DC Blog: Whisky News Roundup March '26
- Lee Connor
- Mar 22
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 23
As we limp towards spring, the whisky world continues its awkward shuffle between “all‑time auction records” and “ok, but can we still pay the wages?”. Jobs are going at one Fife firm amid talk of closure, while luxury retail marches on in Knightsbridge. Somewhere between those two extremes, there is a real industry trying to keep the lights on, invest for the long term and still convince ordinary drinkers they’re not just extras in someone else’s speculative bubble.
Here’s what caught my eye this month. If you're in a rush you can read "My ten pence worth" here.
March '26 Update
Jobs at risk in Fife as speculation swirls
Lindores Abbey Distillery in Fife has made redundancies and sparked a flurry of rumours about an imminent shutdown, even as the distillery itself stresses it remains very much open. Management has been clear that production and the visitor centre are continuing, with changes focused on events and support roles rather than the core whisky operation. In a month full of slick rebrands and luxury openings, it’s a useful reminder that the current slowdown is playing out very differently at ground level, even for well‑regarded names like Lindores Abbey.
Amrut elevates Ashok Chokalingam to master distiller
Indian pioneer Amrut has formally named long‑serving whisky evangelist Ashok Chokalingam as both chief operating officer and master distiller, a dual role designed to fuse technical decisions with global brand strategy. After more than 20 years taking Indian single malt to the world, he now has the remit – and the title – to match the influence he already clearly wielded behind the scenes. At a time when Western markets are wobbling, it’s hard not to see this as a smart bet on Indian talent and Indian whisky’s long‑term clout.
Cotswolds Distillery recognised for sustainability
Cotswolds Distillery has been “highly commended” in a Sustainable Distillery category, highlighting its wetlands treatment system and wider efforts to cut environmental impact. It’s not going to grab headlines like a £2,000 dram, but this sort of slow, unglamorous work is what actually shifts the industry away from greenwashing and towards something more credible. The English whisky sector quietly upping its sustainability game is one of the more encouraging sub‑plots in an otherwise choppy market.
Macallan plants its flag inside Harrods
Macallan is opening its first UK domestic boutique in Harrods this summer, taking over the former Baccarat Bar space with a high‑luxury temple to rare and limited Speyside. It fits perfectly with where the brand has been heading for years: ever closer to the world of jewellery counters and watch salons than supermarket shelves. While we do need to service luxury drinkers; for the rest of us, it’s another sign of how far the "top end" of Scotch has floated away from everyday whisky drinking.
Sotheby’s 2025 results show top‑end still booming
Sotheby’s has reported whisky auction sales of around US$45 million for 2025, with headline‑grabbing collections and a familiar roll call of cult names driving the totals. The secondary market may not be as frothy as 2021, but there’s clearly still plenty of money chasing trophies while small producers are worrying about energy bills and duty. It feels like two parallel industries at this point: one measured in hammer prices, the other in whether next quarter’s overdraft gets extended.
Glenfiddich joins the great packaging reset
Glenfiddich has unveiled a major redesign across its core range, signalling a “new era” with revamped bottles and packs aimed at giving clearer cues on flavour and age. You can read this as marketing spin, of course, but it also reflects a real arms race for attention at retail as more mid‑priced single malts fight over a smaller pot of spend.
Tomatin puts wood centre stage in new look
Tomatin is taking a similar tack with its own refresh, putting a stronger emphasis on wood policy and cask types as the main storytellers on shelf. It’s a logical move at a time when drinkers are increasingly curious about maturation detail, and it gives Tomatin a clearer point of difference without shouting about age alone.
Uncle Nearest: lawsuits, loans and a blocked bankruptcy
In the US, the ongoing issues at Uncle Nearest continue as they're under fire from lender Icon Capital, which alleges the Tennessee distiller failed to properly disclose a US$20m loan from Jay‑Z’s company Marcy Venture Partners when raising other funds. As if that weren’t enough drama, a judge has also denied Uncle Nearest’s bankruptcy petition, casting doubt on how it intends to manage the competing claims and keep the lights on. It’s messy, high‑stakes stuff, and a long way from the brand’s origin story as a feel‑good tale of historical recognition and inclusive ownership.
