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Next Time You Fly, Look for These 9 Rare Whiskeys

First-class Scotches, bourbons and Irish whiskeys to stash in your carry-on.

By Jonathan Wells

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When’s the last time you took a flight? Because, whether it was a jet-setting jaunt halfway around the globe or a brief domestic day trip, chances are you wandered through duty-free on the way to your gate. And, though you may have picked up a nice new pair of sunglasses along your way, or had a quick spritz of cologne, you likely walked straight past the selection of spirits .

And that was a mistake. Because, though a bottle may seem too cumbersome to stash in your carry-on , some of the rarest whiskeys in the world can be found among the fridge magnets and triple-sized Toblerones. Given the limited size of the sector, travel retail offers distilleries the chance to market small-batch, experimental offerings that only aficionados will appreciate; single-cask showpieces and spirits finished in alternative casks.

Of course, not every travel retail exclusive is worth your recently exchanged money. Many airport expressions are too young, launched prematurely simply to populate the market and with prices hiked high for the sake of scarcity. But others are just the ticket; perfect souvenirs to bring out at your next wingding — and bottles that give the term ‘whiskey flight’ a whole new meaning. Here are nine of the finest.

Products in the Guide

Ardbeg smoketrails manzanilla edition, the glendronach boynsmill aged 16 years, maker’s mark city series new york edition, 21 year old midleton very rare virgin american oak, benriach smoky quarter cask, glenfiddich perpetual collection vat 2, teeling 33 year old very rare cask, tomatin 45 year old travel retail exclusive, jack daniel’s american single malt, ardbeg smoketrails ‘manzanilla edition’.

• $179.99 at frootbat.com $399.99 (55% off)
• Price: $92.50
• Tasting Notes: Pine resin, brazil nuts and sea spray

Both the first-ever travel exclusive from Ardberg and the first expression bottled under the whisky maker’s new ‘Smoketrails’ banner, this non-chill filtered offering runs deep with flavors of bitter dark chocolate and buttery nuts. Manzanilla (a fortified wine comparable to sherry) infuses its casks with floral flavors and these notes, in turn, have seeped and steeped into this highly herbal whisky. Keep your palate primed for an unusual undertone: that oh-so-citrusy, musky scent of saddle soap.

• Price: $112
• Tasting Notes: Baked apricot, sandalwood and walnut cream

A well-traveled, duty-free exclusive. Hailing from Aberdeenshire — but aged in casks flown in from Portugal and southern Spain — The Glendronach’s latest limited edition is a rich, reddish spirit that, whilst available at airports right now, is a whisky best saved for winter. There’s so much stone fruit and spice swirling around this whisky that it’s like swilling a Christmas cake — with hints of quince, nutmeg and plum pudding on the palate from initial velvety mouthfeel to full-bodied finish.

Maker’s Mark City Series ‘New York’ Edition

• Proof: 107.8
• Tasting Notes: Nutmeg, caramel and fresh sawdust

Maker’s Mark will release three more ‘City Series’ edition bourbons by the end of the year. But this original expression (launched late last year alongside a ‘Sydney’ bottling) will be hard to beat. The result of more than a decade of wood-science experimentation, the brand’s Manhattan-inspired spirit was cooked up by tastemakers and New York natives, Erina Yoshida and Justin Ottervanger. It’s bolder and bigger than the Apple itself, and thrums with flavors of spice, oak and rich dark chocolate.

21 Year Old Midleton Very Rare Virgin American Oak

• Price: $617
• Tasting Notes: Chocolate honeycomb, orange zest and red chili pepper

Landing exclusively in London, Midleton Very Rare’s new ‘Virgin American Oak’ lives up to the brand’s vaunting name. The best of the four editions in the brand’s latest travel retail collection (launched in various European cities this April), Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman opted to age this particular 21-year-old Irish whiskey in oak — which suffuses the spirit with intricate spices, praline and salted caramel notes. It’s the least expensive bottle of the four, but that earthy woodland character and roasted coffee finish give it an edge.

• Tasting Notes: Peppered malt, smoked nectarine and creamy pear

Highland peat is no normal mulch — it’s woodier and more robust. So, when whisky makers burn it to sweetly, smokily enhance their spirits, the resulting liquids brim with intense, tastebud-flustering flavors. Benriach’s travel-exclusive ‘Smoky Quarter Cask’ may have a light look (it’s a delicate olive gold in the glass), but that pale color belies a rich, smoky taste. Matured in 45-liter bourbon barrels, these small-sized casks mean more interaction between whisky and wood — allowing spiced vanilla, nutty oak and mellow smoke notes to take hold.

Glenfiddich Perpetual Collection ‘Vat 2’

• $299.99 at frootbat.com
• Tasting Notes: Toasted bread, baking spices and candied peel

Four distinct expressions make up this new travel-exclusive collection from Glenfiddich. Aged using the ‘Solera Vat Process’ — during which casks are never fully emptied; simply refilled to overlay different generations of spirit on top of one another — each bottling also feels the influence of the wider drinks world, utilizing barrels that previously held bourbon, red wine or, for our favorite of the four, Spanish sherry casks. ‘Vat 2’ is exceedingly affordable for such an avant-garde whisky, and its leathery sweetness is tempered, with every sip, by a marmalade tartness.

• €3,480.00 at theloop.ie
• Proof: 104.2
• Price: $3,727
• Tasting Notes: Rum raisin, burnt toffee and gingerbread biscuits

You could spend this sort of money on a return ticket to New Zealand, but you’d be better off seeking out Teeling’s latest travel retail exclusive — a once-in-a-lifetime purchase created using some of the very oldest spirits in the whiskey maker’s warehouses. The palate is predominantly tropical, with rum notes soaking candied orange and dried fruits back to spicy life. But its most accessible aspect — and what makes this one the smoothest, sweetest bottle on our list — is the whiskey’s biscuity, molasses-heavy heart.

• Price: $9,362
• Tasting Notes: Tropical fruits, salted caramel chocolate and tangy citrus

Only 250 bottles of Tomatin’s latest travel retail exclusive will be available worldwide — and each will come with a bespoke metal certificate signed by the brand’s master distiller, Graham Eunson. The whisky itself has been languishing for 45 long years in Spanish sherry casks, and has spent this half-century well; developing distinctive flavors of tangy Sanguinello blood orange and herbal bitters. Presented in an exquisite, custom-made Glencairn crystal decanter with a golden stopper, it’s a worthy cornerstone of any globe-trotter’s collection.

