Teacher's Launches Single Malts: 12, 15 and 18 Years Old from Ardmore

A blend brand bottles its malt

Teacher's is best known for its blended Scotch whiskies. Now the Suntory Global Spirits brand is launching what it calls its first range of single malts: 12, 15 and 18 years old, all distilled and matured at Ardmore Distillery in the Scottish Highlands, all at 40% ABV.

The connection goes back a long way. The Teacher family built Ardmore in 1898 to secure a consistent supply of good spirit for its blends. "This may seem an unexpected move from a well-established blended whisky maker," says Senior Marketing Director Kirsteen Beeston. For us, that is exactly the appeal: anyone who knows Teacher's can now try on its own the lightly peated malt that has been at the heart of the blends for almost 130 years.

12, 15 and 18 years

Teacher's 12 Years Old 100cl matured in ex bourbon casks. The brand describes gentle smoke, the sweetness of heather honey and the influence of oak wood, with green apple, orange peel and ginger. The recommended duty free price is around €49 (£41).

Teacher's 15 Years Old 100cl matured for longer, also in ex bourbon casks. The smoke softens, and vanilla and caramel come forward. Here the recommended price is around €69 (£58).

Teacher's 18 Years Old Sherry Cask Finish 100cl matured first in ex bourbon casks and was then finished in Oloroso sherry casks. The brand names plums, dates, toffee, ginger and aromatic smoke. The recommended price is around €93 (£78).

The labels on the press images each state 1 litre. Scaled to 70cl, by our reckoning that would be around €34 for the 12-year-old and around €65 for the 18-year-old, which we find accessible for these ages. The 40% ABV, on the other hand, is the minimum strength for Scotch. If you are after more power, you are unlikely to find it here.

Not the first Teacher's from Ardmore

The idea is not entirely new. Scotchwhisky.com lists a Teacher's Single Malt in the portfolio as far back as 2012, also from Ardmore. What is new is a whole range with three ages.

Ardmore also appears under its own name, of course. On Spiritory you will find Ardmore Legacy Lightly Peated, also at 40% ABV, and at 46% ABV Ardmore Triple Wood 100cl and Ardmore 12 Years Old Port Wood Finish. We find the comparison intriguing: the same distillery, but a different take on its malt.

When and where

According to the reports, the range is now available from specialist shops in India. From January 2027, selected airports follow, starting in the Middle East, then Singapore, China, Sri Lanka and Australia. The reports give no date for Europe, and do not state the bottle size for India.

All three bottles have their own page on Spiritory, where you can place a bid: 12 years, 15 years and 18 years.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the new Teacher's single malts?

Three single malts aged 12, 15 and 18 years, all distilled and matured at Ardmore Distillery, at 40% ABV. The 18-year-old was finished in Oloroso sherry casks.

What do they cost?

The recommended duty free prices are around €49 (£41), €69 (£58) and €93 (£78).

What size are the bottles?

The labels on the press images state 1 litre. The reports do not state the bottle size for India.

When will they reach Europe?

The reports give no date for Europe. The range starts in India, and selected airports follow from January 2027, starting in the Middle East.