Welcome one and all!
Life happens, as we all know. For the last 8 years, this whisky blog has stayed dormant, but not forgotten. Now I’m finally in a position to get it going again. But, one has to ask: “Is there still a place for the written word, in a world dominated by doom scrolling, AI-generated reels and automated voice-overs?”.
I’d like to think so, and maybe you do too. So let’s go on this whisky journey together and see where it takes us. I’m relying on you, the reader, to help shape and build this whisky site and community. So please, fire me emails / DMs / carrier pigeons with your suggestions, things you liked, things you didn’t and I’ll see what I can do to turn this into a place that feels like home, and serves the goal that the Whisky Tasting Fellowship has always had: Bringing People and Whisky Together.
Sláinte,
Mark
What’s In Mark’s Glass This Week
- Laphroaig 10yo Cask Strength, Batch 16 – How I ever missed L10CS on my whisky journey, I’ll never know! If you haven’t tried it before, find a bottle (UK retailers) now. You won’t be disappointed
- Ardbeg 10yo Cask Strength – Another cracker! It feels like Ardbeg are finding their roots again, and the spirit is doing the talking, not the marketing department. Not available locally (yet), but worth tracking down.
Industry News
Bruichladdich at 25 — Yellow Submarine III
As part of their ongoing 25th anniversary celebrations, Bruichladdich has released Yellow Submarine III. Dramface’s Wally Macaulay also previewed three upcoming anniversary releases this month. (Mark: Not-so-new news, but I still remember missing out on the original Yellow Sub, so I’m thrilled to be getting a bottle of this one!)
Read more
Koopers Whiskey — Father’s Office Cigar Blend Bourbon
A cigar-blend bourbon finished in both Brazilian Amburana and Japanese Mizunara, launched just in time for Father’s Day.
Read more
Grasmere Distillery to Begin Malting — England’s First 100% Cumbrian Whisky
The Cumbrian distillery will begin malting its own barley, a significant step toward producing what would be England’s first fully regional single malt from grain to glass.
Four Roses Anthology Series — Oldest Release in Brand History
Four Roses has launched the Anthology Series, a new annual release format. The inaugural expression is the oldest ever released under the Four Roses name.
Read more
Russell’s Reserve Honors Eddie Russell’s 45-Year Legacy
Wild Turkey’s master distiller gets a cinematic tribute — “His Own Way: The Story of Eddie Russell” — paired with a commemorative label on the Spring 2026 13-Year-Old limited release.
Read more
AJ Bond Distillery — Sazerac’s First Tennessee Whiskey
Crafted by Master Distillers Allisa Henley and the late John Lunn, AJ Bond has unveiled its flagship Tennessee Whiskey — a historic first for the Sazerac portfolio in the category.
Read more
Cù Bòcan — World’s First Peated Scotch in Ice Wine Casks
The Highland distillery has unveiled a peated Scotch finished in ice wine casks, a combination not previously attempted at commercial scale.
Read more
New Releases
Scotch
- Bruichladdich Classic Laddie 10yo — The age statement is back on the label. Dramface’s Ramsay Tavish asks whether our nostalgia is warranted or holding us back. Review
- Arran 14yo (2026) — The return of an old favourite has Wally Macaulay questioning expectations at Dramface. Review
- Murray McDavid Duo — Craigellachie 16 & Caol Ila 10 — Archie at Dramface shares a personal account of learning to trust independent bottlers. Review
- Thompson Bros Sutherland 5yo — Mason Mack at Dramface grapples with over-accumulation, yet still buys a backup. Review
- Torabhaig Taigh — Archie and Charlie review Torabhaig’s new core release from California and Scotland simultaneously. Review
SMWS New Releases & Reviews
SMWS SA — Outturn No. 36 (June 2026)
A bumper Outturn — 16 Creators Collections ranging from 7 to 30 years old, made up entirely of Festival releases plus the Diptych set. Covers all five Scotch regions and seven flavour profiles. Launched 1 June.
Available bottles (selected):
| Name | Cask | Price | Stock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outturn No. 36 Tasting Set | — | R740 | In stock |
| Pimento In A Dark Wheat Beer | 60.57 | R2,150 | 2 left |
| A Bubbly Twist | 93.229 | R2,190 | In stock |
| The Five Regions (Small Batch 39) | — | R2,290 | In stock |
| A Rural Restorative | 39.312 | R2,350 | In stock |
| Lemony McLemonface | 156.8 | R2,450 | In stock |
| A Smoking Bishop In The Kitchen | 78.100 | R2,490 | 2 left |
| Dessert Island Dram | 149.26 | R2,750 | In stock |
| Sunshine On The Seashore | 53.519 | R3,490 | In stock |
| Bath Bomb After A Bonfire | 66.260 | R5,190 | 3 left |
| Penicillin Cocktail | 29.308 | R12,990 | In stock |
Already sold out: Because You’re Worth It, An Embodiment Of Sunshine, A New Land For Sherry Sceptics, Andalusian Smoke, The ‘Iberian’, The ‘American’.
