The Whisky Club's Guide to the Best Single Malt Whisky
Welcome to the world of single malt whisky
The Whisky Club provides our Members with some of the best whiskies in the world, many of which are created exclusively for the Club and are therefore not available anywhere else. We go out of our way to procure Scotch, American, Japanese, Irish and Australian whiskies. The vast majority of these are single malts. But what is a single malt, what makes them special, and what are the best ones for your whisky shelf at home? In this guide we give some background information and highlight ten of the best single malts we've featured over the years.
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What is single malt whisky?
In most whisky making countries, a single malt whisky is made using 100% malted barley. It must spend some time in wooden casks and be bottled at a minimum of 40% alcohol by volume. We break down the most famous single malt styles here:
Single malt Scotch whisky
The most famous type of single malt whisky is Scotch. A single malt Scotch must be:
- the product of one distillery
- distilled, matured and bottled in Scotland
- made from 100% malted barley
- distilled in copper pot stills in a batch process
- matured in oak casks no larger than 700L in size for a minimum of 3 years
Single malt Irish whiskey
Single malt Irish whiskey is similar to Scotch whisky. An Irish single malt must be:
- the product of one distillery
- distilled, matured and bottled on the island of Ireland
- made from 100% malted barley
- distilled in copper pot stills in a batch process
- matured in wooden casks no larger than 700L in size for a minimum of 3 years
Single malt Japanese whisky
Japanese single malt whisky must be:
- the product of a single distillery
- distilled, matured and bottled in Japan
- made from 100% malted barley
- can be distilled in copper pot stills or column stills
- matured in oak casks no larger than 700L in size for a minimum of 3 years
Single malt Australian whisky
Australian single malt whisky follows the rules of Scotch, with the following exceptions:
- distilled, matured and bottled in Australia
- can be distilled in pot stills or column stills
- matured for a minimum of 2 years
Single malt American whisky
To be classified as a single malt in America, the whisky must be:
- the product of a single distillery
- distilled, matured and bottled in America
- made from 100% malted barley
- can be distilled in pot stills or column stills
- matured in oak casks - there is no minimum age statement, but if it's a "straight" whiskey, then it must be matured for a minimum of 2 years
Want to know more? For a deeper dive into single malt whisky, check out the FAQs at the bottom of this article.
For more information on how single malt whisky is made, check out The Whisky Club's Guide to Making Whisky, The Whisky Club's Guide to Casks and The Whisky Club's Guide to Whisky Definitions Around the World.
The Glendronach 2013 Oloroso - created exclusively for The Whisky Club
Glendronach is a single malt Scotch distillery near Huntly in the Scottish Highlands. It's known for producing a robust style of spirit that ages perfectly in Sherry casks. Glendronach is gaelic for "valley of the brambles".
The Glendronach 2013 Oloroso is matured exclusively in Oloroso Sherry casks allowing it to stand out from the core range, which combines whisky from Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez casks. This unique vintage release was created exclusively for The Whisky Club.
Tasting Notes: ginger, orange peel, dried fruit and crème brûlée
The Glendronach Vintage Oloroso specs
Age: 2013 Vintage
ABV: 50.1%
Price for Whisky Club Members: $140
Read more: The Glendronach 2013 Oloroso
Bushmills 2010 Double Moscatel - created exclusively for The Whisky Club
Old Bushmills is a distillery in Northern Ireland. It is the oldest licensed distillery in the world and is famed for making single malt and blended Irish whiskies. It is one of only two distilleries to feature on a bank note in the British Isles. The other was The Macallan.
The Bushmills 2010 Double Moscatel is an award winning Irish whiskey created exclusively for The Whisky Club and its Members. It scored 98/100 at San Francisco, was shortlisted for Best Irish Single Malt and was voted the Whisky Club’s Whisky of the Year in 2024. The whiskey was firstly matured in Sherry casks before being finished in a combination of Moscatel casks from Spain and Portugal.
Tasting Notes: honey, mandarin, bold jammy red fruit and soft kitchen spice.
