Whisky may have an ancestral home in Scotland, but in recent years it has become a worldwide phenomenon, being distilled and enjoyed in an ever-growing number of different countries.
In the UK alone, it’s possible to sample whiskies from Scotland, obviously, but also England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Bourbon whiskey has always been a popular drink in the US, while Japan has been producing quality whiskies since the 1920s. India is a more recent entrant into the market, while even a country as small as Iceland now has its own whiskey distillery.
Strictly whisky (without the e) comes from Scotland and whiskey (with the e) from the rest of the world. But confusingly, both names are in use around the globe, so we’ve been ruled by the name that appears on the label, be it whisky or whiskey.
For this guide, I’ve gone on an international tour to provide you with a survey of 10 whiskies, each from a different country. Some are blends, some are single malts, but all offer a unique tasting experience. So, raise a glass and slàinte mhath to you all.
The best whiskies for 2025 are:
- Best overall – Stauning høst Danish whisky: £37, Waitrosecellar.com
- Best budget buy – Tenjaku Japanese blended whisky: £30, Amazon.co.uk
- Best single malt – Paul Jones brilliance: £47, Amazon.co.uk
- Best blending whisky – Nomad outland whisky: £36.50, Amazon.co.uk
- Best bourbon – Bulleit bourbon frontier whiskey: £30.49, Amazon.co.uk
How I tested
The whiskies were tasted with a little water to bring out their full flavour and aroma. I paid attention to the taste, noting the depth, complexity and smoothness of each whisky, the price against the quality and how well each paired with foods like cheese, chocolate and meat dishes. I’ve gone into more detail on my testing criteria at the end of the review.
11 best Scotch whiskies that deserve a spot in your drinks cabinet
Industry experts share the best supermarket whiskies from Aldi, Tesco and more
Best Irish whiskeys for St Patrick’s Day 2025 and beyond
11 best supermarket wines, chosen by experts and sommeliers
16 best gins, taste-tested for the perfect G&Ts, martinis and more
Stauning høst Danish whisky
Best: Whisky overall
ABV: 40.5%
Size: 70cl
Why we love it
- Smooth and delicate
- Easy sipping
- A marriage of single malt and malted rye whisky
Denmark had to wait nearly half a century before nine friends (a doctor, a chef, a butcher, a teacher, a helicopter pilot and four engineers) founded Stauning in 2005.
Using locally grown barley and rye and small fire-heated pot stills, Stauning produced a whisky that ultimately reflects the warmth and appeal of the Danish terroir. A combination of single malt and malted rye whisky, it possesses a subtle fruity if not floral flavour saddled to an almost boundless smoothness, which makes it incredibly easy to sip.
Buy now £37.00, Waitrosecellar.com
Paul John brilliance
Best: Single malt whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70cl
Why we love it
- Huge flavours
- Satisfying finish
- Award-winning whisky
Goa is probably as far away from the ancestral Highland home of malt whisky as you can get. Yet whisky whisky-loving businessman Paul P John hit upon the idea of creating a single malt in India using native ingredients.
He built a distillery in tropical Goa, using naturally filtered water and barley from northern India, and created an award-winning unpeated (the barley is dried with hot air rather than peat smoke) single malt whisky. It combines enormous fruit and spice-filled flavours – think orange, vanilla, cinnamon and cocoa – along with a honeyed smoothness and a wonderfully relaxed finish.
Buy now £47.00, Amazon.co.uk
Nomad outland whisky
Best: Blended whisky
ABV: 41.3%
Size: 70cl
Why we love it
- Sherry bouquet
- Elegant, dried fruit notes
Take note
- Born in Scotland, raised in Jerez
Nomad outland whisky is created in Speyside, Scotland. It is aged for six years in bourbon casks before being moved to Spain, where it continues to mature in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks in the historic González Byass cellars in Jerez.
The end result is a beautifully smooth whisky with dried fruit and honey notes that are complemented by the very distinctive sherry bouquet. It’s a whisky which will really does give you the best of both worlds.
Buy now £36.50, Amazon.co.uk
Tenjaku Japanese blended whisky
Best: Budget whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70cl
Why we love it
- Mellow and smooth
- Pear and dried fruit notes
- Enjoy it by itself or in a cocktail
The Japanese are old hands at distilling whisky. They’ve been at it since the 1920s, and they’ve learnt a bit, as you can tell by sampling Tenjaku whisky from Japan’s top peach and grape producing region overlooking Mount Fuji.
Underground springs that produce a slightly alkaline water are used, which gives the whisky a smoothness and purity. Master blender Kenji Watanabe uses to create a mellow, but light whisky with pear and dried fruit flavours and a prolonged and subtly spicy finish. Try it as part of an oyuwari – simply 60ml of whisky, 40ml of boiling water and a few fresh mint leaves.
