I Bought Popular Bottom Shelf Whisky and Ranked Them!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.ย. 2024
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Ever wondered if the BEST budget whiskies hide in plain sight on the bottom shelf?
In this video, I will be blind tasting some of the most debated, worst-rated, and yet possibly the best value-for-money bottles out there.
I've heard some pretty bad things about these whiskies, but I'm curious to see if they're really as bad as everyone says.
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Disclaimer: This video is only a reflection of my personal opinion and perspective.
Which bottom shelf whisky do you like?
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What i liked: four roses yellow label, bushmills black, jim beam black, jameson stout
Teachers
Queen Margot and Monkey Shoulder
I like Tomatin but CS Bourbon & sherry casks ABV 57,5%. Ther is more flavor in this one and not so expensive for CS.
Connemara Peated and Jameson Black Barrel. If I want cheaper, I would always rather go for Irish than Scotch.
Here in Brazil we have a special edition of Teacher's 12 Golden Thistle. It is made in Scotland but bottled in Brazil just for the domestic market. It is matured for 12 years in both American and European oak casks and finished in casks that contained Islay single malt whiskies (supposedly from Laphroaig). It is surprisingly good, with a nice balance between the peat and fruit notes and costs less than 20 US dollars. It has become my go to blended scotch whisky and one of the few that I actually enjoy drinking neat.
Putz, não sabia q o Teacher’s podia ser tão complexo. Se eu encontrar dessa edição por um bom preço, vou experimentar. Valeu!
Don't tell them about Teacher's, shhhhH!
Only $20?
Teacher's 12 years Golden Thistle is selling for $35-$37 here in Calcutta, India.
Red Label does what it is meant to do- it's inexpensive, doesn't taste bad and goes well in drinks.
As someone who has all the Johnnie Walkers there are (it's more of a collection thing, I tend to drink preferably of the "second grade" various "Black Label" blends for everyday [ *not technically every day* mind you🥴😉] consumption and the various "Gold" blends for more spiffy occasions, "Blue Label" in my opinion isn't truly worth it's price - it's still "just" a blend) I was always under the impression that the Red Label was never intended to be consumed by itself but is less of a Scotch "in it's own right" but an *ingredient* for drinks, much like "Rum Aroma" is used in cakes 🧐.
So I completely concur with you - it isn't meant to be drunk all alone without juices or syrups😆.
Best regards
Raoul G. Kunz
@@RaoulKunz1On the Johnnie Walker website, it states Red Label as a cocktail scotch while it calls Black Label a cocktail or sipping scotch. So yes, you are just straight up correct about it being a mixing version.
@@GogiRegion
Ah thanks - should have looked ip up myself but was clearly too lazy..erm...
I think the tragedy here is chiefly that I "always" (meaning "often", but as we know: "once is never, twice is always") see Red Label as the only scotch on the locked liquor cabinet in supermarkets and it's treated like it's super-duper-special-behind-locked-doors-expensive-beverage (there is no requirement here in Germany to lock up liquors in stores, it's just a sometimes used way to block potential theft of expensive - and there we are - alcoholic drinks) which of course suggests it's "special" when it's just that... an ingredient.
Thanks for pointing this out!^^
Best regards
Raoul G. Kunz
Red Label is basically one for mixing -only?
Red label is so ass. I hate it straight or mixed
As somebody who commonly drinks a $10 bottle of bourbon and thinks my local made $35 bottle of bourbon is high class stuff, it's weird for me to hear a $58 bottle called "budget"
Although, my current favorite whisky is also the most expensive one I've ever been able to afford at $70
Can’t get a $10 bottle in New Zealand mate. Which is where this is filmed.
58$ is nuts. In Germany you can get most good bourbons and single malts for under 30€. Woodford Reserve for 25€ is one of my favourite bargains
NZ and Aus have crippling Alcohol taxes.@@Metallicazor
We can't get anything for $10 in Aus. JW Red is the bottom of the barrel whisky here, and still costs AUD $45-50
I'm guessing he's using New Zealand dollars, which are a bit under two thirds of a USD. And that's before taxes and transportation costs are factored in. So probably half the price if you're living a bit closer to ordinary civilization than Kangarooville or Kiwitropolis.
