Each November, the renowned spirits retailer The Whisky Exchange release a special single malt for the forthcoming festive period – A Good Old-Fashioned Christmas Whisky. The annual release tends to lean towards rich, bold ex-sherry cask characteristics and this 2025 Edition is no different. The whisky is a 16 Years Old single malt from an undisclosed Highland distillery. It has been entirely matured in two first-fill ex-Oloroso sherry butts sourced from Spain.
The Whisky Exchange was founded in 1999 by Sukhinder and Rajbir Singh in west London. The website was one of the first in the world to offer customers an extensive range of whiskies and other spirits online. The rest is history. It is now a global leader for online drinks retail. They now also own three retail shops in central London – Covent Garden, Great Portland Street and London Bridge. After over two decades of success, the company was purchased by global drinks giant Pernod Ricard in 2021. The Singh brothers remained until 2024, when they left to pursue other whisky-related ventures.
A Good Old-Fashioned Christmas Whisky 2025 Edition is bottled at 55% ABV and is both non-chill filtered and of natural colour. The two sherry butts have yielded just 1,367 bottles. The whisky is exclusive to The Whisky Exchange and is available in each of their stores, plus via thewhiskyexchange.com. Each bottle will cost £80.
Our Tasting Notes
The colour is deep mahogany and the nose exhibits a rich mix of sweet and savoury. Aromas of molasses and dark chocolate rise from the glass early on, plus dried fig, prune and raisin. A savoury umami set of aromas add incredible depth – think of a combination of meat gravy, dried mushroom and old antique shop. Add in further aromas of dried blood orange, cloves and cinnamon stick for even more complexity.
On the palate this whisky feels rich and decadent. It has a viscous, almost chewy feel in the mouth. The whisky is fruity and nutty to begin with. Those dark dried fruits from the nose are immediately evident – the fig, prune and raisin, plus dates now. They are joined by a distinct nuttiness especially pecan, brazil and hazelnut. A hint of orange oil and dried zest also comes through.
The second half of the palate brings in the savoury and umami notes from before. Dried porcini mushroom, black treacle and burnt toffee lead the way. These characteristics are joined by notes of old furniture, waxy polish and dark furniture. Dusty spices such as cinnamon, clove and nutmeg also evolve late on. The whisky tastes even deeper than the nose suggests.
The finish becomes increasingly drying and woody with a bitter herbal note coming through. This is reminiscent of eucalyptus oil and old tobacco leaf. The oak and plenty of wood tannin dominate now, as does a distinct peppery character. This in particular builds a mouth watering heat and spice.
What’s The Verdict?
This year’s version of A Good Old-Fashioned Christmas Whisky is delicious. Well done to The Whisky Exchange team for selecting and marrying the two casks so well. They have created a massive ‘sherry bomb’ of a whisky. It is rich, decadent and full of festive flavours – dried fruits, nuts and warming spices. We have sampled most of the bottlings in this series and this feels the boldest and most sherried yet. Grab a bottle while you can before it has all sold out. It is a beauty.
