Whisky Focus - Whisky News Reviews Interviews Events New Releases

• 16th April 2021
  Jura Rum Cask Finish Review
  Review of the Jura Rum Cask Finish, the third release in a new cask finish series from the island distillery, simply a delicious very enjoyable easy to drink unpeated Jura single malt with a lovely gentle rum cask influence and at a fantastic price for a 1 litre bottle.
   
• 15th April 2021
  Laphroaig 10 Year Old Sherry Oak Finish
  The Laphroaig 10 Year Old Sherry Oak Finish is said to be a new take on the flagship 10 Year Old which Laphroaig fans will be very familiar with. The new Laphroaig 10 Year Old was initially matured in a combination of American Oak ex-Bourbon and Refill Oloroso Sherry casks then finished for between 12 - 18 months in Oloroso sherry casks before being bottled at 48% ABV.
   
• 15th April 2021
  Woodford Reserve Distillery Expansion Plans To Meet Demand
  Brown-Forman Corporation owners of the Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskey brand has unveiled plans to double its production at its Woodford Reserve Distillery in Versailles, Kentucky, to meet the growing demand for Woodford Reserve, the world’s top-selling super-premium American whiskey. The expansion plans will see the addition of three new copper pot stills which will double its production capacity.
   
• 15th April 2021
  Trial To Produce The Most Sustainable Glass Whisky Bottle Ever
  A successful pilot project has pioneered the lowest carbon footprint glass bottles ever produced for a Scotch whisky brand. The collaboration between Diageo, glass manufacturer Encirc and leading industry research and technology body Glass Futures, used waste-based biofuel-powered furnaces to reduce the carbon footprint of the bottle-making process by up to 90%. The trial produced 173,000 Black & White whisky bottles, also using 100% recycled glass.
   
• 15th April 2021
  Two New Scotch Single Cask Whiskies From Indie Bottler Skene
  Edinburgh based independent bottler Skene whisky release two Speyside region, American oak matured, single cask, single malt whiskies, Skene Glenrothes 11 Year Old and Braeval 6 Year Old.
   
• 14th April 2021
  Bacardi Appoints New Global Malts Ambassador
  Bacardi appoints Matthew Cordiner as Global Malts Ambassador for their portfolio of single malt Scotch whiskies - Aberfeldy, Aultmore, Craigellachie, The Deveron (Macduff Distillery) and Royal Brackla.
   
• 9th April 2021
  Collection Of Over 50 Rare Bottles Of Brora Up For Grabs At Auction
  As the reopening of the restored Brora distillery approaches specialist whisky auction website Whisky Auctioneer offers whisky enthusiasts the chance to grab some of the rarest single malt whiskies produced at the 'old' Brora distillery.
   
• 8th April 2021
  Kilchoman Loch Gorm 2021 Review
  Kilchoman Loch Gorm 2021 Edition is the latest instalment of the exclusively Oloroso sherry butt matured limited edition annual release from the Kilchoman farm distillery on the Isle of Islay. As always a delicious balance of Kilchoman's earthy peat and sherry.
   
• 7th April 2021
  Brora Triptych Elusive Legacy, Age of Peat and Timeless Original
  Brora Triptych Elusive Legacy, Age of Peat and Timeless Original is a rare set of three single malts released to mark the restoration of the small Highland distillery, each of the bottles in the set represents one of Brora's distinct styles.
   
• 31st March 2021
  Glen Moray Appoints New Head of Whisky Creation
  Following the departure of Glen Moray/La Martiniquaise-Bardinet’s Master Blender Dr Kirstie McCallum at the beginning of this year after what was quite a short stay the company announced today that they have appointed Stephen Woodcock as Glen Moray Head of Whisky Creation & Stocks.
   
• 31st March 2021
  Littlemill Testament 1976
  The Loch Lomond Group, owners of the now lost Littlemill distillery, has announced the release of 'Littlemill Testament' which was distilled back in 1976, 18 years before the distillery fell silent, making it the oldest expression to date to be released from the lowland distillery.
   
