16 new whiskies released in October - including ‘playful’ island single malt
It has been another bumper month for whisky releases.
While not as busy as September, October was still a busy month for new whisky releases.
From exclusive single cask bottlings, to high strength big hitters and a few sherry cask whiskies, here are some of the main whiskies released in October, plus where they can be bought.
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The Dalmore Cigar Malt Signature Reserve - Aged 18 Years
A new addition to the Dalmore’s popular cigar malt is this 18 year old whisky.
Matured in American white oak ex‑Bourbon casks and finished through a deliberate combination of Marsala casks, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc barriques, and Matusalem Oloroso Sherry casks, each has been selected to play a defined role in the final composition of this rich bodied Single Malt.
Created to pair with cigars of greater depth and presence, the whisky has aromas of chocolate orange, dried fig, and dark fruit layered with hints of aromatic wood. The palate follows with forest berries, sticky dates, orange marmalade, dark chocolate, and warming spice, leading to a long, composed finish where notes of dark fruit, nutmeg, and cinnamon linger.
Rosebank and MacLean & Bruce Single Cask Bottling
Rosebank Distillery and MacLean & Bruce recently announced an exclusive collaboration centred on Living Cask 1165, offering private clients the opportunity to acquire one of the first bottles drawn from this cask of historic Lowland single malt Scotch whisky.
The cask was selected at Rosebank by Leonard Russell, managing director of Ian Macleod Distillers, and Charles MacLean MBE, internationally recognised whisky writer, authority and founding director of MacLean & Bruce.
Chosen for the quality and character of its spirit, Cask 1165 reflects the distinctive style for which Rosebank has long been celebrated. During the selection tasting, MacLean noted its oak influence, fruit character and remarkable depth, describing the whisky as “very impressive”.
Each bottle will be hand-bottled at Rosebank Distillery, individually labelled and numbered, and personally signed by Charles MacLean MBE and Rosebank distillery manager Neil Bulloch.
Further details regarding the release, allocations and the December event are available directly from MacLean & Bruce.
Arran 10 year old Barley Batch 002
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Isle of Arran Distillers has released two brand-new Arran Single Malt expressions: the 10 Year Old Arran Barley Batch 002, and the fourth and final chapter of the limited-edition Signature Series, the Arran Single Malt Sherry Serenade.
The Arran Barley series is a unique range of Arran Single Malt crafted using malted barley grown on the Isle of Arran. This series was born from Isle of Arran Distillers' close partnership with Bellevue Farm, run by the Currie family for six generations.
This 2026 Batch 002 release is the second in the Arran Barley range, bringing the journey from field to bottle closer to home than ever before. The use of island-grown barley adds an extra dimension to the story behind the whisky, strengthening its connection to the Isle of Arran and the land from which it originates.
The Arran Barley Batch 002 differs from Batch 001 as it's been produced using Concerto Barley as opposed to Optic Barley and it has been fully matured in first-fill Bourbon Barrels.
Released annually in small batches, each edition is unique, with differences in barley varieties, harvest conditions, cask selection and available volumes ensuring every release offers something new to discover while remaining true to the signature style of Arran Single Malt.
Arran Signature Series 4 Sherry Serenade
The Arran Single Malt Sherry Serenade is a 9-year-old unpeated expression matured entirely in first-fill Oloroso, Pedro Ximénez and Amontillado sherry casks.
Bottled at 50% ABV, this fourth and final edition of Arran's Signature Series showcases the much-loved richness of sherry cask maturation.
With a limited release of 13,971 bottles, the series comes to a close with a real flourish: a full, intense, rich dram that offers layers upon layers of complex yet balanced sherry cask influence.
Saltire Rare Malt Cigar Malt Edition 2
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Following the sell-out success of its debut Cigar Malt, Saltire Rare Malt has introduced a 15-year-old Inchgower single malt, marking the next chapter in its award-winning Scotch whisky portfolio.
Bottled at 48.8% ABV, priced at £120 with 298 bottles available, the Inchgower has notes of orange marmalade, cherry pipe tobacco, stewed red apples and ground cloves, balanced by honeycomb and warm leather. Medium-bodied with a long, lingering finish, it is designed to complement a fine cigar or be savoured entirely on its own.
