Our June Outturn is now live and with it, a selection of casks ready for your whisky adventures. Looking for some recommendations? Here are a few hip flask drams from our European Managing Director, Matt Bailey. Tell us what you’re drinking this month using #MyWhiskyAdventures 

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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

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 565: Spey 18 Year Old

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, tries the Spey 18 Year Old. In early 2025, Mark took up a new role at ING, his employer since 2000. At the end of 2024, he said goodbye to a fantastic team he had worked with for over 3 years. During his farewell drink, he received this bottle as a gift. What a fantastic present! It had been a decade since Mark last tasted this. That was a 2014 bottling. This is a slightly more recent release, from 2015, and thus a 1997 vintage. By the way, the distillery is in the process of moving from its current location to Laggan, near the dam of the same name.

https://youtu.be/D95adw1CVkU

Bourbon Tourism Growth Continues

Kentucky Bourbon Trail® Adventure Celebrates

Record-Breaking Year

FRANKFORT, KY. — The world-famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail® tour welcomed a record 2.7 million visitors in 2024 as it celebrated its 25th anniversary with an award-winning rebranding campaign and innovative digital tools to make it easier to plan the bucket-list adventure.

Visitors from all 50 states and more than 20 countries across six continents poured into the Bluegrass State last year, up from 2.5 million tourists in 2023 – the third straight year topping the two million mark.

More than 20 million people have now visited a Bourbon Trail™ distillery in the last 25 years.

“The combination of American history, picturesque scenery and legendary Kentucky hospitality continues to attract people from all over the world to get a deeper look into what makes our Bourbon family so special,” said Eric Gregory, president of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association.

The KDA created the Bourbon Trail™ tour in 1999 to give visitors an intimate, behind-the-scenes look into crafting America’s only native spirit. At that time, there were only seven distilleries in Kentucky to visit – something that could be accomplished in a long weekend.

Now, with 60 participating distilleries in all corners of the Commonwealth and more on the way, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® program encourages guests to slow down, relax, savor the journey and come back for another round.

“Our Bourbon Trail™ distillers – from the largest to the smallest – continue to create new ways for visitors to experience our mellow, amber nectar,” Gregory said. “There’s more to do, see, and taste than ever before.”

It’s easier to plan than ever before, too.

As part of its 25th anniversary rebrand, the KDA created a bold new look and feel for the tour, including a website and new digital tools that makes it easier for visitors to plan their trip and “Build Your Own Bourbon Trail®” based on their individual preferences and interests.

Kentucky Bourbon Trail® communities and partners continue to welcome guests with new restaurants, hotels, bars and more, reaping benefits from an affluent demographic that trends younger, stays longer and has more disposable income than an average Kentucky tourist.

• 62% of Kentucky Bourbon Trail® visitors have incomes above $100,000
• 76% of visitors are from outside of Kentucky
• Most visitors stay three to five days in communities featuring a Bourbon Trail™ distillery
• Visitors spend between $600 – $1,400 during their trip on dining, entertainment, lodging and transportation

Historically, KBT® visitors have come from states within a six-hour drive from Kentucky. But last year, Bourbon Trail™ distilleries saw a surge of visitors from states outside that drive time, including California, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, New York, and Pennsylvania.

The Kentucky Bourbon Trail® pilgrimage is also catching global attention.

Hotel News Now reports that while beachfront properties will be busy in 2025, people are starting to venture to different locations off the beaten path, like “new areas of wine country or the Bourbon Trail.”

The reimagined Bourbon Trail™ web campaign also has been recognized with a slew of prestigious awards, most recently earning top honors for its digital experience at the 2025 World Icons of Whisky Awards in London, England.

To learn more about the KBT®, go to www.kybourbontrail.com.

Kentucky Bourbon Trail® partners provide additional experiences and resources to help people round out their trip: Eat & Drink, Stay, Transportation, Shopping, Non-Bourbon Experiences.

