Picking the best scotch whiskey brand isn’t as easy as it might seem at first glance. Over a hundred scotch whiskey brands produce thousands of whiskies to choose from, so it’s hardly surprising that it’s a hard task.
When choosing, there are many things to consider, including taste, price, and reputation. All these factors were considered in putting together this list of the best scotch whiskey brands out there.
Here they are. Let’s go!
Balvenie
Balvenie is an old-fashioned, traditional brand. This is evident because it is one of the few distilleries that still uses its malting floor. The barley used is grown on the distillery’s farm, Balvenie Mains. Their malt master, David Stewart MBE, has been in the industry for over half a century. The 12-year doublewood is currently Balvenie’s flagship drink.
Glenfiddich
Founded by William Grant, the same man who found Balvenie, Glenfiddich is a popular name in whiskey circles; and rightly so. Glenfiddich was founded in 1887 with the focus of producing “the best dram in the valley.” It is fair to say they haven’t strayed far from their goal. It is the world’s most awarded single malt.
Glenmorangie
Glenmorangie is a household name for good reason. The distillery has been functioning for two centuries now, and their process has barely changed. Amazingly, the land that Glenmorangie stands on today has been the site for producing alcohol illicitly back in the middle ages. Their whiskies are typically sweet, with hints of spices, vanilla, oak, and fruit.
Glenlivet
If it is one of the best-selling malt whiskey in the United States, there must be a reason. Glenlivet gives you a unique drinking experience for an affordable price. The Glenlivet 12 Year is one of the most popular whiskies globally. It is a first-class malt with a smooth taste despite being priced at $29.99 for the 750ml bottle.
Laphroaig
Lovers of peaty whiskies will be familiar with Laphroaig, one of Islay’s best whiskey brands. A peat content of 45ppm, or parts per million, makes it one of the smokiest whiskies from Islay island (a higher ppm means a smokier whiskey). There is a wide range of official bottlings, from a ten-year-old to a twenty-five-year-old to a triple wood. If you feel adventurous, you should try their extra-aged whiskies. Time tends to uncover the other distinct tastes by masking the peaty taste.
Lagavulin
Lagavulin is one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland as there are records of illegal distilling from back in the eighteenth century. It has the slowest distillation process of all the Islay whiskies, with about five hours for the first and over nine hours for the second.
The Macallan
Generally considered one of the highest-selling Scotch whiskey brands, Macallan is known in some quarters as ” the Rolls-Royce of whiskies.” This nickname explains why Macallan whiskies are sought by connoisseurs and collectors alike. They have some of the most expensive bottles in the world. Macallan is the go-to brand if you are looking for premium drinks.
What now?
We know that tastes differ, and there are some bottles some people would be expecting to see on this list. But take out words for it when we say you can’t go wrong with ANY of these options. The proof is in the whiskey!
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