Archive for 2025

Scotch Malt Whisky Society of Canada May 2025 Outturn – Scotch Whisky News

There are brighter days, lighter evenings and of course plenty of weekends for getting off the beaten track. Our May Outturn is now available and offers another great selection of whiskies to keep you on your whisky adventure!

CONIFERS IN THE RAIN

CASK NO. 60.34

CASK:  2nd fill ex-bourbon barrel

AGE:  9 years

AND ME AND MY TRUE LOVE WILL YET MEET AGAIN

CASK NO. 135.62

CASK:  HTMC new oak hogshead

AGE:  16 years

MOROCCAN MEDJOOL MYSTIQUE

CASK NO. 85.77

CASK:  1st fill PX hogshead

AGE:  15 years

OLDE FUNKEY BUTTE

CASK NO. 78.68

CASK:  2nd fill oloroso butt

AGE:  9 years

GASTRONOMIC FUSION

SMALL BATCH SINGLE GRAIN

CASKS:  1st fill ex-bourbon barrels & 2nd fill ex-bourbon hogsheads

AGE:  8 years

A DIFFERENT SHADE OF PEAT

CASK NO. 11.55

FIRST APPEARANCE FROM
THIS DISTILLERY FOR SMWS CANADA

CASK:  2nd fill charred oak hogshead

AGE:  9 years

BROWSE MAY OUTTURN HERE

VIEW ALL BOTTLINGS

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada
Suite 160
104 – 1240 Kensington Road NW
Calgary, AB  T2N 3P7
403-969-8225
curious@smws.ca
www.smws.ca

Three great new whiskies are now available – Little Brown Dog News

What do 30, 13 and 11 make?  

(Whisky lovers very happy…)

Yes, we know age doesn’t matter. Much. Except, sometimes it does, sometimes a whisky has been aged to just the perfect point where it’s the best it’s ever been. Recognising that point is the hard bit. It’s also the fun bit. Whiskies age differently and are dependent on so many factors. One of the most important factors is actually owning the whiskies at the perfect time. Fortuitously we had in our possession three very interesting barrels at just the right time. Is that a lifetime of knowledge, experience and know-how on display or just dumb luck? We’ll let you decide.

For the peat lovers…

Our Ardmore 2013 Single Cask has been aged 11 Years and is cask strength, natural colour and non chill filtered, not something every Ardmore from that time can say. Happily aged in a 1st fill bourbon barrel filled with the rarer, heavily peated Ardmore. Big whisky this, great oily texture and some of the best Ardmore we’ve tasted. Label is the colour of the tiles that line the old direct fire furnaces under the stills at Ardmore.

Speyside Stages…

Speyside seldom disappoints and we hope you’ll agree our 13 year old Glen Elgin 2012 is one of Fogwatt’s better bottles. Single cask, cask strength, natural colour and non chill filtered as you’d expect from us.

Full maturation in 1st fill oloroso cask. We’d normally be careful of 1st fill sherry and delicate Glen Elgin distillate, but this was an American oak cask and it just works really well.

This has also given us the opportunity to show-off (not like us, we know). These bottles have white caps and the label represents the colour of our own 1993 BMW M3 rally car that we won(!) the 2025 Speyside Stages with in April this year. It’s been nearly 20 years since Chris and I did any form of motorsport and this is our first rally together so we thought that was a good enough reason for the label. The fact we actually won the S3 Class means you now have to buy at least one bottle, so you can bask in the reflected glory of the victory…

Glasgow Grain

Almost as old as our car is our final release, a 30 year old Strathclyde 1994 Single Grain Scotch Whisky.

As ever it’s cask strength, natural colour and non chill filtered.

Gorgeous grain from a refill sherry butt to us this conjures up tastes like marshmallow, milk chocolate and shortbread. When we combined this with our lack of geographical knowledge of Greater Glasgow there could only be one inspiration for our label; a Tunnocks Teacake. Iconic, beloved and an example of Scottish cuisine at it’s finest, and so is the teacake.

VIEW ALL PRODUCTS

Edinburgh Whisky Academy “New Diploma Dates for 2026” – Educational Whisky News

New Diploma Dates for 2026

We’re delighted that our flagship in-person Diploma in Single Malt Whisky will return to the stunning Arniston House for three dates in 2026:

📅 16 & 17 March
📅 7 & 8 May
📅 14 & 15 September

Tailored for both industry professionals and passionate enthusiasts, this two-day immersive course combines online prep modules with in-person teaching by Vic Cameron, a whisky veteran with 30+ years of experience (and stories!). You’ll deep-dive into production, sensory analysis and world whiskies, explore a working distillery and take on the final 250-question challenge to earn your SQA-certified Diploma and that well-earned black lapel pin.

