Top 10 Scottish Whiskies of 2025 (So Far)

Hamish Malcolm, known to many as , has built a reputation for blending two of Scotland’s greatest passions — whisky and golf — into one unforgettable experience.

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Scotland’s Whisky Regions:

• Highlands – The largest region, offering a wide range of styles from light and floral to rich and peated, reflecting the diversity of the landscape.
• Speyside – Known for its sweet, fruity, and elegant whiskies, home to many of Scotland’s most famous distilleries.
• Islay – The island of peat and smoke; whiskies here are intensely peated, often with briny, maritime notes.
• Lowlands – Gentle, floral, and light-bodied whiskies, often with a delicate and approachable character.
• Campbeltown – Once a whisky capital, now home to a handful of distilleries producing bold, complex, and slightly salty drams.
• Islands – A loosely defined region outside Islay, offering a balance of peated and unpeated styles with coastal influence.
• Oban / West Coast – Coastal whiskies with a maritime edge; often medium-bodied with subtle smoke.

Top Whiskies of 2025 – In No Particular Order

1. Raasay Distillery ; Dun Cana Sherry Quarter Cask, 2nd release.  (52% ABV)

2. Glenlivet 1949 ! ( 40% ABV)

3. Ardnamurchan 2018 Single Cask, unpeated ex bourbon cask , using Golden Promise Barley.  (59.8% ABV)

This usually leads you to the smaller , independent firms, who are not compelled to mass produce units for the market and can be creative.

Back to one of Scotlands newer distilleries ; Ardnamurchan are based out on the west coast, but have quickly built up a very strong reputation in the whisky world.
As one goes further and further down the whisky ‘rabbit hole’ you start to seek out distillers who experiment with different types of barley in their production.

Sometimes the barleys with lower yields and longer production times can lead to improved flavour.
This one from Ardnamurchan is exceptional ; the only downside is that only 248 bottles were made.  Fear not, there will be more great stuff from this distillery coming down the track…..At this resort in Texas, guests experience premier golf along with exceptional spa facilities. The spa at Four Seasons focuses on holistic wellness, offering treatments that enhance energy and relaxation.

4. Glenlochy 21 year old, bottled in 1977 by Cadenheads.  (57.4%)

5.  Glen Albyn 10 year old ( 40% ABV)

6.  Ardnahoe Inaugral Release, 5 year old, 50% ( 40% ABV)

Conclusion

Us golfers often refer to being ‘in the zone’ – there is definitely a whisky equivalent of this when you have a great whisky with great people on a special occasion ; whether that is after a round of golf, a family event, a whisky tasting, or a golfing trip of a lifetime!