Years ago, when Maltstock started, we thought it would be a great idea to start the Saturday with a refreshing and relaxed morning walk. We hired a couple of local guides to take us through the wonderful local forest and lakes and tell us all about it… Then someone asked: “Is it ok to bring my whisky and share?”

Annette, Bob, Klaas, Stan, Teun

The Morning Monnik Walk

After a late night of tasting great whisky and sharing relaxed stories, and a little bit of ‘shut eye’, it is time to step into the world of Filey Bay whisky during the Monnik Walk by Tony van Rooijen!

On the relaxed but rugged east coast of England a unique whisky is created that attracts the attention of whisky lovers worldwide: Filey Bay Single Malt. The entire production process, from growing barley to bottling the whisky, takes place on the Yorkshire coast. Tony van Rooijen, also known as Tony the Whiskyliefhebber (Tony the Whisky Lover), will put you on the track of this wonderful dram during our traditional walking start of the day!

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Tony… prepare for total and utter relaxed shenanigans. For this of you who aren’t familiar with our morning walks… The days of the local guides telling us about wildlife are long gone! Bing a glass and a bottle of water!!

Established in March 2019, Kameda distillery doesn’t follow tradition, but is all about innovation! Modern distilling with sustainability in mind and focussed on making great spirits… We are so curious to hear their story. You can too as Hiroyuki Doda will feature in the shared Masterclass with Saburomaru and Drinks with… sessions!

Tickets for Maltstock 2026 

Get relaxed now and get your Maltstock tickets here:

https://www.maltstock.com/shop  

AUGUST 2026 AUCTION IN FULL SWING!

With our August Auction now underway, we’re taking a closer look at another standout lot from this month’s sale. Introduced in 1995, Diageo’s Rare Malts series celebrated the individuality of Scotland’s distilleries through well-aged, natural cask strength releases, with many bottlings coming from distilleries that had already fallen silent. This Millburn 1975 was distilled at the now closed Highland distillery, matured for 25 years and bottled at natural cask strength in 2001. A rare opportunity to experience the character of one of Scotland’s lost distilleries through one of the most respected whisky series ever released..

Originally reserved for employees across what is now Diageo’s portfolio of distilleries, the annual Manager’s Dram series was bottled in limited numbers at natural cask strength. Each release was selected by the distillery manager from a small number of exceptional casks, offering a unique snapshot of the distillery’s character. Distilled at Glen Elgin, a Speyside distillery celebrated for its elegant, fruity spirit, this expression matured for 19 years before being bottled at natural cask strength in 1993.

Distilled in 1998, the final year of production at the now demolished Imperial Distillery, this single cask release captures the closing chapter of a lost Speyside distillery. Matured for 25 years in Refill Bourbon Barrel #100916, it was bottled at natural cask strength by Cask 88 in 2023. Drawn from some of the last spirit ever distilled at Imperial, the release comprises just 200 bottles, each featuring an individually varied label illustrated by Johnathon Freemantle – a fitting tribute to one of Scotland’s vanished distilleries.

The Macallan 18 Year Old Sherry Oak has long been regarded as one of the distillery’s defining expressions. Distilled in 1995 and matured exclusively in sherry seasoned oak casks, this release reflects the rich, classic style that has made the range one of Speyside’s most enduring benchmarks. Part of the final generation to carry the year of distillation on the label, it represents an important chapter in the evolution of Macallan’s iconic 18 Year Old.

These featured lots are just a glimpse of what’s on offer in our August Auction. Visit clickwhiskyauctions.com to browse the full auction and discover many more remarkable bottles. Bidding closes from 8pm BST on Sunday, 16th August. Remember, you have to be in it to win it! Register today to bid on your favourite drams.

Old Particular

Fanatical About Flavour 21 Years Old Grain PX Cask

This special 21 Year Old Single Grain Scotch Whisky has been finished in a luxurious PX Sherry Cask and bottled at a Natural Cask Strength of 58.3% ABV. Treacle tart, red currants and candied walnuts lead, followed by cherry bakewell, desiccated coconut and crème caramel.

