Join the world's finest malt whisky club, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Find your nearest branch

Welcome to WhiskyIntelligence.com where we'll be gathering information on the whisky industry and scotch whisky news in the form of press releases, newsletters, events, tasting notes and comments.

Please submit your press releases, newsletters, events, tasting notes or comments.

Discover the New Glassware Collection from The Macallan – Scotch Whisky News

INTRODUCING THE NEW
THE MACALLAN GLASSWARE COLLECTION

Explore our elegant new Glassware Collection. Each exquisite piece features a wave-shaped rim that echoes the gentle flow of the River Spey and the undulating roofline of The Macallan distillery. Our monogram can be found on the base of each handcrafted piece.

From our home to yours, the Glassware Collection offers a refined way to enjoy The Macallan.

DISCOVER MORE

The Good Dram Show – Episode 612 ‘Brave New Spirits’ – Scotch Whisky News

The Good Dram Show with Chris Goodrum. Episode 612

THE VIDEO

Welcome to the Halloween episode of the show in which I’ll be taking a look at some spooky spirits released by Indie bottler Brave New Spirits in their Whiskies of Voodoo and Whisky Heroes ranges. The Good Dram Show with Chris Goodrum. Episode 612 – Hubble bubble toil and trouble, serpents burn and cauldron’s bubble! Filmed in The Study Nottingham.

Featuring

Brave New Spirits Whisky of Voodoo ‘Coven of the Red Veil’ Blended Lowland Grain 14 year old 58.3%
Brave New Spirits Whisky of Voodoo ‘Call of Crows’ Speyside Single Malt 13 year old 51.7%
Brave New Spirits Whisky Heroes Jack-O-Barrel: Creeper of the Casks 10 year old 54.1%
Brave New Spirits Whisky of Voodoo ‘Serpent’s Ember’ Highland Single Malt 11 year old 53.2%
Brave New Spirits Whisky of Voodoo ‘The Smoking Curse’ Highland Single Malt 8 year old 52.8%

www.bravenewspirits.com

HOUSE OF HAZELWOOD AND HUNTSMAN OF SAVILE ROW WHISKY SET NEW RECORD WITH BESPOKE TAILORING EXPERIENCE AT DISTILLERS ONE OF ONE AUCTION – Whisky Auction News

HOUSE OF HAZELWOOD AND HUNTSMAN OF SAVILE ROW WHISKY SET NEW RECORD WITH BESPOKE TAILORING EXPERIENCE AT DISTILLERS ONE OF ONE AUCTION

LOT 21 – House of Hazelwood and Huntsman of Savile Row’s lot on display at the Distillers One of One Auction display at Sotheby’s (Photo credit: Efe Onikinci)

In a world-first collaboration, two icons of British craftmanship – House of Hazelwood and Huntsman of Savile Row came together to offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity experience at this year’s Distillers One of One auction. Their joint lot – the opportunity to create both a bespoke whisky blend and a custom cashmere tweed jacket, went under the hammer securing a top bid of £46,250/$61,761.09, exceeding its pre-sale low estimate by three times. 

The Lot offers the successful bidder the chance to spend a day immersed in heritage and craftsmanship, choosing between two exceptional settings: the secluded elegance of Hazelwood House in Speyside – the private home of the Gordon family – or the refined intimacy of Huntsman’s Clubroom on Savile Row.

Guided by Campbell Carey, Huntsman’s Head Cutter and Creative Director, the winning bidder will design a bespoke jacket cut from cashmere tweed, developed exclusively for this occasion to mark Huntsman’s 175-year legacy – a landmark moment for the legendary tailor. 

Side-by-side with the House of Hazelwood’s blending team, the guest will delve into the Gordon family’s private whisky stocks – featuring a collection of rare malt and grain whiskies, aged up to 60 years old and including spirits from closed distilleries – to create a signature whisky blend. Additional bottles of the unique blend will be available for private order by negotiation.

