As the year draws to a close and the festive season really begins, we’re taking a moment to say a huge heartfelt thank you to all our Friends, and reflect on the most unphorgettable year yet. It’s safe to say 2025 provided many incredible moments, too many in fact to count. It wasn’t an easy task to round up just a few, but we always remain committed to the craft. Whether you’re celebrating with festive gatherings or enjoying some much-deserved downtime, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year filled with joy, laughter, and of course, a few sips of smoky whisky.

WRAPPING UP 2025 AT SPRINGBANK

As 2025 comes to a close, we’d like to wish all our Society members a very Merry Christmas. It’s also a great time to look back on the year just gone — from what’s been happening at the distilleries, to what the team has been busy working on, and what we’re looking forward to in the new year. Thank you for being part of the journey, and we can’t wait to share more with you as we head into 2026.

AN UPDATE FROM PRODUCTION
– Findlay Ross, Director of Production

As we approach the end of 2025, we reflect on another busy and successful year for the Production side of our business. Huge strides have been made in the construction of our new bottling and dispatch building, and we remain on course to move all operations into this new facility for the start of March 2026.
This has and will continue to be a complex and time consuming project, and we are pleased to be working closely with local contractors, McFadyens, on this to ensure we deliver a purpose-built facility that will not only improve the working environment for our staff, but also allow us to increase our case output in future years, as well as freeing up a variety of buildings around the site for much needed cask warehousing space.

We will continue to bottle our products with the same ethos we have in all areas of production – with people in place of machines whenever it’s possible to do so. This means that all our Springbank, Hazelburn, Longrow, Kilkerran, and Cadenhead’s products will run down the existing lines in the same way they do now but just in a designed environment rather than an evolved one!

Bottling Operations Manager, Lea Watson, has worked tirelessly on this project, working closely with her team and syncing up the multiple and diverse contractors needed to ensure everything has run and will continue to run smoothly – I definitely owe her a drink at the staff night out (and thankfully it’s a free bar!).

Bottling operations will continue to take place in our existing bottling hall until we move, with some staff members even expressing a sentimentality at the thought of leaving the old place for the new, something I’m sure will be quickly forgotten when they aren’t dressed in their thermals in the winter and beachwear in the summer!

Production operations at both Springbank and Glengyle have run to our usual schedule this year, with 34 weeks of production at Springbank between January and mid-September followed up by 12 weeks of production at Glengyle from mid-September to December.

This has allowed us to produce just shy of 260,000 LA at Springbank, and with 2 weeks of production at Glengyle remaining, we are on course to hit around 92,000 LA there.

As with the ‘old school’ nature of how the site operates, there have been the usual ups and downs of broken motors, leaking pumps, and rattling malt turners, etc, to deal with but Production Manager, Gavin McLachlan, supported by Assistant Manager, Robert McGarrie, and Warehousing Manager, Kerry Hastie, have kept on top of things all year and we’ve not had any setbacks that we couldn’t overcome.

Producing all our malt in house for Springbank remains a great source of pride for everyone at the company, and we have once again processed around 800 tonnes of barley from our suppliers at Highland Grain to make that possible. This year, we also processed 39 tonnes worth of local barley grown at two different farms around the Kintyre area; Low Knockrioch (Diablo Barley) and High Ranochan (Laureate Barley).

Finally, after limping on and patching up the patches on top of the patches of our stills for the last year, we have had them refurbished by Foryths. Then at the tail end of last week, they were returned to us and we hope to have them reinstalled very soon.

We look forward to firing the stills up again in the new year and continuing to produce our unique new make spirit in them for generations to come (or at least until I retire).

All our staff are looking forward to a well-earned break over Christmas and New year, and we hope you all have a great festive period too. We look forward to welcoming everyone visiting our distilleries in 2026!

LIMITED RELEASES

In the second half of 2025, we released two sets of limited edition whiskies from our distilleries. The August release featured our brand new core range whisky, the Springbank 5yo 100 PROOF, alongside our annual Springbank 21yo and Kilkerran 16yo.

A further release followed in November and included the Springbank 12yo Cask Strength, Springbank 10yo Local Barley, Springbank 10yo Fino, Hazelburn 10yo, and Kilkerran Heavily Peated Batch 13.

Following into the new year, the upcoming editions of Springbank 18yo, Springbank 30yo, Longrow 100 PROOF, and Kilkerran 8yo Cask Strength (Bourbon) will be released. These whiskies will be available to purchase through the usual retail channels.

COUNTDOWN COLLECTION

The fourth release in our five-part Countdown Collection—created to mark Springbank’s journey toward its 200th anniversary—is scheduled for release in March next year. This expression will be a 29 Year Old Springbank, matured in two Refill Sherry Hogsheads and one Fresh Rum Barrel at 50.8% ABV. As with each edition in the series, this release will be strictly limited to just 500 bottles and available to Springbank fans worldwide. Be sure to follow our social channels for the latest updates on this special release…

As with each Countdown Collection release, a prize draw will be conducted the following year for those who have returned the prize draw stub from their certificate.

