30 Whiskies You Need to Try Before You Die

It is a ridiculous understatement to say there are a lot of whiskies in the world.

With thousands of bottles ranging from big-name brands to tiny distilleries, and whether you are nipple-high in the whisky tide or just starting your journey, the sheer choice can be overwhelming.

Scotch, Bourbon, Irish, Japanese, Indian, English, we are spoilt for choice, with sweet, smoky, fruity, feinty and every other flavour imaginable.

This isn’t necessarily a list of the 30 greatest whiskies ever made, but 30 bottles you should try at some point on your whisky journey: classics, game changers, modern mavericks and just some weird stuff.

The essential whiskies to try:

1. Jack Daniel’s

Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 is a gateway whisky for so many drinkers and, with its low proof, global availability and classic notes of cherries, toasted oak and caramel, it is always worth going back to the basics.

2. Jameson

Jameson is the Irish staple and an easy, soft and sweet introduction to Irish whiskey, making it a great starting point for understanding the country’s famous blended and pot still styles.

3. Glenfiddich 12

Glenfiddich 12 is the first Scotch for many people and a brilliant baseline for single malt, offering approachable pear, apple, vanilla, malt and oak while playing a huge part in taking Scotch whisky global.

4. Monkey Shoulder

Monkey Shoulder shows that blend is not a dirty word, delivering an affordable, approachable and interesting blended malt that makes a great stepping stone into Scotch and cocktails.

5. Johnnie Walker Red Label

Johnnie Walker Red Label may not be my favourite whisky, but as an industry linchpin blending whiskies from across Scotland with a little touch of smoke, it is simply too important to the global whisky world to ignore.

6. Wild Turkey 101

Wild Turkey 101 is a fantastic bourbon that shows what happens when you turn the alcohol level up, delivering 50% ABV without simply tasting like hot alcohol and earning approval from both beginners and hardcore dram lovers.

7. Mellow Corn

Mellow Corn is a cult bottle for a reason, offering 50% ABV Bottled in Bond straight corn whiskey that is sweet, funky, grain-forward and unapologetically corn heavy.

8. Sazerac Rye

Sazerac Rye deserves a place for showcasing what rye can bring to the whiskey world, with its distinctive spice and herbal character working equally well neat or in a cocktail.

Irish Whiskey to try:

9. Redbreast 12

Redbreast 12 is a gateway into Irish pot still whiskey, bringing tropical fruit and that classic biscuity Irish character in a well loved and highly approachable package.

10. Powers John’s Lane 12

Powers John’s Lane 12 steps things up with rich, creamy Irish pot still whiskey packed with dried fruit, nuts and coconut, making it a great bottle for anyone who has written Irish whiskey off.

Great Enthusiast Scotch Whiskies to try:

11. Glencadam 10

Glencadam 10 is a wonderfully natural, clean and spirit driven Scotch with bags of fruit, cream, vanilla and malt that shows just how good an affordable whisky can be.

12. Clynelish 14

Clynelish 14 has to make the list because of one word: waxy, offering a brilliant opportunity to discover one of Scotch whisky’s most distinctive and talked-about characteristics.

13. Craigellachie 13

Craigellachie 13 proves that Speyside whisky isn’t always soft and delicate, delivering famously oily, full flavoured Scotch with notes ranging from burnt ham and pineapple pizza to spiced apple pie.

Smokey Whiskies that need to be tried:

14. Talisker 10

Talisker 10 is a gateway into peated single malt Scotch, bringing maritime smoke, spice and salt from the Isle of Skye in a highly available and distinctive package.

15. Laphroaig 10

Laphroaig 10 is one of the most famous peated whiskies in the world and needs to be tried for its medicinal, maritime and malty character that has helped define the “Scotch tastes like a hospital” stereotype.

16. Lagavulin 16

Lagavulin 16 is an Islay legend and a much loved shelf staple that delivers a smoky, almost fishy character which makes it one of the great gateways into serious peated whisky.

17. Ardbeg 10

Ardbeg 10 is Islay smoke turned up to eleven, combining dark, sweet treacle, tar and intense peat into one of the most exciting bottles from this whisky paradise.

18. Ardnahoe Infinity Loch

Ardnahoe Infinity Loch shows that new whisky can still respect its heritage, delivering beautifully balanced smoke, lemon, clean peat and salt while proving that exciting modern Scotch doesn’t need an age statement.

19. Compass Box Peat Monster

Compass Box Peat Monster is one of the best demonstrations of what blended malt whisky can achieve, combining different peated malts transparently to create a creamy, smoky whisky that can stand alongside and sometimes beat single malts.

20. Benromach Cask Strength

Benromach Cask Strength turns the volume up with dirty fruit, old-school Scotch character and powerful cask-strength flavour, while also opening the door to the fun of exploring how whisky changes with a few drops of water.

21. Springbank 10

Springbank 10 is highly sought after for a reason, offering a distinctive, farmy, dirty and almost diesel-like character that captures the passion and individuality of one of Campbeltown’s most hyped distilleries.

Whisky from across the world to try:

22. Westland American Single Malt

Westland American Single Malt belongs on the list because it shows that American whiskey is not just bourbon, offering a wonderful middle ground between Scotch and bourbon with malt, fruit, oak and spice.

23. Indri Trini

Indri Trini highlights the growing global nature of whisky, showcasing what a hot Indian climate can bring to whisky with bold and unusual flavours that have already lured in plenty of Scotch lovers.

24. Hibiki Japanese Harmony

Hibiki Japanese Harmony is an accessible introduction to Japanese whisky, offering a clean, floral and beautifully blended dram that is as stunning to look at as it is to drink.

25. Nikka From the Barrel

Nikka From the Barrel turns the intensity up to 51.4% ABV with rich, fruity and spicy flavour while also opening the door into the fascinating and complicated history of Japanese whisky.

26. Yamazaki 12

Yamazaki 12 is worth trying for its role in the Japanese whisky boom, having gone from an affordable bottle to a premium product that lets you decide for yourself whether the current price lives up to the hype.

“Luxury Bottles” of Whisky that should be tried at least once:

27. Johnnie Walker Blue Label

Johnnie Walker Blue Label is the world’s most recognisable premium blended Scotch and, whatever you think of the marketing or price, it is a silky and genuinely good whisky that deserves to be experienced.

28. Macallan 12

Macallan 12 deserves its place because of the enormous role the brand has played in the modern single malt scene, even if you skip the increasingly expensive bottle and simply try a dram to see what the hype is about.

29. Glenmorangie Signet

Glenmorangie Signet is a genuinely unusual premium Scotch, combining chocolate malt with a creamy, coffee-like character to create a dark-chocolate whisky that feels every bit as luxurious as its price tag.

30. Octomore

Octomore is the final boss of this list, offering Bruichladdich’s famously heavily peated Islay whisky and an undeniable peaty punch that needs to be experienced at least once.

And this is only the beginning

This list is by no means the be all and end all of whisky, because there are so many more bottles to try. If you can, try a birth year whisky, really old whisky, local whisky and enjoy whisky.