The Best Whisky Resolutions for 2026: Here’s How to Get More from Your Passion

Every new year starts with big plans for many people. Less stress, more exercise, healthier eating, you name it. But let’s be honest: for whisky lovers, there are resolutions that are far more fun to stick to. And that’s exactly what we’re going to lay out for you here.

We’re slowly approaching Christmas, and then it’s already time for New Year’s Eve. In other words, this is the perfect moment to reflect, and maybe even make some resolutions for 2026. The beauty of whisky resolutions is that they not only help you manage your collection more mindfully, but also boost your knowledge and enjoyment. So we’ve lined up five concrete, achievable, and above all fun resolutions to make 2026 a standout whisky year.

Let’s start with the first resolution: buy just one bottle of whisky per month. It sounds strict, but there’s a good reason behind it.

What happens when you’ve got a hobby? You tend to buy too much, too fast. Which whisky fan isn’t tempted by a limited edition, only to see their collection grow much faster than they’d like? Everything seems special, everything sounds delicious and what if you miss out? Then what?

By limiting yourself to purchasing just one bottle a month, you force yourself to choose with intention.

That has two big advantages. First, your collection still grows, without the impulse buys. Second, you’ll feel more at ease with your hobby.

Because you choose one new bottle each month, that bottle actually gets the attention it deserves. And secretly, you add a bit of anticipation: what will the next bottle be that you’re allowed to buy?

The next tip is another fun one, because it helps you get more enjoyment out of your own collection.

We often buy new bottles, but sometimes forget how great our current lineup already is. By picking three bottles you already own and tasting them side by side, blind, you’ll get so much more out of what’s on your shelf. Maybe you and your partner both enjoy a glass of the gods every now and then, then this is an especially great idea.

Blind tasting wipes away all your preconceptions. Suddenly you’re not thinking about price, label, or reputation, but purely about aroma and flavor. A bottle you’ve overlooked for months might unexpectedly shoot to the top of your favorites list. It’s a playful way to rediscover your palate.

Now for the third idea, which isn’t so much about buying, but about making it yourself.

As a whisky lover, you know plenty about aromas, cask maturation, and flavor profiles, but do you really know how whisky is made? Maybe you’ve toured a Scottish or Irish distillery and had things explained along the way. But nothing compares to rolling up your sleeves and doing the work yourself. That’s how you take your hobby to the next level! If you want to learn what it truly takes to make whisky (or another spirit like rum or liqueurs), you can take a distilling course in the Netherlands at Stokerij De Branding.

During this course, you’ll dive into the world of grain, fermentation, distillation, and much more.

The beauty is that the processes you’ve only seen in photos suddenly become hands-on. You watch a spirit develop and get to make real distiller’s choices yourself. That changes the way you taste later on, too. Will you make what you personally love? Or do you secretly have it in you to start distilling on a small scale? Resolutions go hand in hand with dreaming. And dreams are meant to be realized, right?

Another great aspect of such a course is that you end up in a group of like-minded people. You take classes together, chat in an app together, and learn from one another. Experience shows it’s incredibly fun! You might even make distilling friends for life. Many have gone on to do the real thing, and the bonus is that at Distilleerketels, owned by the same people, you can immediately buy your own still (from small to large!).

Our fourth tip is about traveling close to home. Whisky World is full of surprises, especially when it comes to whisky. The number of distilleries is growing every year, and more and more producers are making whiskies that are even winning international awards. In short, the Dutch whisky scene is thriving!

That’s why visiting a distillery is such a good idea. A visit to a Dutch distillery not only gives you insight into the operation you’re visiting, but also shows just how diverse homegrown whisky can be.

Whether you go for an established name or a micro-distillery, you’ll always learn something new. Plus, you’ll taste spirits that aren’t widely available yet, and that’s special.

And the best part: you can easily visit a distillery in a single day. The Netherlands is a small country, so there’s no need to hop on a plane.

Lastly, let’s talk about something different, something creative.

Whisky is more than a drink; it’s an experience. And you can capture that beautifully. Learning to photograph whisky bottles is not only fun, but also incredibly educational. You start paying more attention to color, shape, lighting, and details that might otherwise pass you by.

With a bit of basic knowledge about light, composition, and focus, you can create surprisingly striking photos in no time. So take a course somewhere and upgrade your Instagram. It’s also a great way to keep a lively personal archive, because keeping only tasting notes might feel a bit old-school. That’s fine of course, but this could make it even more fun.

Those were our whisky resolutions for 2026. What did you think? Do you have tips of your own? Be sure to share them with us.