We're back with the Scotch Malt Whisky Societies July 2026 outturn review. This month features 20 new bottlings, with a fair number of sherry and wine cask releases.
We think we tried all of this months releases, but if there are any mid month surprises we'll attempt to review those as we get further into June. Check out our social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) to get updates on the mid-month bottles and heads up on our other reviews.
The scores below are based on our initial impressions. For full disclosure, we won't spend as much time with a dram as we usually do for a full review, but we hope you'll find the scores useful.
- 10 - Perfection. One in a million
- 9 - Outstanding. Exceptional whisky.
- 8 - Great. Would seek this out.
- 7 - Good. Quality whisky.
- 6 - Above average. Happy to have a dram.
- 5 - Average. Drinkable whisky.
- 4 - Below average. Passable.
- 3 - Flawed. Noticeable negatives.
- 2 - Defective. Significant faults.
- 1 - Offensive. Pour it out.
Onto the bottles...
4.402 - Highland Park Distillery
Name: Rise and Shine
Flavour Profile: Coastal & Maritime
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 2nd Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel
ABV: 60.9%
Age: 20
Price: £160.00
The nose is greasy with butter, whipped cream and honey, followed by vanilla, barley sugars and raspberry sauce. The alcohol prickles slightly, but is integrated enough. The palate is less fruity than expected, bringing vanilla, butteries, malt and a touch of Bovril before a warming pepper spice builds on the finish. The mouthfeel is good, but it feels a little simple given the age.
Score: 6/10
Value: You can get 20yo Highland park significantly cheaper.
6.92 - Macduff (Glen Deveron) Distillery
Name: Sweet Dreams
Flavour Profile: Toasted Oak & Vanilla
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel
ABV: 58.1%
Age: 7
Price: £50.00
The nose opens with orange juice, lemon bon bons, icing sugar and whipped cream. Hints of toffee and sugar syrup appear with patience. The palate delivers vanilla, chocolate coins and gingerbread alongside a handful of pear drop sweets. A gentle spice appears on the medium-length finish. Good mouthfeel, although it feels a little one dimensional.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: While it's a little young it's nice to see more £50 bottles.
11.80 - Tomatin Distillery
Name: Enigmatic, Idiosyncratic, Chrasamatic
Flavour Profile: Dried Fruits & Spices
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st Fill Oloroso Hogshead
ABV: 59.8%
Age: 10
Price: £60.00
The nose opens with red cola, Chinese five spice and milk chocolate before dried fruit thyme and basil notes emerge. The palate has a little texture to it with flavours of prunes, raisins, cranberries and milk chocolate... and just classic sherry flavours in general. The spice starts to build on the finish, but never detracts. Solid Sherry cask whisky.
Score: 7/10
Value: Great whisky at a good price.
12.91 - Benriach Distillery
Name: The Cooper and the Croc
Flavour Profile: Toasted Oak & Vanilla
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st Fill #4+ Char Barrel
ABV: 58.6%
Age: 15
Price: £98.00
The nose opens with red cola, strawberry laces, fudge and caramel, giving it an almost sherry like character. The palate opens with butterscotch, pear tarte tatin, crystallised ginger and more red cola before a little pepper spice appears on the finish. We like this, but it has a thin mouthfeel that really detracts from our enjoyment.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: This one definitely feels like it should be a few pounds cheaper.
16.105 - Glenturret Distillery
Name: Neat & Tidy
Flavour Profile: Bold & Peaty
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st Fill Ex-Sherry Hogshead
ABV: 62.8%
Age: 12
Price: £75.00
The nose opens with Arbroath smokies, medicinal peat and raisins, joined by rye bread, roasted peanuts and digestive biscuits. The palate is more challenging with vinegar, pickles and grapefruit bitterness sitting alongside earthy peat and a little sherry sweetness. The mouthfeel is decent, but the peppery really detracts from the overall experience. We’ve definitely had better peated Glenturrets.
Score: 6/10
Value: Decent price for a hit of peat.
18.83 - Inchgower Distillery
Name: What do you have in your sack, jack?
Flavour Profile: Ripe Fruits & Honey
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st Fill PX Hogshead
ABV: 59.8%
Age: 14
Price: £70.00
The nose opens with brown sugar, tarragon, fudge and crème brûlée alongside vanilla ice cream and a savoury hint of beef wellington. The palate is much simpler, with notes of candied ginger, singed orange peel and basil before cracked black pepper spice builds on the finish. The mouthfeel is good, the nose interesting, but the flavours on the palate are uninspiring dragging the score down significantly.
Score: 5.5/10
Value: Good price, but we would still pass on a bottle.
