FIFE BOTTLER LANDS SIX SCOTTISH WHISKY AWARDS NOMINATIONS

Saltire Rare Malt shortlisted for Independent Bottler of the Year as three of its single cask whiskies compete in the same category

Falkland, Fife;  September 2026 – Fife-based independent Scotch whisky bottler Saltire Rare Malt has landed six finalist spots across four categories at the 2026 Scottish Whisky Awards, including Independent Bottler of the Year and Excellence in Branding.

Four Saltire whiskies have also made the taste finals, with an impressive three of the eight places in Single Cask Scotch 13 and Over going to its Aultmore 15 Year Old, Caol Ila 17 Year Old and Tamnavulin 17 Year Old. Saltire’s Port Dundas has also been shortlisted in Single Grain & Blended Grain Scotch.

The nominations mark another major milestone for Saltire Rare Malt, which was crowned Newcomer of the Year at the 2025 Scottish Whisky Awards, as the independent bottler continues its rapid growth at home and internationally.

Launched in 2024 by friends and founders Nigel Heywood and Keith Rennie, Saltire Rare Malt works alongside internationally acclaimed whisky experts Hans and Becky Offringa – The Whisky Couple – to curate its collection of rare single cask and limited-edition Scotch whiskies.

From its home in Falkland, the business has grown rapidly in just over two years, with its bottlings now reaching collectors and trade partners across Europe, North America, Asia and South Africa.

Keith Rennie, Co-Founder of Saltire Rare Malt, said: “We’re incredibly proud to see Saltire recognised across so many different areas at this year’s Scottish Whisky Awards. To have four of our whiskies in the taste finals – including three in the same single cask category – is particularly special, alongside recognition for our branding and a nomination for Independent Bottler of the Year.

“We launched Saltire just over two years ago with a shared passion for exceptional Scotch whisky and big ambitions for the business. To see the whisky, the brand and the team recognised together means a huge amount to us.”

The nominations come during Saltire Rare Malt’s biggest period of international growth to date, following the recent appointment of five whisky professionals across North America and Asia Pacific as the business continues to expand in key global markets.

The winners of the 2026 Scottish Whisky Awards will be announced later this year. The Saltire Rare Malt Collection is available to buy online on their website at: https://www.saltireraremalt.com/

About Saltire Rare Malt Whisky

Saltire Rare Malt are bottlers of a unique range of limited-run single malt whiskies. The independent bottling company was born from a longstanding partnership between friends & Founders Nigel Heywood and Keith Rennie. The pair have worked together for three decades, before moving into the whisky world to collect fine and rare single malts. A shared passion for the ‘water of life’ led to the creation of Saltire Rare Malt – a global vehicle to share their outstanding collection of Single Malt Whiskies.

The founders felt that 2024 would be a good year to launch the very first bottlings of Saltire Rare Malt, 530 years after the birth of Scotch Whisky – in the beautiful, historic town of Falkland. Among Saltire Rare Malt’s meticulously curated collection are ‘well-known labels’, ‘rare gems’ and casks from ‘lost distilleries’ with Single Malt Scotch Whisky releases that are ‘never rushed or hurried — they’re bottled when the right time arrives’.

W: https://www.saltireraremalt.com/
I: https://www.instagram.com/saltireraremaltwhisky
F: https://www.facebook.com/people/Saltire-Rare-Malt-Whisky/61554723364117/

About Falkland, Fife; The Birthplace of Scotch Whisky

Falkland is a beautiful Scottish market town in the Kingdom of Fife, built around the 12th century Falkland Palace. 1494 saw the first record of Scotch Whisky. King James IV, staying at the Palace, issuing the famous order: “8 bolls of malt to Friar John Cor, werewith to make the ‘water of life”. This can be considered the birth certificate of Scotch Whisky. Saltire Rare Malt is now situated in the market square opposite Falkland Palace. Over 530 years after the birth of Scotch whisky, its story has now come full circle.
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