THE DALMORE UNVEILS 2026 RELEASE FROM DISTILLERY SELECT SERIES

Highland Single Malt, The Dalmore has unveiled the latest release in their Distillery Select Series, which offers truly limited-edition, hand-selected whiskies from its famed Highland home.

First launched in 2024, The Dalmore Distillery Select Series offers whisky fans hidden gems from The Dalmore’s dunnage warehouses. Intentionally chosen from small parcels of stock, each whisky is selected for its quality and uniqueness of character.

The Dalmore whisky makers intently review their storied stocks and identify expressions of spirit that reveal a different dimension of The Dalmore’s flavour profile. For 2026, the ambition was to select a whisky that showed The Dalmore in a distinctive light, while remaining clearly rooted in the signature house style. The resulting sumptuous whisky from this release, achieves that and more.

True to the ethos of the Series which focuses solely on small batch stocks, the 2026 release is exceptionally limited. Just one whisky has been hand-selected for the 2026 release, of which just 1,110 bottles will be available, non-chill filtered and of natural colour.

Distillery Select 2026 is a Semisecco Marsala finish, Aged 14 Years at 53.7% ABV. It has enjoyed an initial maturation in American white oak ex-Bourbon barrels, before a precise finish of one year and nine months in Semisecco Marsala casks.

Semisecco Marsala barriques add a distinctive layer of complexity to this special whisky. The medium sweet style of this Sicilian fortified wine brings sweetness, warmth, and depth, adding notes of candied citrus, honeyed fruit, roasted nuts, and gentle spice.

Together, these casks shape a whisky with depth of spirit, layered complexity, and a distinctive Semisecco Marsala finish, whilst maintaining the clear signature style of The Dalmore.

You are first welcomed with an aroma of floral overtones with sweet clementine, stoned fruits, honeyed malt, and a hint of grape must, and spiced vanilla. To taste, flavours of candied orange peel, sweet pear, toffee, brioche, with subtle hints of walnuts, clove, and cinnamon to be enjoyed. A sweet citrus and rich oak finish await, evoking a fading memory of festive spice.

This series was created to offer whisky enthusiasts a closer view of The Dalmore’s longstanding whisky making credentials. It provides a deeper understanding of The Dalmore, from the depth of New Make Spirit, through to the complexity built through meticulous cask curation, and the judgement and care exercised by The Dalmore whisky makers to produce this rare and extremely limited release.

The Dalmore Distillery Select Series has initially only been available to purchase via The Dalmore’s boutiques, either online or in selected countries. With the reopening of The Dalmore’s Highland home earlier this year, those who book to experience The Dalmore’s reimagined brand home, will have the opportunity to purchase this special series in person from the distillery boutique, exclusive to guests.

The Dalmore Distillery Select 2026 is priced at £350 and will be available on general release  from 31^st August 2026. Members of The Dalmore Guild will have the opportunity for advanced purchase and will be notified via email.

www.thedalmore.com

The Dalmore Distillery Select Series 2026: Semisecco Marsala Finish:

Aged 14 Years                ABV: 53.7%                     Price: £350                            Quantity: 1,110 bottles

Aroma: Floral overtones with sweet clementine, stoned fruits, honeyed malt, and a hint of grape must and spiced vanilla

Palate: Candied orange peel, sweet pear, toffee, brioche, with subtle hunts of walnuts, clove, and cinnamon

Finish: Sweet citrus and rich oak, and a fading memory of festive spice

About The Dalmore:

Founded in 1839 on the shores of the Cromarty Firth in the Scottish Highlands, The Dalmore creates Single Malt Whisky of rare depth and complexity, with each sip a testament to time better spent.

The 12-point silver stag which proudly adorns each bottle was bestowed upon the first chieftain of Clan Mackenzie in 1263 by King Alexander III of Scotland, as a reward for a moment of exceptional bravery, a moment that truly mattered. The stag became the whisky’s emblem when descendants of the clan took over the distillery in 1867.

