Sunday Morning Dram Sessions – My Happy Place
I get a lot of odd looks when I tell (non-whisky) people that I’m hosting a Sunday morning dram session. From 9am to 1pm, whisky and conversation flows, great whiskies are paired with delectable treats. My wife says the volume climbs as the hours pass, but to me that’s a sign that the session is going well. A respite from the demands and challenges of life. And you get back to your family with plenty of time for an afternoon snooze before firing up the braai to wrap up a day well spent.
Each session is different, and this one was no different. We were fortunate to have local whisky legend, Andy Watts, grace us with his presence, deep industry knowledge and insight into the whiskies he hand-crafted while helming whisky production at Distell. Andy now runs his own consultancy, the Watts Whisky Company and is doing great work with Metanoia, among other clients. It’s humbling to have someone of Andy’s stature spend time at your house, regaling all with whisky stories galore. Some special Three Ships bottlings that are getting much harder to find these days were dug out of storage and opened.
I may also have helped broker a whisky cask sale during the course of the morning. It’s amazing what can happen when the Fellowship gets together!
Sláinte,
Mark
What’s In Mark’s Glass This Week
Sunday’s session spoiled me for choice here! A couple highlights would have to be:
- That Boutique-y Whisky Company Single Malt South African Whisky 6yo – 53.7% abv. I dug this out of the dark recesses of my whisky cabinet for the session with Andy, and I’m struck by how well it has held up. Rich dark fruit, treacle, chocolate and assertive oak are wrapped in a thick, oily texture, with hints of leather, herbs and cooling mint on the finish. An excellent indie bottling of Three Ships whisky, even though it’s not called that. (Surprisingly, available locally at WhiskyLibrary and WhiskyShop!)
- Whisky Pigs Lochindaal Private Cask 8yo – Distilled 2010, bottled 2019. A 63.2% abv, 50PPM wonder of a dram! Bold coastal smoke and iodine up front, backed by brine, citrus zest and green fruit, with a surprising creamy malt sweetness underneath. Despite its 8 years, the depth is there — ashy peat, sea spray and lemon oil layered over vanilla, cereal and a touch of waxy richness. Long, drying finish of smoke, salt and oak tannins. (Unobtainium! A shared cask between WFFA and The Whisky Pigs. Virtually impossible to get a hold of anymore.)
Industry News
Scotland’s World Cup Whisky Moment
Scotland’s first FIFA World Cup qualification in 28 years has triggered a flurry of commemorative releases. Eleven distilleries are collaborating on a limited run tied to the tournament, and Clydeside Distillery has beaten everyone to market with its 2026 Limited Edition World Cup Scotland bottling — reviewed this week by Dramface. Expect more to follow as the tournament unfolds.— DramFace
Lost Lantern Launches the United States of Bourbon
Lost Lantern, the American single-cask independent bottler, has released its most ambitious project: the United States of Bourbon, the first-ever blend of straight bourbon from all 50 states. Five years in the making, sourced from over 50 distilleries, with three expressions timed to America’s 250th anniversary. Read Story — Breaking Bourbon
Five-Star Ambition: Coleburn Set for Revival as a Luxury Whisky Resort
The long-silent Coleburn Distillery in Speyside — closed since 1985 — is set for redevelopment as a luxury whisky resort. Plans include luxury Canadian log cabins for ~60 guests, woodland trails, a spa, a pagoda penthouse conversion, and fine dining, with whisky at the core of the entire experience. No reopening for distilling has been confirmed. Read Article — Whisky Magazine
American Whiskey & India — A Historic Door Opens
The US-India trade deal is the biggest bourbon and American whiskey story of the year. India’s 1.4 billion population drinks whisky predominantly — the market is enormous. US spirits exporters have been locked out by tariffs of up to 150%. A significant deal opening could dwarf anything the post-tariff Scotch story (see below) achieves in the US. — The Whisk(e)y Wash
Tariff reprieve for Scotch
The UK distilling industry is celebrating after Trump’s administration dropped its whisky tariffs, with industry bodies estimating a potential £200m boost for Scotch exports to the US. For consumers, this should eventually translate to better availability and pricing on premium American-market releases. — Whisky Magazine
SMWS challenges the regions. The Scotch Malt Whisky Society has stirred debate with their ‘Flavour or regionality?’ piece — arguing that the Society’s flavour-first classification system tells drinkers more about what’s in the glass than a geographical region ever could. (Mark: A bit of a “storm-in-a-teacup” if you ask me, aimed at stirring perceptions and boosting SMWS’s profile. Not a bad thing necessarily!) — Whisky Intelligence
New Releases
London Distillery Company — New Forms Series. LDC launched their New Forms Series on June 12: three cask-strength single cask releases — Ex-Bourbon Cask, Fino Sherry Cask, and Moscatel Sherry Cask — each bottled individually rather than blended to a house style. All three use cask types new to LDC, making this one of the more genuinely experimental Scotch launches of the month. £75 per bottle or £200 for the set, direct from londondistillery.co.uk.
