Are you looking for a smooth Scotch?
It’s one of the most flavorful and nuanced spirits in the world, and there are a lot of options out there. While the layperson might think that all Scotch is smoky and brooding, the truth is that the flavor spectrum is as wide as the day is long. Whether your preference is for fruity sweetness, floral notes, barrel- or grain-driven flavors, it doesn’t matter — there’s something for you in the world of Scotch, and it doesn’t have to be at all intimidating.
That’s why I set out to find the smoothest Scotch on liquor store shelves today, so that you can enjoy a relaxing glass of the good stuff. I know you don’t want to strain your eyes examining the endless number of bottles starting with “Glen” (a common moniker which means “valley” in Gaelic), though there are a few of those on this list.
So, here they are, gathered for you by a professional whisky judge and writer, tasted blind, and assessed simply for overall flavor and above all else: smoothness.
These are the smoothest Scotch whiskies, blind-tasted and ranked!
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Part 1: The Tasting
Taste 1
Tasting Notes:
This whisky opens with a briny, smoke-inflected nose that immediately gives it away as a peated expression, but it also has accents of sweet malt, salted caramel, and figs. The palate is slightly smokier with cherries, chili peppers, butter, and plums.
While this is a truly balanced whisky, the combination of peat smoke and sea salt is a bit bold, which deducts it a point or two in the “smoothness” category.
Taste 2
Tasting Notes:
The aroma of this whisky has candied orange peel, vanilla, and brown sugar in spades. That’s followed up by vanilla frosting and orange zest with confectioners’ sugar and cookie dough on the palate, closing with the taste of almonds and black pepper on the succinct finish.
We’re just getting started, but I have a feeling that this one will have a strong showing.
Taste 3
Tasting Notes:
Right away, you get a gentle, billowing smoke presence on the nose, but that comes with touches of Rainier cherries, sea salt, and a squeeze of lemon. On the palate, you’re greeted by a balanced infusion of hazelnut spread and dark chocolate before the smoke and red berries curb that darker sweetness and lead the way for white pepper and Brazil nuts.
There are many layers of flavor here, but at no point does it come apart. I can honestly drink this all day long.
Taste 4
Tasting Notes:
Loads of vanilla and caramel come emanating from the glass at first, with papaya, peanuts, and nutmeg trailing behind. On the palate, those notes carry through, but with a sturdier backbone of Brazil nut oiliness cast against the tropical fruit sweetness with cayenne pepper and honeyed black tea lingering on the finish.
This is a super tasty pour, though its infusion of baking spices disrupts the “smoothness” just a touch. I’m enjoying it all the same.
Taste 5
Tasting Notes:
This whiskey opens with a touch of orange oil and lemon expression, while the palate bursts with flavors from wildflower honey to semi-tart apples. The finish has an oily slickness and brings more flavors like dilute butterscotch, orange creamsicle, and sea salt.
Hands down, this is the smoothest and best-integrated whiskey of the flight so far.
Taste 6
Tasting Notes:
Right off the bat, it’s the aroma of apricots, cherry blossoms, and clementines that catches my attention. Faint vanilla and white flowers can also be detected before taking an initial sip, and welcoming a silky mouthfeel, flush with faint star anise, vanilla, honey, white flowers, and pears.
This is one silky pour, and it will definitely earn top marks.
Taste 7
Tasting Notes:
This one has some nice ruby glints in the glass, and based on its rich, buttery, and nutty nose, I’m guessing this one was aged or finished in Oloroso sherry casks. It stirs to life on the palate with nondescript red berries, honeyed breadiness, cocoa powder, and light Christmas spice notes.
This is a darkly sweet, incredibly delicious, layered pour. That boldness is wonderful to experience, but it’s certainly the least “smooth” of the flight thus far, and that’ll cost it in the ultimate ranking.
