Dram Fruity: The 6 Best Fruity Whiskies For Your Glass

Words by Colin Hampden-White

With all the talk in the whisky world being about the extremes, like heavily peated, big sherry bombs, or very old whisky, I wanted to bring the conversation back to why the majority of us like whisky, which is its fruitiness. Beyond all the extremes of flavour and age and price, there are loads of great fruity whiskies which don’t cost the earth and make for great drinking drams. Fruit is becoming centre stage again. I was recently talking to the Master Blender at Diageo’s Johnny Walker, Emma Walker, and she was saying she wanted to bring the whisky she creates to taste as the tasting notes do, so for example if the main tasting note is apples, then the consumer should be able to taste apples when drinking the whisky. Here I’ve put together a few whiskies I love because of their fruitiness.

Glenfiddich Experimental Series Orchard

This is the 5th in the experimental series from Glenfiddich and it is an unusual combination of Scotch whisky and Somerset Pomona Spirit casks from the Somerset Cider Brandy Company. This all came about during a walk around the orchards when Brian Kinsman, Glenfiddich’s Malt Mast visited the Somerset Cider Brandy Company to meet their Master Distiller Matilda Temperly. The resulting whisky as well as having lovely vanilla and oaky spice has a core of crunchy ripe apples. 

ABV: 43%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £42.95

Benriach The Original Ten

This was part of the new core range after Brown Forman took over the distillery and Rachel Barrie became the master blender. It was created by using three different types of casks, ex-bourbon barrels giving lots of vanilla and honey, sherry casks giving some light spice and toasty oak and virgin oak casks. The combination gives lots of fruity aromas of apricot, melon and orchard fruits. The palate brings more of the creamy orchard fruits and there is a touch of smoke. The finish brings the apricots back and a little maltiness. It’s a lively fruity whisky with lots of complexity and with that little touch of smoke, the orchard fruits really sing.

ABV: 43%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £34.99

Balvenie 14 Year Old Caribbean Cask

Fruity flavours can come in all types with whisky, and one of my favourites is created by finishing whisky in a rum cask. This whisky began life in traditional oak casks and then was finished in Caribbean rum casks. Balvenie even went as far as asking their Malt Master David Stewart to create the blend of rums to go into the casks to season them for the whisky. The nose is very tropical with mangoes and passionfruit as well as the usual vanilla and toffee, the palate brings in apples and a little banana and the finish is very long with the fruity flavours persisting.

ABV: 43%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £55.99

Tomatin 12 Year Old – 125th Anniversary

Tomatin has always made a fruity style of whisky and this expression is no exception. Using both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks has created a very fruit forward style that is incredibly well balanced. There’s not much more to say about the flavour, it’s simply very good. However it does come with a great anniversary box designed by paper cut artist Emily Hogarth, so makes a great gift, and let’s hope that if you gift it they open it whilst you're there!

ABV: 43%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £36.95

Glendronach Port Wood

There has been an upward trend over the last ten years of finishing whisky in Port Pipes. And with this expression from Glendronach, we have a cracker. It’s uncomplicated, very fruity, fabulously rich and the fruit content very deep. There are lots of dried fruits like raisins and dates but also tropical notes too and even darker fruits like blackberry jam. There is some drying oak on the finish, but this is mixed with back grapes and a little charred wood. A little more expensive, but well worth every penny.

ABV: 46%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £59.85

Johnny Walker 12 Days of Discovery

Fruity whisky doesn’t have to be the domain of the Single Malts, there are many types of blended whisky, but Johnny Walker is known for its fruity style with a wisp of smoke. I think the best way to be able to delve into the world of Johnny Walker is to try the entire core range. And with this set, you can do just that without breaking the bank. It contains 12 50ml miniature bottles, 2 for each expression, spanning the Johnnie Walker range: Red Label, Black Label, 12 year old Double Black, Gold Label Reserve, 18 Year Old and Blue Label. Considering Blue label is nearly £180 a bottle, this is a brilliant way to try some of the more expensive Johnny Walker whiskies and experience their lovely fruitiness.

