15 ESSENTIAL Whiskies to build your collection! 

Absolutely shocked how similar my picks would be to yours in practically every category. Excellent picks, Phil. loved it! 🥃

Top quality content as always, Phil. Great for the beginner and enjoyable for the well acquainted.

As always, top notch production quality. Really love the concept for this video of giving several options for each category. Even several years into my whisky journey I was able to add a few to my wish list to try! I just had a great experience introducing a group of beginners to whisky with the Glen Scotia Double Cask. It's affordable, easy to drink/not overpowering, and simply tastes delicious. 10/10 would recommend for a whisky that both beginners (and not only beginners!) can enjoy without breaking the bank! Really curious to try the GS Victoriana now. Soon... All the best!

You are absolute right in your concepts!!! Im doing it from two years ago. Thanks a lot Phil!!!

Once again great video Phil, have been building up my collection over the last 15 years and found your splitting into categories really interesting and gives me ideas for my next purchases, cheers

Great job here, Phil! I think I’ve managed to cover all the bases here with what I have in my stash.

Very comprehensive list Phil, it was a journey to watch :)

Thanks Phil for another well thought out and well made video. This video will help newcomers to the Journey, and it will guide them with the insights and categories I wished I had when I first started. Great work. Cheers from Montreal!

Glad to find out that I.ve tried at least one in all your categories ( except older and funky ones).Promise to do something about it:). Appreciate your passion for single malts...keep up the good work! Cheers, mate!

Another fantastic video!!! Cheers Phil!

Outstanding video! Both informative and entertaining ‼️

I have been binge watching your videos. Great quality content with heaps of great information. I’ve always shied away from scotch because it has seemed so complicated but you are making it all very understandable. Keep up the good work.

This was a fantastic video. Also, your video production is on point. Keep the videos coming!

Solid List, like how you broke it down and giving a few options for each category. Definitely look to do a group share tasting with friends and each bring something they like. It really sucks when you spend a fair amount of money on a bottle, open it, taste it and hate it.

Fantastic video from both a information and production quality perspective. Cheers

I end up changing my whiskey quiet a lot depending what I am exploring but I almost always have a Laphroaig 10, Redbreast 12 and the Arran 10. I feel like they are complex enough to not be boring but I can still share them with ppl that are not whisky geeks

Amazing content Phil! Great collection you've got there.

really nice and informative video, planning also to start my whiskey collection, thank you for the list! :)

A must have in my collection would be Highland Park and Balvenie. Need to try some of the others you had but I’ve got a lot of them. Thanks for the list!

Beautifull collection of whisky's Phil. I got about 8 whisky bottles, most of them from scotland but they are al different. A few months ago i bought a dutch whisky for my fathers birthday called frysk hynder from Friesland, amazing whisky hope you'll try it some day. My next one is going to be a sherry cask whisky so i'm going to watch your video again about sherry cask whisky to make a choice. Thanks again for the awesome content my friend. Have a nice day!

Excellent categories. I started with Speysides, back in the nineties. Glenfiddich was my initial selection, made after a hasty testing of a few different single malts then available. Cheap single malts. As time passed, I slipped into Glenfiddich's Solera and kept that in my cabinet for years. I had even purchased a bottle of Laphroiag 10 to show folks the wide variety of flavors in Scotch. It certainly tastes nothing like Glenfiddich Solera. Then, I went back to Scotland, to Orkney and the Shetlands, and I stumbled across Highland Park and their whiskys. Then, on my way home, I snagged a huge bottle of Highland Park Einar at the Duty Free shop in Heathrow. I was pleasantly surprised once I'd opened it at home. I fell hard for that flavor. Einar was IT. The problem was it was only available at Duty Free shops. In the UK. I have since filled my collection out in a vain Quest for a whisky to replace that bottle of Einar. Highland Park's offerings locally (Viking, Magnus, & Cask Strength) were trialed and did not measure up; that's my 'cask strength' bottle. Having an aversion to 'peated whisky' thanks to Laphroiag 10, I was searching for a 'hint of peat' in my desired flavor profile. I talked myself into a bottle of Lagavulin 16 (now my 'old' bottle), along with a much tamer Glen Scotia 15. Neither fit my profile. Talikser Storm was too peaty, as well. Meanwhile, I discovered that what I really liked was sherried whiskies and I went down that road in a big way...Auchentoshen, Glenmorangie, Bunnahabhain, Aberlour, and Glenfarclas, all well represented. I'm prolly underrepresented in the non-sherried and unpeated, mostly malty Scotches, although I think the Glenfiddich 12 comes close. I also dabbled in some American Single Malt whiskys and I highly recommend Westland Single Malt and Westland Peated Single Malt and almost anything produced by Stranahan's. I'm chomping at the bit to get me another bottle of Blue Peak. As for bourbon, I hear a very local outfit right here in PDX (home of Aviation Gin), known as Freeland, produces a really decent bourbon. Right now, I have a bottle of Woodford Reserve, which I'll replace once it has tapped out.

