Single malts and a blended malt that show you don’t must spend huge to drink effectively.
Not all inexpensive scotch tastes like price range whisky. There’s a candy spot the place good mixing, strong cask work, and conventional distilling ship bottles that really feel far dearer than they’re.
These are the on a regular basis drams you’ll maintain reaching for. Not simply because they’re good worth, however as a result of they’re genuinely good.
Campbeltown Loch Blended Malt
Kicking off with a whisky from one of the vital in-demand Scottish distilleries on this planet. Properly, it has some Springbank in it.
A mixture of Springbank, Hazelburn, Longrow, Killkerran, and Glen Scotia. Right here we have now a blended malt whisky that summarises what Campbeltown whiskies are all about. The batches can differ between closely sherried and extra bourbon-focused targeted however they’re at all times of such superior high quality.
A bottle of it will set you again about £40 and tends to hold round on cabinets greater than the age-stated single malts from the identical space. Definitely price having one in your cupboard for the Campbeltown funk word when the bottles disappear all year long.
Benromach 10 Yr Previous
With regards to funk, right here’s an ideal fashionable single malt with a historic throwback in its fashion. Benromach is a gently peated single malt that takes us again to the previous, when Speyside single malts had some peat in them because the norm.
The ten yr outdated launch is the proper expression of what Scottish whisky might be. For about £40 a bottle, you’ll be able to style one thing that’s candy, smoky, a little bit spicy, and has fairly a protracted end for a comparatively youthful single malt.
The distillery prioritises first-fill casks throughout their entire vary, so that you’re at all times getting nice high quality wooden together with very tasty spirits which might be aged inside them.
Ardnamurchan AD
A favourite new distillery of mine. Properly, I say new, however they’ve simply handed the ten-year mark on the subject of age acknowledged launch.
Other than that, Ardnamurchan has this unbelievable single malt that prioritises a 50/50 cut up of their very own peated and unpeated distillate. Usually aged in ex-bourbon with a little bit splash of sherry cask, it has this west coast wilderness to it. It’s salty, savoury, candy, and has these unbelievable long-lasting notes of sea salt, mild peat, and candy vanilla and toffee.
A beautiful whisky, however don’t simply take my phrase for it. Be sure you get to a specialist store or competition and take a look at it.
Loch Lomond 12 Yr Previous
A highland whisky that tastes a little bit extra like a lowland, in a classical means.
Loch Lomond 12 is among the most constant and dependable whiskies in the marketplace. Produced by the distillery of the identical identify and tucked away on the south coast of the loch, it has all the qualities you’d need from each lowland and highland single malts.
It’s a usually grassy fashion of liquid. It presents you with candy toffee, freshly minimize grass, and one thing mild however spicy within the background, take into consideration the scent of chilli powder and brown sugar collectively. Style-wise, it delivers the identical, however with a little bit contact of basic highland spice on the palate – by no means a foul factor.
Loch Lomond has its personal cooperage on website, so you’ll be able to relaxation assured that no expense or element is spared on the subject of high quality casks for his or her liquid to age over time.
Glasgow 1770 Unique
One other new child on the block who has additionally simply handed their ten-year anniversary.
The Glasgow Distillery is an absolute gem of a producer. Other than producing unpeated, peated, and triple-distilled fashion whiskies that lean again into the realm’s heritage, they completely nail what’s to be a city-based, lowland distillery.
This core expression is among the most tropical types of single malt you’ll be able to come throughout. Very paying homage to types like Linkwood and Longmore, however a lot simpler to seek out. Matured in ex-bourbon after which completed in virgin oak casks, this additionally has an honest degree of spice and barrel impression to make these candy notes work and distinction in opposition to the ABV and oak influences.
Bunnahabhain 12 Yr Previous
A basic is at all times wanted on an inventory like this, and Bunnahabhian remains to be hitting it out of the park on the subject of their home fashion.
Unpeated, 12 yr outdated single malt, principally matured in ex-sherry casks with a salty, coastal edge? What’s to not like? Loaded with sticky raisins and dates which have that basic West Coast salty tang to distinction all of it in the easiest way potential.
A bottle that at all times kicks round on my shelf at dwelling, and for about £45 a bottle, it’s a no brainer.
The GlenAllachie 12 Yr Previous
If you would like sherry cask affect with no ingredient of peat or saltiness, right here you go. A whisky that was not too long ago awarded ‘Greatest In The World’.
Glenallachie is all about these huge sherry influences. The nostril alone can transport you to the sherry triangle of southern Spain. It’s wealthy with chocolate, hazelnut, spiced cherries, and all the great Christmas aromas you need from one thing like this.
Other than the sherry, the distillery is run and owned by top-of-the-line within the enterprise, Billy Walker. I name dwelling the type Midas of sherry; it’s a title that somebody ought to genuinely award him. This high quality and taste might be yours for lower than £50 a bottle. Unbelievable within the present world of sherry cask single malt costs.
Tomatin 12 Yr Previous Sherry Cask
This one is a little bit of a shock. I not too long ago reviewed this on my YouTube channel – Whisky Wednesday, and it actually blew me away.
Loaded with unbelievable notes of beeswax, honey, and apricot, this Tomatin has all the qualities of a effectively put collectively sherry cask single malt, with a little bit little bit of ‘funk’ that the distillery has turn into recognized for over the previous few years.
It’s considerably of a basic highland fashion. It has fruity notes and a few notes of chocolate right here and there, however there’s this very distillate-driven, house-style form of single malt, even with the sherry influences.
It has stability, poise, and numerous taste, even at simply 40% ABV. It was fairly a shock to me.
Closing Ideas
Nice scotch doesn’t want a three-figure price ticket. Whether or not you’re stocking up your shelf or on the lookout for a go-to pour, these whiskies show that worth and high quality can go hand in hand.
Obtained a favourite bottle that flies below the radar? Tell us.