ABV: 40%
Size: 600ml
Find here: £45.94

To read more about the Johnnie Walker range, have a read of The Colours of Johnnie Walker and for some tasty drams that don’t cost the earth, make sure you check out 10 Cheap Whiskies that Taste Expensive.

Great Scotch Whisky for Burns Night!

Words by Colin Hampden-White

Burn’s Night is always a good excuse for whisky lovers to open up their favourite bottles and celebrate the Scottish poets life and works over a few drams and haggis. Here are some of my favourite whiskies aged 13 to 18 years which won’t break the bank and one special dram which I think most people would like. From those just starting out on their whisky journey to seasoned travellers on the whisky road. There are some classics, some newbies and a couple of unusual bottles here, but they have one thing in common. They are all delicious.

Craigellachie 13 Year Old

Back in 2014, Craigellachie released a new core range of whiskies, all with prime numbers as age statements reflecting the maverick edge to the brand. The 13 year old was the beginning, and it was a very good start. One of the few whiskies I will always have on a shelf, I’ll be starting my Burn’s night celebrations with one of these. Lots of character, plenty of fruit and bold intense flavours whilst remaining smooth and easy to drink.

ABV: 46%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find here: UK £46.99 // US $64.99

The Balvenie 14 Year Old Caribbean Cask

This is probably the best expression of whisky finished in rum casks. Spending the beginning of its life in ex-bourbon casks giving vanilla and toffee flavours, the rum cask finish brings in banana and other tropical notes. The rum casks were filled with rum that malt master David Stewart had blended to give lots of complexity and sweetness. I find this whisky pairs well with a great number of foods but goes especially well with haggis.

ABV: 43%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find here: UK £56.95 // US $100.99

Tamdhu 15 Year Old

Tamdhu is the king of sherry cask maturation on Speyside being the only distillery which uses only ex-Sherry casks for all its whisky. This 15 year old gives all those who love a sherry bomb enough of a kick whilst remaining balanced and fruity for those just getting into sherried whisky. There are lots of dark fruit flavours and plenty of Christmas spice from the ex-Oloroso Sherry casks. Perfect for smoked salmon or a well-seasoned haggis.

ABV: 46%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find here: UK £74.95 // US $119.99

Fettercairn 16 2021 (2nd release)

This second release of a 16 year old from Fettercairn is very different from the 1st release. There is no use of chocolate malt in this expression and lots of expertly blended sherry casks. Three different types of sherry casks were used: first fill Oloroso, refill Oloroso and first fill Palo Cortado Sherry Butts. This marriage of casks gives lots of complexity and balance from the fruity spirit and spicy oak. It’s definitely one to savour. Leaving the whisky in the glass to air for twenty minutes or so will bring extra complexity and nuance.

ABV: 46.4%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £64.95

Deanston 2002 17 year old Pinot Noir Cask Finish

This is a sophisticated dram. There are lots of vanilla notes and fudge from the first maturation in American oak, and orchard fruits from the spirit, all backed up with plenty of fresh red fruit flavours and grape notes from the second maturation in the Pinot Noir casks. The distillery character is still prevalent, but there is so much more to this expression that their core range delivers. Definitely, a dram worth spending that little bit extra on.

ABV: 50%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £110

Johnnie Walker 18

I believe this is a whisky all whisky lovers will enjoy. It is a blend of at least 18 whiskies including Cardhu, Glen Elgin and Blair Athol which are all favourites of mine. This used to be known as the Platinum label, but by giving it the age statement back gives clarity that this is a whisky of good age. With lots of fruity flavours, clear honey and gentle wisps of smoke this is a real crowd pleaser, and is astonishingly good value for an eighteen year old dram.

