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The supermarkets seem to be getting in their xmas supplies on the shelves... the prices all seem to be matched on amazon.
Has anyone seen anything decent on offer that they could recommend?
Dunno but I just finished, rather quicker than I normally would, a bottle of Tamnavulin.
I saw £20 off Cardhu Gold at Waitrose; though I don’t if it’s good at full price.
Cardhu Gold is always reduced in price. It’s alright but at full price not worth it.
Highland Park 12 is generally £25 at the moment, and it’s lovely.
Don't have a recommendation, but do have a warning. Recently tried 3 Bunnahabhains, Stiùireadair, Toiteach a Dhà and Mòine, all priced at the sweet spot of £35-£45. None of them worth more than £25. The Mòine was about an £18 whisky.
Very disappointing
Bowmore 15 is £39.95 on Amazon
Sainsburys had Aberlour 12 for £28 the other week. pretty good taste for a supermarket whisky
That is a cracking dram. Very different to the usual bourbon and sherry cask finishes.
Currently looking well priced on Amazon:
Arran 10 - 33.90
Ledaig 10 - 36.94
Glengoyne 12 - 31.39
Deanston 12 - 35.80
Glenfarclas 15 - 45.90
All will be superior to pretty much anything available in the supermarkets.
Recently tried 3 Bunnahabhains, Stiùireadair, Toiteach a Dhà and Mòine, all priced at the sweet spot of £35-£45. None of them worth more than £25.
Stiùireadair is actually £25 with a clubcard in Tesco at the moment. I'm always wary of distillers who keep issuing different "expressions" in fancy coloured sleeves and Bunnahabhain are among the worst culprits. Most of them are very light on individual character and without an age statement which gives me the distinct impression they're just clearing out odd barrels from the warehouse.
Aberlour 12 for £28
A decent whisky and not a bad price but it's often cheaper. I just set a price watch on Amazon and when it's triggered have a look around - they're often responding to someone else's pricing. Laphroaig 10 is £26 with clubcard in Tesco at the moment - that's a good price if you like a chewier dram.
edit - there's a few whisky deals posted on HUKD at the moment which might be worth a look. If you're in the market for a decent whiskey they're apparently doing Woodford Reserve at £20 which is a bargain.
pretty good taste for a supermarket whisky
All will be superior to pretty much anything available in the supermarkets.
Totally confused. Do supermarkets sell different versions of the brands to boutique sellers like Amazon?
OEM whisky.
FFS. Glengoyne is hardly connieseur's choice is it?
🙄
Totally confused. Do supermarkets sell different versions of the brands to boutique sellers like Amazon?
OEM whisky.
FFS. Glengoyne is hardly connieseur’s choice is it?🙄
How many whiskies are commonly available in supermarkets that are age statemented, natural coloured, non-chill filtered and at 46% ABV or higher (or even any ABV over the legal minimum 40%)? Possibly Ardbeg 10, can't think of much else.
I thought the non-aged malts with silly names were originally to meet the demand from the Far East from the burgeoning middle classes?
Rather than waiting for your Bowmore 12yo, they can knock up a similar product called Bowmore myxomatosis with younger, non-aged barrels to satisfy this new demand and charge a few quid more for it. Is that true?
I thought the non-aged malts with silly names were originally to meet the demand from the Far East from the burgeoning middle classes?
To an extent I think that's the case with a lot of the ephemeral "expressions" that pop up for a few months, never to be seen again. They can even be quite decent whiskies but assembled from odd barrels and unlikely to be reproducible enough to form a more permanent part of the product line up.
And a lack of an age statement doesn't mean a whisky is no good - see Quarter Cask or Uigedail for example.
Yeah, I think most of the time it's a matter of marketing and trying to hit a price point.
An age statement reflects the youngest whisky in the bottle - some of it can be older. A mix of 90% 15 year old and 10% 5 year old would be age statemented as a 5 year old.
Companies would rather put out something non-age statemented with a fancy name rather than a young age statement that might put people off.
As a consumer, the NAS whiskies deprive you of information about what you're actually getting for your money.
Ardbeg recently brought out a whisky with a 5 year age statement that has proved pretty popular.
The Bunnahabheins mentioned above are a good example. The 12 year old is a really nice dram but they let themselves down with the inferior NAS versions.
Talking of which... Laphroaig Select is on offer at a few supermarkets... avoid! Sainsbury's have Laphroaig 10 for £28. Not seen higher ABV Laphroaig anywhere for a good price... which is a shame... it used to be possible to get an offer on it this time of year.
