In celebration of my rapidly impending 30th birthday, my wife has offered to purchase for me a single bottle of whisky, up to $300 in value. I suppose I could ask for multiple cheaper bottles, gun parts, or any number of things I would use $300 to purchase for myself before spending that much on a bottle of whisky, but instead I am taking this as an opportunity to exercise in over-indulgence. In my mind, this bottle of whisky should be excellent, world class even, but of a variety that I wouldn’t normally purchase on my own. I am going to share it with guests.
The two that I’ve identified as being of interest (as in, locally available) are: Black Bull 30 yr (The 40 isn’t available where I am, at least that I’ve found), and Balvenie Tun 1401 (batch #3). Being more of an Islay guy, the Balvenie isn’t one that I normally buy for myself, but it does please a crowd. I had considered grabbing a bottle of the 15 to compare side-by-side with friends. Keep in mind that I have a metric fuckton of whisky available to me, but those are two that I’ve been interested in trying for awhile, but would never buy for myself. If “collectors” hadn’t sunk their claws into most of the better Islay offerings, this wouldn’t even be a discussion, but alas . . .
So, given the constraint of ONE bottle of whisky for 300 U.S. dollars or less THAT YOU WOULDN’T NORMALLY PURCHASE FOR YOURSELF, what would you buy? So help me God, if you post something about using the 300 dollars to buy more than one bottle of whisky, I will slit your fucking throat.
To clarify, this can be from Scotland, Ireland, the U.S., India, Japan, Taiwan, or anywhere else. It can be single malt, a blend, or anything in between.
Up in that price range you’ll want to be VERY particular and pay attention to the tasting notes. Some “expensive” and “rare” whiskey is more of a novelty than a flavorful dram. So research would be key to not wasting your $$$ on some exotic rot gut.
That said; Here’s a couple of exceptional top shelf whiskies under $300:
Macallan 18 @ $160
Glenrothes (any year) $80 - $200 usualy, with a few veering into “$500 if you can find it”. Check notes, each vintage is different.
Ardbeg, has limited bottlings in the $100+ range, Islay as %*$%!!!
There’s many more, but there’s a couple to think on for starters.
Honestly though, if it’s a quest for flavor you seek, you may be even better of getting three bottles in the slightly sub-$100 range. Thin about it;
Glenfidich 15 or 18.
Glenlivette 16 Nadurra
Glenrothes
Connemara (Peated Irish)
Redreast 12 or 15 (I kinda like the 12 better, JMHO)
Balvenie (any of them, just do eet!)
Glenmorangie
Bowmore 18 (I’m partial to the “darkest”)
Lagavulin
Oban
Heck, that’s just for starters! I’d put most of those next to the stuff thats twice the price (and I have…).
[QUOTE=Cassius;2782458] So help me God, if you post something about using the 300 dollars to buy more than one bottle of whisky, I will slit your fucking throat.[/QUOTE]
I myself am partial to Talisker. The Binny’s by me sells a 30 y.o. for about $350. I know it’s over the $300 limit, but if I were in your shoes I’d at least try. You never know till you ask.
I’ve also got to say that you need to be careful when you get into that price range. Usually older is better, but after 21 years, more aging isn’t always a good thing. Quite a lot of stuff in that price range is really for collectors, and might not be the best for just drinking and enjoying.
[QUOTE=CrackFox;2782472]Usually older is better, but after 21 years, more aging isn’t always a good thing.[/QUOTE]
Da troof!
12 - 18 is the sweet spot for the “age statement” stuff IMHO. At least, if I was making whiskey that’s about the age I’d go for. Aw, who am I kidding. I’d get super anal retentive, pull bottlings “at maturity” and each release would be a different age… …because I’m day dreaming and &*$#…
Personally, I’d go for the Midleton Very Rare (usually $125 - $150 USD). I received it as a gift, once, loved it - would never buy it for myself. I think that meets all your qualifications, and leaves the wife some spare change for other gifts. Happy birthday, btw.
Thanks for your cautionary statements. Perhaps I need to better delineate my current whisky situation. I do not bat an eye at buying a 100-150 dollar bottle of whisky. 99.99999% of all whiskies I want to drink cost less than that, and most are below $100. I normally do not prefer super aged whisky, but this is a unique opportunity to share something special with my friends and family. If you had looked up either whisky I mentioned in my OP, you would notice that both are worthless to collectors, but are unique and interesting in their own ways. Sooo, try again . . .GO!
