Close Menu
Top 10

The top 10 best value for money luxury spirits

Though the concept of luxury is hardly synonymous with the dictionary definition of ‘value’, no-one likes to be ripped off – especially if big bucks are at stake. Our round-up ensures the liquid in the bottle is worth its hefty price tag.

SB presents the top 10 best value for money luxury spirits on the market

The Spirits Business held its annual Luxury Masters last month, where an experienced panel of judges recognised the best bottlings in the business.

Looking across multiple categories, from vodka to gin, Scotch whisky to Tequila, a wide range of whiskeys were awarded the top accolades of Master and Gold medals for their quality.

The individual scores of each entrant have not been revealed, however these are 10 of the highest rated medalists in the competition, in no particular order.

While some expressions are not standard priced, our judges have given each American whiskey listed here the seal of approval for offering excellent quality within their respective price categories.

Click through to the following pages to view the top 10 best value for money luxury spirits of 2017.

Tequila Enemigo 00 Extra Añejo

Price: approx £115
Tequila – Ultra Premium is one of the fastest­ growing and most-­talked­-about areas of the luxury spirits market. Enemigo 00 Extra Añejo was awarded the top accolade. Produced by Tequila Enemigo, the liquid is matured for three years. “This has a lovely balance between the raw material and the wood, which isn’t taking over,” one judge said of the spirit. “This is exactly what aged Tequila should be like.”

SMWS 3.295

Price: approx £115
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s 3.295 expression – aka, Bouquets and Spades – was described by judges as an “unforgettable whisky – one that really stands out”. Lightly peated, and hailing from Islay, the whisky secured a Master medal amid the Scotch Whisky – Single Malt – Super Premium offering. Aged for 20 years in an ex-Bourbon Hogshead, just 228 bottles were ever made available.

Bulbash No1 Malt Spirit

Price: approx £45
Bulbash kicked off the competition, earning a Master medal in the Vodka – Super Premium flight. “The first quality I noticed here was the texture,” one judge remarked. “The palate was so creamy; it was like having a bite of fudge.” Another agreed: “It manages to achieve a very clean style, but it’s also really luxuriously textured.” According to the Belarusian brand, Bulbash No1 Malt Spirit is crafted using “Italian equipment, elaborately selected Belarusian alcohols and only natural ingredients”.

Angus Dundee 50 Year Old

Price: £899
Angus Dundee Distillers’ 50 Year Old Blended Grain Scotch Whisky was given the top accolade of Master in the Scotch Whisky – Blended – Ultra Premium flight. “This shows a character of substantial age and subtle rancio, but the fruity notes are still coming through really strongly,” one judge observed. “It’s incredibly layered.” Another added: “There is virtually no heat on the palate because it has been made so well.” The whisky is crafted using wheat, un-malted cereals and malted barley, and distilled in classic column stills.

Truffle Gin

Price: £80
Produced using white truffle from Alba, Italy, Cambridge Distillery’s Truffle Gin was described as “earthy and moreish” by the panel, who bestowed it with a Master medal in the Gin – Ultra Premium flight. Created in “tiny” quantities, the distillery suggests serving it neat over ice as a digestif.

Glenmorangie Signet

Price: approx £140

Glenmorangie Signet too won the top accolade, this time in the Single Malt – Ultra Premium flight. “This is epic,” one judge enthused. “I could drink this all day, it just screams ultra-­premium.” Another added: “This was an utter joy to drink – the finish is perfection. I would even call it a category benchmark. It’s the perfect way to describe ultra­-premium.” High praise indeed for the NAS dram, which includes a heavily roasted chocolate malt in its mash bill.

Minor Case Straight Rye Whiskey – Master Sherry Cask Finished

Price: approx £50
The diminutive, but very successful, Rye – Ultra Premium round produced one Master medal for Luxco’s Minor Case Straight Rye Whiskey – Sherry Cask Finished. Judges praised the delicate nature of the entrant, identifying notes of “summer flowers and Lady Grey tea” that contributed to a “fantastic length”.

City Of London Sloe Gin

Price: £32
City of London Distillery’s sloe variant won praise for its “delicate nose” and “clean finish” in the Gin – Ultra­-Premium contingent, in which it won a Master medal. London dry gin is steeped for many months with blackthorn berries to create the liquid, which is bottled at 28% abv.

 

Glengoyne 21 Year Old

Price: £125
Ian Macleod Distillers’ “meaty and robust” Glengoyne 21 Year Old also wowed judges in the Scotch Whisky – Single Malt – Super Premium round, securing a Master medal for its efforts. Matured exclusively in hand-selected sherry casks for 21 years, the whisky is said to offer notes Christmas cake, honey, and rich fruit, with a long cinnamon finish.

Tequila Corralejo 9900 Horas

Price: approx £40
Judges loved the “fresh citrus and agave aroma” of Tequila Corralejo 9900 Horas, which secured a Master medal in the Tequila – Ultra Premium flight. Owned by Fraternity Spirits, this expression is made with 100% blue agave and is said to have “delicate notes of ripe fruits”.

It looks like you're in Asia, would you like to be redirected to the Drinks Business Asia edition?

Yes, take me to the Asia edition No