Jane Street: The Smokey One
Woodrow’s Small Batch Single Malt | 48.5% ABV
Score: 8/10
Something special.
TL;DR
A tasty, smoky, mood-lifter, at this price, it’s an 8
Skates on.
I don’t mean to unsettle, but come Sunday it’ll be February already.
2026 is busy hurtling us towards whatever twists, trends and turmoil it has in store for us; in whisky and elsewhere. It’s probably because I’m getting older, or paying too much attention to the ‘news’, but each new year seems more precarious than the last.
Maybe it’s the limited daylight hours of January but, feeling a little too maudlin, I needed to get out for a bit. Whisky helps once more as, even in the first month of the year, the festivals are upon us. Harrow kicked us off a couple of weeks back and the National Festival held its Glasgow shindig this past weekend. I stumbled down to SWG3 for a smooch.
The list of exhibitors is hardly comprehensive, but there’s enough to keep you interested. It’s a smaller event mostly populated by independently owned companies - whether bottler or distiller - and there was a nimbleness to the products on show; lots of new bottles and new ideas.
Some, like Lochlea’s latest 7 year old, were so nimble that they sold out almost 2,000 bottles upon release, instantly. I managed to sneak a wee pour from the dregs of the only bottle at the show and I realised it was probably the best release yet from this quickly maturing Lowland farm distillery; all creamy thick malt and sweet orchard fruit. I maybe should’ve been quicker on that one, it caught me off guard. However, I think these festivals will be interesting as markers of where things are moving throughout the year ahead.
Distilleries are maturing, stocks are building and prices are softening while newly positioned products are developed and released. As usual, the indies are leading the way. Well, as we’ll see, most of them are. And of course in this context, by ‘indies’ I mean independent distillers as well as bottlers.
The first thing I noticed were the prices. At this particular show, there’s a hybrid scenario where there’s an on-site retailer as well as over-the-table sales for some brands. I think it’s the first time I’ve been consciously aware of it because it meant that bottle prices were displayed almost everywhere.
One of the first stop-offs was Cadenhead’s where I was able to ponder some reasonable pricing while chewing on a gently spiced 17yo Amontillado Miltonduff. This particular pour was pretty decent; they’d dressed the lesser-seen Speysider in the Authentic Collection livery - the tall green-labelled bottles at cask strength. This one was £80. Very fair. Then I noted the associated email with Teaninichs, Mannochmore and Benrinnes - all 11 or 12 year olds and all around £55-60.
A few other tables followed with a similar theme of attenuated pricing such as Gleann Mòr’s Rare Find, Carn Mòr and all of the Elixir brands: Single Malts of Scotland, Port Askaig and their Elements series as well as a new line up called Whisky Trails, which showcases world whisky from ‘everywhere else’. I tried a juicy and tropical White Peak at 7 years old and almost headed straight to the wee pop-up shop to grab it at £84. The only thing that stopped me was the thought of carting a bottle bag around post-show. It’s still available now and I’m hovering.
This theme of necessary innovation continued. ‘Necessary’ because we need prices to be brought back into the sanity envelope, as do the retailers, and the availability of whisky is changing fast. There were around forty to fifty brands on the day and I’d go as far to suggest that at least half of them had something they could hold up and declare “this is new, tasty and fairly priced!”.
The afternoon culminated in me hunting out something peaty and smoky to chew on the way home. Before heading back over to revisit the Port Askaigs I’d previously skipped at Elixir, I stopped at Woodrow’s of Edinburgh, where they were touting their new Jane Street collection.
This currently comprises three takes: The Original One, The Sherried One and The Smokey One. Not particularly groundbreaking nomenclature, but that’s hardly the point. These 48.5% ABV small batch releases are deliciously simple and meant for the drinkers and repeat purchasers. The retail is in the forties but at the show they were going for £38.
Picking up their Original, I noticed a wee batch sticker under the rear label that clearly said ‘Glencadam’ next to a batch number. The Sherried bottle was in someone’s hands so I didn’t get to check it, but The Smokey One said ‘Secret Islay’. Ear-wigging in on the table chatter, I overheard it touted as Lagavulin. Pah! What are the chances? I asked for a pour.
What followed was a lovely moment of realisation that amongst all the shiny, the new and the innovative, sometimes all that’s needed is the simple. This was the only time I ever remember me asking for a second pour at a festival. It was as if I had to be sure. It was beautifully sweet, smoky, creamy and perfectly pitched at the ABV; and its elegance told me it was every bit a Lagavulin. I’m a sucker for the style. I resolved that I may be lugging a bag around after all, this one was coming to the whisky pit.
There’s no doubt that a few afternoon sips at any festival will put a wee gloss on any day, but I found myself consciously buoyed by the calm pragmatism, measured optimism and happy buzz around the place - and it was fairly busy. It almost made me forget the horrendous wait in the rain to get in. I can’t talk about the event without mentioning this. It can manifest at a lot of festivals: managing the queue of paying punters needs to be worked upon, but here it was particularly grim.
I wasn’t the worst affected but I heard the queue took almost an hour to clear after the show opened. I don’t know if it’s security or licensing or whatever else - but when everyone is kicked out at closing time exactly on the dot, there are a lot of punters that are short changed. That isn’t acceptable. I don’t know if it was better in the second session, but if it wasn’t I can imagine a similarly sized crowd of bad moods upon entry.
