What Is Single Malt Whisky?
Single malt whisky is made at a single distillery from malted barley, distilled in pot stills, and aged in oak casks. It's the most celebrated style of Scotch whisky — and for good reason. These are the community's top-rated single malts, ranked by DrinkNeatly's Bayesian community rating to surface genuine consensus picks.
Quick answer
Single malt is whisky made at a single distillery using only malted barley and pot stills. The term 'single' refers to the distillery, not the cask — most single malts are blended from many casks of the same distillery.
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Build your Taste DNA →Single malt definition
Single malt Scotch is whisky made at one distillery from malted barley, distilled in copper pot stills, and aged ≥3 years in oak casks in Scotland. The 'single' means single distillery — a bottle may be vatted from dozens of casks from that site. Blended Scotch draws from multiple distilleries; single malt does not.
Single malt vs blended Scotch
Blended Scotch (Johnnie Walker, Monkey Shoulder) combines grain whisky with malt whiskies from multiple distilleries for consistency and approachability. Single malts have more distillery character. Neither is inherently superior — a £30 blended Scotch often rates ≥3.7/5 on DrinkNeatly, comparable to a £40 entry-level single malt.
How to choose your first single malt
Start region-first: Speyside (Glenfiddich 12, Glenlivet 12) for fruit and malt; Lowland (Auchentoshan) for the gentlest pour; Islands (Highland Park 12) for gentle smoke and honey. Avoid Islay heavily peated expressions as a first single malt unless you already know you enjoy smoke. Budget £25–£40 for a reliable introduction.
Single MaltYamazaki
Yamazaki 18 Year Old
$748
Single MaltGlenDronach
The Glendronach 21 Year Old - Parliament
$263
Single MaltKilkerran
Kilkerran 12 Year Old
$70
Value Pick
Single MaltLagavulin
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
$98
Single MaltBlair Athol
Blair Athol 12 Year Old - Flora and Fauna
$72
Value Pick
Single MaltAmrut
Amrut Fusion
$73
Value Pick
Single MaltGlenmorangie
Glenmorangie 18 Year Old Extremely Rare (2015 Release)
$253
Single MaltThe Glenlivet
The Glenlivet 15 Year Old French Oak Reserve
$64
Value Pick
Single MaltTobermory
Tobermory 12 Year Old
$51
Value Pick
Single MaltGlenDronach
The GlenDronach 18 Year Old - Allardice
$222
Single MaltBunnahabhain
Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old
$53
Value Pick
Single MaltBruichladdich
Port Charlotte 10 Year Old
$69
Value PickFrequently asked questions
What is single malt whisky?
Single malt is whisky made at a single distillery using only malted barley and pot stills. The term 'single' refers to the distillery, not the cask — most single malts are blended from many casks of the same distillery.
Is single malt better than blended whisky?
Not necessarily — it's different. Single malts showcase a distillery's individual character; blended whiskies combine malts for consistency and complexity. Both can be excellent.
What is the best single malt whisky?
Community favourites on DrinkNeatly include Lagavulin 16, Ardbeg Uigeadail, Glenfarclas 21, and GlenDronach 18. The 'best' depends entirely on your flavour preferences.