Saltire Rare Malt, the independent Fife-based whisky bottler, is celebrating a remarkable double win at the 2025 Scottish Whisky Awards, securing the coveted Best Newcomer title alongside the award for Best Single Malt Over 13 Years with its exceptional Craigellachie 17-Year-Old release.
The accolade marks an extraordinary debut year for Saltire Rare Malt, which introduced its first bottlings in 2024 – symbolically timed to coincide with the 530th anniversary of the first recorded reference to Scotch Whisky, issued in 1494 at Falkland Palace, located directly opposite the company’s headquarters.
Founded by lifelong friends Nigel Heywood and Keith Rennie, Saltire Rare Malt was born from three decades of shared collaboration and a passion for collecting fine and rare single malts. Their philosophy – A Measure of Time & Taste – guides a meticulous approach to selecting and bottling whiskies only when they reach their perfect moment.
Saltire Rare Malt’s collection is curated with the guidance of Hans and Becky Offringa, globally respected whisky experts known as The Whisky Couple, both long-standing judges in the international whisky circuit and trusted partners of the Saltire family.
“We are absolutely thrilled,” said co-founder Keith Rennie. “To be recognised as Best Newcomer in our very first year is incredibly special. Winning a second award for our Craigellachie 17-year-old – one of the early pillars of our collection – makes this moment even more meaningful.
“This recognition means the world to us. Saltire Rare Malt was built on patience, friendship, and a deep respect for great whisky. To be honoured in our very first year – especially for a whisky as special as our Craigellachie 17-year-old – is truly humbling. We’re proud to represent Fife and excited for what comes next.”
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With releases ranging from well-known distilleries to rare gems and casks from Scotland’s legendary lost distilleries, Saltire Rare Malt focuses on limited-run bottlings that honour tradition, provenance, and time.
The Saltire Rare Malt Collection is available to buy online on their website at: https://www.saltireraremalt.com/
