Let’s be honest, we all enjoy a glass of Macallan. The quality has always been there. But the price has been creeping up over the past few years. So the question is simple: is it still worth it for those of us chasing a sherry-soaked single malt?
Value has never been more important in whisky than it is right now. Fortunately, there are still plenty of excellent, affordable options when it comes to sherry influence. Here are five bottles that deliver all the richness, intensity, and fun of sherry cask maturation, without the Macallan price tag. And yes, I’ve managed to avoid mentioning Glenallachie.
Glendronach 15 Year Old, 46%, £69 / $90
Macallan’s first big rival in the modern world of sherry cask saturation. Glendronach developed a reputation under Billy Walker for delivering massive flavour for not a lot of money, and thus a bit of a legend was born.
Even under new ownership, the 15 Year Old has always been my favourite expression. It balances ripe cherry, sweet sherry, milk chocolate, and dried spice, all the notes we love from a good sherry cask.
Given the current RRP of Macallan 12 Year Old Sherry Cask, this often works out a little cheaper, if not around the same price. It’s an older, higher ABV whisky that delivers everything you could want from a quality sherry cask style.
Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old, 46.3%, £41 / $68
Yes, this is from Islay, but don’t run away. It’s unpeated and offers some of the best sherry-influenced whisky in Scotland.
Bunnahabhain still flies under the radar in many ways. The distillery is well loved, as are many of its expressions, but if you want something to rival Macallan for richness and depth, this is an exceptional alternative.
You get dry spice, nutty, rich sherry notes, along with a touch of salinity from the coastal location. There’s also a deeper layer of flavour, including chocolate, cooking spices, green herbs, olive oil, and black pepper.
It’s a more complex and often significantly cheaper option when it comes to sherry style. That alone makes it worth considering.
Redbreast Lustau Edition, 46%, £63 / $85
To Ireland we go. This release comes from Midleton Distillery, with additional maturation in sherry casks from Bodegas Lustau in southern Spain.
It’s one of the juiciest and most refreshing styles of sherry influence I’ve tried. You still get the drier, nuttier notes, but they’re joined by apricot, raspberry, cherry, and milk chocolate, giving it a brighter, almost summery feel.
Redbreast consistently produces excellent whiskies, and this has been a personal favourite over the past few years. It’s triple distilled and includes some unmalted barley, which gives it that classic Irish pot still character alongside plenty of sherry-driven fruit.
Benrinnes 15 Year Old Flora & Fauna, 43%, £60 / $74
The Flora & Fauna releases are a real treasure trove of interesting styles.
Benrinnes is an excellent distillery, though much of its spirit is prioritised for blends like Johnnie Walker. When it sees sherry cask maturation, the fresh and slightly robust spirit really lifts the cask influence.
Think almonds, dark chocolate, sea salt, praline, and freshly brewed black coffee.
Independent bottlers love Benrinnes, though many releases are ex-bourbon. A lot of the sherried stock remains within Diageo and appears in this bottling.
Many Flora & Fauna releases have now been discontinued or absorbed into core ranges, but this one still sits under the radar. It’s older, characterful, and often cheaper than a standard bottle of Macallan.
Edradour 10 Year Old, 46%, £46 / $70
It has finally arrived: a 46% version of the much-loved Edradour 10 Year Old.
Even at 40%, this whisky gave many more ‘premium’ single malts and blends a run for their money. Nestled in the heart of Pitlochry, Edradour has always been a small but hardworking distillery.
This updated release shows the ongoing ambition of owner Andrew Symmington. Even when you have a product that is already well regarded, there is always room to improve.
This is a heavy, deep, dark sherry style that Edradour is known for. The first-fill cask influence is intense. Expect molasses, cherry syrup, Cognac-soaked raisins, warming spices, and toffee.
If you haven’t tried it yet, it’s well worth getting in your glass.
So, Is Macallan Still Worth It?
As mentioned at the start, Macallan makes great whisky and always will. As we move into 2026, though, it’s about what you feel is worth the money.
Macallan will continue to dominate sales and maintain its premium presence, and that’s fine.
But when it comes to your own spending, there are plenty of other options that deliver that same hit of rich, sherry-driven flavour. That’s one of the great strengths of Scotch and world whisky today.
Whether you’re after something bold and intense or something softer with a bit more character, you’re not short of good options.
Read the full article at Macallan 12 Is Getting Expensive – These 5 Sherry Bombs Are Better Value
