Great picks Wade. Huge fan of the Benromach and Speyburn 15 as well as the RB12CS. I'll have to keep an eye out for that Australian one. I'm pretty sure I've seen it sold in Taiwan, but I've always just breezed past it. Great content this year, buddy. Merry Christmas! 🥃
Thank you my friend, you set a high bar in the WhiskyTube world and have definitely helped me on my whisky journey, so thank you 🙏 Merry Christmas mate! Let me know if you get that Morris Muscat Barrels bottle, happy to send you one if you would like 🥃🎄
Hi Wade. I'm wishing you and yours a Happy Christmas. I like top 5 choices because they are obviously personal discoveries which enjoy many personal and financial factors. I knew you loved that Speyburn 15 from your original review and on the strength of that review I bought a bottle. I enjoyed it but nowhere near as much as you and that's fine. These annual favourites are personal. I drink a lot of independent stuff now but unless it's exceptional I wouldn't include it as a favourite. They're mostly single casks and hard to find outside the U.K. I'll mention a few bottles that caught me by surprise this year though. Glen Garioch 12 - I've been putting off buying a bottle for years for some daft reason. It's definitely one for shelf from now on. Lovely light sherry profile, age and subtle complexity. The Gauldrons Sherry Cask - Again, a lovely light sherry profile combined with Campbeltown qualities. I'm not sure you could tell it was Campbeltown in a blind but very good. A NAS but good balance. Torabhaig - This is tasting really good at a young age. Now that Diageo have put up the price of Talisker they have a serious rival on the Isle of Skye. I'm with Ralfy when it comes to Talisker. It's very good but crippled by Diageo's insistence of chill-filtration and E150. Torabhaig isn't doing any of that stuff and it's just going to get better. Indri - What a start and great value. Indian single malt whisky is going to be a big part of our whisky world. Amrut and Paul John (not tried Rampur yet) are still producing a solid affordable range. Number 5: This will surprise you following my OSWA's rant - Springbank. A couple of weeks ago I opened one of my two remaining Springbank 12's in my stash. It's the 100% ex-bourbon and it is a very fine whisky. I was initiated into the world of single malt whisky 35 years ago so I've enjoyed my share of great stuff which is now, sadly, unicorn stuff today. If you are fortunate enough to find a bottle of Springbank/Hazelburn/Longrow do yourself a favour and open and enjoy it. It was never meant to be put on a pedestal and worshipped as it is today. WT
Hello mate! It's funny you mention the Glen Garioch, not many people seem to, I just order a bottle of the 15 Cask Strength and remember enjoying the 12 and wondering why people don't talk about it more. I do have a few Campbeltown gems tucked away that I have every intention of opening soon to enjoy 😊 Wishing you a safe and happy Christmas Welsh 🥃
I only had your top 3 and each one is very good. Your number one needs more love. It's good! I have 2 bottles of it and if I ever run out they are readily available here in Phoenix. They sit on the shelf at our Total Wine & More. Nice list. Looking forward to the next one. Lists are always interesting to watch. Cheers Wade!
Hi am enjoying your video have not tried any of your top five Speyburn, 15 i have heard a lot about all good I should buy it is $105 before discount in my market in Calgary Canada.
Merry Christmas from Germany Wade. Great Selection, for me the Benromach 15, the Ledaig 10 would be also on my list, as well as the Port Charlotte 10 years, the Kilchoman Sanaig. But also the Speyburn 15 is really good. I bought some other great Whisky based on recommendations and reviews, but not tried them so far. Cheers and take care
Good choices there. For some reason, very probably a bit snobbery mixed with the fact I find most SPEYSIDE area drams a bit Meh, I have avoided the Speyburn as if it had no place to be on the shelf. I should check it out. Nice one. On a side note and a request please, could you please pull out that bottle of Deanston oloroso and maybe do a side by side with the Deanston 12. I have one on order and see very little on YT about the oloroso. 👍🏼
You just never know with so many regions having such variety in what is being produced these days you can find something amazing in all corners of Scotland, and the World too for that matter! Will absolutely get around to some Deanston comparisons next year, and I also want to do a versus between the Deanston Oloroso and the Hazelburn Oloroso I have as they are both 12 year age statement, fully matured in Oloroso, both non chill filtered, both natural colour and both about 50% ABV, so it should come down to the spirit and the quality of the cask maturation... ...and likely no one else has done that comparison on RU-vid 😁 Happy holidays!
Nice list Wade! That RB12 CS is a complete different beast than the standard one which I never connected with so I completely understand the enthusiasm. I haven't tried the 15 yet but I didn't enjoy Speyburn 10. Inoffensive but so forgettable. I am hearing great things about Morris, should give them a try. Cheers my man 🥃
Great choices and good to see an Aussie whisky in your list. I went with Bladnoch Liora just butter in a bottle and runner up Talisker Wilder seas finished in cognac casks. Enjoy the holidays mate
Thanks Mark 🙌 Appreciate you checking it out. Massive difference between Redbreast 12 and the Cask Strength hey, they ruin the standard 12 bottling that beautiful whisky at 40% is sacrilege.
Hi Wade. Great list (not tried the Morris though). Can’t go wrong with Benromach, especially the CS vintages. Have a great Xmas and all the best for you and your channel in the coming year. Slàinte Wade.
A very clever and gentle choice. Nothing super expensive or unavailable. I've never heard of 5 places, and the first place would be different for me (kilkerran 12) but still a perfect line. (for me, the 5th place - AD 05:23 Sherry Cask / AD 09:22 / Lagg Corriecravie or Kilchoman Sanaig would be)
Wade, brother, great list my man. I live that you did not shy away from giving some love to Morris and I totally agree with you on the Benromach 15 and Ledaig inclusions. Fantastic list man. Merry Christmas and happy new year to you and yours buddy 🎄🎅
Thank you Wade, completely on board with you with the Redbreast 12, was waiting for somebody to finally say it. I also like the CS version, but the 40%…meh. Will have to try the Speyburn 15 and Morris Muscat, I think we might have similar tastes.
Thanks Wade for your list. While I haven't had any off your list (my journey is less than 1 year), there are four I can find here in central Texas that I think I wiil try in 2024. Happy Holidays! Cheers.
Hey wade I’m surprised redbrest 12 u never liked it it had that fresh mint taste I liked for me!!! Wow No.1 never heard of it!! 😧 Morris I seen there wines And I’m crying😢Nikka will increase up to 56% April crazy!!!! Suntory more than double on a few older age ones also!!!! P.s merry Xmas mate!!!! 🎅🏻 🌲 🥃
Hey mate, as you know I am a big fan of bold and smoky powerful flavours, so a triple distilled light and delicate Redbreast 12 bottled at only 40%ABV doesn't offer a lot for my liking. BUT the Cask Strength is another story all together 🤤 Merry Christmas brother!!