• 29th March 2021
  GlenAllachie 10 Year Old Cask Strength Batch 5
  GlenAllachie has just announced the launch of the next instalment of their highly rated 10 Year Old Cask Strength batch release single malt whisky, the new GlenAllachie 10 Year Old Cask Strength Batch 5 which is a combination of Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry puncheons, Rioja barriques, and a small quantity of Virgin Oak casks expertly selected and blended by industry veteran and Master Distiller/Blender Billy Walker.
   
• 26th March 2021
  Method and Madness Mulberry Wood Finish
  Irish Distillers experimental whiskey brand Method and Madness has launched a Mulberry wood finished single pot still whiskey. Bottled at 46% ABV, the whiskey is described as being wonderfully complex with notes of smoked paprika, flavours of sweet toffee apple and a freshly cut wood character imparted from the virgin Mulberry wood.
   
• 26th March 2021
  Brendan Buckley Inducted Into The Whisky Magazine Hall Of Fame
  Brendan Buckley, International Marketing Director at Irish Distillers has been inducted into the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame for his personal contribution to the growth of the Irish whiskey category on the global stage.
   
• 25th March 2021
  Highland Park 50 Year Old 2020 Edition
  This latest Highland Park 50 Year Old expression is the third 50 year old single malt whisky released by the Orkney distillery, created using their Solera style system which means it has been imparted with some DNA from the first two 50 year old releases but it is still very much a unique whisky. Of course you will need deep pockets or a lottery win to taste it but we can all but dream.
   
• 24th March 2021
  Compass Box Magic Cask Review
  Magic Cask is a new limited edition Scotch blended malt whisky from the creative folks at Compass Box, a blend of 98% Imperial single malt and 8% from an undisclosed distillery near the town of Aberlour. A delicious, spicy, lightly sherried, mature Speyside whisky. The creative folks at Compass Box have put together some deliciously outstanding whiskies over the years and this is another one.
   
• 24th March 2021
  Haig Club Mediterranean Orange
  With Spring and some nicer weather now in the not too distant horizon, I thought you may be interested in something a little different from Diageo's Haig Club brand, not quite a whisky, but a new spirit drink, Haig Club Mediterranean Orange which has been specifically developed to appeal to the growing early evening and ‘Aperitivo’ occasion.
   
• 22nd March 2021
  Big Peat Heroes Edition Pandemic Heroes Charity Bottling
  Douglas Laing honours pandemic heroes with limited edition Big Peat Heroes Edition which will with the sale of each bottle contribute the equivalent of £6.67 worth of sanitiser to either Erskine, Marie Curie or Hearts & Balls charities.
   
• 19th March 2021
  Compass Box Menagerie
  The creative whisky makers at Compass Box has launched their latest limited edition release, Compass Box Menagerie, a Blended malt containing Scotch single malt whiskies from Mortlach, Deanston, Laphroaig and Glen Elgin distilleries, combined with Compass Box’s Highland Malt Blend.
   
• 18th March 2021
  Glencairn Crystal Celebrates 40 Years
  Scottish crystal company, Glencairn Crystal Studios, which is synonymous amongst whisky drinkers for their Glencairn whisky tasting glass is celebrating 40 years at the cutting edge of crystal and glassware creation this year.
   
• 15th March 2021
  Aberlour 14 Year Old Double Cask
  Aberlour has added a fourth expression to complete its Double Cask matured range, the Aberlour 14 Year Old Double Cask which joins the existing Aberlour 12 Year Old, 16 Year Old and 18 Year Old Double Cask expressions in the line-up offering whisky drinkers and interesting incite into how a single malt whisky develops after another couple of years under the same maturation conditions.
   
• 15th March 2021
  Glen Scotia Invites Entries To Great British Entrepreneur Awards
  Glen Scotia Single Malt Whisky is calling on Scottish businesses to enter the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, which opens for entries from today March 15th.
   
• 12th March 2021
  Diageo World Class Competition Top Eight GB Finalists Revealed
  The delayed Diageo World Class competition which has now gone virtual has revealed the Top 8 GB finalists who will compete to achieve the accolade of becoming GB’s World Class Bartender of the year 2021.
   
