The Greatest Scotch Whiskies of All Time, According to 8 Whisky Pros
It’s tough to narrow down the best Scotches in a given year. To do so, the world’s biggest spirits competitions enlist dozens of judges across multiple rounds — and even they can’t cover each and every bottling. So what if you wanted to pin down the greatest Scotch whiskies of all time?
We’ve previously compiled similar lists for bourbon and rye, and while neither category lacks variety, the world of Scotch can feel comparatively immense. It’s a category where 50-year age statements and six-figure price tags are practically commonplace. And with over 130 active distilleries — and dozens more shuttered in the past century — Scotland’s whisky scene is a whole universe unto itself. It’s an ecosystem where true expertise and experience are accrued not over years, but decades.
To tackle this gargantuan task, we enlisted eight of the world’s preeminent Scotch whisky experts. Combined, they boast hundreds of years of experience blending, curating, judging, and drinking the world’s finest whiskies, including some of the most coveted bottles imaginable.
Here were the ground rules:
Any spirit that meets the definition of Scotch whisky is allowed. Single malt, single grain, blended malt, blended grain, and blended Scotch were all eligible.
Lists can include releases from any distillery or brand, including independent bottlers.
Single cask bottlings were fair game.
Our experts were allowed to choose whiskies they had personal involvement with, be it cask selection, blending, or some other form of curation.
Let’s be clear: Choosing the all-time best for any category is an imperfect exercise. No person has tried every Scotch worth consideration. But across their selections, our experts captured Scotch whisky in its finest forms. Their picks cover an incredible scope of distilleries, styles, bottlers, ages, and eras. Responses include whiskies distilled in every decade from the 1940s to the 2000s, with age statements ranging from 12 years to 70-plus.
Sipping all the whiskies on this list would truly be a march through history. But given the rarity of many selections, we hope reading through is a solid substitute.
Mark Littler
Independent whisky consultant, broker, journalist
MarkLittler.com
Bowmore Bicentenary: I’ve had the pleasure of tasting Bowmore Bicentenary on a number of occasions now and it has never disappointed. Opening the bottle has become something of a ritual in itself. The cork almost always disintegrates; the wax capsule inevitably turns into a strange, sticky goop; and you accept that a bit of filtering is part of the experience. Once you’re actually in the bottle, though, it’s extraordinary. This is Bowmore at its most old school, with a deep sherried profile that feels utterly of its time and honestly has to be tasted to be believed.
Macallan Anniversary Malts (any vintage): The Macallan Anniversary Malt series began with the release of the 1957 vintage in 1983, which at the time made it the world’s first-ever 25-year-old whisky series. Remarkably, it’s a line that still continues to this day in the form of the 25-Year-Old Sherry Oak. I’ve tried a number of vintages of Anniversary Malts over the years and they have never disappointed. These whiskies are big, bold, and thick in profile, and a complete world away from the modern 25-year-old releases. For me, the Anniversary Malt series is the G.O.A.T., not just as a collectable whisky, but as whisky full stop. It isn’t just exceptional in the glass, it also sparked a revolution, one that many distilleries still owe a great debt to.
Johnnie Walker Black Label (1950s and 1960s bottlings): Go with me on this, but Johnnie Walker Black Label is, for me, one of the greatest whiskies of all time. Its story starts in 1865 as Old Highland Whisky, was renamed Extra Special Old Highland in 1906, and finally took the name Black Label in 1909. Modern releases may not quite be the stuff of legend, but if you pick up a bottle from the 1950s or 1960s (often priced around £100 to £200, about $135 to $270 USD) you’ll see the difference immediately. The blend was far more malt forward, often matured in old-school sherry and paxarette-seasoned casks, which gave the whisky an exceptional texture and real length. It’s well worth seeking out if you can.
Ben Nevis 52-Year-Old (bottled by Thompson Brothers): As a whisky journalist I’ve been lucky enough to taste a lot of ultra-high age statement whiskies. What once felt old at 40 or 50 years is now routinely pushed to 60, 70, or even 80. These whiskies are legends in their own right, but recently I tasted the 52-year- old Ben Nevis released by independent bottler Thompson Brothers and it was incredible.
