An 18-year age statement is something of a milestone in Scotch whisky, which makes these bottles a popular choice for gifts and celebrations. Many aged whisky lovers also look to 18-year-olds for punchy oak influence, which extended time in the cask can help develop.
But, with the brilliance of 18 year old Scotch whisky also comes the expense. So, if you are going to spend a lot of money on a bottle of whisky, which one should you choose?
I picked out six 18-year-old Scotches that won medals between 2024 and 2026 and typically sell for under $180 in the US and £130 in the UK. Their awards include medals from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the International Spirits Challenge and the World Whiskies Awards.
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READ THE STORYSo, let’s take a look. Let us know which one you would pick up.
Chivas Regal 18 Year Old
Award: Double Platinum, ASCOT Awards 2026; 1st Place, Best Blended Scotch Whisky 18 Year Old (89.5 points), International Whisky Competition 2025; Gold, San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2026; Gold, International Spirits Challenge 2026
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It is no secret that we love Chivas Regal 18 Year Old. For the price, I honestly think it is one of the best value 18 year old whiskies in Scotch, even for a blend.
Chivas Regal 18 was created in 1997 by Colin Scott, who was the brand’s Master Blender at the time. It is a blend of more than 20 malt and grain whiskies, each aged for at least 18 years, with Strathisla single malt from Speyside at its heart. The whiskies mature mainly in American oak, with some sherry cask influence.
On the nose, you might find dried fruits, buttery toffee, dark chocolate and spice. The palate brings chocolate and floral notes with a little gentle smoke, followed by a long, warm finish. Chivas says the whisky develops more than 85 flavor notes.
In our coverage of the San Francisco results, we picked it out as arguably the best bottle in the Chivas range for flavor against price.
Johnnie Walker 18 Year Old
Award: Gold (9), The Whiskey Wash Awards 2025; Double Gold, San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2024
Johnnie Walker 18 was previously sold as Platinum Label before the brand renamed it in 2017. It is a blend of up to 18 different whiskies from distilleries including Glen Elgin, Cardhu and Blair Athol. Johnnie Walker doesn’t give details of the casks, though they are believed to be a mix of European and American oak.
Johnnie Walker’s official tasting notes include stewed fruit, malty cereal, citrus, almonds, vanilla and tangerine, along with some smoke.
Its Gold comes from our own Whiskey Wash Awards, but the blend also picked up a Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2024. Reviewing it for our 2025 awards, Pete “Jeff Whisky” Jeffery wrote that “this 18 Year Old release stands up and shows it is not a premium blend to be overlooked.”
CRN57 18 Year Old
Award: Double Gold, San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2026
CRN57 is a range of blended malts from Gordon & MacPhail, the family-owned firm behind The Cairn Distillery, which opened in 2022 near Grantown-on-Spey. The name refers to the distillery’s location at 57 degrees north. The 18 Year Old is made from single malts drawn from across Scotland out of Gordon & MacPhail’s vast stocks, and The Cairn presents the range as a hint of the flavors its own whisky may offer in years to come.
You can expect raspberry and strawberry on the nose, followed by milk chocolate, dried banana, blueberries, and lime on the palate. The finish is citrusy with a touch of spice. A fruity wonder, and a nice sneak peek into what The Cairn is doing.
Alongside its Double Gold, it scored 89 points from Whisky Advocate
Wonderful value for money considering the sheer quality of Gordon & Macphail’s cask reserves, for me.
Glenmorangie The Infinita 18 Years Old
Award: Double Gold and Best Distillers’ Single Malt Scotch 13 to 19 Years, New York World Spirits Competition 2025; Double Gold, San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2026; Gold (95 points), New York International Spirits Competition 2026
The Infinita is Glenmorangie’s long-standing 18 Year Old with a new name and packaging, which the distillery introduced in late 2023. The name refers to Glenmorangie’s idea of flavor as an endless landscape. The whisky is aged mainly in ex-bourbon casks, with a portion finished in Oloroso sherry casks.
Tasting notes include honey, caramelized orange, jasmine, lemon blossom, and figs. On the palate, there’s orange marmalade and a polished texture, with a light trail of smoke on the finish.
Alongside the medals above, it also won Silver at the World Whiskies Awards 2026 and the International Spirits Challenge 2026.
It is a beautiful bottle to boot, and a great expression of Glenmorangie’s honeyed, fruity profile.
Glen Scotia 18 Years Old
Award: Silver, 13 to 20 Years, World Whiskies Awards 2026; Spirit Silver (91 points), International Wine & Spirits Competition 2026
Glen Scotia is one of the few working distilleries in Campbeltown, and the 18 Year Old sits at the older end of its core range. The whisky spends 17 years in refill bourbon casks and refill American oak hogsheads, which are then vatted together and finished for 12 months in first-fill Oloroso sherry casks.
Look for salted caramel, honey, toffee and floral notes, along with pineapple, apricot, sultanas and spice. There is also that typical hint of Campbeltown salinity.
It’s the only Campbeltown whisky on this list, so it’s a good pick if you want to try something from Scotland’s smallest whisky region. I have a lot of time for Glen Scotia.
Highland Park 18 Year Old
Award: Platinum (96 points), San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2024; Silver, Islands (Non-Islay) 13 to 20 Years, World Whiskies Awards 2026
Highland Park is based in Kirkwall on Orkney. The distillery uses peat from Orkney, which contains a lot of heather, and matures the 18 Year Old in a high proportion of first-fill sherry-seasoned European and American oak casks.
On the palate, you might find cherries, dark chocolate, toffee and marzipan, with the classic Highland Park heather honey and aromatic peat smoke.
The whisky has a long record of praise, and Highland Park notes that American spirits critic F. Paul Pacult has named it the Best Spirit in the World on more than one occasion. At around $177, it’s the most expensive bottle on this list, and it’s the only peated one.
It won’t hit you in the face with peat, though. It is a gentle, floral peat that elevates the sweeter notes in the whisky.
Which 18-Year-Old Should You Pick Up?
If you want the most affordable option, Chivas Regal 18 is the cheapest bottle here at around $75 (£68), and it has picked up medals at several competitions this year. Johnnie Walker 18 Year Old is another great value blended pick.
CRN57 18 is worth a look if you’re curious about The Cairn, while Glenmorangie The Infinita and Glen Scotia 18 are good choices for single malt drinkers. If you enjoy a little smoke, Highland Park 18 is the only peated whisky on the list. If I were to pick just one single malt to buy, Infinita would be my pick.
Have you tried any of these, and which 18-year-old Scotch would you choose as a gift? Let us know in the comments.
