Bottler: Chapter 7

Range: Prologue, Batch 1

Type: Blended Malt Whisky  

Region: Highland & Speyside

Alcohol by Volume: 49%

Limited Edition: 6,000 bottles

Bottle Size: 750ml

Whisky Tasting Notes

Nose: Floral, light barley, honeyed stewed apples, fresh baguette. 

Palate: Sweet, fruity and earthy notes with baking spices.

Finish: Sugary, hints of cereals, white pepper and almonds.

About Chapter 7 Whisky's Prologue Blended Malt 

This is the biggest outturn Chapter 7 Whisky has produced. It's a blended malt curated from younger single malts at their prime age, when they are developing their Highland and Speyside characters. 

Prologue is a great entry level whisky that comes to life when you let it breath for a bit. Don't we all! It's a whisky that's sweet, earthy, grassy and spicy. 

Bottler: Chapter 7

Range: Monologue

Distillery: Cambus

Region: Lowlands 

Age: 33 years

Distilled: September 1988

Bottled: January 2022

Cask Type: Single bourbon hogshead finished in three octaves

Cask Number: 3325

Alcohol by Volume: 47.6%, cask strength

Bottled: Natural colour and non chill filtered

Limited Edition: 280 Bottles

Bottle Size: 700ml

Cambus 33 Year Old Tasting Notes

Nose: Fresh walnuts, sugarcane, and coconut. Loose leaf tobacco. Prickly pears and a hint of banana. 

Palate: Lemon curd and angelica. Fresh oak, cinnamon, and candy sugar.

Finish: Vanilla, tobacco, lemon curd and raisins. 

About this Chapter 7 Whisky

Cambus, a Lowland distillery, played a key role in the establishment of grain whisky. It began distilling malt in 1806 until owner John Mubray installed two patent stills in 1836. During the 19th century, Cambus expanded to become one of the founding companies of DCL. Its ad in The Daily Mail was critical in swaying public opinion about grain whisky. This led to DCL winning their case against malt distilleries in 1908.

Chapter 7 Whisky has finished a single bourbon hogshead in three octave casks. The octaves had previously held Glen Elgin and Linkwood. This is a well aged, well finished, example of Cambus single grain whisky.

Bottler: Chapter 7

Range: Monologue

Distillery: Benrinnes

Region: Speyside 

Age: 12 years

Distilled: February 2009

Bottled: January 2022

Cask Type: Single bourbon hogshead finished in an oloroso hogshead

Cask Number: 301068

Alcohol by Volume: 53%

Bottled: Natural colour and non chill filtered

Limited Edition: 299 bottles

Bottle Size: 700ml

Benrinnes 12 Year Old Tasting Notes

Selim's tasting notes

Nose: Almonds, quince jelly, custard, gooseberries and pancakes.

Palate: Marzipan and bitter almonds. Gooseberries, lemon, and croissants.

Finish: Heather honey, limoncello, lemon drops and butter.

Ed's tasting notes

Colour: Natural colour, deep gold or bronze. Coats the sides of the glass thickly with a lingering tide line.

Nose: Stewed fruit crumble. Apples with forest fruits cooked in spiced syrup, topped with buttery crumble. The crumble has browned and become toasted around the edges. Thick vanilla custard. Backed by malt and oak.

Palate: Thick, syrupy mouthfeel. Bright red fruit and berries with spices and candied orange. Dry oak with a little vanilla. Apples and pears join the red fruit, the longer you hold the whisky on your tongue. At 54% the alcohol is well integrated, adding just a little warmth, and plenty of body.

Finish: Medium, tingling spices are left once the berries and apples disappear.

About this Chapter 7 Whisky

Another great distillery producing meaty character malts for Diageo blends. Benrinnes is popular among independent bottlers. And, rightly appreciated by connoisseurs for its light, fruity character. This release was aged in a bourbon hogshead and then finished in an oloroso hogshead. Rather than going for a 'coloured' result, Chapter 7 Whisky kept the finishing short. This has added magical layer of prunes, sultanas and spices to this already accomplished malt.