The collection launched with an 18-year-old single malt from the now-closed Speyside Distillers, which sold out following its release. Its popularity has paved the way for a second expression.
The Dalmore unveils 102 Proof Aged 12 Years
Highland Single Malt Whisky, The Dalmore has introduced a new, limited-edition expression, The Dalmore 102 Proof Aged 12 Years.
The Dalmore 102 Proof is aged 12 Years and has been intentionally bottled at 51% ABV, also known as 102 Proof, which gives this whisky its namesake. The higher ABV of this expression amplifies the layers of texture, complexity and structure.
The whisky has been matured for 10 years in American white oak ex-Bourbon barrels, before being divided between Oloroso Sherry casks and bespoke casks, created especially and exclusively for The Dalmore by long-standing partner, González Byass. These casks are a unique assemblage of classic and aged Oloroso, with sweet Pedro Ximénez blended to complement and enrich the house style.
The Full Monti whisky from Isle of Raasay
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Stripping back its lightly peated signature style for its latest limited release, Isle of Raasay Distillery recently announced the launch of The Full Monti, a new unpeated single malt.
The Full Monti takes one element of Isle of Raasay’s signature six-cask recipe and gives it an extended second maturation in ex-Amontillado sherry casks.
Created with the same philosophy that underpins Isle of Raasay – crafting whisky with intent, not convention – the whisky begins with the distillery’s unpeated spirit, matured for three years in 190-litre ex-Woodford Reserve Rye barrels. It is then transferred into 250-litre ex-Amontillado hogsheads made from North American oak for a further three years of full maturation.
Bottled at 100 Proof UK (57.1% ABV), 57.1%The Full Monti pays homage to historic British distilling and maritime heritage. Dating back to the 18th century, spirit strength was tested by mixing alcohol with gunpowder; if the mixture still ignited, it provided “proof” that the spirit was at full strength, a benchmark defined in the UK as 57.1% ABV. By bottling at this historic proof, Raasay delivers the whisky at a strength that allows its full flavour and character to shine, while giving a nod to tradition.
The team say that the result is a six-year-old whisky that offers a deliberate contrast to The Draam, the distillery’s signature lightly peated single malt with rich, dark fruit character. It shows how a familiar element of the Raasay recipe can take on an entirely different character through cask selection and extended maturation.
The Bowmore Devil’s cask 10 year old
Bowmore has brought back The Devil’s Casks series more than a decade after the original limited editions developed a cult following among whisky enthusiasts.
The new series comprises two limited-edition single malts: The Devil’s Casks 10-Year-Old, a 2026 interpretation paying homage to the original three small batch spirits, and The Devil’s Casks 22-Year-Old, crafted using two remaining casks held from the original releases and matured for another decade.
First released between 2013 and 2015, The Devil’s Casks trilogy became known for revealing a darker, richer side of Bowmore through the influence of sherry casks, bringing together intense layers of flavour, including dark fruit, treacle, chocolate, spice, and the distillery’s signature smoke.
Bowmore The Devil’s casks 10 year old is priced at £70 and you can buy a bottle here.
Hannah Whisky Merchant Samhain Series 2026
Fife-based independent bottler, Hannah Whisky Merchant - renowned for its Lady of the Glen, Dalgety, and St Briget’s Kirk ranges of whisky - recently announced the release of the Samhain Series, a limited-edition collection of seven single-cask Scotch whiskies.
The series celebrates Scotland’s rich folklore and eerie mythology, coinciding with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, the precursor to modern-day Halloween.
Each whisky in the Samhain Series tells a tale steeped in local legend, with evocative labels designed by Edinburgh-based artist and designer Steven Shand who researched folklore from across Scotland and interpreted them into brightly atmospheric, hand-drawn artworks, made with fineliner, alcohol markers and acrylic.
The collection will be available through select retailers including The Spirits Embassy.
Cù Bòcan Creation #9
Get the popcorn ready for this new release. Cù Bòcan, the experimental single malt crafted each winter at Tomatin Distillery in the Highlands, has released its oldest expression yet: Creation #9, a whisky inspired by the sweet and salty taste of cinema popcorn and designed for a whole new occasion to enjoy a dram.
