Four Acclaimed Bourbon Producers Unite for a One-of-a-Kind Military Barrel to Honor Veterans During America’s 250th Anniversary Year

Four acclaimed bourbon producers, J. Mattingly 1845, Heritage Distilling, Four Branches Bourbon and Pursuit Spirits, have donated barrels that were expertly blended by Pursuit Spirits to create the one-of-a-kind “United We Stand” military barrel.

The barrel will be auctioned at the inaugural Kentucky Bourbon Country Auction on Feb. 14, 2026, with proceeds benefiting the Bob Woodruff Foundation, continuing the distillers’ long history of donating millions to military and veteran charities.

Additionally, each distiller will release 100 limited-edition bottles for sale with a commemorative label in honor of the inaugural KBCA event and America’s 250th anniversary.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Jan. 28, 2026) — The inaugural Kentucky Bourbon Country Auction & Celebration today announced a powerful and unprecedented auction lot titled “United We Stand,” a special military barrel created through a historic collaboration among four acclaimed American whiskey producers with long-standing ties to military and veteran philanthropy in honor of one of America’s most enduring principles, unity.

The lot begins with donated barrels from J. Mattingly 1845, Heritage Distilling, Four Branches Bourbon and Pursuit Spirits. From these individual contributions, Ryan Cecil, Master Blender for Pursuit Spirits carefully selected and blended the finest elements of each barrel to create a singular expression: the United We Stand barrel.

“This barrel represents everything the Kentucky Bourbon Country Auction & Celebration stands for, unity, craftsmanship and purpose,” said Andrew Varga, founder of the Kentucky Bourbon Country Auction & Celebration. “Four respected producers, each with their own identity and legacy, have come together in service of something bigger than themselves. In America’s 250th anniversary year, this collaboration honors our nation’s origins, our military’s shared sacrifice and the idea that we are strongest when we stand together for a common cause.”​​

The United We Stand barrel will be auctioned as part of the inaugural Kentucky Bourbon Country Auction & Celebration this Presidents’ Day Weekend, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the United States. Proceeds from the KBCA will benefit the Bob Woodruff Foundation, supporting veterans, service members and their families, reinforcing the event’s mission to honor America’s native spirit while giving back to those who have protected its freedoms.

“Developing this expression has been a highlight of my career,” noted Ryan Cecil, Master Blender for Pursuit Spirits. “Bringing together these incredible distillers and our own Pursuit United barrel resulted in a beautifully balanced harmony. Narrowing down the barrels was a challenge, but the end result is a pour I’m incredibly proud of.”

In addition to the auctioned barrel, each participating distiller will release 100 individual bottles featuring a commemorative label honoring the collaboration and its mission, with a suggested retail price of $250 per bottle.

Each of the four producers involved has earned significant critical acclaim and numerous industry awards for their bourbons, making United We Stand a once-in-a-lifetime blend and an extraordinary collectible. The collaboration represents not only the highest level of whiskey craftsmanship, but also a shared mission to honor those who provide the greatest service of all.

Together, J. Mattingly 1845, Heritage Distilling, and Four Branches Bourbon have donated millions of dollars over many years to military and veteran causes, supporting more than 50 organizations nationwide. Beneficiaries have included Folds of Honor, Bob Woodruff Foundation, Disabled American Veterans, Navy SEAL Foundation, Green Beret Foundation and the Combat Infantry Badge Association, among many others.

Previously announced Bourbon Lots

The United We Stand barrel joins these previously announced lots:

• Elijah Craig Single Barrel experience at Heaven Hill Distillery
• Four Roses private selection barrel pick
• Old Forester Single Barrel, Barrel Strength Selection Experience
• 12 Bottles of King of Kentucky Small Batch
• A 2002 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon First Release – Signed by Garvin Brown IV

The Kentucky Bourbon Country Auction & Celebration will take place Feb. 13–15, 2026, bringing together rare bourbon, historic experiences and philanthropic impact in honor of America’s Native Spirit during its milestone anniversary year. For those who cannot attend in person, the auction will feature a virtual option at the following link.

KBCA Virtual Viewing Link

For updates, auction lot announcements and ticket information, visit www.KYBCA.com and follow the Kentucky Bourbon Country Auction on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.

