The 100 Best Scotch Whiskies Under $100, Ranked

Scotch whisky can seem a bit mysterious to the new whisk(e)y drinker. Especially because whisky from Scotland is not a monolith by any stretch. There are single grain whiskies, single malt whiskies, blended malt whiskies, blended whiskies (a blend of grain and malt whiskies), peated, unpeated, double cask finishes, limited editions, sherry cask finishes, cask strength versions, and so much more. It’s a lot to take in. And, let’s not beat around the bush here — Scotch whisky is also typically far more expensive than your average American whiskeys like bourbon and rye.

That means that really getting into Scotch whisky includes a whole new vernacular and flavor profiles while dealing with higher price points. Naturally, we want to help with all of that. Below, I’m listing 100 Scotch whiskies (across all categories) that are all under $100 and generally easy enough to locate. These whiskies are the entry-point bottles that lead you to the really good stuff that even the most seasoned expert will love.

Before we dive in, I have to point out that while you should be able to find the lion’s share of these bottles anywhere in the U.S. (I purposefully left out things like U.K.-only releases), some of them will not be on every shelf. I have no idea what distribution is like in your region. Still, these are all quality whiskies that you should be able to find for under $100 generally speaking. Nothing in this life of ours is guaranteed, after all.

Looking at this list, it’s clear that more expensive (while staying below $100) does not always mean better. There are a lot of great Scotch whiskies in the $50-$70 price range that easily beat out bottles at $90 or $100. Part of that is supply and demand. There are simply more whiskies available at that lower price point. Another part of it is age statements. There are some 12 or 15-year-old Scotch whiskies that might cost $99 but simply aren’t as good as blended malts or blended whiskies that cost $60 (but get a higher price because of said age statement). Those single malts might be from big names, but an age statement doesn’t automatically mean high quality in scotch — nor does the price.

As you’ll see from my ranking, some of the best whiskies on this list aren’t the ones that bounce up against the $100 price point I’ve set. It’s all just about which ones are the most refined and well-built. Okay, let’s dive in and find you a great scotch to start your journey!

• The 50 Best Scotch Whiskies Of 2022, Ranked
• The Best Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whiskies Under $100, Ranked
• The Absolute Best Scotch Whisky Between $60-$70, Ranked
• Single Malt Whiskeys From Around The World, Blind Tasted And Ranked
• We Blind Tasted Single Malt Whiskies From All Over The World To Find A Champion

100. Copper Dog Speyside Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $25

The Whisky:

This is a release from Diageo that utilizes a lot of Speyside whiskies. Eight single malts are chosen for this blend to highlight the small region within the Scottish Highlands specifically.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This is classic Speyside from nose to finish with apple and honey dominating the whole way through.

Palate: The palate adds a warm oaty malt and spice next to a very slight nuttiness and maybe a touch of orange marmalade. Imagine an oatmeal-walnut scone with a dollop of that jam on top and you’ll be there.

Finish: The end is short, spicy warm, and slightly honeyed.

Bottom Line:

This is a very high-quality blend that’s perfect for highballs. It’s also the perfect place to start that illuminates my point above — yes, a $25 blended whisky can be good and worth your attention.

99. Clansman Blended Scotch Whisky

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $13

The Whisky:

This blended scotch from Loch Lomond is as bottom shelf as you can get in the U.S. That said, this blend takes barrels of grain and malt whiskies from the famed Loch Lomond distillery and aims them towards a fruity and sweet nature before proofing and blending.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: A slight note of bourbon vanilla shines through on the nose with hints of citrus, almonds, and watered-down honey — kind of like stirring honey into a tepid glass of tap water.

Palate: The palate has a mix of dried fruits — raisins, prunes, and maybe dates — with more watered-down honey syrup, a touch of Almond Joy, and a hint of mulled wine.

Finish: The end leans into the dried fruit and mulled wine spices with a final note of what feels like smoked honey.

Bottom Line:

This whisky won Double Gold at the famed San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2022. Does that make it the best whisky from Scotland, of course not. But big-name medals aren’t the only thing this whisky has going for it. It’s made from Loch Lomond whisky which will be featured heavily on this list (hint, hint, this is actually good at a crazy low price point).

98. Dewar’s Aged 12 Years Blended Scotch Whisky

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $28

The Whisky:

Dewar’s blends malt and grain whiskies from over 40 distilleries with the famed Aberfeldy at its core. The whisky is blended and then aged for an additional six months in oak to marry all the flavors before proofing and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a matrix of vanilla, oak, and caramel up top that leads towards malts and Christmas spices with an emphasis on nutmeg.

Palate: That vanilla gets very creamy and a sweet, almost peanut brittle edge arrives with a little dried fruit.

Finish: The mid-palate holds onto that sweetness as the maltiness and warmth come back for a fairly quick fade toward the finish.

Bottom Line:

This is edging toward “on the rocks” territory (which is crazy for this low price) but truly shines as a highball whisky with a real depth to it. That said, you can also take a shot of this with a beer back (preferably pale ale or bitter) and you’ll be all set.

97. Johnnie Walker Black Label Blended Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $33

The Whisky:

The classic Black Label is a blend of over 40 grain and single malt whiskies from three dozen distilleries in the Diageo stable, including powerhouses like Talisker and Lagavulin. The throughline is that all of the whiskies are at least 12 years old when married into this blend.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Citrus meets spicy Christmas cake and a bit of powdery white pepper on the nose.

Palate: Those wintery spices carry on through the taste as creamy maltiness, caramel sweetness, and dry herbs bounce on your tongue.

Finish: The oak comes in late with a dose of peaty smoke that’s cut by an orange zest flourish on the quick end.

Bottom Line:

This was Johnnie Walker’s entry-point sipper back in the days of on the rocks pours when there were a lot fewer options out there. Today, Johnnie Walker has repositioned this as a highball whisky. It works really well with good fizzy water and fun garnishes — think bitter citrus, dried florals, and savory herbs. And yes, it is actually really good for this price point.

95. Old Parr Blended Scotch Whiskey Aged 12 Years

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $33

The Whisky:

This old-school blend is built around Cragganmore and Glendullan single malts. The whiskies mellow for 12 years before they’re vatted and proofed for this bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There are cinnamon apple cookies on the nose with a touch of honey, nuts, and dry malt.

Palate: The taste is very malty with a touch of cedar, tobacco spice, and more honey/apple/cinnamon.

Finish: The end is warm, malty, and slightly sweet thanks to the honey.

Bottom Line:

This is just nice and easygoing scotch. It definitely benefits best from fizzy water or cocktail applications but is surprisingly smooth for a $30 bottle of whisky.

94. Ballantine’s Blended Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $44

The Whisky:

Ballentine’s is a classic grocer-turned-whisky-maker, a tried and true Scottish tradition. In this case, the whisky in the bottle is built from 50 different grain and single malt whiskies that are at least 12 years old. Once those barrels are vatted, the whisky is proofed down to a very accessible 80 proof.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a nice mix of fresh honey and lush vanilla on the nose next to hints of sweet oak and soft malts.

Palate: The palate leans into the honey with a creamy edge as short hints of wildflowers balance against vanilla creaminess, a touch of holiday spice tied to the malts, and a nice dose of that sweet oak with a lightly charred sense.

Finish: The finish is short and sweet and balances that vanilla and honey cream against florals and lightly spiced malts.

Bottom Line:

This is classic blended scotch. The flavor profile is broad but offers real depth. That all said, this is all about mixing up a good cocktail more than sipping — though it’s fine on the rocks — you really can’t beat that versatility for $40.

93. Buchanan’s DeLuxe Blended Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $33

The Whisky:

Buchanan’s is making a big comeback. Part of that is due to this expression snagging a Double Gold from San Francisco World Spirit Competiton in 2020; another part is the quality Diageo whiskies in the blend.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The whiskey opens with a real sense of dark chocolate married to bright orange zest.

Palate: The palate builds on that adding hints of vanilla pudding and dark spices next to a cedar woodiness and a little bit of spicy/ chewy tobacco.

Finish: A whisper of peat arrives late and far in the background as the chocolate orange throughline lasts the longest on the fade.

Bottom Line:

This whisky has a long history as a classic “on the rocks” whisky. It’s perfectly suited for cocktails or highballs with good resonance. It’s also one of those that you can pour over some rocks and be content.

92. Johnnie Walker High Rye Blended Scotch Whisky

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $37

The Whisky:

The blend of this new-ish Walker blend is 40% single malts from Diageo’s stable of distilleries — particularly Cardhu, Glenkinchie, and Caol Ila — and 60% Scottish rye whisky aged in American oak. Those whiskies are vatted, proofed down, and bottled with a look toward the American whiskey palate.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose feels like the best of both worlds as a twinge of rye spiciness mingles with sweet smoky notes cut with orchard fruit and a hint of vanilla.

Palate: The fruit drives the palate with tart apples spiked with clove and anise as a buttery caramel sweetens the sip.

Finish: The finish moves on from that sweet note towards a dry sense of woody spices and a touch of dried and smoked apple slices.

Bottom Line:

This is a great gateway whisky for any American whiskey drinker looking to dip their toe into subtle and approachable Scotch whisky. This is so easygoing and enjoyable as a simple on-the-rocks sipper or straightforward cocktail base. The addition of that rye helps this rise above a lot of pours (even more expensive ones) as a stand-out that looks towards the future.

91. Chivas Regal Blended Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $29

The Whiskey:

Chivas Regal is one of the biggest whiskies in the world, but that’s mostly outside of the U.S. The juice is a classic blend that is specifically built to hit a flavor profile that’s been a hit for generations now.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This feels like a classic blended Scotch whisky from the jump with a nose full of floral honey, caramel, banana bread, and winter spice.

Palate: The palate leans into the creamier side of vanilla with a lush mid-palate full of black pepper, nuts, and dried dark fruits.

Finish: The end calms down considerably with only whispers of that creamy vanilla, winter spice, and malt fading out pretty quickly.

Bottom Line:

This is good whisky, period. Yes, it’s more of a highball/cocktail whisky than a straight sipper. But who cares when it tastes this good for only $30?

90. Compass Box Artist Blend Scotch Whisky

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $35

The Whiskey:

The lion’s share of this blend — 45% — comes from a single grain whisky aged in ex-bourbon from Cameronbridge Distillery. 22% is a single malt aged in ex-bourbon that comes from Linkwood Distillery. The rest is a mix of French oak and ex-bourbon single malts and blended malts from the Highlands, Clyneilish, Linkwood, and Balmenach. Those whiskies are vatted and then proofed down before bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This opens with a very clear and concise note of apple candy with a hint of salted caramel ice cream cut with a touch of eggnog spices.

Palate: There’s a nice maltiness that leans into a creamy vanilla, soft holiday spice mix, butter toffee, and a hint of milk chocolate near the end.

Finish: The finish is warming with a whisper of tobacco next to a woody apple, spice candies (maybe ginger), and a final hint of cocoa and caramel.

Bottom Line:

This is a great cocktail base, especially for a citrus-forward cocktail. It also works really well on the rocks as an everyday, table scotch.

We’re only 10 whiskies in and we already have 10 really tasty and award-winning whiskies that anyone can enjoy. You gotta love Scotch whisky, folks!

89. Speyburn Arranta Casks Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $45

The Whisky:

Arranta translates to “bold” and this whisky leans into that. The hot juice is aged for an undisclosed amount of time in first-fill ex-bourbon casks (that means this whisky was the first thing to go into those casks after they were emptied of bourbon). Those barrels were then vatted, proofed, and bottled without filtration.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Pear candy and honey lead the way on the nose toward woody spices, light leather, and a hint of sour apple skins and stems.

Palate: The palate is sweet and malty with a drive from pear flesh to pit, skin, and tree with floral honey and wet coconut leading to a hint of creamy vanilla sauce dusted with cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.

Finish: The end leans into pears soaked in honey and nutmeg with a hint of old porch wicker and worn leather gloves on the finish.