Whilst I'd agree on the view that NAS whisky deprives you of information on what you are getting for your money, there is an alternative opinion that the market has been over-reliant on the age statement as an indicator of quality, almost as a form of conspicuous consumption. Whilst some distilleries in the Dufftown area (not naming names on a public forum) have released absolute carp in NAS bottles, there are others that have flourished and used it to release innovative, interesting, whisky that happens to be ready young. Kilchoman Machir Bay would be a case in point of this, although you will also note that their small batch releases give a distillation and bottling date and hence a maturity.
Laphroaig Select is on offer at a few supermarkets… avoid!
I agree it's disappointing if you're expecting something with the character of the 10yo or Quarter Cask but it's decent enough value at the £22 price point I've seen it for. Though now I think of it even at that price I'd probably chip in the extra £4 and get the 10 at Tesco so maybe you're right!
Always worth keeping an eye on the Quarter Cask - available for under £30 at times which is frankly superb. Definitely one of the better NAS drams.
Jules, some very fair points, there is of course some great NAS stuff out there just as there is some rubbish that carries an age statement. Hopefully the success of things like Wee Beastie and Glendronach's Hielan might convince distillers not to be scared of younger age statements. Certainly peated whiskies especially often work well at young ages if properly presented.
Fully agree with you, mrb123. With regard to your final statement, and to the appreciation for Balvenie's Carribean Cask that I have noted a couple of times, can I just point out that the only distillery on Skye has released a special edition 8 year old for 2020 that is finished in rum casks. To say that this one is good is an understatement....
Yes it's all getting really bloody confusing!
What do people recommend for blends?
I got into whisky a few years ago and have generally stuck to single malts... 'cos they is better'. I think its about time I tried a few blends too and might save a few £££ in the process 🙂
If it helps I usually drink it with just a dash of water.
Any recommendations?
Monkey shoulder is surprisingly decent and smooth for a blend
The 8 year old Queen Margot that Lidl do is pretty well regarded. Comes in about 13 quid I think.
Re the NAS whisky, there are good ones and bad ones. They're really attractive to distillers as you can bottle them younger and avoid losing a considerable amount of your product to "the angel's share" Age statement whisky is more consistent in quality/taste but even those will vary over long periods of time and even if they are stored in a different location.
I'd choose supermarket own-branded Islay over Laphroaig Select myself, but it's not terrible.
Recently got a bottle of Quarter Cask for about £28 on Amazon, but it's gone up again now. I do prefer the 10-year-old though TBH.
distillery on Skye has released a special edition 8 year old for 2020
Blimey, that is not cheap.
the success of things like Wee Beastie
Beautiful stuff, might be pick up a bottle myself for Xmas.
What's a good price for a bottle of Ardbeg 10, do we think?
Seems a decent price. 6.8% TopCashBack will offset the delivery charge somewhat.
Yeah, not bad at all.
Might have to raid the kids' piggy banks.
Laphroaig Quarter Cask £25 on Amazon this morning...
Quarter Cask is v good.
I joined the SMWS a few years back and have been steadily building up a collection. As it’s all cask strength it should last longer and to date I’ve had only solid good bottles, yes a bit more £ but some properly brilliant drams. If you like whisky I’d recommend joining.
djambo
Free Member
What do people recommend for blends?
Check out Compass Box, they do some outstanding blends. Not sure if there's any deals on anywhwere though.
As it’s all cask strength it should last longer
How so? If anything I'd have thought it'd last less well, being more likely to lose more of its volatiles whenever the bottle's opened. Not that I think it'd make that much of a difference.
Penderyn Welsh whisky/whiskey is £27 in Waitrose at the moment
Booths are doing half price on some brands, let me check the exact details... nope, can’t find it
Talking of which… Laphroaig Select is on offer at a few supermarkets… avoid!
I'm not a coinnoisseur, but have a shelf of almost exclusively Islay whisky running from Smokehead (apparently a young Caol Isla?) through to Uigedail. The Laphroaig Select seemed to stand up OK, perhaps because on a shelf of very smokey/peaty whiskies, it was just that little bit more tarry again. Perhaps that's why I liked it/why it is cheap, it certainly wasn't subtle!
Bunnahabhein
Had a couple of bad Bunnahabheins in pubs, to the point where I genuinely suspected the pub had just substituted it with some Grouse. Certainly the most forgettable Islay in my experience.
Can't contribute to thread sadly, not allowed to buy myself whisky in the two months leading up to Xmas 🙁
What do people recommend for blends?
Interested in this. I miss Bailie Nicol Jarvie. Haven't tried Monkey Shoulder.
What's this Smokehead?
Caol Ila is my favourite whisky
Laphroaig Quarter Cask £25 on Amazon this morning…
Grabbed one last night. Sign up for a repeat delivery… and get another 5% off. Bowmore 12 as well. Can always cancel after the first delivery.
Decent review for Monkey shoulder on master of malt here
Definitely a good blend of speyside malts, pretty sure there’s balvenie in it
How so? If anything I’d have thought it’d last less well, being more likely to lose more of its volatiles whenever the bottle’s opened. Not that I think it’d make that much of a difference.