Always good video topics Phil!

I am a Kentuckian, so I was basically raised on bourbon. Rare Breed is legendary and absolutely one of the best bourbons I’ve ever owned. I just started watching this channel because I want to expand my horizons to Scotch and more world whiskies. I’ve learned so much in such short time. Cheers!

Excellent video! I loved that you mentioned local whisky. Here in Brazil we have 2 great distilleries: Lamas and Union. I have arround 10 bottles from those distilleries hahaha

Those first 3 bottles were very similar to my first 3: had Laphroaig Select instead of 10 and Founder’s Reserve instead of 12. Think that was because of availability (supermarket)/price in UK. Great choice, they should be a staple in anyone’s collection. Aberlour 12 was my real awakening into whisky and no surprise it was around Christmas time - it’s such a festive drink 😄. Good to see importance of finding friends to share their faves, some of those like Craigellachie I wouldn’t have bought if it wasn’t for a friend who I swap samples with. You likely already have a bottle aware but wanted to mention Filey Bay as it’s currently my favourite English whisky, also Penderyn is a very bold Welsh whisky that I find divides my friends. Their port finish tastes like jam, I love that there’s distilleries out their pushing the envelope when it’s so tempting to play it safe. Glad to see your point about Japanese whiskies. I remember about 5+ years ago still being keen to have a bottle or two in my collection but hype has exceeded prices now.

Would love to see a bottle of blended malt in this list as well. Plenty of great choices there.

You've got to love a list video and this was a cracker, although its taken me an age to get caught up with this. Enjoyed putting my list together and we run on similar themes but slightly different lanes: Entry: Balvenie Doublewood Intermediate: Arran 10yo Sherried: Tamdhu 15yo (Shocker I know) Peaty: Kilchoman PX Sherry Cask: GlenAllachie BS Challenging: Laphroaig 10yo Sherry Oak Terroir: GlenAllachie 11yo Port Cask Older: Once the Glendronach 18 but that is now in the luxury category so I agree with the Arran 18 Bourbon: Makers Mark (Like Jon Snow I know nothing) World: Kavalan Solist Port Cask Local: Thompson Grain and Grape (But also like Cardrona, there bottle size not so much) Campbeltown: Kilkerran 8YO CS Indie: SMWS - mad scientist levels of experimentation Luxury: Tamdhu Gran Reserva

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Really enjoying the content. I currently have a modest number of bottles (too many get drunk for them to last long...) - Bunna 12, Glenlivet Illicit Still (my third bottle of that), Glendronach Peated (still to open), Deanston 12, Glenfarclas 8 (I guess that's my entry level one), Bulleit Rye, Bushmills Black Bush (a blend but I'd say a good one for the price) and another blend the Hankey Bannister 12 (still to try). Of previous bottles the ones I'd most like to have again would be the Arran Bothy, Bunnahabhain Cruach Mhona, Wild Turkey 101 and Cutty Sark Prohibition. I need a good smoky one, have been eyeing up Machrie Moor (Arran) or splashing a little bit on the Port Charlotte. Thanks for taking the time to make these videos.

Tried that Redbreast 15 recently and it is outraaaaaageously good.

Very informative 👍

Great video Phil! I agree with you on the diminishing returns, I think anything older than 18 years is wasted on my palette. I'm also a scotch drinker and have tried to get into bourbon but have found rye to be more my thing. Bulleit Rye is my go to or a great local example here in Oz is The Gospel Straight Rye. Cheers

Thank you Phil, I really enjoyed watching this video. Didn't skip a second! 😀

Fantastic content as always, really appreciate your input, I think we have very similar taste and I love you sense of humor that sneaks it’s way into your videos (like flipping a bottle and dropping it)! 🤣 Now to get my budget on point!