Bottom Line:

This is a nice, fruity whisky that leans ever-so-slightly toward mild bourbon notes, making this a good bridge between the two styles. Still, you’re going to want to focus this on cocktails.

88. The Singleton Single Malt Scotch Whisky 12 Years Old

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $45

The Whisky:

This single malt from Diageo is a great gateway to good single malt. The juice is aged for 12 years — mostly in ex-bourbon barrels and a few ex-sherry cask-matured whiskies — before it’s cut with that iconic Speyside water and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This is a delicate sip of whisky that leans into notes of dried florals and sweet fruits counterpointed by spicy oak and worn leather.

Palate: The palate lets the spice amp up a bit while the fruit touches on both orange oils and orange blossoms with whispers of bourbon vanilla, dried fruits, and fresh honey.

Finish: The end really holds onto that lightness while fading fairly quickly, leaving you with a cedary leather, more of that sweet fruit, and almost creamy vanilla.

Bottom Line:

This is soft and graceful with a bright and fruity disposition. Overall, this works best in cocktails like a Penicillin. Basically, if you’re looking for a perfect and affordable cocktail scotch, this is it.

87. Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $39

The Whisky:

Old Pulteney is all about sea vibes. Their entry-point spirit is aged for 12 years in second-fill bourbon casks before it’s batched, proofed, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a clear sense of creamed honey with a touch of sea spray on the nose.

Palate: The taste really holds onto that creamy honey while notes of wildflowers and oaky spice mingle with malts.

Finish: The end is fairly short and leaves you with a sense of that creamed honey and a touch of spicy warmth.

Bottom Line:

This is a solid and unique single malt that blended sweet honey with seaside vibes, which feels very Scotland. It’s pretty fire on the rocks but really shines in cocktails more. It’s also an essential stepping stone to the wider world of Old Pulteney’s amazing single malts at higher age statements.

86. Johnnie Walker Double Black Blended Scotch Whisky

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $41

The Whisky:

This is Johnnie Walker Black — a slightly peaty blend of over 40 whiskies from around Scotland — that’s been casked again in deeply charred oak barrels for a final maturation. The idea is to maximize that peat and amp up the Islay and Island whiskies’ smokiness.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Clove-forward spice and billows of softwood smoke — think cherry and apple — greet you on the nose.

Palate: The palate has a vanilla creaminess that’s punctuated by bright apples, dried fruit, and more peat that leans more towards an old beach campfire than a chimney stack.

Finish: The spice kicks back in late, warming things up as the smoke carries through the end with a nice dose of oakiness, fruitiness, and sweet vanilla creaminess.

Bottom Line:

This is a nice yet easy peated whisky over a lot of ice. The peat is dialed back a bit but does have a distinct ashiness to it. That means that if you’re peat-curious, then try this. You might be pleasantly surprised!

85. Aberfeldy Single Malt Scotch Whisky 12 Years Old

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $39

The Whisky:

This Highland malt is the cornerstone of the much-beloved Dewar’s Blended Scotch. This whisky is a very accessible single malt that spends 12 years resting in various casks before it’s married and proofed down and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The heart of the nose is in the mingling of pear and honey with a hint of Christmas spice, especially nutmeg.

Palate: The palate expands on that with a lush maltiness, creamy vanilla, mild spice, and more of that honey and orchard fruit.

Finish: The end gets slightly nutty and bitter with a little water as the honey, fruit, and spice linger on the senses.

Bottom Line:

If you’re making a penicillin, use this. If not, pour this over some rocks and enjoy an easy sipping experience. And if you want to spend more, buy two. This is classic unpeated cocktail malt.

84. Compass Box Glasgow Blend Scotch Whisky

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $40

The Whisky:

This expression is a marrying of whiskies from all over Scotland. 65% of the blend comes from single malts from a “distillery near the town of Aberlour,” Laphroaig, and Clynelish. The rest is part Highland malt blend (from the Glen Moray, Tomatin, and Balmenach distilleries) and a grain whisky from Cameronbridge distillery. Those whiskies were barreled in sherry and bourbon casks with a French oak barrel thrown in too.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose draws you in with this subtle peaty malt that feels more kissed by a hint of smoke than drowned in it in a malting room with a hint of stewed stone fruit.

Palate: The first sip is “malty scotch!” That then leads to dry straw, very mild plum, the memory of opening up a bag of charcoal, and almond shells.

Finish: You’re left with a slightly sweet straw and a buzzing maltiness that is more reminiscent of a cleaned-out fireplace than “smoke.”

Bottom Line:

This is just good. It works as a solid mixer or on the rocks pour. It’s also a very lightly peated whisky that might just get you hooked on the style.

83. Chivas Regal Extra Blended Scotch Whisky Aged 13 Years

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $35

The Whisky:

This expression from Chivas is all about single-barrel aging. The hot juice goes into Oloroso sherry casks for 13 long years. Once those barrels hit the right flavor profile, they’re batched, proofed, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with a nice mix of vanilla, caramel, and fresh pear with a thin line of dried apricot and maybe some old vanilla pods.

Palate: The palate stews those pears in very sweet syrup while the malts lean into sharp cinnamon with a hint of roasted almond and maybe even some toasted coconut.

Finish: The end amps up the pear vibes as vanilla and cinnamon combine on a pretty short end.

Bottom Line:

Chivas is the classic “on the rocks” whisky. Still, this has a sweeter edge that speaks to subtle cocktail mixing a bit more than sipping. But again, no one is going to stop you from enjoying this over a glass full of ice cubes.

82. The Glenrothes Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky Whisky Maker’s Cut

ABV: 48.8%

Average Price: $85

The Whisky:

The bulbous bottle from The Glenrothes is all about the sherry. The expression spends an undisclosed amount of years in first-fill sherry casks. When those barrels are just right, the whisky is then batched and vatted before being proofed down only slightly.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: You’re met with candied orange peel spiked with hints of eggnog spices and a touch of gooey pine resin on the nose.

Palate: The taste holds on tightly to that candied orange while adding in a velvety vanilla cream generously dusted with those eggnog spices and a softer touch of almost sweet wood.

Finish: The finish zeroes in on the orange and nutmeg as the vanilla and oak fade away on the slow end.

Bottom Line:

This is a good spot if you’re looking for a bridge between bourbon sweetness and Scotch whisky’s spicy malt. Overall, this is a good on-the-rocks pour that works well in cocktails with a bitter bite. That all said, this is the scotch you buy when you want to get a bourbon drinker hooked on the single malt.

81. Jura Single Malt Scotch Whisky Seven Wood

ABV: 42%

Average Price: $80

The Whisky:

The juice from Jura is aged in ex-bourbon for an undisclosed amount of years. The whisky is then re-casked in seven barrels: first-fill ex-bourbon from the U.S. and Vosges, Bertranges, Jupilles, Allier, Tronçais, and Limousin barrels from France. The ripple here is that all of those French barrels were new (never held wine) when the whisky went in.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: You get a burnt coffee note next to a dark chocolate bar cut with candied ginger and, maybe, a hint of strawberry on the nose.

Palate: Black licorice arrives with a note of burnt orange peels and grilled peaches with a drop of honey next to a wisp of beach campfire smoke.

Finish: The end lingers for just the right amount of time as the distant smoke fades, leaving a hint of sea spray, cacao, and burnt fruit.

Bottom Line:

This is a deep whisky that’s somehow familiar and comforting, thanks to a very easygoing vibe. Overall, I’d mix this into a cocktail where I wanted the whisky to shine.

80. Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky 12 Years Old

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $49

The Whisky:

This is a pretty unique whisky. The distillery is located in Scotland’s far north Orkney Islands. The whisky in the bottle is a classic peaty single malt that spends 12 years maturing in European and American oak, both of which were seasoned with sherry. The whiskies are then married and proofed down to a very accessible 40%.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a real sense of rich and almost rummy holiday cake full of dark spices, dried fruits, candied citrus, and nuts with a hint of smoke.

Palate: A touch of fragrant honey arrives to smooth out the texture while adding sweetness.

Finish: That smoke pops back in on the finish but it’s more like a chimney smoke from a house a few doors down on a snowy day than a funky peaty smoke from a bog.

Bottom Line:

This is a lovely blend of deeper fruit/citrus flavors with dark peatiness. There’s a sweetness that ties it all together and makes this a great whisky to have on hand for cocktails or sipping over some rocks. It’s also a crucial stepping stone into Highland Park’s higher age statements and deeper blends.

79. Glengoyne Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 10 Years

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $56

The Whisky:

Glengoyne uses unpeated Highland barley that they airdry themselves before fermentation. The uniqueness of this whisky doesn’t end there. They also season their own American and European oak barrels with sherry for six years before filling them with their juice. After ten years of maturation, those barrels are vatted, proofed, and bottled for this expression.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This starts off fairly familiar for a sweet Highland malt with notes of apple candies, butter toffee, and a few chocolate-covered almonds.

Palate: The taste leans back into the apple but it’s more tart and juicy now as minor notes of anise and wet cedar bark lead to a little bit of warm cream sitting on top of a shot of espresso and a hint more of those almonds.

Finish: The finish lets the malts sweeten with a hint of orange marmalade on toast rounding things out.

Bottom Line:

This is another unpeated whisky that’s really going to make your highball shine. It works well in a Scotch old fashioned too.

78. Laphroaig Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Select

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $56

The Whisky:

Master Distiller John Campbell created this whisky to highlight the diversity of the casking process behind Laphroaig’s classic expressions. The juice is a blend of four casks. Their quarter, Pedro Ximénez, triple wood, and ten-year-old casks are married to create a deeply satisfying bottle of whisky.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The whisky draws you in with hints of red fruit, plums, nuts, and a bit of peated maltiness.

Palate: The fruit leads the way on the palate while the wood leans mildly spicy with a bit of alcohol warmth, Ace bandages, smoked salts, and more of that malt.

Finish: The end lingers as the fruit and wood come together with an ever-so-distant wisp of smoke and Band-Aid.

Bottom Line:

This is an acquired taste that really grew on me. I tend to like this in a penicillin or highball, but it does work as an on-the-rocks sipper if you’re into heavily medicinal peated scotch.

77. Kingsbarns Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Doocot

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $44

The Whisky:

This whisky is from a new(ish) Lowland distillery in Scotland. The whisky in the bottle is a single malt that was aged in ex-bourbon and ex-red wine barriques (a slightly bigger barrel by a few gallons). Those barrels were vatted and proofed with Lowland water before bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The light nose opens with a sense of banana bread, pineapple skins, and floral honey with a moment of wet brown sugar and pancake batter.

Palate: That pineapple gets sweet on the palate with a sense of winter spice and dark red berries dipped in vanilla-chocolate sauce.

Finish: The fruitiness builds at the end toward more pineapple, mango skins, and kiwi while the spice leans into some soft wood.

Bottom Line:

Again, this is a perfectly good cocktail/highball whisky. It’s also new. The Lowlands have the least amount of distilleries and this new blood is helping reshape the entire scene down there.

76. X by Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $29

The Whisky:

This single malt from the famed Highland distillery, Glenmorangie, is built to be the ultimate single malt mixing whisky. They don’t release much else about the blend, besides it being a mix of their iconic single malts “made for mixers.”

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is full of grapefruit pith next to ripe pears and vanilla pods, all in equal measure, next to a hint of orange oils and maybe a little wildflower.

Palate: The palate builds on that orange towards a bright orange sherbert, a vanilla pudding creaminess, burnt sugars, light and sweet marzipan, and a touch of dark chocolate infused with red chili flakes.

Finish: The finish really leans into the spicy chocolate and gets slightly bitter as the spice mellows towards mulled wine spices and a touch more sweetness.

Bottom Line:

This is made to be mixed so mix it into your favorite Scotch whisky cocktails. You won’t be disappointed.

75. Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $52

The Whisky:

This is an entry whisky to Speyside and single malts in general. The juice is aged in a combination of used American and European oak before it’s married, rested, proofed with Speyside’s iconic water, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This dram is creamy like a vanilla pudding with a bright pear orchard vibe, some mild toffee, and hints of sweetgrass next to mild oak.

Palate: That leads towards a very easy and soft woodiness with a touch of candied pear and more vanilla cream before hints of soft cinnamon spice poke up in the background with those soft malts.

Finish: By the end, it’s clear how light and approachable this whisky is as that pear, vanilla cream, and mild spice slowly fade away, leaving you with a silken mouthfeel and just enough malts and toffee.

Bottom Line:

This is purely quintessential Speyside unpeated malt. The fruit orchards, honey, and vanilla all combine to make a very classic albeit light sip of whisky. Since it is so light, use it to build a great cocktail or highball.

74. Arran Single Malt Scotch Whisky Barrel Reserve

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $58

The Whisky:

This Island’s whisky is all about reaching over the pond. The 100% malted barley juice is aged exclusively in ex-bourbon barrels (for an undisclosed amount of time) before it’s vatted, proofed, and bottled as-is to highlight that barrel.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This has a nose full of ripe apples and pears with stems and cores alongside soft and damp cedar and chewy vanilla-laced toffee.

Palate: The palate counters with grapefruit pith, silken vanilla cream, and apple butter brimming with dark spice.

Finish: The finish comes about with a singed cedar bark feel next to soft powdery spices, orange oils, and a very light vanilla ice cream scoop.

Bottom Line:

This is the bottle you want to buy if you’re looking for a bourbon bridge to Scotland. It works nicely as a sipper over some rocks or in an old fashioned cocktail.

73. Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie Scottish Barley Unpeated Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $56

The Whisky:

Bruichladdich’s philosophy on whisky making is pretty unique. Each batch highlights local, unpeated Scottish barley that’s fermented and distilled. That juice then goes into some combination of ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, and ex-wine casks for a varied amount of time. That means each batch is unique. Bruichladdich then provides a code on their bottles so that you can go to their website and find out what makes the bottle in your hand special.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Wildflowers and granola bars draw you in on the nose as a hint of brine and salted caramel linger on the back end with orange oils and softwood.

Palate: That brine becomes a full rush of seaspray as tart apples lead towards a Caro syrup mid-palate sweetness.

Finish: That sweetness fades into a spicy malt as sea salt and sweet oak dominated the finish.

Bottom Line:

This is a nice seaside unpeated malt. That salinity makes this a great candidate for simple whisky cocktails or highballs, but it’s also perfectly suited to easy sipping over a glass full of ice. That makes this very versatile and essential for your home bar, especially if you’re looking for an accessible Islay whisky.

72. Smokehead Islay Single Malt Scotch

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $64

The Whisky:

This whisky is an independently bottled expression. Beyond that, not much more is known besides that it’s from Islay and heavily peated.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with a heavy campfire smoke with a hint of lemon pepper, fresh ginger juice, and honey malt cookies dipped in an almost burnt dark chocolate.

Palate: The palate leans into smoked honey and burnt orange with a deep sense of gingerbread and plum jam next to notes of burnt espresso and smoldering camp stoves.

Finish: The end feels a bit like a campfire that fizzled out overnight and has gone cold next to burnt honeycombs, apple chips, and caramelized malts.

Bottom Line:

This is a pretty intense sipper. It’s truly smoky AF. Still, there’s a lot to be found in its depths as a sipper and worth spending some time with (if you can get past the initial billow of smokiness). If you’re peat-curious, this is a good whisky to take slowly, day after day, as a palate enhancer.

71. Lochlea Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $52

The Whisky:

This new release from a brand new distillery is aiming to put the Lowlands of Scotland back on the map. The juice is a 100% malted barley whisky (naturally) that’s aged for three years in a combination of first-fill bourbon and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. Those barrels are blended and the result is proofed down with local spring water for bottling as-is.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a touch of black licorice with old peaches and honey but it’s all very light and malty.

Palate: The palate leans into spiced malts with bruised banana and melon next to a hint of non-descript oak and maybe some dry oats.

Finish: The finish has a nice peppery warmth with a hint of bourbon vanilla smoothing things out on the short and malty end.

Bottom Line:

This new whisky from a new distillery is fresh, young, and worth keeping an eye on as they grow. It’s also helping put the Lowlands back on the map, which is exciting.

70. Ardbeg Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Ten

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $56

The Whisky:

This is Ardbeg’s signature bottle and a true gateway to the peaty style of single malt scotches. The real highlight of this expression is the peat smokiness filtered through sherry casking. The phenol count tends to be on the higher end with this expression, so you’ll know you’re drinking a smoky whisky from the first nose. But it won’t absolutely floor you.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is classic Ardbeg with hints of BBQ smoker ash full of fat, tart red berries, lemon pepper, and a touch of creamy dark chocolate.

Palate: The palate follows the nose’s lead while layering in sea-salt brined pork fat, hints of bourbon vanilla, and an echo of Nutella.

Finish: The finish has that deep salted black licorice vibe leading to a slow fade through the peppery smoked fat, charcoal ash, chocolate nuttiness, and finally smoked red berries with a sweet/tart edge.

Bottom Line:

There’s a lot of Ardbeg on this list and this is where you start that journey. This is one of the best peated whiskies out there for mixing. The deep ashen nature with salinity will add a brilliant dimension to smoky cocktails and highballs. It also works really well over some ice too.

69. The GlenAllachie Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky Cask Strength Batch 7

ABV: 56.8%

Average Price: $108

The Whisky:

Aged in a combination of Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry puncheons, Rioja barriques, and virgin oak casks, all personally selected and blended by esteemed Master Distiller Billy Walker. without added coloring or chill filtration.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Subtle notes of honey and raisins mingle with cinnamon sticks and nutmeg with a hint of dark chocolate orange balls and maybe even some orange mocha frappuccino on the nose.

Palate: That dark chocolate dominates on the early palate as rum raisin, figs, and stewed plums with plenty of winter spice and orange zest dance with each other.

Finish: The end has a gingerbread vibe with more dried dark fruits and a very mild maltiness.

Bottom Line:

This is a good and standard single malt for cocktails or as a table whisky for everyday pours.

68. Bowmore Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $73

The Whisky:

Bowmore is Islay’s subtlest peated whisky. The white-walled distillery is famed for barely kissing their barley with peat smoke, making their whiskies very beloved by those looking for a taste and not a face-melting of peaty smoke. This expression in particular is vatted from 12-year-old barrels (mostly ex-bourbon with a touch of ex-sherry) and proofed way down with Islay spring water.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a soft sense of chamomile tea cut with fresh honey and lemon oils next to a soft sense of earthy peat that’s more mossy/mushroomy than “smoky.”

Palate: The lemon oils merge with dark and creamy chocolate next to hints of nutmeg and clove over a light sense of singed orchard wood.

Finish: The smoldering orchard bark leans into fresh honeycombs, more chamomile flowers, and a light flourish of seawater on slate.

Bottom Line:

This is a very approachable peated whisky. It’s earthy but balanced very well by a bright honey sweetness and deep creamy chocolate vibe. All of that is to say, that this is one of the best entry points to peated Islay whisky on the market thanks to that accessibility.

67. Naked Malt Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $29

The Whisky:

The whisky in the bottle is a blend of sherry-cask-finished whiskies from The Macallan and Highland Park. The whisky is then cut down to a very accessible 80-proof and then bottled in a nicely understated bottle.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a sweet malt buried under a buttery scone dripping with raspberry jam with a touch of light spice lurking in the background.

Palate: The sherry really kicks in on the palate with big notes of dates soaked in black tea next to creamy caramel, vanilla cake, and a touch of dry raisins.

Finish: The end doesn’t overstay its welcome and leaves you with a lovely note of chocolate-covered cherries with a sweet/dry vibe.

Bottom Line:

This is a clear and concise blended malt that rises above its price point, especially for a blend. Drink it how you like it!

66. Loch Lomond Original Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $38

The Whisky:

This lightly peated single malt from the Highlands is a classic. The juice is a no-age-statement whisky that’s meant as an entry point to the wider brand. The malt is just kissed with peat while malting. The single malt blend is a mix of those barrels with an eye on highlighting the subtler aspects of the whisky. Once vatted, the whisky is proofed and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with a nice dose of honey wafer biscuits wrapped in an old leather sheet with a hint of dried grass, soft raisin, and mildly spicy malts.

Palate: The palate leans into those malts with a hint of malted vanilla next to oatmeal cookies with cinnamon, raisins, and walnuts next to a glass of heavy cream for dipping.

Finish: The end kicks in with a sharp orange/cinnamon before descending toward soft oak and more of that leather and honey wafer.

Bottom Line:

This is pretty goddamn good for what is essentially a cheap scotch. This over some rocks or as a base of a cocktail is a solid play.

65. Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $89

The Whisky:

This no-age-statement blend leans into that signature Walker marriage of Highland and Speyside whiskies with a small dose of Western Scottish whisky for good measure. The lion’s share of the whisky involved in this gilded bottle is Clynelish, a Highland whisky that adds a modicum of peat to the mix.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose balances old leather gloves and honeyed oats with meaty sultanas, cinnamon-spiced malts, a hint of anise, and an echo of grilled fruit.

Palate: The palate leans into the grilled fruit with a smoky underbelly and a savory edge (almost papaya) next to a lush vanilla cream and a sharp clove/allspice vibe.

Finish: The finish combines the dried fruit and honey with a twinge of florals as a whisper of earthy peat sneaks in late, kind of like a dry moss slowly growing on a tree.

Bottom Line:

This is one of those whiskies that’s high quality. It’s great in a highball with really good fizzy water and some botanical or floral garnishes. It also makes a killer cocktail base as well as an easy sipper over a big ol’ rock. Are there better Johnnie Walkers? Yup, and I’ll get to them. But don’t sleep on this subtle and refined winner.

64. Scapa Skiren Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $68

The Whisky:

This unpeated malt from Orkney starts its life on a barrel-shaped Lomond wash still. This still from the 1950s is super rare and only a few are left in operation. The whisky then spends an undisclosed amount of years mellowing in barrels from Tennessee and Kentucky. Those barrels are then vatted and proofed all the way down to 40% before bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Old apple skins and floral honey lead the way on the nose with a hint of sour cream and roasted almond with a thin line of salt.

Palate: The taste has a slight damp straw funk to it as more honey smooths out the mid-palate with notes of dry anise and licorice leading to a touch of lemon pepper spice.

Finish: The finish has a note of old oak stave next to a lemon creaminess and that honey sweetness with a fair amount of that proofing water calming everything down.

Bottom Line:

Scapa Skiren is s funky, fun, and fresh example of old-school distilling mashing up with new ideas and flavors, and the awards are always piling up for it. This might be a little harder to find but is worth checking out for something a tad different than the usual.

63. Glencadam Reserva Andalucía Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $43

The Whisky:

This bespoke whisky is made from special Andalucia sherry casks that are blended with malt aged in ex-bourbon casks. The final product is then finished in fresh Olorosso sherry casks before proofing and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Sharp marmalade over scones with a hint of cream drives the nose toward ginger candy and soft vanilla.

Palate: That orange bitters toward chili pepper spice in the creamy malts with a hint of salted caramel and floral honey.

Finish: The sharp spice gets a little woody at the end with a hint more of vanilla and orange rounding things out.

Bottom Line:

Now, we’re getting into the special finishing whisky. This is a nice introduction to how profound the impact of sherry is on the malt with a deep refinement. And it’s only 40 bucks!

62. Auchentoshan Single Malt Scotch Whisky Three Wood

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $100

The Whisky:

Auchentoshan is a great example of a Lowland malt that harkens back to the old days of varied oak aging. In this case, the triple-distilled whisky is aged in ex-bourbon oak for around 12 years and then is finished in Olorosso and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a fruitiness on the nose that speaks to blue and blackberries with slight tartness next to orange oils and a hint of prune.