 📖 Book Now

Remarkable Regional Malts With A Twist – Scotch Whisky News

Remarkable Regional Malts With A Twist

ABV: 48% | Vol: 70cl

The “Remarkable Regional Malts – With A Twist” bottling encompasses Single Malts from all of Scotland’s Whisky producing regions, representing the various brands in the range. Aged for 10 years, bottled at 48% alcohol strength and offered without colouring or chill-filtration, the resulting Whisky reflects the very best of Scotch Malt Whiskies.

Read More

£41.67

Heaven Hill Distillery Announces Spring 2025 Edition of the Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Decanter Series – Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey News

Heaven Hill Distillery Announces Spring 2025 Edition of the Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Decanter Series

BARDSTOWN, Ky. (May 2025) – Heaven Hill Distillery have announced the release of the Spring 2025 edition of Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Decanter Series, a 9-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Comprised of barrels produced in the spring of 2016, and bottled in the spring of 2025, the fifteenth national release ushers in the latest hallmark series to the bottled-in-bond legacy.

Bottled in an ornate decanter, the spring edition bares a green label, consistent across each of the brand’s spring releases. This edition’s tax strip, which has always been a signature of transparency on bottled-in-bond products, will disclose when the liquid was produced and bottled. The Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Decanter Series Spring 2025 edition will be available in the 750ml size on an allocated basis, reaching store shelves in the coming weeks. It meets the strict requirements of a bottled-in-bond: the product of a single distillery from a single distilling season, aged a minimum of four years, and bottled at 100 proof or 50% alcohol by volume. The edition is available at a suggested retail price of $129.99.

This release of the Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Decanter Series Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey bares a bright copper color, with a nose of apple pie, especially the crust. The taste leads with classic bourbon notes of vanilla and butterscotch, followed by toasted cereal with apple pie spices. Its finish is creamy and viscous, baked apples fading to oak and more cinnamon spices.

“With each release of the Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Decanter Series, we aim to honor both the tradition and craftsmanship that define this storied label,” said Conor O’Driscoll, Master Distiller at Heaven Hill. “This 9-year-old Spring 2025 edition showcases the richness of time. It’s a proud reflection of the bottled-in-bond legacy and Heaven Hill’s enduring commitment to excellence in American whiskey.”

As a leader of the Bottled-in-Bond category, Heaven Hill is proud to offer a premium, allocated product within this special class which showcases the authenticity and quality of the company’s American Whiskey portfolio. The legendary Old Fitzgerald line, which was acquired by Heaven Hill in 1999, is well known for its distilling pedigree and its history as a luxury brand first sold in the finest rail lines and steamships. The packaging was inspired by an original 1950’s Old Fitzgerald diamond decanter and pays homage to the history of the brand being traditionally bottled in artistic decanters of all shapes and sizes. The green label features the time-honored graphic of a key, commemorating an important element in original labels and the brand’s slogan since the 1940’s, “Your key to hospitality”.

ABOUT HEAVEN HILL DISTILLERY: Founded in Kentucky by the Shapira family in 1935, Heaven Hill Distillery continues its legacy as one of the foremost American Whiskey producers. Heaven Hill has cultivated the traditions and history of America’s Native Spirit with its fierce independence, passionate family ownership, dedication to quality, and thoughtful innovation. Today, Heaven Hill Distillery maintains over 2 million barrels aging in more than 70 warehouses throughout Nelson and Jefferson Counties. It is home to an award-winning collection of American Whiskeys including Elijah Craig Bourbon, Larceny Bourbon, Evan Williams Bourbon, Pikesville Rye Whiskey, Rittenhouse Rye Whisky, Parker’s Heritage Collection, and Old Fitzgerald along with its extensive Bottled-in-Bond label collection. Heaven Hill Distillery currently holds the title of 2024 and 2023 Whisky Magazine Distillery of the Year and 2023 World’s Best Small Batch Bourbon from the Icons of Whisky, as well as the 2022 Large Spirits Producer of the Year from the Ascot Awards. Heaven Hill Distillery held the title of 2020 Whisky Advocate Whisky of the Year, the second Whisky of the Year for Heaven Hill Distillery in the past four years. In 2019 Heaven Hill Distillery was named San Francisco World Spirits Competition Distillery of the Year, Best in Show Whisky, and previously held the titles of 2018 San Francisco Spirits Word Spirits Competition Best Bourbon, 2016 Whisky Magazine Distillery of the Year. For more information, please visit www.heavenhilldistillery.com.

