Batch 41: Incognito It is a Scotch grain whisky, using grains and casks that are commonly used in the USA for whiskey production. This is an homage to that style of whisky, but with its feet firmly in Scotland. To summarise in the words of our whisky quality manager Julien: “This is not bourbon, it is most definitely Scotch grain whisky, but drawing its ingredients, methods and maturation style from a good bit of fun transatlantic inspiration.” Keep reading to learn more about this experimental release.

As we celebrate the experimental side of things this month, here are three ways this release is something a wee bit different:

Experimental factor No. 1: The Pot Still
Batch 41 was double distilled in a pot still in Western Scotland rather than in the usual column still used for most Scottish grain whiskies. This results in a fattier and more complex spirit.

Experimental factor No. 2: The Toasted heads
Batch 41 was matured in heavily charred heavily charred 24-month air seasoned new oak barrels from Kelvin Cooperage in the US with toasted heads. Bourbon producers are bound by law and must use charred new oak to mature their whiskey.

Experimental factor No. 3: The Mashbill*
The whisky team took a bit of trans-Atlantic inspiration for this one creating a mashbill of 58 per cent corn, 21 per cent malted barley and 21 per cent un-malted rye.

*The cereal mix that went into the mash used to create this whisky.

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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

Two New Expressions from Kanosuke

Kanosuke Single Malt 2026 Limited Edition

A limited edition from Kanosuke that seeks to evoke springtime in Fukiagehama park. This single malt is vatted together with whiskies that have spent time in apple brandy, bourbon, shochu, sherry and white wine casks for layers of complexity, echoed by a hint of peated whisky.

Aromas of orange blossom and beach vitex, white grape and apple lead to a soft and welcoming palate with notes of yuzu bean paste, vanilla, honey and calvados, before grapefruit and sea air join on the finish.

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Kanosuke Single Malt Sherry Casks Vatted

For something richer, this limited release emphasises the influence of oloroso and cream sherry on the distillery’s vatting process for its single malt, without losing the nuances that make Kanosuke so exciting. Black cherry, vanilla, raspberry and Japanese cinnamon lead into a full palate of soft raisins, light fruitcake, cloves and dark chocolate, with subtle dryness and mangosteen emerging on the finish.

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Cameronbridge

42 Year Old

1984 Vintage · 70cl · 50% ABV

Distilled at Cameronbridge in 1984, this exceptional single grain Scotch whisky was matured for 42 years in a single bourbon cask before being selected and bottled by Fragrant Drops in 2026. Drawn from cask number 3028692 and released at 50% ABV, it offers a concentrated expression of long-aged grain whisky shaped by more than four decades in oak.

£199.95

ralfy review 1143 – Clynelish 12yo @54.5%vol: (Lady of the Glen)

Maker’s Mark Introduces Cellar Aged 2026

The annual release delivers one of the most mature whiskies blended by the distillery

LORETTO, Ky., — Maker’s Mark®, the iconic handmade Kentucky bourbon, today announced the 2026 release of Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged. Now in its fourth year, the annual release showcases one of the distillery’s most mature blends to date, combining 11-, 12- and 14-year-old Maker’s Mark bourbons. Aged to taste, not time, this year’s release builds on the hallmark character of Cellar Aged, revealing new layers of depth, complexity and flavor through extended maturation.

“The limestone shelf that surrounds Star Hill Farm has shaped our bourbon from the very beginning, thanks to the innovative spirit of my grandparents, Margie and Bill Samuels Sr., who chose this land in 1953 for its exceptional water source and natural watershed,” said Rob Samuels, Maker’s Mark managing director and eighth-generation whisky maker.

“Decades later, we made what some considered an unreasonable decision to build a LEED-certified cellar into that same limestone shelf, allowing us to extend maturation while preserving the balance that defines Maker’s Mark. This year’s Cellar Aged release is a testament to how our environment continues to shape the whisky’s final profile.”

