Team Dramface Whiskies of 2025
And thank you for 2025!
Dramface has enjoyed another terrific year. Thanks to everyone who’s read, shared, liked or commented (some of you even watch and listen!) but a huge special thanks to those who keep the lights on - our intrepid Dramface Members. Thanks to you, we continue.
As the tiniest of rewards, we asked those of our team who were still around just as we switched off the screens - what was your whisky of 2025?
And so, each year we set our team the trickiest of challenges: serious or fun, you can choose only one, and - be brief!
We almost managed it. Settle in, this is your reading for the days ahead.
Ally Mann 🏴
Glenglassaugh 11yo, Cask Masters by Brave New Spirits, First-fill oloroso sherry hogshead, 2025 release, 54.3% ABV
£75 - £80 still some availability
This is the first time I’ve been asked to name a whisky of the year, which makes me feel faintly special. I fully expect that by this time next year, the industry will be waiting with bated breath for the unveiling of the Ally Whisky of 2026.
However, with great power comes great responsibility, and the truth is, trying to pin down a single whisky from an entire year is no easy feat. Firstly, I can barely remember what I had for breakfast on Monday, never mind compare the drams I polished off back in January. Still, I’ve taken the time to consider it properly…
To stop myself disappearing down a rabbit hole and writing a small dissertation, I’ve set myself a couple of guardrails. I was only going to consider full bottles, not fleeting drams; and secondly, only bottles I paid for myself. This is about the whisky I chose to cohabit with.
Score: 8/10
Something Special
TL;DR
The only one I purchased a backup of in 2025
Nose
It reminds me of a coastal walk, with clear notes of dry earth, salt water, and coastal air. There’s also a burst of tropical fruit - mango, dates, and raisins. An amaretto note follows, bringing in the cherry-and-almond double hit - what I’ve personally coined as the Dr Pepper.
Palate
Cherry leads the palate from the off, overpowering the almond from the nose - though a woody almond character remains noticeable in the background.
There’s also an underlying sweetness more reminiscent of a bourbon cask - bringing caramel pudding and custard.
The texture is smooth and silky, a milk-chocolate richness without ever feeling thin, and crucially, for me, it avoids the overly drying tannins I often find difficult in first-fill Oloroso sherry casks.
The Dregs
This whisky first crossed my palate in September, at a Brave New Spirits tasting hosted at the Bon Accord in Glasgow. It landed with such an immediate impression that a bottle was purchased before my arse had even hit the chair on the train home. It was a must have.
What makes the whole thing more surprising is that I’d pretty much written it off before tasting it. First fill oloroso sherry hogshead? No thanks. I’m out. Usually…
It just goes to show - don’t judge a whisky by its label.
Bottled at cask strength (54%), non-chill filtered and from a single cask - it ticks plenty of boxes on paper. This 11-year-old from Glenglassaugh actually turned out to be the only bottle I’ve purchased multiples of this year. One will be killed at Christmas. The other is being squirrelled away for 2026. Sometimes you need that back-up.
AM
Dougie Crystal 🏴
Ardnamurchan 10yo, Single Cask 2014 Paul Launois - 8yrs in bourbon, 2yrs in a Champagne Barrique, 57.0% ABV
£75 - sold out
I took the Hairy Bullet for a walk today, and instead of going next door to the field where, unshackled, she speeds around the place like…a hairy bullet, I walked up the road to where it ends at the top of the hill, and on my way bumped into no less than four of my neighbours.
The thirty-minute walk turned into two hours, and as I chatted away, the time disappeared into stories, people, history and laughter. Perhaps this is why my 2025 has evaporated. Perhaps not.
It’s been a quick year of whisky too, with the least purchased in my nearly five years of whisky fun, and most heavily weighted to Ardnamurchan too. As much as I adore and enjoy their whisky, I do need to get out more and find new whisky - 2026 will hopefully allow me to do that easier.
My whisky of the year is drawn from the reviews I’ve written on Dramface, and although I’d love to be less obvious, there’s just one whisky that stands out amongst the many overwhelmingly great experiences of whisky I’ve had - the Visitor Centre exclusive Ardnamurchan 10yo 2014 Paul Launois - Cask 90 takes the biscuit.
Score: 9/10
Exceptional.
TL;DR
A new peak. Utterly immersive. Textural, flavourful, multi-dimensional. This is dreamboats
Nose
Very fruity nose. Yeasty, sourdough starter - bit funky, ripe, tart, sour. Glue almost. Golden syrup. Wet dog almost. Hard to pinpoint this ripe note. Garibaldi biscuits - flecks of dark raisins. Nice biscuits. Crisp. Rich, buttery, fresh, caramelised white fruits, zingy. Then off to the sweet races - toffees and golden stuffs. Golden Grahams. Honeyed. Back to the buttery, creamy notes again.
Palate
Oh. My. The impact is astonishing. Wave of salty, fizzy, yeasty, meaty, banana laced, tropical effervescence. That’s a greeting. Effervescence! Fizzy face. Syrup for days, what texture! Sour/salty syrup flip-flop. Wow. Peaches - peach melba - raspberry sauce. Old woods, petrichor, chardonnay - fermented oak. Fruity leather, baked apples, tart fruit compote/sauce, thick. Mouth coating. Absolute juicy, syrupy fizzbombs, if that’s even possible. Unctuous. Tart caramel sauce. Rocky stream water - a wee earthy quality to it too.
The Dregs
So much Ardnamurchan whisky claims my heart, but this cask is an elevated, visceral, moreish experience - absolute flavour punch to the face. I’ve been nursing what’s left of it and will shed a small tear when it does eventually go.
Thank you to everyone who read and/or commented on my reviews this year, it’s been brilliant connecting with you all. Cheers to a prosperous 2026!
DC
Ainsley Fife 🇫🇷
Springbank 18yo, 2024 release, official bottling, 100% ex-bourbon barrels, 46% ABV
£130 paid, secondary only
As the year comes to a close, which for me means the busiest two weeks at work, I still find some time to reflect on my past 365 whisky days. I’ve tried a lot of great whisky this year, and even more great wines. The highlight though as always, is the people along the way.
This year’s been great for that, with the first edition of the Independent Spirits Festival in Leith back in March. A brand-new festival, which was a whisky geek paradise, and something I don’t see myself missing as long as it exists. In the days following the festival, American friends made their way to Paris and we enjoyed a great evening together. There were also a few whisky club tastings dotted along the year, which I always wait for in anticipation.
Then, in September, my birthday coincided with a whisky show, and a few Scottish brand ambassadors whom I’m lucky to call friends joined in on the festivities. I was also later that month joined for the first time by far flung whisky pals for Whisky Live Paris. It was thus my favourite edition thus far, of course. The highlight of the year was probably, and quite unsurprisingly, Glasgow Whisky Festival back in November. The takeaway is: Come in for flavour, stay because of friends.
As for my whisky of the year, it’s always a tough choice, because I love them all. I have to pick one though, and maybe unsurprisingly, it is going to be Springbank’s 18yo. Because it is gorgeous - yes, but also because there is some friendship intertwined in the story.
Score: 9/10
Exceptional.
TL;DR
The perfect intersection of exuberant and mellow
Nose
Quite waxy, with lemon essential oil and underlying funk. There’s a thick coal smoke lurking in the background. Hint of nutmeg. Peach nectar and heavy cream. Some ripe bananas as well. There’s a savoury/yeasty/cheesy/salty aspect as well, almost like a well-aged fruity l’Etivaz.
With water: It doesn’t change too much either, though this time I only added a few drops due to the lower ABV. It might amp up the smoke a little.
Palate
Surprisingly delicate and creamy arrival, evolving into a full-on Campbeltown funk display, with old metal tools and “dusty smoke”. Delicately savoury, with olive oil on the finish.
With water: Black pepper appears, and the creamy, yoghurty notes are slightly augmented.
The Dregs
Happy celebrations to each and every one of you wonderful readers. Without you all we’d be pointless. Thanks for the continued support, and you can rest assured we’ll keep going another year. And another after that. And another…
AF
Hughie Cullen 🇮🇹
Kilkerran, Triple Distilled - Warehouse Tasting Exclusive. Distilled April 2006, Bottled March 2025. Full maturation in refill bourbon barrel, natural colour & non-chill filtered, 59% ABV
£60 paid, now sold out, 35cl bottle
I have to admit I don’t love the idea of squeezing a year of great drinking experiences into a single nomination. Some bottles have a special place in my heart because of the people I shared them with; others because they hit the right spot at the right time. If you ask me tomorrow I might give a different name.
