8 Year Anniversary

Murray McDavid's Versailles is an 8-year-old blended Islay whisky named after the celebrated Royal Salute cocktail. This first-edition Benchmark release features Caol Ila distillate finished in a Pedro Ximénez cask — a pairing that tempers Islay's characteristic smoke with the rich, wine-forward sweetness of aged sherry oak.

The nose presents an intriguing contrast: dried fruit — baked apple, sultana, apricot — alongside cinnamon and toffee, yet without the heavy smoke of a typical Islay single malt. On the palate, the peat emerges in full force, delivering the uncompromising character Caol Ila is known for, cut through with green pepper and citrus that slice across a sweet, winey foundation. The finish holds medium length, spicy and wine-tinged, striking a genuine balance between smoke and confection.

This is a whisky for peat lovers unafraid of fruit-forward complexity. The PX finish adds dimension without masking the distillery's core identity.