A torchbearer for scotch whisky, this tangles creaminess with peat smoke, mixes toffee with vanilla, tumbles raisin with fig, and integrates smoke with fresh citrus and red apple. Creamy caramels with soft toffee drizzled over marmalade, vanilla sweetness balanced with a little oak, and layers of raisin, Braeburn apple, and sultana, permeated with smoke. It turns out that the liquid inside the world’s most recognizable whisky bottle is exceedingly good.

Bright topaz in the glass, this 12-year-old blend of over 40 whiskies has a pleasant fresh apple and vanilla scent. Polished, versatile and flavorful, look for creamy caramel and vanilla accented by dried orange peel and honeysuckle. Best Buy.