The Hebridean Whisky Trail Welcomes Tobermory Distillery as its Newest Member

ISLE OF MULL, SCOTLAND – The Hebridean Whisky Trail is proud to announce that the historic Tobermory Distillery on the Isle of Mull has officially joined the trail, marking a significant milestone in the route’s expansion. As one of the oldest commercial distilleries in Scotland, Tobermory brings its world-renowned artisanal craftsmanship and dual-brand heritage—featuring both its namesake unpeated malt and the robust, peated Ledaig—to this premier island-hopping adventure.

Since its inception in August 2018, the Hebridean Whisky Trail has grown from a visionary collaboration of four founding distilleries into a sprawling odyssey across the Atlantic coast. Launched by Karen Betts, then CEO of the Scotch Whisky Association, the trail was designed to showcase the rugged beauty, unique Gaelic culture, and diverse spirits of Scotland’s western isles.

With the addition of Tobermory, the trail now stretches across a spectacular 360-mile route by land and sea, connecting eight remarkable distilleries:

• Torabhaig Distillery (Isle of Skye)
• Talisker Distillery (Isle of Skye)
• Isle of Raasay Distillery (Isle of Raasay)
• Isle of Harris Distillery (Isle of Harris)
• Benbecula Distillery (Isle of Benbecula)
• North Uist Distillery (Isle of North Uist)
• Isle of Tiree Distillery (Isle of Tiree)
• Tobermory Distillery (Isle of Mull)

“We are thrilled to welcome Tobermory Distillery into our fold,” said Bill Dobbie, Chairman of the Hebridean Whisky Trail. “Tobermory’s rich history and colourful presence on Mull embody the very spirit of the Hebrides. Their inclusion not only extends the physical reach of the trail but also enriches the story we tell—one of resilience, community, and the incomparable character of island whisky. The trail has doubled in size since its inception in 2018, and adding such an iconic destination is a testament to the growing global passion for Hebridean spirits.”

The Hebridean Whisky Trail offers an unparalleled whisky adventure for enthusiasts and intrepid travellers alike. The trail is a journey through some of the world’s most iconic scenery—from the white sandy beaches of Harris to the volcanic peaks of Skye and the vibrant harbour of Tobermory.

For more information or to plan your journey, please visit www.hebrideanwhisky.com. 

About the Hebridean Whisky Trail:

The Hebridean Whisky Trail is a collaborative tourism initiative dedicated to promoting the distilleries of the Scottish Hebrides. Established in 2018, it highlights the heritage, people, and provenance of Hebridean spirits through a curated travel route and annual festival events.

Knob Creek® Debuts Blender’s Edition, a Limited Series Celebrating the Art of Blending

Knob Creek® Blender’s Edition 01 is the result of intentional blending craftsmanship, unlocking a sweeter side of the Knob Creek flavor profile

CLERMONT, KY., March 31, 2026 – The James B. Beam Distilling Co., home of The Small Batch Bourbon Collection™, introduces Knob Creek® Blender’s Edition, a new series of limited-edition whiskeys celebrating one of the most skilled and nuanced crafts in whiskey making: blending. Born from the passion, precision and devoted pursuit of bold flavor that define Knob Creek®, the Blender’s Edition series showcases the artistry and deliberate decisions that shape the unique flavor experience in each release.

For the first in the series, eighth generation master distiller Freddie Noe and his trusted team of expert blenders carefully hand-selected barrels to highlight the sweeter side of the Knob Creek flavor profile. The result is a bourbon that opens with rich confectionery sweetness and a full mouthfeel, with notes of vanilla bean, finishing long and soft — all crafted with the same intentionality and care that goes into every expression of Knob Creek®. Knob Creek® Blender’s Edition 01 is aged a minimum of 10 years and bottled at 106 proof, now available nationwide at a suggested retail price of $44.99 for a 750mL bottle.

“The Blender’s Edition series is about slowing down and discovering the story each blend tells —with a unique and new experience in each edition of the series,” said Freddie Noe, eighth generation master distiller. “It is thanks to the passion and precision of our blending team who have uncovered the nuanced flavors you taste in Knob Creek® Blender’s Edition 01.”