Visit www.kybourbon.com for more information about the KDA and how Bourbon drives Kentucky’s economy and tourism.

“The Kentucky Bourbon Trail knows no limits in its popularity, and I can’t wait to see where it goes in our next 25 years,” Gregory said. “The possibilities are endless, and we look forward to welcoming millions more to enjoy it – responsibly, of course.”

Founded in 1880, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association (KDA) is the Worldwide Voice of Bourbon™.

About the Kentucky Distillers’ Association:

Founded in 1880, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association is the Worldwide Voice of Bourbon™. Its diverse and growing membership produces the overwhelming majority of the world’s Bourbon, from historic, global brands to emerging micro distilleries that are fostering the next generation of the Commonwealth’s timeless craft. Kentucky Bourbon is a $9 billion economic engine generating more than 23,500 jobs and attracting over 2 million visits annually through the KDA’s Kentucky Bourbon Trail® experience. A 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization, the KDA maintains an open membership policy, champions a strong commitment to the responsible and moderate consumption of spirits, and fights to curb underage drinking and drunk driving. Learn more at www.kybourbon.com

and www.kybourbontrail.com.

The award-winning Kentucky Bourbon Trail® full brand refresh has been recognized numerous times for the modern brand spin that honors the craftsmanship and rich history of Kentucky Bourbon. The brand was recently celebrated at the 2024 Kentucky Travel Industry Award Conference, the 2024 World Beverage Innovation Awards, the AAF Nashville 2025 American Advertising Awards, and last week at the World Whisky Awards in London. 

KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL®, KBT®, BOURBON TRAIL™ and KENTUCKY BOURBON HALL OF FAME® are trademarks/service marks of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association. Enjoy Bourbon like a true Kentuckian – Responsibly.

For Dads Who Deserve More Than Just a Bottle

A gift that lasts all year

Some gifts say, “I saw this and thought of you.”

This one says, “I know exactly what you love.”

If your dad takes pride in knowing his whisky, discovering new stories, and enjoying every detail, then a Whisky Magazine Premium Membership might just be the most thoughtful gift you’ll give this year.

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Glen Scotia 50 Year Old

Glen Scotia proudly unveils its first ever 50 Year Old single malt whisky, a rare and historic release marking the debut of the Elements of Campbeltown collection. Distilled in 1973 and matured exclusively in refill American oak, this exceptional spirit is limited to just 100 bottles. Bottled at 42.3% abv, in a stunning Glencairn crystal decanter, the whisky delivers a layered aroma of almonds, vanilla fudge, and sea salt, complemented by a rich palate of creamy spice and coconut.

£35,000.00

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An historic powerhouse of whisky-making, Campbeltown has its own festival celebrating the craft of creating the perfect dram, and we’re here to tell you all about it – the Campbeltown Malts Festival 2025. We promised you recommendations of our favourite drams from each of the festival Scotch regions and we are here to deliver! Our wonderful Fort William team have chosen Campbeltown and Glen Scotia Victoriana as their top pick this festival season.

Free Next Day Delivery for 12 Months For just £14.95 you can enjoy free next day delivery on all your orders for a whole year! Geographic restrictions apply, see full T&Cs. Find out more ❯

Cask Collection No.76

In today’s whisky landscape, the spotlight often falls on the extremes—intensely peated malts, heavily sherried drams, and bold, unconventional cask finishes. While these styles offer vivid and memorable experiences, they can at times overshadow the quieter artistry of balance and subtlety in whisky-making.

Scotch whisky’s true strength lies in its diversity, and while there is much to celebrate in the breadth of flavour available, there is a risk that more restrained, harmoniously composed profiles are overlooked in favour of the loudest voices in the room.

In an industry constantly striving to define, categorise, and guide, the most remarkable whiskies often resist such neat classification. They weave together elements from across the flavour spectrum—cereal and fruit, earth and oak—with coherence and grace.

