinborough Terraces. These are highly regarded for producing grapes of high quality, particularly because they are free draining and allow vines to soak up the warmth from the stones as well as avoid becoming waterlogged with cold feet. The Dry River name goes back a long way The name Dry River was first used in the Wairarapa for one of the first sheep stations, in about 1877. The station was later sold by the Seddon Government and renamed Dyerville, which is near to Dry River Wines today.  

It's International Sherry Week this month from Monday 8 to Friday 12 November and we, for one of many, are celebrating in style - with sherries from the best. This means that Bodegas Hidalgo rises straight to the top of the shopping list this month. It is, quite simply, the most complex producer of great sherries that we stock currently. Yes, there is also Lustau; an incredible company of almacenestas (a quirky name that includes those who grow grapes, make sherry for themselves and / or for others and also age some of the greatest sherries in the world).  Age? I hear the voice of the sherry cynic asking what on earth aging has to do with a drink traditionally associated with maiden aunts. Well, everything, actually. Maiden aunts may have been onto something but if they were, it was certainly richer, drier and deeper than the tip of the sherry iceberg that became known as Harvey's Bristol Cream. Now there's a commercial success if ever there was but that is not the only sherry we are celebrating this month in store at Regional.  The sherry we are diving into is dry, nutty, complex, salty, briney, light but fresh, intense and long. It all benefits from incredibly complex aging under either flor yeast (for which, it's hard to go past Bodegas Hildalgo's La Gitana En Rama - the name even rhymes). Or in old oak, such as beautiful amontillados, such as this one that follows. Two fast facts about sherry... 1. The best are dry - so dry that they are the driest in the world because there is simply no glycerol left, thanks to the aging process under flor yeast. This stands true for a complex range of sherries from flor fino and manzanillo right through to the mysterious palo cortado and amontillado. 2. Find out more here at the International Sherry Week website here, which has great online tastings you can register for.  3. Okay, a third fast fact - don't be shy. Ask our staff to guide you to the great sherries we stock. These wines are the ultimate match with seafood. And finally... sherry is an incredibly versatile wine. Staff recommendations for International Sherry Week... Bodegas Hidalgo Amontillado Napoleon RRP $44.99 ) Special $39.99 Here's your perfect excuse to eat salted chocolate caramels - one of the world's great fortified wines; Amontillado from a top producer. Bodegas Hildago Amontillado Napoleon is a complex full bodied amber coloured sherry with flavours of caramelised almonds, sandalwood and vanilla. It's a blend made up of Oloroso Faraon, Cream Alameda and PX Triana, all between six and 20 years old, which add to the taste of cedar and sandalwood. Tastes excellent served lightly chilled with a platter of aged cheddar and nuts. Buy here Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana En Rama (RRP $53.99) Special $49.99 La Gitana En Rama is bottled twice a year when the flor yeast is at its thickest which makes for a highly sought after sherry for those who want a dry, authentic taste of the best. And this is a superbly flavoursome dry sherry with earthy, nutty, salty flavours from the heavy flor yeast, which averages five years of age from this solera system.  The words En rama tend to suggest a sherry which has been bottled straight from the barrel, without any fining or filtration. In this case, the en rama releases do go through a little finishing treatment with a low temperature fining process and a rough plate filtering. This process means the sherry is lightly cloudy and retains some of its lees influence in both appearance, body and taste.  La Gitana En Rama It was first made in 2011 when just 300 precious bottles of this adventurous sherry were released.  The words La Gitana are Spanish for the gypsy and the name comes from a legendary bar in Malaga, run by a gypsy, where this sherry was popular.  Buy here   A rare sherry producer  Bodegas Hidalgo is one of the few independent sherry producers remaining in Andalucia in the south of Spain - the home of sherry. All of its grapes come from its own vineyards, another rarity these days and one that definitely supports the universally high quality of its wines, which are made at Sanlúcar de Barrameda near the Guadalquivir River, at sea level. The continuous exposure to sea breezes bears a strong influence on the quality of the wines and their long aging process, helping to keep barrels moist in the solera system, which creates a slow and steady aging.  Hidalgo produces about 200,000 cases of sherry and brandy every year.

