Saturday 1st August 2026

Ad Gefrin Distillery

WOOLER
NORTHUMBERLAND
NE71 6NJ

Ad Gefrin have hosted two special events per year, for the last 2 years. The Gaderung is their summer ‘gathering’ and is a celebration of the distillery, but also local food, art and culture. We are delighted that we have talked them into allowing us to bring our own brand of whisky celebration into their broader event.
So, for the Saturday 1st August, we will be hosting a special outdoor area, devoted to whisky and music, of all types, and we would love it if you can join us!

The event is free to enter, but if you want to taste whisky, you’ll need to purchase one of two advance ticket types, or turn up on the day for ‘on the day’ tickets.

We really hope you can make the journey – it is a beautiful part of the country, and getting there from Edinburgh, the Borders and Newcastle is not too difficult. And it will be worth it!

DETAILS & BOOK NOW

HAPPY CANADA DAY, eh?

LotG and Whisky Stories Podcast

@Whiskystoriespod hosted us for a podcast at Diggers Leith. If you want to hear what unfolded and a preview of our Q2 outrun there are links to the various ways listen here

Maltstock Down Under!

Something wonderful and relaxed happened in Tasmania two weeks ago! Maltstock went down under! Bob and Teun were there for the first edition and we have a small report for you below.

It was relaxed, a bit weird, but so much fun to walk around at an event roughly 17000 kilometers from home and to feel totally at home. Maltstock Down Under was a blast! It totally felt like Maltstock! People from all over Australia (and the world… we were there, Connel from Ardnamurchan, a couple of Kiwis and a guy from Texas USA) gathered in the small town of Bothwell (Tasmania). Australia’s 2nd oldest golf course was the theatre to enjoy each relaxed company, Drinks with… sessions, a blind tasting, morning walk, good food and great whisky. In other words: Maltstock!

All in all it was a big success! David Ligoff and the volunteer crew pulled of an amazing event and the dates for next year have already been set:

Maltstock Down Under 2027
To give everyone enough time to plan for next year, the date for Maltstock Down Under 2027 has been set, so save the date!
19 to 21 March 
Central Highlands, Tasmania

This event will never be huge, we will always keep it a relaxed, intimate weekend. We do know that many of you would like to bring friends & family along, and there are a few people on our waiting list that could not attend this year.  To accommodate everyone, we are looking at including a Glamping option, and for this we needed to move to a warmer month 😏.

David: “I look forward to seeing you at upcoming whisky events around the country, and maybe even at Maltstock in September in The Netherlands.”

Annette, Bob, Klaas, Stan, Teun

Maltstock Down Under 2027 tickets

HOLE IN ONE AT THIS ST ANDREWS DISTILLERY GETS YOU A £5,000 WHISKY CASK

Visitors to the ‘home of golf’ have the chance to win their very own whisky cask

St Andrews-based independent distiller, Eden Mill, has launched ‘Pin It To Win It’ – a golf simulator challenge combining Scotland’s national drink with the home of golf.

For £10, players get three attempts to land closest to the pin on the simulator, with anyone landing a hole in one winning their very own Eden Mill Whisky Cask, filled on site at the distillery. Everyone’s a winner though and there’s a prize to be had wherever your ball lands. The distillery will also award the closest person to the pin each calendar month with a bottle of its single malt whisky.

Hamish Maclean, Senior Brand Manager at Eden Mill, said: “We wanted to create something spontaneous and genuinely exciting, the kind of thing you walk past and think ‘oh go on then’ and end up talking about for weeks. Owning a whisky cask is a dream for many, so we thought why not give our guests the chance to win one for a tenner!”

The only distillery experience of its kind in Scotland, the activation brings together whisky tourism and golf culture – giving visitors the chance to test their swing just minutes from the Old Course while enjoying one of Scotland’s newest premium whisky destinations.

Players landing safely on the green win an Eden Mill tote bag. Those finding the bunker receive a golf ball, while out-of-bounds efforts are rewarded with a golf tee – the challenge’s “wooden spoon”!

Pin It To Win It is available to all visitors to Eden Mill’s distillery visitor centre in Guardbridge, alongside the distillery’s whisky tours, cocktail bar, and blending experiences. For more information, visit edenmill.com.

• Pin It To Win It is priced at £10 for three shots, or £15 as part of the Dram and Drive package, which includes an Eden Mill single malt.
• On the green wins an Eden Mill tote bag. Bunker wins a golf ball. Out of bounds wins a golf tee.
• The hole in one prize is an Eden Mill Bourbon Whisky Cask, filled on site at the distillery, worth £5,000.
• The monthly prize is a bottle of Eden Mill whisky, awarded to the closest shot to the pin at the end of each calendar month.