Palate: The taste has a toffee-covered-in-almond vibe, next to more of that dark fruit with an almost maple syrup spiked with woody cinnamon sticks vibe (hello, bourbon barrel).

Finish: The end is surprisingly light, a little woody, and full of plenty of those berries as it slowly fades out.

Bottom Line:

This is a fruity and sweet malt that’s just easygoing. It’s well-rounded and leaves you satisfied.

61. Lagavulin Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Offerman Charred Oak Cask Aged 11 Years

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $87

The Whisky:

This brand-new release is the third collaboration between Lagavulin and Nick Offerman. This time around, the team at Lagavulin took 11-year-old malt and finished it in heavily charred casks that used to hold bourbon and red wine. Those barrels were then batched and built around flavor notes that pair perfectly with a steak dinner.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with a rich peatiness that’s tied to pecan chocolate clusters and dried cranberries with a dusting of sea salt, burnt orange zest, and fine nutmeg.

Palate: The palate dips those red tart berries in dark salted chocolate with cinnamon bark and clove buds next to espresso cream and a whisper of malty vanilla wafers with fresh honey in between.

Finish: The end has this enigmatic mix of smoked toffee, salted black licorice, and brandied cherries wrapped in cinnamon-laced tobacco and folded into an old cedar box.

Bottom Line:

This is a fun one. It’s not as wildly peaty as some Lagavulins and feels very dialed into an American whisky palate, making it a great addition to your bar cart. I dig this over some ice or in a cocktail.

60. Ardbeg Corryvrecken Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $99

The Whisky:

This whisky is named after the world’s second-largest ocean whirlpool, called Corryvrecken. The juice in the bottle is Ardbeg Ten blended with single malt that’s been aged exclusively in new French Limousin casks.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a softness on the nose that leans into dark yet slightly tart berries under layers of sharp spice, wet brown sugar, and plenty of sea salt next to an ashy peated malt vibe.

Palate: The palate ups the saltiness as yellow Scotch Broom flowers mingle with creamy dark chocolate, dashes of freshly cracked black pepper, and a light hint of citrus oil next to ground oyster shells.

Finish: The finish is soft and creamy thanks to that dark chocolate with mild spice cut by more sea salt and a hint of ground mushroom powder with a mossy edge.

Bottom Line:

This is a shining example of heavily peated scotch (though more earthy than smoky). It’s not for everyone. But if it is for you, then it’s super duper going to be your jam.

59. Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Heavily Peated Islay Single Malt 10

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $68

The Whisky:

Bruichladdich really has fun with peated whisky. This expression keeps the peat phenols in the mid-range, leaning high. The casking is a mix of first and second-fill bourbon barrels and second-fill French wine barrels. That utilization of second-fill oak means there’s a very light touch of wood on this peated whisky.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Imagine a dark chocolate orange drizzled in salted caramel and served on a wet leaf of seaweed on the nose.

Palate: The smoke kicks in on the palate with those wet seaweed leaves thrown on a smoldering pile of pine to create a massive billow of smoke everywhere, as hints of buttery white wine and strawberry jam-covered scones linger in the background.

Finish: The finish leans into the bready nature of the scones with a dry straw edge that’s followed by a mouthful of seaweed-heavy grey smoke.

Bottom Line:

This is a boldly peated whisky. It’s not for the faint of heart. Still, there’s a lot of complexity under all that smoke that’s worth seeking out. Though you may need an ice cube or two to help coax it out.

58. anCnoc Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Rascan

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $94

The Whisky:

Hailing from the famed Knockdhu Distillery, this single malt (pronounced “uh-KNOCK”) is named after the rake-like tool that breaks up the sod so harvesters can dig out some peat. The whisky is made from malt that’s barely been kissed with the smoke from a peat fire, keeping the phenols (that’s the smoke compound in the barley) very low. The juice is loaded into ex-bourbon barrels where it’s allowed to rest for “nearly” 10 years before proofing and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a rush of fresh Granny Smith apples on the nose next to Honey Nut Cheerios with the smallest spritz of orange oils.

Palate: The fresh honey sweetness builds, as a slight and almost woody bourbon vanilla sneaks onto the palate with a sharp edge of eggnog spice.

Finish: The sip slowly fades towards smoked dried apple tobacco with a touch of old, soft leather and dried heather.

Bottom Line:

This is a great place to start for American whiskey palates. The bourbon aging adds a nice and soft vanilla backbone and sharp spiced edge that plays really well with malty honeyed sweetness and orchard fruit vibes. The peated “smokiness” is so dialed back, that you might miss it on the first sip, which is great for anyone who’s a little peat hesitant.

57. Tobermory Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years

ABV: 46.3%

Average Price: $97

The Whisky:

This unpeated malt from the Isle of Mull spends 12 years aging in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels (those are barrels that haven’t had anything but bourbon in them so far). Once that whisky is just right, the malt is transferred to new American oak barrels for nine more months of mellowing before bottling at cask strength with no fussing whatsoever.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Bourbon vanilla comes through on the nose with a deep creaminess that’s punctuated by orange zest, woody cinnamon, and a light hint of granite.

Palate: The palate leans into warm and soft malts as soft hints of orchard fruit lead to pencil shavings and a touch of chili-chocolate tobacco.

Finish: The end is a mix of winter spices with a woody edge next to soft suede, more vanilla cream, and soft maltiness that’s nearly chocolate custard.

Bottom Line:

This is another great “bridge” whisky that’s also niche enough that you’ll get some serious whisky street cred for knowing that it exists. That bridge is, of course, between bourbon and unpeated single malt. While this is on the pricier side of the list, it still rules as a simple and enjoyable sipper.

56. The Glenturret Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Triple Wood 2022 Release

ABV: 44%

Average Price: $58

The Whisky:

This pretty standard malt is aged in both bourbon and sherry barrels alongside new American oak barrels, adding a bourbon-iness to it all. Those barrels are then vatted and proofed down before bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Rum raisin and Turkish Delights drive the nose toward rose water and orange zest with a hint of honey.

Palate: That honey drives the palate toward classic Christmas spiced nut cake and dried leathery fruits with a hint of burnt toffee.

Finish: The rum raisin returns on the finish with a good dose of winter spices and vanilla cake with a hint of leather and spiced tobacco.

Bottom Line:

This is a very solid whisky that I’d save for the colder months. Once the frost starts appearing on the pumpkins, give this a shot.

55. The Balvenie DoubleWood Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $64

The Whisky:

This is the whisky that launched the “double aging” trend back in 1982. This unpeated single malt spends 12 years mellowing in ex-bourbon casks before it’s transferred to ex-sherry casks for a final maturation of nine months. Finally, the whisky is vatted in a “tun” where it rests for three to four months before proofing and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Soft and floral honey mixed with a hint of vanilla extract, sweet red berries, and wine-soaked oak.

Palate: The palate meanders through light touches of marzipan with a hint of cinnamon and fields of plum trees with a whisper of tree bark and leather lurking in the background.

Finish: The finish lets the spicy malt kick in with a dose of hot cinnamon and honey tobacco.

Bottom Line:

This is a really solid unpeated malt with a great balance and depth of flavors. Use it in your favorite whisky cocktails or just sip it over some rocks. Either way, you’re set.

54. Speyburn Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 15 Years

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $59

The Whisky:

Speyburn is an old-school Speyside whisky that was huge in the time of Queen Victoria and still wins award after award to this day. That long-lasting quality is due to slow whisky making just off the River Spey, where everything moves a little slower from the fermentation to the stills to the aging. The juice spends 15 years aging in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks before vatting, proofing, and bottling without any filtration.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with a clear sense of dark cacao nibs with a waxy vibe from off the tree next to classic Almond Roca candies (very Pacific Northwest) and a nice counterbalance of tart berries that range from fresh raspberry to sour cherry.

Palate: The palate starts off with a creamy mocha latte with nice layers of vanilla beans, nutmeg, cinnamon candy, and marzipan.

Finish: The mid-palate moves away from the sweetness toward dry wicker with a soft and supple maltiness that’s part spiced malt and part soft cacao powder.

Bottom Line:

This is funky and interesting while feeling like a classic unpeated malt. It runs deep and is just damn tasty (which is pretty much every entry from this point).

53. The Macallan Double Cask Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 12 Years Old

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $82

The Whisky:

Where many scotches spend time in ex-bourbon and then ex-sherry casks or some combination therein, this expression spends all 12 years of its maturation just in sherry casks. The barrels are imported from Jerez, Spain, and hand-selected for their excellence to mature this much-beloved whisky. Then the whisky goes into another sherry cask for one more maturation run before bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Apple cider with a cut of cinnamon and clove in the juice greets you with a clear sense of vanilla, nuts, and plums on the nose.

Palate: The palate opens as those plums turn into prunes as orange peels mingle with sweet oak and a hint of tobacco spice.

Finish: The end is long, full of that sherry, dried fruit, and sweetness, and returns back to the chewy tobacco spice.

Bottom Line:

This is a good place to start with The Macallan. This expression is the epitome of “entry-point” Scotch whisky but, more importantly, it’s your gateway to the wider world of The Macallan and truly elite whisky.

52. Dalwhinnie Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 15 Years

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $73

The Whisky:

This entry-point bottle to the wider world of Dalwhinnie is a hell of an easy drinker. The whisky is aged in Scotland’s oldest distillery, making the maturation process a severe one. The juice spends 15 years hiding in those barrels as the temperatures dip well below freezing across all those winters, which stops the maturation process, well, cold.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Imagine a bowl of pear and apple peels sitting next to an open jar of floral summer honey on the nose.

Palate: Dots of citrus oils mingle with that honey as a smooth vanilla character arrives on the back of sweet brown bread bespeckled with smoked walnuts.

Finish: The nuts, sweet bread, and floral honey all converge on the finish as it slowly fades towards a final billow of sweet smoke at the back of your mouth.

Bottom Line:

This is another subtly peated whisky. The smoke (which is so faint) is presented via dark fruit and nuts. It’s kind of like standing next to an orchard campfire while eating chestnuts off and open fire and smoking some berries and apples right there. It’s one of the smoothest malt whisky experiences in the game.

51. Ardbeg An Oa Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 46.6%

Average Price: $70

The Whisky:

This is a quintessential Islay peaty whisky. The juice is aged in a combination of Pedro Ximénez, charred virgin oak, and ex-bourbon casks before being married and rested again in Ardbeg’s bespoke oak “Gathering Vat,” allowing the whiskies to really meld into a cohesive pour.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Slow-smoked peaches mingle with soft cherrywood and a bundle of smoky savory herbs — sage, rosemary, ramps — on the nose.

Palate: The palate is soft and buttery with a sweet burnt toffee vibe next to nutmeg, walnut, Earl Grey, and maybe a touch of woody maple syrup.

Finish: The end takes its time and meanders through salted black licorice, wild florals, more singed savory herbs, and a hint of black-pepper-covered brisket fat that’s been heavily smoked over sea-soaked driftwood.

Bottom Line:

This is just delicious, albeit boldly peated whisky. This is a whisky that deserves your time, so add a little water or a rock and let it breathe, open up, and show you its deeper nuances.

50. Lagavulin Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 8 Years

ABV: 48%

Average Price: $70

The Whisky:

This expression was originally released to celebrate the distillery’s 200th anniversary. The whisky was created to mimic the whisky that was being made back in the 1880s, during a high point in Lagavulin’s history. The whisky became a modern hit and is now part of their core line.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is full of honey-orange, dry and earthy malts, and a nod to chocolate-covered cherries with the slightest hint of fried cod wrapped in newspaper.

Palate: The taste brings a solid billow of campfire smoke with traces of dark chocolate, burning cinnamon sticks, dry mint, and burnt potato skins (yes, really).

