Whisky Shelf

Getting the question a lot lately — what’s my favorite Scotch? That’s complicated, because it really depends on how much I spend. Do note that I’m a fan of the smokey, peaty Islay’s, so my list is a bit tainted in that direction… 

Over $100 - Highland Park 18 (not to be confused with the 12) is just barely over $100, but it’s all kinds of awesome. Spicy, complex, and full of flavor. Haven’t had a whisky for any price that beats it. Despite being a peat-fan, this is the one unpeated whisky that I always get when they have it at the bar. Belvenie 21 (again, not to be confused with the 12) is also great stuff , but way pricey. 

$70-100 - Lagavulin 16. Wonderful, smokey stuff that always goes down well. Not the main Islay I’d pick, though, as it’s a few bucks more than stuff that’s still excellent. Laphroaig 10 Quarter Cask is also very good, and at 55% alcohol packs a punch. 

$50-70 - Lots of options at this price range. Ardbeg 10, Caol Ila 10, Bruichladdich 10, and Glenlivit 15 French Oak are all wonderful. Ardbeg or Caol Ila for the smoke, Bruichladdich if you’re not in the mood for something peaty, and Glenlivit if you want something light and sweet. All are excellent and highly recommended. 

$40-50 - Laphroaig 10, Glenmorangie 10 and Benromach 10. Laphroaig is a go-to for me and always a sure thing, though it is really strong, so some folks are turned off. Glenorangie and Benromach are always a hit when something light and still complex are called for. 

Under $40 - Only two single malts I’d recommend under $40 - Old Pulteney and Aberlour 10. Neither are breathtaking, but very good for the price at about $30 and $40, respectively. If you’re OK with a blend, Johnnie Walker Black is the most popular Scotch on the planet and pretty dang good, and typically runs near the $40 mark. 

Enjoy, and drink safe! 

Old Pulteney 12. Smell is light, a bit sweet and a bit syrupy. Taste is slightly sweet and deep without being intense. Add a few drops of water and let this sit for 10 minutes and a bit of spice and complexity comes through, especially in the finish. It’s savory, mouth-watering, much like Springbank 15 (an excellent whisky). Delicious, frankly, especially if you’re not into peated whiskies, especially after going back to the bottle after a few weeks from the initial dram. A great transition to single malt Scotch for whiskey drinkers or blend Scotch fans, and a lot of bang for the buck ($30). Single malt Scotch. 9/10. 

Balvenie 21 Portwood. Balvenie’s a mixed bag for me — love the 15 Single Barrel but the 12 Doublewood is a big let down. Given that, I had no idea what to expect when coming to the 21 Portwood… 

Smell is sweet and syrupy with a hint of spice. Taste is spicy, a bit hot, and sweet. Very nice, actually. It lacks the rough finish of the 12 and brings along the spice of the 15, with a deep sweetness from the port finishing casks. You’ll pay for the pleasure to try it, however— like $230 a bottle (hence the mini). Very nice, but won’t change your life, so I’m calling this one great but overpriced for what you’re getting, which dings the rating by 2 points. Single malt Scotch. 7/10. 

Laphroaig Cask Strength 10. Take a great Islay single malt and pull it straight from the cask— no funny business— and you get something that is truly breathtaking. Smell is strong, though not alcohol-heavy, with volumes of peat and spice. Taste is rich, deep, heavy with delicious peat, spice, sea salt and brine (in a good way). Finish is long peat and savory. This dram is not for the new whisky drinker. Hell, at over 55% alcohol a half bottle could kill a lightweight. Want to lessen the heat and add some sweetness, while letting the sea salt shine through? Add a bit of water and let it sit for a few minutes. Or if you’re nuts like me, drink it neat and just try to get the smile off your face. Wonderful stuff, and a good value for what you’re getting. Single malt Scotch. 10/10.

Glenfiddich 18. Smell is much more spicy than the 12 or 15. Taste is typical, light Glenfiddich with a rush of spice. Finish is abrupt— not what I expect in an 18. Definitely different from its younger siblings, but not better or worth an extra $55+ a bottle. Yes, I know the pic is out of focus on the bottle— if the Scotch were worth the time I’d fix it, but it ain’t. Single malt Scotch. 5/10.

Balvenie Doublewood 12. I’ve had this dram at a bar and was unimpressed, but I figured I’d give it another go, just to make sure the bar tend didn’t have the stuff on the shelf too long or decide to add water to make it last longer. 

Smell is a bit stale, with lots of old wood and a hint of spice. Taste is harsh, undeveloped and kind of medicinal. Not as bad as a very young whisky, but not too far off of some 3-4 year old drams I’ve had in the past. This whisky wakes up when you throw a few drops of water in and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then some sweetness comes out, the harshness clams, and it actually is drinkable stuff. Still not a favorite, but it’s worth the price a glass at the bar. If you’re buying a bottle skip the 12 and go for the 15 Single Barrel, it’s well worth the extra $20. Single malt Scotch. 4/10. 

Glenfiddich 15. Smell is citrus, sweet though not syrupy, and light. Taste is citrus, a bit of vanilla and sweet. Definitely a level deeper than the 12 and with a more pronounced finish. Clean, light, but still with layers of flavor. Add a drop of water to this dram and let it sit for a few minutes and it really sweetens and becomes a bit savory. The aftertaste of is downright delicious. Good stuff, as long as you add the water and let it sit. Single malt Scotch. 7/10.

