Depending on what you don’t like about Laphroaig, you shouldn’t write off all Islay whiskys.

It has a strong TCP/ medicinal quality under the heavy smoke, which is fairly Laph. Other Islays are more subtle.
I don’t mind Laphroaig, but currently have a bottle of Bowmore 12, and it is a wonderful experience, smoke is more fireside and bonfire and there isn’t the TCP undertones.

Aside from that and re-treading old ground, have you tried Bourbon?
Sweeter, less intense than scotch, I recommend Makers Mark or Woodford Reserve, both commonly available for £20 (when deals are in place) and are great neat, with ice or mixed (heresy! get buffalo trace for mixing)

One Irish whiskey I have and enjoy is Pogues, seems gimicky but is great.
https://thedropstore.com/collections/irish-whiskey/products/the-pogues-irish-whiskey-40-0-70cl
£16

Depending on what you don’t like about Laphroaig, you shouldn’t write off all Islay whiskys.

was going to type that it was pure TCP but then read underneath where you say as much 🙂

i havent tried bourbon no, i maybe ought to sometime.

as for bowmore 12/pogues, im loathe to waste buy any more bottles until i get used to a milder whisky taste really.

thanks

I’ve a friend who loves the speysides. He buys a bottle every couple of weeks at £20-25. Drinks the lot in a few days which is fine as it suits him

.Me I buy bottles up to about £40 most months and occasionally up to £60. I have a dram or two every 2 or 3 nights. Any single bottle might be in the cupboard for upto 4 or 5 years before it’s finished. He reckons that’s fine. We think we spend roughly the same amount per year and both love whisky. The only problem is he can’t stand peaty whisky shame really still all the more for me

update time. enjoying the ben bracken speysides probably a bit more than my rum at the moment, which led me to an impulse buy today.

tamnavulin at asda, £20. had speyside written on the bottle so thought id gamble. and….. i think i prefer it to the ben brackens, its very nice indeed. light, yet still leaves that burn in your mouth. again tho, i dont get the promised smells of toffee, honey or marzipan, nor the tastes of pear, pineapple or citrus. it just tastes like nice whisky 😀

cant find it on that chart ^^^, but id guess it should have a place in the ‘bottom left quadrant’ opposite the islays.

cheers

tamnavulin at asda, £20.

Tesco have a deal on the sherry cask version at the moment, £30 for a litre. In fact if you go onto Tesco online shop, select whisky > special offers, there’s usually a couple of good ones there with some decent discounts.

I do like Tamnavulin, lovely warming mellow taste.

Tesco have a deal on the sherry cask version at the moment, £30 for a litre.

whats the difference?

whats the difference

There’ll be some different random “tasting notes” on the label somewhere. They’ll probably include raisins and the old favourite, Christmas Cake.
Actual difference will be anyone’s guess from practically nil to actually noticeable.

https://www.irishpremiumspirits.com/shop/ have a good deal on Wild Geese.

I’ve gone for it x 2

The regular is drinkable, the single malt is bloody nice. Will be finding out soon what the limited is like.

https://thedropstore.com/collections/single-malt-whisky/products/benromach-malt-whiksy-10yro-43-70cl

Picked up a couple of bottles of Benromach 10. 10% off if you sign up to the mailing list and free delivery over £40.

This is the old bottling of the 10 year old. The new, rebranded Benromach 10 is not quite so good IMO. It’s medium peated, a really good all rounder.

tamnavulin at asda, £20. had speyside written on the bottle so thought id gamble. and….. i think i prefer it to the ben brackens, its very nice indeed. light, yet still leaves that burn in your mouth. again tho, i dont get the promised smells of toffee, honey or marzipan, nor the tastes of pear, pineapple or citrus. it just tastes like nice whisky 😀

Tesco have a deal on the sherry cask version at the moment, £30 for a litre.

just poured myself a dram or two and had a good look at the bottle. turns out it is indeed the sherry cask version i bought. good job i didnt pretend to get those smells and tastes 😀

funny how your tastes change isnt it. even tho id always liked the thought of whisky and wanted to like it, the ‘trial’ bottles would just stand unloved in the cupboard after a swig or two, eventually being given away or taken to barbies for others to drink.

now ive discovered these speysides i cant get enough of it, and rums now taken a back seat.
so much so i had to pretty much write yesterday off after a particularly enthusiastic session during an online comedy show thursday evening.

wifes just bought me a glen marnoch from aldi to try too as she noticed it was a speyside. gonna have to be careful here 😀

Plenty of bargains starting to filter through to supermarkets.

Exporting has been problematic since China clamped down on bribery, the Americans imposed sanctions Anne now brexit

The premium stuff will no doubt remain premium, but the choice of well priced single malts seems to be in the up

I might try some whiskey this year.

Any opinions on the £16 peaty smokey bottle from Lidl? (Starts with A).

