BEYOND SCOTLAND:
THE NEW WORLD OF SINGLE MALTS ENTERS A GOLDEN AGE
As millennial and Gen Z drinkers redefine whiskey culture, distillers such as Bushmills Irish Whiskey and Stranahan’s American Single Malt Whiskey are redefining and elevating what a single malt can be.
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Once the domain of Scottish distillers, single malt whiskeys far beyond Scotland are revolutionizing the spirit. From corner offices to cocktail bars, this new wave of whiskeys are redefining the category and gaining a growing following of drinkers. Between 2018 and 2024, American single malt sales surged by 85%, making it the fastest growing whiskey category in the U.S.
While Scotch may have defined single malt for centuries, Bushmills Irish Whiskey is actually the originator of the single malt style, and today, drinkers and distillers outside the borders of Scotland are embracing the ingenuity behind it. While exact definitions vary from region to region, this premium pour is generally made from 100% malted barley, distilled at a single distillery and aged in oak barrels.
This delicious blend of heritage and innovation is drawing in a new generation of whiskey enthusiasts looking beyond Scotch single malt.
“People are branching out,” says Alex Thomas, master blender at Bushmills and one of only a few female master blenders in the industry. “They’re no longer sticking to the traditional of what they saw their parents or grandparents drinking years ago. They have their own individual drink characteristics that they want to experiment with.”
Bushmills Irish Whiskey (Northern Ireland) and Stranahan’s American Single Malt Whiskey (Colorado) are delivering the next frontier in this category. With ambitious releases that include the oldest ever released in their respective categories, long-term production strategies, and growing international recognition, they are reimaging what’s possible with modern single malt.
For centuries along Northern Ireland’s rugged coast, Bushmills has been bringing three ingredients together to create its award-winning whiskey: barley, fresh water from the River Bush, and patience. With a history dating back to 1608, Bushmills holds the distinction of being the oldest licensed whiskey distillery in the world.
An industry trailblazer, Bushmills’s single malt whiskey has gained a following among both novice and experienced drinkers for its elegant, refined, and complex flavor profiles that often balance notes of fruit, honey, vanilla, and spice.
Tradition reimagined
With this foundation, Bushmills is primed to meet growing demand: Exports of Irish whiskey rose by 13% in 2024, with growth across global markets. In 2023, Bushmills opened the Causeway Distillery, a modern facility in Bushmills that more than doubled the company’s production capacity from 5 million to 11 million liters per year.
“We have such an array of wonderful whiskeys at Bushmills,” says Thomas. “It started out with just the 10-year-old single malt, and then we grew our single malt portfolio. In 2025, we launched our limited-edition 46-year-old single malt, the oldest ever released in Irish whiskey. We needed that expansion to be able to continue to build on the legacy of the brand and ensure generations to come can enjoy our renowned signature triple-distilled single malts.”
Poured in America
Bushmills is the only whiskey producer across Ireland with the depth of aged stock to consistently release notably long-aged single malts. Recent additions to the permanent portfolio include a 25-year-old and 30-year-old single malt, and a new 26 Year Crystal Malt—a true innovation crafted using specially toasted crystal malt and matured exclusively in first-fill bourbon barrels for 26 years—further underscoring Bushmills’s focus on depth and differentiation.
“You have to have the vision for the future, and I think Bushmills has been really great at that,” says Thomas. “The brand has stayed true to what we believe in but has also continued to innovate and inspire new whiskey drinkers.”
On the other side of the Atlantic, Stranahan’s American Single Malt Whiskey, the pioneering American single malt producer and Colorado’s first legal whiskey distillery since Prohibition, is building an equally bold reputation.
Founded in 2004, Stranahan’s created the state’s first Rocky Mountain single malt. Today, it leads the newly minted American single malt category.
In large part due to the U.S.’s growing thirst for the whiskey variation, apparent in the booming craft whiskey space, the U.S. government designated the American single malt whiskey as an official whiskey type in January 2025. Undoubtedly, Stranahan’s played a part in raising awareness and influencing preferences since its inception 21 years ago, when it became one of the first distilleries to make American single malt.
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“We have a unique ability to balance the flavors really well and let each shine, whereas Scotch whisky, with its peated, smoky character, can mask a lot of the liquor’s other qualities,” says Thomas. “Our flavor profile is very elegant and fruity. For a master blender, there’s nowhere to hide when the liquid is as pure and delicate as what we have here at Bushmills.”
