The Importance of Showing Up
Sip Street Fest, hosted by the WhiskyShop this past Saturday, felt like a quiet but important evolution in how whisky gets presented to people. Instead of the usual isolated tasting or rigid brand activation, it brought together multiple layers in one place — retail presence, open-air festival energy, brand storytelling, and structured learning through masterclasses run by The Whisky Vault. Add in food, live music, and cigars, and you had something that felt less like an event and more like a small cultural ecosystem built around whisky.
This hybrid model is worth paying attention to. It recognises that whisky doesn’t need to be experienced in silos anymore. Education, entertainment, retail, and community can coexist without diluting the product — in fact, they strengthen it. It’s not unusual to hear seasoned whisky drinkers say that events aren’t worth it because they already have better bottles at home. While that may be true on a purely liquid level, it misses the point entirely. The value of these gatherings isn’t just in what’s poured into the glass, but in the human layer around it — the spontaneous conversations, unexpected discoveries, and the way a dram becomes a shared reference point rather than a private ritual. When done well, events like this don’t just showcase whisky; they expand the entry points into it.
Sláinte,
Mark
What’s In Mark’s Glass This Week
I’ve been spoiled for choice this past week! First, an eight dram flight of Smokehead whiskies in an online Friday Whisky Mafia tasting, led by global ambassador Adriana Camoletto. My standouts on the evening were Unfiltered, Twisted Stout and High Voltage. On Adriana’s suggestion, I made a High Voltage Bloody Mary over the weekend which was delicious! If you haven’t tried peated whiskies in cocktails before, give it a bash!
And then I would have to focus on the whiskies in The Macallan masterclass in WhiskyShop’s tasting room, presented by Thami Banda. Thanks to Lars from The Whisky Vault for pulling me into the tasting.
The first release in the A Night On Earth didn’t tick all the boxes for me. This one – A Night On Earth – The First Light – did though! Such an approachable, delicious drinker. I found myself going back for a second pour after the masterclass, it was so good. As for the 2023 Rare Cask, it’s all about the raisins. Initially picked up on the nose, and definitely tasted on the tongue. After a long separation, I think I need to explore The Macallan’s expressions again.
Industry News
The Macallan Pays Tribute to a Legend
One hundred years after the distillation of the legendary 1926 vintage, The Macallan has unveiled the Romantica Collection—a remarkably limited 1986 vintage created to honour one of the most celebrated whiskies ever produced. Matured in a single sherry-seasoned oak cask (No. 9925) and bottled in 2026, the release also reunites the three artists whose work became inseparable from the story of The Macallan 1926: Sir Peter Blake, Valerio Adami, and Michael Dillon. With just 86 bottles of each artist’s edition available worldwide, the Romantica Collection is less about creating the next auction record and more about celebrating one of the most iconic chapters in The Macallan’s history. — WhiskyIntelligence
Ardnamurchan holds its inaugural Open Day
Highland distillery Ardnamurchan hosted its first ever Open Day on 30 June as part of the West Highland Whisky Festival, welcoming visitors to the distillery with tastings and exclusive single casks produced for the occasion — including a 2016 Mizunara open day release. A milestone moment for one of Scotland’s most exciting younger distilleries. — Dramface
Wyoming Whiskey buys back its independence from Edrington
WW Partners LLC — a Wyoming-based investment group led by co-founder David DeFazio — has acquired Edrington’s 80% stockholding in Wyoming Whiskey, returning the Rocky Mountain distillery to full home-state ownership. Edrington, the Macallan group, invested in 2018. The deal signals Edrington’s broader exit from the American whiskey category. Wyoming Whiskey was the first legal distillery in the state — founded in 2006, first distilled July 4, 2009. As part of the new ownership, master blender Nancy Fraley (who created Outryder) resumes her partnership with the brand after a three-year hiatus. Wyoming also plans to re-release its State of the Union 6yo bourbon, marking America’s 250th anniversary. — The Whiskey Wash
WhistlePig quietly sold its Moriah, NY facility
It emerged this week that WhistlePig sold its Moriah, New York outpost — a bottling plant and aging warehouses it first occupied around 2017 — to Zags 26 LLC for $17 million. The sale was completed back in March but only came to light this week. WhistlePig’s Moriah facility was previously in the news when local reports documented an outbreak of “whiskey fungus” (non-toxic black mold that feeds on ethanol vapors) in the surrounding area. Another sign of the industry-wide rationalisation currently underway. — Whisky Advocate