Bushmills 2010 Double Moscatel Cask specs
Age: 13 years old
ABV: 49.1%
Price for Whisky Club Members: $140
Read more: Bushmills 2010 Double Moscatel Cask
Port Charlotte is a heavily peated whisky from the Bruichladdich distillery on Islay. The barley used is peated to about the same level as Laphroaig, but the peat source is mainland lending hints of smoky bacon and farmyard funk vs the traditional medicinal smoke associated with Islay malts.
The 2008 Islay Barley was made using only barley grown on Islay and matured on the island in a mixture of American ex Bourbon and European oak ex Sherry casks. It is rare to find a single malt Scotch made from Islay barley, in fact only two distilleries in the world carry out this practice. The other is Kilchoman.
Tasting Notes: vanilla, oily sweet peat, salt and biscuity sweetness
Port Charlotte 2008 Islay Barley specs
Age: 6 years old
ABV: 50%
Price for Whisky Club Members: $110
Read more: Port Charlotte 2008 Islay Barley
For more Islay whiskies, check out The Whisky Club's guide to the best Islay whisky.
Linkwood is a single malt Scotch distillery near Elgin in Speyside. The vast majority of Linkwood whisky is made for blends like Johnnie Walker and Haig with a tiny amount released officially as a single malt or by independent bottlers.
This Flora and Fauna edition is a 12 year old single malt Scotch whisky. It is the only expression released officially by the distillery. It showcases the floral, orchard fruit driven style the distillery is famed for.
Tasting Notes: Rose water, vanilla and green apples
Linkwood 12 Years Old Flora and Fauna specs
Age: 12 years old
ABV: 43%
Price for Whisky Club Members: $115
Read more: Linkwood 12 Years Old Flora and Fauna
The Miyagikyo distillery is owned by Nikka and sits in the mountains on the outskirts of Sendai in Japan. The distillery can produce single malt, single grain and blended whiskies.
The Miyagikyo 12 Year Old expression was created from unpeated and lightly peated barley before being matured in Sherry casks to showcase the complex and delicate style of single malt the distillery is famous for. The 12 year old expression has been discontinued.
Tasting Notes: burnt toffee, orchard fruits, spice and sweet vanilla
Miyagikyo 12 Year Old specs
Age: 12 years old
ABV: 45%
Price for Whisky Club Members: $115
Read More: Miyagikyo 12 Year Old
For access to exclusive single malt whiskies made exclusively for our Members, sign up to The Whisky Club for free.
Lark Rare Seppeltsfield Tawny Cask - created exclusively for The Whisky Club
Lark is a distilling house based in Tasmania. Founded in 1992 as the first craft distillery in Australia, they have a reputation for making bold, rich flavourful single malts aged in Australian fortified casks and with a hint of Tasmanian peat. Initially inspired by some of the most famous single malt Scotch whisky distilleries, Lark is carving its own path in the new world of single malts.
This Lark was matured in select Australian Tawny casks from Seppeltsfield in South Australia. Seppeltsfield has the longest unbroken lineage of fortified wine in the world dating back to 1878.
Tasting Notes: sweet plum pudding, roasted hazelnut, spice and dark orange chocolate
Lark Rare Seppeltsfield Tawny Cask specs
Age: NAS
ABV: 47.5%
Price for Whisky Club Members: $150
Read more: Rare Seppeltsfield Tawny Cask
Highland Park is an island distillery on the Orkney mainland known for making fruity single malt Scotch whisky with aromatic sweet peat aromas. Matured in Sherry casks, the whisky making team at Highland Park are involved in the most expensive cask programme in the world.
Each year the Master Whisky Maker at Highland Park would select a unique blend to be released at natural cask strength. These limited releases were popular as they showcased Highland Park at its most powerful and have drinkers a chance to find their perfect point of dilution. The first edition picked up numerous gold medals and an award for best non-age statement single malt at San Francisco.
Tasting Notes: sun ripened citrus, heather honey and aromatic smoke
Age: NAS
ABV: 63.3%
Price for Whisky Club Members: $195
Read more: Highland Park Cask Strength Release 1
Glenmorangie is a Highland distillery in Tain. It has the tallest stills in Scotland (the size of an adult giraffe) which give the spirit an elegant, fruity character. The majority of Glenmorangie's single malt Scotch whisky is aged in ex-Bourbon American oak barrels for at least ten years. Many expressions then go on to be enhanced with time in specialist casks from other industries.
