Robbie's Whisky Merchants

31/01/2025

Launching Saturday 1st February!

Bruichladdich Octomore Single Cask 11 Year Old - Single Malt Scotch Whisky - 2025 Release

Introducing the 1st Octomore Single Cask!

Available for the first time this Octomore Single Cask is matured and bottled exclusively in Islay and hand selected by Head Distiller, Adam Hannet.

Matured in 100% first fill bourbon casks

Malted to 107PPM.

Bottled at 59.4%abv.

Aged 11 years.

UK Exclusive

Only 246 Bottles

29/01/2025

Daftmill 2009 15 Year Old Fife Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Daftmill Distillery is situated near Cupar in Fife, making it one of just seventeen Lowland distilleries currently releasing whisky, with 6 more under construction or active but not yet releasing. However, Daftmill was the pioneer - commissioned in 2004, though only began production in earnest in 2005, it marked start of the new wave of distilleries. At that time it was the first malt whisky distillery in Fife since Auchertool closed its doors in 1927.

The business is owned by Francis and Ian Cuthbert whose family has farmed the land since the 1980s.

The third Daftmill 15 year old release is made with Optic Barley, grown on their south fields. 20 casks were used for this release, a fifth of their annual production! 19 ex bourbon casks and 1 PX sherry cask.

As far as we are aware this is the first time an ex PX Cask has been included

21/01/2025

Introducing the final whisky & cheese pairing in partnership with 🤩

🥃 Lochlea Fallow 🥃


This Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop cheese oozes character and should be paired with a robust full-bodied whisky which compliments the buttery, tangy and earthy flavours.

I have chosen this wonderful Ayrshire Single Malt aged in 1st-fill Oloroso Sherry Butts and has direct links to our National Poet Robert Burns to complete our trilogy of Whisky and cheese recommendations for Burns Night.

Nose: Delightful baked apple and sweet medjool dates

Palate: Manuka honey and nutty fresh malted bread

Finish: Rich buttery sandalwood oils and mixed peppercorns

🧀 Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop 🧀

Dunlop cheese can be traced back to 1690, first made by Barbara Gilmore in the village of Dunlop, from the milk of her own dairy herd of Ayrshire cattle. The resulting milk was high in butterfat producing a creamy cheese, with distinct buttery, earthy and tangy flavour.

Adding to the lore, there are records of Robert Burns having a brief stint making Dunlop cheese before his career as a successful poet, believed to have been gifted a cow by Barbara herself. Ann Dorward is the present maker of Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop, awarded PGI status in 2015, firmly cementing it as a fixture in Scottish cheese history and doing Ayrshire proud as one of the only regionally protected cheeses in Scotland!

12/01/2025

Next up on our cheese & whisky pairing 👀🧀🥃

Connage Organic Clava 🧀

Handcrafted by Connage Highland Dairy of Inverness, Clava, is named after prehistoric burial cairns situated just a few miles from the farm. The organic dairy herd graze on the luscious pastures around and along the shore of the Moray Firth which produces the rich milk used to make this award winning cheese.

Clava is silky and smooth, becoming even more luscious if allowed to ripen. Its strong earthy, grassy and buttery flavours make this a very special and delicious addition to your Burns Supper cheeseboard.

TO BE PAIRED WITH…

Arran Port Finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky🥃

The subtleness of Connage Organic Clava with its silky and smooth texture, means that a big powerful whisky won’t work. A sweeter, fruitier whisky really complements the robust earthy and grassy flavours. This is why I’d recommend the Arran Port Finish

Nose: Wonderful aromas of vanilla spice and ripe citrus with dried fruits and nuttiness.
Palate: Fruity and spicy with cinnamon baked apple wrestling with raisin and plum pudding.
Finish: Sweet with a hint of pear.

11/01/2025

We are delighted to announce that tickets for our 22nd annual festival will be going on sale to the public on Monday (20th January)
Please note that tickets will be sold IN STORE ONLY and it is maximum x 2 per purchase
Price: £45
Date: Saturday 31st May 2025
Time: 2pm-6pm
Location: Ayr Town Hall

🥃🥃🥃

Tickets available at
Robbie’s Whisky Merchants
3 Sandgate
Ayr
KA7 1BG

07/01/2025

We are delighted to be in partnership with fellow local business for the month of January, recommending some truly excellent pairings 🧀🥃

🥃Lagg Kilmory Edition Single Malt Scotch Whisky 🥃

The influence of the peat combined with the vanilla and creamy influence of the American oak ex bourbon Casks form the backbone of this Single Malt and marry together perfectly with the salinity found in this wonderful Arran Blue cheese.

• Nose: Heather smoke and charred citrus
• Palate: Initial burst of fruit gives way to subtle bonfire smoke and a long-lasting finish
• Finish: Long with hints of stone fruits and vanilla.

🧀 Arran Blue Cheese 🧀

Arran Blue hails from its namesake, a small island situated off the West Coast of Scotland, made using the milk of a single dairy herd. Semi soft in texture, the flavours vary greatly depending on the age of the cheese, from creamy and slightly salty when young, to tangy as it matures.

Keep following us for more pairings as the month goes on 🤩👍🏼

30/12/2024

Still looking for that special dram to welcome 2025?