Glasgow Distillery, Science Centre and The Good Spirits Co. Release Exclusive City Bottling
Three Glasgow institutions have joined forces on a collaborative single malt bottling celebrating the city’s identity. The partnership between Glasgow Distillery, Glasgow Science Centre and independent retailer The Good Spirits Co. marks a first for the city — blending whisky culture with broader civic pride. Details on expression and pricing via the Good Spirits Co. website. — Dramface
New Releases
Chorlton Whisky June 2026 Releases — Three Single Casks
Manchester’s prolific independent bottler has released three standout casks this month. A Clynelish 10yo (first-fill bourbon hogshead, 317 bottles, 59.0%, £65) described as “top-notch stuff” — coastal, waxy, tropical. A Glen Garioch 27yo (167 bottles, 58.2%, £165) — rich, tarry and baled-hay complex with flashes of tropical fruit. An Aultmore 15yo (160 bottles, 58.1%, £75) — sweet citrus, maple syrup and brioche. All available directly from Chorlton. — WhiskyIntelligence
Benromach 21 Year Old
Speyside’s quietly excellent Benromach has added its oldest-ever permanent expression to the core range: a 21yo matured in first-fill sherry and bourbon casks. This is the oldest whisky Benromach has offered since the distillery reopened 22+ years ago, and it marks a significant maturation milestone — the 2026 release reflects spirit distilled in the very early years of the revived distillery. Priced at £129.99, available from specialist retailers. — Whisky Magazine
Arran 14 Year Old Returns + New Arran 30 Year Old
After a six-year absence (discontinued in the 2019 rebrand), the Arran 14yo is back — matured in ex-Bourbon and Palo Cortado casks at 46% ABV. Alongside it, Arran has launched its first-ever 30 Year Old as a permanent core expression, also at 46%, with notes of burnt orange, star anise, and ripe orchard fruits. Both releases arrive with refreshed labels and packaging. — The Spirits Business
Yula — New Speyside Single Malt from Douglas Laing
Douglas Laing has launched Yula, a sherried Speyside entry-level single malt inspired by local folklore. Expect rich sweetness, cocoa, dried fruits and allspice, with a charred oak finish and hints of apricot and vanilla. The positioning is modern and approachable — designed to be a daily-drinker Speyside for a new generation. Details on ABV and pricing via Douglas Laing’s trade channels. — WhiskyIntelligence
Lindores Nectere
Fife’s Lindores Abbey has launched a richly sherried new expression called Nectere (Latin for “to connect”), matured in a combination of four Sherry cask types: oloroso, PX, amontillado, and Palo Cortado. The result is a full-bodied, layered malt with molasses, chocolate raisins, and toffee — a purposeful sherry statement from a distillery that has been one of the more consistent new entrants. Launched June 25 in the UK. — WhiskyIntelligence
SMWS July 2026 Outturn
The Bros worked through this month’s outturn — 20 new bottlings, heavy on sherry and wine casks.
Top Pick (7.5/10)
121.128 Isle of Arran 10yo — “Leather Espresso” | £65 | 60.3% | 1st Fill Ex-Sherry Hogshead
Cola cubes, treacle and fudge give way to tobacco, marmalade and dark chocolate, with just a touch of warehouse funk. The palate keeps the sherry in balance — orange rind, whipped cream, chocolate, pomegranate — and the finish stays well-judged. Their favourite sherry cask of the outturn and great value.
Good Drams (7/10)
- 11.80 Tomatin 10yo — “Enigmatic, Idiosyncratic, Chrasamatic” | £60 | 59.8% | 1st Fill Oloroso Hogshead — Red cola, Chinese five spice and milk chocolate; classic sherry flavours done well at a good price.
- 53.529 Caol Ila 13yo — “Smokin Spurtles” | £92 | 57.9% | New Oak HTMC + 2nd Fill Oloroso Hogshead — Sour cherries, medicinal peat and wood smoke; a solid, if not standout, Islay example.
- 71.118 Glenburgie 19yo — “Peat-A-Boo” | £135 | 59.4% | 1st Fill STR Oloroso Barrique — Gentle peat, smoked kippers and prunes; the palate won both Bros over despite a divisive nose.
- 72.131 Miltonduff 15yo — “Chip Shop-Battered Candy Bar” | £80 | 55.9% | 2nd Fill Ex-PX Barrique — Rich and syrupy: treacle, dark chocolate, roasted coffee and orange peel. Plenty to enjoy.
- 164.2 Penderyn 7yo — “Marvelous Marzipan Meringue” | £62 | 61.1% | 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon Hogshead — Cream soda, lemon and buttercream over marshmallow and marzipan; their favourite bourbon cask of the night.
Two WhiskyBros — SMWS July 2026 Outturn Review
South Africa should hopefully receive their allocation by the end of the month. (Mark: No confirmation yet on which expressions we’ll be getting here.)