Finish: The end is long-ish and marries the tastes together, leaving you with the memory of drinking a dark mint-chocolate spiked espresso next to a smoldering backyard fire on a cold autumn night, while somewhere in the distance, the sea laps at the shore. The very end has a whisper of new Band-Aids still in the box.

Bottom Line:

This whisky has really grown on me. This whisky just works if you’re looking for a peaty pour on a rainy day, or to add a little whisper of smoke to a bright summer cocktail, or just as an easy sipper any ol’ day of the week. Don’t overthink this one, just enjoy it.

49. Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch Whisky Solera Aged 15 Years

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $89

The Whisky:

This unique Glenfiddich has its own vibe. The whisky is aged in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks for 15 years. Those barrels are then vatted in a special large-format solera barrel that’s never fully emptied as new whisky goes in. The whisky from that vat is proofed down and then bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Dark dried red fruit mixes with old vanilla on the nose with a hint of orange and maybe some light winter spice.

Palate: Soft plummy fruit mingles with marzipan and vanilla with a light oaky spiciness that’s part spicy mulled wine and part mincemeat pie.

Finish: The holiday sweetness drives the finish with a sense of raisins, marzipan, and gingerbread cookies.

Bottom Line:

This is pretty nice but very light thanks to that low ABV/proof. That makes this super easy to enjoy neat.

48. Loch Lomond The Glengarry Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $76

The Whisky:

This single malt from the famed Loch Lomond Distillery is all about the aging process. The hot juice is loaded into ex-bourbon, re-fill bourbon, and re-charred oak barrels for 12 long years. Those barrels are then blended and the whisky is proofed down with Highland spring water.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is a mix of white summer flowers and a lot of fruit kind of like a fruit salad out of the can.

Palate: The palate really amps up the fruitiness with overripe peaches, bruised pears, and plenty of grilled pineapple next to a rummy spiced cocktail vibe with a little bit of vanilla, allspice, and woody cinnamon.

Finish: The finish keeps it easy with more canned fruit syrup, a hint of sweetgrass, and a bit of malty spice.

Bottom Line:

This award-winning whisky is a great introductory to the Highlands and fruity, unpeated whiskies (after The Clansman, above). I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, this is just good whisky.

47. Laphroaig Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Càirdeas Warehouse 1

ABV: 52.2%

Average Price: $99

The Whisky:

This year’s Càirdeas release celebrates the Friends of Laphroaig and how they keep the brand going. The whisky in the bottle is made from Laphroaig’s high-phenol peated malt right next to the sea on Islay. The hot spirit was then filled in first-fill limited edition single barrel Maker’s Mark bourbon barrels. The barrels were then stored in the famed four-story Warehouse 1 right next to the crashing sea until they were just right and then bottled as-is after vatting.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with a huge note of smoked grainy malts next to an un-opened box of Band-Aids, peppery smoked brisket with plenty of smoked fat, and smoked sea salt counterpointed by vanilla sheet cake with a honey icing and dusted with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Palate: The palate opens with burnt yet buttery toffee next to white wildflowers, dried fennel, and rich and creamy honey smoothness and sweetness.

Finish: The end gets a little woody with a fatty smoked peppery vibe next to more toffee and a dash of seawater-washed granite.

Bottom Line:

This is for the peat seekers. This stuff is bold and unforgiving if your palate is not ready for hefty ashy peat and deep medicinal whisky vibes. That said, if you build your palate over time, this whisky will bloom and reveal beautiful layers of buttery sweetness, soft florals, and spiced honey sweetness with a nutty creaminess.

46. The Singleton Single Malt Scotch Whiskey 18 Years Old Glendullan Distillery

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $99

The Whisky:

This Speyside whisky rests mostly in ex-bourbon casks. The final product adds in a few finishing barrels from Europe to mellow out the heavier bourbon barrels. That blend is then cut down to a low 80-proof for bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with hints of cedar and winter spice underneath caramel candies, roasted almonds, and a hint of stewed orchard fruits.

Palate: The palate largely carries on those flavors with a subtle hint of bourbon vanilla and spicy tobacco warmth attached to the maltiness, with an echo of dark chocolate-covered hazelnuts.

Finish: The finish leans into the cedar and tobacco with a slightly mineral water base.

Bottom Line:

This is a very easy-sipping whisky experience. You don’t need a rock to calm this one down, it’s already as mellow as can be. Mellowness aside, this is still a complex and rewarding whisky that’s well-built and pretty damn tasty. If you’re looking for an easy start to your unpeated single malt journey, this is about the softest landing/easiest entry point that you can find in the whole single malt game.

45. Longrow Peated Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $99

The Whisky:

This Campbeltown whisky is distilled at the iconic Springbank Distillery. The whisky is a no-age-statement release that leans into the peatier end of the Springbank offerings. The whisky is bottled with a bit of water added to cut the proof down but without filtration or added color.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Vanilla pudding mingles with a line of smoke from a smoldering backyard firepit while a savory herb garden grows nearby and then the nose veers toward singed marshmallows and burning fruitwood.

Palate: The palate leans into that burning fruity wood before creamy vanilla leads to a brand new Ace Bandage.

Finish: That medicinal note gives way to a wet clay with a nice minerality before the sweet and fruity smoke kicks back in and layers together vanilla, winter spice, and leather on the finish.

Bottom Line:

This is funky and fresh with a nice balance of peated ashiness and medicinal qualities front and center. This isn’t as unforgiving as a Laphroaig, it is 100% an acquired taste that’ll take time for your palate to truly enjoy. So take your time with it.

If you’re already far down your peated whisky road, then this is simply a must-have bottle that you can actually find from a pretty un-gettable whisky distillery.

44. Dewar’s Blended Scotch Whisky Aged 18 Years

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $63

The Whisky:

The heart of Dewar’s is Aberfeldy whisky. This blend is a testament to Master Blender Stephanie MacLeod’s prowess in bringing good whisky together to make great whisky. The juices are aged for 18 long years in American oak before they’re vatted into a large oak tun and allowed to rest before proofing and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s that signature Aberfeldy honey on the nose with hints of almonds, stone fruits, and red berries next to a hint of dried leather, Christmas spices, and maybe even some tobacco leaf.

Palate: The palate dials all of this in with a marzipan vibe next to floral honey, bruised apricot skins, and dark chocolate-covered red berries with a hint of tartness and bitterness.

Finish: The end is soft, silky, and brings a final bite of sweet oak with a slight tobacco chew layered with dark chocolate and marzipan.

Bottom Line:

This is a truly nice blended scotch. It’s deep enough to sip neat or on the rocks while being fun enough to make a killer cocktail with.

43. Benriach The Twelve Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $65

The Whisky:

Dr. Rachel Barrie’s reimaging of BenRiach has been a stellar success. This dram is a marrying of 12-year-old malts that matured in ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, and ex-port casks before vatting, proofing, and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This has a bold nose full of apple and pear candy, plenty of blooming heather scrub, and blueberry juice and stems with a hint of dark orange chocolate balls.

Palate: The taste boils everything down to a silken palate of stewed pears with cinnamon sticks, sherry-soaked prunes, freshly milled oats, orange-infused marzipan with dark chocolate frosting, and a slight espresso bean oily bitterness.

Finish: The finish creates a creamy espresso macchiato vibe that’s spiked with that dark orange chocolate note and a final hit of those stewed fruits.

Bottom Line:

This is a solid Speyside that works as an intro to the region and a killer cocktail base. That said, no one is stopping you from pouring over some ice and enjoying it that way too.

42. Loch Lomond Inchmurrin Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $45

The Whisky:

This whiskey is made from three casks — American bourbon oak, re-fill oak, and re-charred oak barrels — that rest for 12 years. Those barrels are vatted and whisky is proofed before bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Tart dark berries and oily vanilla dance with a sense of smoked cherries and fresh strawberries with a hint of smoldering orchard wood.

Palate: That smoke adds a layer of red chili next to woody spice barks, vanilla cookies, and leathery prunes.

Finish: The end leans into the smoked red fruit with a nice spiced edge next to a hint of leather and malted spice gingerbread.

Bottom Line:

Loch Lomond tends to hit these low-age-statement whiskies out of the park with detectability, and that’s exactly what this is. Cheap, easy, and tasty.

41. Compass Box Peat Monster Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $69

The Whisky:

Compass Box is one of the most interesting blender/bottlers working today. This expression is the perfect example of the craft of whisky blending, with six masterfully married peaty barrels coming together, focusing on Caol Ila and Laphroaig. A touch of Highland malt is added to bring in hints of dark spice to balance all that Islay peat.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This is peaty but not ridiculously so, thanks to the subtlety of the Caol Ila in the mix.

Palate: There’s a really rich and sweet apple/pear vibe that cuts through the earthy peat while a vanilla cream brings about a velvet mouthfeel.

Finish: The smoke returns but is tied to the fruit — like a bushel of smoked apples, pears, and apricots next to a touch of ashy smoke — on the finish.

Bottom Line:

This peated whisky pulls no punches. It’s bold and vibrant but a little intense. So maybe think about this as a float over a cocktail to add some earthiness and smoke. You’ve been warned.

40. Glenmorangie The Cadboll Estate Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 15 Years

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $94

The Whisky:

Glenmorangie has finally made this a regular drop on the North American market. The whisky is made from Highland barley grown exclusively on the 440-acre Cadboll Estate, which surrounds the distillery. The hot juice is then filled into French casks which held Muscat and Sémillon wines. It’s then left alone for 15 years to mature. Finally, those barrels are batched and brought down to a low 86 proof with local highland spring water.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a sense of buttered scones with lemon curd next to a good dose of vanilla and a touch of savory herbs on the nose.

Palate: The palate really holds onto that biscuity nature while adding in a caramel candy note next to a bit of butter with a white sugar cube vibe.

Finish: That lemon comes back on the short finish with hints of old straw and strawberry jam.

Bottom Line:

This is a quintessential unpeated single malt that’s a little extra thanks to that single estate barley in the mix. This is soft and inviting and a great example of the beauty brands like the Glenmorangie can achieve. That makes this the perfect bottle to add to your bar cart if you’re looking to take a big step up from the standard 12-year expressions out there.

39. Grand Old Parr Aged 18 Years Blended Scotch Whisky

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $93

The Whisky:

This old-school brand just expanded into 18-year territory for the U.S. market. The whisky is made from malts and grain whiskies mostly pulled from the famed Cragganmore distillery. Those whiskies are vatted/batched, proofed, and bottled in this old-school stubby bottle.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Dark and meaty dates and figs are countered by a hint of vanilla cream, woody cinnamon, and … I want to say … oyster or clam shell.

Palate: The palate is a classic malty experience with a touch of sage over caramelized root vegetables with a whisper of vanilla cake filled with spicy stewed plums.

Finish: The end has a mild woodiness that’s attached to the spices with a hint of oak and mustiness.

Bottom Line:

This feels old-school, kind of like you’re drinking endless Scotch on the rocks pours in the 1950s in a dark and dank club somewhere in Edinburgh. Nostalgia aside, this whisky is a great on-the-rocks pour that’s funky and classic at the same time. It’s a nice balance. If you’re looking for something old that feels new, this is the bottle to buy.

38. Buchanan’s Special Reserve Blended Scotch Whisky Aged 18 Years

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $74

The Whisky:

This Scotch blend is a mix of Diageo single malt and single grain whiskies that are all at least 18 years old. Those whiskies are aged in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks before their married into this well-crafted expression.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a sense of malt next to hints of orange zest, honey, and bright cherry.

Palate: The palate really delivers on the cherry as the orange zest becomes candied and a nutty edge arrives, ushering in a subtle and almost sweet smoke.

Finish: The smoke dries a bit as a note of pine arrives late, supported by the orange, cherry, and honey with a touch of warm spice.

Bottom Line:

This is another classic. It works really well in a highball with a twist of orange. It also works perfectly well over a big ol’ glass full of ice. It’s easy, rewarding, and feels like a classic when you take a sip, and leads you on a real journey.

