Scotch’s rulebook: a liberating force?
Far from stifling innovation, says Richard Woodard, Scotch’s regulations can inspire it.
Far from stifling innovation, says Richard Woodard, Scotch’s regulations can inspire it.
Aaron Sorkin’s political drama, Johnnie Walker Blue Label and the persistence of marketing messages.
Compass Box has revealed its hand: transparency’s ‘Third Option’. And now? Over to the industry…
An undefined term and a path toward too much choice will complicate an already complex industry.
Rather than easing our fears, barriers only encourage them to multiply, says Richard Woodard.
The ‘safe’ revamp of Glenrothes represents a lost opportunity, says Richard Woodard.
Maybe if we treat blends as ‘special’, says Richard Woodard, that’s just what they’ll become.
Reflecting on a busy Islay Festival 2018, Becky Paskin presents her ultimate survival guide.
How can it be that in an industry with so much history, Scotch whisky archives are so scarce?
Dave Broom has plenty of advice to share, from tastings and transportation, to kilts and pants.
Clichés are rooted in truth, says Dave Broom, so don’t ignore them – but look beyond them.
Visiting Seattle, Dave Broom has his mind blown by the innovative use of barley varieties.
Thoughts from a Washington DC museum trip on the collision of money and art, patronage and ...
Grain plants may lack the romance of single malt distilleries, but that doesn’t make them dull.
Predictions are dangerous, says our chief engineer, so he’s compiled a wish list instead.
Dave Broom wonders why whisky doesn’t embrace the floral flavours found in ancient Scottish spirit.
Innovation is rife around the whisky world, from Midleton to Hakushu. Where does that leave Scotch?
A hike in Tuscany reminds Richard Woodard of the benefits of overseas investment in whisky.
Long-haul flights prompt reflections on what it is to be Scottish – and what it is to be Scotch.
An evening immersed in the world of Cognac prompts more thoughts on age and transparency in Scotch.
Three recent releases prompt thoughts on the quest for true value in Scotch whisky.
Whisky is complex and there’s no room for ‘I’m right, you’re wrong’ attitudes, says Dave Broom.
Meaningful innovation can still be realised within the boundaries of whisky regulations.
Dave Broom reports from Japan on the challenges facing the country’s whisky industry.
The surge in new Scotch distilleries has some striking similarities to the Victorian whisky boom.
Through sharing our passions we can rediscover why we first fell in love, says Becky Paskin.
Whisky lovers can earn a certificate in whisky history, blending and distilling.
The whisky retailer will launch a new auction site in September, with rules to combat ‘flipping’.
A new tech-based trading platform aims to benefit investors and ease pressure on distillers.
The single malt’s latest limited edition release will be sold through an online ballot.
AB Inbev, the owner of Budweiser and Corona beers has purchased online retailer Master of Malt.
Campbell Evans named as new non-executive director of the online Scotch whisky marketplace.
The online sale of rare bottles donated by the industry will help fund the Beatson Cancer Charity.
The Islay whisky will be available exclusively through the online retailer in Europe.
A new online tool matches users’ personal flavour preferences to one of six blended whiskies.
Detailed information on the make-up of Port Charlotte Scottish Barley is now available online.
The boutique distillery’s second single malt release is now available to purchase online.
Highland Park Viking Tribe is a new permanent release available only through Amazon UK.
The Scotch industry has donated rare and vintage whiskies to fund the Beatson Cancer Charity.
The US bottler is also ‘removing all barriers’ to membership of its website from January.
The Whisky Exchange has bottled a ‘fantastic value’ 18-year-old Orkney malt for Black Friday.
The second annual auction arranged by industry ambassadors will benefit Scottish charity the Ben.
One of Scotland’s smallest distilleries will hand-deliver bottle 001 to the highest bidder.
As auction prices soar, does whisky’s secondary market have a serious counterfeit problem?
A selection of ‘exceptional’ whiskies have been sold to raise funds for environmental charities.
Beam alters its fan club name, admitting its definition of the word ‘men’ was not clear to everyone.
Two new companies – one in the UK, one in China – are opening a fresh chapter in whisky investment.
