The World Whiskies Awards have unveiled their 2025 Scotch whisky winners, and this yearâs podium reads like a tour of Scotlandâs most dramatic landscapes. From the versatile stills of Loch Lomond and the honeyed elegance of Aberfeldy to the wave-lashed warehouses of Raasay, Jura, Scapa, and Islayâs peat powerhouses, these single malts showcase just how far style and character can stretch within one nationâs spirit.
In this feature, we focus on the top-rated whiskies from the Highlands, the islands, and Islay, highlighting the distilleries behind them and what you can expect in the glass. The equally impressive winners from the Lowlands and Speyside appear in a separate companion piece.
Highlands
Loch Lomond Distillery
Loch Lomond is a highly versatile Highland distillery, founded in 1965. Itâs famous for its unusual mix of pot stills and straight-neck âLomondâ stills, which allow a wide range of flavor profiles from a single site. It uses both peated and unpeated malt and a broad palette of cask types.
Loch Lomond Steam and Fire (NAS), 46% ABV, 750 ml
This whisky is unpeated. Itâs matured in first-fill bourbon & refill American oak, then finished in heavily re-charred American oak barrels.
The whisky features aromas of caramel, vanilla fudge, and baked apple, along with toasted oak, subtle char, and a little cinnamon. It’s sweet and creamy on the palate, showcasing flavors of cooked malt/cereal, caramel, ripe orchard fruits, roasted nuts, charred wood, spices, and a light cocoa bitterness. The finish is medium-length, with lingering notes of vanilla cream, nutmeg, charred oak, and a subtle cold campfire smoke.
Loch Lomond Waypoint, Falls of Falloch, 16 years old, 46.2% ABV, 750 ml.
This unpeated single malt is matured in ex-bourbon barrels and then finished in Cognac casks.
The whisky features aromas of poached pear, dried apricot, honey, vanilla, along with floral and seasoned oak notes. Itâs smooth and silky on the palate, showcasing flavors of stewed orchard fruits, citrus zest, honeycomb, golden raisins, and subtle baking spices. The finish is long and gently drying, with lingering notes of oak spice, vanilla, raisins, and a touch of pepper.
Knockdhu /anCnoc
Knockdhu distillery (pronounced ânok-dooâ) was founded in 1894 in Aberdeenshire and now bottles its single malt under the âanCnocâ brand to avoid confusion with Knockando. Itâs known for elegant, fruity Highland malt and a parallel line of lightly to heavily peated expressions.
anCnoc 10-Year-Old Peated, 40% ABV, 750 ml.
This is a lightly peated whisky matured in ex-bourbon casks.
The whisky features aromas of apple, lemon zest, and vanilla cream, along with a subtle smoke and an herbal touch of hay. The palate showcases flavors of candied citrus, orchard fruits, honeyed malt, and vanilla, laced with gentle campfire smoke and a hint of clove. The finish is medium-length, sweet and slightly drying, with lingering notes of earthy peat, oak spices, lemon zest and vanilla.
Aberfeldy Distillery
Aberfeldy Distillery was founded in 1898 by the Dewar family and remains the spiritual home of Dewarâs blended whisky. Now owned by Bacardi, it sits on the River Tay and is famed for honeyed, approachable Highland malts, often with a sherried accent.
Aberfeldy 21 Years Old, 40% ABV, 750 ml.
This is a long-aged Highland malt matured in a mix of bourbon & Sherry casks.
The whisky features aromas of heather honey, orange marmalade and dried apricot, layered with vanilla, seasoned oak and a touch of fragrant wood incense. Itâs smooth and silky on the palate, showcasing flavors of honeycomb, candied citrus, golden raisins, seasoned oak, and cinnamon and nutmeg spice notes. The finish is long and slightly drying, with lingering notes of citrus peel, honey, cocoa powder, seasoned oak, and a hint of waxiness.
Islands
Isle of Raasay Distillery, Hebrides
Opened in 2017 on the tiny island of Raasay off Skye, this is the islandâs first legal distillery. Raasay focuses on sustainable, small-batch production, blending peated and unpeated malt and an eclectic cask mix to create a modern coastal style. Despite its young age, the distillery has already emerged as a perennial winner in spirit competitions.
Isle of Raasay Cask Strength (NAS), 61.6% ABV, 700 ml.
This whisky is a lightly peated, multi-cask Hebridean malt, with natural color and bottled at cask strength.
The nose features aromas of briny sea air, roasted malt, and a smoldering driftwood campfire, along with dark berries, plum, and baking spices from the wine and rye casks used for finishing. The flavor is intense, though balanced, showcasing pronounced notes of blackcurrant jam, dark chocolate, espresso, black pepper, seasoned oak over a core of ashy peat and coastal/maritime salinity. The finish is long and spicy, with lingering notes of cold smoke, cocoa, cracked pepper, and dried berries.
Jura Distillery, Isle of Jura
Jura sits on a remote island with more deer than people, opposite Islay. The distillery dates back to 1810 but was rebuilt in the 1960s. Today, under Whyte & Mackay, it produces mainly unpeated or gently peated spirit with a cask-driven, accessible style.
Jura 12-Year-Old, 40% ABV, 750 ml.
This whisky is matured in ex-bourbon casks and finished in Oloroso sherry butts.
It features aromas of honey, caramel, roasted nuts, dried fruit, chocolate, and a hint of sea spray. The palate showcases flavors of milk chocolate, caramel, baked apple, toasted walnuts, baking spices, and a subtle coastal/maritime note. The finish is medium in length, with lingering notes of chocolate, toasted nuts, seasoned oak, and a hint of cold smoke.
