DramMaster Daily Whisky News — 25 April 2026

🥃 DramMaster Daily Whisky News — 25 April 2026

New Riff Crowned World's Best Bourbon at the 2026 WWAs

The World Whiskies Awards 2026 named New Riff Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon the World's Best Bourbon — a notable shake-up given it retails for around $40 and ships to all 50 states. It also took home Best Kentucky Bourbon. A rare moment where the WWA top spot lands on a bottle most fans can actually buy.

Bonhams x Buffalo Trace Open Eagle Rare 30 Auction

Bonhams has partnered with Buffalo Trace to auction the brand-new Eagle Rare 30-Year-Old, the oldest age-stated whiskey ever released by the distillery. The curated online sale runs 24 April – 8 May 2026 and includes the first and second bottles ever produced. Standard MSRP for Eagle Rare 30 is a frankly silly $12,500 — expect the lots in this auction to multiply that.

Angel's Envy Drops First-Ever 10-Year Cask Strength Rye

Angel's Envy has unveiled two heavyweights for 2026: the annual Cask Strength Bourbon (117.8 proof, 10 years, $249) and — a first for the brand — a 10-Year Cask Strength Rye (111.6 proof, $269). The rye is the bigger story: Angel's Envy has built its reputation on port-finished bourbon, so a properly aged cask-strength rye signals real intent in the rye revival category.

Tamdhu Pulls Out Two Speyside Festival Bottlings

Speyside's Tamdhu has revealed two festival exclusives ahead of next week's Spirit of Speyside: the Dalbeallie 09 at 60.5% ABV (£105, limited to 1,000 numbered bottles) and a Distillery Team single cask. Sherry-cask Tamdhu at near-cask-strength remains one of the more reliably collectible Speyside picks — these will move at the festival.

Spirit of Speyside Festival Kicks Off Next Week

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival 2026 runs Tuesday 29 April – Sunday 4 May, with hundreds of events at distilleries, cooperages and warehouses across the region. Most distillery-exclusive bottlings drop on day one, online and at the gates simultaneously. If you're chasing limited Speyside releases this year, this week is the calendar event.

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