Single Malt Scotch!

[burk48237]

I saw a couple of new ones that intrigued me yesterday. While I bought the Talisker Distillers Edition, The store had just gotten in a Lagavullen 10. Has anyone tried it? I'm also starting to see several new Macallens, including a 17 and a 10. I heard the 10 is more peaty. Does anyone here have personal experience with either one?

 

[Smallequestrian]

Found this today while looking for my new favorite beer. I had heard that some of this had been bottled, but this is the first I've seen it in person. Nothing like a Scotch impulse buy!

 

[tombowlus]

Found this today while looking for my new favorite beer. I had heard that some of this had been bottled, but this is the first I've seen it in person. Nothing like a Scotch impulse buy!

Is that the cask-strength? I picked up a bottle, and I've been loving the heck out of it!

 

[Big Daddy Mac]

When I was driving home this morning, I heard on the news that somebody found a case of Scotch that was left under a hut in Antarctica by the English explorer Ernest Shackleton during one of his expedtions. Apparently the brand of this scotch has been defunct for many years. I think the news said that the White & McKay distillers purchased the case of scotch for analysis so they could restore this brand.

Does anyone else have any information on this?

 

[Vic]

When I was driving home this morning, I heard on the news that somebody found a case of Scotch that was left under a hut in Antarctica by the English explorer Ernest Shackleton during one of his expedtions. Apparently the brand of this scotch has been defunct for many years. I think the news said that the White & McKay distillers purchased the case of scotch for analysis so they could restore this brand.

Does anyone else have any information on this?

That's everything I heard on the radio this morning as well, except for the fact that they were "thawing it out very slowly" and currently have no plans to ever offer it up for sale or drinking.

Here's a good link to start with:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-10727911

 

[zachoff]

I've been buying Bowmore Legend lately because it's fairly cheap and pretty damn good. Macallan is another fav. Balvenie Doublewood... Of course the other Islays are awesome but I didn't love Bruichladdich much at all. Kinda had to choke that one down to be honest. Also thought Glenfiddich was not much to write home about. Generally love a good scotch.

 

[Vic]

I've been buying Bowmore Legend lately because it's fairly cheap and pretty damn good. Macallan is another fav. Balvenie Doublewood... Of course the other Islays are awesome but I didn't love Bruichladdich much at all. Kinda had to choke that one down to be honest. Also thought Glenfiddich was not much to write home about. Generally love a good scotch.

Ever get into Glendronach much? I managed to get a couple bottles of that 25yr 1968 before it doubled in price to 450 or so. To this day, still one of my all-time faves ever. Mac 18 is also one of my faves. There are so many it's unfair to even single these out, even in my very modest collection, but they're total "go to" scotches if you want something really nice, and of course for the really peaty Islay stuff, hard to go wrong with the Lagavulin 16 (or the cask strength, from what I'm reading).

 

[zachoff]

Ever get into Glendronach much? I managed to get a couple bottles of that 25yr 1968 before it doubled in price to 450 or so. To this day, still one of my all-time faves ever. Mac 18 is also one of my faves. There are so many it's unfair to even single these out, even in my very modest collection, but they're total "go to" scotches if you want something really nice, and of course for the really peaty Islay stuff, hard to go wrong with the Lagavulin 16 (or the cask strength, from what I'm reading).

Ha, $450? Man, I'm hard-pressed to spend that much on a bass! I'm sure it's awesome, but anything over $100/bottle is out of the question for me right now. Might buy a glass like that for my birthday or something though so I'll keep it in mind for sure. Yeah, I'm a bit of a scotch noob, but I've tried 20 or 30 to this point. I'm lucky to have a great scotch bar fairly close... Pint's Pub!

 

[Vic]

Ha, $450? Man, I'm hard-pressed to spend that much on a bass! I'm sure it's awesome, but anything over $100/bottle is out of the question for me right now. Might buy a glass like that for my birthday or something though so I'll keep it in mind for sure. Yeah, I'm a bit of a scotch noob, but I've tried 20 or 30 to this point. I'm lucky to have a great scotch bar fairly close... Pint's Pub!

Again, I bought it when it was still less than half that, but even at that price, really, I'm with you. I typically spend 70-150 on a bottle of scotch, and even 150 is a heck of a lot of money for scotch for me. Thing is, I drink it REALLY slowly, so over the course of a year, I don't really spend that much.

 

[Stubb]

I've been buying Bowmore Legend lately because it's fairly cheap and pretty damn good. Macallan is another fav. Balvenie Doublewood... Of course the other Islays are awesome but I didn't love Bruichladdich much at all. Kinda had to choke that one down to be honest. Also thought Glenfiddich was not much to write home about. Generally love a good scotch.

Bowmore Legend is amazing for $30.

Gordon & Macphail just released, I think, a series of malts showcasing the various distilleries they own around the place from each region. I've only had the Highland, which is 7 or 8 year old Highland Park, but it was really great. Their Islay is 7 or 8 year old Bunnahabhain, which to me is one of the hidden gems of Islay. That will probably be my next "budget bottle."

When I'm feeling rich, I drink Talisker, which I got as a birthday gift, or my favorite, Laphroaig Quarter Cask.

EDIT - I also want to put out the notion that too much emphasis is put on age, as if an 18 is going to be infinitely better than a 12 of the same malt. To me, that's preposterous. I could drink 12 year or under whisky for the rest of my life and have a fine time of it. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love Macallan 18, and I love Highland Park 18, and I love all kinds of them, but I'd rather have three 10 or 12 year old bottles before one 18 in almost every case.