I'd like to give a suggestion as a wishky and coffee aficionado: when nerding out trying to find the best coffee possible you get adjusted to great ones, so sometimes I like to get some average nothing special coffee to enjoy and bring my palate back to square one. I started doing it with whisky too and I feel it works there too, get yourself some solid cheap wishky, and you'll love the good ones more (your wallet will thank you too). Sometimes you just need that 80's action blockbuster 😂
Exactly!
Same, I’m hugely into to coffee and it always makes me appreciate my freshly ground light roasted coffee whenever I have an average coffee
When you’re used to the good stuff it just tastes normal, and then the mediocre stuff tastes bad. Better to be used to average stuff and save the good stuff for special occasions, no matter what beverage
"Daily drinker" is a thing, yes! Larceny is my "go to" for that.
We did the same thing with wines. As you go up the scale in price it doesn't get THAT much better. We regularly had $10 (max) wine bottle challenge blind taste test parties, and discovered some very decent ones.
If you're eating red meat you can't go wrong with a Malbec and I've never paid more than 20 bucks for a Malbec and they have never disappointed.
Bruh I hear ya loud on that 80s blockbuster! It's good to get back into your "place in the world" , and I think it applies to food as well!
Teachers highland cream is my budget scotch, while it’s a blended scotch it contains 40% peated Ardmore whisky and bottled at 90 proof which is more than most bottom shelf scotches can boast. Macleans nose also blew my socks off with a 70% malt, both peated and unpeated from ardnamurchan as well as some Sherry aged whiskey. Both have changed the budget whisky game for me as well as what a blended scotch can be
It's weird how booze is so much cheaper in NZ when it probably passed through Australia to get there. Our "sin tax" is ridiculous. Nice vid!
There’s potentially an interesting video idea there about bonded warehouses and ‘bottled in bond’ type whiskeys and bourbons.
I'd love to see the whiskey banter video Phil! And as much as you may not have enjoyed these whiskeys, I found it a very entertaining video. Maybe go for a "still cheap but more mid-tier" set next time? Cheers
Love this, I’d like to see more blind tastings. Maybe 5 “budget” good value single malts
Its very hard to beat arran or glencadam 10
I know many who prefer Johnny red because of its taste.I know many that'd buy a red over the black ANYDAY.
Me included. Red is much more interesting than black. Stands up better in a cocktail also.
I am one of those people.
How about chivas regal? Always found that fairly enjoyable.
J&B: pencil shavings. I equate that note as a cold, still full, used, cigarette ashtray. And that is a note that I specifically associate with grain whisky, and it's pretty much universal for me. That said, I do have a taste for grain scotch across the quality and age spectrum from a 30yr old North British I.B., to a Tweeddale Single Grain, and on down to the J&B Rare. As of now, among the blended scotch bottom shelfers, J&B stood out for having a lemony flavor note and I'm quite partial to that in my scotch in general. I'd certainly place the Red Label below J&B, Buchanan's, Bushmill, and a few others.
Many years ago, I worked for The Glenlivet Distillers, before they were taken over by the Canadian Mafia (Seagrams). The company produced The Glenlivet 12yo; Glen Grant; Benriach and Longmorn - all single malts, and Queen Anne (std blend) and Something Special (De Luxe). If you ever source a bottle, try 12y.o. Longmorn. Top class. I had a bottle of 1955 (Gordon & McPhail bottling) for my 50th birthday in 2005.
Amazing! I interviewed Alan Winchester recently when he was over in NZ. Gonna be on the channel soon! I haven't had the 12. But I have a bottle if the old Longmorn 16 in the green bottle. Amazing stuff!!
The Costco/Kirkland Blended 12-yo is worth a try. I THINK it is 50% malt and it is decent enough to actually sip. You'll never ruin a cocktail with it I gu-ar-an-tee.
Yeah their brand is notoriously good they work with some good distillers.
