Blended scotch whiskey is an exceptional whiskey made by blending different whiskeys from different distilleries. It is a combination of barrel-aged whiskeys that are mashed together, creating an outstanding result.
Blended scotch whiskey is known as a premium spirit, exquisitely delicious, and exceptionally smooth. Of course, as with all spirits, there are blended scotch whiskeys that are better than others, and there are those that are of poor quality.
The difference between a good quality blended scotch whiskey and that of not-so-good quality lies in the making process. What this more precisely means is that well-blended scotches are made more naturally.
Usually, the producer lets the whiskeys blend and absorb each other’s features naturally by just being in the same vessel. On the other hand, the poorer quality blended scotch whiskeys contain artificial flavors and colorings.
As a result, to the trained eye, they seem a little off. Although an excellent blended scotch should have a deep color, usually some shade of brown, amber, or honey, an artificially colored blended scotch gives out the coloring.
If you aren’t that much experienced in the blended scotch department, you may not notice the difference, but if you have some knowledge and experience on this subject, it will be very obvious.
Also check: 20 Best Whiskeys To Drink Straight
In terms of the flavor, a good blended scotch is very naturally-flavored. Now, this doesn’t imply only herbal flavors, but whatever the blended scotch tastes like, it is noticeable that the flavor is naturally achieved and not added.
Usually, a good blended scotch tastes slightly smoky, fruity, and floral, with notes of vanilla, honey, and spices. These flavors may all be represented in a lower-quality blended scotch, but they will be unusually strong.
Since blended scotch is, by definition, a very good whiskey, it is hard to separate the good from the best, as there are details at play.
Again, a seasoned blended scotch drinker wouldn’t call them details, as the differences are significant for the trained palate. However, objectively, they are not easy to notice.
Also check: 20 Best Affordable Whiskeys To Drink
20 Best Blended Scotch Whiskeys
In this article, I will give you a list of the 20 best-blended scotch whiskeys making it easier for you to make your decision.
1. Compass Box Great King Street
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This is a combination of single-grain and single-malt whiskeys blended together by the most famous and best-renowned artisans of the craft.
It is very smooth and exceptionally rich. It starts with notes of vanilla, and just when you think that it is pretty standard, wondering what all the fuss is about, it hits you with three new notes showing you that the fuss is well justified.
This is genuinely one of the best-blended scotch whiskeys available on the market. Mid-palate, it combines apple, spices, and toasted oak, all enveloped in vanilla coating.
They interchange, springing one at a time, creating a lively performance filled with excitement.
2. Monkey Shoulder Blended Scotch Whiskey
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If you judge according to the price, this $20 per-bottle scotch won’t come out too great. Nevertheless, the price isn’t the only aspect to look into.
This spirit is indeed affordable and available, but that doesn’t make it of lesser quality than the rest on this list.
On the contrary, this is an exceptionally good whiskey which has been made to be closer to the everyday people.
Not everyone can a lot a couple of hundred of dollars to buy whiskey, so it is whiskeys like this that make the craft worth continuing.
Combining notes of vanilla, dried apricots, and malt familiarizes people with the finer things in life.
3. Black Bottle Blended Scotch
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This blended scotch is known as fruity and an excellent spirit lifter. There is something about it making it very cheerful and optimistic, with whiffs of youth and positivity.
If you are feeling a little under the weather, a glass of this delicacy will definitely improve your mood.
Combining flavors of vanilla, pear, sweet spice, and honey, it is very gentle to the palate, not overly expressive, and excellently balanced.
It starts gently and finishes even gentler, making you feel as if you have silk sliding down your throat.
4. Rock Oyster
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Not only does this whiskey combine several whiskeys, but it also combines two different dimensions- herbal and refreshing and dark and heavy. It is very unusual for a whiskey to be able to be described this way, which is why this is a genuinely unique spirit.
Mixing notes of black pepper, ash, and peat, this is a multicolored, multidimensional, and multiflavored whiskey, showing how contrasting aspects can become a unity of well-balanced concepts.
5. The Big Smoke 46 By Duncan Taylor
Known as the cigar whiskey, there is a certain leatheriness about this drink that makes it perfect to pair with a cigar or tobacco in any form.
It tastes expressive like wood and sea salt creating an ambiance as if you are around a campfire, which is why it is best enjoyed under a blanket by the fireplace. It is best enjoyed by a fire and a deep conversation.
