Veteran whisky fans will be familiar with the story of the Devil’s Casks. A classic Hebridean tall tale from the 19th century, it tells of the Devil fleeing Bowmore village’s distinctive round church (no corners for him to hide in) into a cask of the distillery’s whisky – curiously not vessels known for their corners. It was the inspiration for a very well-loved 2010s series of bottlings that showcased a darker, richer side of Bowmore through full sherry cask maturation.

We’re delighted to be teaming up with Bowmore for an exclusive revival of the series. In fact, we’re not announcing one whisky but two: a new, small-batch 10-year-old Devil’s Casks expression and an extremely limited 22-year-old, both available exclusively from The Whisky Shop and our friends at Loch Fyne Whiskies!

The Devil’s Casks 10 Year Old

The Devil’s Casks 10 Year Old is matured in first fill oloroso sherry casks with a Pedro Ximénez cask finish, taking after previous Devil’s Casks incarnation Double the Devil. Bottled at cask strength of 56.6% abv, without artificial colour or chill filtration, it is bold, rich, yet deceptively soft, with Bowmore’s already gentle smoke smouldering very lightly in the background.

Syrupy dark fruits, leather and an undertow of ripe apples on the nose seed the ground for a rich palate laden with sticky fruitcake, treacle toffee and dark chocolate, with hints of liquorice, soft smoke, and a prominent PX spice note that softens with water. The finish is long and full, with warming spice and a last gentle kiss of smoke.

At £70, it offers exceptional value for money. For members of our (free to join) W Club, every purchase comes with an invitation to enter a ballot to buy the 22 Year Old.

How to Buy:

Early Access: Available in-store from 15th October for W Club Premium members.

General Release: Available online and in-store from 10:00am on 16th October.

The Whisky Shop delivers internationally. While stock is limited for this small-batch release, there is currently no bottle limit per customer. Previous editions have proved highly collectible (as well as highly drinkable…)!

The Devil’s Casks 22 Year Old

The 10 Year Old’s older sibling is a remarkable, highly limited dram with only around 600 bottles available. A marriage of oloroso and PX cask-matured liquid, it was crafted from just two casks held back from the original series. These were matured for an additional decade before receiving a final finish in a refill oloroso sherry cask.

Extraordinarily soft at 59.6% abv, it’s a luxuriously rich, layered dram, with fragrant ripened apples, pineapple upside-down cake and the gentlest of coastal smoke just a few of the notes dancing on an exceptionally complex palate. Something really quite special.

Purchase is by ballot only initially.

How to Buy

Ballot: Launches on Halloween, 31st October. W Club members of every level who purchase a bottle of the 10-Year-Old will receive an invitation to enter.

General In-Store Release: Any bottles remaining after the ballot will be available to all, strictly in-store only, starting the week of Monday 2nd November.