Single Malt Scotch Picks for Springtime

Located less than 20 miles southeast of Edinburgh, Glenkinchie is one of three remaining distilleries in the area called the Lowlands. They only have two stills at the distillery, but they are fat and large producing over 1 million liters per year. The size and shape of the still lends the spirit to be light in nature as it comes off the still.

This single malt whisky is named for Scotland’s favorite son, poet and lyricist Robert Burns. It is matured primarily in American oak ex-bourbon casks, which make up about 70% of the maturation, with the remainder aged in ex-sherry hogsheads. There is also a blended Scotch whisky from Isle of Arran Distillers that honors Robert Burns.

Produced at the Knockdhu Distillery, this whisky is actually named after nearby Knock Hill, which the locals call anCnoc, (Gaelic for Black Hill). Another reason for the name might have been to make sure there is no confusion with another distillery called Knockando. Got it? Good. This Highland whisky is aged in both previously used American and Spanish oak barrels.

The Glenlivet 12 Year Double Oak is the flagship single malt from the Speyside distillery founded by George Smith in 1824. Matured for at least 12 years in a combination of European oak and American oak casks, the whisky reflects the brand’s signature “Double Oak” maturation. The label was updated in 2019 to include the Double Oak designation, though the whisky itself remains unchanged.

This was another whisky released this year (2015) by John Dewar & Sons as part of their ‘Last Great Malts of Scotland’ campaign. This is a Highland whisky produced at the MacDuff distillery on the eastern shore of the Deveron River. Before now most of their whisky went into Dewar's White Label.

Glenmorangie, founded in 1843, is home to the tallest stills in Scotland. Aged 10 years in American oak barrels, The Original serves as the flagship for the distillery. The casks used for the single malt are only ever used twice. The Original also serves as the base for their Extra Matured whiskies that spend 2 more years in a variety of wine barrels such as Sauternes and Port.

Glen Grant 12 debuted in a handful of U.S. markets in June 2016, with a nationwide release slated for 2017. The release was made partially in honor of the 55 years that master distiller Dennis Malcolm has spent in the industry. It's also said to show off the unique-to-Speyside Glen Grant process, with water-cooling purifiers used on both of the distillation runs, allowing only the lightest vapors through. An 18 year-old is being rolled out as well, along with revamped labeling and logos for the entire portfolio.

An oft overlooked gem in the Diageo "Classic Malt Whiskies" collection, this Highland malt is produced on the northeast coast of Scotland in the town of Brora. Brora is also the name of a now closed distillery, which, incidentally, was formally the location of the original Clynelish Distillery. This is a peated whisky, but far less so than the Brora bottlings.

Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie is the Islay distillery’s flagship single malt. This unpeated whisky is made from 100% Scottish barley, including some sourced from Islay, and is composed from a variety of barley types and cask influences that vary from batch to batch. Maturation includes a mix of cask types such as ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, and wine casks. Since 2016, each bottle includes a recipe code that allows drinkers to view full batch details online. It is bottled at 50% ABV without chill-filtration or added color. The whisky is packaged in a redesigned bottle made with an average of 60% recycled glass and 32% less weight than previous versions, reducing its carbon footprint.

This 12 year single malt Scotch whisky from Aultmore emphasizes the pristine water from the Auchinderran burn and unique malts of Speyside. Aultmore is owned by Dewar's, a Bacardi subsidiary and usually produces whisky for blends. They've released a range of single malts that includes this 12 year old, along with a 21 year old (available as a Travel Retail Exclusive) and 25 year old expression. This non-chill-filtered whiskey is bottled at 46% abv.

Dalwhinnie has been crafting whisky in the remote Drumochter Hills since 1898, sitting at the highest and coldest point of any working distillery in Scotland. Its water comes exclusively from Lochan na Doire-uaine, a high-altitude gathering of snowmelt and rainwater that no other distillery is permitted to use. One of the original six in Diageo's Classic Malts range, Dalwhinnie sees relatively few official bottlings. The 15 Year is lightly peated, though the peat is subtle enough that some may not detect it.