Every detail of Knob Creek® Blender’s Edition is by design. Blending is where precision meets creativity, and this series shines a spotlight on the masters behind the craft so with each release, Knob Creek® celebrates the blenders who boldly explore new depths of flavor and redefine what’s possible.

For more information about Knob Creek® Blender’s Edition and Knob Creek® award-winning bourbon and rye portfolios, visit knobcreek.com or follow along on Instagram and Facebook @KnobCreek.

About Knob Creek® Bourbon

Knob Creek® has set the standard for super-premium whiskey for three decades by crafting extraordinary full-flavored bourbon with a rich taste. Knob Creek® bourbons and ryes are patiently aged to perfection in new, maximum charred American Oak barrels to impart the biggest and fullest flavor on their whiskey. No matter the expression, Knob Creek® is crafted without shortcuts and embodies the pre-Prohibition style that founding distiller Booker Noe created in 1992. Since then, Knob Creek® has lived up to such standards with the introduction of Knob Creek® Straight Rye Whiskey in 2012, and later on, Knob Creek® Single Barrel Select Rye Whiskey. In recent years, Knob Creek® announced the permanent addition of Knob Creek® 12 Year Old Bourbon and launched four limited releases, Knob Creek® 15 Year Old Bourbon, Knob Creek® 18 Year Old Bourbon, Knob Creek® Bourbon x Rye and Knob Creek® 21 Year Old. Knob Creek® has continued to build out its rye portfolio; the brand announced the addition of an age statement to its flagship rye whiskey, Knob Creek® 7 Year Old Rye Whiskey, and released Knob Creek® 10 Year Old Rye Whiskey.

The results of the World Whiskies Awards America are always one of my highlights of the awards season, not least of all because they put a spotlight on some of the most unique, innovative brands producing our favourite spirit today.

It’s also extremely exciting because of the announcement of the World’s Best Bourbon, a spectacular honour. Despite what have no doubt been turbulent conditions for many distilleries stateside, there’s been a real perseverance and industry-wide camaraderie that deserves celebrating. The result is incredible work that should be enough to get whisky enthusiasts worldwide excited.

These results take us one step closer to the much-anticipated announcement of the World’s Best whiskies next month. As chair of judges, I can’t wait to see where we’re headed as the awards cycle continues.

Bradley Weir,
Whisky Magazine editor

Welcome to Whisky Show Favourites

Our Welcome to Whisky Show has come and gone, and as always, there were a fair few bottles that stood out from the crowd – classics like Loch Lomond 12 and Jura 14, newcomers on the scene like Torabhaig Taigh, and approachable, easy-drinking drams like Compass Box Orchard House. And that’s barely scratching the surface.

We’ve narrowed down the wide array of fantastic bottles at the show, picking out some of our favourites – trusted old companions as well as exciting fresh releases – that may just become your new whisky loves.

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Torabhaig Taigh

THE VIDEO

Torabhaig Taigh. What a stunning work of beauty, and that’s before we even talk about the liquid. Aileen Grant has worked absolute magic with this design. I’m yet to venture to Skye, but these images are so warming and comfortable in their style. The whisky is all about ‘smoke with taste’. A combination of first fill bourbon, refil bourbon, and some ex-Madeira. It starts off so biscuity and salty! Then the smoke starts to seep through the vatting. Welcomingly west coast with Torabhaig’s citrus and malty twists. This is a delightful bottle that is now their new house style! For the price of £45, this is an absolute steal! 46% ABV, natural colour and unfiltered, it’s so nice to see Torabhaig making new milestones.

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SIX NEW WHISKIES INTRODUCED

BY CLYDEBUILT BRAND 

Boutique Scotch whisky label Clydebuilt expands its offering

with new six new Single Cask expressions

Leading independent bottling house Clydebuilt today unveils six new Single Cask Scotch Whiskies, strengthening its extensive product portfolio.

Ardgowan Distillery Company (ADC) – the home of the boutique brand – was established in 2017 and reached a major milestone in June 2025 with the completion of its distillery and commencement of its Single Malt production.

Situated on the Firth of Clyde, Ardgowan named the range in honour of the river’s world renowned shipbuilding heritage, where the term ‘Clydebuilt’ became synonymous with precision, pride and craftsmanship.

