Show us your whisky! Vol 2

[seiben]

I hope you folks don’t mind a fairly picture-heavy post, but I thought a quick recap of my weekend at The Whisky Inn (The Highlander) in Craigellachie might be of interest after all the kind advice I received here

As has been mentioned they do a variety of tasting flights – particularly useful if, like me, you’re still very much finding your feet! I started off with the ‘Aperitif Malts’ collection:



In order:
Balvenie double-wood 12yo
Aberfeldy 12yy
Glenallachie – Sprits of Speyside Whisky Festival 2018 – 12yo
Glenallachie – John Dewar’a 13yo
Speyburn exclusive single cask bottling 2004 (52%)
Longmorn 50 year anniversary of Bar Metro in Milano 25yo

This was followed by a Glengoyn 21yo sherry cask, a Hibiki 17, a Chichibu peated and a Yamazaki ‘Essence of Suntory’ peated.

I slept pretty well that night

Day two we were off exploring, so we had a nice, er, refreshing walk along the Speyside Way towards Aberlour. It really is very, very pretty around there!





After a couple of stops for cake and lunch we wandered over to the Aberlour distillery for a tour and tasting, both of which were fascinating (and decent value at 15 quid!). No photos of the innards, so to speak, but one or two I took around the site…







That evening I was on a bit of a JDM kick after chatting to the owner and a couple of other guys who were there on the same deal, so worked through the below…





And one final question, or request for advice, if I may. During the Aberlour tour and tasting we were given samples of ‘exclusive’ bottlings that are (currently) only available to people on the tour. One of these was a lovely 13yo Sherry cask which I was particularly taken by, but at 70 quid a bottle it’s strong money compared to what I’d usually spend. On the other hand thinking back to a couple of 40 quid Hibiki 12 bottles I wish I’d kept hold of, I’m wondering if I should buy two, drink one and keep the other for a rainy day. Any wisdom from the masses? Is this something that might be ‘investible’? Its not something I’ve ever really considered, tbh!

[NRS]

Looks like you've had a good time and managed to get through quite a few drams! Any favourites? How did you find the Highlander Inn Chichibu? A friend will be swapping for one of them. Do you you if they still had any for sale - you had to stay over I think to be able to buy one from what I heard - if they did still have some and you didn't want it for yourself I'd certainly be interested - although you'd also be wise if you want one for investment anyway,

As for the Aberlour - it's actually a small batch - think around 1400 bottles. They released it at the shop to everyone maybe 1/2 a year ago. Loads were getting bought by locals for auction (I think around £110) so they pulled them. Eventually they then started offering them as an option to buy after the tour (both the sherry and bourbon ones). So the Aberlour is more like an A'Bunadh rather than single cask. You could likely make a small profit, but not crazy money.

Anyone going to Spirit of Speyside festival this year? Or for that matter the new Highland one, or Feis Isle?

[LeighW]

I bought one when I was there in September, but I haven't opened it yet. As NRS says, they do fetch a reasonable price at auction, something I didn't realise at the time, or I would have bought two! I have bottle 928, I'm not 100% sure on the total numbers produced.

January 19 result:

https://www.whiskyauctioneer.com/lot/144388/aberlo...

Edit - great pics by the way, makes me wish I was there now! Did you pop into the Mash Tun while you were in Aberlour?

Edited by LeighW on Wednesday 23 January 20:50

[LeighW]

NRS said:

Anyone going to Spirit of Speyside festival this year?

I would like to go to this but it clashes with another holiday, maybe next year... Hopefully I'll be back up there in September though.

[Mr Trophy]

NRS said:

Everyone going after the Genesis?

[LeighW]

Mr Trophy said:

NRS said:

Everyone going after the Genesis?

[seiben]

NRS said:

Looks like you've had a good time and managed to get through quite a few drams! Any favourites? How did you find the Highlander Inn Chichibu? A friend will be swapping for one of them. Do you you if they still had any for sale - you had to stay over I think to be able to buy one from what I heard - if they did still have some and you didn't want it for yourself I'd certainly be interested - although you'd also be wise if you want one for investment anyway,

As for the Aberlour - it's actually a small batch - think around 1400 bottles. They released it at the shop to everyone maybe 1/2 a year ago. Loads were getting bought by locals for auction (I think around £110) so they pulled them. Eventually they then started offering them as an option to buy after the tour (both the sherry and bourbon ones). So the Aberlour is more like an A'Bunadh rather than single cask. You could likely make a small profit, but not crazy money.

Thanks NRS, exactly the sort of guidance I was looking for. I may buy a couple of bottles either way - it was really very nice, to my tastes, and I always have the option of moving one of them on if the link from LeighW is anything to go by.

Looking at my (admittedly garbled) notes, my favourites were the Speyburn 2004 single cask, Glengoyn 21yo sherry cask, Chichibu (both peated and 'Cream Sherry Hogshead) and the Chichibu Highlander bottling you mention (one of two I gave 10/10, the other being Hibiki 17 which I have eloquently noted as being 'fking exquisite' ). IIRC it was available to purchase for £150 a bottle, but I've no idea if it's available now I'm not there. A quick look at the auction site suggests perhaps I should have picked one up!

LeighW said:

Edit - great pics by the way, makes me wish I was there now! Did you pop into the Mash Tun while you were in Aberlour?

Thanks! Yep, dropped by for lunch. The OH went for the Haggis Nachos, which she described as 'really bloody weird'

[LeighW]

seiben said:

Thanks! Yep, dropped by for lunch. The OH went for the Haggis Nachos, which she described as 'really bloody weird'

Can't say I tried that (we stayed there), but I do remember the haggis & black pudding starter was bloody lovely. Did you see the Glenfarclas collection they have??

