Distillery & Whisky News February 2026
Hello whisky lovers, and welcome to our February edition of Distillery and Whisky News.
And just like that the gloomiest month of the year is over, February may not be much brighter (or warmer) but it is, at least, shorter!
Warm your cockles with a new whisky - we have plenty of inspiration for you in this newsletter from our fantastic competition prize - a Distillery Exclusive from Singleton of Glen Ord Distillery, to our Malt of the Month - Chapter Two in the Loch Maberry: Stories of Bladnoch series.
If you plan to celebrate Valentines Day, perhaps you could take your loved one on a whisky trip - our suggestion this month is Tomatin's Warehouse No. 6 Tasting Experience. If you plan to keep celebrations more 'low key' then how about cocktails at home? Our Perfect Serve this month is from Glen Moray - their Forbidden Fruit Old Fashioned sounds delicious - find this cocktail and many more on the website.
Until next time...
Distillery Of The Month: Springbank
Founded in 1828, Springbank Distillery in Campbeltown is one of Scotland’s most traditional and hands-on whisky producers. Every stage of production takes place on site, from malting the barley to bottling the final spirit, giving the team exceptional control over quality and character. Using water from the surrounding hills and time-honoured production methods, Springbank continues to craft whisky in a way that has changed little over generations.
At the heart of the distillery, The Washback Bar offers a cosy retreat built from former washbacks once used in production. Here, visitors can explore tasting flights, drams from the core range and rare releases, alongside light bites and hot drinks.
For a deeper dive, the Barley to Bottle Tour provides behind-the-scenes access to the full whisky-making process, including the chance to taste spirit straight from the cask in a traditional dunnage warehouse. Guests then head to the Blending Laboratory to create their own personalised bottle of Springbank to take home.
Find out more about Springbank Distillery at its dedicated pages on the DistilleryTours.scot website.
Venue of the Month: Glenmorangie House
Tucked among the rolling barley fields of Easter Ross, Glenmorangie House is a welcoming Highland retreat that feels more like a country home than a hotel. For over 25 years it has been known for its relaxed charm, warm hospitality and peaceful coastal setting.
Bedrooms in the main house and cottages combine traditional Scottish character with modern comfort, many looking out over the walled gardens towards the sea. Guests can relax in the cosy sitting rooms, wander through the gardens and historic dovecot, or enjoy a refreshing walk along the nearby beach.
Dining is a highlight, with award-winning chefs showcasing the best local produce, from fresh seafood to seasonal Highland ingredients.
Whisky is at the heart of the experience. Special tasting weekends throughout the year invite guests to explore exceptional drams in an intimate setting. Just 20 minutes away, Glenmorangie Distillery offers the chance to see the famous copper stills, breathe in the sweet aromas of the mash house and step inside traditional warehouses where casks quietly mature, rounding off a stay steeped in Highland flavour and spirit.
Find out more about Glenmorangie House on its dedicated page at the DistilleryTours website.
Experience of the Month: Warehouse 6 Tasting Experience
Visitors to Tomatin Distillery are invited to step inside the story of one of the Highlands’ most respected whisky makers with the immersive Warehouse 6 Tasting Experience.
The journey begins with a guided tour through the distillery, tracing Tomatin’s history from its founding in 1897, through the boom years of the 1970s, to the innovative distillery it is today. Along the way, guests learn how Tomatin’s signature light, fruity spirit is crafted before discovering how time and wood shape it into award-winning single malt.
The experience continues inside the atmospheric surroundings of Warehouse 6, where maturation takes centre stage. Here, visitors explore how different cask types influence flavour and character, from traditional oak to more unusual selections such as Cognac and Cabernet Sauvignon casks.
The highlight is an interactive tasting of four single cask whiskies, sampled straight from the cask on the first floor of the dunnage warehouse. It is a rare opportunity to experience Tomatin’s spirit in its purest, most expressive form.
The Warehouse 6 experience offers an in-depth and memorable look at the craft, heritage and flavour of Tomatin whisky.
Find out more about all of Tomatin Distillery's tours on their dedicated page at the DistilleryTours website.
Date With A Dram: The Singleton
For February's Date With A Dram competition we've partnered with The Singleton of Glen Ord Distillery to give one lucky reader the chance to win a bottle of their Distillery Exclusive. This unique single malt is available only at the distillery and has been crafted from a specially selected vatting of refill oak casks, finished in virgin American oak hogsheads. The result is a beautifully balanced whisky with inviting notes of fresh fruit, toffee and vanilla.
Competition Time
To be in with a chance of winning a bottle of The Singleton Distillery Exclusive simply follow DistilleryTours.scot on Facebook or Instagram and share our 'Date with a Dram' post dated 1 February. The lucky winner will be chosen at random and announced in our March newsletter!
Congratulations to Denzil Plough from England who won January's competition - a bottle of Balblair Distillery's 12 Year Old Single Malt.
You must be 18 years old or over to enter. Please note, will never approach you for your credit card details or personal information, send you friend requests or ask you to click on a link. Please stay safe online and remember to drink responsibly.
Malt of the Month: Bladnoch Loch Maberry - Chapter 2
Loch Maberry: Stories of Bladnoch is an annual series celebrating the distillery’s most devoted admirers. Chapter Two celebrates Liz, the great-great-granddaughter of one of Bladnoch’s original founders.
Perfect Serve: Forbidden Fruit Old Fashioned
This Glen Moray cocktail gets creative with Forbidden Fruit, the distillery's latest expression finished in Calvados casks.
Podcast: Blackness Bay Distillery
In this episode we head to the shores of the Firth of Forth to meet Colm O’Rourke, the larger-than-life owner of Blackness Bay Distillery. Now in his 70s, Colm is pouring his heart and soul into his legacy project. The distillery’s whisky is made the traditional way in copper pot stills with unforgettable names: Lucifer and Lilith. Want to know the story behind them? You’ll have to listen in.
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