Whisky News: 5 October 2026
What's Happening in the Whisky World This Week
It has been a busy few days across the global whisky industry. From a landmark legal milestone for English whisky to Glenmorangie's oldest-ever single malt and a flurry of new releases, here is everything worth knowing as we head into the second week of October.
English Whisky Earns Protected Status
In what many in the industry are calling a long-overdue milestone, English whisky has been granted protected Geographical Indication (GI) status. It now sits alongside Scotch, Welsh and Irish whisky as a formally recognised and protected category.
More than 70 distilleries now produce English whisky across the country, up from 46 in 2023, with bottles exported to more than 30 countries worldwide. Producers include The English Distillery in Norfolk, The Lakes Distillery in Keswick, and the Cotswolds Distillery in Warwickshire. The GI status is expected to support further investment, job creation and international trade for the growing category.
Glenmorangie Releases Its Oldest-Ever Single Malt
Highland distillery Glenmorangie has unveiled a 50-year-old single malt, the oldest expression it has ever released. The spirit was distilled from some of the last batches of barley malted at the distillery's own floor maltings before they were decommissioned in 1977.
Distilled in Glenmorangie's famously tall copper stills, the spirit spent decades in bourbon hogsheads and first-fill Oloroso sherry butts. In 1999, Dr Bill Lumsden identified a handful of exceptional casks and combined them into one refill hogshead, where the whisky continued to develop for a further quarter of a century. The resulting spirit is bottled at 45.7% ABV.
Only 149 bottles exist, priced at £25,000 each. Each comes in a display piece created by American ceramic artist Peter Pincus.
Whisky Craft Launches First Permanent Expression
Edinburgh-based independent bottler Whisky Craft has released First Light, its first permanent core expression. The 21 Year Old Highland Single Malt is matured entirely in first-fill bourbon casks and bottled at 46% ABV, with a UK RRP of £85.
The launch marks a significant step for the brand, which until now has focused exclusively on limited single-cask releases. First Light is positioned as a consistent house pour for premium bars, hotels and restaurants, designed to introduce guests to mature single malt at an accessible price point.
Launching alongside First Light is Season Five, the brand's latest single-cask collection. Highlights include a 40 Year Old Tullibardine, a PX-finished 17 Year Old Fettercairn, and an Oloroso-finished 14 Year Old Glen Garioch.
Aberlour Adds 21 and 25 Year Olds to Its Permanent Range
Speyside distillery Aberlour has announced two new permanent additions: a 21 Year Old and a 25 Year Old, both made using the distillery's signature double cask maturation process combining American oak and Sherry oak.
The 21 Year Old, bottled at 48% ABV, is Aberlour's first annual permanent release at an elevated strength. The 25 Year Old is drawn from a small number of hand-selected casks and represents some of the most refined whisky the distillery has put to market. Both expressions were crafted under the oversight of Master Distiller Graeme Cruickshank.
The Macallan Turns to Valdespino Sherry for New TIME:SPACE Expression
The Macallan has launched TIME:SPACE Sherry Cask, a 20-year-old single malt bottled at 44.8% ABV and priced at approximately £1,050. The expression marks the first time the distillery has used casks seasoned with Valdespino Sherry wine, and the first time Valdespino Sherry has been used to season casks specifically for The Macallan.
Valdespino is one of the oldest sherry houses in Jerez, Spain, with records of production dating back to 1264. The collaboration brings together two heritage producers at the top of their respective categories.
Glen Scotia's Icons of Campbeltown Series Continues
Glen Scotia has released the fourth instalment of its Icons of Campbeltown series, a five-part collection inspired by the folklore and medieval carvings of Scotland's smallest whisky-making region. Icons No.4 is an unpeated single malt matured in Vin Santo wine casks, bottled at 53.8% ABV at natural colour and without chill filtration. It retails at £80 per bottle and is available now at selected outlets worldwide. The fifth and final chapter is expected in 2027.
US Tariffs on Irish Whiskey Set to Be Removed
During a recent visit to Ireland, US President Donald Trump pledged to remove tariffs on imports of Irish whiskey. Irish whiskey currently faces the standard 10% rate that applies to goods from the EU, unlike whisky made in Northern Ireland or elsewhere in the UK. The Irish Whiskey Association has welcomed the announcement and confirmed it will continue working with EU and US counterparts to restore a zero-for-zero tariff arrangement for all drinks exports.
Sources: The Whiskey Wash, Luxurious Magazine
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