But this is the game, and it is fun playing it. So I did some thinking and I managed to distil all of 2025 down to two bottles. Luckily Ainsley picked one of the two which is a great help to overcome my indecisiveness.
So here you have my 2025 whisky of the year, a stunning Warehouse Tasting Exclusive Kilkerran, Triple Distilled back in 2005. But the pick goes beyond the whisky, it is linked to Kilkerran’s Warehouse tasting, for my money both one of the best warehouse tastings and the best distillery exclusive selections I have come across.
There are many fantastic warehouse tasting experiences in Scotland, but not all offer a chance to buy the stunning whiskies available for sampling. Take Glen Scotia: fantastic, tear-shedding spirit coming from those casks, but none of it for sale. Or you have experiences like Bunnahabhain’s Warehouse 9. The location is worth the drive alone, and the intriguing drams served make for a memorable experience. The price of the same whiskies at the distillery shop, on the other hand, are, let’s say, sobering to the mind and dangerous to the wallet.
That Kilkerran can offer a fantastic warehouse experience, where the whisky tasted are available for purchase (all as half bottles, so as much available to visitors as possible) at extremely honest and competitive prices. It made this not only my whisky of the year, but also my tasting and distillery exclusive selection of the year - a veritable “best of 2025” triple crown.
Score: 9/10
Exceptional.
TL;DR
Best of 2025 and a triple crown!
Nose
This is a proper rollercoaster. It starts zesty and sweet, with green lemon rind and vanilla syrup. There is a hit of linseed oil funk and then a wave of tropical fruit. Pineapple, passion fruit, melon and mango. Then there are a splash of saline notes which marry with the lemon to bring salted Moroccan lemons to mind. The vanilla morphs into vanilla frosting, which in turn gains a floral background, almost like Tonka bean. And all while tasting youthful. If I sampled this blind I could have easily been fooled into guessing this is a 10 or 12 year old spirit.
The Dregs
Oily, and rich. The ABV comes across as tamer than the 59% on the label. So much so that I just don’t feel the need to add any water. Now the age is a bit more apparent. Funky with grease and linseed oil. Then roasted notes - crackers and oatcakes. Barley chaff. Some of those tropical fruit notes come back from the nose. Out of the blue there is a cheesy note, Taleggio to my biased Italian nose. Then maritime brine and a touch of ovaltine. The finish is long, slightly saline with just a hint of bitterness, lingering with lemon rind, brine, roasted grain notes and a hint of funk.
The Dregs
I could spend these last few sentences waxing lyrically about why I love this Kilkerran. And, how much as I am excited about the rumours of Kilkerran making the Triple Distilled spirit a more frequent, if maybe not regular, release. Instead, I want to finish off my nomination for WOTY talking about people.
The people who welcome us whisky aficionados to their distilleries, pubs and shops with open arms and passion - Kilkerran clearly included. My various whisky friends around the world, who have made this a memorable whisky year because of the moments shared much more than because of the whisky shared, though that undoubtedly helped.
And last but not least my fellow Dramface team members who I am extremely honoured to have joined this year. You have all made this year a bit brighter and happier. I wish you all a fantastic whisky enriched 2026!
HC
Words from Ogilvie
It’s rather amazing to realize that we have come to the end of 2025. This year has flown by, seemingly faster than years in the past. It seems as if it was only a few weeks ago that I was writing my piece to be included for the 2024 year end collaboration, and yet here I am typing in response to a klaxon call for the best whiskies experienced in 2025.
Apologies to Captain Wally who has given us the task to speak about our whiskies of the year. Leave it to me, but I read the assignment and after reflection, I knew a different route would need to be taken. While I have had some memorable whiskies pass over my lips this past calendar year, my focus is on the people, things, and experiences that would not have blessed me but for my involvement with, and love for, whisky. Put simply, the bottles, however good they have been in 2025, pale in comparison to the embarrassment of riches I derived from inter-personal whisky relationships and interactions. My focus for my year-end piece is not “my bottles of the year”. Instead, it is a focus on my whisky experience of the year.
Before doing that, I want to give a shout-out to the podcasts. I do enjoy both. Seeing the dual drop from a week or so ago was wind under my whisky-loving sails. The UK Boys – Gregor, Rob, Roy, and Gordon – are always a good listen, but I have to confess I am partial to the Colonials. The rotation of fellows is amazing and the special camaraderie among those crazy Colonials is always palpable. They started the year with The Breakfast Episode (vegans beware), and then went on to wax eloquently and hilariously about (among other things) overlooked bottles, a chat about coffee and whisky, spreadsheets, and learning from Obi-Wan Angus. The pods always re-energize my whisky batteries as nothing else does. Thank you, gents.
Back to my experience of 2025. This past calendar year will be remembered for my trip to Scotland in October. Sipping whisky is great. Reading about whisky and its history is always fascinating. Gathering bottles of interest is a great crusade. But, being where I am in eastern North Carolina – significantly and geographically separated from all other Dramfacers – I had never had the opportunity nor pleasure of actually meeting any of my Dramface colleagues and comrades. October 2025 changed all that. October 10th was the day. I met Captain Wally, Steve (one of our editors), Drummond, and Charlie. Breaking bread with these amazing souls – and spending several hours at Glasgow’s Bon Accord talking, laughing, and sharing amazing drams was the highlight of the year. An amazing fulfilment of heart and soul.
“Whisky brings people together” and “whisky is for sharing” are two of the most repeated adages in our sphere. Both rang true for me in October 2025, and I cannot adequately put into words how utterly amazing an experience the Scotland trip was. Thank you Wally, Steve, Charlie, and Drummond – you are princes among men, and I cannot wait to share your company once again. To the other Dramface colleagues, readers, and listeners I look forward to being in your company sometime soon. It is about the people. Always is, and always will be.
I wrap up with a wish for all this amazing and world-wide Dramface family: I wish you all have ample opportunities in 2026 to sit, sip, chat, laugh, and resonate with those who make your heart and soul fulfilled! Cheers.
OS
Charlie Campbell 🏴
Torabhaig, Signature Series Single Cask, PX Hogshead, Cask No: 92, Bottles: 326, In-grain phenols: 78.4ppm, Malt: Concerto, Yeast: Anchor / Fermentis, AYS: 14/01/2019, Bottled: 15/09/2025 60.8% ABV
£95 paid, possibly some remaining
It’s been a brilliant year for whisky from my point of view - another year where my tastes have stretched, shifted, and deepened in ways I didn’t quite expect.
My first Dramface article appeared back in February, and I certainly didn’t imagine I’d end up contributing as much as I have since. I’m genuinely proud to be part of such a passionate, varied and welcoming community of whisky folk.
There have been so many standout drams this year that choosing a single favourite feels almost impossible. The second half of the year in particular brought a run of superb releases: new bottlings from Fragrant Drops, the Decadent Drams Teaninich, and the Springbank 14 Bourbon Wood stand out.
But if I’m naming a distillery of the year, it would be Torabhaig. I went from a standing start to nine bottles in the space of a year. Anyone who knows me wouldn’t normally reach for the phrase “fanboy” when describing my interests - but for Torabhaig, I might just make an exception.
Until very recently, my final choice wouldn’t have been my whisky of 2025 - and if I’d opened it in the summer, perhaps it wouldn’t have been. There’s every chance the Thompson Brothers single cask could have taken the crown. It’s a completely different beast: a stunning bourbon cask release with its own distinct magic.
The dram I eventually chose delivered an exceptional flavour experience. My favourites often sit at the extremes - various Octomores are among my all-time loves - and this one felt extreme in a different, intriguing direction and choosing a sherry cask whisky as my whisky of the year surprised even me.
This was an impulse purchase in a bricks and mortar shop for me, and the reason I hesitated was very much because it looked so sherried, maybe not as dark in colour as a cola or a Guinness, but definitely a thick beef gravy.
Score: 8/10
Something special.
