Once defined by light, gentle whisky and little experimentation, the Lowlands region is now home to some of Scotland’s most confident and technically interesting producers. The World Whiskies Awards Scotland 2026 results reflect that shift clearly.
This year’s Lowland Category Winners come from three very different distilleries. One represents an urban revival. Another showcases modern engineering and peat. The third draws on historic stocks from one of the region’s oldest sites.Â
These whiskies were judged blind by industry experts and recognized for balance, execution, and intent. These are the best Lowland single malt scotch whiskies of 2026, according to the World Whiskies Awards.
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Glasgow 1770 Peated
Style: No Age StatementÂ
Medal: Gold, Category Winner
Tasting Notes: BBQ sauce, dark fruits, flamed orange zest, vanilla, sweet peatÂ
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Find Your Next Bottle: $60
Glasgow 1770 Peated stands out as a statement of intent from a modern Lowland distillery. It comes from The Glasgow Distillery Co., which reopened single malt production in the city in 2015, becoming the first to do so in more than a century. The name references the founding year of the original Glasgow Distillery, linking the release to the city’s lost whisky heritage.
The whisky is made using peated malted barley and double distilled in small copper pot stills. Fermentation is relatively long by modern standards, which helps build weight and complexity in the spirit. Maturation begins in virgin American white oak casks. The whisky then receives a finishing period in Pedro Ximénez sherry hogsheads. It is bottled at 46% ABV.
Peated whisky is still uncommon in the Lowlands, which makes this release notable. Its Category Winner award reflects how confidently The Glasgow Distillery has stepped outside traditional regional expectations while maintaining technical control.
InchDairnie Distillery KinGlassie Double Matured Fife Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 8 Years Old
Style: 12 Years & Under
Medal: Gold, Category Winner
Tasting Notes: Smoke, tobacco, almonds, nuts
Find Your Next Bottle: $87
KinGlassie is the first single malt release from InchDairnie Distillery, and it immediately set a different tone for the Lowlands. InchDairnie opened in Fife in 2015 with a focus on technical precision and process-driven flavor creation, rather than tradition alone.
This whisky is made using heavily peated malted barley, with phenol levels more commonly associated with Islay than the Lowlands. Distillation takes place using a double condensation system, which increases copper contact and refines the spirit. KinGlassie is only distilled for a short period each year, making it a deliberately limited production style.
Maturation is split across two stages. The whisky spends its first years in ex-bourbon American oak casks before being transferred to Amontillado sherry casks for extended secondary maturation. It is bottled at 46.3% ABV.
The Category Winner award reflects how effectively InchDairnie has combined peat, sherry influence, and modern distilling techniques into a coherent Lowland single malt.
Bladnoch 13 Years Old
Style: 13 To 20 YearsÂ
Medal: Gold, Category Winner
Tasting Notes: Floral notes, honey, citrus, cut grass, Parma Violets, apples, wood spiceÂ
Find Your Next Bottle: $91
Bladnoch 13 Years Old represents continuity as much as revival. Bladnoch is Scotland’s southernmost distillery and one of the Lowlands’ oldest, founded in 1817 on the banks of the River Bladnoch. After a prolonged closure, the distillery was purchased in 2015 and production resumed in 2017, exactly two centuries after it began.
The casks that make up this expression matured quietly while the distillery was closed, then were bottled under modern ownership. The whisky is matured entirely in first-fill ex-bourbon casks for 13 years, allowing the spirit to develop without secondary finishing. It is bottled at 46.7% ABV.
Bladnoch is known for a gentle Lowland style shaped by slow distillation and long fermentation. That character is preserved here through restrained wood policy rather than heavy cask intervention.
