On 19 September 1995, new spirit was filled into a single Oloroso sherry cask at Craigellachie in Speyside. That was almost two decades before the distillery launched its single malt range in 2014. For thirty years the cask sat undisturbed in oak, monitored over time by Malt Master Stephanie Macleod, until she judged it ready. Built as the rock in the heart of Speyside in 1891, Craigellachie has always done things the old-fashioned way: worm tub condensers, oil-fired kilning, no chill filtration and no added colour. That uncompromising approach is the foundation of every bottle in the Exceptional Cask Series.
Cask #4573 was bottled straight from the cask at 56.9% ABV with no water added. It filled 426 bottles. There will never be more. Every one of them is at JPHA. For collectors and those who appreciate whisky of genuine provenance, this is as singular as it gets.
Tasting Note by Craigellachie:Rich orchard fruits, toasted cereal and creamy vanilla, with hints of aniseed, soft leather and a zesty orange peel finish.
Some master what others can't see. Glenfiddich's Malt Master, Brian Kinsman, returns for a second release in the Aston Martin Formula One™ Team partnership — a whisky built the way a race-winning car is built: through relentless refinement, layer by layer.
This 16 Year Old expression is a marriage of whiskies matured in first-fill bourbon barrels and fine wine and fortified wine casks, then finished in sequence across four further cask types — Port pipes, Oloroso sherry casks, wine casks, and a final, delicate rest in Fino Sherry butts. Where last year's Release No. 1 was shaped by American oak wine casks and second-fill bourbon, this new edition adds a fourth layer of cask influence — deeper, richer, and more complex still.
On the nose, rich stewed fruits unfold alongside marzipan and polished leather. On the palate, mellow toffee sweetness meets caramelised cane sugar, balanced by dry oak tannin. The finish is long, oaky, and quietly assured.
Bottled at 43% ABV, this is Glenfiddich at its most awarded — with more accolades since 2000 than any other single malt Scotch whisky across the IWSC and ISC, two of the industry's most prestigious competitions.
Tasting Note by Glenfiddich:Nose: Rich stewed fruits with a beautiful array of floral top notes. Hints of marzipan and polished leather. A drop of water accentuates the fresh, ripe fruits.Palate: Mellow and silky smooth with a creamy buttery toffee sweetness. Caramelized cane sugar with a lovely counterbalance of dry oak tannin.Finish: Long lasting oaky sweetness
Hibiki Japanese Harmony (Chiso Collaboration Limited Edition 2026) is a special presentation of Suntory's Japanese blended whisky, created in partnership with Chiso, the historic Kyoto kimono house established in 1555. Released on 1 October 2026, this edition celebrates traditional Japanese craftsmanship through a newly designed bottle and presentation carton.The collaboration brings together Hibiki's whisky-making heritage with Chiso's centuries-old expertise in kimono artistry. Known for its traditional Kyo-Yuzen techniques, Chiso has created an interpretation of Japanese floral motifs that reflects the relationship between nature, the seasons and traditional craftsmanship.The artwork wraps around Hibiki's distinctive 24-faceted bottle, which represents the 24 seasons of the traditional Japanese calendar. The design incorporates sakura (cherry blossom), ume (plum blossom), tsubaki (camellia), tachibana (evergreen Japanese citrus) and kiri (paulownia). Each carries a traditional meaning associated with renewal, longevity, resilience, prosperity or good fortune.The 2026 collaboration retains the established Hibiki Japanese Harmony whisky, with the limited-edition distinction coming from its illustrated bottle and matching gift carton rather than a change to the blend. The release forms part of Suntory's wider celebration of Japanese artistry and the connection between traditional craft and contemporary design.
Tasting Note by Suntory:Nose: Rose, lychee, hint of rosemary, mature woodiness, sandalwood.Palate: Honey like sweetness, candied orange peel, white chocolate.Finish: Subtle, tender long finish, with hint of Mizunara (Japanese oak).
Hibiki 21 has been named World’s Best Blended Whisky five times at the World Whiskies Awards, and once you taste it, it’s easy to see why.
Suntory brings together malt and grain whiskies from its Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita distilleries, every one aged over 21 years. Yamazaki sherry-cask malt sits at the heart of the blend, with a thread of rare Japanese Mizunara oak adding sandalwood and a gentle incense note. The result isn’t about power or peat. It’s about balance: layer after layer of dark fruit, honey and spice, folded into one polished whole.
It’s presented in Hibiki’s signature 24-faceted bottle, one facet for each season of the old Japanese calendar, making it as striking on the shelf as it is in the glass. For the collector building a world-class shelf, or for a gift that needs no explanation, Hibiki 21 is Japanese whisky at its most refined.
Tasting Note by Suntory:Nose: Cooked fruit, blackberry, ripe banana, caramel.Palate: Sandalwood, honeycomb, dried apricot and Mizunara (Japanese oak).Finish: Long, rich with incense aroma.
Bunnahabhain distilled this whisky in 1999. Ten years later, it was moved into an Amontillado sherry cask, then Oloroso, then Manzanilla — three casks applied in sequence rather than simultaneously, each one following the last. Seven years of sequential finishing followed the initial ten years of maturation, for twenty-three years total.
Bunnahabhain is one of the few distilleries on Islay producing unpeated whisky. This bottle carries no peat. It is bottled at cask strength, 53.3%, non-chill filtered, with no added colour.
This release is one of 4,002 individually numbered bottles from the Feis Île 2024 release, Bunnahabhain's annual festival bottling. It is not part of the distillery's standard core range.
