Single malt whisky has been held in high regard for years, and for good reason. But it’s blends that have been the backbone of the industry.
While blended whiskies can be looked down on as the single malt’s poorer counterpart, they shouldn’t, as many are complex and delicious as well as being more affordable.
Here we take a look at our favourite blended Scotch whiskies, which are as good as any single malt.
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Best for: a special occasion
Score: 5/5
Available from Cask Cartel. Buy it here.
While most blends are affordable, House of Hazelwood is a collection of rare and old blends making them much more expensive than some single malts.
But this collection is the epitome of how good blends can be and came about thanks to the generations of the Gordon family who carefully laid down stocks of whisky for special occasions and personal consumption. This rare collection has become known as House of Hazelwood, after the family’s Dufftown home – Hazelwood House.
Today, the House of Hazelwood collection has grown to become the greatest inventory of aged Scotch whisky held anywhere in the world. Spanning seven decades and every corner of Scotland, the diverse whiskies held in cask tell stories of remarkable places, lost ways of working, first casks, last casks, the ambitions and achievements of several lifetimes – none of which will be repeated again, hence the price tags.
The Hazelwood Highlander is part of the 2024 collection and is a 33 year old blend of malt and grain whiskies from across the Highlands region making this a light, sweet and fruity dram.
The inclusion of grain here gives sweetness in all aspects of the whisky - nose, palate and finish, making it ideal as a sipping drink or for those who aren’t sure about trying a neat whisky. Grain is a really underrated addition to a blend, or even on its own.
On the nose there’s sweetness but also a freshness - nothing too cloying. On the palate I found pears and apples as well as that continued sweetness which became more like honey - all together it was like a fruity crumble, while the finish is pure syrup sweetness.
House of Hazelwood The Hazelwood Highlander is £1,200
Best for: whisky cocktails such as a highball
Score: 5/5
Available from Amazon. Buy it here.
Johnnie Walker has become a globally known and loved whisky for a reason. Yes the recognisable bottle and label play their part but ultimately it’s what’s inside that counts and it’s very, very good blended whisky.
While there’s much discussion as to which is the best out of red, black, double black and blue, you can’t go wrong with Johnnie Walker Black label.
Made from about 40 different whiskies and aged for 12 years, Johnnie Walker Black label is known for its mellow smokiness and is an ideal whisky for a beginner or in cocktails, especially a highball.
Its mass market appeal and low price may put some puresits off, but it is a cracking dram. There’s notes of dried fruit, caramel, spices and gentle smokiness that won’t put anyone off. It’s a smooth whisky that’s full of character and deserves to be celebrated as such.
Johnnie Walker Black label is priced around £25.
Best for: those looking to try something peaty
Score: 5/5
Available from Amazon. Buy it here.
One of the best ways to introduce people to whisky who’d not normally drink it is by a cocktail. Luckily for whisky lovers, novices and connoisseurs, whisky cocktails are becoming more and more mainstream. But before this, Monkey Shoulder was made as a whisky for mixing.
This was way back in 2003, when William Grant & Sons created this smoky blend with the cocktail market in mind. The team set about experimenting with various blends and settled on Batch 27 as the most successful, which they soon renamed ‘Monkey Shoulder’ - named after the condition workers would get from turning the barley on the malt room floor.
It’s a smooth and rich dram, which will hold its own in any cocktail. It’s made from three different Speyside single malts that are matured in first-fill ex-Bourbon casks and blended in small batches for up to six months.
It’s complex but not overpowering, with tasting notes of fresh orange, honey, spices, smoke, oak and vanilla. It’s lovely neat but it also makes a refreshing highball.
Monkey Shoulder is priced around £25.
Best for: a sweet, fruity dram - an ideal sipper
Score: 5/5
Available from Master of Malt. Buy it here.
One of many celebrity whiskies, The Sassenach is a blend that is made by Loch Lomond Whiskies for Outlander star Sam Heughan. Unlike a lot of celebrity endorsements or brands, Heughan seems really passionate about his whisky and for good reason. It’s a very enjoyable, delicious dram.
The Sassenach was first launched in America last summer and went on sale in the UK in December 2020. The whisky is a nod to the nickname Sam’s character Jamie has given his on-screen love interest Claire on the show and realises a dream the Scots actor has had for a long time.
In late 2020 Sam Heughan joined us on our podcast Scran to chat about his whisky, as well as why he chose a blend over a single malt, how it was almost made in America and his re-discovered love of Scotland through filming Outlander.
It’s made our top blended whiskies as it’s an easy-drinking dram but with real fruitiness and flavour. One of the key notes you might get on the nose and palette is apricot. These are joined by caramel, dried fruits, nuts and caramel while the finish is sweet and zesty.
Don’t just take our word for this being a brilliant blend, The Sassenach has won multiple awards including double gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for five years in a row and won a Platinum medal at the Las Vegas Global Spirits Awards.
The Sassenach is priced at £81.