Astrolabe Wines is our new winery of the month for October at Regional Wines... The well known Astrolabe wine brand is a family owned Marlborough wine producer run by two generations of the Waghorn family with its founders, Simon and Jane Waghorn, and their daughters.  * Buy Astrolabe wines here Or read on for more about the wines and the family who make them... The winery was founded in 1996 and the family have since forged strong relationships with 10 grape growers in the region, all of whom they respect and have long term contracts with. This means the wines are made from excellent quality raw material. Organic and sustainable viticulture is high on the list of priorities at Astrolabe and winemaker Simon Waghorn has long held a passion for pushing boundaries in everything from how the land is managed to where the grapes are grown to what type of grapes he uses.  One of the few champions of Chenin Blanc in New Zealand, he makes two outstanding examples from grapes grown on the Wrekin Vineyard, a north facing sloping clay site in the region's Southern Valleys. The wines from here are top tier. Chenin is affordably delicious while the Pinot Noir from Wrekin Vineyard is a stellar cellar drop to stash away for at least another five years.  Barrel fermentation adds noticeably delicious depth of flavour to the dry and refreshing Chenin Blanc which was fermented with wild yeasts to accentuate the character of the vineyard. This dry Chenin Blanc will also age for the long haul; 10 years plus. That's the beauty of Chenin Blanc, which can age superbly, thanks to its naturally high acidity, which acts as a preservative of the complex flavours, holding its freshness together and adding zesty brightness. This is a delicious dry white wine. Then there's the Astrolabe Albarino, which also ticks the delicious dry white box, as does the dry Pinot Gris and the other wines made from the Kekerengu Vineyard on the coast south of Blenheim; Marlborough's southernmost vineyard. * Buy Astrolabe Kekerengu Coast wines here These and other wines from Astrolabe will all be on special this month. Pop in store to try and buy awesome aromatics, both white and red, from this exceptional family owned winery - our winery of the month. We look forward to seeing you in store, hopefully with tasting glasses - as soon as Wellington gets back to Alert level 1. What's in the name Astrolabe? The name Astrolabe was chosen to reflect the history of the region. As the story has it, French explorer Dumont d’Urville charted the Marlborough coast in 1827 aboard a ship named L’Astrolabe. Simon liked its connection with Marlborough.   Buy Astrolabe wines here Pop in and check out the range - we'd love to show you the display and see you in store this month... See you soon.

Tamdhu Batch Strength #5 59.8% 700mlRRP $142.99 - Special $129.99The cask strength non-age statement (NAS) distillery bottling has become a bit of a thing really and is often a great place to start if you’re looking for value for money. Pioneered by Glenfarclas with their release of the 105 bottled at 60% ABV back in 1968 - now there are many distilleries with a similar high strength release. They’re often that good that you sort of wonder why there aren’t more official releases at this price and quality but then I guess it’s all to do with the overheads of ageing. If anything, aged distillery releases are often quite bad value for money (IMO).We did a tasting of these cask strength NAS whiskies a while back at Regional Wines and the scores were high and the general vibe was that we were tasting whiskies that punched well above their price point. People seemed happy; I’m sure it had nothing to do with the ABV (laughs). The winner on the night was the Tamdhu Batch Strength #3 at 59% with a whopping score of 9.07. It went on to the end of year tasting known as Best of the Best where it was up against a slightly higher pedigree lineup, but where it still managed a very respectable 8.71 and came fifth in a lineup of very fine, not to mention, expensive whiskies. Tamdhu used to be known as a major player in blends such as The Famous Grouse and Cutty Sark but its official release range now has it much admired for its use of sherry casks. Batch #5 is 100% oloroso sherry cask matured, a nice place to start when crafting a cask strength bottling. All those sweet sherry cask flavours mean that the alcohol has a decent chance of balancing straight from the get go. But does this batch balance?The nose is dark and decadent with stewed fruits, cinnamon, licorice and sandalwood at the fore and backed up by caramel and vanilla notes plus some fresh fruits too. It’s a great start and has me wanting to get my laughing gear round it asap. Whoa, it’s quite the mouthful with burnt caramel flavors and heaps of sweetness framed by dark bitter chocolate notes that lead to apricots on the finish. There is balance, but at the heavy end, and really it’s the bitter notes that give it relief and balance the sweetness and massive