Saltire Rare Malt — 24yo Ben Nevis 1998. Timed for Scotland’s World Cup return, Saltire Whisky have bottled an ultra-limited 24-year-old Ben Nevis distilled in 1998 — the last year Scotland qualified. Just 11 bottles (one per starting XI player), titled “Ooooohhh, Yes Sir, I can Boogie!”, at £350 each. The football angle is opportunistic, but Ben Nevis 1998 is legitimately interesting: the distillery was under Nikka (Japanese) ownership and producing unusually expressive, oily spirit that year. If you can find a bottle, the whisky stands on its own merits.
Glasgow Distillery 1770 Cask Strength Batch 3. Glasgow Distillery has released the third batch of their 1770 Cask Strength series. Glasgow is one of Scotland’s most credible new urban distilleries and each batch differs meaningfully — Batch 3 continues their track record for quality over volume.
Four Roses Anthology — Chapter One: Origin. Four Roses has launched Anthology, their new annual ultra-premium series, with a 21-year-old OBSF recipe bourbon as the inaugural release — the oldest expression the distillery has ever bottled. Around 1,200 bottles at $500, debuting July 10 at the Four Roses Visitor Center. The 21yo age statement is significant for a brand that doesn’t typically lead with old stock. (Mark: This offers a bit more detail from the announcement listed in last week’s Bourbon Corner.)
High West The Prisoner’s Share 2026. High West’s annual blended whiskey finished in The Prisoner Red Blend wine barrels returns — this year’s edition is notable as the first to include High West’s own straight bourbon alongside sourced rye and bourbon, rather than relying entirely on sourced stock. $174.99. A step toward greater distillery independence for a brand that’s been leaning in that direction.
Reviews Roundup
Dramface continues to publish daily through the week:
Ben Nevis 11yo Tartan Army — Signatory Vintage: Wally and Charlie are riding the Scotland World Cup wave. A Signatory single cask bottled specifically for the tournament — worth reading for the enthusiasm as much as the review.
Kirkland 15yo Highland (June 16): Dramface take on a Costco-sourced Highland malt at 46%. If “high-volume bottle for the masses” is doing heavy lifting in Archie’s intro, brace yourself. Worth knowing about either way.
Murray McDavid Duo — Craigellachie 16 + Caol Ila 10: Two IB releases reviewed together — Speyside meets Islay. Murray McDavid consistently deliver honest, affordable single cask bottlings and this pairing showcases both ends of the Scotch flavour spectrum nicely.
Ardnamurchan Golden Promise Duo: A pair of single cask releases using heritage grain. Timely given the Heritage Barley expression now available locally — gives useful context on what Ardnamurchan are doing with provenance-driven production.
Old Pulteney 18 Year Old: Dramface revisit Old Pulteney’s 18yo — the maritime Highland malt that doesn’t get enough attention. Worth a read if you’ve been sleeping on Wick.
Clydeside 2026 Limited Edition — World Cup Scotland: The commercial angle doesn’t distract from an interesting dram. Dramface review it on merit.
Two WhiskyBros reviewed extensively this week:
Springbank Open Day 2026 & Longrow Open Day 2026 – Campbeltown’s open day season peaked with Springbank and Longrow releasing their 2026 festival drams. Springbank: 7/10. Longrow — the heavily-peated sibling — earns 8.5/10 and stands out as the pick from this year’s Campbeltown lineup.
Hazelburn Open Day 2026 & Kilkerran Open Day 2026 – The Campbeltown coverage rounds out with Hazelburn’s unpeated triple-distilled festival bottling and Kilkerran’s annual release — both score 7/10 from TWB.
Bowmore 9yo Fèis Ìle 2026 + Little Brown Dog Bowmore 2015 11yo: The festival exclusive vs a well-regarded IB release. Good context for the Outturn No. 36 Islay bottles above.
Fragrant Drops Dailuaine 12yo + Blind Summit Dailuaine 11yo Apera Cask: Solid scores — 7.5 and 8/10 respectively. Dailuaine (Speyside) is a workhorse distillery that rarely gets official releases; the IBs are where you find it. The Apera (Australian dry sherry) cask finish on the Blind Summit is particularly interesting.
