Is THIS Balvenie 21 Port Wood BETTER Than 99% of 21 year old whiskies? 

A wise decision my friend!

Haha drinking their own koolaid! Yeah I think that is the safest bet for success - avoid a whisky that has committed the 3 deadly sins (added colour, chill filtered and low ABV). You are almost always guaranteed a pretty good experience with a whisky that doesn't do those things.

I'm not surprised. I have looked at that one in the past and if I should grab it, maybe it's worth checking it out.

😊🥃

I know you know my friend! Sometimes we have to learn the hard way unfortunately 😉 Hope you are well big fella 🥃

totally agree, their distillate is great but way to expensive for what you get.

Thank you my friend, appreciate the kind words 🥃

Summed it up beautifully my friend!

Thank you my friend 🥃 $200 is a much better price than what it goes for now!

Agreed my friend, I would absolutely buy all three of those over this every day of the week. Each of those provide a superior drinking experience over the Balvenie 21

That's what gets me, knowing what these distilleries can and do produce it feels like they are taking the piss offering up this and charging what they do for it.

@@McIntyresMalts what’s worrying me, are some of the newer distillers seem they might also start increasing prices so it reduces the alternatives. It doesn’t help when the Aussie and UK govts increase alcohol duties.

Agreed Andrew, can only imagine how much that would have cost 😳

@@McIntyresMalts Well, I haven't been abroad for decades, so I get travel retail bottles from auctions - including fees and shipping it set me back ~£170 (~$330?), but I think it was worth it...

​@@andrewbutler7681 Sounds like better value than this one! I just checked on our main Auction site and it typically goes for $550 +fees and shipping. That's a hard pass from me.

Not one that you pick up very much then I take it 😉

First one that comes to mind is the GlenDronach 21 Parliament for about $320 AUD ($80 less) and it absolutely DESTROYS this Balvenie. The GD 21 is also 48% ABV and natural colour. For context I also recently picked up a Whisky Sponge Kildalton 14 (Ardbeg) at 60% ABV for the same price as this Balvenie, and it was one of the best whiskies I tasted all last year. What kind of flavour profile do you like? Perhaps I can recommend some others that would be to your liking 😊

Thanks Wade. I love a good sherried whisky for celebrations. Will keep the Glendronach in mind 👍🏼

@@McIntyresMalts The last time I saw it cheap online was just @ 2019. It went for about $110 I think. Do you know it is now at or higher that $300 here in the states? At $200 I’d buy it. But I believe it’s no longer the older than the age statement bottles. Reason I never got around to buying it was back in the day the popular opinion was the 18 was just as good if not better and cheaper. We’re talking the old Billy Walker versions mind you. So I bought several of those and never got around to getting the old 21.

@@SaltyCuban $300 in USD is NUTS for that whisky!! It's good, but that is absurd money. I actually prefer the 15 out of all the GD core line up because I feel it gives the best balance of cask influence and spirit character.

Definitely positioning themselves as a luxury product

Thanks mate. The 12 is better value for money for sure, and when it was still around I enjoyed the Double Wood 17

@@McIntyresMalts yeh 21 disappointing news! ✌️

I feel the same my friend.

I would love to, but I currently don't have either bottle. What is it about those two expressions that you want to see them compared against one another?

@@McIntyresMalts I watched your videos and find unique resemblance between the ones you like and even those you don’t - right on the spot. Also you like comparing one vs another. The Auchentoshan 21 and the Dalmore Cigar Malt are my favorite 2 Scotches under $500. They are both extremely unique in both nose and palate (which makes them easily a memorable favorite) yet within a 100 other bottles one would pinpoint those two as somewhat alike even in a blind taste. The Cigar Malt has a flavor profile that beats the much more expensive King Alexander III from the same distillery. Probably due to the Cabernet Sauvignon maturation, which even though also present in the King Alexander III is much different due to the maturation in 6 different casks in total. The Auchentoshan 21 (which has a completely different flavor profile compared to the 18 of the same distillery) is just - you will love it. period :) Yet, wondering how you would review those two. This would be really exciting.

Would definitely be an improvement having that extra 3%. Would love to try the non-chill filtered version.

£200 is about $390 AUD, so a serious budget! If you want to spend close to that budget, I'd go: Springbank 15 GlenDronach Single Casks (vary in age and price) SMWS Macallans are about the best you can find at a reasonable price / in this range Even Kavalan Solist expressions If you have that budget but don't need to spend it all and still want some solid sherried drams: Tamdhu 15 GlenAllachie 15 GlenDronach 18 Ardnamurchan AD Sherry Cask Or a peat sherry combo: Laphroaig 10 Sherry Oak Kilchoman Sanaig Ardbeg Uigeadail

@@McIntyresMalts 200 pounds is @$255 is the current exchange rate. Which is why your 2nd and 3rd tier lists are more to my budget. Very comprehensive. I do have several Tamdhu 15s in my stash. 2 Glendronach 18s. Never had the Glenallachie 15 however. Basically I wanted to buy something now that is likely going to be out of my reach in a year or more. I was eying the Bunna 18 for @115 pounds (not inc shipping) or Tamdhu 18 for @124 pounds. Thank you so much

255 you must be taking American dollars yeah? In Australia where I am based £200 is almost doubled. I was going to suggest Tamdhu 18 or Bunna 18 but didn’t think they were close enough to topping out your budget, but definitely good selections to go with 👌👌

@@McIntyresMalts have you had the Deanston 18? I saw one online for 70 pounds. I was thinking of buying one of The aforementioned plus either the Deanston or Benrinnes 15 to round out the purchase. I subbed btw. Thanks for the replies.

@@SaltyCuban I haven't had the Deanston 18, but it is entirely Bourbon matured I believe. The Benrinnes 15 is great, can recommend as something meaty and different. Have reviewed if you haven't already seen it ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-rmrXQt6wTww.html

Yeah there’s not a lot of 21-year-old whiskies that come to mind for me straight away. The first two that I can think of are the Glendronach 21, which is much more affordable than this one and destroys it on specs and flavour and nose, and possibly also the Glengoyne 21, whilst specs aren’t as good as a Glendronach they’re better than the Balvenie 21 and it’s more affordable. The Arran 21 would be the best choice in terms of being the polar opposite experience of the Balvenie, i.e. natural colour, non-chill filtered, 46% ABV and STILL cheaper than the Balvenie in Australia.

@@McIntyresMalts I considered the Glendronach 21 but unfortunately in the latest round of price increases it is actually more expensive than the Balvenie 21 in my market in Canada XD

​@@Hexagonal_Crank Oh wow! That's mental. Also in AUS there is: Tobermory 21 Oloroso Finish ~$300 Redbreast 21 $399 Benromach 21 ~$250 Benriach 21 ~$250 Loch Lomond 21 ~$330 Auchentoshan 21 $330 Cheapest would be Glenfarclas 21 at about $200, but it's good, not great. Would also be interested to see the Glen Moray Port Wood 21 up against this. It's about $330 here, but has integrity specs

And they’re “Woke AF!”

What did I miss? What did they do?

Someone else mentioned Week of Peat to me too. Maybe it’s one worth looking at, but I’ll proceed cautiously with Balvenie based on this experience and their price point.

@@McIntyresMalts I went to the Glenfiddich (William Grant & son’s, who also own Balvenie) website last year to tell them I thought they ruined the GF15 when they started finishing it in sherry and It was all African & Asian people pictured, no Europeans and a bunch of crap about how they’re focused on “net zero” and DEI not whisky.

@@McIntyresMalts Week of Peat is “KILLER!”