As I reflect on the past twelve months, it is clear that 2025 has been a really interesting year for whisky. From exploring the incredible things happening across the Canadian distilling scene to having the opportunity to share my thoughts in Forbes, my perspective has been shaped by a diverse range of fantastic drams. Now, it is time to distill all those experiences into the bottles that truly defined my year.
A great whisky list often features exceptional, well-aged spirits, and this year was no exception. The Gordon & MacPhail Linkwood 27-year-old was an excellent single malt from their Connoisseur’s Choice range. The Old Pulteney 25 was another contender, a whisky so good it nearly took the top spot. However, when a bottle is north of $500, you expect it to perform at that level. The whiskies that truly resonate are often the ones that deliver world-class quality without the world-class price tag, exceeding all expectations.
This year, for me, was defined by surprise. A 5-year-old, 100-proof Springbank, for instance, absolutely blew me away with its quality. But the biggest shock came from a distillery I never expected to see on my list in 2025: The Macallan. Their 12-year-old 110 proof was simply brilliant. They checked all the boxes, delivering a fantastic, high-proof, sherry-matured whisky at a price that was more than fair. You have to give credit where credit is due, and The Macallan deserves it for this release.
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Ultimately, one bottle narrowly edged out the rest. My whisky of the year for 2025 is the Kilkerran 16-year-old, specifically the 2025 edition. As a fan of sherried whiskies, this release hit every note perfectly. It powerfully reminds me of the classic Springbank 15s that I have always adored and which, I was surprised to learn, I had never officially named my top whisky. This Kilkerran 16 rectifies that, embodying everything I look for in a top-tier dram. It simply had to be number one.
What was the one bottle that completely surprised you this year?
For a more detailed breakdown of my thoughts on these bottles, watch my YouTube video.
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