scotch suggestion

Any good scotch recommendations in the 50 - 100 buck range to thank someone for an early morning lift to the airport?
T

 

Redbreast 15
Greenspot
Bookers

 

Lagavulin 16

It's great stuff!

 

Just wanted to put this up as a PSA. If you find something very special that you've been wanting to try out just make sure you check out the price 1st.
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+1!

But you gotta like peaty....

 

I've been pretty busy the past few months; the advantage of having such a hectic schedule is that it gave me a little $$ to spend on foolish things. At or near the top of my list of such items is a new bottle of whisky.

Macallan and others have been busy creating a variety of No Age Statement (NAS) whiskies, some very good, some just OK. I like Ardbeg, which has a great set of NAS bottles, and others are also jumping aboard as the supplies of barrels and demand for quality whisky continues to soar.

A few years ago, Macallan released their "1824" series for travel retail only. I've tried three of them (the fourth is in LaLalique at $2500US, and I have yet to find someone to share theirs with me). Very late last year, they added to the line with their "Rare Cask" that is sold in the US only.

Rather than being one more NAS bottle, Macallan is working to upscale their already pricey brand. They exclusively use sherry casks from Northern Spain to age their whisky, which gives Macallan that pink hue and smoother taste. For Rare Cask, the head distiller selected the top one percent of the sherry casks coming in, and then filled those barrels to age. It is all first-fill, and kept in that cask until blending and bottling. First-fill whisky is almost always the best and purest statement of the distiller's intent; in this case, aging them as such gives the Rare Cask a much deeper mahogany look than anything else they sell. Even though it is NAS, the ages brought together are from 18-30-plus years old. When you drink it, you can taste differing notes, which is due to the different ages of the liquid inside.

The nose is still sherry, a little stronger than you get with the 18; also citrus & spice (which comes from the oak cask). On the tongue, you get raisin, apricot, ginger and clove (chocolate?). The finish is clean and distinct, with a touch of smokiness that is unusual for them. It is a richer and deeper Scotch than the 18, different but on par with their 25 IMHO.

Right now, there are still enough bottles to keep the price from ratcheting up. I bought two bottles for $275 plus shipping. Most have it above $300, and I would humbly guess it will rise like their Fine Oak 21 and the 25 in price over the next few years (thus the second bottle). I'm drinking the first one this summer, and then saving the second one for the next significant life change that warrants a special dram.

The photo is upright when I loaded it, so feel free to turn your head on side to see it in its full glory. It comes with a great presentation box if you want to buy one for an important client or special friend. If they know Scotch, and the price is where you want it to be, this is a special one.
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Oh man. I keep reading nothing but great reviews. The next time I'm close to my favorite liquor store I'm going to pick up a bottle.

 

NAS has been decried by some as marketing hype to push younger scotch, due to a shortage of the older stuff.
Thought this was a good article:
http://www.askmen.com/fine_living/wine_dine_archive/no-age-statement-scotch.html

T

 

Thanks, interesting article, and I appreciate you posting it. Yes, those who might want to exploit the NAS trend could market whisky that has received coloring, or which adds spice by spiking it with younger barrels, etc. Even with the age-statement bottles, my thinking is to buy what you like to drink, and then explore new things as they come along to enhance your appreciation for Scotch (and its Japanese and Indian cousins).

Laphroaig's Quarter-Cask is very good; it was a runner-up for NAS whisky of the year in 2012. It is smoother and less disorienting than the Cask Strength 10, but at 48%, I still add a touch of water to it to open up its flavors.

The Macallan Rare Cask seems to be the fifth color in the 1824 line, but is also a break in their taste and smokiness that I think may raise the bar for others. The "M" they refer to in the article is already more than $5K US, so it, too, is in the group I'd love to try if I can find a friend who'd share.

