I understand your point, but Whiskyfolk often suffer from FOMO when it comes to Springbank, and a bottle like Springbank 10 at $90, or as much as $170, simple isn't a good value; and the same can be said for the rest of their range at current prices.
@@MrChristopherMolloy I could find a Springbank 15 for 72 pounds at whisky exchange store in London, of course I was more than lucky. But this is really not Springbank's fault, unlike Macallan, Dalmore etc
@@cemtuncel1602 Obviously exceptions like that Springbank 15 are not the rule, most would not be able to buy Springbank 15 for less than $300 these days. Nobody is blaming Springbank, but it simply cannot or shouldn't be recommended in good conscious to anyone who cares about their hard-earned money.
Understandable but who is at fault is irrelevant. If it costs way more than it's worth, it's a bad value. Bottom line is I can get better whisky for less money.
Don’t think it’s fair to put Springbank in this category. I just bought that bottle at the distillery shop for £52 despite the fact they could charge much more. Fair enough Jeff qualified this inclusion but I don’t think he justified it. Plenty of Diageo products that deserve this criticism without including an integrity distillery.
And just how many buyers can get their bottles at the distillery shop? I think they put the blame where it needs to be, which was not on the distiller.
@@kellywellington7122 Not the point I’m making. The point is that it shows that the price the distillery is asking is perfectly fair and good value. Understandably, people get frustrated at the secondary market price but Springbank have nothing to do with that other than producing desirable whisky and the frustration should be levelled at those who are exploiting the situation. I hope it all calms down soon because the last time ,before this purchase, that I even saw a bottle was 2 years ago. Maybe we should all just resist the online hype and embrace the huge range of delicious whisky out there.
Oh, and as I already said Jeff qualified his statement but only after putting Springbank at the head of a list of unaffordable and not worth it whiskies. Pay the retail price and it is affordable, don’t pay flippers and price hikers. Or the big rip off companies like Diageo who are price gouging relentlessly.
During my scotch journey I was thinking of buying a bottle of Blue Label because I had heard so much about it. Since it was about $180 at the time. I bought a sample bottle for $25 (what?! ) and I didn’t like it at all. I am glad I didn’t buy the 750 ml bottle.
I don't mind Blue label but it's boring. It doesn't taste bad to me, but who wants boring when there are so many expressions out there that are spectacular, cheaper than this expression and so much better!!
Great chat and always nice to see Geoff, the better Jeff on WhiskyTube. Sadly so many whiskies are becoming out of reach of budget buyers like myself, but as it was sad, lets be optimistic about the great new stuff coming out! Cheers.
I absolutely applaud this appreciation of newer distilleries. We _have_ become complacent, reliant on old, "reliable" brands that seem to be not only resting on their laurels, but pushing the quality aspect to the side in the hope that they'll continue to sell based on reputation alone. Well, that reliance is certainly being tested in the face of these worthy upstarts.
*Springbank Alternatives* Light Campbeltown, Ex-Sherry and Ex-Bourbon marriage matured Kilkerran (a bit cheeky) Ardnamurchan Glen Scotia *Macallan Alternative* , Ex-Sherry Matured Speysider Almost anything else (Joke!) Glendronach Glenfarclas Mortlach Glenturret GlenAllachie - Anything from them Ex-Sherry matured *Octomore x.1* Islay Heavily peated Ex-Bourbon matured Kilchoman 100% Islay Laphroaig 10 cask Strength Lagavulin 8 (I wouldn't consider Port Charlotte as an alternative as it's partially Ex-Sherry and Ex-Wine matured an so doesn't fit the flavour profile) Ardbeg 10 Lagg Arran Machrie Moor *Lagavulin 16* ,Islay peated with a combination of Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Sherry cask maturation. Port Charlotte Kilchoman Machir Bay *JW Blue Label* Any Second-hand Blended Scotch Whisky from the 1980s or older. Anything from Compass Box Any Blended Scotch from Berry Bros and Rudd
Yay, two of my favorite Whiskytubers combined! Regarding the Tamdhu/Macallan similarities: I had a very long chat with a brand rep (so take that with a grain of salt) at a local whisky festival and he emphasized that they used to be sister distilleries under Highland Distillers and at that time shared the exact same cask program. And since Ian MacLeod is striving to continue the legacy of Tamdhu they still do share a largely similar philosophy when it comes to maturation. And another side note: out of all the brands mentioned I do fear that Tamdhu might be the next one to premiumize it's way out of the reach of non-rich whisky enthusiasts...
@@FirstPhilWhiskyThat’s sounds like the story of fine watches. Rolex are the Macallan and Tudor are the Tamdhu. Sister companies with different outlooks, one for the gentry & other for the normal folk. But still work together on some things and end of the day it’s all about profit. As for flippers they have ruined the watch market for normal folk and whiskey looks like going the same. Money talks no matter what’s being sold. Thank you for giving alternatives for these brands.
In Australia, hardly any single malt scotch is much less than $100, especially the brands mentioned on channels like this one. As someone who is whisky curious and not rich, it's too difficult to justify the expense. I prefer to grab a nice gin or decent bourbon for around half the price
You are correct! It is crazy how expensive everything is. Lagavulin used to be my everyday whisky, but it has almost doubled in price in two years, so now I find myself drinking buorbon more often.
@@lgiraldo2587 Yes, it's shocking how quickly Lag16 prices went up. I went to Dan Murphies recently to grab a bottle of something. Saw Lag16 on the shelf for $204. Tamdhu 15 is over $150 and Glenfarclas 15 (a personal fav) is over $170. Price gouging much?
overpriced: anything From Talisker, 180 euro for a 18y..F...Off overhyped and priced: anything McCallan, nose is great, taste is meh. Overpriced: Springbank,Johnnie Walker until Blue Label, from Blue label overpriced and overhyped. Overhyped: Ardbeg, i love Ardbeg but they have so many non age statements whiskys that compared to 10 is not worth it. exception is Uigedal.
First Fill Phil , I really like your whisky content mate , but did I just see you peddling “ Tige Hanley “ products 🙈..come on mate , thats cringe worthy 👹👹,that’s just not you it’s not a good fit mate . Stick to what we know you know and face / eye creams is not it , unless of course money talks , but sometimes it talks rubbish about things ya know nowt about ..you stick to whisky and let Aaron stick to grooming .Arhhhh Sorry ..Only my opinion mate !!
