The 10 Best Blended Scotch Whiskies to Add to Your Home Bar

Many whisky purists will tell you that blended Scotch is inferior to single malt. But is it really? If we’re talking about comparing a bottle from the Macallan to your ordinary blended batch, then perhaps they’re correct. However, if you know where to look, you can find bottles that would render the argument moot. As it turns out, blended whisky is its own thing. Just like how some drinkers prefer bourbon over Scotch, regardless of the vast price discrepancy, it can be perfectly reasonable for one to choose certain blended expressions over their single malt counterparts. 

The issue may very well come down to selection. A vast majority of Scotch is blended — we’re talking somewhere in the ballpark of 90%— and so, with that high number, you’re going to find a lot of rubbish out there. But that would only detract from the fantastic options that do happen to line liquor store shelves and classy barrooms. We’ve done the legwork for you and present a guide to the best blended Scotch whiskies available.

Blended Scotch of any kind stems from either single malt or single grain whisky. While the word “single” refers to the singularity of the distillery from which the spirit is derived, the “malt” or “grain” refers to the makeup of the spirit’s mashbill — in other words, the mashbill is comprised of either malted barley alone or a variety of grains (typically corn or wheat) in addition to malted barley. These are the three types of blended Scotch:

Blended: When a Scotch is categorized as “blended,” it simply means that a brand has combined two or more whiskies, usually from different distilleries, into a single batch. This is traditionally done in order to cut costs, but can also be an achievement in meticulous curation that improves upon its sourced spirit (although some would disagree that this is even possible). 

Blended Malt: While regular “blended” Scotch might be frowned upon by many diehard enthusiasts, the most revered style of blended Scotch is blended malt, which combines different single malt whiskies from different distilleries, often to achieve a better taste.

Blended Grain: It’s fairly uncommon, but there are certain brands that release what’s called “blended grain” whisky. Although they’re sourced from a different terroir than American bourbon or rye, blended grain can produce a similar end result. Scotch purists may deride the category but these whiskies have their deserved place in the world of spirits.

Dewar’s Double Double 21 Year Old

Best Overall: While most blended Scotch bears no age statement, Dewar’s has long been an exception. One of the early proponents of blended whisky, the iconic brand was founded in 1846 and has continued to be one of the best-selling liquor labels in the world. This 21-year-old blend of single malts and single grains utilizes the “Double Double” process, which involves a series of aging, both together and separately, before finishing in ex-Oloroso sherry casks. Dewar’s definitely has older expressions under its belt, but this 21 Year is arguably just as good, and for a fraction of the price.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label

Best Runner-Up: Blending whisky began as a sort of art form where those who did it best gained a reputation for themselves. Since 1865, prior to the accessibility of the world’s best whiskies, Johnnie Walker has become famous for sourcing the best spirits from all over the country and marrying them together for a unique creation. Needing no age statement to justify its nearly-$200 price tag, the brand’s top-shelf Blue Label was first launched in the 1990s to recreate the iconic blends from the early days. If you’re willing to shell out the cash, you’ll experience a delicate profile of honey, ginger, orange, and smoke.

The Famous Grouse

Best Budget: A classic in Scotland since 1896, the Famous Grouse began when a local grocer created his own concoction out of local whiskies. Now it’s one of the most popular expressions in the nation, currently featuring quality single malt liquid from the Glenrothes, Highland Park, the Macallan, and the Glenturret — and for just around $20. If you’re looking for a cheap blended Scotch with drinkability, this is it, featuring a palate of dried fruit, caramel, baking spices like cinnamon and clove, and a touch of smoke.

Sheep Dip Islay

Best Peated: Smoke-filled peated whisky is hit-or-miss for most enthusiasts, but Sheep Dip’s masterfully-blended Islay expression is pretty hard to hate. Using single malt liquid exclusively made in Islay — a region known for its process of burning peat in order to dry out the barley for malting — this blend might be familiar to fans of the brand’s popular Blended Malt. And while both are fantastic, this particular whisky is decidedly more unique. The combination of different smoke-filled profiles yields something totally separate from the rest of the Islay pack and worth purchasing at a moderate price tag.

Monkey Shoulder

Best for Cocktails: One of the benefits of most blended Scotches is that you can typically mix them into Rob Roys and rusty nails guilt-free. Since it launched two decades ago, Monkey Shoulder has been a proponent of tossing its whiskey into cocktails. Combining three single malts from the Speyside region, its flagship blended malt expression is one of the best in the category, even if you’re sipping it neat. And at a $30 price point, you can hone your mixology skills on a budget.

Cutty Sark Prohibition

Best 100-Proof: In the style of the pre-Prohibition trend of higher-proof whiskies, Cutty Sark’s Prohibition expression pays homage to famous bootlegger William McCoy, who smuggled the brand’s Scotch into the United States in the 1920s. Some say that 100 proof (50% ABV) is the sweet spot when drinking whisky neat. At the higher ABV, you can taste the complexities a little bit better compared to a lower-alcohol spirit, and don’t have the relentless heat of an even-higher cask-strength whisky. Likewise, the spirit is able to punch through much better in cocktails as well. 

Compass Box Hedonism

Best Blended Grain: Considering it’s among the least common styles of Scotch, there are not a ton of blended grain varieties out there. However, leading the pack is Compass Box’s Hedonism, an annual release that blends single-grain whiskies from several distilleries in Scotland. Arguably the most famous of this style, Hedonism was the foundation of the brand when it launched in 2000 and has all but carried the category ever since. While each batch varies in its blend, past versions have featured liquid aged as much as 29 years, mostly from wheat-dominant mashbills. 

Ballantine’s 21 Year

Best Top-Shelf Age Statement: Ballantine’s didn’t have to add age statements to its impressive lineup of blended whiskies but there’s something refreshingly assertive about brands willing to hold their ground as representatives of this category. Using its signature blend of 50 single malts and 4 single grains, Ballantine’s range starts at 12 Year and goes up to an unprecedented 30 Year. However, this “barely-legal” version of the whisky does the trick, falling right around two bills and boasting a dynamic profile of orange, cardamom, butterscotch, apricot, and vanilla, with a pinch of smoke.

Johnnie Walker Green Label

If you want to experience the blending expertise of the iconic Johnnie Walker but don’t have the bankroll for its top-tier expressions, opt for the brand’s Green Label. As the only whisky in its lineup to exclusively use single malts in its blend, it’s also one of just three in the core range to bear an age statement, using whisky that’s at least 15 years old. This unique iteration from the world’s biggest blended Scotch brand is remarkably earthier compared to its compatriots and features fruity and floral notes on the palate.

Chivas Regal 25 

When discussing age-statement blended whiskies, we’d be remiss to leave off Chivas Regal 25, which sits atop the brand’s core range and is among the oldest blends on the market. While not quite as affordable as the likes of Dewar’s or even Ballentine’s, this 25-year-old whisky has a lineage that’s considerably more famous. A pre-Prohibition favorite in the States among New York’s high society, the expression was discontinued in the 1920s, only to be revived in 2007 using a blend of rare Scotch in attempts to replicate the profile from 100 years prior.

The Best Single Malt Scotch to Add to Your Home Bar

If you want some alternatives to the blended Scotch in this guide, then head over to our guide to the best single malt Scotch whiskies to drink.