Last Updated on February 27, 2024 by Lydia Martin
If you are new to drinking Scotch whisky, there are countless options, from affordable to expensive selections. But did you know that the best single malt isn’t only for people with money to spare?
In this post, we will give you the best single malt Scotch under $100 that you can enjoy without breaking the bank.
Top 15 Best Single Malt Scotch Under $100
15. Macleod’s Single Malt Speyside Scotch
Average Price: Around $41.99 (Drizly)
Distillery: Undisclosed but bottled by Ian Macleod
Alcohol Content: 40%
Why We Like It: Macleod’s Single Malt Scotch whisky from Speyside is home to breathtaking landscapes, ancient clans, and more than half of Scotland’s distilleries. Aside from its impressive price point, it is a fine young Speyside malt whisky aged eight years.
It is medium-bodied with rich notes of mixed peels, sherry, honey, and spices. Also, it has a gentle smoke with sultana notes and a good length finish.
14. Kilkerran 12-Year Single Malt
Average Price: Around $78.99 (Drizly)
Distillery: Glengyle Distillery
Alcohol Content: 46%
Why We Like It:
Kilkerran 12-Year Single Malt is a core expression of Glengyle Distillery, and it is known for its confident and rich tasting notes.
For under $100, you can enjoy the whisky aged for 12 years in used sherry and ex-bourbon barrels.
The Single Malt Scotch whisky has peaty fruit notes, slightly earthy with cinnamon, dried fruit, smoke, and black pepper hints with a long finish.
13. Balblair Single Malt Scotch 2000
Average Price: Around $79.99 (Drizly)
Distillery: Balblair Distillery
Alcohol Content: 43%
Why We Like It:
Balblair uses different varieties of malted barley [1] with minimal peat levels to ensure the whisky’s lingering finish and unique character.
It is one of the single malt Scotch whiskies under $100 and a memorable whisky because of its aroma and tasting notes.
It is a 10-year-old Single malt aged in American oak first-fill ex-bourbon barrels for a rich aroma of floral, candied fruit, and honey with creamy nougat, vanilla cereal, and marshmallow notes.
Read: Double Malt Whisky vs Single Malt
12. Macgavins Highland Single Malt Scotch
Average Price: Around $25.99 (Drizly)
Distillery: Alexander MacGavin & Co Ltd
Alcohol Content: 40%
Why We Like It: Macgavin’s Highland is a single malt Scotch whisky made from the highland park regions, and it is well loved because of its light peat smoke tasting notes.
It has great undertones of dried fruits, sweet cherries, vanilla, and slight spiciness at the very end.
Macgavin’s Highland is one of the best bottles of whisky under $100. It has a nice, sweet peat flavor, with some oak notes, salted toffee, and dark sugar.
11. Ardbeg Scotch Corryvreckan Single Malt
Average Price: Around $99.99 (Drizly)
Distillery: Ardbeg Distillery
Alcohol Content: 57.1%
Why We Like It:
Ardbeg Corryvreckan is an Islay Single Malt whisky from a single distillery. It has a nice mix of flavors and its name came from the famous whirlpool in Northern Islay [2] that only brave dare to venture into.
Like the Ardbeg Uigeadail, which means Dark and Mysterious Place, the Ardbeg Corryvreckan has received an award.
The Ardbeg Corryvreckan was awarded in 2010 by the World Whiskies Awards as the World’s Best Single Malt.
Read: Ardbeg Peated Scotch vs Laphroaig
10. The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14-Year-Old Single Malt
Average Price: Around $89.99 (Drizly)
Distillery: Balvenie Distillery
Alcohol Content: 43%
Why We Like It:
The Balvenie Single Malt Scotch Whisky is aged exclusively in traditional oak whisky cask and ex-Caribbean rum cask for a rich, creamy toffee, toasted oak, brown sugar, and tropical fruit notes.
We like the rounded and bold flavor of the whisky combined with the fruity character and lingering finish.
We enjoyed drinking it with a splash of water because it enhanced the complex flavor of the 14-year-old single malt Scotch whisky.
9. Aberlour 12 Year
Average Price: Around $60.99 (Drizly)
Distillery: Aberlour Distillery
Alcohol Content: 40%
Why We Like It:
Aberlour 12 Year is one of the great single malt Scotch under $100 that you should not miss out on. It is cask strength, non-chill filtered whisky aged in an ex-oloroso sherry cask for twelve years and known for its nice flavor profile.
Since it is aged in ex-sherry casks, it has developed tasting notes such as candied orange peel, fresh ginger, sweet sherry, vanilla beans, sweet cream, and dried fruits.
The Spanish sherry casks (oloroso sherry) and traditional oak mellow the Single Malt Scotch whisky, and the double cask gives every single bottle a subtly balanced flavor. It is a high-proof sherry bomb, bold whisky from the Northernmost distillery.
8. Tomintoul Single Malt
Average Price: Around $50.52 (Drizly)
Distillery: Tomintoul Glenlivet Distillery
Alcohol Content: 40%
Why We Like It:
Tomintoul Single Malt whisky is an award-winning Scotch whisky and has gathered multiple awards in International Wine and Spirits Competition. It has a smooth and mellow character with nice peat and sweet vanilla tasting notes.
Tomintoul Single Malt is matured for sixteen years in the finest bourbon cask. The bourbon casks lend oak, toffee, vanilla, and winter spices to the whisky.