Meticulously blended and bottled at cask strength (112.1 proof / 56.05% ABV), Cellar Aged 2026 brings together 49% 11-year-old, 33% 12-year-old and 18% 14-year-old bourbons to deliver a bourbon with remarkable richness.

“Cellar Aged represents our pursuit of flavor through patience, precision and a deep understanding of how bourbon evolves over time,” said Dr. Blake Layfield, master distiller for Maker’s Mark. “After aging in our traditional warehouses, the bourbon spends additional time in our limestone cellar, where cooler maturation allows the fruit to shine while keeping the oak in balance.” 

The whisky is unmistakably Maker’s Mark—rich and layered, opening with aromas of dark cherry, clove, vanilla bean and soft orchard fruit. On the palate, notes of honey, brown sugar and ripe plum give way to a warming, silky finish accented by almond, nutmeg and crisp green apple.

Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2026 will be available beginning September 1 at select U.S. retailers nationwide for a suggested retail price of $175 USD, followed by availability in the U.K., Germany, Korea, Japan, Australia, and Global Travel Retail later this year into 2027.

The Maker’s Mark Distillery will host a celebratory launch event ahead of the Kentucky Bourbon Festival for ticketed guests ages 21 and older on September 10. Beginning September 14, visitors can also experience an exclusive distillery tour that offers behind-the-scenes access to the Cellar Aged process.  For tours and tickets, visit https://www.makersmark.com/distillery/visit-us. To join the Maker’s Mark Ambassadors community and receive exclusive distillery access, news about product releases and other benefits, visit makersmark.com/ambassadors.

For more information, visit www.makersmark.com.

ABOUT MAKER’S MARK

Maker’s Mark® is the iconic handmade Kentucky bourbon driven by a vision for better flavor and a better world. In 1953, founders Margie and Bill Samuels, Sr. broke from tradition—burning the family’s 170-year-old recipe to create a bold, balanced bourbon made with soft red winter wheat for signature sweetness and creaminess. From the start, the Samuels went to remarkable lengths to craft uncompromisingly delicious bourbon—a perfectly unreasonable spirit that endures today. Every bottle is still hand-dipped in red wax, every barrel rotated by hand and every decision guided by the brand’s higher purpose.

Staying true to its founders’ vision, Maker’s Mark has expanded its portfolio with award-winning, super-premium expressions, including Maker’s Mark 46, Cask Strength, and Cellar Aged, as well as Private Selection, the brand’s custom barrel program. In 2025, the distillery debuted Star Hill Farm Whisky. Named World’s Best Wheat Whisky and the first to earn Estate Whiskey certification, Star Hill Farm Whisky inspired the Maker’s Mark Regenerative Alliance, a bold commitment to advance regenerative farming beyond its business.

Maker’s Mark is proud to be both B Corp and Regenified Certified – milestones driven by the sustainability leadership at Star Hill Farm, home of the Maker’s Mark Distillery, which strives to be the most endearing, culturally rich and environmentally responsible homeplace in the world.

Vive La France

Across the Channel, the French are among the world’s most passionate and committed drinkers of whisky. Perhaps it is an echo of the Auld Alliance which sees such a healthy trade and appreciation of drams from Scotland to France. It can be no shock, if perhaps a little surprising, to find a group of distillers working under the tricolour creating whisky.

This year we are delighted to host a collection of these producers in a dedicated zone celebrating the brilliant, surprising, beguiling whiskies they create.

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Armorik

Made at the Warenghem distillery in Brittany, Armorik was the first French single malt reaching the market in 1998. The distillery itself is older with a history stretching back to 1900, but it was only in the later stages of the 20th century that whisky began to flow from the pot stills.

Now with decades of experience, and stock, we are seeing the cementing of a core range which makes thoughtful use of new oak, ex-bourbon and sherry casks. There is even a peated expression full of iodine and herbal smoke.

