I was a stillman and mashman at Lochranza for 8 years and I'm grateful for all the great reviews you've been giving the malt. Not many independents left and it's been a hard fought battle all these years but in the end the quality shines through.
@@FirstPhilWhisky I was at Lochranza on single man shifts from 2011 to 2019, I've since been at the sister distillery Lagg which you have mentioned I think in a previous video. The Explorers Series and 18 are both far older than my time.
Amazing! So this years 10 year old (or next years) might be your work? Such a great whisky. I can’t wait to try the Lagg. I hope I can visit both distilleries at some point.
Phil, this is a great video. No seriously mate, it is really excellent. A really well thought out line that makes perfect sense. (I'm not keen on the advert in the middle but I suppose you need to make a living). My picks: 1 - Go-to Dram: Either the *Glencadam 10 or 15* Sorry to be boring but these really are. When I can't be bothered to think and just want a malt I know I'll enjoy. 2 - Impress a Guest: *Golan Heights Single Cask 8 or 48, French Oak Kosher Port (Style) Cask* Not only are these immensely drinkable and utterly delicious, it proves beyond a shadow of a doubt , the dominant flavour influence of Sherry and port on Single Malt Whisky and that those Port flavours can be readily identifiable in the spirit. It's so impressive to my fellow Orthodox Jewish whisky drinking friends because it clearly shows that you are also tasting flavours directly from the sherry or port with all those regular First-Fill Sherry Single Malts, and therefore, despite all their clever excuses, all these Sherry/Port bombs which they so enjoy, are NOT KOSHER! 3 - The Mixer: I don't mix but if I had to, based on your logic of choosing cheapness and quality, I'd go for the *Deanston Virgin Oak* 4 - Nice Friday Night Pour: *Kilchoman 100% Islay 6th Edition* (I have the 5th,6th,7th and 9th. This is right in the middle. Just perfect). Either this or: Old Ballantruan 15 or Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength 12th Edition 5 - Special Occasion: *Signatory Benrinnes Cask Strength (Either the 1996 23YO or 24 YO)* Probably the finest Single Malts I have ever drunk in my entire life.
68% I dunno about you but when i get up 50- 55 or over I'll just add a couple of drops of water I feel I really cant enjoy a whisky when I get that much ethanol, maybe Im just weak
Again a very useful video. The Bunna 11 and the Arran 23 must be absolute outstanding. Everything I tasted from those distilleries is amazing. I think I could pick your choice as if it was mine - very nice choice. 1) Deanston 12 or Glen Garioch 12 2) Glengoyne Teapot Dram Batch 7 or Lagavulin 12 2020 - or as 3rd option a Portuguese Malt and Grain whisky named Woodwork 3) Monkey Shoulder 4) GlenScotia 15 or AnCnoc 18 5) AnCnoc 24yo or a SMWS Benrinnes 23yo Slainte.
Great idea and video! My list: 1. Dalwhinnie 15 -Very underrated easy drinker with a great price tag. No matter the mood, it always works. 2. Glengoyne 18 - Just a very solid, well balanced, smooth, quality whisky. Everybody will like this 3. Nikka from the barrel - The higher ABV stands out and it has beautiful sweet fruit and floral notes that work with anything. 4. Glen Allachie 12 - Very good whisky with enough complexity to clear my head and discover all the notes, without breaking the bank. 5. Balvenie Tun 1509 - Just so lovely. Gorgeous smooth mouthfeel, great balance while having enough complexity.
Greetings from Belgium! We just started our whisky journey and we absolutely love your channel. Your high quality videos make exploring the world of whisky much more enjoyable. We were wondering if you ever considered making a more general video about the technical aspects of the whisky creation process in your usual format. Looking forward to your next video!
Thanks Tom! Great to have you watching. I have a ‘how whisky is made’ video in the pipeline with a local distillery, but it was delayed due to lockdown. Hoping to shoot it in the new year though!
Fun upload Phil 1 go to - easy Deanston 12, my vote in the OWSA awards, just love it. 2 Surprise - Like you an indi bottle Berry bros and Rudd. 12 yr Orkney, 46% NCF, Nat Colour, fantastic stuff and scotch mist with water, who needs Vikings. 3 Mixer - maybe Monkey shoulder or JD. 4 Friday night self, okay Winter GlenDronach 15, summer Kilkerran 12 yr 5 Special - GlenScotia Victoriana or GlenGariioch small batch Enjoy the dram fella.
This is fun. Love that Tim & Eric reference! I’ll give this a try… 1. Abunadh - this bottle is been my more frequent go-to than any other over the last 10yrs 2. Octomore - always blows people away. Great choice. 3. Mixer - I don’t mix🤷🏻♂️. But for a cheaper bottle I usually have Deanston Virgin Oak on hand 4. Springbank 15 - such a treat 5. Bunnahabhain XXV - fancy
Go-to: Talisker Port Ruighe, runner up: Laphroaig 10 Surprise a guest: Octomore, runner up: Millstone Peated PX Cask Strength Mixer: Four Roses Small Batch, runner up: Famous Grouse Friday night: Laphroaig Lore, runner up: Lagavulin 16 Special oc: Well, I'm a poor student and only in my second year of my Whiskey adventure so I haven't had the pleasure of having a special whisky yet.
1. Go to: Highland Park 12, fairly priced, always available, and even my friends who don't like whisky like HP12 2. Impress a guest: Ardbeg Super Nova. I get 'em when I can. 3. Mixer: Wild Turkey Rare Breed - balanced with rye bourbon. No scotch of mine is mixing. 4. Friday night pour: Laphroaig Lore. I had a chance to meet John Campbell at a whisky tasting. 5. Special occasion: Laphroaig 30 - I have one bottle remaining...I literally felt the passage of time and history flow through me. Thanks for this video!
