The Whisky Wrap Up - Looking back at 2024

As 2024 draws to a close, we want to take a moment to reflect on the year gone by, what it’s meant for us, and what lies ahead.

It’s been an intriguing year in the world of whisky. Demand for the spirit seems to be softening, with auction prices dipping considerably for once-coveted bottles. New releases that used to vanish instantly now sit on shelves for days. At the same time, we’ve seen distilleries face administration, even as others expand production or build anew. While we can’t predict the future, it seems the industry is bracing for a challenging period.

For whisky enthusiasts such as ourselves, however, this shift has its perks. It’s exciting to find previously unattainable bottles at more accessible prices—perfect opportunities to explore and share.

This year has been nothing short of amazing for us at Two Whisky Bros, and we owe it all to you—our readers. Thank you for supporting us, engaging with our content, and joining us at tastings, festivals, and bars around Edinburgh. 

In 2024, we reviewed 506 whiskies from 100 Scottish distilleries and 20 others worldwide. These came from 31 independent bottlers as well as distillery releases. It’s been a joy to explore and share our thoughts on such a diverse range of drams.

Here are the top 5 drams that stood out based on our rating scale:

1. Friends of Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Cask #975 - 9/10
2. Fragrant Drops x Ensign Ewart North British 30yo - 9/10
3. Springbank 30 (2024 Release) - 8.5/10
4. Lochindaal Cadenhead’s Campbeltown Malts Festival 2023 - 8.5/10
5. Springbank 12 Cask Strength (Batch 25 - 2024 Release) - 8.5/10

While we strive for objectivity in our reviews, personal tastes always come into play. Here are our individual favourites:

Alans's Top 3 Drams of 2024

1. Friends of Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Cask #975
2. SMWS 62.12 - Brora 1977 25yo
3. Springbank 12 Cask Strength (Batch 25 - 2024 Release)

Daniel's Top 3 Drams of 2024

1. Fragrant Drops x Ensign Ewart North British 30yo
2. Glen Scotia 14yo Icons of Campbeltown Release No.2
3. Little Brown Dog Wee Mongrel 21yo Batch 3

We’d also like to recognize a few independent bottlers who impressed us this year (in no particular order):

• Adelphi - Consistent quality you can trust, even when buying blind.
• Blind Summit - Thoughtful releases with excellent quality and pricing.
• Fragrant Drops - Unique full maturations and finish, alongside standout older grain whiskies.
• Woodrow's of Edinburgh - Rarer distilleries for IBs, high quality, and competitive prices.
• Little Brown Dog - Great blends and early releases from newer distilleries.

So what's coming in 2025 for us? Well, we'll be continuing our reviews on the same Monday/Wednesday/Friday schedule, as well as continuing with our SMWS outturn previews. We're also exploring the idea of hosting tastings around the Edinburgh area, so keep your eyes peeled. Sign up to our mailing list or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to be kept up to date.

Once again, thank you for being part of our journey. We can’t wait to share more drams and stories with you in 2025 and beyond.

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