The final blend will be presented in a custom-built one-of-a-kind display cabinet, hand-crafted by Paul Hodgkiss (as pictured above and below). Crafted from wind-felled elm from the gardens at Hazelwood House and featuring a rare piece of burr elm from Hodgkiss’s personal collection, the cabinet beautifully fuses nature, artistry, and heritage. Every element has been meticulously considered — from liquid form copper detailing that accentuates the wood’s natural grain to handmade gold handles, miniature replicas of the House of Hazelwood bottle topper. The tambour doors glide open to reveal bespoke whisky bottles, each nestled into a leather-lined circular base each embossed with the House of Hazelwood mark.

With over 40 years of experience in bespoke design and furniture craftsmanship, Paul Hodgkiss brings his passion for blending traditional techniques with modern innovation to every detail of this creation. “It’s been a true privilege to envisage this design and work with our head craftsman, Anthony Blacker and the team to create this one-of-a-kind piece, said Paul Hodgkiss. Bringing together design, craftsmanship and purpose for such an inspiring cause has been an honour.”

Caption: Close up image of the bespoke whisky blend and cabinet hand-crafted by Paul Hodgkiss Designs. (photo credit: Efe Onikinci)

While this is a one-of-a-kind piece for the Distillers charitable auction, House of Hazelwood’s whisky concierge service (hello@houseofhazelwood.com) is available to offer other bespoke commissions of this kind.

“This truly is a celebration of craftmanship, creativity and collaboration in every sense.,” said Jonathan Gibson, Director at House of Hazelwood. “To create a whisky as unique as the individual enjoying it – using some of the most precious stocks in our archive – and to pair with the artistry of Huntsman’s tailoring and the craftmanship of Paul Hodgkiss Designs is a rare privilege. We’re proud to have played our part in the third biennial Distillers One of One auction.”

“At Huntsman, we’ve always championed innovation within tradition,” added Campbell Carey, Head Cutter and Creative Director at Huntsman. “The creation of this one-of-a-kind cashmere jacket for this special occasion, embodies the spirit of excellence and individuality we share with House of Hazelwood. We look forward to meeting the winning bidder and bringing their vision to life.”

The Distillers One of One auction is a biennial charitable event that raises vital funds to support disadvantaged young people across Scotland. To date, the auction has raised an impressive £6.6 million. At the previous auction, House of Hazelwood’s one-of-a-kind whisky advent calendar raised £47,500 for the cause.

About House of Hazelwood

For almost one hundred years, generations of the Gordon family have carefully laid down stocks of whisky for special occasions and personal consumption. This rare collection has become known as House of Hazelwood, after the family’s Dufftown home – Hazelwood House.

Today, the House of Hazelwood collection has grown to become one of the greatest inventories of aged Scotch whisky held anywhere in the world. Spanning seven decades and every corner of Scotland, the diverse whiskies held in cask tell stories of remarkable places, lost ways of working, first casks, last casks, the ambitions and achievements of several lifetimes – none of which will be repeated.

The House of Hazelwood inventory is held in several carefully selected warehouses across Scotland, with fresh stocks laid down each year. Prior to bottling, a small proportion of the stocks are held in traditional dunnage warehousing near Dufftown in Speyside, from where they are carefully monitored and sampled ahead of release.

Website: www.houseofhazelwood.com

Facebook & Instagram: @HouseofHazelwoodScotch

About Huntsman

Huntsman, Savile Row has been outfitting the Kings and Queens of Europe, Hollywood’s leading lights, artists, designers, and the most sartorially discerning ladies and gentlemen for 174 years. They have a reputation for making the world’s finest handcrafted clothes. As the standard-bearer for Savile Row, their purpose is to champion the world’s finest bespoke tailoring and to introduce bespoke tailoring to individuals who appreciate the very finest things.