Twice I've splurged for Glenmorangie Signet. Absolutely delicious. The chocolate and citrus notes make it a great alternative to dessert.

such a useful video! thanks Phil.

Excellent show, good knowledge to have.

A bit of order and clarity in that ocean of whisky, that's what your video is all about IMO. Letting aside the luxury ones, I tick all the other categories. Proud owner of a 60+ collection (the 2 infinity bottles not included) and waiting for another 2 (Bunnahabhain Stiuireadair and Loch Lomond Single Grain- took Roy's last VPub advice). Thanks for another great video. Cheers from Romania!

I've been drinking whiskey for several years not, but the last year I got really interested in whisky. I started a small collection, some of your choices are already on my shelf ... Bunna 12 - Ardbeg 10 - Glenlivet12, Craigellachie 13. Got another Compass Box (orchard house), from Wales Penderyn (portwood), Arran 10 & Sherry cask strength, Bruich. classic laddie, Glenallachie 12, from Ireland Whistler bodega cask. Have not tried them all yet ☺️. Greeting from The Netherlands

Really hope you're able to explore Bourbons and other American whiskey's in the future. Some are a real treasure.

I live in the United States Midwest (my state borders both Tennessee and Kentucky), and if you go to a grocery store, there’s entire isles of bourbon. Usually between a sixth and a fourth of all liquor options here are bourbon.

I always get a smile when someone features the G.Signet. My fave. :)

Nice selection. Great video

Nice to see some Bourbon recommendations! Wild Turkey 101 is a classic any whisky drinker should have

Great video Phil. Would like to add some Tasmanian whisky to my collection.

Very helpful as I've only started around six months ago. Your selection has some of the ones I have written down .Glencaddam is next on my list as it comes from my home town. I've reached the stage of not buying anymore 40ABV stuff. Has to be all 46ABV and above from now on.

Great video and new fan. Glad I found your channel. I would , respectfully, add a Balvenie (any one as they are incredible) and Lagavulin 16.

Hi Phil I'm something of a newbie as far as whisky is concerned but I have to say that I've really enjoyed this particular video. I've already built up quite a collection, some of which I won't be replacing when they're finished, eg. Tullibardine Sovereign, not because it's a bad whisky, I just feel that I've outgrown it and am looking for something a little more challenging. I was slightly disappointed that you haven't included a category for blended whiskies although I suspect that it's not because you would disregard them but it's a category in which I have discovered one or two whiskies which I regard as being absolute gems, one of which has been nominated for this year's OSWA awards, the Campbelltown Loch, and also Six Isles Batch Strength by Ian MacLeod at 58% abv. I'm looking forward to seeing more from your channel as I do enjoy the content from your channel. Keep up the good work.

Great list!

Great shout on a local whisky. I've started to get more and more Fife whiskies. Luckily there's a few to choose from (Lindores, Kingsbarns, Daftmill, Eden Mill).

Glenlivet 12 is my favorite for scotch and soda.

I definitely went through the smokey door the first whiskey I fell in love with was Talisker 10,then laguvellin 16 but it's too expensive now, I'm a big fan of kilchommen whiskies I've had the joy of a kilchommen tasting with the owners of the distillery and my old boss had 2 bottles of the inaugral release kilchommen we enjoyed one of them.

Hi Phil, as always a great video. With my collection ?(stash) its mainly scotch single malt and its got a bit of everything, so, peated, sherry matured, different ex bourbon cask’s matured, IB’s, entry level bottles, a couple of wine cask malts and 18 yrs + malts. There’s a few Irish and some bourbon as well. Whats missing is world whiskies. Apart from that I’m happy with my stash. Slàinte Phil.

Excellent presentation ! Unfortunately no Springbank releases available in my accessible area (Ontario + Quebec). Another category that deserves a shout out - BLENDS. Example Johnnie Walker Green 15 or Double Black, etc

Awesome to see the Cley bottle, great stuff!

I don't know how available they are in New Zealand, but a good rye whiskey is a fun thing to have in a collection.

Hey, Great Shirt and equally great video.

Excellent video and editing. Can't dispute any of your selections, but wouldn't bother with Bourbon or Irish - I'm prejudiced, because there's enough Scotch to keep me happy!