“We’re very fortunate that we now encompass about one-third of the American single malt space. This is really our category to lead,” says Stranahan’s first-ever head blender Justin Aden. “It reflects a standard you can trust Stranahan’s, and you can recommend this brand to people who are just beginning their American single malt journeys.”
Crafted in small batches using only the finest resources, its whiskey has always been made from four ingredients: 100% malted barley, yeast, Rocky Mountain water, and time in an American oak barrel. As demand has increased, Stranahan’s production has grown from just six barrels a week in 2005 to about 3,500 barrels a year today. Still, the brand is leveraging the Rocky Mountain climate and plethora of experienced farmers and high-quality barley. These elements serve as the foundation for its double-distilled Mountain Angel 10 Year and 12 Year single malts, which feature a rich complexity of flavors and aromas that rival those of Scotch whisky. Both spirits earned double gold medals at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and Mountain Angel 12 Year was proud to be a finalist for “Best American Single Malt” in that same competition.
“People who know and respect Stranahan’s for the everyday bottle of whiskey are now finding out, much to their joy, that we can really lead the pack in high-end and luxury categories as well,” says Aden. “And it doesn’t get much better than that. That’s just a reflection of us putting our heart and soul into every single product we have.”
To mark Stranahan’s 20-year anniversary in 2024, Stranahan’s Whiskey Lodge opened in Aspen, offering whiskey aficionados a unique way to experience its range of malts. There, guests enjoy innovative cocktails, elevated alpine-inspired bites, and pours of some of the longest aged and most unique American single malt whiskeys.
With Bushmills and Stranahan’s pushing the boundaries of single malt whiskey, the spirit has earned its place on the global stage, evolving from a niche curiosity to a category with its own distinct identity. Both distilleries are educating whiskey drinkers, new and old, about the versatility and heritage behind these award-winning brands.
“Quality remains at every single step of the process,” says Thomas. “But we are no longer willing to sit in our comfort zones. We want to go out there and really push the flavor profiles that we enjoy. Bushmills and Stranahan’s are ready to innovate with consumers ever-evolving palettes. We want to deliver the best possible whiskey we can.”
Distilling what’s next
Bushmills master blender Alex Thomas breaks down the real differences between Irish and Scotch whiskeys.
Stranahan’s head blender Justin Aden discusses why Colorado is the perfect place to craft American single malt whiskey.
$3.8
billion
projected market value growth of American single malt whiskey by 2033
SOURCE: Verified Market Reports
“You have to have the vision for the future, and I think Bushmills has been really great at that. The brand has stayed true to what we believe in but has also continued to innovate and inspire new whiskey drinkers.”
—Alex Thomas
—Justin Aden
“People who know and respect Stranahan’s for the everyday bottle of whiskey are now finding out, much to their joy, that we
can really lead the pack in high-end and luxury categories as well... That’s a reflection of us putting our heart and soul into every single product we have.”
© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.
“We have a unique ability to balance the flavors really well and let each shine, whereas Scotch whisky, with its peated, smoky character, can mask a lot of the liquor’s other qualities,” says Thomas. “Our flavor profile is very elegant and fruity. For a master blender, there’s nowhere to hide when the liquid is as pure and delicate as what we have here at Bushmills.”
With this foundation, Bushmills is primed to meet growing demand: Exports of Irish whiskey rose by 13% in 2024, with growth across global markets. In 2023, Bushmills opened the Causeway Distillery, a modern facility in Bushmills that more than doubled the company’s production capacity from 5 million to 11 million liters per year.
“We have such an array of wonderful whiskeys at Bushmills,” says Thomas. “It started out with just the 10-year-old single malt, and [then we] grew our single malt portfolio. In 2025, we launched our limited-edition 46-year-old single malt, the oldest ever released in Irish whiskey. We needed that expansion to be able to continue to build on the legacy of the brand and ensure generations to come can enjoy our renowned signature triple-distilled single malts.”
On the other side of the Atlantic, Stranahan’s American Single Malt Whiskey, the pioneering American single malt producer and Colorado’s first legal whiskey distillery since Prohibition, is building an equally bold reputation.
Founded in 2004, Stranahan’s created the state’s first Rocky Mountain single malt. Today, it leads the newly minted American single malt category.
In large part due to the U.S.’s growing thirst for the whiskey variation, apparent in the booming craft whiskey space, the U.S. government designated the American single malt whiskey as an official whiskey type in January 2025. Undoubtedly, Stranahan’s played a part in raising awareness and influencing preferences since its inception 21 years ago, when it became one of the first distilleries to make American single malt.
