Whisky Squad

09/07/2026

July Whisky Squad tickets are on sale! Join us at the excellent Star of King's for an evening of Canadiana. And air conditioning. Did we mention the air conditioning?

Is it July again? That can only mean one thing at Whisky Squad – it’s time to drink some super friendly drams, eh? So embrace your inner Canadian (or a real Canadian, if they don’t mind) and get your tickets for this wander through some very tasty Canadian and Canadian-ish whiskies with our re...

14/06/2026

Down Under Up and Over: our June Australian whisky tasting was excellent – six whiskies and a cream liqueur selected by Jane. Kicking off with Hellyers Road Distillery Roaring 40s and continuing with Lawrenny Distilling American Oak, Lark Distillery Tasmanian Symphony, an. Overeem Whisky sherried single cask, The Gospel Whiskey Straight Rye and STARWARD’s 7th Ginger Beer cask, before Hellyer’s Road’s Tasmanian Whisky Cream to finish up the evening. A wide range of character and lots of tasty whisky showing how Australia has developed over the past couple of decades. If only we could get more of it over here in the UK…

Thanks as usual to The Carpenters Arms for hosting us.

Save the date for our next tasting: 22 July 2026. Details coming soon…

21/05/2026

Tickets on sale now for June's Auz Squad!

There have been whisperings for some time of a whisky revolution going on Down Under. A land of winter sun, water that goes the other way down the plughole, kangaroos, Really Big Things, wine and barbecues. We only glimpse this revolution periodically here in Blighty, but we are assured it is true.....

11/03/2026

Another excellent Whisky Squad – this time we tasted The New Hotness: a selection of new releases. We started with the new Compass Box Whisky Hedonism 2026 (and not only because Billy Abbott was in their advert for it – unfortunately, he didn’t get to meet Karen Gillan, this year’s label star), moving on to the first ten-year-old whisky from The London Distillery Company, and first releases from Rosemaund and Aberargie, before finishing with a cask-strength duo of Laizhou Amontillado cask and Ardbeg 10yo cask strength.

A great night – many thanks to The Brownswood Pub for hosting us.

25/02/2026

New tasting alert: Bookings are now open for The New Hotness. Get in quick, it's a doozy!!

After the new year lull, a time of hibernation when the whisky industry sleeps off its Christmas excesses, comes a time of thawing and shiny whisky bottles: it is time for the new hotness. Join us for an evening of new releases, digging out some of this year’s tastiest things so far. As usual, we....

29/01/2026

Our first Whisky Squad session of the year: 2026 Improvement Plan aka Elise’s birthday tasting. A collection of drams from Elise’s secret stash, squirrelled away to share with The Squad: Alberta Distillers Rare Batch #2 21yo, Bruichladdich 2010 13yo bottled for the Friends of Bruichladdich, Kristiane Westray and Milroy's of Soho’s For The Dolls Dailuaine 13yo (with its excellent back label), FABLE Whisky’s Chapter #4 MacArthur Dailuaine 11yo, Scotch Malt Whisky Society 39.289 Maple-Mustard Pulled Pork and Ardbeg Smoketrails #3.

Many thanks to the The Carpenters Arms for hosting us.

Plans are afoot. Hopefully see you all again very soon…

12/01/2026

Tickets for January's tasting are on sale now! Go!

Here’s some late breaking January joy for you all. 2026 has rolled in hard and mean, and so far kind of sucks right? So let’s blast the blues away with some fabulous whisky! It’s also Burns Night, and Elise’s birthday, and that’s all the excuse we need to have a little party. Elise is cura...

19/11/2025

We've had a last-minute space open up for *tonight's* Whisky Squad. Lots of tasty whisky will be opened...

It’s that time of the year again. No, not pumpkin-spice-season or step-in-dog-poop-under-all-the-dead-leaves season. It’s getting-ready-for-gift-giving season!! We’re here to help you out with some fantastic whiskies any imbiber in your life will swoon over. Expect a selection of current Whisk...

16/11/2025

A spot has come up for our next Whisky Squad session – Wednesday 19 November at the Carpenter's Arms near Marble Arch:

It’s that time of the year again. No, not pumpkin-spice-season or step-in-dog-poop-under-all-the-dead-leaves season. It’s getting-ready-for-gift-giving season!! We’re here to help you out with some fantastic whiskies any imbiber in your life will swoon over. Expect a selection of current Whisk...

13/11/2025

We're chuffed to bits for our very own Billy Abbott, who's been recognised as 2026 Spirits Communicator of the Year!!

https://www.iwsc.net/news/spirits/billy-abbott-revealed-as-winner-of-the-2026-spirits-communicator-trophy?fbclid=IwdGRjcAOCtO1jbGNrA4K01mV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHoFugWVKvNHvcFPqv6wDGe2ra494TgiYLpao6xWg3_SkH7aq0SVe75EeYcYT_aem_NaLiri9YKQGTwPxZakvs4Q

Following the shortlist announcement, the IWSC is delighted to reveal the winner of its 2026 Spirits Communicator Award, sponsored by Chivas Brothers.