Finding a good Scotch whisky isn’t hard. Grabbing the right bottle off of the liquor store shelf on the other hand can be … a bit of a gamble. There are so many different expressions on store shelves — just consider the difference between a peat monster from Islay that tastes like licking asphalt compared to a wintry unpeated malt. You can easily grab something that’s just not right for you!
No one wants that, especially us. And with Thanksgiving pretty much here, you’re going to want to grab the right bottle of Scotch whisky when you hit the liquor store today — no more procrastinating. Below, I’m calling out 25 bottles of Scotch whisky that all taste great and cost less than $100. I’m covering every facet of the region with peated Islay masterpieces next to subtle unpeated fruity luscious pours next to unique blends.
There’s truly something for everyone below and most of it will be very easy to find without breaking the bank this Thanksgiving. Let’s dive right in!
- The 100 Best Scotch Whiskies Under $100, Ranked
- The 50 Best Scotch Whiskies Of 2023 (So Far), Ranked
- The Best Whiskeys To Chase Down This May
- The Best Scotch Whiskies Of 2023, According To The International Wine & Spirits Competition Awards
- The Full Core Line Of Johnnie Walker Scotch Whisky Bottles, Ranked
25. 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:
Let’s start bold AF. This is for the peat lovers in your family and crew. It’s boldly peaty and earthy but wonderfully balanced with sweet fruit, creamy vanilla, and nuttiness. Pour it over a big rock and serve it with the turkey.
24. 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 lovely and fruity single malt with deep yet almost airy dessert vibes. Serve this one over some rocks or in a cocktail as the pies come out.
23. Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve Blended 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 (both grain and malt whiskies are in the mix). 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:
Johnnie Gold is a great subtle peated blend that leans far more into smoked fruits and nuts than earthy dirt or ash. This is just a nice pour and the perfect pre-dinner conversation starter to get everyone loosened up a bit as they arrive for Thanksgiving.
22. Compass Box Peat Monster Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $69
The Whisky:
Compass Box is one of the most interesting blenders/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 is back on the heavily peated train but, again, that peat is attached more to smoked fruit, nuts, and winter spices than asphalt or ash. Use this for balanced smoky cocktails all day and night.
21. 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 is a stone-cold classic and a great pairing whisky for the seafood course (oysters anyone?) during your Thanksgiving feasting.
20. 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 another subtly smoky whisky that makes for a great cocktail base or dessert pairing whisky with fruity pies and cakes this Thanksgiving.
19. 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 is the “other” whisky from Campbeltown (besides Springbank) and it rules as a post-Thanksgiving sipper in a large glass with a large rock.
18. 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 the whisky nerds pour. It’s so easygoing yet deeply hewn with great classic unpeated malt flavors. It also makes a mean cocktail with fall and winter flavors.
17. 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 nice on-the-rocks sipping blend that works as an all-day sipper throughout every part of Thanksgiving. Translation: You can easily make this your house pour throughout the long Thanksgiving weekend.
16. 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 an unapologetically peated malt with fantastically bold funkiness. It’s perfect for pairing with a seafood course or as an after-dinner palate reawakening after the pie is finished.
15. 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:
There are so many great Lagavulins to pour this Thanksgiving. But let’s lean into the Nick Offermann of it all with this red wine-finished easy sipper. Pour this over a big rock and you’ll be set all day and weekend this Thanksgiving. You can also make killer cocktails with this one.
14. 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 is a slightly more niche pour but a great one for fruity desserts. Pour this over some ice between the turkey and pies and you’ll be all set.
13. 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 another great dessert pairing pour. I’d also argue it’s one of the better cocktail bases for replacing bourbon in your favorite concoctions.
12. 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 beautifully subtle and sweet/funky pour of whisky. This is a real crowd-pleaser. I’d serve this with a cheese course and let it sing on a single rock or neat.
11. 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:
The white wine vibe makes this a great pour for the meal. It’s light but fully formed and has a deep sense of lush fruitiness that’s a great counterpoint to savory foods.
10. 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:
Okay, let’s get into the “wow” bottles. This Caol Ila is for the whisky nuts. It’s a maritime-forward pour of peated goodness that you should pour over raw oyster shooters or serve with smoked salmon.
9. 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:
The Macallan has the hype that almost makes it crazy not to have a bottle on hand during Thanksgiving. So grab a bottle for free pours throughout the whole weekend.
8. 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:
If you can’t find a killer Springbank (they’re hard to find, we get it), then grab this. It’s a refined and peated masterpiece that’s great as an all-day sipper or cocktail base.
7. 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 the whisky you pour when you want a thin layer of sweet smoke added to your dessert course. This over a single big rock is delectable.
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 the “welcome to the holiday season” pour. The whisky is all about the holiday vibes with deep sweet and spicy treat vibes. Drink it however you like to drink your whisky, especially if you’re making whisky-forward cocktails.
5. 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 whisky is all about nuance. It’s a subtle masterpiece. This is the sort of whisky that converts American whisky drinkers to Scotch.
4. 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 is another great “welcome to the holidays” pour. It also makes amazing whisky-forward cocktails in place of bourbon or rye. This is pretty much a must-have this holiday season for American whiskey fans looking to really get into malt.
3. 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 the whisky you pour for true peated whisky fans. It’s subtle yet bold AF at the same time — it’s kind of a magic trick. This is bold enough to pair with any part of the Thanksgiving meal while also being the perfect pairing for a backyard firepit.
2. 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 apricots 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 is a damn near perfect whisky for pairing with a big meal either as a neat pour or in a cocktail. The best bet is to make oyster shooters with this and go from there this Thanksgiving.
1. Johnnie Walker Green Label Blended Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 15 Years
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $64
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 — think red berries, fresh pear, and nectarines — with a wisp of singed green grass in the background.
Palate: The palate delivers on that soft cedar woodiness while edging towards a spice-laden tropical fruit brightness with grilled peaches covered in salted caramel, honey malt biscuits, and bitter yet sweet marmalade with a dash of winter spiciness.
Finish: The finish is dialed in with hints of soft cedar bark, singed wild sage, bark-forward winter spice, and stewed stonefruit leading toward a briny billow of smoke at the very end.
Bottom Line:
This should 100% be your house pour from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve this year. It suits every event, food, and vibe. Oh… and it’s delicious.