abv. This is a big whisky and the youthful malt that obviously forms part of its makeup does come through on the palate, but this is certainly no deal breaker. In fact, the profile of this whisky is similar in many ways to a single cask release; one that hasn’t been smoothed by vatting across casks. Batch 3, which did so well at tastings at Regional had a little more lift with crème brulée and banana lollies popping up as descriptors. I wonder if batch #5 has a higher percentage of European oak as it really is a spicy, dark, stewed fruit number.Ok, it’s a fair amount dearer than the Tamdhu 12 which has obviously been aging and improving for 12 years. But, for that money you’re getting a much higher abv and some considerable depth - there’s a lot here to play with regardless of whether you like to add water or not. If you like ‘em big like the A’Bunadhs and Nadurras of this world then this is your cup of tea. It's on special for the next week too… in case you needed another excuse. Buy here

I love Bordeaux. I was wooed by the pomp and circumstance of the Cru Classé system as an impressionable twenty something and, arguably, it was Bordeaux that really got me into wine. However, one thing I don’t particularly like about this most French of regions is the price. I’ve tried buying cheap Bordeaux and it’s a dangerous game, typically becoming a disastrous study in the effects of vegetal pyrazines and under ripeness. But, not so with this Château de Pitray. It’s $29.99 on special at the moment and, yes, I’m aware this might not be cheap to everyone, but it’s certainly cheap for a good glass of Bordeaux. And it really is quite good.The nose is exactly what you’d hope for with ripe black currants and dark bramble fruit hitting you immediately. Then it’s a visit to the cedar humidor and the dried remnants of a cigar or two thanks to some nicely integrated oak, which also has the effect of pushing the earlier discovered fruits into the realms of a freshly baked blackcurrant and blueberry pie with a dollop of cream.On the palate the oak shows itself with a bit more determination but, again, it’s kept in check with the judicious juggling of ripe fruit and savoury flavours; black currants, a capsicum or two or possibly even a subtle hint of brett perhaps (eek)?! Regardless of what's being thrown around, it works. The tannins are big, almost too big, but are fine grained, almost silty, and lend themselves to a perceived rusticity that one seldom finds in the new world but which this corner of the old world seems to exude. It's certainly not the perfect wine... but it’s an honest wine with a lot to give and and with a lot going on.So, if uncut gems and the imperfectly perfect are your sort of thing… or you’re just searching for that elusive $30 Bordeaux hack, give Château de Pitray a whirl… I doubt you’ll be disappointed. Buy Château de Pitray here

We are living in an uncertain world right now but one of the growing trends we can rely on is the seemingly exponential rise in the number of organically certified consumable products. Our shelves are positively bending under their weight and it's easy to spot the organically certified wines we have in store now by looking for the green tags we have fixed onto the names. This is the fourth New Zealand Organic Wine Week. It runs until Sunday 26 September and we can all expect to see plenty of promotion online as well as in stores who embrace the green message. We definitely do just that here at Regional Wines and, at the time of writing, we are hoping to be back at Alert level 1 so that we can pop open a few bottles to show you the greatness behind the organic labels of some of our personal faves. If not, we hope you will take our word for it and put your money where your green credentials are.  If you find the word organic to be an alluring enticement to buy consumable products of integrity over mass produced goods, it turns out that you are not alone. Far from it. We notice growing numbers of people in store who ask specifically to be guided to organic wines, in particular. The organisers of New Zealand Organic Wine Week say the unprecedented interest in what we put in, and on, our bodies means that organically certified consumables are becoming more mainstream.  Consumers are driving demand for everything from cosmetics to organic wine. We have plenty of that - and we look forward to seeing you in store and online at Regional to purchase some of the best.  Buy organic wine by clicking on the wines below: 2019 Petit Clos Pinot Noir (RRP $27.99) Special $24.99 2019 Mount Edward Riesling (RRP $24.99) Special $22.99 2020 Black Estate Young Vine Chardonnay (RRP $35.99) Special $32.99 2019 Giesen Clayvin Syrah (RRP $55.99) Special $51.99 Remember... look for the green organic tag for certified products * All organic wines are marked on the shelves with green tags, which we are on a vigilant mission to continue highlighting to customers. * Ask our staff to show you their faves from the organics we have.  

