This January list picks up where December left off. While the calendar has turned, many of the most compelling releases were clearly crafted with the new year in mind. From party-starting tequilas and spiced gins suited for a slow nightcap, to dependable wine-cask whiskies and long-aged bottles that earn their place on the shelf, these are spirits worth revisiting rather than rushing past. Each has been tasted and recommended, whether you are drinking them at the bar or setting them aside for more considered moments.

Happy New Year, sippers.

1. Suntory Hibiki x Hiroshi Senju Collector’s Edition (21YO & 30YO, 43% ABV)

The House of Suntory marks a rare artistic collaboration this season with limited-edition Hibiki 21 and Hibiki 30, presented in exquisitely designed cases featuring painter Hiroshi Senju’s striking “Waterfall on Colours ‘Hibiki’.” The artwork, created with ten shades of purple inspired by the iconic Kokimurasaki palette, mirrors Hibiki’s focus on Japanese harmony, craftsmanship and refinement. The 21YO offers notes of honeycomb, sandalwood, dried apricot and Mizunara incense; the 30YO deepens into brown sugar, fig, gingerbread and apricot jam, finishing with warm cinnamon and opulent Mizunara depth. Both expressions are bottled at 43% ABV and encapsulate Suntory’s century-long whisky-making legacy. Available in Singapore in limited quantities from October 2025, prices are listed around S$950 for the 21YO and S$7,500 for the 30YO online retail in Singapore.

2. Isle of Raasay Dùn Cana Sherry Quarter Cask (46.4% ABV)

[Photo source: Isle of Rassay]

Raasay’s Dùn Cana third edition release continues the island distillery’s dual-spirit ethos, marrying peated and unpeated new-make into a layered, modern island whisky. Matured first in ex-Woodford Reserve American rye casks and finished in a 50/50 mix of Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry quarter casks, the whisky delivers peppery spice, dried sultanas, vanilla, salted chocolate and a soft wisp of aromatic smoke. Bottled at 46.4% ABV, Dùn Cana highlights Raasay’s focus on provenance, from barley varieties Laureate and Diablo to the use of local spring water from the island’s 60-metre well. With approximately 15,000 bottles released globally, it is positioned as an annual expression that evolves slightly each year. Priced at S$160 online retail by TSA Singapore.

3. Christmas Cake Gin by Singapore Distillery (40% ABV)

[Photo: Kim Choong]

This year’s Christmas Cake Gin from Singapore Distillery celebrates festive cheer with a spirit designed for the holiday season. Instead of adding generic “Christmas spices,” distillery Ashwin Sekaran translated a cherished family fruitcake recipe into a botanical profile that tastes nostalgic. Rather than adjusting an existing recipe, this gin is distilled from a custom base that supports dates, raisins, nuts and the warmth of cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. The result is a velvety, spiced gin with aromas reminiscent of fresh fruitcake cooling on the counter. Expect festive sweetness, layered spice and a gentle richness that works beautifully in a G&T, hot gin toddy or a Christmas Negroni. Produced in limited quantities and returning by popular demand. Malaysia distribution is being explored. Online retail at S$89.90.

4. GlenAllachie 9 Year Old Wine Cask Series (48%)

[Photo source: GlenAllachie website]

Billy Walker’s GlenAllachie has carved a respected niche through cask-led, flavour-forward releases, and the 9YO Sherry Series continues the distillery’s exploration of terroir through exceptional sherry cask finishes. Bottled with natural colour and non-chill filtration, the series includes three expressions: Fino (hogshead), Amontillado (hogshead) and Oloroso (butt) Sherry Cask Finish. These casks infuse the whisky with notes ranging from honeyed stone fruit and toasted almonds to dark berries, spice, chocolate and tannic grip. As with all GlenAllachie releases, the story centres on Walker’s hands-on blending and intuitive cask selection. Find GlenAllachie’s Wine Cask Series in Liquor Kingdom in Singapore and AsiaEuro Wines & Spirits Malaysia. Retail prices between S$150–S$200.

5. Copenhagen Whisky (ABV varies)

[Photo: Km Choong]

Copenhagen Distillery continues Scandinavia’s whisky revolution with modern and design-centric bottlings built on Nordic minimalism and flavour purity. Known for its smaller-scale production, organic ingredients and transparency, the distillery produces their whisky using Danish barley, and aged in virgin Hungarian oak. Their core range includes Raw Edition (59.7%), Refined Edition (58.3%) and Rare Edition (47.9%). In The Single Cask Singapore, other than the core range, Takashimaya Edition (46%) and Smoked Negroni (72%)are also available. Prices generally sit between S$130 – S$180.

6. Bruichladdich Octomore Series 16

[Photo source: Bruichladdich]

The world’s most heavily peated whisky Octomore returns with Series 16, demonstrating why Octomore is known as “The Impossible Equation.” The latest series pushes boundaries through soaring phenol levels, experimental cask work and a deep dive into barley provenance. Octomore 16.1 (59.3%) uses 100% Scottish Mainland Concerto barley malted to 101.4 PPM and aged five years in first-fill bourbon barrels, resulting in elegant smoke layered with melon, apricot, chocolate and coconut. The 16.2 (58.1%) shares the same distillate but undergoes an intricate maturation journey through Oloroso, Bordeaux, Madeira and Moscatel casks, yielding roasted nuts, caramelised sugar and dried fruit wrapped in sweet smoke. The ultra-provenance 16.3 (61.6%) is distilled entirely from barley grown on Octomore Farm Church Field, delivering earthy cereal tones, honeyed malt, salinity and peat at 189.5 PPM.

7. Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged Bourbon (57%–60% ABV)

[Photo: Kim Choong]

Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged is the Kentucky distillery’s boldest and most mature expression to date, blending older bourbon stocks and finishing them in the distillery’s limestone cellar for slow, controlled maturation. This cool, naturally humid environment extends aging without over-extracting tannins, resulting in a richer, deeper version of Maker’s classic wheated bourbon profile. Expect layers of dark caramel, roasted oak, dried cherry, cocoa and warm baking spice, with a velvety mouthfeel that stands apart from the brand’s traditional red-wax releases. Presented as a premium annual release with batch-specific ABVs, Cellar Aged is aimed at enthusiasts who appreciate heritage bourbon elevated through modern maturation techniques. Be the firsts to taste Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2025 release at Bar.Ter.

8. Solisca (40% ABV)

[Photo: Kim Choong]

Produced in Casa Maestri (NOM 1438), Jalisco, a female-founded and female-operated distillery and made from 100% Blue Weber Agave, Solisca Tequila emphasises additive-free purity and duo-terroir blend from highlands for floral fruit and lowlands for minerarily and spice. The Blanco carries bright, citrus-led freshness as a result from double distillation to preserve the natural oils and esters; Reposado Cristalino (Anejo), a style increasingly beloved in Mexico, is rested between 60 days to a year in large American oak Pipón barrels before filtration, offering aromas of macadamia and white chocolate. In Singapore, Solisca is identified as the “Golden Hour Tequila” and is supported by celebrity endorsements and its presence in global nightlife venues. In Singapore, it is available at Manhattan Bar, Native, Neon Pigeon, Papi’s Tacos, Jungle Ballroom and Canyon Club.

- T -