We’re big fans of blended Scotch whisky here at Master of Malt. The best blends offer lots of flavour per pound – especially handy in a time of rising prices. Blended Scotch whisky combines distinctive malt whiskies with smooth grains into a harmonious whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.
The big brands are miracles of the blender’s art – mixing dozens of different whiskies into a coherent whole. Furthermore, there’s a great variety to be found in the blended category from big names like Johnnie Walker and Dewar’s to more obscure brands as well as small houses like Compass Box crafting unusual blends.
So here are some of our the best blended Scotch whiskies to drink in 2024.
Hankey Bannister
Around £20 for a bottle for a versatile and tasty blend with a charming old-school vibe. What’s not to like? No wonder it’s proved such a hit with the team here at Master of Malt. We love its peachy, honeyed and toffee-laden flavour profile that makes it an absolute dream for mixing whether it’s in a Highball or a Whisky Sour. There should always be a place in your home bar/drinks cabinet for Hankey Bannister.
J&B Rare
Following the end of Prohibition in the USA, J&B Rare was created by Justerini & Brooks to appeal to the American palate, hitting shelves in 1933. The blend itself is made with a combination of 42 Scotch single malts and grains, with a generous portion of Speyside whisky at the expression’s core. This smooth Scotch is great on the rocks or neat, and it’s also versatile enough to be used in cocktails.
The Sassenach Blended Scotch
This whisky was created in conjunction with Sam Heughan, the actor who plays the lead character, Jamie Fraser in Outlander. It’s aged in a mix of sherry and bourbon casks, and is a classic blended Scotch. This lovely blend has a fruity, apricot-driven nose, with treacle, marmalade and dry spice. The palate is honeyed, malty, and creamy, with notes of vanilla, toffee, and cinnamon.
Coachbuilt Whisky
Another celebrity blend this time from Jenson Button, former Formula 1 world champion working with spirits expert George Koutsakis. Coachbuilt Whisky is made with spirits from five of Scotland’s whisky producing regions, and married together in sherry casks, building a rewarding flavour profile. Rather glorious stuff, this!
Black Bottle Smoke & Dagger – Alchemy Series
Smoke & Dagger is not messing around when it comes to smoke. This one from the Alchemy Series combines older malts with boisterous young smoke bombs, and even features some recognisable names like Bunnahabhain Moine, as well as the heaviest peated malt in the Black Bottle reserves. For an extra layer of smoke, grain whisky was added to casks that previously held a highly-peated island malt.
Compass Box Spice Tree
Not all blends contain grain whisky. This is made from 100% Highland malt whiskies by boutique blending house Compass Box, it’s aged in specially designed casks with virgin French oak heads which add a huge amount of spice – hence the name. It has become something of a classic bottling. In April 2015, it was named Best Blended Malt Scotch at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Dewar’s 12 Year Old
Dewar’s is perhaps the only rival Johnnie Walker Black Label has as the most famous blended whisky… in the world! The White Label is very nice but the 12 Year Old is a cut above. It’s ‘Double Aged’ meaning that it spends additional six month marriage the whisky enjoys in oak after the initial maturation and blending. If you like your blends honeyed and smooth then look no further. It’s smoother than David Niven in a velvet smoking jacket.
Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Year Old
Johnnie Walker Black Label is an icon recognised on every continent. The classic 12 Year Old is a blend majoring on Diageo’s Four Corners of Scotland distilleries Clynelish in the Highlands, Cardhu on Speyside, malt from Glenknichie and grain from Cameronbridge with a little smoke from Caol Ila. If you like your blend rich and a little smoky, then you’ll love Black Label.
Green Isle
And now, if you love the taste of Islay but shrink from the ever-increasing price of single malts from the island, then why not try a smoky blend like Green Isle? The core is Islay malt, alongside Speyside malt and Lowland grain whiskies to create the blend. An approachable, beautifully balanced blend, boasting smoky depth as well as light fruit and fragrant spice.
Royal Salute 21 Year Old Signature Blend Whisky
One of the finest whiskies money can buy full stop. It’s a blend of the finest malts and grains with a minimum age of 21 years – in honour of the 21 Gun Salute that is fired at the Tower of London for royal celebrations. The whisky is presented in a classic blue Wade ceramic decanter and the contents are complex and fruity with subtle smoky accents.