• 11th March 2021
  Redbreast 10 Year Old Cask Strength Birdhouse Member Exclusive
  Fans of Irish Distillers Redbreast single pot still whiskey will be intrigued and I am sure pleased to hear that the Irish whiskey maker has taken a step back in time with the launch of a Redbreast 10 Year Old Cask Strength Batch 1 expression today.
   
• 10th March 2021
  Old Pulteney Augmented Reality App
  Old Pulteney, The Maritime Malt, has launched a free augmented reality app, which transports drinkers into the world of the single malt though an immersive AR whisky experience. The user is transported to a coastal scene through an interactive animation, uncovering the tasting notes, aromas and food pairings of each of the distillery's single malts.
   
• 8th March 2021
  Whyte & Mackay Takes Innovative Approach To Travel Retail
  Despite the limited passenger numbers during the Covid-19 pandemic Whyte & Mackay, producer of of Scotch single malt whiskies such as The Dalmore, Jura, Fettercairn and Tamnavulin has taken an innovative omnichannel approach to offsetting the reduced numbers by working in partnership with Taiwan’s most important Social Media whisky influencer Steven Lin.
   
• 5th March 2021
  President Biden Suspends Trumps 25% Whisky Tariffs
  President Joe Biden suspends the 25% tariff on Scotch Whisky imposed by Donald Trump in the long-running row over state subsidies for planemakers Airbus and Boeing.
   
• 4th March 2021
  Tamdhu Makes It 3-In-A-Row For At The World Whiskies Awards
  Tamdhu has made it 3-In-A-Row with their latest success at the World Whiskies Awards 2021 where their Tamdhu Iain Whitecross Single Cask 5892 Vintage 2003 was named the Category Winner in the WWA 2021 Single Cask, Single Malt Scotch category.
   
• 3rd March 2021
  Deirdre O’Carroll Appointed As Blender at Midleton Distillery
  Irish Distillers has announced the appointment of Deirdre O'Carroll as blender at its massive Midleton Distillery down in Co. Cork in the South of Ireland. In her new role, Deirdre will work with Master Blender Billy Leighton in Midleton Distillery, and will be responsible for the development of new and existing blends, marrying together specific and intricate flavours and aromas, ultimately, creating a palette of tastes that make up Irish Distillers’ portfolio of Irish whiskeys.
   
• 3rd March 2021
  Glenmorangie Family Plan Puts Inclusivity & Diversity Centre Stage
  The Glenmorangie Company today reveals a host of life-friendly transformations to help its people flourish at work and at home. The Company, which owns Glenmorangie and Ardbeg premium single malts, is evolving its family-leave policy to support all new parents during the precious first weeks of parenthood. And to help foster a more diverse, inclusive workforce, it is also reimagining the role of the office.
   
• 2nd March 2021
  Jameson Invites You To Join Its St Patrick's Day Celebrations
  As Ireland and the rest of the world approaches its second and hopefully last muted St Patrick's Day during the Covid-19 global pandemic the iconic Irish whiskey Jameson has extended a global invite to all to join in this year’s St Patrick’s Day celebrations, with a series of curated events, special edition party-at-home kits, and competitions that will run throughout March 2021.
   
• 1st March 2021
  Fettercairn Warehouse 2 Batch No.001
  Fettercairn distillery today launched The Warehouse Collection, the distillery's first ever collection of small batch single malt whiskies from the Highland distillery. The Warehouse Collection launches with Fettercairn Warehouse 2 Batch No.001, which has been crafted using a creative mix of five different cask styles.
   
• 1st March 2021
  Bimber Owners Unveil Plans For Dunphail Distillery In Speyside
  The folks behind London’s Bimber Distillery have today unveiled their plans to open a new Scotch whisky distillery in Dunphail, south of Forres, Speyside, Scotland. They have submitted plans to Moray Council which are currently under review for a small 200,000 LA capacity craft Scotch whisky distillery.
   
• 26th February 2021
  Benriach Smoke Season Review
  The Benriach distillery has added the Benriach Smoke Season to their whisky range. An outstanding 'Highland peated' Speyside dram, absolutely delicious, the mix of casks play there part well and the bottling strength simply makes this a flavoursome sweet peaty pleasure.
   