Founded in 1849, the house stands for the best of British bespoke, occupying a unique place in Savile Row tailoring. Both as custodians of tradition and vanguard for future generations of bespoke tailors, Huntsman has been proudly contemporary since 1849. Their focus is to stay true to the elevated quality of our bespoke clothing. An emphasis on cloth, cut and construction has created a legacy of sartorial excellence around the world. Today, their extraordinary story serves as a reminder of the integrity and attention to quality that has defined the Huntsman standard for generations; standards which they continue to uphold in our tailoring today.

www.huntsmansavilerow.com

Facebook & Instagram: @huntsmansavilerow

About The Distillers One of One® Auction and The Distillers’ Charity 

The Distillers One of One Auction is a biennial series of ultra-rare whisky auctions, which launched in 2021. To date, the Auctions have raised £6.6 million, principally awarded to the Youth Action Fund with the aim of supporting young people in Scotland, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to reach their potential and make a positive contribution to their communities. The Youth Action Fund’s portfolio charities are Aberdeen Foyer, Action for Children, Enable Works, Fare, Street League and The Talk About Trust (formerly Alcohol Education Trust). They are collectively managed by Inspiring Scotland.

More than 3,780 young people have been engaged through the Youth Action Fund since its inception in early 2022, benefiting from the work the fund’s dedicated charity partners have undertaken, and dramatically increasing their opportunities to enter the workforce. These young people have significantly improved their long-term prospects, either securing employment (33%), progressing to further/higher education (28%), pursuing other vocational training and apprenticeships (19%), or re-engaging with school (15%). The cumulative employability outcome (to September 2025) currently stands at 2,619

A total of 120 unique lots have been donated across the 2021 2023 and 2025 auctions, 67 of which broke world sales records for the distilleries who created and donated them. The Distillers One of One has earned its reputation as a once-in-a-lifetime experience for collectors: no two bottles are ever the same, and no lot will ever be recreated. Each lot is imbued with the spirit of craftsmanship and exclusivity, representing the pinnacle of Scotch whisky.

The Distillers One of One® is a trading name of The Distillers’ Ventures Limited, a company registered in England & Wales under company number 13264121 and registered office at 9 Bonhill Street, London EC2A 4PE.

The Distillers’ Charity is a registered charity in England and Wales (no1193683) and Scotland (SC052075)

One of One® and Distillers One of One® are registered trademarks of The Distillers’ Charity

www.distillersoneofone.com/

@distillers_one_of_one 

Evans Family Reserve Oloroso Cask Finish now available – Canadian Whisky News

The latest Evans Family Reserve release has just arrived at the distillery — and it’s now available in our online store. This Oloroso Cask Finish is the perfect fall whisky: rich and fruity, with a wonderfully long finish. A warm, inviting dram to enjoy as the weather turns colder.

Buy the Oloroso Cask Finish

 

BIG PEAT WANTS YOU ON HIS NEXT BOTTLING! – Scotch Whisky News

Big Peat Wants You On His Next Bottling

A CHANCE TO WIN A BIG PEAT BUNDLE

Big Peat’s plotting something massive for 2026 – and it could feature YOU! He’s creating a special edition label starring real fans from around the world.

All you need to do is send a portrait-format photo of yourself enjoying a dram of our smoky Islay Malt (like the examples shown above) to chloe.wood@douglaslaing.com.

Everyone who enters will be added to a prize draw for a bottle of Big Peat and some extra smoky goodies.

This is a once-in-a-dram opportunity to join Big Peat himself on an official bottling – how iconic would that be?

Deadline: 4th November 2025

ENTER NOW

Aberargie Distillery ‘London Whisky Show Recap’ – Whisky Show News

LONDON WHISKY SHOW 2025 RECAP

This October marked our first appearance at the London Whisky Show; one of the largest and most renowned whisky festivals in the world. It was a privilege to introduce the Aberargie name to whisky enthusiasts and offer a first taste of what’s to come when we officially launch in March 2026.

