Archive for August, 2026

NEW: Old Grand-Dad 7YR Bottled-in-Bond – American Whiskey News

 Old Grand-Dad 7YR Bottled-in-Bond

2026 marks the second year of The James B. Beam Distilling Co.’s annual release of Old Grand-Dad 7-Year Bottled-In-Bond. 

Each year’s release of this high-rye recipe Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey will be produced from a single distillation season in accordance with the Bottled-In-Bond Act. This inaugural release was distilled and barreled in Fall 2018.

Historically inspired by vintage releases, this fine bourbon is cut to 100 proof to reach its optimal and distinctively classic OGD flavor and body.

 Old Grand-Dad 7YR Bottled-in-Bond | SRP: $39.99

Tasting Notes:

Color: Deep copper tones

Nose: Bold caramel and vanilla

Palate: Sweet caramel flavors with notes of charred oak & vanilla notes

Finish: Full-bodied and long with velvety caramel notes

Living Souls Ninety-Nine & One Blended Scotch Whisky at Aberdeen Whisky Shop – Scotch Whisky News

Living Souls

Ninety-Nine & One Blended Scotch Whisky

ABV: 46.3% 70 cL

This release is a phenomenal “3yo” blended Scotch and came about due to a happy accident where a hint of grain met a heavily peated island malt. Imagine yourself in a vibrant spice market, enveloped in rich sherried fruitiness and smoky aromas. The air is alive with dried orange, chili flakes and spicy black pepper. Each sip draws you deeper into this sensory journey. A touch of sea salt, tobacco, and white pepper adds a sophisticated depth, making each moment a memorable exploration of taste.

Product Spotlight – D&M Club Memberships ‘SINGLE MALT SCOTCH AFICIONADOS’ CLUB’ – Whisky News

SINGLE MALT SCOTCH AFICIONADOS’ CLUB

The Best of the Best!

1-2 carefully chosen bottles every quarter

Background information & tasting notes

Total product cost of up to $175 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 Macallan Double Cask & Valdespino Vermouth Cocktail Bundle – Scotch Whisky News

The Macallan Double Cask 12 Year Old & Valdespino Vermouth Cocktail Bundle

70cl + 75cl · 40% ABV

The Macallan and Valdespino share a long-standing relationship, united by a commitment to excellence. Since 1979, The Macallan has sourced exceptional sherry casks from Valdespino in Jerez. In 2025, Valdespino Origen became the first vermouth crafted with sherry previously used to season The Macallan’s casks—making these two brands the perfect cocktail companions.

Royal Elizabeth Bond is set to become one of Scotland’s largest independent cask storage facilities and will  run completely transparently on digital records – Scotch Whisky News

No paper, no doubt: Scotland’s newest whisky warehousing facility shuns paper records from day one in wake of cask scandals and shaky industry confidence

Royal Elizabeth Bond is set to become one of Scotland’s largest independent cask storage facilities and will  run completely transparently on digital records

15th July 2026, London — While much of the UK whisky industry still runs on paper delivery orders and spreadsheets, one new whisky storage facility just outside Edinburgh won’t be using them at all.

Royal Elizabeth Bond, the independent cask storage facility at the historic Royal Elizabeth Yard near the Forth Bridge in Dalmeny, has assigned every cask on its site — held on behalf of distillers, brokers and private owners from across Scotland — with a unique Digital Deed. In an industry with centuries of documented history, Digital Deeds are an industry-first creating a digital identity, accessed by QR code, recording exactly what is in a cask, who owns it, where it sits in the warehouse and everything that has happened to it. The record stays with the cask for its lifetime and, unlike paper, cannot be lost or fraudulently duplicated.

The approach comes at a moment of reckoning for cask ownership. A BBC Scotland investigation into cask investment fraud found victims sold casks that were overpriced, sold twice or did not exist at all. And since the reform of the Warehousekeepers and Owners of Warehoused Goods Regulations (WOWGR) in March 2025 which removed the requirement for cask owners to register with HMRC, the warehouse’s own records have become the primary safeguard standing between a cask owner and uncertainty.

