Macallan 15 is nice. Try the 18 which is a bit more expensive and (imho) well worth it. |
Thanks Rosco! I will try that! |
Hi Baka - I dont smoke, but I have bought those as a gift once and was told they are excellent. Enjoy! |
My favorites:
Macallan 30-year, 18-year
Springbank 18, 21-year
Ardberg Supernova
Lagavulin 16, 21-year
St. Magdalene 26-year
Yoichi 21-year
I tend towards the Islays as you can see...but still find the 18- and 30-year Macallans to be 2 of the greats. |
Hi Learsfool,
Yes...i was surprised after many years of not trying it, that the Laphroig 10 year is actually quite good. I think the last time, i had yet to be introduced to real peat...and i found it way too smoky. Now that i find myself enjoy Islay whisky's...i was quite pleasantly surprised by Laphroig. Very, very sweet, thick (or oily as they describe it)...and very nice rich smoke.
I have the Lagavulin 12, 16 and distiller's edition at home...would love to get 21-year but too expensive!!!
Am on the waitlist for a 21-year Springbank!!!!!! whoo hoo! |
Wow...30 & 40 laphroig are well regarded. I have tasted Balvenie but not the older ones.
I am still waiting for Springbank 21...and my current whisky collection is slowly dropping every weekend! |
Good call...have you tried the 30-year Macallan? |
Just bought the 10-yr Laphroig...no doubt it does not compare to the 30-year! But it is very sweet and smoky. Wonderful whisky. |
Hi Rich,
Macallan 18 is stunning and despite its expense, it competes well with much more expensive whiskys
Glenmorangie always good for a solid, slightly sweet and smooth whisky
Balvenie 21...some love, some like. Very agreeable though i much prefer the Macallan 18 which is ridiculously drinkable.
Enjoy! |
If anyone likes Macallan 18, alternatives that may be fun to try:
- Macallan 30 (25 over-rated imho)
- Glenrothes 1985
- Midleton (older stuff)
If you like peat (ie, smoke) in your whisky:
- Springbank 18-year
- Ardberg Supernova (very smoky)
- Lagavulin 16-year (in between the above 2 smoky whiskys)
Enjoy! |
Hi Baka1969,
Over here, a bottle of Macallan 18-yr is 80 and 30-yr is 300. The 25-yr is 200...and i think the 18-yr is nearly as good. Whereas the 30-year is stunning. |
Cool! Thanks, Don_c55. i will look that one up on Amazon to see if they've got it. |
Lloydc
sounds like good advice. thanks...Springbank is good stuff...i own the 18 and the 21-year. I have had the 35-year. All great...the 21 ranks in my top 5. the 18 in the top 9. |
Wow! 45 Springbank! Would def love to try...though i wonder is it better or just older and rarer? That said, the 21 and 35 are pretty sensational.
If you EVER get that 45 cracked open...pls post! |
Totally agree!!
I think the 25-yr Macallan is waaay overpriced and i have been saying it for nearly 7 years now. The 30-yr is stunning beyond all belief...but the 18 imho is better than the 25! Good to know on the others.
I am inclined to agree on Springbank 21 as well...that is one special bottle. Thank goodness i bought 2! ;) |
Good call on the Balenvie from what i have read...not tried. But will!!!
I have an older Glenmorangie which i enjoy...a nice gift from good friends who know me well.
I agree with your comments, Lloydc, on the Macallans and have had some non-chill filtered which were wonderful...i enjoy the flavors but would not profess enuf knowledge to know if it was the lack of chill filtering or not.
BTW, i have a rare 34-year old Demerara Rum...exceedingly rare for rum to be this old. Whoa...even my fiancee can drink it straight. It is a wonderful treat we picked up when we popped into the Whisky Shop which has several hundred bottles...and they also had a small rum section of rare rums. Cool! |
I have both Michael Jackson and Jim Murray's books. I have heard excellent things abou the Society in Edinburgh and there is also a Whisky Society spot in London. |
Good to know Rja. Thanks. |
sounds great, Kennyt! Congrats! |
Hi Sunnyboy1956
Agree the Hibekki 17yr is good stuff. My favorite is the Yoichi 20yr which my wife got me when she was in Japan.
BTW, i just picked up a Springbank 21-yr. I managed to get 2 last yr...have kept 1, and will keep the 2nd as well. |
All comparable whiskeys with a somewhat more similar flavor...certainly compared to the smokier stuff (Laphraoig, Springbank, Lagavulin). Bourbon is going to be sweeter than these, and somewhat 'richer' tasting. Dalwhinnie is quite a light drink and a quick clean finish as i recall. Have you tried Sazerac Rye? I have the 18yr and find it truly stunning. Falls along the Bourbon category, but somewhere between sweeter bourbons and the more 'straight' whiskeys you've tried. |
setting money aside, I actually prefer the 18-yr Macallan to the 25 year (or certainly do not consider it worse)...and then I find the 30 year just in a class almost by itself...or possibly alongside the 30yr Springbank. |
Wow! sounds amazing. how does it compare with some of the older Speysides like Glenrothes or Macallans? I have had Glenrothes from '85, plus 25, 30-yr Macallans. |
Thanks Unsound...I have definitely heard of Park Ave Liquors...great reputation. Thanks for reminding many of us! |
Thanks, Frogman! I have been reading good things about the Amrut... I think some of the newer Macallan stuff is a bit of marketing sadly. Does not mean there is not good new Macallan coming out...just that I think they're flooding the market a bit and taking advantage of their reputation. For the money now, i would definitely opt for an older Glenrothes. |
All great whiskys and have been fortunate to have tried nearly all of the ones you mention. You may like Glenrothes older ones if you like Balvenie...its a bit thicker but also Speyside. Better value for money than Macallan which (can sometime) be wonderful...particularly 18-year...but so expensive due to name recognition. Sazerac 18-year rye bourbon is amazing...regular Sazerac not bad either...Buffalo Trace is the group company, but I like Sazerac better than regular Buffalo Trace so far. On Irish, try Midleton if you can find it...very much in the Irish line (clean, distilled, etc) but also a bit richer in flavour while still smooth. Enjoy!!! |
Truemaineiac - please post back your impressions! Enjoy! Regarding Macallan, I think they have taken advantage of their name and started selling some whiskys where I think its just about the label...sad but it is business sometimes. I concur about the 10 and 12...and particularly the 15 in terms of price/performance. The 18 is nice, but frankly for the performance, it too has some real challengers. I like the older Glenrothes...you can buy a 1985 for about the price of the 18 year Macallan. You may like Highland Park 18---a highland but about as smooth as the speyside with a slightly creamier richer flavor. |
any particular Bowmore you recommend? |