ABV: 40%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find here: UK £52.84 // US $79.99

Tomintoul 19 Year Old Port Pipe Matured Cask No.1

At the end of a Burn’s Night evening when a few different whiskies may have been consumed, something with a little punch is needed, and this whisky delivers. It is big and bold having been matured for all its life in a single port pipe which has imparted huge flavour into the spirit. Only 753 bottles were produced in 2020, and there are a few left. It gives lots of plums and creamy toffee with summer red fruits leading to dried fruits like raisins before giving way to peppery spice and a brilliantly balanced spice and sweetness all the way through the finish. It’s an absolute belter!

ABV: 57%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £175.95

Enjoy the whiskies, the haggis, the poetry and the bagpipes (there is always Spotify), but above all enjoy the company. Happy Burn’s night to you all. Slàinte Mhath.

Has all this whisky talk got you wishing you were in Scotland? If so, make sure you have a read of these brilliant Scotch Whisky Distillery Tours!

The Best Scotch Whisky to Try This Year

Words by Colin Hampden-White

I find the days of the year which celebrate a particular spirit very useful. It allows one to contemplate the year gone by and what we have drunk. I particularly like international Scotch day as it goes one step further. Beyond the world of whisky (or Whiskey), international Scotch day makes me concentrate on the whiskies which first captured my imagination and spawned decades of pleasure in whisky. Scotch was my first love, and although there are many great whiskies around the world. Scotch still amazes me with its breadth of style and flavour.

Over the last year, my journey through Scotch has been pretty epic. I have tasted some superb very young whisky from new distilleries with great sustainable programs, to old and venerable whiskies which have passed their 50th birthday, and even their 60th in some cases!

I’d like to share the highlights with you, and should you ever get the chance to taste the following drams, I’d jump at the chance.

Nc’nean

The very first batch from newcomers Nc’Nean. Made from organic barley with a long fermentation, matured in three different cask types, and having a bottle completely made of recycled materials, this whisky really hit the mark. Ripe apricots and vanilla custard, oak spiciness and hints of lemon and orange give this whisky lots of character.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 46%
Find here: £46.95

Glenallachie 13 Wine Cask Finish Rioja

Under the new ownership of Billy Walker, Glenallachie has had some brilliant whiskies released. However, this 13 year old really stood out for me. The whisky was matured in ex-bourbon and extra matured for two years in Rioja wine barriques. These wine barriques gave a subtle summer berry flavour to the already honied whisky and the balance was fabulous. A very sophisticated whisky for its age.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 48%
Find here: £62

Lagavulin 13 Feis Lle 2021

Matured in ex bourbon casks and finished in high charred Port seasoned casks, this whsiky was rich and refined for its age. Only 6000 bottles were produced, and the flavours included oily mineral notes, linseed oil and fragrant smoke. An intense whisky bottled at full strength.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 56.1%

Bladnoch 14

This was a surprise whisky for me. I have never really been a fan of Bladnoch. I’ve had some good ones, but many have been not very good. However, under new ownership this 14 year old 2021 has been released and it’s a cracker. Matured exclusively in ex Oloroso Sherry casks, it is full of fruit cake, dark chocolate and cinnamon flavours which add a great deal to the Bladnoch lowland fruity style.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 46.7%
Find here: £99

Fettercairn 16

Like Bladnoch, Fettercain in years gone by has been very overlooked. Now under the eye of blender Greg Glass, the whole range has been re-released, and smaller batches released within the regular line up. This 16 year old was made with a percentage of chocolate malt (heavily roasted malted barley), and is super sumptuous and rich with lots of sweet dark dried fruits and dark chocolate with a touch of spice and maltiness. This was so good that once I had finished my bottle and it sold out in the UK, I found one for sale in Europe and bought it.

