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Speyside has long been associated with elegant, sherry-led single malt whiskies, but the region's latest award results show there is plenty more to explore. Tamdhu 21 Year Old, Glenfarclas 25 Year Old, The GlenAllachie Masters of Wood 17 Year Old, Aberlour 12 Year Old and The Glenlivet 21 Year Old all picked up Gold recognition across the 2026 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Awards and World Whiskies Awards. From a 21-year-old named the Overall Favourite at Spirit of Speyside to a 25-year-old crowned a category winner, these are 5 whiskies putting Speyside firmly back in the spotlight.
Tamdhu 21 Year Old had an especially strong 2026. It won Gold in the 18 Years and Over category at the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Awards and was named the competition's Overall Favourite. It is also the oldest whisky in Tamdhu's core collection, matured exclusively in Oloroso sherry oak casks. Its 47.5% ABV gives the expression plenty of weight alongside its sherry-led character.
Tamdhu 21 Year Old Whisky Price Starts at US$320.
The GlenAllachie takes a more adventurous approach with its Masters of Wood 17 Year Old, combining Mizunara virgin oak with Oloroso sherry cask maturation. It won Gold and Category Winner in the 13–20 Years category at the 2026 World Whiskies Awards. At 50% ABV, it is also the most powerful pour in this lineup.
The GlenAllachie Masters of Wood 17 Year Old Whisky Price Starts at around US$275.
The Glenlivet 21 Year Old bottled at 43% ABV rounds out the selection with a Gold medal at the 2026 World Whiskies Awards. Its triple-cask finish brings together first-fill Oloroso sherry, Tronçais oak Cognac and Vintage Colheita Port casks, giving the mature single malt considerably more depth than its familiar name might suggest.
The Glenlivet 21 Year Old Whisky Price Starts at around US$250.
Glenfarclas 25 Year Old proves that traditional Speyside whisky still has plenty of pull. At the 2026 World Whiskies Awards, it was named Gold Category Winner in the Scotch Speyside Single Malt, 21 Years & Over category. Bottled at 43% ABV, it is a mature expression for drinkers who prefer their Speyside whisky rich, polished and firmly rooted in tradition.
Glenfarclas 25 Year Old Whisky Price Starts at US$238.
The Sinteis Series Part II is where GlenAllachie gets more experimental, combining Scottish virgin oak and Oloroso sherry cask maturation for a distinctive wood-led profile. It was named Category Winner in the 12 Years & Under category at the 2026 World Whiskies Awards. Bottled at 58.2% ABV, it comes at cask strength, with notes of mocha, honeycomb, berries, citrus and warming spice.
The GlenAllachie Sinteis Series Part II Whisky Price Starts at around US$100.
Speyside has never been short of great whisky, but these 2026 award results show just how broad the region's appeal has become. There is room for the deep sherry influence of Tamdhu 21, the old-school character of Glenfarclas 25, the wood-focused experimentation of GlenAllachie, and the polished cask work of The Glenlivet 21. Together, they make a convincing case that the best way to explore Speyside isn't to look for one definitive style, but to see how differently its distilleries can interpret the same corner of Scotland.
For whisky drinkers looking beyond the familiar names, this list can be quite helpful in deciding which bottle to order next.
