It’s a great week to find a new Scotch whisky. With all the flavors that come with Thanksgiving week, the meal, the desserts, and the fall vibes outside, Scotch flavor profiles are just about bang on. The thing is, there are just so many Scotch whiskies on the shelf at any semi-decent liquor store these days — making the right pick can feel daunting.
Well… we’ve got your back!
Below, I’m calling out 25 Scotch whiskies that are perfect for this week’s festivities. The Scotch whisky that I’ve listed below covers everything from peated malts to classic blended Scotch whiskies to subtle sherry-finished single malts. There’s something for everyone is what I’m getting at.
The best part is that these whiskies should be fairly easy to find at any good liquor store with a solid Scotch aisle. Not every whisky on this list is going to show up everywhere but you have a pretty good chance of sourcing most of these pretty easily. If not, hit those price links to see if you can get that bottle delivered ASAP. Let’s dive in!
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25. Copper Dog Speyside Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $25
The Whisky:
This is a release from Diageo that utilizes a lot of Speyside whiskies. Eight single malts are chosen for this blend to highlight the small region within the Scottish Highlands specifically.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This is classic Speyside from nose to finish with apple and honey dominating the whole way through.
Palate: The palate adds a warm oaty malt and spice next to a very slight nuttiness and maybe a touch of orange marmalade. Imagine an oatmeal-walnut scone with a dollop of that jam on top and you’ll be there.
Finish: The end is short, spicy warm, and slightly honeyed.
Bottom Line:
This is a good place to start. This is a standard blended Scotch whisky that delivers. This is the perfect Scotch whisky to make highballs with or even cook with.
24. The Famous Grouse Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $21
The Whisky:
The Famous Grouse is an old-school blend that got its start in a Scottish grocery store where grocers often blended their own whiskies to sell. The whisky is now a mix of single malts and single grains with a focus on parent company partners Highland Park and The Macallan.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a Christmas cake nose that’s spicy, fruity, and malty and supported by a note of citrus.
Palate: The palate keeps those nose notes rolling with an additional whisper of oak and a hint of malted cookies dipped in lightly smoked honey.
Finish: The end is short and creamy with a distant wisp of campfire smoke far off in the distance.
Bottom Line:
This is a nice and very even-keeled whisky with a hint of smoke. Think of sipping this over a lot of ice next to a fire in the backyard before or after a big meal.
23. Dewar’s Aged 12 Years Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $28
The Whisky:
Dewar’s blends malt and grain whiskies from over 40 distilleries with the famed Aberfeldy at its core. The whisky is blended and then aged for an additional six months in oak to marry all the flavors before proofing and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a matrix of vanilla, oak, and caramel up top that leads towards malts and Christmas spices with an emphasis on nutmeg.
Palate: That vanilla gets very creamy and a sweet, almost peanut brittle edge arrives with a little dried fruit.
Finish: The mid-palate holds onto that sweetness as the maltiness and warmth come back for a fairly quick fade toward the finish.
Bottom Line:
There are a lot of classic “on the rocks” Scotch whiskies on this list and this is perhaps one of the more iconic ones. You know what to do.
22. Buchanan’s DeLuxe Blended Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $33
The Whisky:
Buchanan’s is making a big comeback. Part of that is due to this expression snagging a Double Gold from the San Francisco World Spirit Competition in 2020; another part is the quality Diageo whiskies in the blend.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The whiskey opens with a real sense of dark chocolate married to bright orange zest.
Palate: The palate builds on that adding hints of vanilla pudding and dark spices next to a cedar woodiness and a little bit of spicy/ chewy tobacco.
Finish: A whisper of peat arrives late and far in the background as the chocolate orange throughline lasts the longest on the fade.
Bottom Line:
This has very old-school scotch vibes, especially over some rocks. It also works as a simple cocktail base for pretty much any application.
21. Old Parr Blended Scotch Whiskey Aged 12 Years
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $33
The Whisky:
This old-school blend is built around Cragganmore and Glendullan single malts. The whiskies mellow for 12 years before they’re vatted and proofed for this bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There are cinnamon apple cookies on the nose with a touch of honey, nuts, and dry malt.
Palate: The taste is very malty with a touch of cedar, tobacco spice, and more honey/apple/cinnamon.
Finish: The end is warm, malty, and slightly sweet thanks to the honey.
