Show us your whisky! Vol 2

[PRO 5T]

LeighW said:

PRO 5T said:

What’s the Blair athol 14 like?

Very nice, less sweetness and a bit dryer, (Oloroso as opposed to PX), reminds me of earlier bottlings of Aberlour A'bunadh, but without the cask strength punch in the face.

I bought the signatory 9 year old for me and a mate at Xmas and it was sublime-especially considering the £45 buy in price! But this at a little lower abv would be even more to my taste.

[LeighW]

PRO 5T said:

I bought the signatory 9 year old for me and a mate at Xmas and it was sublime-especially considering the £45 buy in price! But this at a little lower abv would be even more to my taste.

It's still available if you fancy a bottle.

https://www.cadenhead.shop/product/blair-athol-14y...

Edit to add I think I need to get myself one.

Edited by LeighW on Monday 29th January 22:31

[jammy-git]

Anyone noticing speculative prices coming down?

[Bert Cheese]

Not Scotch admitted, but I do like this stuff, and at £30.00 for a litre bottle in Waitrose this morning it made sense to grab one of the pair left.
Sold out on their website, and reduced to clear from the original price of £52.00

[eein]

2024 1-6 May Spirit of Speyside festival tickets are now on sale.
https://www.spiritofspeyside.com/festivals/whisky/...

I've gone for the below over the first three days when I happen to be in the area.
- Livet on the Edge - a tour over the hills nearby Glenlivet
- Wildlife Walk and Whisky with Murray McDavid
- Lunchtime Whisky Picnic at Murray McDavid's Beach Huts
- Benromach: Firsthand Stories
- Dram Tram return journey with whisky tasting

Was tempted to go for one of the cask building activities, but don't quite have time to fit it in.

[C70R]

eein said:

2024 1-6 May Spirit of Speyside festival tickets are now on sale.
https://www.spiritofspeyside.com/festivals/whisky/...

I've gone for the below over the first three days when I happen to be in the area.
- Livet on the Edge - a tour over the hills nearby Glenlivet
- Wildlife Walk and Whisky with Murray McDavid
- Lunchtime Whisky Picnic at Murray McDavid's Beach Huts
- Benromach: Firsthand Stories
- Dram Tram return journey with whisky tasting

Was tempted to go for one of the cask building activities, but don't quite have time to fit it in.

This is on my radar to do for next year. In the meantime, I've just booked to go back to the Feis Ile for the third year in a row. It's really quite addictive (and bad for the wallet).

[eein]

Indeed, these things are getting fairly expensive. My list for two people was just over £500. And that's not including the various bottles I will inevitably buy when there!

Some items that are more 'activities' do cost more than the distillery tours, however the tours are still typically higher than a non-festival tour.

I'm still planning a move to live in the middle of speyside, so no doubt I'll be permanently broke once living there. And it'll be easier to go over to the other regional whisky festivals.

[C70R]

eein said:

Indeed, these things are getting fairly expensive. My list for two people was just over £500. And that's not including the various bottles I will inevitably buy when there!

Some items that are more 'activities' do cost more than the distillery tours, however the tours are still typically higher than a non-festival tour.

I'm still planning a move to live in the middle of speyside, so no doubt I'll be permanently broke once living there. And it'll be easier to go over to the other regional whisky festivals.

I'd be very jealous. I haven't visited in a couple of years now.

[NRS]

C70R said:

eein said:

Indeed, these things are getting fairly expensive. My list for two people was just over £500. And that's not including the various bottles I will inevitably buy when there!

Some items that are more 'activities' do cost more than the distillery tours, however the tours are still typically higher than a non-festival tour.

I'm still planning a move to live in the middle of speyside, so no doubt I'll be permanently broke once living there. And it'll be easier to go over to the other regional whisky festivals.

I'd be very jealous. I haven't visited in a couple of years now.

A lot of the pure distillery tours are limited in what you can do differently - it becomes more about ticking off distilleries if that is your thing after a certain point. The activities often have more special whisky involved, or food etc.

This is the first time I’ve not booked anything for maybe 8 years? A lot of the stuff I have done already (or very similar ones) in the past, and the costs for stuff I’d want have gone up loads. Add in increased flight costs, accommodation etc and it’s just not worth it for me. I remember when the most expensive thing was £300 and that stood out as being expensive, now we’re up to £1750 for the most expensive, and that’s just a day event!

I’m not sure if it is just me, but it feels like less events were booked out after the preliminary rush this time. I was wondering if others are having similar thoughts. But might just be a lot of the sold out events are ones I have done. Mainly seems to be people after Balvenie, Tamdhu, GlenAllachie and strangely Tamnavulin - never expected that last one to be so in demand!

Just back from Japan. Visited the Shizuoka distillery when over there (it’s got a wood fired still and the other one is the old Karuizawa one). Very pretty and nice whisky. They managed to ps off a lot of the private cask customers by unilaterally changing some of the terms of the contract though. Spent most whisky dedicated time in bars - you get some amazing Scottish whisky there for decent prices (depending on the bar). Few photos:

[eein]

NRS said:

C70R said:

eein said:

Indeed, these things are getting fairly expensive. My list for two people was just over £500. And that's not including the various bottles I will inevitably buy when there!

