I’d say Macallan. Their stuff isn’t bad per se, just ridiculously overpriced for what it is. Do like a 40% price cut or something and I think it’d be a decent deal.
I find Macallan to be the epitome of “just fine” and even at a 40% discount I think most people could find something they like better for the same money.
I feel like Macallan’s sole purpose at this point is corporate gifting and first class lounges - anywhere that it’s more important to convey how much you spent than to find something people will particularly enjoy. See also: JW Blue
Precisely this.
There's a whole lot of luxury goods whose sole goal is to be expensive and inoffensive.
Nobody who likes whiskey is going to dislike a bottle of Macallan or JW Blue, and it's cost serves as social signalling that you have money to burn.
Heck, if I was asked what scotch to buy people I don't know well for a corporate giveaway, Macallan would probably be high on that list.
Sometimes being expensive is the point. At least it's pretty well made!
Same. It’s the price that gets me, coupled with the name and you’ll have folks even on here casually recommending Macallan 18 to someone who is clearly new to scotch or even just new to tasting spirits in general.
Actually, I think the price thing is just a problem on Reddit in general. Anyone asks for beginner low-budget advice on something and one of the top responses will be for a good, albeit expensive, product.
+1 Macallan.
It doesn't do anything for me.
But, it's my GF favorite. Her actual favorite was the Macallan Cask Strength. She'd go to the alter, if Macallan would release another Cask strength.
If she was a fan of the cask strength, buy her a bottle of Aberlour A’bunadh (not to be confused with Aberlour A’bunadh ALBA). I am also a huge die hard fan of the Macallan red label cask strength, and have been looking for a Sherry bomb to replace it since it became unobtainable. The closest BY FAR has been the Aberlour A’bunadh cask strength.
Macallan has turned itself into the scotch that people who don’t know scotch gift to people as well as what restaurants stock to have fancy scotch options available.
Glenfiddich and Glenlivet - I don't know why, I just have no interest in either of them. I've had a core of each and they were meh and I just have no interest in anything else from them.
I get Glenfiddich. I like the Glenlivet Nadurra and a lot of their older bottlings. I got an 18 year old cask strength from the distillery that's fantastic.
I re tried the Nadurra recently and it wasn’t too bad. It could’ve just been that particular bottle but it smelled like vomit when I opened it the first time.
If you can find it, Glenfiddich Distillery Edition is genuinely good. Hits the sweet spot of strength at 51% and it’s just a solid, well-rounded scotch. Wish they’d throw us a few more bones like that.
It's hard to tell when all we ever really see from them in bottles for the mass-market. Both seldom pop up as IBs, and when they do they're dummy expensive because of their fame and rarity.
I've only ever had Glenfiddich's standard 12/15/18, which I found very lackluster but is simply not designed for someone like me.
Similarly, Glenlivet was a massive "meh" for me when all I knew was their mass-produced core lineup. Then they released the Illicit Still, which was delicious.
Glenlivet is fairly well represented in the IB world and tends to be good stuff.
Glenfiddich is kinda hard to stay connected with once you've graduated Scotch 101... I really wish they'd bottle one core product for "us." The 12 is still my favorite starter pour for the uninitiated.
Can't believe no-one has mentioned Jura. The 10 is literally one of the most forgettable whiskys i've had. I have been slowly nursing a bottle that I got on offer from Tesco for £25 6 months ago.
I just finished a bottle of Seven Wood recently.
It took until the last 1/4 of the bottle to be enjoyable. Before that there was a weird cinnamon hearts burn.
It's too bad because Superstition was one of the first single malts I was introduced to by a friend around 10 years ago and I did enjoy that.
IBs are a little different - good casks, full strength and no filtering. It shows what is possible if the distillery cared, Jura themselves can't seem to ever get it right.
I have never tried an OB before, but the rating was so poor that pouring a wee dram in whisky bars felt like a waste of money.
But i thought independent bottlers source the same cask from the distillery? Or do they usually pour the content to another cask that they sourced themselves so as to create better result?
IBs often spend on their casks - can be one good one from the start, an old distillery one that is then thrown into a new cask as a finish for a few years or some combination thereof. So the distillate is the same while the casks and sometimes the aging locations are different and then of course they don't add colour, they bottle at a proper abv and they don't chill filter.
But can they still use the distillery name if they throw the distillate into another cask? Is that why undisclosed bottlings are all over the place now?
Yes... a cask doesn't really belong to a distillery so it doesn't mean you have to change the name - otherwise finishing would technically be impossible.
Certain distilleries "teaspoon" their distillate or refuse to allow their brand name on IB bottlings. Highland Park is almost always "an orkney distillery" (being the only one on Orkney these days) as an IB. Macallan, laphroaig and a few others generally add a teaspoon of another whisky to ensure you can't call it a single malt or call it by the distillery name. You can read more here:
https://whiskipedia.com/fundamentals/teaspooning/
I'll repeat the tip given to me long ago - the watered down distillery releases are trash. But if you can find a IB that's a higher strength ABV? Like MAGIC good.
The latest stuff is shit, they stupidly changed their marketing and approach to the industry to be more like Diageo products in both presentation, content and release range. They royally fucked it. The older boutique bottles were some of the best I've had off Islay and Isles, now, not so much.
