The Glenfarclas 15 is 45 quid at Amazon which is great for a 15 year old at 46%. £42.90 at The Whisky World although postage is payable unless you spend £150.

Glenfarclas 15 is £52 on my amazon1`

https://www.kosherwine.co.uk/glenfarclas-15-year-old-p1828/s1853?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=glenfarclas-15-year-old-kw00597&utm_campaign=product%2Blisting%2Bads&cid=GBP&gclid=CjwKCAiA5IL-BRAzEiwA0lcWYhM9ZApyqn1j1ICnx9PZC2Iz23ItgqR4XMfNkMKO_CIBnXvWma31DBoCIIsQAvD_BwE

What’s this Smokehead?

It was the whisky that finally got me enjoying whisky (probably because the person offering me a glass had no hesitation to stick a bit of water in it as well).

It might horrify the purists, coloured, chill filtered, NAS and I’ve not bothered researching the ‘young Caol Isla’ claim, I just know I like it.

Actually this review probably explains why I enjoyed it first time, described best as an ‘approachable’ Islay.

https://malt-review.com/2018/09/21/smokehead-islay-single-malt-scotch-whisky/

I think you need to be careful with NAS stuff but not all of them are bad.

I like Talisker and the 10YO is definitely superior to to Storm and Skye. But some of the Highland Park NAS stuff is very good. Yes the standard 12YO is a classic dram but Dragon Legend is lovely stuff too.

Not see any great bargains on Amazon for malt, £20 for a bottle of Makers isn’t bad if you like bourbon

you have to cut it quite a lot to get it down to a level it’s drinkable so the bottles last longer.

Ah, got you – the obvious meaning that entirely escaped me! It’s good point to consider when looking at some of the higher ABV drams.

Somehow I have missed this thread. For the last 8 or 9 years I have been drinking Talisker whiskey, but the other day I opened a gift pack of Glenfiddich small bottles. Last night I drank the Glenfiddich 18, it was very nice!

Now I will have to scroll through this post.

I’ve not bothered researching the ‘young Caol Isla’ claim

Young Ardbeg according to the article you linked! I suppose an advantage of the NAS and no origin statement is they can source it from whichever Islay distillery has a few suitable casks going, and adding colour means they can make it look the same between bottlings whatever they use.

Interesting but I think I’ll stick to Caol Ila 12

The Ileach and Finlaggan bottlings are also worth checking out for anyone willing to take a punt on some unidentified Islay malt.

The cask strength versions come in around £45 which is very reasonable. Reviews are pretty positive too.

The Arran 10 and Cask Reserve are both beautiful whiskies that I purchased for the Masters this year. Very much worth the £33 on Amazon

the 5yo Ardbeg wee beastie is £35 on Master of Malt, anyone tried it ??

the 5yo Ardbeg wee beastie is £35 on Master of Malt, anyone tried it ??

Yes, it’s great but not very much like normal Ardbeg.

A lot more fierce.

Laphroaig 10 yr old £26 in Morrisons

Some half decent Black Friday deals on Amazon. Nowt amazing but seem to recall 40% off Glenfiddich and 35% off one of the Highland Park editions (which I know isn’t aged etc etc).

singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/good-whisky-deals-xmas-2020/page/2/#post-11501042

https://www.tyndrumwhisky.com/arran-10yo-glass-gift-pack.html

This is a very nice little set. Bought one for myself but would make a good gift.

What happens to whisky once bottled. I have 2 bottles that I think I was given for my 40th that have sat untouched and sealed for more than 10 years. I rarely drink it now, and when I do I prefer bourbon.

I mean, I guess it’s still perfectly drinkable but has no real value beyond it’s value when bottled, it’s not like it’s 200 year old or one of a kind.

One’s a Glenlivet 12yo, pretty nondescript. The other’s a 12yo Aberlour double sherry cask. Unless someone says I’m sat on a goldmine, does anyone want it? Guildford, free for collection but charity donation if you feel like it.

On blends, Compass Box Spice Tree is absolutely delicious!

One’s a Glenlivet 12yo, pretty nondescript. The other’s a 12yo Aberlour double sherry cask. Unless someone says I’m sat on a goldmine, does anyone want it? Guildford, free for collection but charity donation if you feel like it.

Donate to your local mountain rescue team?

They do have one in the Surrey Hills, don’t they?

PS. The whisky will be fine, and at very rough guess you’ve got about £50-80 total there.

Booths have Speyburn 10yo Single Malt for £21. Half price; they have Penderyn Madeira finish Welsh whisky for £28. Not to be outdone, Waitrose & Sainsbury’s have it for £27

Talisker 10yo on amazon for £31 posted

Talisker 10

I bloody love this stuff!