Across the weekend, visitors experienced the patience and craftsmanship that define Aberargie. A whisky quietly confident in its quality, distilled and matured on our family farm in Perthshire. We were also delighted to run our first Aberargie competition, where new subscribers had the chance to win one of the very first bottles of Aberargie Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

A warm congratulations to Will Roberts, our lucky winner, who will receive his bottle when we launch in March.

Thank you to everyone who joined us, shared a dram, and took the time to learn our story. For future updates, behind-the-scenes insights, and details on our upcoming release, keep an eye on our social channels and our newsletter.

Aberargie — patiently curated for special moments.

 

Hirsch (Willett) 7 Year Old “The Single Barrel” K&L Exclusive Barrel #91478 Double Oak Cask Strength ~ Kentucky Straight Bourbon News

Hirsch (Willett) 7 Year Old “The Single Barrel” K&L Exclusive Barrel #91478 Double Oak 112.2 Proof Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon

(750ml)

$109.99

View

The program being offered by Hirsch remains one of the most exciting in Kentucky today. These are famous stocks that no one is supposed to talk about. Produced at an unnamed Bardstown distillery from their famous mashbill – 76% corn, 13% rye, & 15% malted barley. Those whiskies were rebarreled and aged for a further period at Bardstown Bourbon Company. Selected by our spirits team in early Spring of 2025 and bottled at cask strength. These are still inaurguably some of the most sought-after stocks in the industry – so much so that the exact same mashbill bottled by the distillery at the very same aged, easily commands 2-3 times the price at retail. Here, we’re more interested in getting our customers this special bourbon at an incredible price. These maybe the final stocks to ever be released of these special lots of whisky. This barrel was distilled on January 11th, 2018 and bottled in late June of 2025, making it 7.5 years old. At a barrel strength of 112.2 proof, you’ll not find a better Bardstown distilled bourbon on the market for less.

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

ralfy review 1102 – Kilchoman Cask Strength 2024 – Islay Scotch Whisky News

International Beverage to Showcase Speyburn across European Airports – Scotch Whisky News

 

International Beverage to Showcase Speyburn across European Airports

Premium spirits business, International Beverage, has today 19th September announced a busy six-month programme of European travel retail activations for its award-winning single malt Scotch whisky brandSpeyburn. 

The activations will run in partnership with Avolta World Duty Free and Lagardère travel retail stores in airports across Scotland, Paris and Amsterdam, aiming to showcase Speyburn’s newly-launched travel retail exclusive range which includes Kentucky Bourbon Cask, Bourdeaux Red Wine Cask and Jerez Sherry Cask expressions.  

Having kickstarted its campaign in Aberdeen Airport, Speyburn can be found in Paris where a colourful brand installation, a ‘spin-to-win’ wheel and a busy programme of whisky tastings will be featured at the city’s Charles de Gaulle airport until 22nd September.  

The Speyburn experience will then move to Scotland’s Edinburgh and Glasgow airports, where digital tasting bars and check-in walls will pay homage to the brand’s rich cask origins and feature the vibrant designs and colour of the range’s new packaging. 

To further incentivise travellers, an interactive ‘spin-to-win’ wheel will help them decide which whisky to sample and reveal which prize they could win if they purchase two whiskies from the range. The activations will lastly travel to Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport from September until January 2026. 

Bottled at 40% ABV, Speyburn’s one litre travel retail bottlings were launched exclusively to the channel in Spring this year. The new range retains the smooth and accessible flavour profile that Speyburn is renowned for. Presented in bold new packaging, each whisky highlights its cask origins with a series of striking illustrations. Oak trees, a rick house (where bourbon is matured) and horses reflect Kentucky; a chateaux, grapes and ornate lamp posts for Bordeaux and Spanish tiles, flamenco guitar and fans for Jerez. Speyburn Distillery’s distinctive pagoda-shaped roof features on the packaging of all the three single malts.   

