May's Whiskies of the Month

Inspector John Rebus, the gritty and stubborn Edinburgh detective created by Ian Rankin, is a man who finds comfort in the shadowy corners of a pub and the quiet burn of a good whisky. Bonnington whisky, with its roots in Edinburgh’s historic distilling scene, suits Rebus perfectly — robust, characterful, and steeped in local tradition. Just like Rebus, Bonnington carries a sense of place, marked by the complexities and contradictions of the city it calls home. It’s the kind of dram you’d imagine Rebus nursing after a long day unravelling the darker threads of human nature. 

Jessica Pearson, the unflappable legal powerhouse from Suits, is the kind of person you’d want in your corner during a fight over brand identity—and The Glenlivet certainly had one. In the 19th century, J.G. Smith took legal action to protect the name “The Glenlivet,” aiming to secure exclusive rights. The case was only partially successful. While Smith (along with blender Andrew Usher) won sole rights to use The Glenlivet as a brand, other local distilleries were permitted to hyphenate it with their own names—hence names like Glen Moray-Glenlivet. One imagines Jessica would’ve handled the case with a bit more finality. Either way, the whisky’s polished yet bold character matches her style perfectly — elegant, commanding, and not to be underestimated. 

Smart, composed, and always a step ahead, Joan Harris was the quiet architect behind the chaos of Mad Men’s Sterling Cooper office. Like Joan, Woven’s Experience No. 17 is polished, complex, and beautifully balanced. As a modern blended Scotch made with transparency and elegance in mind, it mirrors Joan’s ability to bring different personalities and priorities together to create something greater than the sum of its parts. Sleek on the outside, deeply layered within—this blend would be right at home on her bar cart.