Discover American Single Malt in New York

Approved Course Provider Lia Niskanen will teach the EWA Certificate in American Single Malt Whiskey at Kings County Distillery, Brooklyn on 13 & 14 April 2026. Two days of expert-led teaching, on-site distillery insights and sensory evaluation, perfect for professionals and enthusiasts exploring this exciting new category.

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Four Cream Liqueurs reviewed by a whisky-geek.

DEWAR’S BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY KICKSTARTS 2026 WITH RELEASE OF LUNAR NEW YEAR LIMITED EDITIONS

HAMILTON, BERMUDA, 12 January 2026  – DEWAR’S®, the World’s Most Awarded Blended Scotch Whisky, has released an exciting new limited edition just in time for Lunar New Year. An exquisite, travel-exclusive design will run across the DEWAR’S Double Double range (20 Year Old, 26 Year Old and 30 Year Old)* and marks two occasions: the 2026 Year of the Fire Horse and the brand’s 180th anniversary, dating back to its founding by John Dewar in 1846, also a Fire Horse year.

The new design is inspired by the Fire Horse’s qualities of determination, passion, and commitment to excellence. These attributes echo the values that have made DEWAR’S what it is today: The World’s Most Awarded Blended Scotch Whisky. Drawing on the brand’s 180-year heritage and its Fire Horse association, the sleeve features a prancing horse with a fiery, flowing mane and tail, set against a striking red and gold palette. The design is inspired by intricate artistry and traditional Chinese New Year motifs, creating a sophisticated celebration of craftsmanship and cultural richness.

Inviting whisky lovers to celebrate with DEWAR’S, the Lunar New Year packs will be available in more than 25 global travel retail locations globally from December 2025. High-profile activations are scheduled at key Asian airport hubs such as Kuala Lumpur, Singapore Changi, and Taiwan Taoyuan. 

Darragh Ryan, Marketing Director, Bacardi GTR remarks. “As we look to 2026 and the 180th anniversary of DEWAR’S, we are delighted to celebrate this significant milestone during Lunar New Year with a vibrant campaign across the globe and particularly in key Asian markets. Our enduring dedication to craftsmanship has seen DEWAR’S recognised as the World’s Most Awarded Blended Scotch Whisky, making it the ideal choice for bringing loved ones together to mark this special occasion and raise a glass to the future.”

The Chinese Lunar New Year holiday remains the pre-eminent gifting opportunity in travel retail.  In February 2025, the China Tourism Academy reported that around 3.78 million outbound trips were made over the holiday period in 2025, of which about 907,600 were to destinations outside Greater China.  Travel for the 2026 period is expected to be at a similar level.

*Denotes the DEWAR’S Double Double range available in Global Travel Retail

Dewar’s Lunar New Year Limited Editions are available at the following airports:

• London Heathrow
• London Gatwick
• Manchester
• Edinburgh
• Heinemann Frankfurt
• Eurotrade Munich
• Istanbul
• CDFG (Hainan & Sunrise)
• CDFG Online
• CDFG Guangzhou
• Dufry Hainan
• LGD Hainan
• CMI (Mission Hills, Hainan)
• CDFG (HK Airport)
• Dufry MTR (HK Border)
• Shilla (Macau)
• Tasa Meng (Taiwan)
• Everrich (Taiwan)
• Lotte (Changi)
• King Power (Thailand)
• Eraman (Malaysia)
• SHILLA,SSG(SK/ ICN AIRPORT)
• FaSoLa (Narita Airport, Tokyo)
• ANADF (Haneda Airport, Tokyo)
• Lagardere (Kansai Airport, Osaka)
• Heinemann (Sydney)
• Dubai Duty free

About DEWAR’S

DEWAR’S® is the World’s Most Awarded Blended Scotch Whisky, celebrated for its exceptional quality and taste. Founded in 1846, DEWAR’S grew from a small wine and spirits merchant shop in Scotland, to one of the largest Scotch whisky brands in the world. DEWAR’S core range includes the iconic DEWAR’S White Label and DEWAR’S Cask Series. The Premium range comprises DEWAR’S 12 Year Old, DEWAR’S 15 Year Old and DEWAR’S 18 Year Old; these expressions are crafted using DEWAR’S Double Ageing technique, which involves a two-stage maturation process for a smoother mouthfeel and silkier texture. The Luxury and Prestige collections include older rarities such as DEWAR’S 21 Year Old and DEWAR’S 38 Year Old and are crafted using a meticulous four-stage ageing process for ultimate smoothness. DEWAR’S spirit of discovery and approach to the art of blending results in a taste that continues to win applause and capture the curiosity of today’s whisky drinkers. The DEWAR’S brand is part of the portfolio of Bacardi Limited, headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited.

