A Single Malt Whiskey Gift

Morf

I usually buy my father a nice bottle of whisk(e)y if I'm away or it is his birthday and I'm planning to do the same this year for his birthday. This year I'm thinking something a little more grand in price range.

He's currently making his way through a Glenfiddich 15 Y.O. Distillery Edition which he describes as the best whiskey/scotch he's had.

In the past he's had Highland Park 12 Y.O., Talisker 10 Y.O. and Glenfiddich 12 Y.O.. He enjoyed all of them. I think the Highland Park was his favourite until the latest Glenfiddich I got him.

My budget would be around €100 and I'm happy enough to buy online. I don't necessarily need to spend so much but !'m happy to spend that if the recommendation is high enough.

When he first tasted the Glenfiddich 15 Y.O. it had the wow factor for him and I suppose that something I'd like to replicate by upping my budget.

I'm not sure if he would prefer a scotch to an Irish whiskey but the single malts he's had have always been scotch.

Many thanks for your help.

smartaform

I'd say have a look at www.thewhiskyexchange.com i had a look around it a few weeks back it looked the goods.. Say you'd be sure to find something amazing on there.

IrishWhiskeyCha

smartaform wrote: »

I'd say have a look at www.thewhiskyexchange.com i had a look around it a few weeks back it looked the goods.. Say you'd be sure to find something amazing on there.

TWE are a good place to start all right.

For a rich sherry based whiskey ... i.e. fruit cake mix and spice.

You could try

Dalmore 18yo
(Described as smooth sweet and spicy)

or a

Glenrothes 1985 20yo (which looks like good value at the moment) GLenrothes is usually a lovely complex whiskey with many different nueances such as liquourice orange as well as spice and fruit cake mix.

With some heavy smoke(but not iodine) you can go for the Distillers edition of Lagavulin 16yo. Also heavy sweet viscous sherry influence which makes this a very drinkable Islay.

Actually the distillers edition in Talisker is also worth looking at.

This Mortlach is Worth a look. By independent Bottlers Signatory packaged in a heavy decanter style bottle.

Springbank 18yo this is another excellent whiskey but quite diferent. GInger salt and a touch of smoke.

or blow him away with a

Laphroaigh 18yo on special currently ... big smoke & medicinal iodine ballanced by a bit of sweetness.



However you could also treat him to the excellent Tyrconnell 10yo Maderia Cask or a Jameson Gold.

Just a few ideas ... if your looking for a particular style let us know.



P.S.

DOn't for get the Celtic Whiskey Shop in DUblin ... if you can pop in or ring them they will kindly advise you too.


They have a few interesting Signatory bottles on their website which are possible buys. Mortlach, Bowmore or Highland PArk.

Also Japanese WHiskey excellent and is of Very good quality so worth considering as an unusual present.

Mr Magnolia

The Connemara Irish whiskeys are peated so they'd be similar to the scotch whisky. The Connemara Single Cask 15 Year-Old Single Malt could be a runner but the Connemara Single Cask Sherry Finish 17 Year-Old is next on my list 'twas superb, I tried it last year and really enjoyed it.

The Ardbeg Corryvreckan has just won the 2010 world's best single malt so it's worth considering too if he hasn't got it.

Search for Connemara on The Celtic Whiskey Shop.

iMax

Been recommended to me many times for my dad (I don't drink whiskey) - Cordhu (sp?). I was in spain recently & it was €24 a liter versus €12/€15 for the others so I reckon it's good. It's about €60 here.

Bearhunter

Edradour, a beautiful wee whisky form the smallest distillery in Scotland - smallest stills too, so it's quite a concentrated and complex whisky. Beautiful stuff, like a Christmas cake in a glass. On the other end of the scale, the Ardbeg Corryvreckan is a peat monster, tastes like a bottle of smoke.

convert

You could try taking a look at this site. A mate of mine recommended it to me last week.

It has a huge variety of whiskies, provides a relatively accurate description of each and also gives each one a rating (which, depending on your tastes, may or may not be reliable).

Brockagh

The Glenfiddich Solera Reserve is very nice, I think. I take it it's different from the one your father had. Not that expensive. Or the Rich Oak - http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-11946.aspx (never had this one).

There are few other distilleries in Dufftown too - Balvenie, Morthlach and Dufftown. There's a two or three more, but can't remember which ones. Could get something from there, although they might not necessarily be the same style. Dufftown Distillery isn't always good.

