Best sherried whiskies, according to a whisky expert

I’ve taste-tested the best sherried whiskies, from affordable bottles to luxury distillers Becky PaskinAs the evenings grow darker and Christmas creeps closer, it’s human nature to crave richer, warming food and drink. For lovers of a good dram, that means reaching for a full-bodied, sherried whisky – something to warm us from the inside out with rich notes of dried fruit and spice.Most whisky drinkers will have a favourite sherried whisky to turn to, and while it can mean shelling out the pennies on something special, there’s a lot of value to be found – and not just within Scotch, either. Distilleries around the world are maturing their whisky in casks previously used to produce different styles of sherry, utilising its spectrum of flavours to add nuance and complexity.Best sherried whisky at a glance We’re seeing whisky makers using everything from dry, buttery fino casks, through to the more complex and nutty amontillado, palo cortado and oloroso. When it comes to adding sweetness, PX and cream sherry casks, with their notes of fig syrup and dried fruit, can transform a fruity whisky into something altogether indulgently decadent.The very best whiskies, however, wield a sherry cask with precision, allowing it to carefully mature the spirit without allowing its robust flavours to dominate.If you’re after the best sherried whiskies this autumn and winter, look no further than this selection. I’ve tasted and compared the 10 most popular Sherry cask-matured whiskies from Scotland, Ireland, England and America, from single malts to peated drams and rye, so you can find the right style to suit you.Sip them by the fire, mix them in an Old Fashioned or fill your favourite hip flask for a brisk winter’s walk.How I testedI assessed each whisky as I would in a blind tasting competition Becky PaskinI approached tasting each spirit as I would in any blind tasting competition. The samples were poured in order of their style and strength (lightest to strongest), and assessed for the complexity and character of their aroma, flavour and finish. I prefer to assess wines and spirits first thing in the morning, before food, with only sips of water between samples to cleanse the palate.Glenallachie 15 Year OldBecky Paskin/The Standard★★★★★Best: Overall sherried whisky What we love: Rich chocolatey flavours, Velvety texture Take note: It’s fairly shy on the nose Since its reopening in 2018, the Glenallachie distillery in Speyside has developed a reputation for producing beautifully balanced, full-flavoured single malt whisky. Its signature 15-year-old core release is aged in two types of sherry cask: PX and oloroso puncheons and hogsheads, which gently harmonise with its orchard fruit-forward spirit. Initially hushed on the nose, the palate opens with soft brown sugar and caramelised apples, dates and raisins, before building into rich dark chocolate, hazelnuts and spiced cookie dough, with an almost chewy, velvety texture. A superb sherried whisky, delivering a real journey of flavour with every element balanced in harmony.Classification: Speyside Single Malt Scotch WhiskyProduced in: Speyside, ScotlandABV: 46% Size: 70clThe English Sherry CaskBecky Paskin/The Standard★★★☆☆Best: For budget sipping and English whisky loversWhat we love: First-fill in PX casks, Layered flavour that’s still elegant Take note: This isn’t a sherry bomb The English Distillery in Norfolk is producing whisky that’s a fantastic example of the delicious whisky coming out of England, and their multi-award-winning Sherry Cask is no exception. Full maturation in a first-fill PX cask has given the distillery’s fruity, malty spirit another dimension of flavour. Toffee, raisin and molasses emerge on the nose, while the palate develops into toasted bagels with blackcurrant jam, vanilla cream, red wine gums and a medium finish of spiced fruitcake. It took a minute to open up in the glass, but it’s a delicious, easy-drinking and nuanced sherried whisky that won’t break the bank.Classification: Single Malt English WhiskyProduced in: Norfolk, EnglandABV: 46% Size: 70clArdbeg UigedailBecky Paskin/The Standard★★★★★Best: For lovers of sherry and smokeWhat we love: Big flavours, a real smoky sherry bomb, Gorgeous complexity, Incredible value Take note: You may not enjoy this if you dislike peat Voted by Ardbeg’s fanbase as their favourite expression, this gorgeously sherried, meaty and heavily peated single malt from Islay is an iconic masterpiece. If you’ve not tried Ardbeg Uigedail yet, this is your sign to grab a bottle. It’s a big dram that jumps out of the glass – BBQ smoke, meaty bacon and maple syrup with stewed apples, raisins and a whiff of old oak. In the mouth, the smoke becomes more ashy, intertwined with lemon and orange zest, cinnamon