30.131 - Glenrothes Distillery
Name: Spices in a spin
Flavour Profile: Dried Fruits & Spices
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon Hogshead
ABV: 60.1%
Age: 9
Price: £58.00
The nose opens with brown sugar, toffee, potpurri and icing sugar, followed by lemon peel, milk chocolate and a little dry wood. A touch of alcohol spice sits in the background. The palate is sweeter, but also spicier, than we were expecting with caramel, icing sugar and chocolate orange before a pepper spice builds through the finish. The mouthfeel is decent enough, but the spice outstays the sweeter notes dragging down the score.
Score: 6/10
Value: Spicier than we'd have liked, but not a bad price for the distillery at this age.
39.332 - Linkwood Distillery
Name: Its raining fruit!
Flavour Profile: Sweet & Zesty
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st Fill Ex-STR Barrique
ABV: 58.0%
Age: 13
Price: £75.00
The nose opens with apple, limeade, marmite and orange before a pepper spice and dry wood quickly take over. There’s not much to enjoy on the palate other than a cupcake and citrus sweetness, before a chilli spice appears and dominates the short finish. The palate is thin and one dimensional. There’s definitely better options in the outturn.
Score: 5.5/10
Value: Not a bad price given the distillery, age and cask type.
50.123 - Bladnoch Distillery
Name: Emotional Support Jumper
Flavour Profile: Sweet & Zesty
Region: Lowland
Cask Type: 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel
ABV: 58.0%
Age: 7
Price: £55.00
The nose opens with butter, vanilla and butterscotch, joined by Werther’s Originals and a hint of lemon cordial. The palate delivers brown sugar, marshmallows and marzipan before roasted coffee introduces a gentle bitterness. The mouthfeel is slightly thin and the finish becomes a touch spicy for us. One we were excited to try, but sadly this is nowhere near as good as the last young Bladnoch release.
Score: 6/10
Value: We speak to a lot people who like seeing bottles closer to the £50 mark, and will no doubt be happy with this.
53.529 - Caol Ila Distillery
Name: Smokin Spurtles
Flavour Profile: Bold & Peaty
Region: Islay
Cask Type: New Oak HTMC Hogshead & 2nd Fill Oloroso Hogshead
ABV: 57.9%
Age: 13
Price: £92.00
The nose opens with sour cherries, pistachios and light medicinal peat before dry oak and wood smoke emerge. A subtle nuttiness appears with patience.. The palate delivers earthy peat smoke, generic sherry sweetness and roasted nuts alongside pork rinds and peanut butter. A little pepper spice appears through the good length finish. The mouthfeel is good. A solid example of the distillery, even if it doesn’t quite stand out from the crowd.
Score: 7/10
Value: We'd have like to have seen this cheaper, but Islay whisky carries a premium.
55.101 - Royal Brackla Distillery
Name: Amicable Agreement
Flavour Profile: Sweet & Zesty
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel
ABV: 67.3%
Age: 13
Price: £60.00
The nose is tight initially, but with patience we detected notes of burnt brown sugar, toffee and vanilla, and behind those tertiary notes of lemon zest and dry oak. Good alcohol integration given the ABV. The palate is very dry with a little vanilla essence, wood shavings, and lemon zest appearing before a little much pepper spice builds on the finish. We’ll agree with the zesty element of the flavour profile this sits in, but struggle to find the sweetness to balance it out.
Score: 5.5/10
Value: Good price, it's just a shame about the whisky.
60.58 - Aberfeldy Distillery
Name: The Morning Broadsheets
Flavour Profile: Ripe Fruits & Honey
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 2nd Fill Sauternes Barrique
ABV: 56.7%
Age: 13
Price: £75.00
The nose opens with fresh strawberries, lemon sherbet and icing sugar, followed by grapefruit and green grapes. The alcohol is well integrated. The palate brings peaches, orange and a just a general dessert wine sweetness. The mouthfeel is nicely coating, while a little spice appears on the finish it never overwhelms the sweeter notes. An easy drinking dram you don’t need to think about.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: Good price considering the distillery and cask type.
68.139 - Blair Athol Distillery
Name: Sparkling Spanish Sangria
Flavour Profile: Dried Fruits & Spices
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st Fill Bodega Oloroso Butt
ABV: 57.3%
Age: 16
Price: £92.00
The nose opens with treacle, chocolate mousse and orangeade before toffee and a touch of aftershave emerge. It’s very sherry forward. The palate delivers brown sugar, treacle and flat cola alongside hints of aniseed and clove. Light cinnamon spice carries through the medium length finish. The mouthfeel is good. A solid whisky, although the cask slightly overshadows the spirit.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: Given the distillery, cask and age we won't complain about the price.