Okay, before seeing your choices, I put mine up. Go-to Dram: Talisker Distillers Edition Impress a Guest: Aberlour A'Bunadh The Mixer: Puh, I don't really do that... so I give this spot to the Ardbeg Uigeadail Friday Night Pour: Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban Special Occasion: Glenfarclas 25 Tbh, I would surely find a good mixer. A couple of days ago I've been offered a Whisky Cola with Tullamore D.E.W. It was pretty nice for my standard in that kind of Whisky. But in that case it would be hard to put the great Uigeadail into my list.
Heres my ones in your categories, ask me again next week and the list may have some different ones :D but without too much deep thought, the quick fire answers are: go-to: bunnah 12 (Runner up: kilkerran 12) impress a friend: glendronach 18 (Runner up: talisker 18) the mixer: monkey shoulder (Runner up: famous grouse) friday night: Glen Scotia 15 (Runner up: clynelish 14) special occasion: Kilkerran 8 CS 57.1% (so special in fact that its yet to be had), Balblair 90 (again, yet to be cracked open)
My Top 4 are incredibly easy to pick, it's that 5th one that gives me trouble (these are all EASY to find in my area, nothing that takes effort). In the end I went with a Texas malt instead of something like Classic Laddie or Highland Park, but those were in the running. 1) Laphroaig 10yr CS 2) Aberlour A'bunadh 3) RedBreast 12yr CS 4) Old Forester 1920 5) Balcones Lineage
I would go for a Nc‘Nean as a Daily Dram and a Kilchoman single cask (preferably with a nice finish, like STR, Calvados or PX) to impress guests. For mixing I would choose a Ardmore Legacy. I really like some smoky notes in my cocktails. Friday evening dram is Lagavulins Distillers Edition and for the special occasion it’s a 56 years old Invergordon single grain from 1964.
Still don’t get the neck pour. Why is the neck pour different from the remaining Whisky in the bottle? Is it special? Separate from the Whisky in the bottle... just don’t get the neck pour and below the shoulder pour. No matter how many times someone explains, it just makes no sense.
The golf course on the drumadoon point label is called shiskine golf course, it is one of the only 12 hole courses in the world. Me and my dad played it, it was such beautiful scenery. Not tried the whisky as its too expensive for me but the arran 18 is one of my all time favourites
Some interesting picks in your selections, Phil. Love the Glencadam 10, but think the Benromach 10 might be a nice alternative for those seeking out something more striking due to its funk. As an alternative to the Octomore, I honestly find that the Port Charlotte cask strength special Bottlings (at half the price) are doing it for me. Whether you take this year's wine cask offering or the Oloroso or Mouton Rothchild cask offerings from previous years, it doesn't matter. They certainly provide that superbly typical Bruichladdich distillate with only half the damage to your wallet. Like the Arran Drumadoon as the special occasion choice, but wouldn't recommend the Arran 18 as a substitute (not so well balanced in my opinion due to an overly heavy hand with the sherry casks). For the money you need to shell out for the Drumadoon you could easily purchase an indie bottling of 23- to 25-year-old Benrinnes or Dailuaine. In that way people interested in whisky - but not yet enthusiasts - might get to see just what the independent bottlers can offer. Many thanks for the suggestions and the upbeat presentation (lots of great editing). Cheers.
Those Port Charlottes CS bottles hold up very well against the Octomores and are much cheaper. For me though they are actually more difficult to find now.
In my cabinet I have a Glenrothes 2013 SMWS Dragon's Blood at 67.8%, also pretty impressive, and a Deanston 2008 SV at 67.7%. SV has additional Bunnás at 68.4% up till 68.7%. Nice!
The Arran 18 is an absolutely superb dram, in fact I like the whole distilleries offering from the 12 up. It's all taste but have always found Glenlivet whisky to be really insipid, maybe that is the point when you said 'mixer' but always favoured Bourbon and Rye in any cocktail. In fact Rittenhouse Rye has become my go to for Old Fashioned, Manhattan and sours that extra bit of spice and dryness just cuts through a bit better than the more oily slightly sweeter Bourbon. Usually steer away from Glenfiddich and the 12 is rubbish, but still think for a sherry bomb of reasonable value the 15 solera cask is the one, can literally get it for £40 in the UK and drinks like a £100 Scotch, honorable mention to Tamdhu 12 and such a pretty bottle. In terms of peat, unless you want to go premium and although it's not what it was, I actually have a Laphroaig 10 tattoo, which tells you all you need, the OG whisky drinkers whiskey 🤣Although also thinking of adding a Nikka From The Barrell tat as well, just banging mid range stuff
Nice. Bit sad there's no Bowmore :) Always have a bottle on hand. Question for the greater scotch nerds than me, is there a list to dig up old releases of scotch? I have two 'The Old Malt Cask' bottles that were gifts many moons ago and damned if can find anything on them. would like to know something before I one day get around to opening them. One is Bruichladdich single cask 1990/2006 (15years) and other Auchentoshan single cask 1984/2005 (21years) I cant find anything with a google search.
Greetings from the single malt wasteland that is Thailand. The number of those whiskys available here other than Port Charlotte 10 at airport duty free is zero but thank heavens for Arran 10 and Balblair 12 which tide me over
I have the same Bunnahabhain 68,2% and I think it really, really good. It doesn't drink like 68,2%👍 I also agree to your choices (except for Octomore). All very good
@@FirstPhilWhisky Hello Phil! Yes, it has to be. I have had no disappointing Signatory cask strength bottlings. Always a safe buy. Looking forward to your next video😊
Great selection. I was on Arran recently and can attest to the quality of the whisky the distillery is putting out. Getting popular now so of the age statements there was only 10 available in a large bottle. The d Drumadoon point was available but at £145 a bit out of budget. Arran 10 is my go to. Also a fan of bunnahabhain 12 and glenfarclas 15. The golf course you mention on the label is called Shiskine which we played when we were there. Stunning views. Subscription added.
Bit of a Necro since I'm just now finding your channel but on the question of a more powerful whiskey I have had a 70.5% ABV bourbon. I wish I could have had a lot more of it than I did.
