Deanston 12 v. Arran 10 v. Glen Garioch 12, and May the Best Value Scotch Malt Win

We all have those questions that keep us up at night, questions which (as Kant says) we cannot ignore but which at the same time we have not the power to answer. For me one of those questions is, "What's the best Scotch malt you can buy for fifty bucks?"

So far the mighty Bunnahabhain 12 has been in the lead on that question (see    • My Shopping Bag: Fine Blanche Armagnac, Yu...  ), but that doesn't mean there aren't other contenders worth a review. Many of them actually are available in the US at the price in question, such as the noble competition provided by Mortlach, Ardbeg, Glencadam, and others... and then there are others that should qualify even though the actual American MSRP is a bit too brutal, even though in fact they may not quite make it over at all. But on the Scotch market also as Kant says, Sollen should extend further than Sein. What we've got for this session, then, is a mixed trio of one malt that you can buy south of the magical $50 mark right now versus two malts that should be so available in a better world. Stats:

Deanston 12 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (OB, ex-bourbon casks; bottled circa 2021; unchillfiltered, 46.3%), 86+/100
Arran 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (OB; L 18 06 21, non-chillfiltered, natural color, 46% ABV), 85/100
Glen Garioch 12 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (OB, ex-bourbon and sherry casks; L9 262SB2, bottled circa 2021; 48% ABV), 88/100

The Arran is a terrific little island malt that gets bonus points for getting knocked over in the biggest spill I've had on the channel thus far... but for my money the new king of sub-$50 malts in the US market is the magnificent little Deanston, which is even a bit better than its old Burn Stewart stablemate the Bunnahabhain. Malty and citrusy and mineraly-smoky in equal measure, it's deeply unfashionable in a world dominated by wine casks and peat but good lord is it good.

And yet even that monster still isn't the best malt here: out of nowhere and against all odds, Big Daddy Kane style (that's a reference to    • Live Freestyle 95 (Big Scoob, Biggie, Tupa...  ), a Glen Garioch that isn't even available in America anymore sweeps in at the last minute to crush all contenders. You can't buy the flower power at issue here unless you have access to European shops, but if you've got a Passion for Whisky then such Fine Drams might still be worth seeking out. If you know what I mean.