10 English Single Malt Whisky Alternatives for Bestselling Scotch
Finding an alternative to your favourite single malt Scotch can be daunting. However, you might find your new favourite whisky at The Cotswolds Distillery. This article recommends our best single malt whisky based on what you’d usually drink. Take the guesswork out of expanding your whisky horizons and learn about the emerging category.
- What Makes English Single Malt Whisky so Special?
- Award-Winning Single Malt Whisky ‘of the Cotswolds’
- Top Single Malt Whisky Alternatives for 10 Bestselling Scotch Brands
- Frequently Asked Questions
Compared to single-grain whisky or Irish whisky, English whisky provides a nice depth of flavour
The Cotswolds Distillery offers many award-winning single malts, such as the Founder’s Choice
Enjoy your first dram of English whisky – don’t leave it to chance
What Makes English Single Malt so Special?
The English whisky category is new relative to the long heritage of Scotch or Irish whisky. However, there are more high-quality examples emerging from the category every year. Also, because of its prestige, Scotch whisky is held to strict rules on production. These aren’t applicable in England, so the flavour possibilities are virtually endless. However, the climate also plays a role. In Scotland (and Ireland), the average temperature is about 2 degrees cooler than in the Cotswolds, which facilitates a slightly faster maturation period. Read about how maturation affects whisky flavour.
“What New World whisky is allowing people to do is discover whiskies produced in different environments, different production techniques, different rules, regulations and legislation, to create vast flavour profiles. This allows the consumer to have a wider scope of what whisky can actually be”
- Rob Patchett, Whisky Ambassador at Cotswolds Distillery
While it doesn’t carry the reputation of single malt Scotch whisky, English whisky can easily achieve the flavour profiles of 12- or 16-year-old Scotch in half the time. This paves the way for exciting experimentation and full-bodied flavour, while also making your perfect dram more accessible.
Award-Winning Single Malt Whisky 'of the Cotswolds'
The Cotswolds Distillery is the most well-renowned English producer of single malt whisky. Every decision is made with flavour and quality in mind. One of the key factors that distinguishes us from different brands is our long fermentation period – we ferment our malted barley for twice as long as the industry average to pack the worts with more fruity esters. The distillery frequently “smells like banana bread and pineapple”. Our precise cut points also help load the heart cut with aromatics and phenolic compounds, often lost in popular brands.
Many of our whiskies have won prestigious awards and are well worth a try, especially if you’re used to blended Scotch. We only produce single malt whisky, aged full-term in carefully-selected oak casks - that’s just what we’re set up to do.
Many of our whiskies have won prestigious awards and are well worth a try, especially if you’re used to blended Scotch. We only produce single malt whisky, aged full-term in carefully-selected oak casks - that’s just what we’re set up to do.
Top Single Malt Whisky Alternatives for 10 Best Selling Scotch Brands
Review our list of beginner-friendly new world whisky based on bestselling Scotch
1. A Recommended Alternative to Johnnie Walker Black Label
Johnnie Walker Black Label is one of the best selling blended Scotch whisky brands with a touch of vanilla, toffee, caramel and fruity notes. If you’re looking for a good single malt alternative, the Signature Single Malt is perfect.
The Signature Single Malt blends bourbon and STR casks for a fruit-forward flavour with notes of treacle, honey and toffee.
2. Single Malt Whisky for Glenfiddich 12 Lovers
The Glenfiddich 12-year single malt whisky offers a refreshing palate of orchard fruit, barley, melon, honey and notes of vanilla. If you enjoy this Speyside single malt, you’re also sure to enjoy the Bourbon Cask Single Malt Whisky from the Cotswolds Distillery. It offers green apples, honey, malt biscuits, butterscotch and a gentle spice.
3. Cotswolds whisky worthy for Macallan Sherry Cask drinkers
The Macallan Sherry Cask whisky can command a premium price. For a more accessible and local bottle, try the award-winning single-barrel Sherry Cask Whisky from the Cotswolds Distillery. It has matured exclusively in Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks, giving raisins, dates, fig, dark chocolate and spice.
4. Ballentine's Enthusiasts – try this instead
Ballentine’s blended Scotch whisky has a soft profile with red apple, sweet vanilla, caramel, fudge, malt and a whisper of peat. If you’re looking for a single malt alternative, the Signature Single Malt mirrors its fruit-forward, approachable flavour. However, for something more familiar, try the small batch Wychwood Edition of the Harvest Series – packed with stewed fruit, vanilla and a hint of peat.
