Top 10 Whiskies
July 2026
A lot of people ask us what the 'best whisky' is, and we usually explain that there is no universal 'best whisky' because it's such an individual thing – there's only the best whisky for you. It's like asking someone what the 'best film' is. You're going to get a lot of strongly held yet wildly different answers.
But nobody is ever satisfied by that, so each month we hold a battle royale an earnest and civilised* debate among the expert Master of Malt team to narrow it down to their 10 favourite whiskies that month – here are our picks for July.
Cù Bòcan Creation #8
Scotch single malt whisky, Speyside region
The eighth edition in Tomatin Distillery’s experimental peated whisky series, Cù Bòcan Creation #8, combines spirit matured in rare Canadian ice wine casks with whisky drawn from fresh Spanish Verdejo casks. It’s believed to be the first peated Scotch whisky matured in ice wine wood. It's bottled at 46% ABV, natural colour, non-chill filtered, and limited to 3,600 bottles.
"Cù Bòcan are always playful and inventive when it comes to cask experimentation. When I heard this release had been matured in Verdejo and Canadian ice wine casks, I knew I had to give it a try. The fresh, citrus-driven character from the Verdejo casks is beautifully complemented by the sweet, honeyed influence of the ice wine casks, while a gentle wisp of smoke ties everything together."
Michael Monte
Spirits buyer, but in French (& sometimes Mandarin)
Tasting notes
Poached pear, apricot jam, pineapple syrup, and candied peach drift through soft heather smoke, citrus zest, fennel seed, and almond pastry.
Silky honeyed sweetness opens first before lime zest, marmalade, green grapes, and tropical fruit syrup cut through alongside wisps of earthy smoke and grassy freshness.
Sweet wine richness fades slowly into smoky honey, soft oak spice, and lingering citrus peel.
Bunnahabhain 20yo Canasta Sherry Cask
Scotch single malt whisky, Islay region
Distilled 30 November 2005 and filled into a first-fill Canasta sherry cask which adds waves of fig syrup, raisins and dark chocolate richness. Unpeated and coastal, it's bottled non-chill filtered and with no added colour. Exclusive to UK whisky retailers, there's just 642 bottles total.
"Canasta is a signature cream sherry that gives you sticky dark fruit sweetness but also a vibrant acidity that keeps it balanced. Ideal for a nice old whisky to lay back in and soak up the good stuff."
Adam O'Connell
Whisky nerd and certified mate of Ainsley Harriott
Tasting notes by the producer
Dark chocolate, dates, fig syrup, and raisin pastries.
Lush and full-bodied with dark sugar, blackberry coulis, toffee, and soft oak spice.
Long with lingering treacle sweetness and hints of espresso.
A Secret Canadian 24yo - Elbows Up
Canadian corn whisky
Elbows up, Canada! Distilled in 2001, this Canadian corn whisky spent the next 24 years maturing in Canadian weather extremes including clippers, blizzards, heatwaves, whiteouts, squamish and chinook winds. Released for Canada Day 2026, it was bottled at a powerful 67% ABV, referencing the confederation of July 1, 1867.
"From the highs of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s special address at the World Economic Forum to the lows of coming home from the Ice Hockey World Championship without a medal, Canada continues to lead the world in a soft-power masterclass in spite of you-know-who’s senile mutterings. So we’ve bottled this soft but powerful 24 year old whisky that embodies the Canadian character: welcoming, kind, gentle yet possessing immense strength. The kind that fills you with pride if you’re from the Great White North, or fills you with stoic admiration if you aren’t."
Sam Simmons
Whiskevangelist, award-winning blender & real-life Canadian
Tasting notes
Bright, clean and shy. Applesauce, wood workshop, raisin scones. Delicate and understated.
ZING! The ABV announces itself before layers of spice, crème brûlée, turkey gravy, rum-soaked raisins, and chocolate chip cookies. Very complex, all subtly displayed.
Creamy, custard, buttered corn lifted with some cooking spices and burnt brown sugar.
The Teuchter 18yo #3 Decadent Drams
Scotch single malt whisky, Highland region
An 18-year-old Highland single malt, sherry cask matured and bottled at 47.2% ABV. This third batch sees extended ageing and a fresh sherry cask influence, giving it more depth and polish than earlier iterations. There are just 436 bottles.