Domaine des Hautes Glaces

Familiar to visitors to the show, Domaine des Hautes Glaces was founded by Frédéric Revol in 2009 in the French Alps. The intention was for a grain to glass farm distillery with a focus on terroir and sustainable practice. That’s reflected in a commitment to organic production, regenerative agriculture, locally sourced renewable energy and eco-friendly decisions around lighter and recycled packaging.

For all that admirable green agenda, perhaps of greater interest to whisky drinkers is how these whiskies taste. Serge Valentin of Whisky.Fun gave their Epistémè R18P23 a score of 91, saying it “demonstrated extraordinary qualities and truly innovative ideas.”

La Piautre

In a story that’s faintly familiar, La Piautre began as a brewery in 2004 in deepest, darkest wine country in the middle Loire near Angers. While barley was grown and available locally, there weren’t any maltsters and so inevitably, the team turned their hand to transforming humble barley into the miracle that is malt.

They do this in the traditional way of floor malting and, a nice touch this, dry the malt using wood chips sourced from local forests. Once they had a malt house up and running, the team turned their mind to distilling and to whisky, with their first whisky released in 2017.

Maison Lineti

Based in the epicentre of French winemaking, Bordeaux, Maison Lineti’s approach to whisky making makes full use of all the knowledge and techniques, expertise and equipment that the region’s oenologists have. This sees Dr Magali use seven concrete eggs to ferment the wort. These are a relatively common sight now in wineries, with ambitious winemakers using these dramatic pieces of equipment to encourage the most dynamic ferments possible. Nor does the winemaking influence stop there, Magali isn’t afraid to use malolactic fermentation, lees stirring and other techniques to bring out even more flavour in the wort.

The long-term aim is for vintage releases, following single years on a journey through the cask, charting its maturation and development through the years.

Laphroaig 15 Returns

Laphroaig’s much-missed 15 Year Old expression returns as an official bottling for the first time in over a decade and as a permanent part of their range, too.

Aged in American oak bourbon barrels and bottled at 46% without chill-filtering, this is as characterful as you would hope for from Laphroaig. Citrus, hay, vanilla and toffee sit alongside big peaty, oily and briny notes on the nose.

The palate has a creaminess that provides a platform for all of those classic Laphroaig markers, while providing a rounder, fuller experience than the 10-year-old.

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Edradour 18 Year Old 2007 Amarone Small Batch

£108.95 GBP

Edradour 18 Year Old 2007 Amarone Small Batch is a rich and luxurious Highland single malt Scotch whisky, combining the distinctive character of Edradour with the sumptuous influence of Italian red wine oak. Nose Ripe black cherries, blackberries, and dark chocolate with hints of dried figs, vanilla, polished oak, and aromatic spice. Palate Rich and velvety, revealing flavours of dark berry compote, juicy plums, sweet malt, cocoa, dried fruits, toasted oak, and warming wine spice. Finish Long and luxurious, with lingering black cherry, dark chocolate, gentle tannins, dried fruit sweetness, and warming spice.

Little Book Chapter 10: “All The Wiser”: After years of chasing precision and “perfect” blends, Freddie shifted his philosophy for this release. “All The Wiser” reflects a more intuitive approach, one that embraces the unpredictability of blending and allows the whiskey itself to lead. The result is a whiskey that feels more discovered than past releases.

Booker’s Bourbon, Batch #1 “Big Easy”: A bold, high-proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey that pays homage to a place Booker returned to time and again – for the food, the people, and the unforgettable flavors that stayed with him long after each visit.

Booker’s Bourbon, Batch #2 “Milkshake Batch”: Inspired by one of Booker Noe’s favorite indulgences: a homemade chocolate malted milkshake spiked with a generous pour of bourbon. The story traces back to Fred Noe’s childhood fishing trips with his father, where chocolate malted milkshakes became a well-earned reward after a day on the water. Booker eventually began adding bourbon to the mix, creating a family ritual that lives on today between Fred and Freddie.

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