Everyone knows the hype about summer and winter wines. Drinking an Albariño in the chilly winter would just be wrong. (It’s a bright, citrusy, peppy Spanish white wine.) And guzzling down a glass of deep, dark, peppery Syrah on a hot summer’s day isn’t all that refreshing. After all, there are just some drinks we associate with summer or winter.
But that extends to whisky as well! I know most people imagine scotch as a winter-only drink…sipping it in a luxurious plush velvet armchair by the fire while the snow swirls outside… While that picture is an exceptionally enticing one, not every whisky is perfect for all seasons. There are just some scotches that embody the winter with its cold, stormy weather and rich spiced foods. Below are my five favorite winter scotches.
Curious about scotch in general? Check out this Beginner’s Guide to Scotch for more information and bottle suggestions!
Here’s a list of the best summer scotches for a change of season!
Lagavulin 16
- Eye: Medium Dark Amber
- Nose: Sea Salt and Brine, Huge Bursts of Peat and Smoke, Meaty Bacon, Driftwood, Orchard Fruits, Apothecary Shop, Salted Smoked Mackerel, Sweet Vanilla and Spice
- Palate: Sea Spray and Caramel Apples, Honey Figs, Toasted Barley and Bread, A Roaring Campfire Smoke
- Finish: Hot Spice and Smoke, Touches of Figs and Dates and Apples
Lagavulin 16 is first whiskey I ever tried (smart move mom and dad) and still one of my favorites to this day. I always make sure I have a bottle in my cupboard. Full of perfectly blended smoke and spice, there is nothing better to warm up a snowy evening around Christmastime.
Lagavulin hails from Islay, a small island off Scotland’s west coast noted for their strongly peated scotches. (You’ll notice a number of Islay Peats on this list. Something about that storm-swept island creates excellent cold-weather drams.) Lagavulin 16 is one of the most peated scotches, so drink it on the coldest and windiest nights. Everything about it is reminiscent of a stormy sea coast and a warming campfire. But the additional fruits and spices make for a light touch to keep you in the holiday spirit as you warm up and get cozy.
If you ever get caught in a blizzard, drink this when you’re home. It’s probably powerful enough to stave off even pneumonia, but it’s tasty enough to restore your good mood too!
Lagavulin also pairs excellently with dark chocolate truffles, which I hope you’re indulging in over the holidays. You can find other specific Scotch and Dessert pairings here!
Laphroaig Triple Wood
- Eye: Light-Medium Amber
- Nose: Toffee, Apples, Dates, Antiseptic, Leather, Toasted Wood
- Palate: Smooth but powerful peat, Wood Spices, Dried Apricots, Creamy Vanilla Smoke in the back palate
- Finish: Oiled Oak and Spice, Long finish.
Laphroaig also comes from Islay, but its peat is much more medicinal, almost antiseptic to my nose. Fortunately the Triple Wood is aged in both bourbon and sherry barrels so the sweetness counteracts the medicine – “a spoonful of sugar…” It’s rich and warm with just the right amount of smoke and sweet.
If Triple Wood is too sweet for your liking, try sticking with the 10 year or Cairdeas which are much peatier and more medicinal. (Vasiliy made me add this. Personally, I’d rather have an actual spoonful of medicine rather than Laphroaig Cairdeas.)
Edradour 12
- Eye: Medium Amber
- Nose: Sweet, Figs, Orange Peels, Dates, A bit of sherry
- Palate: Orange Peels, Caramel, Toasted Almonds, Butter, Nutmeg, and Fruit-cake
- Finish: Fruity, Spicy, but losing its Sweetness
Non-peat lovers, this is the choice for you! And what a choice it is…
If you’re hunting for a winter scotch, Edradour 12 tastes exactly like a Christmas Cake in a glass. It’s full of rich rich spicy flavors, orange peels, and even dark chocolate. Finished in sherry casks, spiced sweetness is classic in the 12-year. The sweet nose and sweet creamy finish make it perfect for a dessert sip, but it’s not too sweet to enjoy before dinner either.
The first time I tried it I couldn’t believe I was drinking whiskey, it tasted almost like a spiced candy. Ironically, they make a fudge too. I had to pinch myself to make sure this was actually a drink. Hard to believe such a delicious treat came in liquid form!
Founded in 1825, Edradour is the smallest distillery in Scotland. They only produce about 12 casks of handmade whisky a week! The distillery is located in the Highland region of Scotland, which is the largest whisky-producing region in the country. Highland malts tend to be less smoky and a little sweeter, which you’ll notice in the finish of both the 10 and 12 year.
If you’re new to scotch, save this one for a few tastes down the road. Edradour 12 is not chill filtered and therefore deliciously complex. It can overwhelm a new taster. But definitely try it as a treat if you’re further along your whisky journey and want to avoid all that heavy peat. It’s full of Christmassy flavors and make the perfect gift…if you can bear to part with it yourself that is.
Talisker 10 Year
- Eye: Light Amber, Burnt Orange
- Nose: Stinging Sea-Salt, Creamy Pears, Crisp Apples, Distant Hearthfire, Oysters, Smoked Fish
- Palate: Orchard Fruits, Clouds of Smoke, Toasted Barley, Light Heather, Moss, Cracked Pepper
- Finish: Medium Peppery Finish with just a Hint of Salt
My second favorite dram. Talisker 10 is deliciously smoky and powerfully spicy. There is no escaping the warmth and heat. But on a cold wintry night, you’ll enjoy the warm, creamy, spicy palate on the 10 year.
Talisker is peated, but hails from the Island of Skye rather than Islay. The peat is still brined, but Skye peats have more heather and earthy flavors. Cracked black pepper keeps the dram a little wild, enough to warm you up from the snow. But creamy pear and apples add a rich and decadent touch, especially when combined with the complexity of salt!
Compass Box Peat Monster
- Eye: Pale Gold
- Nose: Apples, Undeniable Peat, Hint of Medicine, Hint of Dried Fruit, Hint of Brine, Toasted Wheat
- Palate: Autumn leaves, Brown sugar, Slow Smoked Bacon
- Finish: Toasted Wood Finish
Compass Box is the only blend on this list. But Peat Monster is not the only blend of theirs you should try! (Also go for No Name or King Street for different highlights.) Since I was trying to narrow it down, I selected Peat Monster as the most wintery blended scotch. The deep smoky flavor of peat seems to combine naturally with the winter weather.
Peat Monster is a seamless blend of Islay Peat and Speyside. Smoke and spiced autumn apples – what better combination to warm you up! It’s wonderfully balanced: sweetness with peat, salt with fruit. It would pair well with some of the richer winter dishes too!
Of course once you buy all these beautiful scotches, you’re going to want to display them. Learn how to create a winter bar full of scotch and the Best Holiday Wines in Decorating for Christmas on a Budget. Add these 6 best affordable alternatives to champagne for some extra sparkle in your bar too!
Excellent article
Most helpful
Drink scotch occasionally, this will help
Nice person
Thanks, Joe!