Company recognised for branding and Independent Bottler of the Year at 2026 event.
Fife-based independent Scotch whisky bottler Saltire Rare Malt has landed six finalist spots across four categories at the 2026 Scottish Whisky Awards. The nominations include Independent Bottler of the Year and Excellence in Branding.
Four Saltire whiskies have also made the taste finals. An impressive three of the eight places in the Single Cask Scotch 13 and Over category went to its Aultmore 15 Year Old, Caol Ila 17 Year Old, and Tamnavulin 17 Year Old. Saltire’s Port Dundas has also been shortlisted in the Single Grain & Blended Grain Scotch category.
These nominations mark another milestone for Saltire Rare Malt, which was crowned Newcomer of the Year at the 2025 Scottish Whisky Awards. Launched in 2024 by friends and founders Nigel Heywood and Keith Rennie, the independent bottler states it continues its rapid growth both at home and internationally. From its home in Falkland, the business says its bottlings now reach collectors and trade partners across Europe, North America, Asia, and South Africa.
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Keith Rennie, Co-Founder of Saltire Rare Malt, said: “We’re incredibly proud to see Saltire recognised across so many different areas at this year’s Scottish Whisky Awards. To have four of our whiskies in the taste finals – including three in the same single cask category – is particularly special, alongside recognition for our branding and a nomination for Independent Bottler of the Year. We launched Saltire just over two years ago with a shared passion for exceptional Scotch whisky and big ambitions for the business. To see the whisky, the brand and the team recognised together means a huge amount to us.”
The nominations come during Saltire Rare Malt’s biggest period of international growth to date, following the recent appointment of five whisky professionals across North America and Asia Pacific. Saltire Rare Malt works alongside internationally acclaimed whisky experts Hans and Becky Offringa, known as The Whisky Couple, to curate its collection of rare single cask and limited-edition Scotch whiskies. The winners of the 2026 Scottish Whisky Awards will be announced later this year, and the Saltire Rare Malt Collection is available on their website at https://www.saltireraremalt.com/.