TL;DR
So good, I’m surprised at my sherry cask pick
Nose
Meaty Bovril is the first thing that hits you. There is some sweetness, like burnt brown sugar along with burnt raisin and dried fruits. There is a light but definite peaty smoke present, but it isn’t too obvious on the nose.
Palate
The PX cask influence crashes in immediately - more intense than anything I’ve tasted from Torabhaig before; in fact more intense than I have had from anywhere else.
The first impression mirrors the nose: deeply savoury, almost meaty gravy, with a Bovril-like richness that anchors everything that follows. Then a sweetness sweeps in: thick molasses, rum-soaked raisins, and prune jam spreading in a dense, syrupy wave.
Bitter chocolate and burnt orange peel add a darker, more brooding edge, while charred oak brings structure and a welcome dryness. Tobacco leaf drifts in around the mid-palate, with some cherry liqueur and sticky toffee sauce, giving the whole experience a decadent, almost dessert-like quality.
The mouthfeel is incredibly thick and weighty. The peat - that familiar Torabhaig core - is there, steady and reassuring, but it sits beneath the PX storm, almost forgotten at first before rising gently on the long, lingering finish.
The Dregs
When you read the tasting notes for this one you’d swear there’s no way this whisky should work - nothing about it suggests you’d even want to pour a dram. But it does work, it is gloriously sumptuous and extravagant. Everything you want from a peated, sherried, dram.
Only 326 bottles were released of this, my first is now firmly gone, my second has arrived.
I can’t wait to see what other delights emerge for Torabhaig during 2026.
CC
Earie Argyle 🇧🇪
Kilkerran 8yo Cask Strength, 2025 release, bourbon cask matured, 55.6% ABV
£58 paid, now mostly sold out
Rewind to late 2024 and bossman Wally sends out the request to the team to do a write-up on what was our Whisky of The Year for 2024. It did put me on the spot a bit as 2024 did put my love for whisky to the test.
A bit of a whisky glut had left me feeling ‘whiskied out’, as I simply didn’t seem to find the joy and satisfaction I used to get from just kicking back on a Saturday evening with a glass within arm’s reach, gently sipping and savouring. Eventually I got out of it and there was one specific whisky that – almost literally – flipped the lights back on. It was Kilkerran’s 8 yo sherry cask matured – a whisky so wonderful I went to 3 bottles of the stuff, with a fourth stashed away for later.
So when I did a Kilkerran tasting at a festival in November of 2024, to my delight we were given a sneak preview of their then upcoming 2025 release of the 8yo cask strength – a fully bourbon cask matured version. What struck me immediately is how it had that same fruity-jammy-marmalade – like vibe on the nose I adored so much in the 2024 sherry cask matured edition. I took a mental note there and then to pick it up as soon as it became available.
Fast forward to late 2025 and here I am again, with the same daunting task of picking one whisky that stood out from all the others I tasted in 2025. It’s borderline bullying and downright torment, I tell you. There were so many wonderful whiskies that passed my lips this past year, it really is a case of killing your darlings.
So I decided to throw some criteria in the equation and decision making. It would surely have to be a whisky that a) I think is brilliant, b) is fairly available and c) is fairly priced.
Eventually I went for the one I bought twice, for all the As, Bs, and Cs.
This bottle was initially reviewed by Wally back in February and it did take willpower to not revisit his thoughts on this one and compare notes. You see I really wanted to go in on this one as unbiased as possible. I did see he ended up scoring it an 8/10 – so at least this suggests I’m not completely talking out of my own backside here.
Score: 8/10
Something special.
TL;DR
Possibly the quintessential Kilkerran
Nose
Fruity, dense, marmalade impressions from the get go. But there’s more – a lot more. It has this wonderful sweet and sour vibe, from lemons and lemon pie. A very subtle grassy hay-like farm note gives it that signature Campbeltown funk, but you almost need to dig for it.
Towards the back there’s this bready-yeasty touch. With a dash of water in the glass those fruity jam-like notes get dialled up even further. I’m not complaining, let’s put it like that.
Palate
Gently sour – bitter arrival. The fruit is still there, but it’s not at the heart and centre of things. Mostly it’s those grassy hay-like notes with a dose of wood and oak in the mix. As the nose promised, it has a dense, viscous, almost chewy texture.
A subtle smoky, peaty note is hidden underneath all the other things, and really lifts things even further. With the added water the fruit returns as well – lemons, (sour) apples, with a hint of pear drops and a very shy honey-like sweetness. The oak gets pushed to the back a bit now, but it returns in the finish, and it is accompanied by a lingering echo of sweet and sour fruit notes.
The Dregs
Such a busy, busy malt. It doesn’t fight or demand your attention if you choose to sip it casually, but if you give it your undivided attention, it rewards you in so many ways.
Not as subtle or shy as some of the 12 and 16 yo expressions, but definitely not as bold as some of the other 8 year olds or Peat-in-progress releases either.
I feel this one allows just about every little thing there is to discover and enjoy about Kilkerran and lets it shine in all its glory: a bit of fruit, a bit of wood, a bit of farm-like funk, a bit of peat, a bit of grain, and the end result is definitely much bigger than the mere sum of all its parts. Hence why I argue this may well be the quintessential Kilkerran.
Gorgeous stuff!
EA
Murdo McAtear 🇭🇰
Glenturret 30yo, 1989, Signatory Cask Strength, Hogshead, 21.04.1989 - 17.09.2019, Cask 230, 47.1% ABV
£285 paid
Independent bottlers has been the theme of the year for me in terms of exploration.
In terms of debuts on my shelf, I’ve bought the Ninety-Nine-and-One from Living Souls, a 27 year old Old Rhosdhu from Cooper’s Choice, an 24 year old Auchroisk from Hunter Laing’s Old Malt Cask line, I also bought a 15 year old Linkwood from a Hong Kong based bottler Club Qing.
I’ve also bought whiskies from trusted bottlers, an 9 year old Dailuaine from Thompson Bros, a 10 year old Fettercairn from SMWS, an 18 year old Strathisla from Gordon and McPhail, a 10 year old Lochindaal from North Star Spirits. I’ll stop there and pretend there are no others.
I can’t name them all, but most of my highlights have come from indies. Among them, there were a few in contention for my WOTY; however, as fate would have it, the best came along very late in December and was so good that it swept everything else away.
I had this whisky sitting on my shelf for a while, waiting to be opened at some special occasion. One evening though, after a stressful week, I decided that I wanted to drink something a bit more indulgent.
And wow… just… WOW!
A review will follow, so I’m going to keep things short, but to call it WOTY would be selling it short, GOAT would probably be a better descriptor.
My WOTY is a bottle of Glenturret, distilled in 1989 and bottled in 2019 by Signatory Vintage.
I’m looking forward to bringing you the full review in 2026 - in the meantime thank you for everything in 2025!
MMc
Broddy Balfour 🇨🇦
Bunnahabhain 14 yo, Gordon & Macphail 2009, Connoisseurs Choice, Refill Sherry Hogshead 18600105, bottled for The Whisky Explorer Society, 55.9% ABV
CAD$200 (£105)
Whisky of the year time eh? I’ll admit, I struggled mightily with selecting a singular entry this year. No shining beacon on the shelves screamed pick me, I’m the one!
I’ve had a great whisky year and experienced some great liquid in my glass. Arran 25yo? Gorgeous, still eyeing up snagging one. Millstone 25yo? Bought a bottle following a tasting with Patrick himself. Springbank 30yo? Oh hell yeah, so subtle and quiet that it’s like this bottle is constantly flipping the bird to the flippers and ilk who are stashing this away only to be (hopefully) disappointed when they finally open it. Living Souls 40yo blended Scotches? Bought 4 of ‘em. The list keeps going on so as you can see, I’ve been quite fortunate. Many of these whiskies are high scoring too… So what's up with this one?
Sure I’ve had great liquid, and some of it in great company too, but it’s not the same in a larger tasting format or alone in my office. What makes good whisky great is the company you share it with. In this particular whiskys case, it was an innocuous Friday night and a lone friend ambles over after both our kids were in bed. A quick whirlwind of a house tidying ensued, including a few “are you serious” glances and comments from my wife who just wanted to read her book and ease into the weekend rather than helping me stash the kid’s post-school disaster away.
