A.D. Rattray Summer Bottling 2025: 4 Rare Single Malts

A celebration of balance and complexity in cask-strength whisky

Alba Import has just unveiled the highly anticipated Summer Bottling from the renowned A.D. Rattray Cask Collection, featuring four carefully selected single cask releases. Sourced from Glendullan, Glen Garioch, Knockdhu, and an undisclosed Orkney distillery, each expression is bottled at natural cask strength, with no chill-filtration and no added coloring. Since 2004, A.D. Rattray has earned its reputation for transparency and character, and this release upholds that tradition with a selection that emphasizes elegance and nuance over dominance.

Bold design meets full disclosure

Each bottling comes with A.D. Rattray’s signature label, offering whisky lovers full insight into its origins: distillation and bottling dates, cask numbers, cask types, age statements, and, when applicable, finishing casks. A detailed tasting note is included on the back label, making these releases not just collectible but educational. The packaging remains minimalistic yet elegant—highlighting substance over flash, much like the whisky inside.

Cask-driven character: from Oloroso to Moscatel

Each of the four single malts reveals its unique cask story:

Glendullan 2010 (14 y/o, 56.7%) spent over 3½ years in Oloroso sherry casks, developing rich layers of orange, fig, cinnamon, and creamy caramel—a rare find from an often-overlooked Speyside distillery.
Glen Garioch 2012 (12 y/o, 57.5%), matured fully in a first-fill bourbon barrel, delights with a malty-nutty base, layered with vanilla, milk chocolate, banana, malt sugar, walnut, and ginger.
Knockdhu 2009 (15 y/o, 52.4%) offers a summery and floral profile after a final year in a Portuguese Moscatel cask—expect vanilla cream, white chocolate, pink grapefruit, and candied orange peel.
Orkney Malt 2006 (18 y/o, 58.4%) almost certainly from the island’s most iconic distillery, matured in a bourbon hogshead. The result is a lightly smoky, complex dram with notes of honey biscuits, almonds, wild blackberries, candied pecans, heather, and a hint of coal smoke.

Insights from Alba Import

Corinna Schwarz, Managing Director at Alba Import, emphasizes the unique philosophy behind this release:

"In today’s whisky world, the focus often lies on extremes—intense peat, heavy sherry, or experimental casks. While bold, these styles can overshadow complexity. This collection reminds us that Scotch whisky’s real beauty lies in its diversity. These four casks don’t scream; they sing in harmony, offering layered elegance and balanced depth."

Tasting Notes

Glendullan 2010

Orange, fig, and cinnamon
Creamy caramel
Sherry-driven warmth and spice

Glen Garioch 2012

Sweet vanilla and milk chocolate
Banana and malt sugar
Walnut and ginger

Knockdhu 2009

Floral, malty, and fruity on the nose
Vanilla cream and white chocolate
Pink grapefruit and candied orange peel

Orkney Malt 2006

Honey biscuits and wild blackberries
Almonds and candied pecans
Heather and a whisper of coal smoke

A refined summer quartet worth discovering

The 2025 Summer Bottling from A.D. Rattray is a masterclass in balance, transparency, and complexity, offering whisky lovers a rare chance to explore diverse cask types, age statements, and regional styles. Whether you’re a collector or a connoisseur, this release is a compelling reminder that great whisky doesn’t need to shout—it just needs to speak clearly, honestly, and with character.

About the author

Spiritory Team

Spiritory is a team of dedicated Whisky, Rum and Spirits Enthusiast. Our passion for the product, craftmanship and art of producing the finest spirits in the world will be represented in every article we write on our blog-page. Our goal is to produce content which is interesting to read and for a broad base of consumers, enthusiasts, investors and collectors.