Two WhiskyBros — SMWS June 2026 Outturn Review
The Bros reviewed 24 bottles this month. Top picks:
Top Picks (7.5/10)
12.93 BenRiach 15yo — “Fondant Correspondent” | £98 | 56.6% | Refill ex-oloroso hogshead
Dark fruits on the nose — blackcurrants, cherries — with candied nuts and dark chocolate. Well-integrated sherry for a 15yo BenRiach, with genuine complexity.
121.125 Arran 9yo — “Yeah, they were all yellow” | £60 | 62% | 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
Thick, viscous texture with mango purée, juicy apple and underripe grapefruit. Outstanding cask integration. Excellent value for cask-strength indie Arran.
Good Drams (7/10)
- 48.185 Balmenach 17yo — “The Cooper and the Craft” | £96 | 48.2% | 1st fill HTMC hogshead — Irn Bru, toffee, dark chocolate. The HTMC has done its job well.
- 53.528 Caol Ila 15yo — “Smoked Mexican Mole” | £104 | 58.3% | Ex-bourbon + charred red wine barrique — Softer smoke than expected, butterscotch and red currants. Not classical Caol Ila but a good dram.
- 66.268 Ardmore 27yo — “We’ll Be Dramming!” | £199 | 49% | Bourbon + oloroso — The distillery character has softened with age, but it’s tasty. Nice to see older Ardmore at a more accessible price point.
- 73.175 Aultmore 14yo — “Summer Camp Experience” | £80 | 60.3% | 2nd fill STR ex-oloroso — Terry’s chocolate orange and fizzy lemonade on the nose.
- 122.94 Croftengea 8yo — “Coal Dust and Salt Crust” | £52 | 61.3% | 2nd fill ex-bourbon — A bargain peat hit with citrus sweetness, oysters and pineapple.
- Batch 40 — “Fruit Bomb” | £55 | 50% | First fill casks — Easy-drinking blended malt. Confectionery sweetness, almond marzipan, crème brûlée.
Reviews Roundup
Dramface this week (June 2–11):
- Ardnamurchan Golden Promise Duo — Mason Mack reviews two single casks of Ardnamurchan Golden Promise — a Nederland exclusive and a Heritage Grain — rallying against the tide of AI-generated everything with some very old-school whisky spirit. Read
- Old Pulteney 18yo — Drummond Dunmore makes the case for a distillery that’s “never been fully forgiven” for its 2018 rebrand. An often-overlooked expression that deserves a second look. Read
- Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof — Ogilvie Shaw once enthusiastically recommended this to a stranger in a shop. Three years later he returns to the bottle and finds that some things change. Quietly sceptical. Read
- 7x SMOS Reserve Cask Small Batch — Broddy Balfour tackles seven bottles in a single mega-review: Benrinnes, Ardlair, Mannochmore, Glen Garioch, Glen Elgin, Dailuaine, and Highland Park (Secret Orkney). He commits heresy about oatcakes along the way. Read
- Bruichladdich Classic Laddie 10yo — Age statement back on the label. Worth reading for the broader nostalgia discussion. Read
- Arran 14yo (2026) — Wally Macaulay on hot takes and unrealistic expectations. Read
Two WhiskyBros this week:
- Bowmore 9yo Fèis Ìle 2026 & Little Brown Dog Bowmore 2015 11yo — A distillery release vs. an indie on the same spirit. The Little Brown Dog bottling rated 7.5/10 vs. 6.5/10 for the official Fèis Ìle release — the indie wins again. Read
- Isle of Tiree Single Cask E7 — A first look at Isle of Tiree Distillery. Scored 3/10 — harsh, honest, and worth reading for context on the newish distillery scene. Read
- Fragrant Drops Dailuaine 12yo & Blind Summit Dailuaine 11yo Apera Cask — Two Edinburgh indie bottlers on the same distillery. Read
- Cadenhead Craigellachie 15yo & Glenrothes 28yo — From the April 2026 Cadenheads Authentic Collection. Read
Bourbon Corner
Four Roses Anthology Series is the headline of the week. Described as an annual series that “unfolds the story of the distillery with each chapter,” the inaugural expression is the oldest Four Roses has ever commercially released.
