Luxury Single Malt Scotch Whisky
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The very best of single malt whisky
The classics embody the depth and craftsmanship of Scotch whisky, yet it is the finest single malts that truly celebrate the artistry of Master Distillers.
For an extra special Scotch whisky gift
Scroll down for our recommended bottles of luxury single malt and more about this fascinating spirit.
The best luxury whisky is up to you. If you can't decide on the bottle to buy, taste six exceptional whiskies side-by-side with our Luxury Single Malt Whisky blind tasting gift set. A rare opportunity to remove preconceptions and find the premium bottle that suits your taste best.
Our current luxury collection includes Balvenie 21 Portwood, Tobermory 24 Hebridean Series, Glenfarclas 25, Edradour 21 , Octomore 14.4 and Laphroaig Elements 2.0.
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Recommended Bottles
Premium single malt whisky can vary from hundreds to thousands of pounds (and the rest…the Valerio Adam 60 Year Old from The Macallan Distillery fetched a remarkable total of £2,187,500 at auction!) Whilst there is a lot to explore, you don’t have to break the bank to indulge in extraordinary single malt whisky. Here are a few of our high-end whisky recommendations;
The Science & Craft Behind Luxury Whisky
Scotch single malt whisky is a result of time, precision and careful craftsmanship from producing the desired distillate to balancing the aromas and flavours created in the cask. While many distilleries have a set style for their signature releases, the array of flavours from a variety of aged casks provide the distiller a chance to craft truly exceptional single malts.
The Art of Maturation
From our blog article: Maturation in Scotch Whisky
Hidden in the cask, the clear pungent new make spirit mellows and darkens into a whisky that can, after at least three year but usually much longer, be blended and bottled for sale. According to Difford’s Guide to Single Malt Scotch Whisky Production, at least 60% of a whisky’s flavour (and much or all of its colour) comes from the cask.
With many premium releases aged for a minimum of 18 or 21 years, high-end single malts often reflect careful cask selection. Macallan Distillery states less than 1% of the casks maturing on the estate are ready for the quality of their Rare Cask release, and the Master Distiller will meticulously select and examine their chosen malts to reach the desired blend.
The Science
Maturation is an immensely complex process, and with the artistry of the master distiller, contributes to the elegance and complexity in mature single malt whiskies. During its time in the cask the taste, aroma and feel of the spirit is transformed through what are described as additive, subtractive and interactive maturation.
Additive maturation, as the name implies, refers to the manner in which components in the wood break down and combine with the spirit in the cask. A huge variety of flavour compounds are released into the spirit during this process, such as furfural (described as almond-like and grainy), hydroxymethylfurfural (bringing musty of waxy hints of butter and caramel), and 2,3-dimethylprazine (which is associated with roasted hazelnuts, cocoa and toast). Charred barrels will further release a variety of aromatic compounds such as guaiacol (a smoky, phenolic compound), 4-vinylguaiacol (a spicy, pungent phenol with clove-like notes), phenylethanol (floral, rose) and vanillin.
The range of compounds that can be drawn from the wood is amazing. Cis-oak lactoned impart a sweet coconut-vanilla aroma, whilst trans-oak lactones are associated with spicier notes of coconut, cloves, celery and incense. The list goes on, and includes astringent soluble tannins, beta-damascenone (fruity, peach, cooked apple), hexanal (grassy), 2-octenal (green leaf) and innumerable other volatile aromatics. The size, type and previous liquid used can all impact the final spirit, giving the distiller huge opportunity in crafting their desired dram.
Subtractive maturation, meanwhile, describes how interaction with the wood removes undesirable and raw flavours from the distilled spirit. For instance, although copper stills strip most of the sulphur dioxide and hydrogen sulphide from the spirit during distillation, other sulphur compounds will usually remain in a new-make spirit. Dimethyl disulphide, has a garlic like smell of rotten vegetables and is definitely something distillers wish to avoid.
Subtractive maturation tends to have removed the unpleasant tangy, metallic taste from an immature whisky within 5 - 8 years—a process encouraged by the presence of a heavily charred barrel. Thereafter the processes of additive and interactive maturation tend to dominate.
Interactive maturation refers to reactions taking place within the spirit itself, largely due to oxidation—perhaps the least well understood part of the maturation process. As soon as a cask is filled and stoppered the oak begins to absorb some of the spirit. This creates a headspace with negative pressure which draws in air through pores in the wood and seams into the cask. Thereafter the cask begins to breathe as temperatures rise and fall through the seasons. In the summer months the contents within the barrel will expand and, with nowhere else to go, some of the air and alcohol vapour in the headspace is ‘exhaled’ from the cask. As temperatures cool, and the contents contract, so the cask ‘inhales’ fresh air. This process contributes to the loss of about 2% of spirit in Scotland each year—the so-called ‘Angels Share’.
The oxygen in the air is also an extremely reactive element. It oxidises ethanol to produce carboxylic acids which, in turn, react with the ethanol to produce esters with fruity and floral overtones. Hydrogen peroxide, formed from tannins, also acts as an oxidising agent, transforming ethanol into acetaldehyde diethyl acetal and imparting delicate fragrant citrusy top notes.
Does age improve Scotch whisky?
Maturation is but one stage in an immensely complex process involving hundreds of flavour compounds. Malting, milling, mashing, fermentation, distillation, maturation and blending (from multiple casks from the same distillery) all play their part in the making of single malt Scotch whisky. Time in the cask is crucial to rid unwanted elements from the spirit and gain flavour from the oak, but there are a number of factors that affect the rate and outcome of maturation, such as the degree of charring, the type of oak, size of the cask, previous liquid and number of refills.
For example, whilst Edradour 21 Oloroso Cask exhibits the elegant oak, bold sherry tones and thick oily spirit from more traditional methods and a long maturation, Octomore (super-heavily peated malt from the Bruichladdich Distillery on Islay) showcases new-age innovative techniques. Aged for just 3 - 5 years yet with a unique maturation profile and huge flavour complexity, techniques like heavily charring the barrels, degree of peat and use of virgin oak casks contribute to this unique character. A whisky like no other, Octomore pushes the boundaries of whisky production and defies what we think we know about the spirit.
Taste Octomore 14.4 as part of our Luxury Single Malt Whisky blind tasting collection.
Age can enhance Scotch whisky by adding complexity, depth, and refinement, and extended time in the cask helps mellow the spirit and smooth out its harsher elements. However, many other factors influence the development of flavor. A first-fill sherry cask, for instance, imparts far more intensity than a refill cask. Charring the barrels accelerates maturation and introduces distinct flavour notes, while smaller barrels increase wood-to-spirit interaction, further shaping the whisky’s character.
Does pricealwaysindicate quality?
Single malt whisky prices vary hugely, and this is down to a number of different factors; the brand, the cost of production, the rarity of the bottle, and it’s market appeal. Limited edition releases tend to fetch higher prices, with yearly releases such as Macallan Rare Cask also quickly jumping in price.
There is no doubt when tasting the six single malts in our Luxury Selection, there is a complexity and individuality in each of the finer single malts. However in the end it is subjective, and the best luxury whisky is up to you. You may adore the elegant, smoky £170 Laphroaig 2.0 much more than the £300 sherry-promininet, oily Edradour. We update our Luxury Single Malt Whisky selection every year, giving you the rare chance to taste six exquisite single malts side-by-side, and find which suits your taste best.