Finalists Revealed in the 7th Scottish Whisky Awards

The wait is over! We are delighted to announce the finalists in the 7th Annual Scottish Whisky Awards. After an intensive judging process, including a blind tasting of more than 1,200 samples, the panel has selected 43 distilleries and 192 Scotch whiskies as this year’s finalists.

The Scottish Whisky Awards celebrate the best in Scotland’s national drink, highlighting success across 11 taste categories and 7 business categories. These awards continue to provide a unique platform for the industry to come together, celebrate achievements, and showcase Scotch whisky on a global stage.

2025 FINALISTS

The winners of the 7th Scottish Whisky Awards will be announced at a celebratory dinner on Thursday 27th November 2025, hosted at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Glasgow Central.

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1974 Van Winkle 16 Year “Family Reserve” (Gold Wax) Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky With Presentation Box 

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(750ml & Box) (Elsewhere $17000)

ralfy review 1097 Extras – Future changes affecting whisky.

ARTISTRY IN OAK
GORDON & MACPHAIL REVEALS DESIGN
BY ACCLAIMED ARCHITECT JEANNE GANG
FOR THE WORLD’S OLDEST SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

On Thursday 2 October 2025, Gordon & MacPhail is to reveal the ‘Artistry in Oak’ decanter design by internationally acclaimed American architect Jeanne Gang, marking the release of the oldest single malt Scotch ever bottled – Gordon & MacPhail 85 Years Old from Glenlivet Distillery.

Gordon & MacPhail sought to commission a creative partner to design a unique decanter to house their most precious whisky to date. A partnership built on common values and a shared commitment to leave a legacy for future generations, Jeanne Gang’s design is shaped through her close observation of growth and form in nature. The four branches which suspend the glass decanter are made from solid bronze, providing an armature that cradles the precious liquid in the same way the oak cask has nurtured the whisky for eight and a half decades.

Only 125 decanters are available worldwide, each with an RSP of £125,000.

Over the last 130 years, Gordon & MacPhail has been driven by a simple mission: to create single malt Scotch whisky of exceptional quality. Through four generations of family ownership, the company has matched its own specially selected casks with spirit from over 100 Scottish distilleries. Managing a portfolio of casks requires a complex level of expertise which Gordon & MacPhail has honed to fully understand cask maturation matched to different styles of spirit. Patience is undoubtedly a virtue in this realm and Gordon & MacPhail’s whiskies are often the oldest expression ever to be released from a particular distillery.

The decanter design by Jeanne Gang is a celebration of the profound artistry, craft, care and time alongside nature that went into the liquid it encases. The maturation of whisky over very long periods of time is a very challenging proposition often quoted as more art than science. As the oldest single malt Scotch ever bottled, this release is the ultimate expression of this art and testament to the foresight of George Urquhart and his father, John, who selected cask 336 in 1940 to cradle this liquid for decades to come.

“One of the greatest challenges was that this has never been done before. We’re the first to mature a whisky for 85 years. Every year that goes by is a year into the unknown. We have to appreciate we’re always dealing with mother nature so the key traits of this process are patience and trust,” comments Stephen Rankin Director of Prestige at Gordon & MacPhail, and member of the fourth generation of the family that owns the company.

Embracing the creative theme of ‘Artistry in Oak’, the design evokes the idea of a tree slowly entwining a piece of amber. Four separate branches spiral upward, wrapping around a suspended glass vessel that contains the amber liquid originally distilled at Glenlivet Distillery. American oak informed the branches’ design, a nod to the wood used to comprise the Gordon & MacPhail cask which cradled the spirit for 85 years.

“It was of utmost importance that the quality of the whisky itself be manifest in the design of the decanter. Made from handblown glass and cast bronze, I thought about how each material would exhibit its own inherent qualities while fulfilling its purpose to hold and protect the liquid,” explains Jeanne Gang.

The design was conceived as a single object, with the suspended glass vessel relying on the branches for support, evoking the reciprocity between whisky and its cask. Jeanne chose bronze for the four entwining branches that cradle the vessel because it is an enduring material; one that evolves slowly and beautifully over time, much like whisky. As bronze develops a patina, it mirrors the way whisky deepens in colour and character over the years.