• Price: $100
• Tasting Notes: Vanilla, chocolate-coated nuts and rich raisins

This one may still be a month or two away from hitting airport shelves — but one of the first Jack Daniel’s forays into the single malt market will mark a big day in duty-free, and is well worth a mention. Matured in new, charred American white oak barrels for at least four years and finished in Oloroso sherry casks, this bottling contains 100% malted barley grain. Expect aromas of soft fruits and cocoa on the nose, with flavors ranging from chocolate-coated nuts to caramel-sweet berries. Make room on your bar; a new classic is about to touch down.

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5 Scotch Whiskies So Exclusive You Have to Fly to Buy Them

We live in a glorious time for Scotch whisky: most distilleries release single malt editions of their products (in the past they were often invisible to the public and “hidden” in blends) and many more like to experiment with age statements, barrel finishes, and special non-age-statement (NAS) blends, meaning your favorite brand might offer a half-dozen or more expressions from which to taste. However, a handful of those expressions often are set aside to be sold only at the distillery or through duty-free shops at airports (officially called “global travel retail,” or GTR).

“Whether buying an exclusive at duty-free or at the distillery,” says Iain McCallum, brand ambassador for Bowmore and a former distiller/blender himself, “it should retain the heart of the brand, but offer up something interesting. Whisky expressions are like siblings: They have their own personality and character, but the DNA should be instantly translatable to the distillery of origin.”

So get your passport up to date and check out these GTR and distillery-only releases.

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Balblair Cask 714 of 2006

Instead of age statements (10-year, 12-year, etc), Highland distillery Balblair  specializes in vintages. Whiskies are dated “1999” or “2005.” At the distillery in Edderton, you can currently bottle your own 750 ml share of Cask 714, straight from the cask, at 59 percent ABV. The cool thing with hand-filling the 2006 at the source? You get to fill in a ledger approved by both the Scottish government and the Queen, to make things all official-like. Travel bonus: The Balblair 1999 (bottled in 2014) is available exclusively through duty-free.

Craigellachie 19 Year

This is part of the “Last Great Malts” series of single malts from John Dewar and Sons, a group of distilleries that had never released its whiskies as single malts before. A proudly old-school style of Speyside whisky, you’ll find full-bodied character, oak, and even sulfur and meaty notes. That’s a good thing, in this case. Got even more dollars to drop? The 31-year Craigellachie  is also exclusive to duty-free shops.

Glenfiddich 19-Year Age of Discovery

Once available in the U.S., it’s now only found in duty-free shops. Aged 19 years in American ex-bourbon casks, you’ll fine classic bourbon overtones of vanilla, tobacco, baking spice, and smoky oak notes. Like other expressions of the Dufftown-based Glenfiddich , expect the Age of Discovery to trend more sweet than smoky, more smooth than brash.

Bowmore Warehouseman’s Selection

The last in Bowmore ’s distillery-only Craftsman series, Warehouseman’s Selection was distilled in 1999 and aged 17 years in a mix of bourbon, sherry, and wine casks. Three-thousand bottles of the smokey Islay single malt were made. When they’re gone, there will be a new distillery-exclusive series with a new flavor theme.

“With distillery exclusives and the annual Feis Isle festival bottlings, you’re looking for quirky personality,” says brand ambassador Iain McCallum. “You want something that reflects the experience of being in distillery, the smells of the distillery. You’re tasting the warehouse. But of course, it’s also instantly recognizable as the product of the mother distillery.

Fans take note: Last year, after a few years off the market, the brand re-released its age statement whiskies (10-, 15-, and 18-year) as duty-free exclusives.

The Dalmore Fortuna Meritas Collection

Not one, but four unique bottles of this posh Highland single malt landed on travel retail shelves two years ago. Billed as a tribute to The Dalmore ’s heritage (the 1839 brand was inspired by a legend about the rescue of King Alexander III), master blender Richard “The Nose” Paterson has selected unique cask combinations for each expression: Valour, Regalis, Luceo, and Dominium. The Dominium, for example, employs specially selected casks from sherry producer Gonzales Byass that first aged oloroso sherry for at least 30 years (!!!). The result is rich raisin, carame, and sandalwood notes and a highly aromatic bouquet.

Dewar’s 30-Year Ne Plus Ultra

These days, there are three reasons to hit the duty-free: to get your favorite brand at a discount, to try an exclusive expression at or around what you’re used to paying, or to go balls out and pick up something crazy rare and expensive. That would be this. Available only in Canada, this smooth, incredibly lush variation of the classic blended whiskey  will set you back around $650.

Glenfarclas 15 Years

A nearly 200-year-old distillery in the Highlands of Scotland, Glenfarclas puts out a wide range of Scotches aged between 10 and 40 years. The 15-year is bottled is said to be the perfect for single malt enthusiasts by those at the distillery. Glenfarclas mentions sherried notes throughout the drink, with a long-lasting finish.

Glengoyne Teapot Dram

A distillery-only bottle offered at the Highland distillery, workers at Glengoyne used to receive three drams a day from a copper tea pot — a solution to more than the angel’s share gone missing. Now, the same Scotch is bottled and sold and offers up a sweet mix of brown sugar, fruits, and spices. The distillery points out flavors such as pineapple, cherry liqueur, dark chocolate, and black pepper. It’s a young whisky, but one worth visiting the site for.

The smallest distillery in Scotland was long a provider of the drinks for the House of Lords, but its small and elite status doesn’t stop it from making a lot of products. While the 10-year  Edradour expression is often available at better whisky bars in the U.S., the distillery produces an array of Classic, Cask Strength, Wine Finished, Wine Matured, and Heavily Peated whiskies. Edradour is  worth the stop — and tastes.

Originally published by Andrew Couts on July 7, 2016. Last updated February 28, 2018 by Robert Haynes-Peterson.

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For the first time, Americans are anticipated to spend more money on mezcal and tequila than they will on U.S.-made whiskeys or rum in 2022, according to a IWSR Drinks Market Analysis estimates. The British data and analytics firm estimates $13.3 billion in combined agave spirit sales versus $12.5 billion for vodka and $12.3 billion for whiskey. By 2023, IWSR estimates the agave category also will have supplanted vodka, making the potent distillation the U.S.’s most-purchased spirit.

What’s driving this proliferation? Similar to whiskey in the recent past, a number of drivers are escalating agave spirit popularity, including originality, product diversity, and consumer involvement.

