DramMaster Daily Whisky News — 23 July 2026

Hedonism Wines Launches Own-Label Single Malts — Rare Whisky's Buyer's Market Opens a Door

Mayfair retailer Hedonism Wines has released its first own-label single malt whiskies, and the talking point is not the price tag but the lack of one. A 20-year-old Laphroaig bottled at 52.3% ABV from a refill ex-Bourbon cask costs £195. A 15-year-old Bunnahabhain at 50.5% ABV from a first-fill ex-Sherry hogshead is £115. Outturns are 128 and 59 bottles respectively — and the casks are now empty.

David Mellor, head of spirits at Hedonism, said the move into independent bottling was a logical step after a decade of distillery collaborations. He pointed to falling cask prices as the enabler: "Whisky pricing has broadly moved down since the post-pandemic peak, and this has also affected casks. As bottlers and distilleries look to reduce their inventories, there's an opportunity to acquire some very special casks."

More releases are coming: a 19-year-old Glen Garioch, a 15-year-old Bowmore, and a 50-year-old Scotch slated for later this year. Single-barrel Bourbon and rum casks may follow in 2027.

Murray's take: The rare whisky correction is real, and this is what it looks like from the retailer's side — quality casks at prices that make you look twice rather than wince. A 20-year-old Laphroaig at £195 in the current market is not cheap, but it is fair. Hedonism is not charity; they are buying well because the market is soft and bottlers are offloading. The "flavour over collectability" framing is the right signal at the right time. Whether the broader market follows depends on how long the correction runs.

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Kilchoman Launches First Family Collection — 20 Year Old Heads Four-Expression Set

Kilchoman Distillery on Islay has released the first edition of its Family Collection, a four-expression set hand-selected by the five members of the founding Wills family. The headline is a 20 Year Old — the distillery's oldest general release to date — bottled at 49.9% ABV from an ex-Bourbon cask, using 50ppm heavily peated barley from Port Ellen Maltings.

The collection comprises four bottlings: an 11 Year Old (54.7% ABV, Oloroso Sherry cask, 50ppm), a 14 Year Old (50.9% ABV, ex-Bourbon cask, 20ppm, barley grown at Kilchoman's own Rockside Farm), an 18 Year Old (50% ABV, ex-Bourbon cask, 50ppm), and the 20 Year Old. The 14 Year Old's lower peating level and farm-grown barley offer a contrast to the other three.

Founder Anthony Wills said: "We are especially proud to release our first globally available 20 Year Old. Discovering and tasting these exceptional casks in our warehouses remains one of the great joys of what we do."

RRPs are £117 (11yo), £127 (14yo), £191 (18yo), and £249 (20yo). Available later this month from selected specialist retailers.

Murray's take: Kilchoman has been making whisky for 20 years and this collection is the proof — a 20 Year Old from a distillery that started in 2005 is a milestone, not a marketing exercise. The contrast between the Rockside Farm 14 Year Old at 20ppm and the Port Ellen-malted expressions at 50ppm is a smart way to show range without diluting the brand's peat identity. £249 for a 20-year-old Islay single malt at cask strength is competitive. The family selection angle is genuine — this is a farm distillery run by the people who founded it.

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UK Government Opens Scotch Whisky Inquiry — Exports, Tariffs, and Domestic Pressure Under Scrutiny

The Scottish Affairs Committee has launched a formal inquiry into the health of the Scotch whisky sector, examining the impact of domestic policy, trade agreements, and tariffs on an industry where exports account for roughly 90% of production.

Whisky exports fell from a peak of £6.2 billion in 2022 to £5.6 billion in 2023, with further declines predicted. Committee chair Patricia Ferguson cited "trade uncertainty, rising costs and regulatory pressure at home" including the Deposit Return Scheme, workforce challenges, and energy costs. The deadline for evidence submissions is 18 September 2026.

The SWA welcomed the inquiry, noting that tariffs imposed by the Trump administration contributed to a 15% drop in exports to the US in 2025, costing the industry £20 million per week in lost revenue. Trump announced plans to remove the 10% UK goods tariff in May 2026. The UK-India FTA, which came into force earlier this month, cut Scotch whisky tariffs from 150% to 75%.

In February, restructuring firm BTG reported that 19% of Scottish distilleries face "significant or critical" financial issues.

Murray's take: A parliamentary inquiry is not a solution — it is a diagnosis with a deadline. The export decline from £6.2bn to £5.6bn is not small, and 19% of distilleries in financial distress is not a rounding error. The inquiry covers the right ground: tariffs, the Deposit Return Scheme, energy costs, workforce. The UK-India FTA cutting tariffs from 150% to 75% is a real opening, but 75% is still high. The question is whether the committee produces actionable recommendations or a report that sits on a shelf. The evidence deadline of 18 September gives the industry a window to make its case.

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Dawn Davies Departs The Whisky Exchange — 10-Year Buying Director Moves On

Dawn Davies MW has stepped down as commercial buying director of The Whisky Exchange after more than 10 years. She joined the London-based retailer as head buyer in September 2015 and was recognised in The Spirits Buyers Supplement 2026 as one of the UK's leading spirits buyers.

Managing director Natalie Tennent said Davies built "an exceptional and award-winning portfolio" and was "instrumental in building our award-winning shows" and leading the trade team "through a difficult period for the entire industry." Davies was awarded Woman of the Year at The Drinks Business Awards 2025 and played a key role in The Whisky Exchange's rebrand at the end of 2025.

The Whisky Exchange was acquired by Pernod Ricard in 2021, along with distribution company Speciality Drinks and Whisky.Auction.

Murray's take: A decade as buying director at one of the world's most influential whisky retailers is a serious CV. Davies built the portfolio that made TWE a global destination, not just a London shop. Her departure during a market downturn is worth noting — she guided the trade team through the difficult period, and now she is leaving at the end of it. Where she lands next will tell you something about where the whisky market is heading. Pernod Ricard's ownership of TWE has not changed its buying identity under Davies; the question is whether that holds with a new buyer.

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Bardstown Bourbon Co Finishes Whiskey in Pineapple Rum Casks — Victoria Pineapple Barrel Finished

Bardstown Bourbon Company has released Victoria Pineapple Barrel Finished Whiskey, the first expression in its new Finishing Series. The whiskey combines Bourbon aged 10-11 years with 11-year-old rye, finished in Caribbean rum barrels with oak staves and pineapple. It is bottled at 53% ABV.

Master blender Dan Callaway said: "The goal was never to make whiskey taste like pineapple. The goal was to understand what made these barrels so special. We followed that trail all the way back to the creation process and found our way to a whiskey with a bold, tropical fruit, surrounded by rye and allspice."

The blend matured for 27 months before fresh pineapple was added to the barrels, mirroring the original rum's production process. Tasting notes describe bold tropical fruit, rye, spice, and allspice on the nose, with pineapple, cherry, toasted oak, vanilla crème, and toffee on the palate.

Limited to fewer than 350 nine-litre cases, the release is available from 24 July exclusively in Kentucky at $139.99 per 750ml bottle. Label artwork was created by Louisville artist Margaret Archambault.

Murray's take: Pineapple in whiskey barrels is the kind of experiment that sounds like a gimmick until you read the method. Bardstown aged the blend for 27 months, then added fresh pineapple to the barrels — they are replicating the rum's process, not dumping fruit juice into a bottle. The result at 53% ABV with 10-11 year old Bourbon and 11-year-old rye is a serious spirit with a tropical angle, not a flavoured whiskey. Kentucky-only at 350 cases means this is a distillery-floor release, not a national push. $140 is premium for a finishing-series opener, but the age and the outturn justify the window.

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