The Dalmore Announces New Partnership with the British Council Ahead of 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia – Scotch Whisky News

The Dalmore Announces New Partnership with the British Council Ahead of

19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia

The Dalmore Single Malt Whisky is proud to announce a prestigious new partnership with the British Council, as they become Supporting Partner of the British Pavilion at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia in 2025. This new collaboration cements The Dalmore’s ongoing commitment to the art and design industry, as exemplified by its celebrated Luminary Series.

The Luminary Series is a three-part collection of limited-edition whiskies, co-created by renowned talents from the worlds of whisky making and architectural design. Established in a purpose-led partnership with V&A Dundee, Scotland’s design museum, the Luminary Series unites The Dalmore’s master whisky makers and leading architectural talent, to co-create unique and exceptionally rare Single Malt whiskies and sculptural designs.

The Dalmore is furthering their support of the global design and architecture community by becoming Supporting Partner of the British Council and the British Pavilion at the world-renowned Biennale in Venice. This not only aligns with the overarching Luminary Series, but specifically with the launch of the third chapter – Luminary No.3 2025 Edition – which will take place in Venice, ahead of the Biennale.

Occurring every other year in Venice, Italy, the Biennale is the renowned international exhibition of architecture with a central exhibition Pavilion, as well as 29 other National Pavilions, each presenting a national showcase. The exhibition showcases architectural solutions to contemporary social, technological and humanistic issues and has played host to some of the world’s foremost architectural talent, including the firms of previous Luminary collaborators, Kengo Kuma Associates and Zaha Hadid Architects.

The British Pavilion, led by the British Council, is dedicated to showcasing the best of UK contemporary architecture and design. For 2025, the British Pavilion is curated by Cave-bureau co-founders Kabage Karanja and Stella Mutegi, alongside Owen Hopkins and Professor Kathryn Yusoff, and explores Architecture as an Earth Practice.

While this is The Dalmore’s debut as an official Supporting Partner, the Highland Single Malt Whisky has previously supported the vernissages for the British Pavilion in 2023 and at the International Arte Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia last year. 

Ahead of the official opening of the Biennale, The Dalmore will unveil The Luminary Series No.3 2025 Edition in Venice, revealing the collaborator, whiskies and sculpture at an intimate launch event.

Steven Pearson, Chief Marketing Officer, The Dalmore said:

“This partnership perfectly aligns with the aims of The Dalmore and The Luminary Series. Supporting the British Council and British Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale allows us to further our commitment to support pioneering talent and creativity. The British Council’s ethos of cross-cultural collaboration is mirrored in our own approach to whisky making and our sponsorship represents a shared commitment to shine a light and support creative talents.”

“The British Pavilion has always been a platform for showcasing the boldest and most thought-provoking ideas in contemporary architecture, design and art. This year, with the support of The Dalmore, we are able to expand our vision and bring new perspectives to the global stage. Together, we are championing cross-disciplinary collaboration and the power of design to shape a better future,” said Sevra Davis, Director of Architecture, Design and Fashion at the British Council and Commissioner of the British Pavilion.

About The Dalmore

The Dalmore is a supporting partner of the British Pavilion at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia 2025.

Founded in 1839 on the shores of the Cromarty Firth in the Scottish Highlands, The Dalmore has been making masterpieces of Single Malt Whisky for over 180 years.

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. The stag became the whisky’s emblem when descendants of the clan took over the distillery in 1878.

The Dalmore distillery’s collection of idiosyncratic stills creates a New Make spirit of unique character and depth – robust and fruity, particularly well-suited to longer and more complex maturation. This allows The Dalmore’s renowned whisky makers to develop spirit over longer periods, continuing a tradition of visionary whisky-making as they fully express their art using rare casks from some of the world’s finest wineries and bodegas.

The Dalmore is a keen and active supporter of the creative industry, as demonstrated by The Luminary Series and The Portfolio Series, where the worlds of design and whisky making artistry combine, resulting in exceptional collaborations.

www.thedalmore.com for more.