This was so dope! Very fun seeing the two of you together! Great exchange, great video, great collaboration! What an amazing time also for having great reviewers like you guys helping the scene and enabling us to find good quality and affordable alternatives! Cheers to that and to you both 🥃🥃 Bonus points for Geoff's Start Trek screensaver on his TV 🖖
At the end of the last school year the families of my students got together and gifted me $200. (As an aside, this is not normal and was very much a surprise.) I decided to use that money to purchase a Lagavulin 16 and the Ardbeg Corryvreckan. I had just barely over a dollar left over. I certainly don't regret using that money for those purchases, but I'm also glad that I didn't spend my own money on those bottles. I'm enjoying the experience they provide, but I'm also not planning on purchasing them again at the high prices they seem to demand.
LVMH's fomo marketing with limited edition Ardbeg and even Glenmorangies paired with absurdly overpriced Ardbeg 10 as a flagship makes my stomach churn.
Ardbeg TEN is still under $60 (I think?), Ardbeg 5 is sub-$50, and Batch Strength Ardbeg Uigeadail is about $85, so those limited edition sucker-bottles are keeping their core range somewhat affordable in 2023. The same can be said for Glenmorangie and its core range ✌️
What other whiskies do you think are overpriced? Also, don't forget, get 30% off your first box, plus a FREE gift, when you give Tiege Hanley a try at tiege.com/fpwmoney Without the support of brands like Tiege and my patrons, it wouldn't be possible for me to drop honest videos like this and keep my kids fed at the same time!
Dalmore? Specs are usually sub 44%, colouring added 99% of the time, child filtered... the Dalmore 12 Year Old is one of the more expensive Scotch Single Malts in that Age Statement range (along with Macallan).
Hey Rule number one of whiskey drinking don''t let some hipster looking neck beard go tell you what you should do or shouldn't do. Just keep drinking what you like and don't give a fik what others say.
Nice one guys, glad to see your take on this increasingly annoying topic. I think Dalmore should be on the list as well :) Well the big names could try to sell to the general public but lucky for us there are some great new distilleries coming up making fantastic whisky which will only get better and better in time. It's such an informed market now, especially with the enthusiasts I believe any new brand will get harshly punished if they drop their quality or specs. Whisky makers should realise we're willing to pay more for quality but not for branding and name. Cheers fellas 🥃
@@Soldano999 I was gifted a bottle last Christmas and it’s very good. I’m going to try some different 16’s going back to the early 2000’s and compare one of these days in my journey.
A recent bottling of lag16 (late 2023) didnt taste and smell like it used to be. So at this price I would rather go for 2 bottles of sherried finlaggan
I can agree that Jonny Walker and Macallan are overrated and overpriced, but I'd have to staunchly disagree about Lagavulin, Springbank and Octomore. Lagavulin is currently £65 on Master of Malt, it's still a favourite of mine and that's not a bad price at all, Springbank have a lot of variety at the distillery, all for pretty reasonable prices, and Octomore is one where you'll only get part of the way there with Port Charlotte and the like. I do agree that there are some excellent young distilleries that are kicking ass, Lagg on the Isle of Arran is excellent (and well worth a tour), even their new make spirit is delicious.
Prices in Australia are crazy. Most quality single malts are $100 plus. I'll still grab a Deanston 12 when on special. But I'm now looking into the world of Bourbon.
Yeah, I took a similar turn. I do stock up on the Boozebud specials for scotch and the odd Japanese whisky, but Wild Turkey 101 changed my view on bourbon.
@@markbagworth3653 it's good stuff. Glad you enjoyed it. Give the Rare Breed a go when you have the chance. Pricier, but you can make a bottle and a half out of it if you water it down from the 58.4% ABV that it comes at. It has 6, 8, and 12 year old bourbon in it, too. Really top stuff IMO.
Thanks for sharing you're and Geoffs thoughts. And of course I had to react when Geoff called me regarding the Octomore... and I only partly agree with him stating that Port Charlotte is a cheaper alternative to Octomore. Port Charlotte only partly is an alternative. Please add the Staoisha: independent Bunnahabhain and when you manage to pick up a cask strength... Great stuff. Pleaee inform the G-man. Slàinte mhath
Springbank don't stoke the market or inflate their brand artificially - there are far more disingenuous offerings that should take its place on the list.
Tamdhu 12 way better than The Macallan 12 for me. The 12 is one of the best for the price in the Sherried world of whiskey. Also whilst the 12 is boring mass market stuff really love the Glenfiddich 15 Solera to get a 15 at that price if good quality is unheard of
I’m not sure about Lagavulin. At least the 16. It’s been between 85-120 for many yrs now. There’s many individual bottles that fit this category. Talisker 18, Macallan 18, Glendronach 18… basically a lot of 18 yr olds that have doubled in price and then some. I remember Glenfarclas 25 being on sale a few yrs ago in Total Wine for $130. Now it’s over $250. Glendronach 21 went from @$135 to 300 plus. By rule of thumb , if the bottle has increased by %100 or more in the last 2-3 yrs, it’s overpriced and likely not worth the money anymore. I don’t mind spending $300 on one purchase. However for $250-300 I expect to get 2-3 very good bottles. Not one. Just several years ago for $300 you could easily buy two 21 yr olds. Now you’re lucky if you can get two 18 yr olds for that much. Macallan 18 and Springbank 18 are $400 plus each. Don’t succumb to the FOMO.
Great video, gents. The Springbank thing does my head in. (in Aust. I spied the an 11 y/o local barley for $1000 and the 18 y/o for $900!) Nearly cried. My Springbank alternative is the Craigellachie 13. I love Benromach but to get their natural specs here you pay +$130 for the contrast series or +$170 for their cask strength.
Aside from upcoming distilleries, it's also a good time to step away big names from Scotch, Japanese, and Boubon. Macallan knows that as long as they slap in an age in their product, it's going to sell. That's why we're seeing Scotches as old as grandparents cost as much as a car or house (wait until Macallan 100years comr out, prices are going to go nuts). These 6 years, Canada has been releasing some amazing stuff and it's gradually getting recognized. France's hidden gem Arnagnacs have hyper aged stated products at a super affordable price ( French knowe their booze and these guys they keep for themselves).
Great video & collaboration chaps. I like your channel very much Phil but those adverts/sponsorships have been ruining it for me lately...sorry, couldn't stop myself from mentioning it. Keep up bringing us more of such good content as this video though!
Well, now that you revealed the alternative whiskies to those overpriced brands, these now will become overpriced. Speaking of overpriced, in Pennsylvania, USA, where I live, a standard bottle of Glenfiddich 12 year is about $70 dollars, US. Unbelievable.
I stopped purchasing Octomore at release 10. I still have over 25 older releases but zero of the newer ones. I would add Highland Park to the list. Way too many younger NAS's and their age statement whiskies are too pricey. Same for Dalmore.