A couple of years ago I was in Edinburgh and wanted to treat myself to a nice bottle for my 40th so popped in to a whisky shop. Not being an expert I asked the very helpful member of staff what kind of stuff I liked and what I was prepared to pay and he put half a dozen samples out for me to try. It turned out the one I liked the most was by far the cheapest of the lot called The Ileach. It's from an undisclosed Islay distillery, i've seen it available for around £30 a bottle and often cheaper.
Next time do 3 bottom shelf and 3 higher shelf and stack then in that line. I feel like because you know they are all low grade, your negative bias is doing nothing but dogging on them. You'd be more cautious with your words if you do that to a top shelf hiding amongst the cheaps.
This is pretty highbrow for cheap whisky. You need to get into Cutty Sark, Clan MacGregor, or Black Velvet for a real trip into the bottom shelf. Cutty Sark isn't bad for $25 US for 1.75l.
Cutty's Prohibition Edition is pretty nice and still not expensive.
The malt always shines ;) Arran 18 has become a rare and endagered species in Germany, those shops that have it want €170, costs more than the 21 at the moment.
I do prefer Ballantine's from the bottom shelf, even though it always tends to be ignored by whisky reviewers, for some reson. Any idea why is it so rarely reviewed, even though it's the second best selling scotch in the world, after JW?
I do prefer Ballantines over JWred because it's less smoky and it makes the best whisky sour that i've had in my life
Love Ballentines!
I have a scotch buddy and that's his go to for daily drinker.
J&B is my favourite out of all of those. I use it in an Old Fashioned. It’s NZ $50-55 for a 1 litre bottle which is really good value for money.
I like Teacher's as a budget one. It's kinda like a budget version of Glenfiddish 12yo with a peppery finish. Downside that it also is way to easy to drink. 'Islay Mist The Original Peated Blend' is a very good one for it's price.
JW Red is a good mixer. Rarely drink it straight unless it's the only bottle where I'm at. :)
Who would go someplace that only had jw red... jeez :)
@@beebobox We all occasionally face desperate times stranded in places with crap bars.
Wow, 5/5! Nice one, Phil!
For some reason, NAS Irish whiskies are cheap here in the Philippines, and these have become a staple in my shelf:
- Teeling Single Grain - NZD65
- Teeling Single Pot Still - NZD56
- Teeling Small Batch and Jameson Stout: NZD29
Yes, I’m a Teeling fan.😊
Gotta love Teeling :) it’s definitely my go-to Irish whiskey. There are so many good Irish distilleries out there, but their stuff is so expensive and hard to find compared to the mediocre brands. Teeling stands out, however🇮🇪🇮🇪
Teeling is nice
Great video and nice going getting them all correct. The thing that shocks me is those prices! Those are quite high prices for bottom shelf whiskies! Where abouts do you live? I recently had a chance to buy Bowmore 10 for 79€ for 2 bottles. I passed up because I have too many "ok" whiskies as it is. Second one I saw recently was Glenmorangie 12 for 35€. I had to grab two. I though it was a no brainer because if nothing else it makes for a good gift for someone still learning about whisky. Overall I do agree prices are getting crazy and I end up buying less and less. The good thing is I started early before this crazyness so I have a shelf with close to 300 high quality, even some truly rare and expensive whiskies. Mostly got them for 1/2 or 1/3 current value, some even less. The problem is I don't do it for value but to drink and then opening some of them now that the prices can be several hundred euros/bottle is kind of painful because I know I will never have it again in my shelf once it's gone. Oh, well it's made to be enjoyed! Slainte!
Johnnie Walker Red is 50/50: ive drank bottles that were incredibly smooth and had almost a buttery flavor ( butterscotch? *Rimshot*). But then ive had bottles that are very rough, including the most recent bottle ive gotten. Its an issue with the blending and the young age. Sometimes they get it right and other times they botch it
That is very true have the same experience. Some are okay others have a very bitter after taste. Dont know why. Dont buy that shit anymore. Now my go too wiskeys is black lable or Jack Daniels old 7.
In terms of a decent, cheap(ish) single malt, I like either the Glenlivet Founder's Reserve, or the standard Talisker. In terms of a blend. I've always rather liked the Black Grouse (a smoky whisky by the Famous Grouse), a portion of the profits from went to black grouse conservation in Scotland.