71.118 - Glenburgie Distillery
Name: Peat-A-Boo
Flavour Profile: Smoky & Fruity
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 1st Fill STR Oloroso Barrique
ABV: 59.4%
Age: 19
Price: £135.00
The nose opens with gentle peat smoke, smoked kippers and dry oak alongside prunes and chocolate. The peat is restrained but well integrated. The palate brings caramel, whipped cream and orange juice before earthy peat, liquorice and dirty smoke develop. The mouthfeel is satisfying, and the finish balances the sweeter notes and smoke nicely. The nose split our opinions, but the palate won us both over.
Score: 7/10
Value: It's an interesting dram and one we'd have probably bought if it was more reasonably priced.
72.131 - Miltonduff Distillery
Name: Chip Shop-Battered Candy Bar
Flavour Profile: Toasted Oak & Vanilla
Region: Speyside
Cask Type: 2nd Fill Ex-PX Barrique
ABV: 55.9%
Age: 15
Price: £80.00
The nose opens with fudge, peaches, brown sugar and dark chocolate before sweeter notes of prunes, maraschino cherries and raisins emerge. There’s also a touch of alcohol spice, but it’s well integrated. The palate is rich with treacle, dark chocolate and roasted coffee alongside orange peel. Like the nose the alcohol spice is well integrated. It has a nice and syrupy mouthfeel. There’s a lot to enjoy here.
Score: 7/10
Value: This feels like a good price for the distillery, cask type and age.
79.16 - Deanston Distillery
Name: Pause And Ponder
Flavour Profile: Coastal & Maritime
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st fill Ex-Rye Barrel
ABV: 63.6%
Age: 7
Price: £55.00
The nose opens with toffee, fudge and sea spray before sweetcorn and peppers spice emerge. There’s a noticeable hit of alcohol on the nose that makes it challenging to nose. The palate is sweeter, offering sugar, Play-Doh and little caramel with a hint of sea spray and wet pebbles showcasing the coastal character. The mouthfeel is decent, although the dram is fairly one dimensional and a touch spicy on the finish. Dragged down by the nose.
Score: 6/10
Value: As we've mentioned good to see more whiskies near the £50 mark.
82.86 - Glencadam Distillery
Name: Summer Sipper
Flavour Profile: Toasted Oak & Vanilla
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st Fill HTMC Barrel
ABV: 59.6%
Age: 15
Price: £92.00
The nose opens with sour cherries, orange peel, apple pie and limoncello, behind those notes sit dry wood and a touch of eucalyptus. The palate offers cherry cola, chocolate and ginger with hints of Negroni bitterness. The mouthfeel is a touch thin, and there’s a little much pepper spice on the finish that comes close to overpowering the sweeter notes. It’s okay, but there’s better options this outturn.
Score: 6.5/10
Value: This feels a little pricey for what's on offer.
121.128 - Isle of Arran Distillery
Name: Leather Espresso
Flavour Profile: Dried Fruits & Spices
Region: Highland
Cask Type: 1st Fill Ex-Sherry Hogshead
ABV: 60.3%
Age: 10
Price: £65.00
The nose opens with cola cubes, treacle and fudge before tobacco, marmalade and dark chocolate make an appearance. There’s a touch of warehouse funk, but the sherry never overwhelms. The palate opens with orange rind, marmalade, whipped cream and chocolate, with tertiary notes of pomegranate and red cola. The medium-length finish has a touch of spice, but it’s well balanced. A great dram that lets both the cask and spirit shine. Our favourite Sherry cask release this outturn.
Score: 7.5/10
Value: Great whisky at a good price.
164.2 - Penderyn Distillery
Name: Marvelous Marzipan Meringue
Flavour Profile: Ripe Fruits & Honey
Region: Wales
Cask Type: 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon Hogshead
ABV: 61.1%
Age: 7
Price: £62.00
The nose opens with cream soda, lemon juice, menthol and buttercream, backed up by marshmallows, marzipan and icing sugar. The palate is bright and creamy with lemon, vanilla sponge cake, and buttery pastries. A touch of pepper spice appears on the medium-length finish. The mouthfeel is pleasant. Not the most complex dram, but this is probably our favourite bourbon cask of the night.
Score: 7/10
Value: Good price for a single cask Penderyn.
Batch 41 - SMWS Blended Batch
Name: Incognito
Flavour Profile: Single Grain
Region: Lowland
Cask Type: #4 Char New Oak, Toasted Heads Barrel
ABV: 50.0%
Age: 9
Price: £58.00
The nose opens with chocolate, candy floss and icing sugar, alongside orange, toasted almonds and a touch of warehouse funk. The palate brings cola cubes, lemon curd and custard before gentle ginger and pepper spice develop on the finish. The mouthfeel is a little thin, and the cask hide much of the grain character. Although given the age maybe that’s a good thing. It’s surprisingly tasty for a grain of this age, but that’s doesn’t mean it’s memorable.
Score: 6/10
Value: Given it's only 9yo we'd have hoped this would have been nearer £50.
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