Springbank is beautiful! I’ve been lucky and always got it for the cost the distillery charges. McCallan is far too expensive for what it is. I think it’s something people who don’t know much about Whiskey buys thinking if it cost a lot it must be the best. I still like Lagavulin but it’s getting a bit expensive. Probably get better for cheaper!
I wanted to buy a Glenfarclas 21 year today, none in stock, not 25, not 15, not 12, bugger, bought a Aberlour A'Bunadh, Speyside single malt, cask strength, 60.5%, wow, nice whisky though
I feel i should also mention Arran (a lot of beautiful affordable expressions for the past decade), Glenmorangie (often overlooked but honestely very refined and well made), as well as Ardbeg or Connemara in the peated range. As time goes by, i find myself reaching for Speyside more and more though ;) As for Springbank or Kilkerran, i concur… It is a shame it’s become that expensive.
Kilkerran used to be waaaay better for the price than a Springbank, and I don't think I seen it for sale for more than a month or two. It's up to £50 for the 12 year old though... I regret not buying more when it was half the price.
You can still buy a 70cl bottle of Cutty Sark for 948 yen including 10% consumption tax (under a fiver) here in Japan at a chain of Home Centre stores (TH-cam will censor me if I give the name). Bottom shelf, sure, but OK with plenty of ice and soda to address insomnia. At regular alcoholic beverage outlets (even cut rate ones), prices have gone sky high. Jack, the Japan Alps Brit
Two great channels being great together. At least in California Costco's, you can find Lagavulin 16 for $76. A price I'm willing to pay. But yes, the price is going up and up I only see the writing on the wall at this point. Likely, the last time I buy a bottle, I'll buy two and bid that brand a gentle goodnight.
I was just about to add that here in the states, Lagavulin 16 is actually a really good value in some areas, mainly areas that have Costcos that sell alcohol. Unfortunately, I'm not a big fan. It's good but not one of my favorites. Unfortunately, some of my budget favorites now cost MORE than Lag 16
None of these reveiwed surprised me & guessed them all, maybe in a different order. Loved your alternatives, and totally agree. Commentary was spot on. Loved the collab !!
Yeah JWBlu is actually surprisingly good, I thought it would be mediocre, but certainly worth about 1/2 to 1/3 the price. I’ve always said Laga 16 is overrated and overpriced even 3-5 yrs ago, Ardbegs/Laphroaigs are more serious peaters IMO, but Laga 8 is actually impressive. MacCallen 12 is great, but just goggled the Canadian price, around 150$ has doubled recently, shame…🤣🔥👇 run!
Enjoyed the video, but really didn’t understand Lagavulin 16 being described as “overpriced”? I first tried Lagavulin 16 about 35 years ago when I believe it was £28. When I bought my next bottle about 18 years ago I believe it was £42 and I recently purchased a third for just over £60 about three years ago and it is still widely available at that price today? Is an increase of 50% in 18 years really that alarming or out of reach? In inflation terms that’s only 2% per year?
I remember buying up plenty of springbank on whiskygalore in 2019 when no one wanted the 21s and 12cs. I still have my longrow single cask whiskygalore quarter cask bottling somewhere. Unfortunately, they eventually pulled the Aussie market from buying up their springbank allocations 😅
Sadly for you guys, we are more than blessed here in the UK. I have a collection of 583 bottles of Scottish Whisky, Irish Whiskey and English Whiskey from every distiller I have managed to visit in the British Isles. I still have 257 distilleries to visit on these islands. The surprising and unbelievably cheap Whisky is made in England. No one hears of the English Whisky distilleries. Not only is the quality excellent, the prices are far lower than any of the brands in this video.
Lagavulin 16 prices are dropping where I’m at so I’m now buying again. I was kind of hoping other styles besides scotch on this list though. Pappy Van Winkles should probably be no. 1 in the world right now since you can only get it from resellers 90% of the time. Had the 12 year years back, but at the time you could still get a bottle less than $500 instead of the 3k now.
I find it hilarious that on your picture for the video it says Stop buying this Whisky. Funny enough as in with Fireball the reason it's allowed to have the word "Whisky" on the label and website is because in Canada along with Japan the word "Whisky" is their Trademark in the same way as France uses the word "Conyac" as their Trademark. When people bitch about fireball what they can't comprehend is Jack Daniel's and many other brands that are 66% ABV + are marked as "Whiskies" which means a entire different thing. I'm going to some what show my age but Fireball today is really no different then "AFTERSHOCK" was in the 1980's thru 1990's except Fireball doesn't have the sugar crystals we would all chase after the liquor was gone😂😂 Fireball is a "Schnapps" a flavoring agent like "Vermouth" which also contains Alcohol same as every Schnapps on the market.
In Australia even basic whiskies including NAS and 10yo whiskies are become unaffordable, even from the big outlets (e.g. Dan Murphys, BWS etc.). I’ve been a whiskey lover for 10+ years but honestly it is becoming more of an occasional treat than something I can purchase regularly.
Evidence > anecdote. Consulting some historical price charts, it looks like Lagavulin 16 has had an 0.75% annualised price increase since 2015 -- which is way below inflation ... soooo, in constant currency units, it's got less expensive. (Macallan 12 has increased 4.84% on an annualised basis over the same period; I'd have to check, but I suspect that's roughly equivalent to inflation -- in which case the price hasn't changed in constant currency units).
Here's my HIGH-VALUE, All-Bases-Covered Scotch Suggestions: Blended Scotch: Cutty Sark Prohibition Standard Malt: Glencadam 10 Sherried: Glenmorangie Lasanta 12 Peated: Scarabus Batch Strength Complex: Benromach 10 Top Shelf: Craigellachie 13 But wait, I can even go cheaper and still suggest very good bottles: Blended Scotch: Scottish Leader Standard Malt: Glen Moray Elgin Classic Sherried: Glen Moray Elgin Classic Sherry Cask Finished Peated: Scarabus 46% Complex: Loch Lomond 12 Top Shelf: Compass Box Orchard House
You guys forgot Yamazaki, Hibiki, Hakushu, Yoichi, Ichiro. That’s like top 5 overpriced whiskeys for me; Japanese whiskeys are just too overpriced right now.
Good stuff. However, the Port Charlotte 10 is now only 5 bucks cheaper than the Lagavulin 16. Kinda bummed me a bit. But the PC 10 is better than the Laga 16 IMHO.