Bottler: Chapter 7

Range: Monologue

Distillery: Blair Athol

Region: Highlands 

Age: 12 years

Distilled: February 2009

Bottled: January 2022

Cask Type: Single bourbon hogshead

Cask Number: 301068

Alcohol by Volume: 52%

Bottled: Natural colour and non chill filtered

Limited Edition: 299 Bottles

Bottle Size: 700ml

Blair Athol 12 Year Old Tasting Notes

Nose: Fruit salad with oranges. Honey, custard, barley water and nougat. Café late with brioche.

Palate: Orange juice, natural vanilla, raisins and maize bread.

Finish: Caramelised pear tart. Ginger, cinnamon and bay leaves.

About this Chapter 7 Whisky

Blair Athol is one of Diageo's workhorse distilleries. Much of its malt whisky ends up in Bell's blended scotch. It's a beautiful distillery built in 1798 in Pitlochry. Majority of Blair Athol casks destined for blending are ex-bourbon barrels. It has a nutty character resulting from cloudy worts and short fermentation. Allowing controlled levels of solids coming across in the wash still adds a deep, rich meat loaf character.

Bottler: Chapter 7

Range: Monologue

Distillery: Blair Athol

Region: Highlands 

Age: 12 years

Distilled: October 2009

Bottled: January 2022

Cask Type: Red wine cask

Cask Number: 306651

Alcohol by Volume: 53%

Bottled: Natural colour and non chill filtered

Limited Edition: 258 bottles

Bottle Size: 700ml

Blair Athol 12 Year Old Tasting Notes

Nose: Fruit syrup, honey and brown muscovado sugar. Apple, canned pears, peaches, apricots, and kiwis.

Palate: Barley syrup and preserved fruits. Muesli and cereal. Citrons, lemon zest, and chalk.

Finish: Vanilla, coffee liqueurs and creams.

About this Chapter 7 Whisky

Blair Athol is one of Diageo's workhorse distilleries. Much of its malt whisky ends up in Bell's blended scotch. It's a beautiful distillery built in 1798 in Pitlochry. It has a nutty character resulting from cloudy worts and short fermentation. Allowing controlled levels of solids coming across in the wash still adds a deep, rich meat loaf character.

The majority of Blair Athol casks destined for blending are ex-bourbon barrels. So, this release from Chapter 7 is a rare exception: a wine cask aged Blair Athol. The cask is likely a 2nd or 3rd fill, resulting in a complex dram rather than a dominant one.

Bottler: Chapter 7

Range: Monologue

Distillery: Glen Grant

Region: Speyside 

Age: 24 years

Distilled: January 1998

Bottled: January 2022

Cask Type: Single Bourbon Hogshead

Cask Number: 6454

Alcohol by Volume: 51.1%

Bottled: Natural colour and non chill filtered

Limited Edition: 254 Bottles

Bottle Size: 700ml

Glen Grant 24 Year Old Tasting Notes

Nose: Fresh citrus and green apples. Vanilla and barley syrup. Papaya and sponge cake.

Palate: Vanilla, apples and lemons. Honeysuckle honey and rhubarb.

Finish: Limoncello, sandalwood and vanilla.

About this Chapter 7 Whisky

Built in 1929, Glen Grant's owners John and James had a great impact on the development of the Rothes area. The brothers brought in the railway line from Lossiemouth to Elgin. They personally paid for an extension of the route to Rothes. 

Glen Grant was one of the first whisky brands. You could find Glen Grant in Africa, Australia, and the US in the late 19 century. Glen Grant stills produce a light spirit mainly due to their square boil bulbs. These increase copper surface significantly. Well-aged Glen Grant, such as this release by Chapter 7 Whisky, are known to be complex drams with many layers.