Brilliant content as always Phil, and some strong bottles on your list. How peated does the Octomore taste? wonder if it passes the relm of beyond smokey. Got my eyes on the Loch Gorm. Cheers.
The octomore does taste very peaty, but you’re right, it’s still drinkable and makes for a great dram. Expensive though. Big fan of the Loch Gorm. GWhisky highlighted that one. Cheers Jeff!
Funny, I've got two bottles of Signatory Vintage Bunnahabhain 2009 11YO Sherry First Fill distilled 17/03/2009 (same date as yours 6:22 ) and bottled 15/06/2020 for the first and 21/10/2020 for the second, at 68.4% for both, 0.2% more than yours (😁), sherry bomb like you said and I find them so good. There's like five or maybe six of them I don't know, each around 600 bottles produced (599 and 600 for my two bottles), all around 66-68% maybe more maybe less hahaha. I've got two of them and they are really really close in the glass😇
Never owned a bottle Im afraid but the 2016 release of the George T Stagg 15 y.o. bourbon was bottled at a cranium busting 72%. The highest ABV Scotch Ive ever had was a mouth numbing Ian McLeod bottling at 64%. 68% is wicked.
Great list! Thanks, sadly I live where we have a state controlled alcohol system, their priorities beings selling more to more people, they are not that much into whisky so besides Wild turkey 101 and Lagavulin, we have NONE of your suggestions, I guess I will have to travel in order to slowly build an interesting whisky collection. I live in Québec, Canada.
@@FirstPhilWhisky I sure wish it does not change for yo, so you can continue to share very interesting knowledge, experiences with so many aspect of Whiskeys. I also hope to have the chance to visit some countries to stock up on Whisky, we can import as many bottles in Canada, however, only 1 will be tax exempt (the most expensive normally), they others, they make calculus very easy, tax rate is 100% (sigh)....
Hi Phil, Thank you for your videos. Very informative and enjoyable. I have a question. I would like to put a bottle of whiskey in the attic for my so and when he is old enough we open it together and enjoy it (approx 15 years time). What whiskey would you recommend? Regards.
Great question! The whiskies that seem to be going up in value and becoming harder to find are Arran and Glencadam. So maybe one of them? Springbank works well too though - if you can find one!
@@FirstPhilWhisky At first it was quite overwhelming, as I've never had anything above 48%, however, it was a great dram with lots of intense sherry notes and stood up well with ice after trying it neat. I think its a great whisky for the price, and you still get some deep rich notes
I love your channel and I am learning things as well as having you confirm some things I thought I knew. I am a piper (in Canada) and have usually not had to buy my own whisky (gigs, teaching, etc) but with COVID and lockdowns, I had to actually buy my own whisky!!!!! WTF!!!! So balancing my preferred tastes to my Scottish heritage (read frugalness), I have more or less come up with my own 5 whiskies. That being said, I am keen to try those you recommend (so long as I can afford them!!!). I have referred a number of friends to your channel so they can learn....Thanks! BTW, I did enjoy a few NZ whiskies when I went for a tasting in Dunedin...do you do any NZ whisky reviews?
Thanks Andrew! I do want to do some NZ whiskies. Hopefully I can do a video later this year. Canada is expensive for whisky. I hope you can try some of these too and if not, hopefully at a whisky bar some where near you.
Wow those bourbons get high!! I heard it’s because in hotter climates the water evaporates first unlike in Scotland where the alcohol evaporates first, pushing the abv up every year
Well I am not going to lie I have usually 4 to 5 bottles in my room all the time: Maker’s Mark, Buffalo Trace, Woodford Reserve, monkey shoulder and Elijah Craig and that’s it lol Daily drinking i would go with the Buffalo trace and Woodford. Mixer (I usually only make old fashioned or a whiskey sour tbh) I use Maker’s and Monkey shoulder, honestly I don’t think any of my bottles would impress anyone lol but I guess I would offer the Elijah and the Woodford For a Friday and the special occasion i would go with the Elijah as well
Love the Elijah Craig. Only just got a bottle very recently. Yeah, two years ago I barely had 4 bottles and all were very standard (so weren’t very impressive either) The channel has helped my collection grow though. Great to have you watching mate!
Great picks! I would like to see this challenge taken even fruther: if you would make a llist of the bulk of whisky notes and sensations and styles that you like, could you pick 5 botles that tick all those list entries? Than you would only need 5 whisky botles.. Cheers!
Glencadam 10....good choice, Deanston 12.....excellent, Octomore, although Bruichladdich (which I love)........too expensive, there are better ones for that kind of money.........Bunnahabhain.......under-estimated..........The Glenlivet.......there are better mixers.....Wild Turkey......Four Roses is better.........Kilchoman............depends on the bottling, but for me personally NEVER better than an Arran.........Lagavulin 16..........got worse the past couple of years........Arran is a great whisky, almost always, but I tend to disagree with you, for me a typical Arran is green apple and green and white fruit.........thumbs up from The Netherlands!
"Bruichladdich X4 Quadrupled whisky Referred to as the most alcoholic single malt whisky in the world, Bruichladdich’s X4 quadrupled Whisky stands tall at 92% (184 proof). From the same island as Laphroaig, this whisky is best enjoyed on a cold night in dram form. Just like its Islay counterpart, this whisky packs a punch and should be consumed very slowly while your body is blanketed by a slight warming sensation."
I do, but it’s hard to get outside of the states. It seems most bourbon producers don’t need to export as they have a large local consumer base, unlike scotch which received the vast majority of its revenue from overseas sales. It’s a shame, as it means we see far less bourbon on NZ that Scotch
1. Go-to: anything from Teerenpeli, Kavalan, Amrut, Caol Ila, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Ardbeg. 2. Impress a guest: Maker's Mark that I left for a month in my car on a hot summer. It's mesmerizing. 3. Mixers are not allowed in my bar. But if any snowflake insists, he can have a Rare Breed. 4. Friday Night: I can have a few Fridays every week, so it's not a special day for me, but occasionally one pour every now and then to stretch the bottle would be any Octomore, anything cask strength from Port Charlotte, Ardbeg, Lagavulin. Maybe some independent bottlers. Some Kavalan Solist, Teerenpeli special editions. A lot of stuff. 5. Special Occasion: see 4.