I got 2 Glenmorangie Signet and every whisky lover should try this. Not necessarily owning one but at least taste it. The 16th whisky you should have is a limited edition cask strength. With all the info like date of casking, date of bottling, number of bottle etc just so you hold a piece of history

I’ve just discovered your channel and run through nearly almost all of the content by now. It’s very digestible and I’m struck by the professional look and production. I’ve just ordered a Glencadam 10, Glen Allachie 12, Deanston 12 and Kilchoman Sanaig for a Whisky tasting evening where everyone is bringing their own stuff, so should be an interesting one. All based off comments from your videos. Cheers!

As a resident of Texas, I really enjoy some of the Texas whiskeys. I love almost everything that Balcones produces. Their Lineage is a real value for an American Single Malt at around $40 USD. Still Austin makes a really nice cask strength bourbon at around $70 USD and a nice Rye at 49.8% ABV for $44 USD and a cask strength version at 58% ABV for about $65 USD. Ironroot Republic makes some good bourbons in the $55-$65 USD, AND TX Bourbon is quite good at around $45 USD.

Love your channel, bro. On the NZ whiskies, i will definitely look at the Cardrona and see if i can get it here in oz. have you tried the Scapegrace Timbre? If you haven’t yet, will you look at doing a nz whisky review vid?

great video!!

Great video btw

Thanks for your "hard work" tasting whiskies for our enjoyment. Being in the United States, I've started to investigate small distilleries here that make single malt whiskies like Yellow Rose, Swift and Balcones from Texas and Stranahan's Blue Peak from Colorado. I'm not sure you can get any of these in New Zealand, but if you ever make it to the States - check them out. I'd like to hear your assessment.

I enjoyed that amazed how many I have had in my collection over the years , many repeat buys. Just starting to notice the price increase especially in the 18yr and older range not so much in the 10yr to 15 yr range. As always value for money will dictate what joins my collection. The Arran quarter cask at 56.2% is great at £50 - 0

Great whiskies here! Arran 10 and 18 didn’t make the cut. Surprising! At least the 18 got a shout out 😁 great job as usual Phil!

My collection as of today (it's always changing). Johnnie Walker Gold 18 Centenary Blend (from a few years back) Oban 14 Glenkinchie 12 Lagavulin 16 Aultmore 12 Deanston 12 Arran 10 Loch Lomond 12 Craigellachie 13 Glen Garioch 12 Glendronach 12 (the unchill-filtered, natural color bottling) Bunnahabhain 12 Bunnahabhain 18 Springbank 10 Glen Allachie 11 Grattamacco Cask Finish Gordon & Macphail CS Macduff 14 I'm ashamed to say I don't have a bourbon, local, or Irish pot still, but they're on the list, and I'm on the hunt for Cotswolds if I can get it at a fair price. Cheers Phil! Great video as always!

#1: I am quite proud of how many bottles iI have that either match your choices exactly or come very close, in every single category! #2: Speaking of Japan, can you / have you already / are you allowed to discuss(ed) the when, why,& what of the changes we’ll be seeing in the next few years?

Just started my whisky journey Got Glenfiddich 15 Laphroaig 10 Glenfarclas 15 And a Tomatin legacy

Great video, lot's of interesting picks and things for me to think about when purchasing new bottles. As a Canadian, almost half of my current collection is rye. I'm not sure how popular or available it is outside North America, so I was surprised to see it didn't come up at all here. Are you into rye at all, and what would your choices be there? A few that I really enjoy are: Lot 40 Dark Oak, Crown Royal Northern Harvest, Sagamore Double Oak, Knob Creek 7 Year Rye.

Great advice ,to have some local whisky. It lead me to find out that my country (Estonia) also have our own whisky called Le Coq 5y. I also send you email about it and some pictures and info . Great video, thanks Phil Renee

Can't believe you managed to score a SB 12CS here in NZ! They are becoming so hard to find!

I Do have a small Collection of my own. 1. Highland Park 14 2. Royal Salute 21 Polo Edition 3. Macallan Lumina 4. Macallan Concept No.3 5. Bruichladdich Bere Barley 2008 6. Royal Brackla 12 7. GlenGrant 10 8. Chivas Regal 13 Caribbean Cask 9. Chivas Regal 13 Sherry Cask 10. Hibiki Master's Select Adding More and More...

Hi friend, good work👍, tell me please in which video is recension of Kilchoman Machir Bay? Thanks

Not sure if it is the same outside the US, though I expect it is, but the right mix of price, style, and quality depends on what is being imported in what volume and what is selling. I maintain every liquor store has 2 or 3 bottles underpriced for their quality, but what those are changes for mostly business and logistical reasons. Knowing this, I love it when I find the same whisky in two different stores for $10, $20, or even $30 difference. A great example of this is Compass Box for some reason, which sells for $60 or $80, but can be had for $40, presumably when someone has overbought.