There's some really good value Strathislas available too of great age - like this one - http://www.royalmilewhiskies.com/product.asp?pf_id=0010000005578

Brockagh

Not wishing to contradict anyone, there's a new distillery called Abhainn Dearg in Scotland and I doubt there's smaller stills anywhere else in Scotland. I could well be wrong of course.

Looks very much like a "you hold it, I'll hit it" type operation.

http://www.johnlamond.com/PA080838.JPG

doctorchick

Treated myself to a 21yr old Glenfarclas at christmas - picked it up in Duty Free at Edinburgh for around 60 euro. Was very suprised at how good it was. Must say though that the first sip that hit my lips seemed a bit harsh but as soon as it got a bit of warmth in it then everything ended up being just perfect. The 25 yr old is slightly more pricey, but apparently even nicer than the 21 yr old.

To celebrate friends moving into new house I got them the 21yr old Balvenie portwood finish. This is likely to take up your budget (and maybe slightly more depending on where you get it) but there are not many nicer whiskies in this price range and its a consistent medal winner.

Whatever you go for, you should be able to get a nice bottle for your price.

And guess what - I am over in Edinburgh next week, and its payday on friday - Oh sh1t, this is gonna cost me

Morf

The 25 Y.O. Glenfarclas certainly looks like a possibility.

IrishWhiskeyCha

Morf wrote: »

The 25 Y.O. Glenfarclas certainly looks like a possibility.

Glenfarclas is an excellent value malt especially for the older versions in comparison to more so called main stream distilleries.

Glenfarclas is usually heavily sherried and sweet and can have charachteristics of rich dried mixed fruit and chocolate of all things, very drinkable

Personally a bit too much for me as a regular drinking whisky but a great after dinner whisky.

Certainly an excellent possiblity.

Morf

My father tends to have a shot glass of whiskey when he comes home from the pub. He's not really an after dinner drinker.

I don't drink alcohol at all but i appreciate the craft of whiskey making.

So i'm aiming for bang for my buck, i suppose.

Brockagh

The best value to be had is on the Baldnoch forum, at www.bladnoch.co.uk. You can get a 30 yr old Caol Ila there, for example, for £50. You can get a Highland Park 12 single cask for only £27...

IrishWhiskeyCha

Brockagh wrote: »

The best value to be had is on the Baldnoch forum, at www.bladnoch.co.uk. You can get a 30 yr old Caol Ila there, for example, for £50. You can get a Highland Park 12 single cask for only £27...

Damn you Brockagh ... excellent idea but you just forced me to buy another bottle. Totally missed the fact they had a HP on the go but one winging it's way to me now

Anyway if the OP becomes a member of the above forum they can avail of excellent forum member prices and get great deals. The Coal Ila will definately be an excellent value for money whiskey while the HP 12yo @ 50% would add another dimention to you fathers experience of Highland Park. Remember no need to be afraid at buying cask strength whiskies as the beauty of this is your father can water it down to a taste that suits him ... but he may love the cask strength experience.

The postage is £15 per bottle which sounds alot but still excellent value when taken into context at how much a Distillery OB (Origin/Own Bottle) would cost. For instance a Coal Ila 25yo Distillery bottling is Circa £150 The Bladnoch Forum Bottle is a 30yo for £50 + £15 p&p ... bargain

Morf

I've been teasing things out of my father. He reckons he prefers a peaty or smoky whiskey rather than fruity or sweet. Which areas (Highland, Speyside etc..) would suit him?

I'm enjoying learning so much about about whiskey although i don't drink it.

Bearhunter

If he wants smokey/peaty then it's Islay or the Islands. Ardbeg (any expression), Bowmore Darkest (15YO); Lagavulin 16YO, Talisker, Highland Park 18YO, Laphroaig Quarter Cask...

pa990

i'm sure whatever you get won't go to waste

Morf

He'll appreciate whatever he gets but the journey is interesting for me.


http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-9910.aspx

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-12022.aspx

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-10901.aspx

These are three i'm thinking about.

Brockagh

They're three very good choices, in my opinion.

The Supernova, though, is way over-priced for a no-age-statement whisky. I think the Corryvreckan is better and it's cheaper. Airigh Nam Beist is also much better value, I think, but it's not cask strength.

Lagavulin is my favourite Scottish distillery. It's hard to go wrong there. Same with Laphroaig.

Bearhunter

Go mad and buy him a bottle of the 15YO Springbank, from Campbelltown. Brine, smoke, heather and peat, it tastes like a fishing village. I can hear sea shanties just writing about it.

Morf

To be honest i'm almost leaning towards two good bottles for the same price.

Perhaps the Highland Park 18yo and i've heard great things about Bunnahabhain with the 12yo being a possibility.