The Dalmore whisky makers are a chain of visionary artists, pushing the boundaries of excellence, for nearly two centuries. The distillery’s collection of unique stills produce a remarkably rich depth of spirit, that is particularly well-suited to longer and more complex maturation, offering a house style of chocolate, orange and warming spice.

This decadent spirit is laid to rest in the rarest, most exclusive casks from the finest winemakers in the world, with their casks specially curated to offer the most exquisite whiskies. The Dalmore is a whisky not merely made, it is created to enrich.

In 2026, The Dalmore’s brand home reopened to visitors, with a reimagined and immersive guest experience that offers an exceptional reward for The Dalmore consumer. Guests will be hosted entirely private in groups of up to eight. Bookings available via www.thedalmore.com

The Dalmore Guild is free to join and is a way for members to be the first to hear about news, products, events, and experiences from The Dalmore. Join via www.thedalmore.com

For the first time ever at The Whisky Shop, we’re really excited announce our Whisky Windfall mystery drop, where everyone is a winner! And tickets are only £45!

We’ve teamed up with Islay-based distillery Laphroaig to bring you 638 bottles full of island character. The top prize is an ultra-rare 38 Year Old Laphroaig from the acclaimed Archive Collection – there are only 400 bottles in existence, making this super exciting and exclusive.

We have every bottle wrapped up, shrouded in mystery, and ready to be shipped. Every order placed is a complete mystery to both you and our Dispatch Team. Entry costs only £45, 26 bottles are worth over £1,000, 188 are worth over £100, and the minimum bottle price is £50. Today we’re inviting you to register your interest, and when the tickets go live on September 10th you’ll be first to know.

Fancy your chances? Are you due a stroke of good luck?

This limited release from Daftmill, Fife’s family-owned farm distillery, was distilled during the summer of 2013 and matured for 13 years before being bottled in June 2026. Just 3,775 bottles were produced. The whisky draws on a selection of fourteen first-fill ex-Bourbon barrels, all matured on the upper level of the distillery’s dunnage warehouse. The Concerto barley was grown in Daftmill’s South fields and harvested on 2nd and 3rd September 2011. It was then dried and stored on the farm before being malted in Alloa during the spring of 2012.

£99.00

TyndrumWhisky.com
The Green Welly Stop
Tyndrumwhisky, Tyndrum
Crianlarich, Perthshire FK20 8RY
United Kingdom

Certificate in American Single Malt Whiskey

Next month marks two years since we launched the Certificate in American Single Malt Whisky in partnership with the American Single Malt Whisky Commission. A lot has changed since then, not least the ratification of American Single Malt as an official whiskey category in the US.

We’re incredibly proud of the course and delighted that more than 300 people have already earned the certification. If you’re in the UK or US, choosing the online course with the tasting pack is a great way to explore six hard-to-find whiskies from this exciting new category. Check out our Approved Course Providers for in-person options.

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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.

LATEST EDITION

This latest issue of Whisky Magazine includes the story of a new release from Laphroaig in collaboration with Hollywood actor and cover star Willem Dafoe. Dafoe was heavily involved in the decision-making for Willem by Willem, and the result is an incredibly exciting and tasty whisky!

This issue also explores two themes — bourbon, and industry leaders. Our bourbon content includes assessing the current landscape in Kentucky ahead of the Kentucky Bourbon Festival in September, and learning about the many releases and updates for many of its distilleries. Our industry leaders features includes interviews with the co-founder of White Peak Distillery Max Vaughan, and one of the whisky world’s most influential educators, Dawn Maskell.

There’s so much to enjoy this issue and throughout the whisky world – enjoy!

Bradley Weir, Whisky Magazine editor

Lancaster Spirits Co. Appoints Craig Drake as Distillery Manager

Lancaster Spirits Co. (LSCo), the artisanal independent distillery founded in 2022, has announced the appointment of Craig Drake as its new Distillery Manager, marking a significant step forward as the company progresses towards the launch of its first single malt whisky in 2027.

