RAISING A DRAM TO SPIRIT OF SPEYSIDE WHISKY FESTIVAL’S 

RECORD-BREAKING YEAR

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival has announced over £500k of sales for the first time in its history.  Almost 60 events were completely sold out on day one, including the renowned ceilidh on Friday night.

Celebrating its 27th anniversary, Speyside is widely regarded as the spiritual home of whisky, with a third of the distilleries. Established as one of the world’s largest showcases of whisky, partner members grew and helped promote over 600 events across 6 days, from 29th April, contributing millions to the local economy.

On launch day back in February, nearly 7,000 tickets were sold with visitors descending on Speyside from all over the globe and contributing to over 60% of ticket sales.  Customers from Mexico, Scandinavia, the Netherlands and Canada showcased the diversity of geographic locations.

With over 600 events, the festival is a time when a number of distilleries, that normally don’t open their doors, invite visitors to explore their facilities, making it a unique experience for festival goers.  12 distilleries including Tormore, Craigellachie and Dalmunach welcomed visitors behind closed doors and proved to be some of the most popular events.  Highlights also included a diversity of events.  A falconry display with Tormore, a canoe trip down the River Spey and Glenlivet hosted a silent disco where guests could also enjoy expressions of their 12-year-old single malt.

Chairman of the Festival, Henry Angus said, “There has never been a more important year for us to support the whisky sector.  With whisky sales declining, but festival sales increasing, our ability to draw thousands of visitors to Speyside is vital to the local economy.  We’re extremely proud to have broken all records again this year and to prove that we are creating a world-class calendar of events with wide appeal.  The festival has become an old friend to so many year after year.  There are some incredible opportunities, some of which are unique, leaving visitors to feel like they’ve been part of something truly magical.  There’s nothing quite like it.”

Spirit of Speyside organisers have also announced that Distilled, the food and drink festival normally held annually is back after a hiatus this September.  Bringing together top producers from Speyside region it will showcase local whisky, gin, beer, and food, offering tastings, masterclasses, and experiences.  Due to be held at UHI Moray in Elgin on Friday 11th & Saturday 12th September, 2026.

FESTIVAL WINNERS –  

Ambassador – David Craig

International Ambassador – Matthew Cordiner, Bacardi Global Brands

Unsung Heroes – Raymond Davidson, Glencairn Glass, Angela McOwan, Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival

Spirit of Speyside Award – David Stewart, William Grant & Sons

Whisky Award winners:

Gold, 12 years old and under: Aberlour 12 YO
Gold, 13–17 years: Craigellachie 17 YO – Spirit of Speyside Single Cask Limited Edition
Gold, 18 years and over: Tamdhu 21 YO
Gold, non-age statement: Tamdhu Distinction III Speyside Single Malt
Overall winner, 2026 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Awards: Tamdhu 21 YO

www.spiritofspeyside.com

The 179th auction is now live!

Welcome one and all to our now live 179^th auction!  Summer is on the horizon and I don’t know about you but that’s put a spring my step, time to restock the drinks cabinet for the cocktail onslaught which is about to ensue.  We have some tremendous bottles in this month and with well over five thousand lots you’ll have plenty to choose from.

Well, this really is something very special.

Finn Thomson, a bottler with deep connections to Scottish whisky history, in celebration of Scotland’s return to the World Cup in 2026 has collaborated with Scotland Captain Andrew Robertson’s AR26 charity to present this Glen Garioch 1998 28 Year Old Finn Thomson AR26 Charity Bottling with Andrew Robertson MBE Portrait.   Not only does the winning buyer receive a delicious looking 28 year old single cask Glen Garioch, this lot also contains an original artwork of Robertson by Mark Sib, a celebrated figure in Scottish contemporary art known for his emotive depictions of sporting icons.

100% of the proceeds will be going directly to AR26 Charity whose stated aim is “to create chances for children and young people across Scotland—closing the gap on disadvantage and levelling the playing field.”

For the final word let’s leave it to our Captain:

“This is a special opportunity to bring together two things that represent Scotland so well—our football and our whisky—while raising funds for a cause that means a great deal to me and my family. Every bid will help create real opportunities for young people across the country.

Next up we have another stunning piece of art, this is the Karuizawa 40 Year Old Blue Geisha.  Distilled way back in 1974 long before the distillery finally closed its doors for the last time this fantastic 40 year old is one of only 192 bottles released and has a visually striking label featuring the eponymous Blue Geisha.