Very interesting video but I think some of your categories are not very well choosen. I agree with your "go to dram", "friday night pour" and "special occasion" category. This is very personal so your choices are ok. The impress a guest category is understandable but very niche. Your picks though are baffling. You cant expect your guest to be a total whisky nerd so the only thing you are gonna do with these bottles is make sure that they wont ever come back. You want something flashy but smoke and high alcohol is not the way to do that. Your best option to leave an impression is probably a cherry bomb. Instead of this category I would have something like "excessive whisky". So take one aspect and choose a bottle that dials it up to 11. You wont drink this every day or during every time of the year but it is important to have something to show what is possible. This would be your Octomore or your high alcohol cask strength. Your mixers category is very bizarre. The Caribbean reserve isnt very cheap and the rum casks give it a very unusual character. It is basically the exact opposite of what you would want from a mixer. The Wild Turkey 101 would have been a good choice but not as an alternative to a scotch whisky. It is used in completely different cocktails. If you want to cover the whole spectrum of cocktails you would need 3 different whiskys as mixers. A scotch, a bourbon and an american rye. If you want the most versatile one you should probably pick a high rye bourbon like Bulleit.
You need to watch Ralfy's whisky reviews. He knows what he's talking about. Why do foreigners feel they know enough to recommend good whiskies. We are not interested in your recommendations. Do you know where Islay is on the map?
I was a stillman and mashman at Lochranza for 8 years and I'm grateful for all the great reviews you've been giving the malt. Not many independents left and it's been a hard fought battle all these years but in the end the quality shines through.
Wow great to have you watching! I wonder if you were involved in making the drummadoon point whisky? Or the 18 year? How long ago did you work there?
@@FirstPhilWhisky I was at Lochranza on single man shifts from 2011 to 2019, I've since been at the sister distillery Lagg which you have mentioned I think in a previous video.
The Explorers Series and 18 are both far older than my time.
Amazing! So this years 10 year old (or next years) might be your work? Such a great whisky. I can’t wait to try the Lagg. I hope I can visit both distilleries at some point.
Phil, this is a great video. No seriously mate, it is really excellent. A really well thought out line that makes perfect sense. (I'm not keen on the advert in the middle but I suppose you need to make a living).
My picks:
1 - Go-to Dram:
Either the *Glencadam 10 or 15*
Sorry to be boring but these really are. When I can't be bothered to think and just want a malt I know I'll enjoy.
2 - Impress a Guest:
*Golan Heights Single Cask 8 or 48, French Oak Kosher Port (Style) Cask*
Not only are these immensely drinkable and utterly delicious, it proves beyond a shadow of a doubt , the dominant flavour influence of Sherry and port on Single Malt Whisky and that those Port flavours can be readily identifiable in the spirit.
It's so impressive to my fellow Orthodox Jewish whisky drinking friends because it clearly shows that you are also tasting flavours directly from the sherry or port with all those regular First-Fill Sherry Single Malts, and therefore, despite all their clever excuses, all these Sherry/Port bombs which they so enjoy, are NOT KOSHER!
3 - The Mixer:
I don't mix but if I had to, based on your logic of choosing cheapness and quality, I'd go for the *Deanston Virgin Oak*
4 - Nice Friday Night Pour:
*Kilchoman 100% Islay 6th Edition* (I have the 5th,6th,7th and 9th. This is right in the middle. Just perfect).
Either this or:
Old Ballantruan 15 or Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength 12th Edition
5 - Special Occasion:
*Signatory Benrinnes Cask Strength (Either the 1996 23YO or 24 YO)*
Probably the finest Single Malts I have ever drunk in my entire life.
68% I dunno about you but when i get up 50- 55 or over I'll just add a couple of drops of water I feel I really cant enjoy a whisky when I get that much ethanol, maybe Im just weak
Yeah this one definitely needs water. Which means the bottle just keeps on going. Don’t need much per dram.
Again a very useful video. The Bunna 11 and the Arran 23 must be absolute outstanding. Everything I tasted from those distilleries is amazing. I think I could pick your choice as if it was mine - very nice choice.
1) Deanston 12 or Glen Garioch 12
2) Glengoyne Teapot Dram Batch 7 or Lagavulin 12 2020 - or as 3rd option a Portuguese Malt and Grain whisky named Woodwork
3) Monkey Shoulder
4) GlenScotia 15 or AnCnoc 18
5) AnCnoc 24yo or a SMWS Benrinnes 23yo
Slainte.
Great idea and video! My list:
1. Dalwhinnie 15 -Very underrated easy drinker with a great price tag. No matter the mood, it always works.
2. Glengoyne 18 - Just a very solid, well balanced, smooth, quality whisky. Everybody will like this
3. Nikka from the barrel - The higher ABV stands out and it has beautiful sweet fruit and floral notes that work with anything.
4. Glen Allachie 12 - Very good whisky with enough complexity to clear my head and discover all the notes, without breaking the bank.
5. Balvenie Tun 1509 - Just so lovely. Gorgeous smooth mouthfeel, great balance while having enough complexity.
Aw Nikka from the barrel - Love it!
Which 1509 batch?
@@Royalblue228 Not entirely sure, it was at a balvenie tasting. They didn't tell and I forgot to ask.
Greetings from Belgium! We just started our whisky journey and we absolutely love your channel. Your high quality videos make exploring the world of whisky much more enjoyable. We were wondering if you ever considered making a more general video about the technical aspects of the whisky creation process in your usual format. Looking forward to your next video!
Thanks Tom! Great to have you watching. I have a ‘how whisky is made’ video in the pipeline with a local distillery, but it was delayed due to lockdown. Hoping to shoot it in the new year though!