Located on the fringes of the ancient Forest of Bowland, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and just outside the historic city of Lancaster, LSCo operates as a grain-to-glass distillery alongside the multi-award-winning Lancaster Brewery. The distillery produces premium, small-batch gin and vodka, alongside its developing single malt whisky programme.

Craig Drake joins LSCo with extensive experience in premium spirits production, bringing a strong track record in quality control, innovation, and end-to-end distilling operations. His expertise spans fermentation, distillation, and cask management, as well as the operation of specialised stills across large-scale distilleries.

In his new role, Drake will oversee the production of all spirits at LSCo, ensuring the highest standards are maintained across its distinctive and highly hands-on processes.

LSCo takes a uniquely meticulous approach to spirit production, including the rare practice of creating its own neutral grain spirit from scratch by distilling beer. Following 27 experimental brews, the team refined a process that underpins the provenance and character of every spirit produced.

Each batch takes approximately five weeks to produce, beginning with water sourced from the company’s own 80-metre-deep artesian well, naturally filtered through slate and limestone. Carefully selected wheat and rye from across England are combined with traditional mashing techniques and fermented using Lancaster Brewery’s 200-year-old live yeast strain, delivering complex and distinctive flavour profiles.

Production remains entirely manual, with no automation in the brewery or stillroom. Barley is milled fresh daily, mash is turned by hand, and every batch undergoes rigorous organoleptic testing — assessing flavour, aroma, appearance, and mouthfeel — before release.

Drake commented on his journey into distilling: “I came into the distilling industry by way of a happy accident. After university, I took on agency work at Adnams Brewery, initially de-shiving casks. Soon after, I was helping commission the Copper House Distillery, where I progressed from cleaning stills to producing gin.”

During his nine years at Adnams, Drake contributed to award-winning spirits including Copper House Gin and Longshore Vodka, both recognised by the IWSC. He later held roles at distilleries in Essex, Bankhall Distillery in Blackpool and Cumbria, and G&J Distillers under Quintessential Brands.

Reflecting on his new role, Drake added: “I’m really looking forward to being part of Lancaster Spirits Company at such an exciting stage, and to working alongside one of the world’s leading single malt whisky experts, Max McFarlane.”

Max McFarlane plays a central role in shaping LSCo’s whisky programme, leading its long-term maturation strategy and developing future expressions that define the distillery’s identity.

Christopher Pateman, Commercial Manager at LSCo, said: “I’m really pleased Craig has joined the team at this point as we progress towards the release of our first single malt in 2027. This is a rare opportunity, and one he has fully embraced, to be part of our story from the very beginning.”

Alongside its single malt ambitions, Lancaster Spirits Co. continues to produce a range of multi-award-winning gins and vodkas, reinforcing its reputation for craftsmanship, quality, and innovation.

To explore LSCo’s spirits, or book a distillery tour, visit https://lancasterspirits.co.uk

TWO DECADES IN THE MAKING: DEFINITIVE JOHNNIE WALKER COLLECTION COMES TO AUCTION

The world’s No. 1 Scotch whisky brand is chronicled through more than 3,200 bottles, miniatures and pieces of memorabilia assembled by one collector over twenty years. 

Whisky Auctioneer will hold a landmark sale this September featuring the largest and most comprehensive collection of Johnnie Walker ever brought to auction. Offering collectors, and dedicated followers of the Striding Man, the unprecedented opportunity to explore the history of one of the world’s most recognisable Scotch whisky brands through more than 3,200 bottles, miniatures and pieces of original advertising and memorabilia, the auction will run from 11-21 September.

