DramMaster Daily Whisky News — 18 July 2026

Berry Bros & Rudd Launches 2026 Odyssey Collection — 20 Expressions, £85 to £1,500

Berry Bros & Rudd has released its 2026 Odyssey Collection, themed "The Auld and the Bold" — 20 single cask whiskies, three rums, and a Cognac from 20 different distilleries, celebrating the dialogue between Scotch tradition and a new generation of global distillers.

The Scottish lineup spans Glenlossie 1975 (44.6% ABV, £1,500) at the top end, through Glencadam 2011, Blair Athol 2011 finished in a Viognier cask, Longmorn 2011, Glen Garioch 2011, and Tamdhu 2008. Peated expressions include Caol Ila 2011, Williamson (Laphroaig) 2010, and Ruadh Mhor (peated Glenturret) 2011.

Beyond Scotland, the collection reaches Tasmania (Lark 2016, Tawny cask, £270), India (Paul John 2015, £195), New Zealand (Thomson 2017, Manuka-smoked, £135), England (Spirit of Yorkshire 2017, £125), Denmark (Thy 2016, £165), and Finland (Teerenpeli 2014, £130). Three Caribbean rums — Foursquare 2011, Diamond 2003, and Caroni 1997 (£495) — join a 35-year-old Frapin Cognac distilled in 1990 (£195). All expressions are bottled at cask strength in 700ml. Prices range from £85 (Blair Athol, GlenWyvis) to £1,500 (Glenlossie 1975).

Felix Dear, spirits curator at Berry Bros & Rudd, said: "Scotch whisky remains the benchmark that has inspired generations of distillers, but some of the most exciting spirits being made today are emerging from places far beyond Scotland."

Murray's take: A 50-year-old Glenlossie at £1,500 is the headline grabber, but the real story is the geographic spread. Tasmania, India, New Zealand, Denmark, Finland — all bottled alongside Speyside and Islay stalwarts. Berry Bros is making the argument that world whisky has earned its place at the same table as Scotch. The £85 entry points make it possible to taste that argument without remortgaging.

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Heaven Hill Debuts Bottled-in-Bond Double Mash — 9 Year Old, $49.99

Heaven Hill Distillery has launched Bottled-in-Bond Double Mash, a 9-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon at 50% ABV, combining two distinct mashbills in a single expression. RRP $49.99, available from selected US retailers in August.

The whiskey merges two-thirds of Heaven Hill's traditional bourbon mashbill (78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley) with one-third of its wheated bourbon mashbill (68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley). The Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 requires a single distillery, single distillation season, minimum four years aging, and 100 proof. Wheated bourbon has no separate legal classification under US regulations — which allowed Heaven Hill to combine both mashbills while staying within Bottled-in-Bond rules.

Tasting notes: toasted oak, honey, and white pepper on the nose; honey, citrus oil, caramel, and baking spices on the palate.

Master distiller Conor O'Driscoll said: "By bringing together our traditional and Wheated Bourbon mashbills, we've created a first-of-its-kind Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey that delivers a distinctly different tasting experience."

Murray's take: Combining rye and wheated mashbills under the Bottled-in-Bond flag is a neat piece of regulatory judo. The 1897 act was designed to guarantee purity, not prevent creativity — Heaven Hill is using that latitude well. $49.99 for a 9-year-old BiB is fair money. The wheated bourbon shortage has driven prices through the roof; this gives drinkers a wheated component without the secondary-market tax.

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The Lakes Brings Chocolatier Single Malt to the UK — 51% ABV, £95

The Lakes Distillery has launched Chocolatier, a limited edition Sherry cask-matured single malt, in the UK following its debut in Australia. Bottled at 51% ABV, RRP £95, available exclusively at Amathus stores and on the distillery's website.

The whisky draws inspiration from the palate of a master chocolatier. Aromas of milk chocolate, butterscotch, and cacao give way to subtle peach, dried fruits, and brandy snaps. The palate brings wood spices, soft fruits, spiced hot chocolate, toasted oak, vanilla, pineapple, and dried fruits, finishing on dark chocolate.