Available now! 🥃

Arran 12 Year Old - Marsala Cask -Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Ambassador's Dram Release 5

In 2016 Robin Russell was proudly selected as the first UK retailer to become an Arran Malt Ambassador. This special accolade recognises his great support and efforts over the past 29 years in promoting The Arran Malt brand on both a personal and professional level. Robin has specially chosen this Refill Marsala Wine Cask which is the fifth in a series of unique Arran “Ambassador’s Dram” bottlings.

The Arran Ambassador's Dram Release 5
Distilled on 01-10-12 and bottled 03-10-24.
A Refill Marsala Wine Cask, fully matured 12 years old non chill-filtered single malt bottled at 58.8%alc./vol. and deeming only 265 individually numbered bottles.

Cask #2085

Colour: Rich Copper

Nose: Rich vanilla, apricot, demerara sugar and light spice.

Palate: Well rounded, richly fragrant with candied tangerine peel, dry figs, manuka honey, citrus truffles, white chocolate and hazelnuts.

Finish: Satisfyingly long and fruity with hints of key lime pie and toasted oak.

Tasting notes by

Robin Russell

24/12/2024

Merry Christmas 🎄🥃

21/12/2024

🎄HOLIDAY OPENING HOURS🎄

Last minute shopping?!? We’re open on SUNDAY and up until 6pm on Christmas Eve 🤩

Don’t forget we have wonderful barrel top tastings all day today and Monday 👀👀

20/12/2024

The Christmas gift that keeps on giving 🥳🥳

Saturday 11am-5pm so no excuses!!! See you tomorrow 🥃

18/12/2024

Busy tomorrow? Not to fret…. Santa is brining Douglas Laing to RWM on FRIDAY!!!! 🎅🏻

11am-5pm come in and speak to Fiona for a dram 🥃

18/12/2024

Barrel top tasting tomorrow with John from Lindores!!! Pop in from 11am-5pm 🥃

Try some of our very own Ruby Port Lindores Single Cask 🎅🏻

17/12/2024

Good morning!
Today we have the one and only Sarah from Remy Cointreau pouring free sample drams from 11am - 5pm
Hot Bruichladdich Toddy’s to enjoy all day!
Look at that Barrel Top! 🥃🥃

14/12/2024

Congratulations David and Team Goat 🥃🥃

12/12/2024

Jura Perspective 16 Year Old Release 1

Perspectives draws inspiration from the resourcefulness and passion of the tiny island community at the heart of this beachside distillery, celebrating the whisky making heritage and showcasing the various aspects of the spirit in new and intriguing ways. This first release is a nod to an old favourite of the distillery team, Diurach’s Own. They’ve taken what they loved best from a classic and added their own stamp to create a whisky which is inspired by the whisky makers who came before, but which represents the house style today.

Colour: Sienna gold

Nose: Opens with stone fruit, assorted dried citrus and toasted walnut,interwoven with salted toffee and delicate coastal notes.

Palate: White peach, wildflower honey and citrus oil, alongside subtle hints of cassia and cacao nib. Toasted walnut and salted toffee return for a long, warming finish.

10/12/2024

Arran 12 Year Old - Marsala Cask -Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Ambassador's Dram Release 5

In 2016 Robin Russell was proudly selected as the first UK retailer to become an Arran Malt Ambassador. This special accolade recognises his great support and efforts over the past 29 years in promoting The Arran Malt brand on both a personal and professional level. Robin has specially chosen this Refill Marsala Wine Cask which is the fifth in a series of unique Arran “Ambassador’s Dram” bottlings.

The Arran Ambassador's Dram Release 5
Distilled on 01-10-12 and bottled 03-10-24.
A Refill Marsala Wine Cask, fully matured 12 years old non chill-filtered single malt bottled at 58.8%alc./vol. and deeming only 265 individually numbered bottles.

Cask #2085

Colour: Rich Copper

Nose: Rich vanilla, apricot, demerara sugar and light spice.

Palate: Well rounded, richly fragrant with candied tangerine peel, dry figs, manuka honey, citrus truffles, white chocolate and hazelnuts.

Finish: Satisfyingly long and fruity with hints of key lime pie and toasted oak.

Tasting notes by

Robin Russell

07/12/2024

RWM Club Night.🥃
The final meeting of the year, hosted by the Guvnor himself.
It was a pleasure to welcome back to Ayr one of our longest standing whisky friends.
Mr Fred Laing and his partner in crime Dougal Barr.
The depth and width of this man’s whisky knowledge is second to none.
An outstanding evening of storytelling and side splitting humour, the whisky from Douglas Laing & Co Ltd wasn’t half bad either! 🥃
Haste Ye Back Fred!

04/12/2024

Lochlea OVERTONE - Stout Cask Finish - Single Malt Scotch Whisky

One of the benefits of Lochlea’s position as an independent distillery is their ability to experiment and collaborate with other like-minded brands.
When they discovered Overtone, one of Glasgow’s best craft breweries, was on the hunt for whisky casks to mature their first-ever double mash stout, they couldn’t turn down the opportunity. Lochlea gifted the brewery with the cask makeup of their core expression, Our Barley: three bourbon barrels, two STR barriques, and one Oloroso sherry butt. The brewery matured their double mash stout in these casks for six months, after which they were returned to Lochlea. Upon their return, the production team filled each stout-seasoned cask with the core expression, Our Barley, for one year.
From these, the team at Lochlea selected three casks to be married together, resulting in their first-ever ‘Stout Cask Finish’.

Nose: All butter shortbread, tropical fruit, macadamia nuts.

Palate: Sweet toffee, toasted barley.

Finish: Long and silky, moreish fruit and cereal notes.