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Single Malt Scotch!

I think HP18 is one of the best buys in the whisky world. HP is almost the Platonic ideal of whisky for me ... not as full and raucous as the island malts, but with a hairier chest than most Speys.

Regional stereotypes certainly aren't a be all and end all. Just as you see with HP, not all island malts are nuclear. An unpeated Bruichladdich is a nice mellow Islay.
 
I don't have much experience with the Bruinchladdich but my first encounter really surprised me, it was very mellow and not at all what I expected. 16yo Chateau Margaux casks if I recall correctly.

Ultimately, it comes down to what one feels like having. Some times mellow is good, nuclear peat on the other hand is always good :D
 
I don't have much experience with the Bruinchladdich but my first encounter really surprised me, it was very mellow and not at all what I expected. 16yo Chateau Margaux casks if I recall correctly.

Ultimately, it comes down to what one feels like having. Some times mellow is good, nuclear peat on the other hand is always good :D

Even the bog standard 10 year old is pretty nice :)

The variety is something I really like!
 
My Cabinet starting with Scotch:

Macallan 18
Macallan Select Oak
Macallan Whiskey Maker's Edition
Glenfiddich Malt Masters Edition (Sherry Cask)
Glenfiddich 15
Aberlour 18
Mortlach 16
Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength
Glenfarclas 30
Glendronach 18
Auchentoshan 18
Auchentoshan Three Wood
Glenlivet 21
MacKinlay's Rare and Old (Shackleton Expedition)

Irish Malts:
Knappogue Castle 17 Sherry Finish
Jameson 18
 
Benriach 'Heart of Speyside'
Benromach Traditional
Benromach 10 yo
Benromach Organic
Benromach Peatsmoke
Glenfiddich 12 yo
Glenfiddich 15 yo
Glenfiddich 18 yo
Jura Superstition
Jura 12 yo
Old Pulteney 12 yo
Tomintoul 12 yo (Oloroso Sherry cask finish)
Tomintoul 16 yo

Though most are 20 to 35 cl bottles, just the Old Pulteney and Benromach Traditional are full size bottles.
 
I just started on my scotch journey a few months ago and have found myself more than a little confounded on a few occasions already.

A couple months ago I was given an old bottle of Glenfiddich 12 which I knew was at least drinkable but not enjoyable based on an earlier purchase. Much to my surprise I liked it a lot, but unfortunately I left it where it was and won't see it again for a while, so comparisons with a newer bottle will have to wait. Last week I took a glass at the bar and didn't like it at all, leading me to ponder, is there a big difference between the present Glenfiddich and what they were making a couple decades ago?
I don't know how old the bottle is, but my stepfather said it was his favorite and he's been gone for over 10 years already.

Another surprise for me was buying a bottle of Dewar's 12 and JW Black, and finding that I liked the Dewar's but not the JW. I'd thought JW was supposed to be one of the standards?

Anyway, my present favorites are Ardbeg 10, Ardbeg Uigeadail, Laphroaig 10, Laphroaig Quarter Cask, Lagavulin 16 and Port Ellen 25.
I've only had one sampling of the Port Ellen, but even at the price it goes for I'm planning on getting a bottle while there are still some out there.

With my preferences listed, are there any suggestions that would fit well with this selection?
 
You crazy guys and your Islay's! Those peat bombs are NOT for me.

Currently in the cabinet:
Kirkland 20 year (Sherry)
Cylnelish 14 year (Sherry)
Tomatin 18 year (Sherry)
Aberlour A'bundah (Sherry)

I wonder if there's a pattern here.....

PS: That Kirkland 20 year was picked up as Costco a week ago. Seems to remind me of Macallan, others seem to think so as well. Not bad for a $45 bottle, but definitely on the more "bland" side of the scale to me.
 
When I bought my HP18 I could swear the Auchentoshan 18 was talking to me "nickbass wants you to tryyyy meee, pick meee me me me, just do it". I could swear I looked at that bottle at least 20 times trying to make up my mind :p

That's so weird! That's exactly what it says to me every day;-) I think I should move my coffee maker, because now it's located directly under my scotch cabinet. Temptation every morning at 0600. :D
 

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