About the Kentucky Bourbon Country Auction

The Kentucky Bourbon Country Auction and Celebration is a first-of-its-kind gathering honoring Kentucky’s bourbon legacy while giving back to the heroes who protect our nation. Founded in Louisville by Andrew Varga, a longtime spirits industry executive, the inaugural KBCA committee includes bourbon industry luminaries, authors and executives such as America’s CEO- Chief Entertaining Officer Tim Laird and Lori Laird, former PriceWeber VP, Executive Creative Director Larry Profancik and brand strategist Henrietta Pepper. KBCA unites distilleries, chefs and bourbon enthusiasts for three unforgettable days of tastings, events and philanthropy, all “for the greater great.”

Kildalton 22 Year Old 2003 Milroy’s Vintage Reserve 53.7% 70cl

£284.99

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Kildalton 22 Year Old 2003 Milroy’s Vintage Reserve 53.7% 70cl

An exquisitely aged, ex-bourbon Islay treasure here, sourced from an unnamed distillery on the famed island. It is profoundly complex with deep tropical sweetness in with pronounced peat smoke notes, along with a smattering of dark florals for good measure. Have a look on a map for the Kildalton Cross and it might give you a clue as to this extraordinary 22-year-old single malt’s provenance…

Tasting notes:

Nose: Rich, round and cold with cake mix, milk chocolate, something deliciously funky. Stewed tropical fruits and nutty, creamy marzipan emerge with the pronounced peat smoke. Liquorice, nori and a touch of floral potpourri add to the complexity.

Palate: A dense, earthy peat smoke comes to the fore along with a surprising basket of confectionery. The tropical fruits transform into boiled sweets before a wave of iodine arrives. Darker florals appear alongside dark chocolate, oudh-like, and more liquorice.

Finish: Incredibly long with lingering, earthy industrial smoke, oak spices and citrus peels.

Tomatin unveils Year of the Horse single cask whisky to celebrate Lunar New Year

Award-winning Highland distiller Tomatin has released a highly limited new single cask whisky to mark the 2026 Lunar New Year, the Year of the Horse – a symbol of strength, vitality and adventure in the Chinese Zodiac.

The Tomatin Year of the Horse 2026 release is a 2011 single cask bottling, matured in a first fill Pedro Ximénez (PX) sherry butt. The cask used, known as a ‘bota gorda’, is larger than a standard sherry butt and has been sourced directly from a bodega in Jerez in southern Spain. Its use in a sherry solera has added depth and intense PX flavours to the whisky, while its size has allowed the more subtle complexities of the Tomatin spirit to shine.

Non-chill filtered and natural in colour, Tomatin Year of the Horse 2026 is presented in the distillery’s signature bottle finished with ornate artwork detailed on a red label, with this colour symbolising good fortune, positivity and energy at Lunar New Year.

Jamie Muir, distillery manager at Tomatin, said: “We don’t often release single cask whiskies to the global market, however this sweet, fruity and structured Tomatin single malt seemed the perfect way to toast the Lunar New Year.

“As well as being renowned as the home of sherry, Jerez is also famed for its horses and is the birthplace of the legendary Carthusian breed which dates back to the 15th century, the era in which Tomatin is rooted. This rich heritage makes this whisky a fitting tribute to the strength, elegance and spirit of the Year of the Horse.” 

This expression opens with a burst of orange zest and dried cranberries on the nose, before imparting sweeter notes of honeycomb and candy floss. Notes of cinnamon, tiramisu, mulled wine and jalapeno leap out, with something new to be discovered each time. On the palate there are varied flavours of candied almonds, toffee apples, sultanas, and salted liquorice, while the finish is long and round, with lingering baking spice.

The Lunar New Year is a celebration of shared traditions and community which aligns with Tomatin’s ‘To What Matters’ ethos which focuses on cherishing the moments that count and the connections and memories that last.

With a proud heritage dating back to the 15th century, Tomatin has been a home for its dedicated craftspeople since it was established in 1897. Today, more than half of the team still live on site with their families and Tomatin is also one of only a handful of Scotch whisky distilleries with its own cooperage.

Bottled at a natural strength of 56.5% ABV and retailing at £95 per 70cl bottle, Tomatin Year of the Horse 2026 is limited to only 817 individually numbered bottles and is available now from specialist retailers globally.

For more information on the Tomatin Year of the Horse 2026, visit HERE

Tomatin Year of the Horse 2026 tasting notes

Nose:  Orange zest, dried cranberries, honeycomb and candyfloss.

Palate: Candied almonds, toffee apples, sultanas and salted liquorice.

Finish: Long and round with lingering spice bake.