37. The Balvenie Caribbean Cask Single Malt Scotch Whiskey Aged 14 Years

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $73

The Whisky:

The Balvenie is renowned for doing everything in-house from grain to glass and for being the distillery that spearheaded the whole “finishing whisky in a different cask” movement. In this case, the juice spends 14 years maturing in ex-bourbon barrels. The whisky is then batched and transferred to barrels that The Balvenie aged their own blend of West Indies rum.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a welcoming rush of buttery toffee up top with hints of brown spices, bright red berries, and a touch of sweet malts next to floral malts and deep holiday vibes.

Palate: The palate brings around creamy vanilla dotted with sweet and slightly tart red berries next to a very soft winter spice barks, marzipan, and whispers of tobacco.

Finish: The finish is full of soft wood, vanilla cream, and a touch of that winter spice with hints of leather and cedar-twinged tobacco.

The Bottom Line:

This is one of those modern classic bottles that should be on every bar cart. It’s a great sipper, especially on the rocks, but really shines in a cocktail.

36. The Dalmore Aged 12 Years Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $64

The Whisky:

This Highland whisky is a gateway whisky that feels like a classic. The juice is aged in ex-bourbon for nearly a decade. The whisky is then transferred to former sherry casks for that crucial finishing touch of maturation for around three years. It’s then proofed down to a very accessible 80 proof.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Oranges studded with cloves mingle with a deep dark chocolate foundation and a hint of eggnog creaminess and spiciness.

Palate: The palate goes even deeper on the orange and spice as heavy vanilla arrives — the husks, seeds, and oils are all present.

Finish: The end is fairly succinct and touches back on the chocolate with a bitter mocha-coffee vibe and more vanilla.

Bottom Line:

This is unpeated entry-level single malt at its best. It makes a mean cocktail or serves as a mean sipper on its own, especially if you’re looking for something easy on the palate with deep holiday vibes.

35. The GlenDronach Original Aged 12 Years Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $62

The Whisky:

This Highland malt is blended by Scotch icon Dr. Rachel Barrie to highlight the beauty of the Scottish Highlands. The juice is a blend of whiskies aged for 12 years in Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks before vatting, proofing, and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This opens with spicy berries next to tart apples with a hint of lemon/lime and old leather.

Palate: The sip leans into a honey sweetness with vanilla beans, dark plums, and spicy malts.

Finish: The finish smooths out with a mineral water softness as old cedar boards mingle with a raisin tobacco chewy spice on the very end.

Bottom Line:

This is a stone-cold classic unpeated malt that delivers a great profile. I’d break this out around the holidays to mix up pretty fire party drinks with spice and all things nice.

34. Chivas Regal Mizunara Blended Scotch Whisky

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $43

The Whisky:

Chivas is renowned for its iconic blended whisky. This expression — originally created for the Japanese market and released in the U.S. in 2019 — adds a unique dimension to the classic blend. A portion of the whisky is finished in Japanese Mizunara casks, adding a layer of nuanced flavors to the standard Chivas.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Caramel and dark dried fruits mingle with tasty pears, soft orange zest, a touch of leather, fresh and floral honey, and maybe some old oak staves on the nose.

Palate: The palate has a dash or two of winter spice next to walnuts and honey-soaked raisins with a hint of sunburnt heather and wildflowers.

Finish: The finish lets the spiciness warm the palate as pear and leather fade through the end.

Bottom Line:

This is one of the best cocktail whiskies on the list that also works well as a sipper on some nice ice.

33. Bowmore Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 15 Years

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $99

The Whisky:

This bottle from Islay’s Bowmore is a 15-year-old whisky that’s a blend of American and European oak. For the first 12 years, this whisky rests in ex-bourbon barrels. For the last three years, the whisky is transferred to Oloroso sherry casks. The whisky is then finished with local spring water, bringing it down to a very approachable 86-proof.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Bowmore’s low peatiness shines through on the nose with a hint of smoked chocolate malts next to raisins, dates, and plums with a hint of smoked fig next to mild sourdough scones.

Palate: The palate leans into a cedar box full of spicy tobacco that’s dipped in Karo syrup with more of those dried fruits lurking in the background of the sip.

Finish: Those sweet and dried fruits move the mid-palate towards oat cakes touched with cinnamon and a dry yet sweet tobacco vibe on the end.

Bottom Line:

This is another peated whisky that you’d be forgiven for missing that it was peated at all. The smokiness is tied to the sweet chocolate malts and dark fruits. There are no “ashy” or “medicinal” peated vibes at all. This is a bourbon-forward single malt that has serious depth and really serves as a great next step (after the 12-year) to the beautiful subtly of Bowmore.

32. Clynelish Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 14 Years

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $95

The Whisky:

Up on the cold northern coast of Scotland, you’ll find a little town called Brora. There used to be a distillery there of the same name, which made peat monsters up unit the 1980s. Clynelish took over the location and started making their own peated malts, this time while leaning more into the sea than the peat. And in this case, they’ve created a very lightly peated single malt that spends a decade and a half resting near that sea until it’s just right.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This has a nostalgic sense of a cold, rainy beach. You’re not necessarily on that beach but you can remember to sea spray, the salt on your lips, the smell of dried seaweed, and a touch of old smoke from a nearly dead fire.

Palate: The taste dances between notes of burnt orange peels, old leather tobacco pouches, and this soft mineral water mouthfeel that carries with it a creamy vanilla just touched with sea salt.

Finish: The end is medium-length, salty, and has this mildly bitter edge that’s akin to a cocoa bean pith.

Bottom Line:

This is the perfect blend of sea and roasted malt that’s creamy and salty more than ashy or funky. If you’re looking for a truly elevated and subtle peated malt experience, this is the bottle to dive into.

31. Glenkinchie Single Malt Scotch Whisky Distillers Edition

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $98

The Whisky:

This limited edition expression from last year’s Diageo Distiller’s Editions is expertly crafted Lowland whisky. The malt is finished in a specially made barrel that is constructed from used and new American oak that’s then filled with Amontillado sherry for a month. Once that fortified wine is dumped, the whisky goes in for its final maturation.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is a soft mix of cedar, red berry, and vanilla pods next to a bowl of fruity candy with a hint of caramel and raisin.

Palate: The palate starts off watery but then explodes with flavor — black pepper, brie rinds, sour candy, a dirt cellar floor, smooth malts, and a hint of sour apple tobacco all make appearances.

Finish: The finish continues to build with a cheese cellar vibe next to fresh cream touched with winter spices, dried red fruits, soft cedar, and vanilla on the back end.

Bottom Line:

This is a rare-ish whisky that the whisky authorities will rave about (like me) but is still pretty under the radar. Part of that is that Lowland whisky is a tiny region relatively. Another part of that whisky is a limited edition. All of that aside, this is a great option for anyone to truly up their Scotch whisky game with a delicious whisky that will 100% gain them some serious esteem as a whisky drinker in the know.

30. Johnnie Walker Aged 18 Years Blended Scotch Whisky

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $99

The Whisky:

This blend used to be called Johnnie Walker Platinum, which was also aged for 18 years. You might still see some of those bottles on shelves where scotch sells slowly. This is the same whisky comprised of 18 whiskies — all of which are a minimum of 18 years old. The primary distilleries in the bottle are Blair Athol, Cardhu, Glen Elgin, and Auchroisk.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Applewood and buttery toffee draw you in on the nose with nice notes of fresh and ripe fruit, worn jacket leather, and soft malts just touched with winter spices.

Palate: Caramel leads the palate toward rich marzipan, vanilla pudding, and freshly peeled tangerines.

Finish: Sweet yet dark cacao drives the mid-palate toward the softest line of sweet smoke just touched with dry chili spice and that applewood.

Bottom Line:

This is another great bottle of whisky from Johnnie Walker (still not the best though!). When you get into these higher expressions from the brand, you really start to see why Johnnie Walker is so beloved around the world. It’s just really freaking good whisky and this bottle is no different.

29. Highland Park Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 63.3%

Average Price: $88

The Whisky:

This yearly drop is part of a new line from the Orkney Island’s distillery. The whisky is a blend of single malts that are aged exclusively in old American oak that previously held sherry. The barrels are married and bottled as is, to assure you’re getting all the nuance and flavor of their malts meeting that oak.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a light sense of wildflowers on the nose with a rich vanilla husk that leads towards a touch of peat.

Palate: The taste is surprisingly silken (for a cask strength) with rich and buttery toffee next to honeysuckle, eggnog spices and creaminess, and a small dose of orange zest as a counterpoint.

Finish: The end holds onto the creaminess and spices as the peat just edges in with a whisper of resinous pine smoke.

Bottom Line:

There’s a softness to this dram that’s very enticing. I like this neat with a splash of water to let it bloom a little in the glass. You’ll get a deeper sense of creamy orange and winter spice with a softer and fattier smoke.

28. Compass Box Orchard House Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $59

The Whisky:

The blended malt leans into apples as a predominant flavor note of sweet Scotch whisky. The whisky in the bottle is a blend of 39% Linkwood single malt that aged in ex-bourbon barrels, 20% Clynelish single malt also aged in ex-bourbon barrels, and Benrinnes single malt from ex-bourbon barrels. The next 8% is a single malt from a distillery in the town of Aberlour (not the distillery) that is aged in ex-sherry butts with 2% from a Highland malt blend that is aged in custom-built and toasted French oak barrels, and the final 2% from a peated malt from Caol Ila that matured in ex-bourbon casks.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Naturally, apples burst forth on the nose with tart, sweet, and juicy notes next to a soft pear vibe, lemon and lime zest, a touch of sweet pineapple, and a soft echo of dry but fragrant Earl Grey tea leaves.

Palate: The palate leans into fresh ginger soaking in a pot of floral honey next to minor notes of fresh strawberry shortcake with a soft vanilla sponge cake, fresh berries, and a dollop of vanilla-laced whipped cream.

Finish: The finish leans into a light white floral note while the pear and apple return with a ripeness that feels like they’re fresh off the vine and a final note of lightly spiced malts with a whisper of applewood smoke.

Bottom Line:

This is very good, especially if you’re looking for a very fruit-forward whisky for sunny summer sipping.

27. Glen Moray Single Malt Scotch Whisky Elgin Limited Edition Aged 10 Years

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $81

The Whisky:

This limited edition whiskey is made from 10-year-old Glen Elgin. The twist here is that this batch was finished in Chardonnay casks and then bottled as-is with a dash of proofing water.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with a lush lemon creaminess next to stone fruits and stewed apple with a hint of spiced oak.

Palate: The palate leans into the spicy apple with a cider vibe before the stone fruit sweetness and the spiced oak leans into vanilla and light leather.

Finish: The end has a spiced nut holiday cake vibe with candied lemon and orange peels and a hint of rum raisin.

Bottom Line:

Glen Elgin is another sleeper hit. It’s one of those whiskies that pops up and delivers a great flavor profile from top to bottom.

26. Glenfarclas Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $54

The Whisky:

Glenfarclas is a bit of an outlier. The whisky is distilled with old-school fire-heated stills (most stills use steam) to this day, imbuing a hint of smokiness to the juice. The whisky is then aged exclusively in ex-sherry casks for 12 long years.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a rumminess to the nose that touches on molasses, prunes, nuts, and jam that’s all just touched with a thin line of smoke, kind of like an old sweater after a backyard campfire.

Palate: The taste holds onto that vibe to the point of having an almost spiced rum sweetness and clear notes of holiday spices, plenty of dried fruit, and a roasted almond element.

Finish: The end is long and spicy, leaving you with a warming Speyside hug that hints at smoked plums and apricots with a dash of old honey sweetness.

Bottom Line:

This is a nice and very subtle whisky. It’s deep, which makes it a fun sipper over some rocks or to play with in a cocktail. It’s also a low-age-statement whisky that feels older and wiser from the first sip to the last.