The Dalmore
www.thedalmore.com
Facebook & Instagram @thedalmore

About the British Council

The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. We do this through our work in arts and culture, education and the English language. We work with people in over 200 countries and territories and are on the ground in more than 100 countries.

The Whisky Lounge “What’s new? Lots, that’s what!” 😃 Whisky Event News

Now. You know we have always focused on trying to create events we would want to go to. All whilst making a space for the whisky curious, so the water of life can be accessible and interesting to everyone.

And you know that we specialise in exposing and nurturing new whiskies, at our events, and the only place you can buy these often new or niche liquids is at our festivals. A fleeting opportunity some might say.

So we have decided it is time to ‘join the dots’…

To that end we are absolutely thrilled to announce that we have created our own TWL online shop, so you can ‘shop the show’ all year round! This features brands and bottlers, that you’ll see at our shows, plus we have exciting plans for ‘TWL Exclusive’ bottlings. We hope you’ll agree this is a worthy endeavour and we really appreciate your ongoing support and future custom as always.

You can explore the online shop by simply clicking the button below. It is a work in progress so you will see it evolve before your very eyes…

Explore the TWL Shop

All of this does mean that you will hear from us more regularly, with updates on new bottlings and ranges. However, we will never litter your inbox on a daily, or even weekly basis, and hopefully you’ll still find what you read to be relevant to you!

We are also delighted to introduce Tom, who you may have seen at recent shows, running the festival shop. He will run our in person and online retail operation, as well as tastings in the North-West…

Speaking of tastings…

 

TWL WHISKY TASTINGS are BACK! 🎉

And not just anywhere – we’re bringing the good stuff to Manchester, Newcastle, and York, to begin with. Starting this June, we’re relaunching our much-loved regular tastings, and trust us, you won’t want to miss what we’ve got lined up.

Kicking things off with a bang…
We’re teaming up with the fantastic folks at Rare Find (Gleann Mor) for our comeback tour. They’ll be guiding us through their latest releases – and yep, it’s as tasty as it sounds:

🥃 Dailuaine 16yo finished in a Foursquare rum cask
🍷 Glen Garioch 16yo with a Ribera del Duero twist
🍇 Glen Ord 10yo aged in Châteauneuf-du-Pape casks (fancy, eh?)
🥴 A cheeky Secret Lowland 11yo from a rich sherry cask
💛 And a crowd-pleaser: the legendary Aultmore 14yo

First stop:
Manchester – 7th June 2025

The Seven Oaks
Manchester
M1 4HL
7pm-8.30pm

Mark it down, clear your diary, grab your tasting buddies. This is going to be a cracker of an evening – great drams, chilled vibes, and plenty of whisky chat. We’ll be announcing the Newcastle and York dates very soon, so keep your eyes on your inbox (and maybe start planning a road trip?). Ready to join us for a dram or five? Oh, and there’s a £5 off voucher for any purchases on the night for every ticket holder…

Click on the button below to book your spots!

Buy Manchester Tasting Tickets Now!

And if that wasn’t enough for you…

Hot on the heels of this years event, which most would agree was probably the best ever, we are releasing the first Early-Birds for next year’s show. Dets:

Newcastle Whisky Festival 2026
Saturday, March 28th
Civic Centre
Barras Bridge
Newcastle Upon Tyne

Early-birds are the same as last year, so if you want the best deal, buy now!

Buy Newcastle Festival Tickets

Don’t forget to get your tickets for the following festivals, coming up this year too…

Sláinte,

Eddie, Amanda and Tom
The Whisky Lounge Team

The Chairman’s Choice: Fred Laing’s Top Whisky Picks – Scotch Whisky News

The Chairman’s Choice

Fred Laing’s Whisky Recommendations

We’ve explored the Douglas Laing family archives to bring back some of our Chairman Fred Laing’s most cherished bottlings. Personally curated by Chairman Fred Laing, this collection reflects both his expert eye and personal favourites. Whether you’re exploring something new, enhancing your collection, or simply seeking trusted quality, Fred’s handpicked selections deliver.

SHOP NOW

SPRING 2025: Next-Level Craft – Whisky Advocate News

SPRING 2025: Next-Level Craft

Every issue of Whisky Advocate is committed to helping you grow your whisky appreciation and knowledge.

On Sale Now!

Subscribe

ralfy review 1077 – Ardnahoe Bholsa – Scotch Whisky News


Powered by WordPress