Top 5 Best Whiskies Under £50

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Just because you can’t spend hundreds doesn’t mean you should have to compromise on taste. There are plenty of expressions that are full of flavour and are available at bargain prices.

Here is our selection of some of the best Whiskies that will not burn a hole in your wallet!

1. Four Roses Single Barrel,

Bottle cost: £44.75

This no age statement expression won Whisky Magazine’s Best Bourbon in 2008 and lives up to the award. It is full of fruit and sweetness. The nose opens with dried fruits such as raisin, apricots and fugs as well as a lovely soft plum flavour. These go well with the dark chocolate that also comes though here. Vanilla is also present, with a slight nod towards oak wood. The palate takes these and makes them bolder. The vanilla becomes caramel and toffee and the fruits become sweeter. They are joined by black cherries and more plums, with fig ans dates as well. The chocolate takes a slight step back but lends a creamy moth feel. The finish is smooth and soft, with a bit of oak wood and more caramel.

2. Bowmore 12 Year Old

Bottle cost: £34.95

The Bowmore 12 Year Old is full of sea salt and brine, which is not surprising considering its proximity to the coast. It begins with a nose of sea air and iodine. There is a peated smokiness alongside sea salt and citrus fruits. The fruits give it a refreshing tang amongst the smoke and salt. The palate is also filled with coastal flavours but is also quite sweet. It has lots of vanilla and honey that are the perfect companions to the peat and salt. These flavours mingle together to create a well-balanced dram. The iodine on the nose becomes more medicinal in quality, which goes well with the lemons and limes that also appear. The finish is long with a sea salt linger that holds the peat smoke to the end.

3. Ledaig 10 Year Old

Bottle cost: £39.95

Hailing from the Tobermory Distillery on the isle of Mull, this is a dram that is overflowing with flavour and has plenty of awards to prove how good it is. The nose is light and has lots of peat smoke present. This goes well with malted and cereal notes that also appear. The tastes are not over whelming but settle well together. It has a slightly coastal outlook. On the palate the some becomes rather earthy, with the peat becoming richer and more expressive. The seaside flavours melt into the smoke and become sweet and salty at the same time. there is also a lovely peppery spice that continues in to the finish and lingers with the peat.

 

 

4. BenRiach Curiositas 10 Year Old

Bottle cost: £39.45

This is a peated expression from a Speyside distillery that does not normally dabble in peat. But be thankful they did, because this is a fantastic dram. The nose has fresh cut peat, with a little moisture to the smoke. There is also grass and heather, to give it a slightly more aromatic scent. These flavour go perfectly together and point towards a dram that has depth. The palate becomes slightly sweeter, with a drop of honey to go with the heather. The peat is crisp and thick with a lovely warming sensation to it. The oak of the barrels comes through as a slightly hazelnut taste that has a little bit of sweetness to it. The finish is long and lingers on peat smoke and herbs.

5. Highland Park 12 Year Old

This is refreshing expression from the Highland Park Distillery. it opens with a nose of fresh cut grass and floral notes that give it refinement and depth. The floral notes are soft and aromatic, with a jasmine or cherry blossom note to them. Citrus fruits are also present to give a clean-cut tang to the peat smoke. On the palate the floral notes become more like manuka honey. This is thick and smooth, with lots of oak wood running through it. There is also a lovely malted quality to this dram. The citrus fruits reveal themselves to be oranges and clementines, with a delicious sweetness to them. The finish rests on these citrus fruits with peat smoke in the background and one final nod towards oak wood

 

What are your thoughts? Leave a comment below and let’s have a chat!

Tags: BenRiachDrinkWireFour RosesHighland ParkLedaigTop 5 BestWhiskies Under £30
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Greg

My name is Greg, and I’m a brand strategy consultant, writer, speaker, host and judge specialising in premium spirits. My mission is to experience, share and inspire with everything great about whisky, whiskey, gin, beer and fine dining through my writing, my brand building and my whisky tastings.

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