25. Glenmorangie The Original Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 10 Years

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $36

The Whisky:

The Glenmorangie is a classic Highlands single malt. The juice is created on the tallest stills in Scotland, which allows more spirit creation along the way as it’s boiled. The whisky then spends ten years mellowing in ex-bourbon barrels. Finally, the whiskey is vatted, proofed, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with soft grains next to a rush of dried fruits and supple leather with a floral hint that leans toward dry hibiscus and fresh woodruff.

Palate: The palate is gentle with hints of wet malts next to powdered dark spices, fresh honeycombs, and a thin line of vanilla oils just touched with orange zest and maybe a twinge of grapefruit.

Finish: The end arrives with a soft honeyed sweetness that feels like it’s drizzled over an orange cake with a hint of malted cracker graininess next to an echo of old apple chips.

Bottom Line:

This low-age malt just won a coveted double gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, solidifying its legendary status as an approachable and affordable malt. Yes, it’s that good.

24. Glen Scotia Victoriana Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 54.2%

Average Price: $95

The Whisky:

This Campbelltown whisky is a rarity, like most whiskies from the tiny region. After an initial maturation, the whisky spends a final 12 months maturing in 30% Pedro Ximenez sherry butts and 70% heavily charred American oak before bottling truly as-is — no proofing, no filtering, no coloring.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this is thick with a lot of savory fruit — figs, squash — next to sweet oranges, overripe pineapple, and robust but fresh florals.

Palate: On the palate, that floral nature takes in a nasturtium vibe with a layer of spice next to a thin line of saltwater taffy wax paper wrappers, rum-soaked cinnamon sticks, and a thin layer of creamy vanilla.

Finish: The end has a vibe that’s kind of like malt-soaked tropical fruit next to spicy vanilla pudding with a whisper of singed apple bark lurking in the background.

Bottom Line:

This Campbelltown whisky is an insider’s pour (and big award winner) that might get you hooked on the subtly of the mico-region. Might? No, it will!

23. Craigellachie Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 13 Years

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $51

The Whisky:

Craigellachie is another classic Speyside malt that forms the backbone of Dewar’s Blended Whisky. This whisky ages for 13 years before it’s vatted, proofed, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Dried apricots and grilled pineapple pop on the nose with a light sense of molasses over what feels like brown sugar basted ham with a thin line of barbecue smoke.

Palate: That hint of sweet smoke leads back to the dried fruit with a hint of creamy vanilla and soft winter spices (cloves and allspice especially).

Finish: Grilled pineapple, mango skins, and marmalade draw out the finish with a hint more of that molasses smokiness and singed winter spices.

Bottom Line:

This is a good workhorse to have. It’s killer on cocktails and sips well over some rocks.

22. Isle of Raasay Sherry Cask Finished Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 52%

Average Price: $90

The Whisky:

This Island malt was aged in ex-Woodford Reserve rye barrels for an undisclosed amount of time before a finishing spell in Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry quarter casks. Those whisky barrels were then vatted and bottled as-is.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The whisky’s nose opens with dashes of green peppercorns next to a line of smoked almonds and plums with a hint of medicinal menthol in the background.

Palate: The palate mixes freshly ground nutmeg with clove-spiked orange rinds as a creamy almond paste leads to a wintry mulled wine sour red fruit with a light sweetness and smoked plum vibe.

Finish: The end is full of earthy and almost floral smoke next to more of that almond paste and mulled wine sour spiciness.

Bottom Line:

This is a fascinating pour that pushes flavor profiles to new and fun corners of your whisky palate.

21. Monkey Shoulder Blended Scotch Whisky

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $32

The Whisky:

This Speyside blend is crafted as a workhorse whisky. The juice is drawn from the William Grant & Sons stable of distilleries. The juice is then rested for up to six months after blending to let it mellow even more before proofing and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a nice welcoming note of creamy vanilla that almost becomes cream soda, next to hints of zesty orange marmalade, malts, and dark spices.

Palate: The taste delivers on those notes by amping the spices up to Christmas cake territory with a slight tart berry edge next to that cream soda sweetness.

Finish: The end is short and sweet with a nice lightness that really makes this very drinkable.

Bottom Line:

This is the best mixing whisky on the list. Period. It makes great Scotch cocktails and you can find it for a good price. That’s a trifecta of price, availability, and flavor!

20. Mortlach Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years

ABV: 43.4%

Average Price: $52

The Whisky:

This single malt hails from a tiny yet beloved Speyside distillery. The actual whisky is also made on their smallest still, nicknamed “Wee Witchie.” That juice then goes into ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks for 12 years. Finally, those whiskies are married, proofed, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This is subtle yet engaging, with a nose of almost burnt toffee next to bright red berries, mild spice, hints of oak, and a bit of cedar.

Palate: The palate leans into the berries by becoming jammy with more of that toffee and a mild sense of spicy tobacco arriving late.

Finish: The end is long-ish with a plummy chew next to that tobacco and malty spice.

Bottom Line:

This is a damn fine whisky. I like it over some rocks but also put it into very simple whisky cocktails from time to time. That aside, Mortlach is a must-have if you want to take your whisky game from beginner to “I know what I’m talking about now” status.

19. Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Heavily Peated Islay Barley 2014 Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $99

The Whisky:

This brand-new release from Bruichladdich is all about Islay and local malt. The mash bill (recipe) is hewn from 100% Islay Concerto and Propino barley malts (grown in 2013) that are heavily peated. In 2014, the whisky was made and filled into a first-fill bourbon cask (84% of the final blend), second-fill new oak (8% of the final blend), and second-fill Bordeaux wine casks (8% of the final blend). After seven years, those barrels were vatted and just proofed with local water for bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Old pear and apple orchards mingle with singed vanilla pods, salted toffee, rum-raisin, and grapefruit pith next to smoked peach and melon over cinnamon bark dipped in seawater.

Palate: That grapefruit leads to burnt orange with a deep smoked plum, cherry, and apple vibe next to grilled peaches, toasted coconut, and burning wild sage with a slight sense of moist marzipan and apricot tobacco.

Finish: Apricot jamminess and chewy malty spice drive the finish toward smoldering coals in a barbecue and a bit more of that smudging sage.

Bottom Line:

This is just f*cking excellent. The balance of smoky fat and deep dark fruit and malt is brilliant. That said, this is for the peat acolytes. If you’re peat curious, this might be a bit much.

18. Bunnahabhain Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Toiteach A Dhà

ABV: 46.3%

Average Price: $79

The Whisky:

This smoky Islay peated malt, called “Toiteach A Dhà,” means “smoky two.” The whisky is a peated malt that’s matured in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks and then vatted with an eye cast towards the sea and all that sherry wood.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a clear sense of sweet and stewed plums with a focus on cinnamon sticks and an almost spicy smokiness.

Palate: The palate shifts towards a savory fruit (think pumpkin) with flourishes of dark chocolate next to meaty dates and lightly salted sardines.

Finish: The end leans back into the spicy and very briny smokiness as the malts ebb and flow between sweet and dry with a plummy texture.

Bottom Line:

This is just nice whisky. It’s softly sweet and faintly peated with a nice briny funk to it. It all comes together in the end, especially over a few pieces of ice. If you’re looking for something unique and sea-forward, then this is the whisky to grab.

17. Highland Park Valknut Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 46.8%

Average Price: $79

The Whisky:

High up on the Orkney Islands, Highland Park is making whisky for modern-day Vikings. Valknut (a knot of three triangles honoring those who fell in battle) uses locally grown “Tartan barley” that’s malted with a bit of local peat. That whisky spends an undisclosed amount of time aging in American oak that held sherry. The whisky is vatted, proofed with Orkney’s soft water, and bottled in a bespoke Viking-inspired bottle.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Imagine vanilla pods warming up in a pan and just starting to release their oils and smoke next to a hint of black pepper and cedar.

Palate: The palate holds onto that vanilla while adding a touch of black licorice and clove next to more cedar and maybe some fennel-crusted rye bread.

Finish: The finish holds onto the spice with a chewy tobacco vibe next to an almost fatty smoke from a backyard salmon smoker and a touch of orange oils.

Bottom Line:

This is a big and bold whisky that really benefits from a little water or a big rock to open it up a bit, revealing more creamy spiced pudding notes. Overall, this is again a great candidate if you’re looking for a subtly smoky cocktail or an everyday pour over some ice.

16. Chivas Regal Blended Scotch Whisky Aged 18 Years

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $79

The Whisky:

Chivas 18 is the brand’s signature higher-end blend. The juice is built around a specially made Strathisla 18 single malt. That whisky is supported by 20 other single malts from around Scotland with various casking processes.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This smells like classic “Scotch” from the first sniff thanks to layers of creamy dark chocolate, dried tart berries, buttery toffee, and a sense of marzipan just kissed with rose water and orange oils.

Palate: The palate has a mild old leatheriness that leads to dried roses, salted dark chocolate bars, and smoked cranberry next to a whisper of raspberry vanilla cake.

Finish: The end has a hint of dry and almost woody florals and winter spices next to smoked berries and dry cedar bark.

Bottom Line:

This is the perfect on-the-rocks whisky. You know what to do!

15. Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 15 Years

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $99

The Whisky:

This seaside Highland whisky is a whisky lover’s brand. The unpeated juice in this case is made from local malted barley. That spirit goes into ex-bourbon barrels for 15 years before it’s refilled into first-fill ex-Oloroso sherry butts for a final rest. Finally, the whisky is vatted and proofed before bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Soft stewed pears in honey with a hint of saffron open the nose next to a touch of raisin, dried apple chips, and maybe some dried roses and orange rinds.

Palate: The palate touches on a chocolatey coffee with hints of vanilla bean, minced meat pies, and mulled wine spice with a smidge of sour red wine in there.

Finish: The end is part sticky toffee pudding and part salted dried berries with a hint of marzipan and dark chocolate tobacco on the finish.

Bottom Line:

This is an essential pour of unpeated single malt. There’s a wonderful balance of dark flavor notes with bright orchard and floral vibes that just works. If you’re looking for an exemplary unpeated single malt for just under $100, this is it.

14. The Sassenach Blended Scotch Whisky

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $96

The Whisky:

Yes, Scotch whisky has celebrity white-labeled brands too. This one comes from Outlander star Sam Heughan. The whisky’s recipe/build is under wraps so there’s not much more to say besides that Sam Heughan is not simply slapping his name on a bottle. He’s fully involved in the process as a deeply caring whisky fan who wants to put something special on the shelf.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Lemon drops and Almond Joys drive the nose with a hint of honey, bourbon vanilla, and dried apricot.

Palate: That apricot gets leathery on the palate as the malts arrive with plenty of honey and cinnamon-forward spice next to a hint of eggnog nutmeg.

Finish: The finish is concise with a little cinnamon, honey, and almond rounding things out.

Bottom Line:

This is a classic blended Scotch whisky from top to bottom. I tend to like it over a big rock on a slow afternoon. It also works wonders in a simple whisky-forward cocktail too if you want to get fancy with it.

13. Caol Ila Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $86

The Whisky:

Caol Ila is a tiny Islay distillery that is more familiar to hardcore whisky fans than the casual drinker. This expression is the distillery’s entry-point whisky that highlights the subtle peatiness, gentle aging, and the soft lapping of the sea against the distillery’s outer white walls.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a matrix of dried roses soaked in water touched by orange oils, almonds, and a trace of classic Listerine buzziness.

Palate: The sip has a savoriness that feels like olive oil speckled with coarse sea salt next to a distant billow of briny smoke, all counterpointed by sweet malts and fruits.

Finish: The finish sweetens the smokiness with a fruity-yet-spicy tobacco edge while the end fades towards an almost salty-sour hint of citrus.

Bottom Line:

Caol Ila is the whisky lover’s whisky and this is the only bottle from the brand that sneaks in below $100. Entry-level aside, this whisky poured over a big piece of ice is damn near perfection in a glass.