Said friend entered and we immediately bring out bottles of whisky, and the now-mandatory bottles of water. We are getting older and we need to keep hydrated lest our kids wake us up at 2 am and our hangover starts then. We work our way through a few bottles, including the new black label Bowmore 15 yo, Cadenhead’s 7 Stars, Loch Lomond Steam & Fire, a North Star The Magician Tarot 12yo blended scotch, and a few others. This particular friend generally chases the high-proof, punch in the face stuff and had bought several of these to compare against. A palate reset if you would. We were all generally quite happy with how well these “lower end” whiskies performed, easily tipping back glasses and splashing another one in for fun.
Conversation ensued and we decided that I should dig into my old electronics box that had made the move with me to our new house only a few months prior. In said box was my original Nintendo 64 (N64) system I had as a child, including several games from that time. I hadn’t hooked it up or played it in over 20 years. My wife and I had always talked about hooking it up and sharing some of those experiences with our kids (now 7 & 4 yo) in small bursts, slowly working them into modern technological society.
Packing tape burst. Dust blown off. Cables unwound. Head scratches inserted. Ponders ponded. Power cables located. Adapters adapted. Cartridges wheezed into. Controllers connected. Power: ON
The original Mario Kart 64 burst onto the screen, in all 360P up-res’d to 1080P blockiness. Nostalgia located. Chairs wiggled closer. Whisky poured. Players selected. Let’s race!
Our first whisky (I think) was the lovely SMWS Loch Lomond Inchmurrin 8 yo, moving us from the “lower end” 46%-ers into the higher proof spectrum for the remainder of the night. Toad’s Turnpike done and dusted. Mario Raceway conquered. Wario Stadium hurdled. Yoshi Valley struggled through (forgot the shortcuts). Banshee Boardwalk bullied. Rainbow Road ripped. Mid-way through our race adventures, this Bunnahabhain from G&M and The Whisky Explorer Society was cracked. We both had put our controllers down between races and enjoyed the moment, basking in the glow afforded to us from the previous drams, the relaxing night, and this stunning Staoisha. Despite cracking other whiskies later, we both kept coming back to this whisky.
Score: 8/10
Something special.
TL;DR
In Mario Kart, this would be Bowser’s brew
Nose
Dry smoked fish. Salty lox. Toscano-style salami. Billows of woody smoke. Dried nuts. Raisin cinnamon chutney. Virtually no alcohol bite at all. Delicious.
Palate
Such a perfectly balanced entry. Not too hot, not too weak, just right. It’s a dry entry, full of that delicious dry smoke and slight umami/smoked fish/calabrese aspect that pops up in proper Staoisha whisky. Some dark brown sugar aspects help sweeten the deal, with a few raisins tossed in for good measure in a cinnamon-laced chutney again. The finish is mega long and is a great decline of the woody smoke and the sugary chutney.
The Dregs
So there you have it. I’ve drank several whiskies that have scored higher than this lovely Bunna this year, but none have come close to this innocuous night. While Yoshi is my Mario Kart weapon of choice, this dram would belong to Bowser. More to it than meets the eye, a rough and dry blast of smoke, and enough power to send you spinning off and necessitating a tow back onto the racing line.
And please, when you can, share your whisky and time with friends. Both are all the better for it, and you will be too.
BB
Fergus Mackay 🏴
Glenburgie 13yo, Cadenhead’s Authentic Collection, 2011 - 2025, ex-bourbon barrel, 174 bottles, 58% ABV
£62 paid, now sold out
I bought this Glenburgie from the Cadenhead’s shop in London in the summer. Having never had a Glenburgie before – and having been told it has a typically fruit forward profile – I was excited to get stuck into it, and took it on holiday with me.
It didn’t disappoint.
Score: 8/10
Something special.
TL;DR
Cask-driven, but still a rich, moreish, fruit-bomb
Not only is this one bursting with exotic fruit, but it also has by far and away the best mouthfeel of any whisky I tried in 2025. The best way to describe the mouthfeel is like mango juice – it’s thick and oleaginous and it coats the tongue. Not the sort of mouthfeel I expect from something that’s been matured in ex-bourbon.
I won’t go into tasting notes, but if you’re interested in reading more, then I reviewed it back in September. This is definitely a cask driven expression, but it’s delicious nonetheless.
Unfortunately, this one sold out very quickly, and when I went to buy a back-up, it was already gone. If you stumble on it on the secondary market, though, then it’s well worth picking up, especially if you can get it at the RRP of around £60.
Truly a special whisky, which stood out in a year of many other, very good whiskies.
FMc
Drummond Dunmore 🇺🇸🏴
Bunnahabhain 18yo, Official 18yo, Distillery bottling, aged in sherry casks, 46.3% ABV
£110 paid, generally available between £120-145
As a few of my esteemed fellow DF writers have also mentioned, when Captain Wally asked us about contributing our Whisky of the Year, my knee-jerk reaction was “uh…how??? I’ve had so much great whisky this year!”
The prospect of trying to systematically narrow down my favourite whisky seemed daunting… until I read the second sentence of Wally’s message on our DF WhatsApp chat: that we shouldn’t stress, and to just have fun and enjoy it. Wally’s good like that.
I’ve waxed lyrical about many great whiskies this year around DF HQ: the Ardnamurchan Heritage Barley, a fantastic Kilkerran Quartet, and a stunning Longrow Palo Cortado “cage” bottle. All fabulous. And, all very worthy of a WOTY title.
But, I also recognise that I’m quite privileged living here in bonny Scotland where I have access to lots of things that many of you probably have much less easy access to. It’s all well and good for me to name the Longrow Palo Cortado “cage” bottle as a WOTY, but as it’s all but impossible to get outside of a trip to distant Campbeltown. Personally, I don’t know how fun that is.
Instead, I’ve chosen a readily available bottle that, while pricey, is in my opinion worth the price of admission. It’s from a distillery that I love but increasingly have a love-hate relationship with. Maybe that’s too strong: more like a love-very annoying relationship. A distillery that releases a classic core release 12 year old, and is thankfully plentiful from indie bottlers, where I increasingly go for my fix from them.
My annoyance comes from the price for basically anything official outside the core range: Fèis Ìle and special bottlings are now stratospheric. The recent editions of the 21 year old cask strength exemplify this. But hey-ho, WOTY is a fun thing, and I’m going to steer this back to the very happy fact that we have loads of Bunnahabhain through indies of all sorts of casks, ABVs, and ages, all of which keeps my Bunna fix very satiated. The spirit is a fantastic chameleon in many ways, and it simply keeps me coming back for more.
So, since it’s readily available, and hopefully you – wherever you are – can pick this up, my WOTY is the lovely Bunnahabhain 18 year old. You can read my extended take on it here from back in November, but suffice to say I love it, and I hope you enjoy it too.
Score: 8/10
Something special.
TL;DR
Walking the tightrope between scores, but ultimately edges higher
Finally, I want to thank Captain Wally and all of my fellow Dramfacers: I love being a small part of This Thing, I love the friends I’ve made through it, I love meeting people at festivals, I love all the chat, and everything surrounding this, the world’s greatest spirit.
I love how engaged you, our readers, are. So, a sincerely happy holidays to you, wherever you are, and I wish everyone good health and love for 2026. Slainte!
Mason Mack 🇳🇱
Hazelburn 10yo, Official Release, 2025 edition, 46% ABV
£59 paid, patchy availability
This year was by far my most exciting whisky year to date. In January I started writing for Dramface and felt like the coolest of cats.
Whisky exploration continued vigorously with few duds purchased and the highlight of the whisky year came in the shape of the Glasgow Whisky Festival weekend, which was an absolute joy in every way. The whisky, the people, the food. All of it was magic.
When reflecting on my buying and drinking habits this past year, it seems I could best title it ‘Into The Bourbon Cask Wormhole.’
Where my previous years had been all about unfocused wide-eyed scattergun exploration, this year felt more dialled in. I’d say about 75% of the releases I pondered over and pulled the trigger on have been ex-bourbon barrel matured Scotch Whiskies, predominantly from indies. I vigorously explored every nook and cranny of this style, seemingly never tiring of it. First fill, refill, vatting, young, older, standard barrels, quarter casks, hogsheads, 46%, cask strength, Golden Promise barley! Even now, as the season for warmer, moodier drams is in full swing, I still tend to gravitate towards my ex-bourbon belters on most nights.