Whisky prices are nuts thanks to Chinese demand (MacAllan is the best example here - especially with their terrible airport/airline editions). Its crazy. Especially here in Asia. Ballantine’s for 30 bucks is laughable. Stay with Rum or Gin. Both have excellent qualities. Or super smooth Tequila. All are better priced than Whisky and offer better value for money.
I wish I was more into whiskeys. I get the craze and love the flavors, but my acid reflux HATES it. Everytime I take a shot of a whiskey, even good and acceptable ones like Four roses, Knob creek, Bulleit, and more, my stomach wants to throw them up immediately. Every other alcohol so far, I'm okay with. But whiskey specifically just doesn't sit well with me, and I wish it did.
2008 bottle of blue label at Heathrow duty free £135.Same year got it in Vientiane £50 in shop.Cracked the top had a glass .Screwed back top when I got back to Thailand hotel where I'm long stay gave it to Thai manager for their Xmas party utter crap.J & B passes over it
Bourbon is where it’s at. F@ck Scotch, not enough flavor. But really, whatever floats your boat...as long as your boat is bourbon. Just kidding; maybe.
Really hard to disagree, especially with Macallan. I was fortunate enough to get into single malt in the late 90's, would regularly buy a Macallan 12, and sometimes splurge on a Macallan 18. They were absolutely superb at the time, pure sherry, and extremely reasonably priced for what you were getting. Now, it's impossible to touch these bottles. And I simply wouldn't buy any of their fine oak / bourbon cask stuff, certainly not at the price point they command.
Johnnie Walker Blue Label is absolutely the most overrated whisky on the market. Totally agree. I understand the inclusion of Springbank but it’s not Mitchell’s fault it’s being flipped and exploited. There are many others that could have been included. Dalmore is over priced and generally disappointing. Highland Park and Jura just aren’t what they used to be and their branding is just getting silly now, designed to look good on a supermarket shelf. Definitely not enthusiast’s whiskies any more.
So let's see. 1. Price what the market will bear 2. Supply/demand 3. Drink what you like and can afford. "5Top lists that are highly overrated" will soon be a new review catagory.
AnCnoc is so underrated at the moment. $200.00 for a 24 yr old sherry bomb is crazy. The whole core line is fantastic. Leave Springbank to the fanboys and secondary market. Macallan is mediocre for the prices they are charging.
Lagavulin 16 is definitely too expensive, there are other Islay options to choose from, also Johnnie Walker Blue label, is extremely overrated and overpriced, also it's the worst tasting of all the Johnnie Walkers, plus it's 80-proof.
5:45 worst whisky buying mistake ever was when I bought MacAllan estate. It’s a very good whisky, but not worth the €250 I paid for it. And it’s even more expensive now.
I don't even look at Lagavulin anymore. There are so many naturally colored, wonderful whiskies under 60 dollars. Lagavulin 16 shouldn't be more than 70.
I'm a simple man. Lucky for me, its hard for me to taste any difference in Whiskey. I know I like sweet shit, so I enjoy Canadian whiskey. Turns out my favorite whiskey is Small Batch Canadian Club. $35 a big bottle. I tried em all, thats what I like. I smoke cigars, I have also whittled down all my favorite cigars are about $5 a stick. For my tastes, when you get over a certain price point, its more about the price and the exclucivenss than than the actual taste. I enjoy the expensive bottle of scotch, but I know I enjoy it for its price and expericne, not the taste.
Imo, the most overrated And overpriced is easily Macallan 12 Triple Cask, which I gave not One, but Two tries, and reached the summit of mediocrity on both occasions.
For me all Johnny walker products are over priced for their quality they were all produced initially for the American export market where the vast majority of customers didn't know they were being overcharged for mediocre whisky. I don't know if it's available or what the price is overseas but my go to budget tipple is black bottle. For an affordable blend it's depth of flavour and complexity is unbeatable and compares well with even much pricier single malts.
Guest star's quite the looker. You look ok, too, Phil. 🥃
Not as good looking as that beautiful star trek screen saver though 😍
McCallan is massively overpriced, no doubt, you guys are spot on. Good job
I'd rather remove Springbank off that list and replace it maybe with Dalmore :) As you guys also point out, it's not Springbank's fault :)
I understand your point, but Whiskyfolk often suffer from FOMO when it comes to Springbank, and a bottle like Springbank 10 at $90, or as much as $170, simple isn't a good value; and the same can be said for the rest of their range at current prices.
@@MrChristopherMolloy I could find a Springbank 15 for 72 pounds at whisky exchange store in London, of course I was more than lucky. But this is really not Springbank's fault, unlike Macallan, Dalmore etc
@@cemtuncel1602 Obviously exceptions like that Springbank 15 are not the rule, most would not be able to buy Springbank 15 for less than $300 these days.
Nobody is blaming Springbank, but it simply cannot or shouldn't be recommended in good conscious to anyone who cares about their hard-earned money.
Understandable but who is at fault is irrelevant. If it costs way more than it's worth, it's a bad value. Bottom line is I can get better whisky for less money.
IMO Springbank is a bit overrated.
LongRow however, is vastly under rated !
I love this crossover, 2 of my favorite whisky channels. Great video!
Don’t think it’s fair to put Springbank in this category. I just bought that bottle at the distillery shop for £52 despite the fact they could charge much more. Fair enough Jeff qualified this inclusion but I don’t think he justified it. Plenty of Diageo products that deserve this criticism without including an integrity distillery.
And just how many buyers can get their bottles at the distillery shop? I think they put the blame where it needs to be, which was not on the distiller.
@@kellywellington7122 Not the point I’m making. The point is that it shows that the price the distillery is asking is perfectly fair and good value. Understandably, people get frustrated at the secondary market price but Springbank have nothing to do with that other than producing desirable whisky and the frustration should be levelled at those who are exploiting the situation. I hope it all calms down soon because the last time ,before this purchase, that I even saw a bottle was 2 years ago. Maybe we should all just resist the online hype and embrace the huge range of delicious whisky out there.
Oh, and as I already said Jeff qualified his statement but only after putting Springbank at the head of a list of unaffordable and not worth it whiskies. Pay the retail price and it is affordable, don’t pay flippers and price hikers. Or the big rip off companies like Diageo who are price gouging relentlessly.
During my scotch journey I was thinking of buying a bottle of Blue Label because I had heard so much about it. Since it was about $180 at the time. I bought a sample bottle for $25 (what?! ) and I didn’t like it at all. I am glad I didn’t buy the 750 ml bottle.
It's incredibly smooth, but it's just sooooo boring!
I've had the most expensive JW you can buy and even that was mediocre and flat. It's just a great marketing campaign, the whisky is uninspiring.
