Maker’s Mark Launches Airport-Exclusive Artist Series

In time for summer travel, artist Alexandra Pacula brings iconic cityscapes to life in a limited-edition series exclusively for global travel retail

LORETTO, Ky., July 15, 2026 – Maker’s Mark, the iconic handmade Kentucky bourbon, today announced a global travel retail exclusive series featuring custom, city-inspired labels designed by acclaimed artist Alexandra Pacula. Available for a limited time in select airports, the bespoke Maker’s Mark bottles are inspired by destinations including New York, Los Angeles, Paris, London, Dubai, Delhi, Mumbai, Singapore, Seoul, Sydney and Melbourne,[GM1.1] inviting travelers to discover and collect each release throughout their journeys.

“At Maker’s Mark, we’ve always believed that character comes from doing things differently, and this Artist Series – City Edition brings that idea to life by capturing the distinct spirit and creative energy of iconic cities around the world,” said Rob Samuels, eighth-generation whisky maker and managing director of Maker’s Mark. “Today’s travelers are looking for experiences that feel personal and memorable, and we’re proud that each beautifully designed bottle is something they can enjoy long after their trip ends.”

Drawing on her signature style of painting inspired by long-exposure photography techniques, Pacula captures each city’s movement, light and rhythm through layered, expressive compositions. Her process mirrors the craftsmanship behind every bottle of Maker’s Mark, with hand-painted details nodding to the brand’s iconic red wax seal.

Pacula said: “Maker’s Mark has a very intentional approach to craft, and I wanted to mirror that in this body of work. I spent time in each city, immersed in its rhythm and atmosphere, and translated those impressions into expressive visuals that bring each label — and each place — to life.”

“Travel retail continues to be a key channel for premium spirits, as consumers increasingly seek exclusive and experience-led purchases during their journey,” commented Ashish Sagar, Interim General Manager, Global Travel Retail at Suntory Global Spirits. “With the brand’s distinctive craftsmanship, the Maker’s Mark Artist Series creates a collectible proposition that truly stands out in airport retail.”

The Maker’s Mark Artist Series – City Edition will be available beginning in Sydney (SYD), Melbourne (MEL), Singapore (SIN) and Seoul (ICN) airports in July, followed by London (LHR, LGW, STN) and Paris (CDG) in August. The series will continue to roll out in Dubai (DXB), Delhi (DEL), Mumbai (BOM), and in the United States in New York (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX) in September.
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.

Alexandra Pacula (b. 1979, Poland) is a cityscape and landscape artist, focusing on realism through oil painting. She received her BFA from the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, completing her MFA in painting and drawing at Montclair State University in New Jersey. Pacula is fascinated by light and its transformations. About her painting she says, “My work investigates a world of visual intoxication; it captures moments of enchantment, which are associated with urban nightlife… I recreate the feeling of dizziness and confusion by letting the paint blur and allowing shapes to dissolve. I suggest motion in order to slow down the scene and capture the fleeting moments, which tend to be forgotten.”
Represented by Gallery Henoch in New York, Alexandra Pacula’s work is in several public and corporate collections, including Harvard Law School, PACE University, and Tohokushinsha Film Corporation in Tokyo. She has frequently exhibited in solo and group exhibitions.

Deanston Organic 20 Year Old American Oak 49.7% 70cl

£170.00

Big news in the quest for making more sustainable whisky: Deanston Organic 20 Year Old American Oak is here! Deanston was the world’s first certified organic single malt, and this expression is one of the oldest in the world. It’s made using 100% organic Scottish barley, distilled immediately after the distillery’s silent season to make sure there’s zero contamination with other grains. It’s then been matured in organic re-charred American oak casks which let the distillery’s citrus, waxy character shine through. Just 2,826 bottles have been released, without chill-filtration and no added colouring. A fantastic perspective on how whisky can be both delicious and less environmentally damaging.

Tasting note from Deanston:

Nose: Sweet notes of vanilla and caramel are intertwined with cedar, wood spice and hints of ripe fruits.

Palate: Rich, yet dry on the palate. Honey spice, stone fruits, toasted oak and a gentle note of freshly cut grass.

Finish: Lingering finish of desiccated coconut and a touch of cocoa.

