The King Officially Opens Stannergill Distillery

On Wednesday 29th July we were delighted to welcome His Majesty King Charles III to officially open Stannergill Distillery. It is hard to believe it has actually happened – if you had said to us six years ago that this is what we would be doing we would have laughed along with you. The King arrived and was piped into the building by Glenn, our apprentice distiller, before taking a full tour of the distillery.  Watching him walk through the spaces — The Grain Store Restaurant, The Atrium, The StillHouse — and seeing it all through fresh eyes was something quite extraordinary. He described the transformation of the mill as “wonderful” and that made us very happy!

What made the day so very special was that we were able to share it with so many of the people who have been part of this journey. The King took the time to meet them all, and it felt right that they were there — because Stannergill has never been just our story.

And then there were our family and friends — the people who have listened to us talk about this mill for years, who believed in us when the project felt impossibly big, and who have cheered us on every step of the way. Having them all there, in the building, on that day, surrounded by everything we have all worked so hard for — that is the part that is hardest to put into words.

In one of the most memorable moments of the day, His Majesty rolled up his sleeves and personally filled an Oloroso sherry cask with Stannergill new make spirit. That cask is now laid down in the distillery, quietly maturing into what will one day be a very special single malt Scotch whisky — one that belongs to the King himself.

When we mentioned that it would be a few years before it was ready to drink, His Majesty smiled and delivered the line of the day: “I hope I’m still alive to taste it.”

To bring the visit to a close, The King unveiled a commemorative plaque in our Atrium. Every one of our guests was lined up along the grand staircase that circles the Atrium, looking down as the plaque was revealed. Family, friends, craftspeople, historians, investors, supporters — all of the people who have been part of this story, gathered together in the very building they helped to save. It was one of those moments where you look around the room and feel completely overwhelmed by gratitude.

Dunnet Bay Distillers Ltd
Dunnet
Thurso, Caithness KW14 8XD
United Kingdom

The Brewer’s Coalition: The Bruery Black Tuesday- Available Now

We’ve partnered with The Bruery to bring you the newest release in our Brewer’s Coalition series — and just six barrels were selected for this limited-edition offering.

Crafted from 100% malted barley, aged over five years in premium ex-bourbon barrels, then finished in Black Tuesday Imperial Stout casks, this expression showcases rich malt character layered with the bold, decadent depth of one of America’s most sought-after stouts.

Aromas of blackberry jam and caramel lead into soft citrus, chocolate, and hints of anise on the palate, with a finish that’s velvety, complex, and enduring.

With only six barrels produced, quantities are extremely limited.

ORDER NOW

D&M EXCLUSIVE SINGLE BARRELS!

For several decades now, lovers of American Whiskey have come to D&M for our well-curated collection of highly sought-after selections, including many that are extremely limited, highly-allocated and/or hard-to-find elsewhere. A key component of our sourcing efforts is working closely with the most highly-regarded distilleries, with whom we have built solid, long-standing relationships, to select single barrels from their aging stock that we can proudly stamp our logo on as D&M exclusive offerings. Over the years, we  have procured many such private barrels and, today, are excited to present some of our most recent acquisitions of which we have some remaining stock still available for your consideration. However, we do advise you to act quickly since, once they are gone, as they say, that’s all she wrote!

Of course, if you would like to stay at the forefront of these offerings going forward, we encourage you to consider membership in our Single Barrel Project club. Just click the link for more information and to sign up.

OUR CLUB PROGRAMS

Here at D&M we are passionate about American Whiskey and Single Malt Scotch. To help make our passions a little easier on your (and our) pocketbook, we have come up with a number of different buying clubs. The purpose of these clubs is to explore these wonderful beverages, trying new things, and to save money. Click HERE to learn more about our club options.

Whisky Show bottlings now on offer

With Whisky Show 2026 on the horizon, we’re looking back at some of our previous show bottlings – now available at special prices. Explore our past highlights including the exclusive Kilchoman 2011 – a beautifully balanced cask-strength Islay whisky with pleasant aromas of apple blossom, white peach and sweet peat. There’s lots more including stand out drams from Ardbeg, Ben Nevis and East London Liquor Co, that you can’t find anywhere else.