The first thing you need to understand when we talk about scotches versus whiskey, is that all Scotches are whiskies, though not all whiskies are scotches. If you are learning how to drink whiskey, knowing the difference is fundamental. That’s the easiest way to remember how that works. But why? Well, for starters Scotch is made in Scotland. Also for naming's sake, whiskeys are for American and Irish-made whiskies. Whisky is for Canadian, Japanese, and Scottish whiskies.

Scotch is hugely popular, even though in 2020 the Scotch Whisky Association said the industry “lost a decade of growth” as sales fell 20% due to high tariffs from the U.S. and Europe and the pandemic. Still, the industry exported £3.8 billion, which made up for approximately 75% of Scottish food and beverage exports.

When you think of breakfast cocktails, you probably think of light, spritzy classics such as the mimosa, Bellini, or even the Bloody Mary. We love these traditional breakfast staples, but right now, we’ve been complementing our breakfast with an unconventional spirit -- Scotch.

While Scotch is an odd beverage to drink in the morning, mixing it in a cocktail with the right ingredients makes the smoky whisky a fine pair to pancakes and eggs. That said, here are the best Scotch breakfast cocktail recipes you can make at home to supercharge your fall mornings and overcome your fear of mixing Scotch with other ingredients. Red Tartan

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This range of The Balvenie T h e B a l v e n i e includes limited-edition whiskies that are exclusive to travel retail locations around the world.

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Finishing in Madeira casks increases complexity , bringing notes of fresh peaches, orange zing and hazelnut.

Finishing in Pedro Ximénez Sherry butts creates a fusion of sweet lavender, mandarin, fig and subtle clove.

Years of maturation in American oak casks brings an abundance of vanilla spice & warm honey notes .

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Johnnie Walker Blue Label Xordinaire is a brand-new product exclusive to travellers – and it’s Johnnie Walker’s most special yet

For more than two centuries, Johnnie Walker has been known for creating some of the world’s most exquisite whiskies. Within its collection, a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label is widely considered one of the best Scotches you can buy. Now, the Johnnie Walker team – led by master blender Emma Walker – has released a permanent new edition of Johnnie Walker Blue Label exclusively for travellers: Johnnie Walker Blue Label Xordinaire. Xordinaire, a blend of rare Scotch whiskies finished in hand-selected XO Cognac casks, can only be found in travel retail stores in airports, in the air and at sea.

It’s well known that a jaunt through Duty-Free is a wonderful way to pick up interesting and unusual items you might not be able to find at home. Johnnie Walker Blue Label Xordinaire is an example of one such rare find in travel retail. It’s currently available at Singapore Changi, Dubai International, Paris Charles de Gaulle and London Heathrow (with more to follow soon). By picking up a bottle, you’ll be one of an exclusive group sampling one of the most luxurious whiskies on the market.

If luxury is defined as “a pleasure obtained only rarely”, a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label Xordinaire fits the bill perfectly. The whisky is finished in former French XO Cognac casks – hence the name Xordinaire – which provides a smoothness and sweetness that even travellers who don’t consider themselves avid whisky drinkers will enjoy. The rarity of this singular liquor starts from its inception: only one in 10,000 casks is considered for use in the blend.

As a new Blue Label exclusive, Xordinaire is something of a homecoming for Johnnie Walker Blue Label, which was launched to the world’s most refined travellers at airports more than 30 years ago. So not only is the product itself wonderfully unique, but obtaining one is in itself a luxury.

Considering Johnnie Walker Blue Label Xordinaire is only available when you travel – visiting Singapore for business, perhaps, or passing through Dubai on the way to a spoiling trip in the Maldives or safari in South Africa – it’s fitting that the tasting notes recall brighter climes. Dried fruit, toasted toffee and sun-ripened black cherry can all be tasted in a single sip, while orchard fruits, peach and soft spice add wonderful drinkability. This versatility means it’s great if you’re selecting the perfect gift while on your travels, whether for a whisky drinker or not.

A bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label Xordinaire is a sure-fire hit, whether shopping for long-term Scotch connoisseurs who will appreciate the addition of a rare bottle to their collection or for a loved one who likes to try something new and intriguing. Forget any preconceptions about premium whisky suiting a certain type of drinker: this is a next-generation edition, hand-crafted and discernibly created, that speaks to a well-travelled gift-giver with impeccable taste.

You might just want to keep it for yourself.

Available in key Duty Free stores around the world

Please drink responsibly. DrinkIQ.com

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Global Travel Retail Whisky

Discover Campbeltown scotch like no other with our  exclusive  global travel retail whisky collection. This single malt range is curated exclusively for travel retail and duty-free shopping.

Found exclusively in select airports around the world, our travel retail whiskies are a delight to scotch enthusiasts, offering exciting flavours and unique additions to their whisky collection.

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Whisky Review Round Up: Highland Park Travel Retail Exclusives

OVERALL RATING

• by Margarett Waterbury
• February 11, 2019

Tasting Notes:

Editor’s Note: These whiskies were provided to us as review samples by Highland Park. This in no way, per our editorial policies , influenced the final outcome of this review.

Highland Park Distillery on Orkney Island continues its drumbeat of Nordic-themed releases with a new line of travel retail exclusive bottlings with names designed to appeal to the 15-year-old Eagle Scout in all of us.

Spirit of the Bear, Loyalty of the Wolf, and Wings of the Eagle are all ornately packaged Highland Park whiskies that pay homage to various attributes of local charismatic megafauna that inspired generations past.

Spirit of the Bear is a non age statement whisky sold in a generously sized one-liter bottle at a pocket-friendly price point of around €50. It pays tribute to the Viking warriors who wrapped themselves in bear skins to harness the animal’s stamina and strength.

Loyalty of the Wolf is 14 years old, also sold in a one–liter bottle at a suggested price of €65. Highland Park says “both wolf and Viking share the strong instinct to protect and defend family and territory,” leading to this homage to loyalty and cooperation.

Wings of the Eagle is a bit more upscale, aged 16 years and sold in a 700ml bottle for a suggested price of €90. In Norse mythology, the eagle sitting atop the tree of Yggdrasil is said to create the world’s winds by beating its wings—thus, Wings of the Eagle celebrates the Orkneys’ “wild island climate.”

Why is Highland Park so focused on Viking culture? Orkney was indeed under Norse rule for several centuries beginning in 875. That chapter in the island’s history ended in 1472, but many Orcadians still sense strong cultural ties to Scandinavia, a feature Highland Park happily exploits to differentiate itself from its more, erm, “Scottish” Scotch competitors.

In addition to this wild series of travel retail whiskies, we also got the chance to taste a slightly higher proof variant of Highland Park’s mainline 18-Year-Old Viking Pride release, also exclusively for the duty free market.