SMWS Unveils a New Heresy Release: ‘Fruit Bomb’
Scotch Malt Whisky Society has expanded its popular Heresy range with Batch 40: Fruit Bomb, a small-batch blended malt built around some of Scotland’s fruitiest distilleries. Bottled at an approachable 50% ABV, the whisky promises layers of peaches, red apples, pineapple, ripe banana, and dried apricots, complemented by vanilla, coconut, coriander seed, and white pepper from the cask. Designed to be enjoyed neat, with water, or even as a highball, Fruit Bomb is a reminder that flavour-forward whiskies don’t have to be single malts to make an impression.
Reviews Roundup
Ardnamurchan Mizunara 2016 — Open Day Single Cask (Dramface, 30 June)
Dougie Crystal attends the inaugural Ardnamurchan Open Day and reviews the exclusive 2016 Mizunara single cask released for the event. A rare Highland-meets-Japanese-oak expression with real occasion behind it. — Dramface
Benromach Contrasts: Côte-Rôtie Cask (WhiskyNotes, 25 June)
Ruben at WhiskyNotes reviews Benromach’s newest Contrasts series release — a 12yo 2014 expression finished for 26 months in Côte-Rôtie wine casks from the Northern Rhône. Red berries, dark fruits, and gentle peat, though the wine cask balance is described as a “mixed bag.” Score: 81/100. — WhiskyNotes
Overeem Collective Club Exclusive (Maple Syrup Cask) (Dramface, 26 June)
Dramface’s Earie reviews this unusual Tasmanian single malt that came via the Collective, with a not-insignificant customs battle along the way. An exotic wood influence: maple syrup casks are rare in whisky, and the result is described as producing “positive connections and events” — which in Dramface-speak is a warm endorsement. Worth hunting for Overeem if you’ve not ventured into Tasmanian whisky. — Dramface
Gordon & MacPhail Strathisla Double Vertical | Whisky Fun
Serge Valentin reviews two G&M Strathislas distilled twenty years apart, exploring how time and cask interact at one of Speyside’s most underrated distilleries. Strathisla is better known as the home of Chivas Regal blending stock — watching it stand alone in old official and indie form is instructive. — Whisky Fun
Carpathian Single Malt Peated Bourbon Cask (The Whiskey Wash, 1 July)
A Romanian single malt from the Alexandrion Saber 1789 Distillery — 35PPM malted barley from Belgium, 4 years in ex-bourbon casks, 46% ABV. Reviewer Mark Bostock finds the peat more delicate than the PPM level suggests: medicinal on the attack, sweetening into vanilla, caramel, and pepper on the finish. Accessible rather than aggressive. — The Whiskey Wash
Bourbon Corner
George Washington’s Spirit of ’76 — first-ever Mount Vernon bourbon
George Washington’s Mount Vernon distillery will release Spirit of ’76 Cask Strength Bourbon on 4 July 2026, timed to mark the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Just 300 bottles exist, distilled and bottled by hand using 18th-century techniques at the reconstructed historic distillery. Aged seven years. Priced at $1,000 and available in person only at Mount Vernon’s shops. Washington once operated America’s largest distillery — 11,000 gallons in 1799 alone. — The Whiskey Wash
Little Book Chapter 10 “All The Wiser” — Freddie Noe’s milestone
The 10th annual Little Book release is a seriously layered blend: 14yo Basil Hayden, 11+9yo Knob Creek, 10yo Booker’s, 9yo Baker’s, and 4yo Jim Beam — all finished in sherry and toasted bourbon casks. Bottled at 122.6 proof. Fig, raisin, caramel, cinnamon, dark chocolate, and aged oak. Reviewers are calling it one of the best Little Book chapters yet. A milestone release marking Freddie Noe’s ongoing tenure as 8th generation master distiller. — Whisky Advocate
Russell’s Reserve honours Eddie Russell’s 45-year legacy
Wild Turkey marked Master Distiller Eddie Russell’s 45 years with the brand on 30 June with a special event at the Visitor Center — tastings, a documentary screening, and the Spring 2026 return of the Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Old. A fitting celebration for one of bourbon’s great careers. — Breaking Bourbon
Heaven Hill “Year of Wheat” Grain to Glass 2026
Heaven Hill has dedicated its 2026 Grain to Glass series entirely to wheat, releasing a trio of wheated expressions. The flagship is a 6yo Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon (52% corn, 35% wheat, 13% malted barley, 53.5% ABV, $100). A French Oak Specialty Barrel edition follows in October, and a 9yo Extra Aged caps the series in December ($150). A thoughtful deep-dive into wheat as a flavour component — and a nice counterpoint to the rye-heavy releases dominating American whiskey lately. — Whisky Advocate
Willett Begins Production at Springfield Distillery
Kentucky family distillery Willett has started production at a new Springfield site, expanding its capacity significantly. Long known for sourced bourbons and ryes under the Noah’s Mill, Rowan’s Creek and Johnny Drum labels, Willett has been steadily scaling up own-distilled stock. Springfield production means more of their own juice flowing in the years ahead. — The Spirits Business
South African Whisky Scene
Metanoia to release 3 new whiskies before year-end
The announcement was shared on the Friends of Metanoia WhatsApp group:
“We’re working on THREE new whisky releases before Christmas and for those that also enjoy something different, we will make announcements on the release of other new products in our portfolio.