Bottom Line:
This is, again, very old-school. Serve it over some rocks or in a cocktail and you’ll be all set with deep fall-adjacent flavors.
20. Ardbeg Wee Beastie Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 47.4%
Average Price: $45
The Whisky:
This expression from Ardbeg was first released back in 2020 and instantly became a mainstay of the line (especially for bartenders). The hot juice is aged for only five years in both ex-bourbon and ex-oloroso sherry casks before marrying for the final product. The idea is to give a sense of the quality of the peaty whisky from Port Ellen’s malting house without too much wood influence.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This is a little abrasive on the nose with alcohol soaking through dried berries and raisins next to a hint of pear candy, woody vanilla, and dried dirt.
Palate: The palate has a hint of smoked plums that leads directly into pear candy with a touch of smoked pork belly buried in BBQ ash.
Finish: The finish is a mix of hot asphalt and soft pear tobacco with a thin layer of salt water calming everything down.
Bottom Line:
This is going to be a polarizing pour of peated Islay malt. The whisky is boldly peated and ashen with a nice bourbon creaminess under it all. This is the whisky for the peat heads at your Thanksgiving shindig.
19. X by Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $29
The Whisky:
This single malt from the famed Highland distillery, Glenmorangie, is built to be the ultimate single malt mixing whisky. They don’t release much else about the blend besides being a mix of their iconic single malts “made for mixers.”
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is full of grapefruit pith next to ripe pears and vanilla pods, all in equal measure, next to a hint of orange oils and maybe a little wildflower.
Palate: The palate builds on that orange towards a bright orange sherbert, a vanilla pudding creaminess, burnt sugars, light and sweet marzipan, and a touch of dark chocolate infused with red chili flakes.
Finish: The finish really leans into the spicy chocolate and gets slightly bitter as the spice mellows towards mulled wine spices and a touch more sweetness.
Bottom Line:
This is the whisky you want to get for cocktails. Use it to batch an old fashioned or stir up some nice Rob Roys as the turkey rests between the oven and carving.
18. Johnnie Walker Double Black Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $40
The Whisky:
This is Johnnie Walker Black that’s been re-casked in deeply charred oak barrels for a final maturation, making this a classic double-cask whisky. The idea is to maximize that peat and amp up the Islay and Island whiskies’ smokiness.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Clove-forward spice and billows of softwood smoke — think cherry and apple trees — greet you on the nose.
Palate: The palate has a vanilla creaminess that’s punctuated by bright apples, dried fruit, and more peat that leans more towards an old beach campfire than a chimney stack.
Finish: The spice kicks back in late, warming things up as the smoke carries through the end with a nice dose of oakiness, fruitiness, and sweet vanilla creaminess.
Bottom Line:
This is quintessential on-the-rocks scotch that hits you with just the right amount of sweet and fruity smoke.
17. Glencadam Reserva Andalucía Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $43
The Whisky:
This bespoke whisky is made from special Andalucia sherry casks that are blended with malt aged in ex-bourbon casks. The final product is then finished in fresh Olorosso sherry casks before proofing and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Sharp marmalade over scones with a hint of cream drives the nose toward ginger candy and soft vanilla.
Palate: That orange bitters toward chili pepper spice in the creamy malts with a hint of salted caramel and floral honey.
Finish: The sharp spice gets a little woody at the end with a hint more of vanilla and orange rounding things out.
Bottom Line:
This is a nice bridge between subtle scotch and bourbon with a holiday vibe throughout. Pour it over rocks or into cocktails and you’ll be set all Thanksgiving break.
16. Loch Lomond Original Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $38
The Whisky:
This lightly peated single malt from the Highlands is a classic. The juice is a no-age-statement whisky that’s meant as an entry point to the wider brand. The malt is just kissed with peat while malting. The single malt blend is a mix of those barrels with an eye on highlighting the subtler aspects of the whisky. Once vatted, the whisky is proofed and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a nice dose of honey wafer biscuits wrapped in an old leather sheet with a hint of dried grass, soft raisin, and mildly spicy malts.
Palate: The palate leans into those malts with a hint of malted vanilla next to oatmeal cookies with cinnamon, raisins, and walnuts next to a glass of heavy cream for dipping.
Finish: The end kicks in with a sharp orange/cinnamon before descending toward soft oak and more of that leather and honey wafer.
