From experimental whiskies and artistic collector’s editions to a gin that tastes of chocolate and flowers, 2026 is shaping up to be an intriguing year for spirits enthusiasts in Malaysia. While heritage and craftsmanship remain the industry’s defining currencies, brands are increasingly finding new ways to reinterpret their identities – whether through unconventional cask finishes, limited-edition collaborations, or entirely new categories.
These five recent launches offer something for every kind of collector, whether you’re the curious drinker looking for their next conversation piece or the serious connoisseur seeking rare additions for the top shelf.
Valdespino Vermouth Origen
For a distillery renowned for its obsessive approach to sherry-seasoned oak, The Macallan‘s latest release is possibly its most unexpected yet: a vermouth. Rather than merely lending its name to a collaborative bottling, the Speyside distillery has leveraged its long-standing relationship with Jerez’s legendary Valdespino house to create the Valdespino Vermouth Origen – a release that showcases the depth of its involvement in sherry production itself.
The project stems from The Macallan’s 50% stake in Bodegas Grupo Estévez, Valdespino’s parent company, allowing the whisky maker unprecedented influence over every stage of the sherry-making process. The resulting vermouth begins with sherry crafted specifically to The Macallan’s specifications before being aged in the brand’s own virgin oak casks for approximately 18 months.
Following an original recipe dating back to 1920, the liquid is blended with botanicals, wine distillates, and fruits before being rounded out with Valdespino Moscatel sherry. The result is a richly layered vermouth offering notes of caramelised citrus, gentle spice, and a refined bitterness that echoes The Macallan’s signature oak influence.
Another Hendrick’s
Nearly a decade after introducing its last permanent expression, Hendrick’s Gin has finally unveiled another addition to its core portfolio – curiously named Another Hendrick’s. True to the Scottish distiller’s delightfully eccentric reputation, it arrives with one of the more unusual flavour combinations seen in recent memory: orange blossom and cacao.
Created by Master Distiller Lesley Gracie, the new expression was inspired by her personal fascination with flowers and chocolate. The challenge, she explains, was finding a way to incorporate cacao into gin without overwhelming Hendrick’s distinctive house character. The answer came through experimentation with botanicals from the greenhouses at the Hendrick’s Gin Palace in Scotland.
The resulting spirit retains the brand’s familiar juniper backbone and signature smoothness while introducing layers of bright citrus blossom and velvety cocoa richness. The contrast creates a gin that feels simultaneously familiar and entirely new – exactly the sort of playful contradiction Hendrick’s has built its identity around. Presented in a striking all-white bottle, Another Hendrick’s opens up fresh possibilities for cocktails ranging from spritzes to richer serves like the Negroni.
Suntory Toki
Although Suntory Toki is not exactly a new release globally, its arrival in Malaysia marks an important milestone for local Japanese whisky enthusiasts. First introduced in 2016, Toki was conceived as a modern interpretation of Japanese blended whisky – lighter, brighter, and designed for contemporary drinking occasions.
Blending whiskies from Suntory’s famed Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Chita distilleries, Toki offers a profile that balances green apple, basil, honey, and subtle spice with the precision and elegance for which Japanese whisky has become renowned worldwide.
Unlike many premium Japanese whiskies increasingly positioned as collector’s items, Toki was designed to be enjoyed regularly, whether neat, on the rocks, or most famously as a Japanese highball. Its official availability in Malaysia gives local drinkers easier access to one of the category’s most approachable and versatile expressions.
Mortlach Neverbound Release 01
Nicknamed “The Beast of Dufftown”, Mortlach has built its reputation on a robust, meaty house style that stands apart from its regional peers. With the introduction of the new Neverbound collection, the Speyside distillery is now pushing those characteristics into even more experimental territory.
The inaugural Neverbound Release 01 deliberately shifts attention away from age statements, instead prioritising flavour intensity and innovation. At its core is Mortlach’s famously intricate 2.81 distillation process, further amplified through a first-ever finishing period in carefully selected French oak casks sourced from the Cognac region.
The extended air-drying of the French oak – lasting up to four years – helps refine tannins while enhancing Mortlach’s naturally savoury character. Bottled at a substantial 50.8% ABV, the whisky delivers layers of red fruit, demerara sugar, and spice, alongside distinctive notes of soy sauce, smoked meat, and a lingering umami-rich finish.
Mortlach Neverbound Release 01 is available now in limited quantities in Malaysia at The Chamber & Cellar Eighteen.
Ladyburn Edition Three / David Hicks
Collectors of rare Scotch will recognise the significance of Ladyburn immediately. The now-demolished Lowland distillery operated for just nine years between 1966 and 1975, leaving behind one of the whisky world’s most coveted “ghost distilleries”. This year, William Grant & Sons completes its ambitious Ladyburn 1966 foundation triptych with the release of Ladyburn Edition Three, created in collaboration with the estate of celebrated British interior designer David Hicks.
The final chapter in the series pays tribute to the creative energy of the 1960s through Hicks’ revolutionary approach to interior design. Each bottle is paired with one of 11 archival images of Hicks’ iconic interiors, selected by his son Ashley Hicks, and framed with the designer’s signature graphic patterns and bold colour palettes.
The whisky itself is no less extraordinary. Distilled on 12 May 1966 and matured for over 56 years in a single sherry butt, it delivers remarkable depth and complexity, revealing layers of dates, raisins, roasted coffee, bitter chocolate, treacle toffee, and lingering oak spice.
With just 210 hand-numbered bottles released globally – and only 10 complete collections featuring the elusive “black swan” bottle – the Ladyburn Edition Three offers aficionados an exclusive opportunity to own a disappearing piece of Scotch whisky history.
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