Burns Night Whiskies

Jura 12 Year Old

Are you new to whisky or not sure which one will be right for your guests this Burns Night? Jura – the UK’s number one ^[1], award-winning 12 Year Old Single Malt ^[2],  makes choosing the right dram effortless. Each bottle takes the guesswork out of choosing, thanks to Jura’s pioneering taste scale, which clearly showcases the strength of its three key flavours (rated from 0–6). Jura 12 Year Old features flavours of peach (4), bright citrus (3) and lightly toasted walnut (3). It’s a whisky designed to help you discover what you love – before you’ve even cracked open the bottle.

Crafted since 1810 by Jura’s island community, it’s a whisky shaped by people, memories and shared moments.

Enjoy neat for the traditionalists, or in a Jura Scottish Island Iced Tea:

• Add 40ml Jura 12 Year Old, 50ml peach tea, 15ml lemon juice and 10ml sugar syrup to a shaker with cubed ice.
• Dry shake, then wet shake, and fine strain into an Old Fashioned glass or Jura tumbler filled with fresh ice.
• Top with ginger ale and garnish with a sprig of thyme and a slice of apricot.

Pick up Jura 12 Year Old from ASDA, Co-op, Morrisons, Tesco and specialist retailers including Master of Malt and The Whisky Exchange, RRP £41.

Fettercairn 16 Year Old

For a Burns Night dram that confidently steps beyond tradition, Fettercairn 16 Year Old brings a refreshing burst of tropical character to the table.

Renowned for its bold, flavour-led approach to whisky making, Fettercairn’s pioneering copper cooling ring allows only the lightest vapours to rise during distillation, creating an exceptionally smooth spirit. The result is a vibrant Highland Single Malt layered with passionfruit, ripe mango, Madagascan vanilla and a whisper of warm spice.

Bright yet refined, Fettercairn 16 Year Old is ideal from the first skirl of the pipes to the final toast of the evening.

For Burns Night hosts really looking to impress, why not try the Fettercairn 1824 Martini – a polished twist on a sophisticated classic.

To make it at home, simply combine:

• 37.5ml Fettercairn 16 Year Old
• 12.5ml kumquat liqueur
• 10ml Fettercairn honey syrup
• 15ml lemon juice
• 4 dashes banana & coffee bitters

Shake briskly with ice, fine strain into a chilled Champagne coupe, then top with Crémant sparkling wine. Garnish with a fresh lemon twist for a final touch of finesse and serve well chilled in your most elegant glassware.

Fettercairn 16 Year Old is available from a range of retailers, including The Whisky Shop, RRP £87.

[1] Nielsen 2022, by Volume and Value

[2] World Whiskies Awards Scotland 2026

Our Drams of the Year 2025:

Chosen by the Team

As 2025 has drawn to a close, we asked the Murray McDavid team a simple — but slightly dangerous — question:

What was your dram of the year?

The answers? As varied, characterful and flavour-packed as you’d expect.

From sherried Speysiders and peaty Islay favourites to bold wine finishes, single grain surprises and even a wintery cocktail twist, our Drams of the Year 2025 blog brings together the whiskies that truly defined the year for us — told in our own words.

You’ll discover:

• Why one dram became a customer favourite and a personal connection
• Which bottle kept being ‘finished’ because it was just too good
• Peat lovers’ picks, warming comfort drams, and slow-sipping showstoppers
• Plus, a perfectly enticing cocktail recipe to try at home

Whether you’re looking for inspiration for your next bottle, revisiting releases you loved this year, or simply fancy a good whisky read with a dram in hand, this one’s for you.

👉 Pour yourself something tasty and read our Drams of the Year 2025 here:

READ MORE

Here’s to great whisky, good stories, and even better company.

Slàinte,

The Murray McDavid Team

Timorous Beastie

Join The Clan This Burns Night!