Bottom Line:
This is a beautifully subtle malt that has whispers of smoke, creating a wonderful accent to the softer fruits and creaminess. That makes this a great candidate for pairing with your Thanksgiving feast.
15. Chivas Regal Mizunara Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $43
The Whisky:
Chivas is renowned for its iconic blended whisky. This expression — created for the Japanese market and released in the U.S. in 2019 — adds a unique dimension to the classic blend. A portion of the whisky is finished in Japanese Mizunara casks, adding a layer of nuanced flavors to the standard Chivas.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Caramel and dark dried fruits mingle with tasty pears, soft orange zest, a touch of leather, fresh and floral honey, and maybe some old oak staves on the nose.
Palate: The palate has a dash or two of winter spice next to walnuts and honey-soaked raisins with a hint of sunburnt heather and wildflowers.
Finish: The finish lets the spiciness warm the palate as pear and leather fade through the end.
Bottom Line:
Chivas is the most iconic “on the rocks” scotch there is. You know what to do.
14. Speyburn Arranta Casks Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $45
The Whisky:
Arranta translates to “bold” and this whisky leans into that. The hot juice is aged for an undisclosed amount of time in first-fill ex-bourbon casks (that means this whisky was the first thing to go into those casks after they were emptied of bourbon). Those barrels were then vatted, proofed, and bottled without filtration.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Pear candy and honey lead the way on the nose toward woody spices, light leather, and a hint of sour apple skins and stems.
Palate: The palate is sweet and malty with a drive from pear flesh to pit, skin, and tree with floral honey and wet coconut leading to a hint of creamy vanilla sauce dusted with cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
Finish: The end leans into pears soaked in honey and nutmeg with a hint of old porch wicker and worn leather gloves on the finish.
Bottom Line:
This feels like a fruit-forward dessert in a glass. Pair this with the cheese or pie course after the big meal on Thursday.
13. Johnnie Walker High Rye Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $37
The Whisky:
The blend of this new-ish Walker blend is 40% single malts from Diageo’s stable of distilleries — particularly Cardhu, Glenkinchie, and Caol Ila — and 60% Scottish rye whisky aged in American oak. Those whiskies are vatted, proofed down, and bottled with a look toward the American whiskey palate.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose feels like the best of both worlds as a twinge of rye spiciness mingles with sweet smoky notes cut with orchard fruit and a hint of vanilla.
Palate: The fruit drives the palate with tart apples spiked with clove and anise as a buttery caramel sweetens the sip.
Finish: The finish moves on from that sweet note towards a dry sense of woody spices and a touch of dried and smoked apple slices.
Bottom Line:
This is the hype beast Scotch whisky to get for you hyped-up whisky fans around the Thanksgiving table. It’s much lighter than any American rye but that’s kind of the point. Use this one for simple cocktails and it’ll shine.
12. Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $45
The Whisky:
This is an entry whisky to Speyside and single malts in general. The juice is aged in a combination of used American and European oak before it’s married, rested, proofed with Speyside’s iconic water, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This dram is creamy like a vanilla pudding with a bright pear orchard vibe, some mild toffee, and hints of sweetgrass next to mild oak.
Palate: That leads towards a very easy and soft woodiness with a touch of candied pear and more vanilla cream before hints of soft cinnamon spice poke up in the background with those soft malts.
Finish: By the end, it’s clear how light and approachable this whisky is as that pear, vanilla cream, and mild spice slowly fade away, leaving you with a silken mouthfeel and just enough malts and toffee.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the purist classic unpeated malts on the list. It’s so clean yet nuanced. That makes this the perfect “whisky for everyone” pour to have on hand during any Thanksgiving gathering.
Also, this is a good whisky to bake desserts with.
11. Kingsbarns Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Doocot
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $44
The Whisky:
This whisky is from a new(ish) Lowland distillery in Scotland. The whisky in the bottle is a single malt that was aged in ex-bourbon and ex-red wine barriques (a slightly bigger barrel by a few gallons). Those barrels were vatted and proofed with Lowland water before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The light nose opens with a sense of banana bread, pineapple skins, and floral honey with a moment of wet brown sugar and pancake batter.
Palate: That pineapple gets sweet on the palate with a sense of winter spice and dark red berries dipped in vanilla chocolate sauce.
Finish: The fruitiness builds at the end toward more pineapple, mango skins, and kiwi while the spice leans into some soft wood.