Size: 1L
ABV: 46.4%
Find here: £103.25

That Boutique-y Whisky Company Inchmurrin 20 Year Old

This was batch 3 of Inchmurrin from That Boutique-y Whisky Company. Only 708 bottles where produced. With all the different style of whisky produced at the Loch Lomond distillery, there are different names ot the whisky. This style gives lots of marzipan and caramel aromas, sweet apples and gingerbread too. The palate brings in buttery notes and vanilla, soft spices and milk chocolate. Complex and very well balanced.

Size: 500ml
ABV: 51%

Glenburgie 1998 21 Year Old Exclusive to The Whisky Exchange

Distilled in 1998, this whisky was matured in a hogshead for 21 years with no finishing. Although bottled in 2019 I only tasted it in 2020 and loved it. With lots of tinned fruit and cocktail cherry aromas with a toasted oak, tropical fruit and brown sugar palate it was decadent and with a little water as waxy polish flavour came through which was particularly attractive.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 55.4%
Find here: £150

Ardbeg 25 Year Old

Whenever Ardbeg release a whisky with significant age there is always high expectation and a lot of excitement. With this 25 year old there was good reason to be excited. It was one of the best Ardbegs I had tasted in a long while. With the typical smoke still there, the intensity had be quelled with lots of tropical fruits and fine oaky flavours. Soft spices and white pepper come though on the finish. It’s a whisky to spend time getting to know as it changes in the glass and continues to develop with each sip.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 46%
Find Here: US $1,199.99

Glenmorangie Sonoma Cutrer 25

This expression of Glenmorangie was a one off. There were only 1000 bottles produced and this age of whisky having been matured for fifteen years of its life in Sonoma Cutrer Chardonnay barrels will never be released again. Seek out and taste if you can. It is a rich sumptuous whisky with confected fruits like wine gums, vanilla and soft spice. Complex oak and white chocolate with white pepper on the finish.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 55.7%

Jura 1989

This whisky is a great example of a single maturation with no finishing. It was matured in ex bourbon barrels for over 30 years and is very exotic with honeyed pears and ripe bananas. Vanilla holds everything together and soft spices like cinnamon and fresh apple hold the mid palate. Some sweet white chocolate lingers in the background and the finish is sweet. A great summer sipping whisky as the sun sets.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 53.5%
Find here: £650

The Glenturret Provenance 33 Year Old

This was the first release of the Trinity series and was a limited release of 320 lalique crystal decanters designed by Marc Larminaux. Now that is all very well, but the whisky also tastes as good as the bottle looks! With lots of dried fruits like raisins and sultanas with cherry red fruit and cinnamon the aromas are complex and rich. The palate brings dates and soft dried oak with a hint of fresh green apple. It is an elegant and refined whisky.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 43.7%
Find here: £9,800

Last Drop 50 Year Old Blend

This is a very complex whisky. Firstly, blended from over 50 different Scotch whiskies in 1995, and was then as a 30 year old married together in ex bourbon casks. A little of that original blend was held back and extra matured in Oloroso Sherry casks for 20 years! With only 898 bottles all coming with a 5cl miniature in a lovely leather case it made a great gift. It is an elegant whisky with cedar and lots of honey and a touch of sweet smoke on the nose. Red fruits and stewed autumn fruits like plumbs mix with cinnamon and dark chocolate and a little fennel. The finish has spice, waxy orange peel and a hint of aromatic oak.  

Size: 750ml
ABV: 51.8%
Find here: £2,990

Singleton 54 Paragon of Times II

The oldest Dufftown whisky I have ever tasted, and it didn’t disappoint. Having spent over half a century in European oak barrels since distillation in 1966 it was then finished in a single Pedro Ximenez cask. There were only 235 bottles made. This had all the hallmarks of an old whisky with furniture polish, dusty books and a little beeswax with sandal wood, but also fresh and baked fruit with apple and a touch of peach. The spices are complex but not too dry and the finish is incredibly long.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 44.1%

