With only a few weeks until Christmas, there’s still time to pick up a bottle of whisky for the dram lover in your life.
From blends to single malts, single grains and supermarket buys, here is our pick of the best whiskies for £50 and under that’ll make ideal gifts this Christmas.
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New to the Glencadam range this year, Glencadam Riserva di Amarone has been handcrafted in small batches by master distiller Robert Fleming.
Glencadam Riserva di Amarone has been finished in Amarone wine casks sourced from Italy.
On the nose, there are sweet aromas of cherry jam, marzipan, fruit nougat and pistachio, bound with baking spices. On the palate, there’s red fruits, crystallised ginger and strawberry liquorice, mingled with oak spices, candied peels and cacao.
To finish, layers of cappuccino, dark chocolate, Morello cherry and raspberry jam, leaving a warming wood spice linger.
The Balvenie 12-Year-Old DoubleWood gains its distinctive character from maturation in two different wood types – American and European Oak, with each stage lending different qualities.
This technique results in a single malt creating a rounded dram, rich with sweet vanilla and spicy oak notes. The perfect gift to convert non-whisky drinkers.
The perfect representation of Loch Lomond Distillery’s signature style, Loch Lomond 12 Year Old Perfectly Balanced Single Malt is created using a combination of the distillery’s unique straight-neck pot stills, and more traditional swan neck stills. The delicious result is a timeless spirit with notes of fruit, honey, and soft smoke.
Bottled at 46% and non-chill filtered, this balanced expression offers delicious notes of peach and pear layered with vanilla sweetness and a gentle hint of smoke. The final finish is one that is medium in length, with a gentle wood smoke and a lingering tang.
Glenfiddich has added the indulgent Glenfiddich 14 Year Old Bourbon Barrel Reserve to its Flagship collection in the UK.
Beloved in the US, the Bourbon Barrel Reserve 14 Year Old is Glenfiddich’s first whisky matured in two types of American oak barrel.
For any dram-loving friends and family members who like to experiment with new flavours, Nobel Rebel is an ideal gift. A new blended malt Scotch whisky brand from Loch Lomond Group, Noble Rebel creatively pushes boundaries in the pursuit of flavour creation, combining the nobility of single malt whisky with the rigour of craftmanship.
Hazelnut Harmony is a slightly sweet dram, so suited to those with a sweet tooth. A balanced blend of sweet honeycomb and warm baked nuts combined with subtle pear undertones and light floral notes. It was awarded Gold at the Scotch Whisky Masters 2024.
Spearhead is a single grain whisky made exclusively from 100% malted barley.
Aged in ex-bourbon barrels before finishing in a combination of fire and infrared toasted virgin American oak barrels, this process delivers a light, fruity and sweet whisky, perfect for mixing. Try it neat, with water, ice or your favourite mixer.
The multiple award-winning single grain whisky was mostly recently recognised at the Scotch Whisky Masters 2024 with a Gold Medal.
Vinaya, a Sanskrit word meaning respect and gratitude, pays homage to Bladnoch Distillery’s original founders who paved the way for the brand’s exciting new era of innovation and production.
Non-chill filtered and natural in colour, Bladnoch Vinaya is matured in a combination of first-fill bourbon and sherry casks, a process which creates notes of fresh apple, sweet floral grass and hints of chocolate.
Bladnoch Vinaya has received a number of industry awards. Most recently it received a gold medal at the International Spirits Challenge 2024 and a bronze award in the 2024 International Wine and Spirits Competition.
The third release from an exceptionally rare vintage from this community owned Highland distillery will be loved by whisky fans this Christmas.
The spirit has been matured in a trio of casks - red wine, Moscatel and Marsala - all which impart their own flavours to this complex yet delicate whisky.
Glenwyvis is usually £59 but there’s money off just now at Master of Malt. You can buy a bottle for £50 here.
New to the range this year, this exciting single malt builds upon the classically smooth Tomatin 12 Year Old, honing in on pure sherry maturation.
The result is a very festive dram that brings together decadent, rich flavours imparted from the sherry casks.
Fully matured in sherry casks for 12 years, Tomatin 12 Year Old Sherry Cask is packed full of rich, decadent flavours.
Caramelised apple and pear lead, balanced with a wonderful mix of sultana, orange peel, apricot and hints of aged leather. Deeper on the palate with notes of chocolate fudge and manuka honey, along with dried fruit and nut. The finish is warm and round with a sweet, cinnamon spice.
From the Dram Team, this tasting box is an ideal gift for a whisky lover that’s looking to try something new without spending on a full bottle.
Choose from mixed, peated or unpeated and you’ll be sent five 25ml premium Scotch whiskies. The kit also includes a lifetime membership to the subscriber only bottle shop and exclusive personalised whisky recommendations and offers.
Once you’ve tasted the whiskies, you can score them on the Dram Team’s website so next time you order, the selection will be more curated.
After you've scored the selection from your box, you can buy a full size bottle from the Dram Team’s exclusive bottle shop or they can recommend another tasting set for you.
