Whisky Watch: Macallan Harmony, Isle of Raasay, Old Overholt 11 Year Old & More

Scotch takes center stage in this week’s list, headlined by a new Glenfiddich 16 year old released in collaboration with Aston Martin Formula One Team—marking the pair’s second joint project—finished in a mix of bourbon, sherry, port, and wine casks. Macallan concludes The Harmony Collection with two coconut-inspired single malts, while Isle of Raasay has selected Hungarian oak oloroso casks for its latest Oak Species Maturation Series release. Across the pond, Old Forester ages its Louisville’s Whiskey Row distillate in super heavily charred barrels, Jack Daniel’s taps high angels’ share barrels from Coy Hill for its latest Distillery Series expression, Old Overholt has a new 11 year old Extra Aged rye, Wyoming Whiskey celebrates America’s 250th birthday, and Colorado’s Branch & Barrel has a fresh batch of its flagship 5 year old bourbon.

Glenfiddich & Aston Martin Formula One Team 16 year old Limited Edition (Release 2)

ABV: 43%
SRP: $80
Availability: Limited

For the second edition of Glenfiddich’s partnership with the Aston Martin Formula One Team, Glenfiddich malt master Brian Kinsman and Aston Martin Formula One team managing technical partner Adrian Newey experimented with different casks, putting 16 year old Glenfiddich into a combination of first-fill bourbon barrels, port pipes, oloroso sherry casks, unspecified wine casks, and fino sherry butts. In contrast, the first release aged in virgin American oak, bourbon, and American oak casks that previously held an undisclosed type of wine. While this is a limited release, it’ll be available nationwide. Aston Martin are currently lying in 10th place in the constructors' championship, with double world champion Fernando Alonso picking up the team's only point at the Monaco Grand Prix in June. Next up, Formula One heads to Zandvoort, Netherlands for the Dutch Grand Prix.

Macallan The Harmony Collection VI Speyside single malt

Macallan The Harmony Collection Inspired by Fresh Coconut

ABV: 46.3%
SRP: $185
Availability: Nationwide

Macallan The Harmony Collection Inspired by Toasted Coconut

ABV: 43.3%
SRP: $185
Availability: Travel Retail exclusive

Evoking the flavors of coconut, Macallan has unveiled the final pair of whiskies in The Harmony Collection. Master whisky maker Kirsteen Campbell crafted the single malts using a combination of sherry-seasoned American oak and bourbon barrels, balancing cask types and whiskies of varying ages to bring coconut notes to the forefront. The Harmony Collection debuted in 2021 and comprises 12 non-age statement whiskies introduced over six years, with two contrasting expressions each year: one for the domestic market and the other for global travel retail. Over the years, the series has drawn inspiration from chocolate, coffee, nature, oak, tea, and coconut, and featured innovative packaging materials that gave new life to organic waste. In 2021, the first release included Rich Cacao and Fine Cacao; Intense Arabica and Smooth Arabica arrived in 2022. The distillery collaborated with Stella and Mary McCartney for the third release, with Amber Meadow and Green Meadow in 2023, and partnered with Cirque du Soleil to mark the release of Vibrant Oak and Guardian Oak during the distillery’s 200^th anniversary year. Whiskies inspired by JING tea were released in 2025, adding Phoenix Honey Orchid Tea and Organic Cherrywood Lapsang Tea editions, before the 2026 series conclusion of this pair of coconut-inspired whiskies, which incorporate discarded coconut fibers in the packaging.

If you visit Macallan Distillery before mid-December 2026, The Harmony Collection can be experienced through booking the TimeSpirit Dining Experience (approx. $100–$140 per person), where a series of sweet creations by pastry chef Jordi Roca of El Celler de Can Roca will be paired with six bespoke cocktails created to complement the whiskies.

Isle of Raasay Hungarian Oak Islands single malt scotch

ABV: 50%
SRP: $110
Availability: Global release of 8,000 bottles beginning in September; imported by ImpEx Beverages Inc.

