Whisky News — 21 February 2026
Murray
🥃 DRAM MASTER DAILY — Friday, 21 February 2026
SPRINGBANK CONFIRMS 2026 LOCAL BARLEY BALLOT — OPENS 28 MARCH Springbank has released details for its 2026 Local Barley expression. The release is a 13-year-old matured in first-fill ex-bourbon casks from barley grown within 20 miles of the Campbeltown distillery. Retail price £95. Ballot system opens 28 March and closes 11 April. One bottle per person. Murray's Take: The Local Barley releases are the most honest expressions of Campbeltown terroir available. Enter the ballot.
AMRUT RELEASES SINGLE CASK PORT PIPE EXPRESSION Indian single malt producer Amrut has released a Port Pipe expression, matured for seven years in a Portuguese port cask. The expression is bottled at natural cask strength of 61.4% with 278 bottles available globally. Retail price £150. Available through specialist importers in the UK. Murray's Take: Indian climate maturation compresses years into the wood in a way that European distillers simply cannot replicate. Seven years in an Indian warehouse can equal fifteen in Scotland.
WHISKY SECONDARY MARKET SHOWS FIRST COOLING IN THREE YEARS Data from secondary market analysts shows average auction prices for Scotch whisky fell 4.2% in January 2026 compared to January 2025 — the first year-on-year decline in three years. Single malt prices remain elevated but are showing signs of plateau. Collectors are being advised to manage expectations. Murray's Take: The secondary market was always going to correct. Whisky is a drink, not an investment product — even if the last five years made it feel otherwise.
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