Seven Light, Refreshing Scotch Whiskies For Summer

By Richard Thomas

Summertime is around the corner, and for many a Scotch Whisky drinkers who don’t live in a cool, northerly climate (such as Scotland itself), that means abstaining from their drink of choice or going over to highballs. Although Scottish whiskies have many and varied virtues, most of them are noted for their rich, weighty character or smoky profiles, and these aren’t enjoyable qualities in hot weather.

Most, but not all. One of the best aspects of Scotch Whisky is its depth and variety, and a number of single malts, single grains and blends have the kind of light-but-flavorful character one wants in a refreshing summer drink. These seven whiskies can be enjoyed neat and outdoors, even in the kind of sweltering summer heat I experience in the American South.

anCnoc 12 Year Old (£35/$50): Made at Knockdhu in the Highlands, anCnoc 12 one bursts with fruit, predominately green apples and bananas. Throw in some grassiness and just a little malty honey, and you’ve got a Highland whisky that is ideal for a very not-Highland summer experience.

Auchentoshan 18 Year Old (£78/$130): When light and flavorful whiskies come up in conversation, single malts from this Lowland distillery that uses Irish-style triple distillation are invariably mentioned. Aged entirely in ex-bourbon barrels, this is a malt with a crisp, citrus backbone that gives the malt its refreshing quality, accented by modest notes of green tea, nuts and a dash of spiciness.

BenRiach 10 Year Old (£37/$50): The entry-level and standard bearing expression from Speyside’s BenRiach, this 10 year old is made from ex-bourbon barrel and Sherry butt-aged stock. It’s fruity and almost effervescent pour, with a backbone that brings together lemon with apples and peaches. Throw in just enough mint, cinnamon and aniseed for spiciness to make things interesting, and you’ve got BenRiach 10: light bodied, quite flavorful and easily enjoyed.

Dalwhinnie 15 Year Old (£40/$65): Dalwhinnie, tucked away in a remote corner of the Highlands, is one of those distilleries that was often overlooked. This expression is part of what has changed that (at least to a degree) in recent years, because it so often appears on lists of “bang for your buck” single malts. It also happens to be one of Diageo’s Classic Malts, and a good choice for warm weather drinking too.

This is a medium-bodied sipper, not quite as light as the other whiskies presented here, but it’s honeyed and fruity sweetness make it quite approachable when the mercury is running high. Add in that whiff of heather on the finish, and you’ve got a single malt perfect for sunset sipping on the veranda, even in August.

Glenkinchie 12 Year Old (£40/$63): This expression was introduced just a few years ago, replacing a 10 Year Old malt. Like the Dalwhinnie above, it too is one of Diageo’s Classic Malts; as a Lowland whisky, however, it is also one of the core expressions for its region, as is has far fewer distilleries than the Highlands.This Glenkinichie is fruity and grassy, with just enough of an earthy cocoa note to keep things interesting.

Hedonism (£65/$72): This was an odd bottling when it was introduced and remains so to this day, as those crafty blenders at Compass Box created a vatted grain whisky. Single grain whiskies are still uncommon, but taking a selection of grain whiskies and only grain whiskies for blending is a rarity. Hedonism is the only example one is likely to encounter on a store or bar shelf.

When I first wrote up Hedonism some seven years ago, I thought it an ideal aperitif whisky. In my mind, one of the qualities of an aperitif should have is to stimulate the appetite, so it ought to be the opposite of weighty. This stuff drinks like fruitcake, only much lighter and far more graceful, and at the time I described it as something I imagined Emily Mortimer drinking in an elegant, black evening dress. My opinion has only been confirmed, over and over, by subsequent encounters.

Jura 10 (£30/$50): As a rule, whiskies from Jura—an island just north of Islay—are not thought of as summertime drams. Jura 10, perhaps because of its youth, is the singular exception. This is a mid-bodied malt, with a flavor firmly rooted in malty, honeyed cereals and apples. Although not light, the slight dryness and spiciness manage to make it a little more airy. This is so much the case that one shouldn’t even mind the touch of smoke in the whisky, in the same way nobody minds a proper barbecue or campfire in the summer (at least not after the sun has gone down).