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Nearly thirty whiskies in — ranging from £27 to over £70 — I started wondering what 'value' in a bottle of whisky really means. It's gloriously subjective, of course, but I tried to pin it down anyway, plotting quality against price to see which bottles genuinely punch above their weight and which trade on name alone. The results held a few surprises.
Here's a fact that might surprise you: only around 15% of Scottish distilleries are independently owned, and all of those have been founded since 2000. Nearly 70% of Scotland's distilleries are owned by international companies, and the largest single owner is Diageo — the British multinational drinks company.
If you've spent any time reading whisky labels or reviews, you've probably seen the term "non-chill filtered" pop up repeatedly. Some distilleries trumpet it proudly on their bottles, while others quietly chill-filter their entire range without much fanfare. But what actually is chill filtration, and does it really matter? Let's dig into it.
All of Scotland's distilleries (around 140 and growing) are organised into traditional whisky-producing regions. The five classic regions are Highlands, Speyside, Islay, Lowlands, and Campbeltown, though many people split the Highlands into two — Highlands and Islands — which is the classification I use here.
As the holiday season unfolded from Black Friday to the arrival of the New Year, enticing offers and exclusive deals beckoned from the shelves of whisky retailers. Succumbing to the allure of discounts, I found myself acquiring more than a few coveted bottles during this festive period. Yet, this spree sparked a pondering question: Amidst the plethora of online options, where does one find the best value when purchasing whisky in the UK?
When I first started exploring whisky seriously, I struggled to put words to what I was tasting. "It's... nice?" wasn't exactly helpful tasting notes. "Sort of sweet, maybe some fruit?" was only marginally better. I knew there was complexity in the glass, but I couldn't articulate it. Sound familiar?
When you pour a dram, one of the first things you notice is the colour. That beautiful amber glow in the glass promises richness, age, quality. Or does it? The truth about whisky colour is more complicated — and more interesting — than most people realise. Let me explain.
Whisky, that amber elixir with a centuries-old legacy, has been a muse for musicians across genres, inspiring soulful ballads and foot-stomping anthems. Here at Whisky Centurion, we love whisky but we also love music so we thought we would go on a wander through the songs about our favourite golden spirit.
Every whisky review on this site follows the same basic structure: Nose, Palate & Finish. But what do those terms actually mean, and how do you properly taste whisky to identify what's going on in each stage? Let me walk you through it, based on what I've learned from tasting dozens of whiskies.
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