Get the full lowdown on three distillery projects earmarked for Jedburgh, Hawick and Peebles.
Counting down the big news items that made the headlines on Scotchwhisky.com this year.
After years of record-breaking increases, there are signs that the market may be softening.
After three consecutive years of shipment declines, where does the industry go from here?
Compass Box founder John Glaser on why a change in the law could benefit the entire industry.
The years to come could shed a new light on the dark early days of Scotch whisky making.
Getting under the skin of Russia’s vast and potentially lethal black market in counterfeit spirits.
Master of Malt will be answering wishes from whisky fans around the world every day until Christmas.
Under new owner Lalique, the team at the Perthshire distillery has a familiar look.
Now just an empty shell, the Falkirk distillery could be producing spirit within two years.
Whisky.Auction will donate £200k from the sale of ‘exceptional’ whiskies to charity Plastic Oceans.
Even more rare and ‘exceptional’ bottles have been added to Whisky.Auction’s charity auction.
The inside story of the US$150m distillery, and the remarkable landscape it calls home.
Scotch is experiencing an identity crisis. Why would it want to taste like Bourbon?
Whisky fans are asked to come forward with memories, artefacts and photographs.
The third and final festive Scallywag expression has been released as a Black Friday surprise.
Laphroaig Cairdeas 15 Year Old is reserved for the Friends of Laphroaig collective.
The retailer’s new flagship store in London’s Covent Garden features a dedicated whisky room.
Earth Mode measures internet users’ digital carbon footprint in ‘eye-opening’ new initiative.
Speyside single malt wants Pope Francis to recognise new world number one tennis player.
Bids of over $150k are expected for the latest DCS Compendium and Balvenie Morgan Roadster.
The Highland distillery’s new range celebrates its influential people and history.
The island distillery is selling ‘more accessible’ small casks of its first single malt.
The spirit release highlights the distillery’s unusual 500-year-old chess connection.
The company has launched its first bottles but is yet to build a distillery in Raasay or the south.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society reveals new Speyside and Islay whiskies to be released next month.
Actor Gerard Butler is the latest famous face to be part of Glenturret’s ‘Bottle Your Own’ series.
Inspired by a 150-year-long Glengoyne distillery tradition, only 3,138 bottles are being released.
The artwork for the 2017 limited edition whisky will feature more than 300 photos of whisky fans.
The proceeds from the sale of bottle number one will be donated to Islay Heritage.
The winning entrant will receive membership to the distillery’s preservation society.
Whiskies printed with ink only visible under UV light will be launched at the London show.
Popularity of whisky auction websites helps to boost rare single malt sales in the UK.
The single malt release – named One And All – celebrates the island community.
It’s back! Take a tour of the Diageo archives to mark the annual Scotch celebration.
The highly regarded 30-year-old single malt originally retailed for only £80.
Festival-goers will again hunt for hidden caches of whisky across Speyside this May.
The release is the first from Glenmorangie to be matured in Côte-Rôtie red wine casks.
Buy a ticket for the charity raffle and you could win over £2,000 worth of whisky.
A signed 15-year-old bottling by Silvano Samaroli reached £61,000 at auction this week.
The 21-year-old single cask whisky is the first in the bottler’s new Private Stock line-up.
Montgomery Scott is a blended whisky inspired by Scotty, the original series’ famous engineer.
The bottling made to celebrate this year’s World Whisky Day sold at a rate of 65 bottles a minute.
The Rare Collection Cask No. 20050 commemorates the tourist attraction’s 50th anniversary.
The Speyside distillery’s new ‘unrepeatable’ limited edition has been made using now-retired stills.
France relaunch is society’s bridgehead to expand its activities across continental Europe.
Television spot for single malt’s new range aims to break conventions in whisky advertising.
The Exciseman is the last of the three releases celebrating Arran’s whisky heritage.
The 45-year-old single malt launches a series linked to Scottish myths and legends.
The Islay distillery’s annual Friends of Laphroaig whisky is a triple-matured release.
Music producer who has worked with Kanye West and Beyoncé launches new blended grain Scotch whisky.