A.D. Rattray’s 76th Cask Collection brings together five such casks: complex, expressive whiskies that reveal their depth through balance rather than dominance. As our second release of the year, this summer-leaning selection has been curated to offer an elegant, nuanced tasting experience—where structure, character, and subtle evolution in the glass take centre stage.

In a world drawn to intensity, Cask Collection 76 invites a moment of reflection—to appreciate the quiet beauty of well-judged maturation and the complexity that emerges when bold and delicate flavours are held in equilibrium.

Old Particular

Secret Speyside 14 Years Old

Fancy something sweeter?

The Secret Speyside 14 Years Old offers a rich, refined dram – layered with juicy dark fruits, indulgent treacle, and polished oak. The finish unfolds beautifully with notes of chocolate-dipped cherries, stewed plums, and a subtle hint of toasted hazelnut.

Elegant, complex, and unmistakably Speyside – just don’t ask us where it’s from.

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ralfy review 1082 Extras – The REAL history of hoochers.

Ahascragh Distillery Releases Clan Colla 9-Year-Old as Part of its Acclaimed Family Bond Collection

Ahascragh, County Galway, Ireland — Ahascragh Distillery is proud to announce the launch of Clan Colla 9-Year-Old, the newest expression in its acclaimed Clan Colla Family Bond collection.

This unique release marks an exciting milestone as the first Bordeaux wine cask-finished whiskey in the series — an innovative blend that promises to attract Irish whiskey lovers both in Ireland and around the world.

Clan Colla 9-Year-Old is a blend of fine malt and grain whiskeys. It is first matured in traditional ex-Bourbon barrels before being carefully finished in Bordeaux red wine casks, the first from the distillery’s Family Bond series to have this finish. This dual maturation creates an exquisite balance of bold spice and rich, fruity depth.

“We are incredibly proud of Clan Colla 9,” says Gareth McAllister, founder and CEO at Ahascragh Distillery. “This Irish whiskey showcases our continued commitment to quality and innovation, with the Bordeaux cask finish introducing a whole new layer of complexity and elegance.”

Tasting Profile

• Nose: Sweet toffee and brown sugar with a subtle hint of fruitiness
• Taste: A peppery spiciness that softens into creamy, fruity flavours from the Bordeaux wine finish
• Finish: A distinct woodiness with gentle vanilla notes

Bottled at 46% ABV and presented in a 70cl format, Clan Colla 9 is non-chill filtered to preserve its full-bodied flavour and mouthfeel. With its intricate character and smooth, oaky warmth, this release is a standout addition to any collection and a testament to Irish whiskey craftsmanship.

Clan Colla 9-Year-Old joins the rest of the Family Bond series, which features Clan Colla 7, Clan Colla 11, Clan Colla 13, Clan Colla 19, and Clan Colla 20.

It is now available through select retailers, specialist whiskey outlets, and online at ahascraghdistillery.com

For more information, interviews, or press samples, please contact: info@ahascraghdistillery.com

About Ahascragh Distillery & the Clan Colla Family Bond Series Founded in 2018 by Gareth and Michelle McAllister, Ahascragh Distillery is a family-run operation based in the heart of County Galway, producing world-class whiskeys and gin.

The Clan Colla Family Bond series represents the start of their whiskey journey. It’s a collection of hand-selected, premium Irish whiskeys that although not distilled by Ahascragh Distillery, are partly matured, finished, and blended by the distillery and bottled in the whiskey’s home in the West of Ireland.

The name “Clan Colla” draws from ancient Irish lore and is a reference to the legendary three Collas of Oriel: Colla Uais, Colla Fo Chrí, and Colla Menn. These warrior brothers ruled much of Ireland in the 4th century, with Colla Uais ascending as Ard Rí, the High King of Ireland. The McAllister family can trace its ancestry to this ancient and noble line, a connection that both inspired the founding of the distillery and continues to shape its vision today.

Photo Credit: Eddy Ballardi