TOP 10 WHISKIES UNDER £50

Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Bottled by: Signatory Vintage 70cl / 57.1%

A small batch Ardmore 2010, bottled as a 13-year-old in 2023 at 57.1% without colouring or chill filtration by Signatory Vintage for their 100-Proof Editions series.

This 2010 Ardmore 13-year-old matured in a small batch of first fill Oloroso sherry butts and at a hearty 100 Imperial proof (57.1%) this will be a great peat-and-sherry combo, stuffed with smoky, fruity flavours - a treat, but not for the fainthearted at full strength.

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Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery Bottling 70cl / 43%

Relaunched in 2020, Benromach 10-year-old is produced using a mix of 80% ex-Bourbon casks, 20% ex-Sherry casks aged for nine years and then finished for a further year in ex-Oloroso Sherry casks.

Benromach's textbook Speyside spirit ages very well in both bourbon and sherry casks, showing flavours of creamy malt and forest fruits with a wisp of smoke and lingering sherry notes. An absolutely tremendous dram for the money, Benromach 10-year-old is one of the best value entry-level bottlings you'll find.

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Tasting Notes

Official Tasting Notes

Colour: Golden Amber.

Nose: Sweet green apple and pear complement creamy dark honey. Soft vanilla develops alongside gentle smoke.

Palate: Smooth flavours of malted cereal and stewed fruit combine with warm toffee and a hint of black cherry.

Finish: Full bodied finish with malted cereal and soft smoke.

Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery Bottling 70cl / 40%

A short hop from the picture-postcard town of Pitlochry lies Edradour, one of Scotland smallest and prettiest distilleries. Edradour's miniscule output - barely 200,000 litres despite the recent construction of a second stillhouse - is occasionally idiosyncratic but has been improving ever since Signatory Vintage owner Andrew Symington bought the distillery in 2002.

Edradour 10-year-old has been the staple of the distillery's core range ever since Signatory took over and is one of those whiskies whose fans will accept no substitutes. If you've never tried Edradour before, you should - and this is where to start.

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Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
4x 5cl / 40%, 46.3%, 46%, 43%

A Highland Journey is a whisky miniature gift set featuring 5cl bottles of four excellent Highland single malt Scotch whiskies: Tomatin Legacy, Deanston 12-year-old, Loch Lomond 12-year-old and Burns Nectar, a single malt from a mystery Highland distillery.

The Highland Journey whisky gift pack would be a great introductory pack for anyone looking to discover the delights of Highland single malt whisky and the ideal Christmas stocking-filler gift for single malt whisky fans.

Please note that the product image here is a representative example and contents may vary between packs.

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Peated Single Malt Scotch Whisky
70cl / 46%

Peat's Beast is an independently-bottled peated single malt from an unnamed Scottish distillery, bottled at 46% without colouring or chill filtration. Peat's Beast was launched in 2011 and has been delighting phenol fans ever since.

Youthful, fulsome and packing a real peaty kick, Peat's Beast is a top-notch peaty dram without the pretensions. When a smoky whisky is this good value, does it really matter which distillery it's from? 

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Tasting Notes

Official Tasting Notes

Colour: Straw yellow with glittering highlights. 

Nose: A rugged fusion of sea spray, bonfire smoke, damp earth and spicy cinnamon immediately arouses the senses.

Palate: Strong and bold with plenty of backbone and structure as this great monster unfolds its fiery fangs on your palate. This is not for the faint hearted. Take a generous mouthful with a biting wind blowing furiously in your face. Hold it long in your mouth allow the thick tar, peat smoke and creamy liquorice to penetrate every part of your tongue. Time will tame it. 

Finish: The powerful aromas of peat moss and wet grass must be fully respected before seductive notes of crushed pear, apple and freshly baked bread provide the perfect finish to this memorable melody.

Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky
4x 5cl / 40%, 46.3%, 43%, 40%

An Island Journey is a whisky miniature gift set featuring 5cl bottles of four classic Island single malt Scotch whiskies from different Scottish islands: Jura Journey, Ledaig 10-year-old from Tobermory, Arran Barrel Reserve and the mystery Islay single malt Finlaggan.

This Island Journey whisky gift set is the perfect starter pack to enjoy the various different island whisky styles and would make a great stocking-filler Christmas gift for single malt whisky lovers.

Please note that the product image here is a representative example and contents may vary between packs.

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Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 
Distillery Bottling 70cl / 43%

The splendid Tomatin 12-year-old, one of the finest entry-level Highland 12-year-old single malt whiskies you're ever going to be lucky enough to find.

Tomatin's 12-year-old has always been good, but since the bump to 43% about ten years ago it's never been less than very good indeed. A judicious mix of ex-bourbon and sherry casks with one of the best ratios of bang to buck in the business.

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Tasting Notes

Nose: Rich and fruity.

Palate: Sweet, smooth apple flavours with pears and a subtle nuttiness.

Finish: Oily, long and lingering. 

Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Bottled by: Signatory Vintage 70cl / 57.1% / 100 Proof

A small batch high strength Glenrothes 2015 9-year-old bottled in 2024 without colouring or chill filtration by Signatory Vintage as Edition 6 in their excellent 100-Proof Editions range.

This 100-Proof 9-year-old Glenrothes 2015 came from a batch of first fill Oloroso sherry butts bottled at 57.1% (100 UK Imperial Proof in the old money) and has a wonderful dark colour, so expect lots of epic classic sherried fruity Speyside oomph.

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Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery Bottling 70cl / 46%

From the first of the new wave of Scottish single malt whisky distilleries, Arran's 10-year-old malt whisky first appeared in 2005 and is now the flagship of a great range from the Lochranza distillery. Arran 10-year-old has been bottled at 46% without colouring or chill filtration and the quality is excellent.

The Arran single malts are now well-established in the firmament of Scotland's whisky industry, and their blueprint of respect for tradition combined with a modern outlook has proven a great success, with many of the newest distilleries keen on following the template. If you're new to Arran single malt whisky, start here.

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Tasting Notes

Official Tasting Notes

Nose: Luscious citrus fruits.

Palate: The initial rush of rich vanilla sweetness gives way to a touch of cinnamon which adds a spicy edge to the soft and sweet texture. The classic Arran citrus notes have rounded with age and reveal new depths of character against a background of sweet oak.

Finish: Sweetness, Apple, Citrus, Cinnamon.

Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
4x 5cl / 40%, 40%, 40%, 40%

A Speyside Journey is a whisky miniature gift set featuring 5cl bottles of four lovely Speyside single malt Scotch whiskies: Glenlivet Founder's Reserve, Glen Moray 12-year-old, Glenlivet 12-year-old and Glenfiddich 12-year-old

This Speyside Journey whisky gift pack is the ideal Christmas stocking-filler gift for single malt whisky fans or just a nice treat for anyone looking for an introduction to the delights of Speyside single malt Scotch whisky.

Please note that the product image here is a representative example and contents may vary between packs.

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