5. Cotswolds Single Malt over Famous Grouse
Famous Grouse is a budget-friendly blended Scotch designed for easy drinking. However, if you want to level up your game with a well-rounded Single Malt, try the Cotswolds Signature Single Malt Whisky.
“It can be defined in different ways - marmalade on toast, apples and pears, honey and lemon…it’s really a Swiss army knife of whisky”.
- Rob Patchett, Whisky Ambassador at Cotswolds Distillery
Buy Signature Single Malt Whisky
6. Bored of Bell’s? Experiment with English Whisky
Bells blended whisky is full of soft, malty and cereal notes, cut with herbs and florals. There is subtle caramel, apple and spice with a smoky undertone. If you like the delicate balance of sweetness, peat, and spice, you might enjoy the Wychwood Harvest Series’ balanced fruit and peat profile.
7. Love Talisker Skye – Discover an English Alternative
Talisker produces mildly peated whisky at around 18-22ppm with plenty of maritime character, peppery notes and American oak-refined spice. If you’re looking for high-quality single malt outside of Scotland, you could try the Peated Cask Single Malt from the Cotswolds Distillery, which has been described as ‘smoky vanilla ice cream’.
8. Alternative to Rich and Fruity Aberlour 12
Sweet, rich and balanced, with heavy use of sherry oak is what makes Aberlour, made in the heart of Speyside, so special. If you want to expand your whisky horizons, the Sherry Cask Single Malt from the Cotswolds Distillery is a fantastic alternative to Aberlour 12 year old single malt scotch whisky. It has won awards for its rich and balanced profile – packed with fruit notes, a bit of spice, toasted almonds and chocolate.
9. Cotswolds Distillery for Jura Drinkers
Jura 10 single malt whisky is an adored product for good reason, it balances fruitiness and freshness with hints of citrus, peach, spices, vanilla, orange zest and milk chocolate. If you love Jura, we think you will love our Founder’s Choice Single Malt Whisky aged full-term in highly active wine casks.
10. Cotswolds Distillery Bourbon Cask - Glenmorangie Lovers
While Glenmorangie single malt can be polarising, there is one alternative that appeals to everyone. The Cotswolds Signature Single Malt Whisky shares many qualities with Glenmorangie, including citrus, honey, stone fruit, tropical fruit and vanilla.
Recommending the best whisky alternative
| Original | Cotswolds Whisky Alternative | Shared Tasting Notes |
| Johnnie Walker Black Label (blended) | Signature Single Malt | Vanilla, apple, pear, red berries, light spice, gentle oak, soft sweetness |
| Glenfiddich 12 | Bourbon Cask Single Malt | Vanilla, orchard fruits (apple/pear), honey sweetness, soft malt |
| Macallan Sherry Cask | Sherry Cask Single Malt | Nose of rich sultanas, raisin, fig and date, sherry sweetness, spice, and chocolate |
| Ballentine’s (blended) | Harvest Series - Wychwood | Vanilla, apple/pear, honey, caramel, spice |
| Famous Grouse (blended) | Signature Single Malt | Sweet malt, vanilla, caramel/toffee, fruit |
| Bell’s (blended) | Harvest Series – Wychwood | Malt biscuit, vanilla, toffee, spice |
| Talisker Skye | Peated Cask Single Malt | Sweetness, gentle peat influence, gentle spice, apple/citrus lift, oak warmth |
| Aberlour 12 double cask | Sherry Cask Single Malt | Dark fruit, honey, vanilla, Sherry, baking spice, warm, rounded finish |
| Jura 10 | Founder’s Choice Single Malt | Honey, apple, stone fruit, gentle spice, oak, a wisp of smoke |
| Glenmorangie Original | Signature Single Malt | Vanilla, citrus, orchard fruit, honey, caramel. |
Frequently Asked Questions:
How do experts usually rate the top single malt whiskies?
There are many factors that affect how highly a great whisky ranks according to experts. Complexity and flavour depth are the most important factors, but things like skill and craftsmanship are also taken into consideration. There is a 100-point scale that experts use to rank whisky. The Cotswolds Distillery scores up to 87 for its exceptional quality and unique qualities.
Which single malt whiskies have recently received high honours or awards?
The Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky from the Cotswolds Distillery has recently received awards such as Gold winner of the World Whisky Awards, 2025. However, the cask strength Founder’s Choice Single Malt Whisky has earned global renown in the international spirits landscape. Read about our award-winning whisky .
Which premium whiskies offer the best value for money?
Premium whisky can come in many forms, but single malt is often synonymous with quality. High-quality Scotch can command a high price tag, but English whisky, because it is less well-known, can offer high quality at a more affordable price.