Scapa distillery has released a single malt to commemorate the Battle of Jutland’s centenary.
Uncle Duke’s is a Bourbon-inspired single grain whisky designed for the ultimate Old Fashioned.
The Sherried ‘firm favourite’ from Glengoyne distillery returns for a sixth outing.
Only 94 bottles of the oldest whisky from the ‘Beast of Dufftown’ have been released.
Members can try some of the first whiskies created by the London-based distillery.
The alcoholic tea blend offers whisky lovers an ‘alternative’ drinking experience.
The 160-year-old Scotch brand is being relaunched by the founder’s great-great-grandson.
The 26-year-old GlenDronach signed by the President-elect doubled its pre-sale estimate.
World Whisky Day founder plans to visit 60 Scotch distilleries in a day for charity.
The single cask range marks the start of construction of Ardnahoe, Islay’s ninth whisky distillery.
The Highland distillery has unveiled new releases of two vintage single malts.
The first casks to be filled at the new Arran distillery are being offered for sale.
The first whisky to be distilled in St Andrews for nearly 160 years earns £7,100 at auction.
The Scotch whisky blender’s unconventional new expression celebrates two ‘complementary’ spirits.
Elixir Distillers has bottled the ‘deeply complex’ Karuizawa Ambassadors’ Collection for charity.
The London distillery is encouraging buyers to open and drink its debut whisky rather than flip it.
The Scotch Whisky Action Fund is backing two programmes dealing with the effects of alcohol misuse.
Brexit-fuelled resurgence ends recent decline as single malt shipments top £1bn for first time.
This year’s limited edition Islay single malt recalls the ‘Summer of Love’ of the 1960s.
The whisky, called 1770, is the first of its kind produced in the city in over 100 years.
The whisky was made to mark the anniversary of Manchester United’s 1968 European Cup win.
Three lots of rare whisky labels have been withdrawn from auction following protests on Facebook.
The latest in the Irish whiskey series contains some of the oldest liquid used so far.
The Single Malt Fund will make investing in whisky ‘more inclusive and accessible’.
A £6m investment will enable the Hillington site to double its whisky making capacity.
The Fife distillery has released the first in a new series marking Scotland’s patron saint.
The Glaswegian blender’s new Whisky Works will focus on classic whiskies and modern experiments.
Consumers will soon be able to access detailed content via QR codes on every bottle.
The new, community-owned, island Scotch whisky distillery needs to raise £2.5 million.
Two women have been accepted on Diageo’s four-year coopering apprenticeship in Scotland.
Proceeds from the auction of the special bottle will help fight food waste and poverty.
Company marks campaign progress to date with the release of Enlightenment, a new blended malt.
New releases will embrace Bitcoin’s blockchain technology in a bid to combat fake whisky.
Scotch producers have joined the global movement to stamp out non-recyclable plastic waste.
The Speyside distillery is ‘pushing boundaries’ in a first for the Scotch whisky industry.
Declines in Russia, Brazil and oil nations create worst run for industry in more than 50 years.
Export volumes rise for first time in three years, but value falls in mixed first half of 2016.
A Swedish study has now provided a scientific basis for this long-held belief.
The Amber Light will explore Scottish culture and history through the lens of whisky.
Chivas Regal’s oldest release to date celebrates the team’s 1968 European Cup victory.
Beam Suntory has been heavily criticised for creating a ‘sexist’ and ‘isolating’ whisky fan club.
The value of rare Scotch whisky sold at auction has fallen for the first time in 10 years.
The new interactive release from The Glenlivet contains no cask information, age or tasting notes.
The ‘craft and provenance credentials’ of single malts are boosting Scotch’s global reputation.
The Scotch brand is giving whisky fans the chance to design their own blend with My Edition.
Detailed information on blend components will be available to consumers following new legal advice.
The removal from public display follows a hotel guest paying $10,000 for a ‘fake’ 1878 whisky.
The ‘1878’ bottle contained blended Scotch whisky from the early 1970s, tests have shown.
The three bespoke whiskies have been designed to pair with BrewDog’s beers.