Royal Elizabeth Bond, which secured HMRC Warehouse Keepers approval in November 2025 and has planning consent for more than 800,000 square feet of new-build storage taking capacity to around 1.1 million casks, chose to build on digital foundations before the first cask arrived on site, using the Proof 8 platform. The distillery and inventory management platform from UK-based Proof 8 is quickly being adopted by warehouses and distilleries in a race to embed traceability and transparency into operations to shore up cask confidence.

Finlay Reid, Head of Operations at Royal Elizabeth Bond, said: “Because we were starting from scratch, we had a choice a lot of established operators don’t. We could inherit the old way of doing things or start clean. Paper and spreadsheets are prone to human error with data re-keyed, two casks entered under the same number, hours lost hunting the discrepancy. ”

“One of the things cask owners care about most is knowing exactly where their cask is and having confidence in the records attached to it. The Digital Deed gives them that and they can see their cask, their liquid and the key information attached to it, any time. With an asset as valuable as whisky, uncertainty and ambiguity are unacceptable. We wanted to find a better way that would stand us in good stead for the future as we grow.”

Since opening, this digital-first approach has cut the usual processing time of a 100–150 cask intake from up to a day to as little as approximately 30 minutes, and the system makes duplicating cask numbers impossible, saving hours of time where warehouse teams would otherwise have had to hunt them down by hand. Time spent submitting financial reporting to HMRC for WOWGR compliance is also kept to a minimum not exceeding an hour each month with quick and simple compliant reporting. Proof 8 is recognised by HMRC.

Stuart Maxwell, COO at Proof 8, said: “High-profile fraud cases have shown what happens when the system relies on trust alone and the old ways of doing things. A piece of paper can be duplicated; a Digital Deed cannot. Royal Elizabeth Bond has done what no operator at this scale has done before, shunned paper entirely and recorded every cask digitally from day one. That gives cask owners, distillers and HMRC something the industry has been missing: proof.”

About Proof 8:

Proof 8 is transforming the spirits industry by digitalising production, maturation and ownership. Its SaaS platform streamlines distillery operations, warehouse management, and connects brands with consumers. With a focus on creating assets that are ‘born digital’, Proof 8’s unique, tamper-proof Digital Deeds ensure traceability and authentication and solve the challenge of transparency across the spirits industry. Using innovative technology and a user-centred design, Proof 8 optimises the entire spirits journey, from grain to bottle, redefining how businesses and consumers connect in an ever-evolving landscape.

proof-8.com

Laphroaig 15 Year Old at The Whisky Shop – Scotch Whisky News

Laphroaig 15 Year Old Description

The late, lamented – wait, no, it’s back!

£79.00

Exclusively at The Whisky Shop. We’re immensely proud to have a UK exclusive for July and August on this old favourite, returning to the iconic Islay distillery’s core lineup after a 10-year absence. Laphroaig’s reputation for intensity somewhat precedes it – a great, peaty, medicinal brute of a dram, occasionally blamed for putting innocent first-time whisky drinkers off the spirit altogether.

It’s not without reason, and in fact the distillery often makes a virtue of its intimidating image, immortalising some particularly memorable descriptions as ceramic tiles in their visitor centre (our much-quoted personal favourite: ‘like the smoking ruins of a vanquished enemy fortress.’ Instantly relatable.)

And yet – and yet. Laphroaig has always been a more nuanced dram than its reputation suggests, with maritime notes and bright citrus, sometimes tropical fruits a constant, leavening presence. Smoky, peaty flavours fade as a whisky ages, allowing other elements to breathe a little deeper; and the new Laphroaig 15 Year Old, while still powerful, is a softer proposition than its younger siblings, its longer maturation in American oak lending a surprisingly gentle complexity to a still profoundly peaty and coastal palate. A must for fans of the distillery and lovers of heavily peated whiskies alike. Bottled at 46% abv, non-chill filtered and natural colour.

A burst of fresh, zesty orange and grapefruit on the nose, mingled with subtly earthy dried hay. A hint of barbecue smoke adds depth, undertones of soft vanilla and clove a warm complexity. A salvo of bold smoke and sea salt opens the oily palate, with black pepper, cinnamon and ground coriander followed in their turn by juicy peaches and ripe citrus. The finish is long, smoky, and saline, with a finely balanced, compensating sweetness.