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Tasting Notes: Spirit of the Bear

Vital stats: Single malt, no age statement 40% ABV. Sherry-seasoned American oak. Sold in a one-liter bottle.

Appearance: Straw

Nose: Trail mix, honey roasted peanuts, those weird Boston Baked Beans candies, circus peanuts, marshmallow, lots of vanilla. Little bit of vaguely medicinal smoke. A touch of sherry.

Palate: Very roasty-toasty at first – coffee bean, chocolate, toast, grape nuts. There’s a bit of toffee, sweet cinnamon, a touch of orange, and a good whack of earthy smoke in the back half of the palate before the whole thing leaves on almond skins and peanut brittle. A very nice entry-level whisky that exceeds expectations at its price point – every bit as good as its age-stated brethren.

 Score: 3.5/5

Tasting Notes: Loyalty of the Wolf 14-Year-Old

Vital stats: Single malt, 14 years old, 42.3% ABV

Appearance: Pale gold

Nose: At first this smelled just like an old woven cotton shirt pulled from a forgotten closet – a little musty, a touch of floral fabric softener. That clears, and quite a bit of fruit emerges—apple, yellow cherry, orange—plus a little caramel, pencil shavings, black pepper, and a touch of anise.

Palate: Sweet, slightly roasty—chocolate and coffee bean again—plus some indistinct fruits, dried grass, and a earthy, subdued peat smoke. Finish is long, ashy, and faintly sweet, with a little navel orange. Not terribly inspiring.

 Score: 3/5

Tasting Notes: Wings of the Eagle 16-Year-Old

Vital stats: Single malt, 16 years old, 44.5% ABV

Appearance: Deep gold

Nose: A bit bourbon-y. Red cherries, plum, white grape, nutmeg, and cinnamon, plus rich creamy caramel. Very little to no smoke in the nose.

Palate: Palate tastes a bit bourbon/brandy too, with more white grape, cinnamon, dried Montmorency cherries, crunchy toffee, ginger spice cake, marzipan, and some nice integrated oak spice. Finish is mid-length with a refreshing hint of mint along with gentle smoldering smoke. Good mouth feel, very enjoyable.

Tasting Notes: 18-Year-Old Viking Pride Travel Edition

Vital stats: Single malt, 18 years old, 46% ABV.

Appearance: Mid gold

Nose: A nice full nose. Ginger, honey, tangerine peel, oolong, cinnamon, gunpowder, unlit firework, brown butter, polished oak.

Palate: Also nice, and rather festive. Dark toffee, oranges, clove, shortbread, dried pears, freekeh, and moss. Full-bodied and concentrated. The long, sweet, tingly finish has white pepper, sweet tea, and earthy smoke. Really nice.  

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Margarett Waterbury

Margarett Waterbury is the author of Scotch: A Complete Introduction to Scotland's Whiskies and a full-time freelance writer and editor. Her work has appeared in Whisky Advocate, Food and Wine, Spirited Magazine, Artisan Spirit, Edible Seattle, Sip Northwest, Civil Eats, Travel Oregon, Artisan Spirit, and many other publications. She is the former managing editor of Edible Portland, as well as a cofounder and former managing editor of The Whiskey Wash. In 2017, Margarett won the Alan Lodge Young Drinks Writer of the Year award. She received a fellowship for the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers in 2017 and 2019.

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Highland Park 18 year old ‘Viking Pride’ travel edition (46%)

New Travel retail edition of the 18 year old...

Review by @galg

29th Sep 2018

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Distribution of ratings for this: brand user

• Brand: Highland Park
• Type: Scotch
• Region: Island

Highland Park 18 is one of my favorite whiskies of all time, this is not a secret, and I think many people share that love for this amazingly well crafted balanced whisky. I find myself tasting 100’s of whiskies yearly, and still going back to the HP 18, after a some time I have not sat and appreciated a dram , thinking “this is brilliant stuff”. It’s hard making something so good even better. Recently with the revamping of the TR range (duty-free as we mortals call it), together with the new whiskies, (one of which I’ve reviewed recently : Wings of the Eagle, and the rest will be reviewed shortly) , they released an 18 year old TR edition of a 18-year-old whisky. The bottle is quite different (as you can see it’s black and sexy), and the whisky is slightly different bottled at a higher abv (46%), the whisky is vatted from a selection of 120 sherry seasoned European oak casks, married together before bottling and bottled at 46% abv.

Nose: Ah, it’s very nice indeed : A nice sweet touch with dried fruit , but not too heavy (think dried apricot), there’s a very nice charred oak and ashy touch with the HP peat in the backdrop , some toffeed apple vanilla and heather honey , with a touch of saltiness. There’s a nice balance of sherry influence , oak, and sweet / salty notes. very nice indeed, although i think the wood influence here is not as strong as the original 8.

Palate: Nice honeyed backbone, with a zingy touch, some peppery notes, ripe orange, chocolate, fudge, more wood char, and lovely ashy notes, peat and heather, with the smoke and sweetness going on for a while, again a touch of salt.

Finish : chocolate, salted toffee, warming smoke, and quite a lot of oak. Love it.

Conclusion: Many people (rightly) say that Travel Retail stores are filled with under par whiskies, which are overpriced and of lower quality. It might be true , but not for this whisky. It’s just excellent. A real nice HP, and easily recognized for the signature HP peat, heather and sherry. If you’re a HP fan, and you’re going to want a bottle of this nectar. Well done, balanced, complex and highly drinkable. Brilliant.

Find where to buy Highland Park whisky

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Does it seem like this is supposed to be different version of the regular HP 18?

Or is it an HP that happens to be 18?

(I hope that question makes sense.)

5 years ago 0

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Limited Edition Collection

Macallan Whisky Maker’s Edition Classic Travel Range

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The Macallan Whisky Maker’s Edition Classic Travel Range is a stunning set of four whiskies created in partnership with Nick Veasey, an acclaimed British photographer famous for his X-ray imagery. Each of the four single malts in this set is adorned with a beautiful image honouring a classic mode of transport: a 1930s propeller plane, a 1930s roadster, a 1920s locomotive and a 1930s ocean liner.

The superb, artistic design couples with the incredible Macallan Whisky Maker’s Edition liquid inside to create a range of expressions that are as delicious and awe-striking on the inside as they are beautiful on the outside.

As a limited edition collection, quantities of this set are highly limited, so act fast if you want to add it to your whisky cabinet.

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You’ll Never Believe What Fireball Whisky’s Got in Store for Father’s Day

Dad's gonna love it.