One of Italy's great reds, aged for at least five years before release? If you had to name a top Italian red that's typically aged far longer than most wines and which comes from a small hillside appellation with a climate that's both alpine and Mediterranean, what would it be? If you said Brunello di Montalcino, then full marks. Not that it's a competition. This quirky, high quality, small volume, full bodied dry red is one of the great wines of the world and comes from a tiny area which is defined as a DOCG. This is the  highest classification for a defined wine region in Italy and as a result DOCGs tend to be relatively small compared to their higher volume counterparts which are known as DOCs.  In the case of Brunello di Montalcino, the DOCG refers to the vineyards around Montalcino, which is a hillside town that's about 42 kilometres from the city of Siena, 150 kilometres from Florence and is 567 metres above sea level. Its most famous and most expensive wine is Brunello di Montalcino. This must legally be aged for five years prior to its release in bottle, so when looking at the great wines from this small township, it's important to take that into consideration.  A 2016 Brunello di Montalcino, such as 2016 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino DOCG is actually a brand new wine, despite the fact it's already five years old.  The same thing applies to the other great Brunello di Montalcinos we have in store now here.  These wines are made from grapes grown in vineyards around the town of Montalcino and the name Brunello comes from the Italian word Bruno, which means brown. It was given to the grape variety that Brunello di Montalcino is made from; it's a 100% varietal wine, meaning it is made entirely from only one grape variety. And until 1879, that grape was thought to be a distinctively different variety than the main grape in Tuscany, namely Sangiovese.  In 1879, it was discovered that the Brunello grape is, in fact, a clone of Sangiovese which happens to produce particularly powerful, velvety smooth reds in this little highly prized hillside appellation. So, Brunello is one of Tuscany's few red wines that is made 100% from the Sangiovese grape and it is one of Italy's great red wines.  Buy Brunello di Montalcino from us here. It's deliciously drinkable now but is without doubt a keeper for the long haul in a cool dark cellar.  And by the way, Rosso di Montalcino is not the same thing but that's another story.

Harviestoun - Old Engine Oil - Black Ale - 6%We all need some lubrication from time to time, right, and Harviestoun OId Engine Oil is guaranteed to crank the cogs of even the most stubborn old engine.This is all about the dark and decadent pleasure of roasted malts that emanate as chocolate, mocha, coffee and caramel on the nose. Then there’s that whiff of iron ore that all decent dark beers seem to possess. You know, like the odour that hits you as you’re welding the front axle of your E-Type Jaguar back in place after a minor accident whilst out driving in the countryside. Then it’s onto the palate that is not just rich but velvety thanks to the oats. There’s some clever bittering hops in there too which balance the sweet chocolate and caramel notes, meaning the final result really does feel more like an ale than a porter; deep and dark yet mightily refreshing. It’s a meal in a glass, just what the doctor would order if you needed to gain a few pounds, or suffered from mild anemia. Gorgeous stuff and don’t dare serve it too cold. The malts and hops need a chance to hum in unison and, once they do, it’s like the deep, sonorous purr of a freshly tuned, and well oiled, V-8 engine.   Click here to purchase.