It seems almost inevitable then that my whisky of the year is an ex-bourbon cask matured one. And few have brought me more joy this year than Springbank’s Hazelburn 10yo. It has a funny backstory as well.
Back in the middle of summer in 2024 I walked into a retailer to pick up that year’s Glen Scotia Campbeltown Festival release and as I walked out of the shop I told myself that it would probably be best for the wallet to hold off on buying anything new for a month or two, or three. A quick check of the bank account via the app confirmed that thought wholeheartedly. A bottle ban was instated before I had even left the shop. Then I spotted the Hazelburn 10 tucked away on a corner shelf. “No! Keep walking!” I immediately said to myself.
Once home, the Hazelburn kept floating through my mind. “I’ve never seen one before. They're as rare as hens' teeth here. If I ever saw one online it was going for over €100. This one was much closer to RRP. And it’s only a five-minute bike ride away.”
And so it happened that my record for the shortest bottle ban ever managed was set at about two hours. Probably never to be broken, at least not by me. I’m a weak man, dear reader.
I then held off till March this year to open it and when I did it was love at first sight.
Score: 8/10
Something special.
TL;DR
A very enjoyable, smooth and creamy dram
Nose
Unpeated, more gentle Springbank funkiness. Fresh natural butter. Soft, gentle vanilla. There’s a green, flowery note that I can’t put my finger on yet. Lemons. Soft citrus. Sour winegums. Pear. All of this served on a base of oiliness and the smell of coins and freshly used slot car underbody magnets. It somehow smells weighty.
The oiliness and workshop/mechanical griminess is definitely more gentle than on a regular Springbank 10yo though. It’s a different animal. In this the workshop has been cleaned recently. All these notes work beautifully well together and water amplifies the fruit to a mix of lemons, clementines, grapefruit, pears and pineapple.
Palate
The gentle funk continues. Lemons. Dirty metal tools. Elegant, even though it’s sometimes a bit sharp. Elementary school glue. Metalworks. Buttery. Pineapple. The finish presents some green tea and soft florality. With water added it reveals itself, as time goes on, to be a more streamlined, more focused version of Springbank. Stripped of some of its workshop-iness, and with added butteriness and floral green notes and softer fruits.
It manages to be more singular without being less complex. More elegant and light-hearted without losing any of the weight and texture.
I’ll pour it, leave it for half an hour and then add about 5ml of water. It then takes ten/fifteen minutes or so to suddenly reach a super fruity, weighty, elegant sweet spot. All of the notes mentioned are amplified up to eleven. And when they do the Glencairn is empty before I know it.
The Dregs
I have had tastier whiskies this year. Older ones. Younger ones. More extreme ones. Arguably more interesting ones. Yet in a way this dram is where all of my preferences come together in a beautiful dance.
I am now mildly hesitant to have another dram of it, since I don’t know when and if I’ll be able to replace it anytime soon and I cannot imagine the price I would have to pay for it at most retailers.
So savour it I shall! It’s tucked away in a cool and dark place and I’ll do my best to eke it out.
I hope 2026 will bring you peace of mind, meaningful connections, a positive outlook, and good drams only.
MM
Gilbert Gunn 🏴
Bruichladdich Classic Laddie, official bottling, NAS, 50% ABV
£31 paid and still readily available, often on discount
There are dangers putting your thoughts online. Once the s**t is slung, it sticks.
As every online safety course states, nothing can ever be fully deleted. While it can have fallbacks, it does provide a chance for some real in-depth and often well needed reflection.
In my early days of publicising my whisky thoughts, which no one asked for, I questioned the hype around this bottle as my experiences ranged from “mild to meh” and I struck this one off the list and shamefully classed it as an overhyped enthusiast bottle.
As my love for Bruichladdich’s Port Charlotte releases continued to grow, I assumed that would be my only connection to this brand. Then over the last couple of years I found a sample of their Organic release, which intrigued me. Their cheese bomb Bere Barley engrossed me. A fantastic Fèis Ìle release, and finally sipping an Octomore, which touched my soul so deeply, it made Jon Hamm dance.
So in the sweaty summer of 2025 I discovered a bottle of Bruichladdich Classic Laddie at a pretty bargainous price and decided to give it another go. Time to be on trend and redact some previous statements.
Score: 8/10
Something special.
TL;DR
Already great and - with an upgrade to 10yo already out there - getting greater
Nose
Fresh and vibrant apples and green grapes dropped into a dry glass of Prosecco. A malty note like a freshly baked white loaf which has been smeared with Brillat-Savarin Affine, a soft triple-cream cheese which only ever appears in our house around this festive time. Carrot cake, with bags of sweet icing, broken into a bowl of Shreddies cereal with gold top milk.
Palate
One of the most unique textures I can recall; a creamy oily mouthfeel which somehow feels crystal clean. Chewy purified water in the best way. A rich orchard fruit melody which has a wonderful citrus sharpness, providing extra depth to each sip without overdoing it. Of course, I need to mention the wonderful funky, borderline milky note.
I am sure it is the gluttony of the season to blame, but I feel like this is the closest whisky realisation of a prawn cocktail. The once-a-year festive starter has so much in common, so bear with me on this. The little juicy, ever so slightly briny prawns, the creamy yet flavoursome Marie Rose sauce, fresh crispy clean lettuce, the malty brown bread, and of course the little bit of lemon providing that final dash of sharp citrus.
The Dregs
This is a whisky which I am so happy to have been proven wrong by. The people were right all along and I hold my hands up high on that with no guilt or shame. This whisky was a glass staple in the summer, providing a clean and refreshing sip, and only became more complex and engaging as the cold air arrived.
So let 2026 be the year of second chances, giving the benefit of the doubt and maybe listening a bit more. Talking of which, the chatter on Whisky Street is that the new 10 year age-stated version of this only builds on this solid staple I’ve come to connect with this year.
2025 has been the wildest whisky journey for me in many ways, which sadly dented my Dramface time. However, I aim to pull my finger out and try to contribute more to this wonderful platform as one of my many resolutions. This beautiful herd of writers amaze me daily, not just with their crafting of words or jaw dropping photography, but with their kindness, compassion and enthusiasm.
Cheers to you all for a spectacular 2026.
GG
Tyree Kai 🇦🇺
Springbank 8yo, Local Barley, 2025 Release, official bottling, 58.1% ABV
It's been a minute; apologies. My 2025 has been fairly suboptimal, and whisky has taken a back seat for Tyree the writer this year in the pursuit of... whisky.
I'm back at uni finishing off a STEM undergrad with a view to do some postgrad studies in boozology (technical term). Anyway, I realised I've not written a review in 2025, so a wee contribution to this effort seemed like a worthwhile way to keep my hand in.
I wanted my WOTY to be something released in 2025, or at the very least to be a core bottling with a direct 2025 release equivalent. I also wanted it to be a bottle I own, rather than one of the (many) excellent bottles I've worked through at local watering holes. With those criteria, there were really only a handful of contenders (mostly from Campbeltown), and in the end, one bottle rose to the top; the 2025 Springbank Local Barley 8yo. Our good Ainsley has already reviewed this most eloquently, but I'll tack on my two cents all the same.
Score: 7/10
Very good indeed.
TL;DR
Very fine whisky, arguably an 8
Nose
Duurty. Not the horrid, sulfur saturated sherry cask mess that is often found in the SB 15yo, but there's a bit in the mix, and the sulfur elements dance between cask and distillate origin. Winemakers would say "flinty", and there is a bit of a quality like Chardonnay made with battonage on gross lees, but it's more visceral than that.
New York style pastrami, sliced alliums and Portuguese tart (baking spice elements courtesy of the casks) plus a little burnt hair. With air and time, the distillate components prevail with the usual tropical fruit melange; passionfruit, mango, grapefruit and friends. There's even a little lychee with some floral rose lift.
The malt and oak elements just manage to wrangle this feisty youngster into something presentable; softly spoken highland peat a la used cigar jacket and smouldering hearth fire. Maillard tones in the realm of shilling ale, some nice pyrazines in the vicinity of lightly roasted cacao and coffee beans, and the usual complement of vanillins, lactones and assorted Quercus niceties.
