Best budget whisky: Speyburn Bradan Orach. It’s known for being partial to a sweet note. This single malt is another that whisky beginners will love, with a citrus tang that’s smooth on the palate. We've divided up our Scotch whiskies by region and style, so if you love Speyside malts, peaty Islay drams or smooth blends, you'll find them all with one click. You'll find them all here, with current releases as well as rare and hard-to-find bottles. Shop by Brand Got a favourite whisky distillery? A petition was drawn up against the plans, which also involved the closure of the historic Port Dundas grain distillery in Glasgow. Its creation was driven by the executives Anthony Greener and Philip Yea at Guinness,[8] along with George Bull and John McGrath of Grand Metropolitan. East London Liquor Company is a distillery producing and importing a range of quality spirits including gin, vodka, rum and whisky. It’s a brand with an edge and personality that comes out in everything from its fierce bottle designs to the equally sharp taste found inside. [31], In March 2016, the company sold Grand Marnier, a cognac and bitter orange-based liqueur, to the Italian beverage company Campari Group. [60], On 9 May 2012 Scottish Craft brewery BrewDog revealed that Diageo had threatened to withdraw funding from the British Institute of Innkeeping Scotland's annual awards if BrewDog was to be named winner of the Best Bar Operator award.

The Macallan Sherry Oak 18 Years Old is considered the best whisky in the world, thanks to its choice of casks used during the ageing process, its unique characteristics and its overwhelmingly popular flavour profile. It features Laphroiag’s traditional smoky flavours with hints of salt and algae and stronger notes of sweet oranges, velvety apricots and caramelised sugar. This whisky offers the gold standard when it comes to drinking Scotch, with a “heather-honey” flavouring and a wonderful nose. The process for creating whisky has changed little over the past 200 years including the makeup of three core ingredients — water, barley and yeast. The label featured a striding woman on the label, rather than the top-hatted man normally associated with the brand. "Iconic Scottish painting The Monarch of the Glen to be sold". online shop; bottle shops; retail partners; Beliefs.

Its high price point recognises the efforts and results of a truly remarkable drink. Best tasting whisky: Johnnie Walker Blue Label. Finally, the liquid is left to mature in casks. The brand is known for its almost meaty flavours, with spice on the nose and a lot of depth. Laphroaig isn’t for the faint hearted — and we say that in the best way possible. With an average starting price of $29.99 for a 750ml bottle, the 12 Year certainly won’t break the bank but will offer a successful and smooth drink. Balvenie focuses on using meticulous care and attention from a group of top distillers to produce some of the finest whisky on the market. With a signature Auchentoshan taste, it’s a delicate and refined Lowland Single Malt Whisky with flavours of honey, vanilla, oak and fruits. Our methodology to select and rank the best whisky brands of 2020. [56], In February 2009, it was reported in The Guardian that the company had restructured itself so as to avoid paying tax in the UK. [52], In December 2003, Diageo provoked controversy over its decision to change its Cardhu brand Scotch whisky from a single malt to a blended malt whilst retaining the original name and bottle style.

The spirit features various grains, which may be malted, including barley, corn, rye and wheat. This Speyburn comes without an age statement, suggesting it’s fairly young in comparison to others on this list. The 24 Year Old is a limited release of 5,000 bottles, which comes with initial notes of orange peel, chocolate truffle and sugared almond before the stronger flavours of pineapple and honeyed barley hit. It’s an intense whisky in the best way possible, which remains easily accessible and even more easily enjoyable. Best whisky for the money: Highland Park 12 Year Old. It was the world's largest distiller until being overtaken by China's Kweichow Moutai on 9 April 2017. In order to choose which brand was the best fit for each category, we took into consideration a variety of characteristics and expert opinion.

Leave it to sit in the glass to reveal more sweetness in the form of coconut, tropical fruit and cinnamon sugar. At least eight distilleries currently produce it, and there are 26 whisky distilleries across England in various stages of development. Those with a sweeter profile will especially enjoy Bunnahabhain’s 25 Year but it’s a must try for any whisky lover. It would be the decent thing. Its roots date back to 1782 and over that time, it’s introduced a range of unique flavours and characteristics setting it aside from the rest. [33] The brewery could potentially create 70 new jobs and host as many as 300,000 visitors per year. [32], In February 2017, Diageo announced plans to open a Guinness brewery and tourist attraction in Baltimore County, Maryland. What it lacks in smoke it more than makes up for in other notes, with a hidden complexity that reveals itself more over time. The 12 Year is a first-class malt with tropical fruit flavours and provides an almost refreshing nose. [13] In 2002, Diageo sold the Burger King fast food restaurant chain to a consortium led by US firm Texas Pacific for $1.5 billion.

A campaign against this decision was launched by the local SNP MSP Willie Coffey and Labour MP Des Browne. All the latest in the Scotch whisky world, including great deals on single malts, prize draws, and what's hot on the TWE blog. Best Irish whiskey: Teeling Vintage Reserve Single Malt Irish whisky 24 Year. You'll find them all here, with current releases as well as rare and hard-to-find bottles. Diageo was forced to issue an apology. Whiskey with an ‘e’ refers to grain spirits distilled in Ireland and the United States. The vast range of notes from this bottle makes it an enjoyable drink to sip. Craigellachie’s 13 Year Old was first released in 2014 and works perfectly as a whisky for someone just starting to delve into the spirit.

The 15 Year is all about balance: it combines leathery sherry notes on one side with a burst of spiced fruit and burnt raisins on the other side. The bottle is a staple in almost every bar you’ll visit, mostly due to its complex and sophisticated flavour. This Speyside whisky is another great choice from Balvenie’s offerings. bottles; cans; editions; imports; Buy bottles.

After a meeting of producers, Diageo agreed to make changes. [40], In January 2020, Diageo agreed to pay $5 million to settle charges brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission that alleged the company had pressured distributors to buy products in excess of demand in order to hit performance goals.[41][42]. And its 12 Year is widely known as one of the most popular whisky in the world. Scotch whisky: The smoothest whisky is the Auchentoshan Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 21 Year. The Blue Label is the brand’s most prestigious blended whisky, coming in with a higher price point that’s more than worthy of the flavours to follow. The range of elements in this whisky makes it an excellent choice for its price point and perfect for sipping on an evening. We are still open. [44], In 2016, Diageo was ranked 11th out of 4,255 companies worldwide for diversity and inclusiveness in the Thomson Reuters Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Index. You’ll find them all in our guide below. The spirit must mature in casks for a minimum of three years before it’s legally allowed to be called whisky in Scotland. BBC. No time to read through our entire list? Its name comes from the fact that alongside a traditional Scotch palate, this spirit also offers a sweet hint of classic Bourbon flavours.