ON THE SUPERIOR SHELF
On the Superior Shelf: Ink & Thistle 18
Trader Joe’s Ink & Thistle 18 Year Highland single malt Scotch: 40% ABV, 750 ml and a photographed $69.99 shelf tag. An unscored bottle feature.
Eighteen years, in pale blue
The large gold 18 catches the eye first. Then the pale blue label: black thistles and flowers, the Trader Joe’s name, and Ink & Thistle above it all. The supplied shelf tag puts this Highland single malt Scotch whisky at $69.99.
That is a clear age statement and a specific photographed price. The more elusive detail is who distilled it. The bottle gives a bottler’s name, but those are different roles.
Ink & Thistle 18: bottle facts
| Detail | Bottle label or source evidence |
|---|---|
| Expression | Trader Joe’s Ink & Thistle, aged 18 years |
| Category | Highland single malt Scotch whisky |
| Origin | Product of Scotland |
| Strength and size | 40% ABV; 80 U.S. proof by conversion; 750 ml |
| Bottled by | Hamish Robertson & Co., Bellshill, Lanarkshire ML4 3AN, Scotland |
| Imported by | Latitude Wines, LLC, Danville, California 94526 |
| Source distillery | Unconfirmed; not named on the photographed labels |
| Observed shelf price | $69.99; current checkout price unconfirmed |
| Retail identity | Trader Joe’s branding on bottle; exact store location unconfirmed |
| Superior Whiskey score | Not scored in this shelf feature |
The bottler is named. The distillery is not.
The front label reads “Bottled by Hamish Robertson & Co.” with a Bellshill address. The rear identifies Latitude Wines, LLC in Danville, California, as importer. These tell us who is named for bottling and importing this bottle; neither identifies the distillery that made the whisky.
We leave that source unconfirmed. The label’s Highland designation and 18-year age statement stand on their own, without attaching a more famous distillery’s name to the bottle.
A thistle and a pikake flower
The label’s friendship theme also appears on Quality Spirits International’s official Ink & Thistle page, which describes a range of 12- and 18-year expressions. The brand connects the intertwined Scottish thistle and Polynesian pikake flower to friendships across cultures.
For the 18-year expression, QSI describes malt, cereal and vanilla aromas, followed by toffee, oak spice and a little smoke. Those are the brand’s tasting notes, not a tasting conducted for this feature. We have not assigned a score.
The photographed $69.99 shelf tag
The handwritten sign names Ink & Thistle Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, states “Aged 18 Yrs” and displays $69.99. That matches the expression shown in the supplied bottle photographs.
The exact store location and capture date were not supplied. The sign does not establish current availability or pricing at other stores, and we have not inferred a discount or a savings claim.
Sources and further reading
The three contributor-supplied original photographs are the primary evidence for the bottle and shelf price and remain private. Public bottle and tag images are disclosed AI retouches. QSI’s Ink & Thistle page, checked on 28 October 2026, supplies the separately attributed brand story and tasting descriptions.
Explore our Scotch whisky guide and more bottle observations in the Superior Whiskey Journal.
Sources checked on 28 October 2026. Three photographs supplied on 28 October 2026. Exact store location and capture date unconfirmed. Originals remain private; public images are cleaned AI-retouched illustrations. Facts are transcribed from the originals.