@@FirstPhilWhisky great news. Can’t wait to see it!
Fun upload Phil
1 go to - easy Deanston 12, my vote in the OWSA awards, just love it.
2 Surprise - Like you an indi bottle Berry bros and Rudd. 12 yr Orkney, 46% NCF, Nat Colour, fantastic stuff and scotch mist with water, who needs Vikings.
3 Mixer - maybe Monkey shoulder or JD.
4 Friday night self, okay Winter GlenDronach 15, summer Kilkerran 12 yr
5 Special - GlenScotia Victoriana or GlenGariioch small batch
Enjoy the dram fella.
This is fun. Love that Tim & Eric reference! I’ll give this a try…
1. Abunadh - this bottle is been my more frequent go-to than any other over the last 10yrs
2. Octomore - always blows people away. Great choice.
3. Mixer - I don’t mix🤷🏻♂️. But for a cheaper bottle I usually have Deanston Virgin Oak on hand
4. Springbank 15 - such a treat
5. Bunnahabhain XXV - fancy
Great selection! Thanks Jason!
Talisker 10 must have 🥃
Go-to: Talisker Port Ruighe, runner up: Laphroaig 10
Surprise a guest: Octomore, runner up: Millstone Peated PX Cask Strength
Mixer: Four Roses Small Batch, runner up: Famous Grouse
Friday night: Laphroaig Lore, runner up: Lagavulin 16
Special oc: Well, I'm a poor student and only in my second year of my Whiskey adventure so I haven't had the pleasure of having a special whisky yet.
Great picks! 👍
The Elijah Craig barrel proof I have is 136.6, slightly higher. Phil, great whiskey picks and great video!
Thanks Joshua
1. Go to: Highland Park 12, fairly priced, always available, and even my friends who don't like whisky like HP12
2. Impress a guest: Ardbeg Super Nova. I get 'em when I can.
3. Mixer: Wild Turkey Rare Breed - balanced with rye bourbon. No scotch of mine is mixing.
4. Friday night pour: Laphroaig Lore. I had a chance to meet John Campbell at a whisky tasting.
5. Special occasion: Laphroaig 30 - I have one bottle remaining...I literally felt the passage of time and history flow through me. Thanks for this video!
Great video! I just started getting into whisky and I now have some new additions to my long list of whiskys to try in the future 😊
Cheers Jakob! Great to have you watching. The whisky journey is a fun one. Hope my videos help that journey.
Aah yes, a great way to start my sunday afternoon! What a great collection of Whisky's. Happy weekend Phil. Cheers mate
Okay, before seeing your choices, I put mine up.
Go-to Dram: Talisker Distillers Edition
Impress a Guest: Aberlour A'Bunadh
The Mixer: Puh, I don't really do that... so I give this spot to the Ardbeg Uigeadail
Friday Night Pour: Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban
Special Occasion: Glenfarclas 25
Tbh, I would surely find a good mixer. A couple of days ago I've been offered a Whisky Cola with Tullamore D.E.W. It was pretty nice for my standard in that kind of Whisky. But in that case it would be hard to put the great Uigeadail into my list.
Glencaddam lol That's from where I grew up. Played around the distillery when I was a kid but have never visited the place. Will have to rectify this
Cracking video as always Phil, my current highest ABV is Black Gate distillery peated Australian single malt Batch BG054 63.7%
Wow sounds like a beast! I wonder if abv increases over time in Aussie, due to higher temps? I need to try more from there
Heres my ones in your categories, ask me again next week and the list may have some different ones :D
but without too much deep thought, the quick fire answers are:
go-to: bunnah 12 (Runner up: kilkerran 12)
impress a friend: glendronach 18 (Runner up: talisker 18)
the mixer: monkey shoulder (Runner up: famous grouse)
friday night: Glen Scotia 15 (Runner up: clynelish 14)
special occasion: Kilkerran 8 CS 57.1% (so special in fact that its yet to be had), Balblair 90 (again, yet to be cracked open)
Those all sound amazing!
Excellent video Phil, that 23 year old Arran sounds awesome. Suppose my special occasion dram would be my balblair 1991 vintage. Slàinte Phil
Balblair 1191 sounds amazing! Thanks David!
My Top 4 are incredibly easy to pick, it's that 5th one that gives me trouble (these are all EASY to find in my area, nothing that takes effort).
In the end I went with a Texas malt instead of something like Classic Laddie or Highland Park, but those were in the running.
1) Laphroaig 10yr CS
2) Aberlour A'bunadh
3) RedBreast 12yr CS
4) Old Forester 1920
5) Balcones Lineage
Funny I just picked up the 2021 Loch Gorm today. Good one, Phil! Cheers!
Thanks mate. I’ve been ignoring them for too long!
Great video First Phil Whiskey! Lots of great whiskies!
Great list! I’m interested in the Kilchoman Loch Gorm. Like you, Lagavulin 16 helped get me into whisky.
I love the Loch Gorm, halfway through a bottle of the PX at the moment. A visit to Kilchoman distillery is on the bucket list
Thank you again for introducing Deanston 12 into my life, has topped my list, beautiful, unique flavour 😉
Such a great dram!
I would go for a Nc‘Nean as a Daily Dram and a Kilchoman single cask (preferably with a nice finish, like STR, Calvados or PX) to impress guests. For mixing I would choose a Ardmore Legacy. I really like some smoky notes in my cocktails. Friday evening dram is Lagavulins Distillers Edition and for the special occasion it’s a 56 years old Invergordon single grain from 1964.
Great picks!
My first video and I subscribed. Great content, Phil.
Cheers Lukas! Grateful to have you join me here
You have prompted me to revisit my Loch Gorm. There was a lot of cigarette ash on the neck pour, but I’m liking it the deeper I go. Cheers!
Still don’t get the neck pour. Why is the neck pour different from the remaining Whisky in the bottle? Is it special? Separate from the Whisky in the bottle... just don’t get the neck pour and below the shoulder pour. No matter how many times someone explains, it just makes no sense.