Might grab one of them, ta, not had a bottle of it in ages.

Auchentoshan is £20 at Tesco. I’ve not tried but might pick one up to try.

I find myself taking enormous pleasure in tasting whisky during the winter months. Please take a look at Ralfys reviews of various types and price points. He uses the words I wish I could find but enjoy learning from his vast knowledge.

https://www.youtube.com/c/ralfystuff

I am a bit of a fan of the Aldi and Lidl single malts. I’ve seen blurb saying Lidl are ding a 16 year old Islay Ben Bracken for 34 quid. Now, their NAS Ben Bracken suits me just fine for 17 quid, so I’m pretty sure the 16 year old is worth a punt. Anyone tried it yet?

I had a 16 or 18-year-old Speyside or Highland Ben Bracken for about that price a few years ago.

Didn’t rate it that highly, personally, bit murky and unremarkable, so I would need to see some good reviews of the Islay.

Highland Park 12 yo – £25 in Tesco, or Amazon

Tesco are doing Woodford Reserve for £20 with a clubcard, great deal.

As far as NAS scotches go etc, as someone with a masters degree in whisky production and an incredibly in-depth knowledge of maturation chemistry, all the effects happen in the first 9 months of the spirit going in the barrel. I say all – maybe 98%? The final 2% happens in the next 9 months. When it comes to older aged whiskys, you’re paying for business risk, storage and evaporation losses, not flavour. But the human mind is very suggestible, so the more your pay the better your feel about it. It is ALL story/marketing.
Whisky is the biggest psychological, protectionist scam pulled on man. Blame Lloyd George – nasty teetotaller.

Whisky is the biggest psychological, protectionist scam pulled on man.

I thought that was Brewdog, selling their beer in their own pubs for more than Wetherspoons was 😉

as someone with a masters degree in whisky production and an incredibly in-depth knowledge of maturation chemistry, all the effects happen in the first 9 months of the spirit going in the barrel. I say all – maybe 98%?

I’d have said it’s more like 97%, but then I always think odd numbers are more plausible.

Whisky is the biggest psychological, protectionist scam pulled on man

The Pope just asked me to hold his beer.

Going with a Bourbon as well – hopping on Jim Murrays “Bourbon is currently better than Scotch” bandwagon. My vote is on Wild Turkey Rarebreed – think it scored 96 points in one of Jims Whisky Bibles. Not only is it better than any bourbon I’ve had that cost a lot more, it’s better than any Scotch I’ve had as well.

I think it gets you 98-99 percent of the way to some of the crazy expensive Bourbons, that I’ve tried small taster bottles of, at a relatively sensible price.

58.6 ABV cask strength liquid crack, that doesn’t need ice or a dash of water to make it work or the sweetness to shine through.

Tesco are doing Woodford Reserve for £20 with a clubcard, great deal.

Really? Right, I’ll try to get into the one in town over the weekend, I’m very partial to Woodfords, as well as Bufallo Trace. Trouble is, I’m getting my central heating boiler replaced on Saturday, so it’s going to be a dash into town Sunday, and hope there’s some left.

The following video covers Wild Turkey 101 vs Woodford – the Rarebreed is like 101 but on steroids.

Next is a Rarebreed review

Do yourselves a favour, see if you can get Wild Turkey 101 or Rarebreed at a decent price. Do it, do it, do it. Or get both!

Am I allowed to say I generally prefer 10-12 yr old whisky to the 15-18?

Possibly just low brow tastes but lighter on the wallet than my brother’s tastes.

Whisky is the biggest psychological, protectionist scam pulled on man

The Pope just asked me to hold his beer.

😂😂😂🍻

The Lidl Ben Bracken Islay is actually pretty good. I wouldn’t buy the Speyside again, though.

Ardbeg 10 yo at £37 (with Tesco clubcard) takes some beating methinks.

Whisky is the biggest psychological, protectionist scam pulled on man. Blame Lloyd George – nasty teetotaller.

I don’t even know what that’s supposed to mean!
Anyway, popped into Tesco in town and got a bottle each of Woodfords Reserve and Buffalo Trace on Clubcard offer, so I’m now set for Christmas and the new year.

great thread…

done myself a favour, got a bottle of Rare Breed in the post!! regular Wild Turkey is my favourite off-the-shelf tipple so looking forward to this – is it sacrilege to drink over ice?

i always go bourbon with ice / malts at room.

also flexed my clubcard and got a tenner off a bottle of Ardbeg 10. oosh. packs a punch.

i always go bourbon with ice / malts at room.

I like Woodford or Makers neat/ room temp, but Buffalo Trace i like a big ice cube in there.

Malts i like in a glass, in my hand, warmed so slightly higher than room temp