Top 10 Single Malt Scotch Whiskies under £50

Before getting into the bottles, there are a few rules.

This is a single malt Scotch whisky list. I know I love a good blend and blended malt, but some people just want single malt, I get that.

The RRP also needs to be below £50. Whisky prices are all over the place in the UK (and very much globally), so I have tried to work with typical prices rather than current sales.

I have also focused on bottles I own, or have had relatively recently.

Ledaig 10 Year Old

If you are looking for a great value peated single malt Scotch whisky there is few better than Ledaig 10 year old. It sits around £38, which is excellent value for a 10 year old whisky at 46.3% ABV. It is also non chill filtered and naturally coloured.

The whisky comes from Tobermory Distillery on the Isle of Mull and has a lovely balance of peat smoke, salt, earthiness and sweetness. There is vanilla and toffee from the ex bourbon casks, along with some funky, heathery and earthy character.

If you like Highland Park 12, I think this is a louder and more interesting version. For me, this is one of the best value peated single malt Scotches around.

Ledaig Rioja Cask

Sticking with Tobermory, the Ledaig Rioja Cask is another bottle that slaps and has been a repeat purchase a couple of times. Especially at 35, it is a proper bargain.

You get earthy smoke and peat with plenty of berries on top. The red wine influence adds a little richness without making the whisky overly dry. Sweet, smoky and spicy, and it is exactly the sort of bottle I am happy to buy again.

You can check out a full review on this bottle on Youtube here.

Ardnamurchan AD

Ardnamurchan has quickly become one of the distilleries that whisky nerds seem to love, and I can see why.

The standard Ardnamurchan AD sits around £40 and comes in at 46.8% ABV. It is a lightly peated Highland single malt with a salty, malty and citrusy character.

The distillery is very transparent about its whisky and is an excellent entry point if you are getting more serious about whisky.

If you like Talisker 10, this is worth trying. It also makes a surprisingly good “ArdnaFashioned” with cocoa bitters.

Glencadam 10

Glencadam 10 is one of my favourite fruity and affordable single malts.

It is a 10 year old Highland single malt at 46% ABV and usually costs around £40. I have talked about this whisky quite a lot because I genuinely love it.

This is bright, fruity and incredibly approachable. Think pears, apples and plenty of creamy texture.

Bruichladdich Classic Laddie

The Bruichladdich Classic Laddie is a bottle I once wrote off and somehow ended up making a shelf staple.

Around £42, you get a 50% ABV Islay single malt that is unpeated and naturally presented.

The whisky has a mix of predominantly ex bourbon and sherry and wine casks. For me, there are oranges, apples, sea salt and a big creamy texture. It is a little lactic, so it will not be everyone’s thing.

Laphroaig Quarter Cask

At around £40 to £42, I think this is one of the best entry points into Laphroaig.

It is 48% ABV and takes the classic Laphroaig style and gives it plenty of extra oak influence. The whisky starts with ex bourbon maturation before spending time in smaller American oak quarter casks. Smaller barrels mean more contact with the wood.

Plenty of vanilla, oak sweetness and spice alongside the classic medicinal peat smoke. There is seaweed, brine and that unmistakable smoky Laphroaig character. If you like Laphroaig 10, I think the Quarter Cask is well worth trying.

Lochlea Our Barley

Lochlea Our Barley is one of the more underrated bottles on this list.

Around £45 and 46% ABV, it is a natural, uncoloured single malt with bourbon, Oloroso and STR cask influence.

There are notes of malt, pears in syrup, grass and green marmalade. It is waxy, fresh and creamy. It has a really lovely farm character to it.

If you like Arran 10 or Cotswolds Signature, this is one I would definitely put on the list to try. Do not sleep on the Lowlands.

Ardbeg 10 Year Old

The price can move around quite a bit, but this is one of those bottles where supermarket offers can make it an absolute bargain.

I have seen it around £46, but offer prices around £29 to £34 are particularly hard to ignore.

It is smoky, oily and full of flavour. Peat smoke, coffee, lemon, lime, dark chocolate and plenty of spice.

Ardbeg 10 sometimes feels a little overlooked by whisky enthusiasts because it is such an established bottle. But it is still bloody good.

Some Single Malt Runners Up

There were plenty of bottles that came close to making the list.

Arran 10 is a great whisky and usually sits around £40 to £45, although personally I prefer some of the others here.

Bunnahabhain Stiureadair is another excellent option and can be fantastic when you find it on offer.

Bunnahabhain 12 is also well worth considering if you want a classic unpeated Islay single malt.

Glasgow 1770 Peated is another favourite, although it tends to sit just above the £50 mark.

Edradour 10 and Craigellachie 13 are both bottles I enjoy too, but again they can creep over the £50 limit.

If you want the full ten bottle list, including all the runners up and the bottles I nearly included, watch the video.