Taste 8
Tasting Notes:
The aroma notes open with green apples, floral, wildflower honey notes, faint vanilla, and maybe a touch of salinity. Initiating a sip, it holds that core with wildflower honey and pears forming the base of the flavors, while white pepper and dried apricots flit about on the periphery.
This whisky’s lean mouthfeel makes it smooth, and its base of flavors is a service to that austere texture, communicating sweetness without becoming cloying or dense.
Taste 9
Tasting Notes:
The nosing notes open with a touch of citrus zest, brown butter sugar cookies, and golden raisins before the flavors on the palate flesh those out with a touch of floral Tahitian vanilla and a bit of gooey caramel with dried apricots rounding things out.
This is perhaps the most flavorful pour of the entire flight, but it’s also exceedingly smooth. This one is rising towards the top.
Taste 10
Tasting Notes:
The nose is pretty middle-of-the-road here, with Brazil nuts, sweet barley, and toffee standing out at first. The flavors of cinnamon and tobacco leaves kiss the tip of the tongue before the whisky expands to include notes of vanilla wafers, tropical fruits, and malted chocolate.
This one doesn’t have the wow-factor of a few others on this list, but it’s definitely an easygoing pour that you can reach for again and again.
Part 2: The Ranking
10. Glendronach 18-Year Single Malt Scotch Whisky — Taste 7
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $250
The Whiskey:
Glendronach’s 18-year expression is the go-to here for smoothness, leap-frogging the brand’s younger offerings thanks to its time spent in Sherry casks. The 100% malted barley is rested in Oloroso Sherry, to be specific, aged for 18 years, then brought to proof and bottled for consumption.
Bottom Line:
This is my favorite of Glendronach’s core lineup. However, when I revisit it and judge it blindly simply on the basis of its smoothness, it has far more grip and stick-to-itiveness than I recalled. The layers of flavor are as decadent and delicious as ever, but this is a bigger whisky than I had previously given it credit for.
Enjoy it for its tastiness, but if you’re particularly sensitive to bold, sherried flavors, then you’ll find smoother options below.
9. Talisker Storm Single Malt Scotch Whisky — Taste 1
ABV: 45.8%
Average Price: $65
The Whiskey:
This non-age-stated expression was crafted on the shores of the Isle of Skye, infused with peaty smokiness during the malting process. The whisky itself is matured in a combination of used barrels and STR (shaved, toasted, and re-charred) barrels, which adds a layer of depth. The whisky from those casks is then blended with another lot of Talisker’s single malt whisky then proofed and bottled.
Bottom Line:
I’ve commonly recommended this expression to beginners who want to explore the world of peated Scotch, but having tasted it in this blind, I have to admit that it is a bit bolder than I remember it. That’s not a bad thing in most cases, but when assessing it for smoothness alone, there are certainly more delicate peated expressions out there.
8. Glengoyne White Oak — Taste 4
ABV: 48%
Average Price: $63
The Whiskey:
Glengoyne is showcasing whisky matured exclusively in first-fill bourbon barrels and virgin oak casks sourced from North America for the first time ever with this brand new offering.
Bottom Line:
The sweet, tropical fruits in this expression will leave you smacking your lips and appreciating the lighter end of the flavor spectrum that it touches on. American whiskey fans in particular will find this one to be a smooth, satisfying pour and a great gateway into the world of Scotch.
7. Glenfiddich 12-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky — Taste 8
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $58
The Whiskey:
Glenfiddich 12 is a perfect gateway whisky, that is, a whisky that will sink its hooks into newcomers interested in exploring the category but wary of overly bold, brash notes. Glenfiddich has famously used the same Highland Spring water since 1887 for its whisky production, the whisky itself is matured in ex-bourbon barrels with some ex-sherry casks also in the mix.
Bottom Line:
Here is a whisky that 100% delivers smoothness across the palate, but perhaps goes a step too far, coming across as a bit tame compared to some of the more flavorful offerings lower on this list. If easy-sipping is your only aim, then this one will perform well, but taking flavor into account is what costs it a few points in this ranking.
