DramMaster Daily Whisky News — 12 August 2026

Scientists Crack the Mystery of Whisky's Mango-Like Tropical Taste

Researchers at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh have identified the chemical compounds responsible for the mango-like tropical aroma found in certain Scottish and Irish whiskies. Working with Japanese drinks giant Kirin, the team analysed 14 whiskies and found that aldehydes and acetals — compounds common in whisky — can increase tropical aroma properties.

PhD student Takehiko Hiura discovered one whisky contained particularly high levels of three key compounds: isobutyraldehyde, isovaleraldehyde, and isovaleraldehyde diethyl acetal. When the team spiked a low-mango-aroma whisky with these chemicals, the fruity aroma increased substantially.

Professor Annie Hill, from Heriot-Watt's International Centre for Brewing and Distilling, said: "Fruity notes like banana, apple and pear have long been linked to esters, which are produced during fermentation. But we didn't know where the mango flavour was coming from — and now we do."

Dr Calum Holmes said the discovery means distilleries can now "dial up or tone down tropical aromas" by manipulating existing process steps. The research was published in the Journal of the American Society of Brewing Chemists.

Murray's take: This is the kind of science that actually changes whisky. Every distiller who has chased a tropical fruit note knows the frustration of getting it one batch and losing it the next. Now they have a chemical roadmap. The Kirin partnership matters — this is Japanese precision applied to Scottish and Irish whisky, and the practical outcome is that distillers can engineer for consistency rather than hope. Expect more "tropical" releases in the next 18 months as this research filters through.

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Bruichladdich Greener Still 15-Year Marks 25 Years of Resurrection

Bruichladdich has released Greener Still, a 15-year-old unpeated Islay single malt celebrating 25 years since the distillery was brought back to life in 2001. The whisky is available from August 2026 via bruichladdich.com and specialist retailers, with an RRP of £120 (US$162).

Greener Still is distilled from three barley types: Organic barley grown on the Scottish mainland without artificial inputs, Biodynamic barley from carbon-positive Yatesbury House Farm in Wiltshire, and Bere barley cultivated on Orkney in partnership with the University of the Highlands and Islands' Agronomy Institute. The whisky was matured entirely in first-fill bourbon barrels for 15 years, bottled at 51.6% ABV, un-chill filtered with no added colour.

The release completes a trio of 25th-anniversary bottlings, joining Old Skool and Yellow Submarine III. It also pays homage to the distillery's Still Series (Blacker Still, Redder Still, Golder Still) released between 2006 and 2008.

Global marketing director Gareth Brown said: "Bruichladdich Greener Still is the whisky we have been quietly working towards for 25 years. It's a statement of intent that says flavour and environmental responsibility not only can go hand in hand — they must."

Murray's take: Three barley types, each from a different farming philosophy, matured for 15 years in first-fill bourbon and bottled at 51.6% — this is Bruichladdich doing what Bruichladdich does best: making terroir the story. The Bere barley from Orkney is the interesting one; it's an ancient grain that most distilleries wouldn't touch because it's hard to grow and harder to process. £120 for a 15-year single cask-quality Islay malt is fair in today's market. The 25th anniversary framing works because the distillery was genuinely dead before 2001 — this isn't marketing nostalgia, it's survival.

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Jackton Distillery Launches First RAER Single Malt

Family-run Jackton Distillery, located just outside Glasgow, has launched its first single malt: RAER Single Malt Scotch Whisky — The Inaugural Release. The 48.7% ABV Lowland single malt is matured in a combination of Bourbon, Pedro Ximénez, Amontillado, and Oloroso casks.

The distillery was founded by the Kean family on their South Lanarkshire farm, with first casks laid down in February 2020. Jaynie Kean, one of Scotland's youngest female distillery founders and managing directors, led the launch.

Tasting notes describe fruitcake, fig, and sultana on the nose, with dark fruits, treacle, roasted nuts, toffee, sweet spice, and soft oak on the palate. The release is limited to 6,000 individually hand-numbered bottles, available to pre-order for September delivery via raer.co.uk at an RRP of £68.