It remains one of the oldest Ben Nevis whiskies ever released, and the fact that Thompson Brothers is able to offer it for around $850 matters. When you take everything into account, this is not just one of the best high age statement whiskies I’ve ever tried, it’s also one of the best values. Which raises an uncomfortable question. Is a £650,000 ($877,062 USD) whisky like the Glenlivet Spira really that much more sensational, objectively? With an unlimited budget, anyone can release a great whisky. What Thompson Brothers have done here is different. They’ve taken something genuinely exceptional and made it accessible, proving that age, quality, and integrity don’t have to be reserved only for the ultra-wealthy.
Julie Macklowe
Founder, The Macklowe Whisky; registered global whisky ambassador; longtime Scotch collector
@jmacklowe
Springbank Cask #273: Springbank is one of the few distilleries that still does everything its own way, and Cask #273 captures that defiant spirit perfectly. It’s coastal, oily, and quietly complex — a whisky that doesn’t shout, but absolutely commands attention. What I love most is how it balances raw Campbeltown character with elegance; there’s depth without heaviness, funk without chaos. This is the kind of whisky that reminds you why tradition, when done right, never goes out of style.
The Glenlivet Vintage 1969: The Glenlivet 1969 is a master class in grace and restraint — a whisky that proves time is the most powerful ingredient of all. Every sip unfolds slowly: honeyed fruit, soft florals, and a gentle, perfectly integrated oak that only decades can achieve. This is Scotch at its most contemplative, the kind you drink quietly and respectfully. For me, it represents Speyside at its purest and most poetic.
Glen Grant 1948 (bottled by Gordon & MacPhail): This Glen Grant 1948 is the stuff of legend — a whisky that feels almost impossible to exist, let alone drink. Silky, layered, and endlessly refined, it delivers waves of toffee, orchard fruit, and delicate spice with astonishing balance. It’s a reminder that great whisky isn’t loud; it’s confident. Having tasted bottles like this is what set my standards for what truly exceptional Scotch can be.
Ardbeg (1950s bottling): Old Ardbeg from the 1950s is peat with soul: bold, maritime, and unapologetically Islay, yet remarkably nuanced. The smoke is deep but elegant, woven through notes of brine, citrus, and old oak in a way modern peat rarely achieves. This whisky doesn’t just taste like a place; it is a place. Oddly much more tropical than the bottlings from today. It’s why Islay will always have a permanent seat at my table.
Monique Huston
Spirits educator, writer, and judge; vice president for Wholesale Spirits at Winebow
@moniquehuston
Springbank Local Barley 1966 Bourbon Cask #499: Part of the duo bottled in 1999, one aged in sherry casks and one bourbon, both delightful from the best little distillery in Scotland. The full bourbon maturation of this cask puts a vibrant spin on classic Springbank. Plus, my favorite label of all time on that sweet dumpy lil’ bottle.
Ardbeg Lord of the Isles 25-Year-Old 1976: Sherried Ardbeg from the ‘70s? Buy it and drink it all. It combines the sweet and well-integrated smoke of the fading peat with the finest oloroso casks. The packaging is also a superb complement.
Gordon & MacPhail Strathisla 40-Year-Old 1955: My lightbulb whisky. Wonderful combination of Highland malt character and stunning aging in old sherry transport casks. Can anyone do long-term aging better than the Urquharts [of Gordon & MacPhail]? My actual first dram of single malt in my life and clearly sent me down a path. And it was affordable! Still is, by most metrics.
Highland Park 18-Year-Old: [The 1990s and 2000s bottlings were] the house dram at my bar. Over the years, the blend has changed; I’ll always remember (and keep a few around!) the layers of sherry, salinity, malt — just a classic dram that keeps on giving. We proudly introduced a lot of folks to malt this way!
Dr. Jessica Spector
Lecturer, Yale University; CEO, The Academy of Drinks; owner, Green Robin Farms; Scotch historian
Yale University Profile
St. Magdalene Rare Malts Collection 23-Year-Old (distilled 1970, bottled 1998): This bottle elevated my sense of what Scotch could be. Other folks may prefer the 1979 distillation released in 1998, but I prefer this one because I knew very little when I bought it; I was a casual Scotch drinker and curious about the distillery that had once been in Linlithgow. At the time, the only other lowland I knew was United Distillers’ Glenkinchie. St. Magdalene rocked my world. It was so different: floral and grassy, yes, but also with some oil and peat, and a finish that went on and on — layers of complexity that expanded my understanding of whisky. I will never pay what this costs now. But I’m happy sipping Daftmill instead (see below).
