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Always liked the peatier end of the game, but if you like a sweetish smooth malt with a slightly smokey finish, Jura Superstition is knocking about a lot of supermarkets at about £25. I've got a bottle of Ardbeg 10 yr old on the go at the moment. Needs a drop of water to really let it go, but one of my favourites. The kids have got me a bottle of Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Scottish Barley for my birthday, so counting down to the 2nd to give that one a go.
We called in at the Tomatin distillery on our travels in the summer, and picked up a bottle of the 12-year old (sherry cask). It's lovely, and never seems to get a mention in threads like this one. (It's a Highland, and it's light, subtle and drinkable and doesn't taste of peaty or smokey mud.)
The other reason for the two distinct styles is the soil the water used has filtered down through.
Islay peaty soil. Speyside much less.
Having had a few favorites largely due to sentiment, Scapa really is my #1. Discovered the 16 right before they stopped producing it ( have bottle at the back of the wardrobe now) the replacement Orcadian comes in two varieties and both are pretty much on the mark. Never mind yer Highland Park when you want to visit Orkney whisky, get over to the Scapa.
I'm a heathen turncoat bourbon lover. Knob Creek, Makers Mark or at a pinch JD.
So am I, I came to whisky much later.
JD is not bourbon, btw.
my current bottle of 12yr tomatin came with a miniature of the 14yr from a port cask. The 12is good but the 14 is great.and picked up a bottle of the 12-year old (sherry cask).
Gits
I went to the Tomatin distillery last winter, in the middle of a great snowstorm. I thought we were going to be snowed in - quite disappointed we got out...
My uncle in law is very good friends with one of the tour guides, so we had an extra long tour with a lot of tasters, followed by a great discount at the shop - all 4 bottles now drunk 🙂
Another sweeter Islay is Jura, Duirach's Own. Personally think its the best of the mainstream Jura's.
My all time favourite (so far) is Ardbeg's Lord of the Isles - it is simply stunning, never knew smooth til I tasted that.
Mind you, at over £400 a bottle it might be another few years til I taste it again!
Scapa really is my #1.
It's my number 2, try Old Pulteney 21yo you won't be disappointed
Just about to open a bottle of Glenrothes Robur Reserve.
Never had of bottle of this before, my wife bought it for me on a return trip from abroad, duty free.
Looking forward to some extensive testing,just in from a ride in the gloomy mist, need to replenish my fluids.......
Whisky!
Tastes [s]like[/s] worse than petrol!
just finished my second recent bottle of scapa, very nice
got a tobermory on the go at the moment
and an eradour and balvenie carribean cask
Picked up a bottle of Talisker Skye, along with a bottle each of Highland Park and Woodford Reserve bourbon before Christmas, and I'm enjoying the Talisker so much I thought I'd pick up another, and I found this one on the shelf in Morrisons this morning:
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The rather neat bag has already been earmarked as a carrying case for my heavy-duty powerpack battery, an ideal bit of re-purposing.
Was given a bottle of Talisker Skye for Best Man duties in November - very nice it is too.
No mention of Cragganmore?
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Another sweeter Islay is Jura,
well, yes except Jura isn't actually Islay, it's another island
trail_rat - Member
The other reason for the two distinct styles is the soil the water used has filtered down through.Islay peaty soil. Speyside much less.
Good point
Another Islay worth a sniff is the newest distillery, Kilchoman. The owners leased a farm, started growing barley, then decided to make whisky out of it. One of very, very few distilleries with their own malting floor, most buy in from specialist malting companies who can provide malt to specific requirements.
Sorry, meant to type 'island' & went with 'islay' instead - oops.
Tastes like worse than petrol!
I wouldn't expect anyone to appreciate a good whisky if they drink petrol.
Talisker Storm currently in Amazon Lightning deal.
Dalwhinnie Winters Gold will be at 6.29pm: lot of love for it here, lot of hate in the Amazon reviews. I liked it.
What are the prices? I try not to use Amazon unless it's a super-duper deal.
Storm - £26.99
Winters Gold - £25.00 (4.6/5.0 in Amazon)
Thanks, good prices but I will refrain for the sake of my bank account and to help reduce my intake.
I have tried a few of these lighter offerings from some of the famous distilleries.
Loved that Dalwhinnie.
Talisker Skye was OK but just made me want the proper stuff.
Laphroaig Select is nice in its own right, very well made - but the 10yo is better.
Bowmore sherry cask 9yo is lovely - something different to the normal 12yo, while still sharing the same character. The peat and sherry work well together IMO.
Winters Gold 23.00 in lightning deal so not hardly a massive reduction on their regular 25.00 price...
Bought a Talisker Storm but passed on the Gold as fancied trying something new to me. My Gold never made it as far as freezer!
Loads of excellent choices here. Currently sipping a Tomatin which is lovely. If I had a favourite though I would choose Glenfarclas 10 year old. Their 105 is good too though definitely for sippin' not gulpin'.
As expected the Port Charlotte Scottish Barley has turned out to be an awesome birthday pressie. It's very peaty nosed, but a touch of fire to it. Sweetish, caramel and something I can't put my finger on. Long finish. I'll try it with a threat of water next nip, see if it opens up a bit, but first impressions are good. Compares favourably with the Ardbeg for phenol content.
As expected the Port Charlotte Scottish Barley has turned out to be an awesome birthday pressie. It's very peaty nosed, but a touch of fire to it. Sweetish, caramel and something I can't put my finger on. Long finish. I'll try it with a threat of water next nip, see if it opens up a bit, but first impressions are good. Compares favourably with the Ardbeg for phenol content.
Johnnie Walker Double Black is on a lightning deal of 24 quid just now, just incase that's of interest to anyone...
[url= https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B008X6TB08/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_q57AybFPA91EP ]JW Double Black[/url]
(hopefully doesn't start a single malt v blend argument :wink:)
A couple that haven't been mentioned that we like: Ledaig (from the Tobermory distillery on Mull) and Caol Ila, another Islay distillery. They could hardly be more different and we do get "looks" at the whisky shop if we buy a bottle of each at the same time. Another one that isn't perhaps well known is Mortlach, one of the Speyside distilleries.