PRIZES:
1st Prize – Whisky School (value £2000)
2nd Prize – Eat Sleep Dram, Repeat + 1 guest (value £1900)
3rd Prize – Barley to Bottle + 1 guest (value £500)

For those who purchased a bottle of our 2025 Countdown Collection 30yo Springbank, you have until January 1st 2026 to submit your entry slip to be included in the next prize draw. Please return your entry slip to the following address: Springbank Distillers Ltd, 9 Bolgam Street, Campbeltown, Argyll, Scotland, PA28 6HZ

WASHBACK BAR NEWS

Recently, there’s been some exciting new developments to our Washback Bar here at the distillery, with over 80 new whiskies added to the menu. These new additions include archive bottlings, cask samples, and various other limited releases from through the years. We invited the local members of the Springbank Society & friends for a lovely evening to celebrate the launch of our new menu, to enjoy festive nibbles, and taste some exciting upcoming whiskies from our distilleries — a great night was had!

The new menu is now on our website along with opening hours. We’d love to see you here soon!

SOCIETY BOTTLINGS

In September, the second Springbank Society bottling of 2025 was released as a small batch: an eight-year-old Springbank, fully matured in six fresh Madeira hogsheads and bottled at 54.7% ABV in 70cl bottles. We hope this was welcome news for Society members, especially as the previous Madeira-matured Springbank for the Society was released back in 2013. The upcoming Society bottling is scheduled for release early next year. Further details will be announced in due course.

To join the Springbank Society contact them at society@springbank.scot

TASTING PACKS

In June, we released our fourth Springbank & Kilkerran Tasting Packs — filled with samples from the February and June 2025 limited releases. Our Sales Team also hosted an online tasting to walk through each dram and answer your questions live. Missed it? Catch the full replay on our YouTube Channel

In November, we launched our fifth Tasting Pack sets via cadenhead.shop — making it easier for customers to combine orders with other products and help reduce shipping costs. Society members also enjoyed early access to the release before it went on general sale.

Here are all the whiskies included:

LIVE ONLINE TASTING
THURSDAY, 29TH JANUARY FROM 7PM (GMT).

The sales team will again host an online tasting session to discuss each of the whiskies included. Corresponding tasting packs are still available to purchase in our distillery shop and online via the button below. This will be streamed live on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. We hope you can join us!

MALTS FESTIVAL 2025

As part of the 2025 Campbeltown Malts Festival, we were delighted to once again welcome visitors from around the world to our Springbank & Kilkerran Open Days in May. Thank you to everyone who took part and made it a truly fantastic week!

MALTS FESTIVAL 2026…

The 2026 Campbeltown Malts Festival will take place from Monday 18th to Saturday 23rd May.

Springbank Open Day – Thursday, 21st May 2026
Kilkerran Open Day – Friday, 22nd May 2026

Mark your calendars, we’re looking forward to seeing you there!

If you wish to be added to our mailing list for Springbank / Kilkerran / Cadenhead’s festival events, then please email events@springbank.scot and you will be notified when further information is available.

ONLINE SCOTCH WHISKY AWARDS

On November 1st, our team gathered in the Washback Bar to tune in to the 2025 Online Scotch Whisky Awards Ceremony. Watch the livestream here.

We’re thrilled to have picked up three 1st place awards for 2025!

🥇 Best Distillery — Springbank Distillery
🥇 Best Blended Malt — Campbeltown Loch
🥇 Best Scotch Whisky — Springbank 12yo Cask Strength

All three certificates are now proudly on display in the Washback Bar!

EXPLORE CAMPBELTOWN CHRISTMAS MARKET

On Saturday 30th November, we were delighted to host the annual Explore Campbeltown Christmas Market in our Malt Barns from 11am to 4pm, welcoming the people of Campbeltown to enjoy a festive day out with family and friends.

The bottom floor showcased over fifty local businesses and charities, each offering a wonderful variety of gifts, treats, and handmade items. Upstairs, visitors were spoiled for choice with delicious food from a selection of local eateries, as well as a Santa’s Grotto where children could enjoy a magical festive experience.

You might also spot some familiar faces as Santa’s helpers from our own Distillery Shop!

2025 TASTINGS ROUND UP

What a year it’s been! Our Sales Team travelled far and wide to bring our whiskies to you, hosting almost 170 tastings and attending more than 25 whisky festivals across 20 different countries, including the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, and South Korea.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us — we loved meeting you and sharing drams together!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

From everyone at J&A Mitchell, thank you for your continued support throughout the year. Whether you’ve been enjoying our whiskies, visiting our distillery, or recommending us to a friend, we truly appreciate it.

And finally, we recently held our annual Christmas Jumper Day — it’s always a highlight of the season!

To join the Springbank Society contact them at society@springbank.scot

www.clickwhiskyauctions.com

Season’s greetings from Campbeltown, and sincere thanks to our neighbours, new friends, and supporters near and far for the goodwill and encouragement we’ve felt throughout the year. We wish you a peaceful festive season, and we look forward to continuing the journey together in the year ahead.

