Perthshire distillery Aberargie to release new whiskies exploring the influence of barley
A Perthshire distillery, is preparing to build on the sell-out success of its inaugural single malt in March with the launch of two new whiskies later this year.
Aberargie Distillery, owned by one of Scotland’s oldest whisky families and its firm Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers, will release its Laureate and Golden Promise in early September as the first bottlings in a new limited series named Aberargie Expressions.
The collection has been created to examine the individual elements that shape the character of Aberargie’s whisky, beginning with the role played by different barley varieties.
While the distillery’s Inaugural release was produced using a mash bill of 52% Golden Promise and 48% Laureate, the two forthcoming whiskies have each been made exclusively with one variety.
Released side by side, they will allow whisky drinkers to compare the flavours and characteristics associated with Laureate, a modern variety widely used by the Scotch whisky industry, and Golden Promise, the heritage barley once favoured by many of Scotland’s distillers in an old vs new style.
The Expressions series will explore two of the pillars at the heart of Aberargie’s whisky-making philosophy: Laureate and Golden Promise. Each release will focus on particular aspects of production and their influence on the finished spirit.
The Laureate expression has been distilled using 100% Laureate barley and matured in a combination of 32% first-fill Bourbon casks and 68% first-fill Sherry casks.
Its companion Golden Promise expression has been distilled entirely from Golden Promise barley and matured in 68% first-fill Bourbon casks and 32% first-fill Sherry casks.
Graeme Mackeddie, head of distilling at Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers, said: “The response to our inaugural Aberargie release was incredibly encouraging. The success demonstrated the level of interest in both the distillery and our approach to making whisky.
“Barley is where every whisky begins, but the part it plays in creating flavour can sometimes be overlooked. Expressions allows us to demonstrate our interpretations of each barley variety and give whisky drinkers the opportunity to explore the differences for themselves.
“Laureate represents the barley we grow and work with today, while Golden Promise connects us to an important chapter in Scotch whisky’s heritage. Presenting the two whiskies side by side gives people a fascinating opportunity to compare their distinctive characteristics.
“It is the natural next step for Aberargie and the beginning of a series that will tell a much wider story about how our whisky is made.”
Aberargie is one of a small number of Scottish distilleries operating a barley-to-bottle model. Both Golden Promise and Laureate varieties are grown on the family-owned farms.
The family-run business controls the production process through distilling, maturation and bottling, allowing it to trace its whisky from the barley field to the finished bottle.
Aberargie Expressions: Laureate Edition and Golden Promise Edition will be released in September 2026, updates at aberargie.com.
Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers is an independent, family-owned company based in Perth, Scotland. Rebranded in 2020, MSWD represents five generations of Morrison whisky heritage under one name, with a focus on single malt production, brand development, blending and bottling. Its flagship brands include Aberargie, Old Perth, Mac-Talla, Càrn Mòr and Bruadar.
At the heart of MSWD’s operations is Aberargie Distillery, built on a family-owned farm near Perth. From the first fill in 2017, the distillery represents the Morrison family’s return to distilling after the 1994 sale of Morrison Bowmore to Suntory.
A Perthshire distillery, is preparing to build on the sell-out success of its inaugural single malt in March with the launch of two new whiskies later this year.
Aberargie Distillery, owned by one of Scotland’s oldest whisky families and its firm Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers, will release its Laureate and Golden Promise in early September as the first bottlings in a new limited series named Aberargie Expressions.
The collection has been created to examine the individual elements that shape the character of Aberargie’s whisky, beginning with the role played by different barley varieties.
While the distillery’s Inaugural release was produced using a mash bill of 52% Golden Promise and 48% Laureate, the two forthcoming whiskies have each been made exclusively with one variety.
Released side by side, they will allow whisky drinkers to compare the flavours and characteristics associated with Laureate, a modern variety widely used by the Scotch whisky industry, and Golden Promise, the heritage barley once favoured by many of Scotland’s distillers in an old vs new style.
The Expressions series will explore two of the pillars at the heart of Aberargie’s whisky-making philosophy: Laureate and Golden Promise. Each release will focus on particular aspects of production and their influence on the finished spirit.
The Laureate expression has been distilled using 100% Laureate barley and matured in a combination of 32% first-fill Bourbon casks and 68% first-fill Sherry casks.
Its companion Golden Promise expression has been distilled entirely from Golden Promise barley and matured in 68% first-fill Bourbon casks and 32% first-fill Sherry casks.
Graeme Mackeddie, head of distilling at Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers, said: “The response to our inaugural Aberargie release was incredibly encouraging. The success demonstrated the level of interest in both the distillery and our approach to making whisky.
“Barley is where every whisky begins, but the part it plays in creating flavour can sometimes be overlooked. Expressions allows us to demonstrate our interpretations of each barley variety and give whisky drinkers the opportunity to explore the differences for themselves.
“Laureate represents the barley we grow and work with today, while Golden Promise connects us to an important chapter in Scotch whisky’s heritage. Presenting the two whiskies side by side gives people a fascinating opportunity to compare their distinctive characteristics.
“It is the natural next step for Aberargie and the beginning of a series that will tell a much wider story about how our whisky is made.”
Aberargie is one of a small number of Scottish distilleries operating a barley-to-bottle model. Both Golden Promise and Laureate varieties are grown on the family-owned farms.
The family-run business controls the production process through distilling, maturation and bottling, allowing it to trace its whisky from the barley field to the finished bottle.
Aberargie Expressions: Laureate Edition and Golden Promise Edition will be released in September 2026, updates at aberargie.com.
Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers is an independent, family-owned company based in Perth, Scotland. Rebranded in 2020, MSWD represents five generations of Morrison whisky heritage under one name, with a focus on single malt production, brand development, blending and bottling. Its flagship brands include Aberargie, Old Perth, Mac-Talla, Càrn Mòr and Bruadar.
At the heart of MSWD’s operations is Aberargie Distillery, built on a family-owned farm near Perth. From the first fill in 2017, the distillery represents the Morrison family’s return to distilling after the 1994 sale of Morrison Bowmore to Suntory.