Sweet Malt, soft baking spice, strawberry jam and stewed plums linger through a rich, enduring finish. Only 240 bottles exist globally with no colouring or chill-filtration.

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At Douglas Laing we are Fanatical About Flavour. Each of these Single Cask Single Malt and Grain bottlings are a celebration of taste above all else – chosen for their exceptional character, depth and individuality. We have purposefully kept the distillery ‘Secret’, setting aside expectations, inviting you to explore each dram with an open mind. Allow the Whisky to speak for itself through aroma, palate and finish… release your inner connoisseur!

Woodrow’s of Edinburgh

Glendronach 20 Years Old

ABV: 51.82% 70 cL

Glen Grant 72YO

THE VIDEO

How does a whisky stay at 52.6% ABv for 72 years? Well, those secrets will remain with Gordon & MacPhail, for now, let’s focus on the taste!

Matured for just over seven decades in an American oak sherry cask (that’s quite unusual in itself), this release was distilled in 148 and bottles in 2020, somehow yielding 290 bottles. Wild.

Amazingly, this whisky isn’t about a lot of those classic sherry notes. It isn’t very raisin driven or full of the Christmas Cake flavours. It’s drenched in almost every profile from sweet to savoury you could imagine, lingering in a wonderfully herbaceous area for a while with mint, oregano and absinthe. Possibly the best older whisky I’ve ever tried, it seems that a majority of reviewers who have tried this agree, it is a simply outstanding bottle of whisky that has quite the mystery behind its origins.

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The International Wine & Spirits Competition Releases Results for the North American Spirits and Ready-to-Drink (RTD) categories

Five Spirits Take Gold Outstanding, Including a 99 point Bourbon

LONDON (June 16, 2026) — The Olympics of the Drink Industry concluded in the Bourbon Capital of the World as spirits industry professionals from around the globe descended upon Bardstown, KY, to judge the IWSC’s (International Wine & Spirits Competition) North American Whiskey, Ready to Drink (RTD) competition on June 4-5, 2026.  After two days of sipping, spitting, and double-blind judging, they have released the results.

This is the first year the IWSC judging included the Rum category, and of those submitted, two rum entries achieved Gold Outstanding status.

Only Five Spirits Reached Gold Outstanding

• 99 Points – Lochs of Jura Barrel 10 YO Bourbon Whiskey by Bardstown Bourbon Company (Available at retail later this summer)
• 98 Points – Old Bardstown Bottled in Bond 4 YO Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey by Willett Distillery
• 98 Points – Coors Whiskey Company Blended American Malt Whiskey 8 Years by Coors Spirits Company

The IWSC is considered the most prestigious of the spirit award competitions, with a very low overall medal rate, making it all the more meaningful for those brands that do take home the honors.  This year, only 1.3% of entrants received the top honor of Gold Outstanding at the North American competition.  A gold outstanding means the brand has scored between 98-100 points and is described as “an outstanding spirit with a naturally exceptional balance, complexity and power. An example that immediately sets itself apart from others in the category.”

Medals awarded include Gold Outstanding,Gold, Silver and Bronze.  In addition to the Gold Outstanding medals, judges also awarded 44 Gold medals and 176 Silver medals across all categories.

Overall, the judges were impressed by the quality of the submissions and the increasing diversity across North America’s spirits industry.  “Each year, there are more unique submissions and excellent liquids,” continued Davies. “The future looks very exciting for U.S. Whiskey, it was really good to see some whiskeys that were super balanced with some really great oak integration, and generally high quality, particularly within the Bourbon and Rye categories.” 

Top-scoring products advance to the prestigious Trophy Judging round. Winners are revealed at the IWSC Awards Celebration in November 2026 in London.