“Standing tall and strong, the patinated bronze entwines the vessel, suspending it while revealing the amber colour of the whisky within. Together, the elements depend on and complement each other, in a reciprocal dance whose form, like the whisky it holds, is a product of both natural growth and the nature of its materiality,” expresses Gang.

As part of this landmark release, Gordon & MacPhail is supporting American Forests, the oldest national nonprofit conservation organisation in the United States – a leader in forest restoration – via the online auction of Decanter #1 in partnership with Christie’s.

“Given the importance of oak in our craft, this partnership was a natural fit, aligning with our mission to leave a meaningful legacy for ongoing generations via fundraising for the sustainable future of American oak trees,” adds Stephen Rankin.

The auction conducted online by Christie’s, opening for bids on Friday 7th November and concluding on Friday 21st November 2025, will see proceeds of the lot (minus costs) donated to the American Forests, to support their work dedicated to creating healthy and resilient forests in cities and large landscapes, including the regeneration and long-term sustainability of America’s oak-dominated forests essential for whisky maturation.

As well as Decanter #1, the lot will include a personalised whisky tasting hosted by Gordon & MacPhail’s Director of Prestige Stephen Rankin or Richard Urquhart, Sales Director, both fourth generation family members; a framed, signed sketch of an oak tree by Jeanne Gang, which informed the decanter’s design; and the cask end of cask 336 which nurtured the single malt Scotch whisky, presented in a bespoke frame.

Adam Bilbey, Christie’s Global Head of Wine and Spirits says: “Partnering with Gordon & MacPhail for Artistry in Oak is a moment of pride for Christie’s. The unveiling of Decanter No. 1 from Gordon & MacPhail 85 Years Old is not just a highlight of our season—it’s a celebration of time, tradition, and craftsmanship. Over the last 85yrs this extraordinary spirit has been carefully and patiently nurtured by Gordon & MacPhail, culminating in the extraordinary moment.”

A TASTE OF LIQUID HISTORY

At 85 years old, this historical liquid has spent decades maturing in a unique cask that has had a profound impact on its flavour. Cask 336 had previously held mature sherry before being re-filled on 3 February 1940 with spirit at the Glenlivet Distillery. This was a time when production across Scotland was much reduced due to the raw materials required being diverted for other uses or there being a shortage in them created by the war.

This long maturation has imparted deep, complex flavours to the whisky, with vibrant, full-bodied notes that remain remarkably robust at 43.7% ABV. The influence of the cask, combined with the rarity and incredible scarcity of the liquid, creates a whisky that is not only extraordinary in its taste but also a living piece of history.

Aroma: Soft, aged leather aromas lead to apricot compote, cinnamon, and subtle waxy, citrus fruit notes. Vanilla gives way to dried sultana and aniseed with underlying beeswax polish. Subtle smoky undertones develop.
Flavours: Smooth and vibrant with cracked black pepper and sweet dried tobacco flavours, followed by Seville Orange peel. Morello cherry and plum flavours are balanced by subtle oak.
Finish: A full-bodied finish with lingering herbal notes.

This exceptional release represents the pinnacle of whisky craftsmanship – an 85-year-old single malt matured over four generations. Not only is it the oldest whisky ever bottled, but its extreme rarity, scarcity and provenance, coupled with the artistry of Jeanne Gang’s design, make it an unparalleled collector’s piece.

GORDON & MACPHAIL 85 YEARS OLD FROM GLENLIVET DISTILLERY
AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE FROM 2 OCTOBER 2025, PRICED AT £125,000
GORDON&MACPHAIL.COM

CHRISTIE’S ONLINE AUCTION OF DECANTER #1
FRIDAY 7TH NOVEMBER – FRIDAY 21ST NOVEMBER 2025
PROCEEDS OF THE LOT (MINUS COSTS) DONATED TO THE AMERICAN FORESTS
CHRISTIES.COM

@GORDONANDMACPHAIL

About Gordon & MacPhail

For more than 130 years, Gordon & MacPhail has been driven by a simple mission: to create single malt Scotch whisky of exceptional quality. Through four generations of family ownership, the company has matched its own bespoke casks with spirit from over 100 Scottish distilleries. Managing a portfolio of casks is a complex level of expertise which Gordon & MacPhail has honed to fully understand cask maturation matched to different styles of spirit. It is this cask curation that allows Gordon & MacPhail to consistently deliver a range of perfectly matured whiskies. Their expert maturation management creates unique, complex but perfectly balanced single malts found nowhere else. At the very heart of business lies the sample room – an exceptional liquid library spanning more than a century of Scotch whiskies featuring a wide range of age profiles and character. But these exceptional snapshots in time are not heirlooms there to impress, they exist to help inform and shape future decision-making and provide an invaluable guide for generations to come.