Almost 500 rare whiskies and nine casks will be offered for sale by Sotheby’s later this month.
The limited festival edition is the oldest Octomore released by the Islay distillery.
The Dublin distillery has celebrated its recent opening with three new cask-finished whiskeys.
The distillery cat is the latest ‘famous’ face honoured with a ‘Bottle Your Own’ cask.
The money will be used to build the distillery and visitor centre in Edinburgh.
Building work is now underway following a lengthy excavation process at the historical site.
The Islay distillery's anniversary bottling pays homage to its past and present distillers.
More than 70 rare whiskies are for sale at the Worshipful Company of Distillers auction.
The Fife distillery’s spirit, aged three years on 23 March, is now officially Scotch whisky.
The Lowland distillery will replace its original whisky with a new style of single malt.
A 75-year-old bottling from Mortlach distillery is hailed as the world's 'most exclusive'.
Holyrood Park Distillery aims to start whisky distillation and to open to visitors in 2018.
It’s hoped that the £100m-plus plant will produce its first spirit before the end of 2017.
The £100m-plus new facility will take over single malt production after ‘rigorous’ tests.
A new Edinburgh distillery has been designed as a visitor attraction to boost tourism.
A makeover for the Highlands distillery is the ‘final piece of the puzzle’ in reviving its identity.
Edinburgh council has approved plans to transform a Georgian building into a single malt distillery.
The city is to welcome a state-of-the-art whisky experience as part of a £150m investment.
Work to build Edinburgh’s first malt distillery for nearly 100 years will begin next month.
The currently silent Islay distillery will be set up to produce various styles of whisky.
Just eight whiskies will form the distiller’s annual Special Releases collection.
Glasgow’s whisky renaissance takes a step forward with the opening of Clydeside distillery.
The planned Port of Leith distillery in Edinburgh will be arranged vertically in a 40-metre tower.
Introducing Ballantine’s Hard Fired, a smoky, ‘masculine’ Scotch finished in extra-charred casks.
The miniature could contain some of the only whisky left from the lost distillery.
The blended Scotch brand is the latest to introduce a blended malt expression, Buchanan’s Select.
The new Highland distillery is believed to be the first solely founded by a woman.
The amount of rare Scotch whisky sold at UK auctions has hit a record high.
Distilling has been revived at Bladnoch after an Australian businessman saved the Lowland site.
The origins of whisky are closely linked to the use of aqua vitae in early medical science.
As one of whisky’s three ingredients, yeast offers huge possibilities in flavour creation.
There’s much whisky producers can learn from the comic book industry’s mistakes.
Chocolatier Matthieu de Gottal loves whisky – yielding an award-winning fusion of spirit and cocoa.
For over 200 years, the Mint Julep has offered icy refreshment on sweltering summer days.
From Amos Milburn to Metallica, this is how whisky made its mark on music. Rock on!
Beat the heat with these refreshing sunny-day serves recommended by top bartenders.
Cold weather calls for hearty dishes – and a pinch of the right spice can make all the difference.
The key to cooking a tender and juicy leg of lamb is simplicity, says Martine Nouet.
Move over Bourbon; it’s time for Scotch whisky to take on the Old Fashioned.
Celebrating the ever-popular author, seen through the eyes of his great friend, Charles MacLean.
In a post-truth world, fakes are everywhere, but have they invaded your whisky cabinet?
The Whisky Virgin wonders what the gold, silver and bronze awards adorning some bottles really mean.
The timeless whisky and soda receives a 21st century makeover to make its flavours shine.
The screenwriter discusses The Angels’ Share, the whisky film he wrote for director Loach.
An alluring name, a fabulous colour and – most importantly – a great-tasting drink.
The Whisky Virgin puts aside his preconceptions to discover the beauty of youthful Scotch.
Our Whisky Virgin heads to Compass Box HQ for the low-down on why blends get a bad rap.
A frustrating brush with the latest Ardbeg release leaves the Virgin with a fresh dilemma.
What do the words ‘limited edition’ and ‘Master’s Select’ on a whisky label really mean?
The Whisky Virgin wonders how seriously to take the preference of just one whisky critic.
