TWE unveils its Whisky of the Year
For the first time, spirits retailer The Whisky Exchange (TWE) has named an English single malt as its Whisky of the Year 2026.
Wire Works Bourbon Cask from Derbyshire’s White Peak Distillery stood out among a ‘distinctly Scottish’ crowd when it was presented in a blind tasting held at The Whisky Exchange Great Portland Street last month.
Customers were asked to select the 2026 Whisky of the Year from six unlabelled drams, among which were traditional favourites such as Bowmore 15 Year Old and Glen Moray 18 Year Old.
Wire Works Bourbon Cask was praised for its hint of bonfire smoke that blends into notes of vanilla cheesecake, white chocolate, lemon curd and candied ginger.
Dawn Davies MW, buying director at The Whisky Exchange, told The Spirits Business: “‘Of the year’ awards have become a major part of our yearly calendar. It is a time for us to celebrate great liquid and great people. Every year our customers pick the whisky in a blind tasting that they take incredibly seriously, some having done the tasting for over 10 years. The great thing about choosing it blind is that it puts everyone on an even playing field and you always get a winner that is hugely deserving based on quality of the liquid.
“These awards not only allow us to celebrate great drams but it means a lot to those that win it and can really help their fortunes.”
Max Vaughan, founder of White Peak Distillery, said: “The Whisky Exchange has supported Wire Works since our first release and has been a great partner for us over our first few years.
“Whisky is measured over the long-term and, almost 10 years since founding the business, to now have our core Bourbon barrel release selected as Whisky of The Year for 2026 is beyond anything we could have imagined. Amazing news for the whole distillery team and we’re looking forward to working with TWE for years to come.”
Alongside the other ‘of the Year’ winners, White Peak Wire Works Bourbon Cask will be the focus of a year-long marketing campaign via The Whisky Exchange online and in-store throughout 2026, including bottle discounts and in-store tastings.
Spirit and Producer of the Year
In addition to the Whisky of the Year, TWE team has also selected its Spirit of the Year: Hampden Estate 1753 rum.
Aged for three years in ex-Bourbon barrels and fermented using wild yeast, the 46% ABV rum offers a high-ester character and a palate full of ‘tropical intensity’ and ‘herbal funk’ with notes of pineapple, banana, toffee and hints of petrol and nutmeg.
Long fermentation, natural spring water and traditional pot-still distillation all contribute to an expressive example of the signature Hampden style, reflecting a deep sense of place and nearly 300 years of Jamaican rum heritage.
Davies added that this specific award has allowed the retailer “to give back to Jamaica” following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa this autumn, by launching a dedicated fundraising initiative to support communities across the island.
Working in partnership with global rum ambassador Ian Burrell, TWE will donate £6 (US$8) from every bottle of Hampden Estate 1753 sold directly to Support Jamaica, the official relief fund led by the country’s Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management.
Finally, the Producer of the Year, also selected by the team at TWE, has been named as independent bottler The Heart Cut.
Founded by wife and husband duo Georgie Bell and Fabrizio Leoni, The Heart Cut spotlights distilleries from across the globe, releasing one-off single cask bottlings.
It has been recognised by the team for its focused approach to cask selection and a growing range that champions both emerging and established distilleries.
“The producer of the year always hero’s up and coming brands, and there is no one more deserving than this than Heart Cut,” said Davies.
Bell said: “Fab and I created The Heart Cut to champion the distilleries we love from around the world, bring a modern edge to independent bottling and encourage a more explorative way of drinking whisky. It truly is our dream whisky company and to be named Producer of the Year by The Whisky Exchange is an incredible validation of the passion, graft and care we put into every release. This win isn’t just ours; it belongs to every distillery we’ve partnered with so far, and all those still to come.”
All of the winners are available to purchase via The Whisky Exchange.
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