Whisky is our hobby and passion. We are determined to try as many whiskies as we can in our journey to find the perfect malt. We have been collecting and drinking whisky seriously for about 15 years now and we are excited to share our opinion on the bottles we have in our collection. Hope you enjoy the journey with with us through these RU-vid video reviews. Cheers!!!
I've got 3 bottles of this amazing liquid headed my way and I'm excited! I've got 5 bottles of the 12 year and it is absolutely amazing stuff! Thank you for the review!
My local Total Wine just got this for $200 USD before tax so it’s on my wish list. It is labeled as spirits direct so there’s a chance I could get 10% off on it. it’s $180 before tax. In this day and age for an 18 year old scotch, I guess that’s good but still kind of pricey.
Really appreciated this top 5 of the year list because even though I've got about $35,000 in my personal scotch bar, I haven't tried a single one on this list other than the Bunnahabhain 12 year cask strength.
the latest hunting trip to a backwoods town in the northern US mountains: Port Ellen 37 17th release 750ml still priced at the lowest initial 2017-2018 release retail price 2500-2600usd. Yes, very high price but still far below current ~ 4000+usd prices at UK auction or US retail. This 17th release is equal to my favorite OB Port Ellen (10th release is equal good but a different style). A couple bottles for backup and/or investment.
Silvano Samaroli is my grandfather, how nice to see young people who are interested in and appreciate my grandfather's work. My grandfather was a very spiritual person and his spirits are pure magic. Thank you for keeping my grandfather's memory with you and above all for sharing it with others. my grandfather Silvano Samaroli died on a plane flight over Japan just as he told me he wanted (his father was an aeronaut for the Red Devils)
Of the various versions of the Bunna 18 bottled in the past 20 years, I like best the 46.3 abv versions from the 2010-2018 range (XVIII). These best versions are 89-91 pts score for me depending on where in the bottle the evolution is at. The other Bunna 18 versions, including the 43% abv from the pre-2010, are very nice too but a notch or two lower in score. Along with the best versions of the Talisker 18 from the same +/- 2015 vintages, the best Bunna 18 is on the podium of my fav. of the 18 blind line-ups. The best batches of Longrow 18 (2018 is a good one) are also on the podium along with the Bunna & Talisker. I have the Batch 02 Ledaig 18 as an honorable mention coming near to clawing its way on the podium as a unique wild card. SpringBank 18 can mix it up with the Ledaig, but these both are just a notch lower off the podium. Behind these for me are the Laphroaig and Macallan 18s of various more modern vintages since mid-2000s.
Great review Narbe. Totally agree that this Ledaig 18 is a great one for the money. I like the uniqueness of Batch No. 02 release (cool sliding-door wood box too). It has a nice note of roasted peppers (like a delish roasted pepper in a cheesy nacho blend) that I don't get in any other whisky. This note adds a savory element along with the other Sherried/Peat/farm notes. I don't see Batch No. 02 at auction much, but was able to get a few bottles stateside before it went away. The Batch 02 has been 88-89 pts for me on most days---but after lots of air and sitting at 1/2 fill level over 2 years it gets as high as 90 pts for me. I poured off 1/2 of a backup bottle into small bottles and it's been sitting for a couple years to see what other magic can happen. Can then compare that to both the neck pour juice in the sample bottles and the natural volume decline with time in the standard dram bottle.
Have you guys acquired and gotten to know the Bruichladdich Bere Barley series? It's one of my fav. Islay series--so unique and farm/field/grain/bakery forward. They take water amazingly well to really brings out additional complexity. For the uniqueness and quality, the Bere series is one of the great values in Islay whisky IMO.
Have you guys acquired and gotten to know the Ardbeg 8? I really like that one. IMO the 8 is def. better than the 5 and better than most 10 batches---but the good 10 batches are equal to the 8 and sometimes a bit better. The 8 is a great Add-on bottle to throw in with an auction order to reduce the shipping cost per bottle. 🙂
This Macallan is pretty darn good. Finally tried it recently! I want to try The Macallan M next but it is tough to get my hands on one or even a sip of the M or M Black.
Great review as always, absolutely luv the passion! My good friend is getting married down in OC this summer and would love it if you could give me some spots that you think are bucket list worthy level whisky joints in the area would be so much appreciated. Thanks as always for your great reviews, legend!
Of the newer and generally a bit lower quality vintages--2017 to 2022--my favorites are the 2018 & 2021 with the 2017 just behind due to its lower complexity. I know that many love the 2017, but it's just not as much my style. I prefer the bottles with more heavy but balanced coastal/farm/savory notes with good complexity in the smaller ephemeral notes as support to these. As I stated in my earlier comment below, it's really hard (or just not possible) to beat the quality of the 2013-2016 bottlings. The variety and number of quality bottles at various age statements released from Lagavulin in 2013-2016 is maybe the best run of batches released since the old days with 60s/70s juice. It was a good run. Maybe someday we'll get another 3-4 year run of great bottlings stacked up . . . . . . . . .