 

[lowendfriend]

Talisker keeps shaping up as one of my favorites. Great scotch at a reasonable price.

 

[zachoff]

...I love Macallan 18, and I love Highland Park 18, and I love all kinds of them, but I'd rather have three 10 or 12 year old bottles before one 18 in almost every case.

Yeah, Macallan 12 is my favorite price point for sure. I'm just a cheap bastard.

 

[sloasdaylight]

Yeah, Macallan 12 is my favorite price point for sure. I'm just a cheap bastard.

Bingo. I've had The Maccallan 18, and my best friend's dad, who is another avid scotch fan has had 30, and both of us agree that the price difference from 12 doesn't warrant the extra price.

That being said I was gifted a bottle of Sean Michaels Maccallan 18, and that was fantastic.

 

[McHaven]

I bought a bottle of glenlivet on impulse the other day. Fun, delicious stuff.

 

[sloasdaylight]

I bought a bottle of glenlivet on impulse the other day. Fun, delicious stuff.

Yessir it absolutely is.

 

[flipper_gv]

Bingo. I've had The Maccallan 18, and my best friend's dad, who is another avid scotch fan has had 30, and both of us agree that the price difference from 12 doesn't warrant the extra price.

That being said I was gifted a bottle of Sean Michaels Maccallan 18, and that was fantastic.

This is also what I've heard.

 

[Vic]

Bowmore Legend is amazing for $30.

Ok, I'm gonna' look for a bottle. Too many props to ignore this, and I do like their stuff. I have a bottle of their "Darkest", which is just wonderful, and an OOOOLD bottle of a '69 with about two drinks left in it, that's friggin' amazing.

Gordon & Macphail just released, I think, a series of malts showcasing the various distilleries they own around the place from each region. I've only had the Highland, which is 7 or 8 year old Highland Park, but it was really great. Their Islay is 7 or 8 year old Bunnahabhain, which to me is one of the hidden gems of Islay. That will probably be my next "budget bottle."

When I'm feeling rich, I drink Talisker, which I got as a birthday gift, or my favorite, Laphroaig Quarter Cask.

I just got a bottle of this not too long ago, and it's amazing how different it is from the 10/15. Amazing. Even though I love a nice peaty peppery 10 or 15 sometimes, I generally prefer the Quarter Cask at this point.

EDIT - I also want to put out the notion that too much emphasis is put on age, as if an 18 is going to be infinitely better than a 12 of the same malt. To me, that's preposterous. I could drink 12 year or under whisky for the rest of my life and have a fine time of it. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love Macallan 18, and I love Highland Park 18, and I love all kinds of them, but I'd rather have three 10 or 12 year old bottles before one 18 in almost every case.

+1

That said, at least in the case of the Macallan, while the 18 is a lot more expensive than the 12, IMHO it's worth it, because to me it seems a LOT smoother and richer. Love that. However, I always have a bottle of 12 on hand, as a "regular drinker", and it's also a truly great scotch... no doubt!

 

[burk48237]

I have developed a few new favorites, and had my views reinforced on some old favorites:

Budget Bottles:
I agree Bowmore Legend is a steal, certainly the best Scotch I've had under $30
Bowmore 12 at under $50 is a great step up, it has pushed Macallen 12 and Ballvenie 12 further back in the rotation.
Famous Grouse is good buy as a blend and I would certainly partake of it when Legend isn't available

Mid-Priced stuff:
Caol Illa 12 at around $55 is a great bottle of Scotch and it competes favorably with some stuff costing twice as much. It ended up being the favorite at our NAMM scotch testing with Vic, Tom Bowlus, and Mike Tobias (all far more discerning pallets then my own)
Glen Morange Quanta Rubin (port 12) is a nice rich Scotch when you're not in the mood for the smokey peaty stuff
Talisker 10 at around $60 is a just great stuff, the poor mans Lagivullen, and in some cases a fine variation on the Lagivullen peaty, smokey, rich smooth theme.

The Special Stuff:
Glengoyne 17 is just great all around stuff, nothing in its taste explodes, but it is very well balanced between the smooth and smokey with a nice rich flavor, a tough one to find but worth every dime of its $75 price tag.
Lagivullen 16 to me is the measuring stick, I can't go over $100, but I've sampled several over $100 and a couple of plus $500 dollar scotches that weren't significantly better to my pallet. When I try a Scotch my first question is how does it compare to Lagivullen 16
Talisker Distiller Edition 96 is my all time favorite. It is exceptional in every category. If I'm left on a desert island just leave me my Sadowsky, a fly rod, Natalie Portman, and several bottles of this stuff. I'll find a way to survive.

 

[zachoff]

Talisker Distiller Edition 96 is my all time favorite. It is exceptional in every category. If I'm left on a desert island just leave me my Sadowsky, a fly rod, Natalie Portman, and several bottles of this stuff. I'll find a way to survive.

That's pretty much the best desert island ever.

 

[Smallequestrian]

Is that the cask-strength? I picked up a bottle, and I've been loving the heck out of it!

Yep, its the cask strength.

I have a bottle of Quarter Cask Laphroig and a regular Laphroid 10 year. The Lagavulin 12 is smoother than the Laphoroig, not as peaty, but peatier than the Lagavulin 16 and not as smooth.

All around a fairly good compromise in tastes. This bottle will last me awhile, but at the price I'd rather get another Quarter Cask Laphroig for cheaper.