"Sampled with Angus MacRaild at The Campbeltown Whisky Festival, Batch Three advances Batch One's legacy with increased age and sherry influence. Secondary maturation in a second-fill European oak butt has created a decadent, darker expression that balances spicy sherry notes with earthy, fruity foundations and is blimmin' lovely."
Dave Worthington
Olive-fueled, affable & beardy award-winning whisky ambassador
Tasting notes
Spicy, rich sherry, dark fruits, honey and mead.
Soft and rounded, with jammy fruit, Armagnac notes, pine, cedar and gentle spice.
Medium length, with dark fruit preserves, woody spice and a drying edge.
Kyrö Whisky Of Fire (Game of Thrones)
Finnish malted Rye Whiskey
Part of a dual release (the other being Whisky of Blood) from Finland's Kyrö distillery, celebrating the third season of HBO's Game of Thrones: House of the Dragon. Whisky of Fire embraces alder wood and peat smoke, distilled from 100% smoked, malted rye, matured in bourbon casks, and finished in rum casks. With layers of toasted rye, complex smoke, dark fruit, and earthy minerality, enjoy this with your closest companions and sworn allies.
"Once again, Kyrö demonstrates why it sits at the forefront of the global rye whisky category with this exciting dual release. Whisky of Fire's nose is earthy and smoky, reminiscent of sitting beside a campfire. On the palate, that smoke carries through beautifully, intertwining with notes of menthol, scorched earth, crisp apple, and peppery spice to create a wonderfully balanced and characterful dram."
Maia Berney
Maverick Cocktail Queen in the North
Tasting notes
Wafts of wood smoke and toasted rye, elegant oak char, spiced apple.
Complex smoke, with woody spice and earthy minerality. A touch of menthol is balanced by sweet cereal and blackberry.
Dark plum, peppercorns, singed herbs, burnt brown sugar.Lingering rich sweetness of pecan pie.
Abasolo
Mexican corn whisky
All the way from Mexico comes Abasolo, an excellent whisky made using 100% Mexican Cacahuazintle corn! Interestingly, a portion of the corn goes through nixtamalization, an ancient cooking technique, while another portion is malted. During the mashing process, the nixtamalized is combined with the malted corn, and then allowed a long fermentation of over 120 hours. It's then double distilled in copper stills, and set aside to age in new and old casks. An impressive expression, suitable for sipping neat or for using in cocktails.
"Well Adam has his US-led World Cup Hosts Old Fashioneds below, and Sam's been celebrating Canada Day (even if he's more bothered about hockey results than the footy), so it seems only fair to give Mexico a fully-fledged whisky pick of its own. Delicious stuff it is. Plus you get to say things like 'nixtamalization' and 'ancestral corn' to show off to your friends."
Jake Mountain
Resident doer of things, spirits buff & MoM OG
Tasting notes
Roasted corn, buttery popcorn and some green, vegetal notes lead in a distinctive, direct nose. Give this time to breathe to allow the aromas to settle and develop and you’re rewarded with notes of vanilla, a hint of toffee and tinned peaches, with earthy black tea, floral honey, new leather, clove and pencil shavings in support. There’s a hint of corn husk throughout as well as a soft, cookie dough element (with chocolate chips).
An initial tannic abrasiveness subsides for plenty of more the same corn-notes as the nose, as well as milk chocolate, soft vanilla and oak char. Touches of baked apple, caramel and salted butter add depth, amongst some spice from white pepper, cinnamon and clove.
Like a big scoop of chocolate and vanilla ice cream, with a little salted popcorn and orchard fruit in the backdrop.
Nc’nean Huntress 2026 - Malted Teacake
Scotch single malt whisky, Highland region
The fifth release in the experimental Huntress series – you can probably guess what flavour direction they went in here... Distilled between 2019-2022, Anchor, Fermentis, and Belgian Ale yeasts were used in fermentation, with maturation in 50% STR red wine, 48% bourbon and 2% oloroso sherry casks (the house style barrel selection). 4,386 bottles were filled at 48.5% ABV. As usual with B-Corp certified Nc’nean, it’s 100% organic Scottish barley, 100% renewable-powered stills, and 100% recycled glass bottles.
"N'cnean is always a favourite of mine. I love their core values around sustainability and the latest Huntress expression is one of their best yet. The fermentation and cask selection bring comforting flavours of hot buttered toast, fig marmalade, and freshly baked teacake."