The Amontillado Sherry Cask edition has been further matured in Amontillado casks. Amontillado is a Sherry that begins life ageing biologically under flor before ending its life ageing oxidatively. This gives it aromas of fresh fruit, dry citrus, dried fruits and nuttiness.
Tasting Notes: baked orange, poppy seed cake, walnuts and butterscotch
Glenmorangie Amontillado Sherry Cask specs
Age: 12 years old
ABV: 46%
Price for Whisky Club Members: $140
Read more: Glenmorangie Amontillado Sherry Cask
The Lakes is an English single malt whisky distillery in the Lake District. They were founded in 2014 and won World's Best Single Malt for their Whiskymaker's Reserve No. 4 Release. They produce an unpeated, robust and fruity new make spirit designed for maturation in Sherry casks.
The Whiskymaker's Editions: Galaxia features a combination of Sherry casks, Calvados casks, red wine casks, white wine casks and Bourbon barrels, blended to showcase the breadth and depth of the distillery's wood policy outside of their traditional Sherry cask maturation.
Tasting Notes: dark fruits, wood spice, manuka honey and ginger.
The Lakes Whiskymaker's Edition: Galaxia specs
Age: NAS
ABV: 54%
Price for Whisky Club Members: $395
Read more: The Lakes Whiskymaker's Edition: Galaxia
The Balvenie First Fill 12 Year Old Single Barrel - created exclusively for The Whisky Club
The Balvenie distillery is just outside Dufftown in Speyside and is known for producing rich, fruity and malty single malt Scotch. It is just as at home in a Sherry cask as it is in American oak ex-whisky casks. In fact, they were one of the pioneers of cask finishing as whisky from ex-whisky casks was transferred into Sherry casks to create their iconic 12 year old Doublewood expression.
The Balvenie First Fill 12 Year Old Single Barrel release was a range of first fill casks chosen by the Malt Master at Balvenie and The Whisky Club tasting panel exclusively for Members of The Whisky Club. This selection of casks showcased the effect of first fill ex-Bourbon barrels on the Balvenie complex spirit.
Tasting Notes: citrus, maple syrup sweetness and buttered raisin toast
The Balvenie First Fill 12 Year Old Single Barrel specs
Age: 12 years old
ABV: 47.8%
Price for Whisky Club Members: $140
Read more: The Balvenie First Fill 12 Year Old Single Barrel
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Here at The Whisky Club, we source whisky from all over the world and bring you all of the background and stories that come with them. This was a list containing solely single malt whisky from around the world. To find out more about upcoming releases and how we select our whiskies, you can join for free here.
Read on for more in depth information regarding single malt whisky. If you have further comments or questions, feel free to reach out to us. To find out how whisky is made, check out The Whisky Club's Guide to Making Whisky.
Single malt whisky FAQs
What are the best single malt whisky brands?
There are thousands of single malt whisky brands around the world, each one unique. The most famous and popular brands include:
- The Macallan - Sherry cask driven Speyside single malt
- Glenfiddich - the biggest selling malt whisky in the world
- Glenmorangie - delicate and innovative Highland single malt
- Laphroaig - Islay whisky known for its smoky and peaty flavour profile
- Lark - Tasmanian pioneer of single malt matured in Australian fortified wine casks
- Yamazaki - iconic Japanese single malt brand
- Old Bushmills - triple distilled Irish single malt from the oldest licensed distillery in the world
What are the different types of single malt whisky?
The main types of single malt whisky are Scotch, Irish, Japanese, Australian and American. To learn more about each of these whiskymaking markets, check out The Whisky Club's Guide to Whisky From Around the World.
What's the difference between single malt whisky and blended whisky?
Single malt whisky is made from 100% malted barley and is the product of a single distillery. A blend simply contains whisky from more than one distillery.
- Single malt whisky - made from 100% malted barley and the product of a single distillery
- Single grain whisky - made from less than 100% malted barley and the product of a single distillery
- Blended malt whisky - a blend of single malts
- Blended grain whisky - a blend of single grains
- Blended whisky - a blend of single malt and single grain whiskies together
How to choose the best single malt whisky for you?
