A new whisky has arrived with more on its mind than tasting notes. For the Dolls, a limited-edition single malt from Speyside, marks the first time a UK whisky has been released specifically in support of a trans rights charity. Only 300 bottles are available, all sold through Milroy’s of Soho in London, with proceeds benefiting Not a Phase, an organization supporting trans adults across the UK.
The release follows the April 2025 UK Supreme Court ruling that legally redefined “sex” as biological sex at birth in the Equality Act, reshaping access to gendered legal protections and services. Rather than staying silent, the team behind For the Dolls decided to respond, not with a press statement, but with a bottle.
More Than Just a Drink
The whisky itself is a 13-year-old Dailuaine single malt, distilled in June 2012 and drawn from a single hogshead. At £55 ($72), it offers an unusually accessible price for a single cask bottling. Tasting notes include lemon meringue, green apple, and orange oil on the nose, alongside hints of tobacco box and dried flowers. The palate brings pear, blackberry, rhubarb, hazelnut, and black tea, finishing with a gently spiced, earthy dryness.
But the flavor isn’t the headline. The release is designed as both a toast and a challenge, showing that whisky culture doesn’t belong solely to tradition, gatekeeping, or old stereotypes.
Opening Doors in a Traditionally Closed Space
Whisky writer Kristiane Westray spearheaded the project, teaming up with Milroy’s and assembling a volunteer creative team. Photographer Josh Campbell, designer Li Simmons, copywriter Rosie Mussen, Milroy’s head of marketing Laura Carl, and Wonderland Comms all contributed their time.
Westray said she hopes the project sparks a broader shift: “The Scotch industry is often seen as traditional, and people still assume whisky is for wealthy, cisgender men. Whisky is for everyone, and that includes trans people. I want this release to inspire meaningful allyship and action, not just in whisky, but across all industries.”
Timing With Meaning
The launch coincides with the end of Transgender Awareness Week and Transgender Day of Remembrance, a moment dedicated to honoring lives lost to transphobic violence and discrimination. Not a Phase, the charity receiving 100% of profits, works to improve the lives of trans adults through community initiatives and advocacy.
In its official statement, Not a Phase emphasized the importance of the moment:
“For the Dolls is more than a whisky. It’s a statement that trans+ lives matter. Every bottle sold helps fund vital services and sends a clear message: allies in all spaces, including whisky, are standing with us.”
Whisky as a Call to Action
For the Dolls isn’t positioning itself as a grand solution. Instead, it’s an invitation, encouraging people to show support in tangible ways: donating, advocating, writing to lawmakers, and challenging harmful narratives.
The team even recommends serving the whisky “alongside writing to your MP, donating to fundraisers and protecting the dolls at all costs.”
A bottle with purpose, raising not just a glass, but a voice.