Also, Tomatin is in Strathdearn (also called the Findhorn Valley by Philistines), the next Strath north-west from Strathspey. The Findhorn is a different catchment from the Spey (rather than a tributary of it like the Livet or the Dulnain for example), so it wouldn't be considered a Speyside.
Great video, Phil. Love to see the banter video. Cheers and need to hear more of your story.
Glad to hear you are keen to see a banter video. I'm unsure as it's not technically about whisky, but it will be a good story to listen to with a whisky.
My late mother used to drink Bells or Grouse, but she used to add a tumbler of ginger ale to a measure of scotch to make her long bedtime drink. She felt it would have been a crime to pollute anything better.
Fun video, really enjoy your channel, have learned a lot thanks to you. Just picked up a Glenallachie Cask strength Batch 8
I really enjoyed this video, Phil. There is such a wide range in whisky and even within the bottom shelf. Some of these are undrinkable as you found and accurately reflected. I do keep blended whisky in the cabinet to keep me grounded, but I have found the gems in that class. That is what you did here. I love your work!
J & B is freaking great! Patrick Bateman would agree😁
Very fun blind tasting! I unironically enjoy Tomatin Legacy, it just suits my palate.
Catto's blended scotch is THE low budget gem for me. Outperforms all the generic big brand names like JW or Chivas at a fraction of the price.
Any Glen Moray Elgin heritage is a good bang for buck whisky to get started on. They're not great but they do alright same with Tomatin and I'll take a Jameson any day. Cheers Phil, very entertaining video!
Excellent videeo mate, it looked like you had some fun with it😁
Thanks mate!
Johnnie Walker red is $30 plus tax in the United States for a 1 3/4 litre bottle at Walmart and ABC liquor store.
A great Vid Phil, you've got me in. My story: I'm 73 & just love my one finger of Scotch every evening, except on w/ends when it is two fingers. I keep my Scotch in the 'fridge & enjoy the different aromas & mouth feel as it warms to room temp. over about half an hour. They say that Scotch doesn't age in the bottle, I beg to differ !! Just this year I found a pack of two 100ml bottles of Haig in the back of a cupboard that were packed for sale in 1974. One was 12 years old, the other 18. I savored those two bottles sparingly over 3 days & it is near impossible to describe what my nose & palette went through. Unfortunately, Scotch in Oz is terribly expensive, so I just buy my McAllister once a fortnight & tipple away. Oh, before I forget. Once I put a bottle of Black Douglas in the freezer & it froze ... Never again ... I always test a new Scotch this way.
Johnnie Walker Red Label is freaking undrinkable 🤢🤢
I bought a bottle once, it lasted for years of cleaning my fishing reels.
When I visited the states years ago there seemed to be a fashion for it, drunk from the bottle in the blazing sunshine at a ridiculous temperature it is ‘f’ in appalling. They seemed miffed when I pointed out nobody I knew drank the stuff.
Johnnie Walker is fine.
I started out decades ago with cheap Canadian whiskies, you know, just for a quick shot to get drunk. And for years drank VO and 7Up. Then the Bourbon craze hit, and began sipping neat or with drop of water to try and learn the delicious nature of Vanilla, charred oak, sometimes with a hint of Rye. Next, having become a Snob for better things, I drank Single Malt Scotches. Soon enough I found them bland, mostly tasting of barley, and sometimes Peat (smoke) My conclusion: Clean liquor is first priority. No hangover is the first badge of good booze. Second, Scotch blends taste best. Johnny Red is decent, even Dewars. I have yet to drink a Single Malt Scotch that is more pleasant to sip Neat at any reasonable pricepoint. Cheers!
@@markweaks2239Dewars white label is surprisingly good, as you said no need to always spend a fortune even if you develop a taste for better whiskey
I used to drink a lot of White Horse, it was a blend that was very affordable and had a little smoke.
That arran 18 must have gone down like an absolute dream after having those haha
Great video and spot on…the Glen Moray is a good budget scotch ..and the port finish version is good too.