6. The Dalmore Cigar Malt Single Malt Scotch — Taste 10
ABV: 44%
Average Price: $195
The Whiskey:
The Dalmore’s non-age stated Cigar Malt expression is made using Golden barley that is milled, then combined with water from nearby Cromarty Firth during the mashing process. Coming off the pot still after several rounds of distillation the liquid is dumped in a blend of ex-bourbon casks, 30-year-old Matusalem Oloroso Sherry butts, and former Cabernet Sauvignon from the Saint-Estèphe appellation of Bordeaux. For the last step, the whisky is rested for 10 to 15 years before being brought to proof and bottled.
Bottom Line:
I’ve long been a fan of the medium-bodied breadth of The Dalmore’s core expressions, and this one lives up to that expectation famously. It’s a classic, easygoing expression with restrained flavors, but a texture that gives it a silky, satisfying finish that makes it ideal for smooth sipping.
5. Ardbeg 10 Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky — Taste 3
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $65
The Whiskey:
Entry-level Ardbeg is eye-opening for the simple fact that it showcases the house style without being overpowering. The barley for this expression is peat-smoked, and the resulting whisky is rested in ex-sherry casks.
Bottom Line:
The subtle integration of peat smoke on this expression always leaves me impressed, and even when tasting it alongside unpeated expressions, it’s that delicate balance of sherry sweetness and restrained, phenolic force that allows Ardbeg’s signature expression to stand out from the pack.
4. Glenmorangie The Original 12-Year Single Malt Scotch — Taste 2
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $44
The Whiskey:
Glenmorangie’s recently revamped entry-level expression has made the step up from a 10-year age statement to a 12-year one. Let whisky lovers rejoice. While the packaging has retained all of its classic touches, that new and improved age statement is sure to raise a few eyebrows and encourage new buyers to give it a go.
Bottom Line:
This whisky rose to the top of the ranks due to the fact that it’s so incredibly creamy. Integrating that supple mouthfeel with orange blossom and sweet vanilla notes made it an easy selection when prioritizing smooth-sipping.
3. Benriach The Original Ten Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky — Taste 6
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $60
The Whiskey:
Benriach’s flagship 10-year-old expression, dubbed “The Original 10”, uses layers of three casks to showcase whisky that was matured at least 10 years in ex-bourbon barrels, sherry casks, and virgin oak.
Bottom Line:
With one sip, I knew this would be a potent competitor for the top spot. It isn’t always easy balancing a full-flavored whisky with well-rounded edges, ideal for smooth-sipping, but that’s exactly what this expression achieves.
2. The Glen Grant 21-Year Single Malt Scotch Whisky — Taste 9
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $275
The Whisky:
The Glen Grant has no shortage of options in its Core Collection series, and yet it’s this 21-year-old expression that claims the stage as the most well-rounded companion of the bunch. Aged for 21 long years, making it the third oldest offering in the range, this whisky hits the sweet spot of the Glen Grant DNA.
Bottom Line:
The Glen Grant 21-Year is a lush, broad whisky that beautifully coats your palate in rich flavors without sacrificing any smoothness for sumptuousness, and that’s quite a feat. While it was handily the most decadent whisky in this lineup, it was also quite comfortably one of the smoothest.
1. Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie — Taste 5
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $55
The Whiskey:
The Classic Laddie was created to be Bruichladdich’s baseline Single Malt Scotch, and it checks every box in that regard. Each batch utilizes locally grown, unpeated Scottish barley that they then ferment and distill. Every batch is also dialed in using a custom blend of whiskey aged in ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, and ex-wine casks for varying periods of time.
Bottom Line:
Bruichladdich’s Classic Laddie expression is one I reach for year-round, but especially as we enter the summer months, it is 100% ideal for easy-sipping enjoyment outside while the sun shines. If you want a pound-for-pound, flavorful, smooth-sipping Scotch, you’d be hard pressed to do better than this beauty.