Metanoia means a change of mind, a new perspective, a different way of seeing things — and that spirit continues to shape everything we do.”
Exciting news from Barrydale!
I can confirm that one of the releases will be the 2nd edition in the Friends of Metanoia series and it will only be available online from distillery or by visiting the distillery itself.
Sign up to the Friends of Metanoia (drop me your details and I’ll pass them on to Kenny and Andy), so you don’t miss out on this one.
The Fellowship Challenge
Three Truths & A Lie
Three statements are true. One isn’t. No Googling until you’ve made your choice.
Distillation & Spirit Character
A. A downward-sloping lyne arm generally encourages a heavier spirit than an upward-sloping one.
B. Worm tub condensers usually produce a richer, meatier spirit than shell-and-tube condensers.
C. Increasing reflux inside a pot still generally results in a lighter, fruitier new-make spirit.
D. The wash still is primarily responsible for setting the final alcohol strength of the mature whisky.
Scroll to the bottom for the answer.
Available Now — Local Online Retailers
Decanter Liquor (See All Decanter Liquor New Arrivals)
| Expression | Price |
|---|---|
| Highland Park 12yo Viking Honour (new label) | R899.99 |
| Highland Park 15yo Viking Heart (new label) | R1,999.99 |
| Highland Park 18yo Viking Honour (new label) | R2,699.99 |
| Chivas Regal 13yo Irish Cask | R1,799.99 |
| Macallan A Night on Earth — The First Light | R2,949.99 |
WhiskyBrother (See All WhiskyBrother New Arrivals)
| Expression | Price |
|---|---|
| Loch Lomond Original Triple Oak | R495 |
| Loch Lomond Oloroso Sherry Cask | R595 |
| The Falkland Collection Speyside (WB Exclusive) | R590 |
| Woodford Reserve Straight Malt | R580 |
Bottega Whiskey (See All Bottega New Arrivals)
| Expression | Price |
|---|---|
| Aberfeldy 25yo — 125th Anniversary (46%) | R9,890 |
| Aberlour 13yo Double Cask Matured | R1,750 |
| Allt-a-bhainne 22yo Batch 5 (That Boutique-y) | R2,000 |
Wild About Whisky (See All Wild About Whisky New Arrivals)
| Expression | Price |
|---|---|
| Speyburn Bourbon Cask | R485 |
| Speyburn 15yo | R1,495 |
Upcoming Events
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
Worth Reading
Wyoming Whiskey — Returning to its Ownership Roots
Fred Minnick on what Wyoming Whiskey’s buy-back from Edrington means in practice — the return of master blender Nancy Fraley, the brand’s refocus on authenticity and local identity, and what it tells us about the broader trend of craft distilleries reasserting independence from global spirits conglomerates. Published June 29. — Fred Minnick
Official vs Indy: Royal Lochnagar
Charlie Campbell at Dramface digs into one of Diageo’s tiniest and most overlooked distilleries — the polar opposite of a workhorse site. Tracking down an independent Royal Lochnagar proves nearly impossible, which tells you everything about how rare this spirit really is. — Dramface
5 Things The Scotch Industry Could Learn From Bourbon Culture
Phil Dwyer at The Whiskey Wash makes the case that Scotch has something to learn from bourbon — on transparency, distillery tourism, cocktail culture, cask detail declarations, and shedding elitism. Published 26 June. Whether you agree or not, it’s a provocation worth sitting with over a dram. — The Whiskey Wash
19 Hot Whiskies to Hunt Right Now
A nice roundup of whiskies released this season, including Ardbeg’s 2026 Day release – Ardbeg Dolce. It combines classic bourbon-matured Ardbeg with whisky finished in Marsala dolce casks from Sicily. Bottled at 47.8% ABV — the result is distinctively Ardbeg in structure but sweeter and more surprising than expected. One of the higher-scoring limited releases in Whisky Advocate’s summer 2026 round-up. (Mark: Dolce signals a step in the right direction for Ardbeg Day releases, which seem to be improving over the last couple of years, after a bit of a flat spot.) — Whisky Advocate
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!
The Fellowship Challenge Answer
The lie is D.
The spirit still, not the wash still, determines the character and strength of the new-make spirit that goes into cask. The wash still’s main job is to concentrate the alcohol from the fermented wash, while the spirit still performs the crucial separation of heads, hearts and tails.