Top 10 Speyside Whiskies to Buy Now or Gift Someone

Wednesday, 19 November 2025 at 12:03

One of Scotland’s most renowned whisky regions is Speyside. This region is home to dozens of distilleries. But what’s the best Speyside whisky to bring into your collection? We’ve lined up ten great choices.

What makes a whisky delicious is a matter of taste. What we love might not be someone else’s favorite. That’s why, for this top 10 best Speyside whiskies, we consulted several rankings such as Man of Many, Masters of Malt, The Scotsman, and other sources. Based on all of these, we’ve curated a list of the most enjoyable Speyside whiskies.

Settle in, because these ten whiskies from the banks of the River Spey are about to awaken all your senses.

Aberlour A’Bunadh

We kick off with a single malt from the Aberlour Distillery. A’Bunadh is a powerful Speyside whisky matured entirely in Spanish Oloroso sherry casks. It’s then bottled at cask strength, around 61.2 percent alcohol by volume (depending on the batch), to deliver a rich, full-bodied experience.

Here are the tasting notes for Aberlour A’Bunadh:

Nose: Deep with notes of spice and orange.
Palate: Lush flavors of black cherries, ginger, and dark chocolate.
Finish: Long and balanced with oak tones.

Note: The exact flavor profile and ABV vary by batch. The details mentioned here are based on Aberlour A’Bunadh Batch 84.

Glenfarclas 15 Year Old

For those who prefer a slightly lower ABV, Glenfarclas 15 Year Old is a great pick. It’s bottled at 46 percent ABV. While the strength is more modest, maturation in sherry casks has given this single malt a beautifully full and rounded character.

The whisky shows a deep amber hue and offers the following tasting notes:

Nose: A complex interplay of sherry, butterscotch, and a hint of dried fruit.
Palate: Full-bodied with notes of sherry and malt.
Finish: Lingering with sherry, chocolate, and spice.

The Macallan 12 Years Old Sherry Oak

One name that can’t be left out of any top 10 Speyside list is The Macallan, among the most famous distilleries in Scotland. For this Speyside single malt, only sherry-seasoned casks from Jerez de la Frontera in Spain were used.

The distillery’s spirit rested in those casks for 12 years, soaking up the sherry character as it matured. The result is a harmony of sweet and spicy notes. Tasting notes include:

Nose: Dried fruit, candied citrus peel, oak, with hints of ginger and nutmeg.
Palate: Raisins with ginger syrup, cinnamon, and a touch of vanilla.
Finish: Long with ginger and persistent oak.

Buy The Macallan 12 Years Old Sherry Oak here

The GlenDronach 18 Year Old

From The GlenDronach Distillery comes this 18-year-old expression, firmly in premium territory. It matured for 18 years in Oloroso casks and was bottled at 46 percent alcohol by volume (ABV).

In terms of flavor, expect notes of fruit, sherry, and coffee among others. Here are the tasting notes:

Nose: Sweet aromas of fudge and sugar with fruit compote and Morello cherries.
Palate: Rich with stewed fruits, allspice, Oloroso sherry, and toasted walnut bread with chocolate.
Finish: Complex and long.

The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old whisky

The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old

The next whisky draws not from one, but two types of casks. The Balvenie DoubleWood matures in American oak casks and first-fill European oak sherry casks. After 12 years, it delivers a spirit that marries soft vanilla with fruity nuances and warming spice.

Here are the tasting notes for The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old.

Nose: Sweet fruit aromas with hints of sherry, vanilla, and honey.
Palate: Generous notes of dried fruit and nuts with a subtle touch of spice.
Finish: Long and warming with sherry tones and a hint of cinnamon.

Find The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old here

Glenfiddich 15 Year Old Solera Reserva

Just like The Macallan, Glenfiddich simply has to be on any list of the best Speyside whiskies, this time with the Glenfiddich 15 Year Old Solera Reserva. This whisky comes from a so-called Solera vat that holds 38,000 liters. The vat is kept forever half full, with new whisky continually added.

This single malt has tasting notes that are fairly complex. Here they are at a glance:

Nose: Sweet heather honey, vanilla, toffee, spices, and dark fruit.
Palate: Silky-smooth mouthfeel with sherried oak, marzipan, cinnamon, and ginger.
Finish: Lingering sweet notes.

Glenlivet 18 Year Old whisky

The Glenlivet 18 Year Old

In seventh place on our top 10 Speyside whiskies is an expression from The Glenlivet, specifically, the brand’s 18-year-old. It matured in a combination of first-fill and second-fill American oak, with sherry casks also used during aging.

The result is a profile led by fruit and toffee, underpinned by a layer of spice. Here are the tasting notes:

Nose: Ripe citrus, toffee, and fruit.
Palate: Notes of citrus and winter spices.
Finish: Long, with hints of raisins and spice.

BenRiach The Twelve

From the BenRiach Distillery comes The Twelve, as the name suggests, a 12-year-old whisky. It matured in three different cask types: sherry, bourbon, and port.

This layering brings depth and a smooth, approachable profile. Here are the whisky’s tasting notes:

Nose: Rich sherry aromas, sweet fruit notes, spice, and a hint of chocolate.
Palate: Full and complex with notes of raisins, nuts, and spice.
Finish: Long and warming with sherry and spice.

Buy BenRiach The Twelve here

Cragganmore 12 Year Old

In the penultimate spot on this top 10 of the best Speyside whiskies is a single malt renowned for its complexity. Cragganmore 12 Year Old is rich in flavor with a gentle wisp of smoke. It matured for 12 years before being bottled at 40 percent alcohol by volume ABV.

These are the tasting notes for Cragganmore 12 Year Old:

Nose: Bold aromas of florals, spice, honey, and vanilla.
Palate: A marriage of malty character with subtle smoke, sweet wood, and sandalwood.
Finish: Long and malty with gentle sweetness and a touch of smoke.

Known for its complex aromas and soft profile, this whisky offers notes of sweet fruit, honey, and a subtle smokiness.

Mortlach 16 Year Old

We close this list with a whisky from The Beast of Dufftown. Mortlach 16 Year Old is the result of whisky distilled 2.81 times, then matured for 16 years in sherry casks.

That maturation imparts a rich, fruity profile. Here are the tasting notes:

Nose: Rich and complex with stewed dark fruits, earth, and spice.
Palate: A light leathery spiciness with apricots and honey, followed by sweet and savory notes.
Finish: Long and complex with a sweet note.

Looking for more rankings? You’ll find all our top 10 roundups here.

Note: Now that you’ve seen the full list, we want to stress that taste is personal. If you prefer a Speyside whisky that didn’t make our top ten, that’s perfectly fine. Let us know your pick in the comments below.