• 26th February 2021
  Knock Tales A New Monthly anCnoc Podcast Series
  Introducing Knock Tales Whisky Podcast with Gordon Bruce a new monthly podcast series which they created to lift the lid on the passion, process and personalities that go into making some of the world’s most expertly crafted products.
   
• 25th February 2021
  New Regulations For Japanese Whisky
  Long overdue rules and regulations governing Japanese whisky production are set to come into play from April this year.
   
• 23rd February 2021
  Rare Glenrothes 50 Year Old Fetches £39,000 At Aution
  Bottle 50 of 50 of Glenrothes 50 Year Old decorated with 22carat Scottish Gold from Scotland’s only gold mine sells for £39,000 at auction with the proceeds going to the winning bidders charity of choice.
   
• 22nd February 2021
  Macallan Sir Peter Blake
  Unveiled at the same time as the Macallan The Anecdotes Of Ages Collection is another new limited edition Macallan expression that is a little more accessible price wise at £1,200 a bottle, that is if you get lucky in the ballot, it is The Macallan Sir Peter Blake An Estate, a Community and a Distillery.
   
• 22nd February 2021
  Macallan The Anecdotes Of Ages Collection
  The Macallan Anecdote Of Ages Collection is the Macallan distillery's latest collaboration with iconic pop artist Sir Peter Blake. The collection consists of 13 bottles, each containing the same sherry rich 1967 vintage Macallan single malt whisky which has been selected by The Macallan Lead Whisky Maker Sarah Burgess and each of the 13 bottles are adorned with its own original Sir Peter Blake collage art on the label.
   
• 19th February 2021
  Midleton Very Rare 2021
  Beginning a new tradition under the guardianship of Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman, the Midleton Very Rare 2021 vintage is the first expression in the series to be launched at the start of the year. The Midleton Very Rare 2021 includes whiskey aged between 15 and 36 years which have been matured in lightly charred ex-bourbon American oak barrels.
   
• 17th February 2021
  Green Tourism Awards For Lagavulin, Blair Athol, Oban & Clynelish
  Four of Diageo's Scotch Whisky distilleries have been awarded the UK’s highest eco-tourism award. Lagavulin, Blair Athol, Oban and Clynelish distilleries have all received the prestigious gold certification from Green Tourism for their sustainable practices, both in the brand home visitor experiences and the distillery operations.
   
• 17th February 2021
  Diageo Report An Unexpected Rise In Spirit Sales
  Despite Covid-19 Diageo's sales got an unexpected boost from US spirit drinkers, these sales have been driven by premium tequila and bourbon. Scotch sales remained flat which was no doubt due to the tax imposed by Donald Trump during his time as US President which would no doubt have made premium Scotch whisky drinkers look elsewhere.
   
• 16th February 2021
  Rampur Asava Review
  Review of the Indian Cabernet Sauvignon red wine cask finished Rampur Asava Indian single malt whisky. The Turkish Delight rose oils seem to be a common thread through the Rampur single malts, and no different here, the fruits from the Indian Cabernet Sauvignon red wine cask finish has made this quite a easy drinking red wine infused fruity pleasure.
   
• 15th February 2021
  Horizon Proteins Transforming Whisky Distilling Co-Products
  Horizon Proteins a spin-out from Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh who provide sustainability solutions by transforming underutilised whisky distilling co-products into cost-effective, high-quality nutrients for the aqua and animal feed industries has appointed Iain Lochhead Chief Executive Officer in a boardroom reshuffle to support its growth plans.
   
• 11th February 2021
  GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch 9 Review
  Review of The GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch 9, a delicious, outstanding, well constructed big sherried cask strength dram and one of the best examples of a combination of old and new Spanish Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso Sherry casks in the series so far.
   
• 5th February 2021
  Kilchoman Whisky & Chocolate Pairing
  Are you looking for a Valentines gift for a whisky lover then look no further as Kilchoman has paired its iconic core range peaty whiskies with some delicious unique Scottish chocolate from Edinburgh based COCO Chocolatier.
   
• 5th February 2021
  Construction Work At The New Rosebank Distillery Restarts
  Following a halt in production due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the partial collapse of the an old bonded warehouse wall construction of the new Rosebank distillery in Falkirk is underway once again.
   