Daftmill 2006 Summer Batch Release (bottled 2018): Daftmill is a true farm whisky. It’s made in the offseason at the Cuthberts’ family farm. And it tastes like it: lemon, honey, and vanilla evoking freshly cut barley, with some surprisingly balanced baking spice. Despite the interest of investment buyers, you can still find this out in the wild for a reasonable price, considering the quality.
Springbank 13-Year-Old Local Barley 2024 Release: There are other Springbank releases that may rank higher, but the distillery’s yearly release of whisky made from local grain has my heart. Briny citrus with a bit of smoke on top of sugar cookie, but with an underlying growl of some heavy savory flavors. As different as various Springbank expressions are, they all have this character. It just finds its purest form in the Local Barley.
Laphroaig 30-Year-Old (distilled 1985, bottled 2016): To me, this dram is Scotland in a glass. The elements work in harmony — smoke, peat, flowers, fruit, and spice are all there. The peat is mellow and overlayed with orange peel and tobacco. While I like a lot of young whiskies, the way Laphroaig’s heavy peat mellows with age is sublime.
Nate Gana
Founder, Single Malt Daily and Nsignia Experiences
@nategana
Laphroaig 1967 Samaroli 15-Year-Old: Italian independent bottler Samaroli could fill up this list alone with what they have bottled. Sweet and sherried with a good amount of smoke and peat, it’s really quite hard to beat this one, ever. The 1960s golden era of peated whiskies never fails.
The Macallan ‘M’ 2014 (first bottling): When the youngest whisky in this bottle is 25 years, you know it’s a winner. Obviously Macallan is the king of sherry, but the subtle hints of smoke in this bottle are a real nod to the distillation techniques from 1940. Deep sherry notes continue on from nose to palate and through to the finish, and this entire whisky shows why it’s very hard to dethrone the king.
Lagavulin 21-Year-Old 1985 (first bottling): Iconic in every way. Sea salt, a touch medicinal, as the peat has drifted off into 21 years of maturation so perfectly, leaving a glass of perfect sherry, fruit, and wisps of smoke. Some strawberry jam notes find their way to dancing all over your palate, which is always such a treat in an Islay whisky.
The Glendronach 1972 39-Year-Old (cask 711/712): Underrated icon. Sherry bomb. Deep, dark, rich, red fruit, maple syrup, cardamom, and cinnamon, then back to heavy sherry. One of the greatest stunners of all time. If Macallan is the king, the Glendronach is the prince of sherry.
Mike Vacheresse
Founder and proprietor, Travel Bar, Brooklyn
@travelbarbrooklyn
Cambus 28-Year-Old Single Grain (bottled by Single Cask Nation): Grain whisky from a distillery that doesn’t exist anymore. A short six-month finish in a first fill Moscatel cask. Beautiful whisky with a delicate strawberries and cream note. Older single grain should be on everyone’s radar, especially those jumping on the American light whiskey bandwagon.
Glen Scotia 25-Year-Old (bottled by Murray McDavid Benchmark): A bottle I discovered through Glass Revolution Importers, an excellent source of hidden gems to this day! Twenty-one years in sherry wood, then four years in a Vosne-Romanée Burgundy cask. Mature, layered, and calm, really good Campbeltown whisky that rewards patience.
Ardmore 13-Year-Old (bottled by ImpEx Collection): This whisky delivers a fantastic balance of peat and cereal grain notes. Proud to say that Travel Bar sold 11 of the 319 (confirmed) bottles from this single cask release.
The Exclusive Malts Ledaig: This is why it hurts when a good independent bottler disappears. This Ledaig had the most aggressive burning-rubber, petrol-soaked nose I’ve ever experienced. This is my white whale, a bottle I am always looking to score more of or duplicate with another bottle of Ledaig.
Gavin Linde
Spirits influencer
@rolexwhisky
Black Bowmore 1964 42-Year-Old The Trilogy: This Bowmore was distilled on Nov. 5, 1964. Filled into old-school rich oloroso sherry casks for 42 years, this vintage whisky is a killer. It’s a fruit cake on steroids of flavor, specifically tropical fruits and toffee.
