Master of Malt has released a five-strong limited edition whisky collection to celebrate the upcoming summer of international football, bringing together English, Scottish and Irish expressions under a single (malt) banner.
The all-star squad sport label artwork inspired by the kits of Italia ’90 and France ’98 (created by by in-house design duo Ben McKeown and Chris Gunter), and comprises small-batch and single cask bottlings with outturns ranging from 66 to 350 bottles. The whiskies themselves span a mix of styles, ages and cask maturations, with prices ranging from £40 to £250.
According to Sam Simmons, Head of Whisky at Master of Malt, the aim is to capture something of the atmosphere that surrounds the game. “There’s a moment in every football tournament where everything stops, the pub goes quiet, everyone’s leaning forward and the hairs stand up on the back of your neck,” he says. “That’s what we wanted to bottle. Exceptional independent bottlings that the gaffer would be proud of.”
The all-star squad sport label artwork inspired by the kits of Italia ’90 and France ’98, and feature small-batch and single cask bottlings…
The line-up opens with an English rye from Adnams. This 9-year-old, bottled at 46.6% ABV, has been matured in a French oak wine cask. With 340 bottles available, it offers a creamy, spice-led profile, with notes of orange cream, ginger, Victoria sponge and honey. Rye remains relatively uncommon in English whisky, and here is said to present a softer, more rounded interpretation than its American counterparts.
Also representing England on the pitch is this12-year-old single malt, from an undisclosed distillery, bottled at cask strength (54% ABV), with an outturn of 240 bottles. Matured in a bourbon cask, it leans into structure and intensity at full strength, but reveals more nuance with dilution, revealing notes of melon rind, molasses, ice cream and waffles.
From Scotland’s Highlands comes a 12-year-old single malt, also from an unnamed producer. Priced at £44.95 and bottled at 46.3% ABV, with 350 bottles available, it’s been matured in an Oloroso sherry cask. Drinkers can expect a balance of fruit, nuts and gentle salinity. Aromas lean towards roasted nuts and sultanas, while the palate combines sweetness and savoury notes in a way that feels both accessible and composed.
At the top end of the range sits a 27-year-old single malt from Ben Nevis Distillery. Distilled in December 1998 and finished in a Pedro Ximénez sherry cask, this big game player was bottled in March 2026 at 47.5% ABV. With just 129 available, it’s the most mature and limited release in the collection. The whisky shows layered oak, spice and herbal notes on the nose, with tropical fruit, melon rind and molasses on the palate. The finish is described as complex and elegant, reflecting the extended maturation.
Completing the set is an 8-year-old Irish whiskey, drawn from a double cask combination of a 13-year-old red wine barrique and an 8-year-old first-fill bourbon barrel. Bottled at 43.4% ABV, it’s the rarest in terms of outturn, with just 66 bottles available. The nose is described as fresh and fruit-led, while the palate balances sweetness with oak and tannin, leading into a finish of grapes, melon and vanilla custard.
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The Luxe Review 
Master of Malt has released a five-strong limited edition whisky collection to celebrate the upcoming summer of international football, bringing together English, Scottish and Irish expressions under a single (malt) banner.
The all-star squad sport label artwork inspired by the kits of Italia ’90 and France ’98 (created by by in-house design duo Ben McKeown and Chris Gunter), and comprises small-batch and single cask bottlings with outturns ranging from 66 to 350 bottles. The whiskies themselves span a mix of styles, ages and cask maturations, with prices ranging from £40 to £250.
According to Sam Simmons, Head of Whisky at Master of Malt, the aim is to capture something of the atmosphere that surrounds the game. “There’s a moment in every football tournament where everything stops, the pub goes quiet, everyone’s leaning forward and the hairs stand up on the back of your neck,” he says. “That’s what we wanted to bottle. Exceptional independent bottlings that the gaffer would be proud of.”
Master of Malt bottles the spirit of the game
Adnams 9 Year Old English Rye Whisky, £39.95
The line-up opens with an English rye from Adnams. This 9-year-old, bottled at 46.6% ABV, has been matured in a French oak wine cask. With 340 bottles available, it offers a creamy, spice-led profile, with notes of orange cream, ginger, Victoria sponge and honey. Rye remains relatively uncommon in English whisky, and here is said to present a softer, more rounded interpretation than its American counterparts.
An English Distillery 12 Year Old English Single Malt, £59.95
Also representing England on the pitch is this12-year-old single malt, from an undisclosed distillery, bottled at cask strength (54% ABV), with an outturn of 240 bottles. Matured in a bourbon cask, it leans into structure and intensity at full strength, but reveals more nuance with dilution, revealing notes of melon rind, molasses, ice cream and waffles.
A Highland Distillery 12 Year Old Highland Single Malt, £44.95
From Scotland’s Highlands comes a 12-year-old single malt, also from an unnamed producer. Priced at £44.95 and bottled at 46.3% ABV, with 350 bottles available, it’s been matured in an Oloroso sherry cask. Drinkers can expect a balance of fruit, nuts and gentle salinity. Aromas lean towards roasted nuts and sultanas, while the palate combines sweetness and savoury notes in a way that feels both accessible and composed.
Ben Nevis 27 Year Old Highland Single Malt, £249.95
At the top end of the range sits a 27-year-old single malt from Ben Nevis Distillery. Distilled in December 1998 and finished in a Pedro Ximénez sherry cask, this big game player was bottled in March 2026 at 47.5% ABV. With just 129 available, it’s the most mature and limited release in the collection. The whisky shows layered oak, spice and herbal notes on the nose, with tropical fruit, melon rind and molasses on the palate. The finish is described as complex and elegant, reflecting the extended maturation.
Irish Whiskey 8 Year Old Double Cask, £49.95
Completing the set is an 8-year-old Irish whiskey, drawn from a double cask combination of a 13-year-old red wine barrique and an 8-year-old first-fill bourbon barrel. Bottled at 43.4% ABV, it’s the rarest in terms of outturn, with just 66 bottles available. The nose is described as fresh and fruit-led, while the palate balances sweetness with oak and tannin, leading into a finish of grapes, melon and vanilla custard.
The Master of Malt Independent Bottlings Football Special Edition range is available now. Like a good match, it may not last long, but it should be memorable while it does…
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