Top 10 Single Malts Worth Splashing Out On
Got any picks for the Top 10 Single Malts Worth Splashing Out On? Suggest some in the comments below.
There comes a time when you want to buy a really special whisky. But which one?
Picking a bottle that is going to represent value for money is a daunting task. You don’t want to drop all that dolla and be disappointed when you pop the cork.
Let us help. Here’s our Top 10 Single Malts Worth Splashing Out On. Choices range from a bit spenny to YOWZA in price and covers Scotch mostly, with an Irish whiskey and a Japanese single malt too.
Whisky doesn’t get weirder than this. Dare ye?
Top 10 Single Malts Worth Splashing Out On
Tamdhu 21 Year Old Sherry Cask Matured 70cl Whisky
If you know me, you know I love a Tamdhu. Only natural then that the first pick is oldest expression in Tamdhu’s core range. A 21-year-old Speyside single malt, it’s aged in oloroso sherry casks, a combo of first-fill and refill American and European oak. There are so many big names in Speyside sherry. This rivals them all.
Craigellachie 23 Year Old 70cl Whisky
Another core range pinncale from Speyside, but a very different whisky. Craigellachie 23 Year Old is a complex brew of tropical fruit, bittersweet herbs, refined oak and meaty weight. It also comes with a free three dram tasting set. Each whisky hails from the Barcardi single malt portolfio, including Aberfeldy and Royal Brackla.
Yoichi 10 Year Old 70cl Whisky
Yoichi is regarded by many as the jewel in Nikka’s crown. That makes it very shiny indeed. The key is the traditional process. We’re talking direct-fired stills, worm tubs, proprietary yeasts, and wooden washbacks. It adds up to a whisky with real clarity, with notes of vanilla, fruit, peat smoke, and a salty edge.
Glen Garioch 27 Year Old (That Boutique-y Whisky Company) 70cl
Funky, old school, wild. That’s how this whisky was sold to me. It is truly bizarre, but utterly brilliant. I don’t really want to say anymore and spoil it for you. Fancy taking a risk?
Scarabus 30 Year Old 70cl Whisky
Hunter Laing knows how to pick ’em. Although you’d be able to tell this was top whisky even if you’ve never seen the stuff before. Scarabus 30 Year Old is old, smoky Islay whisky as nature intended. No chill-filtration, no added colour, no fuss.
Bushmills 21 Year Old 70cl Whisky
Bushmills 21 Year Old hardly needs introduction. Oloroso sherry and bourbon casks do the business. Then a two-year marrying period spent in Madeira casks takes things up a notch. Expect a fruit explosion.
Glen Scotia 25 Year Old 70cl Whisky
The people who have tasted Glen Scotia 25yo are a select club. They simply nod at each other and know. You have entered the elite. You understand what whisky like this can do. Care to find out for yourself?
Fettercairn 22 Year Old 70cl Whisky
Fettercairn 22yo showcases a particular side of the distillery’s house style. Notably, its vibrant, ripe fruitiness. Marvel as heaps of mango, apple and cherry fall over each other on your palate.
Glenburgie 50 Year Old 1975 (cask 75-3881/1975) – Cask Masters (Brave New Spirits) 70cl Whisky
The oldest whisky from Brave New Spirits is worth the hype. It’s a 50-year-old single malt from the underrated Glenburgie Distillery in Speyside. I was fortunate enough to have a dram at a whisky show not too long ago. I still think about it sometimes.
Ladyburn 43 Year Old – Forgotten Gems 70cl Whisky
Wrapping up our Top 10 Single Malts Worth Splashing Out On selection is this 43-year-old single malt from Ladyburn. The Lowland distillery fell silent long ago in 1975. It’s rarely seen these days. Just 32 bottles of this ever existed. Forgotten Gem indeed. This is a slice of Scotch whisky history.
