This long weekend offers no shortage of opportunities to gather over a good bottle. Fittingly, World Whisky Day falls right in the middle of it all. Celebrated annually on the third Saturday of May, the event began in Scotland in 2012 through university student Blair Bowman with the intention of making whisky more accessible and inclusive — encouraging people around the world to share their passion, exchange stories, and perhaps discover something new along the way.
In the spirit of that ethos, we’ve put together a diverse list of whiskies from some of our favourite distillers currently — or imminently — making waves in the community. These distillers have devoted themselves not only to creating exceptional liquid, but also to finding new ways to tell their stories and bring people together in celebration of whisky itself. Whether you’re a longtime collector or simply whisky-curious, here are a few bottles worth slowing down for — or looking forward to.
The Balvenie
The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 and The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14 are part of a collaboration with illustrator Victo Ngai, arriving in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec in June 2026. Titled A Gift Shaped By The Seasons, the bottles are positioned as gift-worthy releases for Scotch drinkers and collectors alike who enjoy taking time with their whisky. The illustrations on the packaging present the whisky not as a simple luxury item, but as something shaped by the world around it. Agriculture, climate, time, and the surrounding ecosystem all become part of what ultimately goes into the bottle – an idea reinforced through the commissioning of an artist whose work rewards contemplation and close attention.
In the bottle of The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 is a classic, rounded Speyside matured first in traditional American oak ex-bourbon barrels before being transferred to European oak ex-Oloroso sherry casks. Notes of honey and vanilla prevail on the palate, making this an excellent icebreaker for bourbon drinkers looking to broaden their horizons into Scotch. The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14 also aged in traditional American oak ex-bourbon barrels before being finished in Caribbean rum casks. The rum imparts notes of tropical fruit and dates, complemented by warm baking spice and one of Balvenie’s hallmark characteristics — honeyed sweetness.
Macallan
As summer continues, with hopes of a late July release, The Macallan will launch a collaboration that feels equal parts espionage fantasy and Speyside tradition. James Bond — one of cinema’s most enduring characters — is teaming up with Macallan for a very limited release celebrating the 55th anniversary of Diamonds Are Forever. The commemorative bottling is not as arbitrary as it may first appear. Throughout the film, Bond’s impressive knowledge of wine is showcased, beginning with his ability to accurately identify the specifications of a glass of sherry through blind tasting — a detail that particularly resonated with the folks at Macallan. “It made so much sense to celebrate it when you think about our sherry oak casks that make us The Macallan,” says National Brand Ambassador John MacPherson. Later in the film, Bond’s epicurean instincts become his saviour when he exposes two would-be assassins posing as room service stewards through their clumsy understanding of claret – a narrative thread that partly inspired the whisky’s use of red wine casks.
In the bottle is an 18-year-old Scotch distilled in 2007 — yes, 007 — offering aromas of vanilla and rich dried fruit alongside notes of cocoa-dusted truffles, figs, and coffee on the palate. While sherry cask maturation remains a time-honoured Macallan tradition, red wine cask ageing represents newer territory for the distillery. Macallan remains characteristically mysterious regarding the finer details of exactly how long the whisky spends in each cask.
Glenrothes
Glenrothes’ 12 Year Old, from their current core range hits the nail on the head when thinking about a scotch that truly aligns with the mission behind World Whisky Day. It’s approachable on both price point and experience with newcomers and experienced Scotch drinkers alike gravitating towards it’s rich profile. Largely considered a restrained and elegant Speyside with sherry maturation that gives this drink character while avoiding becoming a sherry bomb. It’s prominent melon and dark-fruit flavour is balanced by vanilla, banana, and a hint of cinnamon for a lush complexity. The 12 Year Old is part of Glenrothes Soleo Collection, aptly named after the Jerez tradition of sun-drying grapes for sherry production
The Dalmore
Continuing whisky’s growing relationship with the art and design world, The Dalmore’s Luminary Series No.3 — a 2025 collaboration with architect Ben Dobbin of Foster + Partners — remains one of the brand’s biggest conversation pieces. Widely regarded as one of the world’s leading architecture firms, Foster + Partners brings an added layer of design-world credibility to the project. Dalmore’s prestige, once rooted in velvet-box luxury and dark opulence, now extends further into contemporary design culture, positioning its bottlings as collectible art objects.
In the bottle is a layered, modern-feeling whisky, with Dalmore’s classic richness lifted by brighter and more aromatic elements. The whisky is matured across seven different cask types, including Calvados casks, Bordeaux wine casks, Châteauneuf-du-Pape casks, Apostoles and Matusalem sherry casks, and ex-bourbon barrels. The result is a whisky carrying notes of orchard fruit, floral character, and gentle herbal complexity alongside the distillery’s hallmark dark sherry richness.
Glenfiddich
Glenfiddich, one of the world’s oldest family-owned Scotch whisky distilleries and a brand long associated with approachable single malts and innovative cask finishing, is offering something particularly fitting to the spirit of World Whisky Day with its Glenfiddich 15 Year Old Solera Reserve. This whisky fits neatly into what the Holiday’s founder originally set out to do — bring everyone together with a dram. “It’s one of those whiskies that, you can give to a whisky newcomer and to a seasoned drinker and they are going to appreciate it all the same,” says Glenfiddich National Brand Ambassador, Jamie Johnson, “its got that fruitiness and baking spice that makes it super approachable,” she continues.
First introduced in 2000, Glenfiddich 15 Year Old Solera Reserve is built around Glenfiddich’s innovative adaptation of the Solera process. For those unfamiliar with the concept, a large vat — in Glenfiddich’s case, a 25,000-litre Solera Vat — is partially emptied for bottling before being topped up with more mature whisky. In this particular whisky, the vat is replenished with whisky that’s been aged for a minimum of 15 years in ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, and new oak casks. Each style is matured separately before being married together inside the Solera Vat, which has never been fully emptied since its inception. The result is a whisky that continuously evolves from year to year while still retaining traces of the original liquid first introduced decades ago.
Highland Park
Highland Park has long tied its identity to Orkney and its Norse heritage, with bottles historically adorned in Viking-inspired illustration and symbolism. In 2026, however, the distillery appears to be placing renewed emphasis on the whisky itself — one shaped not only by Orkney’s past, but also by the island’s heather-covered peatlands and distinctive island character. The redesign positions Orkney’s windswept landscape and maritime climate more subtly at the forefront of the bottle’s appearance.
Highland Park Cask Strength Release No. 5 is a raw and expressive bottling, offering a higher ABV (64.7%), more pronounced heather smoke, deeper spice, and a louder sherry influence. The maturation follows Highland Park’s classic approach of first-fill sherry-seasoned European oak alongside American oak ex-bourbon casks. Expect deep notes of cocoa nibs, dates, and winter spice on the palate, though beneath it all remains the distillery’s unmistakable DNA — aromatic heather peat rather than aggressive medicinal smoke.
Some of these bottles are already sitting on shelves across Canada, while others remain just over the horizon — giving whisky lovers something to both savour and look forward to this World Whisky Day.
