Top 10 best value for money world whiskies

Looking across North America, Ireland, Japan, Australia and South Africa, it’s clear whiskies of the world are soaring in terms of quality and innovation. But which are the best value for money?

This is our pick of the top 10 best value for money world whisky brands

Last month, The Spirits Business held three separate Global Spirits Masters blind tasting competitions, analysing entrants from across the American, Irish and World categories.

For the purposes of creating a succinct list of must-try bottlings, we’ve rounded up 10 of the highest scoring whiskies from across all three competitions

While the individual scores of each entrant are not disclosed, these are 10 of the highest ranking whiskies recognised in the competitions, listed in no particular order.

Readers may notice that not all of these bottlings are standard priced, but have been judged to offer the offer outstanding quality to consumers within their respective price categories.

Click through the following pages to view the top 10 best value for money world whiskies of 2015.

Following the links to view the complete list of medalists in our Global Irish Whiskey Masters 2015, Global American Whiskey Masters 2015 and Global World Whisky Masters 2015.

Alberta Rye Dark Batch Whisky

Price: approx US$29.99

Released in April this year, Beam Suntory’s Canadian whisky Alberta Rye Dark Batch Whisky features a blend of 91% rye whisky, 8% Bourbon and 1% Sherry, and has been created by Alberta Distillers. The whisky, aged in both new charred American white oak and once-used American Bourbon barrels, was launched with the aim to “give cocktails a new interpretation”. World Whisky Masters judges praised the expression’s “outstanding quality”, “balance”, and “warm caramel” notes.

Jameson 18 Year Old Limited Reserve

Price: approx £82.00 

At more than £80, Jameson 18 Year Old Limited Reserve isn’t the cheapest bottle in this list, but it is an exceptional bottling for Irish whiskey connoisseurs. Said to have a “delicate, soft, tropical palate” with a “delightful finish”, the whiskey is aged for 18 years in a combination of Bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks. Sitting at the pinnacle of the Jameson range, it is a blend of two potstill whiskies and a single grain.

Three Ships 5 Year Old

Price: approx £7.50 in domestic market

The blended premium bottlings in the South Africa flight of The Global World Whisky Masters reflected strides that are being taken in the burgeoning sector. Three Ships 5 Year Old has long been praised by tasting experts for its high quality, particularly in its position as a more  “everyday whisky”, and our panel was inclined to agree.

Balcones Texas Bluecorn Bourbon Special Release

Price: approx US$90.00

Another brand which blew judges away in the Global American Whiskey Masters 2015 is Balcones Texas Bluecorn Bourbon Special Release. The super-premium expression was praised for its “subtle sweetness” and “everlasting finish”. Judge Garrick Whittaker, spirits buyer for Fine and Rare, said: “This whiskey was a firecracker. It was fantastic with water added, and you’d expect to add a little at this level to tame and appreciate all the elements. Vanilla, cinnamon, spice and juicy fruits abound.”

Paul John Indian Single Malt Edited

Price: approx £38.95

The “Edited” variant of single malt Indian whisky brand Paul John is created using Indian 6-row barley as well as peated Scottish barley. Aged in Bourbon casks, the whisky is said to have a “sweet and spicy flavour” with underlying notes of “earthy smoke”. Of the overall Indian whisky category, judge Elliot Ball, co-owner of The Cocktail Trading Company, said: “The Indian entries were very faithful to whisky as a category; it’s easy to expect knock-offs, but they were quality liquids and had a very familiar set of flavours.”

Popcorn Sutton The Original Small Batch Recipe

Price: approx US$25.00

Reflecting its brand name, Popcorn Sutton’s The Original Small Batch Recipe was described by our judges as offering unique notes of popcorn-flavoured ice cream on the nose and palate. Along with the boom in Prohibition cocktails, the once controversial moonshine category has experienced something of a renaissance. But more than for the sake of novelty, this medalist demonstrates the potential for the category to be taken seriously.

Hellyers Road Single Malt Pinot Noir Finish

Price: approx AU$86.99

Australian single malt whisky producer Hellyers Road impressed the panel with its super-premium Pinot Noir cask finished expression, described as having an “incredibly long finish” with a “good combination” of vanilla and spice. Hellyers Road is the only distillery based in Northern Tasmania and is part of the state’s second largest milk processing company, Betta Milk.

Glendalough 7 Year Old Single Malt

Price: approx €47.50

Glendalough showed that an Irish whiskey doesn’t have to be particularly old for it to receive plaudits among some of the world’s best palates. Its seven-year-old single malt was praised for its “hot, elusive apricot note with smoke” on the nose and “pistachio and dried fruit” flavours on the palate. The expression has been twice distilled at a third party distillery, since County Wicklow’s Glendalough Distillery only began production in 2011. It was announced in August last year that former Ireland rugby captain Brian O’Driscoll became a co-owner in the distillery, which intends to release a 13-year-old in the near future.

Rebel Yell Small Batch Rye

Price: approx US22.99

Said to be indicative of the “vibrancy” of the rye category, the no-age-statement Rebel Yell Small Batch was released in June this year. The expression offers a “smooth and spicy” flavour with a “surprisingly smooth and sweet” finish and is sold in limited quantities. The original recipe for Rebel Yell dates back to 1849 when it was created at what would become the Stitzel Weller Distillery.

Redbreast 12 Year Old

Price: approx £40.00

Irish Distillers’ Redbreast 12 Year Old stole the show in the single pot still premium category of The Global Irish Whiskey Masters, walking away with a Master medal. Matured in Oloroso Sherry casks, the whiskey is described as having a “Christmas cake character”, full of aroma and flavour. The 15-year-old variation of Redbreast also bagged a Gold medal in the super-premium flight of the single pot still category.