Over the last few centuries, single malt whisky has evolved into a drink steeped in tradition and built up a loyal fanbase worldwide. Getting some of the best whiskies into your home is as easy as just clicking a few buttons on the internet. Sounds good, but there’s just one problem with this…how do you ensure you get the best ones? Well, it may be subjective, but here’s a list of the best single malts we feel you have to try:
Highland Park
If you’ve been an avid admirer of the finer whiskies for a while, there’s a good chance you’ve come across Highland Park somewhere along the way. Known for its unique fixation on all things Viking, the Highland Park distillery is located in Orkney, making it one of Scotland’s northernmost distilleries.
The core flavour of most Highland Park single malts tends to be peated and mostly matured in sherry casks. The range of whiskies they offer typically includes whiskers that are 12, 15, and 18 years old, making it a strong flavour for those who enjoy it. At most, a 54-year-old bottle of Highland Park went for around $54,000.
BenRiach
BenRiach is an underrated single malt. Its flavours are usually available in peated and unpeated options, such as the Original Ten, Smoky Ten, and Smokey Twelve. They also allow for their whiskies to be aged in a number of different barrels, like bourbon, sherry, port, or rum casks, which give their whiskies a depth of flavour. Some of their recent bet whiskies include their Malting Season, Smoke Season, and their latest 16-year-old bottle.
Lagavulin
Lagavulin is all about that rich, smoky Islay style. It’s a widely popular whisky with a big following, including the actor Nick Offerman, who has often partnered with the distillery to release a few limited editions. One of the latest whiskies released is their 11-year-old matured in old rum barrels, offering mixes of peat with tropical fruit and chocolate notes.
In addition to that, there are also some younger options, between 7 and 9 years old, and some older ones, between 12 and 16 years old. The newer releases are called Fireside Tales and are aged in bourbon barrels, which gives them a slightly sweet flavour. The benefit of Lagavulin single malts is that they have a flavour for everyone.
Aberlour
Aberlour, unfortunately, doesn’t get much of the spotlight in the whisky world. Still, they certainly deserve it, especially their A’bunadh, a single malt aged in sherry casks that has been a fan favourite since they were released in 1997. Aberlour’s core lineup includes 12, 16, and 18-year-old whisky, with a mic of sherry and bourbon casks used. If you’re more into vanilla and lighter notes, check out A’bunadh Alba, a bourbon-cask version that’s just as tasty in its own way.
Laphroaig
Laphroaig is smokey and salty and has an acquired taste. At around 45 ppm of peat, this single malt is definitely more intense than a few others. Laphroaigs 10-year-old bottle is a classic, offering flavours of seaweed, vanilla, and barbecue smoke. If you’re looking for something a bit stronger that you can water down, then older bottles like the 25-year-old will offer you stronger, more complex flavours but will still give you that signature smokey taste that sets Laphroaig apart.
Bowmore
Bowmore is one of the more refined Islay whiskies. It’s still peaty but not overpowering. Their 15-year-old matures in Oloroso sherry barrels, giving it a sweet, rich taste. On the other hand, their older 18-year-old matures in both sherry and bourbon barrels, giving it a more complex flavour. Bowmore also claims that they have one of the oldest whisky warehouses in the world, the Number 1 Vault. You may have also seen some collaborations with Bowmore and Astin Martin, like their 21-year-old Masters’ Selection or the ARC-52, which costs $75,000.
Where can you find the best whiskies?
From the whisky connoisseur and collector to the newcomer, if you’re looking for some award-winning single malt whiskies from around the globe, look at this helpful page from The Whisky Club. Here, you’ll find a range of incredible single-malt whiskies and more. If you choose to join the club, you’ll sign the membership form (free of charge) and receive information for the whisky of the month — before being billed, you can choose whether to request a bottle or skip it. This could be the perfect opportunity to build your whisky collection or find your next favourite.
Final thoughts
Single malt whiskies are praised for their strong, pure and traditional flavour, which is what has deemed them the pinnacle of whiskies. But, with so many different brands of single malt out there, we understand how difficult it can be to find the perfect tipple. The six single malts are among the best in the world, so if you’re looking for a top-notch option, you can’t go wrong with one of them. You may just find your next favourite whisky.