Bottom Line:
This is the whisky you grab when you want to have something new and fresh around that also delivers. I’d use this for fruit-forward cocktails and easy-sipping pours over plenty of ice.
10. Compass Box Glasgow Blend Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $40
The Whisky:
This expression is a marrying of whiskies from all over Scotland. 65% of the blend comes from single malts from a “distillery near the town of Aberlour,” Laphroaig, and Clynelish. The rest is part Highland malt blend (from the Glen Moray, Tomatin, and Balmenach distilleries) and a grain whisky from Cameronbridge distillery. Those whiskies were barreled in sherry and bourbon casks with a French oak barrel thrown in too.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose draws you in with this subtle peaty malt that feels more kissed by a hint of smoke than drowned in it in a malting room with a hint of stewed stone fruit.
Palate: The first sip is “malty scotch!” That then leads to dry straw, very mild plum, the memory of opening up a bag of charcoal, and almond shells.
Finish: You’re left with a slightly sweet straw and a buzzing maltiness that is more reminiscent of a cleaned-out fireplace than “smoke.”
Bottom Line:
This is another great version of peated scotch for folks who don’t want to go full-on with the peatiness. It’s subtle but definitely there. That makes this a good sipper or mixer for the peat curious around the table.
9. Glengoyne Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 10 Years
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $49
The Whisky:
Glengoyne uses unpeated Highland barley that they airdry themselves before fermentation. The uniqueness of this whisky doesn’t end there. They also season their own American and European oak barrels with sherry for six years before filling them with their juice. After ten years of maturation, those barrels are vatted, proofed, and bottled for this expression.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This starts off fairly familiar for a sweet Highland malt with notes of apple candies, butter toffee, and a few chocolate-covered almonds.
Palate: The taste leans back into the apple but it’s more tart and juicy now as minor notes of anise and wet cedar bark lead to a little bit of warm cream sitting on top of a shot of espresso and a hint more of those almonds.
Finish: The finish lets the malts sweeten with a hint of orange marmalade on toast rounding things out.
Bottom Line:
This is another great bourbon-adjacent Scotch whisky. The notes are subtle but there and will entice hardcore American whiskey fans to the Scotch side of things this Thanksgiving.
8. The Singleton Single Malt Scotch Whisky 12 Years Old
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $45
The Whisky:
This single malt from Diageo is a great gateway to good single malt. The juice is aged for 12 years — mostly in ex-bourbon barrels and a few ex-sherry cask-matured whiskies — before it’s cut with that iconic Speyside water and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This is a delicate sip of whisky that leans into notes of dried florals and sweet fruits counterpointed by spicy oak and worn leather.
Palate: The palate lets the spice amp up a bit while the fruit touches on both orange oils and orange blossoms with whispers of bourbon vanilla, dried fruits, and fresh honey.
Finish: The end really holds onto that lightness while fading fairly quickly, leaving you with a cedary leather, more of that sweet fruit, and almost creamy vanilla.
Bottom Line:
Subtly is the name of the game with this unpeated pour. This is creamy and lush, making it an easy pairing whisky or dessert pour. That said, this shines the brightest in a cocktail.
7. Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky 12 Years Old
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $49
The Whisky:
This is a pretty unique whisky. The distillery is located in Scotland’s far north Orkney Islands. The whisky in the bottle is a classic peaty single malt that spends 12 years maturing in European and American oak, both of which were seasoned with sherry. The whiskies are then married and proofed down to a very accessible 40%.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a real sense of rich and almost rummy holiday cake full of dark spices, dried fruits, candied citrus, and nuts with a hint of smoke.
Palate: A touch of fragrant honey arrives to smooth out the texture while adding sweetness.
Finish: That smoke pops back in on the finish but it’s more like a chimney smoke from a house a few doors down on a snowy day than a funky peaty smoke from a bog.
Bottom Line:
Ever wondered what a bourbon-forward whisky would taste like with a creamy layer of smoke folded in? This is it. Make your favorite whisky-forward cocktails with this one to get that subtle smoke note into them this Thursday.
6. Naked Malt Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $29
The Whisky:
The whisky in the bottle is a blend of sherry-cask-finished whiskies from The Macallan, The Glenrothes, and Highland Park. The whisky is then cut down to a very accessible 80-proof and then bottled in a nicely understated bottle.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a sweet malt buried under a buttery scone dripping with raspberry jam with a touch of light spice lurking in the background.