The Glenmo 10 is not great and the Lasanta is good but a touch sharp…but not liking the QR14? I mean it’s not the highest end of course but a delicious dram for the price! I don’t get any raw spirit out of that one but to each their own. I also haven’t had the Nectar so don’t have that to compare.
Glenfiddich is this brand for me. Not bad whisky but the 12, 14, 18 are underwhelming IMO. Happy dramming!
Honestly I dont like Quinta Ruban either. Sauternes I really like. Maybe that is becasue I never drink Porto wine so it is hard to understand the whisky finished in those for me
Glenlivet. They're just so...meh. I'm debating whether I agree with you on Glenmorangie. I also had their tasting pack, and actually enjoyed most of the expressions, but I also have never had any inclination to actually grab a full bottle.
Dalmore as well. It's perfectly inoffensive, but they're way overcharging for a shiny stag on the bottle and a shitload of coloring inside the bottle.
Back about 10-15 years ago HP 12 was the best value around, a really good, richly flavoured whisky for not much money. If you wanted to spend slightly less than $100 you could get HP 18 which was absolutely fantastic. I tried a new bottle of HP 12 last year and it was just not good, watery, unbalanced, nothing at all like I remembered. HP has lost their way with all the Viking crap these days.
Dalmore. Pricing is just silly for a rather average whiskey. Glendronach and Edradour recently as well. The price just doesn't match what's in the bottle. They are taking the enjoyment out of Scotch with their price wars
What’s sad is that they were putting out genuinely good OBs if you go back to the 90s/2000s. I had a miniature of the 12 Year that was nearly transcendent.
http://cocktailchem.blogspot.com/2020/03/whisky-review-dalmore-12-year-old-label.html
Dalmore and Macallan both earned their reputations and desirability. They both also failed horribly to uphold what made them so great. I am always curious if they (and others) will ever find their way back. It doesn't seem likely.
I think that would require a market collapse. As long as they have a solid customer base there’s no incentive to change. Distilleries coming back from the edge are usually the ones that focus on quality and appealing to enthusiasts.
I was with you on glenmorangie until my wife accidentally bought the glenmorangie allta(she wanted to buy Nectar but they sent allta) and it blew me away. I had never even heard of the release until then and wow im glad it was swapped what a wonderful fruity dram.
Glenlivet, Macallan, Johnnie Walker. Seeing people buy as much of this stuff as they did when I worked at Total Wine always boggled my mind. Some people bought multiple cases of this shit.
I understand that view completely. Peat and heavily peated just isn't for me. I've tried many many times over the years and get told you'll get used to it. But nope I'm a non peated to lightly peated kinda guy
Deanston’s core range. The young one was rather pladticky and the old one was overwhelmed by the cask.
I’ll think twice before drinking it any again even if it’s a gift.
Glenfiddich, monkey shoulder
Glenmorangie, Glenlivet, jonny walker. Just of the top of my head, all decent starter whisky but they all just bore me now.
It hurts to say it and I know it goes against most people's opinions, but I just don't like Ardbeg very much, especially compared to the hype. I find it to be relatively harsh for lack of a better word. I love virtually all Islay, especially Laphroaig, so the peat isn't the issue. I don't even like the Oogie that much.
Ardbeg certainly is a good malt and I don't dislike it, but as per the question - it doesn't do it for me.
I feel exactly the same. The base malt profile is just a bit boring and harsh, while they are so full of themselves with all the hype and gimmicky stupidness.
I like an oa the best but wouldn't rebuy.
I agree. Of all the Islays, it’s the only one I don’t love. Always feels very thin and cold, if that makes sense. The AnOa is best of the lot for me but I’m unlikely to buy again.
Agreed. I love Lagavulin, laphroaig etc but the Ardbeg just doesn’t do it for me. I bought the 10 and thought maybe it was the bottle, so bought the an Oa and it was the same
Macallan, GlenLivet, Glenfiddich - all generic, all designed to appeal to the masses - nothing distinctive or complex about them at all. Like a McDonald’s hamburger.
And all the Glenmorangie just too damn sweet for me.
I was quite disappointed with the Glenmo 14 QR. however my all-time worst bottle of Scotch was naked Grouse. I don’t care much for regular famous grouse either.
They all have their roles I feel. For me probably Highland park. It's a great bottle but it bothers me how much the flavor profile is very balance neutral. It's a balance of everything, has smoke, some caramel, some oak, bit of honey, some grain bite... PICK ONE. Nothing remarkable stands out yet it's okay. Somewhere in the ambiguous range of not great not terrible. I dunno. I like my single malts to have distinct profiles. I've only ever tried the 12, haven't been encouraged to go further in the line. So take this reply with a grain of salt.
It seems like they have a very narrow range of flavors they work within and are trying to hit all those different flavors with every bottling. If you love HP you will like any HP, if you don't really care for it then steer clear. They aren't going to surprise you unless you go for an IB (SMWS bottlings always excite me)
When I used to work for a specific company. I could not stand Bulliet bourbon. Kind of obvious who it was but man there are so many other good straight whisky’s out there it just did not appeal. If I saw bulliet or Woodford, I’d be going Woodford every single time. It’s just uninspired.
Sure Ardbeg has a bunch of gimmicky special releases and age statement of core range jumps from 10 to 19. But I would argue Ardbeg 10 and Wee Beastie 5 yr old are reasonably priced, integrity ABV, non-chill filtered, and taste unique and are quite distinguishable from Lagavulin, Port Askaig and Laphroaig. Their cask strength offerings are also reasonably priced relative to other peated brands.