First time I’ve seen one of your vids. I’m generally a Ralfy follower. Great job! Subscribed!
Thanks David! Great to have you watching
I try to keep 5 or 6 different styles of whiskey currently I have a Bulleit Rye, Yellowstone bourbon, Green Spot, Ardbeg 10, and Glenfiddich 14
Great idea! It means there’s always variety on the shelf. Cheers 🥃
The golf course on the drumadoon point label is called shiskine golf course, it is one of the only 12 hole courses in the world. Me and my dad played it, it was such beautiful scenery. Not tried the whisky as its too expensive for me but the arran 18 is one of my all time favourites
Some interesting picks in your selections, Phil. Love the Glencadam 10, but think the Benromach 10 might be a nice alternative for those seeking out something more striking due to its funk. As an alternative to the Octomore, I honestly find that the Port Charlotte cask strength special Bottlings (at half the price) are doing it for me. Whether you take this year's wine cask offering or the Oloroso or Mouton Rothchild cask offerings from previous years, it doesn't matter. They certainly provide that superbly typical Bruichladdich distillate with only half the damage to your wallet. Like the Arran Drumadoon as the special occasion choice, but wouldn't recommend the Arran 18 as a substitute (not so well balanced in my opinion due to an overly heavy hand with the sherry casks). For the money you need to shell out for the Drumadoon you could easily purchase an indie bottling of 23- to 25-year-old Benrinnes or Dailuaine. In that way people interested in whisky - but not yet enthusiasts - might get to see just what the independent bottlers can offer. Many thanks for the suggestions and the upbeat presentation (lots of great editing). Cheers.
Those Port Charlottes CS bottles hold up very well against the Octomores and are much cheaper. For me though they are actually more difficult to find now.
In my cabinet I have a Glenrothes 2013 SMWS Dragon's Blood at 67.8%, also pretty impressive, and a Deanston 2008 SV at 67.7%. SV has additional Bunnás at 68.4% up till 68.7%. Nice!
Wow those are some monsters!
The Arran 18 is an absolutely superb dram, in fact I like the whole distilleries offering from the 12 up. It's all taste but have always found Glenlivet whisky to be really insipid, maybe that is the point when you said 'mixer' but always favoured Bourbon and Rye in any cocktail. In fact Rittenhouse Rye has become my go to for Old Fashioned, Manhattan and sours that extra bit of spice and dryness just cuts through a bit better than the more oily slightly sweeter Bourbon. Usually steer away from Glenfiddich and the 12 is rubbish, but still think for a sherry bomb of reasonable value the 15 solera cask is the one, can literally get it for £40 in the UK and drinks like a £100 Scotch, honorable mention to Tamdhu 12 and such a pretty bottle. In terms of peat, unless you want to go premium and although it's not what it was, I actually have a Laphroaig 10 tattoo, which tells you all you need, the OG whisky drinkers whiskey 🤣Although also thinking of adding a Nikka From The Barrell tat as well, just banging mid range stuff
Fantastic list. I agree with all of the choices.
Nice. Bit sad there's no Bowmore :) Always have a bottle on hand. Question for the greater scotch nerds than me, is there a list to dig up old releases of scotch? I have two 'The Old Malt Cask' bottles that were gifts many moons ago and damned if can find anything on them. would like to know something before I one day get around to opening them. One is Bruichladdich single cask 1990/2006 (15years) and other Auchentoshan single cask 1984/2005 (21years) I cant find anything with a google search.
REDBREAST 12 Cask strength, Power's John's Lane 12, Deanston 12, Arran Bodega, Eagle rare10
Can I ask you a question? What is the shelf your using for your whisky’s? Beautiful display.
Thanks Mark! Are you based in NZ? I bought this from Target. It’s made of recycled wood pallets. Love it as a cabinet.
@@FirstPhilWhisky I don’t I live in the US but it’s really a nice way to display your bottles.
Greetings from the single malt wasteland that is Thailand. The number of those whiskys available here other than Port Charlotte 10 at airport duty free is zero but thank heavens for Arran 10 and Balblair 12 which tide me over
I have the same Bunnahabhain 68,2% and I think it really, really good. It doesn't drink like 68,2%👍 I also agree to your choices (except for Octomore). All very good
Thanks Martin! Agree! It’s a strangely approachable Bunnahabhain. They must of used some excellent casks
@@FirstPhilWhisky Hello Phil! Yes, it has to be. I have had no disappointing Signatory cask strength bottlings. Always a safe buy. Looking forward to your next video😊
I’ve never had a scotch that high in ABV. Highest was 55% Port Askaig and Ugie. I have an Elijah Craig barrel proof that’s 68.4; C919. Hot stuff.
Wow real hot stuff! It definitely needs water
Great selection. I was on Arran recently and can attest to the quality of the whisky the distillery is putting out. Getting popular now so of the age statements there was only 10 available in a large bottle. The d
Drumadoon point was available but at £145 a bit out of budget. Arran 10 is my go to. Also a fan of bunnahabhain 12 and glenfarclas 15. The golf course you mention on the label is called Shiskine which we played when we were there. Stunning views. Subscription added.
Thanks Jim! Great to have you watching. Wow sounds like a great golf course!
Great selection! Great video!
Thanks Paul!
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbons usually run between 60-66% and are incredibly smooth
Bit of a Necro since I'm just now finding your channel but on the question of a more powerful whiskey I have had a 70.5% ABV bourbon. I wish I could have had a lot more of it than I did.
Brilliant content as always Phil, and some strong bottles on your list. How peated does the Octomore taste? wonder if it passes the relm of beyond smokey. Got my eyes on the Loch Gorm. Cheers.
The octomore does taste very peaty, but you’re right, it’s still drinkable and makes for a great dram. Expensive though. Big fan of the Loch Gorm. GWhisky highlighted that one. Cheers Jeff!
