Good whisky does not have to be expensive. Rare and aged whiskies can often fetch high prices but it does not mean you cannot buy a decent dram for less than £40.
From supermarket-stocked single malts to unusual whiskies using alternative cask techniques, the world of the under £40 is an interesting and affordable way to enjoy whisky and save some pennies.
After trying several highly-rated whisky options at the sub-£40 price point we have picked out the best options for 2024. All of the whisky has been taste-tested and verified as a top buy for summer 2024.
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Best for: Classic peat
Score: 5/5
Available from Waitrose for £35. Buy it here
Talisker is not a rare or unusual whisky but it is one of the best in the world. Versatile enough to appeal to peat lovers but subtle enough that it can be enjoyed by those new to the world of smoke, Talisker is the perfect entry-level whisky to cover a wide range of tastes.
Expect a hint of peat with sea-soaked salt and a touch of spice.
Go for the 10 year old instead of Talisker Skye. While the latter is a superb whisky and comes at a lower price, the 10 year old is a superior dram and offers the best of the Talisker distillery.
Best for: Summer cocktails
Available from The Whisky Exchange for £31.25. Buy it here.
Speyburn Rum Cask is an unusual whisky. As the name suggests it is aged in rum casks after spending time in bourbon casks and the result is a tropical, fruity dram that works just as well sipping neat or in a summer cocktail.
It is not an age statement whisky and with a price tag of just £32.50 it is one of the cheapest single malts on the market. However it certainly does not taste like a young whisky and punches well above its weight in terms of complexity of flavour. There are delicious notes of citrus and a very slight cinnamon, with a rich vanilla finish.
The perfect affordable base for whisky cocktails and an excellent alternative to age statement rum cask offerings, Speyburn is a surprise summer hit with our tasters.
Best for: Beginners
Available from Master of Malt for £33.95. Buy it here.
Our introduction to anCnoc was through the brilliant Peatheart Batch 3. It is one of the finest heavily peated whiskies around but sadly at £58 it is well over the price range of £40.
The Knockdhu distillery is churning out some fantastic drams on a regular basis and there is an option under £40 that is worth a look. The 12 year anCnoc is very different to the Peatheart range but is just as tasty.
There is plenty of lemon in the nose but expect intense sweetness and a long finish from the 12 year anCnoc. It is a thoroughly satisfying whisky and a great all-rounder for any whisky cabinet. With a price of just £33.99 it may be the best value whisky under £40 you can buy today.
Best for: Easy-drinking
Available for £33.95 from The Master of Malt. Buy it here.
The Benriach The Original Ten is, says the distillery, Inspired by the flavoursome character and body of the first ever single malt it produced in 1994.
The 10-year-old Speyside whisky is also one of the most awarded in the distillery’s range, having won gold in 3 of the last 4 annual San Francisco World Spirits Competitions. It was also chosen by our team as one of the best whiskies in 2024.
Our experts said: “The whisky is a marriage from three casks - bourbon barrels, sherry casks and virgin oak - that were matured for at least ten years. This combination combined with Benriach's fruity spirit makes for a great tasting and easy-drinking smooth whisky.”