Win XOP Port Dundas & Cameronbridge

45 Year Old Whiskies – Worth £3,600

For just £10, you could win two of the rarest Grain Whiskies Douglas Laing has ever bottled – a matched pair from our XOP series. Both spent 45 years in a Single Cask, and just 98 Cameronbridge and 106 Port Dundas bottles exist anywhere in the world, each numbered and signed by Cara Laing and Fred Laing. e’re putting both in the hands of one winner.

XOP Cameronbridge 45 Years Old

A refined, elegant grain whisky from one of Scotland’s most respected Grain distilleries.

Distillery: Cameronbridge

Age: 45 Years

ABV: 54.6% · 70cl

Cask: Single Refill Barrel

Only 98 bottles produced.

XOP Port Dundas 45 Years Old

Deep, characterful and beautifully aged from the now-silent Port Dundas distillery.

Distillery: Port Dundas

Age: 45 Years

ABV: 49.9% · 70cl

Cask: Single Refill Hogshead

Only 106 bottles produced.

ENTER NOW

SPIRIT OF SPEYSIDE RETURNS WITH DISTILLED EVENT 

After a record-breaking year at the Spirit of Speyside Festival, the celebrations continue as tickets go on sale for the 10^th anniversary of Distilled, the popular two-day spirits and craft beer event.

Following a one-year hiatus while Elgin Town Hall undergoes major refurbishment, Distilled returns on Friday 11^th and Saturday 12^th September 2026 at the Alexander Graham Bell Centre at UHI Moray in Elgin, bringing together more than 20 drink producers from across Speyside.

While whisky remains a major attraction in the area, Distilled is about much more than Scotland’s national drink.  The event shines a spotlight on Speyside’s vibrant community of craft producers, allowing visitors to discover everything from whisky and gin to beer and other premium spirits, all under one roof.

Three sessions are available, starting on Friday evening at 6pm, followed by two sessions on the Saturday at 11am and 4pm.  Attendance is limited to just 150 visitors per session, and organisers expect tickets to sell out quickly.

Speyside brands confirmed include The Glenlivet, Aberlour, Gordon & MacPhail, Strathisla, Benriach, The GlenAllachie and Cardhu.

Visitors will be able to choose from 3 passes for each session with the line-up still being finalised.  A Discovery Pass gives access to the event where you can sample from each stand at your own pace.

The Masterclass Pass includes two exclusive 45-minute Masterclasses.  Confirmed brands so far include Glen Moray, Elixir Distillers and Speyburn.  If you prefer a more laid-back experience guests can opt for the Premium Pass with access to a chill-out area and two exclusive pours from Speyside brands.

Henry Angus, Chairman of the festivals, said: “It’s wonderful to be back with Distilled after a break last year.  While the venue has changed, the enthusiasm from Speyside producers remains as strong as ever.

“Distilled creates a fantastic opportunity for visitors to have the chance to meet the people behind the brands, sample fantastic products and experience the incredible diversity of drinks production across the region.”

TICKET INFORMATION –

Tickets for Distilled 2026 go on sale from 12pm on Friday 26th June with an Early Bird special discounted price for Friday evening of £35 for the Discovery Pass until 24^th July.  After that, tickets will go on sale at £40.  All tickets include a Glencairn Crystal glass with a lanyard.

There will only be 25 Premium Passes available at £60, which gives access to the Premium Lounge where there will be exclusive pours during each session.  A limited number of Early Bird tickets will be available on Friday evening at £55, subject to availability.

Again, to make it very exclusive, there will only be 25 Masterclass Passes at £70 and includes a deeper insight into the drams and heritage behind the brands.  Again, a limited number of Early Bird tickets will be available at £65, subject to availability.

https://www.spiritofspeyside.com/festival/distilled

Distilled26

#spiritofspeyside

#sos26

Spirit of Speyside: Distilled

The team behind the annual Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival brings another fantastic event to the sampling table – Spirit of Speyside: Distilled. Where the world’s best whisky distillers unite under one roof on their own doorstep. At the festival, Speyside’s whisky distillers are accompanied by award-winning brewers, gin crafters and there will be lots of local food on offer.