Mr George 67 Years Old 1953 Legacy First Edition Gordon and MacPhail

Nearly the oldest whisky I tasted over the last year, but more on the oldest later. This whisky was certainly my most memorable. This was filled into a first fill Sherry butt on Christmas Eve 1953 and never left that cask until the 5th of January 2021. With a rich nose of dried fruits and manuka honey it is inviting. There is a soft smoke in the background. Higher notes of antique furniture polish and fresh meadow flowers keep it alive and interesting. The palate has cigar leaf as well as sweet leaf tobacco, some coffee and dark chocolate with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Nutmeg and sandalwood bring in the finish which is long with bitter chocolate and stem ginger finally finishing on dry but sweet oak.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 59.4%
Find here: £4,995

20 Whiskies That Changed The World, By The Whisky Exchange

Now, not all the whiskies in this tasting set are Scotch, but most of it is and it’s the best tasting set I have come across for learning and pleasure. From new world, to smoky. Islay and fruity highland whiskies. Blends and Blended malts. They are all there and are a great set of well-chosen drams to learn from or re-visit.

Size: 20 x 30ml
ABV: 45.4%
Find here: £160

I think it is always good to remember the whiskies one tastes over the year and having a day like International Scotch day helps to focus the mind and think back to some of the pleasures of the past year. 

The Best Whiskies in the World

Words by Colin Hampden-White

As time moves forward, World Whisky Day has greater meaning. Long gone are the days of whisk(e)y being dominated by Scotch and Irish drams. We have whiskies being made in the most unlikely of countries, and being made very well. Along with Scotch and Irish drams, Japanese whisky has held a respected position in the whisky world for over a decade. It is surprising it has taken so long for the whisky world to wake up to Japanese whiskies with it having been produced in Japan for nearly a century with the Yamazaki distillery being built in 1924.

Beyond Japan, there is great whisky being made in Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand. With Lark distillery being build in 1992, and Sullivans Cove in 1994, Australian whisky began to be recognised for its quality with Sullivans Cove being awarded the world’s best single malt in 2014. To whisky lovers, these distilleries are well known, but there are also new lesser-known distilleries with fantastic whisky. Cardrona distillery in New Zealand launched their first Single Malt last year with Just Hatched and followed that up with another brilliant release Growing Wings.

Distilling in central Europe is also going from strength to strength. Well known distilleries such as Slyrs in Germany, Lagatun in Switzerland are continuing to keep their quality and consistency. Newer distilleries in central Europe are creating some incredible whisky, Broger and Pfanner in Austria being two favourites of mine. Moving a little further east to the Caspian Sea, I have even found good single malt whisky being made in Azerbaijan on a visit a few years ago. Closer to home for me, the distilleries in England and Wales are going great guns. Aber Falls is about to release their first whiskies this year, Copper Rivet released their first whisky, Masthouse and the Cotwolds distilleries created their sherry cask matured expression which was my favourite English whisky of the last year.

A country well known for its whiskey is the USA, although usually made with different grains and corn, but they are now making some fantastic single malt whiskey. St George in California make a complex and fruity single malt, whilst Balcones in Texas make a big bold powerful single malt which has great complexity with their cold winters and incredibly hot summers making maturation a rapid affair with plenty of interaction between wood and spirit.

With all these world whiskies it would be easy to think that Scotch and Irish are getting left behind, but this is far from the truth. There is a plethora of new distilleries which are now producing whisky. The Glasgow distillery, Ardnamurchan, Daftmill and Arbiki being a few of my favourites. And there are new whiskies on the way with distilleries being built now like Gordon & MacPhail in the Cairngorms and more planned for the future. The green light has also been given for Sukhinder Singh’s distillery on Islay.