spice, apricots in honey and almonds. This is a superb dram, but be warned: it’s smoky! Classification: Islay Single Malt Scotch WhiskyProduced in: Islay, ScotlandABV: 54.2%Size: 70clArran Sherry CaskBecky Paskin/The Standard★★★☆☆Best: For cask strength sippersWhat we love: An unusual earthy, umami experience, Great price for a cask strength whisky Take note: The alcohol is intense; it needs water Arran’s Sherry Cask is the Scottish island distillery’s most flavoursome expression, created as a tribute to its early years when most of its range was matured in sherry casks. Created using select (unnamed) casks from bodegas in Jerez, Spain, this single malt is bottled at an unusually high strength for a core range whisky – something cask strength lovers will appreciate but too strong for others. Expect to find sticky ginger cake alongside earthy, chewy and umami notes of porcini mushroom, sultanas and spice. Water releases more delicate orchard fruit aromas, and a sweeter, stewed apple and ginger note on the palate, before finishing with a touch of milk chocolate. You’ll love this if you prefer the more savoury side of sherry; I just wish it were a little less strong in alcohol.Classification: Single Malt Scotch WhiskyProduced in: Isle of Arran, ScotlandABV: 55.8%Size: 70clBoann Single Pot Still PX CaskBecky Paskin/The Standard★★★☆☆Best: Sherried alternative to ScotchWhat we love: Balance of spirit and rich sherry casks, Complexity from the multiple grains used, Rare use of chestnut sherry casks Take note: Triple-distilled spirit, so lighter in style Single pot still Irish whiskey, with its blend of grains including malted and unmalted barley, and often also oats and rye, is one of my all-time favourite styles of whisky. Give me one matured in sherry casks, and I’m a happy gal. Boann’s PX Cask edition uses two styles of sherry to create layers of sticky dried fruit flavours – an initial maturation in oloroso hogsheads from Bodegas Garvey’s, before finishing in 60-year-old former solera PX sherry butts – some of which are made from chestnut rather than oak. The result is a beautifully creamy whisky, decadent with dark chocolate, dried cherries and crystallised ginger with dessert flavours of shortbread and creme caramel. The spirit is triple-distilled, so there’s still a lightness to it, giving orchard fruits and creamy lemon posset, while the malt holds down some savoury bite. It’s a true masterclass in balance.Classification: Irish Single Pot Still Whiskey Produced in: Drogheda, IrelandABV: 47% Size: 70clGlenfarclas 15 Year OldBecky Paskin/The Standard★★★★☆Best: Reliably good dramWhat we love: Balance of cask and spirit, not too sweet Take note: It’s a safe, tried-and-tested bet Glenfarclas Distillery has long held a reputation as a leader in sherry cask maturation, having adopted the practice more than 200 years ago. Its legendary 15-year-old single malt is celebrated among whisky lovers for its rich, sherried complexity and balance of flavour. Expect to find flavours of delicate brown sugar, vanilla and toasted oak alongside black cherry, marzipan and deep notes of liquorice and cocoa. It’s a particularly nuanced sherried whisky, one to sit and dwell over and get lost in.Classification: Speyside Single Malt Scotch WhiskyProduced in: Speyside, ScotlandABV: 46% Size: 70clTormore 16 Year OldBecky Paskin/The Standard★★★★☆Best: For something you’ve probably never tried beforeWhat we love: The journey of flavour in each sip, Silky texture from the cream sherry casks Take note: More vanilla-forward than others in this list There’s a lot of value to be found in Tormore distillery’s newly-launched core range, but the 16 Year Old is undoubtedly the pinnacle. The Speyside distillery has centred its flavour profile around the use of cream sherry casks (usually oloroso or amontillado blended with PX to create a rich, sweet sherry). Tormore’s oldest single malt in its range rests in both French oak oloroso sherry butts as well as American oak cream sherry casks for a gorgeously silky experience that’s rich with dried fruits, buttered brioche and spice. Balanced, luscious and full of flavour, it’s a real journey in a glass.Classification: Speyside Single Malt Scotch WhiskyProduced in: Speyside, ScotlandABV: 46.8% Size: 70cl SirDavisBecky Paskin/The Standard★★★★★Best: For lovers of subtle rye whisky, sherry and BeyoncéWhat we love: Decadently complex flavours; rare example of a sherried rye whiskey Take note: Don’t be put off by the celebrity ownership Sherried whiskies aren’t just the domain of the Scots. This sherry-matured American rye whiskey is a collaboration between the blending team behind Ardbeg and Glenmorangie, and international superstar Beyoncé. Now 100 per cent owned by the iconic singer, SirDavis contains a low proportion of rye to malted barley, resulting