The Glover 18 Years Old AD (Adelphi)

The Glover is Adelphi's blended malt tribute to Thomas Blake Glover, the Scottish entrepreneur who became one of the most influential foreign residents in Meiji Japan. This 18 Years Old edition, released in 2017, combines malt whisky from Glen Garioch in Aberdeenshire, Longmorn in Speyside, and Hanyu in Saitama Prefecture, the closed Toa Shuzo distillery that ceased production in 2000 and whose remaining stocks have become some of the most sought-after whisky from Japan.

All three components rested in Ex-Bourbon casks, lending a profile oriented around vanilla, light toffee and dried cereal with a subtle fruit lift. Bottled at 49.2%, this 2017 release sits just above standard strength, giving the blend a little more body than the label-minimum version while keeping it approachable in style.