This Award-Winning Highland Scotch Is Super Sippable, And Under $100

While browsing bottles of single malt Scotch, it may seem challenging to find a decent buy that won't break the bank. Connoisseurs know there are reliable options under $100, however. Aberfeldy 16 is on this list, allowing toasts to the good life without the accompanying worry of a busted budget.

Released in 2015 as part of The Last Great Malts series, this Highland whisky has earned an impressive list of accolades, including bagging several consecutive gold medals at the Scotch Whisky Masters and claiming crowns at the International Wine & Spirit Competition. Matured for 16 years in bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks, the finish is equal parts spicy and smooth, offering rich notes of honey, fruitcake, and dark chocolate. Since this whisky has extra time maturing in the Oloroso sherry casks, some of the honeyed, fruity notes step to the foreground. The nose delivers caramel and brown sugar plus subtle whiffs of green apple and dried fruits. Keen tasters will detect woody, earthy elements of ginger and cardamom throughout. 

At 40% ABV, the Aberfeldy 16 is ideal for beginners. Instead of being a strong peated Scotch that can be a hit or miss for palates, this dram is smooth and easy to sip neat or with a few drops of water. The flavor notes are a blend of caramel toffee, malty chocolate, and vanilla cake with spiced red apples. Letting it sit once poured for a little while also opens up the experience. The balanced sweetness and lack of peat make this a crowd-pleaser and an ideal gift for those building up their own Scotch collections. Once stocked behind a bar, this single malt works beautifully in classic cocktails, like an Old Fashioned. 

The distillery responsible for bottling Aberfeldy 16 has been producing whisky in Scotland's Central Highlands in the pretty Perthshire village of Aberfeldy since 1898. Techniques have been passed down from generation to generation, and the distillery's water source, the Pitilie Burn, is known to contain traces of gold, making this whisky liquid gold in more ways than one. Aberfeldy is owned by John Dewar & Sons, and Malt Master Stephanie Macleod oversees production. "It really is a beautiful and complex dram," she says of the Aberfeldy 16 on YouTube. Bottles can be purchased at around $90, so you can conduct your own taste testings in the comfort of your home and enjoy the taste of exceptional value.