Palate
Phwoar. A very nice mouthfeel; good viscosity. More of the same from the nose a la funky/proteinaceous VSCs, but the fruits especially belt in unapologetically; more a tropical maelstrom now, but with the added juiciness of ripe white fleshed orchard offerings (nectarine, peach etc). The malt muscles in too with more grist, wort and amber-hued-ale spectra, while the peat and casks nod along like the sedate drummer and double bass player keeping time in a jazz band, watching the saxophonist rip chromatic riffs gnarly enough to tear spacetime. Whew.
There's a little pepper (between black and Szechuan) accompanying the pyrazines in retronasal; cool.
The Dregs
The nose had me worried about the sherry cask elements, but the palate kept more of the bourbon cask sensibilities and gave some much needed integration.
Importantly, the sherry didn't have any of that "modern" profile which seems to have corrupted the last couple of years worth of the 12CS.
I remember finding my last Local Barley (the 11yo) a bit tough and rowdy on the sulfur front as well, so I poured it side by side with this bottling a few times in the course of writing notes. Let me tell you; this one makes the 11yo look fairly prim and well behaved. But the palate is very good, and about on par with the 11yo. Overall, it's a very fine whisky, and quite near an 8, but I am going to knock it down a wee discretised scooch from its 10yo & 11yo predecessors for the nose and general VSC toughness.
TK
Nick Fleming 🏴🇺🇸
Glen Garioch, 21yo, 1980s/1990s vintage official distillery bottling, 43% ABV
£160 (plus fees and shipping) via auction
Inevitably, there were a number of contenders for my Whisky of the Year. Any of which would have been worthy choices.
In the end, my selection is only partly driven by the merits of the whisky itself. The decision was in fact swayed by circumstances altogether more laden with meaning than might otherwise have been the case.
In short, I realized when looking back on one of the reviews I produced this year, that this whisky encapsulates many of the qualities that I shall remember and cherish when I think of my Mother - who passed away some 36 hours ago during the early hours of December 27th. I had flown from New York to see her, but we lost her before I was able to get to her bedside and say my last farewell.
We knew she was going to pass and ultimately, she did so in the place of her choosing and before her condition had deteriorated to the point of causing her pain or requiring serious medication. At almost 93 years of age, she was at peace with the fact she was dying, though inevitably sad at what she would miss in her children’s and grandchildren’s future lives.
She went to bed anticipating my arrival and left us peacefully during her sleep – the best possible end to a life well lived.
And though I will always wish I had reached her in time for one last conversation, one last opportunity to tell her how much she was loved and how much I truly appreciated what she had given of herself to me and my brothers, I cannot begrudge the manner or even the timing of her passing. She was looking forward to seeing me, and if those thoughts were with her as she drifted off to sleep for one last time, then I am happy in my grief.
And this – however circuitously – brings us to my Whisky of the Year. It’s a whisky that I reviewed this year and which shows the character of both its age and the time in which it was crafted.
It’s a beautifully crafted whisky that is neither strident nor assertive. It is far from the realm of the cask strength bruisers I so often enjoy and it shows perfectly how strength and character need not go hand in hand. There is much depth, nuance and substance to be found in softer, gentler whiskies, when they are crafted with care.
And apart from the references to smoke and peat, I realize on re-reading my original review that almost all of the tasting notes reflect many of the memories I have of my Mother from my earliest childhood through my most recent visit in October of 2025.
So what follows are the original tasting notes and much of what I concluded with in The Dregs. They describe what the whisky meant to me in 2025 and by chance, they capture elements of what I’m feeling about and remembering of my Mother and who she was.
Score: 7/10
Very good indeed.
TL;DR
Like poetry for the palate, and the soul
Nose
Gentle. Floral and fruity. Lemon Sherbert. Clementine, apple blossom, pine wood shavings. Lemon meringue pie. Parma violets. Old planks of wood, heated by the sun. A waft of hay. Malt and a lick of honey.
Palate
Juicy fruit with white pepper. Pineapple upside down cake, charred peaches, Maltesers and dried oak. Nutmeg, cinnamon and a general impression of baking spices. Spearmint and a hint of antiseptic drifting in on the breeze. Balsa wood, black licorice and a gentle note of peaty smoke (varying amounts of peat were used in the production of Glen Garioch in the 1970s and 80s).
Reasonably long oaky finish that dries as it lingers. Notes of lightly charred or smoked fruit to the end. Dying embers and a setting sun.
The Dregs
If you’ve ever basked in the immense but quiet pleasure of the last hour of sunlight on a beautiful landscape on a still evening, then my guess is you’d appreciate this whisky.
I find it to be quietly characterful. It’s in no way strident or aggressive. But it’s also not a wallflower. It warrants the attention I give it. When I spend time with it I find myself in a state of quiet contemplation (something much needed in these rather intemperate times).
Every time I’ve returned to this bottle, I’ve found myself enjoying a definite sense of calm. I relax and savor the poetry playing out on my palate and – for a few moments at least – feel at one with the world.
It drinks like a pleasantly meandering conversation with a good friend who knows you as well as you know yourself. A conversation where no one is trying to prove a point or be clever or funny. No competition. Just passing the time. It’s a companionable whisky.
When I get back to NYC I’ll be finishing the last of the bottle. There’s maybe two drams that I can squeeze out of it and I shall do so in quiet contemplation of my Mum, who she was, what she means to me, what I’ve lost, and – most importantly – what she gave me.
Slàinte. And thanks Mum.
NF
Ramsay Tavish 🏴
Caol Ila 10yo, 2014, Adelphi, bottled for Arthur Motley’s 20 years at RMW, ex-bourbon single cask, 326023, 57.7% ABV
£80 paid, now sold out.
When it comes to the time to reflect on my whisky of the year, I go through the photos on my phone to jog my memory. As with most people in this digital age with a camera in our pockets, I take far too many.
Every time I look back, I am surprised just how many quality whiskies I have tried during the past twelve months, but I will keep it concise and highlight a handful which are worthy of a special mention. Glasgow’s 10yo ten-year anniversary release back in the spring time was very good and showed those able to try this single cask offering how fantastic this young distillery’s spirit is. I reviewed it earlier this year if you want to read my full thoughts. A very good alternative to this is the Aqvavitae eight year old release, which is still available at time of writing.
Another bottle I reviewed and loved was the Springbank 12 Cask Strength release from the summer outturn. It was superbly balanced between the sweet tropical fruit and the savoury, smoky notes and made me wish this was something I could pick up any time I wished. The problem is, I might buy little else!
A late contender is the new 10 year old Arran Barley. They say on their website it’s matured in first-fill bourbon and refill sherry casks in similar proportions to their flagship 10 year old, but bottled at 50%. I feel a side by side might be in order soon, as from memory I feel it is quite different. It’s a little earthy, malty, creamy, very fruity and comes across much more on the side of ex-bourbon than the standard 10 year old, which feels a bit more rounded and deliberately put together. Any sherry influence in the local barley version is super subtle. If it isn’t available in your part of the world yet keep an eye out as it’s an 18,000 bottle release and should reach most parts.
You might have to forgive me that my two absolute favourite whiskies of 2025 were actually released in late 2024, but I didn’t buy them until this year so in my mind that counts. Runner-up was an 11 year old Glen Elgin from Watt Whisky, which was reviewed on Dramface by Innes back in March. A simple ex-bourbon hoggy bursting with sweet and acidic orchard fruits, with an oily mouthfeel and a touch of tropical fruit and wax. Innes scored it a seven, but having spent time with the bottle it is a very strong eight in my book.
However, my favourite of this year was another single cask refill ex-bourbon whisky from one of my favourite distilleries, Caol Ila. To celebrate his twenty years working at Royal Mile Whiskies, Arthur Motley selected this cask and it was released by Adelphi in his honour. It had everything that makes the Caol Ila spirit so special with the subtle influence of the cask allowing it to shine through. Ainsley and I reviewed this back in July and both appreciated its quality.
This Caol Ila and the Glen Elgin both showcase why a simple refill bourbon cask is the best vessel for a whisky…in my opinion.
