Scotch Boon: 2012

Fall is a great season for not only bourbon drinkers but also for Scotch lovers. Distillers across Scotland are introducing a range of delicious new blends and single malts. Here are a few you need to try. Slàinte!

THE BALVENIE DOUBLEWOOD 17 YEAR OLD ($130):
There aren't many people in the world who know more about Scotch than The Balvenie's malt master David Stewart. To mark his 50 years on the job, the brand is releasing a sweet and spicy 17-year-old (pictured above) this month that has been aged in American oak barrels as well as European sherry casks.

CUTTY SARK TAM O'SHANTER 25 YEAR OLD ($329):
These days, single malt gets most of the attention, but later in October Scotch stalwart Cutty Sark is coming out with a quaffable blend, Tam O'Shanter, which you shouldn't miss. Its moniker is from a Robert Burns poem and includes both malt and grain whiskies at least a quarter-century old.

ARDBEG GALILEO ($95):
Ardbeg is taking whisky to new heights. Seriously. Currently orbiting high above the Earth are test tubes filled with unaged spirit and wood from a charred barrel. While we wait for the results of that celestial experiment, enjoy this limited-edition 12-year-old bottling inspired by the project, aptly named for astronomer Galileo Galilei.

CAOL ILA AGED 14 YEARS "UNPEATED STYLE" ($103):
The Scottish island Islay is famous for its smoky whiskies. Caol Ila, whose malt provides much of Johnnie Walker Black Label's muscle, is no exception. But once a year, the distillery also makes an unpeated Scotch. This one was aged for 14 years in former sherry casks and will be available in a few weeks.

This story was originally published at Scotch Boon: 2012. For more stories like this, subscribe to Liquor.com for the best in all things cocktails and spirits.