This Saturday (May 17), World Whisky Day takes place, and whisky lovers around the globe will hopefully have some pours of their favorite tried and true drams with family and friends. For World Whisky Day 2025, CASSIUS is leaning into whisky made in Scotland, Canada, and Japan, and we’ll shine a light on American and Irish whiskey at a later time.
Now that I’m a year removed from this World Whisky Day post, I’ve gotten more exposure to whisky made in the aforementioned nations. Armed with a bit more knowledge about the wide world of whisky, I feel confident suggesting the bottles I’ve compiled in this particular roundup.
I’ll share what I wrote last year as a primer:
…the term whisky applies to spirits made in Scotland, Japan, or Canada, while whiskey applies to spirits made in the United States and Ireland. Adding to this, bourbon can only be made in the United States and must feature a mash bill of 51 percent corn before other grains are introduced. Further, Kentucky bourbon, as you might get from the name, can only be called as such if it’s made in the state.
Enough nerding out about that for now. Let’s get into the history of World Whisky Day.
The holiday was officially established in March 2012 by University of Aberdeen student Blair Bowman, who was 21 at the time. According to Whiskey Partners, Bowman was studying in Barcelona and remarked that whiskey didn’t have a global holiday like other adult beverages, so he took it upon himself to create a website to get the ball rolling.
After researching the holiday more, I’m comfortable in saying that Bowman was not considering American or Irish-made whiskey in his celebration, and last year, I did include whiskies from all over the world. This year, I’m sticking to the whisky guns and only featuring juice without the “e.”
I would like to return to the Spirit.Ed space and share what I’ve learned about Scotland’s different whisky-producing regions at a later date.
For now, I hope you discover a new favorite or see a familiar brand in our World Whisky Day 2025 roundup. Cheers!
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Photo: Source: Motortion / Getty
Celebrate World Whisky Day 2025 With These Excellent Selections
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1. Aberfeldy
Source:D.L. Chandler
Aberfeldy is a Highland Single Malt Scotch whisky known as the “Golden Dram” due to its color but also because of its water source, the Pitilie Burn, which contains tiny bits of gold. I’ve had the entire core range of Aberfeldy and while they’re all excellent, I always go back to the 12 Year expression for my sunset dram.
Learn more here.
2. Ardbeg Uigeadail
Source:Ardbeg
I’ve had my fair share of Ardbeg whisky and of the brand’s premium Single Malt Scotch offerings, and I’ve become a huge fan of its Uigeadail expression. Uigeadail (Oog-a-dal) is a non-age statement whisky aged in Oloroso Sherry and Ex-Bourbon Casks barrels featuring a lot of peat. I always feel classy having a glass of Uigeadail.
Learn more here.
3. Crown Royal Reserve
Source:Crown Royal
As I grew up in a particular type of neighborhood in a particular fashion, I would see my uncles and his friends having backyard parties with plenty of purple bags of Crown Royal’s core whisky on deck. As I’m older and with refined tastes, I appreciated my few encounters with Crown Royal’s higher-end Reserve expression. This weekend, I’ll be checking out Crown Royal’s limited-edition Marquis expression, so stay tuned for that.
Learn more here.
4. Glenfiddich 12-Year-Old Sherry Cask Finish
Source:Glenfiddich
Glenfiddich is a distillery that produces Single Malt Scotch whisky in Scotland’s Speyside region, and their 12-Year-Old Sherry Cask Finish is a fine start to learn about the brand. At 86 proof, I often wonder how the whisky would taste with at, say 95 or so, but this pours a solid dram.
Learn more here.
5. Glenglassaugh Portsoy
Source:Glenglassaugh
Glenglassaugh specializes in Scotch whisky crafted off the coasts of Scotland, named after a village near the brand’s distillery. At just under 100 proof, the Portsoy, part of Glenglassaugh’s core expression, this whisky has some of those briny notes from the coastal winds. Aged in former sherry, bourbon, and port casks, all of those sweet notes from the used barrels still shine through the peat smoke. This is a winner.
Learn more here.
Portsoy spirit.ed,world whisky day,glenglassaugh portsoy
6. Glengoyne 12 Year Old
Source:Glengoyne
I am completely new to the Glengoyne brand as of the last 48 hours. I don’t have the deepest of dives just yet, and what I can say is that this Highland Single Malt Scotch whisky is worth seeking out. There is no peat, which is an aspect of most whiskies produced in that region, but I suppose Scotch drinkers know this going in. It’s also priced just right despite being an adequately aged product.