I think it’s quite nice – if a touch sweet for my taste. Would love it at 45%

Just seen a bottle of Singletons Speyside down to £25 in local Tesco, £12 off it says….

Not heard of that one, anyone care to comment as to whether it’s a good one or not?

Any recommendations for a nice drop of non-peaty / non smokey malt? Up to 50 UKP.

My tastes tend to Islay, so the usual Lagavulin, Laphroig, etc etc. Gotta get a bottle for someone who did me a favour and they don’t like the smokey peaty ones so much. I’m a bit ignorant of anything not from Islay.

Freester,

I’d recommend Deanston 12 and Glen Garioch 12. Both unpeated malts from thr Highland region. The Deanston should be sub £40, the Glen Garioch (pronounced Gairee) just over. Usually available on Amazon.

There are a couple of non-peated Islay malts – Bunnahabhein and the standard Bruichladdich.

Thank you. I already got him a bottle of the Bruichladdich Classic Laddie!!!

Thanks for the recommendations.

Glengoyne is a good tipple for non-peaty/non-smokey
only had the 10yr, but a 12yr just arrived this morning and is waiting to be opened.
Mine came from house of Malt, but the 10yr is often available at M&S at about £35

Glengoyne 10 occasionally come up for £25 quid on Amazon. It’s just under £30 at the moment.

Another suggestion would be a nice bourbon. Have a look at Wild Turkey Rare Breed. Usually available under 50 quid.

Bunnahabhain 12 is very nice for that price

Just seen a bottle of Singleton Speyside down to £25 in local Tesco, £12 off it says….

Not heard of that one, anyone care to comment as to whether it’s a good one or not?

well i also saw it for even less at asda, just £22 so i had a punt. pleased i did, i think its my favourite at the minute.
i never get any of the flavours listed with beers/whiskies, but with this one i do get a hint of pear. not sure i would have if i hadnt read it first, but now i know its there i definitely get it. lovely and smooth.

Saw an Ardbeg 10yo in Tesco yesterday for £37.

I’ve picked up a bottle of Penderyn single malt Madeira whiskey. Chose it after a recommendation from a colleague and a look at their website. Not tried it yet but the presentation looks good so therefore it must taste ok 😉😂.

@retrorick

how much and where from?

Penderyn being Welsh is always on special somewhere – don’t think I’ve seen it at full price in supermarkets.

Edit – its £23 in Asda today

I paid £26 from Tesco for the Penderyn. Should be £37 if you don’t have a clubcard. I’ll look in Asda next time.

Amazon have Balvenie Doublewood for £32 at the moment. I know it’s Amazon but it’s a good price.

I paid £26 from Tesco for the Penderyn. Should be £37 if you don’t have a clubcard.

Penderyn is never worth £37 (IMO), that’s just another of the artificial price bumps Tesco is using to drive people towards Clubcard.

Saw an Ardbeg 10yo in Tesco yesterday for £37.

So did I, and I bought one of them.

Now there’s a bottle which is worth £37.

Have that and then treat yourself to the Uigeadail next!

Have recently tried the Adelphi blended malt which is pretty decent for a blend. Lightly peated and fruity, available for just over £20.

A great price for a peated, sherried Bunna, 46.3%, natural colour and non-chill filtered.

impulse buy today, saw auchentoshan at tesco down from £35ish to £22 i think it was.

remembered it being a name thats been recommended on here, checked it didnt say ‘peaty’ or ‘smokey’ in the bumph and took a punt.
coconut, burnt toffee, vanilla and citrus you say? nahhhh, as per usual i dont get the flavours, but its a very nice, reeeaaally smooth tipple, which as per usual makes my gums tingle when i swill it round my mouth 😀

dont know if this is one of the recommended bottles, but its American Oak.

i like…..

I might take a trip down the tesco booze aisle this weekend.
I enjoyed the Penderyn whiskey i bought earlier in the year.

Resurrected for XMAS21.

any must have super bargains out there at the moment?

Best deal I’ve seem at present is Lagavulin 8 year old, £38 in Tesco with a Clubcard. Usually around £55 and a superior dram to the 16 year old in my view.

Ardbeg is down to £37 in Morrisons at the moment. Usually £47

mrb…Dads present sorted! doffs cap.

Dalwhinnie Winter’s Gold and Cardhu Gold Reserve down to £25 at Tesco.

Glengoyne 10 or 12
Deanston
Anything arran
Tobermory
Glenallachie 12
Cotswolds (avaliable in supermarkets)

All beautiful non plated whiskys

Sainsbury’s always have good deals on whisky I find. They seem to rotate their stock through the discount. So Laphroaig 10 and Aberlour 12 both have £10-11 off bringing them into the £20’s. I particularly like Aberlour. This time I went for something different, the Jura Journey for £22 – lovely rich, smooth slightly smokey favour (but not ott).