Mystery Malt (Thompson Bros.) 70cl Whisky

This one keeps its secrets close. The Mystery Malt from the ever-playful Thompson Bros. is a Scotch bottled in black glass – the contents hidden, the truth revealed only when you pull the capsule. Distillery, age, and origin? They’re all there, under a discreet sticker on the cork (and repeated on the glass, in case you get a bit cork-happy).

This is the first of a series. Each release could be from a wide range of distilleries. Some are barely out of their nappies at four years old, others are esteemed malts at 29 – but all are bottled at 48.5% and selected for balance, flavour, and sheer surprise.