It retains the recognizable whiskey vanilla flavor and complements it with leather and smokiness. The finish is very smooth but assertive, so go slowly.
6. Chivas Regal 25 Year
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Featuring rich notes of berries, butterscotch, malt, and toffee, this whiskey is complex, deep, and full-bodied. From the beginning to the end of the sip, it has elegance written all over it, with a particular royal aspect.
Smooth and richly textured, it is almost buttery and extremely satisfying. You will feel like you need to wear a tuxedo to drink it, as it sets the mood for something truly exquisite.
7. Sheep Dip Malt
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Made by blending 16 completely different whiskies aged for a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 21 years, this is an exceptionally rich and delicious spirit.
It has a very deep and extremely substantial flavor, where you can feel all the tasting components at the same time yet still be able to differentiate them.
It tastes like toffee, honey, salt water, and spicy fruits. The vanilla flavor doesn’t lack, but it isn’t as expressive as in other whiskeys. It starts strong, and it ends strong.
Smooth all over, this whiskey will delight you with its intensity delivered in a gentle manner and rough just enough so you won’t be able to forget it.
8. Johnnie Walker Black
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As an already established label known to many and an institution in the whiskey world, there is probably very little I could say about this whiskey that you wouldn’t already know.
Made by blending 36 different whiskeys coming from different distilleries in Scotland, this is a whiskey of exceptional quality. It is known as a rough and assertive yet very elegant spirit.
What makes this scotch unusual is that each new glass tastes like an entirely different drink.
It includes so many tasting notes that with each new sip, you feel another flavor, expanding the realm of flavors this whiskey offers.
The primary tones are vanilla, dried raisins, and glazed nuts, but in addition to these flavors, you can also feel butterscotch and charred oak.
9. Ballantine 30-Year-Old Blended Scotch
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Combining carefully selected whiskeys to make the blend with and aged for 30 years, this whiskey is definitely one of the rarest of this quality and probably one of the most popular ones on this list.
Described in one word, it is remarkable. The blend of flavors is astounding, combining expressive smokiness, spiciness, subtle but noticeable honey tones, as well as toffee and dark chocolate.
The finish is silky smooth and very flavorful, but at the same time, assertive and strong.
10. Cutty Sark
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First introduced in 1920, this whiskey has prevailed through wars, prohibitions, and dire times, bringing you a whiff of the old world.
Following the traditional recipe, this spirit combines vanilla, ice cream, and chocolate tones, delighting you with its rich creaminess and smoothness all over.
Light-colored, full-bodied, and easy to drink, it will take you to a different time, awakening a certain nostalgia.
11. Dewar’s Double Double Aged Blended Scotch Whiskey
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The first thing you will notice in this blended scotch whiskey is how easy it is to drink. It is very flavorful and very drinkable.
This is a result of its meticulously executed four-stage aging process, which tones down the aggressiveness of the drink, infusing it with softness and cheer.
The tasting notes include tropical fruits, cashews, and honey. However, these tones play together, stepping into the spotlight when they deem appropriate. So, even though there are three tasting notes, the resulting flavor is complex, deep, and full.
12. Chivas Regal 18 Old Scotch Whiskey
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Regal, indeed, this whiskey is a blend of 18 whiskeys aged from 12 to 25 years. The blend itself ages for 18 years, and therefore it gives the word “smooth” a new meaning.
It is exceptionally full-bodied and texture-rich, creating a genuine symphony of flavor notes as well as texture features.
It mixes flavors of spice, caramel, and burnt citrus. Seemingly simple, encompassing three main tasting notes, this whiskey is complex and very exploratory. The dance of the flavors makes this whiskey very colorful and playful.
13. Johnnie Walker Blue Label
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This whiskey is the pearl of the Johnnie Walker spirit expressions. It is the ultimate blended scotch whiskey and a piece of art in the form of a spirit. It combines cocoa, dark chocolate, leather, smokiness, wood, nuts, vanilla, and oak.
Exceptionally smooth, the J.W. Blue Label is one of the most refined and elegant spirits on the market and a true delicacy. If you ever get the chance to have a bottle of this spirit, do not hesitate.
14. Suntory Hibiki 21 Year
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This is an excellent Japanese wine depicting the Japanese artistic culture, their boldness to experiment, as well as their discipline. Combining notes of wood spice, cherry, lemon, and oak, this spirit is equally smoky as it is fruity.