At the heart of the collection is the 20 year story of Frans Op den Kamp, whose Johnnie Walker journey began in 1999 with a $130 bottle of Blue Label bought on his way home from a business trip to New York. Over two decades, his fascination evolved into an encyclopaedic knowledge of the brand, with fellow collectors and industry figures turning to him for help dating, valuing and authenticating bottles.

Frans Op den Kamp, collector and consignor, commented:

“Johnnie Walker has been a constant companion throughout my collecting journey. What began with a bottle of Blue Label bought in 1999 grew into more than two decades of learning and travelling from discovering rare market-specific bottlings to bringing together the full story of Johnnie Walker across a century.

“Parting with the collection is certainly not easy, but I feel I have achieved what I set out to do. I hope these bottles find their way to collectors who discover something that resonates with them, whether that’s a particular whisky, a moment in Johnnie Walker’s history or simply the thrill of the hunt. Most of all, I hope it inspires a renewed appreciation for the art of blending and the story of Scotch whisky.”

The collection spans more than a century of Johnnie Walker history, from early 20th-century Old Highland Whisky bottlings through to sought-after modern limited editions and ultra-rare releases. The archive forms a complete visual and physical record of the brand’s evolution from the twentieth century, comprising more than 1,600 full-size bottles, over 600 miniatures, and more than 1,000 original pieces of advertising and memorabilia.

Highlights among the historic archive include pre-1968 corked Black, Red, and Swing bottlings, as well as rare single malt bottlings from Cardhu, Talisker, and Mortlach that explicitly reference John Walker on their original labels. Beside these historic gems sit highly prized modern releases, such as the 1805 Celebration Blend – crafted to mark the 200th anniversary of John Walker’s birth, with only 200 bottles ever gifted to individuals recognised for “significant contributions to modern life”, and the ultra-exclusive Signature Blend by Jenson Button, created by the Formula One world champion and limited to just 25 bottles sold by private invitation in Shanghai.

Consigned from California, the collection has been brought to Scotland, where Whisky Auctioneer’s team is carefully cataloguing, photographing and preparing the archive for its global audience of collectors. The sale builds on Whisky Auctioneer’s experience handling significant private collections from around the world, including The Perfect Collection, which was consigned from Colorado and became the most valuable single-owner whisky collection ever offered at auction at the time.

Joe Wilson, Head Curator and Spirits Specialist at Whisky Auctioneer, said:

“What makes this collection so fascinating is the completeness of the story it tells. Johnnie Walker’s history goes far beyond the global brand we know today, and these early bottlings, labels and memorabilia offer a unique glimpse into its twentieth century evolution and role in shaping Scotch whisky.

“The sheer breadth of the collection is a testament to Frans’ 20 years of dedication. Bringing together this level of completeness is an extraordinary achievement and there’s something here to spark an interest at every level, offering a fascinating way into the world of whisky collecting.”

Beyond the liquid itself, the auction boasts an unprecedented marketing and advertising archive containing over 1,000 pieces of historic advertising and memorabilia dating from the early 1900s to the present day. Offering a unique cultural window into the globally recognised brand’s history, design, and culture, the archive illustrates how the Striding Man logo and Johnnie Walker’s visual identity evolved across global markets throughout the twentieth century.

Dr. Nick Morgan, Whisky Historian and author of the Johnnie Walker bicentennial history, A Long Stride: The Story of the World’s No.1 Scotch Whisky, commented:

“Johnnie Walker’s history is, in many ways, the history of Scotch whisky becoming a global drink in the twentieth century. Having spent years researching the brand, I know how complex and fascinating that story is and what makes Frans’ collection so remarkable is the way it brings that history together in physical form to tell it.

“These objects reveal how the brand evolved from the first appearance of the iconic Striding Man figure in 1908 into the world’s best-selling Scotch whisky. Collections like this are invaluable because they allow us to experience history not just through documents and written records, but through the bottles, labels and objects that people actually bought, drank and occasionally kept for posterity. Frans’ dedication has created an extraordinary collection and a unique insight into the evolution and enduring power of the world’s No. 1 Scotch whisky”.