SHOP NOW

DISCOVER THE WHISKY SHOW

Tickets for The Whisky School 2027 are officially on sale now! Don’t miss your chance to attend this exclusive school and deepen your whisky knowledge alongside fellow enthusiasts. Spaces are strictly limited.

BUY TICKETS

With an exciting programme of expert-led lectures, technical distillery visits, whisky tastings, and exclusive social events, dive into the world of Speyside whisky.   The full programme is now available on our website:

VIEW FULL PROGRAMME

Two Masters, One Bottle, One Game: Charles Leclerc And Hikaru Nakamura Went Head-To-Head An A First-Of-Its-Kind Chivas Regal Showdown At Monza

Ahead of the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, Charles Leclerc and Chess Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura met in a high-stakes, first-of-its-kind showdown. Brought together by Chivas Regal, the two masters faced off before a live crowd in one of the year’s most unexpected matchups.

The head-to-head marked the ultimate expression of two creations born from the same mindset: Chivas Regal 16 Year Old, Leclerc’s debut co-created whisky, and SE!ZE, his bespoke chess-inspired game. Inspired by the belief that success comes from deliberate choices, both were designed around the same principle: every move matters.

On one side, Leclerc, whose vision shaped both the whisky and the game, and whose pursuit of mastery has never been confined to one world. On the other, Nakamura: one of the most formidable minds in chess. Two elite competitors, one board, the ultimate test.

From the bottle to the board, Chivas Regal 16 Year Old and SE!ZE share the same DNA. Drawing on sixteen carefully selected whiskies, each aged at least sixteen years, Chivas Regal 16 is built from deliberate choices, including Charles’ selection of Longmorn Single Malt, matured in sherry casks, as the whisky’s signature component. SE!ZE applies this same thinking to gameplay, where every decision carries weight and nothing is left to chance. Both are a living tribute to the same belief: true mastery is never accidental.

The Chivas Regal Arena of Mastery buzzed with energy. Fans packed in to witness the live one-time-only showdown as two elite competitors from different disciplines challenged each other across a single board. Every move drew a reaction. Every decision landed with weight. This wasn’t just a game. It was a live, charged demonstration of what mastery looks like when it has everything to prove.

The showdown demonstrated that the spirit behind Chivas Regal 16 Year Old extends far beyond the bottle. Co-created by Charles Leclerc and Master Blender Sandy Hyslop around the number that has defined him, the whisky reflects Leclerc’s drive to constantly push further.

“I’ve faced plenty of challenges in my career, but stepping into the Chivas Regal Arena of Mastery was something entirely different,” said Charles Leclerc, Global Brand Ambassador, Chivas Regal. “The crowd, the arena, facing Hikaru, the energy was electric. SE!ZE and Chivas Regal 16 are built on the same idea: that every choice matters and nothing happens by accident. Facing one of the greatest strategic minds in the world at my own game brought that to life in a way I hadn’t anticipated. That’s what Chivas Regal and I are always pushing towards: moments that test you in ways you don’t expect.”

Livestreamed via Chivas Regal’s YouTube, the showdown offered a rare glimpse of mastery beyond its usual arena – a contest where the real aim was to prove what it means to push into the unknown.

“I’ve competed in front of big crowds before, but nothing quite like that,” said Chess Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura. “Charles and Chivas Regal built a game that keeps you on edge from the first move: fast, precise, with no margin for error and where every decision matters. That’s the kind of challenge that reveals what you’re really made of. True mastery isn’t just about knowing the game, it’s about how you handle the pressure when it counts.”

Raise a glass to the pursuit of better. Chivas Regal 16 Year Old is available on Amazon with an RRP of £64.00/$69.99. SE!ZE will be available to play digitally later this year. Sign up here.

     The First Cask Has Been Filled

A new chapter has begun at Laggan Bay. In April of 2026, the first cask was filled at our new distillery on Islay. What was once a vision is now reality, with spirit laid down to mature on the island that inspires everything we do.