The Whiskey Wash reviews a whisky from one of my favourite distilleries.
Mortlach 12 Year Old Wormtub Single Cask: Mortlach’s Wormtub designation refers to its old-style worm tub condensers — one of the few distilleries still using them — which contributes to its distinctively meaty character.
Bourbon Corner
National Bourbon Day delivered the goods. June 14 is National Bourbon Day in the US, and it brought announcements: Old Forester President’s Choice returns at $225 — the limited annual release that’s become a benchmark for the brand’s capabilities. And Elijah Craig 21 Year Old Single Barrel is back — one of the most accessible ultra-aged bourbons on the market at its price point.
Lost Lantern — United States of Bourbon. Five years in the making, sourced from over 50 distilleries across all 50 states. The most ambitious American whiskey blending project in recent memory — and timed perfectly to America’s 250th anniversary. Three expressions at different price and intensity points. (Mark: This is the kind of anniversary release that’s actually about the whisky. I’d been keen to try these!)
Read Story | Read Review — 100 Proof | Read Review — Cask Strength | Read Review — 1776 Edition
Booker’s Milkshake Batch. Booker’s 2026 Batch 2 is named “Milkshake Batch” after the distillery cat, apparently. Batch names aside, Booker’s remains one of the standard-bearers for uncut, unfiltered small batch bourbon. These batches vary meaningfully year to year.
Green River Distillery Select launches. Green River’s inaugural Distillery Select — Toasted Double Oak Bourbon (Batch 001) — is their oldest bourbon to date, earning Double Gold at SFWSC. Breaking Bourbon gave it a solid capsule review.
Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Old returns. Wild Turkey’s premium arm has brought back Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Old for Spring 2026 alongside a tribute to master distiller Eddie Russell’s 45-year legacy. A reliable high-rye profile with the age to smooth out the rough edges.
Penelope Classic Series. Penelope Bourbon’s new Classic Series brings straight bourbon and straight rye at accessible price points — their attempt to establish everyday drinkers alongside their blended higher-end releases.
Available Now — Local Online Retailers
There hasn’t been much action with new releases locally this past week, so I thought I’d dig around a bit in the “Collector’s Corner” listings across a few of the retailers to see if I could find anything interesting there. (Note: these may be sold out by the time you read this)
WhiskyBrother (whiskybrother.com)
| Whisky | Price |
|---|---|
| Undisclosed Wick 10yo WB Exclusive | R1,295 |
| Deanston 14yo Maggie’s Collection WB Exclusive | R2,390 |
MotherCity Liquor (mothercityliquor.co.za)
| Whisky | Price |
|---|---|
| Signatory Glenlivet 19yo 2006 Cask Strength | R3,799 |
| Bruichladdich Octomore 13.4 | R6,999 |
Bottega Whiskey (bottegawhiskey.com)
| Whisky | Price |
|---|---|
| Redbreast Moscatel Edition – Iberian Series | R2,750 |
| Tamdhu 21yo Sherry Cask Matured | R6,895 |
WhiskyShop (whiskyshop.co.za)
| Whisky | Price |
|---|---|
| Nikka Nine Decades | R54,625 |
Upcoming Events
One new addition to the list, a day trip to Helden Distillery with WhiskyBrother, details below. If you know of any whisky events on the horizon that aren’t listed here, fire me the details so I can add them to the next digest.
Fezzy Father’s Fest with Bottega
Sunday, 21 June 2026 | 11h00–17h00 | Ground The Venue, Muldersdrift | R375pp
Master class options available at an additional cost.
More info & bookings
Bottega Whisky Club — Campbeltown Festival Whisky Tasting Experience
Tuesday, 23 June 2026 at 18h30 | Parkhurst, Johannesburg | R890pp
Includes whisky tasting, a two-course meal, and gratuity.
RSVP: parkhurst@bottegacafe.co.za
WhiskyShop presents Sip Street Fest
Friday, 27 June 2026 | 13h00–21h00 | The Gantry Lifestyle Centre
– GA Ticket: R490
– MasterClass Ticket: R2000 (includes a bottle of whisky)
Book tickets
WhiskyBrother’s Helden Distillery Day Trip
Saturday, 11 July 2026 | Parys Free State | R1,490pp
A full-day experience at South Africa’s Helden Distillery with an in-depth tour led by founder and owner Dr Pieter van Helden — ideal for anyone who hasn’t visited a working distillery before. Book tickets
The Only Whisky Show 2026
JHB: 13 & 14 August | The Galleria | R690pp
Book JHB
Cape Town: 20 & 21 August | CTICC | R690pp
Book CT
Auction & Market Watch
Historic Japanese auction incoming. A high-profile auction is targeting new records with Karuizawa 1960 and Yamazaki 55yo lots. Both represent the absolute ceiling of Japanese whisky collectables — Karuizawa 1960 has previously fetched six figures. Worth watching if only to marvel at the numbers.