Kean said: "Our first Single Malt is a huge moment for us as a family, as a team and as a young distillery. We laid down our first casks in February 2020, and since then we've watched, waited, tasted, learned and kept moving towards the point where we could finally share a Single Malt with RAER's name on the bottle."

Murray's take: A new distillery releasing its first single malt is always a moment, but Jackton's story is sharper than most. First casks in February 2020 means this whisky is roughly five years old — young for a single malt, but the four-cask maturation mix (Bourbon, PX, Amontillado, Oloroso) is doing heavy lifting. £68 for a limited first release from a family-run Lowland distillery is the right price — low enough to attract curious buyers, high enough to signal it's not a commodity bottle. The female-founder angle matters because the whisky industry still has a representation problem, and Jaynie Kean isn't a marketing appointee — she built the distillery.

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Clonakilty Doubles US Sales as Irish Whiskey Exports Fall

Clonakilty Distillery has doubled its US sales during the first half of 2026, becoming one of the fastest-growing Irish whiskey brands in the latest 52-week Nielsen scan. The independent County Cork producer recorded 36.2% year-over-year depletion growth and 39.8% growth in Nielsen sales, defying a wider 5% decline in Irish whiskey export value.

The distillery's Galley Head expression — a blend of single pot still and grain whiskey — drove the growth, reporting a 113% year-on-year increase in depletions and a 33.2% rise in shipments. Galley Head is now established across key US markets from Massachusetts to Florida and Oregon.

Founder Michael Scully said: "These results demonstrate that Clonakilty is building sustainable momentum through strong consumer demand and strategic execution. Our continued investment in retail partnerships, distributor support and activations is translating into meaningful growth across the country."

Clonakilty is fully Irish-owned, grows its own barley, and oversees every step of production at its Wild Atlantic Way distillery. The US market remains challenging for Irish producers, with changing consumer preferences, inflation concerns, and reduced margins tied to US tariffs weighing on the broader category.

Murray's take: Doubling sales while your category shrinks 5% is the kind of number that makes competitors pay attention. Clonakilty is doing what the big Irish brands aren't — staying independent, growing its own barley, and pushing a single brand (Galley Head) hard enough to matter. The 113% depletion growth on Galley Head means retailers are reordering, not just accepting shipments. That's consumer pull, not distributor push. The tariff headwind is real for everyone, but an independent producer with a tighter margin structure can absorb it better than a multinational answerable to quarterly reports.

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Seven Independent Bottlings Shine at IWSC 2026

The IWSC 2026 results have highlighted the breadth of independent bottling, with seven standout expressions earning Gold Outstanding medals. Independent bottlers continue to demonstrate how different single casks of whisky can be — from distilleries across Scotland and beyond.

Topping the list is the East Asia Whisky Company Bunnahabhain 35-Year-Old, bottled at 50.4% ABV, which scored 98 points and carries an RRP of £1,200 ($1,600). Judges found dried fruit, lime peel, sea salt, floral notes, dates, and figs on the nose, followed by a rich, savoury palate with waxy notes and oak tannins.

The Spiritfilled Mythical Beasts Aberlour 13-Year-Old, matured in bourbon casks before a Pedro Ximénez sherry cask finish, also scored 98 points at 58% ABV, priced at £125 ($165). The full list of seven award winners spans a range of distilleries, ages, and price points — from £125 to over £1,000 — demonstrating that independent bottling is not just about age or expense, but about finding the right cask at the right time.

Murray's take: Independent bottling is the part of whisky where you actually taste the difference between casks. Two Bunnahabhains from the same distillery can taste like different spirits entirely, and that's the point. The East Asia Whisky Company 35-year-old at 98 points is a serious whisky by any measure — 35 years of maturation in a single cask is patience most producers can't afford. The Spiritfilled Aberlour at £125 is the one to chase: same 98-point score, a tenth of the price. That's what independent bottling at its best looks like — finding the cask the distillery didn't know it had.

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