Speyburn’s takeovers across key European airports signals the brand’s ambition to drive trial and build brand presence within this important channel.  

Ellen Alvarez Salgado, Regional Channel Marketing Manager GTR for International Beverage, said: Speyburn’s latest travel retail range is proving extremely popular with travellers, and we are delighted to build on this momentum by launching this series of immersive airport installations. 

With this exciting new programme of airport activations, we are bringing these unique new expressions to life as well as the incredible taste and vibrancy of Speyburn to thousands of airport shoppers over the coming months.’ 

Blackstar Company Saves Black Button Distilling from Bankruptcy – American Whiskey News

Blackstar Company Saves Black Button Distilling from Bankruptcy
Largest Bourbon Distillery in New York Looking to Bright Future Under New Ownership

ROCHESTER, NY – Black Button Distilling, the largest bourbon distillery in the state of New York, was saved from bankruptcy last week by Blackstar Company, a newly-formed company helmed by spirits industry veterans Kris Comstock and Ray Franklin.  The investment by Blackstar will allow Black Button to continue operations, including distilling, bottling, and selling their award-winning spirits, including bourbon, Empire Rye whiskey, vodka, gin, and fan favorite Bespoke Bourbon Cream.​​

Black Button Distilling was founded in 2012 by Jason Barrett, and was the first craft distillery to open in Rochester NY since Prohibition.  When industry friend and Blackstar co-founder Kris Comstock heard about the closing of Black Button, he was saddened by the news and reached out to Jason with an offer to help.  “I was heartbroken to hear Black Button was closing and saw the community’s outpouring of support on social media,” said Comstock.  “I’m thrilled about this partnership, as I have tremendous respect for Jason as a person and Master Distiller.  Black Button Distilling has established a solid foundation across New York with their award-winning products. We look forward to building on that foundation as we expand the business.”

Jason Barrett, President and Master Distiller, Black Button Distilling said, “Although this is bittersweet, I’m happy that the distillery will remain open and our team will stay in place.  I’ve known Kris for several years and have the utmost respect for his ability to build brands. I feel that Black Button is in great hands. But neither me nor my team is going anywhere. We will still run the day-to-day operations as always, but now have extra help and industry expertise from Blackstar.  I’m  very excited for the future of Black Button Distilling.”

Currently, Black Button has nine full-time employees, all of whom will remain.  The tasting room, which closed in July, will remain closed for now as the new owners assess the business with more information to follow.

About Black Button Distilling 

Established in 2012, Black Button Distilling is Rochester’s first grain-to-glass distillery since Prohibition and the birthplace of Rochester Style Bourbon. As a licensed Farm Distillery, 100% of the grains for Black Button’s whiskeys are sourced within 50 miles of the distillery in the heart of the Finger Lakes.

Founder and Master Distiller Jason Barrett designed and refined Black Button’s unique Column-to-Pot-to-Column system, an innovative process that preserves the most flavorful “hearts” of each run. Combined with Rochester’s dramatic seasonal temperature swings, this approach produces whiskeys of exceptional depth and character.

Black Button is also the proud producer of the internationally awarded Bespoke Bourbon Cream, honored with gold at the Concours International de Lyon and the John Barleycorn Awards. For more information visit https://blackbuttondistilling.com

About Blackstar Company

Blackstar is founded by four spirits industry veterans, including Kris Comstock, who spent nearly two decades building the powerhouse whiskey brands of Sazerac/Buffalo Trace Distillery, and Ray Franklin, who built a robust career in a variety of industry roles, including serving as Chief Revenue Officer for Spirits Capital Corporation.  Blackstar offers strategic spirits expertise, guiding companies and brands through the hurdles of production, compliance, logistics, sales, marketing and nationwide distribution. Blackstar is headquartered in Lexington, Ky. For more information visit https://www.blackstarspirits.com


Powered by WordPress