July Whiskies of the Month
We’re taking you on a whisky journey around the world from the historic capital of Scotland to the tropical beaches of the Caribbean. Our Whiskies of the Month are paired with popular tourist destinations, blending the spirit of travel with the flavour of Scotland’s regions. Get your passport ready!
Lowland: Glenkinchie 12 (Edinburgh, Scotland)
Located just 15 miles from Scotland’s mesmerising capital, Glenkinchie Distillery has drawn in huge numbers of international whisky-lovers since it re-launched its visitor centre in 2020. The distillery is known for its status as one of Johnnie Walker’s Four Corners of Scotland distilleries. This means that it is one of the four cornerstone distilleries that supply single malt whisky to be used in Johnnie Walker blends, each located in a different ‘corner’ of Scotland. As a result, every bottle of Johnnie Walker contains at least one drop of Glenkinchie single malt! However, Glenkinchie’s legacy stretches back long before this, with the distillery being founded in 1837 by brothers, John and George Rate. Its name, derived from Scots Gaelic, translates to ‘Valley of the Kinchie Burn’, a nod to the water source used to create its gentle single malt.
Described as smooth, sweet and fruity, Glenkinchie 12 boasts floral and grassy notes on the palate and finishes with a rich biscuity aftertaste. It is the perfect dram to enjoy after exploring Auld Reekie, a city known for its ancient history, breathtaking Georgian architecture and vibrant arts scene.
Highland: Tomatin 12 Bourbon & Sherry (Japan)
Tomatin Distillery was founded in 1897 by local man, John MacDougall. MacDougall was looking to take advantage of the newly established Highland Railway which passed through the town and convinced the landowners that the distillery would bring them a steady income. Closed briefly from 1906 to 1909, Tomatin otherwise operated continuously until the recession of the 1980s led to the distillery going into liquidation in 1985. However, Tomatin would not remain closed for long as Japanese companies Takara Shuzo and Okura & Co. purchased the distillery in 1986, forming the Tomatin Distillery Co. Ltd. This move made Tomatin the first Scotch whisky distillery owned by a Japanese company, and a few more Scotch whisky distilleries would come under Japanese ownership in the years to come.
Japan has enjoyed an increase in whisky tourism in recent decades, with influential figures such as Masataka Taketsuru and Shinjiro Torii breaking new ground in the early 1900s and laying the groundwork for Japan’s captivating and ever-rising whisky industry. Meanwhile, Tomatin distillery has since benefited from its location just south of Inverness, with around 40,000 tourists visiting each year to enjoy its delicious single malts.
Matured in both ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry casks, Tomatin 12 year old combines notes of wild heather, pine and cedar with crème caramel, apples, pears and mango followed by a buttery finish.
Speyside: Glen Grant Arboralis (Italy)
Known for its ancient history, beautiful beaches and incredible food, Italy tops many people’s travel bucket lists and is visited by an average of 60 million tourists each year. While sipping the country’s impeccable wine in a local restaurant, visitors may notice the prevalence of a particular Scotch whisky on the country’s drinks menus: Glen Grant.
Glen Grant distillery was founded in 1840 in Speyside by brothers, John and James Grant. James Grant founded the Morayshire Railway Company, which made transportation of goods in the region much easier, a major factor in the distillery’s early success. The site was eventually inherited by James Grant’s son, also called James (although known by locals as Major James Grant), who increased the success of the distillery and built the beautiful gardens that can still be visited at the distillery today.
The popularity of Glen Grant single malt in Italy can be attributed to the marketing prowess of Armando Giovinetti, the distillery’s Italian agent during the 1960s and 1970s. Giovinetti enthusiastically promoted Glen Grant 5 year old in Italy from the mid-1960s and by 1977, it was selling around 200,000 cases per year. This made Glen Grant one of the first single malt Scotch whiskies to take off in an export market, and the whisky has remained a staple in the Italian market ever since.