Sazerac edges further into Kentucky with Garrard County move
Reports in the US suggest Sazerac has invested in Garrard County Distilling, adding another production site to a portfolio that already includes Buffalo Trace and Barton. For a group that’s just put Traveller Whiskey into the Super Bowl spotlight, doubling down on Kentucky capacity looks like a clear statement of long‑term intent. It also underlines how, even in a downturn, the biggest players keep quietly hoovering up assets while smaller projects struggle to reach the start line.
Redbreast teams up again with Andrew Scott
Actor Andrew Scott is extending his collaboration with Redbreast, fronting new creative work that leans into the brand’s “small pleasures” positioning and warm, slightly off‑beat tone. It’s the sort of partnership that actually feels plausible – a character actor rather than a stadium act – and plays neatly into Irish whiskey’s current role as the charming alternative to bombastic Scotch luxury narratives. One suspects the campaign will land very nicely with the brand’s existing fanbase, even if it won’t trouble Super Bowl ad charts.
Dalmore leans harder into luxury tourism
Dalmore is preparing to welcome visitors to a reimagined distillery experience, with upgraded facilities designed to justify its luxury positioning and keep high‑spending fans engaged on site as well as at auction. For a brand so closely associated with eye‑watering prices, investing in the physical experience feels like a sensible way to make that world a bit more tangible for the people actually visiting Alness.
New chapter for Waterford Whisky under Tennessee ownership
Tennessee Distilling Group has completed its €6 million takeover of Waterford Whisky, acquiring the former Diageo brewery on Grattan Quay, the brand IP and around €100m of maturing stock after the business went into receivership in 2024. The new owners are giving the distillery an intense clean‑down after 18 months of inactivity, aiming to open a retail operation and limited visitor offer by May before bringing production back online over the next year.
General counsel Heath Clark says Tennessee plans to keep Waterford in the premium space but with a “more approachable” and “more predictable” style, including lower price points and a narrower range, while also using the site for some white‑label production. Meanwhile, founder Mark Reynier is looking to buy roughly €13m of bulk stock with a view to launching a new brand, as receivers Interpath launch separate business “Prestige Casks” to sell almost 60,000 casks of Waterford and other distressed Irish stocks to buyers who want ready‑matured whisky in scale.
Himalayan casks and other experiments at the fringes
Finally, Himmaleh Spirits has launched what it’s billing as the world’s first Himalayan cask programme, inviting buyers to take a punt on maturing spirit in the foothills rather than the Highlands. It’s hard not to admire the ambition – and harder still not to quietly hope the contracts are tighter than some of the UK schemes we’ve seen. In a month dominated by big‑brand redesigns and court fights, it’s a reminder that whisky’s future may also be shaped in places most of us couldn’t find on a map without zooming out a few times.
My ten pence worth...
Taken together, March feels less like boom‑and‑bust and more like a slow, slightly awkward rebalancing. At the big‑money end, Harrods boutiques and record Sotheby’s results show there’s still plenty of cash sloshing around for whisky as luxury wallpaper. At the sharp end, though, you’ve got job losses in Fife, and high‑profile brands in court or in front of lenders – all of which lands differently if you’re more likely to be clocking in at a bottling hall rather than bidding on a Dalmore. On the brighter side, there is a thread of long‑term thinking running through it all: Indian and English producers quietly building sustainable cred, research institutes and master distillers getting more clout, and even the odd Himalayan experiment nudging the category’s boundaries. If we can keep that bit – the investment in people, places and proper science – while being a lot more honest about risk, volatility and who actually benefits when the hammer falls, then the industry might yet come out of this wobble a bit fairer as well as a bit wiser. We live in hope! Anyhow, that's you for this month folks. Why not go and book on to one of my tastings while you're here! All the best. Connas
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