Score: 8/10
Something special.
TL;DR
A beautifully raw example of an industrial, smoky and medicinal Caol Ila
Nose
Well used engine oil, warm tarmac and coal dust, with zesty lemon, salty sea breeze, barbecued mackerel on a pebble beach, first aid kits, hay bales and the seaweed from the Chinese takeaway - which I believe isn’t actually seaweed but another form of fried greens - either way, it’s delicious.
Palate
Quite sweet on the palate with fizzy lemonade, warming ginger in syrup and peppery spice. Then things take a darker turn flavour wise, with powerful ashen smoke, charcoal, soot, tobacco and chocolate limes, with herbal notes of dried sage and oregano, followed by creamy vanilla and medicinal iodine notes. Vanilla, iodine, liquorice, lemon, dark chocolate and ashen smoke continue into the long finish where the charcoal smoke asserts itself towards the end.
The Dregs
Beauty! Those notes all combine to give the essence of the Caol Ila spirit in its raw form, gently refined by the refill cask.
I hope all our readers have a fabulous new year and both happiness and good health for 2026. I sadly didn’t get to any whisky gatherings in 2025 and my resolution is to make sure that is not the case in 2026. Virtual whisky sharing is great, but it’s not a patch on the real thing.
Glasgow in November is already booked. Maybe I’ll see you there?
RT
Eallair MacColl 🇺🇸
Leopold Bros. Cask Strength, 9 Year, Three Chamber Rye (Batch #2), 54.5% ABV
US$180 paid, mostly sold out, still some in CO
When I look back at my “Year in Whisk(e)y 2025 Edition,” it’s easy to spot a new personal trend: a complete embrace of American Whiskey.
The conversion has been so abrupt and complete that I can’t remember the last true “Scotch Whisky” I purchased or when. The balance of my inventory has tipped itself over towards American “craft” distilleries – with a variety of American Single Malts making up most of that balance. And for someone who was firmly in the “Scotch” camp as recently as 2024, I am finding this unforeseen waypoint along my whiskey journey to be an unexpected, but welcome delight.
Part of what originally endeared me to Scotch Whisky were the stories and storytelling that form its culture. The history, legacies, and craftspeople who took it from the illicit era all the way through the Victorian era and into today. It’s a beautiful cultural tapestry that spans centuries, and when you combine those stories with a tasty dram you get an unbeatable “One-Two” punch of flavour plus touchstone highlights that illuminate the journey ahead – encouraging further exploration.
By comparison, American Single Malt’s obscurity and slow progression towards ratification originally had me thinking that it was an “underdeveloped” product – too young to consider and too immature to take seriously. How could a product that’s only ~30 years old carry the same kind of storytelling legacy that Scotch Whisky has?
And then I tried a few.
I remember the first time I tried an ASMW. It was the Veterans Cask by Golden Moon based out of Golden, Colorado. It was from a wee sample experienced when I attended my first whiskey festival – sometime in 2023 I believe. I remember it standing out from all the other Single Malts present that night. One thing led to another and… well, here we are – like I mentioned above, now ASMW comprises most of my modern-day whiskey collection. But perhaps more importantly to me - I find myself today committed to the search… not of bottles, but of stories.
If you’re familiar with my writing here at Dramface, then maybe you’ll recall my multi-part series (Part 5 is still in the works!) where I contend with the “History of American Single Malt” from the 1600s on forward. Truthfully, it’s more of a history of Whiskey in North America series more than anything, but I like keeping the point of view from the lens of American Single Malt.
As much as my original rediscovery of Scotch Whisky meant to me in 2022, this pivot towards American Whiskey means even more. Researching the backstory of American Whiskey history has illuminated so much of my own cultural & civic understanding of the country I was born and raised in. Whisk(e)y, it seems, is a powerful (and enjoyable) teaching aid!
So before I reveal my genuine 2025 WOTY – I want to make a couple of honourable mentions. If part of the wonder and delight of the whisk(e)y journey is being surprised by unexpected or revelatory flavour discoveries, then two of which thoroughly belong on this list for me.
Balcones Mirador Eclipse (2025): There are some whiskies out there that “stick the landing” within their category so well that they help define it. Then there are whiskies that beg – no, they demand, a new branch of the whisky flavour tree be shaped around them. This Mirador Eclipse from Balcones is the latter of those two. Sadly, it's only an honorable mention here because I’ve only tasted a single sample of it. Regardless, this whisky is eye-poppingly beautiful. It combines Golden Promise Barley with three strains of yeast for fermentation: a red wine, rose, and their house malt yeast. Balcones mentions “soft, blush red berry, and fruits-of-the-forest” in their tasting notes and frankly they are not too far off. I don’t exactly know what they mean by fruits-of-the-forest, but the soft, blush red berry thing is very real. Combine those ingredients with a restrained cask influence (something out of character for Texas whiskies) and the result is profound and sublime. One of these days I’ll pick up a bottle and dive deeper into this modern marvel.
As Above So Below – Astrologist (2024) – High Rye Bourbon: Like the first honourable mention here, this whiskey stuck out to me in a profoundly new way – demanding the addition of a new branch on the whiskey flavor tree. But also like the Mirador, sadly, I only had a small sample – not quite enough to deserve the mantel of “Whiskey of The Year” for me, but definitely worth the mention.
As Above So Below is a craft distillery from Santa Fe, New Mexico – headed up by Caley Shoemaker of Stranahan's and Hanger1 fame. Sadly, this whiskey is already out of production – and we may never see another one like it again. Like the name suggests, this is a high rye bourbon aged for 4 years in New American Oak and then finished for an additional 6 years in French oak barrels that previously held Cabernet red wine from Napa Valley’s Stagg’s Leap. I wish there was a way to bring this whiskey forward so that I could share a real tasting with the Dramface readership. I remember it was beautiful, complex, decadent and new. This bourbon had the power to stop time for just a moment – and completely rewire my understanding of the genre’s potential. If there are whiskies that are Peat Bombs and Sherry Bombs, then this whiskey was a Blackcurrant Bomb. Outstanding.
Score: 9/10
Exceptional.
TL;DR The three chamber of secrets; the American way
Like the two honourable mentions above, this whiskey stood out from the rest of the drams I had in 2025, whether they were from Scotland, Japan, Canada, or the States.
So first the stats: this is an 80% Colorado grown Abruzzi Rye mixed with 20% Leopold Bros very own floor-malted barley. The folks at Leopold Bros released two batches and this is Batch #2, which means that this is a vatting of barrel numbers 17, 28, 9, and 11. Altogether, these balance out to a 54.5%, cask strength ABV. (For any potential shoppers out there, you should know that of the two batches, only the second is 54.5%. The first batch has a different ABV so always check the bottle before you buy).
And now for the backstory: I first reviewed their 25th Anniversary Rye Whiskey Blend back in NOV of 2024 where I gave it a Dramface 8/10. That blended whiskey allowed me a peek into the universe that Todd Leopold was creating with his Three Chamber Still. This new 9-year-old Abruzzi Rye opens that universe up to reveal what the Three Chamber Still has been revived from the dead to create: whiskeys that (similar to the others above) demand the addition of whole new branches to the whisk(e)y flavour tree.
I’ll be honest – I’m not that big of a fan of Rye Whiskey. A couple of weeks back, some friends of mine and I did a 9-way Rye Whiskey Tasting at home. We brought out everything we could find including a Sagamore Double Oak, a LAWS San Luis Valley, a Michter’s Straight Rye and a Michter’s Barrel Strength Toasted Barrel Finish, a WhistlePig, and lastly, a “Big Nose Kate” 50/50 blend of rye & malted barley from Santa Fe. And then of course, both batches of Todd Leopold’s 9-year-old Three Chamber Rye.
Despite all that firepower, this second batch of Todd’s Three Chamber Rye stood heads and shoulders above the rest.
I had a chance to try both Batches #1 and #2 side-by-side when this Whiskey was released, and they are two very different animals. Batch 1 was all rye spice – turned up to 11. It was big, bold, and punchy. This Batch Number 2 is something altogether different. Instead of a Blackcurrant-Bomb like the Bourbon, consider this an Ester-Bomb.