Buy now £30.00, Amazon.co.uk
McConnell's 5 year old sherry cask finish
Best: Irish whisky
ABV: 42%
Size: 70cl
Why we love it
- Complex fruit flavours
- Sophisticated sherry notes
Ireland can boast a history of whiskey-making that rivals Scotland. Indeed, it was once the most popular type of whisky in the world before a long period of decline saw most of its famous distilleries close. But now McConnell’s – once one of Belfast’s biggest names – has been reborn, and a brand that dates back to 1776 is available again.
Like the Nomad Outland whisky, this is matured in sherry casks, although oloroso ones rather than Pedro Ximénez, giving the whisky a rich and sophisticated sherry-accented flavour that helps to highlight the complex notes of dried fruit, cocoa and spice. It’s one that lingers on the tongue.
Buy now £39.95, Amazon.co.uk
Aber Falls single malt Welsh whisky
Best: Welsh whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70cl
Why we love it
- Aged in sherry casks
- Complex fruit flavours
Distilled in the village of Abergwyngregyn near the famous Aber Falls, this is the first whisky to have been made in North Wales since the early 1900s.
Created using local Welsh ingredients, this award-winning whisky is packed with complex and layered notes of vanilla, dried fruit, salted nuts and cocoa, along with the extra dimension that maturing in sherry casks brings.
Enjoy it, gently sipped by the fireside or be bold and use it (as the website suggests) to spice up a dish of crispy potatoes and glazed sprouts.
Buy now £21.00, Amazon.co.uk
Hautes Glaces episteme malted spelt S12U24
Best: French whisky
ABV: 53%
Size: 50cl
Why we love it
- Made using spelt
- Aged in cognac casks
Take note
- Exclusive but expensive
France, home of cognac, armagnac and calvados, is turning its hand to an even more traditional spirit – spelt whisky. An ancient type of wheat, spelt, was all the rage along the Mediterranean coast about a millennium ago.
But now Alpine distillers Domaine des Hautes Glaces has brought this ancient grain into the 21st century with a whisky that exudes southern French charm. It has citrus and seasonal fruit flavours allied to cognac notes, and the wholly individual fresh cut grass and orchard flavouring supplied by the spelt. It’s costly, but it’s not a taste that you’re likely to experience anywhere else.
Buy now £177.00, Thewhiskyexchange.com
Bulleit bourbon frontier whiskey
Best: Bourbon
ABV: 45%
Size: 70cl
Why we love it
- Spicy but smooth
- Honey and vanilla notes
- Iconic frontier inspired bottle
Nothing is more American than a bourbon whiskey, and this Bulleit bourbon frontier whiskey from its traditional home, Kentucky, is a unique and appealing blend of rye, corn, and barley malt, along with special strains of yeast and pure limestone filtered water.
The high rye content gives it its characteristic spicy tang along with comforting notes of honey, vanilla and nuts. Inspired by a 150-year-old family recipe, it’s sold in a traditional bottle that wouldn’t look out of place in a Clint Eastwood Western.
Buy now £30.49, Amazon.co.uk
The Oxford Artisan Distillery Oxford rye whisky easy ryder 2017
Best: English whisky
ABV: 50%
Size: 70cl
Why we love it
- Creamy and mellow
- Delicious apple and vanilla notes
The Oxford Artisan Distillery’s rye whisky easy ryder is an organic English whisky that proudly supports biodiversity and uses researched heritage grains that flourished in medieval times. It’s a blend of spirits from eight American oak barrels of varying character, along with one aged in a cask formerly used for Portugal's moscatel roxo wine.
What you get from that fascinating mixture is a rye whisky that’s as smooth as a custard tart and as mellow as a ripe apple. And it's apple, lightly stewed perhaps, that you can taste on the palate along with honey and vanilla and hints of spice and pepper.
Buy now £42.00, Laithwaites.co.uk
Your questions on whisky answered
What is the best whisky?
Not surprisingly, for a spirit that is held in enormous regard all over the world, the standard for international whiskies remains high. While sticking to the principle of distilling fermented grain, different countries have all added their own individual touches. Whether it be the distinctive rye flavour of bourbon, the speciality spelt spirit favoured by the French or even the traditional dung-smoked whiskey you find in Iceland.
I found that the John Paul whisky from India was an outstanding single malt with honeyed flavours and a touch of spice, while the Nomad Outland blended whisky linked Scotland and Spain in a delightfully mellow mix. Japan also showed off its whisky-making credentials with the fruity and smooth Tenjaku. But the best whisky from my taste tests has to be the easy-to-enjoy Danish Stauning Høst with its double-malted warmth and flavour.
How I selected the best whisky
In my testing process, I took note of the following criteria:
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
John Clarke is an experienced journalist with a deep-rooted passion for wine and spirits. He has been writing for The Independent since 2015, covering everything from the best port wines to standout bottles of Armagnacs. He put extensive knowledge to good use when testing a wide range of whiskies for this review, offering his honest opinions on which ones are worth your money.
Looking for more to wet your whistle? Read our review of the best Scotch single malt whiskies