For a complete list of the 2026 North American tasting results, visit IWSC 2026 tasting results | IWSC

About the IWSC

Since 1969, the IWSC has set the global standard for beverage excellence. Known as the “Olympics of the drinks industry,” the IWSC evaluates more than 12,000 entries annually from 90-plus countries. Judges are key decision-makers in the industry, including Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers, Master Distillers and Senior Buyers. These experts assess wines, spirits and alternative drinks using a rigorous panel process that ensures fair evaluation. The IWSC stands out for its expert judging, consistent attention, comprehensive categories and global recognition. For producers, it offers benchmarking, recognition and business connections. For consumers, IWSC medals guide excellence in a wide selection of drinks.

Partners of IWSC’s Global Judging in Kentucky include: James B. Beam Distilling Co., Maker’s Mark, Angel’s Envy⁠, Heaven Hill Brands, Kentucky Eagle, Glencairn, Total Wine & More, Mint Experiences, and Buzick Construction.

About the IWSC Competition Global Judging

Since 2022, the IWSC has held in situ Global Judging events, an initiative introduced by Strategy and Business Development Director Christelle Guibert. The IWSC is proud to be the first international drinks competition to institute a series such as this. Until today, wine and spirits have been judged in Italy, Austria, Georgia, Turkey, Italy, Argentina, Australia, the United States, South Africa and China. The competition is committed to the initiative due to the opportunities it gives all producers in a region to take part, no matter what their size is, and allows for the drinks entered to be judged in context by judges who are up to date with the region and its most recent developments.

Isle of Raasay Distillery

Raasay Hungarian Oak Limited Release

ABV: 50% 70 c

The third installment from Isle of Raasay Distillery’s Oak Species Maturation Series, which places the spotlight firmly on the botanical species of oak. This year’s expression highlights the distinctive character of Hungarian Quercus petraea, sourced from the Zemplén Mountains. Selected not as virgin oak like previous releases, but in the form of seasoned ex-Oloroso sherry barriques. Peated and unpeated spirit, made with 100% Scottish barley, are matured separatley in this distinctive cask type. Hungarian oak is renowned for its slow growth and exceptionally tight grain, allowing for a more controlled interaction between spirit and wood. This results in a whisky of remarkable depth and balance, where spice, sweetness and smoke are intricately layered. 

Raasay Distillery, opened in 2017 on the Isle of Raasay off Scotland’s west coast, is a small, modern craft distillery known for producing lightly peated single malt shaped by the island’s rugged maritime climate. Its whisky is made from local mineral-rich water, long fermentation, and a mix of peated and unpeated spirit matured in a distinctive combination of casks such as rye, Chinkapin oak, and Bordeaux red wine, giving it layers of smoke, spice, and dark fruit. The distillery sits in a restored Victorian house with sweeping views across to Skye, and its visitor experience blends contemporary design with island heritage, making it one of Scotland’s most scenic and characterful new-wave whisky destinations.

SINGLE MALT SCOTCH CONNOISSEURS’ CLUB

Purveyors of “The Water of Life”!

1-2 carefully chosen bottles every quarter

Background information & tasting notes

Total product cost of up to $115 at a savings of up to 40% off SRP (before shipping & taxes)

Shipped directly or available for store pick-up

To learn more and sign up for any of the clubs, just click HERE

The whats and whyfores of grain whisky

Grain whisky is a very broad category indeed and, oddly, the simplest way to explain it is to start by defining what it isn’t. In Scotland, malt whisky must be made from 100% malted barley and distilled in a copper pot still. Any other form of whisky in Scotland is grain whisky. Column stills are vastly more efficient than pot stills, and unmalted wheat or maize is cheaper than malted barley, which has led to a reflexive snobbery about the category.

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Our August Outturn is live and with it 25 plus new casks – each one a unique whisky with a story rooted in oak.

If you cast your mind back to the most basic parts of whisky-making you’ll know that Scotch whisky can only be matured in oak casks. Ergo, no oak, no whisky. But if you’ve ever looked at the cask types in our Outturn, you’ll notice there are quite a few to choose from.

This month we’ll be breaking down some of those cask types to show the importance and the diversity that oak brings to the world of whisky. It’s time to get into the wood stuff.

TAKE ME TO THE BOTTLES

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video