BERRY BROS. & RUDD EXPLORES THE PAST AND FUTURE OF SCOTCH WHISKY IN 2026 ODYSSEY COLLECTION

Britain’s oldest wine and spirits merchant, Berry Bros. & Rudd, has unveiled its 2026 Odyssey collection – The Auld and the Bold – a celebration of the dialogue between Scotland’s great whisky traditions and a new generation of distillers redefining the category around the world.

Comprising 20 single-cask whiskies, rums and a cognac, The Auld and the Bold continues Berry Bros. & Rudd’s Odyssey series, first launched in 2024,  an ongoing collection of themed annual releases which brings together single cask spirits connected by a mutual influence to form an “Odyssey”.

The Auld and the Bold explores how whisky traditions have travelled beyond Scotland, inspiring producers across the globe while continuing to shape some of the country’s most revered distilleries.

Felix Dear, Spirits Curator at Berry Bros. & Rudd, said:

“For this year’s Odyssey collection, we wanted to explore the relationship between heritage and innovation. Scotch whisky remains the benchmark that has inspired generations of distillers, but some of the most exciting spirits being made today are emerging from places far beyond Scotland.

“The Auld and the Bold brings these worlds together, showcasing both the timeless qualities that define great whisky and the fresh perspectives that continue to push the category forward. Whether the spirit comes from Speyside, Tasmania, Yorkshire or New Zealand, what unites these bottlings is a commitment to character, craftsmanship and a strong sense of place.”

The Scottish whiskies in this release showcase the remarkable breadth of Scotch. From the waxy, time-honoured elegance of Glenlossie 1975 to the fruit-laden character of Glencadam and Blair Athol, finished in an unusual Viognier cask, the collection highlights the diversity of styles found across Scotland. Rich sherry influence shines through Longmorn, Glen Garioch and Tamdhu, while Caol Ila, Williamson and Ruadh Mhor offer distinct expressions of peat and smoke. Together, these casks showcase the patience, provenance and generational expertise that remain at the heart of great Scotch whisky.

Beyond Scotland, the collection shines a light on a new generation of whisky makers inspired by Scotch tradition yet shaped by their own landscapes and climates. Australia’s Lark delivers remarkable depth through Tawny cask maturation, India’s Paul John marries Scottish peat with tropical ageing, while New Zealand’s Thomson brings distinctive Manuka-smoked character to the fore. England’s Spirit of Yorkshire demonstrates the evolution of English single malt, offering a vibrant, fruit-driven style rooted in place and craftsmanship.

Denmark’s Thy and Finland’s Teerenpeli similarly draw on traditional Scotch whisky-making techniques while expressing them through local barley, climate and maturation. Together, these whiskies capture a global whisky renaissance: rooted in Scottish tradition, yet shaped by distinctive terroirs, innovative production and a confident sense of place.

Three Caribbean rums join the collection, highlighting the category’s extraordinary diversity. From Foursquare’s refined tropical character and Diamond’s vibrant fruit profile to the legendary intensity of Caroni, the selection showcases some of the world’s most sought-after rum styles. Completing the release is a 35-year-old early-landed Cognac from Frapin, distilled in France, matured in the UK, and bottled at natural cask-strength.

The Auld and the Bold includes 20 bottlings from 20 distilleries and will be available from July 16^th 2026. All bottlings will be available to purchase from the Berry Bros. & Rudd spirits shop at No. 1 St James’s Street, London.

For more information on Berry Bros. & Rudd and the Odyssey: The Auld and the Bold collection, visit www.bbr.com.

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

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

 Old Grand-Dad 7YR Bottled-in-Bond

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

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.

Historically inspired by vintage releases, this fine bourbon is cut to 100 proof to reach its optimal and distinctively classic OGD flavor and body.

 Old Grand-Dad 7YR Bottled-in-Bond | SRP: $39.99

Tasting Notes:

Color: Deep copper tones

Nose: Bold caramel and vanilla

Palate: Sweet caramel flavors with notes of charred oak & vanilla notes

Finish: Full-bodied and long with velvety caramel notes

No paper, no doubt: Scotland’s newest whisky warehousing facility shuns paper records from day one in wake of cask scandals and shaky industry confidence

Royal Elizabeth Bond is set to become one of Scotland’s largest independent cask storage facilities and will  run completely transparently on digital records

15^th July 2026, London — While much of the UK whisky industry still runs on paper delivery orders and spreadsheets, one new whisky storage facility just outside Edinburgh won’t be using them at all.