1. Balvenie 14 Year Old
Caribbean Cask
2. Midleton Very Rare
3. Woodford Reserve Double Oaked
4. Compass Box The Peat Monster
5. Bruichladdich 40
Great list!
@@FirstPhilWhisky Thank you :)
Funny, I've got two bottles of Signatory Vintage Bunnahabhain 2009 11YO Sherry First Fill distilled 17/03/2009 (same date as yours 6:22 ) and bottled 15/06/2020 for the first and 21/10/2020 for the second, at 68.4% for both, 0.2% more than yours (😁), sherry bomb like you said and I find them so good. There's like five or maybe six of them I don't know, each around 600 bottles produced (599 and 600 for my two bottles), all around 66-68% maybe more maybe less hahaha.
I've got two of them and they are really really close in the glass😇
Go-to: Highland Park 12, runner up: Green Label
Surprise a guest: Hibiki Harmony, runner up: Nikka from the barrel
Mixer: Turkey 101, runner up: Monkey Shoulder
Friday night: Glenallachie 15, runner up: Arran 10
Special oc: GlenDronach 21, Glengoyne distillery exclusive bottling, or Glengoyne 25
Great list and great picks 👍🥃
Amazing content. I really got to try that Bunnahabhain bottle!!
It’s so good!
Never owned a bottle Im afraid but the 2016 release of the George T Stagg 15 y.o. bourbon was bottled at a cranium busting 72%. The highest ABV Scotch Ive ever had was a mouth numbing Ian McLeod bottling at 64%. 68% is wicked.
Wow 72% is a monster! Great to have ya watching Alex!
1. Glencadam 10
2. Glen Scotia Victoriana
3. Old Forester Signature Straight Rye 100
4. Port Charlotte 10
5. Bunnahabhain 18
Alternatives:
1. Craigellachie 13
2. Springbank 12 Cask Strength
3. Old Grand Dad 114
4. Bunnahabhain 12
5. Ledaig 18
Excellent choices Chris!
@@FirstPhilWhisky Thanks 👍
Nice call with the OGD 114
@@brianhansen6189 Thanks
Great list! Thanks, sadly I live where we have a state controlled alcohol system, their priorities beings selling more to more people, they are not that much into whisky so besides Wild turkey 101 and Lagavulin, we have NONE of your suggestions, I guess I will have to travel in order to slowly build an interesting whisky collection. I live in Québec, Canada.
Ah how frustrating! Aussie and Canada both seem to be overcharge for whisky. Luckily NZ seems to be okay, hopefully that doesn’t change
@@FirstPhilWhisky I sure wish it does not change for yo, so you can continue to share very interesting knowledge, experiences with so many aspect of Whiskeys. I also hope to have the chance to visit some countries to stock up on Whisky, we can import as many bottles in Canada, however, only 1 will be tax exempt (the most expensive normally), they others, they make calculus very easy, tax rate is 100% (sigh)....
Ah that’s real annoying
I stumbled onto Cragganmore 12yo. What a pleasant surprise.
Hi Phil, Thank you for your videos. Very informative and enjoyable. I have a question. I would like to put a bottle of whiskey in the attic for my so and when he is old enough we open it together and enjoy it (approx 15 years time). What whiskey would you recommend? Regards.
Great question! The whiskies that seem to be going up in value and becoming harder to find are Arran and Glencadam. So maybe one of them? Springbank works well too though - if you can find one!
I believe the highest ABV I've had (in a scotch) is around 63% from the highland park cask strength.
How did it taste?
@@FirstPhilWhisky At first it was quite overwhelming, as I've never had anything above 48%, however, it was a great dram with lots of intense sherry notes and stood up well with ice after trying it neat. I think its a great whisky for the price, and you still get some deep rich notes
@@FirstPhilWhisky I am slightly bias towards it because its quite similar to the 12 and that's the bottle that started my whisky journey.
I love your channel and I am learning things as well as having you confirm some things I thought I knew. I am a piper (in Canada) and have usually not had to buy my own whisky (gigs, teaching, etc) but with COVID and lockdowns, I had to actually buy my own whisky!!!!! WTF!!!! So balancing my preferred tastes to my Scottish heritage (read frugalness), I have more or less come up with my own 5 whiskies. That being said, I am keen to try those you recommend (so long as I can afford them!!!). I have referred a number of friends to your channel so they can learn....Thanks! BTW, I did enjoy a few NZ whiskies when I went for a tasting in Dunedin...do you do any NZ whisky reviews?
Thanks Andrew! I do want to do some NZ whiskies. Hopefully I can do a video later this year. Canada is expensive for whisky. I hope you can try some of these too and if not, hopefully at a whisky bar some where near you.
Dig your production values.
Not sure if this was mentioned, but George T. Stagg is often over 70% abv. Definitely the strongest Bourbon I've ever had.
Wow those bourbons get high!! I heard it’s because in hotter climates the water evaporates first unlike in Scotland where the alcohol evaporates first, pushing the abv up every year
1. Bunna 12
2. Glenfarclas 105
3. Ardbeg 10
4. Deaston VO
5. Laddie 8
wild turkey 101 a runner up to glenlivet? Glenlivet a top 5 anything?
For mixing. What do you use for cocktails?
Well I am not going to lie I have usually 4 to 5 bottles in my room all the time: Maker’s Mark, Buffalo Trace, Woodford Reserve, monkey shoulder and Elijah Craig and that’s it lol
Daily drinking i would go with the Buffalo trace and Woodford. Mixer (I usually only make old fashioned or a whiskey sour tbh) I use Maker’s and Monkey shoulder, honestly I don’t think any of my bottles would impress anyone lol but I guess I would offer the Elijah and the Woodford
For a Friday and the special occasion i would go with the Elijah as well
Love the Elijah Craig. Only just got a bottle very recently. Yeah, two years ago I barely had 4 bottles and all were very standard (so weren’t very impressive either) The channel has helped my collection grow though. Great to have you watching mate!
always good video gives me more knowledge alan wood manchester uk
Cheers Alan! Great to have you watching
Have you done a video on best scotchs for bourbon lovers?