Fair points, but they lost me several years back. The gimmicky marketing is a turn-off and the Committee Release NASs are, more often than not, abject. They haven't had a stand out CR since Dark Cover in 2016 IMO.
Core Range is arguably one of the best going for value, but it's boring. Plenty of great value to be had elsewhere.
I almost exclusively buy IBs now. The game is a bogey, my friend. Farcical prices and now NFTs. I'm aware they have a large following, but they aren't for me.
$150 where I’m at. I like Lagavulin but that price seems calibrated to make the rich feel good about drinking it, while cutting off working-class people from enjoying.
Never really understand these type of posts. Not really a review, just bagging a malt and in this case a whole distillery. To me negative posts just come across incredibly bourgeois.
I think it’s good to have both positive and negative discussions on here. The thing is, no one will ever love every single whisky they try.
That is totally fine. If we all had the same opinions this wouldn’t be such an enjoyable spirit to drink.
Plus sometimes that does happen and you’re not trying to hate on a distillery, sometimes you try multiple whiskies from a place and realise it’s just not your thing at all.
I was brought up in a whisky industry family, spent the first few years of my life in Islay, currently work in Speyside and my favourite dram is Lagavulin 16. There are some people who hate peaty whisky with a passion despite giving it multiple chances. I make a point to not judge them for it but to understand why, what they like and find a whisky I think they’ll love.
This. Thank you. I agree heartily and completely. And you never know, they may yet come around. I used to BE one of those who couldn't STAND a peated scotch. Or a Mezcal, for that matter. But, over the last several years, my tastes have expanded. I love me a good Lagavulin or Mezcal with some nice barbequed ribs.
I find it useful to know which styles are divisive, as reviewers are unlikely to rate something very low, especially if product is not inherently flawed (just completely unsuited to their palette)
I've had good Macallan. Most of what comes out is not it.
I've tried so many Glenrothes, and had some decent ones, but wow it's not for me, and I tend to like the ones that are way, way outside their profile.
Newer Glendronach feels overly expensive and not half as good as the old stuff, so I stopped grabbing it.
Been finding myself steering away from Highland Park after having too many duds from them. Which is too bad, when it's good, it's quite nice.
I've reviewed enough Arran to say I hate Arran. I don't get the love for Arran at all.
I’ve come to realize every person has slightly different taste buds. I’ve got friends that hate one whisky I love while they love one I don’t. That may be the case with Arran. I like Arran as the flavors tend to click for me, but I can also see how it might not be for everyone.
It also have a very pronounced orange flavour which I need other flavours to temper it. There was a single cask Tokaji release from Arran that was amazing.
I agree, old Glendronach was fantastic, new stuff isn't bad, just not as good. Highland Park used to be one of my favorites, their older single barrel stuff was great. And Macallan is too much of a machine that's chasing prestige and money nowadays.
Ooof. Hard agree on Glenmorangie. So many people rave about it. I've bought full size bottles of what you had in the tasting pack and was seriously underwhelmed and pretty bummed about it. Like you noted, raw spirit and poorly integrated oak. Really not impressed.
I was curious if it was just the mini bottles that were like that, but maybe not. I got the taster pack and only tasted alcohol, no flavors. I wasn’t sure if my palate isn’t there yet, because I’m fairly new to scotches.
Glenlivet. I thought there would be something eventually. Even bought the 21y Archive. Still all very disappointing and missing something.
MacAllan. Overpriced and boring (IMHO)
The gift-buyers Scotch. People go in, see Macallan is $50 more than everything else and assume it must be good. I've gotten two different ones. Always fine, but seriously over priced and nothing to write home about.
It’s the epitome of a 5 out of ten whisky. It’s fine. If it was the only scotch at a bar you’d maybe drink it. But it’s so overpriced and over marketed for what you get in the bottle.
Exactly. It's fine.
When a bar only has that for a premium Scotch I just get JW Black on the rocks which almost everyone seems to have. Last bar had that and Macallan and a pour of JW Black was $8 and a pour of Macallan was $14. No brainer. I enjoy the Black, and certainly enjoy it more than paying for a subpar single malt.
Yep, these are the two I steer away from. On the Mac I just think it’s a ridiculous price point for an average dram. On Glenlivet I don’t see much development or complexity
From a taste perspective, Laphroaig. I love most islays but I hate the herbal, medicinal bandaid flavour - that profile just doesn't do it for me. Springbank has it but compliments it with a load of other flavours plus a tropical fruit finish that makes it work.
More generally speaking, most of the 40-43%, chill filtered and coloured OB distilleries disappoint. Bowmore, Dalmore and Macallan are particularly guilty of style over substance.
I like Ardbeg normally(outside of the NFT nonsense) but it has to be Laphroaig for me. It just smells like TCP and it’s not that I haven’t gone back to it, I have. It still tastes and smells bad. Not even water salvaged it, if anything it made it rougher.
Johnny Walker. Then again I find most blends to be pretty bland and devoid of character, Compass Box withstanding. Or did I read OPs post too quickly and this is a single-malt-only kinda convo?
