Whispers of Spring: A journey of reawakening is an ode to spring. Each of the four bottles in the collection is designed to take you on a sensory journey, offering a unique take on traditional flavours. These casks have been left to mature to perfection over decades in refill wood. The result is a story of transformation and renewal.

Our Head of Whisky, Euan Campbell says, “Sometimes it’s fun to explore the technical and process side of whisky, and sometimes it’s best to let the whisky take you to a time and place and simply revel in sheer enjoyment. Our Whispers of Spring collection does just that. These whiskies present you with fresh floral aromas, juicy fruits and green shoots. They all carry significant age statements and are perfect contemplative drams, to enjoy while considering the year ahead and what spring renewal will bring”  

This Creators Collection celebrates the beauty of new beginnings and the timeless tradition of whisky-making, reimagined for the modern palate.

Whispers of Spring: A journey of reawakening is now available online.

WATCH THE VIDEO

BUY THE COLLECTION

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

SPRINGBANK PRIVATE BOTTLING

2001 – AGED 23 YEARS

ONLY 12 BOTTLES AVAILABLE

A rare, limited release from Springbank Distillery.

A private cask bottling from a first fill sherry butt containing only 387 bottles.

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Midleton Very Rare

2025 Release

70cl · 40% ABV

£219.95

This milestone release pays tribute to 200 years of whiskey making excellence at the Midleton distillery. The Midleton Very Rare 2025 is a whiskey of remarkable depth and balance; meticulously composed from six distinct distillate styles, each representing generations of mastery, innovation, and dedication that have become synonymous with Midleton Very Rare.

Nose: Opens with sweet waves of caramelised apple, toffee fudge and vanilla, while the subtle herbal and floral notes of freshly picked garden mint and lavender slowly build over time, complementing the woodland spices of cinnamon and nutmeg thanks to the rich influence of the American oak.

Palate: Textured layers of sweet honeycomb with soft fruits and delicate herbal undertones. White pepper with a mild hint of chilli oil work in tandem with the nuanced citrus and orchard fruits while the sweet nature of this intriguing whiskey continues to build with decadent flavours of treacle, toffee, vanilla, and sugar glazed fruits.

Finish: Rich and lingering. The fruits begin to softly fade, leaving the oak and pot still spices with the final word.

Iona and Charli from our team recently had the pleasure of bringing a taste of our island to the Big Apple. While taking part in NYC’s Tartan Week they took time to share the rich culture and language of Harris with new friends just across the bridge in Brooklyn. Plenty of drams of The Hearach and Isle of Harris Gin cocktails were shared alongside live Gaelic singing by the Lochs Gaelic Choir, all the way from our Outer Hebridean home.

A big thanks to Scotland’s National Chef, Gary Maclean, for the stunning spread of Scottish flavours served that truly brought the evening together. Special thanks also to Bakkafrost P/F for the exquisite native salmon.

Slainte mhath!

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The Good Dram Show – Episode 590 ‘Tullibardine’

Welcome to this week’s episode of the show in which I’ll be explaining why the term, to do a Tulli has become a thing, as they say! The Good Dram Show with Chris Goodrum.

Episode 590 – Explaining How To Do A Tulli..!

Filmed in The Study Nottingham.

Featuring

Tullibardine 1993 (18 year old) John Black’s Selection No6 55.1%
Tullibardine No Age Statement Sauternes Finish 46%
Tullibardine No Age Statement Coume del Mas Banyuls Finish 46%
Tullibardine No Age Statement Sherry Finish 46%
Tullibardine No Age Statement Port Finish 46%
www.tullibardine.com

Dewar Rattray ‘Single Cask’ Tullibardine 1990 (21 year old) 46%
www.adrattray.com

Mac-Talla Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Announces Limited Edition Release for Fèis Ìle 2025; ‘Amarone’ – From Italy to Islay.

