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Every issue of Whisky Advocate is committed to helping you grow your whisky appreciation and knowledge.Summer 2025: Ireland Elevates Its Game.
On Sale Now
Campbeltown Connections 10YO, 50.7%
It isn’t often that you can get Campbeltown bottles for a bargain, they tend disappear very quickly. Enter the folks at North Star Spirits to solve all of our problems.
Here we have a vatting of 25 year old Springbank, 25 year old Glen Scotia and a blended malt of undisclosed Campbeltown malts at 10 years old. Bottled at 50.7% ABV with no added colouring or chill filtering, the whisky world appears to have a champion of 2025 in so many ways.
The taste profile on this is layered and rather refreshing when it comes to the aroma. Loads of grapefruit, vanilla, caramelised banana, and a finish that is heavy with nutty, drying flavours. You get a little of that Campbeltown funk if you add some water to, it certainly delivers on the strength side, too.
Either way, this is a gem of the year in whisky that is 2025. I’ve left the link HERE if you want to pick one up, because it’s still in stock and is only £45 a bottle. You’d literally be mad not to.
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SINGLE MALT DISTILLERY ARDGOWAN FILLS FIRST CASK
Inverkip-based single malt producer announces first distillate to be filled to cask since its completion
Independent Scotch whisky business Ardgowan Distillery Company today announces the filling of its first cask since building concluded earlier this month.
Founded in 2017, the west coast firm is led by whisky entrepreneur Roland Grain and Distillery Manager Laura Davies who together spearhead an expert team with a combined experience spanning over seven decades in the whisky industry.
Featuring an impressive Scandinavian longhouse design and visually striking 97% recycled aluminium roof, the distillery has its sights set on producing top quality whisky and striving for carbon neutrality.
The historic milestone saw Ardgowan’s first oak cask filled with new make spirit ready for maturation and an official Opening Day held last Friday (20th June 2025).
Following eight years of development, planning and construction, it is the first new distillery to open in Inverclyde for over a century. Until now, the last distillery to operate in the region was destroyed in the Greenock Blitz on 7th May 1941.
Millions of pounds (GBP) have already been invested in the distillery’s signature ‘Infinity Casks’: oak casks which have hosted Sherry for three years prior to production commencing and are intended for maturation periods of 18 years or more.
Sustainability was a top consideration throughout construction, with green technologies, including Thermal Vapour Recompression (TVR), which recycles heat waste, being installed.
Commenting on this major landmark, Grain shares:
“After a lengthy build, the team and I are thrilled to now be in full production and filling casks with our own distillate, including private casks for our Clan Ardgowan members. Ardgowan’s ultimate goal is to revive the golden age of Scotch whisky with long Sherry cask maturation in European oak.
“Our commitment to quality is demonstrated by investing millions of pounds in our signature Infinity Casks years before the distillery was built. These bespoke oak casks were created exclusively by renowned Bodegas Miguel Martín and Macallan’s former Master of Wood Stuart MacPherson. Producing whisky is all about time and patience, so, as we fill our first casks and open the site to the public, we look forward to steadily perfecting our Single Malt in the years to come.”
The Ardgowan Distillery’s visitor centre is planned to open later this summer with various experiences on offer, catering for whisky novices and connoisseurs alike.
ABOUT ARDGOWAN:
Nestled in the undulating Ardgowan Estate in Inverkip, we are on a mission to revive the golden age of Scotch whisky. We are led by Roland Grain, a whisky connoisseur coming from IT who built up ties in the Scotch whisky industry over the last 15 years. His journey now culminates in the creation of Ardgowan Distillery, where every decision has been made with quality and sustainability at the forefront. From our architecturally stunning distillery to our unique wood policy, every detail is designed to deliver full, flavoursome and robust spirit. At the heart of it all are our signature Infinity Casks: symbols of our long-term commitment to producing exceptional whisky.
#CraftedWithPurpose
While we await our own Single Malt coming of age, the Clydebuilt brand provides a home for our independent bottlings. Discover more here.
Further information on the distillery and company can be found at ardgowandistillery.com
Our second outrun of 2025 is here!
The sun is out and so is our Q2 outrun! We have a very exciting 26 year old Ben Nevis with a soft, complex and classic flavour profile from a refill hogshead. For the sherry cask fans we have a Glen Elgin finished for over half its life in an ex Amontillado cask. There’s also a single cask from Pulteney distillery, which is not often seen as an independent bottling
Our new small batch of St Bridget’s Kirk is a 29 year old blend of one now closed grain distillery, one famous Speysider and an unpeated island distillery. With a natural strength of 44.1% it is a real mellow classic.
Ben Nevis 1998, 26 year old
Glen Elgin 2014 11 year old
Glenrothes 2006 14 year old
MacDuff 2008 16 year old
North British 1993 31 year old
Orkney 2013, 11 year old
Pulteney 2012, 13 year old
St Bridget’s Kirk Blended Scotch 1995
Please note that in order to better support our retail partners this outrun and future outruns are not being sold through our website. Links to stockists can be found via the tab on our homepage. All releases were bottled at our site in Dalgety Bay by hand.
