A good whiskey is one that will appeal to the novice and the connoisseur both. Here are our top five whiskeys that will be enjoyed by both the novice and the connoisseur. They offer bang for your buck, explode with great aromatics and flavor and perfectly enhance a classic cocktail. If one of these is your first whiskey, it will make you want to drink more; if it’s your hundredth whiskey, it’ll confirm everything you already knew about how excellent whiskey can be.

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Four Roses Single Barrel

Shaker Rating: 1

Rich and well-rounded bourbon with bold coconut and vanilla flavors and a floral hint. 

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The Balvenie 14-Year  Caribbean Cask

Shaker Rating: 1

A refined single malt Scotch finished in rum casks, which give the whiskey a slight butterscotch note, in addition to some orange, caramel, cinnamon and spice

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Scapa 16-Year Scotch:

Shaker Rating: 3

I’ve seen bottles from this somewhat unknown distillery pop up all over the place:  It’s a well balanced, approachable whiskey with hints of citrus and vanilla, yet with a nice backbone that keeps the whiskey from being too light. It hails from the Orkney Islands off the north coast of Scotland, and is considered a “Highland” Scotch. 

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The Hakushu 12-Year

Shaker Rating: 2

A subtle and elegant, very slightly peated whiskey from Japan. The peat does not overpower the crisp apple, pear and melon notes, however. This makes a wonderful highball, which are served all over Tokyo.