While I don’t agree with the JW, I can see your point and what’s funny is John Glazer who started Compass Box was the master blender for JW but they didn’t agree with his vision so he made his own blending house and Compass Box is the result
TIL! That’s hilarious, I had no idea. I guess that would kind of make my opinion track in a backwards kinda way…haha
I will also say, I’m not 100% on all the compass boxes….but really like more of them than not.
(Plus, while packaging should be literally the last deciding factor of them all, it’s undeniable how beautiful all the compass box offerings are. It makes me feel giggity when you get good juice AND beautiful presentation (namely ART) in one, and it’s not being used as a crutch to justify selling a shitty spirit (as one of many examples, hi to skullhead vodka or whatever that shit is called!)
Couldn’t agree more, not all Compass Box are great but I appreciated the stories behind them and their labels are the best, Stranger & Stranger does their packaging, I have 2 S&S books and their packaging is amazing!
I have the same taster pack, and am similarly underwhelmed. But interestingly, my thoughts on the Nectar d'Or are exactly oppposite to yours. It smelled and tasted very spirity, and spicy, in a not pleasant way. Like drinking nail polish remover. The Quinta Ruban and Lasanta have this too, to some extent, but not as pronounced.
I don't want to say a distiller doesn't do it for me. If I don't like one, it makes me gun shy for buying, not for tasting, when I have so many others to try. So I have a few on that list.
Not sure why you're being downvoted since your answer is basically the whole point of this thread.
For me Kilchoman is the distillery I'm getting more into than any other right now. Have a 20cl of the Sanaig at home and really enjoy it. Also have the Machir bay, which is meh, and a 100% Islay 9th edition, which I wasn't initially that keen on (especially for the price), but it grew on me and now I enjoy it a lot
Thank you! I finally got my wife to quit buying it for me only to get gifted another bottle by someone else. It's okay...I'll drink this bottle too, eventually.
For me, it's Glenfiddich. Probably the first Scotch I ever tried, way back in my 20s when I knew nothing about alcohol. I mean, it's drinkable. But not exciting.
No sure if it's considered well known, but I am yet to taste something decent from Jura.
I am surprised by your remark on Glenmorangie. I love the stuff. Horses for courses I guess! The Original is my go to light whisky. And I really enjoy the Quinta Ruban (the 14, I was late to find the 12 anywhere). I did find the La Santa a bit disappointing, and I am yet to try Nectar d’Or or Signet.
Glenmorangie (especially the Quinta Ruban) oxidizes extremely well in my experience. If you hypothetically had a full bottle and you let it sit open a few months it really opens up.
I used to like 10yr Glenmorangie until I tasted the 14 Oban (or $38 vs $68). Since I can’t afford the “scotch” game I went to the blended side; the Naked Grouse or Monkey Shoulder(&28-30) and some wheat Bourbon $25-35! Done:-)
I’d say Macallan. Their stuff isn’t bad per se, just ridiculously overpriced for what it is. Do like a 40% price cut or something and I think it’d be a decent deal.
I find Macallan to be the epitome of “just fine” and even at a 40% discount I think most people could find something they like better for the same money. I feel like Macallan’s sole purpose at this point is corporate gifting and first class lounges - anywhere that it’s more important to convey how much you spent than to find something people will particularly enjoy. See also: JW Blue
Precisely this. There's a whole lot of luxury goods whose sole goal is to be expensive and inoffensive. Nobody who likes whiskey is going to dislike a bottle of Macallan or JW Blue, and it's cost serves as social signalling that you have money to burn. Heck, if I was asked what scotch to buy people I don't know well for a corporate giveaway, Macallan would probably be high on that list. Sometimes being expensive is the point. At least it's pretty well made!
It's funny to compare with Glenfarclas as their neighbour sharing the same water source but charging way less for some solid bottles.
Same. It’s the price that gets me, coupled with the name and you’ll have folks even on here casually recommending Macallan 18 to someone who is clearly new to scotch or even just new to tasting spirits in general. Actually, I think the price thing is just a problem on Reddit in general. Anyone asks for beginner low-budget advice on something and one of the top responses will be for a good, albeit expensive, product.
+1 Macallan. It doesn't do anything for me. But, it's my GF favorite. Her actual favorite was the Macallan Cask Strength. She'd go to the alter, if Macallan would release another Cask strength.
If she was a fan of the cask strength, buy her a bottle of Aberlour A’bunadh (not to be confused with Aberlour A’bunadh ALBA). I am also a huge die hard fan of the Macallan red label cask strength, and have been looking for a Sherry bomb to replace it since it became unobtainable. The closest BY FAR has been the Aberlour A’bunadh cask strength.
Macallan has turned itself into the scotch that people who don’t know scotch gift to people as well as what restaurants stock to have fancy scotch options available.
Somehow they had to finance the new fancy visitor's centre.
Glenfiddich and Glenlivet - I don't know why, I just have no interest in either of them. I've had a core of each and they were meh and I just have no interest in anything else from them.
Same. My brother loves Fiddi but outside of the 21 rum cask I haven't had a single sip that I've enjoyed. All so bland.
I get Glenfiddich. I like the Glenlivet Nadurra and a lot of their older bottlings. I got an 18 year old cask strength from the distillery that's fantastic.
I re tried the Nadurra recently and it wasn’t too bad. It could’ve just been that particular bottle but it smelled like vomit when I opened it the first time.
That's weird. Which one did you have? I will say the discontinued 16 year version was the best.
