1/This is a price guide for Smokehead Islay and the three Islay single malts that sit closest to it: what each usually sells for, the range seen, and where this week's price lands against it. The numbers lead; the drams come after.
2/| Bottle | Usually around | Range we've seen | This week | Per standard drink, this week | |---|---:|---|---:|---:| | Smokehead Islay | $82 | $76–$82 | $82 | — | | Laphroaig Select Cask | $75 | $75–$84 | $75 for members | $3.39 | | Ardbeg An Oa | $74 | $74–$149 | $74 | $2.89 | | Ardbeg Wee Beastie | $106 | $90–$106 | $92 | $3.51 |
3/Three are sitting at their everyday price this week: Smokehead Islay at $82, Laphroaig Select Cask at $75 and Ardbeg An Oa at $74, each where it usually sells. Ardbeg Wee Beastie is $92 this week, under its usual of around $106. Per standard drink, Laphroaig runs $3.39, An Oa $2.89 and Wee Beastie $3.51, so a pour of any of the three costs less at home than a standard drink from a $13 pint at the pub, which works out around $6.28. So: came for Smokehead? It's at its usual $82. Want the softer, sweeter smoke? Laphroaig and An Oa are both at their everyday price. After the biggest hit? Wee Beastie is below its usual this week. A yes for each.
None recorded.
None recorded.
{
"date": "2026-11-05",
"title": "A price guide: Smokehead Islay and its closest single malts",
"angle": "price-guide",
"shape": "thread",
"masthead": "the-whisky-desk",
"status": "draft",
"may_publish": true,
"generator": "new",
"artefact_id": "2026-11-05-cycle/price-guide/smokehead-islay-single-malt-700ml-40-laphroaig-select-cask-s-f865a3",
"grounded_on": "2026-11-05.1",
"subjects": [
"Smokehead Islay Single Malt 700mL 40%",
"Laphroaig Select Cask Scotch Whisky 700mL",
"Ardbeg An Oa Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 700mL",
"Ardbeg Wee Beastie Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 700mL"
],
"claims": [
{
"item": "Smokehead Islay Single Malt 700mL 40%",
"kind": "price",
"value": 81.99,
"basis": "list",
"stockcode": "914343"
},
{
"item": "Laphroaig Select Cask Scotch Whisky 700mL",
"kind": "price",
"value": 75,
"basis": "member",
"stockcode": "782355"
},
{
"item": "Ardbeg An Oa Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 700mL",
"kind": "price",
"value": 74.5,
"basis": "list",
"stockcode": "646895"
},
{
"item": "Ardbeg Wee Beastie Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 700mL",
"kind": "price",
"value": 91.99,
"basis": "list",
"stockcode": "156863"
}
],
"score": 3300,
"news": [
{
"item": "Ardbeg Wee Beastie Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 700mL",
"trigger": "week_move",
"pct": -13.2,
"this_week": 91.99,
"last_week": 105.99
},
{
"item": "Ardbeg Wee Beastie Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 700mL",
"trigger": "outside_band",
"pct": -3,
"price": 91.99,
"lo": 94.79,
"hi": 105.99,
"basis": "list",
"state": "below"
},
{
"item": "Ardbeg Wee Beastie Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 700mL",
"trigger": "beats_liquorland",
"pct": 14.8,
"dm_price": 91.99,
"dm_basis": "list",
"ll_price": 108
}
],
"seed": 2453055951,
"plan_n": 59,
"plan_day": "Wed",
"plan_source": "derived from the article",
"writer": "claude -p --output-format json",
"tries": 1,
"passed_on_try": 1,
"needs_a_person": false,
"checks": {
"required facts": true,
"no invented reason": true,
"Australian spelling": true,
"machine habits": true,
"proofread": true,
"reluctance": true,
"post plan": true,
"no causal claims": true,
"invented flavours": true,
"swap reasons": true,
"banned words": true,
"length": true,
"comparisons": true,
"numbers traced": true,
"like for like": true
},
"audience": "public",
"written_by": "model",
"site_publish_share": true,
"site_share_pct": 75,
"verified_at": "2026-11-05T02:21:18.000Z",
"verified_by": "etl/price_verify.py",
"verified_prices": {
"156863": {
"value": 91.99,
"basis": "list"
},
"646895": {
"value": 74.5,
"basis": "list"
},
"782355": {
"value": 75,
"basis": "member"
},
"914343": {
"value": 81.99,
"basis": "list"
}
},
"verification_note": "4 price claim(s) verified live",
"quality_gate": "pass",
"gated_at": "2026-11-05T02:21:18.000Z",
"site_publish": true,
"quality_notes": "new generator: 15 of 15 checks passed"
}