Best single-malt Scotch...

CARDHU

When I lived in Scotland there was no "best malt" - variety is the spice of life - I'd have a half a dozen bottles from speyside (from towns where we played golf) - another half dozen from the west coast and then several from the Islands up north and of course a few from the highlands and a couple from the lowlands. Now I am nolonger in Scotland I simply keep six bottles - I stick with Lagavulin - Talisker - Oban - Cragganmore - Glenkinichie - Dalwhinnie - to which I throw in a few with a port wood finish and other distinct colorations. These are all easy to find and relatively cheap/good value and will cover the range that you need for guests (actually a great marketing ploy from United Distillers) - to me there is no best - only what you happen to feel like depending on your mood, the weather and your meal.

Everybody have their own taste. For me, I A/B'ed some and ranked them as following:

#1, Lagavulin 16;
#2, Talisker 10;
#3, Oban 14;
#4, Laphroaig 10;
#5, Springbank 15;
#6, Balvenie 15;

Whisky Magazine's Best Single Malt list has:

World’s Best Islay Peated Single Malt Whisky
Lagavulin 16 Years Old

World’s Best Highland Single Malt Whisky
Glenmorangie Nectar D’Or

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well diserve the honor.
Lagavulin, an all time classic. nothing more to be said.

Glenmorangie has a very delicate aroma, not too much to be tacky. The after taste has a hint of sweetness, an open feeling, refreshing. Truly Wonderful.

Well, I find the concept of a 'best' single malt to be just as elusive as 'best' preamp or a 'best' speaker. It doesn't exist. Depends far too much on weather, attitude, time of day, or whatever. HOWEVER...if my arm were twisted, I would point the gentle reader to this:

http://cgim.audiogon.com/i/vs/i/f/1194193217.jpg

In the center of the top shelf, just to the left of the Macallan jug, is a bottle of 1973 Longrow, which is my all time favorite whisky - and not by a narrow margin. Unfortunately, it is effectively unobtainable now. Several years ago, I saw a bottle go for 600 pounds at a Glasgow auction. I lived in Aberdeen for 4 years in the 1990s. This was going for about 30 pounds ($45) at the time. If I had only known...

I'll be opening that bottle on the day I retire. Incidentally, Longrow is available again. It's made by Springbank, using peated malt. For those of you who like both Springbank and the Islays, give it a try. Not the equal of the 1973, it's still very, very good.