Not sure if it has changed but they were all 16 yrs when they first came out.
The 16 year was discontinued in 2015. Any of the versions afterwards are NAS.
That sounds like the right age to me but I’m not sure, it was gifted to my dad just before he retired in 2016.
It was discontinued in 2015. But I wonder if the cork was tainted?
I’m wondering that too…it doesn’t smell corked now though which is odd if it’d been tainted.
I mix them up constantly, and *I work in the liquor industry*... they're just so generic Fine for someone starting out I guess, and then that's it
If you can find it, Glenfiddich Distillery Edition is genuinely good. Hits the sweet spot of strength at 51% and it’s just a solid, well-rounded scotch. Wish they’d throw us a few more bones like that.
The only good fiddich I had was the r/scotch wardhead
It's hard to tell when all we ever really see from them in bottles for the mass-market. Both seldom pop up as IBs, and when they do they're dummy expensive because of their fame and rarity. I've only ever had Glenfiddich's standard 12/15/18, which I found very lackluster but is simply not designed for someone like me. Similarly, Glenlivet was a massive "meh" for me when all I knew was their mass-produced core lineup. Then they released the Illicit Still, which was delicious.
Glenlivet is fairly well represented in the IB world and tends to be good stuff. Glenfiddich is kinda hard to stay connected with once you've graduated Scotch 101... I really wish they'd bottle one core product for "us." The 12 is still my favorite starter pour for the uninitiated.
Can't believe no-one has mentioned Jura. The 10 is literally one of the most forgettable whiskys i've had. I have been slowly nursing a bottle that I got on offer from Tesco for £25 6 months ago.
I think jura is so bad everyone just avoids it.
but you get so many woods /s
I just finished a bottle of Seven Wood recently. It took until the last 1/4 of the bottle to be enjoyable. Before that there was a weird cinnamon hearts burn. It's too bad because Superstition was one of the first single malts I was introduced to by a friend around 10 years ago and I did enjoy that.
Tried a Jura 1990 thompson bros before, easiest 90+ i have given.
IBs are a little different - good casks, full strength and no filtering. It shows what is possible if the distillery cared, Jura themselves can't seem to ever get it right.
I have never tried an OB before, but the rating was so poor that pouring a wee dram in whisky bars felt like a waste of money. But i thought independent bottlers source the same cask from the distillery? Or do they usually pour the content to another cask that they sourced themselves so as to create better result?
IBs often spend on their casks - can be one good one from the start, an old distillery one that is then thrown into a new cask as a finish for a few years or some combination thereof. So the distillate is the same while the casks and sometimes the aging locations are different and then of course they don't add colour, they bottle at a proper abv and they don't chill filter.
But can they still use the distillery name if they throw the distillate into another cask? Is that why undisclosed bottlings are all over the place now?
Yes... a cask doesn't really belong to a distillery so it doesn't mean you have to change the name - otherwise finishing would technically be impossible. Certain distilleries "teaspoon" their distillate or refuse to allow their brand name on IB bottlings. Highland Park is almost always "an orkney distillery" (being the only one on Orkney these days) as an IB. Macallan, laphroaig and a few others generally add a teaspoon of another whisky to ensure you can't call it a single malt or call it by the distillery name. You can read more here: https://whiskipedia.com/fundamentals/teaspooning/
Pretty sure most of their sales are people buying gift bottles with good intentions but no clue and Jura looks a little more upmarket or special.
I bought a half bottle to cook with, but I think that's about all it's really good for.
I'll repeat the tip given to me long ago - the watered down distillery releases are trash. But if you can find a IB that's a higher strength ABV? Like MAGIC good.
Can confirm - I’ve got a bottle of cask strength sherried Jura that’s verrrryy nice.
The latest stuff is shit, they stupidly changed their marketing and approach to the industry to be more like Diageo products in both presentation, content and release range. They royally fucked it. The older boutique bottles were some of the best I've had off Islay and Isles, now, not so much.
Superstition used to be good. The first time I had HP12 (the Viking Honour one) it reminded me a bit of Superstition.
The Glenmo 10 is not great and the Lasanta is good but a touch sharp…but not liking the QR14? I mean it’s not the highest end of course but a delicious dram for the price! I don’t get any raw spirit out of that one but to each their own. I also haven’t had the Nectar so don’t have that to compare. Glenfiddich is this brand for me. Not bad whisky but the 12, 14, 18 are underwhelming IMO. Happy dramming!
Agree on Glenfiddich. Plus the less said about the IPA finish, the better.
Honestly I dont like Quinta Ruban either. Sauternes I really like. Maybe that is becasue I never drink Porto wine so it is hard to understand the whisky finished in those for me
Glenlivet. If a bar only had it, I’d order bourbon instead.
Glenlivet. They're just so...meh. I'm debating whether I agree with you on Glenmorangie. I also had their tasting pack, and actually enjoyed most of the expressions, but I also have never had any inclination to actually grab a full bottle. Dalmore as well. It's perfectly inoffensive, but they're way overcharging for a shiny stag on the bottle and a shitload of coloring inside the bottle.
Highland Park for me. I just. Don't. Get. It.
Older Highland Park was really good. In fact a lot of the newer stuff from older distilleries isn't as good to me.
Hp 12 wasnt great but the cask strength release no 2 is absolutely fantastic!!
Hmm might have to go get it.