Palate: The sherry really kicks in on the palate with big notes of dates soaked in black tea next to creamy caramel, vanilla cake, and a touch of dry raisins.
Finish: The end doesn’t overstay its welcome and leaves you with a lovely note of chocolate-covered cherries with a sweet/dry vibe.
Bottom Line:
This is a nice and easy-sipping blended malt that sings over some rocks or in a cocktail.
5. Monkey Shoulder Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $32
The Whisky:
This Speyside blend is crafted as a workhorse whisky. The juice is drawn from the William Grant & Sons stable of distilleries. The juice is then rested for up to six months after blending to let it mellow even more before proofing and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a nice welcoming note of creamy vanilla that almost becomes cream soda, next to hints of zesty orange marmalade, malts, and dark spices.
Palate: The taste delivers on those notes by amping the spices up to Christmas cake territory with a slight tart berry edge next to that cream soda sweetness.
Finish: The end is short and sweet with a nice lightness that really makes this very drinkable.
Bottom Line:
This is designed for making highballs and cocktails. Use it accordingly with Thanksgiving flavors in those drinks.
4. Compass Box Artist Blend Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $35
The Whiskey:
The lion’s share of this blend — 45% — comes from a single-grain whisky aged in ex-bourbon from Cameronbridge Distillery. 22% is a single malt aged in ex-bourbon that comes from Linkwood Distillery. The rest is a mix of French oak and ex-bourbon single malts and blended malts from the Highlands, Clyneilish, Linkwood, and Balmenach. Those whiskies are vatted and then proofed down before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with a very clear and concise note of apple candy with a hint of salted caramel ice cream cut with a touch of eggnog spices.
Palate: There’s a nice maltiness that leans into a creamy vanilla, soft holiday spice mix, butter toffee, and a hint of milk chocolate near the end.
Finish: The finish is warming with a whisper of tobacco next to a woody apple, spice candies (maybe ginger), and a final hint of cocoa and caramel.
Bottom Line:
If you’re leaning into rich fruit-forward desserts this Thanksgiving, this is the scotch for you. It works however you want to drink it.
3. Aberfeldy Single Malt Scotch Whisky 12 Years Old
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $39
The Whisky:
This Highland malt is the cornerstone of the much-beloved Dewar’s Blended Scotch. This whisky is a very accessible single malt that spends 12 years resting in various casks before it’s married and proofed down and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The heart of the nose is in the mingling of pear and honey with a hint of Christmas spice, especially nutmeg.
Palate: The palate expands on that with a lush maltiness, creamy vanilla, mild spice, and more of that honey and orchard fruit.
Finish: The end gets slightly nutty and bitter with a little water as the honey, fruit, and spice linger on the senses.
Bottom Line:
This is a great scotch to get you into full-on holiday mode, making it the perfect pour for anyone going into Christmas decorating over Thanksgiving weekend.
2. Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $39
The Whisky:
Old Pulteney is all about sea vibes. Their entry-point spirit is aged for 12 years in second-fill bourbon casks before it’s batched, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a clear sense of creamed honey with a touch of sea spray on the nose.
Palate: The taste really holds onto that creamy honey while notes of wildflowers and oaky spice mingle with malts.
Finish: The end is fairly short and leaves you with a sense of that creamed honey and a touch of spicy warmth.
Bottom Line:
This is just good whisky. Drink it however and whenever you like this weekend.
1. Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 14 Years
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $46
The Whisky:
Glenmorangie’s 14-year expression spends 10 years resting in used American oak casks. Those barrels are vatted and the whisky is re-barreled into Quinta Ruban port wine casks from Portugal for another four years of mellowing before batching, proofing, and bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose draws you in with a sense of burnt orange layered into dark chocolate and then melted over a singed marshmallow with a hint of malted vanilla cookie tying it all together.
Palate: That dark chocolate drives the palate with a hint of waxiness and woody winter spice next to whole black peppercorns, fresh tangerine, and a whisper of mint chocolate chip ice cream.
Finish: The dark chocolate, woody spice, bright orange, and sharp spearmint all collide on the finish with a sense of soft malted sweetness and faint old oak staves.
Bottom Line:
This is the mountaintop. I’d argue that this is one of the best unpeated single malts that money can buy at this price point. Moreover, it’s the perfect holiday-vibe whisky to have on hand from Thanksgiving to Christmas and all the way through New Year’s Eve.
