The best whisky taste tested: 32 bottles our experts recommend

This whiskey is an unusual creation; not only is it a rye whiskey (using at least 51% rye instead of corn or wheat), but Never Say Die is an English-Kentucky whiskey company, blending the traditional American distilling methods with English temperatures and ageing. It sounds wacky - and it definitely is - but it also means it's totally unique. A nice meeting of the best minds in transatlantic whiskey distilling, it's our kind of 'Special Relationship'.

New Irish whiskey brand NEIT has landed in the UK, hoping to redefine whiskey culture away from tweed-jacket sporting men towards the more urban young-uns you'll usually spot in East London.

After establishing itself in Europe, NEIT has debuted in the UK with three signature expressions. The mellow spice is matured in bourbon barrels for 10 years, then finished in Moscatel casks for two years for a medley of creamy vanilla, butterscotch, and spice.

Garavogue is the inaugural release from Sazerac's Hawk’s Rock Distillery in County Sligo. 

Garavogue is special for a number of reasons, cheifly that it uses five  unique casks. It's double-distilled and aged for at least 14 years in ex-bourbon American oak casks, then it goes into French Muscat and Sauternes, Spanish Pedro Ximénez Sherry and Barbadian Rum casks for further maturation. It delivers a deep flavour - vanilla and citrus sweetness on the palate, with buttery fresh fruit from the rum cask. 

A rich, dark, Irish blend, and a Bushmills classic. Black Bush contains a high proportion of triple-distilled single malt, aged in Oloroso sherry casks for around eight to 10 years before marriage with the grain. Deep and rounded on the palette with light fruit notes, it's our favourite of the Bushmills' range. It's a fairly accessible one too, hovering around the £35 mark, so if you're new to whisky, this is a great bottle to add to your collection.

A stunning whiskey from one of the very best distillers in Ireland, Midleton Very Rare changes every year, but you can usually expect a huge amount of fruit and creaminess with each sip. For the 2025 release (available from 22nd May), the whiskey features a mix of rare single pot still and grain whiskeys, and offers rich notes of orchard fruits, honey, and oak—incredible stuff, and a great showcase for Irish drams at their finest.

If you want something from Ireland, this single pot still whiskey from Redbreast is up there with the best you can get and comes highly recommended from Jim Murray and other critics. It's won its fair share of coveted booze awards, too. Like many Irish whiskeys, it is triple distilled, making it oh-so smooth, and Redbreast has a rich and spicy body followed by a creamy finish. Another easy drinker, and a good entry whiskey for the uninitiated.

An Orcadian whisky that's as unique as the island. All Scapa whiskies have a long fermentation period of 60 hours, creating a unique, deep flavour. The 16-year-old expression is where you get this deep richness the most, in our opinion, with strong notes of warm leather and pineapple. On the palate, you'll get a charred caramel with slight dried fruit sweetness, all accompanied by that rich undertone from the deep leather and tropical sweetness.

More of a coastal dweller than a city-slicker? Then you'll enjoy Talisker's Storm single malt. A liquid legacy that encapsulates the heart of the Isle of Skye where it's created, it has a little hint of smokiness that reminds you of campfires and 'smores, with notes of wood, brine, and caramel from the oak barrels. It's a darker expression than the rest of the range. A complex, smooth whisky, it has just a subtle red-berry sweetness, like sipping coastal air...

For something dark, rich and complex, the Glenfiddich 21-year-old single malt is an excellent choice. The whisky is finished in Caribbean rum casks for an unusual character and a deep amber colour. There are layers upon layers of flavour, and when you think it’s done, you’ll discover another. The rum cask gives notes of banana, vanilla, ginger, dried fruit and more. It’s also rich with oak and leather. A great one for the wannabe pirate in your life.

Surprisingly affordable for a 12-year-old scotch, Aberlour has aged this in both traditional oak and sherry casks. It pours a deep amber and has a rich oaky flavour, but the sherry casks provide a fruity - we get a lot of plum and dark, stoned fruit notes - and a spicy element. It’s like Christmas cake distilled into a whisky, making it great for winter warmers and toddies by the fireplace come the winter months.