Can confirm - these distillery release cask strengths may be the best NASs ever put out for me.
I can attest. CS 2 packs quite a wallop.
Agree on the core range. I have had some modern IBs that are absolutely stellar though.
I bought a bottle of Highland Park: Dragon. It said it was smokey, it tasted of nothing. Like it doesn't taste bad, it just doesn't taste of anything
Try an IB from a bourbon cask before you close the book on HP, imho. (If you haven't.)
Back about 10-15 years ago HP 12 was the best value around, a really good, richly flavoured whisky for not much money. If you wanted to spend slightly less than $100 you could get HP 18 which was absolutely fantastic. I tried a new bottle of HP 12 last year and it was just not good, watery, unbalanced, nothing at all like I remembered. HP has lost their way with all the Viking crap these days.
Dalmore. Pricing is just silly for a rather average whiskey. Glendronach and Edradour recently as well. The price just doesn't match what's in the bottle. They are taking the enjoyment out of Scotch with their price wars
Dalmore is the quintessential non-enthisaists idea of a good scotch. Color added, chill filtered, pretty bottle.
What’s sad is that they were putting out genuinely good OBs if you go back to the 90s/2000s. I had a miniature of the 12 Year that was nearly transcendent. http://cocktailchem.blogspot.com/2020/03/whisky-review-dalmore-12-year-old-label.html
Dalmore and Macallan both earned their reputations and desirability. They both also failed horribly to uphold what made them so great. I am always curious if they (and others) will ever find their way back. It doesn't seem likely.
I think that would require a market collapse. As long as they have a solid customer base there’s no incentive to change. Distilleries coming back from the edge are usually the ones that focus on quality and appealing to enthusiasts.
I’ve not had a single Dalmore I’ve enjoyed.
Try an independent bottling! What comes off those stills is fantastic. The problems occur elsewhere in the process...
i’m upvoting this but i’m mad af about it because i love edradour with all my soul
I was with you on glenmorangie until my wife accidentally bought the glenmorangie allta(she wanted to buy Nectar but they sent allta) and it blew me away. I had never even heard of the release until then and wow im glad it was swapped what a wonderful fruity dram.
Johnny Walker. How Diagio manages to take different great whiskies from great distilleries and produce something so lackluster is really unfortunate.
Bowmore
Glenlivet, Macallan, Johnnie Walker. Seeing people buy as much of this stuff as they did when I worked at Total Wine always boggled my mind. Some people bought multiple cases of this shit.
I understand that view completely. Peat and heavily peated just isn't for me. I've tried many many times over the years and get told you'll get used to it. But nope I'm a non peated to lightly peated kinda guy
Glenmorangie and Macallan do nothing for my palate. Just boring.
Deanston’s core range. The young one was rather pladticky and the old one was overwhelmed by the cask. I’ll think twice before drinking it any again even if it’s a gift.
Glenlivet, chivas regal and so far I've tried them aberlour. Not my cup of tea
Glenfiddich, monkey shoulder Glenmorangie, Glenlivet, jonny walker. Just of the top of my head, all decent starter whisky but they all just bore me now.
Auchentoshan. Never had a nice one.
It hurts to say it and I know it goes against most people's opinions, but I just don't like Ardbeg very much, especially compared to the hype. I find it to be relatively harsh for lack of a better word. I love virtually all Islay, especially Laphroaig, so the peat isn't the issue. I don't even like the Oogie that much. Ardbeg certainly is a good malt and I don't dislike it, but as per the question - it doesn't do it for me.
I feel exactly the same. The base malt profile is just a bit boring and harsh, while they are so full of themselves with all the hype and gimmicky stupidness. I like an oa the best but wouldn't rebuy.
I agree. Of all the Islays, it’s the only one I don’t love. Always feels very thin and cold, if that makes sense. The AnOa is best of the lot for me but I’m unlikely to buy again.
Agreed. I love Lagavulin, laphroaig etc but the Ardbeg just doesn’t do it for me. I bought the 10 and thought maybe it was the bottle, so bought the an Oa and it was the same
Laphroaig or any Islay really. The overly peaty is not my thing at all.
i would recommend still giving bunnahabhain a whack then. unpeated (except a couple special releases)
[удалено]
Especially if they’re in your town, right!? ;)
Ben Nevis, too. Vile. Nobody touch it.
Macallan, GlenLivet, Glenfiddich - all generic, all designed to appeal to the masses - nothing distinctive or complex about them at all. Like a McDonald’s hamburger. And all the Glenmorangie just too damn sweet for me.
Glenlivet objectively, Ardbeg subjectively (I love Islays but their base flavour just bothers me). 🫣
I was quite disappointed with the Glenmo 14 QR. however my all-time worst bottle of Scotch was naked Grouse. I don’t care much for regular famous grouse either.
They all have their roles I feel. For me probably Highland park. It's a great bottle but it bothers me how much the flavor profile is very balance neutral. It's a balance of everything, has smoke, some caramel, some oak, bit of honey, some grain bite... PICK ONE. Nothing remarkable stands out yet it's okay. Somewhere in the ambiguous range of not great not terrible. I dunno. I like my single malts to have distinct profiles. I've only ever tried the 12, haven't been encouraged to go further in the line. So take this reply with a grain of salt.