Tomatin is located in the Scottish Highlands, 16 miles south of Inverness, and is famous for its portfolio of refined and elegant whiskies.  The distillery has a proud heritage stretching back to the 15th century when illicit production was likely to be taking place, but it wasn’t until 1897 that the first formal distillery was established by John MacDougall as the Tomatin Spey Distillery Company.

In 2022, Tomatin was awarded ‘Scotch Whisky Producer of the Year’ and ‘Outstanding Spirits Producer of the Year’ at the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC). Later that year, it was recognised as ‘Sustainable Distillery of the Year’ at Whisky Magazine’s Icons of Whisky 2023, in recognition of its continued contribution to sustainably at the distillery.

In 2023, Tomatin took home seven awards at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, while Cù Bòcan, took home three. Tomatin’s 36 Year Old was crowned the ultimate winner at SFWSC for malts, being named ‘Best in Show’, officially making it one of the best whiskies in the world.

Building upon this triumph, 2024 saw Tomatin’s 18 Year Old secured Double Gold for the third consecutive year at the SFWSC, elevating it to Platinum status. Meanwhile, both Tomatin’s 45 Year Old and 12 Year Old, alongside Cù Bòcan’s 15 Year Old took home Double Gold Awards, and Cù Bòcan’s 12 Year Old also secured a prestigious Gold Award.

This year, Tomatin has been awarded Gold designation for its Tomatin Sherry Collection Ximénez Edition and Silver for both its Sherry Collection Manzanilla Edition and Sherry Collection Palo Cortado Edition in the inaugural 2025 Whiskey Wash Awards.

Tomatin has a first-class wood policy and an enduring commitment to knowing the history of each cask that passes through its warehouses. It is one of only a handful of Scotch whisky distilleries to have its own cooperage on-site, with cooper Allan Bartlett being named ‘Cooper of the Year’ at the 2025 Icons of Whisky Awards.

‘To What Matters’ is the latest chapter in the brand’s evolution; it is a positive call to arms that represents the spiritual DNA of Tomatin – a belief in savouring what is truly important in life and time spent together. Tomatin is owned by the Japanese company Takara Shuzo International: www.takara-intl.co.jp/en/

Fragrant Drops

North British 34 Years Old

ABV: 42.5% 70 cL

£89.00

Finish Toffee, flapjack, shortbread, fizzy lemon sherbet, key lime pie and a light toastiness.

Aultmore 9 Year Old Tyndrum Whisky Exclusive

Bottler: Kilninian Drinks Scotland
Region: Speyside
Bottles: 290
Age: 9

TyndrumWhisky.com
The Green Welly Stop
Tyndrumwhisky, Tyndrum
Crianlarich, Perthshire FK20 8RY
United Kingdom

Our Signature Range features our iconic green bottles which have been a Society constant since 1983. It’s the original good stuff – outstanding whisky that celebrates quality, flavour and variety. Have you checked out our monthly menu of January releases? Best get into it, before it’s all gone. Keep scrolling for our top picks under £90.

ALL JANUARY OUTTURN

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

Glencadam Distillery unveils new premium packaging with launch of Calvados cask finish

Glencadam Distillery, one of Scotland’s oldest working distilleries, has unveiled its new brand packaging, marking the next chapter in its story following a milestone bicentenary year.

The packaging refresh follows the celebration of Glencadam’s 200th anniversary and the opening of its first-ever visitor centre in Brechin. Designed to reflect Glencadam’s premium global positioning, the evolved look brings a contemporary edge to the brand, while the award-winning single malt inside remains unchanged, traditionally crafted as it has been since 1825.

The new packaging debuts this month across four expressions: Glencadam 10 Year Old, 15 Year Old, Reserva PX, and a brand new 17 Year Old Réserve de Calvados cask finish. The remainder of Glencadam’s range will transition to the new look in the coming weeks.

Inspired by Glencadam’s heritage, the packaging balances traditional storytelling with modern clarity. Each tube highlights cask maturation and tasting notes to aid selection at point of purchase, while hand-drawn illustrations reference how the distillery would have appeared in 1825. The illustrations were created by Edinburgh-based artist Andrew Davidson, renowned for his work on the Harry Potter book series, adding his acclaimed artistic vision to Glencadam’s rich storytelling. The clean aesthetic also reinforces the historic East Highland distillery’s commitment to natural colour and non-chill filtration, ensuring the range stands out on shelves worldwide.

A defining feature of the new design is the waterwheel motif, an enduring symbol of Glencadam since 1825 featured prominently across the brand identity, including an embossed detail around the base of each bottle. The bottle design further emphasises provenance, with “EST 1825” embossed on the shoulders, a branded wooden cork closure and clear references to cask type and traditional production methods.