Earn Points · Get Rewards · Save More. Love whisky? Join the club! Whether you’re a novice or knowledgeable about our favourite tipple, our whisky rewards club will help you unlock the mystery – and get the best deal in the process. Create a free account today to start earning points and redeem for fantastic offers! FIND OUT MORE & JOIN 

 

Gordon & MacPhail Aberfeldy 14 Years Old Spirit of Scotland at Aberdeen Whisky Shop – Scotch Whisky News

Gordon & MacPhail

Aberfeldy 14 Years Old Spirit of Scotland

ABV: 61.1% 70 cL

This single malt was distilled in 2011 at the Aberfeldy Distillery in the Highland region of Scotland. It was aged for 14 years in a single First-Fill Sherry Butt, resulting in a rich, sweet, and creamy malt with notes of stewed plums, orange marmalade, and cracked black pepper.

Bottled at natural cask strength, without chill-filtration or artificial colouring by Gordon and MacPhail for their Spirit of Scotland Collection.

£65.00

Aberfeldy Distillery, founded in 1898 by the Dewar brothers to supply malt for their fast-growing blend, stands as the historic heart of the Dewar’s brand. Built beside the mineral-rich Pitilie Burn, it became central to Dewar’s international rise in the early 20th century and survived wartime closures before being modernised in the 1970s. The distillery’s long fermentations, tall stills, and pure water source produce a naturally honeyed, fruity Highland spirit that matures beautifully in bourbon and sherry casks, all within its classic Victorian setting.

Distilled: Food & Drink is Back! 🤩 – Whisky News

Distilled: Food & Drink returns to Elgin on 11-12 September 2026, bringing together Speyside’s food and drink producers under one roof at UHI Moray.

Whether you’re looking to discover new favourites, enjoy exclusive pours or deepen your whisky knowledge, Distilled 2026 offers three pass options designed to help you make the most of your experience. We’ll be sharing more information over the coming weeks, including exhibitors, food vendors, special pours and masterclasses

TICKETS NOW

 

Scotch Malt Whisky Society Cask No. 121.128: ‘Leather espresso’ – Scotch Whisky News

Good stuff comes to those who wait! If you missed out on Cask No. 121.128: Leather espresso, we’ve added some more stock to our online shop. If you’re into polished leather soaked in coffee with traditional sherry maturation notes, this one is for you – but only while it’s here!

LEARN MORE

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

SMWS LOGO 2017 NEW

Robot Dog Sniffs Out The Future Of Whisky Warehousing Innovation – Scotch Whisky News

National Manufacturing.Institute / NMIS and Bacardi working together to test the use of the Boston Dynamics Spot robot (Royal Barkla), fitted with an ethanol detection sensor. Photograph by Martin Shields. Tel 07572 457000.www.martinshields.com, © Martin Shields

Robot Dog Sniffs Out The Future Of Whisky Warehousing Innovation

Glasgow, United Kingdom – In a first for the Scotch whisky industry, a new trial with Bacardi is exploring whether advanced robotics could help identify small but potentially expensive ethanol leaks in aging warehouses.

The National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) is validating its own robotic sensing kit, developed at its Digital Process Manufacturing Centre (DPMC) in Irvine, on a Boston Dynamics Spot robot at the Bacardi-owned John Dewar & Sons maturation site near Glasgow. The initiative is also supported by the Scotch Whisky Research Institute (SWRI).

The system uses a sensor, held by a 3D-printed arm created by NMIS engineers, to detect ethanol vapour levels as the robot follows a defined path through the warehouse. As part of the collaboration, Bacardi helped design the experiment and led baseline testing ahead of the trial.

The early-stage trial explores how autonomous inspection could be applied across multiple industries – from whisky to chemicals and energy. While the focus here is on whisky casks, the same sensing approach could also help improve efficiency on other routine inspection tasks in different manufacturing environments.

Ethanol evaporation is a natural part of the whisky maturation process, which happens as the liquid sits in the barrel to age for a minimum of three years before it legally becomes Scotch whisky. This loss is known as the “angel’s share” and requires careful monitoring to ensure as much liquid as possible is kept in the barrel, as well as ensuring safety.

Traditional inspection involves significant manual handling and reliance on visual cues, which is time consuming and prone to inconsistency. Robotics could offer a repeatable, data-driven alternative – though NMIS is clear this is an early-stage proof of concept rather than a live operational system. The next step for the project could involve trialling the same sensor in a different type of robot, likely embedding the sensor in the robot rather than mounting it on an arm to deliver greater reliability and improved functionality.

