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The year 2025 started with a blast of new whisky releases. From multiple editions from Kavalan and Buffalo Trace to the oldest single malt ever released by Highland Park distillery, 2025 is on track to be marked by standout whisky releases to tackle the competition.
Here are our top picks for new whisky releases revealed in January 2025.
Highland Park 56-year-old
To kickstart the year on a high note, Edrington-owned Highland Park released its oldest single malt to date: the 56-year-old - taking the crown from a 54-year-old expression released in February 2023.
The rare whisky comes from the same line of 10 casks as other old expressions from the distillery. All the whiskies were distilled in 1968 and chosen by master whisky maker Gordon Motion during his first year in the role in 2008.
The 56-year-old was finished in a first-fill sherry-seasoned cask, resulting in 170 bottles. At 47.1% ABV, the single malt retails for £40,000 (US$49,437).
Original Image by Highland Park
The Glenlivet 40-year-old
In mid-January 2025, The Glenlivet added a 40-year-old single malt to its core range. Previously only released as a limited edition as part of the distillery's Cellar Collection and a single cask edition, the new expression joins the permanent range at 46.9% ABV.
The whisky boasts extra layers from finishing in Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez-seasoned sherry casks. Presented in a copper-coloured container, the expression retails for US$6,000 (£4,600).
Image by Glenlivet
Buffalo Trace Prohibition Collection No.2
Following the collection's launch in October 2023, Buffalo Trace released the second five-bottle Prohibition set in mid-January 2025. The collection pays homage to lost brands once produced or bottled by George T Stagg distillery (renamed Buffalo Trace in 1999). The distillery was one of only six distilleries in the US that were granted a licence to bottle medicinal whisky during Prohibition from 1920 to 1933.
The second set includes five whiskeys in 375ml bottles: Mirror Brook bottled-in-bond blend of Kentucky whiskeys (50% ABV), Very Oldest Procurable VOP barrel-proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Anderson’s Belle bottled-in-bond Bourbon (50% ABV), Old Fashioned Mountain Corn Kentucky straight corn whiskey (55% ABV), and Silver Wedding Rye Whiskey (62.5% ABV).
The whiskey set will be available in the US starting January 2025 and has a suggested retail price of US$999.99 (£800). In addition, Buffalo Trace partnered with the Scandinavian Tobacco Group to launch a limited edition cigar set featuring five unique blends held in 750 individually numbered boxes mirroring the whiskey collection packaging.
Images by Buffalo Trace
Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection No.26
Another new release from Buffalo Trace is the distillery's 26th edition in its Experimental Collection. Called Spirits Distilled from Grain and Hops, the limited release was made by infusing Saaz noble hops, a Czechoslovakian variety commonly found in Bohemian pilsners, and Zythos, an American hop with tropical and subtle herbal notes, into a raw distillate for 30 minutes. The spirit was then redistilled and aged in charred white oak casks for 11 years and seven months before bottling at 45% ABV.
Offered in a 375ml bottle, the release is priced at US$46.99 (£38).
Image by Buffalo Trace
The Whisky Exchange Winter Collection
In January 2025, London-based spirits retailer The Whisky Exchange revealed its third chapter of a 12-bottle own-label The Seasons collection. Called Winter, the trio of single-cask, single-malt releases includes Orkney 2013 10-year-old, Laphroaig 2015 eight-year-old, and Blair Athol 2007 16-year-old.
Only available from the retailer, the 10-year-old Orkney is offered at 57% ABV and retails for £69.95 (US$87). The Laphroaig is bottled at 66% ABV and retails for £79.95 (US$99), while the 16-year-old Blair Athol retails for £110 (US$136) at 55.1% ABV.
Image by The Whisky Exchange
Isle of Tiree First Release
The first single malt release from the Scottish island of Tiree was revealed in early January 2025. The island was once home to 50 illicit stills, but it took almost 200 years for the first distillery and official whisky to be released.
The distillery, which only produces around 2,000 litres of pure alcohol per year, was established in 2019 by traditional folk musicians Alain Campbell and Ian Smith. The inaugural single malt release is limited to 800 bottles, 400 of which were sold in less than two hours last year in a pre-sale, and the first 10 bottles auctioned on 31 January. The whisky is offered at 47% ABV and retails for £199.99 (US$247) on the distillery's website.
Image by Tiree Whisky Company
Stranahan's Founder's Reserve
Stranahan's released a celebratory Founder's Reserve to celebrate the official category recognition of American single malt by the US government’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). The ruling was given on Friday, 13 December 2024, and went into effect on 19 January 2025.
