The Kingsbarns Cambo Collection is a new series of annual limited-edition Lowland single malts from Kingsbarns Distillery near St Andrews in Fife, each release exploring a different side of the Cambo Estate where the distillery sits. The First Edition is a 10 Year Old matured in STR (shaved, toasted and re-charred) casks, bottled non-chill filtered at 46% ABV. Just 640 cases are available across the UK and EU, priced from £65, through specialist retailers and kingsbarnsdistillery.com from 8 October 2026.
Kingsbarns Cambo Collection First Edition at a glance
- Distillery: Kingsbarns Distillery, Cambo Estate, near St Andrews, Fife (Lowland)
- Owner: Wemyss Family Spirits (independent, family-owned)
- Age: 10 Years Old
- Cask type: STR casks (shaved, toasted and re-charred)
- ABV: 46%
- Bottle size: 70cl
- Presentation: Non-chill filtered
- Outturn: 640 cases
- Price: From £65
- Release date: 8 October 2026
- Markets: UK and EU
What is the Kingsbarns Cambo Collection?
The Kingsbarns Cambo Collection is a range of annual limited-edition Lowland single malts. Each year the Kingsbarns whisky-making team will hand-select casks from its maturing stock to build a new expression, and each one will tell a different part of the story of the estate.
The plan for the coming years is already sketched out. Future chapters will look at the estate and its farming heritage, the agricultural landscape, the locally grown barley that goes into the spirit, and the evolution of Kingsbarns itself as a distillery.
That is a smart way to structure a limited series. Rather than one big “sense of place” statement, the distillery gets to return to the idea every year with a fresh angle, and collectors get a reason to keep a shelf free.
Why the First Edition is all about autumn
The opening chapter is seasonal. The First Edition was built to capture Cambo as the estate turns into autumn, and the cask choice does the heavy lifting.
STR casks are wine barriques that have been shaved back to fresh wood, toasted and then re-charred. The process wakes up the oak and pulls out sweeter, spicier, more rounded flavours than a plain ex-bourbon barrel would. Paired with Kingsbarns’ light, fruit-led spirit, that points towards exactly the kind of baked fruit and spice profile the distillery describes.
Peter Holroyd, Distillery Manager at Kingsbarns, put it this way: “For our first bottling we wanted to capture Cambo as it moves into autumn. The STR casks bring richness, warmth and spice to our naturally light and fruity house style, creating a whisky that feels incredibly connected to the season and the place that inspired it.”
It also gives the release a clear identity within the Kingsbarns range. The distillery’s first 10 Year Old, launched in September 2025, was built mostly on ex-bourbon barrels with a 10% portion of STR wine casks. The Cambo Collection First Edition puts STR at the centre of the recipe instead, so this is the version where those casks lead the conversation.
Kingsbarns Cambo Collection First Edition tasting notes
These are the distillery’s official tasting notes. We have not tasted this release yet.
Nose: Baked apple, cinnamon spice, bramble jam, blackcurrant concentrate
Palate: Cinnamon rolls with vanilla icing, baking spices, plummy dark fruits
Finish: Long and sweet, cracked black pepper, lingering warmth
ABV: 46% | Cask type: STR (shaved, toasted and re-charred) | Price: From £65
Who makes Kingsbarns, and why the Cambo Estate matters
Kingsbarns Distillery was established in 2014 on the Cambo Estate, a short drive from St Andrews on the east coast of Fife. It is owned by Wemyss Family Spirits, an independent family company whose roots in Fife go back generations to Wemyss Castle, and which also runs Darnley’s Gin from the same site.
The distillery is a working example of farm-to-glass Lowland whisky. Barley comes from the Fife farmland surrounding the distillery, water is drawn from its own aquifer, and the team runs long fermentations and a high cut point to produce a bright, elegant new make spirit. The result is a house style that is light, floral and fruit-forward, which is the canvas the STR casks are working on here.
