Whisky Critic – Whisky Reviews & Articles – Style. Attitude. Whisky.

Jura Brings Out Pair Of Festival Whiskies

Alex Bean — Fri, 22 May 2026 12:45:47 +0000

Jura has released a pair of single cask whiskies at the 2026 Islay-based Fèis Ìle Festival – which will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of the festival. The 2026 Fèis Ìle Festival begins on May 22, 2026.

Jura Fèis Ìle 16 Year Old is a single cask whisky matured in second-fill ex-bourbon barrels followed by an 18-month finish in a single Armagnac cask, bottled at 55.3% alcohol by volume [110.6 proof] and is said to contain notes of apricot, dark chocolate and hazelnut. It is being made available for $175 per bottle.

Jura Fèis Ìle 24 Year Old was matured in refill ex-bourbon barrels, finished eight years in a single Sauternes barrique before being bottled at 48.8% alcohol by volume [97.6 proof] and is said to contain notes of apricot, citrus and pineapple. It is being made available exclusively at the Jura distillery for $430 per bottle until the end of the month, at which time it will be released to other venues across Scotland.

Tickets for this year’s celebration on Jura can be purchased at www.jurawhisky.com/en-gb/community/feis-ile.

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Philly In Da House At Diageo World Class 2026

Alex Bean — Thu, 21 May 2026 13:02:16 +0000

Philadelphia was in the house, represented by Alexis Ortega as Ortega claimed the title of 2026 US Bartender of the Year of 2026 Diageo World Class. Ortega, the head bartender at Static Bar in Philadelphia, now advances to the global final in Scotland.

Ortega took on and defeated 15 other bartending finalists in the USA national finals which took place in Chicago last week as bartenders had to master a variety of challenges of creativity and technique with specific brands of Diageo liquors.

Ortega’s winning cocktails were the First Call (a shaken mix of Mr. Black, Don Julio reposado, grapefruit syrup and saline, topped with grapefruit soda and garnished with a grapefruit wedge) and Bella Vista Melon (a combination of Tanqueray, chamomile bitter bianco, concentrated honeydew melon and melon liqueur, garnished with a compressed melon).

Ortega defeated Gonzalo Ramos, Kai Lucas and Kyler Nolan from New York, Elliott Reibert and Taylor Jamison-Parrish from Chicago, Jason Briseno and Michelle Freed from Los Angeles, Becky Rose (Colorado), Bridget Ramsey (New Jersey), Colin Williams (New Orleans), Jeff Banks (Georgia), Mackenzie Helem (Seattle), Peter Hannah (Florida) and Sierra Knight (Cincinnati).

Ortega will now advance to the world final where he will face India’s champion Karan Dhanelia, United Arab Emirates (UAE) champion Sharfin Auni and Great Britain’s champion (who will be decided next month).

Cu Bocan Thaws Out Ice Wine Casks

Alex Bean — Wed, 20 May 2026 12:52:05 +0000

Highland-based Cù Bòcan [from Tomatin Distillery] has created Creation #8 in their Creation series of experimental single malt whiskies – the first known peated Scotch to be matured in ice wine [a dessert wine] casks.

Cù Bòcan Creation #8 is a limited edition single malt whisky matured in both Canadian ice wine casks as well as Spanish Verdejo white wine casks, before being bottled at 46% alcohol by volume [92 proof] and is said to produce, perhaps not surprisingly, notes of apricot, citrus, peach and pineapple.

Only 3600 bottles of Cù Bòcan Creation #8 are being made available on Tomatin Distillery’s official website and other selected venues in the UK and worldwide for $60 per bottle.

Bruichladdich Brings Out Pair Of Whiskies For Festival

Alex Bean — Tue, 19 May 2026 13:01:50 +0000

Islay-based Bruichladdich Distillery is preparing for the upcoming 2026 Féis Ìle Festival with the release of a pair of single malt whiskies – Port Charlotte PC5 Redux and Octomore OBA Redux – which will be showcased during Rock’ndaal – Bruichladdich’s annual festival day taking place this year on Sunday, May 24, 2026.

For the 2026 Fèis Ìle Festival, Bruichladdich is highlighting their Port Charlotte single malt – the first whisky released after the distillery was re-opened in 2001 – along with the Octomore OBA, which made its initial debut at the festival in 2016.

Bruichladdich Port Charlotte PC5 Redux is a heavily-peated single malt Scotch aged for five years, bottled at a whopping 63.5% alcohol by volume [127 proof] and, being an Islay whisky, is said to offer notes of smoke, though in this case, sweet barbecue smoke.

Only 2,500 bottles of Bruichladdich Port Charlotte PC5 Redux are being made available for $100 per bottle.

Bruichladdich Octomore OBA Redux – a member of the Octomore Black Arts series – which features the extreme peat smoke of Octomore – was first introduced at the 2016 Feìs Ìle Festival and then released more broadly in 2017.

Bruichladdich Octomore OBA Redux single malt Scotch whisky was bottled at 54.2% alcohol by volume [108.4 proof] and is said to offer notes of marzipan, tropical fruit and, of course, peat smoke.

Only 2,500 bottles of Bruichladdich Octomore OBA Redux are also being made available for $435 per bottle.

Both Bruichladdich Octomore OBA Redux and Bruichladdich Port Charlotte PC5 Redux are being made available to purchase online via the official Bruichladdich website [bruichladdich.com].

Additionally, Rock’ndaal tickets have sold out for 2026, but the distillery will be live-streaming the event.

