At Malt Marketing we pride ourselves in helping both aspiring and established whisky businesses market and promote themselves on our bespoke online whisky marketing platform Malt Marketing.com and associated Malt Marketing YouTube channel…

Since launching in 2012, Malt Marketing has supported a large number of whisky shops, online retailers, whisky bars and events across the modern whisky drinking world. Through online banner advertisements, a bespoke whisky business directory and through regular online features and infomercials, Malt Marketing has helped build brand awareness and consumer engagement for a large number of clients
Malt Marketing continues to work alongside and support many of the most iconic premium scotch whisky brands available today including The Macallan, Highland Park and Laphroaig malt whiskies as well as Japanese whiskies Yamazaki, Hakushu and Hibiki. While providing an interactive and up to date platform from which to showcase premium brands, Malt Marketing also actively engage with brand content through social media further building brand presence and consumer awareness among wider social media networks.
As well as promoting whiskey shops, bars and brands, Malt Marketing also works alongside whisky tour operators offering among the finest whisky sampling and tasting experiences at many of Scotland’s finest whisky distilleries. Offering tailored chauffeuring services including hotel and airport pickups, Malt Marketing’s tour partners also offer the very best in luxury travel and distillery experiences across Scotland.
For further details on how Malt Marketing can offer your business support with online marketing and promotion, contact: info@maltmarketing.com


Both expressions were recognised in two of this year’s leading spirits competitions. At the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2026, Tomatin 10 Year Old won Gold and Tomatin Double Cask took Silver, while both single malts also secured Silver at the International Wine & Spirit Competition 2026.











The striking new releases celebrate the spirit within, with new packaging designed to reflect the timeless character of golf’s original championship.
The Spirit of The Open, Loch Lomond Whiskies, has unveiled two new limited-edition single malts to mark The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale.

Presented in striking new illustrative packaging, the releases capture the joy, anticipation and shared celebration of fans coming together around one of golf’s most iconic links courses.
The Open Course Collection 2026 (£195, 46.9 ABV) and The Open Course Special Edition 2026 (RRP £45; 46% ABV) celebrate Loch Lomond Whiskies’ longstanding partnership with golf’s original championship, now entering its ninth year. For 2026, both expressions are presented in a newly enhanced pack design inspired by vintage travel posters, bringing to life the true meaning of the ‘spirit of The Open’ and reflecting the timeless character of links golf on England’s north-west coast.

Both whiskies have been distilled exclusively using Loch Lomond Whiskies’ unique Straight Neck Stills. As the only Scotch distillery to use this innovative distillation technique, Master Blender Michael Henry is able to exert greater control over flavour creation, delivering a distinctive house style defined by notes of fruit, honey and soft smoke found only in the distillery’s single malts.

With just 3,000 bottles available worldwide, The Open Course Collection 2026 is a highly limited release. Patiently matured for 19 years, the whisky began its journey in American Oak before being finished for six months in Tawny Port casks. The finishing brings layers of rich red berries, dried fruits and sweet spice, complementing Loch Lomond’s signature character.
In a fitting tribute to those who have shaped the Championship, the pack also features the date, venue and winner of every Open, from the inaugural tournament at Prestwick in 1860 through to Royal Birkdale in 2026.

The Open Special Edition 2026 was created in collaboration with renowned Scottish golfer Colin Montgomerie, raising a glass to the people, places and moments that make The Open extraordinary. Matured initially in American oak to establish Loch Lomond’s signature style, the whisky has been finished for six months in Argentinian Malbec casks, adding notes of richer dark berries, vibrant red fruits and gentle spice.
Michael Henry, Master Blender at Loch Lomond Whiskies, said: “Royal Birkdale holds a special place in the history of The Open. As one of the purest tests of links golf, it has provided the stage for some of the Championship’s greatest moments. Through these new expressions, we have sought to explore the spirit of the course, the players and the craft that defines this historic venue.
“Each whisky is unmistakably Loch Lomond in character, showcasing our ability to create depth, balance and complexity while remaining true to our house style.”

Henry Keeling, Director – Commercial Partnerships at The R&A, said: “We are delighted to build on our long-standing partnership with Loch Lomond Group across both The Open and the AIG Women’s Open. Working with partners who share our ambition for these championships – and for the continued development of golf – is central to what we do.”
Loch Lomond Whiskies commissioned Bucket List Prints to curate the striking new art-work for its latest golf-inspired expressions. Known for its vintage-inspired travel posters celebrating iconic destinations, landscapes, and experiences around the world, Bucket List Prints is a UK creative design agency, with global reach. Through its unique artwork it captures a strong sense of place, atmosphere, and story while building the composition to work seamlessly across the different pack formats.
Jack Franks, Bucket List Prints, added: “Courses like Royal Birkdale carry decades of history and character, which lends itself perfectly to a travel poster aesthetic.”

The Open Course Collection 2026 and The Open Course Special Edition 2026 are available from www.lochlomondwhiskies.com as well as key whisky retailers Master of Malt, The Whisky Shop, The Whisky Exchange and Royal Mile Whiskies.


Built in the Fukushima Prefecture, in 1939, the Shirakawa Distillery operated for more than six decades and crafted malt whisky from 1951-1969 – becoming one of the first to do so in Japan. Most of the whisky produced was used in owner Takara Shuzo’s flagship ‘King’ blended whisky brand.
In 2003, the Shirakawa Distillery was demolished, and its legacy drew to a close, until, more than a decade later, Tomatin Distillery’s managing director Stephen Bremner became intrigued by owner Takara Shuzo’s malt-making past.
After piecing together a complex trail of clues, he identified the existence of Shirakawa stock at Takara Shuzo’s Kurokabegura distillery in 2019. The spirit had been distilled in 1958, aged in cask, then transferred to ceramic jars at the distillery. When Shirakawa shut down, the whisky was put into stainless steel tanks at Takara Shuzo’s factory in Kyushu where it had lain untouched until his discovery.

Stephen said: “Tomatin Distillery Co. Ltd was bought by Takara Shuzo in 1986, but it was only in recent years that I became fascinated by the story of Shirakawa and its history of whisky production and embarked on a journey to find out more.
“When I discovered that the last remaining stock was distilled in 1958, I was astounded. It was a genuine ‘wow’ moment as I realised very quickly that what we were dealing with was extremely rare.
“Crafted in the early days of malt production in Japan, it has a distinctive flavour profile, with aromas of exotic incense giving way to grass and fruits before a hint of mint on the finish. It is truly extraordinary and conveys the evolving character of Japanese whisky, which is now acclaimed worldwide.
“We are incredibly honoured that Gordon Ramsay has selected Shirakawa 1958 as the pinnacle of his whisky menu at Lucky Cat. Diners who try it will be transported back to a pioneering era of Japanese whisky as they enjoy one of the rarest drams in the world.”

While the age and cask type cannot be fully determined, Shirakawa 1958 was crafted at a time when the distillery used predominantly Japanese malted barley and Mizunara oak casks.
The expression, which has an ABV of 49%, was bottled by Takara Shuzo Co Ltd in Japan. Just 1,500 bottles were released in 2022 and distributed worldwide by Tomatin Distillery, with an RRP of £25,000 per 70cl bottle.