Emily is an award-winning writer based in Durham, North Carolina. She has over a decade of experience covering food and drink for publications including Fortune, Fast Company, Vine Pair, Conde Nast Traveler, and Forbes. She is currently working on a book chronicling North Carolina’s growing distillery scene.

Fireball Whisky

There’s one way to make sure your dad’s golf game is on fire on the course on Father’s Day — at least literally, if not figuratively.

In honor of the Dad’s big day, Fireball is teeing up a product that nobody asked for. But other golfers are likely to want it for themselves when they see it out on the course: the Fireball Fire Iron, a golf club with five 50-milliliter Fireball shooters strapped to its side.

The club is certainly no replacement for a typical 5 iron. But it does look like one to unassuming fellow golfers while it’s tucked safely in your golf bag. Once Dad pulls it out, however, he’ll reveal that the club is actually a vessel for carrying around on-course libations to celebrate that hole-in-one — or to get him through some not-so-great shots. 

The bottles strapped to the club’s side are, perhaps obviously, drinkable, and also replaceable. So it’ll be easy to refill the club with more bottles come hole 9 if Dad’s having a particularly drink-worthy game for the first half of his time out on the green.

“We know our fans already enjoy celebrating — or mourning — their performance on the green with a birdie shot, but it can be hard to get our sweet cinnamon delight onto the course. With the Fire Iron, golfers everywhere can play with fire and come out on top — regardless of what your scorecard says,” says Danny Suich, global brand director for Fireball.

“The first drinkable golf club” comes with Fireball’s signature dragon emblazoned on the club’s face along with a sleek shelf in Fireball’s unmistakable shade of red. Fireball says the Fire Iron isn’t designed to be a playable club “because we respect legit 5 irons and your score.” But hey, it can help add a little spark to your game.

The Fireball Fire Iron officially goes on sale this Friday, June 7 at 10 a.m. ET on the brand’s website for $24.99. As you might imagine, supplies are limited so you’ll want to shoot your shot sooner rather than later.

The club isn’t the brand’s first foray into the world of golf. In 2023, Fireball declared there was a “new ball in town” with the launch of Fireball-themed golf jackets. And the brand promises that the Fireball Fire Iron won’t be its last golf-themed release. You can catch its future releases and see what merch is already available — there may or may not be a Dragon-inspired bathrobe — on the brand’s website .  

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Taste Test: Redbreast’s Tasty New Irish Whiskey Will Even Make Bourbon Lovers Smile

This excellent new whiskey was aged in barrels made from missouri oak., jonah flicker, jonah flicker's most recent stories, mount gay’s new limited-edition rum was distilled like a bourbon, we tasted knob creek’s new 10-year-old rye whiskey, this new ultra-premium reposado mezcal was aged in bourbon barrels.

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Single pot still is a distinctly Irish category that has a few rules: The whiskey must be made from a mashbill of malted and unmalted barley (up to 5 percent of other grains are allowed), and distilled in pot stills at one distillery. In this case, the distillery is Midleton just outside of Cork, where Jameson, Powers, Midleton Very Rare , and Green Spot (and the other Spots) are also made. In my opinion, and I’m certainly not alone in this, Redbreast is the best whiskey made at this massive distillery. The whiskey is matured in a combination of bourbon and sherry casks and released with 12, 15, 21, and 27-year age statements (the latter includes whiskey aged in port pipes).

Redbreast Missouri Oak Edition is not a subtle whiskey, but that’s not what it was meant to be. This whiskey is supposed to highlight the effects of spending a year in new charred Missouri oak barrels, a cask finish that is assertive but focused in its effect on flavor. Missouri Oak Edition might not be for everyone, but that’s okay because there are so many other excellent Redbreast expressions to choose from.

• 100  Worth trading your first born for
• 95 – 99  In the Pantheon: A trophy for the cabinet
• 90 – 94  Great: An excited nod from friends when you pour them a dram 
• 85 – 89  Very Good: Delicious enough to buy, but not quite special enough to chase on the secondary market
• 80 – 84  Good: More of your everyday drinker, solid and reliable
• Below 80  It’s alright:   Honestly, we probably won’t waste your time and ours with this

Every week  Jonah Flicker  tastes the most buzzworthy and interesting whiskeys in the world. Check back each Friday for his  latest review .

Flicker is currently Robb Report's whiskey critic, writing a weekly review of the most newsworthy releases around. He is a freelance writer covering the spirits industry whose work has appeared in…

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Nikka Just Released a Jaw-Dropping Blend Made With 80 Year Old Whisky

Japanese whisky is kind of a big deal these days. While it only became a global phenomenon in this century, it’s been a hit domestically since the earlier parts of the last. One of the first brands to make a splash all those years ago was Nikka .

Back in 1934, legendary distiller Masataka Taketsuru launched the operation that would go on to become a pivotal player in the modern boom. Now the label is set to celebrate its 90th anniversary with a limited edition blend of some of its rarest—and oldest—stock ever. And we just scored an advance taste. Here’s everything you need to know about The Nikka Nine Decades.

As you might have gathered from the name, this ultra-luxury expression comprises liquids collected across nine decades. In total, Nikka’s blending team drew from over 50 batches of whisky, including single-malt that dates back to the 1940s. It was sourced from its original Hokkaido-based distillery, Yoichi. Layered atop that is ‘70s era juice from Miyagikyo—the brand’s other historic malt maker—along with several of the country’s most matured grain whiskies.

When combined, these delicate components form a cohesive whole far greater than the sum of their parts. The non-chill filtered, 96-proof bottling is mahogany in hue and spills over with spice rack aromatics; nutmeg, clove, tarragon. The palate builds a beautiful balance between herbal tea and tart fruit, with mocha making its way through the finish.

Now is a good time to point out that this isn’t a full-on Japanese whisky—not anymore, anyways. Historically, Japanese whisky could include aged spirits that weren't actually distilled in Japan. That changed with a new set of regulations which went into effect earlier this year. How does this affect Nikka? Well, the company owns a total of six distilleries, including Ben Nevis in Scotland. The artful blenders behind this release have opted to incorporate whiskies from all of these properties into this final product. This isn’t a bad thing, and they’re not shy about it: The new release is proudly presented as a “world blended whisky.”

And while you won’t see that approach adopted in the Scotch sector anytime soon, that industry also benefits from a willingness of competing brands to share and trade barrels of their respective product. That doesn't happen in Japan.

So, if a label in Japan is hoping to release a blend, it either has to own multiple distilleries, or be willing to import “world whisky” from abroad. In the case of Nikka, they’ve happily pursued both options in the name of maximizing flavor. And they clearly benefited from having as many colors in the paintbox as possible for this release.