Glen Grant Arboralis is the distillery’s non-age statement core release. Meaning ‘the light between the trees’, Arboralis contains gentle notes of oak, butterscotch and dried fruit on the palate which give way to a long, malty finish with hints of vanilla, pear and citrus.
Islay: Ardbeg Wee Beastie (France)
Established in 1815, Ardbeg distillery was founded by the MacDougall family who were tenant farmers on Islay. A village was eventually built up around the distillery and by 1900, it was home to 40 workers. The distillery and village unfortunately went into decline throughout the following decades and Ardbeg would be mothballed several times until it was purchased by Glenmorangie in 1997 and later acquired by luxury goods group, Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy in 2005. With the acquisition of the distillery, came ownership of all stock from Ardbeg’s warehouses. This led to the 2022 sale of a 1975 Ardbeg single malt cask for a whopping £16 million. In doing so, it became the most expensive cask of a single malt whisky ever sold.
Renowned as one of the fashion capitals of the world, visitors flock to France every year to experience its luxury boutiques as well as its bakeries, monuments and stunning countryside. This link between Scotland’s whisky industry and France’s fashion industry is bound to please those looking to experience either country during a summer trip.
Ardbeg has a reputation as one of Islay’s smokiest drams. With notes of chocolate, tar and savoury meats which mingle with notes of black pepper and pine. Ardbeg describes its 5 year old single malt as ‘The rawest, smokiest Ardbeg ever.’
Blend: Dewar’s Caribbean Smooth (The Caribbean)
Dewar’s Blended Scotch traces its roots back to 1846, when its namesake, John Dewar opened a wine and spirits shop in the town of Perth. This shop would remain under the family’s ownership for the next 50 years, being run by Dewar, his wife and many of their ten children. Like other licensed shop owners of the era, Dewar began creating his own blends in the 1860’s, and upon his death in 1880, his sons, John Alexander and Thomas ‘Tommy’ Robert took over the business. The brothers would set about expanding their brand name, with Tommy embarking on a two-year marketing tour around the world in 1892. The tour became a huge success, and the business would wind up receiving a Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria. The brothers commissioned Aberfeldy distillery in 1898, and this has been the home of Dewar’s ever since.
Dewar’s would pass between several owners over the coming decades before eventually being purchased by spirits company, Bacardi in 1998. Founded in Cuba in 1862, Bacardi began its life as a rum distilling business but would gradually become one of the largest spirits companies in the world, with 85% of Bacardi rum being produced by Cathedral of Rum distillery in Puerto Rico.
Bacardi’s ties to the sun-drenched beaches of the Caribbean run deep and nowhere has this been more evident than in Dewar’s Caribbean Smooth. Aged for 8 years and finished in Caribbean rum casks, this unique blend opens with notes of coconut, pineapple, toffee and butterscotch and concludes with hints of banana and rich caramel.
Luxury: Glendronach 15 (United States)
The Glendronach distillery has long been renowned for its production of high quality, richly sherried Highland single malts. Located near Huntly, Aberdeenshire, the distillery is nestled in the ‘Valley of Brambles’ and has existed since 1826. Like many Scotch whisky distilleries, Glendronach has changed hands many times over the years. However, it was finally acquired by its current owners Brown-Foreman in 2016, establishing Glendronach’s ties to the American whiskey industry.
Brown-Foreman is a Kentucky-based wine and spirits company, widely known for its ownership of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskey. One of the highest-selling whiskeys in the world, Jack Daniel’s is known for its smooth and mellow flavour, making it an excellent whiskey to mix with soft drinks. Despite Glendronach’s heavy use of ex-Sherry casks, Brown-Foreman’s acquisition of the distillery has led to permanent bonds being formed with the USA’s impressive whiskey industry.
With rich aromas of mint chocolate, dried figs and warm spices, Glendronach 15 year old bursts with rich notes of maraschino cherries and toasted nuts on the palate, finishing with a smooth sweetness on the finish.