Chris Wood
Spirits buyer, spirits seller & spirits drinker (& also MoM OG)
Tasting notes
Warm sponge cake, toasted marshmallow, and buttered brioche, with a generous smear of fig jam and orange marmalade. There’s also vanilla cream, soft oak, and a hint of red berry sweetness from those STR wine casks.
Malted teacake lands exactly as promised, think fluffy cake, sticky fig, and honeyed toast, followed by layers of caramel, sultana, and a touch of milk chocolate. Flashes of orchard fruit, light citrus peel, and a tiny sour tang keep it from getting too cosy.
Dried fruit and sweet malt fade into gentle oak, a whisper of nutmeg, and a final flicker of marmalade brightness.
Burnt Ends
World (Scotch x American) blended whiskey
Burnt ends - the sleeper hit of the barbecue world. Your brain might jump to Flintstone-sized racks of ribs and piles of pulled pork when barbecue is brought up, but those charred, smoky morsels are hard to beat. With that in mind, behold, Burnt Ends Blended Whisky! Inspired by the tasty goods served at the barbecue joints of the USA, this rich, meaty expression brings together smooth American rye whiskey and sherry cask-finished peated single malt Scotch whisky, all within a bottle that looks like it should hold barbecue sauce. It's meaty, smoky, rich and satisfying stuff.
"The ultimate barbecue whiskey?! Sticky sherried sweetness, hefty Islay peat, and savoury rye spice combine for a mouth-filling medley. Unconventional in the best sort of way."
Emma Symons
Whisky word-engine, rum nut, imperial stout maven & MoM OG
Tasting notes
Deliciously rich and spicy with rye notes prominent. Massive hit of peat quickly overtakes the proceedings, with more than a touch of apple juice in the background.
Epic. Barbecue sauce and smoky sausage all the way. The marriage of rye and peat hangs together perfectly.
Long, smoky, lingering.
Jack Daniel's 10 Year Old Batch #5
Tennessee whiskey
One of the most anticipated annual drops in American whiskey, this is the fifth edition of Jack Daniel's 10 Year Old. The mash bill remains the same for the classic JD: 80% corn, 12% rye, and 8% malted barley, but the full decade of ageing makes everything deeper, darker, punchier. Add a bottling strength of 48.5% ABV and you've got a Tennessee whiskey that really packs the flavour in. Get it while it's hot.
"While the signature banana character of Jack Daniel’s remains, this expression is noticeably thicker. Rich, full-bodied, and complex, it delivers layers of dark brown sugar, caramel, and warming spice. Despite its higher ABV, it remains remarkably smooth and approachable – perhaps a little too easy to drink!"
Michael Monte
Spirits buyer, but in French (& sometimes Mandarin)
Tasting notes
Banana sweetness, maple candy, and charred oak. Then baking spice, toasted wood, clove, and deeper barrel notes begin to emerge.
Rye spice and black pepper arrive first, followed by banana bread richness, burnt brown butter, tobacco leaf, and layers of drying oak. There’s still sweetness here, but it’s balanced by structure and grip.
The finish leans drier this year, with leather, charred oak, peppercorn spice, burnt caramel, and lingering tobacco notes sticking around long after the sip is gone.
Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel
Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskey
A twice-barreled straight bourbon from Elijah Craig. After it's fully matured, this whiskey is treated to a finish in a second custom-toasted barrel for added layers of sweet, oaken complexity.
"The World Cup has me making Host Nation Old Fashioneds: Toasted Barrel, Nixta Licor de Elote, a little maple syrup, orange bitters, lots of ice. So refreshing, and sweet enough to charm a whole party."
Adam O'Connell
Whisky nerd and certified mate of Ainsley Harriott
Tasting notes by the producer
Rich caramel, toasted oak, gentle spice.
Bold and complex, with layers of baking spice and peppery warmth balanced by milk chocolate, a touch of charcoal, and earthy tea.
Peaches, brown sugar, and lingering warmth.
*No humans were harmed this month during the 'debate'**
**Okay, relatively few were harmed***
***Fine, many were seriously injured, but the local A&E department was perfectly able to cope and they appreciated us sharing our samples with them.
Whisky by flavour
Choosing between hundreds or thousands of whiskies can be overwhelming to say the least. We've organised the world of whisky into five instantly understandable flavour groups to help you explore this amazing and diverse spirit.
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