“I had never felt so certain about anything in my life,” says Clive Paton, of his decision to buy land in Martinborough, plant grapes on it, make wine and turn his back on a career in share milking. Pinot Noir devotees know that the rest is history, still in the making at Ata Rangi Wines, one of the great producers we visited on our staff trip last month. It might come as something of a surprise to know that the staff at Regional Wines & Spirits very rarely all crack open a bottle of something good to drink together but last month we made an exception or five. A staff trip to Martinborough saw us all enjoy some outstanding wines, beers and locally distilled gin at a bunch of the best operators in this small but incredibly well formed wine region. The wineries we visited and wines we tasted are below, suffice to say the extensive notes I took could keep me up for several late nights writing, so here's one of the highlights of our trip.  The Ata Rangi story  Ata Rangi Pinot Noir is one of New Zealand’s great wines. Its founder is Clive Paton, who says he was destined to a career in wine, despite the early segue into farming, because he had always been drawn to red wine rather than New Zealand beer when he left school. A significant part of the reason is because his father had acquired a taste for wine as a soldier in Italy during World War Two. There’s an undercurrent of perfectionism in Clive’s quiet approach and it’s something his current winemaker, Helen Masters, carries through in her work at this iconic winery, one of the first four in Martinborough. Ata Rangi Pinot Noir is made from 40 year old vines grown on site at the winery's home vineyard block, approximately 40% of which are made up of the Abel clone of Pinot Noir. This provides Pinot Noirs with impressive structure, something that the windy weather in Martinborough tends to accentuate by creating bunches of grapes that tend to be thicker skinned and smaller than some of their southern counterparts. Helen Masters and fellow winemaker Ben Trinnick are also experimenting with a growing range of Chardonnays and producing another single vineyard wine called McCrone Pinot Noir, named after the vineyard the grapes in the wine come from.  Moy Hall  Amazing lunch and great tasting with owner and winemaker Phil McArthur - thank you, Phil. 2020 Moy Hall Riesling 2020 Moy Hall Sauvignon Blanc 2020 Moy Hall Pinot Gris 2020 Moy Hall Riversdale Pinot Noir 2017 Moy Hall Terrace Pinot Noir Buy marvellous Moy Hall wines here.   Luna Estate 2020 Luna Sauvignon Blanc 2020 Luna Pinot Gris 2019 Luna Chardonnay 2020 Luna Estate Pinot Noir 2019 Luna Blue Rock Pinot Noir 2019 Luna Eclipse Pinot Noir  2016 Luna Silver River Pinot NoirA cellar door only wine which has been made only in 2018, 2019 and 2020. It has 80% whole bunch fermentation, is tight, structured and rich in flavour with great weight and length.  2019 Luna Blue Rock Syrah We are thrilled to have secured a small allocation of this sensational cool climate Syrah from Luna's Blue Rock Vineyard, an elevated hillside site, south of Martinborough township.  Buy lush 2016 Luna Blue Rock Pinot Noir here.    Reid & Reid Amazing range of gins and a brand new distillery since the last time our team visited Buy decadent Reid & Reid gins here.   Ata Rangi  See above. Buy great 2018 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir here. Buy creamy 2018 Ata Rangi Craighall Chardonnay here.   Big Sky Incredible pruning lesson and great wines from Big Sky, the aptly named winery and vineyard at the far end of Te Muna Road. The Pinot Noirs made here are wines that consistently over deliver massively. Owners and founders Jeremy Corban and Katherine Jacobs are among the warmest, most thoughtful and generous winemaking hosts anywhere in the country (and are among this author's personal favourites, both for the quality of their wine and for their humility and the honest depth of information they so willingly share).   Buy beautiful 2018 Big Sky Pinot Noir here. Butterworth Thanks Nick Hewitt, the marketing man in charge of getting the new message of this old estate winery out to consumers. Butterworth Estate is the new incarnation of Julicher Estate, which was initially going to be an olive growth rather than a winery when founded by Wym Julicher. The only trouble is that frost soon put paid to that idea but failing to deliver any olives. Since then, some of the most impressively well structured and ageworthy Pinot Noirs have been made from this vineyard, which is on Te Muna Road. It is now expanding with the acquisition of land from a next door site.  Definitely one to watch - and to buy. We have great Butterworth wines in store. Buy spicy 2018 Butterworth Pinot Noir here.  Te Hera John Douglas is a great winemaker and also one of Martinborough's most self deprecating ones at his cellar door and vineyard on Te Muna Road. He is a one man band and his small five hectare site is devoted mostly to Pinot Noir with a smidgeon of Riesling, which often doesn't see commercial release due to small volumes.  Te Hera Pinot Noir is one of the best value reds in this country. The reserve is an excellent wine for the long haul. Buy tasty and great value 2018 Te Hera Pinot Noir here.