At the heart of the site stands the Doocot, a dovecote built in 1800 and one of the few surviving buildings from Cambo’s agricultural past. It once served the working farm at the East Newhall steading and now sits in the middle of the modern distillery, which is also why Kingsbarns named its core single malt after it.
James Erskine, Director of Cambo Estate, said: “The old farm buildings have been lovingly restored and given a new purpose as part of Kingsbarns Distillery, creating a connection between the site’s agricultural past and its life today. This collection feels like a fitting tribute to that history and the character of the place.”
Packaging inspired by the Doocot
The sense of place carries through to the presentation. The textured carton is modelled on the Doocot itself, complete with crenellated top, and the die-cut window echoes the arched frames of the farm buildings. The barley-gold label is a nod to Fife’s long farming and barley-growing tradition.
It is one of the more thoughtful gift boxes we have seen this year, and it does what good packaging should: it tells you where the whisky comes from before you open it.
Price and availability
The Kingsbarns Cambo Collection First Edition is available from £65 for a 70cl bottle, through specialist whisky retailers across the UK and EU and directly from kingsbarnsdistillery.com, from 8 October 2026.
Only 640 cases have been released for both markets combined. No US, Asian or Australian allocation has been announced, so readers outside the UK and EU should check the distillery’s online shop for shipping options or look to EU specialists that ship internationally.
Is it worth £65?
On paper, yes. A 10 Year Old single malt at 46% ABV, non-chill filtered, from a single cask type and a limited outturn, is fair value at £65, and it sits at the same entry price as Kingsbarns’ first 10 Year Old did last year.
This one is for drinkers who already like the Kingsbarns house style and want to see it pushed into richer, spicier territory, for collectors who want to start a new annual series from bottle one, and for anyone who enjoys warm, baked-fruit autumn drams. If you want peat, this is not the bottle.
With 640 cases split across the UK and the whole EU, we would not expect it to stay on shelves long after 8 October. If the series idea appeals, the First Edition is the one to own.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Kingsbarns Cambo Collection? The Kingsbarns Cambo Collection is a series of annual limited-edition Lowland single malts from Kingsbarns Distillery in Fife, Scotland. Each release explores a different side of the Cambo Estate where the distillery sits, from its farming heritage and landscape to local barley. The whisky-making team hand-selects casks from maturing stock for every edition.
What does the Kingsbarns Cambo Collection First Edition taste like? According to Kingsbarns, the nose brings baked apple, cinnamon, bramble jam and blackcurrant. The palate moves into cinnamon rolls with vanilla icing, baking spices and plummy dark fruit. The finish is long and sweet with cracked black pepper. The STR casks add richness and spice to the distillery’s naturally light, fruity spirit.
How much does the Kingsbarns Cambo Collection First Edition cost? The Kingsbarns Cambo Collection First Edition costs from £65 for a 70cl bottle. It is a 10 Year Old single malt bottled at 46% ABV and non-chill filtered. Prices at EU retailers will vary by country and local tax, so expect some difference from the UK recommended price.
Where can I buy the Kingsbarns Cambo Collection First Edition? The First Edition is available from 8 October 2026 through specialist whisky retailers across the UK and EU, and directly from the Kingsbarns Distillery website at kingsbarnsdistillery.com. Only 640 cases have been released. No allocation outside the UK and EU has been announced, so international buyers should check retailers that ship abroad.
What are STR casks? STR stands for shaved, toasted and re-charred. Used wine barriques have their inner surface shaved back to fresh oak, then are toasted and re-charred before being filled with spirit. The process revives the wood and typically adds sweetness, spice and red fruit character. The Cambo Collection First Edition is matured in STR casks.
Is Kingsbarns a Lowland distillery? Yes. Kingsbarns Distillery sits on the Cambo Estate near St Andrews in Fife, which falls within the Lowland whisky region of Scotland. Founded in 2014 and owned by the independent Wemyss family, it makes a light, floral and fruit-forward single malt from Fife-grown barley and water from its own aquifer.
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