GORDONANDMACPHAIL.COM

About Gordon & MacPhail’s Unique Relationship With Over 100 Scottish Distilleries Uniquely, Gordon & MacPhail is the only whisky company to have matched its casks to spirit from over 100 distilleries from all over Scotland. We then nurture it, often for many decades, then lean on experience handed down through four generations to know when to bottle it. Over its 130 history, Gordon & MacPhail built a strong bond of trust and mutual respect with these distilleries to allow the company to fill casks. These relationships were founded on the commitment that Gordon & MacPhail’s releases would complement not compete against those from the proprietary distillery, providing drinkers with interesting nuances in flavour. No other company has the
depth and breadth of whisky in terms of variety of source distillery of the original spirit and age up to 80 years.

About Jeanne Gang

Jeanne Gang is the founding partner of Studio Gang, an international architecture and urban design practice with offices in Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and Paris. Known for a distinctive design approach that expands beyond architecture’s conventional boundaries, she creates striking places that strengthen connections between people, their communities, and nature. Her diverse, award-winning portfolio across the Americas and Europe includes the Gilder Center at the American Museum of Natural History, which the New York Times called “a poetic, joyful, theatrical work of public architecture”; a new United States Embassy in Brazil; and an expansion of the Clinton Presidential Center. Intertwined with built work, Jeanne and the Studio develop research, publications, and exhibitions that push design’s ability to create public awareness and give rise to change – a practice Jeanne calls “actionable idealism.” A MacArthur Fellow and a Professor in Practice at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Jeanne has been named one of TIME Magazine’s most influential people in the world.

STUDIOGANG.COM

About Christie’s

Founded in 1766, Christie’s is a world-leading art and luxury business with a physical presence in 46 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific, and flagship international sales hubs in New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris and Geneva. Renowned and trusted for our expert live and online-only auctions, as well as bespoke Private Sales, Christie’s unparalleled network of specialists offers our clients a full portfolio of global services, including art appraisal, art financing, international real estate and education. Christie’s auctions span more than 80 art and luxury categories, at price points ranging from $500 to over $100 million. Christie’s has sold 7 of the 10 most important single-owner collections in history, achieved the world record price for an artwork at auction, launched the first fully on-chain auction platform dedicated to exceptional NFT art and manages an investment fund to support innovative start-ups in the art market. Christie’s is also committed to advancing responsible culture throughout its business and communities worldwide. To learn more, browse, bid, discover and join us for the best of art and luxury at christies.com or by downloading Christie’s apps.

CHRISTIES.COM

About American Forests

American Forests is the first national nonprofit conservation organization created in the U.S. Since its founding in 1875, the organization has been the pathfinders for the forest conservation movement. Its mission is to create healthy and resilient forests, from cities to large natural landscapes, that deliver essential benefits for climate, people, water and wildlife. The organization advances its mission through forestry, innovation, place-based partnerships to plant and restore forests, and movement building.

AMERICANFORESTS.ORG

The World’s Favourite Whisky Glass Toasts Sixth Year Sponsoring Bloody Scotland Crime Writing Awards

Winning author Tariq Ashkanani presented with Glencairn Glass trophy

Tariq Ashkanani, the winner of this year’s McIlvanney Prize, was presented with a giant Glencairn Glass trophy at this year’s Bloody Scotland Festival (12th – 14th September)

The Scottish family glassware company, Glencairn Crystal, has continued its sponsorship of both The McIlvanney Prize for the Scottish Crime Book of the Year and the Bloody Scotland Debut Crime Novel of the Year, for the sixth year with its iconic Glencairn Glass for whisky.