Inspired by Scotland’s rugged western coastline, this bold blended Scotch whisky has been made with peated and unpeated spirit with a minimum age of 30 years, all married within an Oloroso cask for an exciting depth of flavour. Presented at 42% abv. Experience waves of bonfire smoke, sea salt and vanilla sweetness, balanced with sherry spice. Smoke meets rich stone fruit for a satisfying and lingering finish.
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 ❯
Heaven Hill Named Most Awarded U.S. Distillery for Second Consecutive Year at 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition
BARDSTOWN, Ky. (June, 2025) – For the second year in a row, Heaven Hill Brands has been named the Most Awarded U.S. Distillery at the prestigious 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, earning a staggering more than 90 medals across its portfolio—including 15 Double Gold and 15 Gold awards. The distillery also had seven products advance to the “Best of Class” finals, with winners to be announced at the Competition’s Top Shelf Convention in November. This recognition reaffirms Heaven Hill’s position as a leader in American whiskey and spirits, with exceptional performance across a wide array of categories.
Best of Class Finalists:
Seven Heaven Hill products were named Best of Class Finalists, highlighting the distillery’s range and mastery of craft across styles:
Platinum Medal Winners:
Four standout Heaven Hill products were awarded the rare Platinum Medal, an honor reserved for entries receiving Double Gold three years in a row:
The achievement marks an additional notable event in a banner year for Heaven Hill, as the company prepares to celebrate two major milestones: the highly anticipated opening of the Heaven Hill Springs Distillery in September 2025, and the company’s 90th anniversary on December 13, 2025.
“These awards are a true reflection of the craft, innovation, and legacy that define Heaven Hill Brands,” said Kate Latts, Co-President and third-generation family member. “To be recognized again as the ‘Most Awarded U.S. Distillery’ is not just an honor, it’s a validation of our commitment to making spirits that resonate with consumers and connoisseurs alike.”
The San Francisco World Spirits Competition, founded in 2000, is one of the world’s most respected and rigorous judging events. Over 6,000 spirits were blind tasted by a panel of industry experts to ensure fair, unbiased evaluation based solely on quality. For more information, visit www.thetastingalliance.com.
ABOUT HEAVEN HILL BRANDS: Founded in 1935, Bardstown, KY-based Heaven Hill Brands (www.heavenhill.com) is one of the nation’s largest independent, family-owned and led spirits producers and marketers, as well as the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon. Heaven Hill has been named a Best Managed Company in both 2024 and 2025 by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal. Heaven Hill’s diversified portfolio of brands includes Heaven Hill, Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Widow Jane, Larceny, Old Fitzgerald, and Henry McKenna Bourbons; Rittenhouse Rye and FEW Whiskey; Deep Eddy Vodka; Admiral Nelson’s Rum; Black Velvet Canadian Whisky; Lunazul and Ocho Tequila; HPNOTIQ Liqueur; and Carolans Irish Cream Liqueur.
We’re proud to share that Killowen Distillery has won three major honours at the recent Icons of Drink Awards from the World Drinks Awards.
Distillery Manager of the Year
Shenda O’Hare
Brand Ambassador of the Year
Sinead Tohill
Production Team of the Year
Killowen Distillery
These awards are a genuine reflection of the hard work, craft, and passion that our team brings every day. Recognition like this doesn’t happen by chance — it’s earned through dedication, consistency, and a shared commitment to doing things the right way.
Thank you to the World Drinks Awards for this recognition. We’ll keep pushing forward.
Sláinte
The Killowen Distillery Team
Legends return to Maltstock 2025
Some of our relaxed whisky friends have been with us from the start. Many of them will try their utmost to be with us time and time again. Why? Well, simply put: The like to be relaxed in September! Here’s a couple of them for you! Haste ye down quickly to find out who we are writing about. And then haste ye to our shop to get relaxed, as you can still join them and us!
Annette, Bob, Klaas, Stan and Teun
Billy Abbott – The Whisky Exchange
Look at him! Relaxing in the caring hands of another legend flyer sponsor at the Maltstock Campfire a couple of Maltstocks ago. This simply is his natural habitat. For those of you who don’t know Billy yet… Besides being a lovely guy and being relaxed he represents The Whisky Exchange, is a writer, a spirits competition judge, whisky critic and a true whisky nerd in the best sense of the word! Billy will be hosting a masterclass on the Maltstock Friday. He will be mainly relaxing the rest of the weekend.
Kenny Mcdonald – Dram Mór
In the sun, with a relaxed beer he is probably at his best. Some of us are looking forward to simply relax at Maltstock, others are already vigorously planning which masterclasses to try and visit, which Drinks with sessions to go to… Kenny is definitely of the latter kind. Dram Mór was established in 2019 by husband and wife team Kenny and Viktorija Macdonald and is now predominantly an independent bottler, bottling great quality spirits, at usually relaxed prices. You can find Kenny this year at our Drinks with sessions and co-hosting the infamous Maltstock Campfire.
