It’s International Scotch Day—and it’s cold outside!—so why not try a new dram? Our robust selection of independently-owned and operated Scotch distilleries & bottlers offers a chance to try cult favorites and award-winning whiskies alongside newcomers and rarities. No matter what, each scotch on our shelves—blended or single malt—is produced without common corner-cutting practices such as artificial caramel coloring and chillfiltration, which can’t be said of most of the big, familiar, commercial brands. These are authentic, traditional whiskies handcrafted to be as delicious as possible, rather than to merely create profit. Add one of our favorites to your home bar or whisky collection today!
Everyday Drams
Good Scotch doesn’t have to break the bank. Whether you’re looking for a quality affordable blend or a complex and exciting single malt, these reasonably priced options are sure to please:
Compass Box ‘Great King Street, Artist’s Blend’ Blended Scotch
Blenders like Dewar’s and Johnnie Walker give ‘blended Scotch’ a bad name with their grain-whisky dominant and low-proof blends designed to make money, rather than to taste good. Blending wizard John Glaser is out to change that perception—even his least expensive offering offers a large portion of single malt whisky in the blend, resulting in a friendly but surprisingly complex dram at this price point. Fruity & floral, with creamy texture and notes of sugar cookie. Easy to love!
Wolfburn ‘Northland’ Highlands
The northernmost distillery in mainland Scotland, Wolfburn was revitalized just a few years ago after sitting closed for many years. Their exciting ‘Northland’ malt is an unpeated highland malt aged in ex-bourbon casks that once matured peated Islay scotch. Grain forward and malty, the delicate influence of peat offers notes of smoke and sea salt. Excellent value!
GlenAllachie ‘12 Year’ Speyside
Former GlenDronach and BenRiach master distiller Billy Walker is doing magical things at his new distillery in the heart of Speyside. His entry-level ‘12 Year’ offering is matured in virgin oak, Oloroso, and Pedro Ximenez casks for a fruity, spicy, very friendly whisky that blows away similarly-styled age statements from big producers such as Macallan or Glenlivet.
Kilchoman ‘Machir Bay’ Islay
Islay’s only independent distillery with aged whisky currently on the market, Kilchoman set out in 2005 to produce the most authentic Islay scotch possible—they even farm their own barley! Assertive peat smoke marries with hints of citrus, celery salt, and—especially after a few drops of water—berries & cream. Stunning!
Staff Favorites
If we’re looking to treat ourselves, these are the next step up in the world of Scotch whisky—still accessible, but a bit more special than the everyday bottles that grace our home bars most of the time.
Springbank ‘10 Year’ Campbeltown
Long an Amanti staff favorite, Springbank used to be the territory of enthusiasts and collectors—but increasing popularity has made it increasingly difficult for us to get. This flagship offering is assertively peaty and briny, with hints of citrus fruit, burnt rubber, butterscotch, and savory smoke. Complex and challenging!
GlenAllachie ’15 Year’ Speyside
This recently released (and very limited) addition to GlenAllachie’s core range is more powerfully sherried than its 12 Year younger brother—rich, dessert-y flavors of sultana raisins and chocolate orange offset slightly green, salty undertones for a complex but super accessible dram. A great option for fans of other unpeated, sherried Speysides or even as a gateway Scotch for bourbon or brandy drinkers!
Kilchoman 'STR Cask Matured' Islay
This limited release from Islay's independent distillery, Kilchoman, was Steven's absolute favorite Scotch at a recent trade tasting—shortly after, it started winning international awards! Heavily peated and then matured in shaved, toasted, and re-charred wine casks (a process pioneered by the late Dr. Jim Swan, who also helped teach Kavalan this cooperage method), Kilchoman 'STR Cask Matured' is powerfully smoky but also rich, fruity, and woody, with lovely layers of vanilla, dark berries and cream, and spice. Despite lingering ash and relatively high proof, the finish is long and smooth. Remarkable!
Hazelburn ‘Oloroso Cask, 14 Year’ Campbeltown
A limited release offering of Springbank Distillery’s unpeated Hazelburn malt, this cask strength Scotch spent a full 14 years maturing in Oloroso cask: rich, nutty, and fruity, with a musty roasted malt undertone and salty minerality. Ridiculously good!
Ultimate, Old, & Very Rare
If you’re a serious enthusiast, or just looking for a seriously-cool gift, you might be after something with an older age statement or rare single cask bottling limited to just a few hundred bottles. We have that too!
GlenAllachie ‘29 Years Old, Single Cask #2510’ Speyside
The crown jewel of our current Scotch offerings, this is a richly sherried single cask of GlenAllachie distilled in 1989 and aged 29 years before being specially selected by master distiller Billy Walker for the United States market. Bottled at natural color & cask strength, it offers robust aromas and flavor of dark fruits—plums, raisins, chocolate orange—alongside subtle saltiness, wood spice, and musty malt. Ridiculously good & very rare.
The Exclusive Malts ‘Braes of Glenlivet, 23 Years Old, Single Cask’ Speyside
Limited to 183 bottles total and no longer available in distribution channels, this is the final bottle of this rare Speyside malt we’ll ever get our hands on. Soft and quite delicate for its age, with subtle hints of heather, honeysuckle, vanilla, butterscotch, and just a hint of ash.
Springbank ’18 Year’ Campbeltown
Although Springbank’s 18 Year Old expression is neither a single cask nor their oldest offering, the effect of their increasing popularity (not just for enthusiast’s anymore!) and the price increases forced by tariffs mean that prices are skyrocketing and availability is drying up. This is Campbeltown at its best: hints of sea brine, subtle burnt rubber, assertive smoke, and complex layers of citrus fruit and sherry influence make for a ridiculously complex and singular single malt. There’s a reason Scotch circles have been losing their mind about Springbank for years!
I’d be proud to have any of these amazing whiskies on my home bar—in fact, I already have quite a few of them! If you have a chance to try any of them for International Scotch Day, please let me know what you think!
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