Our top five whiskey brands to enjoy this festive season
Whiskey: it's what beer wants to be when it grows up. It's sophisticated, smooth and seductive.
The Takeaway
- 5 whiskeys from affordable to "let's celebrate"
- Just because it's not Scotch, doesn't mean it ain't good
- Blend or single malt? You decide.
When ordering a whisky, make sure you order right! There are whiskeys from all over the world: Ireland, Scotland, Japan, the USA and even South Africa (that’s a story for another article). So in order to help you navigate the social embarrassments this Festive Season, this article will give you the low-down on our top five whiskey brands to enjoy this Festive Season.
1. John Bannermans Blended Scotch Whisky
best for cocktails and mixers
We love Bannermans smooth Scottish whiskey. Bannermans is one of the few remaining independently owned blended whiskies, and is produced by Kensington Distillers & Vintners, in Scotland, just outside Edinburgh. We recommend you sip on it in a tall glass over ice mixed with ginger ale. This brings out its beautiful bold, fruity flavours.
2. Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt
best with a steak dinner
This award-winning blended malt Scotch whisky is dignified yet still soft. With rich fruity aromas and mellow vanilla notes this bottle is perfect for sipping neat or mixing in cocktails. Whether you’re throwing an awesome socially distanced festive party or enjoying a boys night, this is the winner and definitely our selection as the best of our top five whisky brands enjoyed with a medium rare Porterhouse.
3. Highland Park 10YO
for that special occasion
You know when something is a little pricey you’re not sure why. This is not the case with this austere bottle of deliciousness. It is worth every cent and then some.
This is in a league of its own and is an award-winning single malt that is tried, trusted and true with a long history dating back to 1798. A distinctive balance of sweetness and smoke.Oh and don’t forget it’s made the authentic and traditional way using ancient techniques long since abandoned by most other distilleries. And super cool fact too it’s crafted by the descendants of Vikings in the remote Orkney Islands. Winning Whizzo!
4. Sexton Single Malt Irish Whiskey
best for a sexy date night
We’ve selected this single malt as one of our top five whisky brands because it’s the perfect balance and ideal for the perfect date night, the bottle alone is oh so seductive.
The smooth and rich body slide onto the taste buds and swift gingerly down the throat. It’s not a big whisky so it won’t dominate your mouth but rather has a depth of flavour. It makes for a well-balanced palate. Make your better half an Old Fashioned and they’ll thank you for it it many ways…
5. Tullamore D.E.W XO Caribbean Rum Cask Finish
for a night out with the lasses
This comes in at number five but to tell you the truth, we’ve saved the best for last! We love this award-winning Irish Whiskey, which has intense character. The Tullamore D.E.W XO on the rocks is yummy but for a lighter touch for the girls, best served in a cocktail.
#HR: They have twelve brew house fermenters, warehouse storage for up to 300,000 casks, a new bottling plant and grain distillery and the facility is one of only a few ‘grain to glass’ distilleries in Ireland.