Bearhunter

Bunnahabhainn is a nice wee drop, but it's not quite as smoky/peaty as some. Not sure if Caol Ila is available in Ireland, but it's gorgeous.

IrishWhiskeyCha

Higland Park has a nice bit of smoke and peat in it but not a lot compared to the big 4. Talisker would be the same but the spicy pepperness gives it that extra dimension and kick.

Bunabhainn is not bad either but I think you need to step up from the 12yo to get a decent whisky.

The main choices for big Peat are Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Ardbeg & Coal Ila with Caol Ila the least of 4.

Laphroaig & Ardbeg are both on a par Smoke and Peat wise and both have an iodine charachter, Laphroaig leans more towards the sherry cask while Ardbeg has a dry almond charachter. Lagavulin 16yo is heavy leathery smoke with the peat in the back ground with a rich sweetness to it. The Distillers edition is sweeter and richer again. Coal Ila has an oily mouth feel and usually has a long finish and can be great value for money. Ardbeg on the other hand has been "Premiumised" again :rolleyes: and is becoming very expensive for what is a lot of the time a very young whiskey but because they command cult status they think they can charge what they like. For that reason I refuse to buy much of their stuff any more.

Laphroaig QC is a lovely rounded whiskey with the big peat, smoke & iodine. It is a non age stated whiskey too but does not cost the earth.

SO maybe a Lap QC which will give you more to spend on a slightly better Laga or a Coal Ila but the Laph 18yo is georgeous too.

Lagavulin Distillers Edition

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-11001.aspx

Caol Ila Distillers Edition

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-5406.aspx

Or even better 3 for the price of 1 (3 x20cl of Coal Ila 12yo 18yo & cask strength)

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-4593.aspx

or laphroaig Collection (This time 3x 33cl bottles, 10 year-old, Quarter-Cask, 10 yo Cask-Strength.)

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-9885.aspx

However possibly the best set is this ...

The ultimate Islay Collection (5 x 20cl bottles)

This is probably the easiest way to get your hands on a Port Ellen which is very expensive (A full bottle would cost you £250 so this is a bargain). Also includes Caol Ila 12 yrs, Caol Ila 18 yrs, Lagavulin 12 yrs (bottled 2007, cask strength), Lagavulin 16 yrs so ticks a lot of boxes and you father will have a cjhance to try 5 different whiskies.



http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-7805.aspx

Brockagh

That last one's a very good suggestion, IWC. A bit of everything and very good value.

Brockagh

Just to throw another one into the mix... This is fantastic value

http://www.whiskysite.nl/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.pbv.v3.tpl&product_id=652&category_id=98&keyword=glen+ord&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=6&lang=en

doctorchick

OK, OK, enoughs enough, can the mods ban me from this thread please.

After all the discussions above I have just returned from Edinburgh with a 21yr old Glenfarclas (25yr old was out of stock - but was very tempted to drive to the Glasgow shop to get it !!!) and a Lagavulin 1993 distillers edition and its all this threads fault .

Oh Happy Days.

Morf

doctorchick wrote: »

OK, OK, enoughs enough, can the mods ban me from this thread please.

After all the discussions above I have just returned from Edinburgh with a 21yr old Glenfarclas (25yr old was out of stock - but was very tempted to drive to the Glasgow shop to get it !!!) and a Lagavulin 1993 distillers edition and its all this threads fault .

Oh Happy Days.

You're welcome. I'm complete bewildered by the choice available.

doctorchick

Morf wrote: »

You're welcome. I'm complete bewildered by the choice available.

Not as much as I was standing in the whisky shop today - talk about a kid in a sweety shop..:)

OK so just to let you know the Lagavulin DE is like chewing on a slab of turf which then gives way to a lovely sweetness and leaves a very pleasant taste which sends you back for more, not harsh at all.

Mr Magnolia

doctorchick wrote: »

OK, OK, enoughs enough, can the mods ban me from this thread please.

After all the discussions above I have just returned from Edinburgh with a 21yr old Glenfarclas (25yr old was out of stock - but was very tempted to drive to the Glasgow shop to get it !!!) and a Lagavulin 1993 distillers edition and its all this threads fault .

Oh Happy Days.

I know what you mean, I'm tempted myself but need to start elsewhere with Scotch, that's another thread though....

Morf

It's coming up to my father's birthday again. I'm thinking about a Connemara Turf Mór and the Powers' John's Lane.

Can I get much better value out of about €130? I'm looking for at least two bottles from this sum. I was erring towards Irish whiskeys but I don't think my father cares either way.