 

Agreed. Anything that broadens the choices & flavors available is always a good thing...T

 

I've been drinking The Macalland 1824 series for several years now. I prefer the mid grade "Whiskey Makers Addition". I try and get a bottle every time I travel out of the country.
Currently my only issue with it is I need another bottle.
I've also tried the Glenroths Three Decade. Very good, but confusing. Drinks more like a Brady than a Scotch.
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Just got back from Scotland. What an education that was! Had opportunity to sample some of the most unusual scotch whiskies ever. I found one I really like but am not sure if I can get it in the States. It's called Port Charlotte. Made by Brauihcladdich on Islay and is very smokey. 40 PPM on the peat content and very tasty! It is made with all Islay barley and is about 50% by volume. A small touch of water in a glass and you are in Heaven.

 

Total Wine & More carries a limited array of Port Charlotte bottles; they are in Florida (and most of the Eastern Seaboard & the southwestern states) & have pretty competitive prices. Port Charlotte has a "Peat Project" label that Islay enthusiasts like a lot, and their 10YO is also very good if you enjoy a stronger drink (both are still hard to find, though). With the success of Ardbeg, Laphroaig and Lagavulin (and others) from that Isle, the market is demanding more, so Port Charlotte and others are amping up supply.

The sub-brand of Bruichladdich was reportedly sold last year, and there's talk about them establishing a Port Charlotte distillery. I'm hoping this means they will be more widely available in the US in a few years. As you noted, the alcohol content is high, so the flavor opens up considerably if you add spring water (you also don't pass out as quickly at the shock of so much peat by cutting it a little). Bob H

 

do you guys tend to find the prices on caskers to be competitive or better then what you can find in your local store? I have seen them be way more expensive and ive also seen it way cheaper. whats the general consensus?

 

I don't use them for my online purchases, but checked some of their bottles with the same ones on K&L Wines (that has a great whisky selection). I found K&L was the same price on a few, and cheaper by about 8-10% on some others. For example, the Bruichladdich Octomore was $149 on K&L & $199 on Caskers.

Some bottles are hard to find, so paying a few dollars more for a bottle you really want is fine IMHO; I tend to shop around to see the range of prices, and then go with someone I know in most cases.

Bob H

 

I use Wine Searcher. Wine-Searcher by Wine-Searcher. Caskets is never competitive price wise.
Ltd https://appsto.re/us/IymWJ.i
Excellent nationwide search for any alcohol. I also live close to a Total Wine. Total Wine is great but wine searcher is almost always way cheaper

 

oh wow robert thats a great app! I will definitely have to utilize that one. I always wondered if there was something out there like it but never gave it a serious look. thanks for the heads up on it.

 

Look what I found in Milwaukee! Sadly I can't rab one as check in bags don't allow and I'm not spending 30 to check it for my home.
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The Peat Project is a mainstay in my liquor cabinet, along with Talisker Storm, definitely my two faves!

 

Isla Malts have bitten me! I am smitten.

I used to hate the peaty taste, now I can't go without.

I bought all of the 8 malts and find that I think I like Caol Ila the best, Laguvlin a close second. Although I think I will probably change once I drink and become more accustomed to the others.

At Costco you can get Laguvlin 16 for about $50 which I think is a pretty good deal

 

I've mentioned it before in this thread, but I had Glenmorangie Signet again last night and it remains, hands down, the best scotch I've had by a wide margin regardless of price. It's not peaty, but the flavor, smoothness, and finish is amazing.

 

Master of malt is a good website for research and ratings, I've found. Unfortunately, now that I live in Utah...nothing can be shipped here (directly, at least). Have to go across to Nevada or Idaho to find a decent total wine type store.

I've been more a Highland/Speyside person thus far (Balvenie 17 and Dalwhinnie 15 have been my go-tos for several years). The Balvenie 17 is especially good, while the Dalwhinnie is easy to drink and not super contemplative.

Wifey got me a bottle of Lagavulin 16 for our anniversary which I'm rather enthused to try, being an Islay dram...but she said I can't open it up until our actual day. Ha! Yes, dear...

 

Oban, need I say more..

 

For scotch, many have already suggested the usual brands. I try to drink Glenmorangie whenever I find it. Good stuff.

For something on the adventurous side, try Yamazaki 18. A Japanese whisky in the style of single malt.

 

Sipping a glass of Bowmore 12 year old single malt . Love the smokey taste!