It’s been an interesting old year of whisky tastings thus far at Regional Wines. With supply issues here, there and everywhere and a palpable decrease in whiskies to choose from, we've been forced to be inventive with, what might be called, a slightly more commercial slew of brands and bottlings. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed revisiting some classics, comparing official bottlings at a variety of ages and price points and then seeing how they go next to the odd peculiarity or indy bottling that we have managed to rustle up. In the same breath however… boy, am I looking forward to the Signatory tasting (fingers crossed it goes ahead at some stage!). One thing that has stood out over the course of the last six months, as it does every year to be fair, is the notion of price versus perceived quality in whisky. We’ve seen this time and time again at Regional… the giant whiskies with their gargantuan price tags falling by the wayside as cheaper whiskies brush them aside. Our old faithful A’Bunadh being the perennial overachiever, and commonly joined by NAS cask strength releases from the likes of Tamdhu etc. This year the study of price versus quality seems as poignant as ever. A Macallan vertical offered an exorbitantly priced 18 year old that struggled, and our oldest whisky, a Benriach port cask batch release priced well over $500 fell somewhere mid-league. Maybe these subtler, older numbers just don’t do well in blind lineup tastings. It’s obvious where the cost comes from… holding a whisky in cask for an extra 10 years comes at a cost for the distillery for sure… but maybe it just doesn’t mean an improvement in quality? I’ve ranked the whiskies we’ve tasted this year by price and by score in the two tables below. This is a fairly small study group, it has to be said, but taking them at face value - you’d certainly be a bit concerned about spending over $300 on a bottle of malt, unless it were the Bunnahabhain 18 YO. But even with this spectacular dram - you’d have to wonder about spending a whopping $200 less on the 12 year old - which mustered a score only a fraction lower. There’s some other interesting comparisons and standouts. The Macallan Rare Cask 2020, a non age statement at 40% and priced over $700 (that must be one rare cask, maybe it got lost when they switched distilleries recently). The GlenAllachie 15 YO versus the Macallan 15 YO Double Cask - two crackers, but a massive difference in price. And finally the Longrow Red which won its tasting and will be joining us at Best of the Best. This is a genuinely rare release and sought after by collectors around the world - but what a great price which seemingly bucks the laws of supply and demand and positions itself based on absolutes of age and provenance. Just goes to show that competitive pricing which doesn’t take advantage of brand or name is totally achievable. It just takes a distillery with a conscience and a determination to do the right thing by its customers. Whisky ranked by price  Score Price Macallan Rare Cask 2020 Release 43% 8 759.99 Macallan 18yo Triple Cask 43% 7.3 607.99 Benriach 1992 25 YO Port Cask #979 Batch 15 53.9% 8.08 528.99 Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique 54.8%  7.99 334.99 Lagavulin 12YO Cask Strength 2017 56.5% 7.32 304.99 Bunnahabhain 18 - 46.3% 8.97 303.99 Lagavulin 12YO Cask Strength 2019 56.5% 