Unusually for Beam Suntory, they recently made some changes that will likely make Glen Garioch even better(their own malt floor and direct firing one of the stills). If they start using lightly peated malt again like they used to, I think we'll have some legendary stuff in 15 years time.
Glen garioch 12. Killer stuff. All baked cinnamon apples and fruit cake. Very autumn/Christmas for something bourbon matured. Nothing else our there like it
I feel like Knappogue Castle whiskies are pretty under the radar. I have the bourbon-matured 12 year-old with the teal label, and it's the most tropical-tasting whisky in my cabinet by a long shot. I also think the Black Bottle Alchemy Series line could get some more love. Some of the best budget blends around with some very distinctive flavor characteristics.
Excellent picks Geoff. Obviously the concept "under the radar" is subjective , my top five right now could be: Wolfburn Langskip Poit Dhubh 21 years Paul John Bold Glen Moray (Warehouse collection) Longrow Peated Cheers!
I don't have access to many of those here. The Wolfburn sounds interesting. I think the Glen Moray stuff is exclusive to the UK, if I'm not mistaken. Not sure how under-the-radar anything from Springbank is these days, but can't argue that it's delicious. Cheers! 🥃
@@Gwhisky For some reason Longrow Peated is the only Springbank dist. whisky you can easily get in Europe for 45 euros. Thats correct Glen Moray Warehouse collection its an UK exclusive but it is available now in Europe. Hope you can get it soon in Hong Kong , it is awesome!
Hi Geoff, nice list! I would recommend Glen Moray 18yo. Pretty inexpensive, high abv and altogether very tasteful and even complex. A real bang for your buck!
Hi Wouter. I've heard a lot of mixed reactions to the 18, but it's been on the wishlist for a while now. Sadly it's quite hard to find in Taipei these days. Cheers! 🥃
I just saw a bottle tonight at one of my liquor stores. I’m not sure what pretty inexpensive means, but it was $140. It has a weird abv : 47.2. I wouldn’t mind trying it but I’m not at that place in my life where I just buy $140 whiskies. Maybe someday.
Great list. I've been looking at the Craigellachie you mentioned too. Can't wait to hear your take on it. Oh hey, did I mention that I like Aultmore 12? Because I do. It's 46% and naturally presented. It's pretty light bodied, but with a drop of water and some time in the glass, there are real interesting subtle notes that come out. I think it's completely under the radar, and I can get it for around $60 USD. Pretty good value. I know that it didn't blow you away, Geoff, but for the other one or two or no people who read this comment, THIS Geoff recommends it. No one else is going to read this, are they? Sad face.
Hah, Aultmore didn't blow me away, but it's a quality, well presented, and fairly priced 12 year old, and I did actually enjoy it. Recommended by two Geoffs!
I really like what longmorn is doing! I think I have every bottle that they do or have done. 15, 16 new and old version (my favorite whisky of all time), 18, 23, 23 double matured and the 25 (that I did not taste yet) from the official line. Everything is excellent stuff. I have as well 8 bottles of independent bottlings. It's one of my favorite distillery as you can see. Looking forward to hear about the Craigellachie. Cheers.
I couldn't agree more! It's actually one of my favourite distilleries. They have a lot of great IBs, and most of their OB stuff is excellent. The 25 is a bit pricey, but it's on my. bucket list. The Craigellachie review should be out on Monday. Cheers Laurent! 🥃
Just last week I had a chat with someone that works for the German importer for Benromach to ask whether they knew of stores here that still had a bottle of the peated sherry contrasts bottling :-D Had to chuckle when that was the first bottle you mentioned
Great recommendations. I truly appreciate you spreading your knowledge! I have learned so much from your channel and appreciate your sarcasm. Your videos have a subtle complexity and sophisticated production...Cheers!
Solid list there Geoff! Really enjoyed hearing your thoughts on both the drams and whether you should drag out the concept to a second video :-) Kanpai!
Spot on with Longmorn. I just went through a bottle of the 16 and some pours were 91’s and some were 86’s w too much bite. Great flavor profile though.