Sip it and see. If you can, that is. A total of just 400 bottles are headed to the U.S. in October. Each 700ml decanter costs $3,000, but will likely sell for much more.

Related: 15 Best Japanese Whiskies of 2024 for Cocktails or Sipping

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The Spirits Business

The scotch whisky masters 2024 results.

The sheer variety of excellent Scotch whiskies that our judges were given to appraise in our annual blind-tasting competition shows that there is something for every taste.

April and May make up Scotch whisky festival season. It begins with the annual Spirit of Speyside event, leading to the Campbeltown Malts Festival, and ending with the ever-popular Feìs Ìle on Islay. Whisky lovers the world over flock to these annual events, eager to get a glimpse inside some of their favourite distilleries, and, no doubt, to meet many like-minded Scotch fans.

While the category experienced a decline in exports in 2023 compared with 2022, there is no denying its popularity worldwide. When put against pre-pandemic 2019 figures, the value of Scotch exports in 2023 was up by 14%, the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) reported. Total global export figures in 2023 exceeded £5.6 billion (US$7bn) , with the equivalent of approximately 1.35bn 700ml bottles exported. The category remains optimistic, despite the drop from the £6.2bn export record set in 2022 , something of a ‘bumper’ anomaly, according to the SWA.

The Scotch Whisky Masters blind-tasting competition is a highlight of The Global Spirits Masters Competitions (GSMC) calendar. Multiple panels of whisky experts gathered last month at Boisdale in London’s Canary Wharf to sample everything from blends and blended malts to single malts, cask strength bottlings, and limited edition releases.

Forming the first panel were wine and spirits judge Marie Cheong-Thong, of The Larder at 36, and Dan Greifer, bar supervisor at Black Parrot. The team was chaired by Nicola Carruthers, deputy editor of The Spirits Business . The second group consisted of freelance drinks writer Caroline Roddis, and whisky specialist Renata Malakauskiene. Matt Chambers, whisky writer and co-founder of the Whisky For Everyone blog chaired the panel.

Billy Abbott, ambassador for The Whisky Exchange, led the third team. He was accompanied by Luke Williams, Harrods assistant buyer, and Malika Kirchel-Sharper, Boisdale bar manager. Anne Jones, director of Limestone and Jones, chaired a fourth panel, which included Antony Moss, spirits judge and consultant, and James Bunting, founder of New Make Comms. The final panel of tasters comprised Vicky Ilankovan, editor-in-chief of Sated Online and executive director of Equal Measures, Nick Larsson-Bell, senior buyer at Harvey Nichols, and Karen Taylor, co-founder of the Whisky For Everyone blog, who chaired the group.

The tasting started with a selection of no-age-statement blended whiskies, and set the bar high for the rest of the day. Two Master medals were awarded in this flight – both of which went to Turntable Spirits. The producer’s Smokin’ Riff received the top award for its “layered aromas of dried fruit” leading to “spice and polished mahogany” with a “compelling finish”. Master-winning Bittersweet Symphony was enjoyed for its “smooth texture” and notes of “fruit, a hint of wood smoke and spice with Demerara sugar”. “These were all very good samples, very well made. Delicious drinks,” said Cheong-Thong.

Four Gold medals were also enjoyed in the opening round, including one for Sir Edward’s Finest, summed up as being “well made, well balanced and smooth”. Two Silver medals completed the first flight.

Brown sugar

The following round of Blended – Aged up to 12 Years Old whiskies delivered a trio of Gold medals and one Silver. The Gold winners were: Islay Mist 10 Years Old Blended Scotch Whisky, which had a “lovely biscuit and nuttiness on the palate”; Sir Edward’s 12 Years, which had a “fruity nose, oily mouthfeel and woody, spicy finish”; and Old Parr 12 Years Old, which left notes of “brown sugar, lovely dried fruits with background smoke” on the finish.

Blends aged between 13 and 18 years were put to the taste test next, with two reaching the Gold-standard mark: White Heather 15 Years Old and Johnnie Walker 18 Years Old. White Heather impressed the judges with its fruity flavours of “poached pears, honeydew lemon” leading to “toffee and baking spices”. Johnnie Walker 18 Years Old brought sweet “golden syrup” notes, enhanced by a “rich and vibrant palate with lovely, grainy undertones”. Two Silver medals completed the flight.

The judges then swapped age statements for price points, putting blended whiskies in the standard price bracket (up to £20/US$26) through their paces. Demonstrating great value for money were four Gold-worthy blends: Highland Black 8 Years Old Whisky; James King 8 Years Old Blended Scotch Whisky; Label 5 – Bourbon Barrel; and Label 5 – Classic Black. The latter winner was enjoyed for its “elegant and aromatic nose”, leading to a “soft and creamy palate, with cereal notes, baking spice and a whiff of gentle peat smoke in the background”. Seven Silver medallists made this a high-scoring round, indeed.

More Gold medallists were celebrated in the premium flight, featuring whiskies costing between £21 and £30. Diageo collected two Golds for Johnnie Walker Black Label and the brand’s Black Ruby bottling. Macduff International (Scotch Whisky) won the final Gold in this heat, its Islay Mist having a “touch of savouriness contrasting against sweet orchard fruit”. Three Silver medals were also enjoyed in this round.

A strong flight of super-premium blends – priced between £31 and £51 – came next, producing four Gold medals and a Silver. Wolfie’s Whisky, co-founded by singer Rod Stewart, was among the Gold winners, praised for being “fruity and smooth with a whisper of smoke; soft and attractive”.

At the most expensive end of the blended section, Ultra-Premium (£51 and above), two Masters and two Golds delighted the judges. The top accolades were bestowed upon Johnnie Walker High Rye, and Johnnie Walker Blue Label. The High Rye whisky was enjoyed for having “glorious aromas of Golden Delicious apples, honeysuckle and caramelised bananas”. The palate was said to be “elegant and precise – classy and effortless. Whispers, doesn’t shout.”

Celestial by Compass Box collected a Gold medal in the Blended – Special Edition flight, offering “bold peat, ginger spice and fresh menthol”.

Blended Malts came next, starting with no-age-statement bottlings. Three whiskies impressed the judges enough to secure the top Master award. JG Thomson Sweet Blended Malt received the medal for being “elegant” with “delicate oak and vanilla fudge” flavours. Master-winning Chapter 7 Prologue Peated was “slightly smoky, creamy and beautifully textured – savoury and meaty”, noted one judge. “Gentle heat and a rich texture” helped Rock Island Sherry Edition secure a Master medal, along with its “long and spicy finish”. Its stablemate Timorous Beastie Meet the Beast 2023 was one of four Gold medallists in this flight, which finished with five Silver awards.