The winners were announced at the Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival which took place over the weekend from 12th – 14^th September in Stirling. This year’s winner of The McIlvanney Prize is Tariq Ashkanani and the Debut Prize went to David Goodman.

The winner of The McIlvanney Prize, Tariq Ashkanani, was presented with a giant Glencairn Glass trophy.

Kirsty Nicholson, Design and Marketing Manager at the awards sponsor Glencairn Crystal, said: “A huge congratulations to Tariq Ashkanani on winning the McIlvanney Prize with his page-turning thriller The Midnight King, and to David Goodman on receiving the Debut Prize for his gripping first novel A Reluctant Spy.  Being a Scottish family company, we are proud to sponsor these distinguished annual awards with the Glencairn Glass, the official glass for whisky – both of which are deeply rooted in Scotland. It is an honour to help celebrate and shine a spotlight on such exceptional authors in the wonderful world of crime fiction.”

Both of the prestigious literary prizes are awarded as part of the annual Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival which takes place every September. Based in Stirling, Bloody Scotland has brought hundreds of crime writers – new and established – to the stage along with enthusiastic festival attendees since 2012, with exciting events covering a range of criminal subjects from fictional forensics and psychological thrillers to tartan noir and cosy crime.

Celebrating its 25^th Birthday this year, the Glencairn Glass is the world’s official whisky glass and winner of the Queen’s Award for Innovation. It has become the tasting glass for connoisseurs, collectors and distillers alike and more than 5 million Glencairn Glasses are now sold each year, with 50 million glasses sold to date across more than 140 countries.

For further details visit: www.bloodyscotland.com and www.whiskyglass.com

Glencairn Crystal celebrates Manufacturing Innovation win at inaugural Made in Scotland Awards 2025

James Crilly – Glencairn Crystal Purchasing Director (left), Darren McGinn – Glencairn Crystal Sales Manager (centre) and comedian Susie McCabe (right)

The family-owned, award-winning crystal glassware business, Glencairn Crystal, has won the award for Manufacturing Innovation at the inaugural Made in Scotland Awards 2025. This latest accolade follows on from the company receiving the prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation earlier this year and its recent shortlisting as a finalist in the Department for Business and Trade Exporter of the Year Award at the Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards, reinforcing its world-leading role as a pioneer in innovation-led design and manufacturing of crystal and glass.

Founded over 40 years ago and based in East Kilbride, Glencairn Crystal is globally recognised for redefining the traditional crystalware industry. With its commitment to craftsmanship and cutting-edge processes, the company has become an international expert in ultra-premium spirit decanters and glassware design. It has pioneered advanced decoration techniques and the application of metalware on glass and crystal, underscoring its reputation for innovation, quality, and design excellence.

The debut Made in Scotland Awards organised by the leading B2B media platform, Insider, took place on 25 September at the Voco Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow. The event celebrated the strength and diversity of Scotland’s manufacturing sector across industries including food and drink, automotive, energy, digital and transport. Hosted by Scottish comedian Susie McCabe, the ceremony honoured companies that are shaping the future of Scottish industry. Winners will now progress to Insider’s Made in the UK Awards next year.

Glencairn Crystal received the Manufacturing Innovation Award for exemplifying how established businesses can innovate at scale. Judges commended the company for successfully blending traditional craftsmanship with cutting edge processes, delivering real change in both product design and production. They praised Glencairn Crystal for evolving without compromising its heritage – demonstrating that innovation can be rooted in reinvention as well as in new ventures.

The company also produces the Glencairn Glass which is recognised as the world’s official whisky glass. This year the glass celebrates its 25^th birthday and the company now sell over 5 million glasses across international markets each year.

The Made in Scotland Award was accepted on behalf of Glencairn Crystal by James Crilly, Purchasing Director, and Darren McGinn, Sales Manager. Commenting on the win, James Crilly said:

“ Innovation has always been the driving force behind everything we do at Glencairn Crystal. From the earliest days starting out over 40 years ago, to becoming a global leader in premium glassware, we’ve never stood still. This award is not only a recognition of the new techniques and technologies we’ve introduced, but also of the passion and craftsmanship of our entire team. We will continue to push the boundaries whilst staying true to our family values and Scottish heritage.”

