The Best Bottles Of Scotch Whisky Between $80-$90, Ranked

Best Scotch Under $90 — iStockphoto/UPROXX

If you’re looking for a great Scotch whisky, this list is for you. Scotch whisky — blended or single malt — hits a pretty nice stride right under $100 per bottle. This is the point where you can start to find some truly special expressions that are also widely available. Granted, there is a long way to go when it comes to great scotch, but this is a pretty good place to be if you’re looking for a banger.

As for this list, I’ve pulled ten bottles of scotch I dig. I then ranked those bottles based on which ones I think are most worth rushing out to buy. That’s not to say “skip numbers ten through five” or anything like that — in fact, one of those might be a better fit for your particular palate. Since we’re focused on my particular palate though, I’ll say that these scotches only get better (and better) as the countdown ticks along.

Sound good? Let’s dive in and talk about some truly great Scotch whisky to drink.

Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Scotch Whisky Posts of The Last Six Months

10. Talisker Storm

ABV: 45.8%

Average Price: $82

The Whisky:

This no-age-statement whisky has an interesting aging process. The whisky is aged in a combination of used barrels and re-charred barrels. Basically, they take old barrels, strip the charring, rebuild those barrels, and then re-char them to their standards. The process adds a new layer of depth by rejuvenating the staves. The whisky from those barrels is then blended into a darker, smokier, and deeper single malt.

Tasting Notes:

This sip amps up the peat a tad while bringing in the brine next to a clear maltiness, honey pears, and a touch of charred wood. The smoke at play here is more akin seaside campfire while the brininess is reminiscent of oyster liquor with a dry chili spice lurking in the background. There’s a hint of the berry leftover from the Talisker 10, with a touch more peppery spice by the end.

Bottom Line:

While Talisker 10 is the entry-point for this Skye whisky, their non-age-statement expressions serve that purpose too. Storm is a great mixing whisky if you’re looking to spice up your cocktails with a layer of smoke. I also really like it in oyster shooters.

9. Buchanan’s 18 Year Special Reserve

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $88

The Whisky:

This Scotch blend is a mix of Diageo single malt and single grain whiskies that are all at least 18-years-old. Those whiskies are aged in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks before their married into this well-crafted expression.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a sense of malt next to hints of orange zest, honey, and bright cherry. The palate really delivers on the cherry as the orange zest becomes candied and a nutty edge arrives, ushering in a subtle and almost sweet smoke. The smoke dries a bit as a note of pine arrives late, supported by the orange, cherry, and honey with a touch of warm spice.

Bottom Line:

This blend might not be as iconic as Johnnie Walker, but it offers a beautiful drinking experience. Drink this one of the rocks or layered into a cocktail and you will not be disappointed.

8. The Balvenie Caribbean Cask

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $86

The Whisky:

The Balvenie is renowned for doing everything in-house from growing grains to making their own barrels while also being the distillery that spearheaded the whole “finishing whisky in a different cask” movement. In this case, the juice spends 14 years maturing in ex-bourbon barrels. The whisky is then batched and transferred to barrels that The Balvenie aged their own blend of West Indies rum in.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a welcoming rush of buttery toffee up top with hints at brown spices, bright red berries, and a touch of sweet malts. The palate brings around creamy vanilla dotted with those sweet and slightly tart red berries next to a very soft and sweet oakiness. The finish is medium-length and full of soft wood, vanilla cream, and a touch of that spice.

Bottom Line:

This is one of the whiskies that’s just nice. It’s so easy-sipping, even neat, that you’ll be hard-pressed not to pour a second. It’s not overly complex, but that’s okay in an everyday sipper like this.

7. Johnnie Walker 18

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $86

The Whisky:

This is the same juice as the old-school Johnnie Walker Platinum. The blend is comprised of 18 whiskies from Diageo’s stables that are all a minimum of 18 years old. The primary distilleries in the bottle are Blair Athol, Cardhu, Glen Elgin, and Auchroisk.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a rich and buttery toffee that’s counterpointed by a bowl of ripe and sweet fruit that really draws you in. The caramel malts mix with marzipan, creamy vanilla pudding, and a nice rush of juicy winter tangerines that have just been peeled. Adding a little water, those orange oils marry to a deep, dark chocolate nature, which leads towards a velvety and ever-so-lightly smoky close.

Bottom Line:

There are moments in this whisky that feel almost like a creamy old bourbon. It’s really enticing, especially in a highball with sharp fizzy water. It also works with just a single rock to let the whisky bloom a little in the glass. Either way, you’re in for a treat.

6. Longrow Peated

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $82

The Whisky:

This Campbeltown whisky is distilled at the iconic Springbank Distillery. The whisky is a no-age-statement release that leans into the peatier end of the Springbank offerings. The whisky is bottled with a little water added to cut the proof down but without filtration or added color.

Tasting Notes:

You get a big whiff of vanilla pudding on the nose that leads towards singed marshmallow and a backyard firepit vibe with fresh, savory herbs growing nearby and fruit trees (think pear and peach) hanging overhead, adding a light fruity woodiness. The palate lights those fruity wood on fire and lets the soft and sweet smoke drive the taste as the creamy vanilla is counterpointed by a slight Ace Bandage note and an earthy dry clay. The finish takes its time and lets the sweet smoke slowly fade away while a hint of sweet vanilla lingers underneath the pall.