Aberargie, Scotland : 16th April 2025 : Mac-Talla Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky is proud to announce the launch of a new and exclusive limited-edition release in celebration of the world-renowned “Fèis Ìle” meaning, the Islay Festival. This bottling will be available from select retailers from 16th May 2025, at an RRP of £78.00.

This one-of-a-kind whisky, a true tribute to the island’s rich heritage and its masterful cask maturation processes. It will be available to whisky enthusiasts in the UK, EU, and other select international markets.

A Bold Union: Peated Islay Spirit Meets Amarone Wine

The new release showcases the synergy between two distinct forces – the bold, smoky character of Islay single malt and the opulent intensity of Amarone wine. This limited edition bottling was crafted by carefully selecting a parcel of high-quality, first-fill Amarone casks – an exceptional choice for whisky maturation.

Amarone della Valpolicella is one of Italy’s most luxurious wines, known for its deep, dark cherry and chocolate notes, made through a unique process called appassimento, where grapes are air-dried before fermentation, concentrating their flavours. The result is a whisky that combines the bold flavours of Islay peat with the luxurious, fruit-forward richness of Amarone wine.

Fèis Ìle Attendees

For any lucky whisky lovers that will be attending Fèis Ìle this year, Mac-Talla are hosting some exclusive events over the festival. All details can be found here.

Notes 

• Release Date: 16th May 2025
• RRP: £78.00 ABV: 53.3%
• Tasting notes: Prominent notes of stone fruits wrapped up in rich dark chocolate with a long finish of warming peat at the end Available Markets: UK, EU, and select international markets
• Age of Liquid: NAS
• Finish: 18 months finishing, marriage of two casks(1 butt of First Fill Amarone, 1 partial refill European Oak Butt), returned to Amarone casks for a further 6 months.
• Casks Used: 2 casks
• Press preview: Thursday 8th May 6pm-8pm at The Scottish Gantry in Edinburgh, details below:

Stockists: Mac-Talla Amarone will be available from select whisky retailers from 26th May – for more details on stockists visit: https://mactallawhisky.com/stockists

Blended Malt Scotch Whisky Of The Year

We’re thrilled to announce that Scallywag Orange Wine Cask Finish has been awarded a Gold Medal with an impressive 95 points at the International London Spirits Competition 2025 — and crowned Blended Malt Scotch Whisky of the Year.

This Winter Limited Edition is a celebration of bold innovation and Speyside heritage. Matured in Orange Wine casks sourced from Spain, it offers an indulgent escape to a snowy mountainside retreat, where après-ski comfort meets exquisite craftsmanship.

Expect zesty citrus bursts, rich Malt character, and a warming, full-bodied finish — the perfect dram to toast life’s finer moments.

 Scallywag Orange Wine Cask Finish

🏅 Whisky Producer of the Year – Douglas Laing

AUCHROISK 31 YEARS OLD

This single malt was distilled in 1990 at the Auchroisk Distillery, located in the Speyside region of Scotland. It was aged for 31 years in a single hogshead before bottling at natural cask strength, without chill-filtration or artificial colouring.

£175.00

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McMillan Coppersmiths in Prestonpans

Our Founder Kirsty McKerrow recently toured McMillan Coppersmiths in Prestonpans, guided by EWA alumni Olga Gordon and expert coppersmith Declan Rutherford. A rare, up-close look at the craft behind the copper… and the flavour. We look forward to returning in the summer to film material for some exciting future projects (more details to come). 📖 Read the Post

Study whisky: explore your passion, kickstart your career. We are the leading provider of certified Scotch whisky education. 12,000+ candidates globally enjoy our SQA-Approved courses. Learn directly from the experts when you study online or in-person.

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 559: Bowmore 12 Year Old

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, tries an Islay malt. It is fair to say that the Bowmore 12 Year Old is one of the distillery’s entry-level malts. This also means that the bottle is very affordable, something that cannot be said for all entry-level malts.

https://youtu.be/fftb5Mv00nI