You're spot-on. I made the mistake and purchased the Proper 12. Biggest mistake of my life! It's overpriced! Tastes more like Viceroy brandy. The Red Label shouldn't be part of the Jonnie Walker family. The colour of J&B is disgusting. Flavour is a joke. Yet South Africans love it. I don't understand!
I like J and B because it shows up in the background of a bunch of my favorite films!
That's how I got interested way back, had to check it (or any whisky) out at the time and surprisingsly liked it.
The 12 in proper 12 refers to where McGregor is from seemingly as he is from Dublin 12.
OMG, tried the Proper 12 and it was awful, IMHO. Ugh. Tullamore is a little more and much more pleasant. But Port Charolette is my go to when I want to really enjoy a good dram, maybe Oban for a totally different profile. Above those price ranges I have no idea
Of course they’re not that bad, it’s whisky, a simple process and experience taken to ludicrous levels of critique and daft flavour descriptions. There ain’t many distilleries in Scotland I haven’t visited so I do know what I like however if it wasn’t for blended stuff few of us would have started on the journey in the first place. The faces pulled at some of the ‘lesser’ blends I personally find quite comical.!
Yes. From the comments, it seems that anything which is remotely popular and affordable is kind of nasty. At which price point does whisky start becoming 'good'? If it is like a 75 per bottle, forget it. I will stick to my bottom shelf stuff. I enjoy most of them, anyway, even if to different degrees.
Some of the whiskies being mentioned are not even stocked on bottom shelves at the bars I go to but presented as something a bit special. I did once go to a specialist whisky bar. Apart from being bewildered by the incredible range, the prices per shot made my eyes water. I suppose they had lots of top shelf stuff. It did me no good, though. Took one drink and left. The prices took away any enjoyment the tastes might have given me.
I am not the kind of person who can sip two shots for a whole evening but nor can I afford to spend the kind of money which would buy me several bottles on just a few shots.
Bottom or mid-shelf is fine for me. As I like to say, they all taste smooth after the third one!
Proper Twelve looks and tastes like someone asked ChatGPT how to make whiskey.
Honestly I love the idea of you trying to find good budget single malt because they're not easy to find at all
Johnnie Walker Red is only good for making cocktails or drinking with ice and ginger beer. It probably cleans drains too.
Would of personally included Jamesons Whiskey in this lineup, have a feeling it would of been top placement.
Would have also snuck in a Wild Turkey 40.5% as it would have killed all of these in flavour.
Yeah but it's not bottom shelf, more like medium low shelf haha, still my favorite in price/quality
Jameson is definitely my favourite budget blend whiskey, fine enough to drink straight and cheap enough to mix in cocktails 🙂
Just found your channel. Very interesting and informative. I’m a big bourbon drinker, but I do have a few bottles of scotch and an Irish whisky on my bar. The Dalmore 18 (my favorite) Glenlivet 18, Bunnahabhan 18, The Dalmore 12, and Redbreast 12. You have given me some info on your other videos on a variety of scotch and I will start expanding my scotch selection.
Irish Whiskey not whisky
@@OscarOSullivansorry man, didn’t mean to offend!
@@curetiamhices289 It is alright I adhere to the Scotch Whisky and Irish Whiskey convention
You should give Boilo a try sometime, a winter favorite here in the Skook. Made with Four Queens.
Glen Moray is actually decent, especially for the price...ill be shocked if it's not the best one. EDIT: yep! I've been able to find Glenn Moray on sale for 35 bucks, and the peated and Sherry cask are legit good
Jameson is the cheapest and best whiskey.
The standard bottling is trash and it’s not the cheapest.
I am from India so red label is a budget scotch here but personally Teachers Highland cream,Royal Green,Royal Stag Barrel Select,Oaken Gold,Officers choice are some doing great business in the local markets
Great idea , but I think that was a little easy.
You should try always "cheap whisky" but all NAS (or same age) single malt, same casks, 40% ABV
Because it's clear that Glen Moray and Tomatin are not in the same category than the others.