Bottom Line:

This is a great introduction to Springbank’s “other” whiskies. It’s definitely for the peat enthusiasts but, I think, the bourbon vanilla and fruity vibes can entice the peat-curious too. That’s especially true if you mix this into a highball with good soda water.

5. Caol Ila 12

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $82

The Whisky:

Caol Ila is a tiny Islay distillery that is more familiar to hardcore whisky fans than the casual drinker. This expression is the distillery’s entry-point whisky that highlights the subtle peatiness, gentle aging, and the soft lapping of the sea against the distillery’s outer white walls.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a matrix of dried roses soaked in water touched by orange oils, almonds, and a trace of classic Listerine buzziness. The sip has a savoriness that feels like olive oil speckled with coarse sea salt next to a distant billow of briny smoke, all counterpointed by sweet malts and fruits. The finish sweetens the smokiness with a fruity-yet-spicy tobacco edge while the end fades towards an almost salty-sour hint of citrus.

Bottom Line:

It was hard not to put this at number one. This is a stellar pour: Neat, on the rocks, or in a cocktail. It’s so subtle and deep while still feeling 100 percent accessible. There’s nothing overdone or “loud” about this whisky. It’s a quiet whisper in your senses that’s very enticing.

4. Bunnahabhain Toiteach A Dhà

ABV: 46.3%

Average Price: $89

The Whisky:

This smoky Islay peated malt means “smoky two.” Well, that’s what “Toiteach A Dhà” translates to anyway. The whisky is a peated malt that’s matured in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks and then married with an eye cast towards the sea and all that sherry wood.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a clear sense of sweet and stewed plums with a focus on cinnamon sticks and an almost spicy smokiness. The palate shifts towards a savory fruit (think pumpkin) with flourishes of dark chocolate next to meaty dates and lightly salted sardines. The end leans back into the spicy and very briny smokiness as the malts ebb and flow between sweet and dry with a plummy texture.

Bottom Line:

I know, “sardines” and “dark chocolate” don’t sound like they go together. But trust me, they do in this format. This whisky really leans into the sea-meets-smoke aspects of a great Islay whisky with serious depth next to easy drinkability. While this is great neat, you really do need to add a little water to let it bloom properly in the glass.

3. The Glenrothes Whisky Maker’s Cut

ABV: 48.8%

Average Price: $80

The Whisky:

The bulbous bottle from The Glenrothes is all about the sherry. The expression spends an undisclosed amount of years in first-fill sherry casks. When those barrels are just right, the whisky is then batched and vatted before being proofed down only slightly.

Tasting Notes:

You’re met with candied orange peel spiked with hints of eggnog spices and a touch of gooey pine resin. The taste holds on tightly to that candied orange, while adding in a velvety vanilla cream generously dusted with those eggnog spices and a softer touch of almost sweet wood. The finish zeroes in on the orange and nutmeg as the vanilla and oak fade away on the slow end.

Bottom Line:

This is comforting. You can drink this neat all day long. It also makes one hell of an old fashioned, thanks to all those sherry/wintry notes.

2. Highland Park Valknut

ABV: 46.8%

Average Price: $80

The Whisky:

High up on the Orkney Islands, Highland Park is making whisky for modern-day Vikings. Valknut (a knot of three triangles honoring those who fell in battle) uses locally grown “Tartan barley” that’s malted with a bit of local peat. That whisky spends an undisclosed amount of time aging in American oak that held sherry. The juice is vatted, proofed with Orkney’s soft water, and bottled in a bespoke Viking-inspired bottle.

Tasting Notes:

Imagine vanilla pods warming up in a pan and just starting to release their oils and smoke next to a hint of black pepper and cedar. The palate holds onto that vanilla while adding a touch of black licorice and clove next to more cedar and maybe some fennel-crusted rye bread. The finish holds onto the spice with a chewy tobacco vibe next to an almost fatty smoke from a backyard salmon smoker and a touch of orange oils.

Bottom Line:

This is a whisky that may well make you say “wow” when you finish that first dram. There’s a lot going on and it all tracks from the licorice to the rye bread to the fatty fish oils. Again, add a little water to your glass (or a rock) to really let this whisky shine.

1. Lagavulin 16

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $85

The Whisky:

This is the most recognizable Lagavulin out there. The malts are smoked just down the road from the distillery at Port Ellen and the juice is crafted expertly by the sea at Lagavulin. Then the whisky spends 16 long years mellowing in old American and Spanish oak.

Tasting Notes:

Imagine a beach fire that’s using dried seaweed as fuel next to mugs of honeyed black tea and a clump of wet moss on the nose. The taste of this dram meanders through dried pipe tobacco smoke laced with hints of vanilla and tart apple while notes of briny caramel lead towards an oyster shell minerality. The finish is pure silk as the seaweed grows wetter and the smoke sweetens towards that caramel, vanilla, and apple.

Bottom Line:

This is the best peated whisky you can buy for under $100, full stop. It’s smoky, sure, but there’s so much more going on. It’s truly an icon of the peated whisky world thanks to those layers of wood, sea, and peat coming together in every sip. Pour this one over some rocks, neat, or in a Smoky Cokey and you’ll never be disappointed.