Distillery Corner: Tamnavulin

In this episode of Distillery Corner, Kirsty and Vic explore Tamnavulin. Owned by Whyte & Mackay, Tamnavulin is used for blends but has also released some approachable, great-value single malts of late that deserve a closer look. As Vic explains, good whisky doesn’t need to be expensive and this is a distillery well worth trying.📖 Read the Blog​ | 🎬 Watch the Video

Our newest ‘Heresy’ releases are something you don’t see every day. Teaspooning is the widespread industry practice of adding a tiny amount of single malt into another (traditionally around a teaspoon’s worth) resulting in a blended malt that can never be bottled as a single malt bearing the distillery name.

But why would we bottle this kind of whisky? For the full details, you’ll need to read the feature from our whisky quality manager, Julien, but we’ll leave you with one thought: if this were one of the only ways to try offerings from this particular distillery, wouldn’t you want to see what they were like?

READ THE FEATURE

If you’re unfamiliar with our ‘Heresy’ range, it’s what we call our boundary-pushing small-batch releases. They’re bottled in a clear glass bottle.
Expect the unexpected!

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

The Good Dram Show – Episode 621 ‘Glen Scotia’

Welcome to the first viewers choice episode of the show for 2026. A big thanks you to Andy Holbrook and Dave Croft for the Glen Scotia Samples. The Good Dram Show with Chris Goodrum. Episode 621 – There’s A Theme Developing Here..!  Filmed in The Study Nottingham.

Featuring

Glen Scotia ‘Campbeltown Malts Festival’ 2024’ 9 year old 56.2%
Glen Scotia ‘Campbeltown Malts Festival 2023’ 11 year old 54.7%
Glen Scotia Seasonal Release 2022: 12 year old 54.7%
Glen Scotia Icons of Campbeltown Release No2: The Dragon 14 year old 56.8%
Glen Scotia Exclusive Cask: Invererity Morton 2017 (6 year old) 57.4%
Glen Scotia ‘Campbeltown Malts Festival 2025’ 9 year old 54.3%

www.glenscotia.com

Jan Damen, Saltire Rare Malt European Sales Director

SCOTTISH WHISKY AWARDS BEST NEWCOMER MAKES SWEDISH DEBUT WITH FIRST ONLINE TASTING

Fresh from being named Best Newcomer at the 2025 Scottish Whisky Awards, Saltire Rare Malt will host its first-ever Swedish tasting on Tuesday 17th February 2026, marking another important step in the independent bottler’s expanding European journey.

The online tasting introduces Swedish whisky drinkers to Saltire Rare Malt, the Falkland-based independent bottler through a curated six-dram tasting pack and guided live session. Hosted by Klaus Bitschnau, Founder and Chief visionary officer of Whiskykalendern & Whiskysnack and Jan Damen, Keeper of the Quaich and European Sales Director for Saltire Rare Malt, who will introduce the brand, its philosophy and the stories behind each cask.

The tasting pack contains six 5cl samples from the Saltire Rare Malt range – each a minimum of 14 years – alongside a sixth dram from sister brand The Falkland Collection, a small-batch single malt whisky – tasting packs as well as Saltire Rare Malt’s full range of whiskies are available now through the BeMakers platform.

The Saltire Selection

• Dailuaine 14yo – 1st Fill Bourbon Hogshead
• Royal Brackla 16yo – Cask Strength, Refill American Oak
• Tanmavulin 17yo – 2nd Fill ex-Oloroso European Oak
• Speyside Distillery 18yo – The Cigar Malt, 1st Fill PX Hogshead
• Ardmore 14yo – 2nd Fill ex-Marsala Barrique
• The Falkland Collection – Speyside Single Malt, ex-Oloroso Butt

The tasting will take place online from 7-8pm (CET). Access details will be shared directly with customers who purchase the tasting pack.

Commenting on the Swedish debut, Jan Damen European Sales Director for Saltire Rare Malt said: “Sweden is an important and exciting market for Saltire Rare Malt. The depth of knowledge and curiosity among Swedish whisky drinkers makes this the perfect place to introduce our approach to enjoying whisky. It’s a real honour to have an expert like Klaus involved, we’re in for a fun night!”

Headquartered in Falkland, Fife – where Scotch whisky was first recorded in 1494 – Saltire Rare Malt has seen rapid growth across Europe, with strong momentum in markets including the Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Poland. The Swedish tasting represents the next phase of that expansion as the company moves confidently into 2026.

Founded by lifelong friends Nigel Heywood and Keith Rennie, and guided by internationally respected whisky writers Hans and Becky Offringa (The Whisky Couple), Saltire Rare Malt continues to build its reputation through thoughtful maturation, limited releases and an unwavering focus on quality.

Saltire Rare Malt Tasting Pack & Online Tasting
Tuesday 17th February 2026
Online | 7-8pm (CET)
599 SEK (incl. VAT)

About Saltire Rare Malt Whisky
Saltire Rare Malt are bottlers of a unique range of limited-run single malt whiskies. The independent bottling company was born from a longstanding partnership between friends & founders Nigel Heywood and Keith Rennie – the pair have collected fine and rare single malts over three decades. A shared passion for the ‘water of life’ led to the creation of Saltire Rare Malt – a global vehicle to share their outstanding collection of Single Malt Whiskies.