As a category I would suggest a lot of great Blended Malts are 'Under the Radar Gems.' Some Whisky Nerds and a lot of casual Consumers are lumping them in with the regular grain blends and really missing out, in a too singular a focus on Single Malts. The various Douglas Laing lines, everything from Compass Box, some of the single Cask Nation stuff, and Berry Bros & Rudd all are cranking out great products, to name a few. Maybe a Top 5 Blended Malts list sometime in the future? Cheers.
Hi Geoff, great list video. I tend to prefer bourbon matured whisky so Benromach peat smoke bourbon matured for me is an excellent dram. Worth every penny. Slàinte Geoff, loving your list videos 👍.
Cheers David. I love bourbon-matured whiskies myself, but the regular Peat Smoke Contrasts is one I didn't connect with, oddly. Thanks for watching, buddy! 🥃
Kilkerran Heavily Peated, everyone talks about the rest of the range but these last the longest on the shelf (aside from the 12). They are amazing releases!
Agree. Pretty hard to go wrong with anything from Bruichladdich. Although... the Bruichladdich Bere Barley I've got on the go is... challenging. Cheers Jimmy. 🥃
Nice list, G. Unfortunately, I don't see most of these locally (NY). Maybe the PC barley and definitely the standard Craig 13 which I've yet to try but will obtain since everyone seems to love it.
Looking at that Penderyn in the back 👀 literally just bought one this weekend. Curious to hear your thoughts on it. Also great list. Will try to find that Longmorn
The Benrinnes 15 F&F costs ~96 euros in my market, New Zealand. It's 50-60 euros in Europe. Almost all the F&F range--and the selection here is *very* spotty/scarce--are ridiculously over-priced compared to UK/Europe prices, which is not the case with all/other malts here. Benromach Sherry Cask Matured yada, yada is a delicious whisky. Neck pour was disgustingly sweet but after that/resting a bit it settled down and became lovely. Although the peat level is higher than other Benromachs it merges into/with the sherry cask influence so very well. Not certain but I think all (or almost all?) the Benromach Contrasts series/range are 46%, but I can easily forgive the 43% on something as downright delicious as the Benromach 15. Some Benromachs are being released here but the SCM, 15, and Cask Strength batches are all now sold out or nearly so--2009 was the last CS, no sign of 2010 or 2012 to date.
Ouch! That's too much for the Benrinnes 15! Yeah the Benromach tasted young and sweet initially, but luckily that didn't last long. Really loving the bottle now. Agree about the 15. Absolute stunner, even with the lower abv. 🥃
Interesting list Geoff. Thanks for sharing. I doubt if I can find all of those here, but at least some whiskies to look out for. I do not really have something to add to the list, other than IB's. But those -apart from the blends- are not really under the radar rather than hidden gems.... Slàinte mhath
Yeah I could have gone much more obscure here with IBs or market-specific releases, but it's no fun when nobody has a chance to get their hands on them. Cheers Frank! 🥃
I wouldn't have called Glencadam 10 under the radar. At least not a couple years back. But come to think of it, people do seem to be talking about it less nowadays. Absolute classic. Haven't tried the Rock Oyster or the James Eadie. More bottles for the wishlist! 🥃
For age stated, I’ve enjoyed BenRiach 12 Sherrywood (getting tougher to find though) and I was also pleasantly surprised by Dailuaine 16 (Flora & Fauna).
Tempted to take a serious look at the Benromach now. Thanks for that, Geoff! But my pressing question, and one that's probably been asked dozens of times: your collection of v-necks versus your collection of whisky bottles...which is greater in number?
Just in club med Punta Cana for spring break and picked up a straggler last bottle of the longmorn 18 at the Dominica Republic duty free for USD$100.00. Haven’t tried it yet, will break it open when I get back. In the meantime I can’t drink their available alcohol so brought a nice summertime Glencadam 10 and some IB (Noth Star) 15 year old Highland Park (this is good!)
I doubt port Charlotte whiskies are in the “under the radar” category anymore. Quite a big hitter in comparison to the other 4. Agree with the other 4 - had the Longmorn 18 recently and it was surprisingly good.
