Words by Colin Hampden-White
There are whiskies out there that don’t cost very much at all and yet they taste like they cost a fortune. So that you don’t have to buy hundreds of bottles to find out which ones they are, we have done all the ‘hard’ work for you. Here’s a list of fabulous whiskies that taste incredible but don’t cost the earth, ordered from light and elegant to rich and smoky:
1: Glenmorangie Original
Top of the light and elegant list has to be Glenmorangie Original. This whisky isn’t even listed as a NAS (Non Age Statement) whisky. It is ten years old and 40% Vol. Since 1843 Glenmorangie have been perfecting a light, elegant fruity whisky with lots of orange and vanilla flavours.
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: UK £33.99 // US $52.99
2: Glen Moray Classic
Still light and fruity, but with a little more body there is Glen Moray Classic. With flavours of green apples and lemons, it is an easy going satisfying single malt from Speyside at 40% and is our favourite single malt under £30!
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: UK £22.94 // US $34.99
3: Tomintoul
This whisky is from a distillery hardly anyone will have heard of. Tomintoul is a highland distillery which has an excellent 16 year old single malt at 40%. It is an elegant whisky with plenty of flavour including coffee, boiled sweets, almonds and melted butter with vanilla fudge and cream. This whisky is the best 16 year old at this price on the market.
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: UK £49.94 // US $64.99
4: Hunter Laing
Whiskies sold by the distilleries that make them tend to be more expensive than those released by independent bottlers. Independent companies bottle whiskies which are made all over Scotland, blend their own whiskies and represent incredible value and more often than not taste a great deal more expensive than they cost. My favourite independent blend is from Hunter Laing. Highland Journey is mixture of highland single malt whiskies and is a bold and complex malted blend at a great strength of 46.2%.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 46.2%
Find here: £32.99
5: Old Pulteney 12
For a rich, but spirit led whisky with lots of saline character from the far north of Scotland, Old Pulteney 12 is a whisky at 40% which punches way above its price tag. It’s more difficult to get your hands on now but you can still pick up a bottle for under £30 and it tastes like double that.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £25.99
6: Glenfiddich 15
For a whisky which has a more sherried character, Glenfiddich 15 is about as good as it gets for bang for buck. It’s a powerful whisky with spices and sweetness all rolled into one. There is a good amount of oak on the palate making the whisky seem older than it is and at 40% for under £45 it is a bargain waiting to be savoured.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £47.69
7: Roe and Co
Whisky doesn’t have to come from Scotland, and some of the best tasting whiskies come from Ireland. A new whisky to Ireland is Roe and Co. Made with a high proportion of first fill bourbon casks with grain and malt whisky this tastes well above its price tag of a touch under £30. It is non chill filtered to keep more flavour and at 45% it is perfect for mixing!
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
ABV: 45%
Find here: UK £29.88 // US $32.99
8: Johnnie Walker Black Label
Touching on the world of smokey whisky, this whisky is the best value on the list. It is a blend and has a bit of everything. It has an age statement of 12 years old but there are much older whiskies in the blend too so the taste has a hint of aged whiskies to it. There is a mix of sherry and bourbon oak casks blended to give lots of complexity and a hint of smoke as well. A favourite for many in the whisky industry Johnnie Walker Black Label at 40% is as good as it gets. For our UK followers, it can be found for only £20 at the moment (09.11.21) on Amazon.
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: UK £26.89 // US $33.99
9: Dailuaine 16
For the last two we have some slightly more expensive drams, but they too taste like they should cost well above their price band. The first is Dailuaine 16 from the Flora and Fauna range from Diageo. This whisky is complex and full bodied yet smooth and rich. Lots of dried fruit flavours and very well integrated oaky flavours which one expects to find in whiskies much older than this. It is at 43%. Expect to pay a little under £60 for this delicious dram.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 43%
Find here: £57.90
10: Ardbeg An Oa
Whiskies from Islay tend to cost a little more. There is a huge following for peated whiskies and finding those whiskies which have lots of smoke, but also rich fruity flavours and spice is tricky and can be expensive. However, An Oa from Ardbeg has all of those characteristics, it still has the punchy smoky flavours one expects from Ardbeg, but there is sweetness and balance to it too and at 46.6% the strength is good too.
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
ABV: 46.6%
Find here: UK £41.99 // US $58.99
*This article was originally published in March 2020 and has now been updated (Sept 2022) to reflect the current change in prices. For more whisky goodness, why not check out The Best Japanese Whiskies to Try or The Best Whiskies in the World