Good whisky for around £50?

[Stu R]

highland park 18 year is a lovely tipple, falls somewhere between 50 and 60 quid a bottle iirc

[jamiebae]

I'd avoid Islay if they're not really Whisky drinkers, although the Bruichladdich Rocks I'm drinking at the moment is lovely and not that peaty...

Highland Park is always a good bet, the 12 is great, the 18 is supposed to be even better. Something Speyside or Highland is probably a good introduction to Whisky, maybe a Dahlwhinnie or Macallan?

[krallicious]

paulmurr said:

I've only tried this one from Japan and it's really rather nice

Try the 12yo. SO much better.

[paulmurr]

Will do

[Lefty Two Drams]

Just saw this!

Snail-boy, you're a cheeky fker...

Arese, as much as I love Ardbeg (and get the pi$$ taken at every opportunity for being such a blatant fanboy), I wouldn't recommend it unless you know your intended recipients really like Islay whisky and the big Southerners in particular. It's an acquired taste and many "proper" whisky drinkers just plain don't like it.

There have been some excellent suggestions so far!

Talisker is a dram that has no haters (with very good reason).

Highland Park 18 is superb (and is £40+vat in Makro - very good value) and you'd get the special Reserve Cardhu for <£50 easily. It's a beaut as well.

Lagavulin is like Ardbeg in that if you don't know your mates like the heavily peated oily stuff it could be a risk.

I'd stick to Highland or Speyside if I were you. Have a look at Balvenie (probably my favourite speyside distillery but, IMHO, best to avoid the Doublewood.)

AnCnoc. The 16yo AnCnoc is awesome stuff, really undervalued and should be in your budget.

Macallan Fine Oak 15 is superb and one of the only distillery bottlings from this hugely popular brand that I actually like.

Mortlach 16 (Flora & Fauna) would be a great buy too, not sure if it's crept over £50 yet.

Dalwhinnie 15 is great and on-budget. It's creamy smooth with honey and lovely sweet barley but is still quite a light dram. Top stuff.

HTH!

Edited by Lefty Two Drams on Wednesday 28th April 08:52

[Arese]

Top stuff guys, really appreciate all your in-depth replies. You're a knowledgeable bunch.

I went for the Lagavulin in the end. I'm not 100% on their tastes, but hopefully it's something that we can drink together in a month or so. What's the best way to drink it? Just neat, no ice?

I had to go to two different Sainsburys' as the first one only had one bottle left

[Lefty Two Drams]

Drink it whatever way you like it! If you enjoy it you're not wasting it.

Ice will numb your taste buds a bit but a sweet cool dram can be a very refreshing summer drink. Not sure it would work with Lagavulin!

I'd recommend drinking it at room temperature. Taste it neat then add a drop or two of water. Taste again and then add some more water. You should find the character of the whisky changes as the molecules separate. Keep doing this until you've finished the first dram. Take note of what ratio of whisky:water you enjoyed it the most and replicate this with your 2nd, 3rd, 10th dram.

Every whisky is different, every drinker is different. It's such a personal thing there is no right and wrong.

Enjoy!

Lefty
P.s. Good choice - I love Lagavulin 16 but some will no doubt hate it!

[Arese]

Lefty Two Drams said:

Drink it whatever way you like it! If you enjoy it you're not wasting it.

Ice will numb your taste buds a bit but a sweet cool dram can be a very refreshing summer drink. Not sure it would work with Lagavulin!

I'd recommend drinking it at room temperature. Taste it neat then add a drop or two of water. Taste again and then add some more water. You should find the character of the whisky changes as the molecules separate. Keep doing this until you've finished the first dram. Take note of what ratio of whisky:water you enjoyed it the most and replicate this with your 2nd, 3rd, 10th dram.

Every whisky is different, every drinker is different. It's such a personal thing there is no right and wrong.

Enjoy!

Lefty
P.s. Good choice - I love Lagavulin 16 but some will no doubt hate it!

Wow, I didn't realise it was such a science. I've always been put off by the strong taste of whisky, so I'm pleased to hear that adding a bit of water to it won't make me into some kind of heathen! I'll make sure I'm involved when the boys open their bottles, and let you know what we think of it.

Thanks again.

[escargot]

Arese said:

Lefty Two Drams said:

Drink it whatever way you like it! If you enjoy it you're not wasting it.

Ice will numb your taste buds a bit but a sweet cool dram can be a very refreshing summer drink. Not sure it would work with Lagavulin!

I'd recommend drinking it at room temperature. Taste it neat then add a drop or two of water. Taste again and then add some more water. You should find the character of the whisky changes as the molecules separate. Keep doing this until you've finished the first dram. Take note of what ratio of whisky:water you enjoyed it the most and replicate this with your 2nd, 3rd, 10th dram.