Royal Elizabeth Bond, the independent cask storage facility at the historic Royal Elizabeth Yard near the Forth Bridge in Dalmeny, has assigned every cask on its site — held on behalf of distillers, brokers and private owners from across Scotland — with a unique Digital Deed. In an industry with centuries of documented history, Digital Deeds are an industry-first creating a digital identity, accessed by QR code, recording exactly what is in a cask, who owns it, where it sits in the warehouse and everything that has happened to it. The record stays with the cask for its lifetime and, unlike paper, cannot be lost or fraudulently duplicated.

The approach comes at a moment of reckoning for cask ownership. A BBC Scotland investigation into cask investment fraud found victims sold casks that were overpriced, sold twice or did not exist at all. And since the reform of the Warehousekeepers and Owners of Warehoused Goods Regulations (WOWGR) in March 2025 which removed the requirement for cask owners to register with HMRC, the warehouse’s own records have become the primary safeguard standing between a cask owner and uncertainty.

Royal Elizabeth Bond, which secured HMRC Warehouse Keepers approval in November 2025 and has planning consent for more than 800,000 square feet of new-build storage taking capacity to around 1.1 million casks, chose to build on digital foundations before the first cask arrived on site, using the Proof 8 platform. The distillery and inventory management platform from UK-based Proof 8 is quickly being adopted by warehouses and distilleries in a race to embed traceability and transparency into operations to shore up cask confidence.

Finlay Reid, Head of Operations at Royal Elizabeth Bond, said: “Because we were starting from scratch, we had a choice a lot of established operators don’t. We could inherit the old way of doing things or start clean. Paper and spreadsheets are prone to human error with data re-keyed, two casks entered under the same number, hours lost hunting the discrepancy. ”

“One of the things cask owners care about most is knowing exactly where their cask is and having confidence in the records attached to it. The Digital Deed gives them that and they can see their cask, their liquid and the key information attached to it, any time. With an asset as valuable as whisky, uncertainty and ambiguity are unacceptable. We wanted to find a better way that would stand us in good stead for the future as we grow.”

Since opening, this digital-first approach has cut the usual processing time of a 100–150 cask intake from up to a day to as little as approximately 30 minutes, and the system makes duplicating cask numbers impossible, saving hours of time where warehouse teams would otherwise have had to hunt them down by hand. Time spent submitting financial reporting to HMRC for WOWGR compliance is also kept to a minimum not exceeding an hour each month with quick and simple compliant reporting. Proof 8 is recognised by HMRC.

Stuart Maxwell, COO at Proof 8, said: “High-profile fraud cases have shown what happens when the system relies on trust alone and the old ways of doing things. A piece of paper can be duplicated; a Digital Deed cannot. Royal Elizabeth Bond has done what no operator at this scale has done before, shunned paper entirely and recorded every cask digitally from day one. That gives cask owners, distillers and HMRC something the industry has been missing: proof.”

About Proof 8:

Proof 8 is transforming the spirits industry by digitalising production, maturation and ownership. Its SaaS platform streamlines distillery operations, warehouse management, and connects brands with consumers. With a focus on creating assets that are ‘born digital’, Proof 8’s unique, tamper-proof Digital Deeds ensure traceability and authentication and solve the challenge of transparency across the spirits industry. Using innovative technology and a user-centred design, Proof 8 optimises the entire spirits journey, from grain to bottle, redefining how businesses and consumers connect in an ever-evolving landscape.

proof-8.com

Good stuff comes to those who wait! If you missed out on Cask No. 121.128: Leather espresso, we’ve added some more stock to our online shop. If you’re into polished leather soaked in coffee with traditional sherry maturation notes, this one is for you – but only while it’s here!

LEARN MORE

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

Arran Single Malt Scotch Whisky 30 Year Old

70cl · 46% ABV

Arran is proud to present its brand-new core range 30 Year Old Single Malt, a very limited release of selected old and rare sherry hogsheads from the very first year of Lochranza Distillery’s life. This bottling is something truly special and Arran is excited to finally share it. It is the oldest Arran whisky ever released and is truly worth the wait.

Superbly presented in a natural wood box with copper accents, a bespoke bottle and a premium wood-grain embossed paper label.