Our whisky specialist argues that what’s needed is something genuinely different and quality at a sensible price – and offers suggestions for brands that deliver.
On the face of it the news isn’t good. In 2023, the Scotch Whisky Association export figures showed Scotch’s major markets in decline – the US down 7%, France falling by 3%, figures that came with a firm warning of ‘significant challenges’.
The first quarter of this year saw the picture worsen with a total decline of 10% in volume and, of more concern, a fall of 18% in value. The American and French markets...