![\"glenturret](\"https:\/\/elitetraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/04\/theglenturretcorerelease202527-300x200.jpg\")
<\/div>\nWith new whisky releases stretching into the decades (which distillery will be the first to release a 100 year old?) and an onslaught of marketing material to boot, separating the delicious from the overpriced can be tricky. To help you guide your next purchase, we\u2019ve tapped into the minds of those who pour, mix, and crucially taste whisky for work, for their top whisky recommendations right now.<\/p>\n
Bartenders\u2019 choices of whisky to buy<\/strong><\/h2>\nMortlach 15 Year Old — Mehdi Ichedadene, Coburg Bar at The Connaught<\/h2>\n![\"coburg](\"https:\/\/elitetraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/04\/con-coburg-bar-011-2560x1708.jpg\")
\u00a9The Connaught<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe Red Room at The Connaught might be the hotel\u2019s Instagram darling, and The Connaught Bar is where committed martini aficionados head, but for whisky nuts, the lesser-known Coburg Bar<\/a> calls. Offering over 200 varieties by the glass, the team showcases the ever-changing character of whisky (in particular Scotch, which makes up over 80 percent of the list).\u00a0<\/p>\nNovices and connoisseurs alike are encouraged to try the Dram Journey experience, which presents three varieties on a bespoke tableside trolley. Among bar manager Mehdi Ichedadene\u2019s current top serves is the Mortlach 15 Year Old, which is \u201ca combination of first-fill and refill Sherry casks and bottled by Gordon & MacPhail as a testament to the long standing and unique relationship with Scotland Distillery owners, built up over generations.\u201d<\/p>\n
House of Hazelwood — Tom Addy, Bertie\u2019s at the Fife Arms<\/h2>\n![\"house](\"https:\/\/elitetraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/04\/bertiessofaandrarewhiskycabinet1-2560x1920.jpg\")
\u00a9Fife Arms<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nSecreted away in a far corner of the weird, wacky, and wonderful Fife Arms<\/a>, Bertie\u2019s Bar<\/a> has become something of a pilgrimage for whisky lovers (one guest reportedly flew into Scotland for a matter of hours to taste one rare dram).\u00a0<\/p>\nAmid such a varied selection, naming a favorite proves tricky for bar manager Tom Addy. «It’s very hard to pin down a single dram but we are proud to hold one of the largest collections of House of Hazelwood<\/a> bottles anywhere in the world,\u201d he says. \u201cThey represent a single family’s dedication to Scotch whisky over multiple generations, drawing on casks laid down, bartered with, and collected by Charles Gordon and his descendants.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\u201c[They] are phenomenal to drink but like so many bottles of aged Scotch the real treasure is in the stories they hold \u2013 stories of craft, heritage, and styles of whisky no longer possible with modern production methods,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n
Glenturret 15 Year Old — Andrea Gardiner, The American Bar at Gleneagles<\/h2>\n![\"the](\"https:\/\/elitetraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/04\/glenturret2025-0128.jpg\")
\u00a9Glenturret<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nA step back in time to the roar of 1920s New York, in the middle of remote Perthshire, The American Bar at Gleneagles<\/a> is something of an institution. Cocktails are a mainstay on the menu but, being in Scotland, a dram or two is encouraged. Unlike many bars that list whiskies via location, here they are separated by flavor profile, be it chocolatey and spicy or peaty and mineral.<\/p>\nAmid its extensive collection, bar manager Andrea Gardiner sings the praises of the 2025 Glenturret 15 Year Old. Matured in European and American oak, the whisky is rich with honey, vanilla, cinnamon, and ripe fruits. \u201cI love this decadent and velvety dram from Scotland’s oldest working distillery,\u201d says Gardiner. \u201cIt really showcases Glenturret distillery\u2019s traditional hands-on production, shown by the slowly refined texture of the whisky. A perfect way to finish your evening.\u201d<\/p>\n
Teeling Blackpitts — Oisin Kelly, The Sidecar<\/h2>\n
Sultry and nostalgic, 1930s-inspired The Sidecar<\/a> is The Westbury hotel\u2019s retro drinking den. Its cocktail list is a celebration of Dubliners \u2013 not just the one that made the history books, but the everyday folk too \u2013 and each drink is listed scrapbook-style alongside archive photography.\u00a0<\/p>\nWhen it comes to stiffer drinks, as you\u2019d expect, Irish whiskey takes precedent over Scotch here. «One whiskey we are enjoying pouring right now is Teeling Blackpitts, a peated Irish single malt,\u201d says bar manager Oisin Kelly. \u201cAlthough Irish whiskey is generally smoother and sweeter, this particular one is also smokey. We are pouring it neat and our guests are enjoying discovering an Irish whiskey that has smoke but maintains its smooth, classically Irish finish.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tomatin 36 Year Old Batch 11 — Dario Orsili, 100 Princes Street<\/h2>\n
