There is something timeless about gathering around a fire.
Bonfire Night may be the traditional excuse, but there's no reason the ritual should end there. As autumn deepens and winter approaches, fire pits glow, gardens stay occupied a little longer and conversations stretch late into the evening.
Naturally, great whisky has a role to play.
Not every dram suits the occasion. The best whiskies for firelit evenings bring something extra to the experience, whether that's warmth, richness, complexity or simply a flavour profile that feels perfectly at home beside the flames.
Here are three bottles we'd happily bring to the fire.
Cask 72086: Braeval 15-Year-Old
Leading this year's fireside selection is our newly released Braeval 15-Year-Old, arriving just in time for Bonfire Night. Launching as fire pits are lit and fireworks begin to fill the night sky, it's a whisky made for gathering outdoors.
Seldom seen as a single cask bottling, Braeval's spirit is typically destined for blends, making releases like this particularly rewarding discoveries. This dram opens with citrus notes, fresh orange and delicate floral aromas before developing hints of heather honey and milk chocolate.
There is an uplifting quality to this whisky, it feels perfectly suited to evenings when the fire has just been lit and the night is still young. This is the bottle for conversation. For the first dram of the evening.
Cigar Malt Edition 2
Not every fire needs a bonfire. Sometimes all you need is a comfortable chair, a blanket and a whisky worth your full attention.
Cigar Malt Edition 2 was created for precisely those moments.
Deep fruity aromas, cherry pipe tobacco, warm armchair leather notes and layers of complexity make this a whisky that reveals something new every time you return to the glass. It has the depth and character traditionally associated with a cigar malt, but its appeal extends far beyond cigar enthusiasts.
This is a whisky for those evenings when the fire becomes the focal point of the night and the pace slows naturally.
The kind of dram that turns an ordinary evening into an occasion.
Cask 313181: Caol Ila 17-Year-Old
Every fire deserves a little smoke. And that's where this exceptional Caol Ila comes in.
Now available at an unbelievable price - £79 instead of £149, a £70 saving, this 17-year-old Islay malt offers everything many whisky lovers seek at this time of year. The whisky opens with dry, carbolic smokiness - think newly tarred docks on a warm afternoon - before a hint of violet-scented soap adds an unexpected and quietly enticing note. Well-integrated and harmonious on the finish – a simply gorgeous whisky (now at a remarkable price).
For many, this is the quintessential fireside whisky.
Find Your Fireside Dram
Whether you're gathering around a bonfire, settling beside a fire pit or simply enjoying a cooler evening outdoors, these are whiskies made for the season.
Explore the collection and discover your fireside dram.
