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

Nikka Frontier Arrives In The UK

Alex Bean — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 13:24:40 +0000

Tokyo-based Japanese whisky producer Nikka will be bringing their blended whisky, Frontier, to the UK with a wide rollout for the whisky planned across the UK in January 2027.

Nikka Frontier is a blend of heavily peated single malt from Yoichi Distillery (51%) along with grain whisky from Miyagikyo Distillery, was bottled at 48% alcohol by volume (96 proof) and is said to contain notes of smoke which act favorably in classic cocktails such as Highballs and Old Fashioneds.

Nikka Frontier will be made available for $45 per 500ml bottle.

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The Dalmore Unveils 18-Year-Old Cigar Malt

Alex Bean — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 13:26:10 +0000

Highland-based The Dalmore Distillery released Cigar Malt Signature Reserve Aged 18 Years, which will join The Dalmore’s Principal Collection, the distillery’s core range of nine single malt whiskies.

The Dalmore Cigar Malt Signature reserve Aged 18 Years was initially matured for the first 16 years in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels before being finished in a quartet of casks – Matusalem sherry and French oak Marsala casks along with French oak Cabernet Franc and French oak Cabernet Sauvignon barriques, then was bottled at 46% alcohol by volume (92 proof) and is said to emit notes of cinnamon, dark chocolate, ginger and sandalwood.

The Dalmore Cigar Malt Signature Reserve Aged 18 Years is being made available worldwide for $400 per bottle – with a USA launch date of November 1, 2026.

Buffalo Trace Distillery Preps For Halloween

Alex Bean — Sun, 18 Oct 2026 14:09:34 +0000

Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, is prepping for the upcoming Halloween festivities with their second annual Night at the Distillery experience.

The Night at the Distillery Halloween experience launched earlier this month and will continue in October on October 22-24 as well as the actual Halloween weekend of October 29-31, 2026.

The Night at the Distillery Halloween experience features Buffalo Trace Distillery history as well as various Halloween-themed decorations and seasonal cocktail tastings.

The Night at the Distillery Halloween experience guests who are aged 21 and older are offered the opportunity to sample Eagle Rare 12 Year Bourbon, Buffalo Trace Bourbon, EH Taylor Small Batch Bourbon, Blanton’s Single Barrel, and Wheatley Vodka. Guests can choose a tasting of three specialty cocktails.

The Night at the Distillery Halloween experience tickets are available – via the official Buffalo Trace Distillery website – for $25 per person and include a Halloween treat from the John G Carlisle Cafe along with a commemorative Night at the Distillery tote bag.

Crown Royal Deemed World’s Strongest Performing Spirit

Alex Bean — Sat, 17 Oct 2026 14:10:48 +0000

Diageo-owned Crown Royal Canadian blended whisky has been deemed to be the world’s strongest performing spirit brands as determined by London-based marketing analysis company, Brand Finance, in their annual of the 50 most valuable spirits brands across the world.

Brand Finance ranked the spirit brands not only by business performance but also according to factors such as marketing investment and stakeholder equity.

Crown Royal was at the top of the worldwide strongest performing spirit list in 2026, with a score of 96/100 in Brand Finance’s metric – representing an 12% improvement of brand value to $2.7 billion. That increase was the largest amongst all worldwide spirit brands and helped to place Crown Royal ninth overall in the top 50 spirits ranking (up three places from last year).

The Canadian blended whisky was specifically propelled in this increase by its “credibility and price acceptance” (particularly in the US market) along with some assistance from the performance of Crown Royal’s ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails.

Moutai baijiu – a Chinese distilled spirit – continued to be the world’s most valuable spirit in 2026 with a brand value of $59.6 billion (up 2% from the previous year) as determined by the Brand Finance study.

Clydebuilt Reveals New Look

Alex Bean — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 13:34:59 +0000

Clydebuilt – via the Lowlands-based Ardgowan Distillery – has released a trio of single malt Scotch whiskies touting a new look showcasing updated packaging and bottle design.

