Fire, oak and smoke: Whiskies for Bonfire Night

There’s something about whisky that feels right this time of year. Maybe it’s the cold air, maybe it’s the smoke on your sweater after standing too close to the fire. Bonfire Night is less about fireworks these days and more about the comfort of warmth, light and a good dram in hand.

Whisky, after all, begins with fire. From the heat of the stills to the char of the casks, it’s shaped by flame at every stage. So, we’ve pulled together four whiskies that celebrate that connection - peat, char, oak, and the quiet intensity that comes with them.

Talisker 25 Year Old Isle of Skye. Maritime peat. Charred oak.

Talisker was made for nights like this. Born by the sea, raised by fire, it’s one of those whiskies that tastes like the place it comes from. Peat smoke, sea salt and cracked pepper all layered over oak that’s been deeply charred to coax out its sweetness.

It moves between sea spray and bonfire embers, finishing long and smoky with flashes of caramelised citrus and warm spice - the perfect coastal companion to a night by the flames.

Lagavulin 12 Year Old – Special Release 2025 Islay peat. Sherry heat. Fire meeting fruit.

Lagavulin’s latest Special Release feels made for Bonfire Night in name and nature. Matured in refill American oak before a final rest in Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso-seasoned casks, it’s a study in smoke meeting sweetness. Smouldering peat, roasted grain and dark fruit running throughout.

It burns softly with the classic Lagavulin charm, with layers of raisin, fig and toffee under a wave of coastal smoke.

Dailuaine 21 Year Old – Special Release 2025 Speyside richness. Rebuilt by fire.

Dailuaine knows what it means to start again. The distillery burned down in 1917 and came back stronger, its pagoda roof now a symbol of new beginnings. This 21-Year-Old carries that same spirit. Matured entirely in Spanish ex-Sherry European oak, it’s rich and comforting - roasted nuts, dark fruit and a wisp of smoke drifting through sherry sweetness.

It's all cinnamon toast, toffee and dried fig — a whisky that feels like the warm glow after the fire has died down.

Mortlach 30 Year Old Midnight Malt Three-cask finish. Fire, fruit and finesse.

If Talisker is the sea and Lagavulin the fire, Mortlach is the midnight that follows. Dense, powerful, full of character. Finished across Bordeaux wine, Calvados and Guatemalan rum casks, all deeply charred, it’s a study in complexity — roasted apple, black cherry, chocolate and spice.

It’s dark, elegant and layered, with cask char woven through sweet oak and dried fruit. The kind of whisky you pour once the night quiets, when the embers glow and everything slows.