Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old Cask Strength 2026 Edition is the latest annual cask strength release from the Islay distillery, bottled at 55.8% ABV. This year's expression returns to a more pronounced cask-driven style, combining equal proportions of first-fill Oloroso sherry and bourbon casks to create a balance between sherry richness, bourbon sweetness and Bunnahabhain's characteristic coastal influence.The 2026 edition shares similarities with the 2023 release but introduces a sweeter, more rounded profile. The 50% first-fill Oloroso component contributes dried fruits, chocolate and gentle spice, while the 50% bourbon cask component introduces vanilla, honey and toasted coconut. Compared with the 2023 edition, the bourbon influence reduces dryness and produces a creamier texture, allowing the two cask types to integrate more evenly.Unlike many Islay single malts, Bunnahabhain's signature style is unpeated, allowing the influence of oak maturation and coastal surroundings to remain prominent. The 2026 edition retains this character while offering a fuller-strength interpretation of the distillery's established 12 Year Old expression.Produced in small batches, the whisky is bottled without dilution, chill filtration or added colouring, preserving its natural character.Tasting Note by Bunnahabhain:Nose: Raisins, figs and dates intertwine with honeyed vanilla which fades to reveal cinnamon and clove. Underlying coastal freshness.Palate: Burst of stewed fruits and comforting spice balanced by creamy vanilla and toasted coconut with a gentle maritime note.Finish: Long, evolving finish with dried fruit and spice gradually giving way to a touch of dark sugar and polished mahogany.
Milroy's Heavily Peated Cask Strength is a bold, high-octane single malt selected and vatted by the expert team at Milroy's of Soho, one of the UK's most respected whisky specialists since 1964. Bottled at natural cask strength with no chill-filtration and no added colour, this expression is built for those who demand intensity and character in the glass.
The vatting combines 40% new oak and 60% first-fill Kentucky bourbon casks, a deliberate balance that brings dominant wood structure alongside fresher, more vibrant elements. The result is a coastal, phenolic single malt that performs equally well neat, over ice, or in cocktails.
Tasting Note by Milroy's:Nose: Smoked peanuts, burnt toast, petrichor and citrus peels.Palate: Roadwork smoke, black pepper, charred tropical fruit and honeycomb.Finish: Very long with chilli spice and industrial smoke.
Batch 13 draws on a 2015 vintage and is elevated through maturation in Pedro Ximénez, Oloroso, red wine and virgin oak casks, a combination that produces the distillery's signature sherry-forward profile with additional layers of depth and complexity. Bottled at 59.8% ABV at natural cask strength without added colour or chill filtration, it is a multi-award-winning expression that rewards both those discovering The GlenAllachie for the first time and collectors building across the batch series.
Tasting Note by The GlenAllachie:Nose: Mocha, crystallised ginger and cinnamon, followed by manuka honey and muscovado sugar, with treacle and maraschino cherries.Palate: Cocoa, salted caramel and warmed honey, followed by baking spices, blood orange and molasses tart, with glazed blackberries and fig syrup.