An Edinburgh outpost for the family-run Red Carnation hotel group, 100 Princes Street pulls on Scotland\u2019s rich history: tartan covers the walls, tattie scones are the star of the breakfast plate, and, of course, whisky lines the bar shelves.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOne whisky that really stands out right now is the Tomatin 36,\u201d says the hotel\u2019s whisky ambassador and head bartender Dario Orsili. \u201cIt is one of the most distinctive and flavorful whiskies I have tasted, with vibrant tropical fruit notes followed by a gentle touch of spice on the finish, which is not what you would typically expect from a whisky of this age.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat sense of surprise is exactly what makes it so compelling. It challenges preconceptions, and with […] just 1,200 bottles of Batch 11 released worldwide, it is a rare example of confident, thoughtful maturation done exceptionally well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Michter\u2019s 10 Year Straight Rye — Jay Reingold, Clemente Bar<\/h2>\n![\"clemente's](\"https:\/\/elitetraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/04\/thelounge1_creditevansung1-2560x1439.jpg\")
\u00a9Evan Sung<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The Red Room at The Connaught might be the hotel\u2019s Instagram darling, and The Connaught Bar is where committed martini aficionados head, but for whisky nuts, the lesser-known Coburg Bar<\/a> calls. Offering over 200 varieties by the glass, the team showcases the ever-changing character of whisky (in particular Scotch, which makes up over 80 percent of the list).\u00a0<\/p>\n Novices and connoisseurs alike are encouraged to try the Dram Journey experience, which presents three varieties on a bespoke tableside trolley. Among bar manager Mehdi Ichedadene\u2019s current top serves is the Mortlach 15 Year Old, which is \u201ca combination of first-fill and refill Sherry casks and bottled by Gordon & MacPhail as a testament to the long standing and unique relationship with Scotland Distillery owners, built up over generations.\u201d<\/p>\n Secreted away in a far corner of the weird, wacky, and wonderful Fife Arms<\/a>, Bertie\u2019s Bar<\/a> has become something of a pilgrimage for whisky lovers (one guest reportedly flew into Scotland for a matter of hours to taste one rare dram).\u00a0<\/p>\n Amid such a varied selection, naming a favorite proves tricky for bar manager Tom Addy. «It’s very hard to pin down a single dram but we are proud to hold one of the largest collections of House of Hazelwood<\/a> bottles anywhere in the world,\u201d he says. \u201cThey represent a single family’s dedication to Scotch whisky over multiple generations, drawing on casks laid down, bartered with, and collected by Charles Gordon and his descendants.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201c[They] are phenomenal to drink but like so many bottles of aged Scotch the real treasure is in the stories they hold \u2013 stories of craft, heritage, and styles of whisky no longer possible with modern production methods,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n A step back in time to the roar of 1920s New York, in the middle of remote Perthshire, The American Bar at Gleneagles<\/a> is something of an institution. Cocktails are a mainstay on the menu but, being in Scotland, a dram or two is encouraged. Unlike many bars that list whiskies via location, here they are separated by flavor profile, be it chocolatey and spicy or peaty and mineral.<\/p>\n Amid its extensive collection, bar manager Andrea Gardiner sings the praises of the 2025 Glenturret 15 Year Old. Matured in European and American oak, the whisky is rich with honey, vanilla, cinnamon, and ripe fruits. \u201cI love this decadent and velvety dram from Scotland’s oldest working distillery,\u201d says Gardiner. \u201cIt really showcases Glenturret distillery\u2019s traditional hands-on production, shown by the slowly refined texture of the whisky. A perfect way to finish your evening.\u201d<\/p>\n Sultry and nostalgic, 1930s-inspired The Sidecar<\/a> is The Westbury hotel\u2019s retro drinking den. Its cocktail list is a celebration of Dubliners \u2013 not just the one that made the history books, but the everyday folk too \u2013 and each drink is listed scrapbook-style alongside archive photography.\u00a0<\/p>\n When it comes to stiffer drinks, as you\u2019d expect, Irish whiskey takes precedent over Scotch here. «One whiskey we are enjoying pouring right now is Teeling Blackpitts, a peated Irish single malt,\u201d says bar manager Oisin Kelly. \u201cAlthough Irish whiskey is generally smoother and sweeter, this particular one is also smokey. We are pouring it neat and our guests are enjoying discovering an Irish whiskey that has smoke but maintains its smooth, classically Irish finish.\u201d<\/p>\n An Edinburgh outpost for the family-run Red Carnation hotel group, 100 Princes Street pulls on Scotland\u2019s rich history: tartan covers the walls, tattie scones are the star of the breakfast plate, and, of course, whisky lines the bar shelves.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cOne whisky that really stands out right now is the Tomatin 36,\u201d says the hotel\u2019s whisky ambassador and head bartender Dario Orsili. \u201cIt is one of the most distinctive and flavorful whiskies I have tasted, with vibrant tropical fruit notes followed by a gentle touch of spice on the finish, which is not what you would typically expect from a whisky of this age.<\/p>\n \u201cThat sense of surprise is exactly what makes it so compelling. It challenges preconceptions, and with […] just 1,200 bottles of Batch 11 released worldwide, it is a rare example of confident, thoughtful maturation done exceptionally well.\u201d<\/p>\nHouse of Hazelwood — Tom Addy, Bertie\u2019s at the Fife Arms<\/h2>\n
Glenturret 15 Year Old — Andrea Gardiner, The American Bar at Gleneagles<\/h2>\n
Teeling Blackpitts — Oisin Kelly, The Sidecar<\/h2>\n
Tomatin 36 Year Old Batch 11 — Dario Orsili, 100 Princes Street<\/h2>\n
Michter\u2019s 10 Year Straight Rye — Jay Reingold, Clemente Bar<\/h2>\n
![\"sip](\"https:\/\/elitetraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/04\/guzzlealcovephotobyericmedsker1.jpg\")