For further details about Glencairn Crystal please visit: www.glencairn.com and for the Made in Scotland awards: www.insidermedia.com/event/made-in-scotland-awards-2025

Insider Media:

Insider Media is the UK’s leading regional B2B media platform, providing essential business news and intelligence to professionals across every region of the country.

Glencairn Crystal Awards:

In May this year Glencairn Crystal was honoured with a King’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation. The company first received the Queen’s Award for Innovation in 2006 for the Glencairn Glass, followed by the Queen’s Award for International Trade in 2012 and 2017. In July the company was also named a finalist in the Department for Business and Trade Exporter of the Year Award at the Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards 2025.

Other accolades include Whisky Advocate Industry Leader of the Year in the US in 2011. In 2019 Glencairn Crystal was one of only seven Scottish companies to join the London Stock Exchange Group’s ELITE programme for fast-growing companies, and recognition in the 2023 Scottish Export Index as one of the top 20 companies demonstrating excellence in international trade.

ORKNEY SINGLE MALT
SCOTCH WHISKY

Founded in 1885, Scapa distillery overlooks the historic Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands. The distillery produces unpeated Single Malt Scotch Whisky with a smooth, mellow character. Crafted in small batches and matured exclusively in American oak casks, Scapa Single Malt offers notes of vanilla, honey and tropical fruit, complimenting the distillery’s signature coastal character.

10 YEAR OLD

Scapa 10-Year-Old is a refined single malt with vibrant notes of tropical fruits, crème brûlée, and citrus. The palate offers spiced stewed apples, vanilla custard, and hints of banana, charred oak, and milk chocolate. Its smooth finish balances fruity sweetness with gentle spice, capturing the distillery’s signature warmth and complexity.

70cl · 48% ABV

£52.95

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16 YEAR OLD

Crafted by Scapa Distillery on Orkney, this 16-year-old single malt is matured in American oak casks and offers vibrant notes of tropical mango, vanilla fudge, and mulled spices. Hints of pear drops and zesty clementine add brightness, resulting in a rich, harmonious whisky that captures the coastal character and skilled craftsmanship of its island origin.

70cl · 48% ABV

£99.95

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21 YEAR OLD

This 21-year-old Orkney single malt is matured in first-fill American oak, developing rich tropical notes while balancing oak and distillery character. Each batch is non-chill filtered, and bottled once a year at cask strength. Expect bold and vibrant flavours of apricot jam, ripe banana, and whipped cream, with layers of mango, spiced shortbread, and a sweet, syrupy finish.

70cl · 50.7% ABV

£249.95

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Launching 10/1: Ardbeg: The Abyss Auction – Bidding Starts at $1

Imagine strapping yourself into a Victorian diving suit, lowering into the inky Atlantic, and finding—rather than shipwrecks and squid—an old Ardbeg cask still breathing with smoke and sea. That’s the feel of Ardbeg: The Abyss, a 34-year-old Islay single malt Scotch surfacing this October at K&L’s spirits auction… with a $1 reserve. Yes, one dollar. Try not to hyperventilate through your regulator.

So what’s in the bottle? Ardbeg distilled this whisky back in 1989 and tucked it away in “ultra-active” French oak; heavily toasted casks that once gave the flagship release of Corryvreckan its dark heart. Three decades later, they’ve cracked open the last remnants of those legendary barrels, and out comes The Abyss. Only 400 bottles exist worldwide, with an average retail price of $27,500. That kind of scarcity for a liquid with this provenance and personality brings The Abyss close to mythic status. Learn more about this treasure On the Trail.

https://www.klwines.com/Auctions

Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

Girvan 30 Year Old 1991 Viking 1

Cask #TWB1022

£75.00 GBP

Girvan 30 Year Old 1991 vintage Lowland single grain Scotch whisky. Single cask 1st fill Palo Cortado sherry Hogshead #TWB1022 bottled September 2021. The fourth release of The Grant Tour series. Viking 1 space probe launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on August 20th 1975. Its lander was the first in history to successfully land on Mars. 162 numbered bottles.

After an eleven month journey the Viking 1 lander separated from its orbiter on July 20th 1976. The lander captured the first ever clear image from the martian surface and its biological instruments searched for life on the red planet.