To register for the auction, The Johnnie Walker Collection: One Hundred Years of Striding, and receive first access to auction previews, collector’s guides, and free artwork downloads, click here.

Auction highlights: 

In numbers: 

• Over 1,600 full-size bottles
• Over 600 miniatures
• Over 1,000 advertisements and pieces of memorabilia
• Over 280 Blue Label bottlings
• Over 200 Red Label bottlings
• Over 500 Black Label bottlings
• Over 100 pre-1968 corked Black, Red and Swing bottlings
• 20 years of collecting by the consignor

Lot highlights: 

Historic Johnnie Walker 

• Old Highland Whisky
• Special Old Highland Whisky
• Extra Special Old Highland Whisky
• Early Black, Red and Swing bottlings
• Cardhu, Talisker and Mortlach bottlings referencing John Walker

Rare and modern highlights 

• A Complete Directors Set
• 1805 Celebration Blend
• John Walker & Sons Signature Blend Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Edition
• A Complete Epic Dates series
• Rare Blue Label special editions including Robbie Burns, Kilmarnock FC, Bruce Lee.
• Special limited editions including Selfridges 100 Years, Gold Kilmarnoch 400 Years, Hill Street Opening 1956.

The advertising archive: 

• Over 1,000 pieces of advertising and memorabilia
• Spanning the early 1900s to the present day
• Providing insight into the evolution of Johnnie Walker’s branding, advertising and visual identity

About Whisky Auctioneer

Whisky Auctioneer is the leading global platform for buying and selling whisky and spirits at auction. Founded in 2013 by whisky enthusiast Iain McClune, the company has grown into a trusted destination for collectors and enthusiasts worldwide, with offices in Scotland, London and Utrecht.

Whisky Auctioneer’s monthly online auctions feature one of the most extensive selections of rare and collectible spirits available, spanning Scotch whisky, Irish whiskey and world whiskies including iconic American and Japanese releases. The platform is designed to make the secondary market more accessible, connecting buyers and sellers across the globe.

In 2021, Whisky Auctioneer made auction history during the sale of The Perfect Collection, when a bottle of The Macallan 1926 Fine and Rare 60 Year Old achieved a £1 million hammer price – the first bottle of whisky to reach that figure in an online-only auction.

New: Strathearn Batch #03

To honour Strathearn’s distinctive flavour profile and the time invested in crafting its rich spirit, Batch 03 has been created with the same careful cask selection as its predecessor – ex – Bourbon, Virgin Oak, and ex – Sherry Oak.

However, with a greater emphasis on Sherry cask influence, you can expect a richly sherried nose of toasted Malt and barley sugar, laced with dark honey and warming spices. A palate that reveals buttery biscuit sweetness, layered with chocolate and toffee, and a long finish of oak, cocoa and soft leather.

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Located in Highland Perthshire, an area with a rich Whisky distilling heritage owing to its spectacular landscape and freshwater lochs, Strathearn Distillery is sited on the outskirts of Perth, the first capital of Scotland, close to where Scottish kings were traditionally crowned on the legendary stone of destiny. A fitting location for a distillery producing a Single Malt Scotch Whisky of the utmost quality, refinement and character.

From Islay, a new story begins at Laggan Bay

Glengoyne’s new sister distillery is taking shape on Islay. Through ‘The Hundred – Laggan Bay’s Founding Casks’, you have the opportunity to follow the creation of a new whisky legacy through exclusive cask ownership. Join the Laggan Bay family and be the first to hear about the latest updates from the distillery and The Hundred Founding Casks.

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Why Does This Whisky Taste Like That?

The first part of our new blog series looks at barley and its influence on flavour development. It explores malting, the use of unmalted grain and basically explains the first step in understanding why no two Scotch whiskies ever taste the same. With tasting recommendations for Bruichladdich and Kilchoman.

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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.