Because the whisky world ushers in 2025, the outcomes from the World Whiskies Awards are already making a buzz. The most recent Class Winners and Icons of Whisky for Scotland had been unveiled in December 2024, setting the stage for these distinctive drams to compete on a worldwide degree in March for the celebrated ‘World’s Finest’ titles. Among the many standout classes is the ever-evolving panorama of no age assertion (NAS) single malt scotch whiskies, which are sometimes an reasonably priced but scrumptious possibility for single malt followers.
To mark the event, I’ve explored the highest NAS single malts that triumphed of their respective Scottish whisky areas. From the maritime magic of Campbeltown to the smoky attract of Islay, this information showcases the perfect bottles so as to add to your assortment—or savor immediately. Let’s dive into the small print and uncover what makes these whiskies true winners.
Glen Scotia Double Cask Rum End
Class: No Age Assertion Single Malt Scotch
Area: Campbeltown
Tasting Notes: Cooked sugar, maritime sea spray, tropical fruits, molasses, coconut, banana, candy peach, spice
BUY NOW: $50
This expression, hailing from Glen Scotia Distillery in Campbeltown, is a tribute to the city’s historical past as a busy worldwide transport port. Situated on the finish of the Kintyre Peninsula, Campbeltown was a strategic hub of commerce exercise through the Victorian period. In keeping with Glen Scotia: “Data way back to 1815, earlier than [the distillery’s] founding, present casks of rum current and on the market within the native city.”
Double Cask Rum End is a singular twist on Glen Scotia’s in style Double Cask expression. The no age assertion (NAS) whisky is distilled from 100% Scottish malted barley, matured in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels, and completed in Demerara rum casks. The whisky is bottled at 46% ABV.
The ensuing single malt is wealthy with quintessential Campbeltown character with notes of sea spray and brine, with a tropical twist of fruits and spice.
Glenmorangie Signet Reserve
Class: No Age Assertion Single Malt Scotch
Area: Highlands
Tasting Notes: Darkish chocolate sponge cake, espresso, hazelnut cream, orange zest, muscovado sugar, truffles, toffee, treacle, cinnamon, orange oil, chocolate raisins, raspberry
BUY NOW: $412
Okay, so this one just isn’t fairly as reasonably priced as you would possibly count on from a no age assertion scotch whisky. Nonetheless, Glenmorangie stands agency in its perception that Glenmorangie Signet Reserve provides a wealthy and decadent tasting expertise, constituting a step up from the usual Signet expression.
Glenmorangie Signet Reserve is Signet elevated. Chosen parcels of matured Glenmorangie Signet are chosen by Dr. Invoice Lumsden and the Whisky Creation Staff for an extra 12-month getting older interval in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. It’s bottled at 46% ABV.
The unique Signet, first launched in 2008, was born of the Whisky Creation Staff’s want to discover the richer facet of Glenmorangie’s profile. For one week annually, all different whisky manufacturing at Glenmorangie is paused and all consideration is targeted on Signet. The only malt scotch whisky is matured in bourbon, sherry, and virgin oak casks after which balanced by a number of the distillery’s oldest shares.
As such, though there isn’t any age assertion on the bottle, whisky followers can relaxation assured that Glenmorangie Signet Reserve accommodates some very uncommon Glenmorangie inventory, and constitutes an elevated and sophisticated whisky-drinking expertise.
Arran The Bodega Sherry Cask
Class: No Age Assertion Single Malt Scotch
Area: Islands (Non-Islay)
Tasting Notes: Toffee, candy spice, fruit, ripe fig, cherries, darkish chocolate, mandarins, ripe figs
BUY NOW: $57
This expression from Arran and the Lochranza Distillery is a part of the model’s core vary, and goals to showcase the complexity of sherry cask maturation. In keeping with Arran, this whisky is “the right alternative for somebody who enjoys their Single Malt with loads of physique and complexity.”
Matured solely in specifically chosen sherry casks from bodegas in Jerez, Spain, the whisky is bottled at pure cask power. Arran additionally states that this maturation program is “a return to the fashion of a number of the earliest Arran Single Malt, which was principally matured in Sherry Casks.”
If you’re not afraid of blending your scotch, Arran suggests having fun with this gorgeous whisky in a Sherry Cask Smoother Single Malt Cocktail:
Elements:
- 40 ml Arran Sherry Cask “The Bodega”
- 20 ml Frangelico
- 20 ml Cherry Heering
Methodology:
- Add all elements to a mixing glass
- Stir all elements over ice
- Pressure right into a pre-chilled glass
- Garnish with a Maraschino cherry and luxuriate in
Ardbeg Corryvreckan
Class: No Age Assertion Single Malt Scotch
Area: Islay
Tasting Notes: Tarry ropes, creosote, linseed oil, darkish chocolate, blackcurrants, muscovado sugar, cherries, pine, brine, seaweed, smoky bacon, vanilla, cloves, blueberries, menthol, treacle, chilli sauce, peppered steak, espresso, darkish fruits, almonds, star anise, hickory, violets.
