The summer holiday season is in full swing. People are jetting off to all parts of the globe, and something special is waiting for you in the departure lounge – travel retail exclusive whiskies you will not find on the high street. These offer alternative flavours for consumers and often see well-known brands and newcomers alike pushed in refreshing and different directions.
Here are six of the best travel retail-exclusive whiskies to try on your next airport trip.
Benriach | Smoky Quarter Cask
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The innovative Speyside distillery of Benriach was ahead of its time. In the early 1970s, the owners of the time decided to produce some lightly peated single malt. This has occurred for a short period each year ever since, meaning that the distillery has the oldest stocks of smoky whisky in the Speyside region. This bottling couples this spirit with maturation in small quarter casks, which hold around 100 litres.
Benriach uses peat cut from nearby Aberdeenshire, which gives a soft, woody and heathery smoke that differs greatly from the classic Islay peat characteristics. This whisky sees initial maturation in ex-bourbon barrels before a secondary period in American oak quarter casks.
The mellow, sweet smokiness wraps itself around delicious notes of ripe red apple, vanilla pod and hazelnut praline. Fabulous.
Fable | Piper Chapter 7
The guys at Fable are doing things a little differently. This independent bottler uses evocative storytelling and creative illustration by Bolivian visual artist Hugo Cuellar to convey its ever-expanding range of whiskies.
Many in the Fable portfolio are single casks, and this travel retail exclusive follows this trend—the Piper Chapter 7 is a 13-year-old single malt distilled at the little-known Glen Elgin distillery in Speyside.
The whisky is bottled at the natural cask strength of 55.8% ABV and is both non-chill filtered and of natural colour. It’s laced with caramelised banana, green apple and toasted malt notes, and there are just 575 bottles.
It is Speyside single malt at its best. Grab one before they’re gone.
Fettercairn | 17 Years Old
The Highland distillery of Fettercairn celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2024, and to commemorate this milestone, it has revamped its travel retail range. The new 17-year-old sits in the middle of the collection alongside 14- and 25-year-old expressions.
This bottling has seen spirit mature exclusively in ex-bourbon barrels and released at a punchy 47% ABV. There’s never been a better time to discover this underrated Highland gem.
This whisky is super tropical on the nose, with chargrilled pineapple, overripe mango and fresh coconut. It evolves well on the palate—it feels full-bodied and robust, with lovely notes of golden syrup, vanilla pod and apricot compote. Hints of bitter orange and white pepper round things off beautifully.
Silky, elegant and sublime.
Glendronach | 16 Years Old
The Glendronach distillery in rural Aberdeenshire has long been known for using exquisite ex-sherry casks from southern Spain. But with this travel retail exclusive they are celebrating the full Iberian Peninsula. Dr Rachel Barrie, the Master Blender for Glendronach, has married three cask types: ex-Oloroso and ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry, plus ex-Port barrels sourced from the Douro Valley in Portugal.
The addition of the ex-Port maturation has enriched Glendronach’s signature depth and sweetness. Expect notes of caramelised apricot, milk chocolate and cinnamon mingling with hints of spiced plum, candied orange and sandalwood. A final kick of warming gingerbread adds further depth.
This is sumptuous, classy and delicious.
Method & Madness | Amburana Wood Finish
The Method & Madness range takes Irish whiskey in a very different and experimental direction. This airport exclusive may just be one of their quirkiest bottlings yet.
The single-pot still whiskey was produced at the Midleton Micro Distillery in Co. Cork and finished for six months in amburana—a South American wood that is more often used to age the Brazilian spirit of Cachaça. It is the first Irish whiskey to feature such casks.
As one may expect, the amburana wood presents a unique set of flavours – think of cardamom, marzipan and demerara sugar notes sitting with hazelnut syrup, cinnamon, heather honey and a drop of clove oil.
It is wonderfully expressive and a whiskey for the traveller who likes to explore and taste unusual spirits.
The Singleton | Deep Forest Riches
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The Singleton is one of the world’s best-selling Scotch whisky single malt brands and owners Diageo have recently announced a new travel retail range for it: The Singleton Gardens of Abundance. The collection consists of four whiskies, each distilled at the Speyside distillery of Glendullan, ranging from around £50 to this one at over £200.
Deep Forest Riches sits at the pinnacle of the range and features an unorthodox set of four casks – European oak barrels before finishing periods in ex-Marsala wine, ex-Palo Cortado and ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry casks.
The whisky is bottled at 44.8% ABV and is packed with rich aromas and flavours—imagine a mix of raisins, dates and dark chocolate with hints of hazelnut, black treacle and juicy sultana.
It’s elegant and luxurious.