Hungarian Oak is the latest release in Isle of Raasay’s Oak Species Maturation Series, which explores how different oak varieties influence flavor and texture. For this edition, the distillery turned to oloroso sherry casks made from Quercus petraea, or sessile oak, sourced from Hungary’s Zemplén Mountains. Valued by coopers for its slow growth and tight grain structure, Hungarian oak typically imparts spicy notes to whisky, but seasoning the casks with oloroso sherry tempers the wood's more assertive characteristics and adds layers of dried fruit and sweetness. Isle of Raasay is known for the complexity of its recipes and its innovative approach to multi-cask maturation. Here, peated and unpeated spirits distilled in 2021 were matured separately in Hungarian oak sherry casks before being married together. The result is a whisky that showcases both the influence of this uncommon oak species and Isle of Raasay's signature lightly peated house style.

Isle of Raasay’s Oak Species Maturation Series debuted in 2024 with a whisky fully matured in virgin Colombian oak. Every drop of Isle of Raasay whisky is distilled, matured, and bottled on the Hebridean island, home to a close-knit community of just 161 residents; a detail proudly displayed on every bottle.

Old Forester 117 Series: Triple Char Bourbon

ABV: 57.5%
SRP: $65/375 ml
Availability: Limited

The latest bourbon within Old Forester’s 117 Series is the first whiskey made entirely from distillate produced at the Old Forester Distillery on Louisville’s Whiskey Row, which opened in 2018. The bourbon spent its maturation in barrels made at the Old Forester Distillery cooperage on Whiskey Row that were charred three times longer than what the distillery typically does (a char of about 20 seconds). According to assistant master distiller Caleb Trigo, this yields intense richness, heady spice, and potent oak. As is always the case with 117 Series releases, this one is exclusive to Kentucky, available at both retailers and the Old Forester Distillery.

Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series 17: High Angel’s Share Tennessee Whiskey

ABV: 69.2%
SRP: $45/375 ml
Availability: Distillery exclusive

Jack Daniel’s has unveiled the latest batch in its Distillery Series, which highlights the impact of high evaporation on whiskey as it ages. It comprises barrels laid down in 2016 and aged on the top floor of Barrelhouse 1-13—a warehouse on Coy Hill, the distillery’s highest point, which became iconic for its mythical single barrel expressions. It was bottled just shy of hazmat proof. It follows an earlier angels’ share-focused release from 2018, which was bottled as part of the Tasters’ Selection series.

Old Overholt Extra Aged Cask Strength 11 year old Straight Rye

ABV: 62.8%
Price: $110
Availability: Nationwide

The latest release from Old Overholt was distilled and barreled in the spring of 2014. The 11 year old rye is the fourth release in the Extra Aged lineup, and follows a 2024 release of an 11 year old and is the second oldest in the Old Overholt lineup behind a 12 year old release last fall. It was distilled and aged at James B. Beam Distillery in Kentucky.

Old Overholt is known as the oldest continually produced American whiskey, with regular production since 1810 when Abraham Overholt established the brand in western Pennsylvania. When Jim Beam purchased the brand in 1987, production moved to Kentucky, where it’s still produced today. The original location in West Overton, Pennsylvania has been designated as a tourist destination for the label’s whiskey heritage.

Wyoming Whiskey State of the Union Straight Bourbon

ABV: 49%
Price: $80
Availability: Wyoming exclusive

Wyoming Whiskey’s State of the Union is a limited edition wheated bourbon that joins the lineup of whiskeys commemorating America’s 250th birthday. Aged 6 years and made from the distillery’s signature 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley mashbill, this release is the first since the brand returned to co-founder David DeFazio’s ownership earlier this year.

Though it marks America’s semiquincentennial, this release continues the brand’s tradition of honoring American history year-round, joining the National Park Series, with a portion of proceeds donated to park preservation and bourbons that honor American West icons (Moran, Old Faithful, Buffalo Bill Cody) while relying on locally grown grains for each batch.

Branch & Barrel 5 year old Bourbon (Batch 35)

ABV: 46%
SRP: $55
Availability: Colorado retailers and at the distillery

Colorado craft distillery Branch & Barrel has released a fresh batch of its flagship 5 year old bourbon. It’s distilled from Colorado grains and Rocky Mountain snowmelt, sporting an uncommon two-grain mashbill of 84% corn and 16% malted barley. It was aged in No.-3 char American white oak with a notably low barrel entry proof of 104.