I don't mind Blue label but it's boring. It doesn't taste bad to me, but who wants boring when there are so many expressions out there that are spectacular, cheaper than this expression and so much better!!
@@billcoley4426 100% agree. There's not really any way that anyone could find it objectionable ... but there's just nothing exciting about it.
Great chat and always nice to see Geoff, the better Jeff on WhiskyTube. Sadly so many whiskies are becoming out of reach of budget buyers like myself, but as it was sad, lets be optimistic about the great new stuff coming out! Cheers.
Many whiskies are becoming expensive but we never had so many options at every price point.
That is a great way to think about it@@Soldano999 . It really is a golden age for the golden dram!
Johnny Walker gold label is better than blue label. Imo.
I absolutely applaud this appreciation of newer distilleries. We _have_ become complacent, reliant on old, "reliable" brands that seem to be not only resting on their laurels, but pushing the quality aspect to the side in the hope that they'll continue to sell based on reputation alone. Well, that reliance is certainly being tested in the face of these worthy upstarts.
💯
I remember that Lagavulin from the 00s tasted very different. It almost had liquorice-like notes. This is imo no longer the case 😢
If you like whisky and want to connect with other whisky enthusiasts, make sute you jump over to my discord! discord.gg/jEQfFc737Y
*Springbank Alternatives* Light Campbeltown, Ex-Sherry and Ex-Bourbon marriage matured
Kilkerran (a bit cheeky)
Ardnamurchan
Glen Scotia
*Macallan Alternative* , Ex-Sherry Matured Speysider
Almost anything else (Joke!)
Glendronach
Glenfarclas
Mortlach
Glenturret
GlenAllachie - Anything from them Ex-Sherry matured
*Octomore x.1* Islay Heavily peated Ex-Bourbon matured
Kilchoman 100% Islay
Laphroaig 10 cask Strength
Lagavulin 8
(I wouldn't consider Port Charlotte as an alternative as it's partially Ex-Sherry and Ex-Wine matured an so doesn't fit the flavour profile)
Ardbeg 10
Lagg
Arran Machrie Moor
*Lagavulin 16* ,Islay peated with a combination of Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Sherry cask maturation.
Port Charlotte
Kilchoman Machir Bay
*JW Blue Label*
Any Second-hand Blended Scotch Whisky from the 1980s or older.
Anything from Compass Box
Any Blended Scotch from Berry Bros and Rudd
Yay, two of my favorite Whiskytubers combined!
Regarding the Tamdhu/Macallan similarities: I had a very long chat with a brand rep (so take that with a grain of salt) at a local whisky festival and he emphasized that they used to be sister distilleries under Highland Distillers and at that time shared the exact same cask program. And since Ian MacLeod is striving to continue the legacy of Tamdhu they still do share a largely similar philosophy when it comes to maturation.
And another side note: out of all the brands mentioned I do fear that Tamdhu might be the next one to premiumize it's way out of the reach of non-rich whisky enthusiasts...
Interesting!!
@@FirstPhilWhiskyThat’s sounds like the story of fine watches.
Rolex are the Macallan and Tudor are the Tamdhu.
Sister companies with different outlooks, one for the gentry & other for the normal folk.
But still work together on some things and end of the day it’s all about profit.
As for flippers they have ruined the watch market for normal folk and whiskey looks like going the same.
Money talks no matter what’s being sold.
Thank you for giving alternatives for these brands.
Misleading title - overpriced is not necessarily the same as overrated
Cool video Whith Geoff! I liked it. Very interesting content as well. I like how you've gave some alternative. Cheers
1. Diageo
2. Diageo
3.Diageo
4. Diageo
5. Diageo
In Australia, hardly any single malt scotch is much less than $100, especially the brands mentioned on channels like this one. As someone who is whisky curious and not rich, it's too difficult to justify the expense. I prefer to grab a nice gin or decent bourbon for around half the price
Yep, even the entry level Single Malts here are about $100 😢
You are correct! It is crazy how expensive everything is. Lagavulin used to be my everyday whisky, but it has almost doubled in price in two years, so now I find myself drinking buorbon more often.
@@lgiraldo2587 Yes, it's shocking how quickly Lag16 prices went up. I went to Dan Murphies recently to grab a bottle of something. Saw Lag16 on the shelf for $204. Tamdhu 15 is over $150 and Glenfarclas 15 (a personal fav) is over $170. Price gouging much?
overpriced: anything From Talisker, 180 euro for a 18y..F...Off overhyped and priced: anything McCallan, nose is great, taste is meh. Overpriced: Springbank,Johnnie Walker until Blue Label, from Blue label overpriced and overhyped. Overhyped: Ardbeg, i love Ardbeg but they have so many non age statements whiskys that compared to 10 is not worth it. exception is Uigedal.
First Fill Phil , I really like your whisky content mate , but did I just see you peddling “ Tige Hanley “ products 🙈..come on mate , thats cringe worthy 👹👹,that’s just not you it’s not a good fit mate .
Stick to what we know you know and face / eye creams is not it , unless of course money talks , but sometimes it talks rubbish about things ya know nowt about ..you stick to whisky and let Aaron stick to grooming .Arhhhh
Sorry ..Only my opinion mate !!
This was so dope! Very fun seeing the two of you together! Great exchange, great video, great collaboration! What an amazing time also for having great reviewers like you guys helping the scene and enabling us to find good quality and affordable alternatives! Cheers to that and to you both 🥃🥃
Bonus points for Geoff's Start Trek screensaver on his TV 🖖
Sharply noticed, took me sometime to figure it out.😇
@@hansvaneenennaam457 My inner nerd is always on and it never misses 😅😂
It's a wallpaper, not a screensaver.
Forget the brand names and price
Try it
If you like it, buy it
Plenty of good whiskeys for around $100
Everything else is just wank and pretence
I'm glad my Whiskey wasn't on this list.
At the end of the last school year the families of my students got together and gifted me $200. (As an aside, this is not normal and was very much a surprise.) I decided to use that money to purchase a Lagavulin 16 and the Ardbeg Corryvreckan. I had just barely over a dollar left over. I certainly don't regret using that money for those purchases, but I'm also glad that I didn't spend my own money on those bottles. I'm enjoying the experience they provide, but I'm also not planning on purchasing them again at the high prices they seem to demand.
Same here. The bottle I own will be the last one I think.
In Australia, lagavulin 16 is now $200+ 😢
LVMH's fomo marketing with limited edition Ardbeg and even Glenmorangies paired with absurdly overpriced Ardbeg 10 as a flagship makes my stomach churn.