Despite challenging conditions across the wider industry, Ardgowan reaffirmed its commitment to the Clydebuilt brand with a £5m investment in mature malt whisky stocks in 2025, with a further £4m to be injected this year.

The firm’s Distillery Manager and Expert Whisky Maker Laura Davies oversaw the maturation of each cask and personally selected the six new expressions from an enviable inventory.

The new Single Cask releases, comprising five Single Malts and one Single Grain, include:

• 2013 Bourbon Barrel, Aberlour Distillery (RRSP £120.00): a Speyside Single Malt matured in a single Bourbon barrel (#300080). Limited to 192 bottles, the nose brings hints of buttery fudge, while the palate offers whipped cream and boiled sweets.
• 2015 Sherry Hogshead, Aultmore Distillery (RRSP £65.00): yielding 305 bottles, cask number 303634 previously held Spanish Sherry before hosting spirit distilled at Speyside’s Aultmore Distillery. The result is a warming Single Malt with flavours of fruit scones topped with jam and cream.
• 2012 Bourbon Hogshead, Benriach Distillery (RRSP £95.00): previously used to mature Bourbon, cask number 750335 subsequently aged Speyside Single Malt from Benriach Distillery. The resulting 226 bottles boast moreish flavours buttercream icing, retro boiled sweets and fruit salad.
• 2005 Bourbon Hogshead, Cameronbridge Distillery (RRSP £79.00): a vintage Single Grain expression matured for 20 long years in a Bourbon hogshead. The bronze liquid brims with buttered popcorn, heather honey and peach cobbler drizzled with cream.
• 2012 Bourbon Barrel, Glen Garioch Distillery (RRSP £85.00): distilled in the Highlands, cask number 4587 was matured on site at Ardgowan Distillery. The cask’s Bourbon history has imparted notes of marzipan, vanilla fudge and hazelnut praline on the resulting 237 bottles produced.
• 2015 Sherry Hogshead, Linkwood Distillery (RRSP £59.00): a Speyside Single Malt matured in a single Spanish Sherry cask (#312013). Limited to 332 bottles, the nose reveals grassy aromas, while the palate offers creamy toffee and gooseberry jam qualities.

As with all Clydebuilt Single Cask bottlings, each whisky was bottled at its natural cask strength, with no added colouring or chill filtration, preserving its character and integrity.

Commenting on the new releases, Davies shares:

“Working with spirit from different distilleries is a great reminder of how diverse Scotch whisky can be. There’s a joy in discovering a whisky where the distillery character shines through. Every cask behaves differently, but these six stood out for their balance between distillery DNA and cask influence. They’re honest whiskies, bottled as if you were sampling straight from the cask: at their natural strength and colour, and without undergoing chill filtration.”

Last September, ADC announced a series of new distribution partnerships for Clydebuilt across key markets in Europe, North America and Asia, significantly expanding its global availability.

The new Clydebuilt Single Cask bottlings will begin rolling out through the specialist retail channel from today. A list of UK stockists and international distributors can be found here.

ABOUT CLYDEBUILT SCOTCH WHISKY:

Some of the greatest ships in the world were built on the River Clyde and so, over time, the word ‘Clydebuilt’ came to stand for craftsmanship, integrity and pride. The Clydebuilt brand was inspired by that exceptional legacy: a fitting tribute as Ardgowan Distillery, the home of the brand, is situated on the Firth of Clyde near Inverkip.

While Ardgowan Single Malt continues to slumber for many years, Whisky Maker Laura Davies applies the same meticulous approach to Clydebuilt. This is a boutique range of thoughtfully selected and matured Scotch whiskies that honour the spirit of the Clyde, emulating and upholding the attention to detail and the pride in quality of those that came before. Discover more.

Further information on Ardgowan Distillery Company can be found at ardgowandistillery.com

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TASTING NOTES:

Clydebuilt 2013 Bourbon Barrel Single Cask, Aberlour Distillery – 58.1% ABV

• Colour: Rich golden.
• Nose: Clean and inviting, with a buttery fudge aroma.
• Taste: Vanilla whipped cream and ‘sherbet fruits’ boiled sweets.  