The milestone was marked by Distillery Manager, Malcolm Rennie, an Islay native whose experience and passion for whisky have helped bring the distillery to life.

Witness the First Cask Filling

Be Part of the Beginning

While the first cask has now been filled, only a limited number of founding casks remain in The Hundred – Laggan Bay’s Founding Casks.This rare opportunity allows you to own a cask from the earliest days of Laggan Bay and follow its journey from new make spirit to fully matured Islay whisky. As a founding cask owner, you’ll become part of a community connected to the distillery’s future. The first cask has been filled. Yours could be next.

 Built on Experience. Created for the Future.

Laggan Bay is the vision of Leonard Russell and Tom Russell. As part of family owned Ian Macleod Distillers, the team behind renowned Scotch whisky brands including Glengoyne, Tamdhu and Rosebank, they bring decades of whisky making expertise to this new chapter on Islay. Now, that same long term commitment is being poured into a new whisky story.

Slàinte mhath,
Laggan Bay Distillery

Laggan Bay Distillery

Glenegedale, Isle of Islay, PA42 7AS

  WEBSITE   |   THE HUNDRED – LAGGAN BAY’S FOUNDING CASKS   

A very warm welcome everyone to our now live 183rd auction!  We have a truly tremendous selection of bottles available this month from every corner of the whisky-producing world, so no matter where your tastes lie we are sure to have something to pique your interest.  And with literally thousands upon thousands of bottles to choose from we thought it prudent to pick out a few that have caught our eye to help you build your watchlist.

Michter’s Celebration Sour Mash 2025 Release

Macallan Fine and Rare 1949 52 Year Old

Launched in 2002, Macallan’s flagship Fine & Rare range showcases nearly eight decades of the distillery’s history. Comprised of expressions created using some of their oldest stocks, this particular bottling is the Macallan Fine & Rare 1949 52 Year Old.  Distilled in late spring 1949 this distinguished old dram has spent a remarkable five decades ageing in a single 1st fill Sherry hogshead before finally being bottled in 2002.  Despite its heavily sherried looks Macallan describe it as “peaty in character” making this the very embodiment of the sweet peat flavour profile so popular in today’s market.

Suntory Hakushu 1984 Distillery Treasured Pure Malt

From Suntory’s mountain distillery which is found deep within the forests of Mount Kaikomagatake, this is the Suntory Hakushu 1984 Distillery Treasured Pure Malt.  Distilled at Hakushu Higashi in 1984 and then aged exclusively in sherry casks in warehouse no.2 of the famed Yatsugatake Ageing Cellar, this is an example of Japanese whisky at its finest, sweet, smooth and luxurious.  A treasured malt indeed and surely of interest to the ever-swelling number of Japanese whisky collectors across the globe.

Glenlivet 1938 Gordon & MacPhail 26 2/3 Fl Ozs

And finally, we have a pre-war gem from one of Scotland’s heavyweight distilleries, this is the Glenlivet 1938 Gordon & MacPhail 26 2/3 Fl Ozs.  Gordon & MacPhail have been bottling whisky for over 120 years and have garnered an enviable reputation for quality releases, and this is most certainly one of them.  There is something uniquely attractive about the understated branding on this one, harking back to time when the whisky did the talking, not the ever more ornately decorated packaging.  A time capsule of a whisky, given it’s been 88 years since it was initially distilled.

As always, we have an enormous selection of drams to suit every budget on offer this month, so now is the time to delve into this month’s offerings and start building that watchlist.

Best of luck to everyone in the auction, and as always………..don’t lose your bottle.

What is a Horizontal Whisky Tasting?

Put four whiskies in front of someone and ask them what makes each one different…that’s where the fun begins! A horizontal tasting lets you compare different whiskies side by side, helping you discover the unique character and style of each one. No right or wrong answers. No need to be an expert. Just curiosity, conversation and the chance to discover something new.

🎬. Watch the Video | 📖 Read the Post

Study whisky: explore your passion, kickstart your career. We are the leading provider of certified Scotch whisky education. 14,000+ candidates globally enjoy our QS-Approved courses. Learn directly from the experts when you study online or in-person.