Love the unpeated Caol Ilas! Ben Nevis is good stuff, but it's overpriced here because it's in such high demand! Double the baseline price. Aultmore 21 I hear is excellent. Hope to try it! 🥃
IVE BEEN ENJOYIN THESE INDEPENDANT BOTTLINGS SUCH AS: BERRY BROS CAOL ILLA 2011, SIGNATORY VINTAGE CAOL ILLA 2008, RAASAY, BERELEGS, ARDNAMURCHIN 1ST US RELEASE AND THE 4/22. THESE ALL ARE UNCHILLED FILTERED AND NATURAL COLOR. I LIKE TO GET WIERD AND TRY NEW THINGS. PUS MOST THESE BOTTLES ARE AFFORDABLE .
Excellent list!...👏 let's keep looking for some of those bottles. Speaking of Timorous Beastie, would you consider blended malts as underrated whiskies?, what do you think of making a list of them?🤔
The 16 has shot up in price in secondary markets since it was discontinued. I bought the 18 for just over USD $100 in Taiwan. Not sure what it's going for in other markets. 🥃
Glen Elgin 12 for me was a surprise. Very complex for the price even if it’s likely colored , chill filtered and 43 abv. Certainly under the radar. It’s different. They use worm tubs btw. Initially the sweetness of it was kinda odd. But as the level of the bottle comes down a bit it improves significantly. Come to think of it I actually prefer it to some better known 12 yr old sherried scotches like Glengoyne & Glendronach. There, I said it. Maybe because I expected better from those . Honorable mention is the never mentioned Glenfarclas 12. Idk it’s been a while since I had it, but I remember it being very good and also tastier to me than the above mentioned better known ones. And jus to throw in a peated one: The Peat Monster.
It's funny you should mention that. I've bough a recent bottling of the Elgin 12 and I found it to be lackluster. The old bottlings were dark and malty, with an almost roasted malt weight to them. The newer bottle I have displays none of that, and there's a cheap caramel sweetness (I'm thinking e150A) note that bothers me. Hopefully, like yours, mine improves as the bottle opens up. But yes, still better than a lot of 12 year olds out there. I think I need to revisit Glenfarclas 12. It's been forever since I had a bottle. Cheers Salty! 🥃
@@Gwhisky cheers bud. Yeah that Glen Elgin was a 2019 bottle. These are my tasting notes on it: Creamy mouthfeel. Strawberry candy. Chocolate alcohol cake. Juicy Raisin. Tangerine even, Sort of a slight bitter coffee note as it fades. Maybe even Anise. Oak. Short dry finish. Initially this had an odd sweet taste. Artificial almost. However as the bottle level has gone down to below the shoulder, It’s become noticeably better.
WHAT?!? How dare you post a video without venerating Springbank!!! 🤬 🤣🤣🤣 Here are a few more generally flying below the radar... Aberfeldy 18 (Wine-Finished Versions)... Glen Moray 18... Bunnahabhain Stiùireadair (for the money, I think it's great)... Highland Park Full-Volume...
HP Full Volume is fantastic! It's thinning out nowadays, but I had two bottles. Great stuff. I'm still looking for the Moray 18. It was only sold at one shop in Taipei up until last year, and I can't find it nowadays, unfortunately. I'll grab it the moment I come across it again. Can't say I know much about the Aberfeldy. Cheers buddy! 🥃
Hey, congrats...Each an every recommendation is unavailable locally. I guess I know why they are 'under the radar'. Around here, these will all remain without any attention whatsoever. Well, I think anything Benromach develops is 'under the radar', but I don't want anybody plumping it online or elsewhere, as doing so jacks up the demand to the point they will be pushed out of my price range. Here, we have only the age statement offerings. No 'Contrasts', no cask strength.
@@Gwhisky I honestly don't know. I haven't tried because I assume that the shipping costs will push prices to beyond acceptable. I suspect that the state liquor control commission frowns upon importation of items they control. I have yet to determine how it is that online sales meet the state tax requirements, which are, of course, the state's primary interest.