From the world of old, three notable closed distilleries are coming back to greet us. Port Ellen is being rebuilt, as is Rosebank, and Brora is opening imminently. Over the last few years, a few existing brands that have been overlooked have had a revamp and are creating some very exciting whisky. My favourite is Fettercairn from Whyte and Mackay, with the 16 year old (made with chocolate malt) being particularly good. Glenturret, having been bought by Lalique has had a serious makeover and the new expressions are seriously good, with a 15 year old at 55% ABV really standing out. Lastly, I enjoyed the new expressions from Bladnoch. A distillery which we have seen little from over the years now has a very smart new bottle and quite a few new expressions. I very much liked the Vinaya which is excellent value and for the 2020 release of Talia, a 26 year old which they matured in American oak red wine casks for all 26 years, and the results were excellent.

With so much choice in the world of whisk(e)y it is hard to know where to start. Might I suggest wherever you might be in the world to start close by, there is bound to be a distillery not too far away, creating whisky, and on this day of all days, let’s celebrate together and keep the food miles down, and support the expansion of whisky throughout the world with a glass of something local.

If you want a more in depth look into Scotch whisky make sure you check out The Three Drinkers do Scotch Whisky and if you’re thinking of investing in your favourite bottles then have a read of Colin’s Whisky Investment Index.

Which Whiskies to Invest in - April Whisky Investment Index

By Colin Hampden-White

This month has seen quite a bit of change in the leaders in Scotch whisky and we have added a tenth position as the volume for Macallan has risen recently. Dalmore is still riding high with great values as well as volumes being achieved. Bowmore has had a good month and overtakes Springbank. In the mid field everything is still very tight with only small percentages separating the brands. Notably Macallan has joined the list and not in last place, having had good volumes at auction with older bottles gaining in value.

As always, if I were buying at auction, I would be looking for rare, limited editions and single cask bottlings from good independent bottlers or official bottlings. I would also take a look at some of the brands that have done well historically but might not be on the top list at the moment, like Ardbeg and Mortlach. These might be a good bet for the future.

This page is always a pointer, and in no way should be taken as a proven way to invest in whisky. Like all investments, they can go down as well as up. Please do your own research as well, and if this informs that research, I’m glad we are helping.

When I started collecting, I bought nearly every release from the English Whisky Company, which were around £50 to £200 a bottle. They released quite a few bottles in their first few years. Apparently, the market thought too many, and I would have lost 50% of what I spent had I sold them. Luckily, they tasted great! On the converse side, I bought a bottle of Hanyu Joker from the card series for £215 which is now sold at auction for around £3,000. I have many examples of bad and good investments. The trick, like any investment portfolio, is to be diverse. Have a broad portfolio and hopefully the winners will outweigh the losers.

Dalmore 8%
Bowmore 3%
Rosebank 1.5%
Clynelish 0.5%
Yamazaki 1%
Springbank 1.5%
Karuizawa 2%
Glendronach 1.5%
Macallan 1%
Bunnahabain (base)

Above all, when I invest in whisky, I buy whisky I love. For example, if you don’t like peaty whisky, don’t buy Islay. At the end of the day, if it goes wrong, you can always drink it!

Bottles to Watch

Balvenie Tun 1509 Batch 6

Batch 7 has been released, so Batch 6 will become rarer and rarer and begin to go up in value in both the USA and UK.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 50.4%
Find here: UK £300 // US $599.99

Scapa 16

A discontinued whisky with very few bottles remaining.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £225

Invergordon 50 year old

At 50 years old this is very special and is only cheap because it is grain whisky. I reckon grain whisky is going to become more and more expensive and there were only 328 bottles of this one produced.

Size: 500ml
ABV: 47.5%
Find here: £349.95

Clynelish 23

With only 187 bottles produced from this well respected and well followed distillery. This should be a good bet.

Size: 500ml
ABV: 47.3%

To compare this list to last month’s click here and if you want to find out more about Scotch whisky then don’t forget to watch The Three Drinkers do Scotch Whisky on Amazon Prime now!