The ninth instalment in Cù Bòcan's limited-edition Creations series, Creation #9 draws its distinctive flavour from an unlikely pairing of American virgin oak and Manzanilla sherry casks, continuing the brand’s drive to defy expectations of what a peated Scotch can taste like.
At over 17 years old, the larger share of the spirit spent its entire life maturing in American virgin oak casks, which are rarely used for such a lengthy maturation. The result is slowly built layers of vanilla, honey and caramel sweetness.
The remaining spirit spent 13 years in refill hogsheads before a four-and-a-half-year finish in Manzanilla sherry casks. Made from Palomino grapes in Sanlúcar de Barrameda on Spain’s
Cadiz coast, Manzanilla is a pale, bone-dry fortified sherry whose casks carry a signature salinity, layering salted caramel, toasted almond and coastal freshness into the spirit.
Together, the two casks create the sweet and salted popcorn note that defines Creation #9.
Benromach 25 Years Old
Benromach Distillery in Speyside recently unveiled Benromach 25 Years Old, the oldest release in their signature range.
Matured exclusively in Bourbon and Sherry casks, Benromach 25 Years Old is bottled at a higher strength of 46% ABV, is non-chill filtered, and joins the distillery's signature range alongside the 12, 15 and 21 Years Old.
The release offers whisky enthusiasts rich berry aromas, complemented by toffee apples and Benromach’s signature soft smoke. On the palate, vibrant notes of raisin and orange are followed by tropical fruit, and finished with dried banana and mature oak.
Jura 12 Year Old Oloroso Edition
This new release from Jura has been bottled at 46% ABV, with a natural colour and non-chill filtration. It has a sweet richness and a complex nuttiness that harmonises with the fruity and balanced house style.
For those who already love the fruity, balanced character, this whisky offers layers of prune, caramelised walnut and dried citrus.
Jura 15 Year Old Manzanilla Edition
This whisky is fruity, mineral and complex While the Manzanilla finish’s distinct mineral notes make it an ideal match for Jura’s complex island spirit.
The whisky has a natural colour, an ABV of 46% and is non-chill filtered. Initially matured in Bourbon barrels, it was then fully finished in Manzanilla Sherry butts to add an additional layer of fruity, mineral complexity, maintaining the balance between spirit and cask influence. Joe Ricketts, lead blender for Jura, recommends pairing this whisky with fresh oysters for an elegant tasting experience.
Kilchoman Sanaig Cask Strength 2026
This cask strength whisky - which has an ABV of 57.5% - is billed as a whisky for those who enjoy big flavours.
The Kilchoman Sanaig core range is bottled at 46% ABV while this release follows the same sherry cask recipe but is bottled at cask strength.
The team said: “Sanaig highlights the rich influence of oloroso sherry hogsheads, sourced directly from Bodega José y Miguel Martín in Jerez. These casks display their full impact on our whisky at natural cask strength, delivering a weighty dram packed full of rich dark fruits and mouth-watering barbequed smoke.”
Isle of Harris Single Malt: Dad's Hat Straight Rye Cask Matured Release
In 2016, twelve special casks arrived in Harris froM Dad’s Hat distillery in Bristol, Pennsylvania to the Isle of Harris distillery. Previously home to their straight rye whiskey, the team there filled them with their lightly peated spirit.
For almost a decade, that whisky has matured entirely in these casks by the shores of Ardhasaig. Now in its final period of marrying, it brings together the warmth and spice of its Pennsylvania heritage with the character of the Harris distillery’s island whisky.
The Isle of Harris single malt: Dad’s Hat straight rye cask matured release is available to buy now, priced at £150. You can find out more via the Isle of Harris distillery website.
Highland Park Between You and I 17 year old single malt
In the second edition of its ”Between You and I” whisky - created in conversation with leading talents from the worlds of food, art and fashion - Orkney distillery Highland Park has partnered with New York-based artist Laila Gohar to create a 17-year-old single malt that, with its elegant spiciness and enigmatic smoke, uses flavour to offer a window into her playful, surreal and endlessly imaginative world.
This special edition whisky, inspired by Gohar’s Egyptian heritage and crafted with new American Oak casks for pronounced notes of spice and orange blossom, comes in colourful packaging co-created with Gohar that, through a series of mysterious scenes, showcases her own imaginative response to the whisky and its complex layers of flavour.
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