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From the anticipated 2024 releases of Pappy and over 50-year-old Johnnie Walker to the second single malt release from Falkirk Lowland distillery, early December got into festive spirits with multiple new whisky releases.
Probably the biggest American whiskey news of the year was revealed on Friday, 13 December, the 'lucky day', when the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) finally officially recognised American single malt whiskey after two years of waiting.
But, most of the whisky releases that got our attention in December came from Scotland. Keep reading to see which ones raised to the top.
Ballantine's 40-year-old Chapter Two ‘The Waiting’
In early December, Ballantine's revealed the second edition of its Masterclass Collection, The Waiting. The series is dedicated to 40-year-old blends and will feature five releases in total. Offered at 45.4% ABV and limited to 108 bottles, the expression has a suggested retail price of US$12,000 (£9,500).
Chapter One, 'The Remembering', was released in April 2023. Chapters Three and Four will be released in 2025 and 2026, and the final edition will be released in 2027 to mark the brand’s 200th anniversary.
Image by Ballantine's
Johnnie Walker 52-year-old
One of the oldest Johnnie Walker blends, the 52-year-old, was unveiled in early December 2024. The blend honours the lifetimes of Johnnie Walker founder John Walker and his son Alexander Walker. Master blender Dr Emma Walker chose blends for the release that have reached at least the same age – 52 – as both late whisky masters.
The blend includes grain whiskies from Cambus and Carsebridge, single malts from Blair Athol and Dalwhinnie, and closed distilleries Glen Albyn, Glenury Royal, and Glenlochy.
Bottled at 41.2% ABV, the 52-year-old blend is priced at £23,500 (US$25,000) and is available through Diageo private client teams and select luxury retail outlets.
Image by Johnnie Walker
Van Winkle Collection 2024
Old Rip Van Winkle and Buffalo Trace distilleries released the Van Winkle Collection's 2024 editions in early December. The series features the same six expressions as in previous years, but this year, the barrels yielded more bottles of 20- and 23-year-olds than usual.
The suggested retail prices from the producer are as follows:
Old Rip Van Winkle Handmade Bourbon 10-year-old, 53.5% ABV - US$129.99 (£103)
Van Winkle 12-year-old Special Reserve Bourbon, 45.2% ABV - US$149.99 (£119)
Van Winkle 13-year-old Family Reserve Rye, 47.8% ABV - US$199.99 (£158)
Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 15-year-old, 53.5% ABV - US$199.99 (£158)
Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 20-year-old, 45.2% ABV - US$319.99 (£253)
Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 23-year-old, 47.8% ABV - US$449.99 (£356)
The 2024 collection is now available in stores, bars, and restaurants across the US at varying retail prices. For a 'fair price,' the expressions are usually available through raffles and lottery, and the producer is not responsible for prices set by individual retailers.
Image by Buffalo Trace
Glenfiddich Lunar Year Collection 2025
Ready for the Year of the Snake in 2025, Glenfiddich revealed its rendering of the Lunar Year celebrations in December. Featured on the brand's three limited editions, 'A Gift for Great Encounters', the labels were designed by contemporary ink artist Zhang Yu. Her work can be seen on Glenfiddich's 21-year-old Grand Reserva and two travel retail exclusive single malts from the distillery's Perpetual range—15-year-old Vat 03 and 18-year-old Vat 04.
The limited editions will be showcased in January and February 2025 at major APAC airports with special activations, including Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Taipei, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Incheon and Melbourne.
Original Images by Glenfiddich
Glengoyne 38-year-old Russell Family Cask
The second expression in the Glengoyne Russell Family Cask trilogy, a 38-year-old single malt from a single cask, was unveiled in early December. The release follows the first expression, a 36-year-old, launched in 2021.
The Russell trilogy celebrates three generations of the Russell family as custodians of Glengoyne Distillery, owned by Ian Macleod Distillers since 2003. Offered at 56.8% ABV, the second chapter was aged in a first-fill American Sherry oak butt no.915 and is limited to 241 bottles worldwide. The expression has an RRP of £4,000 (US$5,078).
Image by Glengoyne
Glendronach Master's Anthology Collection
Following the distillery's core range revamp in July this year, Glendronach released its new addition to its core range, Master's Anthology Collection, in early December. The series includes three non-age statement single malt curated by master blender Rachel Barrie, each as an 'ode to' the distillery's signature sherry-cask maturation.
The first of the trio, Ode to the Valley, is aged in a combination of ruby Port casks from Portugal's Douro Valley and sherry casks. The expression is bottled at 46.2% ABV and retails for £67 (US$).
Ode to the Embers is offered at 48.4% ABV and retails for £72 (US$). The peated-style single malt was matured in Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez (PX) sherry casks.
The last expression, Ode to the Dark, was aged exclusively in PX sherry casks and is bottled at 50.8% ABV. The expression has a suggested retail price of £77 (US$). All three single malts were made available in the UK and Germany in December, with a global release expected in 2025.
Image by Glendronach
Bimber eight-year-old Single Malt
In early December, the London-based Bimber distillery introduced its first two age-statement single malt expressions: eight-year-old Harmony of Eight and Single Cask Edition.
The Harmony of Eight was matured in a combination of ex-Bourbon and Pedro Ximénez Sherry casks and bottled at 50% ABV. Retailing for £130 (US$165), the release is limited to 1,090 bottles.
The Single Cask Edition, as the name suggests, was drawn from a single American oak ex-Bourbon cask. Selected by the 2024 Bimber Klub tasting panel, it is offered at 56.8% ABV, limited to 268 bottles, and priced at £160 (US$203), available exclusively for distillery members.
Image by Bimber
Fuji 50th Anniversary Single Malt
In early December, Fuji Gotemba distillery released its 50th anniversary whisky, which includes distillate from its first run in 1973. The release was initially announced in March this year.
The single malt includes whiskies aged between 12 and 50 years in multiple cask types, including Bourbon, beer, Oloroso sherry, and French oak red wine. The expression is limited to 3,000 bottles, 400 of which are destined for the US market and available only in California, Washington, Texas, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Georgia, and Florida.
Fuji's 50th Anniversary single malt is bottled at 52% ABV and retails for US$500 (£396).
Original Image by Fuji Gotemba
Number 868 Blended Whisky
Whisky blender and bottler Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky extended its partnership with My Name'5 Doddy Foundation by creating a blended whisky to raise funds for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) research. The charity was established to honour the late Scottish rugby player Doddie Weir OBE, who was diagnosed with MND in 2016. The new whisky pays tribute to the legend, who was the 868th player to be chosen for the national Scottish rugby team.
Offered at 40% ABV, the Number 868 blend is available online for £47 (US$60) for a 700ml bottle, exclusively through The Spirits Embassy. All the proceeds from the bottle sales go to the charity.
Image by Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky
Falkirk Single Malt Second Release
Lowland distillery Falkirk unveiled its second single malt release in early December. Established in 2020, the distillery houses stills and a mash tun from the closed Caperdonich distillery.
The whisky was aged in Oloroso sherry hogshead and first-fill Heaven Hill American Bourbon casks and bottled at 48% ABV. Available from the distillery's website, the single malt retails for £68 (US$86).
Image by Falkirk
Ian Macleod Lunar New Year Packs
In celebration of the upcoming Lunar New Year in 2025, Ian Macleod revealed five limited edition gift packs for the Taiwanese market: Tamdhu Sherry Cask (illustrated by Kyo) and 12-year-old, Glengoyne 12 and 15-year-old, and 21-year-old Isle of Skye blended whisky.
Images by Ian Macleod
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