Ardbeg TEN is still under $60 (I think?), Ardbeg 5 is sub-$50, and Batch Strength Ardbeg Uigeadail is about $85, so those limited edition sucker-bottles are keeping their core range somewhat affordable in 2023. The same can be said for Glenmorangie and its core range ✌️
What other whiskies do you think are overpriced?
Also, don't forget, get 30% off your first box, plus a FREE gift, when you give Tiege Hanley a try at tiege.com/fpwmoney
Without the support of brands like Tiege and my patrons, it wouldn't be possible for me to drop honest videos like this and keep my kids fed at the same time!
Dalmore? Specs are usually sub 44%, colouring added 99% of the time, child filtered... the Dalmore 12 Year Old is one of the more expensive Scotch Single Malts in that Age Statement range (along with Macallan).
@@whiskyismyjam2002totally agree. Dalmore fits easily on this list
I would add talisker to the list as well. 😢A big jump in price lately. It's a pity
lagavulin 16. 90 quid here in the UK and it's 43% for goodness sake
Woops I posted that before I got to that part of the video
Hey Rule number one of whiskey drinking don''t let some hipster looking neck beard go tell you what you should do or shouldn't do. Just keep drinking what you like and don't give a fik what others say.
Man, my two favorite whisky channels in a collab.
The eastern hemisphere bros are here to enlighten us, haha.
Ardnamurchan, being such a young whisky and hard to find, is overpriced too, don't you think?
I just picked up the AD 20.22 cask strength for 89 USD. It seems to be readily available in Massachusetts (USA) over the last year.
@@customer9845 really hard to find in the UK
I believe they have it at The Whisky Exchange at Covent Garden.@@cemtuncel1602
Bunna 12 is still a great deal, oops did I say that out loud.
Nice one guys, glad to see your take on this increasingly annoying topic. I think Dalmore should be on the list as well :) Well the big names could try to sell to the general public but lucky for us there are some great new distilleries coming up making fantastic whisky which will only get better and better in time. It's such an informed market now, especially with the enthusiasts I believe any new brand will get harshly punished if they drop their quality or specs. Whisky makers should realise we're willing to pay more for quality but not for branding and name. Cheers fellas 🥃
Highland park should be on this list.
Ever since they went viking style the price went up and the quality went down.
Great collab guys. Would like to see more of these videos. Two of my fav whisky tubers!
I hate seeing Lag16 on this list but it deserves to be on it for sure.
Great collaboration!
Lagavulin bottlings have been terrible lately in my experience. And i mean terrible.
@@Soldano999 I was gifted a bottle last Christmas and it’s very good. I’m going to try some different 16’s going back to the early 2000’s and compare one of these days in my journey.
A recent bottling of lag16 (late 2023) didnt taste and smell like it used to be. So at this price I would rather go for 2 bottles of sherried finlaggan
I can agree that Jonny Walker and Macallan are overrated and overpriced, but I'd have to staunchly disagree about Lagavulin, Springbank and Octomore. Lagavulin is currently £65 on Master of Malt, it's still a favourite of mine and that's not a bad price at all, Springbank have a lot of variety at the distillery, all for pretty reasonable prices, and Octomore is one where you'll only get part of the way there with Port Charlotte and the like. I do agree that there are some excellent young distilleries that are kicking ass, Lagg on the Isle of Arran is excellent (and well worth a tour), even their new make spirit is delicious.
Prices in Australia are crazy. Most quality single malts are $100 plus. I'll still grab a Deanston 12 when on special.
But I'm now looking into the world of Bourbon.
Yeah, I took a similar turn. I do stock up on the Boozebud specials for scotch and the odd Japanese whisky, but Wild Turkey 101 changed my view on bourbon.
@@AB-kf8ry
Just finished a bottle of WT 101. Really enjoyed it and at a great price of $66👍
@@markbagworth3653 it's good stuff. Glad you enjoyed it.
Give the Rare Breed a go when you have the chance.
Pricier, but you can make a bottle and a half out of it if you water it down from the 58.4% ABV that it comes at.
It has 6, 8, and 12 year old bourbon in it, too. Really top stuff IMO.
Thanks for sharing you're and Geoffs thoughts.
And of course I had to react when Geoff called me regarding the Octomore... and I only partly agree with him stating that Port Charlotte is a cheaper alternative to Octomore. Port Charlotte only partly is an alternative. Please add the Staoisha: independent Bunnahabhain and when you manage to pick up a cask strength... Great stuff. Pleaee inform the G-man.
Slàinte mhath
Springbank don't stoke the market or inflate their brand artificially - there are far more disingenuous offerings that should take its place on the list.
Springbank has almost become a meme. It’s not bad… it’s just nowhere near the craziness.
Tamdhu 12 way better than The Macallan 12 for me. The 12 is one of the best for the price in the Sherried world of whiskey. Also whilst the 12 is boring mass market stuff really love the Glenfiddich 15 Solera to get a 15 at that price if good quality is unheard of
Is it better to spend 60€ on a no age new distillery whisky or half less for Talisker 10, Bowmore 12, Laphroaig 10? Talisker is almost 46% :)
If you're already familiar with the talisker and laphroiag buy the new one.
I’m not sure about Lagavulin. At least the 16. It’s been between 85-120 for many yrs now. There’s many individual bottles that fit this category. Talisker 18, Macallan 18, Glendronach 18… basically a lot of 18 yr olds that have doubled in price and then some. I remember Glenfarclas 25 being on sale a few yrs ago in Total Wine for $130. Now it’s over $250. Glendronach 21 went from @$135 to 300 plus.
By rule of thumb , if the bottle has increased by %100 or more in the last 2-3 yrs, it’s overpriced and likely not worth the money anymore. I don’t mind spending $300 on one purchase. However for $250-300 I expect to get 2-3 very good bottles. Not one. Just several years ago for $300 you could easily buy two 21 yr olds.
Now you’re lucky if you can get two 18 yr olds for that much. Macallan 18 and Springbank 18 are $400 plus each.
Don’t succumb to the FOMO.
Bidens inflation economics.
I am just an average whisky drinker, but my suggestion for cheaper replacement for Lavagulin 16 would be Caol Ila 12.
Yeah good shout, Caol Ila is fantastic, the 18 is still cheaper than Lag 16.
Great video, gents. The Springbank thing does my head in. (in Aust. I spied the an 11 y/o local barley for $1000 and the 18 y/o for $900!) Nearly cried. My Springbank alternative is the Craigellachie 13. I love Benromach but to get their natural specs here you pay +$130 for the contrast series or +$170 for their cask strength.
