What Are the Top 10 Christmas Edition Whiskies?

Our top 10 Christmas edition whiskies are led by the Germany Exclusive Glenfarclas Christmas Edition Vintage 2016, the St. Kilian Christmas Edition 2026 and the Paul John Christmas Edition 2026, followed by Glenfarclas The Christmas Single Cask 2007, the Glenfarclas Vintages 2015 and 2014, St. Kilian Frohe Weihnachten, Blair Athol 2011 and Strathmill 2012 from Malts of Scotland, and Wolfburn 10 Years Old Merry Christmas. The first three are new this year, the other seven came out between 2023 and 2025, and for each bottle we say whether the Christmas sits in the calendar, the cask or the label.

Key Takeaways

• The top three places go to the 2026 releases, the Glenfarclas Vintage 2016 made only for the German market, St. Kilian with Santa on the label, and Paul John from Goa.

• A Christmas edition can carry the season in three ways, in the date of distillation, in the choice of cask, or on the label.

• At Glenfarclas the Christmas sits in the calendar. The Vintages 2014, 2015 and 2016 were each distilled in December, and The Christmas Single Cask on 17 December 2007.

• Strength runs from 46% for St. Kilian 2026 and Wolfburn to 59% for the single cask.

• Runs go from 291 to 6,500 bottles. No figure has been published so far for the Glenfarclas Vintage 2016.

Tip: Give two vintages instead of one bottle. The Glenfarclas Vintages 2015 and 2016 come from the same house, the same month and almost the same strength. Side by side in the glass, they show how close or how far apart two Decembers can be.

1. Glenfarclas Vintage 2016 Is the Germany Exclusive Marking 30 Years of Christmas Malt

First place goes to the Glenfarclas Christmas Edition Vintage 2016 30th Anniversary Germany Exclusive. Glenfarclas has been releasing a Christmas Malt since 1996, and this one marks the 30 years. It was made only for the German market and it is limited. No bottle count has been published so far.

The Christmas here sits first in the calendar. It was distilled in December 2016, bottled in 2026 and matured in Oloroso sherry casks. At 50.3% it comes in its natural colour, non chill filtered, in a gift box. The official notes read like a plate of Christmas treats, with Oloroso sherry, spice and Christmas cake, then cinnamon, toffee, dark chocolate and cooked fruit, and finally orange peel and Demerara.

It suits anyone who loves a powerful sherried whisky and wants a bottle that was made for this one market.

2. St. Kilian Christmas Edition 2026 Matured Fully in a Former Brandy Cask

You can spot the St. Kilian Christmas Edition 2026 from across the room. It is a matte black bottle with a Santa label that reads Merry Christmas. It holds 50 cl, and there are 560 of them.

The Christmas sits on the label, but there is a real idea behind it. The whisky matured fully in a former brandy cask. It is unpeated, non chill filtered and has no added colour, and it is bottled at 46%. The notes name overripe red apple, juicy pear and creamy vanilla.

This is the friendliest bottle on the list, and a good gift for anyone who finds sherry too heavy.

3. Paul John Christmas Edition 2026 Spent 18 Months in Moscatel Casks

The Paul John Christmas Edition 2026 comes from Goa, which alone will start a conversation under the tree. It is the ninth edition of the series. The whisky matured first in American oak, then for 18 months in Spanish Moscatel casks, and it is bottled at 48%, non chill filtered. There are 6,500 bottles worldwide, the largest known run on this list.

The Christmas sits in the sweet cask. The notes name orange blossom honey, dark chocolate and clove, which is the spice tin of Advent in one glass.

It suits anyone curious about whisky from beyond Scotland.

4. Glenfarclas The Christmas Single Cask Was Distilled on 17 December 2007

From here on we look at earlier years, and the first bottle takes the theme literally. The Glenfarclas 17 Years Old 2007 The Christmas Single Cask 2671 carries the date on its label. It was distilled on 17 December 2007 and bottled on 3 November 2025, from cask 2671, a refill Oloroso sherry butt chosen together with distillery manager Callum A. Fraser.

Few labels put Christmas into a whisky as precisely as that. There are 620 bottles in a black wooden box, at 59% natural cask strength, with no added colour and no chill filtration. The release text names toffee and warming spice.

This is a bottle for collectors and for long evenings, with a few drops of water close at hand.

5. Glenfarclas Vintage 2015 Matured Only in Oloroso Sherry Casks

The Glenfarclas Christmas Edition Vintage 2015 is the direct predecessor of our number one. It was distilled in December 2015, matured entirely in Oloroso sherry casks in the traditional dunnage warehouses, and bottled at 50%. It is limited to 3,600 bottles, with no added colour and no chill filtration.

The Christmas sits in December again, and this time on the nose as well. The notes name powerful sherry, malt, spice, nuts and Christmas cake, then toffee, dark chocolate and berries, and finally Demerara and orange peel.