Join the Clan this Burns Night and raise a dram to Robert Burns with Timorous Beastie. Bold, beautifully crafted, and packed with honey’d sweetness, warming spice and a hint of heather – Timorous Beastie is made for haggis, poetry and proper toasts to the Bard. To celebrate, enjoy 15% off the full Timorous Beastie collection for a limited time only. Perfect for Burns Supper hosts and dram-sharers alike.

Join the clan. Pour a dram. Slàinte.

2008 Craigellachie 15 Year “The First Editions” Cask Strength Single Bourbon Barrell Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700 ML) $100.00 View

The wonderful Craigellachie distillery remains underappreciated outside of core group of diehard fans. It’s oily rich character can be exceptional both in sherry and when aged in fresh bourbon barrel like this one. The old home of Dewar’s, this distillery isn’t Speyside’s prettiest but it is one of its best. Just across the river from the Macallan on the road to Dufftown, the old plant continues to produce full flavored rich malt of the highest quality. This little barrel was distilled in 2008 and filled into a fresh bourbon barrel for 15 years before being bottled at full cask strength without chillfiltration or coloring of any kind. Expect a fruity fragrant side of Craigellachie -Peaches, apple, and fresh fragrant floral aromas. The palate is full of spice, pears and fudge.

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

Craigellachie Signatory Vintage 2009 Whisky Folk Exclusive Cask – Whisky Folk Review

THE VIDEO

Canadian Whisky Awards announces 2026 Canadian Whisky of the Year

J.P. Wiser’s 24 Year Old Canadian Whisky is the 2026 CANADIAN WHISKY OF THE YEAR at CANADIAN WHISKY AWARDS

In all, 47 Canadian whisky producers were honoured at the prestigious 16^th annual event

VICTORIA, B.C. (January 19, 2026) – J.P. Wiser’s has won Canadian Whisky of the Year honours for its 24 Year Old Canadian Whisky at the 2026 Canadian Whisky Awards held on Thursday, January 15 in Victoria, B.C. This blended whisky received the top overall score from a panel of 13 judges who tasted around 200 competing whiskies in blind tastings.

Part of J.P. Wiser’s Decades Series, this ultra-premium whisky was distilled in 2000 and aged for 24 years. Judges noted that the whisky shows fine oak spice and leather with butterscotch toffee and nougat.

Davin de Kergommeaux, chair of the judging panel and author of Canadian Whisky: The Essential Portable Expert stated, “This solid old-timer brings the delicacy and refinement of long-aged whisky to the depth and nuance of a masterfully blended dram. Among so many brilliant whiskies in competition, it was a clear winner.”

Canadian Whisky of the Year was just one of more than two dozen awards presented at this year’s 16^th annual edition of the Canadian Whisky Awards. A selection of the honours includes:

• Blended Whisky of the Year – Wayne Gretzky Distillery – Maple Cask Whisky
• Corn Whisky of the Year – BEARFACE – Triple Oak
• Rye Whisky of the Year – Wild Life Distillery – WLD Cask King of the North
• Single Malt Whisky of the Year – Macaloney’s Distillery – The Peat Project: Harvest Coast
• Canadian Whisky Producer of the Year – Sons of Vancouver Distillery
• Best Barrel Finished Whisky – Bridgeland Distillery – Glenbow Single Malt, Porta-Rossa Cask Finish
• Best Cask Strength Whisky – Sons of Vancouver Distillery – ‘The First Crack of a Crème Brûlée’ Cask-Strength Wheated Rye
• Best Limited Expression – Pike Creek 22 Year Old PX Cask Finish Canadian Whisky
• Best Single Barrel Release – John Sleeman & Sons Spring Mill Distillery – Wine Cask Aged Single Malt
• Award of Excellence in Product Innovation – Macaloney’s Distillery – The Peat Project
• Best Whisky & Spirits Writer – Reece Sims
• Canadian Whisky Lifetime Achievement Award – Bill Ashburn – Forty Creek

Held annually since 2010 during Victoria Whisky Festival, the Canadian Whisky Awards recognizes the very best Canadian whiskies. An independent panel of experts scores each whisky in blind tastings, based on ranking criteria that reflect the industry’s highest standards.

