Some of the most flavourful ambers in the world are the result of single distilleries, and they sing with hints of wood and smoke. Also, if you like an on-the-rocks routine, we may suggest several excellent single malts that will not set you back more than Rs 5000. Discounted booze has never been this refined.
Single malts, widely recognised as the whisky industry’s pinnacle product, are often displayed prominently towards the store’s ceiling. It’s easy to assume that all of these ambers came from the same barrel. However, they really mean single-distillery drams that are manufactured entirely of malted barley. This enhances the whiskey’s natural fruity, nutty, spicy, or sweet flavour notes while also highlighting the distillery’s own character.
They are simple to drink yet provide a satisfyingly robust and sumptuous taste sensation. Due to the higher price tag compared to bourbons and blends, single malt scotch is often saved for celebratory drinks and other rare occasions. However, it’s not always necessary to go into debt to enjoy a luxurious drink. Over the last several years, a plethora of flavorful alternatives from some of the biggest brands in the business have led the road for single malt sips that are both flavourful and affordable (read: around Rs 5000!). In this article, we provide the items we consider essential.
Some of the world’s most flavourful ambers, resounding with hints of wood and smoke, are made in isolated distilleries. And if you like a nightly on the rocks routine, we can suggest several excellent single malts that will not set you back more than Rs 5000. Cheap booze has never tasted so refined.
Single malts, widely recognised as the best whisky available, are often kept in a special section near the store’s ceiling. These ambers are often attributed to the wrong barrel. But in reality, they only mean single-distillery drams that are manufactured entirely of malted barley. This brings out the whole range of flavors—fruity, nutty, spicy, and sweet—that come standard in a bottle of whisky, while also highlighting the individuality of the distillery from which it was produced.
Obviously, they provide a simple, but powerful and lavish, drinking experience. However, a dram of these malts is frequently saved for rare events and complicated drinks because to their higher price tags compared to bourbons and blends. But a luxurious drink need not necessarily set you back a fortune. Single malt sips that are both flavorful and affordable (read: around Rs 5000!) have become more common in recent years, thanks to a slew of alternatives from some of the biggest brands in the business. Please find below our curated list of essentials.
X By Glenmorangie
From one of the most sought-after and expensive whisky labels in the world comes this handcrafted single malt created in collaboration with the world’s best bartenders. X by Glenmorangie has a fruity, rich flavour that is perfect for blending and adding to cocktails. This drink has notes of vanilla, pear, honeysuckle, orange sherbet, and chocolate fudge in every mouthful. Whiskey aged in bourbon barrels and new char oak casks are used to get this effect. There is no higher quality whisky to purchase if you value a quality sazerac.
Price: Rs 4,971 approx. in Mumbai (700 ml)
Amrut Fusion Single Malt Whisky
One of the most well-known domestic labels, Amrut produces excellent whiskies. Their Fusion single malt has a smokey flavour and is complex, so it’s best enjoyed neat. Full peat flavour develops when some time has passed, but the wait is well worth it. Also present are undertones of vanilla, fruit, spice, and fudge-like chocolate. Perfect for your own library, this single malt was named World Whiskey of the Year in 2019.
Price: Rs 4,000 approx. in Bengaluru (750 ml)
Laphroaig Select
The whisky-making tradition may have begun on the Isle of Islay, where this amber was found. It’s no secret that Laphroaig makes some of the world’s most flavorful whiskies, and their Select expression is no exception. This rich single malt is the result of a careful blending of five different barrels, ranging from Oloroso Sherry Butta to American Oak. This is a great introduction to peated whiskies and is at its best when drunk neat.
Price: Rs 4,000 approx. in Delhi-NCR (700 ml)
Scapa Glanza
Scapa, located in Orkney, Scotland and owned by the renowned Scotch distillery Chivas Brothers, is known for producing exceptional whiskies. Their Glanza single malt is finished in barrels that previously held smokey, peated whiskies after being aged in American oak. The amber, the company claims, is a mild way to ease into the more robust world of peated whiskies. Other than that, it has a fruity, sweet flavour with hints of peach, pineapple, vanilla, and caramel in every glass. The aftertaste is lengthy and somewhat smokey. This is the malt for you if you like ones with softer flavours.
Price: Rs 4,700 approx. in Delhi-NCR (700 ml)
The Glenlivet 12 Year Old
Famous for its traditional Speyside malts, which are generally seen as a guarantee of high quality. Some of the oldest single malt Scotch whiskies may be found in Glenlivet, making it the second largest single malt brand in the world. The Twelve Year Old impression is, of course, a must-try. The single malt is aged in European and American oak barrels until it reaches a pale gold colour and develops aromas of honey, peaches, pears, vanilla, and smoke. The finish is lengthy and warming, with notes of ginger and hazelnut, and the whole experience is well-balanced and smooth. Any good home bar should have this.
Price: Rs. 3,000 approx. in Delhi-NCR (750 ml)
Glenfiddich 12 Year Old
Being the home of the best-selling single-malt whisky in the world puts a lot of pressure on the casks and maturation techniques used by Glenfiddich. Their 12 Year Old version naturally has a lot of flavour and complexity. It’s as well-balanced as a single malt can be, thanks to its meticulous ageing in American bourbon and Spanish sherry casks before pairing and maturing in oak barrels. The wine has a smooth body with hints of peach, butterscotch, and light oak in every glass. Besides that, it has a golden colour when poured and a smooth, drawn-out aftertaste. This single malt may be ideal if you’re searching for a drink with a complex flavour profile.
Price: Rs 3,000 approx. in Delhi-NCR (700 ml)
Bowmore 12 Year Old
Bowmore, the purportedly first distillery on Islay, produces well rounded single malts. The 12 Year Old has a rich expression, with hints of lemon and honey that match the smokiness of peat. You can taste the rich chocolate in every sip. The golden colour is inviting, and the finish is smooth and lingering. This might be a solid choice for your money if you’re just getting started in the world of single malts.
Price: Rs 3,000 approx. in Delhi-NCR (700 ml)
Ardmore Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Ardmore’s Legacy expression is a lightly peated single malt that is smooth and pleasant; it is known for producing easy-drinking whiskies that are a tribute to its birthplace, the Scottish Highlands. A light golden hue forms in the glass, and notes of vanilla, charcoal, honey, and spice emerge with each sip. However, there are aromas of cinnamon and toffee. It has a rich body and a satisfying aftertaste, and it goes down smoothly.
Price: Rs 2,500 approx. in Delhi-NCR (700 ml)
Glengoyne 12 Year Old
Glengoyne’s reputation rests on its unpeated Highland single malts, which are aged in the Lowlands and are known for their high quality. Here, the barley is always air-dried, never peat-dried. There are hints of toffee apples, cinnamon, spice, ginger, citrus, and shortbread in every taste of their 12 Year Old, which has a rich gold colour and flows. Meanwhile, aromas of coconut oil, lemon, oak, and honey are present. Every home bar should include a bottle of this award-winning single malt, which has a powerful yet well-balanced finish with undertones of sherry.
Price: Rs 4,000 approx. in Delhi NCR (750 ml)
Bushmills 12 Year Old
Whisky from an Irish distillery famed for its complex, nuanced blends – Typically, Bushmills 12 Year Old is aged in used Spanish Oloroso sherry barrels. It has a rich amber colour in the glass and tastes like sherry, dark chocolate, and spices. This one is mild and friendly, with an irresistible scent of dried fruit. If you’re just getting started with single malts, this full-bodied, sophisticated whisky is one of the finest you can get for around Rs 5000.
Price: Rs 3,500 approx. in Delhi NCR (700 ml)