The Best Value Fruity Scotch Whisky

The showstoppers of Scotch whisky tend to be either powerful smoky whiskies or big rich sherry bomb whiskies. These extremes have their dedicated followers and certain cultures around the world have a preference for them. For example smoky whisky is particularly loved in Germany, and sherry cask matured whisky is loved in Hong Kong and China. However most whisky falls outside of these two styles, and it is fruit flavours which give them their popularity. Here are eight fruity whiskies which have great quality and are also fabulous value for money. They just happen to all begin with “Glen”.

Glen Moray Classic

This "Classic" expression is the entry level bottling from the Glen Moray distillery. It has made one of our top lists in the past and is probably the best value single malt Scotch whisky today. It is distilled in Speyside which is known for sherry cask matured whiskies, but like most of this list, although they are distilled in Speyside, they are still part of the highland region which has a fruity character at its core.

ABV: 40%
Buy it now for £21.90

Glenmorangie Original

The Original is the flagship single malt Scotch whisky from the Glemorangie Distillery in the Highlands. Matured in a combination of first-and-second-fill American white oak casks for 10 years, the expression is a benchmark for creamy, approachable fruity single malt. A long-running go-to dram for many whisky enthusiasts (including us here at The Three Drinkers), this stuff is brilliant as an aperitif, though more than suitable for enjoying on a cooler evening.

ABV: 40%
Buy it now for £32.95

Glen Grant 10 year old

A great beginner's whisky right here from the Glen Grant Distillery, produced in tall pot stills. This 10 year old Speyside single malt, having spent a decade in bourbon casks, boasts oodles of light, malty notes. A top dram for warmer weather, and full of lovely fruity orchard flavours with a little toffee and a touch of peat. It’s like eating a toffee apple at a summer BBQ.

ABV: 40%
Buy it now for £29.90

Glengoyne 10 year old

Completely unpeated which is unusual in the highlands, this Glengoyne is soft, fruity and very quaffable. A fine single malt! Not known to many, but Ian MacLeod, the owners of Glengoyne are creating great whisky and are beginning to really shout about it. It’s going to be found in more and more shops and I’m sure it’s going to be loved.

ABV: 43%
Buy it now for £37.39

Glenfiddich 12 year old

This classic Speyside from Glenfiddich was the Winner of a Gold Medal at the 2007 International Wine and Spirit Competition and has been the best selling single malt in the world for several years. Aged for 12 years in American and European Oak casks this whisky has classic fruity apples and touches of honey. Macallan might be known as the king of Speyside, but this whisky should be an emperor.

ABV: 40%
Buy it now for £31.95

Glen Keith Distillery Edition

This Fairly unknown whisky is the first permanent no age statement single malt from Glen Keith that the distillery in Speyside has released. Matured in ‘traditional’ American oak casks and bottled at 40% ABV, the release of this laid-back malt is very welcome indeed. The distillery had a complete refurbishment a few years ago and now the liquid from the distillery is being bottled. Once a cult fruity Speyside whisky, it’s sure to regain that status.

ABV: 40%
Buy it now for £29.75

Glenlivet 12 year old

Excellent 12 year old single malt from the Glenlivet Distillery in Speyside, which enjoys its maturation in both European and American oak casks. It's an immensely popular expression which disappeared from shelves in 2015, but has since returned! A great example of the character of Glenlivet's whisky, boasting a bounty of orchard fruit, fragrant florals and honeyed malt notes carried on a creamy mouth feel.

ABV: 40%
Buy it now for £36.25

Glen Elgin 12 year old

A very soft and fruity 12 year old Speyside dram, distilled at the Glen Elgin distillery. Glen Elgin is very well known for having a very fruity palate, mixing orchard fruits with tropical fruits. It might be soft on the palate making it very easy to drink, but it is full of flavour and, although owned by Diageo, it’s not that well known. A little secret for those of us who love fruity whisky.

ABV: 43%
Buy it now for £41.45

To continue your exploration of whisky why not check out Sherry Bombs: The Best Sherry Matured Whiskies In The World or Wine Finished Whiskies: Where To Start

10 Cheap Whiskies That Taste Expensive

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