12. Glenmorangie Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Nectar d’Or

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $84

The Whisky:

This dram from Glenmorangie is a much-loved Highland malt. The juice is matured in ex-bourbon barrels for an undisclosed number of years. The whisky is then transferred to French Sauternes barrels which held sweet dessert wines where it spends two more years finishing.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This has that classic “shortbread cut with lemon and vanilla” vibe that makes some single malts so approachable on the nose.

Palate: The sip has a buttery toffee nature that’s layered with subtle oak, mild brown spices, and more fruits tied into a creamy pudding body.

Finish: The spice then leans a little towards ginger with that buttery shortbread as it slowly fades out.

Bottom Line:

This is probably the smoothest experience on this whole list that gives you great depth and a nice, familiar feeling from top to bottom.

11. The Dalmore Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 14 Years

ABV: 43.8%

Average Price: $99

The Whisky:

This Highland single malt is classic malted whisky from The Dalmore that spends 14 years mellowing. Then The Dalmore’s Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass hand-selects specific barrels for vatting and re-barreling in very rare Pedro Ximénez casks from the House of Gonzalez Byass in Spain. Once Glass deems those barrels just right, they’re vatted, proofed, and bottled exclusively for the U.S. market.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with a sense of subtle citrus — almost bitter orange and lemon — next to salted black licorice, caramel malted ice cream, toffee candies, and marzipan cake covered with poppy seeds and vanilla wafers.

Palate: The palate is pure sticky toffee pudding fresh out of the oven with a little bit of orange zest and flaked salt next to black-tea-soaked dates, sweet cinnamon, fresh nutmeg, rum-soaked caramel sauce, and a dollop of brandy butter with a twist of dark chocolate nibs.

Finish: The end leans into the dates and marzipan with a touch of spiced fig jam and prunes dipped in creamy yet very dark salted chocolate.

Bottom Line:

This is essential unpeated single malt whisky that’s dark, delicious, and unbelievably well-balanced. If this doesn’t make you fall in love with single malt from the first sip, then maybe nothing will.

10. Talisker Storm Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 45.8%

Average Price: $72

The Whisky:

This no-age-statement whisky has an interesting aging process. The whisky is aged in a combination of used barrels and re-charred barrels. Basically, they take old barrels, strip the charring, rebuild those barrels, and then re-char them to Talisker’s standards. The process adds a new layer of depth by rejuvenating the staves. The whisky from those barrels is then blended into a darker, smokier, and deeper single malt.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This sip amps up the peat a tad while bringing in the brine next to a clear maltiness, honey pears, and a touch of charred wood.

Palate: The smoke at play here is more akin seaside campfire while the brininess is reminiscent of oyster liquor with a dry chili spice lurking in the background.

Finish: There’s a hint of the berry leftover from the Talisker 10, with a touch more peppery spice by the end.

Bottom Line:

You cannot go wrong with the subtle seaside peatiness of Talisker and this is the perfect example for those curious about Talisker.

9. Aberlour A’bunadh Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 56.2%

Average Price: $94

The Whisky:

A’bunadh (ah-boon-arh) means “the original” in Gaelic and the whisky in this Speyside bottle represents that idea for Aberlour. The whisky is matured in old Oloroso sherry casks exclusively. The whisky then goes into the bottle at cask strength, unfussed with.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: That sherry plumminess is evident right up top, with hints of bright orange oils, clumps of dark chocolate, honey, and nuts, and a hint of oak.

Palate: The taste shines with notes of dark, ripe cherries, prunes, more bright orange zest, dark chocolate, and a good measure of svelte vanilla.

Finish: The slow finish leaves you with a creamy mouthfeel next to bitter chocolate next to sweet cherries and plums, all of which lead towards a warming spice on the tongue at the end.

Bottom Line:

This delectable Aberlour expression really speaks to bourbon drinkers. This is the best bridge between unpeated Scotch single malt and Kentucky bourbon that money can buy. That’s so true that this even makes an amazing Manhattan.

8. Lagavulin Single Islay Malt Whisky Aged 16 Years

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $90

The Whisky:

This is the most recognizable Lagavulin out there. The malts are smoked just down the road from the distillery at Port Ellen and the mash is crafted expertly by the sea at Lagavulin Distillery. The whisky then spends 16 long years mellowing in old American and Spanish oak before vatting, proofing, and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Imagine a beach fire that’s using dried seaweed as fuel next to mugs of honeyed black tea and a clump of wet moss on the nose.

Palate: The taste of this dram meanders through dried pipe tobacco smoke laced with hints of vanilla and tart apple while notes of briny caramel lead towards an oyster shell minerality.

Finish: The finish is pure silk as the seaweed grows wetter and the smoke sweetens towards that caramel, vanilla, and apple.

Bottom Line:

This is the perfect balance of approachable peated whisky and deep Islay flavors that are welcoming to all. Yes, this has deep peated vibes, but those are subtly layered into a bigger idea of this whisky’s orchard notes, creamy sweetness, and honeyed bitterness with a soft briny aura. It all just works, which makes this an essential advanced whisky to have on your bar cart. Plus… you need this around to make Smoky Cokeys — so don’t skip this one.

7. Ardbeg Uigeadail Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 54.2%

Average Price: $80

The Whisky:

The mix of peated malts, yeast, and that inky lake water from Islay creates a spirit that’s already full of flavors before it goes into the barrel. That hot juice is then aged in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. When the whisky in the barrel is just right, they’re blended into this single malt expression, proofed with local spring water, and bottled without any filtration.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is a matrix of smoked plums next to lush Christmas cakes full of dried and candied fruit and citrus with plenty of fatty nuts, dark and wintry spice, and buttery caramel drizzle hit with plenty of sea salt next to a whisper of dried lavender and overripe, almost woody plantains.

Palate: The palate balances sweet berries and pear candy with smoky salmon fat and dark chocolate malts.

Finish: The mid-palate adds a hint of dried chili heat while fading towards a finish full of smoked fat, dried fruit, and a buttery dark chocolate sauce bespeckled with flakes of smoked pink sea salt and cedar chips.

Bottom Line:

I love the peatiness of this whisky because it’s not over the top. It’s a briny, funky, and fatty peatiness tied to fruitiness and nuttiness with a burnt chocolate underbelly that only widens and softens with a little water in the glass. Yes, this is for more advanced palates but it’s approachable enough to actually advance your palate if you give it the time.

6. The GlenDronach Revival Aged 15 Years Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $89

The Whisky:

Revival 15 takes its sherried nature very seriously. The juice is aged in a combination of Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks for 15 long years. Those casks are married and this whisky is brought down to a very easy-drinking 92 proof with that soft Highland water.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Dark berry brambles with tart and sweet fruit, stems, thorns, and even a little black dirt draw you in on the nose with a hint of walnut shell and cherry pie.

Palate: The palate is a creamy-yet-bitter dark chocolate orange that leads toward a semi-savory fig countered by ripe apricot.

Finish: The chocolate comes back with cinnamon spice and more dark berries and walnut at the end.

Bottom Line:

This is f*cking delicious. It’s one of the most classic and wonderful unpeated single malts on the list. Pour it neat, over a rock, or in a whisky-forward cocktail. You will not be disappointed.

5. Cragganmore Distiller’s Edition Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $88

The Whisky:

Cragganmore is an iconic Scottish distillery. The whisky is matured in sherry casks for 12 years. It’s then transferred into American oak casks that held port for a final maturation phase before proofing and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Fennel leads to dried fruits — sultanas, prunes, dried fig — and fresh apples on the nose with a hint of tartness and skin next to savory (almost oily) herb branches and leaves.

Palate: The taste, on the other hand, leans into sweet oak, pear candies, fresh figs, and a softness that’s almost hard to believe while this medley of caraway, fresh fennel, and sweet cardamom dance together on your palate.

Finish: The end is full of sweet fruits — think ripe pears, green tomatoes, and star fruit — and has just the right touches of soft oak, oily vanilla, and savory green herbs as it fades towards a final note of wet wicker right after a rain storm.

Bottom Line:

There’s something about the funky green herbal and orchard notes of this whiskey that keeps calling me back for more. It’s unique but nostalgic. It’s like silk but full of surprises. This is such a good whisky.

4. Oban West Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 14 Years

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $79

The Whisky:

This is a great gateway to both Oban and scotch, in general, to have on hand. The whisky is classically made and then matured in the Oban storehouses for 14 long years — all within a stone’s throw of the sea. The whisky barrels are then blended and proofed by Oban’s tiny distillery team (only seven people work there) before bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Citrus, salt, and a whisper of briny peat smoke open this one up on the nose as this sense of dry orchard fruits at the end of fall mingle with soft honey drizzled over spiced malted crackers with a hint of smoked orange saltwater taffy lurking in the background.

Palate: That smoked citrus carries on as a foundation for mild winter spices as a note of honeycomb, hints of fresh pears, and plummy dried fruits with a fatty nuttiness mingle on the palate.

Finish: The oaky spice and extremely mild peat smoke meet at the end with a slight malty sweetness, old pear, and the faintest whisper of dried seaweed.

Bottom Line:

This is flawless whisky. It’s perfectly suited to neat or on the rocks sipping while also being a killer cocktail base. You cannot go wrong with this bottle, especially if you’re looking for the subtlest of peated malts.

3. Talisker Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 10 Years

ABV: 45.8%

Average Price: $66

The Whisky:

This is one of the most awarded single malts ever. The juice is matured in ex-bourbon casks in Talisker’s warehouse which is literally feet away from the sea. The subtly peated malts take on a real seaside feel as those years tick past, creating a whisky that will not disappoint.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with this soft sense of pitted orchard fruits next to a thin line of beach campfire smoke far off in the distance with a hint of minerality and bright spiced malts.

Palate: The palate has a hint of an oyster shell that leads to dried pears and apricot with a hint of warmth and spice malt next to dry sweetgrass.

Finish: The end is full of lightly smoked plums with a touch of cardamom and cinnamon next to sea salt and a final whiff of that beach campfire way down the beach somewhere.

Bottom Line:

This whisky has the perfect balance of peat, brine, and fruit. It’s devilishly simple while carrying true depth. It’s wonderful in a cocktail or neat.

2. Johnnie Walker Green Label Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $69

The Whisky:

Johnnie Walker’s Green Label is a solidly crafted whisky that highlights Diageo’s fine stable of distilleries across Scotland. The whisky is a pure malt or blended malt, meaning that only single malt whisky is in the mix (no grain whisky). In this case, the primary whiskies are a minimum of 15 years old, from Talisker, Caol Ila, Cragganmore, and Linkwood.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Soft notes of cedar dance with hints of black pepper, vanilla pods, and bright fruit with a wisp of green grass in the background.

Palate: The palate really delivers on that soft cedar woodiness while edging towards a spice-laden tropical fruit brightness.

Finish: The finish is dialed in with hints of cedar, spice, and fruit leading toward a briny billow of smoke at the very end.

Bottom Line:

This is a whisky that’s so much greater than its equally great parts. This is one of the best blended malt whiskies you’ll ever find and the best Johnnie Walker on the shelf.

1. Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 14 Years

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $46

The Whisky:

Glenmorangie’s 14-Year expression spends 10 years resting in used American oak casks. Those barrels are vatted and the whisky is re-barreled into Quinta Ruban port wine casks from Portugal for another four years of mellowing before batching, proofing, and bottling as-is.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose draws you in with a sense of burnt orange layered into dark chocolate and then melted over a singed marshmallow with a hint of malted vanilla cookie tying it all together.

Palate: That dark chocolate drives the palate with a hint of waxiness and woody winter spice next to whole black peppercorns, fresh tangerine, and a whisper of mint chocolate chip ice cream.

Finish: The dark chocolate, woody spice, bright orange, and sharp spearmint all collide on the finish with a sense of soft malted sweetness and faint old oak staves.

Bottom Line:

This is by far the best Scotch whisky under $100 thanks to real depth and pure silky vibes. It’s just absolutely great.