Some items that are more 'activities' do cost more than the distillery tours, however the tours are still typically higher than a non-festival tour.

I'm still planning a move to live in the middle of speyside, so no doubt I'll be permanently broke once living there. And it'll be easier to go over to the other regional whisky festivals.

I'd be very jealous. I haven't visited in a couple of years now.

A lot of the pure distillery tours are limited in what you can do differently - it becomes more about ticking off distilleries if that is your thing after a certain point. The activities often have more special whisky involved, or food etc.

This is the first time I’ve not booked anything for maybe 8 years? A lot of the stuff I have done already (or very similar ones) in the past, and the costs for stuff I’d want have gone up loads. Add in increased flight costs, accommodation etc and it’s just not worth it for me. I remember when the most expensive thing was £300 and that stood out as being expensive, now we’re up to £1750 for the most expensive, and that’s just a day event!

I’m not sure if it is just me, but it feels like less events were booked out after the preliminary rush this time. I was wondering if others are having similar thoughts. But might just be a lot of the sold out events are ones I have done. Mainly seems to be people after Balvenie, Tamdhu, GlenAllachie and strangely Tamnavulin - never expected that last one to be so in demand!

Just back from Japan. Visited the Shizuoka distillery when over there (it’s got a wood fired still and the other one is the old Karuizawa one). Very pretty and nice whisky. They managed to ps off a lot of the private cask customers by unilaterally changing some of the terms of the contract though. Spent most whisky dedicated time in bars - you get some amazing Scottish whisky there for decent prices (depending on the bar). Few photos:

I agree that it was odd some of the events that sold out first. Kininvie isn't exactly a big name or a particularly interesting place. Maybe it was just down to the very limited number of places on that one. Glenallachie is always one of the highest demand places - it continues it journey towards Macallan-esque cult status.

It's a shame about the prices going so high, however there are plenty of cheap options if you are not fussed about which things you do. And I suppose it's all money to the industry and area, so overall that's a good thing.

[NRS]

Kininvie is basically impossible to visit so I expected it to be popular. Lots of people will want to tick it off their visited distillery lists.

Yes, plenty of cheaper options too, but when it would cost £7-800 in flight tickets, transport and accommodation before a drop of whisky is bought it becomes a lot more of a difficult decision.

As for the money into the industry… if it goes to the workers I’m ok with that. But there’s far too much greed now high up though. The industry is killing itself longer term due to greed now, it’s far too expensive compared to stuff like rum and cognac for the quality you get. I still love it and the people, but I’ll not just keep supporting greedy owners making a fortune.

[Blown2CV]

Got an invite this morning to enter the Macallan ballot for 'Spey' in the home collection. Nothing suggests it's limited. Ballot includes a bottle and some 'artworks'. £450.

Presume this is another one to skip?

[LeighW]

Blown2CV said:

Got an invite this morning to enter the Macallan ballot for 'Spey' in the home collection. Nothing suggests it's limited. Ballot includes a bottle and some 'artworks'. £450.

Presume this is another one to skip?

I deleted it. The first batch are fetching circa £340 at auction and you know it won't be worth drinking so...

Macallan need to stop peddling this NAS crap with pretty pictures and gushing waffle, the bubble has popped.

[PRO 5T]

Something different for this mornings hangover, pleasant stuff-not amazing in any way, shape or form but for the age of it perfectly drinkable.

I still think the lakes are doing better English whisky but for the price of this No one would be disappointed with any of them.

[21st Century Man]

12 year old Islay sherry. Not great, but not bad for forty quid.

[Bert Cheese]

The Bordeaux cask Ledaig has been bugging me for a while, so when I saw the Wormtub sherry cask job too I thought I'd best get them in to try.
I've had The Ileach CS years ago and really enjoyed it, seemed to me to be a young & rough Lagavulin but in a good way.

The Kyro Easter egg thingy was an unexpected but welcome freebie from Master of Malt...what with that and the Ledaig being considerably cheaper than the other usual places I'm very happy with them at present.

All at cask strength or thereabouts too, perhaps I should be worried...especially as I'm nearly persuaded to return to Islay for trip no3 this September...

[21st Century Man]

What are thread thoughts on this? It should tick all the boxes for me, high octane, peat, sherry. I've bought it a few times before, but this time it doesn't seem as nice as previously.

[Philrose]

My latest additions to be shared with friends

[PRO5T]

Interested to hear what the Inchgower is like, I've yet to taste a bad Signatory release (even if some are better than others).

[i4got]

Got a three day mini tour coming up with a couple of friends.

Friday - Tastings at Glen Scotia followed by Springbank then onto Cadenheads.

Saturday - ferry to Islay then Bunnahabhain then onto Bowmore.

Sunday - Bruichladdich then Kilhomen then back to the mainland.

Hopefully a fun couple of days.