The Borders Single Malt First Release 8yo

The Borders Single Malt First Release 8yo

Region: Lowlands

ABV: 46.0%

Price: £46.00 

Released in September 2026, The Borders Single Malt First Release is the inaugural single malt from The Borders Distillery in Hawick and the first single malt distilled in the Scottish Borders in almost 200 years. Aged for eight years, the whisky was initially matured in first-fill bourbon barrels before undergoing a secondary maturation in Malmsey Madeira casks. The release was limited to 10,000 bottles.

Nose

Palate

The palate opens with Coffee Revels, Turkish delight and milk chocolate, followed by caramel, vanilla and icing sugar. There’s a touch of roasted coffee on the finish, joined by just a hint of spice. The mouthfeel is decent for the ABV and has a slightly syrupy quality, while the finish is medium in length.

Nose (with water)

Water brings out a little more ethanol and acetone, giving the nose a noticeably more chemical tinge. The sweeter notes from before dilution are still present underneath, alongside a little more citrus. It’s not bad, but the nose works better for us neat.

Palate (with water)

All of that pre dilution sweetness remains on the palate, and actually it’s much the same as before dilution with chocolate and coffee continuing to dominate. The biggest change is the mouthfeel, which has become almost syrup-like. The finish remains medium in length.

Conclusion

This feels like a very accomplished first release, and feels impressively polished for such a young distillery. There’s plenty of sweetness, chocolate and coffee to enjoy, and the mouthfeel is particularly good for 46%. At the same time, it perhaps feels a little too polished, lacking some of the more interesting notes or rough edges that might have made it more enjoyable. A good whisky, but not one we'll be pondering over.

Score: 8/10

Value

At £46 for an 8yo inaugural single malt, it’s difficult to argue with the pricing.

• 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.

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