Anyway, as I mentioned I was feeling pretty good as I headed for the doors, but I made a final stop that proved to be a mistake. It was The Borders Distillery, positioned close to my exit route. They were offering bottlings of their own spirit - made at their distillery. Wow. Why was there no chatter about this? Upon asking for a pour I realised why.
Before sharing, I’ll paste some copy from their website as it best describes the whisky I tried. On the day, this was relayed by the excellent, informed and enthused staff, faithfully sharing the story of a revived sector of scotch whisky:
In 2019, we distilled a small batch of rye spirit and matured it in the same fresh-fill bourbon casks as the malt, to create this remarkable and aromatic whisky.
What makes it special
This is the first Blended Scotch Whisky to leave the Scottish Borders since 1837! Each Malt & Rye bottle is individually numbered, and only 5,988 will ever be released for sale in the UK. 63.8% Single Grain. 36.2% Single Malt.
That reads as something very curious indeed; basically a Scottish Rye at an affordable price - balanced with a little malt. In essence, a single blend. It sounded perfect. Unfortunately, the staff were earnestly sharing it with their hands tied behind their backs. Why? Someone has paid no attention to the memo. This has been bottled at 40% ABV. In 2026. What on Earth?
I know it’s only 36% malt but, and this may come across as snobbery, you cannot dilute something to that extreme and expect it to still carry depth of flavour, richness, mouthfeel and texture. Even if - or especially since - it’s a milestone product and a limited outturn. You certainly cannot take it along to a festival such as this and expect it to stand up alongside everything else. The contrast is just too stark.
Even if it’s not filtered, adding that amount of water has neutered the experience. It was, in all honesty, insipid. There was a dry, spiced element from the rye, but instead of an interesting appeal for attention it whimpered out from the glass as a muted cry for help. Someone has had a nightmare with this 40% policy. Just let us taste the product - please.
The unfortunate thing? The staff there were so nice, enthusiastic, patient and clearly informed - even if they were forced to be a little coy when asked about the ABV - that it’s highly unlikely they’ll get the true feedback from anyone after being poured a ‘free’ whisky with a smile. The punters are generally too polite. They’ll depart with a thank you, a nod and a discreet pour into the spittoon at the next table. It’s a whisky that’s somehow clumsily been made far too easy to ignore.
Some chatter afterwards suggested a change of guard at The Borders and a possible switch of policy on presentation going forward. It’s my feeling that such a move is vital. It’s currently blunderous and - for very different reasons - reminds me of Fletcher’s points made about the similarly isolated decisions made over at Annandale. These ‘neighbours’ would do well to get together and meet someplace in the middle. Only a small proportion of punters, even at a geeky festival such as this, will care about appropriate ABV and dilution, but everyone will taste it.
I sense the year ahead will continue to challenge. The ability to adapt is a necessity; the mother of invention and all that. As things go through fine-tuning to fathom the perfect balance of appeal versus flavour versus price-point versus profit, only those with deft hands will find the way. Only canny folk, who not only drink whisky, but actually care about it, will be best positioned to make it in good health to face the continued challenges of 2027.
Which, going by how swiftly January has flown by, will be here in a few minutes.
Review
Jane Street Single Malt, The Smokey One, Secret Islay, 48.5% ABV
£45 typically and widely available in the UK
We’ve reviewed a few bottles from Woodrow’s of Edinburgh and they’ve been generally favourable. This Jane Street range is a departure from the single cask releases in the red and cream livery and carries them into a space where they can increase reach and outturn through a small batch, branded strategy.
Score: 8/10
Something special.
TL;DR
A tasty, smoky, mood-lifter, at this price, it’s an 8
Nose
Limoncello, cake icing, celery, cool outdoor breeze and pale white, ashy peat smoke.
Palate
Serenity. Cool smoke gives way to a sweet, icing sugar-laden richness before an elegant, oily, almost buttery delivery of slightly savoury peat. It’s got a lovely texture, even at 48.5%. It’s not ridiculously complex, but time and a drop or two of water brings some sweet pears and honeydew melon. The slightly drying finish is longer than might be expected thanks to the texture and peat smoke, which eventually peters out to a soft white pepper and slightly saccharin-edged memory. I can’t help but enjoy a second glass, just as I did at the festival.
The Dregs
This is somewhat reminiscent of the Hunter Laing Scarabus releases, but there’s a layer of added richness here that elevates it a little against my memory of those bottlings, it really is a lovely whisky at the price.
We’d do well to not write off these bottlings as something to appease the casual “I need a nice bottle for less than £50” punter, because they’re more than that, they’ve started with three cracking malts and I think this is the pick of the three.
As mentioned, this is being widely touted as Lagavulin and I see no reason to doubt that it’s the case. For anyone who may recall the days when we used to care about the Diageo annual Special Releases, this is absolutely on par with their 12yo Lagavulin release, before they messed around with silly cask finishes, hilarious pricing and bright crayons.
If you like clean peat smoke, this is an easy to recommend bottle to grab and enjoy. And if it’s an example of what lies ahead for us amidst the whisky challenges of 2026, we’re all gonna be in a cheerier mood.
Score: 8/10
Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. WMc
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