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Single Malt Scotch!
- Thread starter tombowlus
- Start date
Received a bottle of HP18 from my dad last Christmas. It's excellent! Didn't find the 15 much of an "upgrade" over the 12 but the 18 is great.
Agreed... Highland Park 18 is great. I don't have the 12 or 15, but do have the 18 (on recommendation) and love it!
I've got a couple other non-Islay malts (they're inside the liquor cabinet), but to be honest if I'm not in the mood for the smokey stuff I'll almost always head for an American bourbon/whiskey. Currently really digging Buffalo Trace and Bulleit rye.
Picked up a bottle of Speyburn 10 today, having a glass now, not too bad. I usually go for Glenlivet 12 but the local store was fresh out, so I gave this a try.
When I don't want to go to Islay my favorite place to go is usually Balvenie, especially the incredible Single Barrel 15, although I think I'm going to have a go at the Taketsuru 17, my first introduction to the excellence of Japanese whiskies.
Unfortunately they only sell the Taketsuru 12 here and it is priced three times its proper price of $20 in Japan, while the much better 17 is available for less than the 12 goes for here. I bring all this up because it would be too bad for someone to judge Taketsuru by their 12, which I don't care for at all, and miss out in the future on the 17 and 21 (about $50 and $90 in Japan), or if you could ever find it again, the 35. They also make a very overpriced 25 for about $500 while the no longer available 35 went for $700.
Unfortunately they only sell the Taketsuru 12 here and it is priced three times its proper price of $20 in Japan, while the much better 17 is available for less than the 12 goes for here. I bring all this up because it would be too bad for someone to judge Taketsuru by their 12, which I don't care for at all, and miss out in the future on the 17 and 21 (about $50 and $90 in Japan), or if you could ever find it again, the 35. They also make a very overpriced 25 for about $500 while the no longer available 35 went for $700.
bump.
I'm reposting some comments from my fb page. I recently bought two bottles at my favorite shop for great prices (Ardbeg 10 for $37 with a coupon and Talisker Storm for $34!) and did some comparisons with Lagavulin 16.
I knew Ardbeg 10 and Lagavulin 16 pretty well already, but haven't tasted them together in a while. Talisker Storm is new to me. I really like all three; they have different strengths while being variations on a theme. Lagavulin has a nice balance between smoke, peat, and fruity sweetness (almost like fig to me) and is very smooth. Ardbeg has these flavors with more of a salty quality that I like. The flavors aren't quite as integrated as Lagavulin but I really like the viscous mouthfeel. Talisker has a fantastic balance of all these flavors (smoke, honey fruit, salty, less peaty) but has a little more burn on entry.
Especially for the prices I paid (I could've gotten the Lagavulin for $48, but I've got a bottle already that's 3/4 full), I'm very happy with these purchases...and my local store that has these great deals. I should branch out from Ardbeg and Lagavulin, but the deals are too good to pass up. I'll branch out when I'm out at a bar/pub.
I'm reposting some comments from my fb page. I recently bought two bottles at my favorite shop for great prices (Ardbeg 10 for $37 with a coupon and Talisker Storm for $34!) and did some comparisons with Lagavulin 16.
I knew Ardbeg 10 and Lagavulin 16 pretty well already, but haven't tasted them together in a while. Talisker Storm is new to me. I really like all three; they have different strengths while being variations on a theme. Lagavulin has a nice balance between smoke, peat, and fruity sweetness (almost like fig to me) and is very smooth. Ardbeg has these flavors with more of a salty quality that I like. The flavors aren't quite as integrated as Lagavulin but I really like the viscous mouthfeel. Talisker has a fantastic balance of all these flavors (smoke, honey fruit, salty, less peaty) but has a little more burn on entry.
Especially for the prices I paid (I could've gotten the Lagavulin for $48, but I've got a bottle already that's 3/4 full), I'm very happy with these purchases...and my local store that has these great deals. I should branch out from Ardbeg and Lagavulin, but the deals are too good to pass up. I'll branch out when I'm out at a bar/pub.
Great writeup on three great scotches....you have lag16 and ardbeg 10 nailed. Looking forward to the perfect storm
At home I've been going back to the Ardbeg first over my other Islays lately. Part of it may have to do with the 1L bottle I bought going through Duty free the last time I flew internationally, but I really find it has a great mix of value, peat and drink ability in comparison to the other baseline Islay malts.
My folks came to town today with a special delivery!
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Bass the final frontier!
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Bass the final frontier!
- Apr 3, 2003
- 35,515
- 19,941
- Disclosures
- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
There is about 15 yrs between these two bottles!
The one on the right is from the last batch of 21yo that was produced back in 1998. I had two of these: drank one, kept one. Original sale price was about £75 (about $125)!
The left hand (as posted earlier) was the first new batch (1500 bottles) of 21yo since the '98 release, which sold out immediately on release last year.
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Bass the final frontier!
The one on the right is from the last batch of 21yo that was produced back in 1998. I had two of these: drank one, kept one. Original sale price was about £75 (about $125)!
The left hand (as posted earlier) was the first new batch (1500 bottles) of 21yo since the '98 release, which sold out immediately on release last year.
Sent from my iPhone using TalkBass
Bass the final frontier!
Has anybody tried Glen Garioch 12-year? I stumbled upon a very reasonably-priced bottle locally. I've only tried one glass, so far, but it reminds me of another Highland whisky I love: Dalwhinnie.
Ok, well, today was dust the liquor cabinet day so I emptied it and decided to take a picture of just the single malts to post here.
Glenrothes Robur Reserve and Glengoyne 21 are semi-recent additions and they have pleasantly surprised me
Glenrothes Robur Reserve and Glengoyne 21 are semi-recent additions and they have pleasantly surprised me
Wow....a nice line up.....I'll be right overOk, well, today was dust the liquor cabinet day so I emptied it and decided to take a picture of just the single malts to post here.
Glenrothes Robur Reserve and Glengoyne 21 are semi-recent additions and they have pleasantly surprised me
Well, those bottles, and other non scotch ones, are always available during dinner parties at my house