It suits anyone who wants a second bottle to stand beside the Vintage 2016. To see how the distillery differs from another great sherry house, read Glenfarclas vs GlenDronach.

6. Glenfarclas Vintage 2014 Was the First Christmas Edition at 50%

The Glenfarclas Christmas Edition Vintage 2014 is the edition where the strength changed. For the first time, the Christmas Edition was bottled at 50.0%. It was distilled in December 2014 and matured in sherry casks in the dunnage warehouses, with 3,600 bottles, no added colour and no chill filtration. The Christmas sits in the calendar again.

Its notes are close to those of the Vintage 2015, and that is exactly the charm. They name sherry, malt, spice, nuts and Christmas cake, then herbs, toffee, chocolate and berries, with a long, spicy finish and orange peel.

Set the Vintages 2014, 2015 and 2016 side by side and you have three Decembers in the glass. It is a lovely way to spend an evening between Christmas and New Year.

7. St. Kilian Frohe Weihnachten Spent Six Years in a Cherry Wine Cask

For the St. Kilian Distillers 2017 Winter Edition Frohe Weihnachten the distillery went its own way. The malt was smoked over beech wood, and the whisky spent six years in a single 225 litre French oak cask that had held Danish cherry wine for at least 30 months. The label gives 2017 as the year of distillation and 2023 as the year of bottling.

The Christmas sits in the cask and in the name, which is German for Merry Christmas. There are 492 bottles of 0.5 litres at 51.6%, with no added colour and no chill filtration. The distillery describes gentle smoke, red cherry and ripe peach, then vanilla, dark chocolate and Christmas spice, with creamy cherry jam on the finish.

It suits anyone who thinks of cherries rather than sherry at Christmas, and it is the most unusual bottle on this list.

8. Blair Athol 2011 Is Part of the Malts of Scotland Christmas Party

Malts of Scotland, an independent bottler from Paderborn in Germany, throws a small party on its labels. The Blair Athol 2011 Christmas Bottling 2023 is called Christmas Party 2023 Part 3, Megan Fox & Bärtram, and shows Santa with a little gang of animals in the snow.

So the Christmas sits openly on the label, and behind the drawing is a serious whisky. It was distilled in 2011, bottled in 2023 and matured in a sherry hogshead, cask MoS23027, at 56.5%. With 291 bottles it is the smallest known run on this list.

It suits collectors who like a shelf that makes them smile.

9. Strathmill 2012 Is Part Four of the Same Christmas Party

A year later the party carried on. The Strathmill 2012 Christmas Bottling 2024 is called Christmas Party 2024 Part 4, Sylvester & Anuk, and now the label has a bear with a trumpet as well. The Christmas sits on the label again.

It was distilled in 2012, bottled in 2024 and matured in a sherry hogshead, cask MoS24036, with 313 bottles at 55.4%.

The two Malts of Scotland bottles make a fine pair. Both matured in a sherry hogshead and both are above 55%, so setting them side by side compares two distilleries rather than two casks.

10. Wolfburn 10 Years Old Merry Christmas Comes From Three 2014 Oloroso Butts

The list ends with the clearest greeting of all. Wolfburn 10 Years Old Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year shows a Christmas tree, a stag and gold lettering. For Christmas 2024 the distillery in Thurso chose three Oloroso sherry butts filled in 2014, which gave 1,660 bottles in total across 70 cl and 35 cl. The Christmas sits on the label here.

At 46% it shares the lowest strength on this list with St. Kilian 2026, and it is non chill filtered and natural in colour. Wolfburn describes soft sherry sweetness with figs and raisins, and dried fruit and caramel that linger to the end.

It suits anyone who enjoys the sherried style and would rather not reach for the water jug.

Tip: Read the label before you buy. If it names December as the month of distillation, the Christmas is in the whisky. If it carries a greeting, the Christmas is in the gift. Both are lovely, as long as you know which one you are buying.

FAQ

What is a Christmas edition whisky?

It is a whisky that a distillery or bottler releases for the Christmas season. There is no fixed rule for it. At Glenfarclas it means December distillation, at St. Kilian a special cask and its own label, and at Malts of Scotland a series with a Christmas theme.

Why is the Glenfarclas Vintage 2016 in first place?

It marks 30 years of Christmas Malt, the longest running series on this list, and it was made only for the German market. The order is our own selection, not a test.

Which bottle works as a first whisky gift?

St. Kilian Christmas Edition 2026 at 46% and Paul John Christmas Edition 2026 at 48% are both easy to pour without water. For more ideas, read our Christmas whisky gift guide.

What do these bottles cost?

We leave prices out on purpose, because they change. Each product page shows the current price. If a bottle has no offer at the moment, you can place a bid there.

Do advent calendars belong on this list?

No, a calendar is a different kind of gift. If you would rather give 24 small samples, the Whisky Wonder World Adventskalender and the Scotch Whisky Adventskalender from Kirsch Import each hold 24 x 20 ml with a nosing glass. For an overview, see our advent calendar guide.