Waitrose No.1 whiskey refers to a premium own-label range of spirits produced exclusively for the retailer, featuring options like a smoky, peaty Islay Single Malt (40% ABV), a rich Speyside Single Malt with notes of dried fruit and marmalade, and an 8-year-old blended Scotch. These are generally well-regarded for quality and value.
Produced exclusively for Waitrose & Partners, this characterful single malt is distilled on the island of Islay in the Inner Hebrides, which is renowned for aromatic, peaty whiskies. Intensely peaty on the nose with a hint of sea breeze and heather. It is deeply smoky with a subtle sweetness and a long, malty finish.
Jack Daniel's has often topped UK sales charts recently, especially in 2021/2022, but The Famous Grouse frequently reclaims its spot as the UK's best-selling Scotch blend, with brands like Bells and Jameson also strong contenders in the blended whisky market, though premium single malts like Johnnie Walker and Macallan dominate luxury and bar pours.
Waitrose's main premium own-brand is No. 1 Waitrose & Partners, a comprehensive range for food lovers featuring high-quality ingredients and innovative products, recently expanded to over 600 items with a focus on taste and provenance, alongside their well-regarded organic line, Duchy Organic, known for sustainable, nature-friendly farming.
In our latest survey of the best and worst supermarkets, M&S was the top-rated grocer for in-store shopping for the third year in a row. Waitrose wasn't far behind, placing third after Aldi. Both achieved the maximum five stars for customer service, store appearance and staff.
Lagavulin offers a richer, sweeter, sherry-influenced peat with notes of dried fruit, tea, and oak, feeling more refined and complex (like a smoky library), while Laphroaig delivers a sharper, medicinal, seaweed-driven peat with distinct TCP, iodine, and salty maritime notes (like a bonfire on the beach), appealing to those seeking bold, pungent, medicinal smoke. Both are iconic Islay malts; Lagavulin leans towards sophisticated depth, whereas Laphroaig embraces intense, medicinal peat, making it a choice between smoky elegance and raw, seaside intensity.
Our No. 1 The Classic Box brings together four much-loved centres: Piedmont Hazelnut, Dark Chocolate Torte, Fleur de Sel and Valencia Orange. Each one is elevated with the best ingredients, covered in single origin chocolate and hand finished with a shimmering lustre.
Seagram's Five Star Canadian Rye Whisky is a smooth, approachable whisky crafted in the classic Canadian tradition. Blended from select grain whiskies and aged in oak barrels, it delivers a mellow and balanced character that makes it ideal for sipping neat, on the rocks, or as a base in your favorite cocktails.
While Queen Elizabeth herself was more of a gin drinker, The Famous Grouse was one of her favourites, with it receiving a royal warrant from her in 1984. While the Queen might have enjoyed a dram, it was Princess Margaret who really loved this blended whisky.
The biggest Waitrose in the UK is generally considered the store in Canary Wharf, London, a large, multi-level branch that also incorporates a John Lewis section, making it function as a department store, attracting many local workers and residents with its extensive offerings, including food-to-go, fresh counters, and a large home/tech section.
Waitrose has marked the first anniversary of its premium range, 'Waitrose 1′, by starting to export it to India and China. This means the retailer now exports Waitrose 1 to more than 30 territories including places such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, the Caribbean and the UAE.
We may be biased, but we'd have to say the best whiskey to drink straight for beginners is Jameson Irish Whiskey. Even to the unbiased wondering what is the smoothest Irish whiskey to drink straight or what is the easiest whiskey to drink straight, Jameson Irish Whiskey always comes out on top.
