
Taster’s Club Best 12-Year Scotch in 2023

Written by Emma C | Updated August 2023
Whether you consider yourself a single malt Scotch connoisseur, a newbie, or something in between, you may not know the ins and outs of the best aged bottles. The sweet spot comes in around 12 years. It’s then that makers can get strong, nuanced flavors without the high price tag of older expressions. This Taster’s Club 2023 guide to the best 12 year Scotch is your ticket to the top bottles from the best distilleries that really know their stuff. Each of these whiskies are incredibly distinct yet wonderfully aged and guaranteed to be a high-quality drink that are all available in our bottle shop.

Taster’s Club Best 12-Year Scotch in 2023 available in our bottle shop

1. The Balvenie Doublewood 12
The Balvenie’s iconic DoubleWood 12 was launched in 1993 with a process now commonly known as 'wood finishing'. The spirit is aged in two types of oak – first, refill American casks and then finished in first-fill European Oloroso sherry butts. Rich, sweet, and complex, it has aromas of nuts, spice, grapes, and sultanas. Flavor notes include vanilla, dried fruit, nuts, spice, and a bit of peat.
Region: Speyside | Tasting Notes Dried Fruit, Nutmeg, Cinnamon | ABV 40%

2. Aberfeldy 12 Year
Aberfeldy 12 Year Old single malt scotch whisky is a honeyed dram with notes of fruit, florals, spices, lots of vanilla, and just a hint of malt and smoke. You’ll also taste baking on the palate before getting to the short and sweet, nutty finish.
Region Highland | Tasting Notes Vanilla Fudge, Peaches And Cream | ABV 40%

3. Aberlour 12 Year Old Scotch Whisky
This 12-year-old expression is a fine example of how the distinctively crisp, citrus character of Aberlour’s new distillate is deftly softened by double cask maturation. Traditional oak and seasoned sherry butts are both used to great effect, as the mellowed spirits inside are combined to deliver a subtly balanced flavor.
Region Speyside | Tasting Notes Sultanas, Nutmeg, Currant Fruitcake | ABV 40%

4. Highland Park 12 Year
Matured mainly in European and American sherry-seasoned oak casks, this iconic 12 year old single malt is spicy and well-rounded, packed with the flavors of oranges and rich fruitcake spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. There’s also molten heather honey in this whisky’s heathery peat smoke.
Region Orkney | Tasting Notes Granary Toast And Green Tea With Jasmine | ABV 40%

5. Cragganmore 12 Year
This sherried 12-year-old single malt bottling from the Cragganmore distillery represents Speyside in a rich, creamy, slightly floral whisky with fruit, nut, barley, and honey notes. The spirit finishes with a decent length and peppery, smoky notes.
Region Speyside | Tasting Notes Honey, Stone Fruits, Chestnuts | ABV 40%

6. The Macallan Sherry Oak 12 Years Old
Sherry Oak 12 Years Old is part of The Macallan’s Sherry Oak range, which features a series of single malt whiskies matured exclusively in hand-picked sherry-seasoned oak casks from Jerez for richness and complexity. With its matured character, this bottle delivers rich wood spice and dried fruits, and a natural rich gold color.
Region Speyside | Tasting Notes Hot Pastries And Marmalade, Sultanas | ABV 40%

7. Deanston 12 Year Whisky
With a light, smooth, and creamy sweetness, hints of fruit, barley, cereal, malty honeyed spiciness, oak, nuts, and soft vanilla notes, this crisp Deanston 12 year whisky finishes softly with flavors of clove and caramel.
Region Highland | Tasting Notes Soft, Nutty, Caramel, Touch Of Salinity | ABV 46.3%

8. Glenfiddich 12 Year Old
Glenfiddich 12 Year Old single malt whisky delivers distinctively fresh and fruity notes, including green apple and pear. It then develops into light honey, floral, butterscotch, cream, malt, and subtle oak flavors. The spirit finishes short to medium, with spicy, fruity notes.
Region Speyside | Tasting Notes Oak And General Fruit, Oily | ABV 40%

9. Glenmorangie The Lasanta 12 Years Old
Elegant but full-bodied, this well-balanced whisky has spent 10 years maturing in American white oak ex-bourbon casks before being extra-matured for two years in Oloroso and Spanish PX Sherry casks. On the nose, you’ll get vanilla, berries, cinnamon, raisin, malt, nuts, and leather. Flavors are similar, along with citrus and oak.
Region Highland | Tasting Notes Sherried Dried Fruit, With Orange Marmalade | ABV 43%

10. Loch Lomond 12 year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Award-winning Loch Lomond 12 Year Old is a delectably smooth and fruity Highland single malt whisky, with a fresh palate of green apples, vanilla, and a hint of light peat smoke. Bourbon, refill, and re-charred casks are brought together by the brand’s master blender to create this perfectly-balanced single malt.
Region Highland | Tasting Notes Brown Sugar And Five-Spice | ABV 46%
With this helpful guide to the best 12 year Scotch, you’ll be more than ready to unwind from a long week with friends and family or enjoy a well-deserved moment to yourself. Any of these bottles make the perfect home bar addition for whatever occasion comes up. While each bottle is fantastic, it’s understandable if you can’t decide where to start, though. No worries – it’s easy to sign up for our Scotch Club. Then, each month, we do all the work and you get to sit back, relax, and enjoy a new expression sent directly to your door.
Look no further than Taster’s Club for the best Scotch Subscription Club!
We’ll take you on a personalized bourbon journey by curating amazing bottles from award-winning distilleries from Kentucky and beyond, delivering them straight to your door each month.