The Good Housekeeping Institute's best single malt Scotch whiskies
Whether you sip and savour your Scotch or are looking for something to add to your favourite cocktails (alternatively, just head straight to our best bottled cocktails round-up if you're feeling lazy!), the Good Housekeeping Institute has conducted a comprehensive taste test of the best single malt scotch whisky to buy for your drinks trolley.
Looking for the perfect gift for the whisky lover in your life? We've also collated the best whisky gift sets for 2025.
Best single malt scotch whisky 2025
Versatile, and by turns fruity or full of smoky flavour, there’s a vast range of drams to suit every palate and occasion.
Focusing our search on those priced under £75 (with some a lot less!), we’ve covered the full flavour spectrum, from sweet, light and fruity through to the rich and powerfully peaty – and they start at just £22 a bottle.
You'll find our recommendations in a handy list below, but read on for more detailed reviews.
What makes a good whisky?
We asked whisky expert, Greg Dillon, from greatdrams.com what to look out for.
“Distilled on copper pot stills and matured for a legal minimum of three years, single malt is renowned for its depth of character and breadth of flavour across brands, products and ages,” he explains.
“Flavour profiles span from the sweet and smooth (typically found in the lowlands), to the big peated Islay whiskies. In-between, there’s the fruity, citrus-soaked Speysiders, while the Highlanders & Islands offer up more robust malts. So there really is a single malt for everyone!”
How we test whisky
Our panel of WSET-certified experts and consumer testers tasted 46 different single malts, from super-smooth and easy-drinking to full-bodied and smoky.
Each was tasted neat, before being sipped with a little added water to open up its flavours. These are the best whisky picks for single malt Scotch, from £22...
15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Score: 89/100
Our winning whisky packs a punch well above its price tag. It opens with deep caramel notes before building into a crescendo of warm spices (think: cinnamon, cloves and a hint of fireside smoke) before moving to a moreish malty finish.
Inspired by the traditional sherry-making bodegas of Spain and Portugal, the 15-year-old whisky is left to mellow and intensify in a solera vat, resulting in a rich, rounded mouthfeel worth savouring straight-up. No self-confessed whisky connoisseur should be without a bottle on their bar cart.
10 Year Old Whisky
Score: 82/100
Hailing from the highlands, it’s cinnamon spice, apple and pear that perfume the glass of our runner-up whisky, moving to more malty flavours on the palate.
Although a little fiery on the finish, sweet vanilla and honey notes mean this would make a delicious whisky sour.
12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Score: 81/100
Peaty, without overpowering, this whisky offers up hearty bonfire smoke, sweet paprika and lapsang souchong tea, alongside honey and caramelised citrus zest.
The beautiful balance of sweet and savoury makes this a great option for those looking to embark on peated whiskies.
£40.50 at thewhiskyexchange.com
10 Year Old Whisky
Score: 81/100
While it’s unlikely the doctor will prescribe this for your ailments, there’s an unmistakable medicinal quality about this 10-year-old single malt, which many consider the definitive Islay peated single malt in the market.
An earthy, rich, cigar-smoke flavour accompanies it, with faint vanilla, caramel and fruit cake adding a fiery kick at the end. Die-hard peated whisky fans will love it.
Bourbon Cask Single Malt Whisky
Score: 81/100
Having recently replaced Jura Journey, this entry-level expression is a sweet-tasting whisky with crowd-pleasing notes of coffee, toffee and dried figs.
Well-balanced and smooth, there’s just a hint of smoke to keep each sip interesting — try it on its own or in cocktails.
Founder's Reserve Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Score: 79/100
Named after distillery founder George Smith, Glenlivet’s Founder’s Reserve is a super-smooth whisky with a fruity edge — think apricot, apple and banana pick and mix (yes, really!).
Malty, buttery toffee and rich vanilla notes leave you with the silkiest finish.
12 Year Old Single Malt Whisky
Score: 78/100
If an old fashioned is your cocktail of choice, we’ve found the perfect whisky base. Highland Park’s 12-year-old has had a little makeover, but the liquid remains the same — that is, peachy and malty with a delicious thwack of orange zest.
The honeyed finish and warming kick is crying out for this classic cocktail.
Land Cask 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Score: 77/100
Rich and smoky, with a gentle seaspray aroma, if you can nab this 10-year-old while on special offer, it’s a total bargain.
Aerstone makes two types of whisky, the smooth “Sea Cask” and this “Land Cask”, which matures further inland. The ashy tobacco quality split our testers, but peaty whisky fans should love it.
Double Cask 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Score: 76/100
In celebration of The Macallan’s 200th anniversary, the single malt Scotch whisky brand has collaborated with three-time Michelin star and twice awarded best restaurant in the world, Spanish restaurant El Celler de Can Roca to launch a new permanent dining concept, TimeSpirit.
Reservations are now open, but if you're not able to visit in person, a bottle of this 12-year-old whisky should go some way to consoling yourself. It's had time in both American oak and ex-sherry casks, resulting in a super smooth fireside sipper, with notes of sweet butterscotch, festive spice and citrus zest.
12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Score: 74/100
Approachable, but flavourful, this golden-hued dram makes us want to curl up beside a fire in a well-worn wingback chair. Aged in ex-Bourbon barrels, you’ll find aromas of juicy peach and a touch of orange, alongside leather and tobacco.
To sip, there’s orange, chocolate, stone fruit and a finish of vanilla. Our panel found this easy to drink, especially with a splash of water.
Taste the Difference Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
Score: 74/100
This is one whisky that really benefits from a drop of water. What starts out as a pretty fiery, peppery dram without water, suddenly turns into a delicious drop, displaying lots of dried fruit, a touch of honey and delicate rhubarb and custard.
So, if you’re happy to add a splash of H2O, you’ll pick up quite the bargain.
Blended Scotch Whisky
Score: 74/100
This Scotch has aromas of toffee and hints of cinnamon, along with a woody smokiness reminiscent of a bonfire that’s also echoed on the palate.
With savoury peat flavours and a fiery heat, it’s warming but less sweet than other whiskies. It would make a great choice for an old fashioned or rusty nail cocktail.
£57.44 at thewhiskyexchange.com
Irresistible Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Score: 71/100
With all its charred woody notes, hints of fruit and sometimes complex coffee or chocolate character, whisky makes an excellent match for some of your favourite dishes.
Evocative of a rain-lashed day by the sea, our panel loved the wet stone, saline smokiness and samphire notes of this 12-year-old dram, balanced with some green fruits and a mouthwatering spicy finish. Try pairing with fresh oysters.
10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Score: 71/100
If you’ve shied away from Scotch in the past, feeling slightly intimidated, fear not. Swerving the bold, smoky notes of some other tipples on our list, this approachable whisky leads with caramel and vanilla, with a hint of menthol freshness. Light and herbaceous, there’s only a little smoke.
Bar Rocks Crystal Glass Tumblers (set of two)
Once you've decided on the best expert-rated whisky for you, invest in a pair of these crystal glass tumblers
Read on for more drinks reviews...
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