Every whisky is different, every drinker is different. It's such a personal thing there is no right and wrong.

Enjoy!

Lefty
P.s. Good choice - I love Lagavulin 16 but some will no doubt hate it!

Wow, I didn't realise it was such a science. I've always been put off by the strong taste of whisky, so I'm pleased to hear that adding a bit of water to it won't make me into some kind of heathen! I'll make sure I'm involved when the boys open their bottles, and let you know what we think of it.

Thanks again.

I'm like you. The only way I can enjoy and therefore appreciate a big peaty islay whisky is with a couple of drops of water. It doesn't make you a heathen at all, if it's how you like it, it's how you like it.

[easytiger123]

krallicious said:

paulmurr said:

I've only tried this one from Japan and it's really rather nice

Try the 12yo. SO much better.

+1 for the Yamazaki 12yr old. Amazing stuff.

[Lefty 200 Drams]

easytiger123 said:

krallicious said:

paulmurr said:

I've only tried this one from Japan and it's really rather nice

Try the 12yo. SO much better.

+1 for the Yamazaki 12yr old. Amazing stuff.

Against public opinion here, I don't like it!

I mean, it's whisky so I'll still drink it...

[paulmurr]

Lefty 200 Drams said:

easytiger123 said:

krallicious said:

paulmurr said:

I've only tried this one from Japan and it's really rather nice

Try the 12yo. SO much better.

+1 for the Yamazaki 12yr old. Amazing stuff.

Against public opinion here, I don't like it!

I mean, it's whisky so I'll still drink it...

Careful Lefty, you'll get a reputation

Rab C Nesbitt said:

I can take a drink, or I can leave it.

But I'd sooner take it

[HereBeMonsters]

Lefty 200 Drams said:

easytiger123 said:

krallicious said:

paulmurr said:

I've only tried this one from Japan and it's really rather nice

Try the 12yo. SO much better.

+1 for the Yamazaki 12yr old. Amazing stuff.

Against public opinion here, I don't like it!

I mean, it's whisky so I'll still drink it...

I'm not a fan either. It has all the right ingredients, but in a way that tastes like a mish-mash and not coherent.

[paulmurr]

HereBeMonsters said:

not coherent.

Yep, that's normally how I end up

[krallicious]

HereBeMonsters said:

Lefty 200 Drams said:

easytiger123 said:

krallicious said:

paulmurr said:

I've only tried this one from Japan and it's really rather nice

Try the 12yo. SO much better.

+1 for the Yamazaki 12yr old. Amazing stuff.

Against public opinion here, I don't like it!

I mean, it's whisky so I'll still drink it...

I'm not a fan either. It has all the right ingredients, but in a way that tastes like a mish-mash and not coherent.

I can understand why some people do not like it. True, there are superior whiskies out there but, for me, it's a good bottle for when you just fancy a light, non complex dram. Some people have Macallen for that purpose.

My favorite Japanese whisky is the Hibiki 17yo. A fantastic blend. (The 30yo is supposed to be amazing but is silly, silly money)

[HereBeMonsters]

krallicious said:

HereBeMonsters said:

Lefty 200 Drams said:

easytiger123 said:

krallicious said:

paulmurr said:

I've only tried this one from Japan and it's really rather nice

Try the 12yo. SO much better.

+1 for the Yamazaki 12yr old. Amazing stuff.

Against public opinion here, I don't like it!

I mean, it's whisky so I'll still drink it...

I'm not a fan either. It has all the right ingredients, but in a way that tastes like a mish-mash and not coherent.

I can understand why some people do not like it. True, there are superior whiskies out there but, for me, it's a good bottle for when you just fancy a light, non complex dram. Some people have Macallen for that purpose.

But that's the point. I think it's too complex. I have a very simple 10yo Hakushu which is all the things you describe.
To come clean I am basing this opinion of the Yamazaki on a single tasting, but I really felt it was muddled. My favourite "clean" and light whisky is Tobermory.

[Lefty 200 Drams]

I don't think it's complex at all! Too sweet, too thin.

I'm no whisky snob - I love johnny walker black, teachers, vat 69, grants red label, black bottle and many other budget blends and malts.

For an easy-drinking or large-quantity everyday dram I'd be looking at one of those.

The Dude said:

it's just, like, my opinion man.

[Muzzlehatch]

Here's a rather interesting comparison across more whiskies than you might care to shake a stick at:

http://www.whiskyfun.com/MaltManiacsMatrix.pdf

Personally, Gen Mhor and Tomatin are right up there for special ones.

For more general consumption, Dalwhinnie, Talisker and Laphroaig are great and have very different characters.