December within the Whisky industry is undoubtedly a big month for the whisky drinker, from buying those special bottles for the festive season, gifting to others, and whisky tastings. Here at The Cask Connoisseur, the month was full of Christmas Whisky tastings from club to pub. A whisky tasting is a great way to try bottles you might not otherwise buy and learn more about your favourite distilleries.
Of course, retailers know this is a big month for sales and continue to provide incentives for you to buy from them. The savvy buyer can definitely bag a bargain for Christmas. But beware, counterfeiters also know this. So, beware those bargains that are too good to be true and make sure you buy from a reputable retailer. From The Cask Connoisseur’s perspective, this means visiting a physical retailer where you can “try before you buy”. That way, you’re unlikely to be disappointed.
Whisky Business
Spirits sales on-trade (e.g. the pub) suffered a 20% fall in the past year. Whilst there are likely several reasons for this, one that hit home locally was, for the first time in many years, The Cask Connoisseur’s local had no cask strength whisky for sale over the December Whisky Christmas period. The reason given – the cost of a bottle was too high to be able to justify the price per dram necessary. This despite spirits drinkers being seen as willing to pay more, buy impulsively and prepared to experiment. Does this mean whisky has met its “price ceiling”? What do you think?
Planning application submitted for Chivas Brother’s first Islay whisky distillery at Gartbreck Farm.
North Uist Distillery starts producing whisky. The whisky is said to be “flavour forward” through a combination of using heritage barley, long fermentation times and brewers yeast. Coupled with their squat stills and downwards facing lyne arms, the distillery is able to capture more complex flavours.
Whiskystats latest report on the auction market is still gloomy. Overall, the 500 most traded whiskies lost 2.3% month on month, with 2% loss over the year. 7.1% of bottles failed to make their reserve and volumes were down 10% compared to last November.
Scotch whisky exports fell by 18% in the first half of 2024. Another report stated , in the first nine months whisky exports across the UK declined by 36%, according to the Food & Drink Federation. On the positive side scotch is now the global number one status spirit having overtaken cognac.
Dràm Mòr celebrates five years as an independent bottler.
Stirling Distillery’s New Make Spirit wins gold in the New Make Spirit category at the prestigious World Whiskies Awards Scotland 2025.
Noble & Co release their Whisky Intelligence Annual Report. Interesting highlights include a decline in auction volume of 16% and drop in value of 18%, with bottles above £1000 suffering the worst. Macallan retains its brand lead, whilst Islay and Campbeltown malts remain collector’s favourites. There is optimism for a market recovery.
House of Decant launches offering, “its members ‘insider’ access to exclusive spirits, as well as a personal concierge via WhatsApp”. A brief perusal of their website suggests pricing and bottles are what you’d expect from an online retailer.
White Peak Distillery wins at the community led English Whisky Awards 2024 for Best English Whisky (Wire Works Whisky Bourbon Barrel) and Best English Distillery. Further, their Wire Works Alter Ego, Caduro, and Necessary Evil all came within the top 10 English whiskies.
Glenfarclas introduce a 50s Family Cask Experience. A new in-depth tour of Glenfarclas followed by five specially selected drams from the 1950s in their VIP lounge. Cost £511.19, booking essential.
Construction has started on building the new production site of Isle of Barra Distillers. The investment of £12 million is said to be “the largest single private investment ever made on the Scottish island”.
Whisky Releases
Glengoyne releases the second chapter in the Russell Family Cask trilogy. A 38 Year Old first fill American oak sherry butt, cask No 915. £4000,56.8% ABV and only 241 bottles available worldwide. The tasting notes sound amazing, but another bottle to wait until that lottery win.
Bimber celebrates it’s first age statement whisky at 8 years old, The Harmony of Eight, 1090 bottles at 50% ABV and priced at £130. There is a single cask edition available to Bimber Klub members. Bottled at 56.8% ABV and priced at £160. There were 268 bottles available.
Johnnie Walker releases a 52 year old blend including whisky from closed distilleries. Priced at £23,000 per bottle there are only 200 bottles available with an ABV of 41.2%.
Glendronach release The Masters Anthology consisting of three bottles, Glendronach Ode to the Valley (46.2% ABV), Glendronach Ode to the Embers (48.4% ABV) and Glendronach Ode to the Dark (50.8% ABV). Priced between £62 and £76.
Henstone distillery launches the first edition of their Red Range that aims to demonstrate innovative maturation and bold flavours. The first release is limited to 186 bottles and priced at £59.95.
Finn Thompson releases a 50 year old Invergordon for £380. Distilled in 1974 this grain whisky is bottled at 46.1% and an outrun of 275 bottles.