Tasting Note by Bunnahabhain:Nose: Freshly baked almond pastries are met with sweet berries, creamy fudge, rose petals and a hint of desiccated coconut.Palate: Fresh vanilla pods, butterscotch and creamy strawberries are balanced with honeyed cashews, wood spice and a gentle hint of tobacco.Finish: Dry finish with pine needles and blackcurrants
Macallan Rare Cask 2024 Release is created from a selection of rare casks at The Macallan Estate, each chosen for their exceptionally rich and complex character. These hand selected casks reveal a deep ruby mahogany colour, an intense sweet raisin flavour and a smooth velvety mouthfeel. This release represents one of the most expressive examples of The Macallan’s cask led style, showcasing richness, depth and luxurious sweetness.
Tasting Note by Macallan:Nose: Soft notes of vanilla with rich raisin, followed by a sweet fusion of fresh apple, lemon and orange.Palate: An intense sweet raisin dominates before giving way to vanilla and dark chocolate, with layers of light citrus zest.Finish: Long, rich and velvety.
Distilled and matured at the Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown, at the heart of Speyside, this 21 year old expression represents one of the most distinctive releases in the distillery's core range. Founded in 1887 by William Grant, Glenfiddich remains family owned and is one of the most celebrated single malt producers in Scotland. Two decades of patient maturation in traditional oak casks allows the distillery's signature character to develop fully before Malt Master Brian Kinsman hand selects individual barrels for the final stage.
Those selected casks are transferred into Caribbean reserva rum casks for a finishing period that introduces a layer of tropical warmth and spice to the established Speyside foundation. The result is a whisky of considerable complexity, balancing the restrained richness of a long Speyside maturation with the more animated character that rum cask finishing imparts. At 40% ABV, it is approachable without sacrificing depth, and presents exceptionally well as a gift or a considered addition to a maturing collection.
Tasting Note by Glenfiddich:Nose: Intense and vanilla sweet. Floral, hints of banana, figs, rich toffee, new leather and oak.Palate: Initially soft, then brisk, vibrant and drying, peppery, a touch of smoke, oak, lime, ginger and spices.Finish: Very long, warming, dry and spicy.
Glenfiddich 18 Year Old Small Batch is presented for the 2026 festive season in a limited-edition gift set featuring this year's specially commissioned Glenfiddich artwork, accompanied by two Glenfiddich glasses.The 2026 design forms part of Glenfiddich's “Home is a Feeling” festive collection, created around the idea of returning home and sharing whisky during the festive season. The deep green presentation is decorated with intricate gold illustrations inspired by Victorian wrapping paper, bringing together imagery connected to Glenfiddich, Scotland and seasonal celebrations.Inside is Glenfiddich 18 Year Old Small Batch, a Speyside single malt matured in Oloroso sherry and bourbon casks. Selected casks are brought together in carefully controlled small batches, giving the 18 Year Old its established balance of mature oak, fruit and sherry cask influence.For this limited release, the addition of two glasses makes the 18 Year Old the most complete gifting presentation within the 2026 festive range.
Tasting Note by Glenfiddich:Nose: A remarkably rich aroma with ripe orchard fruit, baked apple and robust oak.Palate: Richly delivers luxurious dried fruit, candy peel and dates. Overlaid with elegant oak notes.Finish: Warming, rewarding and distinguished.
Laphroaig 30 Year Old (2024 Release) is an Islay single malt Scotch whisky that demonstrates the influence of three decades of oak maturation on the distillery's distinctive peated spirit. First introduced in 2024, this expression combines Laphroaig's characteristic smoky profile with the fruit and oak complexity developed through extended ageing.The whisky has been matured for 30 years in a combination of American oak barrels and European oak ex-sherry hogsheads and butts. The American oak contributes sweetness and vanilla characteristics, while the European oak sherry casks provide additional depth and complexity. Over three decades, these cask influences develop alongside the distillery's traditional peat smoke, creating a balance between mature fruit, oak and maritime character.The extended maturation introduces floral and tropical fruit influences that complement Laphroaig's signature smoky character. Bottled at a fixed strength of 45.8% ABV, the 2024 release reflects the distillery's established production methods while exploring the effects of prolonged cask ageing.Tasting Note by Laphroaig:Nose: Fruity and sweet initially with very distinctive top notes of zesty orange and lemon peel, vanilla custard and treacle toffee.Palate: More delicate background notes are revealed such as bergamot, sweet pastries and fresh thyme along with white pepper on the palette. .Finish: This is finally followed by a smouldering peat smoke and sooty campfire notes.
Royal Brackla 19 Year Old is a Highland single malt Scotch whisky matured in oak before a finishing period in Oloroso sherry hogsheads. Oloroso is a dry, oxidatively aged sherry — it adds dark fruit and depth without sweetness. The whisky is bottled at 54.9% ABV, non-chill filtered, and naturally coloured. This release is part of the Exceptional Cask Series and is limited to 1,170 bottles. Royal Brackla was granted a Royal Warrant in 1833 by King William IV.
Tasting Note by Royal Brackla: Nose: Smooth vanilla sweetness with soft notes of creamy coconut and ripe honeydew melon, lifted by gentle hints of cinnamon and star anise. Palate: Full bodied and well rounded, with vanilla and coconut at the centre, layered with the lush fruitiness of honeydew melon and a warming weave of cinnamon spice and star anise.Finish: Long and vibrant, with lingering warmth, gentle spice and a clean sweetness that fades gradually.