Our next bottle is one that always turns (sherry)heads everywhere it goes, this is the GlenDronach 1971 43 Year Old Single Cask #2920.  Again, this dram was distilled in the early Seventies and spent over four decades ageing in a single Pedro Ximenez Pucheon before finally being bottled in 2014.  One of only 523 bottles produced this is a bucket list dram for sure.

Finally, we have a very rare bottling from one of Scotland’s northernly distilleries, this is the Highland Park 1967 42 Year Old John Scott’s.  In late 2003, the firm of John Scott & Miller Ltd released two extremely limited bottlings of ‘Highland Park’, under its own ‘John Scott’s’ label.  This belter of a dram is over four decades aged and hails from cask #6282 which was the fifth and final bottling in the John Scott’s range of Highland Park.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.

Macallan 18 Year Old Double Cask 2026 Release

Free Next Day Delivery for 12 Months For just £14.95 you can enjoy free next day delivery on all your orders for a whole year! Geographic restrictions apply, see full T&Cs. Find out more ❯

Scotch vs Bourbon? Let’s Compare

Scotch. Bourbon. Iconic whiskies. With all the confusion surrounding their differences we’re diving into what sets one apart from the other. Scotch can only come from Scotland, Bourbon only from the USA, with single malt Scotch using only malted barley and Bourbon a corn-led mash bill. Scotch is predominantly aged in reused oak casks while Bourbon must be aged in new, charred oak casks.

Learn More                          Shop Now

SAZERAC FORMALLY NAMES TENNESSEE OPERATION AJ BOND DISTILLERY AS COMPANY’S FIRST TENNESSEE WHISKEY PREPARES FOR 2026 DEBUT

 Distillery name honors the bond between Master Distillers Allisa Henley and the late John Lunn, whose expertise launched Sazerac’s Tennessee Whiskey operations in 2016

LA VERGNE, TN – Sazerac, the global spirits company behind award-winning distilleries including Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky; Hawk’s Rock Distillery in Ireland; and Paul John Distillery in India, is proud to announce the official name of its Tennessee operation as AJ Bond Distillery, marking a major milestone as the company prepares to debut its first Tennessee Whiskey in Summer 2026.

The name honors the bond between industry visionaries Allisa Henley and the late John Lunn, whose shared passion and decades of experience helped bring Sazerac’s Tennessee whiskey ambitions to life. The company entered the category in 2016 with the acquisition of the Popcorn Sutton distillery facility, retaining the skilled production team led by Henley and Lunn. Continued investment in equipment and capabilities followed, culminating in the relocation of the operation in 2019 to its current home in La Vergne, where their legacy continues through ongoing production and aging.

“Formally naming AJ Bond Distillery reinforces our commitment to Tennessee Whiskey and reflects Sazerac’s broader vision to invest in exceptional people, places and traditions that shape the future of American spirits,” said Jake Wenz, President and CEO of Sazerac. “Under Allisa and John’s leadership, this team has built a strong foundation rooted in expertise, passion and a deep respect for the craft. As we look ahead, we are proud to build on their legacy as we continue to balance heritage with innovation in pursuit of producing world-class spirits.”

Henley and Lunn began working together in 2004, developing a strong partnership rooted in technical expertise. The duo worked side-by-side for more than 12 years before joining Sazerac. Their expertise, combined with guidance and resources from Sazerac’s Buffalo Trace Distillery, helped establish the foundation of the operation crafting true Tennessee Whiskey. The AJ Bond name honors Henley and Lunn’s partnership, which was cut short in 2023 with Lunn’s passing.

“John and I worked together for 20 years, and he played a major role in shaping my understanding of the chemistry behind distillation,” said Henley. “We worked diligently to create every aspect of AJ Bond Distillery together. His absence is felt every day, but I know he would be proud of what we’ve created. It’s meaningful to know that the whiskey made here will carry his legacy forward.”

Since the acquisition, AJ Bond Distillery has relocated its operations to La Vergne, Tennessee, expanding production capacity and investing in additional equipment and team members to support the operation’s long-term growth. Today, the distillery is producing and aging what will become Sazerac’s first Tennessee whiskey brand, crafted from a mashbill originally developed by Henley and Lunn.