The best under 30 bucks whiskey is Glen Moray. They have single malt, chardonnay, port, sherry, peated, aged whiskey. You can try them all without breaking the bank. The only thing cheaper I can tolerate neat is bourbon like Wild Turkey, Buffalo Trace, Four Roses. And Famous Grouse if I really need to.
MacLean's Nose is around £30 in Scotland and is one of the best value drams I've had in ages 🤌
🤩🤗👍🥂🙋🏻♂️
J&B: pencil shavings. I equate that note as a cold, still full, used, cigarette ashtray. And that is a note that I specifically associate with grain whisky, and it's pretty much universal for me. That said, I do have a taste for grain scotch across the quality and age spectrum from a 30yr old North British I.B., to a Tweeddale Single Grain, and on down to the J&B Rare. As of now, among the blended scotch bottom shelfers, J&B stood out for having a lemony flavor note and I'm quite partial to that in my scotch in general. I'd certainly place the Red Label below J&B, Buchanan's, Bushmill, and a few others.
Red Label is great for highballs.. has a lether note that hangs on still in a dilution.. What is the best whisky for scars stories? cheers
Good question! Something intense I think!
Glen moray is a great budget whisky, where I am from they sell for 14 €, I prefer the clasic and the port finish expressions pn their basic line.
J&B is my favorite out of these lol. The Red Label and the Tomatin were almost undrinkably bad. Proper 12 is ok but a totally different type of whisky. Havent had this Glen Moray but Ive had their more expensive bottlings and most of those are alright.
I've never seen anyone get them all right. I'm impressed.
I feel like throwing in some mid-top shelf stuff to make the tasting a bit more of a fair gauntlet, it's not like you're going to confuse that Irish with the Scotch after all!
I really like using the Tomatin for cocktails. Aside from Monkey Shoulder it’s my favorite for cocktails.
Great vid 👍
I personally really like to have at least one good budget whiskey at home - like the Glen Morey, Tamnavulin, a good Bourbon (I love Bourbon 😄) or even a Ballentines - just for a small sip or if you wanna offer a glass to someone who's not into this - you don't wanna give a beer fan your 25 year old Chivas 😅
That's why I like vids focused more on bottom shelf/budget bottles. If you just let yourself get into it, you'll find some really good, really affordable gems.
A good sip does not have to break your bank 🙂🥃🥃
Whose bottom shelf goes up to 60 dollars? At uni Jim Beam was for when we were feeling fancy
Thank you for your sacrifice. I have never heard good words about the three you classed at the bottom. J&B and Proper 12 have had horrible reviews while Johnny Walker Red's flavor has dropped badly in the last two decades. Glen Moray is priced about 10% above those bottom dwellers, while Tomatin is priced more than double the other options you tasted. Do I think that with additional aging and refinement that Proper 12 will beat the regular version of Jameson whiskey? No.
I actually like J&B, but not as much as Cutty Sark. I think J&B is a little more complex than say Dewar's White Label, which is basically just notes of smoke and honey. Cutty Sark is similar to Dewar's, but a little smoother and more refined.
If that's your 'bottom shelf', then Oh Man! You have no idea how low you can go! (Without crossing the line into hand~sanitizer category...)
Maybe spending a bit more and getting a good middle of the road price wise whisky or whiskey
@@OscarOSullivan Oh yes, of course.
My favorite cheap whiskey is Evan Williams Bottled in Bond. Around me it’s $35 for a 1.7L bottle. It’s not the best to sip on its own, but it’s a great mixer and you can make an ok enough old fashioned with it.
you evaluate the walker red as something that would work better in a mixed drink, which is exactly what it's about. walker knows what they do!
this might sound funny, but J&B was highly regarded back in the new york of my youth in the 70s, particularly in the jewish community. i haven't had it since then but i liked it as a little kid
is it really fair to compare malts with blends? it seems to me that you were almost surely going to pick the malts first. i guess it might be good to prove the point, but i'd rather have seen 5 blends in this test
We went to the Johnny Walker factory earlier this year. the lady there told us that the red label is blended specifically to be drank with a mixer like Coke.
I’m guessing that as J&B is the same style of whiskey, it would also suit being mixed .