To find your favoured style of single malt, we would suggest buying a few drams of whisky to explore the range of flavour available. You can then hone in on your favourite. The regional approach or the cask approach or the global approach are three of our favourites:
Regional Scotch whisky flight - grab a whisky from each of the 5 whisky making regions in Scotland: The Lowlands, The Highlands, Speyside, Campbeltown and Islay
Cask flight - grab a whisky from the main cask types used to mature whisky: Bourbon cask, Sherry cask, wine cask, virgin cask and Port cask
World whiskies flight - grab a single malt whisky from the main whiskymaking countries: Scotland, Japan, Ireland, Australia and America
How should you drink single malt whisky?
If you're looking to explore the whisky neat or with a drop of water, we suggest the 5 step approach:
- Look at the colour - olive oil green/golden indicates Bourbon casks (vanilla and fresh fruit notes); red indicates Sherry casks (dried fruit and chocolate notes)
- Look at the body - the tears running down the side of the glass: slow and thick indicates more alcohol
- Nose - sniff the whisky and try to picture the main aromas
- Taste - sip the whisky and hold it on your palate for a few seconds before swallowing and try to picture the main flavours
- Finish - think about the lingering flavour: is it smoky, dry, sweet, lifted and pleasant?
Add a drop of water and repeats steps 3 to 5. You will notice a big change in the glass.
Ultimately, there are no rules about enjoying whisky, and we encourage the addition of water, ice, its use in cocktails or even cooking. Find your own path to whisky enjoyment.
Check out The Whisky Club's Guide to Enjoying Whisky.
How should single malt whisky be stored?
Single malt whisky should be stored out of direct sunlight and upright. If keeping a bottle for a long time, turn it every few months to stop the cork drying out. Do not store it on its side.
How long does single malt whisky last unopened?
Single malt whisky is inert in a bottle, so it will last indefinitely unopened. If opened, oxygen will cause the whisky to change, but this can take months or even years before the change is noticeable and some changes may make the product more pleasant.
What is cask strength single malt whisky?
Cask strength single malt whisky is whisky bottled straight from the cask. Most single malts will have water added to bring them to bottling strength, often 40-46% ABV. Cask strength whisky simply skips this dilution phase. Cask strength whiskies can range from 40% to over 64% ABV.
What makes single malt whisky different from other types of whisky?
Single malt whisky is made from 100% malted barley at a single distillery. It’s known for its intensity of flavour which reflects the unique character of its distillery and region.
Is single malt whisky always better than blended whisky?
Not necessarily. Single malts offer distinct character, while blends can offer balance and consistency. It depends on your taste preferences.
What’s the best single malt whisky for beginners?
We'd recommend having a look at lighter styles from Speyside or The Lowland of Scotland like Glenfiddich, Glenmorangie, Bladnoch or Aberlour. Similarly, a Sherry cask can often add a sweetness to a whisky that many people enjoy.
If you normally drink red wine, look for a Sherry cask. If you're into white wine, have a look for a Bourbon cask whisky. If you like beer, then maybe something malty, and if you like a cigar, it's worth seeking out some smoke and peat.
Whatever path you choose, remember you can always add water or ice to cut the strength and change the flavour profile.
How do I know if a single malt is peated?
Look for regional clues (e.g. Islay whiskies are usually peated) or terms like “peat,” “smoke,” or “PPM” on the label.
If you'd like to see more peated whiskies, have a look at The Whisky Club's Guide to the Best Peated Whisky.
How does a whisky subscription work?
The Whisky Club subscription is free with no obligation to buy anything we procure. Members are automatically opted in to receive the Whisky of the Month, with each of our other releases available as 'Add In' whiskies. Members can choose to skip delivery any month they like, as often as they like.
Why can’t I buy these single malt whiskies directly?
One of the biggest benefits of Membership is access to exclusive whiskies crafted exclusively for you. We source the liquid, tell the story and connect you directly with the distillers and whiskymakers who made the whisky. This has helped us create the world's biggest whisky loving community. So the question is maybe not "why can't I buy these directly", but more like "where do I sign up?"
Why subscribe?
- Access to whiskies created exclusively for the Club
- Early access to global whisky releases from the world’s greatest distilleries
- Tasting notes and information on each whisky you order
- Prize draws for trips, delivery day upgrades and exclusive Club merchandise
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- No hidden fees and no minimum orders