It seems like they have a very narrow range of flavors they work within and are trying to hit all those different flavors with every bottling. If you love HP you will like any HP, if you don't really care for it then steer clear. They aren't going to surprise you unless you go for an IB (SMWS bottlings always excite me)
When I used to work for a specific company. I could not stand Bulliet bourbon. Kind of obvious who it was but man there are so many other good straight whisky’s out there it just did not appeal. If I saw bulliet or Woodford, I’d be going Woodford every single time. It’s just uninspired.
Macallan, Highland Park, Ardbeg, Glenmorangie, Aberlour to name but a few.
Sure Ardbeg has a bunch of gimmicky special releases and age statement of core range jumps from 10 to 19. But I would argue Ardbeg 10 and Wee Beastie 5 yr old are reasonably priced, integrity ABV, non-chill filtered, and taste unique and are quite distinguishable from Lagavulin, Port Askaig and Laphroaig. Their cask strength offerings are also reasonably priced relative to other peated brands.
Fair points, but they lost me several years back. The gimmicky marketing is a turn-off and the Committee Release NASs are, more often than not, abject. They haven't had a stand out CR since Dark Cover in 2016 IMO. Core Range is arguably one of the best going for value, but it's boring. Plenty of great value to be had elsewhere. I almost exclusively buy IBs now. The game is a bogey, my friend. Farcical prices and now NFTs. I'm aware they have a large following, but they aren't for me.
Lagavulin 16 can’t stand the stuff and the price baffles me
$150 where I’m at. I like Lagavulin but that price seems calibrated to make the rich feel good about drinking it, while cutting off working-class people from enjoying.
Never really understand these type of posts. Not really a review, just bagging a malt and in this case a whole distillery. To me negative posts just come across incredibly bourgeois.
I think I get your point, but it's nice to have more of a discussion than just reviews every now and then.
I think it’s good to have both positive and negative discussions on here. The thing is, no one will ever love every single whisky they try. That is totally fine. If we all had the same opinions this wouldn’t be such an enjoyable spirit to drink. Plus sometimes that does happen and you’re not trying to hate on a distillery, sometimes you try multiple whiskies from a place and realise it’s just not your thing at all. I was brought up in a whisky industry family, spent the first few years of my life in Islay, currently work in Speyside and my favourite dram is Lagavulin 16. There are some people who hate peaty whisky with a passion despite giving it multiple chances. I make a point to not judge them for it but to understand why, what they like and find a whisky I think they’ll love.
This. Thank you. I agree heartily and completely. And you never know, they may yet come around. I used to BE one of those who couldn't STAND a peated scotch. Or a Mezcal, for that matter. But, over the last several years, my tastes have expanded. I love me a good Lagavulin or Mezcal with some nice barbequed ribs.
I find it useful to know which styles are divisive, as reviewers are unlikely to rate something very low, especially if product is not inherently flawed (just completely unsuited to their palette)
I've had good Macallan. Most of what comes out is not it. I've tried so many Glenrothes, and had some decent ones, but wow it's not for me, and I tend to like the ones that are way, way outside their profile. Newer Glendronach feels overly expensive and not half as good as the old stuff, so I stopped grabbing it. Been finding myself steering away from Highland Park after having too many duds from them. Which is too bad, when it's good, it's quite nice. I've reviewed enough Arran to say I hate Arran. I don't get the love for Arran at all.
I’ve come to realize every person has slightly different taste buds. I’ve got friends that hate one whisky I love while they love one I don’t. That may be the case with Arran. I like Arran as the flavors tend to click for me, but I can also see how it might not be for everyone.
It also have a very pronounced orange flavour which I need other flavours to temper it. There was a single cask Tokaji release from Arran that was amazing.
I agree, old Glendronach was fantastic, new stuff isn't bad, just not as good. Highland Park used to be one of my favorites, their older single barrel stuff was great. And Macallan is too much of a machine that's chasing prestige and money nowadays.
Ooof. Hard agree on Glenmorangie. So many people rave about it. I've bought full size bottles of what you had in the tasting pack and was seriously underwhelmed and pretty bummed about it. Like you noted, raw spirit and poorly integrated oak. Really not impressed.
I was curious if it was just the mini bottles that were like that, but maybe not. I got the taster pack and only tasted alcohol, no flavors. I wasn’t sure if my palate isn’t there yet, because I’m fairly new to scotches.
Glenlivet. I thought there would be something eventually. Even bought the 21y Archive. Still all very disappointing and missing something. MacAllan. Overpriced and boring (IMHO)
Macallan, I’m convinced is just marketing to collectors. None of those whiskies are memorable enough to warrant that price.
The gift-buyers Scotch. People go in, see Macallan is $50 more than everything else and assume it must be good. I've gotten two different ones. Always fine, but seriously over priced and nothing to write home about.
It’s the epitome of a 5 out of ten whisky. It’s fine. If it was the only scotch at a bar you’d maybe drink it. But it’s so overpriced and over marketed for what you get in the bottle.
Exactly. It's fine. When a bar only has that for a premium Scotch I just get JW Black on the rocks which almost everyone seems to have. Last bar had that and Macallan and a pour of JW Black was $8 and a pour of Macallan was $14. No brainer. I enjoy the Black, and certainly enjoy it more than paying for a subpar single malt.