Clydebuilt 2015 Sherry Hogshead Single Cask, Aultmore Distillery – 56.6% ABV

• Colour: Auburn.
• Nose: Ripe figs and cinnamon sticks.
• Taste: Fruit scones with raspberry jam and clotted cream.  

Clydebuilt 2012 Bourbon Hogshead Single Cask, Benriach Distillery – 56.0% ABV

• Colour: Bright gold.
• Nose: Tropical fruit pavlova.
• Taste: Buttercream icing, retro boiled sweets and fruit salad. 

Clydebuilt 2005 Bourbon Hogshead Single Cask, Cameronbridge Distillery (Single Grain) – 54.3% ABV

• Colour: Bronze.
• Nose: Aromas of buttered popcorn.
• Taste: A thick mouthfeel, with heather honey and peach cobbler drizzled with cream.  

Clydebuilt 2012 Bourbon Barrel Single Cask, Glen Garioch Distillery – 57.2% ABV

• Colour: Amber.
• Nose: Marzipan and brown sugar to the fore.
• Taste: Inviting flavours of hazelnut praline, vanilla fudge and chewy raisins. 

Clydebuilt 2015 Sherry Hogshead Single Cask, Linkwood Distillery – 56.3% ABV

• Colour: Bronze.
• Nose: Grassy aromas, alongside light peat.
• Taste: Tones of creamy toffee and gooseberry jam.

This is a first for the Small Batch Series. Not just another whisky release, the first one that can tell you exactly how long it took to make. Ten years in first-fill ruby port pipes, sourced in 2016 from a vineyard deep in Portugal’s Douro Valley, one of the world’s oldest protected wine regions. Our first age-stated expression in the series, and a whisky that makes the case for itself the moment it hits the glass.

Nose Port aromas drift alongside a delicate whisper of sea salt. Dried fruits slowly emerge – raisins, dark cherries and sultanas, in a deeply vinous embrace that hints at the extraordinary casks at work.

Palate Luscious caramel and smooth vanilla arrive first, underpinned by beautiful wine-soaked flavours. Darker notes follow, gentle oak smoke and the rich sweetness of dates and figs with a supple, full-bodied texture and outstanding depth of flavour.

Finish Long and warming. Caramel and dried fruits linger with quiet confidence, while those signature ruby port notes weave through to the very end.

Bowmore 21 YEAR OLD

Sherry Oak Cask

70cl · 46.8% ABV

Awarded world’s best single malt, this confident and eclectic 21-year old offers a remarkable breadth to its character, gathering notes as diverse as tobacco, heather, and beeswax. Its epilogue in first fill Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks is testament to Bowmore’s Master Blender’s intuitive genius.

This rich, captivating single malt was matured in carefully selected ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks, and finished in first-fill Pedro Ximénez sherry casks.

£268.95

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Gold Medal

World’s Best Single Malt 2026

World Whiskies Awards

SENSATIONAL ISLAY SINGLE MALT

Distilled on the island’s shoreline, Bowmore’s single malts are often considered the epitome of Islay whisky. There’s peat smoke, but it’s exactingly balanced. There’s elegant maritime brine, but it never overpowers. Then there’s the signature orchard fruit sweetness. Everything about Bowmore conveys a sense of harmony. And this 20-year-old Chorlton bottling (£146.40) is a masterpiece.

Independent bottler Chorlton has selected and released this exemplary ex-bourbon cask that’s been resting for over two decades. It lets all that character shine through, unhindered by bold finishing. And with just 231 bottles available, it’s a rare treat. Secure yours now.

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Discover The Hearach Oloroso

Fire shapes the cask long before it shapes the whisky.

In the heat of Andalusia, oak is charred and brought to life by the coopers of José y Miguel Martín, flames licking at raw wood as the sherry butts are built.

These broad-chested Oloroso casks begin their life in the hot climate of Jerez before eventually making the long journey to Harris.

From sun-scorched Spain to the cool Atlantic climate and warehouses of Ardhasaig just a few short miles from the distillery door…

Years later, that same craft reveals itself again in the deep, rich notes of The Hearach Oloroso Cask Matured single malt, available online and from spirits stockists far and wide.

DISCOVER THE HEARACH OLOROSO