Easy to drink, smooth, and very flavorful, it is colorful and playful, teasing the palate and tickling the drinker’s curiosity.
15. Nikka Taketsury 17
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This is another of the exquisite Japanese blended scotches tasting bold, unusual, yet extremely delicious. It features a flavor note that no other whiskey on this list does, salad.
To describe that your whiskey tastes like salad is probably the furthest thing from your mind, but the salad tones included in this spirit are so well-balanced and so well-incorporated that you will wonder how you managed to enjoy a whiskey that doesn’t have them.
Refreshing, dynamic, and temperamental, this whiskey also includes notes of cocoa, berries, oak, and fruit. It is complex, smooth, and bold, and definitely worth a chance.
16. The Famous Grouse
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Combining sherry and bourbon, this whiskey is the lovechild of these two kinds. You can feel both the sherry and bourbon parts, creating an original and irresistible union of flavors standing second to none in its category.
The flavor combines tasting notes of vanilla, cinnamon, and orange peel. The course of flavors is pretty standard and common for the whiskey category, but the sherry dimension is what separates this whiskey from all others.
It starts with vanilla notes and continues with orange peel flavors, accompanied by the vanilla, ending with a delightful cinnamon tone, all the while carrying the sweet and warm sherry character.
17. Big Peat
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This is one of the best-blended scotch whiskeys on the market, with a very wide consumer body. It is very easy to drink, which is why many love it. The more complex whiskeys, although exceptionally good, tend to be harsher, requiring for a more experienced palate.
On the other hand, this spirit is so popular because it appeals to beginners as well as experienced whiskey enthusiasts. Combining spices, grass, and nuts, it is natural, refreshing, gentle, and sweet with a soft and smooth finish easy to handle.
18. 15-Year Haig Dimple
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Combining chocolate, oak, toffee, and honey notes, this is one of the sweetest blended scotch whiskeys on the market. Appealing to those who like their scotch rougher as well as to the fans of the sweet and gentle, this scotch has something for everyone.
The intensity of the flavors matches the taste of those who like their scotch assertive and tough, while the way the flavors mash, as well as the finish, are best suited for those who are more inclined toward the gentler things.
19. Mackinlay’s Shackleton Rare
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This whiskey is very fruity and floral, combining apple, orange, lemon, and floral notes. It is very refreshing and natural tasting. In addition to the floral and fruity notes, it also exhibits tones of herbs and a slight earthy dimension.
Combining a few different spirits, the resulting flavor is simply delightful. Although the tasting notes are complementary, it is worth mentioning that they are excellently balanced, enveloping each other while allowing each tone to dominate at a certain point.
20. Hibiki Japanese Harmony
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The sheer fact that this is a Japanese whiskey says volumes about its quality. The Japanese are famous for making some of the world’s best whiskeys, so it is no wonder that this spirit, too, is worthy of that superlative.
Mixing flavors of malt, vanilla, and citrus, this is a straightforward classical whiskey, retaining and proudly showcasing the recognizable Japanese craftsmanship. Needless to say, this whiskey is very smooth, easy to drink, full-bodied, and rich-textured.
What Is the Best Blended Whiskey?
To say that there is one blended whiskey that is the best would be a sheer injustice to the rest of them. Luckily there are many excellent blended whiskey brands you can take your pick from.
Deciding which one is the best would be more of a subjective decision than an objective observation, but choosing the one that best fits your preferences in no way means that the rest of the whiskeys aren’t as good.
Some of the best-blended whiskey brands include Barrell Seagrass Whiskey, Hibiki Japanese Harmony, Milam, and Greene Triple Cask Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Pendleton Whiskey, The Famous Grouse Blended Scotch Whisky, Cutty Sark, Teeling Small Batch Whiskey and The Classic Cask Rare Scotch Whisky Single Batch 40.
Nevertheless, there are many more excellent blended scotch whiskey brands you can choose from.
What Is the Best Selling Blended Scotch?
Johnnie Walker is the best-selling blended scotch whiskey. It is a world-renowned brand offering several labels, each bearing its markings and specificities, making each one of them original and unique.
The variety of labels is the reason why Johnnie Walker is so well sold worldwide, as it offers something for everyone appealing to many preferences and tastes.
