Unique casks, personally and locally selected in Scotland's whisky regions, always cask strength, never chill-filtered or coloured. Sounds magical? No wonder, because these Best Drams are the work of Michel Reick, who as a whisky druid makes the magic of handpicked casks accessible to connoisseurs. Five newcomers make magical moments of enjoyment possible this week. The new Best Drams have had between 6 and 15 years to develop their exquisite aromas. The single cask bottlings open up exciting perspectives for whisky fans on distilleries from the Isle of Islay, from Speyside and the Highlands - in combination with the classic bourbon barrel or aromatic (sweet) wine casks. The barrique cask in which the Glen Garioch 2011/2022 rested was pre-loaded with the French sweet wine Sauternes. The dark Best Dram from the Highlands combines herbal spice with crumble and baked apple. Tasting Notes: Nose: Sweet grapes and erica meld with vanilla, spritz, figs and compote of very ripe apples. In the background very fine rosemary and apple pie with crumble. Palate: Herbaceous and spicy with oak, vanilla sweetness and again spritz biscuits. Gradually becoming fruitier with sweet grapes and baked apple, but without losing the herbal note. Finish: Herbal-sweet with notes of ripe light grapes as well as baked apple and crumble.

The Glen Garioch 2011/2022 was refined in a first-fill Amarone cask. Distilled from the first-class Oldmeldrum barley, the single malt spoils explorers with herbs, cherries and chocolate. Tasting Notes: Nose: Typical Glen Garioch nose with fine herbs, cane sugar and red fruits such as young, not yet fully ripe cherries, which become more intense and lush. Add chocolate. Palate: After a gentle start, powerful aromas of herbs appear, followed by cherries, cane sugar, milk chocolate and finally some oak. Finish: Long, warm and fruity with fine herbs. Astringent towards the end.

This 10 year old Glen Garioch matured in a first fill Barbados rum barrel and was bottled for the Best Dram series. Barrel #2339 still yielded 210 bottles at 54.9%.