The Macallan Fine & Rare 52-Year-Old 1950: This bad boy was bottled from one sherry butt and it’s a wild one. Awesome fruits, dark chocolate, and, wait for it, smokiness. Yup, back in 1950 peat was used as a heating source, and it’s just a wisp in there — mind-blowing.
Glen Grant 70-Year-Old (bottled by Gordon & MacPhail): Distilled in 1954 and bottled in 2025, this Scotch brings dark chocolate and sherry all day at the most concentrated levels. It’s a whisky consommé of perfection by Gordon & MacPhail. At 50.5 percent ABV, it sings to your whole body.
Port Ellen 1978 44-Year-Old Remnant Cask: Great history on this one, this Port Ellen cask was salvaged by a group of Islay distillers upon the closure of Port Ellen in 1983. It’s so good. Dark chocolate, cherries, and sea salt make this just perfection in a glass.
Charles Maclean
Author and recipient of major whiskey accolades (appointed Master of the Quaich, elected to the Whisky Hall of Fame, and a member of the Order of the British Empire.)
Charles’s Profile on Whisky Max
Auchroisk 1991 34-Year-Old Single Cask (248 bottles only): The MacLean Foundation is a charity devoted to raising money to provide clean water for those who do not have this essential by selecting unusual casks donated by whisky companies. This cask was donated by Diageo. It is the oldest expression of Auchroisk that I know of, and the best! The initial impression is both sweet and savory — perhaps pan- seared foie gras with a Madeira sauce, soon developing into crème brûlée, now backed by thick creamy notes. The base notes are of sandalwood sawdust — enhanced by a drop of water, then joined by a hint of marzipan and walnut chocolates.
Maclean’s Nose, Non-Age Stated (NAS) Blended Scotch (from Adelphi/Ardnamurchan Distillery): I have been the ‘nose’ for Adelphi since the independent bottler was founded in 1992 and was appointed ‘chief nose’ at Ardnamurchan when Adelphi built the distillery in 2014. Within sight of the distillery is a headland that plunges into Loch Sunart known as ‘Maclean’s Nose.’ It was not my idea to link the two, but it’s quite neat! The whisky is 60 percent malt, and 40 percent of the malt component is Ardnamurchan, with a high proportion of sherry-seasoned casks. Overall, the character is distinctly West Coast — maritime, lightly peated. It was chosen by followers of the international Online Whisky Awards as the best blended Scotch for 2025.
Adelphi Private Stock NAS Blended Scotch (from Adelphi/Ardnamurchan Distillery): The Adelphi Distillery in Glasgow ceased operation in 1907 but the name was revived by the great-grandson of the last owner of the distillery, Jamie Walker, in 1992 as an independent bottler. I was a non-executive director of the company, responsible for helping Jamie select casks. In the early days, he had borrowed money to buy stock from his grandmother. She was fond of blended Scotch and leant him the cask on condition that we create a house blend for her. The result was Private Stock ‘Loyal Old Mature,’ a premium blend made for us by Ian Macleod & Co. I describe it on the label as “remarkably smooth and honey sweet, with hints of the sea, chilli pepper, walnuts and distant peat fires.” It is my daily tipple.
Decadent Drams ‘At Least 12 Years Old’ Blended Scotch (from Decadent Drinks Ltd, 295 bottles only): I include this recent classy blend because I am depicted in the label alongside the whisky’s creator, my good friend Angus MacRaild, Whiskymaker at the soon-to-open Kythe Distillery. It’s a cracker. Angus writes on the back label: “We took some very old North of Scotland grain as a base and married it together in a refill sherry hogshead with an assortment of peated and unpeated malt whiskies for over a year. The precise mix is a closely guarded secret (known not even to us), but it took Angus nearly 15 minutes to cobble it together in his kitchen using the time-honoured blender’s instruments of a jug, teaspoon, and an excel spreadsheet. Please enjoy this haphazardly muddled potion with strategic spontaneity and cautious revelry.” I am delighted to be associated with it.
*Quotes corresponding to the listings under each section are the subject’s own words and have been lightly edited for style and clarity.
The article The Greatest Scotch Whiskies of All Time, According to 8 Whisky Pros appeared first on VinePair.