My secret: a bottle of Grant's but you have to open it the day before, it smells harsh, leave it open for 5 minutes and close it until the next day, it will be surprisingly smooth 😂 it doesn't have any complexity whatsoever but it's sippable even without ice
I LOVE Johnnie Walker Black. Probably my favorite blended whiskey. But Red Label wasn’t one of my favorites. It was better than the Glennfiddich 12, though. As far as Irish Whiskey, Bushmills is my go-to.
My experience: NAS budget Irish blends are generally somewhat better than NAS budget Scotch blends. But then I haven't tried the Proper Twelve yet!
Its means you saved your money and its w lot. 👍😁🥂🙋🏻♂️
Ballantyne's, Tullamore Dew or Monkey Shoulder.
Dunno if you can really call Ballantyne's bottom shelf anymore it's starting to get up in price a bit.
That Glen Moray isn't a bad drop at all for the price.
I really like your videos and respect your opinion Phil. But only having a limited budget for Whiskey, I drink J&B and Red Label regularly. And watching lots of youtubers gag when they drink budget Whiskey, kinda makes me hessitant to trying more expensive one's. I Hope my palette never develops like this 😬
It's a very slippery slope. I really liked Red for years till I ventured into the never ending single malt journey. Even after 15 years of exploration I'll still buy Red or other inexpensive blends but they are used in cocktails for the most part.
Bottom shelf whisk(e)y´s I like are The Famous Grouse, Wild Turkey 81 (far the best), Glen Moray, West Cork IPA, Jameson Caskmates...so there are a lot. Which I don´t like are Johnnie Walker Red label and Ballantine´s. Best regards from Europe!
This is the first time I've ever seen Proper Twelve reviewed. I bought a bottle of it when it was first produced and I found the flavour to be sweet and very artificial. J&B is total shite, it's something that is used for mixers but should never been consumed straight up. Red Label is another middle of the road Scotches that is sold everywhere but has very little flavour. Thank you so much for the other two that I've never purchased but may in the future. You have a well taught palette for sampling whiskey, and I respect that.
Your man in the Marble Arch was onto the quality of Proper 12
Back in late 90s & early 00s the best cheap blended scotch was "Black Bottle." For £10 a bottle it was stunning, & to this day I've never tasted anything as good. Unfortunately the newer version of Black Bottle is nowhere near as good, budget scotch needs to raise it's standards, especially in this economic climate.
Hi Phil. Actually I like the tomatin legacy, last bottle I payed €19. The Glen Moray classic peated version is also worth a buy, for a budget malt it’s not that bad at all. Haven’t had a J & B blend in years, says it all really. Excellent blind tasting video 👍, slàinte Phil.
Very interesting video. I learned a lot here. Thanks for uploading.
However, may I make a suggestion. Have you ever thought about doing a video on bargain priced whiskeys? I happen to like one bargain priced Irish whiskey called John L. Sullivan. It ranges usuaaly within the 12-13 dollar range. About two years ago, I bought a bottle of John L. Sullivan just to give it a try and when I took a little sip of it when I came home, I was pleasantly surprised. IMHO, this is actually a pretty good tasting whiskey for the low price it's sold for. For me, I feel that I really don't need to buy higher priced ones. Why? As in the words of the KISS song "Cold Gin"; "The cheapest stuff is all I need. To get me back on my feet again." That's just me. No, I'm not an alcoholic, but to me, I feel I don't need to buy any high priced liquor.
By the way, before I started John L. Sullivan, I used to buy Merry Irish Whiskey, but that is not around anymore.
Just thought I'd comment. Thanks again.
Feel disappointed, I love JB...
I like the Tomatin Legacy! Even with my growing collection, I whould buy it.
True sest would be if you have put a few of your favourite/ better whiskies in the mix. Otherwise you already know those you've got a pretty cheapand basic and a bias towards them is formed whether you recognize it or not.
I would also like to see a whisky banter.