Glencadam’s Master Blender, Iain Forteath, explains: “This new packaging represents evolution, not reinvention. Our time-honoured production methods, elegant house style and commitment to traditional craftsmanship remain unchanged. What has changed is how we tell our story, with a confident new look that celebrates both our heritage and the quality of the exceptional whisky we make.”

The packaging launch also marks the arrival of a new expression: Glencadam 17 Year Old Réserve de Calvados.

Crafted by Master Blender, Iain Forteath, the expression is made using hand selected Glencadam single malts initially matured in ex-bourbon American oak casks before being expertly married and finished in the finest Calvados barrels sourced from Normandy, France. Limited to 6,360 individually numbered bottles, the whisky is bottled at 46% ABV, natural colour and non-chill filtered.

On the nose, this whisky opens with an inviting bouquet of baked apples, heather honey, sugared almonds and vanilla sponge cake, layered with subtle hints of cocoa powder and chamomile. The palate follows with flavours of apple strudel, spiced fruits and butterscotch, seamlessly married with stem ginger, dark chocolate, candied orange and clove rock. Delivering a warming finish with notes of cappuccino and custard tarts, lifted by orchard blossom and lemon sherbet sweetness, and fading into a lingering cacao and baking spice glow.

Iain Forteath adds: “I am really excited to unveil this special bottling of our Glencadam whisky. This is the first time we have released a whisky matured in Calvados casks and the flavours and complexities imparted by these special barriques are both unique and delicious! The elegant orchard fruit and sweet spice notes imparted from the Calvados are a wonderful complement to the signature fruitiness of Glencadam whisky and I feel this expression really showcases the merits of both of these time-honoured spirits.”

Alongside the launch of the new Calvados expression and the opening of the visitor centre, Glencadam’s premium new look tells a cohesive story of heritage, craftsmanship and place, honouring the past while investing confidently in the future.

To find out more, visit: www.GlencadamWhisky.com

Glencadam Distillery

Established in 1825, Glencadam Distillery is steeped in history, heritage and tradition, handcrafting single malt Scotch whisky in a process that’s remained unchanged for over 200 years. In 2021, Glencadam Distillery re-installed a working internal waterwheel, modelled on the original which was used to power the distillery back in in 1825.

One of Scotland’s oldest distilleries, Glencadam was mothballed for several years before it was purchased and re-opened by Angus Dundee Distillers in 2003.

Today, Glencadam’s multi-award-winning range includes American Oak Reserve, Reserva Andalucía, the 10-Year-Old, 13-Year-Old, 15-Year-Old, 18-Year-Old and 25-Year-Old expressions, as well as a series of special cask finishes.

Visit www.glencadamwhisky.com to find out more.

Glencadam Distillery Visitor Centre

Glencadam’s state-of-the-art visitor centre opened its doors in November, inviting visitors to explore two centuries of craftsmanship with an intimate look behind the scenes of this storied distillery.

Guests can enjoy guided tours, tutored tastings and an interactive exhibition, tracing Glencadam’s journey from its 1825 origins to its place among Scotland’s most celebrated single malts today. The new brand home also features a whisky lounge, café, retail shop and function suite, blending tradition with modern hospitality to attract more visitors to Brechin and the surrounding area.

To find out more and book a tour, visit: www.GlencadamWhisky.com

Glencadam 17 Year Old Réserve de Calvados

RRP: £140

70cl, 46% ABV, Natural Colour, unchill filtered

NOSE: An inviting bouquet of baked apples, heather honey, sugared almonds and vanilla sponge cake with hints of cocoa powder and chamomile.

PALATE: A wash of apple strudel, spiced fruits and butterscotch married with stem ginger, dark chocolate, candied orange and clove rock.

FINISH: Warming impressions of cappuccino and custard tarts with orchard blossom and lemon sherbet sweetness, fading into a cacao and baking spice linger.

ISLAY

Bruichladdich X4:01 18 Years Old

This single malt was born from Bruichladdich’s experimental approach. This is the very first malt from this Islay distillery, which was distilled not twice, not three, but four times, purely out of curiosity. It came off the still at a whopping 85% and was laid to rest in first-fill bourbon and Riversaltes casks, where it rested for 18 years, creating a gentle, sweet and fruit-laden whisky.

Bottled without chill-filtration or artificial colouring.

£225.00

Port Dundas 35 Years Old

ABV: 50.5% 70 cL