Decadent Whisky has a double release. Whiskyland Chapter Eight Tomatin 30 Years Old, £485, 51.6
ABV. And an interesting second release Ben Nevis, Whisky Sponge 58b Ben Nevis 27 Years Old, £295, 55% ABV. This one is the “second half” from edition 58a with a different finish and slightly reduce ABV.
Inchaffray releases their first whisky as three separate single casks. Each cask is a quarter cask ex-bourbon with an outrun of 110 bottles. Priced at £110.
Tullibardine celebrates 75 years of distilling with the release of a 31 year old limited edition. Distilled in 1993 it was aged originally in bourbon barrels and then the last eight years in virgin oak. Consisting of just 325 bottles, this limited edition is available for £499.95 and is bottled at 46.2% ABV.
Upcoming Whisky Events
Those without full dates, have occurred in 2024 without releasing 2025 dates at present.
6th – 7th December 2024 – Kendal Whisky Festival
10th – 11th January 2025 – Harrow Whisky Festival
18th – 19th January 2025 – Southport Whisky Festival (Winter)
25th January 2025 – Scottish National Whisky Festival, Glasgow
8th February 2025 – Exploring Whisky: Bristol
28th February – 2nd March 2025 – Fife Whisky Festival, various locations in Fife.
1st March 2025 – Whisky Birmingham, Birmingham
15th March 2025 – Croydon Whisky Festival
15th March 2025 – Independent Spirits Whisky Festival, Leith, Edinburgh
21st – 22nd 2025 – Whisky Live London
28th March 2025 – Whisky Fair – Cambridge
29th March 2025 – The Whisky Lounge: Newcastle Whisky Festival
11th – 12th April 2025 – Welcome to Whisky Show, London
12th April 2025 – Clackmannanshire’s Whisky Festival, Alloa
26th April 2025 – Whisky Social Belfast, Belfast
30th April – 5th May 2025 – Spirit of Speyside
17th May 2025 – Summerton Whisky Festival St Albans
16th – 17th May 2025 – Whiskey Live Dublin
18th May 2025 – The Whisky Event, London
19th – 24th May 2025 – Campbeltown Whisky Festival
23rd – 31 May 2025 – Fèis Ìle, Islay
30th May – 3rd June – Spirit of Speyside
14th – 15th June 2025 – Bladnoch Wave Weekend
27th – 29th June 2025 – Arran Whisky Festival, Arran
28th June 2025 – The Whisky Lounge: Bristol Whisky Festival
18th – 26th July 2025 – Belfast Whisky Week, Belfast
5th September 2025 – Cadenhead’s in the Courtyard, Campbeltown
8th – 14th September 2025 – Hebridean Whisky Festival
13th – 14th September 2025 – Midland Whisky Festival, Birmingham
20th September 2025 – Lomond & Clyde Whisky Festival, Helensburgh
27th September 2025 – The Whisky Lounge: Liverpool Whisky Festival
3-5th October 2025 – Whisky Show, London
11th October 2025 – Edinburgh’s Whisky Festival
24- 26th October 2025 – Dornoch Whisky Festival
25th October 2025 – The Whisky Lounge, York Whisky Festival
31st October to 2nd November 2025 – Wales Whisky Fest, Llandudno
21st November 2025 – The Whisky Lounge: Manchester Whisky Festival
22nd November 2025 – English Whisky Festival, Birmingham
May
June
The Whisky Lounge: Edinburgh Whisky Festival
Stoke Whisky Festival – Stoke on Trent
National Whisky Festival, Inverness
July
Southport Summer Whisky Festival, Churchtown & Southport
August
The Dram Good Whisky Festival, Edinburgh
Whisky Fringe, Edinburgh
Falkirk Whisky Social, Larbert
Spirit of Alba Festival, Kirkintilloch
September
Whisky Indy Love Fest, Newcastle upon Tyne
Scottish National Whisky Festival, Aberdeen
Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival
Alhambra Whisky Festival, Stirling
October
Borderlands Whisky Festival, Lockerbie
Wee Dram Whisky Festival Dram Fest, Bakewell
Whisky Social Belfast, Belfast
November
Leeds Whisky Festival
Stirling Whisky Festival
Glasgow’s Whisky Festival
The World Whisky Experience, Spitalfields, London
Drambusters Whisky Festival, Dumfries
Background – Here at The Cask Connoisseur, even though we’re not subscribed to every potential newsletter or source of information, we receive around four hundred emails over the course of a month with various promotions, new release information, distillery newsletter, updates etc. Add on social media posts and that amounts to somewhere well over 1000 pieces of information being reviewed per month. The aim of this monthly round up is to provide a summary of the most interesting bits along with upcoming events that can be gleaned from them. The downside to a monthly review is a lot of “special offers” will have come and gone.
