Three friends sit on a sofa, smiling and holding whisky cocktails

Bestselling Whisky Gifts for a Smooth Christmas

At Christmas, frost should only be tapping at your nose, and not being felt between friends or family members. If you want to avoid the awkwardness of forgetting someone’s gift or leaving it too late to get something worth giving, one can simply not go wrong with the right whisky.

While some exquisite whiskies demand to be kept on display (and we do have a selection of limited edition Christmas gifts, if you’re really looking to impress), some whiskies - like these curated best-sellers - should be enjoyed whenever the occasion calls for it.

Highland whisky, high quality gifting

The largest of Scotland’s five whisky regions, Highland whiskies showcase the versatility of the golden nectar. From lighter whiskies for a fresh sip all the way through to salty malts rich with complexity, you’ll find a Highland whisky for all palates.

A distinctive taste with balanced flavours

High up north in the Highlands sits Clynelish. The Kildonan hills surrounding the distillery were prospected for gold during the Scottish gold rush of the late 19th century, and they still provide the water to the distillery today. It’s why it’s rumoured one is richer for drinking an expression like the Clynelish 14.

A great whisky for both a new or experienced whisky drinker, Clynelish 14 offers the distillery’s distinct waxy notes alongside an easy-to-appreciate balanced flavour of sweet florals and hints of smoke.

A bottle of Clynelish 14 year old whisky sits on a table next to a rocks glass containing whisky and a highball glass containing a light yellow cocktail and ice cubes.

When coastal meets orchard

Moving West in the Highlands - and moving to the very definition of a classic whisky - Oban has been a staple of West Highlands taste-making for centuries.

The whisky has been produced the same way since 1794, when the distillery was founded in a small fishing town. Small but mighty, it remains one of Scotland’s smallest (and oldest) distilleries, committing to making traditional recipes like the Oban 14.

With a well-rounded flavour profile that brings up notes of orchard fruits, a dash of salt, and subtle, underused smokiness, this is a favourite for whisky drinkers for a reason.

A man holds a bottle of Oban 14 year old whisky with a white bow tied around the neck. A woman stands next to him holding a bouquet of flowers.

Crisp, clear citrus

Rounding off the Highland whiskies is Dalwhinnie. And if they say diamonds are formed under pressure, this is a real diamond of a dram that thrives under the toughest of conditions.

From the highest and coldest working distillery in Scotland, with water from a loch at 2000 feet, the Dalwhinnie 15 taste is one of crispness – a crisp, clarity that can only come from such extreme and unspoiled conditions. From the first note, there’s a symphony of clear, heather-honey sweetness and vanilla followed by deeper citrus fruits.

A bottle of Dalwhinnie whisky lies label-up on a wooden surface. Surrounding the bottle are assorted rocks glasses and an inkpot and quill

A bottle of The Singleton 12-year-old single malt Scotch whisky placed on a table next to a dessert platter.

A whisky cocktail with a cherry on top next to a bottle of The Singleton 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

A smooth whisky for a smooth Christmas

Speyside’s Dufftown distillery likes to do things at its own pace. Slowly fermented, slowly distilled and slowly matured, you’ll also want to slow it down when you experience a smooth serving of The Singleton of Dufftown 12.

With the first wave of nutty, toffee flavours followed by the subtle touch of soft brown sugar and dried fruits, this is an accessible malt that is a great gift and a great accompaniment to festive desserts and sweet-tooth snacking. An ideal gift, and a perfect pour to serve when you want to sit back and savour.

Talisker 10: more than a malt

When you gift a single malt, you’re never just gifting a singular thing. You’re giving someone a superb Scotch, true, but you’re also sharing with them a taste of Scottish heritage, tradition and wanderlust.

Take the Talisker 10. Warm. Intense. An unmistakable blend of dried fruit sweetness with pops of pepper and clouds of smoke. But it’s so much more than that too.

Every sip of Talisker is also a sip of Skye. The ruggedness of the smoke. The evocative flavours of wild, unspoiled Scotland. A full-bodied expression that can only be from a place where sky meets sea.

And if you’re really looking to elevate your whisky gifts, send them to Skye. Book a distillery tour of the oldest working distillery on the Isle of Skye.

A bottle of Talisker 10 year old whisky sits on a a shoreline with the sea behind it

A person takes a bottle of Talisker 10 year old whisky out of a rucksack at the seaside

Lagavulin: a whisky made for special occasions

Boasting distinctive flavours – full of smoke, peat and depth – Lagavulin is the quintessential bottling from the Isle of Islay.

Respecting a legacy dating back to the 1800s, the fine people of Islay have been in no hurry to abandon tradition and hop on to new trends. They’ve stayed true to a slow distillation and long ageing in oak casks exposed to the sea. And why would they change a tried and tested method when the Lagavulin 8 is such a respected, resplendent pour?

A perfect entry point into experiencing the exquisiteness of Lagavulin, this is the ideal whisky gift for someone wanting to expand their palate.

The King of Islay, as this full-flavoured malt is known, will be the crowning glory of someone’s Christmas this year.

A bottle of Lagavulin 8 year old whisky lies on its back on a wooden table, surrounded by plates of food and rocks glasses containing whisky

A bottle of Cardhu 12 year old whisky sits on a wooden table next to a rocks glass containing whisky

Whisky gifts with a story behind them

Sometimes you gift something because of its quality. Sometimes there’s a story behind it. And sometimes, like with Cardhu 12, you get both.

Not only is the Speyside whisky renowned for a smooth, silky taste that’s a perfect all-rounder, not too sweet and not too smoky, there’s another reason this makes for a thoughtful and memorable gift.

The Cardhu distillery owes its success to two female pioneers in the whisky industry: Helen and Elizabeth Cumming. Women in whisky are, thankfully, less of a rarity these days. But the Cardhu distillery was something of a rarity at the time, always placing women at the heart of the malt.

Johnnie Walker gifts

A category all of its own, Johnnie Walker whisky has become synonymous with luxury, elegance and style. What could make a better gift?

Made using only single malt and grain whiskies, Johnnie Walker Black Label spends 12 years in a cask growing into the vibrant body of flavour that has made it the ultimate name in premium Scotch whiskies.

The flavour evokes layers of sweet fruit, spice, and vanilla – all wrapped in just the right smattering of smoke to make this the perfect whisky for an everyday dram, enjoyed neat or as the base of a classic whisky cocktail.

If you’re looking to elevate your gift giving, it doesn’t get better than Blue. Johnnie Walker Blue Label demands reverence, When you choose a bottle of Blue Label, you’re choosing something special - and something that’s already been tested for quality. Just one in every ten thousand casks meets the standards to deliver the Blue Label experience, making it an extraordinary whisky and an extraordinary gift.

A peerless landmark in premium whiskies, the simple act of gifting a bottle of Blue Label says everything you might not be able to put into words.

The final word

If you’ve got the liquid covered, what else could you gift a budding enthusiast for the perfect at home experience? We asked the experts what every home bar needs.

Learn more