[NRS]

LeighW said:

I would like to go to this but it clashes with another holiday, maybe next year... Hopefully I'll be back up there in September though.

Not sure I'm going yet, as have a trip next week to UK for family, plus Lakes and Borders distillery tours when over. Then back over end of May for whisky trip with local club. Plus Poland between them. And China/Japan later in the year. So probably should save some money, but really SoS and fun to meet people/visit normally closed distilleries etc. Will likely see program and then decide about it.

seiben said:

Thanks NRS, exactly the sort of guidance I was looking for. I may buy a couple of bottles either way - it was really very nice, to my tastes, and I always have the option of moving one of them on if the link from LeighW is anything to go by.

Looking at my (admittedly garbled) notes, my favourites were the Speyburn 2004 single cask, Glengoyn 21yo sherry cask, Chichibu (both peated and 'Cream Sherry Hogshead) and the Chichibu Highlander bottling you mention (one of two I gave 10/10, the other being Hibiki 17 which I have eloquently noted as being 'fking exquisite' ). IIRC it was available to purchase for £150 a bottle, but I've no idea if it's available now I'm not there. A quick look at the auction site suggests perhaps I should have picked one up!

Yes, main thing is you like it. Then if the worst happens you can drink it anyway and enjoy it. Generally for most stuff I buy I would have to want to drink it myself at the price. Then if it goes silly then I consider selling and just put the money towards buying more bottles I want that are cheaper, or towards funding whisky trips (flights etc). If you buy purely for investment then at some point people will be burned. I said small profit, but when it comes to it then for £70 and up to £110-140 or so is actually 50-100% profit so not bad! However if you have left then how can you still buy them?

Oh, it's survived longer than I thought - was out autumn/winter sometime last year. I was aware it was £150 (which is "cheap") but had presumed it would still sell out very fast due to the crazy profits possible - you could literally rent a room, buy a bottle, not stay there and still make a big profit. I'd be more interested in having a taste though. Cheapest single cask Chichibu goes for is around £350 I think these days - first bottles to auction are more like £800.

Edited by NRS on Thursday 24th January 17:10

[seiben]

NRS said:

Yes, main thing is you like it. Then if the worst happens you can drink it anyway and enjoy it. Generally for most stuff I buy I would have to want to drink it myself at the price. Then if it goes silly then I consider selling and just put the money towards buying more bottles I want that are cheaper, or towards funding whisky trips (flights etc). If you buy purely for investment then at some point people will be burned. I said small profit, but when it comes to it then for £70 and up to £110-140 or so is actually 50-100% profit so not bad! However if you have left then how can you still buy them?

That's pretty much what I was thinking tbh - anything expensive (in my mind anything more than 50 quid!!) tends to get drunk very slowly, so I'll keep an eye and see how I feel. If it's as good as I remember I may drink them both anyway!

Apparently, as a person who went on the tour I can phone them and order still. Presumably I'll need to answer a couple of super secret test questions to prove I was on the tour and I'm not just a chancer

[NRS]

seiben said:

That's pretty much what I was thinking tbh - anything expensive (in my mind anything more than 50 quid!!) tends to get drunk very slowly, so I'll keep an eye and see how I feel. If it's as good as I remember I may drink them both anyway!

Apparently, as a person who went on the tour I can phone them and order still. Presumably I'll need to answer a couple of super secret test questions to prove I was on the tour and I'm not just a chancer

Ah nice! Good to have the option. I tasted it and the bourbon one as part of the tour when they were still on general sale. Already had my maximum import limit though, so couldn't pick one up sadly. Might also be worth asking Highlander Inn about the Chichibu too, and refer to your booking?!

[Mr Trophy]

LeighW said:

Mr Trophy said:

NRS said:

Everyone going after the Genesis?

Did you hear what happened today? Put it online by mistake and it all went into melt down:

https://shop.themacallan.com/products/the-macallan...

[Podie]

Mr Trophy said:

LeighW said:

Mr Trophy said:

NRS said:

Everyone going after the Genesis?

Did you hear what happened today? Put it online by mistake and it all went into melt down:

https://shop.themacallan.com/products/the-macallan...

Wow.. They are truly inept.

[NRS]

At least it was only online mess rather than people swimming across rivers, blocking roads etc!

Anyone get some then?

[LeighW]

Mr Trophy said:

Did you hear what happened today? Put it online by mistake and it all went into melt down:

https://shop.themacallan.com/products/the-macallan...

Hehe, I didn't know. Did any orders go through I wonder?

They're all over the place by the look of it. There were supposed to be three rare cask batches in 2018, no sign of batch three yet?

[NRS]

A friend heard they were doing it for a test, but put it live into the public site. Apparently all orders cancelled.

[Podie]

NRS said:

A friend heard they were doing it for a test, but put it live into the public site. Apparently all orders cancelled.

In which case, I revise my prognosis.

Utter shower of st.

[Joat]

Picked up these tonight.

[yanyan]

I've received a few mailers recently offering pre-order or discount on whiskies...

15% off Douglas Laing & Co whiskies, enter "DL15" at checkout.
Link; https://www.whiskyplease.co.uk/distilleries/dougla...

Pre-order Bruichladdich Octomore Dialogos.
Link; https://www.whiskyplease.co.uk/distilleries/bruich...

£150 off Glenrothes 1976, enter "glen150" at checkout.
Link; https://www.whiskyplease.co.uk/distilleries/glenro...

[Blown2CV]

yanyan said:

I've received a few mailers recently offering pre-order or discount on whiskies...

£150 off Glenrothes 1976, enter "glen150" at checkout.
Link; https://www.whiskyplease.co.uk/distilleries/glenro...

christ how much was that originally!! A promo code for £150 off