whisky

Autumn has arrived with that familiar mix of darker evenings and the cold setting in this week. The past few weeks have delivered plenty worth talking about. England continues to set its own pace, from West Sussex to Kent, with new releases that feel increasingly confident in their identity. Weyborne Estate’s Oriana Golden Spur shows just how far the South Downs has come, while Silverhand is quietly proving that sustainability and ambition can sit comfortably at the top end of the market.

Scotland’s whisky landscape has rarely stood still, but the pace of innovation and reinvention is apparent at the moment. From the opening of a gleaming new distillery on the banks of Loch Lomond to the return of one of Speyside’s great family names to global travel retail, the country’s distillers continue to balance heritage with forward thinking. There are fresh releases from rising independents, mythical bottlings from cult retailers, and even a clear spirit that challenges our very idea of what whisky should look like.

Autumn has a way of coaxing us toward comfort with the warmth of a slow roast (I cooked lamb shanks over the weekend), the glow of a fire, and the kind of wines that bring a little light to darker evenings. This month’s selection travels from the Provençal slopes of the Rhône to the limestone valleys of the Loire, pausing in Rioja and Germany’s Pfalz along the way.

When Torabhaig opened its doors in 2017, it became only the second distillery on the Isle of Skye, a place already defined by one formidable neighbour. Yet Torabhaig’s approach from the outset has been confident, a commitment to “well-tempered peat,” where smoke doesn’t assault the palate, but is used in balance with sweetness, fruit and coastal freshness.

Bladnoch is no stranger to reinvention. Founded in 1817 on the banks of the River Bladnoch in Dumfries and Galloway, the distillery has seen prosperity, closures, sales and revivals across more than two centuries. Today it stands as the oldest privately owned Scotch whisky distillery, often referred to as the Queen of the Lowlands. Under the stewardship of owner David Prior and master distiller Dr Nick Savage, Bladnoch has been brought back into focus, producing single malts that carry both the weight of history and the promise of modernity.

White Peak Distillery’s Necessary Evil Returns

Turn off the A6 and into the Derwent Valley and you’re in another world. The old Johnson & Nephew wire works loom over the river, relics of a time when men clocked in for twelve-hour shifts and left coated in soot and metal dust. Today part of that site is White Peak Distillery, founded in 2016 by Max and Claire Vaughan. What could easily have been left to crumble has instead become Derbyshire’s first whisky distillery, with a still house that feels as much cathedral as factory.

It’s not often that a whisky takes you from the Highlands of Scotland to the forests of northern Japan, all while sitting in Leicester Square. Yet that was the atmosphere at 8 at The Londoner Hotel, where Glengoyne unveiled its latest limited edition: the Mizunara Oak 16 Year Old. I love these tastings, as I got to see my friends, enjoy plates of Japanese inspired finger food, and have wonderful whisky and cocktails. I have been so busy recently that I almost pulled out, but am very pleased that I didn’t.

Rosé and red are increasingly sharing the spotlight, with traditional regions producing styles that sit comfortably in a global market that prizes freshness and accessibility. Clarendelle Bordeaux Rosé is a good example. As the first official rosé in the history of Domaine Clarence Dillon, the family behind Haut-Brion. It marks a small shift in their outlook.

If you’re looking for a reason to raise a glass with purpose, Tamdhu Whisky and Waitrose have come together to support the Atlantic Salmon Trust in honour of World Nature Conservation Day on 28 July. The exclusive charity edition of Tamdhu’s 12 Year Old Speyside single malt, fully matured in Oloroso Sherry casksis , available now in selected Waitrose stores and online for £50. Bottled at 41.3% ABV and presented in a gift box, it makes an ideal treat or thoughtful present. 

Whisky often gets framed as a finished product. But with The Wave, Bladnoch invites us to witness whisky as a process, fluid, experimental, and deliberately unresolved. Led by Master Distiller Dr Nick Savage, each release explores one of Bladnoch’s five production pillars, such as spirit character, time, or cask influence, layered across time using a system of progressive marrying tuns.