An all-timer when it comes to mainstay whiskys, put simply, this should be part of every home bar. Glenmorangie’s 10-year-old, aka ‘The Original’, is a true classic single malt Scotch. It’s simple and soft to drink yet has a complex and slightly sweet flavour with a burst of zesty fruit and delicate floral tones. This is another one to give friends as a gateway whisky, and is a great staple to have in your cupboard. Widely available, and reasonable priced.

This is from the Isla region of Scotland, so it’s one for the peat heads out there who like a smoky tipple. The malted barley is dried by burning peat only found on the island. Like Glenmorangie, the 10-year-old is the original Laphroaig, and that drying process gives it a huge hit of smoke (really, prepare yourself) followed by tastes of seaweed and a medicinal herbal sweetness. You’ll either love it or hate it - it really is the Marmite of the whisky world.

The top choice from the expert Whisky Exchange's whisky of 2022 awards, and for a bloody good reason. This is a stunning dram, rich in oak notes and tropical fruit. Super sippable, there's hardly any burn when it goes down with butter and vanilla notes, adding a smoothness to the drink. Take this one straight, leave the ice and water behind, and get the full welcoming kick. Beautiful stuff.

Considered a classic around the world and favourite of Ron Swanson of Parks and Recreation, Lagavulin is not a whisky for the novice drinker. It has an extremely smoky nose followed by an intensely rich and malty flavour with fruity sweetness. A long, spicy finish rounds things off and makes Lagavulin a benchmark with which to compare all Islay whiskies. It pairs particularly well with blue cheese. And great moustaches, if you've got one...

If you’re big on that smoky and peaty mood, look no further than Smokehead’s Unfiltered. The single malt whisky isn’t filtered and absolutely kicks with that smoky nose and palate, with chocolate and pepper touches to the taste. It won’t be for everyone, but those who like it, LOVE it. It's extreme smokiness also makes it great for comparative tasting sessions. Slightly stronger than the filtered alternative, this one’s got a 46% ABV, it’s a lot of fun.

The Tobermory distillery is situated on Scotland's Isle of Mull, and it's that rugged landscape which gives its whiskies a lovely, rich, peaty taste. The Ledaig - 18 is from this distillery and is a stunning whisky for under that all-important £100 price point. There's a smattering of fruit with the smoke, with peach notes and a wonderful colour from the sherry casks. This one is not to be missed, a great expression of the land from which it comes.

This is the standard Old Pulteney, but don’t write it off based on that — it's special in its own right. This is a delicious 12-year-old single malt Scotch at a surprisingly affordable price. This multiple award winner offers an excellent balance of light, delicate flavours like apple with a deeper, salty and spicy finish. Produced in the coastal town of Wick, Caithness, Old Pulteney is one of the most northerly mainland distilleries.

If you're after the richest of tastes, look no further than Scotch whisky veterans The Macallan. A distillery staple, this 12-year-old single malt rests in seasoned oak casks from Jerez, adding to each dram's rich and complex flavour profile. Think dried fruit, woodiness and plenty of spice. Its natural gold colour (no colourings here) is a signature of this range, with this full-bodied offering perfect for any occasion.

The Bunnahabhain - 12 Year Old is a stunning, complex whisky which offers a rich taste filled with fruit and nut notes, as well as being floral on the nose. Taste-wise, there's a full-bodied caramel flavour with a subtle hit of smoke. Another great one for its Christmassy flavours, it's almost like a post turkey pudding to the taste here. At its price, it's currently one of the best out there, regularly sitting under the £50 mark.

We're big fans of Ardbeg, and the 10-year-old is one of the peatiest whiskies released from the distillery. There is a wonderful warmth from the whisky, with the peaty smoke lingering long after your first sip. There's a dexterity to the taste, too, with it hitting you with a mellowness, then spiciness and ending on sweet toffee notes. If you want a way into Islay whiskies without breaking the bank, then you can do no wrong with this one.

We've featured this one for a while now and have been savouring every last drop. This 15-year-old has it all: a Speyside that's silky going down with hints of chocolate and fruitcake, ending up with a lingering fruity aftertaste. There's a massive waft of smoke, too, that envelopes everything, and the sherry casks it's been maturing in add to the complexity of the taste. A great one to pick up when you can find it, from a superb distillery.

This offering from The Dalmore is a stunner. Together with Tevasa, Vasyma and Paez, Master Distiller Richard Paterson created a bespoke sherry blend to season selected oak finishing casks for a specific flavour profile. The result, aside from The Dalmore’s classic dark chocolate, is a rich blend of orange, ginger, caramel and spices including cinnamon. The sherry casks give it a vibrant, sweet lemon cake finish. It's a very fun bottle, too.