W: https://www.saltireraremalt.com/
I: https://www.instagram.com/saltireraremaltwhisky
F: https://www.facebook.com/people/Saltire-Rare-Malt-Whisky/61554723364117/

About The Whisky Couple, Hans & Becky Offringa:

Hans Offringa is an international author and whisky expert who has worked in the industry for over 30 years. An inductee of the Whisky Hall of Fame, a Kentucky Colonel and a Keeper of the Quaich, Hans is a judge at the Scottish Whiskies Awards and the World Whisky Awards and serves as Director on the Advisory Board of The Council of Whiskey Masters.

Becky Lovett Offringa is a Keeper of the Quaich and co-author of numerous whisky books. Becky is a well-respected judge at the Scottish Whisky Awards and the World Whiskies Awards. She also is a Member on the Advisory Board of the Council of Whiskey Masters. Becky and Hans, internationally known as ‘The Whisky Couple’, are trusted partners of the Saltire family.

Glenfarclas Millennium Cask 25 Year Old Decanter Collection #4 UK Exclusive

£681.95 GBP

The Glenfarclas Millennium Cask 25 Year Old is the spectacular fourth release in the esteemed Glenfarclas Decanter Collection — a series that has celebrated the distillery’s heritage through rare, long-aged single cask bottlings. Selected by Pol Roger Portfolio, this fourth edition showcases the very best of Glenfarclas’ traditional sherry-matured style. Drawn from a single sherry butt (#7516) filled on 31st December 1999 and matured for over 25 years, it was bottled on 28th August 2025 and presented at natural colour and 51.2% ABV. Just 600 Glencairn decanters have been produced exclusively for the United Kingdom market.

• The fourth release in the acclaimed Glenfarclas Decanter Series

• Matured over 25 years in a single sherry butt (#7516)

• Distilled on the last day of the millennium (31 December 1999)

• Bottled at natural colour and 51.2% ABV

• Limited to 600 Glencairn decanters for the UK market

• Captures the full depth, richness, and tradition of Glenfarclas sherry cask maturation

• A landmark collector’s piece marking the conclusion of a historic series

The Glenfarclas Millennium Cask 25 Year Old Decanter Collection stands as a fitting finale to this prestigious series—combining rarity, heritage, and timeless Speyside sherry-matured excellence. A must-have for collectors and Glenfarclas devotees worldwide.

Old Forester “Barrel Strength” K&L Exclusive (Warehouse J, Floor 3) Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky (750ml) $79.99 View

Josh Gelfand Review Date: 12/2025

Back with another beast from the folks at one of the longest continually operating distilleries in the United States, and the only one owned and operated by the same family before, during, and after Prohibition. Old Forester has built its reputation time and time again by delivering consistently great bourbon without getting too tangled up in the overhyped allocations game that so many others have fallen into. Our last barrel from them was a big one and sold out quickly. This release comes from the same warehouse, but from the third floor rather than the first. That extra heat in the rickhouse gave this barrel a bit more heat as well, nudging the proof up by half a percent. Beyond that, the similarities are unmistakable, but it’s certainly not identical. The nose delivers familiar notes of stewed stone fruit, caramel crust, and charred cinnamon, with a little more forest mulch than the previous barrel. The wood is ever present, almost as if the barrel received an extra touch of char before filling. The first sip leans even harder into the oak, then quickly opens into tart black cherries, black licorice, cloves, and curry spice. A touch of water (recommended) reveals honey-roasted peanuts and caramel apple on top of the rich oaky foundation. The long finish unfolds as a journey of woody resin that slowly evolves into dark fruit leather, star anise, dried herbs, and black pepper. If you liked the last one, you’ll certainly enjoy this. And if you missed it, here’s your chance to experience a worthy sequel.

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

This months collection schedule and request form is available HERE . Please complete the form to  register your interest in our free collection service.

The deadline for collection requests is 12noon on Monday 9th February 2026.

Home collections are available for those customers sending 10+ bottles or bottles to the value of £1000. Lots can be split over the next three auctions.  Unfortunately this service is not available in London. Although we do have four collection points in London.

Collections are limited and offered on a first come first served basis.It is essential that a submission sheet is completed, you can find the link to do so under the selling section on your ‘My SWA’ page. It would be appreciated if bottles could be packed for uplift with your name clearly marked on the front of the box. A winner in our auction? We are now offering a delivery service to customers who are dropping bottles off for a future auction. This service is charged at £12 (inc. VAT), optional loss and breakage cover is available.

Bunnahabhain 18 Year Old, 46.3%

THE VIDEO REVIEW

We’re back again with a whisky that I’ve often described as sherried, but not necessarily sweet. Bunnahabhain 18 Year Old is a very solid offering from the northern Islay distillery. A combination of around 50/50 ex-bourbon and ex-sherry, mostly Oloroso with possibly a touch of PX. It is known for not only being an incredible natural colour, but also showcasing how Islay whisky can still be stunning when unpeated. It’s a deep, rich, sticky classic sherried style, when compared with the last time I tried this, it certainly has more of that classic ‘sherry bomb’ qualities, but without being as 2D as those styles can be.

It’s a dream to be able to have a bottle of this stuff in the house, it’s an impressive thing to be able to give people who want something that is complexly flavoured but without being off putting, shall we say.

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.