“From the very beginning, John and I knew we wanted to make a true Tennessee Whiskey, and we’re incredibly proud of the mashbill we’ve developed,” said Henley. “Seeing it now aging in our warehouses has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. Our team has worked tirelessly to bring our shared vision to life, and I’m excited for what is to come.”

The upcoming debut of AJ Bond Distillery’s flagship Tennessee whiskey brand (details to come soon) will mark Sazerac’s formal entry into the category and underscore the company’s commitment to producing award-winning whiskeys world-wide through a thoughtful balance of honoring tradition and embracing innovation. In the years ahead, AJ Bond plans to introduce additional expressions and limited experimental releases designed to explore new possibilities in Tennessee whiskey while remaining grounded in the traditional methods championed by Henley and Lunn. Together, these future offerings will build on the foundation established by the inaugural brand and further strengthen Sazerac’s long-term presence in the category.

More details about AJ Bond Distillery’s inaugural Tennessee Whiskey will be shared in the months ahead as the brand prepares for its Summer 2026 debut.

ABOUT SAZERAC

With over 400 years of history, Sazerac is one of the world’s largest distilled spirits companies. Now in the fourth generation of the current family ownership, Sazerac strives each day to bring the finest spirits to consumers and communities around the world.

Over 500 of the world’s most extraordinary brands are part of the Sazerac portfolio, including Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Eagle Rare, Weller, The Last Drop Distillers, Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, Southern Comfort, Wheatley Vodka, Meyers’s Rum, White X Cognac, Sazerac de Forge Cognac, Paddy’s Irish Whiskey, and many more.

Sazerac is also the steward of many fine distilleries internationally, including Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky, United States; Domaine Sazerac de Segonzac in Cognac, France; Paul John Distillery in Goa, India; and Hawk’s Rock Distillery in County Sligo, Ireland. Additional impressive locations can be found in New Orleans, Montréal, London, Cork and Sydney, to name a few.

To learn more visit www.sazerac.com.

£89.95 GBP

Inchgower 18 Year Old 2007 is a refined and characterful Speyside single malt Scotch whisky, bottled by James Eadie as part of their heritage-led collection inspired by W. Y. Crowe’s seminal work The Distilleries of Great Britain & Ireland (1922–1929). Distilled in 2007 and matured for 18 years in a refill hogshead, this elegant release is bottled at 52.5% ABV, showcasing the distillery’s distinctive coastal-influenced Speyside character.

Maturation in a refill cask allows Inchgower’s spirit to take centre stage, developing complexity and balance over time without excessive oak influence. Known for its slightly maritime edge, the whisky offers a harmonious combination of citrus, malt, and gentle salinity, presented at natural strength for a fuller, more expressive experience.

Why We Think You’ll Love It

• 18 year old Speyside single malt Scotch whisky from Inchgower
• Matured in a refill hogshead
• Distilled 2007, bottled at 52.5% ABV
• Bottled by James Eadie as part of their heritage-inspired range
• Inspired by W. Y. Crowe’s The Distilleries of Great Britain & Ireland (1922–1929)
• A refined, spirit-led whisky with subtle coastal influence

The Inchgower 18 Year Old 2007 James Eadie is a beautifully balanced and expressive Speyside single malt, combining maturity, elegance, and subtle maritime character. A superb choice for those seeking a more nuanced, spirit-driven whisky with depth and heritage appeal.

Mossburn Dupont Calvados Cask Finish

£73.50

ABV: 57.2% 70 cL

There’s no end to the elemental alchemy unfolding in our warehouses in Ardhasaig.

Cask by cask, our island spirit evolves in oak, shaped slowly by wood, time, and the Atlantic air that blows over the deep bay beneath the Clisham mountain.

We’ve taken great care in the casks we choose, from ex-bourbon barrels sourced from Kentucky’s Buffalo Trace Distillery to sherry butts from José y Miguel Martín in Spain.

Alongside these, a small number of more experimental casks sit among them. Some of the most intriguing come from Pennsylvania, thanks to our friends at Dad’s Hat Rye, makers of traditional rye whiskey.

Filled back in 2016, these ex-rye barrels have been maturing our spirit in their own distinctive way ever since.

Where this particular path will lead, we don’t yet know. But that’s part of the journey of learning and letting the island have its say.

DISCOVER DAD’S HAT RYE

ralfy review 1126 Extras – An ‘Official’ and an ‘Indi’ compared.