Scotch Whisky Auctions 180th auction. SWA’s 180th auction update is live — their platform remains one of the best ways to track what the secondary market is doing, especially for older Speyside and Islay expressions.
Iron Gate Summer Auction opens. Iron Gate’s summer 2026 auction is now accepting bids. A good mid-year opportunity if you’re hunting specific bottles — Iron Gate tends to attract quality independent bottlings alongside the usual major releases.
Worth Reading
Casks on the Waves: The Distillers Whose Warehouses Are the Open Sea — A production deep-dive into the distillers — Jefferson’s Bourbon, Adnams, Never Say Die, and French maison Kuentz — who are deliberately maturing whisky at sea or even underwater. The logistical nightmares (barrels leaking undetected mid-voyage, containers lost overboard) are as interesting as the flavour science. One of the better long reads to come out of Whisky Magazine’s Issue 213.
Islay Whisky Festival: 40 Years of Fèis Ìle — Whisky Magazine’s retrospective on four decades of the world’s most important whisky festival. A proper long read on how a small island’s tradition became a global pilgrimage.
Five standout bottlings at Fèis Ìle 2026 — The practical companion piece: which bottles from this year’s festival are worth hunting down. Good shortlist if you’re eyeing the SMWS festival releases above.
Jackton Distillery: New kid on the block — The story behind the Kean family and their RAER malts brand. A new Scottish distillery worth knowing about before their spirit reaches SA shelves.
Whisky’s coming home: Football-themed drams — A roundup of World Cup-tied whisky releases. With Scotland back at the tournament, distilleries are leaning in hard. Some are gimmicky, a few are genuinely special.
Serge reviews Glenfarclas — fresh from the Hall of Fame — “Pointless tastings: two official Glenfarclas” is Serge Valentin doing what he does every day. Now that he’s been inducted into the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame, it seems fitting to click through. The man’s written more tasting notes than anyone alive. Two official Glenfarclas expressions, reviewed with characteristic brevity.
The Fellowship Challenge
How much do you know about whisky, where it comes from, and its history? Let’s start of with a relatively easy set of questions to kick the challenge off why don’t we?
Questions
1. Which famous Highlands distillery is known for having some of the tallest stills in Scotland, contributing to its light and fruity spirit?
A) Mortlach
B) Glenfarclas
C) Glenmorangie
D) Benromach
2. What is the primary purpose of worm tubs in whisky production?
A) Increase fermentation speed
B) Cool spirit vapour after distillation
C) Filter sulphur compounds before distillation
D) Improve barley germination
3. Which distillery is famously nicknamed “The Beast of Dufftown”?
A) Balvenie
B) Mortlach
C) Dufftown Distillery
D) Aberlour
4. How many times is the spirit typically distilled at most Scottish malt whisky distilleries?
A) Once
B) Twice
C) Three times
D) Four times
5. Which Islay distillery still malts 100% of its barley on traditional floor maltings for one of its ranges?
A) Ardbeg
B) Laphroaig
C) Kilchoman
D) Bowmore
Answers & Notes
1. Answer: C) Glenmorangie
Glenmorangie’s stills are the tallest in Scotland at around 5.14 metres (16.9 feet). The tall necks encourage reflux, producing a lighter, more elegant spirit.
2. Answer: B) Cool spirit vapour after distillation
Worm tubs are traditional condensers made of coiled copper pipe submerged in cold water. They reduce copper contact, often creating a heavier, more robust spirit character.
3. Answer: B) Mortlach
Mortlach is nicknamed “The Beast of Dufftown” due to its meaty, complex spirit and unusual 2.81 distillation regime.
4. Answer: B) Twice
Most Scotch malt whisky is double distilled. A famous exception is Auchentoshan Distillery, which triple distils its spirit.
5. Answer: C) Kilchoman
Kilchoman is the only Islay distillery that carries out full floor malting on-site for its “100% Islay” range — from barley to bottle on the island.
How did you do? Did you ace the quiz? If you want to send through your own questions & answers that we can pose to other community members, send them through!
And That’s a Wrap!
Thanks for all the support, comments, suggestions and inspiration that helped produce this issue of the digest. What other community-related content would you like to see here?
And if you enjoyed it, please forward it on to your friends and family who would be interested. Let’s grow the fellowship.
Until next week, DRAM on!