The Lakes Whiskymakers Reserve 5

8,400 bottles made of this peated single malt and it's just delightfully quirky - you get this fascinating blend of red fruits (like currants and dried cherries) with honey and smoked almonds. Longrow's produced at Springbank and if you dig scotch finished in a port barrel, then you're buying in 3, 2, 1...

This 18 year single malt is like a character straight out of an 80s high school movie - bold, brash, and full of unchecked adolescent abandon. Don't let its youthful exuberance fool you - underneath is an unexpected sophistication from its extended maturation in oak, packed with notes of vanilla and baking spice notes. It’s like, totally rad!

We could cut to the chase and say, "just buy it if it's available," Why? Because the way it balances sherry with just the right amount of fruit is what allows for a finish that'll taste like the tide ebbing off of the Davaar Lighthouse in Campbeltown. If you're into scotch, just flirting with scotch, or brand new to the category, this is a no brainer.

Let's start by addressing the monkey in the room - the name "Monkey Shoulder" comes from a strain malt workers would get from turning malted barley by hand. The injury would cause their arm to hang down a bit like a monkey's, and while that's not what makes it one of the world's best selling scotch whiskeys, it is... something? What's more important here is the realllllly malty, creamy delivery with nods of berry fruit you're gonna get with each sip. This is an all-around workhorse scotch y'all - hits are usually hits for a reason.

This is legitimately the holiday season in a bottle - like liquid fruitcake. This Highland Single Malt is finished in different styles of aged Sherry casks including Apostoles, Amoroso, and Matusalem Oloroso, which delivers the lingering taste of caramelised orange and rich dark chocolate. Think elevated Hallmark channel marathon in late November with your favorite fleece blanket.

This is one drinkable (Ron Burgundy voice) Scotch - sweet, creamy, with a backbone of black-pepper spice and a thick layer of peaty smoke. Distilled on the Isle of Islay at Bruichladdich distillery, a glass of this 10 Year will have you sounding like the dude in those Men's Warehouse commercials: "You're gonna like the way this tastes."