8.45 274.99 Mystery - Lagavulin 12YO Cask Strength 2020 56.4% 8.23 274.99 Macallan 15yo Double Cask 43% 8.15 257.99 Caol Ila 15YO 61.5% 8.37 249.99 Mystery - Springbank 18 - 46% 7.78 210.99 An Cnoc 18 - 46% 7.27 197.99 Bowmore 18 - 43% 7.47 189.99 GlenAllachie 18 YO 46% ABV – 08/06/2018 8.02 182.99 Highland Park Valfather 47% 7.69 158.99 Macallan 12yo Double Cask 40% 6.83 145.99 Kilchoman PX Sherry Cask Matured 47.3% 8.71 144.99 Macallan 12yo Sherry Cask 40% 7.41 142.99 Macallan Gold 40% 6.64 137.99 Longrow Red 10 YO 52.5% 8.72 135.99 Mystery - Glenallachie 'Dramfest 2020' 2010 / 9 YO 55.9% 10/2019 8.31 133.99 Gordon & Macphail Ledaig Hermitage Wood Finish 46% 7.82 132.99 GlenAllachie 12 YO PX Sherry Wood Finish 48% ABV – 24/06/2019 7.95 125.99 GlenAllachie 10 YO Cask Strength Batch #4 02/09/2020 8.88 125.99 GlenAllachie 10 YO Cask Strength Batch #3– 09/05/2019 8.4 125.99 GlenAllachie 10 YO Cask Strength Batch #2 – 29/09/2018 8.28 125.99 GlenAllachie 10 YO Cask Strength Batch #1 – 08/06/2018 8.47 125.99 GlenAllachie 15 YO 46% ABV – 02/06/2020 8.54 124.99 Glenallachie 11 YO Moscatel Wood Finish 48.0% 8.13 118.99 Arran Machrie Moor Cask Strength Peated 56.2% 7.58 114.99 Auchentoshan Bartenders Malt No.2 50% 6.87 109.99 Arran Sauternes Cask Finish 50% 7.75 109.99 Talisker Port Ruighe 45.8% 7.83 106.99 Bunnahabhain 12 - 46.3% 8.73 105.99 Mystery - Glendronach 12 7.35 99.99 Mystery - Ardnamurchan BATCH AD 01.21:01 46.8% 6.44 93.99 An Cnoc 12 - 40% 7.16 89.99 Bowmore 12 - 40% 6.87 79.99 Whisky ranked by score Score Price Bunnahabhain 18 - 46.3% 8.97 303.99 GlenAllachie 10 YO Cask Strength Batch #4 02/09/2020 8.88 125.99 Bunnahabhain 12 - 46.3% 8.73 105.99 Longrow Red 10 YO 52.5% 8.72 135.99 Kilchoman PX Sherry Cask Matured 47.3% 8.71 144.99 GlenAllachie 15 YO 46% ABV – 02/06/2020 8.54 124.99 GlenAllachie 10 YO Cask Strength Batch #1 – 08/06/2018 8.47 125.99 Lagavulin 12YO Cask Strength 2019 56.5% 8.45 274.99 GlenAllachie 10 YO Cask Strength Batch #3– 09/05/2019 8.4 125.99 Caol Ila 15YO 61.5% 8.37 249.99 Mystery - Glenallachie 'Dramfest 2020' 2010 / 9 YO 55.9% 10/2019 8.31 133.99 GlenAllachie 10 YO Cask Strength Batch #2 – 29/09/2018 8.28 125.99 Mystery - Lagavulin 12YO Cask Strength 2020 56.4% 8.23 274.99 Macallan 15yo Double Cask 43% 8.15 257.99 Glenallachie 11 YO Moscatel Wood Finish 48.0% 8.13 118.99 Benriach 1992 25 YO Port Cask #979 Batch 15 53.9% 8.08 528.99 GlenAllachie 18 YO 46% ABV – 08/06/2018 8.02 182.99 Macallan Rare Cask 2020 Release 43% 8 759.99 Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique 54.8%  7.99 334.99 GlenAllachie 12 YO PX Sherry Wood Finish 48% ABV – 24/06/2019 7.95 125.99 Talisker Port Ruighe 45.8% 7.83 106.99 Gordon & Macphail Ledaig Hermitage Wood Finish 46% 7.82 132.99 Mystery - Springbank 18 - 46% 7.78 210.99 Arran Sauternes Cask Finish 50% 7.75 109.99 Highland Park Valfather 47% 7.69 158.99 Arran Machrie Moor Cask Strength Peated 56.2% 7.58 114.99 Bowmore 18 - 43% 7.47 189.99 Macallan 12yo Sherry Cask 40% 7.41 142.99 Mystery - Glendronach 12 7.35 99.99 Lagavulin 12YO Cask Strength 2017 56.5% 7.32 304.99 Macallan 18yo Triple Cask 43% 7.3 607.99 An Cnoc 18 - 46% 7.27 197.99 An Cnoc 12 - 40% 7.16 89.99 Auchentoshan Bartenders Malt No.2 50% 6.87 109.99 Bowmore 12 - 40% 6.87 79.99 Macallan 12yo Double Cask 40% 6.83 145.99 Macallan Gold 40% 6.64 137.99 Mystery - Ardnamurchan BATCH AD 01.21:01 46.8% 6.44 93.99