A Christmas WHISKY WISH LIST

In the diverse world of whisky, where do you start if you want to buy a special seasonal bottle? Here are 10 expert picks to point you in the right direction

- STORY RICHARD WOODARD

Whisky requires patience. For Scotch, it takes three years and a day before the liquid in the cask can legally be called whisky; in practice, most distillers wait far longer before they're happy for you to try it.

But just because whisky is a long-term business, that doesn't make it immune to shifting trends, or incapable of responding to them. At a time when many prioritise paying the bills over what might appear to be a frivolous indulgence, it's encouraging to see that you can still pick up a 21-year-old Irish whiskey for south of £100.

Then again, age is merely a number - and you don't have to go deep into double figures to find quality. Young whiskies offer not only value for money, but an energising exuberance that, when well executed, is difficult to resist.

If it's easy to be drawn in by age statements, the same can be said of distillery names. There's comfort in familiarity, but don't forget the thrill of the new - the discovery of a name that's hardly ever seen. Independent bottlers are the go-to here, but not just for rare finds - they can also offer a fresh take on a malt that you thought you knew, confounding preconceptions.

Some trends are perennial. Call it extra maturation, call it 'finishing', but the fine art of transferring a whisky into a fresh cask to inject exciting new flavours is almost as old as whisky itself. But today the finishes - from tequila to Pineau des Charentes (an aperitif from western France) - are funkier and more fun than ever.