It was more the practical fact you drink less of it as you have to cut it quite a lot to get it down to a level it’s drinkable so the bottles last longer.
I can't pass up the opportunity to recommend some of my favourite whiskies!
For blends I've really enjoyed Johnny walker double black (sometimes on offer via Amazon), really enjoyable!
Another blend the Speyside from Lidl, think it's called Ben Bracken. For less than £20 a bottle it's another decent cheap whisky.
Caol ila 12, hands down my favourite entry level single malt and available at supermarkets.
Try glenfarclas 15 which is not available smart supermarkets but usually around the 50 quid mark so still reasonable price. Seriously good sherried whisky.
I haven't had a drop of alcohol for 4 months but it's 7am and I'm quite fancying a whisky right now ! 😂
The Glenfarclas 15 is 45 quid at Amazon which is great for a 15 year old at 46%. £42.90 at The Whisky World although postage is payable unless you spend £150.
Glenfarclas 15 is £52 on my amazon1`
What's this Smokehead?
It was the whisky that finally got me enjoying whisky (probably because the person offering me a glass had no hesitation to stick a bit of water in it as well).
It might horrify the purists, coloured, chill filtered, NAS and I've not bothered researching the 'young Caol Isla' claim, I just know I like it.
Actually this review probably explains why I enjoyed it first time, described best as an 'approachable' Islay.
https://malt-review.com/2018/09/21/smokehead-islay-single-malt-scotch-whisky/
I think you need to be careful with NAS stuff but not all of them are bad.
I like Talisker and the 10YO is definitely superior to to Storm and Skye. But some of the Highland Park NAS stuff is very good. Yes the standard 12YO is a classic dram but Dragon Legend is lovely stuff too.
Not see any great bargains on Amazon for malt, £20 for a bottle of Makers isn't bad if you like bourbon
you have to cut it quite a lot to get it down to a level it’s drinkable so the bottles last longer.
Ah, got you - the obvious meaning that entirely escaped me! It's good point to consider when looking at some of the higher ABV drams.
Somehow I have missed this thread. For the last 8 or 9 years I have been drinking Talisker whiskey, but the other day I opened a gift pack of Glenfiddich small bottles. Last night I drank the Glenfiddich 18, it was very nice!
Now I will have to scroll through this post.
I’ve not bothered researching the ‘young Caol Isla’ claim
Young Ardbeg according to the article you linked! I suppose an advantage of the NAS and no origin statement is they can source it from whichever Islay distillery has a few suitable casks going, and adding colour means they can make it look the same between bottlings whatever they use.
Interesting but I think I'll stick to Caol Ila 12
The Ileach and Finlaggan bottlings are also worth checking out for anyone willing to take a punt on some unidentified Islay malt.
The cask strength versions come in around £45 which is very reasonable. Reviews are pretty positive too.
The Arran 10 and Cask Reserve are both beautiful whiskies that I purchased for the Masters this year. Very much worth the £33 on Amazon
the 5yo Ardbeg wee beastie is £35 on Master of Malt, anyone tried it ??
the 5yo Ardbeg wee beastie is £35 on Master of Malt, anyone tried it ??
Yes, it's great but not very much like normal Ardbeg.
A lot more fierce.
Laphroaig 10 yr old £26 in Morrisons
Some half decent Black Friday deals on Amazon. Nowt amazing but seem to recall 40% off Glenfiddich and 35% off one of the Highland Park editions (which I know isn't aged etc etc).
singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/good-whisky-deals-xmas-2020/page/2/#post-11501042
https://www.tyndrumwhisky.com/arran-10yo-glass-gift-pack.html
This is a very nice little set. Bought one for myself but would make a good gift.
What happens to whisky once bottled. I have 2 bottles that I think I was given for my 40th that have sat untouched and sealed for more than 10 years. I rarely drink it now, and when I do I prefer bourbon.
I mean, I guess it's still perfectly drinkable but has no real value beyond it's value when bottled, it's not like it's 200 year old or one of a kind.
One's a Glenlivet 12yo, pretty nondescript. The other's a 12yo Aberlour double sherry cask. Unless someone says I'm sat on a goldmine, does anyone want it? Guildford, free for collection but charity donation if you feel like it.
On blends, Compass Box Spice Tree is absolutely delicious!
One’s a Glenlivet 12yo, pretty nondescript. The other’s a 12yo Aberlour double sherry cask. Unless someone says I’m sat on a goldmine, does anyone want it? Guildford, free for collection but charity donation if you feel like it.
Donate to your local mountain rescue team?
They do have one in the Surrey Hills, don't they?
PS. The whisky will be fine, and at very rough guess you've got about £50-80 total there.