BUY NOW: $85
Ah, the Ardbeg Corryvreckan. This basic expression is, by Ardbeg’s admission “not for the faint-hearted”. And but, this single malt scotch has garnered followers throughout the globe and was even named ‘World’s Finest Single Malt’ in 2010.
Distilled from 100% Scottish malted barley, this whisky is matured in ex-bourbon and French oak casks for an unspecified time, including to the mysterious intrigue surrounding this expression. The expression is known as after the Corryvreckan whirlpool, a swirling maelstrom that lies north of Islay within the Gulf of Corryvreckan.
The darkish and alluring whirlpool is mirrored within the profile of this whisky, which is deep, wealthy, and highly effective.
Corryvreckan is a agency Ardbeg fan favourite, and has been referred to as an “Ardbeggian icon”. In June 2024, Ardbeg revived the legend of Corryvreckan with the discharge of The Abyss – an extension of the unique Corryvreckan which was launched in 2008.
Holyrood Distillery Embra
Class: No Age Assertion Single Malt Scotch
Area: Lowlands
Tasting Notes: Lemon zest, horse chestnut pith, peppermint, hickory smoke, wafter biscuits, darkish chocolate mousse, earthy peat smoke, stewed pears
BUY NOW: $78
Embra, from Holyrood Distillery within the Scottish Lowlands, takes its identify from a colloquial time period for Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital and Holyrood’s house. That is the second single malt launch from Holyrood, preceded by Arrival and adopted by Ambir.
Holyrood Distillery prides itself on doing one thing completely different with every expression. The thought for Embra was to provide a dram that’s “a wee bit smoky” however nonetheless accessible to newbie whisky drinkers.
In keeping with Calum Rae, Distillery Supervisor: “The mindset for Embra was to set the stage for an exploration into peated whisky. Edinburgh is the gateway to Scotland for many individuals and that is the thought on the coronary heart of this spirit.
“We wished to seek out the right steadiness of daring smoky flavours and textures of peated whisky whereas nonetheless being accessible to a brand new whisky drinker. When somebody says they don’t like peated whisky, that is the whisky handy to them. That doesn’t imply there isn’t one thing for the seasoned peated drinkers as we now have all the hallmark flavours and textures of a terrific whisky.”
Holyrood can be extraordinarily open about each element that goes into its whisky, even going so far as to call each yeast pressure utilized in fermentation (there are fairly a couple of, you’ll find the total record right here).
Embra is matured in a mix of majority first-fill bourbon with peated Islay quarter casks and new American oak in supporting roles.
Glen Moray Phoenix Rising
Class: No Age Assertion Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Area: Speyside
Tasting Notes: Caramel, ginger, milk chocolate, pepper, gentle oak, nuts, malt
BUY NOW: $39
Launched in late 2023, Glen Moray Phoenix Rising paid tribute to the phoenix – a legendary fowl that’s reborn from its ashes as soon as it dies. Phoenix Rising was completed in virgin oak charred casks – a rarity for the scotch whisky trade.
On the time of launch Glen Moray’s International Model Ambassador, Iain Allan, stated: “Glen Moray Phoenix Rising is our candy and spicy tribute to the phoenix. Reasonably like that legendary fowl, our new charred oak casks are scorched by fireplace. And simply because the phoenix is reborn from its ashes, these casks deliver an entire new spectrum of flavour to life. With inviting notes of caramel, ginger, and milk chocolate, this single malt makes the right present for any whisky fan.”
This expression was solely obtainable on the Glen Moray Distillery and choose world markets. As a restricted version, it has now been discontinued, and might solely be sourced by means of the secondary market. In keeping with the World Whiskies Awards, although, the search is unquestionably value it.
The World Whiskies Awards 2025
The winners of the World Whiskies Awards Scotland will advance to compete towards victors from classes representing France, Eire, Canada, Japan, the united statesA., and the Remainder of the World. The last word winners of the 2025 World’s Finest awards will probably be unveiled in March. These regional heats enable manufacturers from the world over to enter their spirits for rigorous tasting and judging.
As regular, we will probably be protecting you up to date on the outcomes of those competitions on our Finest Whiskies web page. Let’s see what extra fascinating competitors outcomes (and unimaginable whiskies) 2025 has to supply!