Jura 14-Year-Old, American Rye Cask Finish, 40% ABV, 750 ml.
The whisky is matured in ex-bourbon barrels and finished in American rye whiskey casks.
The whisky features aromas of red berries, orange zest, vanilla, cooked cereal/malt, and seasoned oak. The palate showcases flavors of citrus and red berries, caramel, and rye-style spice notes of clove, cinnamon, and an herbal touch of dill. The finish is medium-length and sweet, with lingering notes of candied orange zest, rye spice, vanilla, and subtle seasoned oak.
Scapa Distillery, Orkney
Scapa, on Mainland Orkney, was founded in 1885 and is now part of Chivas Brothers/Pernod Ricard. Itâs known for relatively gentle, unpeated island malts with creamy, honeyed and subtly maritime character, typically matured in first-fill American oak.
Scapa 21 Years Old, 48% ABV, 750 ml.
This long-aged single malt reflects Scapaâs typical floral and fruity style.
The whisky features aromas of tropical fruit, especially pineapple and mango, apricot jam, vanilla fudge, honey, oak spices, and a subtle maritime/coastal character. The palate showcases layers of tropical and stone fruit, along with lemon cream, honeyed malt, vanilla, sweet coconut, and mild pepper. The finish is long, creamy, and slightly saline, with lingering notes of tropical fruit, honey, and seasoned oak.
Islay
Ian Macleod Distillers, Smokehead
Smokehead is a brand of heavily peated Islay single malt from undisclosed distilleries, bottled by Ian Macleod Distillers. They also own Tamdhu and Glengoyne. The range focuses on bold flavors and modern cask finishes and is squarely aimed at peat lovers.
Smokehead Tequila Cask Terminado (NAS), 43% ABV, 750 ml
This is a heavily peated Islay malt whisky finished in Tequila casks.
The whisky features intense aromas of peat smoke, with notes of grilled pineapple, leather, mesquite, and a touch of sweet corn. It’s robust and sweet on the palate, showcasing flavors of earthy smoke, vanilla, grilled pineapple, orange bitters, and herbal agave-like notes. The finish is long and smoky, with lingering notes of charred oak, old leather, and hints of candied citrus zest, black tea, and iodine.
Ardbeg Distillery
Ardbeg, founded in 1815, is one of Islayâs iconic peat powerhouses and is now owned by MoĂ«t Hennessy. It is renowned for its intensely smoky spirit that also shows citrus, herbal, and espresso notes, with a cult following and a penchant for experimental cask finishes.
Ardbeg Wee Beastie 5 Years Old, 47.4% ABV, 750 ml.
This is a young, heavily peated Islay malt matured in a combination of ex-bourbon & Oloroso Sherry casks.
The whisky features powerful aromas of peat smoke, black pepper, salty sea spray, lemon peel, vanilla, and a hint of cured/smoked meat. Itâs robust, sweet, and flavorful on the palate, showcasing smoky Islay peat; charcoal, espresso, dark chocolate, tangy citrus, cooked malt, and a touch of sherry-laced dried fruit richness. The finish is long, robust, and peppery, with lingering notes of cold smoke, tar, espresso bitterness, and savory brine.
Ardbeg Anthology: The Unicornâs Tale 14 Years Old, 46% ABV, 750 ml.
This whisky is an experimental, non-chill-filtered, Madeira-influenced Ardbeg.
The whisky features aromas of smoked/grilled citrus and stone fruit, with peat, vanilla pastry, honey, dried apricot, and maritime/coastal notes. The palate showcases a more earthy style of peat, rather than the medicinal notes Islay peat is known for, along with candied orange, raisins, grilled peaches, honeycomb, and subtle oak spices. The finish is long and layered, with lingering notes of earthy, cold smoke, dried fruit, cocoa, and sandalwood.
Bowmore Distillery
Bowmore, established in 1779, is often cited as one of Scotlandâs oldest licensed distilleries. Its style marries medium peating with balanced fruit and coastal character. Its recent special releases have leaned heavily into sherry cask maturation.
Bowmore 21 Years Old Sherry Oak Cask, 46.8% ABV, 750 ml.
This is a complex whisky matured in bourbon & Oloroso casks then finished in first-fill Pedro Ximénez sherry casks.
The whisky features herbal notes of aged tobacco leaf, floral heather, iodine, caramel, dark dried fruits, and rancio notes of beeswax and old leather. Itâs sweet, smooth, and robust on the palate, showcasing flavors of caramel, vanilla, candied orange zest, red berries, cinnamon and nutmeg, barbecued meat, and subtle coastal/maritime and smoke notes. The finish is long, exceptionally smooth, and spicy.
Taken together, these Highland, Island, and Islay winners capture the whole arc of modern Scotch: from bright, ex-bourbon-cask-led Highland malts, through coastal, cask-driven island whiskies, to the thunderous peat and sherry depth of Islay. They reward both curiosity and loyaltyâoffering new twists on familiar names while confirming why certain distilleries remain fixtures on every serious whisky shelf.
Whether youâre hunting for a new daily dram or a special-occasion bottle, the 2025 World Whiskies Awards have effectively done the first round of curation for you. All thatâs left is to decide where you want your next glass to take you: a Highland orchard, a windswept pierâor straight into the heart of an Islay peat fire.