As my Whisky Journey progress over the years, I make some preferences towards certain type and style of single malt whisky and I would like to share dedicated blog post about my favourite whisky distilleries based in Scotland. Scottish single malts are the most characterful and unique, with variety of different, yet distinctive flavours and aromas depending on the whisky region of the island where they are made and matured. Thanks to my explorative journey in the world of liquors I came to some preferencess, so what I considered very important and appreciate the most, when choosing whisky for my liquor cabinet, is the quality of maturation, transparency of production and integrity of bottling.

Here I will share my favourite whisky distilleries and their expressions and bottlings, that I appreciate and enjoy constantly over the years and some of them over the decades. I would not write much about each distilleries history, region, technical details of production, etc. I just want to share my experience and point of view as a whisky tasting enthusiast and non conventional consumer, who is just searching for perfect whisky for my taste and budget.

ardbeg

the peat monsters

Ardbeg is home to untamed Islay spirit and peat monsters. Very old distillery based on Islay with high quality peated single malt whiskies that are already legendary. They released some true classics, that are widely available on the shelves around the world, such as Ten, Uigeadail, Corryvreckan, We Beasty and some really fantastic and highly collectable limited editions, setting the bar of quality in the industry very high for others to reach. Ardbeg whiskies are known by their specific smoky and earthy peaty character, with very interesting sweetness and delightfull undertones with some fruits and hot spices. My favourite whisky of all time is Ardbeg Uigeadali. It is dark, bold, smoky and powerful peated whisky that stood the test of time during my tasting explorations and remains on my shelf among the favourites for so many years.

laphroaig

the peat powerhouse

Laphroaig is well known and legendary distillery based on Islay, that produces very tempting single malts for vast majority of enthusiast because of it’s bold and unique style of peated whisky…

History chronicles says that during the prohibition times in the beginning of the 20th century the only whisky that was sold was Laphroaig. It was sold in the pharmacy shops and drug stores as a medicament, because nobody from the government thought that anybody could drink this liquid except for health reasons due to it’s unusual and unpleasant characteristics in terms of flavour and aromas…

Today Laphroaig is such experiance like no other and most people that appreciate this whisky enjoy its bold flavour and industrial aromas including myself. Peat smoke, iodine, tar, burnt coal and rubber, antiseptic, earthy soil and barnyard, sea grass and sea salt…these aromas are the most dominant in their core expressions.

The most famous and highly available whisky from the distillery is 10 year old single malt, which was my entrance card in this hobby in the beginning of the previous decade. My favourite Laphroaig malt is Cask Strength version of the 10 year old, which I consider the ultimate and the most powerful peated whisky of them all…a perfect “End Game” in my quest for peat monsters.

aberlour

sherry MONSTERS

Aberlour is Highland single malt yet actually belongs to Speyside whisky region. Characteristics of this malt are typical Speyside, their whisky is matured mostly in Spanish Oloroso Sherry Butts and influence of sherry type maturation is distinctive and it is on the heavier side of the spectrum. Aberlour is making heavy and bold sherry malts. The Ultimate monster for me was always the most famous A’BUNADH. It is really sweet, thick and oily, full body experience from a cask strength and naturally presented single malt whisky without artificial colouring and chill-filtration. Whisky name in Gaelic means “The Origin”. Beside this monster I also appreciate Casg Annamh which means “Rare Cask” in Gaelic, which is very astringent and tannic, fruity and sweet’n’sour sherries malt expression.

KILCHOMAN

FARM DISTILLERY

Kilchoman is an Islay’s Farm Distillery that representing the revival of traditional farm distilling, where the whisky is completely made from barley to bottle. Their core range single malts balance maritime peat smoke and crisp fresh citrus sweetens with rich spices and soft vanilla notes. I really appreciate Kilchoman’s Dynamic Duo from their core range, a high quality made malts such as Machir Bay and Sanaig. Machir Bay is their signature peated malt named after Islay’s most spectacular beach. Sanaig is named after Islay’s rugged Atlantic coast and the sherry influence in maturation is very strong in this whisky, which elevates salted caramel, dried friut and spicy aromas and flavours and combined with dry smoky peat makes my favourite combination in the game.

bruichladdich | Port Charlotte

Hebridean distillery

Bruichladdich is progressive Herbridean distillery that seek to produce the most natural, thought-provoking, flavour rich and enjoyable spirits with extreme transparency about their data of any whisky they produce. The Classic Laddie is one of their core range expressions, that shows different and gentle characteristics of Islay whisky that is fully exposed to the power of Atlantic storms, where sea-soaked and fresh marine salt-citrus tang gives signature accent to this whisky, paying attention to detail from barley provenance to the maturation recipe and natural presentation of integrity bottling. Port Charlotte is their peated single malt and the 10 year old is complex, smoky, vibrant and dynamic whisky that is my favourite ten year old whisky for few years now.

SPringbank

Traditional distillery

Springbank is Scottish distillery number one at the moment when it comes to the quality of the production, maturation and knowledge how to make and bottle a perfect single malt whisky. Springbank and their other expressions like Longrow and Hazelburn are completely made in Campbeltown, a region that has been through periods of rise and fall, although few decades ago it rises again to the point where all the whisky enthusiast are focused to. Springbank whisky used to be the best value for the money, and even with raised prices far beyond MSRP today they sold every bottle they produce. Springbank is one of very few rare distilleries that survived Campbeltown whisky crysis and which maintain to preserve traditional skills of whisky making which is delivered in Springbank, Longrow and Hazelburn whiskies.

I consider liquid gold every drop of the whisky they produce. Springbank 10 y.o. use to be my favourite 10 year old single malt although lately I haven’t seen availble bottle on the shelves for few years now…Longrow is heavily peated expression of their whisky, and it suits my taste fantastically since I really love this combination of peat smoke and “Campbeltown Funk”.

Favourite Single Malt Whisky