I agree with you, I always have like 10 bottles of mediocre whisky laying around and go back to them from time to time, just to really appreciate the good ones. It is insane how much going from a mediocre one to one of my favorites can enhance the experience. My mediocre bottles right now are Loch Lomond NAS, Glengarry NAS, The Gauldrons NAS, Cameron Bridge Single Grain, Speyburn Bradan Orach, The Deveron 12 and... Tomatin Legacy and Glen Moray Chardonnay finish, exactly those two you tried lol. IMHO, Tomatin Legacy is awful, the worst of them all. Anything I try after it tastes like glory lol
This is hilarious 😂.
The gauldrons is not mediocre at all, far from that; it's a delicious campbeltown blended malt. If you call that mediocre your judgment on scotch can't be trusted 😅
Thank you for sipping through this minefield so we don't have to.
Why are things so expensive there?!? I can get Bunnahabhain12 @31usd consistently here in Taiwan. I found a great deal for Port Charlotte 10 @37usd and bought up 3 bottles here.
Well it is interesting to me that picking out the single malts was this easy. I haven't done a side by side comparison myself (and since I came to whisky through single malt, I have next to no experience with budget blends). Really makes me want to set up a blind tasting with more premium blends compared to single malts...
Yeah, the Irish blended definitely stood out. The J&B and Johnny Walker just tasted more engineered.
$58 might be budget whiskey, it's definitley not a cheap whiskey. You have an amazing palate, great job.
I was planning on picking up a bottle of Proper 12 out of curiosity, but I will get the Glen Moray instead.
I enjoy some bottom shelf whiskies like Vat 69, Sir Edwards. The only way i can drink red label is with sprite. JW black is also one of the good ones.
I'm in Ireland the capital of which is Dublin, I don't drink spirits but tuned in to hear your thoughts on Proper 12, which is Irish and named Proper 12 as Conor McGregor is from Dublin 12, it's a clever play on words.
I'm surprised Ballantine's isn't on your list. That is my goto budget scotch. 27 USD (46 NZD) for a 1.75 liter bottle.
That is an absolute bargain.
Ballantine's is $50 for 1L in New Zealand
Everyday drinking...John Barr (blended)....Superior Malt trry a Springbank....My current favourite is a 1yr old Dewars. .
I bought JW Red once, ended up using it to clean fishing reels. I can’t comprehend it’s popularity.
I dunno if anyone has said it here yet but Proper 12 is callled Proper 12 cos cos he's from Dublin 12. We don't like him in Ireland tho.
According to my taste it would be:
1) Tomatin Legacy
2) Glen Moray
3) JB Red
4) Proper 12
5) J&B
so almost the same.
Let me give you the bottom-shelf whisky scene here in Japan: Overview: the price of just about all whiskies, imported or domestic has increased recently due to the reduction in the yen exchange rate (against the pound and US dollar, obviously). Even domestic whisky have increased prices. Fortunately the retail price of scotch is still cheaper than in sin-tax UK.
Examples: Cutty Sark, 70cl, 950 yen (Stg.4.75). Good to get yourself to sleep, but add plenty of ice and soda. This applies to just about all bottom shelf offerings. Blended obviously.
John Barr. 1.0-litre, 1,880 yen (Stg.9.40). Same as Cutty Sark so you might as well get two bottles of KS.
Whyte and Macay, 70 cl, 1,850 yen (Stg.9.40) "Rich and smooth", sure but that's hardly a plus.
Johnnie Walker Red, Ballantine's, White Horse three-year. 70cl. around 1,300 yen. you're paying for the label.
Step up to 12- year blended
White Horse, Ballantine's 70cl, around 2,300 yen (Stg.11.50). You can taste the difference, but add plenty of ice/soda.
Johnnie Walker Black, 70cl, just over 3,000 yen. Considerably better, but don't waste your money on Double Black.
Japanese low price whisky. Around 800 yen for a 70cl bottle. Not worth bothering with.
So there you are Britisher pals. Bottom linhe; Japans a hard country to take sober.
Jack, the Japan Alps Brit
Walker Red is great to have with soda in the morning. Cannot imagine drinking it neat, though ...
Not sure if it’s the same in the US but I was expecting the true bottom shelf whisky’s, the old grouse, bells that’s sort of stuff
R.J. MacReady doesn't approve of your J&B ranking. You're clearly one of The Things.