As the blended malts moved on to look at age statements, MacNair’s Lum Reek 10 Years Old was deemed Gold-worthy in the Aged up to 12 Years flight, alongside its 12-year-old version, which also collected Gold in this heat.

In the oldest segment of the blended malts, those aged from 19 to 30 years, JG Thomson Rich 23 Years Old Blended Malt maintained the Gold standard. Tasting notes included “cinnamon and star anise, lemon pith and pomelo rind”.

From there, the Blended Malts were assessed according to their costs, starting with those priced between £31 and £50. Two entrants were awarded Gold medals, and three received Silvers. Compass Box collected Gold for Orchard House, while Noble Rebel Orchard Outburst Blended Malt received Gold for its “expressive” profile.

The Ultra-Premium contingent, comprising whiskies priced at £51 and above, made a deep impression on the judges. Three whiskies won Master medals – two of which went to bottlings from Elixir Distillers. The company’s Elements of Islay Sherry Cask was one Master recipient, and Elements of Islay Bourbon Cask was the other. The latter whisky was enjoyed for its “nice balance of smokiness and sweetness” and its “well-balanced higher ABV”.

Clydebuilt Draughtsman was the third Master winner in this flight, celebrated for its “rich, rounded and spicy” aroma, leading to “similar flavours on the palate with butter icing and well-balanced spice”. Three Golds and a Silver medal closed the flight.

Compass Box increased its medal haul in the Blended Grain – Special Edition flight, with a Gold award for Hedonism 2024. Tasting notes included “honeyed cereals, stewed apples and warming spice”.

An Ultra-Premium Blended Grain set a high standard and took home a Master medal. That Boutique-y Whisky Company’s Blended Grain 30 Years Old gave “fruity, green apple” notes on the nose. Its profile was described as “refreshingly uplifting” with a “clean, soft, silky finish”. Sweet 1972 Blended Grain Scotch Whisky was awarded a Gold medal.

In the Single Grain – No Age Statement round, Spearhead Single Grain was awarded Gold. In the premium segment (£26-£40) Loch Lomond Single Grain was given a Silver medal.

The Single Grain – Single Cask entries produced a Master medal and one Gold. The higher accolade was given to Cask Noir ‘Ghost of the Hill’, which was “controlled despite the higher ABV, with crème brûlée and a touch of struck match”.

The Single Malt part of the tasting divided the whiskies by region, price points and age statements. To begin with, the judges looked at single malts from the Highlands and Islands, bottled without age statements. A trio of Golds were unearthed here, including one for Glencadam Reserva PX, which had hints of “liquorice, cacao and dried fruit”.

Five Gold medals and two Silver awards were found in the Aged up to 12 Years flight. Three out of the five Golds were awarded to Loch Lomond Group whiskies, while the remaining two went to bottlings from John Dewar & Sons. Aberfeldy Madeira Cask 12 Years Old was described as “very classic: toasted oak, cloves, honey and butterscotch”.

In the higher-age group, aged between 13 and 18 years, Glencadam 15 Years Old 2008 Madeira Cask Finish grabbed a Master medal. “Rich aromas with plenty of baked stone fruit and grilled honeyed peaches,” noted one judge. “Lush and smooth.”

Five Gold medals – including awards for Aberfeldy 16 Years Old and Royal Brackla Palo Cortado 18 Years Old – were also awarded, along with two Silvers.

The Master run continued into the Single Malt: Highlands & Islands – Aged Between 19 and 30 Years round. Royal Brackla Pedro Ximénez 25 Years Old was the first Master winner in this heat. “Raisins, delicate woodiness and Jamaica ginger cake” were notable tasting notes, complemented by “juicy ripe tropical fruits in the background.” The second Master in this heat went to “rich and bold” Royal Brackla Oloroso, Palo Cortado & Pedro Ximénez 21 Years Old. Two Golds boosted John Dewar & Sons’s standings.

Sherry bomb

During the Single Malt: Highlands & Islands – Single Cask flight, one Gold and one Silver medal were awarded to whiskies from The Single Cask. The Gold medal was given to “Sherry bomb” The Single Cask Teaninich #708015D Finished in First-Fill Sherry Octave.

Golds and Silvers were aplenty in the following flights. A Gold medal was awarded to Glen Marnoch Highland Single Malt in the Standard flight (up to £25). One Silver was also awarded. In the Premium heat (£26-£50) three Gold medals – including two for Loch Lomond expressions – were delivered, alongside one Silver.

As the Super-Premium contingent was reached, two more Masters medals joined the fold. That Boutique-y Whisky Company collected another Master for its Peated Highland Whisky 18 Years Old. The judges enjoyed the whisky’s “fruit and creosote smokiness with building spice”.

R&B Distillers also received a Master medal for Tourism Destination of the Year Release – Ex-Manzanilla Sherry Cask Matured, praised for having a palate “packed with fruit, brown sugar and cinnamon”. Additionally, a Gold medal was given to Tullibardine 18 Years Old. Two Golds were also awarded in the following Single Cask flight, including one for Chapter 7 Monologue.

The final round in Highlands & Islands, Cask Strength, saw a Master go to Isle of Raasay Cask Strength, praised for its “solid smokiness on the nose, leading into a softer than expected palate, especially for the ABV”. Two Golds were also awarded in the flight.

“The 19-30 flight showed what can be achieved with the clever use of casks,” said Roddis. “It was also great to see a good diversity of styles across the category.”

Chambers was just as impressed. He added: “The 19-30 flight was exceptional, and even better than expected. The subtlety of the casks and sympathetic use points the way as to how it should be done.”

Moving from the Highlands and Islands to Campbeltown, and the Silver and Gold awards kept coming. In the no-age-statement heat, Glen Scotia Double Cask Rum Finish collected a Silver medal, before “rich, full and luscious” Glen Scotia 10 Years Old received a Gold award in the Aged up to 12 Years round. The brand’s 15-year-old also picked up a Gold medal in the Aged Between 13 and 18 Years segment, as the Glen Scotia Double Cask Single Malt also made the Gold standard in the Premium (£26-£50) heat. In the Special Edition round, Glen Scotia Campbeltown Malts Festival Limited Edition – 9 Years Old Fino Sherry Finish continued the Gold streak.