in a balanced, fruity spirit with subtle herbaceous notes of black pepper, rye bread and cut grass. Maturation in new American oak and PX casks laces the silky whisky with blackcurrant jam, cherries, figs and vanilla, for a truly moreish experience. IMO, this is the best celeb-owned whisky you can get. Classification: American Rye WhiskyProduced in: Texas, USAABV: 44% Size: 70clBunnahabhain 18 Year OldBecky Paskin/The Standard★★★★★Best: For those after a real sherry bombWhat we love: Full-bodied, silky mouthfeel, Rich sherried flavours with a subtle hint of coastal salinity Take note: You won’t find any peat in this Islay whisky Not all Islay whiskies are smoky, and Bunnahabhain is one of the island’s distilleries that doesn’t peat its namesake malt. Its 18-year-old signature expression is fully matured on the island’s coastal warehouses in Oloroso sherry casks, which give this full-bodied whisky a sticky, sweet texture and robust flavour whisky lovers have come to associate with a traditional ‘sherry bomb’. It starts out honeyed and floral before descending into dried figs, sultanas, walnuts, salted caramel and spice. It’s pretty good value for an 18-year-old single malt these days, especially one that’s been fully matured in costly sherry casks.Classification: Islay Single Malt Scotch WhiskyProduced in: Islay, ScotlandABV: 46.3% Size: 70clGlendronach 18 Year OldBecky Paskin/The Standard★★★★★Best: Special whisky to savourWhat we love: Silky, rich notes of chocolate and Morello cherries; incredible depth of flavour Take note: It’s on the pricey side Famous for her craftsmanship at Bowmore and now Glendronach, master blender Rachel Barrie is lovingly dubbed the Scottish Queen of Sherry. Her masterful wielding of these casks is simply wonderful, so beautifully demonstrated by the unending complexity and luscious flavours of Glendronach 18 Year Old. Matured exclusively in oloroso sherry casks, this whisky exudes deep, rich flavours of dark chocolate, morello cherries and muscovado sugar, drizzled with treacle, with a hint of apple blossom and aromatic honey. This is a real treat of a whisky. Yes, it’s pricey, but you won’t regret the investment. Classification: Speyside Single Malt Scotch WhiskyProduced in: Speyside, ScotlandABV: 46% Size: 70clRoyal Brackla 18 Year OldBecky Paskin/The Standard★★★★★Best: For exploring the impact of different sherry casksWhat we love: The silky, velvety and juicy texture; delicate, floral and fruity flavours Take note: A different sherry cask style than you might expect Another blender whose mastery of the sherry cask is a wonder to behold is Stephanie Macleod. Here she’s matured Royal Brackla’s fruit-forward Speyside single malt in American oak before finishing in Palo Cortado sherry casks, a style not often seen in whisky. Forget heavily sherried flavours you’d expect from PX or maybe Oloroso; here you’ll find fresh orchard fruit notes, apple blossom, lime zest and overripe grapes with a sweet and silky, almost juicy texture. This is a honeyed, floral dram with a delicately spiced, vanilla-accented finish. Truly remarkable.Classification: Speyside Single Malt Scotch WhiskyProduced in: Speyside, ScotlandABV: 46%Size: 70clWhat are the best sherried whiskies?Sherry casks can too often overwhelm a spirit’s delicate flavours, but with careful maturation they can add depth and complexity, with beautiful flavours ranging from honey and nuts to dried fruit and spice. The very best sherried whiskies are a perfect symbiotic and integrated balance of cask and spirit. All three 18-year-old examples listed here are superb examples of that, but that quality comes at a price. If it weren’t for the price tag, the overall winner would be the Glendronach 18 Year Old for its incredible complexity, but it’s hardly an everyday sipper. I also adore Ardbeg Uigedail; it’s the whisky that got me into whisky, but that big, meaty, smoky flavour isn’t for everyone. Ultimately, for the price, depth of flavour and gorgeous, chewy texture that urges you to take another sip, the best sherried whisky is Glenallachie 15 Year Old. Whether bought as a gift or for yourself, it’s a real crowdpleaser that’s sure to become a firm favourite.Why trust me?Becky Paskin is an award-winning drinks writer and presenter, with 20 years' experience tasting, judging and speaking about all things booze – particularly whisky. The only journalist in the world with a distilling qualification, she’s a regular lead judge for spirit competitions. You can find her writing about everything from whisky and cocktails to wine and travel in major magazines and newspapers, and regularly speaking about all the above on ITV’s Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh. She also has a weekly newsletter, Drink This, pouring drinks, bar and travel recommendations and insight.