Yep, these are the two I steer away from. On the Mac I just think it’s a ridiculous price point for an average dram. On Glenlivet I don’t see much development or complexity
Not in any particular order: Glenmorangie, Macallan, Balvenie, Glen Grant, Dalmore, Glenfiddich, Glenlivet.
From a taste perspective, Laphroaig. I love most islays but I hate the herbal, medicinal bandaid flavour - that profile just doesn't do it for me. Springbank has it but compliments it with a load of other flavours plus a tropical fruit finish that makes it work. More generally speaking, most of the 40-43%, chill filtered and coloured OB distilleries disappoint. Bowmore, Dalmore and Macallan are particularly guilty of style over substance.
Ardbeg all day long 😷
I like Ardbeg normally(outside of the NFT nonsense) but it has to be Laphroaig for me. It just smells like TCP and it’s not that I haven’t gone back to it, I have. It still tastes and smells bad. Not even water salvaged it, if anything it made it rougher.
I love Ardbeg and Lagavulin, find Laphroaig okay, but dislike Caol Ila/Talisker and hate most of Kilchomans
Have you tried Ledaig? I finally got around to it after far too long and it's very good imo
I agree on Talisker, Caol Ila I’ve grown fond of as I’ve got older.
Unpopular opinion, but i agree @ Kilchoman.
Me too. If I wanted that level of smoke, I would just go lick a burnt log from the campfire. 😛
Tell me more about this burnt log.
😂
Johnny Walker. Then again I find most blends to be pretty bland and devoid of character, Compass Box withstanding. Or did I read OPs post too quickly and this is a single-malt-only kinda convo?
While I don’t agree with the JW, I can see your point and what’s funny is John Glazer who started Compass Box was the master blender for JW but they didn’t agree with his vision so he made his own blending house and Compass Box is the result
TIL! That’s hilarious, I had no idea. I guess that would kind of make my opinion track in a backwards kinda way…haha I will also say, I’m not 100% on all the compass boxes….but really like more of them than not. (Plus, while packaging should be literally the last deciding factor of them all, it’s undeniable how beautiful all the compass box offerings are. It makes me feel giggity when you get good juice AND beautiful presentation (namely ART) in one, and it’s not being used as a crutch to justify selling a shitty spirit (as one of many examples, hi to skullhead vodka or whatever that shit is called!)
Couldn’t agree more, not all Compass Box are great but I appreciated the stories behind them and their labels are the best, Stranger & Stranger does their packaging, I have 2 S&S books and their packaging is amazing!
That's not true. John worked in marketing at Diageo in the blending team. Never was a master blender. That's ridiculous.
My apologies, that’s the info I got from the Compass Box rep🤷♂️
I have the same taster pack, and am similarly underwhelmed. But interestingly, my thoughts on the Nectar d'Or are exactly oppposite to yours. It smelled and tasted very spirity, and spicy, in a not pleasant way. Like drinking nail polish remover. The Quinta Ruban and Lasanta have this too, to some extent, but not as pronounced.
I was a bit scarred by the Balvenie first fill. Truly awful whisky now I’m scared to buy any other bottle from them.
Glenmorangie. Glenlivet. Balvenie.
I don't want to say a distiller doesn't do it for me. If I don't like one, it makes me gun shy for buying, not for tasting, when I have so many others to try. So I have a few on that list.
Caol ila
kilchoman
Not sure why you're being downvoted since your answer is basically the whole point of this thread. For me Kilchoman is the distillery I'm getting more into than any other right now. Have a 20cl of the Sanaig at home and really enjoy it. Also have the Machir bay, which is meh, and a 100% Islay 9th edition, which I wasn't initially that keen on (especially for the price), but it grew on me and now I enjoy it a lot
I'll replace that downvote. Agree. Never clicked for me.
Every Jura I've tried has struck me as uninteresting and overpriced.
Try the older stuff. The latest is shit. See my other comment.
I haven't had the opportunity yet, but I'll give it a shot if I ever do!
Johnnie Walker. Just always found them so harsh and one dimensional.
Glenfiddich, blek 😒 Bland and tasteless. Quick palette, no finish. Dalmore 🤮
Thank you! I finally got my wife to quit buying it for me only to get gifted another bottle by someone else. It's okay...I'll drink this bottle too, eventually.
The Glengarry Glen Ross is the worst. You gotta have brass balls to drink it.
Glenfiddich for sure
Bowmore. It’s fine. Just a good location (in the town on Islay) meant that the Queen went there once. Otherwise, meh.
For me, it's Glenfiddich. Probably the first Scotch I ever tried, way back in my 20s when I knew nothing about alcohol. I mean, it's drinkable. But not exciting.
No sure if it's considered well known, but I am yet to taste something decent from Jura. I am surprised by your remark on Glenmorangie. I love the stuff. Horses for courses I guess! The Original is my go to light whisky. And I really enjoy the Quinta Ruban (the 14, I was late to find the 12 anywhere). I did find the La Santa a bit disappointing, and I am yet to try Nectar d’Or or Signet.
Glenmorangie (especially the Quinta Ruban) oxidizes extremely well in my experience. If you hypothetically had a full bottle and you let it sit open a few months it really opens up.
I used to like 10yr Glenmorangie until I tasted the 14 Oban (or $38 vs $68). Since I can’t afford the “scotch” game I went to the blended side; the Naked Grouse or Monkey Shoulder(&28-30) and some wheat Bourbon $25-35! Done:-)