Spirit of Speyside

Spirit of Speyside organises some of the world’s premier whisky events, welcoming visitors to the beauty of Speyside from across the globe each year. The organisation is responsible for the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival each year with hundreds of events incorporating the Whisky School and Whisky Awards. The same team also hosts Spirit of Speyside: Distilled, exclusively for whisky distillers.

Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival

First launched in 1999, the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival’s annual celebration of Scotland’s national drink has developed into one of the largest events of its kind anywhere in the world. This year it will celebrate its 27^th anniversary with a programme of around 500+ whisky-inspired events over 6 days.  The Festival is a true mecca for the curious beginner and the whisky connoisseur alike. Festival events take place throughout Speyside, the biggest whisky-producing region in Scotland, located in the Moray area in the north-east of the country between Aberdeen and Inverness. Over the years, the Festival has developed close links with many Speyside businesses and communities who help to fund the festival. It is a true team effort to deliver an ever-improving range of events and services to make the six days of the festival a truly unforgettable experience.

A Moroccan goal after 70 seconds in that caught us napping – and the penalty that should have been, but the Tartan Army are still standing. They always are. From Argentina in ’78 to Spain in ’82 to this — Scotland supporters have never needed winning to keep believing. They need one result now. They need Brazil. And they need every single dram of support the north of Scotland can muster.

The Big Yin. In Scotland, that means exactly what it sounds like. The one that matters most. The one you tell your grandchildren about. Wednesday 24th June in Miami, Scotland versus Brazil is the game that decides whether this World Cup campaign becomes something historic, or something we carry quietly home and never quite stop thinking about.

We’ve had one bottle for every group game. We kept the biggest for last. Twelve years ago, we filled these casks in our distillery on the north coast of Scotland, where the wind (and rain) comes off the Pentland Firth and whisky matures on its own terms. Nobody was thinking about a World Cup. Scotland was in the middle of one of the longest qualifying droughts in their history. We were making whisky the way we always make whisky: properly, patiently, without shortcuts.

Now those twelve years of maturation have produced something worth opening on a Wednesday night in June when Scotland wants three points against the most decorated football nation on the planet.

Like every Scotland World Cup campaign, every moment of glory or heartbreak that makes this whole thing worth caring about.

An Instant Father’s Day Gift From Glengoyne
Experience Gift Vouchers Opens Our Doors For Discovery

A Glengoyne Experience Gift Voucher opens the doors to our distillery, where time slows, stories are shared, and every dram is crafted with care. Whether he’s a lifelong whisky enthusiast or simply curious to discover something new, a gift voucher is a thoughtful way to celebrate Father’s Day. Find out why we’re been awarded the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Award.

EXPERIENCE GIFT VOUCHER OPTIONS

DEWAR’S SCOTCH WHISKY Celebrates the Start of the 126th U.S. Open with the Sixth Edition of the Champions Edition 19 Year Old Whisky

Finished in Cabernet Franc casks from Southampton’s Wölffer Estate, the limited-edition release honors Shinnecock Hills Golf Club and the enduring connection between Scotch whisky and golf.

HAMILTON, Bermuda, June 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — DEWAR’S® Blended Scotch Whisky, the Official Scotch Whisky of the U.S. Open, proudly celebrates the start of the 126th U.S. Open Championship at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club with the release of the sixth iteration of DEWAR’S 19 Year Old The Champions Edition. Crafted to commemorate one of golf’s most prestigious championships, this year’s limited-edition expression is finished in Cabernet Franc red wine casks from Long Island’s renowned Wölffer Estate, showcasing DEWAR’S pioneering craftsmanship through a whisky that pays tribute to both the host venue and the region that surrounds it.

Building upon a partnership that began in 2021, DEWAR’S 19 Year Old The Champions Edition continues the brand’s celebration of the shared heritage of golf and Scotch whisky through innovative cask finishes inspired by each year’s championship. For 2026, six-time Master Blender of the Year Stephanie Macleod collaborated with Southampton-based Wölffer Estate, bringing a distinct sense of place to the whisky while honoring Shinnecock Hills, one of the USGA’s five founding clubs and one of the most revered courses in American golf. The result is a release Dewar’s spirit of innovation and its pursuit of distinctive flavors inspired by people and place.

Crafted from up to 40 of Scotland’s finest single malt and grain whiskies, the expression is matured for 19 years in ex-bourbon and sherry casks before being harmonized in refill oak casks and finished in Cabernet Franc barrels from Wölffer Estate. This exceptional finish creates an exhilarating trans-Atlantic partnership between Scotland and Long Island, resulting in a rich and complex whisky where elegant floral notes of violets and golden honey open to a medley of red berries and blackcurrant, while layers of cinnamon and dried orange peel add depth and complexity before giving way to a long, balanced finish accented by toasted oak and refined sweetness.