DISTILLERY BUILD UPDATE

Progress on site is moving along nicely — and it’s starting to feel very real. Key equipment has arrived, including our boiler, mill, draff tank and washbacks. With each delivery and installation, the distillery’s layout and flow are becoming clearer, and the whole place is coming together beautifully.

VISIT OUR HOMEPAGE

Merry Christmas from us all at Glengoyne

Experience Gift Vouchers

Perfect for last-minute gifting, Glengoyne Distillery e-vouchers are available on our website and emailed instantly to your inbox. Gift vouchers are available for all our distillery tours and whisky experiences and are valid for 12 months.

Unrivaled and Maker’s Mark Announce Partnership Celebrating the Spirit that Changed the Game

Maker’s Mark is named first Official Spirits Partner of Unrivaled, the breakthrough league built with the biggest stars in women’s basketball

LORETTO, Ky., December, 2025 – Ahead of the league’s second season in January, Maker’s Mark®, the iconic handmade Kentucky bourbon, today announced it will be the first Official Spirits Partner of Unrivaled presented by Samsung Galaxy — the athlete-founded and player-owned women’s basketball league ushering in a new era for the game. This is Maker’s Mark’s first-ever sports league sponsorship. As part of the multi-year partnership, Maker’s Mark will bring the spirit of sport to life throughout the season at games at Sephora Arena in Miami and Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.

“What Maker’s Mark has done throughout its renowned history is exactly what Unrivaled aims to do, which is carving our own path to create something better, and leaning into unreasonable ideas instead of shying away from them,” said Napheesa Collier, Unrivaled Co-Founder. “That’s what makes Maker’s Mark a perfect fit as our first Official Spirits Partner. We’re grateful for their support in our continued pursuit of making the unreasonable a reality for women’s basketball.”

Rob Samuels, eighth generation whisky maker and managing director at Maker’s Mark added, “Maker’s Mark founders – my grandparents – broke with tradition to reimagine what bourbon could be—a perfectly unreasonable spirit that endures today. Beginning with co-founders Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, Unrivaled shares that same spirit, and we’re delighted to shine a light on their community of players who prioritize passion and purpose on and off court.”  

As part of the partnership, Unrivaled ticketholders will have the chance to engage with Maker’s Mark brand experiences in select hospitality spaces and enjoy specialty cocktails inspired by the league. At Sephora Arena in Miami, Maker’s Mark will take over their new VIP Loge Box, creating an immersive space for VIP guests. At select games, Maker’s Mark will also be part of Unrivaled’s pre-game Fan Fest experience outside the arena where fans can enjoy games, photo opportunities, exclusive merch and activations in Unrivaled style.

Maker’s Mark will also appear in-arena through displays with broadcast-visible signage. Thirty-second commercial spots will run on media partners including TNT and truTV throughout the regular season and playoffs, featuring the new Perfectly Unreasonable global campaign, which celebrates the idea that going to unreasonable lengths—in life and in bourbon—is what separates good from remarkable. In parallel, Maker’s Mark will run custom content on Bleacher Report.

“This partnership brings together two brands that have challenged convention with an independent and generous spirit to create something truly new and compelling for their category,” said Regan Clarke, U.S. vice president of American Whiskey Brands, Suntory Global Spirits. “We’re thrilled to bring the dynamic energy of Unrivaled to life for basketball and bourbon fans alike – whether they’re enjoying the game in the arena or tuning in to watch with friends over a Maker’s Mark cocktail.” 

This announcement comes ahead of Unrivaled’s highly anticipated 2026 season, tipping off January 5 in Miami. Building on a breakthrough inaugural year that engaged and excited millions of fans, the league returns bigger than ever, featuring two new clubs, a redesigned arena with expanded fan sections, and their first-ever tour stop in Philadelphia. With broader national broadcast coverage with a fourth night of games, new brand partners and a growing roster of the sport’s biggest players, Unrivaled continues to push women’s basketball forward and redefine what a player-led league can look like.

Unrivaled and Maker’s Mark will offer their communities of ambassadors and fans exclusive content and other benefits. To explore the partnership with Maker’s Mark and Unrivaled, including nearby bar activations, signature cocktail recipes and more, visit www.makersmark.com/unrivaled-announcement or @makersmark and @unrivaled on Instagram.

ABOUT UNRIVALED
Unrivaled is a professional women’s basketball league innovating the women’s professional sports landscape with a groundbreaking model centered on investing in its athletes. Co-Founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, Unrivaled is player-owned, providing participating players equity opportunities for a vested interest in the league’s success. Launched in January 2025, Unrivaled features the current top women’s basketball stars in the world across eight clubs for a 3-on-3, compressed full court style of play. To learn more, visit unrivaled.basketball or contact info@unrivaled.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, its first-ever wheat whisky. Award-winning 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, inviting farms, bars and restaurants to join the movement.

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.

Learn more at www.makersmark.com.

Victoria Whisky Festival Tickets

All remaining tickets are now available online.

Alongside the remaining packages which we’ve been offering for the last couple of weeks, there are now brand-new VIP packages available, plus a whole suite of individual masterclasses for those who want a top-up to their existing itinerary!

SECURE YOUR TICKETS NOW