Smooth Whisky Is Boring? This 18-Year-Old Scotch Proves Otherwise (Whisky in the Spotlight)

Friday, 16 October 2026 at 09:31

The Singleton of Dufftown 18 year old whisky

Never miss whisky news, reviews, and new releases again.

A whisky doesn’t have to be smoky, eye-wateringly expensive or intensely powerful to make an impression. Sometimes the secret lies in the balance between fruit, sweetness and a generous dose of patience. The Singleton of Dufftown 18 Year Old is a fine example. This Speyside whisky is 18 years old, wonderfully smooth and invites you to linger over its flavour profile. It’s time for a new Whisky in the Spotlight.

If you browse the shelves of a liquor store, you’ll soon come across the name The Singleton. The brand is known for its smooth, fruit-forward whiskies, which appeal to both newcomers and seasoned whisky enthusiasts.

Yet behind that instantly recognisable bottle lies a story that is a little more complicated than you might expect. The Singleton doesn’t come from a single distillery. In fact, the brand encompasses three different Scottish distilleries and at one point there were even four.

The Singleton is actually three whiskies in one brand

Where most single malt brands are tied to one specific distillery, The Singleton is made at three different distilleries: Dufftown, Glen Ord and Glendullan. All three produce single malt whisky, but each has its own character and history.

The Singleton of Dufftown is aimed at Europe, Glen Ord at Asia and Glendullan at North America. So if you pick up a bottle of The Singleton in Europe, there’s a good chance you’re holding a Speyside whisky. Because this whisky is made specificcally for Euroipe, it also became the fastest growing Single malt of the continent. If you look at the three The Singleton whiskies together it's even is the fastest growing single malt in the world.

What these whiskies have in common is their emphasis on approachability. The brand makes it clear that you don’t need an extensive knowledge of whisky to enjoy a good single malt.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t interesting whiskies for more experienced enthusiasts. Alongside younger expressions such as The Singleton 12 Year Old, there are also older bottlings. The 18-year-old Dufftown is a perfect example.

Discover the newest releases at Whisky Exchange

Dufftown: a whisky town with a rich history

To fully understand the story behind The Singleton 18, we need to take a quick trip to Dufftown. This small town lies in the heart of Speyside, the Scottish whisky region known for its fruity and often elegant single malts.

It’s no coincidence that Dufftown is often referred to as the whisky capital of the world. In and around the town, you’ll find world-famous names such as Glenfiddich, The Balvenie and Mortlach.

Dufftown Distillery itself was founded in 1895, when a former mill was converted into a whisky distillery. Production began in 1896, giving the distillery more than 130 years of history.

The distillery started with just two stills, but expanded considerably over the years. Today, Dufftown has six copper stills. Much of the whisky produced there goes into blended Scotch whisky, including the well-known Bell’s blends, but fortunately, not all of it ends up in blends.

Some of the spirit is given time to mature as a single malt. For The Singleton 18 Year Old, that means waiting at least 18 years—but the result is certainly worth holding on to.

The Singleton 18 Year Old: 18 years of maturation in bourbon and sherry casks

So what makes The Singleton of Dufftown 18 Year Old so special? It starts with the casks in which the whisky matures.

This single malt is matured in several types of oak cask, including refill ex-bourbon casks and casks that previously held Pedro Ximénez (PX) and Oloroso sherry.

It’s an intriguing combination. Bourbon casks typically contribute gentle notes of vanilla, honey and caramel. Sherry casks, meanwhile, bring more dried fruit, nuts and spice.

What does The Singleton of Dufftown 18 Year Old taste like?

Don’t expect huge clouds of smoke, barbecue flavours or an explosion of pepper from this whisky. The Singleton 18 Year Old focuses instead on fruit, nuts and a pleasingly soft sweetness.

As soon as you pour the whisky, aromas emerge that bring to mind a beautiful autumn day, as you can read in our The Singleton 18 Year Old review. Ripe apples, stewed fruit and roasted nuts take centre stage, followed by caramel, chocolate and a subtle hint of oak.

On the palate, the story becomes even more interesting. The whisky has a smooth, almost oily mouthfeel, combining sweet flavours with a drier, lightly spicy character.

Here are the tasting notes at a glance:

Nose: Ripe autumn apples, apricots, berries, roasted hazelnuts, walnuts, vanilla, caramel and a touch of oak.
Palate: Dark toffee, almond biscuits, ripe apple, rhubarb, soft mint, cacao and gentle spices.
Finish: Medium-length and lightly drying, with oak, stewed fruit, black pepper and an exceptionally subtle trace of wood smoke.

This is a whisky you can happily leave in the glass for a little longer. Given more time, its sweet and fruity aromas come through even more clearly.

This Singleton also works beautifully in a cocktail

Thanks to its sweet, smooth character, this whisky is also an excellent base for a delicious cocktail. An Old Fashioned, for example, is a wonderful choice.

For this, use 5 centilitres of The Singleton 18, a small amount of sugar syrup and two dashes of aromatic bitters. Stir everything with ice and garnish with an orange peel. The orange complements the whisky’s fruity side beautifully, while the bitters bring extra focus to its oak notes and spiciness.

What should you eat with The Singleton 18?

Pairing whisky with food is sometimes a matter of experimentation. Not every whisky works with every dish, but The Singleton 18 has several flavours that make it an excellent choice for food pairing.

Try serving this whisky with a cheese board featuring nuts and figs. It turns a simple drinks platter into an elaborate tasting experience in no time.

The nutty notes of the cheese complement the roasted hazelnuts and almonds in the whisky. The fig compote adds a touch of fruity sweetness, while the salt and richness of the cheese create a pleasant contrast with the softer character of the single malt.

If you really want to make an occasion of it, serve the whisky with a slice of warm apple pie. The ripe apple and spice in The Singleton 18 pair surprisingly well with it.

An 18-year-old whisky at a remarkably friendly price

Anyone looking for an 18-year-old whisky these days will soon notice that prices can climb considerably. That isn’t the case with this Singleton. You can bring home a bottle for less than 100 euros.

For that price, you also get a whisky that has won international acclaim. In 2025, The Singleton 18 received Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, as well as Gold at the International Spirits Challenge.

For whisky newcomers looking to discover an older single malt, this is a particularly appealing bottle. And for experienced drinkers who don’t always want a powerful peated dram, it’s a whisky to savour at a leisurely pace.

Made possible by Diageo.