Aside from upcoming distilleries, it's also a good time to step away big names from Scotch, Japanese, and Boubon. Macallan knows that as long as they slap in an age in their product, it's going to sell. That's why we're seeing Scotches as old as grandparents cost as much as a car or house (wait until Macallan 100years comr out, prices are going to go nuts). These 6 years, Canada has been releasing some amazing stuff and it's gradually getting recognized. France's hidden gem Arnagnacs have hyper aged stated products at a super affordable price ( French knowe their booze and these guys they keep for themselves).
Tamdhu 12, full flavor yet elegant, is a great alternative to Mac 12. Great choice of alternatives!
have you tried Penderyn?
Honestly, hearing that Port Charlotte is a good substitute for Octomore makes me feel a lot better about Octomore being so overpriced.
We don't talk about Benromach - gotta keep that distillery away from the speculators.
Great video & collaboration chaps. I like your channel very much Phil but those adverts/sponsorships have been ruining it for me lately...sorry, couldn't stop myself from mentioning it. Keep up bringing us more of such good content as this video though!
I expected dalmore and some japanese whiskey to be on there. like em both but way too overpriced
Well, now that you revealed the alternative whiskies to those overpriced brands, these now will become overpriced. Speaking of overpriced, in Pennsylvania, USA, where I live, a standard bottle of Glenfiddich 12 year is about $70 dollars, US. Unbelievable.
Just stop spending money on alcoohol at all
Come to Norway and see the prices here for a "cheap" bottle of Scotch, you'd be bawling your eyes out🤣
Vinmonopolet, I can only imagine.
I agree about Lagavulin 16 :)
That was great, I liked the bouncing off each other of two whisky enthusiasts
I stopped purchasing Octomore at release 10. I still have over 25 older releases but zero of the newer ones. I would add Highland Park to the list. Way too many younger NAS's and their age statement whiskies are too pricey. Same for Dalmore.
Springbank is beautiful! I’ve been lucky and always got it for the cost the distillery charges.
McCallan is far too expensive for what it is. I think it’s something people who don’t know much about Whiskey buys thinking if it cost a lot it must be the best. I still like Lagavulin but it’s getting a bit expensive. Probably get better for cheaper!
I wanted to buy a Glenfarclas 21 year today, none in stock, not 25, not 15, not 12, bugger, bought a Aberlour A'Bunadh, Speyside single malt, cask strength, 60.5%, wow, nice whisky though
any diageo product for me.
I feel i should also mention Arran (a lot of beautiful affordable expressions for the past decade), Glenmorangie (often overlooked but honestely very refined and well made), as well as Ardbeg or Connemara in the peated range. As time goes by, i find myself reaching for Speyside more and more though ;) As for Springbank or Kilkerran, i concur… It is a shame it’s become that expensive.
Kilkerran used to be waaaay better for the price than a Springbank, and I don't think I seen it for sale for more than a month or two.
It's up to £50 for the 12 year old though... I regret not buying more when it was half the price.
You can still buy a 70cl bottle of Cutty Sark for 948 yen including 10% consumption tax (under a fiver) here in Japan at a chain of Home Centre stores (TH-cam will censor me if I give the name). Bottom shelf, sure, but OK with plenty of ice and soda to address insomnia. At regular alcoholic beverage outlets (even cut rate ones), prices have gone sky high.
Jack, the Japan Alps Brit
Two great channels being great together. At least in California Costco's, you can find Lagavulin 16 for $76. A price I'm willing to pay. But yes, the price is going up and up I only see the writing on the wall at this point. Likely, the last time I buy a bottle, I'll buy two and bid that brand a gentle goodnight.
I was just about to add that here in the states, Lagavulin 16 is actually a really good value in some areas, mainly areas that have Costcos that sell alcohol. Unfortunately, I'm not a big fan. It's good but not one of my favorites. Unfortunately, some of my budget favorites now cost MORE than Lag 16
None of these reveiwed surprised me & guessed them all, maybe in a different order. Loved your alternatives, and totally agree. Commentary was spot on. Loved the collab !!
Great vid folks but not as great as Gwhiskys screensaver. ❤
talisker is fantastic scotch!
Yeah JWBlu is actually surprisingly good, I thought it would be mediocre, but certainly worth about 1/2 to 1/3 the price. I’ve always said Laga 16 is overrated and overpriced even 3-5 yrs ago, Ardbegs/Laphroaigs are more serious peaters IMO, but Laga 8 is actually impressive. MacCallen 12 is great, but just goggled the Canadian price, around 150$ has doubled recently, shame…🤣🔥👇 run!
i dont like advertising in videos
Enjoyed the video, but really didn’t understand Lagavulin 16 being described as “overpriced”?
I first tried Lagavulin 16 about 35 years ago when I believe it was £28. When I bought my next bottle about 18 years ago I believe it was £42 and I recently purchased a third for just over £60 about three years ago and it is still widely available at that price today?
Is an increase of 50% in 18 years really that alarming or out of reach? In inflation terms that’s only 2% per year?
I remember buying up plenty of springbank on whiskygalore in 2019 when no one wanted the 21s and 12cs.
I still have my longrow single cask whiskygalore quarter cask bottling somewhere.
Unfortunately, they eventually pulled the Aussie market from buying up their springbank allocations 😅
Sadly for you guys, we are more than blessed here in the UK. I have a collection of 583 bottles of Scottish Whisky, Irish Whiskey and English Whiskey from every distiller I have managed to visit in the British Isles. I still have 257 distilleries to visit on these islands. The surprising and unbelievably cheap Whisky is made in England. No one hears of the English Whisky distilleries. Not only is the quality excellent, the prices are far lower than any of the brands in this video.
Lagavulin 16 prices are dropping where I’m at so I’m now buying again. I was kind of hoping other styles besides scotch on this list though. Pappy Van Winkles should probably be no. 1 in the world right now since you can only get it from resellers 90% of the time. Had the 12 year years back, but at the time you could still get a bottle less than $500 instead of the 3k now.
I find it hilarious that on your picture for the video it says Stop buying this Whisky.
Funny enough as in with Fireball the reason it's allowed to have the word "Whisky" on the label and website is because in Canada along with Japan the word "Whisky" is their Trademark in the same way as France uses the word "Conyac" as their Trademark.
When people bitch about fireball what they can't comprehend is Jack Daniel's and many other brands that are 66% ABV + are marked as "Whiskies" which means a entire different thing.
I'm going to some what show my age but Fireball today is really no different then "AFTERSHOCK" was in the 1980's thru 1990's except Fireball doesn't have the sugar crystals we would all chase after the liquor was gone😂😂 Fireball is a "Schnapps" a flavoring agent like "Vermouth" which also contains Alcohol same as every Schnapps on the market.
