Hundreds of new whiskies are launched every year – some from young distilleries, others from established names introducing new core bottlings or releasing limited edition products.
Keeping up with this perpetual conveyor belt is even harder when you factor in all the countries now making their own whiskies and giving the old guard something to think about. Name a country – Australia? India? Denmark? South Africa? – and you can pretty much guarantee that it’s making some decent drams these days.
This is good news for the curious whisky drinker. What’s even better news is the impact this has on the established names of the whisky world. There’s no room for complacency, and the best distillers are as keen to learn from industry newcomers as they are from their ancestors. Here are eight excellent whiskies costing less than £100 – all launched in the past few years…
AnCnoc Peatheart Batch 2
AnCnoc is the single malt Scotch made at Knockdhu distillery near Keith – so named to avoid confusion with Knockando. Here its zippy lime and greengage fruit is shown in smoky guise, resulting in a dram that’s more about intrigue than complexity. Barbecued kiwi fruit, spearmint and a slightly bitter finish. One to mix with. Alc 46%
Berry Bros & Rudd The Perspective Series 21 Year Old
The result of a partnership between Berry Bros spirits buyer Doug McIvor and landscape photographer Lindsay Robertson, this blended Scotch is as well-composed as the latter’s dramatic images. There’s plenty of fleshy red fruit alongside light spices and honey, with a tangy, nutty quality that keeps you coming back for one more glass. Alc 43%
Blue Spot 7 Year Old Cask Strength
Reuniting the old ‘spot’ family of pot still whiskeys sold by Dublin merchant Mitchell & Son (following Green, Red and Yellow), this is bottled at cask strength – and it shows in the punchy combination of highly perfumed floral aromas, ultra-ripe orchard fruits and tangy pot still spices. Structured but smooth, with scents of golden syrup, fudge and light honey. Alc 58.7%
Dalmore 12 Year Old Sherry Cask Select
A new Dalmore, and a (relatively) restrained Dalmore, matured in ex-bourbon casks and finished in sherry. There’s roast hazelnut, dark honey and a resinous scent of old polished furniture. Sleek and sumptuous, in time more classical Dalmore flavours of cassis and black cherries dipped in dark chocolate emerge – with the finish lifted by notes of Bendicks Bittermint. Alc 43%
Heaven’s Door Tennessee Bourbon
Developed in association with Bob Dylan, this Tennessee bourbon is part of a small but excellent range. A mashbill of 30% ‘small grains’ (rye, wheat and/or barley) and at least six years’ oak ageing yield a classic bourbon with vanilla and sweetcorn, coupled with red fruit, coffee roaster and a pleasant if drying nutty note. Alc 42%
John Walker & Sons Celebratory Blend
Johnnie Walker celebrated ‘his’ 200th birthday in 2020 (look out for a film and a splendid book on the subject) and this is one of the new releases marking the occasion. A worthy tribute to 19th-century blending pioneers, it offers a kaleidoscope of fruit, gentle smoke, baking spices and chocolate ganache – all underpinned by the seamless sweetness of well-chosen grain whiskies. Alc 51%
Kilchoman Machir Bay Cask Strength Festive Edition
A fully loaded version of Kilchoman’s popular Machir Bay expression, this Scotch needs a bit of coaxing out of its shell, with that extra strength making for a brooding nose with a whiff of first aid kit about it. Time and water brings out a beguiling maritime smokiness, with some mouthfilling fruit. Worth the wait. Alc 58.6%
Wolfburn Small Batch Release No 204
Almost eight years after opening in Scotland’s far north, this Thurso distillery is building a reputation for a series of promising small-batch bottlings, including this. Five years in ex-Bourbon and six months in ex-Madeira creates a crowd-pleasing mix of sweet apple, orange zest and light brown sugar, with darker hints of fig and treacle in the background. Alc 46%