Best budget whiskies to drink in 2024 to get a great taste for less
Whisky is a serious topic of conversation for those well-versed in its distillation.
The reputation of this spirit precedes itself. Though it belongs to a loose family of distilled drinks that owe their name to the timeless phrase ‘water of life’, whisky is arguably the spirit most deserving of its name.
Where continental European spirits like aquavit and eau de vie have their stake on the name, the very word ‘whisky’ comes from Old Irish and Scottish words for water ‘uisce’ and ‘uisge’ respectively. The vital importance of whisky is compounded by the powerful feelings that surround its name; whisky hailing from north of the border is spelt just so – whisky – which those from Ireland and across the Atlantic respectively attain an additional ‘e’: whiskey.
There is an undeniable tribalism to the nominative nature of whiskies by region, particularly when the term ‘bourbon’ (to simplify criminally, US whiskies, with a street in New Orleans and a region of Kentucky given as potential origins for the name) enters the mix – but these strong feelings mean nothing for the incredible quality of many whiskies produced across the world.
What makes a whisk(e)y?
But what is it, exactly, that makes a good whisk(e)y? It's a subject of oceanic proportions, and naturally, a highly subjective one too. Some objectivity can be found in the distillation process, where tradition tends to beget quality, but ultimately a whiskey is only as good as it tastes.
Certain flavour profiles are indelibly linked to