In Australia even basic whiskies including NAS and 10yo whiskies are become unaffordable, even from the big outlets (e.g. Dan Murphys, BWS etc.). I’ve been a whiskey lover for 10+ years but honestly it is becoming more of an occasional treat than something I can purchase regularly.
Evidence > anecdote. Consulting some historical price charts, it looks like Lagavulin 16 has had an 0.75% annualised price increase since 2015 -- which is way below inflation ... soooo, in constant currency units, it's got less expensive. (Macallan 12 has increased 4.84% on an annualised basis over the same period; I'd have to check, but I suspect that's roughly equivalent to inflation -- in which case the price hasn't changed in constant currency units).
Now the question is, which whiskies are going to become the next macallan, springbank, lagavulin 16? Buy now before they go up in price
Here's my HIGH-VALUE, All-Bases-Covered Scotch Suggestions:
Blended Scotch: Cutty Sark Prohibition
Standard Malt: Glencadam 10
Sherried: Glenmorangie Lasanta 12
Peated: Scarabus Batch Strength
Complex: Benromach 10
Top Shelf: Craigellachie 13
But wait, I can even go cheaper and still suggest very good bottles:
Blended Scotch: Scottish Leader
Standard Malt: Glen Moray Elgin Classic
Sherried: Glen Moray Elgin Classic Sherry Cask Finished
Peated: Scarabus 46%
Complex: Loch Lomond 12
Top Shelf: Compass Box Orchard House
Scarabus is fantastic.
@@Soldano999 Yep, especially considering its price ✌️
Springbank is great but the price/availability is kinda wild right now. I recommend Craigellachie 13 to folks as an alternative also.
You guys forgot Yamazaki, Hibiki, Hakushu, Yoichi, Ichiro. That’s like top 5 overpriced whiskeys for me; Japanese whiskeys are just too overpriced right now.
Good stuff. However, the Port Charlotte 10 is now only 5 bucks cheaper than the Lagavulin 16. Kinda bummed me a bit. But the PC 10 is better than the Laga 16 IMHO.
Whisky prices are nuts thanks to Chinese demand (MacAllan is the best example here - especially with their terrible airport/airline editions). Its crazy. Especially here in Asia. Ballantine’s for 30 bucks is laughable. Stay with Rum or Gin. Both have excellent qualities. Or super smooth Tequila. All are better priced than Whisky and offer better value for money.
Great video guys. Thanks to both of you 😊 haven't tried jw blue, quite curious how does it taste for that price
I wish I was more into whiskeys. I get the craze and love the flavors, but my acid reflux HATES it. Everytime I take a shot of a whiskey, even good and acceptable ones like Four roses, Knob creek, Bulleit, and more, my stomach wants to throw them up immediately. Every other alcohol so far, I'm okay with. But whiskey specifically just doesn't sit well with me, and I wish it did.
2008 bottle of blue label at Heathrow duty free £135.Same year got it in Vientiane £50 in shop.Cracked the top had a glass .Screwed back top when I got back to Thailand hotel where I'm long stay gave it to Thai manager for their Xmas party utter crap.J & B passes over it
That uh that's quite a screensaver you have there, @Gwhisky.
Bourbon is where it’s at. F@ck Scotch, not enough flavor. But really, whatever floats your boat...as long as your boat is bourbon. Just kidding; maybe.
Really hard to disagree, especially with Macallan. I was fortunate enough to get into single malt in the late 90's, would regularly buy a Macallan 12, and sometimes splurge on a Macallan 18. They were absolutely superb at the time, pure sherry, and extremely reasonably priced for what you were getting. Now, it's impossible to touch these bottles. And I simply wouldn't buy any of their fine oak / bourbon cask stuff, certainly not at the price point they command.
Johnnie Walker Blue Label is absolutely the most overrated whisky on the market. Totally agree.
I understand the inclusion of Springbank but it’s not Mitchell’s fault it’s being flipped and exploited. There are many others that could have been included. Dalmore is over priced and generally disappointing. Highland Park and Jura just aren’t what they used to be and their branding is just getting silly now, designed to look good on a supermarket shelf. Definitely not enthusiast’s whiskies any more.
So let's see. 1. Price what the market will bear 2. Supply/demand 3. Drink what you like and can afford. "5Top lists that are highly overrated" will soon be a new review catagory.
AnCnoc is so underrated at the moment. $200.00 for a 24 yr old sherry bomb is crazy. The whole core line is fantastic. Leave Springbank to the fanboys and secondary market. Macallan is mediocre for the prices they are charging.
Don’t forget tax burden also. The British govt are screwing the Scotch industry both in the UK itself and in Export duty. Completely idiotic policy.
Lagavulin 16 is definitely too expensive, there are other Islay options to choose from, also Johnnie Walker Blue label, is extremely overrated and overpriced, also it's the worst tasting of all the Johnnie Walkers, plus it's 80-proof.
5:45 worst whisky buying mistake ever was when I bought MacAllan estate. It’s a very good whisky, but not worth the €250 I paid for it. And it’s even more expensive now.
I don't even look at Lagavulin anymore. There are so many naturally colored, wonderful whiskies under 60 dollars. Lagavulin 16 shouldn't be more than 70.
I'm a simple man. Lucky for me, its hard for me to taste any difference in Whiskey. I know I like sweet shit, so I enjoy Canadian whiskey. Turns out my favorite whiskey is Small Batch Canadian Club. $35 a big bottle. I tried em all, thats what I like. I smoke cigars, I have also whittled down all my favorite cigars are about $5 a stick. For my tastes, when you get over a certain price point, its more about the price and the exclucivenss than than the actual taste. I enjoy the expensive bottle of scotch, but I know I enjoy it for its price and expericne, not the taste.
I love Port Charlotte. One of my Apex whiskeys.
Imo, the most overrated And overpriced is easily Macallan 12 Triple Cask, which I gave not One, but Two tries, and reached the summit of mediocrity on both occasions.
For me all Johnny walker products are over priced for their quality they were all produced initially for the American export market where the vast majority of customers didn't know they were being overcharged for mediocre whisky. I don't know if it's available or what the price is overseas but my go to budget tipple is black bottle. For an affordable blend it's depth of flavour and complexity is unbeatable and compares well with even much pricier single malts.
I'm a simple man - I'll take Woodford Reserve Double Oaked for a daily pour or Glenfiddich 18 for special occasions.
I may get blasted for this, but for the money, Aberfeldy 12 is solid!
Being a guy who likes Ardbeg or even Highlander Park, I enjoy Aberfeldy 12.