Eric Heerema, owner and CEO of Nyetimber Group, said: "Chocolatier is a prime example of how élevage and the meticulous care of whiskymakers can help to develop incredible tapestries of flavour."

The Lakes was established in 2011 in Cockermouth, northwest England. Nyetimber acquired the distillery for £71 million in 2024. The distillery released its first permanent single malt, Signature, in 2025, followed by Brendan McCarron's appointment as whisky maker. Earlier this year, Nyetimber closed The Lakes' visitor centre, putting 15 jobs at risk.

Murray's take: A chocolate-inspired whisky at £95 that actually delivers cacao and spiced hot chocolate on the palate — not just a marketing conceit. The Sherry cask maturation does the heavy lifting. The visitor centre closure is the elephant in the room: Nyetimber is investing in liquid and brand, not footfall. If the whisky is good enough, that bet pays. Chocolatier is a step in the right direction.

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Laser Technology Could Detect Fake Alcohol Without Opening the Bottle

Adelaide University, building on research with the University of St Andrews, is developing a laser-based system that can detect toxic methanol inside unopened spirits bottles — even through coloured glass.

Methanol poisoning causes hundreds of deaths annually and can leave survivors with permanent injuries and blindness. The technology captures a unique optical fingerprint of the liquid through the bottle, identifying dangerous chemicals without destroying the seal.

Dr Ralf Mouthaan, physicist at Adelaide's Centre of Light for Life, said: "Being able to identify the contents of a sealed bottle without opening it has enormous potential." The team is already exploring applications in wine authentication, food quality, and product safety.

Ané Kritzinger, a joint PhD candidate at Adelaide and St Andrews, led the methanol research, published in the Journal of Physics: Photonics. She said: "Once you can accurately identify the molecular fingerprint of a liquid through its packaging, there are countless possibilities."

Counterfeit wine, beer, and spirits cost the European Union an estimated €3 billion in lost sales annually.

Murray's take: Fake alcohol kills people. This isn't a niche problem — it's a public health crisis in markets where regulation is thin and supply chains are opaque. A non-invasive laser that reads methanol through glass is a genuine breakthrough. If it scales to handheld devices, customs and retailers could screen bottles in seconds. The whisky industry talks a lot about authenticity; this technology actually enforces it.

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Nova Scotia Relaxes Alcohol Laws — Cross-Selling and Standalone Retail from August

The Canadian province of Nova Scotia is relaxing two alcohol sales rules to support local producers. From early August, distilleries, wineries, breweries, and cideries can sell each other's products on-site. From autumn, local manufacturers can open standalone retail stores separate from production facilities — currently only allowed if attached to a production site.

Premier Tim Houston said: "Local producers have been asking for these changes. These changes will strengthen their industry and allow them to sell more products here at home."

There are 120 licensed alcohol producers in Nova Scotia. Local product sales at the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation totalled CA$150.9 million (£85m) for 2025-2026, up CA$15.2 million on the previous year. Cross-selling limits will be set in consultation with the NSLC and industry this summer.

The changes follow Nova Scotia and Ontario signing a direct-to-consumer (DTC) alcohol sales agreement. Since July 2025, Ontario and 10 jurisdictions have committed to nationwide DTC sales by May 2026 — though the Canadian Federation of Independent Business has called progress "fragmented," with only Manitoba and New Brunswick permitting full DTC sales. American spirits remain boycotted in all but two Canadian provinces since March 2025 due to a tariff dispute.

Murray's take: Canada's interprovincial alcohol trade has been a mess for decades — provinces guard their monopolies like feudal territories. Nova Scotia letting a distillery stock a neighbouring winery's bottles sounds small, but it chips at that wall. The DTC momentum is the bigger story: if May 2026's nationwide deadline holds, Canadian craft distillers get a domestic market that actually functions. The US tariff dispute is separate noise — and it's costing American producers more than it's costing Canadians.