Bruichladdich Links 15. Smell is of sea air and the beach, with salt and a feeling of open grass (I swear no influence by the pic on the bottle). Unique is putting the nose of this dram lightly — it’s very different than the Laddie 10 and, in fact, very different from any Scotch I’ve tried. Taste is earthy, rich, and herbal. Very spicy and unique. The finish really hits you with more of the open grass and earthy richness. This isn’t for a beginner— the taste is too powerful and rich— but is excellent for a regular malty looking to try something very different and brimming with uncommon flavors. Wonderful stuff, and a hard right turn from any other Scotch I’ve ever had. And at about $70 a bottle it’s a solid value for an experience you’ll probably never be able to replicate. Would be a 10, but after opening the bottle loses a bit of punch on later drams. Single malt Scotch. 9/10.

Maker’s Mark. I visited Maker’s Mark during a bourbon trail excursion a few years ago, before I had an appreciation for whisky (or whiskey) and recall choking down a few glasses half-heartedly. So I came to this miniature bottle of the popular bourbon (spelled whisky in the Scotch tradition on the label) wondering how a few years experience and a deep shelf of single malts changed my pallet… So here we go. 

Smell is much deeper than expected given recent Irish and American whiskey experiences. Smooth, even, and a bit sweet, with definite hints of oak and vanilla. The taste is vanilla and fresh spirit with a finish of wood. A bit medicinal and harsh, though not unpleasant. It’s a serious shift for someone used to aged Scotches, but not a bad experience, just different. Scotch seems to coat the mouth with a layer of flavor, bourbon burns before I taste it, though the alcohol content is often a bit less. Overall, a good dram for bourbon, just not exactly what the whisky shelf is used to hosting. This does give me hope that I may be a bourbon guy one day, and am now interested to attempt some of the rarer Marker’s, Elijah Woods, and others people tend to rave about. American bourbon whisk(e)y. 5/10. 

Bushmills Original. Happy St. Patty’s Day! We must celebrate with an Irish dram, and since I’ve had my share of Jameson’s and Guinness doesn’t quite fit the title of this particular blog, Bushmills it is. Smell is of young, fresh whiskey (notice the “e” — we’re Irish today!). Taste is of strong alcohol and a hint of oak, not much trying to conceal the harsh spirit here, even though it’s bottled at only 40%. This is closer to the stuff a college kid might pick up in a plastic bottle than what typically sits on the whisky shelf, but it does have its own inherent charm. I’d save this stuff for a late night, already had several single malts, sort of drink— not the first one out the gate. I’ve heard some of the more developed Bushmills are worth a go, so we’ll try to find some and report back. Irish blended whiskey. 4/10. 

Balvenie Single Barrel 15. Smell is slightly sweet but muted. Taste is hot, rich, and spicy. Tastes unfiltered and aggressive— very interesting, actually. I wasn’t impressed with my first taste of Balvenie 12, but this 15 seems to have an attitude about it that’s hard to ignore. It’s not young, unrefined or raw, just strong and brash, full of spicy flavor. If you can get past the smell (and the price), this stuff is good. Single malt Scotch. 8/10. 

Chivas Regal 12. Smell is syrupy and flat, no spice or peat. Taste that reminds me of Dalmore and Arberlour if you threw some pepper in with it— a little sweet but with a kick of spice. Tastes young and definitely blended; the grain whisky peaks its head up every now and then with a slap of heat. Add a few drops of water and sweetness comes out and the grain whisky heat calms a bit. Without the spice I’d call Chivas 12 flat, though I’m not wowed by this dram. Could use a bit more character, but does stand relatively well for a blended whisky. Blended Scotch whisky. 6/10. 

Bulleit Bourbon. So you’re standing at a hotel bar, squinting to see what single malt might be hiding behind the bottles of flavored vodka or cheap rum, and you begin to lose hope. Maybe you decide it’s worth a shot at a whiskey (add the e), and go for something Irish or American. This was the situation I found myself in. What the hell, try the Bulleit Bourbon (spell check fights that one). And I’m glad I did. Smell is relatively muted, probably more due to the ridiculous rock glass than the whiskey. Taste is clean, neat, vanilla and a hint of sweetness. Very nice, easy to drink, and keeps you interested. A solid Scotch alternative, should you find yourself in a similar situation, though it does lack any serious depth, spice, or complexity, though that’s to be expected given a young bourbon-style whiskey. American bourbon whiskey. 7/10.

Seagrams 100 Pipers. An unopened bottle given as a gift, bottled in the early 1970s. Smell is raw, a hint of floral and a chemical, processed note. Taste is less harsh than expected, possibly from the age of the stuff, with a distinct hit of grain spirit— blended whiskies tend to settle down a bit the longer they’re together. This dram may have benefitted from this. Despite the age, the alcohol isn’t well guarded by flavor, causing the tip of your tongue to burn as you drink. It still tastes like Scotch with a bit of character and a hint of oak, but past that is relatively harsh stuff. It does beat Scotches that are completely flat like Dalmore 12, and costs a heck of a lot less. Blended Scotch. 5/10.

Glenlivet 15 French Oak Reserve. Light and sweet with a hint of citrus. Excellent after taste, very clean and balanced. A wonderful dram that goes down fast and keeps you happy the whole time. Excellent, easy, delicious stuff. Especially for the price— less than $50 (binnys.com) for a light, sweet 15 year old that’s truly great. Single malt Scotch. 10/10.