Created using five Amontillado sherry tuns, each filled with whiskies from different cask types, The Wave II offers flavours of pear drops, pineapples and ginger. On the nose, it has aromas of pear drops and summer barley, with hints of baked pineapples and ginger snaps on the palette.

The name has significance; the whisky that is matured but not bottled is then decanted for the next year’s expression, creating a thread of flavour and depth. Just like the sea. Clever, eh?

This 15 year old whisky hails from the Highlands and has spent its time maturing in a selection of Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks from Andalucía. This means you'll get - you guessed it - a hearty sherry on the nose, accompanied by a buttery sultana and coffee beans aroma.

It's nutty and leathery on the palate. Sweetness comes through as a blackberry and apple crumble flavour. It has a cigar box finish, but still keeping that subtle sweetness from the dried fruits.

This Cotswolds Single Malt may be the first ever whisky to be distilled in the Cotswolds, but it's already award-winning, winning gold at the 2019 World Whiskies Awards. Flavour-wise, it's sweet and fruity from being matured in first-fill ex-Bourbon barrels and reconditioned in red wine casks. With notes of honey, orange marmalade and dark red fruits, it is very sippable. A great option if you're looking for a gentle introduction to the world of whisky.

Another English whisky to add to your list; this is an English Rye from indie-kid small distillers That Boutique-y Whisky Company. It's a little bit quirky to look at, and the taste is even more interesting.

On the nose is spiced stone fruits and dried citrus. Smooth oak-y vanilla and chocolate comes through, with honeyed rye bread and warming spice, a touch of smoke, and earthy coffee on the palate. A honeyed sweetness lingers, with a warmth from the pepper and mocha to follow.

Don’t underestimate a blended whisky from Japan with an understated bottle. Nikka From The Barrel punches above its weight. At 51.4%, you might think it is barrel-proof, but it actually isn’t. It packs in so much body and flavour for the price; this is one of the biggest bargains you’ll find in the whisky world. It’s finished in barrels after the blending process, and there are layers upon layers here from butterscotch all the way to tobacco.

Distilled in the State of Kentucky, Never Say Die is a rich, smooth bourbon created using 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% malted barley mash bill. Taking its name from the legend of a racehorse dating back to 1951, this flagship bourbon has the heart of an American but is matured right here in the UK. Serving up hints of spice, a citrus undercurrent and caramel flavours on the palate, it's well worth a place on our top-tasted whiskey list.

An award winner for Buffalo Trace (Best in Class Gold at the 2024 Whiskies of the World competition / Gold at the Spirits Business American Whiskey Masters 2024), this blend was hand-picked by country star Chris Stapleton and Buffalo Trace Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley. It’s a good time tipple (45% ABV), with a caramel, vanilla and oak nose, and a mildly sweet palate that has a gingery, spiced-fruit taste. Quite smoky on the finish, easy-going and enjoyable overall.

For something special of the bourbon variety, you’re in good hands with this small batch Kentucky straight from Elijah Craig, among the masters of American whiskeys. It was bottled at a whopping 63.5% which is actually, somehow, one of the weaker editions. There’s plenty of vanilla and maple flavour but a spicy heat from the booze, too. If you're into making Old Fashioned cocktails, you'll be hard pressed to find a better spirit to build them with.

If you've never had a rye whiskey, then the first thing that will surprise you is just how smooth the taste is - and none more than Sazerac Rye. Part of the Buffalo Trace Distillery, this is a rye to be savoured. It's smooth with no bite, with orange notes and peppery spice, and should be enjoyed on its own or with a little bit of ice. If you are to mix, then this is another fantastic fit for an Old Fashioned or the famous Sazerac cocktail which mixes in absinthe and bitters.

Fielden is another rye whisky that is made at the Oxford distillery using English heritage grains which are grown without any synthetic chemicals - sort of like if Waitrose did a whisky. Floral and lighter than some of your deeper Scotch and Irish whiskies, on the nose you'll get scented flowers and hedgerow berries. On the palate, this deepens to a caramel and hazelnut flavour, rounding off with a fresh, minty, peppercorn finish. Plus, it looks pretty.