• 3rd February 2021
  Diageo World Class Competition Goes Virtual
  Diageo World Class has announced that they are resuming the 2020 competition this year and that the much-anticipated World Class Studio Sessions will take place virtually for the first time
   
• 28th January 2021
  Speyside Distillers Reveal Plans For New Distillery In Speyside
  Speyside Distillers reveal their intention to construct a major new state-of-the-art distillery in the Speyside region as part of its ambitious plans for expansion but they have not yet revealed the location or size of the new distillery.
   
• 27th January 2021
  The Macallan Folio 6
  The Macallan Folio 6 is the latest instalment in The Macallan's 'Archival Series' which recollects the legendary advertising campaigns of The Macallan. This 6th release in the series celebrates a witty advert, which cleverly featured The Macallan Chairman as a Scotsman dancing the Highland fling.
   
• 27th January 2021
  Kirstie McCallum Leaves Glen Moray For Halewood
  After a short stay at Glen Moray Master Blender Kirstie McCallum joins Halewood Artisanal Spirits and will take charge of their Crabbie, Samuel Gelston’s, The Pogues, Aber Falls and Peaky Blinder whiskies.
   
• 27th January 2021
  Tomintoul Cigar Malt
  Angus Dundee Distillers has added a new no age statement single malt whisky to their Tomintoul range, the Oloroso sherry cask matured Tomintoul Cigar Malt which is described as having the perfect balance of sweetness and spice, with a rich, smoky background.
   
• 27th January 2021
  Royal Salute 21 Year Old Year Of The Ox Lunar New Year
  Royal Salute release a special edition of their premium 21 year old Scotch blended whisky to mark the Chinese Lunar New Year, Year of the Ox.
   
• 26th January 2021
  Ballantine’s Unveil First Light Expression - Ballantine's Light 20°
  Ballantine's has entered the the whisky spirit marketplace with the release of Ballantine's Light 20°, their first ‘light’ expression and lower-ABV spirit drink which contains half the alcohol by volume of their standard Ballantine's Finest Scotch blended whisky.
   
• 25th January 2021
  Ardbeg 25 Year Old
  Today Ardbeg released their newest and oldest permanent expression to join their core range, the Ardbeg 25 Year Old which Ardbeg says proves unequivocally that age cannot tame Ardbeg’s smoky power.
   
• 21st January 2021
  Ardbeg Arrrrrrrdbeg Committee Exclusive Bottling
  Ardbeg has announced the release date for their pirate themed Ardbeg Arrrrrrrdbeg Committee exclusive bottling which has been bottled to mark the 13 years Mickey Heads spent at the helm of the distillery.
   
• 18th January 2021
  Glen Scotia Partners With Great British Entrepreneur Awards
  The Great British Entrepreneur Awards has unveiled Glen Scotia single malt whisky as its first Entrepreneurial Spirit Partner. The partnership will see Glen Scotia sponsor the Entrepreneurial Spirit Award and Glen Scotia will also recognise and reward a business owner who has shown particular entrepreneurial spirit each month.
   
• 12th January 2021
  Sailor's Home Irish Whiskey
  Sailor's Home is a new brand of Irish whiskey which is billed as a contemporary and premium new Irish whiskey brand. It has launched with three expressions here in the UK - The Haven, The Journey and The Horizon.
   
• 12th January 2021
  Glenmorangie Company Strengthens Executive Team
  In whisky business news two senior promotions at one of Scotland’s most prestigious Scotch malt whisky companies have been announced. The Glenmorangie Company which is known for its Glenmorangie and Ardbeg whisky brands has strengthened its executive team as it looks to the future.
   

See earlier Whisky News from 2020 >>>
 

• Whisky News 2020
   
• Whisky News 2019
   
• Whisky News 2018
   
• Whisky News 2017
   
• Whisky News 2016
   
• Whisky News 2015
   
• Whisky News 2014
   
• Whisky News 2013
   
• Whisky News 2012
   
• Whisky News 2011
   
• Whisky News 2010
   
• Whisky News 2009