There are two ways to choose a Christmas whisky. You can stand in a supermarket aisle on 23 December and pick whichever bottle has the most gold on the label, or you can work out what you actually like first. This guide is for people who would rather do the second one.
The trick is not to start with the whisky, but with you. Christmas is a flavour-heavy time of year, and most of us already know whether we are a Christmas cake person, a chocolate person or someone who just wants a quiet glass by the fire. Work that out, and the right bottle is a short step away. Every pick below is one we have reviewed, so you get our score and a rough UK price too.
Decide in five minutes. Enjoy it until Twelfth Night.
Find your profile, build your shelf, and skip the supermarket aisle on 23 December.Start with what you already like
Find yourself in one of these six, and take it from there. Each card has the bottles we would point you to, with the price and our score, and the Christmas food it goes with. If you are new to all this, our whisky for beginners guide is the place to start.
Sherried and rich
If your Christmas is cake, pies and pudding, start here: sweet, rich whisky matured in sherry casks.
- Goes with
- Christmas cake
- Mince pies
- Sticky toffee pudding
How sherry casks shape flavour →
Soft and honeyed
Gentle, sweet and free of sharp edges. The profile that wins over people who say they do not like whisky, and the style of a good single malt.
- Goes with
- Shortbread
- The fire
- Boxing Day telly
Creamy and Irish
Rich, round and a little spicy, with none of the smoke. A good answer to a person who finds Scotch too sharp.
- Goes with
- Irish coffee
- Chocolate orange
- Christmas pudding
Beginner guide to Irish whiskey →
Sweet and spicy bourbon
Vanilla, caramel and a bit of spice, and equally happy in a cocktail or a glass by itself.
- Goes with
- Roast ham
- Pecan pie
- Old fashioned
Smoky and fireside
Peat smoke, bonfires and a medicinal edge. You will love it or loathe it, with very little in between.
- Goes with
- Blue cheese
- Smoked salmon
- A proper fire
New to peat? Start with Islay →
Light and mixable
Clean, soft and very good with ice and soda, which is how the Japanese drink it.
- Goes with
- Prawn cocktail
- Canapes
- New Year’s Eve
The Christmas shelf
If you would rather buy a small collection than one bottle, four bottles cover almost every Christmas situation: the one you sip, the one you pour for guests, the one for the cheese board and one that is slightly different. Here they are, ready to stand on your own shelf.
The Balvenie 12 DoubleWood
£48 · 83/100For Boxing Day evenings
Find a bottle18+ · Affiliate link
Buffalo Trace
£26 · 78/100For guests, cocktails and hot drinks
Find a bottle18+ · Affiliate link
Redbreast 12
£57 · 83/100For when you fancy something different
Find a bottle18+ · Affiliate linkHow much do you need?
A 70 cl bottle holds around 23 measures of 3 cl. For a normal family Christmas, one decent bottle is plenty, and two covers a houseful of guests with some left over for Twelfth Night. Do not buy by the case and call it planning. Remember that every measure of whisky at 40% is around 1.2 units (see understanding ABV), so pace yourself, and check the UK low-risk guidance of 14 units a week if you are unsure.
How to serve it at Christmas
There is no wrong way to drink whisky. If you want to sip it neat, do, with a small splash of water if it needs opening up (our guide to water and ice explains when). If you would rather put it in something, the festive season has plenty of options:
Hot toddy
For colds, cold nights or both.
Pour: anything you would be happy to sip, nothing precious.Get the recipe →Whisky hot chocolate
For people who cannot decide between pudding and a drink.
Pour: Glengoyne 12Get the recipe →Old fashioned
The one cocktail every bourbon bottle should be able to make.
Pour: Buffalo TraceGet the recipe →Bourbon apple cider
For when guests arrive and you want to look prepared.
Pour: Four Roses Small BatchGet the recipe →Myths to ignore
Four bits of whisky folklore that have cost people money, and a few that have cost them an argument.
“Older is better.”
RealityA good 12 can beat a mediocre 21 any day. Our guide to age statements explains why, and we wrote a whole piece on why the age on the label is not the whole story.
“Single malt beats blended.”
RealitySome blends are excellent, and some single malts are dull. Judge the bottle, not the category.
“It has to be expensive.”
RealitySeveral of our highest-scoring bottles cost under £50, as our reviews show. Spend where it counts for you.
“You are doing it wrong.”
RealityAnyone who tells you how to drink your own whisky is being tiresome. We have said as much in a rather grumpy article.
Buying for someone else?
Then you want our guide to the best whisky for Christmas gifts, which sorts bottles by budget. Fancy a different kind of countdown? Try the best whisky advent calendars.
Christmas whisky: quick answers
What is the best whisky for Christmas?
Depends on your taste, but if you want one safe answer, the Balvenie 12 DoubleWood scored 83/100 in our review and costs about £48. If you want something cheaper, Buffalo Trace is about £26.
What is a good cheap whisky for Christmas?
Buffalo Trace (about £26) for bourbon, Bushmills Black Bush (about £28) for Irish whiskey, and Suntory Toki (about £30) for a Japanese highball.
Should I drink whisky neat or with water?
Whichever you like. A few drops of water can open up the flavour, and plenty of people enjoy it over ice or in a highball. There is no rule.
Whisky or whiskey?
Scotch, Japanese and Canadian whisky drop the “e”. Irish and American whiskey keep it. We follow the same rule on Caskable.
How long does an open bottle last?
A good while. Keep it upright, cool and out of direct light, and it will hold its character for months. Once it drops to around a quarter full, it is wise to finish it sooner rather than later.