Learn more here.
7. Glenmorangie 12 Year Old The Original
Source:Glenmorangie
I know that experienced Scotch whisky drinkers can appreciate a bracing, biting sip in their drams, but for folks still getting their training wheels on, finding something easy to sip is a great way to learn. The Glenmorangie 12 Year Old The Original expression is part of the famed Highlands distillery’s core lineup and is an affordable sipper that doesn’t fuss about too much. It’s also pretty sneaky, so make those pours sensible.
Learn more here.
8. Hibiki Japanese Harmony
Source:Suntory
The House of Suntory specializes in an array of spirits produced in Japan, including its award-winning Yamazaki and Hakushu whiskies. I am actually more familiar with Suntory’s Japanese gin than I am their whisky, but I’ve had plenty of Harmony as my neighbors always have it stocked. It is a blend of whiskies produced in Japan, and it’s an easy sipper neat or on the rocks. Excited to learn more about this brand in the future.
Learn more here.
Hibiki Japanese Harmony whisky,spirit.ed,world whisky day,hibiki japanese harmony
9. Isle of Skye 8 Years Old
Source:Isle of Skye
Isle of Skye produces a wide range of whisky, and their 8 Years Old expression is the only one I’ve tried thus far, fairly recently at that. This bottle features whisky from the islands and the Speyside region, and there’s a nice amount of smoky peat in there. Priced for budget consumers, it certainly doesn’t drink that way.
Learn more here.
10. Monkey Shoulder Blended Scotch Whisky
Source:Monkey Shoulder
Monkey Shoulder Blended Scotch Whisky is said to be made strictly for mixing, and it does a great job as a base for the Old Fashioned, a Whisky Sour, or a Rob Roy. I’ve even started to have a pour over a large rock and it still kicks adequate ass.
Learn more here.
11. Old Parr
Source:Old Parr
Old Parr keeps it simple with just two expressions in its lineup: Aged 12 Years and Aged 18 Years. I’ve had both, and this is a really approachable whisky for people still learning the category, like myself. Also, the 12 makes a killer highball, which is my preferred way to have it.
Learn more here.
12. SirDavis American Whisky
Okay, so I said I wasn’t going to feature any American whiskey. Please note the “e” in that sentence. Beyoncé’s SirDavis is an American Rye whisky (their spelling) with a mashbill of 51 percent rye and 49 percent malted barley. To some, that much spicy rye in a dram might turn off some, but SirDavis was created under the watchful eye of Dr. Bill Lumsden, who has worked with Scotch whiskey brands Ardbeg and Glenmorangie. I say this qualifies as whisky without the “e” and is a dram that works well with the sherry cask finish. My whisky purists are certainly balking at this, but I’m supporting this loud and proud, because, Black, first of all, and secondly, it’s Beyoncé!
Learn more here.
13. Smokehead Tequila Cask Terminado
Source:Smokehead
I recently had a bourbon finished in barrels that previously held tequila, and the results were pleasant. Smokehead’s Tequila Cask Terminado expression pairs single malt in former tequila barrels, and the dance of the famed Mexican spirit’s vegetal notes alongside the peated whisky works well despite not being a proof bomb. Personally, the lower proof works for me.
Learn more here.
14. The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14-Year-Old
Source:The Balvenie
The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14-Year-Old is one of the Highlands Single Malt Scotch whisky producer’s core offerings and nails its rum cask finishing concept. This isn’t the first whisky to use barrels that previously held rum for maturing, but it does stand far apart from most.
Learn more here.
15. The GlenDronach Original Aged 12 Years
Source:The GlenDronach
The GlenDronach is a Single Malt Scotch whisky from Scotland’s Highland region, and aged for 12 years in Spanish Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks. This is a sweeter style of whisky, and could be a nice gateway for new Scotch drinkers. I’ve only had their 12 year as I’m not at all a baller like that. I will vouch for this bottle.
Learn more here.
16. The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old
Source:The Macallan
The Macallan is a notable name in the world of Single Malt Scotch whisky and for good reason. I’ve had all of the brand’s core collections and even some of its limited edition releases due to associates who also love The Macallan’s classic whisky offerings. I’m featuring the Double Cask 12 Years Old expression as it’s readily available and showcases what this brand’s whisky is all about from the ground floor.
Learn more here.