Clydebuilt 10 Years Old Sherry Cask Matured is a single malt from an undisclosed Speyside distillery, matured in a combination of sherry butts and hogsheads, bottled at 46% alcohol by volume (92 proof), said to contain notes of almond, cinnamon, clove and honey and is being made available for $60 per 700ml bottle.

Clydebuilt 10 Years Old 100 Proof Sherry Cask Matured was bottled at 57.1% alcohol by volume (114.2 proof), is said to contain notes of cinnamon, dark chocolate and nutmeg and is being made available for $85 per bottle.

Clydebuilt 10 Years Old Candlebrae is from an undisclosed distillery in the Scottish Highlands, matured in American oak, bottled at 48% alcohol by volume (96 proof) and is being made available for $75 per bottle.

Midleton Very Rare Pushes Its Chestnut Out For Rare Wood Collection

Alex Bean — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 13:34:56 +0000

Midleton Very Rare Irish Whiskey has released Midleton very Rare Irish Chestnut Edition as the debut offering in their new Rare Wood Collection.

Midleton Very Rare Irish Chestnut Edition was initially aged in first-fill and refill bourbon barrels before undergoing a secondary maturation for five years in Irish sweet chestnut casks.

Midleton Very Rare Irish Chestnut Edition was bottled at its natural cask strength of 56.1% alcohol by volume (112.2 proof) and is said to contain notes of apple, citrus and vanilla.

Only 800 cases of Midleton Very Rare Irish Chestnut Edition are being made available worldwide for $490 per bottle.

Woodford Reserve Celebrates 30th Anniversary

Alex Bean — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 13:38:52 +0000

Woodford Reserve celebrates their 30th anniversary with the release of a pair of limited edition distillery-exclusive bottlings – Distillery Series Triple Pot Still and Limited Edition Personal Selection.

Woodford Reserve Triple Pot Still Bottled-in-Bond solely utilizes Woodford Reserve Distillery’s three copper pot stills, was bottled at 50% alcohol by volume (100 proof) is is being made available exclusively from the distillery’s gift shop in Versailles, Kentucky, for $65 per 375ml bottle.

Woodford Reserve Limited Edition Personal Selection includes Woodford Reserve’s Double Oaked Single Barrel Bourbon, is limited to 150 units and features a ceramic decanter created by local Louisville Stoneware. Woodford Reserve Limited Edition Personal Selection is being made available exclusively at the distillery’s gift shop for $225 per bottle.

Cutty Sark Launches Limited Edition

Alex Bean — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 13:08:44 +0000

Old school Scotch whisky brand Cutty Sark has launched a limited edition bottle designed by Scottish artist Rory Kennedy.

The new limited edition Cutty Sark bottle design celebrates and focuses on the whisky’s maritime roots with a hand-painted illustration by the Glasgow-based Kennedy.

The Cutty Sark limited edition bottle is being made available in Asia, Europe and the USA for $22 per 700ml bottle.

Tomatin Unveils 15-Year-Old

Alex Bean — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 14:02:09 +0000

Highland-based Tomatin Distillery has released Tomatin 2011 – a single cask Scotch whisky showcasing a Pedro Ximénez sherry maturation – as an exclusive for the UK.

Tomatin 2011 was matured in a first-fill Pedro Ximénez sherry butt for 15 years, bottled at 58.8% alcohol by volume (117.6 proof) and is said to contain notes of chocolate, honey and vanilla.

Only a mere 608 bottles of Tomatin 2011 single cask are being made available for $140 per 700ml bottle across the UK.

Teeling Debuts Venezuelan Rum Casked Whiskey

Alex Bean — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 18:19:27 +0000

Irish whiskey maker Teeling has collaborated with Venezuelan rum maker Santa Teresa 1796 to produce the limited edition Teeling Small Batch Whiskey Santa Teresa 1796.

Teeling Small Batch Whiskey Santa Teresa was matured in Solera rum casks from Santa Teresa, bottled at 46% alcohol by volume (92 proof) and is said to contain notes of apricot, caramel and dark chocolate.

Teeling Small Batch Whiskey Santa Teresa is being made available for $115 per bottle.