We have some rather incredible bottles of affordable and interesting Scotch whisky to showcase for you.
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READ THE STORYAll are Double Gold Medal winners from the recent San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2026, and we’ve hopefully selected some whiskies that you haven’t tried, or perhaps haven’t even heard of yet.
As a brief reminder, all of these whiskies are fermented, distilled, aged, and bottled in Scotland. They are all single malts, so they are made with 100% malted barley, distilled in copper pot stills, aged in oak for at least three years, and bottled at no lower than 40% ABV.
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Benriach 12 Year Old, 46%, £44/$59 – Double Gold Medal
Rachel Barrie has been working her magic at Benriach, Glendronach, and Glenglassaugh since Brown-Forman’s takeover of the three distilleries. Her unique approach to cask influence has really shown in this example of Benriach.
Matured in ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, and ex-port casks, it has a huge, well-rounded richness that offers chocolate, orange, green apple, and shortbread biscuits. A wonderful bottle of Speyside single malt, with the spirit matured in these casks separately before being married together at the vatting stage.
Benromach 10 Year Old, 43%, £43/$57 – Double Gold Medal
Another Speyside distillery, but one with a twist of long-gone history. A lot of Speyside single malts used to be peated to varying levels, and Benromach has kept that piece of history going. It has become synonymous with the distillery as a flavor.
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First-fill ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks go into the make-up of this single malt, showcasing its soft smokiness. It is not medicinal, but more BBQ-driven. The other notes are biscuit-led, with honey, vanilla, and soft exotic notes like coconut and pineapple. A must-have on anyone’s shelf.
Glen Scotia 12 Year Old, 46%, £45/$60 – Double Gold Medal
Off to Campbeltown we go! A bottle that has been occupying so many people’s shelves and opinions for all the right reasons: Glen Scotia 12 Year Old.
This is a 100% first-fill ex-bourbon cask matured single malt that screams of tropical fruits, soft salinity, and gentle notes of malted barley and barley cordials. It’s such a wonderful bottle that doesn’t break the bank, and it can give you an offering of Campbeltown whisky without having to join every Discord server or hunt through the shelves of every whisky shop in your area.
Loch Lomond Inchmoan 12 Year Old, 46%, £45/$60 – Double Gold Medal
One of my favorite bottles of peated single malt: Inchmoan! This liquid is produced by Loch Lomond Distillery, but is named after the island of peat in the middle of the loch itself.
Inchmoan uses three different highly peated distillates produced at the distillery. One distillation comes from its classic swan neck pot stills, while the other two come from its unique straight neck pot stills. One is a higher-strength distillation, and the other is a lower-strength distillation.
Combining all of this gives you a wonderfully smoky, present style of single malt that has serious weight, but doesn’t overwhelm you with peatiness. An excellent bottle that’s worth finding.
Lochlea Our Barley, 46%, £47/$62 – Double Gold Medal
The flagship release and the first bottle to form Lochlea’s core range, Our Barley is a juicy, sweet Lowland single malt that has lots to offer.
Matured in a combination of ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, and STR, or shaved, toasted, and re-charred, wine barriques, it has massive aromas of fresh peach, barley grist, vanilla cream, black pepper, and warming layers of toasted oak. It’s a wonderful Lowland distillery that deserves more attention from drinkers across the globe.
Bruichladdich Port Charlotte 10 Year Old, 50%, £55/$74 – Double Gold Medal
A big hitter in the list here. If you’re into heavily peated whiskies and want to feel the intensity of it, Port Charlotte is one of the best ways to explore that.
Bruichladdich produces this spirit, and it has such a massive delivery on the nose, palate, and finish. BBQ sauce, burnt wood on industrial estates, and a spicy, slightly sweet delivery on the palate. The finish is huge and just never goes away. It is one of the best bottles of heavily peated single malt you can buy. Awards or not, Port Charlotte always delivers.
Tobermory 12 Year Old, 46.3%, £42/$57 – Double Gold Medal
An island distillery that does make peated whiskies, but its unpeated single malts are just as impressive and remarkably complex at the age of twelve.
Every bottle of Tobermory 12 Year Old that I try always has the classic notes of vanilla, toffee, honey, and more. It also has some amazingly deep, savory, culinary notes that lean toward truffle oil, Parmesan, and old leather things that you find in wardrobes. The taste backs this up with welcome sweetness, and it has the texture of olive oil: super clingy and hanging to every tastebud. A truly excellent single malt that we should all explore.
Exceptional Value From Across Scotland
Incredible single malts from the length and breadth of Scotland, all waiting to be taken home and enjoyed by yourself, friends, and family. Whether they are being sourced from the Lowlands, Highlands, Campbeltown, or Islay, they are all incredible value, with so much flavor to make you sit and savor them for hours at a time.
