The Whisky Studio

The Whisky Studio Discover Scotland’s finest whiskies and a world of premium spirits — from artisanal gins and smooth rums to elegant wines and handmade Cuban cigars.

Curated with passion, crafted for flavour, and shared with those who appreciate the art of the dram.

01/09/2026

🍂🥃 HELLO SEPTEMBER… AND HELLO “BER” MONTHS! 🥃🍂

September has arrived, which means we’re officially into the BER months…

SeptemBER 🍁
OctoBER 🎃
NovemBER 🔥
DecemBER 🎄

And somehow, whisky just seems to taste even better at this time of year. 🥃

Cooler evenings, darker nights, autumn colours and the perfect excuse to reach for those rich, warming drams — sherry casks, smoky malts and a little something special by the fire.

Here’s to the start of our favourite whisky-drinking season. 🥃🍂

What’s going in your glass this September?

— The Whisky Studio

28/08/2026

🥃 BALMENACH — A SPEYSIDE DISTILLERY YOU DON’T SEE EVERY DAY!

Balmenach is one of those fascinating distilleries that many whisky drinkers have never come across.

Founded in 1824 near Cromdale in Speyside, most of Balmenach’s whisky has traditionally been destined for blends, so seeing the name Balmenach on a bottle of single malt is relatively unusual.

Thankfully, independent bottlers such as Signatory Vintage give us the chance to taste it in its own right — and we currently have some cracking examples in the shop!

🥃 So what does Balmenach taste like?

Balmenach tends to have a fuller, weightier style than you might expect from Speyside, with a lovely malty and fruity character.

You can typically find notes of:

🍎 Ripe apple & orchard fruits
🍯 Honey & malt
🍐 Pear
🌾 Biscuity cereal notes
🌿 Gentle herbal/earthy character
🌶️ Pepper & warming spice

And when you combine that robust spirit with first-fill Oloroso sherry casks, things get even richer — think dried fruits, dark sweetness, raisins, warming spice and plenty of depth.

Pictured are two fantastic Signatory releases:

🔥 Balmenach 10 Year Old – 100 Proof Edition #79
Finished in 1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Butts and bottled at 57.1% ABV.

🔥 Balmenach 17 Year Old – Cask Strength Collection
Distilled in 2008, matured in a 1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Butt and bottled at 57.8% ABV.

🍸 And did you know?
Balmenach Distillery is also home to Caorunn Gin!

Nearly 200 years of whisky-making history, yet still one of Speyside’s lesser-known names.

Definitely one to try if you enjoy discovering something a little different. 🥃

📍 Available now at The Whisky Studio, Forfar

27/08/2026

🌱🥃 WHAT EXACTLY IS ORGANIC WHISKY?

We’re all familiar with organic food — but organic Scotch whisky is a little less common.

It starts in the field. 🌾

For a whisky to be certified organic, the barley must be grown according to strict organic farming standards, without synthetic fertilisers or pesticides that aren’t permitted under organic certification.

But it doesn’t stop at the barley.

🥃 The production process matters too.
From malting and fermentation through to distillation, maturation and bottling, the organic spirit has to be carefully controlled and traceable, with procedures in place to prevent it being mixed or contaminated with non-organic ingredients.

Even the distillery’s records and processes are checked as part of maintaining organic certification.

Two great examples are sitting on our shelves:

🔴 Benromach Contrasts: Organic — Benromach released what it describes as the world’s first certified organic single malt Scotch whisky in 2006, putting it at the forefront of organic Scotch.

🌿 Nc’nean Organic Single Malt — made using 100% organic Scottish barley, with sustainability built into the philosophy of the distillery.

So when you see ORGANIC written on a whisky bottle, it represents far more than the barley — there’s a carefully controlled journey from field to bottle. 🌾 ➡️ 🥃

Have you tried an organic whisky?

📍 The Whisky Studio | Forfar

25/08/2026

🥃 WHAT DO ALL THESE WHISKIES HAVE IN COMMON?

GLEN! 👀

“Glen” comes from Gaelic and means “valley” — but have you ever wondered what the rest of the distillery names mean?

🥃 Glen Scotia — “Glen of Scotland”
📍 Campbeltown

🥃 GlenDronach — “Valley of the Brambles”
📍 Highlands

🥃 Glen Moray — “Glen of Moray”
📍 Speyside

🥃 GlenAllachie — “Valley of the Rocky Place”
📍 Speyside

🥃 Glengoyne — “Glen of the Wild Geese”
📍 Highlands

🥃 Glencadam — generally interpreted as “Glen of the Wild Goose”
📍 Highlands

🏔️ Scotland’s glens, burns and rivers provided ideal locations for whisky making, so many distilleries took their names directly from the landscape around them.

And remember — having “Glen” in the name doesn’t mean it’s a Highland whisky. Glen Scotia is a perfect example, coming from Campbeltown.

So the name on your bottle can tell you a little piece of Scottish geography and history before you’ve even poured the dram. 🥃🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

The Whisky Studio

Address

121 East High Street
Forfar
DD82EQ

Opening Hours

Tuesday 11am - 5pm
Wednesday 11am - 5pm
Thursday 11am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+441307479678

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Whisky Studio posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category