Hello everyone

I hope those who celebrate it had a great Christmas both personally and business-wise.

Not a vast amount of news to comment on this last short while but I thought I‘d have a look back and see how the whisk(e)y world fared as well as note the best of the whiskies I tried this year. I look at both spellings as both have had reason to be uncertain and optimistic in 2025. In the US there have been closures, reductions in output and distilleries going bust. We tend not to see the stories about those doing well. Ireland has seen similar issues. In the UK we‘ve had certainly one distillery rescued from such a fate and some have scaled back production for the short-medium term. Certain maltings have closed, temporarily at least, though Baird‘s Pencaitland maltings near Edinburgh and whose output is directed solely at the distilling industry is to close permanently, early in 2026. That‘s a very sad one since the plant owners applied for planning permission to build a new electro-hydrogen energy centre there to heat their kilns. Those proposals were approved by the area‘s council at the end of September. No indication of where production may be increased to service distilling clients when the market comes back up again.

The USA and China markets will account for some of the whisky market downturns. The UK-India trade deal was rightly hailed as a good step forward but those hoped for increases in sales will take a bit of time to come through. Some of Scotland‘s distilleries have done very well e.g. Lochlea and other small ones. Some of the larger names are also still showing healthy sales where others have seen significant drops. Japanese distilleries have had swings and roundabouts and Indian whiskies are showing positive signs as the quality of some brands is recognised more widely. I don‘t know a lot about Canada as I get little information from there though it‘s doing well in the home market given the trade tussle with the US and there are some interesting smaller operations.

It continues to disappoint me that blends are still not as well appreciated as they should be though maybe it‘s partly the noise round single malts rather than dismissal of blends. As examples of outstanding achievements in 2025, I take the Dewar‘s aged blends as created by the inestimable Stephanie Macleod and various Ballantine‘s blends overseen and, in some cases created from scratch, by the truly excellent Sandy Hyslop (left) who is retiring from full-time but will continue to be involved for a while yet. Not to mention some blended malts produced by companies like Wemyss (see below) and Douglas Laing (Scallywag Noir was my favourite from them this year). I just think it‘s a pity that blenders and master blenders are lauded for their efforts curating the single malt bottlings but not so much for the fabulous blends they oversee year after year and which are still the backbone of this industry. Maybe more malt snobs and whisky novices need to be given blind tastings of blends (i.e. when they don’t know what’s in front of them). It‘s certainly converted some in the past, in my experience.

I‘ve also had a look at whiskies I‘ve enjoyed in this last year. Not all of those I have tried have made it into these columns. For instance, I tried a sample of Teaninich given to me from a bottle my brother had. It was from Uncharted Whisky Co. and was a 5 year old, distilled in 2020, 61.59% abv and from a first fill madeira cask. It was okay but I wouldn‘t rush out to buy it myself. However, it is all personal taste and he enjoyed it. Of those I have featured here this year, I‘ve tried not to look favourably only on those more recent offerings which are freshest in the memory. I think I‘d have to single out the Isle of Tiree First Release from January. A cracker for a first ever bottling and a credit to the two young distillers. As a blend, Cutty Sark 17 Year Old Triple Cask really delighted my tastebuds as did the Dewar‘s 21 YO Magma Stone Toasted Level 3. Both definitely a „must try“ for those who think blends aren‘t the real thing.

The Tobermory Tawny Port Finish distillery exclusive I tried on the ferry back from Mull was sensational. The Bruichladdich X4+18 was also superb. Another Bruichladdich I loved was the Special Edition Adam Hannett made for me for my last ever Feis Ile dinner. Also at that event, I was thrilled with my choice of Laphroaig Quarter Cask to match the scallops with coconut and mint sauce with a hint of lime and chilli. I knew it would work but it was arguably the best match of the night. I’ve used a pic of it as my lead photo for this piece on the Blog page as it’s a brand and an expression which mean a lot to me. The Caol Ila Feis Ile 2025 bottling was a different offering from there and a new taste experience. Kilchoman offered some goodies over the year and I‘ve enjoyed seeing how they‘ve developed even further as creators. I was also glad to see a new release of The Velvet Fig 12 YO blended malt from Wemyss Whiskies. I loved this one when it first came out, with no age statement, years ago. I bought a bottle for my partner for Christmas this year as I knew it would suit his preferred taste profile and I‘m hoping he‘ll share some. Arran Barley Batch 01 was another little beauty.

My other highlights of the year were my visits to Raasay and Lochlea and the people I met there plus, of course, my final Feis Ile Dinner for the lovely Port Charlotte Hotel on Islay. As mentioned in the column after that, a sad but also happy occasion. I hope they find someone else to carry it on if they don‘t change tack completely. I also enjoyed judging some awards for Scottish Licensed Trade News again in the summer. Always a great learning experience too and enjoying the company of the sponsor and publication judges on our jaunts round Scotland. Continuing to learn is something I aspire to every year.

This is the last piece for 2025. Till January, keep learning, happy dramming and a very happy and prosperous New Year to all.

Slainte mhath,

Caroline