The 12-year-old single malt was initially aged in new charred oak barrels and finished in ex-Bourbon and blonde ale casks. Bottled at 60% ABV, the release is the highest proof the brand has released nationally. Founder’s Release is available for a suggested retail price of $199.99 at select retailers in Colorado, California, Texas, Florida, and New York, as well as at Stranahan’s brand homes in Denver and Aspen.
Image by Stranahan's
Royal Salute Lunar New Year Edition
For the Lunar New Year, the Year of the Snake, Royal Salute, one of Pernod Ricard's blended whisky brands, released a limited edition 21-year-old Signature Blend. The gift pack was designed by Chinese illustrator Jason Lyon. Royal Salute has released a special edition for the Lunar New Year since 2020.
Released in January 2025, the edition is available worldwide and has a suggested retail price of US$200 (£161).
Image by Royal Salute
Lochlea 6-year-old
Scottish Lochlea distillery released its second age-statement edition to start the year: a six-year-old single malt to celebrate its sixth anniversary. Last year, Lochlea released a five-year-old to commemorate the distillery's fifth anniversary.
The six-year-old release is a five-cask small-batch edition. The expression combines two first-fill ex-Bourbon casks, one first-fill Oloroso sherry cask, a double-matured Oloroso sherry cask, and a double-matured Pedro Ximénez sherry cask.
The whisky, bottled at 50% ABV, was released on 25 January 2025 and has an RRP of £89.99 (US$114).
Image by Lochlea
The Original Santa Fe Whiskey
In January 2025, Santa Fe Spirits revealed its new look. As part of the rebranding, the distiller renamed its Colkegan single malt range The Original Santa Fe Whiskey. The revamp follows Stockwell Reserve's purchase of the company in April 2024, a cooperative of craft distilleries. The distillery produces six whiskies, including its flagship expression, Mesquite Smoked American Single Malt.
Original Images by Santa Fe Spirits
Sexton 11-year-old
Sexton's 11-year-old new Irish single malt marks the brand's entry into global travel retail (GTR). The triple-distilled whisky was aged in Oloroso sherry-seasoned French oak barrels from the Antonio Paez Lobato family bodega in Jerez, Spain. Offered at 43% ABV, it retails for €41 (US$42.25/£34) in Dublin and Cork airport duty-free for a 700ml bottle, followed by global hubs at a later date.
Image by Sexton
Kavalan 2025 Gift Sets
To kick off its 20th anniversary year, the Taiwanese Kavalan distillery revealed its annual gift sets in early January. The 2025 collection features three of the distillery’s single malts: Triple Sherry Cask, Solist Vinho Barrique Single Cask Strength, and Concertmaster Vinho Barrique Cask Finish. The exclusive sets are now available in Taiwan, Australia, Guam, Germany, and Mexico.
Image by Kavalan
Kavalan Grand Reserve Series
In 2025, Kavalan's first entirely new expressions were created exclusively for Lotte Duty Free. The new Grand Reserve series launched with two single malts, No.1 and No.2, both initially aged in Vinho STR casks. Grand Reserve No.1 is further matured in Spanish Amontillado sherry casks and No.2 in Madeira and Portuguese ruby Port casks.
Both whiskies are offered at 40% ABV with a suggested retail price of US$127 (£102). The releases are available in South Korean airports through Lotte Duty Free from January, followed by Singapore, Guam and Australia.
Image by Kavalan
Brave New Spirits Cask Masters
Glasgow-based independent bottler and distiller Brave New Spirits introduced a new bottling series in January 2025. Called Cask Masters, the collection features eight single malt expressions, aged or finished in different casks.
Craigellachie 9-year-old, 48.1% ABV, Chateau Larose-Trintaudon barrique finish
Inchmurrin 10-year-old from Loch Lomond, 48.1% ABV, first-fill American Bourbon barrel
Benrinnes 13-year-old, 51.9% ABV, first-fill Oloroso sherry hogshead
Teaninich 14-year-old, 50.1% ABV, first-fill Oloroso sherry barrique finish
Croftengea 8-year-old from Loch Lomond, 57.9% ABV, first-fill Muscat Blanc barrique finish
Tamnavulin 13-year-old, 54.9% ABV, first-fill Tokaj wine barrique finish
Blair Athol 13-year-old, 57.3% ABV, first-fill Oloroso sherry hogshead
Glenlossie 14-year-old, 54.7% ABV, first-fill White Port hogshead
Image by Brave New Spirits
Retribution English Whisky
English Retribution Distilling Co in Somerset revealed its first public single malt release in January 2025. The single cask expression was aged three years and two months in an ex-Bourbon quarter cask from Jim Beam. Offered at 63.3% ABV, the release is limited to 151 bottles, each retailing for £110 (US$136).
Image by Retribution Distilling Co
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