What's the difference between whiskey and bourbon?
What do you think of Jura? Don’t see that featured on your videos
Not a huge fan. It's a bit bland and over engineered.
@@FirstPhilWhisky appreciate the replies. I’m just now starting to build my collections.
Great list!
Thanks Chris!
Phil. Bunna 12 or Arran 10?
Another question. Do you like Orchard Fruit (arran) or Dried Fruit (bunna) more?
Have a bottle of the Belgian Owl 'Intense' bottled at 72.6% 😉
Wow what a beast!!
Starter whiskey, Deanston 2008 oroloso.
WT101 is incredible for the price
Great picks! I would like to see this challenge taken even fruther: if you would make a llist of the bulk of whisky notes and sensations and styles that you like, could you pick 5 botles that tick all those list entries? Than you would only need 5 whisky botles.. Cheers!
Interesting idea!!
I think about whisky all the time
Consider listing all brands you are reviewing in each episode.
I don't know what drunk is! I get confused if I drink too much
I typically keep one Bourbon and one Rye and one Gin for those weirdos who like clear liquors.
This hypothesis seemed incomplete without Sexton (may come under pocket friendly everyday whiskey).😅
what is the best hourly drinker?
Water
@@FirstPhilWhisky based
I only need 5 Islay distilleries!
WTF......The only bottle accessible in my area is the Glenlivet and also nothing mentioned about budget...
Where are you living?
Am located in Cyprus..
Glencadam 10....good choice, Deanston 12.....excellent, Octomore, although Bruichladdich (which I love)........too expensive, there are better ones for that kind of money.........Bunnahabhain.......under-estimated..........The Glenlivet.......there are better mixers.....Wild Turkey......Four Roses is better.........Kilchoman............depends on the bottling, but for me personally NEVER better than an Arran.........Lagavulin 16..........got worse the past couple of years........Arran is a great whisky, almost always, but I tend to disagree with you, for me a typical Arran is green apple and green and white fruit.........thumbs up from The Netherlands!
Nice Channel.👌🥃
Cheers! Great to have you watching! 🥃👍
I tried to restrict myself to 5 wiskeys, them it became 10 and now I am sure I need 15
Or more......
I know the feeling 😅🤷♂️
"Bruichladdich X4 Quadrupled whisky
Referred to as the most alcoholic single malt whisky in the world, Bruichladdich’s X4 quadrupled Whisky stands tall at 92% (184 proof). From the same island as Laphroaig, this whisky is best enjoyed on a cold night in dram form. Just like its Islay counterpart, this whisky packs a punch and should be consumed very slowly while your body is blanketed by a slight warming sensation."
🤯 Now that’s next level.
Springbanks 21...say no more
Mine is
Jameson for the love
Monkey shoulder for the money
Macallan 12 special day
Glengoyne 10 special summer day
Glen scotia 15 special winter day
Cheers Tom! Great choices 👍🥃
New sub fascinating
Thanks Richard
IMHO The Best Drink Is A Non Alcoholic Drink And I Don't Mean Water Or Milk Or Coffee Or Tea.
Do you ever drink bourbon?
I do, but it’s hard to get outside of the states. It seems most bourbon producers don’t need to export as they have a large local consumer base, unlike scotch which received the vast majority of its revenue from overseas sales. It’s a shame, as it means we see far less bourbon on NZ that Scotch
1. Go-to: anything from Teerenpeli, Kavalan, Amrut, Caol Ila, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Ardbeg.
2. Impress a guest: Maker's Mark that I left for a month in my car on a hot summer. It's mesmerizing.
3. Mixers are not allowed in my bar. But if any snowflake insists, he can have a Rare Breed.
4. Friday Night: I can have a few Fridays every week, so it's not a special day for me, but occasionally one pour every now and then to stretch the bottle would be any Octomore, anything cask strength from Port Charlotte, Ardbeg, Lagavulin. Maybe some independent bottlers. Some Kavalan Solist, Teerenpeli special editions. A lot of stuff.
5. Special Occasion: see 4.
First Phil filling out a little for this episode. That's mean. I'm sorry.
But Islay has 8 destilleries ...
..it’d be5 bottles of rum, instead!
I don't understand how anyone can drink ardbeg 10
Very interesting video but I think some of your categories are not very well choosen.
I agree with your "go to dram", "friday night pour" and "special occasion" category. This is very personal so your choices are ok.
The impress a guest category is understandable but very niche. Your picks though are baffling. You cant expect your guest to be a total whisky nerd so the only thing you are gonna do with these bottles is make sure that they wont ever come back. You want something flashy but smoke and high alcohol is not the way to do that. Your best option to leave an impression is probably a cherry bomb.
Instead of this category I would have something like "excessive whisky". So take one aspect and choose a bottle that dials it up to 11. You wont drink this every day or during every time of the year but it is important to have something to show what is possible. This would be your Octomore or your high alcohol cask strength.
Your mixers category is very bizarre. The Caribbean reserve isnt very cheap and the rum casks give it a very unusual character. It is basically the exact opposite of what you would want from a mixer. The Wild Turkey 101 would have been a good choice but not as an alternative to a scotch whisky. It is used in completely different cocktails.
If you want to cover the whole spectrum of cocktails you would need 3 different whiskys as mixers. A scotch, a bourbon and an american rye. If you want the most versatile one you should probably pick a high rye bourbon like Bulleit.
Great video. I sent you a text on Messenger.
Thanks Erik! Which messenger? Haven't seen anything.
Noice…finger guns 😎
Would you put a Springbank 21 Or the Bunna 21 in the special occasion list?
Springbank 21, but it's impossible to find.
Приезжайте в Украину!
Damn just realized you really look like Steve jobs
Depends who's paying🤣
😂
You need to watch Ralfy's whisky reviews. He knows what he's talking about. Why do foreigners feel they know enough to recommend good whiskies. We are not interested in your recommendations. Do you know where Islay is on the map?