“There is a natural synergy between whisky and wine; both are shaped by time, place and oak cask,” said Stephanie Macleod, Master Blender for DEWAR’S. “For this year’s Champions Edition, we used Cabernet Franc casks sourced from a renowned Southhampton, NY winery to finish Dewar’s 19. We have created an expression that not only showcases the complexity of our Dewar’s Double-aged Scotch but also reflects the terroir of the wine region hosting this year’s Championship. The Cabernet Franc casks bring beautiful layers of red fruit, floral character and gentle spice, resulting in a whisky that feels both distinctive and unmistakably DEWAR’S – reflecting our ongoing pursuit of enriching discoveries through flavour.”

In addition to The Champions Edition, DEWAR’S once again returns as the Official Cocktail of the U.S. Open with the Lemon Wedge, the championship’s signature serve. Crafted with award-winning DEWAR’S 12 Year Old, lemonade, and club soda, the refreshing cocktail offers a contemporary and approachable way to enjoy Scotch whisky, bringing a vibrant spirit to the tournament experience.

“At DEWAR’S, we believe life’s defining moments deserve to be celebrated, from Father’s Day gatherings with family to championship weekends at the U.S. Open,” said Brian Cox, Global Vice President of Scotch Whisky at Bacardi. “Rooted in the shared Scottish heritage of whisky and golf, The Champions Edition is our annual toast to the 19th hole and the stories that bring people together. We’re proud to continue that tradition with a release inspired by Shinnecock Hills and the vibrant character of Long Island.”

The 2026 DEWAR’S 19 Year Old The Champions Edition is available in limited quantities at select fine wine and spirits retailers nationwide and online while supplies last, offering consumers the opportunity to experience the premium quality and craftsmanship that have defined DEWAR’S since 1846.

For more information on DEWAR’S whisky products, please visit www.dewars.com or on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

ENJOY RESPONSIBLY
©2026. DEWAR’S AND ITS TRADE DRESS ARE TRADEMARKS.

DEWAR’S 19 YEAR OLD “THE CHAMPIONS” EDITION
Limited edition bottles on shelves nationwide HERE
MSRP $79.99 (750ML)
ABV: 43%

DEWAR’S LEMON WEDGE COCKTAIL
Ingredients:

1½ oz. DEWAR’s 12 Year Old
3 oz. Club Soda
2 oz. Lemonade
Method: Combine ingredients over ice and stir for desired dilution. Garnish with lemon. Cheers!

About DEWAR’S

DEWAR’S is the World’s Most Awarded Blended Scotch Whisky, celebrated for its exceptional quality and taste. Founded in 1846, DEWAR’S grew from a small wine and spirits merchant shop in Scotland, to one of the largest Scotch whisky brands in the world. DEWAR’S core range includes the iconic DEWAR’S White Label and DEWAR’S Cask Series. The Premium range comprises DEWAR’S 12 Year Old, DEWAR’S 15 Year Old and DEWAR’S 18 Year Old; these expressions are crafted using DEWAR’S Double Ageing technique, which involves a two-stage maturation process for a smoother mouthfeel and silkier texture. The Luxury and Prestige collections include older rarities such as DEWAR’S 21 Year Old and DEWAR’S 38 Year Old and are crafted using a meticulous four-stage ageing process for ultimate smoothness. DEWAR’S spirit of discovery and approach to the art of blending results in a taste that continues to win applause and capture the curiosity of today’s whisky drinkers. The DEWAR’S brand is part of the portfolio of Bacardi Limited, headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited.

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 162 years ago in Santiago de Cuba, family-owned Bacardi Limited currently employs approximately 9,000, operates production facilities in 11 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 or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram or Twitter.

About the USGA
The USGA is a nonprofit organization that celebrates, serves, and advances the game of golf. Founded in 1894, we conduct many of golf’s premier professional and amateur championships, including the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open. With The R&A, we govern the sport via a global set of playing, equipment, handicapping and amateur status rules. The USGA campus in Liberty Corner, New Jersey, is home to the Association’s Research and Test Center, where science and innovation are fueling a healthy and sustainable game for the future. The campus is also home to the USGA Golf Museum, where we honor the game by curating the world’s most comprehensive archive of golf artifacts. To learn more, visit usga.org.