Every Waitrose Whisky: Prices, Value & What's Worth Buying

Waitrose plays the own-label whisky game more seriously than most. Its No.1 range covers all three classic single malt regions — Highland, Speyside and Islay — and unusually for a supermarket, Waitrose has been open that the No.1 single malts are produced for it by Ian Macleod Distillers, an established independent bottler. Underneath that sit an 8-year-old No.1 blend and a budget Waitrose Blended Scotch. Here's the range, what it costs, and what's worth buying.

How this guide works. This is a research-based buying guide, not a personal tasting. We assess on price, value per unit of alcohol (via our Whisky Value Calculator), age statements and category, and what's verifiable about sourcing. Prices change — treat them as a guide and check the shelf.

The range

Waitrose No.1 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky — ~£25

ABV: 40% · Type: Single malt, Highland · Produced by Ian Macleod Distillers

One of three No.1 single malts. Waitrose's documented description leans smooth and fruity, with citrus and malt, a touch of cinnamon and gentle oak. There's no age statement on it, so you're paying for the region and the named producer rather than years in cask.

Waitrose No.1 Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky — ~£25

ABV: 40% · Type: Single malt, Speyside · Produced by Ian Macleod Distillers

The lighter, fruitier Speyside style at the same money as the Highland. Waitrose's documented notes point to butterscotch, oak, red and dried fruit, with spiced cake and raisin on the palate — the classic sherried-Speyside register many drinkers reach for first.

Waitrose No.1 Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky — ~£29

ABV: 40% · Type: Single malt, Islay · Produced by Ian Macleod Distillers

The interesting one. An own-label Islay single malt is rarer on supermarket shelves than Highland or Speyside, and this is Waitrose's peated entry — documented as intensely smoky with a coastal, heathery edge. The few pounds' premium over the other two is the price of getting an own-label Islay at all.

Waitrose No.1 8 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky — ~£24

ABV: 40% · Type: Blended Scotch, 8 years old

A blend carrying an 8-year age statement, described as drawing on well-respected distilleries with every component at least eight years old. An age-stated blend is a genuinely useful thing to have on the shelf — it sits between the single malts and the budget blend.

Waitrose Blended Scotch Whisky — ~£16.50 (70cl), ~£21.25 (1 litre)

ABV: 40% · Type: Blended Scotch

The everyday blend, also sold in a litre bottle — which, as ever, signals it's pitched as a mixer rather than a sipper. No age statement; it's the budget end of the range.

A note on "Loved & Found"

Waitrose's Loved & Found line exists, but at the time of writing it's primarily a wine range — we couldn't verify a Loved & Found Scotch whisky as part of the core whisky offer. If your branch carries one, treat the bottle's own label as the source of truth.

The price-per-unit breakdown

We work out value the same way every time: £/unit = price ÷ (70cl × ABV/100 ÷ 10). A 70cl bottle at 40% holds 28 units, so a £25 bottle is 25 ÷ 28 = ~£0.89/unit.

Via our Whisky Value Calculator:

Whisky	Price	£/unit of alcohol
Waitrose Blended Scotch	~£16.50	£0.59
No.1 8 Year Old Blended	~£24	£0.86
No.1 Highland / Speyside Single Malt	~£25	£0.89
No.1 Islay Single Malt	~£29	£1.04

The No.1 single malts land around the typical supermarket single-malt mark per unit. They don't undercut Aldi or Lidl on price, but an own-label Islay from a named producer is something those two don't reliably offer.

What Waitrose won't tell you

Actually, Waitrose tells you more than most: it has been open that the No.1 single malts are produced by Ian Macleod Distillers, the independent firm behind several well-known labels. That's a step toward the transparency M&S offers by naming the distillery outright — though "produced by" an independent bottler isn't the same as naming the distillery that filled the cask, and the No.1 malts carry no age statement, so a little is still left unsaid. The fuller story of how supermarket whisky gets made is in our explainer.

What's worth buying

• Most interesting bottle: No.1 Islay (~£29). An own-label peated Islay single malt from a named producer is a genuinely uncommon thing on a supermarket shelf — that's the one worth a look if you like smoke.
• Best all-rounder: No.1 Speyside or Highland (~£25). Solid age-statement-free single malts from a named producer; pick the region you prefer.
• Underrated: the No.1 8 Year Old blend (~£24). An age-stated blend is more useful than its price suggests.
• Everyday mixer: Waitrose Blended Scotch (~£16.50) for long drinks.

Frequently asked questions

Who makes Waitrose's own-label whisky?

For the No.1 single malts, Waitrose has been open that they're produced for it by Ian Macleod Distillers, an established independent bottler. That's more than most supermarkets disclose, though it doesn't name the specific distillery that distilled each malt.

Is Waitrose No.1 a real single malt?

Yes — "single malt Scotch whisky" is a legally protected term. The No.1 Highland, Speyside and Islay bottles are genuine single malts, each from a single (unnamed) distillery, bottled at 40%. They carry no age statement.

Does Waitrose have an own-label Islay malt?

Yes — the No.1 Islay Single Malt (~£29) is a peated own-label Islay, which is rarer than own-label Highland or Speyside on supermarket shelves. It's the standout reason to look at the No.1 range if you like smoke.

When does Waitrose whisky go on offer?

Waitrose runs spirits promotions periodically, often around seasonal peaks. The No.1 range is the more premium end of the own brand, so it's worth checking for a deal before paying full shelf price.

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