Nose
I’m immediately confronted with a surprise collection of ester-y, fruity, & floral notes. The rye spice is there, but it plays the backstory behind all the other ester-y aromas. Things like stone fruits, light licorice notes, sweet, malted barley sugars, some nutty – maple notes, and something like a fresh pear or apple pie rises above to cap it all off. There’s so much going on and all of it is just absolutely pleasant. This is the first whiskey I’ve found that gives esters so much of the center stage.
Palate
On the palate, everything readjusts – the rye spice comes forward and takes a front seat but paired right up with the sweet barley sugars. Like a caramel or honey drizzled bread. There’s some extra dimensionality that comes from some black pepper notes and a little bit of graham cracker crust. But the picture I get most vividly in my mind is a decadent blackcurrant bread pudding.
And then there’s the finish – this thing lingers for days. It’s like liquid velvet for texture and coats everything in a semi–permanent glaze. This is a whiskey you can take hours to finish – it just keeps going and going and doesn’t wash away quickly at all. Which points back to the magic of the Three Chamber Still’s ability to squeeze out all those oily compounds from the grains and pack them into this beautiful light mahogany liquid.
The Dregs
If this is how real American whiskey was made in the mid-late 1800s and early 1900s before prohibition (not to mention the industrialization of modern, big brand whiskey) - then sign me up. Todd Leopold’s investment (obsession?) reviving the Three Chamber Still from the dustbin of history has paid off in spades and we are the benefactors of that valiant effort.
Together, these three whiskies represent what I’ve discovered as the potential of modern craft-whiskey making in the States. These are three beautiful whiskies that carve out new places on the whiskey map – like illuminating mile-markers on dimly-lit backroads beckoning us to continue the exploration – for both story and flavour.
A year ago I never would have imagined choosing a Rye, a Bourbon & an American Single Malt to all rank so highly in my whiskey experience, but here we are and I’m glad they have!
EMc
Wally Macaulay 🏴
Ardnahoe 5yo, Cask Strength, Official bottling, 2025 Release, 60.9% ABV
£65, widely available
No one can have any surprise at this anymore? Can they?!
Despite our best efforts to share whisky amongst as many folk as possible, we all inevitably slip into something akin to our own personal version of a whisky ‘bubble’. I hesitate to call it a silo or echo-chamber, but it can have those effects playing out and it can therefore be difficult to attempt to view things through the lens of others.
Take the rise of Ardnahoe. Since their 5yo Inaugural they have literally not paused to catch breath. It matters not whether it’s their fully-featured core range, Ardnahoe Society release, Fèis Ìle specials or exclusives, everything has been snaffled up by eager peat freaks and chasers of smoky whisky heaven. They have truly hit the ground running, lit the heather alight and set the chatter tempo to frantic.
But I suppose it’s only relevant if you’ve been able to get your hands on enough of it, to either agree or deny that it’s an exceptional thing to witness. I suppose, that’s why Dramface is here and sometimes you’ll just need to trust us, as we sip and write from the perspectives of our own wee bubbles.
But surely, when it comes to this new Islay distillery - as well as many of its peers across Planet Whisky - any spectres of “it’s okay for young spirit” have now been banished to the most distant of Ye Olde Fashioned Whisky Botherers’ corners. Perhaps, only in those dark and dingy enclaves, can an ancient Caol Ila or Lagavulin be drawn and sipped in quiet contemplation, because - for the majority of us - these are mere pleasures of the past. Very few modern whisky hounds have access to the bottles that started to build malt whisky’s rep back in the 1980s and 1990s.
And let’s not get too excited over the dropping auction values. Less and less do we find the desire to risk blowing our budgets on ageing and ever-diminishing time capsules that are either brilliant or bizarre, legendary or lost, cracking or corked. And it’s not only because there’s less of it and it’s becoming rarer and, for the real in-demand mythical releases, ever more expensive; it’s because looking to the future has become just as exciting.
Just think, ten years ago, as we chased White Horse Lagavulins and whatever old Broras were still in mere triple figure values, no one was getting excited over a Raasay, a Kingsbarns, an Ardnamurchan, a Glasgow, a Lochlea, a Wolfburn, a… need I go on?
These, and dozens upon dozens more, have all dropped in the last decade. If I take an honest and sober cursory glance at the sagging shelves in the whisky pit they betray my steps; these brands are not only present, they are now beginning to dominate. This is not a conscious thing. It’s just the way the path of exploration has led me, alongside many of you. And we’re loving the journey, even if some of it is within a bubble.
As we close out 2025, we can probably all agree on something, the ‘New Wave’ distilleries have now come of age. They are no longer raw and jagged glimpses of the future; they are a maturing and confident demonstration of the present. Things in whisky never stay the same, but this is as different as things have ever been.
Score: 8/10
Something special.
TL;DR
Good enough to make you realise how lucky we are heading in to 2026
Of the core range bottles available from Ardnahoe, this is peak pleasure for me. It’s exclusively from ex-bourbon casks and the fruit and maltiness of the core spirit is on display for everyone. The Bholsa release is the most heavily sherried, but even the lighter-in-style entry level Infinite Loch relies on a wee sherry sprinkle. Nothing wrong with that, but I’m drawn to this ex-bourbs affair. Perhaps it’s the cask strength ABV that helps it leap from the glass, but it’s an absolute beauty in its bourbon cask glory.
Nose
At first clean and pure, it’s insanely fruity. All the fruits. Neat, it’s orchard and citrus, but a few drops of water has you exploring the exotica: kiwi, starfruit, dragon fruit and melons; everything that you might identify as tropical. There’s a rich seam of malt and cereal to give some layers and it all sits atop a beefy and robust, smoke-filled backbone of salt, earth, coal fires and distant medicine cabinets.
Palate
Okay, this is a potent whisky and its lack of shyness should have you think twice about casual introductions to first-time sippers, but amongst anyone who knows their way around neat spirits it comes over as remarkably restrained, given its 60.9% natural strength.
As soon as you’re attuned to the arrival it presents a thick and fermenty, slightly yeasty quality before revealing all of those fruits and treasures your nose sets you in expectation of; they’re all there.
The finish is long, but I sense it’s down to the strength once more as it tapers to a drying, malty and ever-so-slightly saccharin finish, but it just makes you head back in for more.
The inaugural was already with us from 2024, but there can be no doubt Ardnahoe’s arrival has been 2025. Their pretty bottles are now a familiar sight and it matters not which of them you pick up, they’re all great.
Your choice will of course be dependent on your own local ‘bubbles’ as well as what you’ll be asked to pay, but if this is available to any of you, as we close out 2025, I simply can’t select anything better or more representative of what a wonderful time it is to be alive and loving whisky.
Before we do finally close out, a quick word from me on this epic end-of-year compendium of personal whisky takes.
I think - if you’ve read this far - it’s probably abundantly clear what makes Dramface so unique in the Whiskyverse right now; it’s a very diverse and widespread selection of passionate individuals all driven to share their experiences with whisky. Located far and wide, and all occupying very different spots on very different whisky discovery trajectories, they earnestly offer everything from their point-of-view at that moment in time.
As was mentioned above, they were asked not to worry too much about the lofty “Whisky of the Year” ball-and-chain nonsense, rather they should focus on a personal take, or a fun take, where they could write about what makes whisky brilliant for everyone - not everything whittles down to an easy, single, annual choice. Instead, I hoped we could add a little of what makes it all so compelling - the individual moments.
If what we say about whisky always being about the people is true, then I hope this collection of whisky takes for 2025 demonstrates exactly that for anyone who reads it. Because I need to tell you, I’ve just built this feature and I’m left brim-full of so much appreciation and human positivity that it leaves me feeling so very grateful to be a part of it.
It’s all about genuine personality and appreciation. If Dramface Towers was a real building in which we all sat, I’d get up from my desk right now and give each of them a massive hug of thanks for their efforts all year. Maybe, if I was the right side of a dram or two, I’d give ‘em a kiss for all the personal colour too.
From everyone at Dramface, we’d like to thank you too for reading, liking, commenting and sharing. Some of you are even beautiful enough to subscribe and support us. It’s wonderful. Because of you, we’ll be back at our desks on January 5th.
In the meantime, from every corner of Dramface Towers, we wish you all a very healthy and prosperous New Year.
Slàinte mhath!
WMc
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