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Top 10 best value for money Scotch whiskies

From single malts to no-age-statement blends, consumers are truly spoilt for choice when it comes to Scotch whisky. But which bottlings offer the best value for money?

SB presents the best value for money bottlings in the Scotch whisky category

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

Looking across multiple categories, from single grain to blended malts and regional single malts, a wide range of Scotch whiskies were awarded the top accolades of Master 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 Scotch whisky 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 Scotch whiskies of 2018.

Bunnahabhain Cruach-Mhona

Price: £84.95

Judges found notes of “oil, tar, ash, fishcakes, brine and salt” in Distell’s Master-winning Bunnahabhain Cruach-­Mhòna.

Originally released for travel retail, Cruach-­Mhòna is gaelic for ‘peat stack’ and is a smoky expression that has “strong” influences of peat and sea salt.

Hedonism

Price: £66.55

Compass Box’s Hedonism was bestowed a Master medal in the Ultra Premium leg.

Judges praised its “long, delicate and buttery finish”, which followed bright flavours of “sweet coconut and fresh strawberries”.

The expression – thought to be the world’s first blended grain Scotch whisky – is a vatting of Scotch grain whiskies from top quality American oak casks.

Ballantine’s Hard Fired

Price: £30.34

Described as a “classy” whisky that demonstrated “the ideal standard” of the Blended – No Age Statement category, Ballantine’s Hard Fired grabbed a Master medal in the round.

Praised for its hints of “fudge and nougat”, the expression is produced by Chivas Brothers and has been aged in twice-fired American Oak barrels.

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

Price: £99.95

Grabbing a Master medal in the Single Grain – Aged 19-31 Years was Atom Brands’ Port Dundas 25 Year Old.

The panel were particularly impressed by the whisky’s “unexpected fragrant character”, identifying notes of “curry banana leaf – similar to a good Riesling – and parma violets”.

That Boutique-y Whisky Company bottled the whisky from single grain distillery Port Dundas, which closed in 2010.

Loch Lomond Island Collection – Inchmoan Vintage 1992

Price: £199

Loch Lomond Island Collection – Inchmoan Vintage 1992 was bestowed with a Master medal for its “long and complex finish”, along with its bold flavours of “bonfire smoke, burnt Demerara sugar, tropical fruit and damson”.

Bottled at 48.6% abv, Inchmoan Vintage 1992 was released in July 2017 and has been aged for 25 years in refill Bourbon barrels.

The Glenlivet 12 Year Old

Price: £44.95

A Master medal was awarded to The Glenlivet 12 Year Old in the Single Malt – Speyside: Aged up to 12 Years round.

Judges praised its typical Speyside flavours of “vanilla, pear drops, shortbread and orchard fruits”.

The Glenlivet 12-year-old was discontinued in numerous markets around the world in 2015, replaced instead by The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve. However, the age-statement expression remained available in the US. Last year, Pernod Ricard  confirmed The Glenlivet 12-year-old will be reintroduced in 2020. 

Port Askaig 8 Year Old

Price: £39.95

Elixir Distillers’ Port Askaig 8 Year Old grabbed a Master in the Single Malt – Islay: Aged up to 12 Years.

Judges were impressed with its “subtle but assured smoke”. The expression is the youngest age-statement release in the Port Askaig range of single malts from undisclosed Islay distilleries.

Earlier this year, Elixir Distillers, co-founded by Sukhinder Singh, revealed plans to build a new Scotch whisky distillery on Islay.

Old Pulteney 25 Year Old

Price: £300.00

Master medallist Old Pulteney 25 Year Old was lauded for its “intoxicating nose” and “oily and rich mouthfeel”, with notes of “fresh petals, bay leaf, tamarind spice, mango and vanilla”.

The expression, which launched in September last year, has been aged in ex-Bourbon American oak barrels before being finished in ex-oloroso Spanish oak butts.

Rock Oyster 18 Year Old

Price: £90

Grabbing a Master medal in the Blended Malt ­– Aged 13-18 Years is Douglas Laing & Co’s Rock Oyster 18 Year Old.

Judges delighted in its “savoury” aroma of “chilli and paprika” and flavour of “baked fennel, sweet sherbet and papaya”.

Bottled at 46.8% abv, Rock Oyster 18 Years Old is a “maritime marriage” of malts distilled on Arran, Islay, Jura and Orkney.

Exotic Cargo Batch #1

Price: £45

In the Blended Malt – Aged up to 12 Years flight, a Master was found in Exotic Cargo Batch #1 from The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS).

One judge said of the expression: “This is a big showy whisky, but it doesn’t go down the expected easy route of massive berry sweetness and sugars. There’s a depth to it – tobacco, molasses, with wonderful spice – which means it has so much more to offer.”

The society, which is known for its single cask bottlings, said the “experimental” release is intended to “break the mould of what can be done with a blended malt”.

To create Exotic Cargo, the SMWS sourced a number of pre-blended malt whiskies that were all distilled on the same day on 2006 and matured in first-fill ex-Sherry casks.

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