New Reviews from Breaking Bourbon:
- Star Hill Farm Whisky (2026) — Maker’s Mark’s 2026 edition described as “wildly different and more expressive” than the prior release, thanks to deeper exploration of its wheat-based mashbill. Read
- Rabbit Hole Raceking Bourbon — A five-grain mashbill expression from NuLu Distillery. “Intriguing” is how Breaking Bourbon describes it. Read
- Walleye Run Malted Rye “Fisherman’s Batch” 2026-01 — A blend of New Holland and Journeyman whiskeys, finished in brandy and toasted oak. Breaking Bourbon called it “delicious.” Read
- Gambit No. 6 — Finished across six different casks; wine-like, fruit-forward, polarising. Read
- Four Roses Single Barrel 2026 — Three expressions: OBSK | OESQ | OESF
Confluence Project Vol. 1 — New Riff and Chattanooga Whiskey collaborate on the first volume of an ongoing series celebrating competition and cooperation in American whiskey. Read
Wolfe & Wilson Straight Rye — Drawn from a colonial-era booklet, this aims to recreate early American distilling using documented historical recipes and heritage grains. A genuine 250th anniversary release. Read
Late-week additions (June 9–11):
- Copperworks Distilling Single Cask No. 160-2 — An American single malt from Seattle. Breaking Bourbon calls it “a statement piece whiskey” and a dynamic expression of the category. Read
- Abraham Bowman Special Release #26: Rye Whiskey — 11-year-old, higher-proof rye from Virginia. “Richly layered” per Breaking Bourbon. Read
- Hard Truth 7 Year Straight Bourbon & Wheated Bourbon — Hard Truth earns an age statement. The Wheated surprisingly shows spice notes more typical of a rye-recipe bourbon. Both reviewed. Straight | Wheated
- Old Forester President’s Choice (2026) — National Bourbon Day release: the Rye expression returns for a second consecutive year. Read
- Penelope Bourbon Classic Series — Built on eight years of innovation, a new everyday portfolio from Penelope: Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Straight Rye. Read
Friday additions (June 12):
- Kentucky Senator Bourbon (Release #7) — Jim Bunning — The latest in the commemorative Senator series. Read
- Blue Note Wheated Bourbon — A Memphis Jazz District expression with an atypical wheat-forward profile. Read
- Hard Truth Double Oaked Sweet Mash Rye (2026 Barrel Finish Reserve) — Officially releasing 18 July following June preview events. A double-oak finish on Hard Truth’s flagship Sweet Mash Rye. Read
South African Whisky Scene
Metanoia Klein Karoo has two expressions in WhiskyBrother’s new arrivals: the Signature Single Malt (sold out) and Signature Single Rye (R925, in stock). The Klein Karoo’s climate produces faster maturation and distinctly different character from Scotch.
Boplaas 12yo Rum Cask Single Grain is in stock at WhiskyBrother (R990) — a rum-cask finish from one of the more established SA whisky producers.
Metanoia Whisky Live Exclusive is available at WhiskyShop (R1,699) — a limited bottling from the annual Cape Town show.
Available Now — Local Online Retailers
A quick scan of some of our favourite whisky sellers, with the newest or more interesting of their new arrivals. The retailers represented here will cycle in and out each week, showcasing different offerings.
WhiskyBrother & Co
| Whisky | Price |
|---|---|
| Glen Scotia 12yo | R1,000 |
| Glen Scotia Malts Festival 2026 | R1,450 |
| Aberargie Inaugural Release | R1,790 |
| Boplaas 12yo Rum Cask Single Grain (SA) | R990 |
| Metanoia Signature Single Rye (SA) | R925 |
| Loch Lomond Oloroso Sherry Cask | R595 |
| Ardnamurchan 10yo (2025 Release) | R1,390 |
| Ardnamurchan Heritage Barley | R1,490 |
WhiskyShop (Fourways & Woodstock)
| Whisky | Price |
|---|---|
| Metanoia Whisky Live Exclusive (SA) | R1,699 |
| Indri Trini The Three Wood (Indian) | R899 |
| Two Stacks Blenders Cut CS (Irish) | R1,445 |
| Two Stacks Double Barrel Single Grain | R777 |
| Falkland Speyside | R590 |
Navigate World Whisky
| Whisky | Price |
|---|---|
| Kilchoman 100% Islay Sherry Cask Matured | R1,995 |
| Widow Jane Apple Wood Rye | R1,295,00 |
Mothercity Liquor
| Whisky | Price |
|---|---|
| Metanoia Klein Karoo Signature Single Malt | R949.99 |
| Glenfiddich 14 Year Old Bourbon Barrel Reserve | R2,299.99 |
Upcoming Events
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
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
I’ll be diving into auctions and price movements in collectable whiskies as the site and newsletter gather momentum. Drop me a line, letting me know which bottles/expressions you would be interested in tracking.
Worth Reading
“A Father’s Joy is Earned” — Jim Gaffigan’s Fathertime Bourbon (Breaking Bourbon) — With Father’s Day this Sunday, a fun longread about how a pandemic-era hobby spiralled into a full bourbon line.
Read
“Think Twice” — Bulk Whisky and Who Should Be Buying It (Dramface) — Fletcher Finlay raises sharp questions about the current bulk whisky market. Sceptical, worthwhile.
Read
Blending with the Band — Three Chord Bourbon + Dayseeker (Breaking Bourbon) — More depth to this metal-band bourbon collaboration than you’d expect.
Read
Wigle Whiskey Revives George Washington’s Cherry Bounce for America’s 250th (Breaking Bourbon) — Pittsburgh’s Wigle Whiskey, in partnership with the Heinz History Center, has recreated George Washington’s documented favourite drink: a brandy-base cherry liqueur he is recorded to have carried on campaign. A limited edition for the Semiquincentennial.
Read
And That’s a Wrap!
Congratulations on making it all the way to the end. Fire me a mail or DM and let me know what you thought of the 1st weekly whisky digest, and what I can do to make it better for you.
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!
Whisky Tasting Fellowship | Weekly Digest | Week 24, 2026
Questions or submissions: mark@fr1day.co.za