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s (SMWS) 93.209 – A Musing Moment took the top award in the Single Cask flight. The whisky was “vibrant and tropical” to smell, delivering “uplifting fruit and vanilla, white chocolate and a flinty finish” when tasted. And in the last Campbeltown heat, featuring a cask-strength whisky from Loch Lomond Group, Glen Scotia Victoriana Single Malt joined the Gold ranks.

The next region to take the taste test was the Lowlands, starting with no-age-statement entries. A Gold medal went to Bladnoch’s The Wave. This whisky set the tone for the next two flights, it would appear, with Gold medals all round for: Holyrood’s Single Cask Series – Cask #58 in the super-premium (£51-£99) flight; and two Golds, including one for Whiskyheroes ‘Defender of the Crown’ Single Malt, in the Single Cask contingent.

Rancio notes

Glasgow Distillery Co took two medals in the Single Malt: Lowland – Cask Strength sector, including a Gold for Glasgow 1770 – Peated Cask Strength. The judges enjoyed complex “rancio notes, sponge cake and caramelised walnuts”. “Impressively well-integrated alcohol,” said Jones. “This was superior due to its more natural expressive character, with bold but balanced wood influence.”

From there, the panels turned their attention to Speyside – starting, of course, with bottlings without age statements. Three Silvers and a trio of Golds got the region off to a strong start. Angus Dundee Distillers was responsible for five of the six medals in this flight, including a Gold for “bold and rich” Tomintoul Pedro Ximénez Cask Finish.

Four Gold medals and two Silvers made for a strong round in the Aged up to 12 Years age group – but it was the two Master winners that left lasting impressions. First of all, The Glenallachie’s Meikle Tòir Sherry secured the top award, described as “smoky and sweet” – really rich and delicious with a decent amount of Sherry coming through”. Master-winning Aultmore Oloroso Sherry Cask 12 Years Old was praised for its “sweet prune, lovely balance, and a rich and long finish”.

The Master medals continued as the age statements rose. Among the 13- to 18-year-old whiskies, two were deemed deserving of the top award. The Singleton of Glen Ord 15 Years Old was presented with a Master for its “juicy and vibrant” palate; tropical fruity with peach and apricot, raisins and sultanas, milk chocolate and a hint of candied orange peel”.

Craigellachie also collected the Master accolade here after the judges discovered “nectarine and honeyed Shreddies” on the nose, and “dried woodiness, bursts of fresh citrus, coffee and mocha” on the palate.

Six Golds – including Mortlach 16 Years Old – and three Silvers brought the flight to a close. “The best category of the day,” enthused Taylor and her team. “It shows the range of Speyside. There is a high level of ageing but they retained juiciness and high levels of fruit. Noticeable as Speyside, but real showpieces.”

Robust and sweet

Gold was awarded across the board in the Single Malt: Speyside – Aged Between 19 and 30 Years. Winning whiskies included Benromach 21 Years Old, described as “robust and sweet – a great example of Speyside whisky”.

Two more Golds joined the party in the flight that looked at whiskies aged over 31 years. Glenbugie 04/10/1988 from Whisky 1901 and Craigellachie 37 Years Old were the worthy winners. The Glenbugie bottling was found to taste like “pomelo, pear, baking spice, and lemon oils”.

But where can you find bang for your buck in Speyside? As the top scorer in the Single Malt: Speyside – Premium (£26-£50) flight, Darkness 8 Years Old was a standout. Moss found this to have “lovely purity, fresh apple and floral notes – so layered and elegant”. Two Golds and a Silver finished the flight.

The Super-Premium (£51-£99) heat saw one Silver medal, and one Gold for “sweet and spicy” 85.92 – Fires the Imagination.

Four Gold medals made themselves known in the Single Cask flight, alongside three Master winners. Two of the top awards went to The Single Cask bottlings: “rich and expressive” The Single Cask Mortlach #255, First-Fill Oloroso Quarter Cask, which had “intense dried fruit and spice”; and The Single Cask Benrinnes #313795D Finished in First-Fill Ruby Port Barrel, which had “lots of caramelised fruit” notes.

Spey Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Bottling 2024 also received a Master award for its “impressive delicacy and poise”. Notable flavours included “hints of soot, floral and husk”.

The SMWS added to its medal tally in the Single Malt: Speyside – Cask Strength flight, securing Gold for 35.384 – Soy Sauce on Christmas Cake.

Glen Marnoch Islay Single Malt won a Silver medal, deemed to be great value for under-£25 in the Standard flight. Meanwhile, Islay Traditional Cask from Berry Bros & Rudd, and Port Askaig Aged 8 Years both gained Golds in the Premium (£36-£50) flight.

Kilchoman Distillery elevated the Islay flights with two Master medals and a Gold in the no-age-statement flight. One of the top medals went to Kilchoman Sanaig, said to be “rich and deep with umami characteristic Islay notes”.

Port Askaig Aged 17 Years gave a nice boost to Elixir Distillers’ medal haul, securing a Master in the Single Malt: Islay – Aged Between 13 and 18 Years. “Stacks of grain and earthy smoke on the nose; spice is controlled and lingers into the finish,” the judges said. Two Golds and one Silver medal were also awarded in this flight. “There was a great range of styles of smoky whisky,” noted Ilankovan. “There is something for everyone, from light and delicate to big and meaty.”

In the penultimate heat, Single Malt: Islay – Single Cask, two Gold medals and a Silver medal were all handed to The Single Cask. One of the Golds went to The Single Cask Rhinns, described as having “minerality and some tang on the finish”.

The final flight, Single Malt: Islay – Cask Strength finished on a high, and closed the tasting with a trio of Gold medals. Brave New Spirits was one of the Gold winners, taking the coveted medal for its Whiskyheroes ‘The Haunting Songs’ Single Malt. “Sweet and creamy on the nose, milk-bottle sweets,” the judges enthused, enjoying “earthiness and gentle smoke” on the palate.

The mammoth tasting called for a reset as the judges refreshed their palates in anticipation of the final tasting decision of the day: The Scotch Whisky Taste Master 2024. Fresh pours were presented to the judges, who carefully revisited the Master winners of the day. Dubbed the ‘crème de la crème’ of the day, the votes decided the deserving dram was The Single Cask Mortlach #255 First-Fill Oloroso Quarter Cask by The Single Cask.

The takeaway note from the day looks to be that variety – and quality – are thriving when it comes to Scotch whisky. Producers appear committed to playing with the possibilities of flavour. By doing so, they will surely fan the flames of enthusiasm for the category. If all goes to plan, hopefully, the only way is up.

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