Green River Adds Honey To Bourbon

Alex Bean — Mon, 18 May 2026 12:52:10 +0000

Kentucky-based Green River Distilling has released Green River Honey Finished Bourbon – which, as its name hints, is a Kentucky straight bourbon finished in barrels with 100% locally sourced honey.

Green River Honey Finished Bourbon is a four-year-old straight bourbon which has then had the locally sourced honey added directly into barrels to finish the whiskey before being bottled at 46% alcohol by volume [92 proof] and is said to produce notes of – what else? – honey…..along with caramel, cinnamon and vanilla.

Green River Honey Finished Bourbon is being touted as a bourbon for use as a base for cocktails and is being made available across the USA for $25 per 750ml bottle.

The Glenlivet Sews Up Jamaica Edition

Alex Bean — Sun, 17 May 2026 13:07:31 +0000

Speyside-based The Glenlivet has collaborated with Jamaican-Scottish menswear designer Nicholas Daley to produce The Glenlivet 12 Year Old Jamaica Edition – aimed at modern travelers.

The Glenlivet 12 Year Old Jamaica Edition was finished in a Jamaican rum cask and is said to offer notes of coconut, mango and pineapple.

Daley’s clothing collection is tied into the release and features menswear geared toward the upcoming summer season, featuring a soft linen shirt ($695), lounge shorts ($465) along with a hand-crocheted whisky bottle carrier ($695) and silk bandana ($85).

All items from the collection are being made available now at the official The Glenlivet website [www.theglenlivet.com/nicholas-daley-collection].

Penelope Tees Up With Architects Of Golf

Alex Bean — Sat, 16 May 2026 13:29:47 +0000

Penelope Bourbon has entered the tee box with a trio of bourbons in their new, 18-bottle series called Architects of Golf.

The first three bottles in the Penelope Bourbon Architects of Golf series are called – appropriately enough – Hole 1, Hole 2 and Hole 3 – all three “holes” were aged for six years and bottled at 47% alcohol by volume [94 proof].

Penelope Bourbon Architects of Golf Hole 1 is said to offer notes of butterscotch, caramel and nutmeg.

Penelope Bourbon Architects of Golf Hole 2 is said to also offer notes of butterscotch, but alongside notes of dark chocolate and vanilla.

Penelope Bourbon Architects of Golf Hole 3 is said to offer notes of caramel, cherry and vanilla.

Penelope Bourbon has also created suggested seasonal cocktails to accompany their new “holes” – including such cocktails as Pear on the Green and The Southern Fairway.

All three Penelope Bourbon Architects of Golf bourbons are being made available nationwide this month for $60 per bottle.

Heineken Encourages VTO During 2026 World Cup

Alex Bean — Fri, 15 May 2026 12:55:36 +0000

As the 2026 World Cup gets closer and closer and fans might be stuck at work during match times, instead of scheduling that “international meeting”, Heineken is encouraging another solution – employing Volunteer Time Off [VTO] from HR.

Heineken’s Fan Volunteers promotional campaign highlights a way for worker bees at their various corporate hives to take advantage of the VTO employee benefit and “turn it into a new way for fans to connect, give back to their communities, and possibly watch soccer together.”

Heineken research found that more than half (52%) of USA corporate worker bees desk workers admitted that they lied to their employer in order to watch a soccer/international football match [though that number may pale in comparison to March Madness].

Therefore, Heineken is encouraging fans to participate in their VTO program at HeinekenFanVolunteers.com, where they are able to search local volunteer opportunities that coincide with match days. Heineken will also pick up the tab for a round of beers for each Fan Volunteer “to share with their newfound friends.”

Get on the bus, Jeremy.

Glendronach Travels To The Cities With New GTR Trio

Alex Bean — Thu, 14 May 2026 13:03:49 +0000

Glendronach has released The Glendronach House Editions – a trio of whiskies destined exclusively for the global travel retail (GTR) market segment. The Glendronach House Editions consists of three single malts: The Sevillian Room, The Venetian Room and The Parisian Room.

The Glendronach House Edition Sevillian Room was matured in Oloroso, Pedro Ximénez (PX) and Palo Cortado casks, bottled at 43% alcohol by volume [86 proof] and is said to contain notes of honeysuckle, oak and Seville orange.

The Glendronach House Edition Venetian Room was matured in Oloroso, PX, and Amarone casks, bottled at 46% alcohol by volume [92 proof] and is said to contain notes of amaretti, dark cherry, dates and vanilla.

The Glendronach House Edition Parisian Room was matured in Oloroso and PX casks as well as Cognac casks, bottled at 49% alcohol by volume [98 proof] and is said to contain notes of apple, elderflower and plum.

The trio of The Glendronach House Editions is currently scheduled to launch in major European airports in July 2026, the Sevillian Room being made available for $90 per bottle, the Venetian Room for $105 per bottle and the Parisian Room for $125 per bottle.

White Peak Goes To The Wire For 10th Anniversary

Alex Bean — Wed, 13 May 2026 12:54:05 +0000

English whiskymaker White Peak Distillery is celebrating their 10th anniversary with the release of their limited-edition Wire Works Caduro X single malt. White Peak was founded by the husband-and-wife team of Claire and Max Vaughan in 2016.

White Peak Wire Works Caduro X is a blend of whiskies aged in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels and STR (shaved, toasted, and re-charred) ex-red wine casks, bottled at 46.8% alcohol by volume [93.6 proof] and is said to contain notes of apple, banana, orange, strawberry, toffee and a hint of peat.

Only a mere 1000 bottles of White Peak Wire Works Caduro X are being made available for $100 per bottle via the official White Peak Distillery website or at the distillery and some select UK-based venues.