Family-owned spirits company Bacardi has operated five distilleries across Scotland – Aultmore, Aberfeldy, Royal Brackla, Craigellachie, and Macduff – for more than 25 years, nurturing and respecting the heritage of each, while continuously innovating and embracing the latest technology to reduce environmental impact and increase efficiency and quality. Most recently, the company added three new state-of-the-art aging warehouses at its 200-acre blending and maturation centre, Poniel in southeast Glasgow where this trial has taken place.

“Craftmanship and heritage remains at the heart of our production of DEWAR’S® Blended Scotch whisky and our portfolio of single malts, but there is also great potential for innovation and technology to support the industry to become more efficient and data-driven. We’re proud to be playing our part to pioneer this new technology in the whisky industry and look forward to progressing from these trials to developing a live system that can be used at our sites in the future. The team loved having the robot dog around so much we gave him his own Bacardi name – ‘Royal Bark-la’ in homage to our ROYAL BRACKLA® Single Malt.”

Angus Holmes, Whisky Category Director at Bacardi

“Our aim here is to validate our own sensing kit and see whether robots can take on this type of inspection work. The early results are promising, and it shows how manufacturing technologies being developed in Scotland are relevant across many sectors including the whisky industry. It’s been fantastic to work with Bacardi on this – a great example of a company embracing and contributing to innovative new approaches for the industry.”

Andrew Hamilton, Head of the Digital Process Manufacturing Centre (DPMC)

Officially opened earlier in 2025, the DPMC, based in North Ayrshire, supports the process manufacturing industries with next-generation technologies, funded in part through the £251 million Ayrshire Growth Deal. NMIS is operated by the University of Strathclyde and part of the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult.

About Bacardi Limited

Bacardi Limited, the world’s largest privately held international spirits company, produces, markets, and distributes spirits and wines. The Bacardi Limited portfolio comprises more than 200 brands and labels, including BACARDÍ® rum, PATRÓN® tequila, GREY GOOSE® vodka, DEWAR’S® Blended Scotch whisky, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin, MARTINI® vermouth and sparkling wines, CAZADORES® 100% blue agave tequila, and other leading and emerging brands including WILLIAM LAWSON’S® Scotch whisky, D’USSÉ® Cognac, ANGEL’S ENVY® American straight whiskey, and ST-GERMAIN® elderflower liqueur. Founded more than 163 years ago in Santiago de Cuba, family-owned Bacardi Limited currently employs approximately 8,000, operates production facilities in 10 countries and territories, and sells its brands in more than 160 markets. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited. Visit http://www.bacardilimited.com

About the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland

The National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) is a group of industry-led manufacturing R&D, innovation and skills facilities supported by a network of Partners across Scotland, all working together to transform the future of manufacturing.

The group has a national mandate to create and deliver inspiring, sustainable and translational research and skills for all by accelerating innovation in the manufacturing community.

It is where industry, academia and the public sector work together on ground-breaking manufacturing research to transform productivity levels, make companies more competitive and boost the skills of our current and future workforce.

The NMIS Group includes the University of Strathclyde’s Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC), Lightweight Manufacturing Centre, Digital Process Manufacturing Centre and researchers working with companies across the manufacturing community in Scotland, the wider UK and beyond – from aerospace giants to renewable energy disruptors, first-time inventors to household automotive names. It also includes the Manufacturing Skills Academy, which is transforming the manufacturing workforce of today and tomorrow and a Capability Network bringing together leading organisations from across the Scottish research and innovation, education and training communities.

NMIS is operated by the University of Strathclyde. It is supported by the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Island Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland, Renfrewshire Council and the Scottish Funding Council. It is part of the UK’s High Value Manufacturing Catapult.

The flagship NMIS building is at the heart of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland in Renfrewshire. The distinct 11,500m2 heather-coloured building, opened in June 2023, houses the NMIS Digital Factory, Manufacturing Skills Academy, Lightweight Manufacturing Centre and publicly accessible, collaboration hub, with a window to the world welcoming all who pass to look inside the world of advanced manufacturing.

www.nmis.scot

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