Scotch Whisky

Scotch whisky offers extraordinary variety, from light, elegant and fruit-driven styles to rich sherried malts and intensely smoky, peated whiskies. Produced in Scotland and matured there for at least three years in oak casks, Scotch encompasses single malt, blended malt, single grain and blended whisky, with individual distilleries and cask choices creating remarkably different characters.

At Spy, our Scotch Whisky selection focuses on distinctive bottles from carefully chosen producers and independent bottlers. Explore classic distilleries alongside smaller releases, single-cask bottlings and whiskies that show the influence of Scotland's different distilling traditions, cask types and regional styles.

  • Mossburn Vintage Casks #36 Inchgower 2011

    Mossburn Vintage Casks #36 Inchgower 2011

    Mossburn Vintage Casks #36 Inchgower 2011

    70cl | ABV: 57.1%

    £71.95
    £71.95
  • Glenfiddich 12 Year Old Miniature

    Glenfiddich 12 Year Old Miniature

    Glenfiddich 12 Year Old Miniature

    5cl | ABV: 40.0%

    £5.45
    £5.45
  • Bottle of Compass Box Art & Decadence whisky on a white background

    Compass Box Art and Decadence

    Compass Box Art and Decadence

    70cl | ABV: 49.0%

    £157.95
    £157.95
  • Compass Box Glasgow Blend

    Compass Box Glasgow Blend

    Compass Box Glasgow Blend

    70cl | ABV: 43.0%

    £44.95
    £44.95
  • Compass Box Experimental Grain

    Compass Box Experimental Grain

    Compass Box Experimental Grain

    70cl | ABV: 46.0%

    £104.95
    £104.95
  • Bottle of Compass Box The Peat Monster blended scotch whisky on a white background

    Compass Box Peat Monster

    Compass Box Peat Monster

    70cl | ABV: 46.0%

    £58.95
    £58.95
  • Bottle of Compass Box Orchard House whisky on a white background

    Compass Box Orchard House

    Compass Box Orchard House

    70cl | ABV: 46.0%

    £52.95
    £52.95
  • Compass Box The Story of the Spaniard

    Compass Box The Story of the Spaniard

    Compass Box The Story of the Spaniard

    70cl | ABV: 43.0%

    £58.95
    £58.95
  • Compass Box Spice Tree Whisky Bottle on a White Background

    Compass Box Spice Tree

    Compass Box Spice Tree

    70cl | ABV: 46.0%

    £54.95
    £54.95
  • Oban 14 Year Old Scotch Whisky Bottle on a White Background

    Oban 14 Year Old

    Oban 14 Year Old

    70cl | ABV: 43.0%

    £81.95
    £81.95
  • Haig Club 'Clubman' Whisky Bottle on a White Background

    Haig Club 'Clubman' Single Grain Scotch Whisky

    Haig Club 'Clubman' Single Grain Scotch Whisky

    70cl | ABV: 40.0%

    £29.45
    £29.45
  • Macallan 18 Year Old Sherry Oak

    Macallan 18 Year Old Sherry Oak

    Macallan 18 Year Old Sherry Oak

    70cl | ABV: 43.0%

    £349.95
    £349.95
  • Johnnie Walker Blue Label Whisky Bottle on a White Background

    Johnnie Walker Blue

    Johnnie Walker Blue

    70cl | ABV: 40.0%

    £149.95
    £149.95
  • Glenlivet 12 Year Old

    Glenlivet 12 Year Old

    Sold out

    Glenlivet 12 Year Old

    70cl | ABV: 43.0%

    £38.95
    £38.95
    Sold out
  • Compass Box Hedonism

    Compass Box Hedonism

    Compass Box Hedonism

    70cl | ABV: 43.0%

    £81.95
    £81.95
  • Auchentoshan 18 Year Old Whisky Bottle on a White Background

    Auchentoshan 18 Year Old

    Auchentoshan 18 Year Old

    70cl | ABV: 43.0%

    £108.95
    £108.95

Scotch Whisky Buying Guide

Scotch whisky can range from delicate, floral and fruity to rich, sherried, maritime or intensely smoky. Distillery character, peat, fermentation, still shape, maturation and cask selection can all influence the finished whisky. Understanding the main styles makes choosing a bottle much easier.

Which style of Scotch Whisky should you choose?

If you prefer lighter, fruitier whisky, look towards elegant unpeated single malts and styles associated with regions such as Speyside and the Lowlands. Richer whiskies may show dried fruit, spice and chocolate from sherry-seasoned casks, while peat can introduce smoke, earthiness and maritime character. Islay is particularly famous for powerful peated styles, although not every Islay whisky is smoky and peated whisky is made elsewhere in Scotland.

Single malt, blended malt or blended Scotch?

Single malt Scotch is made from malted barley at a single distillery, while blended malt combines single malt whiskies from more than one distillery. Blended Scotch combines one or more single malt Scotch whiskies with one or more single grain Scotch whiskies. Each style can offer excellent quality, so the producer, component whiskies and maturation are often more useful guides than category alone.

Look beyond the familiar Scotch Whisky names

Some of the most interesting Scotch comes from exploring beyond the most familiar bottlings. Independent bottlers, limited releases and single-cask whiskies can reveal individual distilleries in very different ways, while unusual cask maturation and higher bottling strengths can offer even more distinctive expressions.

Scotch Whisky FAQs

What makes a whisky Scotch?

Scotch whisky must be produced in Scotland according to the legal requirements governing the category and matured in Scotland in oak casks for at least three years. There are also rules covering ingredients, production, maturation, alcoholic strength and labelling.

What is the difference between Scotch and single malt?

Scotch is the broader category of whisky produced in Scotland under Scotch whisky regulations. Single malt Scotch is one type of Scotch: it is made at a single distillery from water and malted barley, using pot stills. Other Scotch categories include single grain, blended malt, blended grain and blended Scotch whisky.

Which Scotch Whisky regions are known for smoky whisky?

Islay is particularly associated with smoky and heavily peated whisky, but regional labels are only a rough guide to flavour. Not every Islay whisky is heavily peated, and distilleries elsewhere in Scotland also produce smoky styles. The individual distillery and bottling are better indicators of flavour than region alone.

What does single-cask Scotch Whisky mean?

A single-cask whisky is bottled from one individual cask rather than combining whisky from several casks. Because every cask develops differently during maturation, single-cask releases can show particularly individual flavours and are usually available in limited quantities.

Explore more distinctive Scotch Whisky

Speyside Whisky Highlands & Islands Islay Whisky Lowlands Whisky Single Malt Scotch Blended Whisky