#whisky

#whisky

At Bacardi Limited, the world's largest privately held spirits company, barrel leakage is a massive headache. Consider the company's Dewar's blended Scotch whisky brand (just one of the dozens it owns). Most of the time, Dewar's will have over 100 warehouses full of aging barrels of whisky, 25,000 casks in each one. Barrels will mature for three to 12 years, and according to Angus Holmes, Bacardi's whisky category director, many of those barrels will develop a leak at some point in their life.

Scotland, Ireland, the United States, Canada, Japan, India and (because my editor will insist) Australia are countries we'd normally associate with whisk(e)y production and excellence. That growing list includes Bottega SpA in Italy, Israel's Milk & Honey Distillery and single malts from Soubeyran (France), which just launched stateside last summer. It also includes a few excellent distilleries in Mexico, New Zealand and England, which had an incredible showing at the most recent Whisky Exchange Awards.

The UK's Food and Drink Federation recently released data on imports and exports for the first half of 2025 - and it sure looks like Americans are picking up more of a taste for imported gin. Placing ninth on the Federation's list of top 10 exports for the first six months of 2025 was gin, with the volume shipped up 6.3% from a comparable period in 2024. The value of this gin was also up significantly from the same period last year - specifically, by 17.6%.

the bar has a decanter of what might just be the oldest whisky in the world, first bottled in 1841 and discovered at Blair Castle in 2022. During a recent visit to Bertie's, I was told an unnamed client flew in to the hotel from the continent and back, without even a stop off for dinner, specifically to taste a single dram of this rare spirit.

The ruby-hued expression, taken from a single cask of 1977 vintage, will catch the eye of Scotch whisky enthusiasts when it makes its public debut at the House of Aston Martin during Monterey Car Week. Glenfiddich's new 48-year-old single malt Scotch whisky marks the start of a collaboration with Aston Martin Lagonda.

Graza's new olive oil bottles are now fully opaque glass with a pop-up spout for easy pouring, replacing the previous plastic squeeze bottles.

Gordon & MacPhail will release an 85-year-old single malt whisky in October, breaking the previous record set by their Generations 80 Years Old bottle from 2021.

Glenmorangie became the official whisky of Formula 1, announced with Harrison Ford as the distillery's spokesperson, marking a significant partnership with the racing league.

The Highland Park Penicillin Cocktail, created by Sam Ross in 2005, embodies a sweet and smoky profile, combining honey, lemon, and ginger with the whisky's specific notes, ideal for summer.

The Encyclopaedic Whisky Collection is a remarkable assortment assembled over 20 years, capturing the essence of Scotch whisky and its evolution.

The Tony Awards represent a pinnacle of excellence in live Broadway theater, capturing the excitement of New York City, analogous to prominent awards like the Oscars.

The crown jewel of the auction is 'The Rare', a 52-year-old Dalmore whisky that embodies exclusivity, being a true one-of-one collectible.

Responsibility for whisky of this age, where the passage of time shapes and molds the character of the spirit, is a privilege," comments Loch Lomond Group master blender, Michael Henry.

"Practically Zero" and unfocused contribution to Wine led me to believe that transitioning to CodeWeavers’ CrossOver would be a better path for Mac gamers."