Nikka Yoichi is on my list of must have under the world category…

Hi Phil I love your channel as it is very informative for beginner drinkers like me I recently tried the Glenlivet 12 and redbreast 12 I found them quite similar but I don't know why Would love to ask for your opinion on this

Love your videos, Phil. Wanted to ask. Do you have a video about websites that ship whisky worldwide? Thanks in advance. Your fan from Puerto Rico 🇵🇷

What are your thoughts on the Springbank 10-year? I was actually able to track down one of those from one of my local specialty shops.

Suggest a new category - whisky produced more than 40 years ago vs the modern version. I had a 1970's JW Black label and compared it to the current JW black. It was so different in taste and quality! However, this is one category that might be challenging to procure such old bottles.

Looking at my collection - I think my first XV would be as below: Front Row: Cask Strength x3 so, Glenallachie 10, Arran CS, A’bundah Locks: Rangy whisky 🥃 so Glen Scotia 15, Clynelish 14 Back Row: Rugged hard working Deanston 12, Raasay, Ardbeg An Oa Half back: light on its feet Glencadam 10 1st Five: Show pony Arran 23yo Centres: Versatile Ledaig 10, Kilkerran 12 Outside backs: Speed and skills Ardnamurchan, Old Pulteney 15, Edrador Don McLean As a group I’d feel pretty good - I have them all (and 90 others) and if that’s all I had I wouldn’t be too disappointed

Thanks for doing this, Phil! Been meaning to figure out a way to build my own collection. Not so hypothetical question: What would be your 7 whiskies be that would occupy all 15 categories?

glendronach 21 glenallachie 15 kavalan solist vinho barrique hibiki harmony lagavulin 16 ardbeg 10 arran sauternes slyrs px laphroaig brodir peats beast px macallan 18 fine oak royal salute 21 chivas regal these are my actual favorites thanks for sharing

So many whiskies on this list I have been dying to try but haven’t been able to find around me (us Midwest) ancnoc and glencadam at the top of my list

I think a lightly peated whisky would be a good addition. Something like an Oban or highland park. A gateway drug to introduce people to peat

Great video Phil. Such a nice balanced take on how to build yourself a collection and explore the wonderful world of whisky. Totally agree with Cotswolds being a great value and well presented non scotch whisky. Lots of ideas now for my next buys also! Cheers! 🥃

I totally agree with 18 years old being the sweet spot for scotch. When i think back to some of the best whiskey I have tried, or ones that are special. It's often 18 year old scotch. In western canada 18 year old scotch is around 160-200$ but it's about 80-100$ for a decent 12 year. I would say you get what you pay for. I would rather have 1 really special 18 than 2 nice 12 year olds( I know that some 18 year Olds aren't that special)

This pretty closely resembles the variety that I have, though it happened in a much different order.

I have a problem, I don’t collect them, I drink’em

Availability is the key word as most of the bottles are hard to find, at least over here in South America. About the categories mentioned, ¿no blends in a collection?

Are the Japanese whiskeys included in the WORLD category? Probably those should have had their own eh? All in all, great information here to keep adding nice stuff to the collection and the pallet. Cheers!

I have a buddy traveling from NZ to the states! Any recommendations on a NZ whisky he could bring that I can’t get in the States?

Enjoyed your video very much! Just one disappointment! No mention of my favorite whisky...Talisker!!!!^^

15 is a collection!

elijah craig , top class ,, most single cask scots are good to best ;;

I'm a bit further on in my journey, as it were, so I'll mostly just commend you on a good selection, but your 'Local' category has prompted me to give a shout-out to the Dartmoor Whisky Distillery, situated just down the road (about 100 yards/metres?) from the house I lived in from birth to age 3 (sadly since demolished and replaced by flats/apartments). They do good ex-bourbon, ex-sherry and ex-bordeaux red wine cask whiskies, so could fill several 'slots'...

More of a bourbon guy personally but love an Islay scotch. My advice is take it slow and don’t chase the hype bottles, as someone with a bunch of them they are not worth it. Grab them at retail if you can if not leave them on the shelf. Also try funky bottles you’ll be surprised!

Laphroaig 10 as one od 3 light ones for beginner?

WOW!!!