[QUOTE=Mr. Machette;2782558]That’s like a window into Scotch history, man! You gotta post tasting notes.[/QUOTE]Assuming I end up picking that one, I will do my best.
[QUOTE=Phrost;2785898]…well, how was the whiskey?[/QUOTE]I actually haven’t opened it yet. I have been too much of a fatty for the last month or so, so I am tying my ability to open that bottle to my workout plan.
[QUOTE=Pete838;2785896]From one whisky lover to another:
Yamazaki 18,
Pappy van Winkle 23,
Glenndronach 31.
Johnny Blue is nice too but I like singles.[/QUOTE]
Yamazaki 18 is delicious. Pappy is good but I had my fill of it when I lived in KY and it was affordable. GlenDronach is a great suggestion and I would have given it serious consideration were it available in my area beyond the 12 (Keeping my eye out for the 15, it is supposed to be the best of the standard offerings), but I ended up going with the Bruichladdich 1973.
We ended up opening the Singleton of Auchroisk 1983 up, and it was interesting. Really mellow, and the bottle time has continued that smoothing trend. I ended up using wine preserver on it and putting it away, because I didn’t really want to finish it and oxidation is likely to set in quickly in such an old bottle. I do have a second, better-kept bottle of the 1983 that I may try to trade someday.
I prefer single malts to blends for the most part, but I do want to try Johnny Walker Blue someday. Blue is just not worth the money to me, but some of my friends like it and occasionally buy bottles, so I’ll wait until they want to try something of mine. I have two bottles of JW green label and two of the gold 18 label, but those were mostly to put away for a few years once they stop selling them in the U.S. Speaking of blends, I have Compass Box Hedonism and Flaming Heart (2012 . . . They had a 2010 but I accidentally grabbed the wrong bottle and now the '10 is gone), looking forward to trying those.
I’m a bit late to the party on this one but consider it forward planning for next year.
Check out the Signatory bottling 31 year old Bunnahabhain. Its a Single Cask, Cask Strength (52.5%) in a sherry butt. I have a bottle on the self and it is an exceptional whisky. Online it goes for about 100 pounds + postage + import duties.
I’m a bit late to the party on this one but consider it forward planning for next year.
Check out the Signatory bottling 31 year old Bunnahabhain. Its a Single Cask, Cask Strength (52.5%) in a sherry butt. I have a bottle on the self and it is an exceptional whisky. Online it goes for about 100 pounds + postage + import duties.[/QUOTE]Excellent advice. Unfortunately, certain states heavily regulate shipping of spirits. I happen to live in one of those states.
So I recently got a $500 credit on my AMEX card. It was reimbursement for 4 years worth of annuals fees (Don’t ask me why. It’s a sekrit.). Given that I do not keep a balance on my credit cards and this is basically free money, I am sorely torn between using it for travel, purchasing a new firearm, or something way more wasteful: An independent bottling of Port Ellen that’s been sitting at my local liquor store for a few years. Specifically, a Douglas Laing “Old Malt Cask” bottling of Port Ellen. It was 27 years old as of bottling.
[QUOTE=Cassius;2785954]
I prefer single malts to blends for the most part, but I do want to try Johnny Walker Blue someday. Blue is just not worth the money to me, but some of my friends like it and occasionally buy bottles, so I’ll wait until they want to try something of mine.[/QUOTE]
I like the J.W. as a fair representative of Scotch character that is always very consistent. While everything from Black on up is decent enough, I find them somewhat, uh, generic (?) tasting when compared to a good single malt. Like they should have a plain white label with blue san serif letters that only say “Scotch Whiskey” JMHO…
[QUOTE=Cassius;2793728]Excellent advice. Unfortunately, certain states heavily regulate shipping of spirits. I happen to live in one of those states.[/QUOTE]
Yep - its pretty brutal here in Australia as well. I found a solution however. Get yourself a Scottish girlfriend and then immigrate, which I’m in the middle of doing.
I’ve had an 18yo Port Ellen and it was pretty sensational, so I’d be keen to hear how the 27yo goes.