About BACARDI GLOBAL TRAVEL RETAIL

The Bacardi Global Travel Retail Division is a stand-alone business unit of Bacardi Limited.  Through Bacardi’s portfolio of premium and super-premium brands, including BACARDÍ® rum, GREY GOOSE® vodka, DEWAR’S® blended Scotch whisky, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin, PATRÓN® tequila, MARTINI® vermouth and sparkling wine, SAINT GERMAIN® liqueur, BARON OTARD® cognac, BÉNÉDICTINE® liqueur and 42BELOW® vodka, the Bacardi Global Travel Retail Division creates unique and innovative experiences for travelers.

£165.00

The rare casks used in the blending of Johnnie Walker Blue Label are drawn from the largest reserves of whisky in the world. The casks are hand-selected and set aside for their exceptional quality, character and flavour. They are truly special, with only 1 in 10,000 containing whisky of sufficient character to deliver its remarkably smooth signature taste.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label is a big flavoured whisky that reflects the Walker family’s belief that neither whisky age alone, nor whisky from a single location, is enough to achieve the creation of an unrivalled masterpiece today.

Note: If you add an engraving to your order, the message will be displayed on the front of this bottle.

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 ❯

2009 Royal Brackla 15 Year Old “Hunter Laing’s Old & Rare” Single Manzanilla Sherry Butt Cask Strength Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) $150.00 View

Royal Brackla is a historic Highland distillery founded in 1812 near Cawdor Castle by William Fraser. Its enduring legacy was cemented in 1835, when it became the first Scotch distillery to receive a Royal Warrant, granted by King William IV, a distinction that permanently shaped its identity and name. From that point forward, Royal Brackla was recognized as a whisky of exceptional standing, long associated with quality and consistency. For much of its history, Royal Brackla’s spirit was prized primarily for blending, and today it remains a key component of Dewar’s, reflecting its importance within the Bacardi portfolio. While the distillery has experienced periods of closure and modernization over the years, its elegant, structured Highland style has remained intact. Official single malt releases have historically been limited, making independent and single cask bottlings especially compelling opportunities to experience one of Scotland’s most historically significant and quietly distinguished distilleries. This is the first Royal Brackla we’ve ever come across aged in a Manzanilla sherry butt. This beautiful, unique butt is truly special. Bottled at a natural cask strength of 57.7% in July of 2024, it was filled in March of 2009. One of the youngest malts we’ve ever seen in the Old & Rare collection, it absolutely deserves the moniker. An exceptional cask by any measure.

1993 Linkwood 30 Year Old “Hunter Laing’s Old & Rare Platinum” Single Refill Hogshead Cask Strength Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) $450.00 View  

The rarity and quality of an old Linkwood of this nature cannot be overstated. Linkwood is a quietly revered Speyside distillery founded in 1821 on the outskirts of Elgin. It earned an early reputation for producing one of thes region’s most elegant and aromatic spirits, a character that was reinforced after a major rebuilding in 1872 under William Smith, son of Glenlivet’s George Smith. For most of its history, Linkwood’s whisky was destined almost entirely for blending, most notably as a key component in Johnnie Walker, where its refined texture and floral complexity were highly prized. As a result, official single malt releases have always been limited, with independent bottlings providing rare glimpses into the distillery’s true personality. Today, under Diageo ownership, Linkwood remains one of Speyside’s great hidden gems, producing a malt defined by finesse, balance, and remarkable aging potential. For those in the know an old Linkwood of this caliber is a true treasure, perhaps that’s why competitors over seas are happy to sell this same bottle for nearly twice the price we’re asking. This special barrel was filled in April of 1993 and bottle 3 decades later in September of 2024 at a natural cask strength of 50.2% abv.