Signe Johansen demonstrates how seaside cooking and drinking can be enjoyed all year round.
Leading British chefs and their sommeliers share their food and whisky matching secrets.
Scotland’s rivers are among the world’s best for catching salmon, a perfect match for whisky.
Summer is all about cooking outdoors, from barbecues and picnics to terrace drinking and dining.
The feline heroes famed for their mouse-hunting prowess at Scotland’s whisky distilleries.
Just a pipe linking still with condenser? No, it’s much more complicated, says the Prof.
The Whisky Prof looks into the merits of this most traditional of whisky warehouses.
The curious name for a 245-litre cask could have roots in the wizarding world, says the Prof.
Does barley variety affect whisky flavour like grapes do with wine? The Prof has the answer.
The whisky industry is divided in its use of stainless steel and wooden washbacks. Which is best?
The Whisky Virgin finally gets to visit a distillery – not in Scotland, but in East London.
Forget waiting for it to mature – new make spirit is the new darling of Scottish distilling.
The ‘fake’ 1878 Macallan opened at a Swiss hotel has its roots in a saga from the 1990s.
Craft distillers are set on defining their own single malt style – just don’t call it Scotch.
Let us help you find the perfect present for the whisky lovers in your life this Christmas.
It’s made for drinking, so why have some whiskies now become collectors’ items?
How this wine-drinking nation became the world’s biggest consumer of single malts in the 1970s.
Haggis, for sure, but what else is needed for the festivities on 25 January? Find out here.
With 10 whisky distilleries opening this year, Scotch is on track for unprecedented growth.
Two contrasting projects have plundered the past, resurrecting old names for the 21st century.
A movement is underway to challenge blended whiskey’s reputation as cheap bottom shelf liquor.
With the distillery’s last warehouses set for demolition, we look back at its history.
The traditional drinking vessel for Scotch whisky is now a medium for artistic expression.
More recently developed eco-friendly uses for whisky waste include powering distilleries and cars.
Build a picture-perfect Instagram account with tips from top whisky influencers.
Charting the ‘special relationship’ between the White House and whisky as the latest election looms.
Alternative grains are back in fashion as distillers add oats, rye and wheat to their pots.
It’s a busy time for architects as the boom in new Scotch whisky distilleries continues.
Glen Highland whisky, anyone? Unveiling some of the world’s most notorious fake Scotch products.
The strange tale of the Czech single malt born before the Berlin Wall came crashing down.
Drink better during this season’s music festivals with these campsite-friendly novelty hip flasks.
Discover the whiskies created to promote films, television shows and even video games.
Blenders are exploring the boundaries of flavour by mixing Scotch with other world whiskies.
The historic bottler embraces change and continuity, 123 years after it was established.
Rye whisky is no longer a North American specialty, but a worldwide phenomenon.
At least nine new whisky distilleries are set to open in Scotland in the next 12 months.
A global rundown of the world’s most popular drams – with not a single malt in sight.
The city that ruled the whisky world is back in the spotlight after decades of decline.
Marvel’s hard-drinking noir hero shot to fame in her own critically-acclaimed Netflix series.
A defining whisky experience led Hills to create the Scotch Malt Whisky Society.
Great-grandson of The Glenlivet founder and survivor of both World Wars.
The compelling story of the man who rescued the Islay distillery and brought it into prosperity.
Delve into the life of the forgotten hero behind the Craigellachie distillery, hotel and village.
The feathered security guards protected maturing whisky stocks for more than 50 years.
The coded labels, originally born out of necessity, have created a cult whisky range.
The Swedish whisky collector now prefers to open bottles, rather than let them gather dust.
The life of a Laphroaig lover – and the difficulties of building such a huge collection today.
The Falkirk native is enchanted by Rosebank distillery, particularly bottlings by SMWS.
The master blender on how his whisky collection has transformed into a record of his career.
A sip of Macallan led one man to build arguably the finest collection of Italian bottlings.
The ‘Jolly Toper’ tells of his love for whisky literature, born in the pre-internet age.
The Wishaw restaurateur owns the ‘world’s only’ complete range of Bruichladdich Valinches.