Top 10 Scotch whiskies for Christmas

Lagavulin 16 Year Old

The Balvenie Thirty Single Malt Scotch Whisky

For the big spender,,,

It might be too rich for most’s blood, but this 30 Year Old stunner from Balvenie is worth the investment.

Highly sought after, this Speyside single malt was released in 2014, having been matured in a mixture of European oak Sherry cases selected by Balvenie’s master distiller, David Stewart MBE.

The result is a “rich, mellow aged whisky with unusual depth and complexity”, with silky smooth notes of honey and candied orange peel on the nose, rich dark chocolate, hints of plum, marzipan and caramelised pear on the palate, and a gently spicy finish with a “lingering sweetness”.

Not a bottle to open on a whim.

RRP: £700

 Talisker 10-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

For those those who love peat…

Perhaps one of the peatiest peat whiskies around, Talisker is known for its distinct smoky nose, so if you aren’t a fan of peated whiskies, steer clear of Talisker.

Aged for a minimum of 10 years in American oak casks, this whisky is the perfect introduction to the Talsiker range, and a bargain at £39, and can often be found cheaper on offer if you shop around.

On the nose, expect a a thick cloud of smoke mingled with notes of pear and apple peel, with a hint of salt and seaweed. The palate offers more smoke and black pepper, and a solid core of orchard fruits, leading to a long finish with a lingering sweetness. Great on a cold Christmas eve.

RRP: £39

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Exotic Cargo

The the adventurous…

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society was founded in Edinburgh in 1983 with the sole purpose of discovering and distributing small batch and unusual Scotch whiskies. It purchases individual casks from more than 125 distilleries and sells directly to its members, offering a treasure trove of interesting, rare and distinct expressions.

Aged for 11 years in first fill Spanish oak ex-Sherry casks, just 925 bottles of Exotic Cargo were produced, which are now sold out on the SMWS website, but are still available if you hunt hard enough.

Its name says it all. This whisky is bursting with notes of brandy butter, botrytis and sultana compote on the nose, interlaced with brown sugar, banana and malt loaf on the palate. Great for something a bit different.

RRP: £100

Douglas Laing & Co Rock Oyster 18 Years Old

For the mildly unconventional…

From Douglas Laing comes this limited edition Rock Oyster bottling – an 18 year old Scotch blended from malts distilled on the islands of Arran, Islay, Jura and Orkney, produced without colouring or chill-filtration.

Expect a salty blast of sea air on the nose, with a hint of peat and light tobacco, with notes of sea salt, sweet peat, smoke, honey and pepper on the palate owing to Islay, and a sweet finish, thanks to the softer includes of the Arran, Jura and Orkney malts.

Established in 1948, Douglas Laing produces single malt, single grain and blended Scotch whiskies, with a particular emphasis on artisan, Small Batch and Single Cask bottlings.

RRP: £90

Johnnie Walker Green Label 15-year-old Blended Scotch Whisky

For the masses… 

A staple of many whisky lovers cocktail cabinet, Johnnie Walker is a reliable all rounder for the festive period.

Relaunched in 2016, Green Label is the richest in the Johnnie Walker stable, made from a blend of malts sourced from Speyside, Highland, Lowland and Island aged for a minimum of 15 years. 

A crowd pleaser, it offers intense aromas of crisp cut grass, fresh fruit, wood smoke, deep vanilla, and sandalwood, with a flavours of oak and cedar, orchard and tropical fruits on the palate, with a smoky, salty finish. 

RRP: £50

Port Dundas 25 Year Old (That Boutique-y Whisky Company)

For the treasure hunter…

That Boutique-y Whisky Company features a range of limited-edition small batch releases from long lost distilleries and extremely rare casks, available throughout Atom Brand’s distribution and importer Maverick Drinks. The result is a dazzling array of intriguing, unusual and rare whiskies housed in an ever diverse range of bottles featuring funky labels.

Fruity notes of green bananas and raspberries persist on the nose, with a hint of strawberry bon bons, hazelnuts and pecans, with a palate that boast notes of chocolate praline, mint ice cream and tinned peaches, according to Master of Malt, leading to a hunt of spice and bitter orange peel on the finish.

The team released the second batch of Port Dundas in July 2018, making 521 bottles of an 8 year old expression available at a more budget-friendly RRP of £35.

RRP: £100

Chivas Regal 18-Year-Old-Whisky

For the royalists…

Part of the Pernod Ricard stable of brands, under its Chivas Brothers scotch whisky arm, the Chivas Regal brand can trace its history back to 1801, and in 1843 Chivas Brothers was granted a Royal Warrant to supply goods to Queen Victoria.

Its Chivas Regal 18 Year old, made from a blend of Scotch whiskies aged for a minimum of 18 years, was launched in 1997, personally created by Master Blender Colin Scott, from over 20 single malts from around Scotland. 

Expect hints of orange peel, vanilla fudge, dried fruit and buttery toffee on the nose, leading to flavours of marmalade, dark chocolate, and touch of wood.

A reliably regal addition to your drink cabinet.

RRP: £50

Compass Box Hedonism

For the troublemaker…

Head quartered in Chiswick, London, Scotch whisky producer and bottler Compass Box was founded in 2000 by American entrepreneur John Glaser, a former marketing director at Johnnie Walker. It selects distillates from a number of Scotch whisky distilleries which are then blended and matured further.

Living up to its mischievous and disruptive nature, in 2015 Compass Box locked horns with The Scotch Whisky Association when it attempted to release complete information about every component whisky used in its blends. The SWA claimed this was prohibited by both EU and UK laws. In response, Compass Box launched a ‘Scotch Whisky Transparency’ campaign to encourage greater transparency in Scotch.

Hedonism is a blended grain Scotch whisky that launched with the company in 2000. Its malts are sourced from distilleries including Cameron Bridge, Carsebridge, Cambus, Port Dundas and Dumbarton, and aged in 100% first-fill American oak barrels or rejuvenated American oak Hogsheads.

Expect a smooth and creamy whisky resplendent with flavours of vanilla cream, toffee and coconut.

RRP: £65.82 (Currently £57.90 at Master of Malt)

Loch Lomond Group Island Collection – Inchmoan Vintage 1992

For the connoisseur…. 

Based in the Highlands, a Loch Lomond Distillery was first established in Arrochar in 1814, but closed three years later. The present business was established in 1964, with production beginning in 1965. While relatively young for a whisky distiller, it is already producing impressive aged malts. This 1992 Inchmoan scored a Master in the 2018 Scotch Whisky Masters, run by The Spirits Business magazine.

This peated single malt was distilled in 1992 and matured in bourbon barrels, and boasts notes of vanilla and black pepper on the nose, with a hint of smoke. On the palate, expect bold flavours of bonfire smoke, burnt demerara sugar, tropical fruit and damson, according to Spirits Business’ judges, with more spicy smoke and vanilla on the finish.

RRP: £214