Booths have Speyburn 10yo Single Malt for £21. Half price; they have Penderyn Madeira finish Welsh whisky for £28. Not to be outdone, Waitrose & Sainsbury’s have it for £27
Might grab one of them, ta, not had a bottle of it in ages.
Auchentoshan is £20 at Tesco. I’ve not tried but might pick one up to try.
I find myself taking enormous pleasure in tasting whisky during the winter months. Please take a look at Ralfys reviews of various types and price points. He uses the words I wish I could find but enjoy learning from his vast knowledge.
https://www.youtube.com/c/ralfystuff
I am a bit of a fan of the Aldi and Lidl single malts. I've seen blurb saying Lidl are ding a 16 year old Islay Ben Bracken for 34 quid. Now, their NAS Ben Bracken suits me just fine for 17 quid, so I'm pretty sure the 16 year old is worth a punt. Anyone tried it yet?
I had a 16 or 18-year-old Speyside or Highland Ben Bracken for about that price a few years ago.
Didn't rate it that highly, personally, bit murky and unremarkable, so I would need to see some good reviews of the Islay.
Tesco are doing Woodford Reserve for £20 with a clubcard, great deal.
As far as NAS scotches go etc, as someone with a masters degree in whisky production and an incredibly in-depth knowledge of maturation chemistry, all the effects happen in the first 9 months of the spirit going in the barrel. I say all - maybe 98%? The final 2% happens in the next 9 months. When it comes to older aged whiskys, you're paying for business risk, storage and evaporation losses, not flavour. But the human mind is very suggestible, so the more your pay the better your feel about it. It is ALL story/marketing.
Whisky is the biggest psychological, protectionist scam pulled on man. Blame Lloyd George - nasty teetotaller.
Whisky is the biggest psychological, protectionist scam pulled on man.
I thought that was Brewdog, selling their beer in their own pubs for more than Wetherspoons was 😉
as someone with a masters degree in whisky production and an incredibly in-depth knowledge of maturation chemistry, all the effects happen in the first 9 months of the spirit going in the barrel. I say all – maybe 98%?
I'd have said it's more like 97%, but then I always think odd numbers are more plausible.
Whisky is the biggest psychological, protectionist scam pulled on man
The Pope just asked me to hold his beer.
Going with a Bourbon as well - hopping on Jim Murrays "Bourbon is currently better than Scotch" bandwagon. My vote is on Wild Turkey Rarebreed - think it scored 96 points in one of Jims Whisky Bibles. Not only is it better than any bourbon I've had that cost a lot more, it's better than any Scotch I've had as well.
I think it gets you 98-99 percent of the way to some of the crazy expensive Bourbons, that I've tried small taster bottles of, at a relatively sensible price.
58.6 ABV cask strength liquid crack, that doesn't need ice or a dash of water to make it work or the sweetness to shine through.
Tesco are doing Woodford Reserve for £20 with a clubcard, great deal.
Really? Right, I’ll try to get into the one in town over the weekend, I’m very partial to Woodfords, as well as Bufallo Trace. Trouble is, I’m getting my central heating boiler replaced on Saturday, so it’s going to be a dash into town Sunday, and hope there’s some left.
The following video covers Wild Turkey 101 vs Woodford - the Rarebreed is like 101 but on steroids.
Next is a Rarebreed review
Do yourselves a favour, see if you can get Wild Turkey 101 or Rarebreed at a decent price. Do it, do it, do it. Or get both!
Am I allowed to say I generally prefer 10-12 yr old whisky to the 15-18?
Possibly just low brow tastes but lighter on the wallet than my brother’s tastes.
Whisky is the biggest psychological, protectionist scam pulled on man
The Pope just asked me to hold his beer.
😂😂😂🍻
The Lidl Ben Bracken Islay is actually pretty good. I wouldn't buy the Speyside again, though.
Ardbeg 10 yo at £37 (with Tesco clubcard) takes some beating methinks.
Whisky is the biggest psychological, protectionist scam pulled on man. Blame Lloyd George – nasty teetotaller.
I don’t even know what that’s supposed to mean!
Anyway, popped into Tesco in town and got a bottle each of Woodfords Reserve and Buffalo Trace on Clubcard offer, so I’m now set for Christmas and the new year.
great thread...
done myself a favour, got a bottle of Rare Breed in the post!! regular Wild Turkey is my favourite off-the-shelf tipple so looking forward to this - is it sacrilege to drink over ice?
i always go bourbon with ice / malts at room.
also flexed my clubcard and got a tenner off a bottle of Ardbeg 10. oosh. packs a punch.
i always go bourbon with ice / malts at room.
I like Woodford or Makers neat/ room temp, but Buffalo Trace i like a big ice cube in there.
Malts i like in a glass, in my hand, warmed so slightly higher than room temp