The Canadian Whisky Awards is fully independent of the Canadian whisky industry. Only whiskies that were distilled and matured in Canada are eligible to compete. The Canadian Whisky Awards Gala in Victoria is grateful to this year’s presenting sponsor, Spirits Canada.

For more information and the full results of the 2026 Canadian Whisky Awards, visit canadianwhiskyawards.com.

Velvet Fig 12 Year Old is now available across selected EU markets. This limited release marks the return of Velvet Fig with a 12 year age statement, offering greater depth and concentration to the established fruit-forward, sherry-led style. Crafted exclusively from single malts matured in ex Oloroso sherry casks, it reflects the rich character that defines the series.

Velvet Fig 12 Year Old is created from a careful selection of single malts chosen for their natural richness and structure. Extended maturation in ex Oloroso sherry casks develops layers of ripe fig, dark berries, chocolate and warm spice, all brought together in a naturally rich, velvety texture.

Shop Velvet Fig 12 Year Old

Tasting notes

• Colour: Deep mahogany
• Nose: Red berries, blackberry, fig, milk chocolate, marzipan and walnut
• Palate: Ripe fig, date and apricot, with nutmeg, ginger and chestnut
• Finish: Lingering warmth with cinnamon, soft oak and gentle sweetness
• Character: Velvety, fruit forward and sherried, with elegant oak spice

Key details

• Composition of 100 percent single malts
• Matured in ex Oloroso sherry casks
• Natural colour and non chill filtered
• Blended and bottled in Scotland by Wemyss Family Spirits
• Each cask is nosed and selected by Isabella Wemyss

This is a small batch release, with limited availability across EU markets. Once these bottles have sold, they will not be reissued.

1994 Tomatin 28 Year Old “Old Malt Cask” Single Hogshead Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) $324.99 View

1996 Fettercairn 26 Year “Old Malt Cask 25th Anniversary” Single Hogshead Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) $325.00 View

1997 Auchroisk 26 Year Old “Old Malt Cask 25th Anniversary” Single Bourbon Barrel Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) $325.00 View

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

OUR BALBLAIR 14 HAS WON BRONZE AT THE WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2026

**BRONZE WINNER AT THE 2026 WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS**

This exquisite single-cask Scotch whisky from Balblair distillery was distilled in 2009 and aged for 14 years in a first-fill sherry butt. Bottled at a robust cask strength of 57.4%, it boasts a rich, deep colour and intense, complex flavours. It’s a firm favourite here with the team at Bartels Whisky!

Nose:

Fresh and fruity layered with honey and vanilla.

Palate:

Light and creamy, featuring orchard fruits (apple, pear) with hints of orange zest, honeyed malt, and a touch of ginger spice.

Finish:

Smooth, with lingering fruit, gentle spices, and a soft malt sweetness.

Tasting notes by Bartels

£80.00

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1927 Project Ardnamurchan

THE VIDEO

The 1927 Project is a rather amazing selection of distilleries who have agreed to help recreate whisky production that took place through the 1920’s and into early 1931. Those six distilleries are amongst some of the best, and finest distilleries whose whiskies are sought after world wide. Those distilleries are: Ardnamurchan, Dornoch, Holyrood, Daftmill, Lochlea and InchDairnie.

There is a seventh bottle in this collection, but that’s a fun surprise for the end of the series. Bottle #1 is from Ardnamurchan.

New make produced from 100% Chevallier heritage barley, fermented for 68 hours using Nottingham and Windsor Ale yeasts. Chevallier is difficult to grown in Scotland due to the height it grows too. Too much wind on the coasts would cause it to fall over and not yield a great result for the final product. Ardnamurchan produces a new make style that is heavy and oily but it’s a clean new make.

The run was done in two batches because the wash still steam coils were coated in residue, more so than normal for a distillation at Ardnamurchan. Please do check out the link to see the full interview with Ardnamurchan, hosted by Dave Broom and Alan Winchester.

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