Firkin is the retirement project of Mike Collins, the creator of Johnnie Walker Blue & Green Labels and Diageo’s Flora & Fauna series, ensuring that all Firkin creates is fantastic, and a favourite at this year’s Summerton Whisky Festival. 

I think port finishes are perfectly suited for Christmas and this Teaninich is a delicious example of that.  Teaninich’s non-peated spirit is first aged in ex-bourbon barrels, before being finished in custom double-oak casks. These casks are a mix of virgin French oak and ex-bourbon staves, which have been soaked with Tawny port to take in its rich, fruity flavours, flavours that are taken on by this lovely whisky.

£74.95 from TopWhiskies

Svensk Rök, meaning Swedish Smoke, an award winning peated whisky that offers a unique Swedish take on this traditional whisky style, by using juniper twigs with the peat when smoking their malting barley. 

The smoking process takes place over 36 hours. The smouldering peat and juniper slowly release their flavours and infuse the bed of malt. Every four hours, the stove is refilled with fresh peat and juniper twigs.

This subtle addition will delight peated whisky fans making it a must for any drinks cabinet and ensure your whisky friends will remember the great whisky you have shared with them.

£59.95 from the Club Shop

Voted Europe’s Best Single Malt in 2014, Bavarian distillery SLYRS has been evolving and improving ever since. At the heart of what they do is a range of cask finished whiskies, that both look and taste amazing. Summerton Whisky Club Members got to enjoy the Amontillado cask finish as their April 2024 Club Bottle, a whisky that was a winner with the Club.

Whilst I would be happy to enjoy any of this range, it is the port cask finish that I think is the best whisky for Christmas, replacing the traditional port after dinner drink. The rich fruity notes work fantastically in this whisky and is certain to wow any friends who you share this whisky with.

£79.95 from the Club Shop

Rye whiskey is at the heart of American whiskey tradition and heritage, with small rye distilleries found across the country in the late 1600s, when rye was a grain praised for its hardiness and blight resistance. By the 1800s rye whiskey was America’s number one spirit with only Prohibition able to break its popularity, followed by bourbon being boosted by corn subsidies giving it a cost advantage.

Americana is an independent bottler focussed on American whiskey, picking its favourite cask finds to share. In this case a 7 year old rye whiskey from Indiana, with a mashbill of 95% rye, 5% malted barley. At only 61 bottles available this truly is a small batch, single barrel rye cask strength whiskey.

£74.95 from the Club Shop

The Whistler is the bottling brand of Boann distillery in Ireland. It has created a number of stand out whiskeys, with my favourite being Mosaic, a single grain whiskey finished in Sicilian Marsala Casks for 15 months.

It’s not just me that’s a fan as this whiskey won World’s Best Single Grain at the World Whiskies Awards 2022.

£46.31 from Master of Malt

In the last twenty years Australia has emerged as a whisky region with its own style – full flavoured and bold – that has won a number of World’s Best awards. Therefore when looking for a “sherry-bomb” whisky Australia is a great option. 

One of the elder-statesmen of Tasmanian whisky, Overeem fully mature this whisky is a sherry cask that benefits from their four distinct seasons. This ensures a full-bodied sherry aged whisky, and at cask strength allows you to add a drop of water to taste. 

This is a brand that will very rarely be seen in the UK, therefore will make sure your whisky collection stands out.

£239.95 from the Club Shop

This whisky was born on the west coast of Denmark and illustrates Stauning’s unwavering commitment to the innovation of whisky. Their whisky is produced with the finest Danish rye, which is 100% floor malted, capturing the unique essence of the lush landscape and fresh coastal breezes.

The soul of this unique whisky lies in its final finish in Maple Syrup casks from Vermont. This experimental cask ageing provides a delicate blend of spice and sweetness, resulting in a whisky that is seductively beautiful.

Bottled at cask strength, this cask’s ‘sister’ (literally the one next to it on the shelf) went on to win the World’s Best Single Cask Rye at the World Whiskies Awards 2023.

£129.95 from the Club Shop

Started as a Christmas present for my Dad, I decided to let others share this Christmas whisky present with their loved ones too. I do the hard work searching for great whiskies to share, ones you wouldn’t find in the supermarket, and deliver a full bottle every two months.

Every delivery is a surprise, I take our Members on a journey through the world of amazing whisky and whiskey.

Find out more about this Christmas whisky gift at the How It Works page.