We enjoyed drinking it neat than on the rocks because of its elegant tasting notes. Every sip leaves a memorable and lingering finish.
7. Bruichladdich – The Classic Laddie
Average Price: Around $61.10 (Drizly)
Distillery: Bruichladdich
Alcohol Content: 46%
Why We Like It:
Not everyone loves a peated whisky, so if you want an unpeated, complex, and floral Scotch whisky, you should not miss out on Bruichladdich’s Classic Laddie. It is distilled from Scottish barley and can be described as a multi-vintage Cuvee.
It has rich notes of lemon juice, fresh paned wood, sweet apple, cinnamon, salt, and oily oak. It does not have a peat aroma and palate, but it has a balanced and dry oak finish.
6. Craigellachie 13-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Average Price: Around $59.99 (Drizly)
Distillery: Craigellachie Distillery
Alcohol Content: 46%
Why We Like It:
Craigellachie is a Speyside whisky known for its oil-fired and rich character. It is matured in ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks for fruity, floral, and complex tasting notes.
The ex-bourbon barrels bring the whisky’s fudge, toffee, and vanilla notes.
On the other hand, since the spirit is matured in sherry casks, it provides complexity and richness with oozing toasted marshmallows, baked apples, and cloves in the background.
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5. Benromach Single Malt Traditional
Average Price: Around $39.99 (Drizly)
Distillery: Benromach Distillery
Alcohol Content: 40%
Why We Like It:
Benromach Single Malt is an entry-level bottling wherein the spirit is aged in double casks (bourbon and sherry).
It is a young whisky with delicious peat and plenty of ripe and fresh tasting notes. It is grassy, floral, buttery, and spicy on the palate and has a sweet, tannic, and zesty finish.
4. McClelland’s Lowland Single Malt
Average Price: Around $28.99 (Drizly)
Distillery: Allegedly Bowmore but bottled by McClelland
Alcohol Content: 40%
Why We Like It:
McClelland’s Lowland Single Malt is a light and floral Scotch whisky with some sugary and fruity aroma. It is not overly complicated and tastes thin.
If you are new to drinking Scotch, it can be a beginner’s spirit because it does not have complex tasting notes.
It is best to drink on the rocks to help the whisky open up different flavors and aromas.
3. Lismore Single Malt
Average Price: Around $25.06 (Drizly)
Distillery: WM Lundie & Co.
Alcohol Content: 40%
Why We Like It:
Lismore is a single malt Scotch whisky that can be a good company that will not break your bank. For around $25, a bottle gives an enjoyable experience, making it ideal to be part of your home bar.
If you love a good penicillin cocktail, it smells exactly like Lismore, plus it has some notes of lemon and honey with some peat smoke behind it.
2. Glenfiddich Scotch Single Malt Malt Masters
Average Price: Around $89.99 (Drizly)
Distillery: Glenfiddich Distillery
Alcohol Content: 43%
Why We Like It:
Glenfiddich is a big name for scotches, and good thing, that the brand offers single malt selections under 100. It has a nice blend of aroma and round-tasting notes with plum. The toasted almonds, spicy and silky smooth finish is evident in every sip.
Read: Glenfiddich vs Glenlivet
1. Aberlour A’bunadh
Average Price: Around $91.99 (Total Wine)
Distillery: Aberlour Distillery
Alcohol Content: 57.5% – 61%
Why We Like It:
Aberlour A’bunadh is an intense and sherried hand-made whisky from grain to bottle. It has rich and complex tasting notes of homemade fruit cake and moist raisins.
Also, each bottle is robust, bold, and deeply intense, making it a great, high-quality whisky.
FAQs Related to Best single malt scotch under $100
Is single malt whisky healthy?
Yes, single malt whisky is healthy to drink. It has health benefits like heart disease prevention, immunity booster, and stress reliever.
Is it okay to drink single malt Scotch every day?
Yes, it is okay to drink single malt Scotch every day. It is low-calorie, without carbohydrates, salt, sugar, or fats. However, you must drink moderately because too much may compromise your health.
What is so special about single malt whisky?
Single malt whiskies are special because they have grown a reputation of being higher quality spirits than blended ones. It is smoother and flavorful and has a flavorful advantage over grain whiskies.
What is single malt Scotch?
Single malt Scotch is a type of whisky made exclusively from malted barley and distilled at a single distillery in Scotland. It’s renowned for its rich flavor and quality.
Can I find high-quality single malt Scotch for under $100?
Yes! There are many excellent options available within this price range, offering exceptional taste and value for whisky enthusiasts.
What are some examples of the best single malt Scotch under $100?
Some notable options include Glenlivet 12 Year Old, Glenfiddich 12 Year Old, Aberlour 12 Year Old, and Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old, each offering distinct flavors and characteristics.
Can I find single malt Scotch under $100 with different flavor profiles?
Yes! There’s a wide variety of single malt Scotch available within this price range, ranging from light and floral to rich and smoky, catering to different taste preferences.
In Summary
There you have it, the best single malt Scotch under $100. Whether you want a new addition to your home bar or a budget-friendly whisky, the curated list above tastes great and will not break your bank.
Aside from its price point, Single malt whiskies from Scotland [3] are flavorful and give health benefits. Drink responsibly!
References:
- https://www.britannica.com/topic/Scotch-whisky
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/hudsonlindenberger/2021/07/27/celebrate-national-scotch-day-2021-with-these-fine-whiskies/
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/22/enacted