1990 Bowmore 32 Year Old “Hunter Laing’s Old & Rare Platinum “Single Refill Hogshead Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (1.5L) (Elsewhere $5000) $4,000.00 View

Bowmore is one of Scotland’s oldest distilleries, founded in 1779 on the island of Islay, and remains a cornerstone of peated malt whisky. Located in the seaside town of Bowmore, the distillery draws strong influence from its coastal setting, shaping a style that balances maritime character, refined smoke, and long aging potential. Over centuries, Bowmore helped define what Islay whisky could be, bridging power and elegance in a way few distilleries have matched. Today, under Beam Suntory ownership, Bowmore continues to produce benchmark single malts, with its older and rarer releases standing among the most sought after whiskies in the world. This incredibly unusual rarity represents an outstanding expression from the old distillery. Distilled in 1990 and filled into a excellent 2nd fill hogshead, it was aged for more than 32 decades on Islay before bottling at full cask strength in 1.5L magnum bottles at a full cask strength of 59%. This exquisite rarity traders for over $5000 in other markets and K&L currently has the best price world wide. This is a benchmark bottle which represents which would be unmatched in any collection.

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

Each of us experiences flavour through the lens of our own memories. You’re influenced by where you grew up, your hobbies and travels and by the foods you love.  With this in mind, it makes complete sense that our bottles only give you a hint of what to expect with their Tasting Notes and flavour profiles. The rest is left for you to uncover.  Our February Outturn is live and waiting. Which whisky will be your number one?

TAKE ME TO THE BOTTLES

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

ralfy review 1114 Extras – How to access a difficult malt.

Elijah Craig Honors Its History and Builds for the Future

Long before Elijah Craig became known as the Father of Bourbon, he was a preacher, an educator, and an entrepreneur with a spark for building what didn’t yet exist. Paper mills. Wool mills. And a new way of aging Whiskey.

In 1789, Elijah Craig stored his Whiskey in charred oak barrels, a technique that was not common practice at the time, but essential to Bourbon as we know it today. Some say the barrels caught fire by accident. Others claim it was intentional. Either way, the flavor told the story: deeper color, richer taste, unmistakable character. A true American original.

More than two centuries later, that same spirit of discovery lives on, not just in our barrels, but in the people who craft, innovate, and push us forward. The brand stands as the #5 Super Premium Bourbon by volume in the United States and this year, Elijah Craig’s inaugural Barrel Proof Rye expression was named Whisky Advocate’s Whisky of the Year. Behind those milestones is a culture of shared commitment across distillation, warehousing, marketing, innovation, and every role in between.

From meeting new Bourbon-lovers as the Official Bourbon of the PGA of America, to giving back to the causes that matter to its consumers, the brand continues to grow its presence and support its community with purpose. Through a partnership with the University of Kentucky’s Commonwealth Institute for Black Studies, Elijah Craig is supporting academic research that helps shine a spotlight on critical voices and stories from throughout Bourbon history. Additionally, over the past six years Elijah Craig’s Old-Fashioned Week has raised more than $600,000 in total donations for charitable causes, including the Southern Smoke Foundation, which supports food and beverage workers nationwide by providing direct funding to individuals rebuilding from natural disasters, seeking emergency medical treatment, and recovering from accidents or other crises.

Whether it’s honoring where the brand got its start or investing in what comes next, Elijah Craig’s rich legacy stands strong. With every barrel, every program, and every person behind it, Elijah Craig continues to prove that the pursuit of mastery is never finished. It’s an ongoing journey we all share in when we Thrive Together.

Invergordon Chapter 7 Single Cask Single Grain Scotch Whisky 50 Year Old · 1974 Vintage

£349.95

Distilled at Invergordon — the Highlands’ only grain distillery and a cornerstone of Scotland’s blending tradition — this single grain whisky was laid down in 1974. After maturing for 50 years in a single cask, it has developed exceptional depth and refinement. Bottled at natural strength, it displays the elegance and complexity that only half a century can bestow. This is a rare opportunity to experience a genuine piece of whisky history.

Rich aromas of dried tropical fruit, vanilla, and polished oak, accented by hints of coconut and aged leather.

The palate is silky and multi-layered, offering honeycomb, caramelized nuts, and spiced orchard fruits, all harmonized by gentle oak tannins.

The finish is long and refined, with lingering notes of toffee, nutmeg, and soft tobacco leaf.

Glenrothes 24 Years Old

This single malt from Glenrothes Distillery in Speyside region of Scotland was distilled on the 27th of May 2001. It was fully matured in refill ex-Bourbon hogshead for 24 years before bottling on the 12th of November 2025. Notes of gooseberries and plums, green tomatoes, curry spices and melon. Bottles by Fragrant Drops at natural cask strength, natural colour and no chill filtration.

£145.00