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Whisky II

A few Amazon deals at the moment in their spring event. Standouts for me, that i have tried, were Naked Malt for £22 AnCnoc 12 £27 Talisker 10 for £32. Thinner field than usual and lacklustre reductions.
PS Bladnoc is our "local" distillery and i've visited more than once. The shop used to do decent prices and my finger is hovering over the "Vinaya" they have on offer at £42.50. However that's for a standard 46% NAS bottle, I think i'll pass. If I like it it's almost as bad news as if I don't.
 
Weekender said:
Bladnoch on the premiumisation route since the Armstrong's sold on. IMO.
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Vinaya is their only comparatively affordable expression, and even that is fairly unremarkable. The prices they want now for anything aged is just plain stupid.

I‘ve got an old Armstrong era 11 yo sherry cask stashed away, and a Flora & Fauna that I’m becoming increasingly reluctant to open as the value creeps up.

Signatory used to knock out a (I think) 10 yo that was lovely- light, refreshing, citrussy, grassy, hint of smoke. A real summer whisky and way better than the Vinaya,
 
Finnegan said:
I‘ve got an old Armstrong era 11 yo sherry cask stashed away,
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I remember buying a few of those from the shop and very good they were too iirc. Wish i'd saved at least one, but at the time the contents and the price weren't remarkably good compared to the competition.
PS The shop was remarkably "relaxed" in its approach. When we are out that way my wife still drops into a sewing shop in Carlisle. I've been to many distillery shops over the years but that's the place that best reminds me of the old Bladnoch shop
 
raysablade said:
The shop was remarkably "relaxed" in its approach. When we are out that way my wife still drops into a sewing shop in Carlisle. I've been to many distillery shops over the years but that's the place that best reminds me of the old Bladnoch shop
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Along with Glengoyne, it sits in the most stunning location. It was a bit ramshackle and run down, but that was also its charm. The Australian yoghurt magnate guy who bought it over has sent it way upmarket. Sure, it’s slick and shiny, but it has lost the old homely feeling it had.

I’ve got a few bottles I bought from through my old forum membership too, incredible value looking back on it.
 
Train up to Shrewsbury yesterday and had already decided to support the local indy record and whisky shop (and pubs)…conveniently located within a stone’s throw. Nice chat and a few free drams. Usual suspects were a wee bit pricey, but finally settled on a Lindores - ex bourbon, sherry, STR burgundy casks…cracked this evening alfresco by the fire, pleasant enough (I do seem to like wine finishes), but some stiff competition at the price point which means once sampled a second bottle is unlikely.
 
jimbob75 said:
Train up to Shrewsbury yesterday and had already decided to support the local indy record and whisky shop (and pubs)…conveniently located within a stone’s throw. Nice chat and a few free drams. Usual suspects were a wee bit pricey, but finally settled on a Lindores - ex bourbon, sherry, STR burgundy casks…cracked this evening alfresco by the fire, pleasant enough (I do seem to like wine finishes), but some stiff competition at the price point which means once sampled a second bottle is unlikely.
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Unusual for me not to find some redeeming aspect, but I really didn’t like Lindores at all.
 
Finnegan said:
Unusual for me not to find some redeeming aspect, but I really didn’t like Lindores at all.
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I think it's very well made, light and moreish, with no rough edges.

The problem for them (and the plethora of new distilleries) is that you can get plenty of very well presented core-range, age-statement whiskies for a similar price, not to mention the IBs. I followed it with a 14yo Signatory Mortlach, which is in a different league, and for what, an extra fiver? I'm happy to pay over the odds now and again, but that won't sustain them in the long term.

Incidentally, the Glenmorangie-rhymes-with orangey Quinta Ruban 14yo I mentioned a while back is currently 22% off on Amazon. Gotta be worth a punt at 46% ncf...
 
jimbob75 said:
I think it's very well made, light and moreish, with no rough edges.

The problem for them (and the plethora of new distilleries) is that you can get plenty of very well presented core-range, age-statement whiskies for a similar price, not to mention the IBs. I followed it with a 14yo Signatory Mortlach, which is in a different league, and for what, an extra fiver? I'm happy to pay over the odds now and again, but that won't sustain them in the long term.

Incidentally, the Glenmorangie-rhymes-with orangey Quinta Ruban 14yo I mentioned a while back is currently 22% off on Amazon. Gotta be worth a punt at 46% ncf...
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Agreed, there was a Dramface article about new distilleries pricing policies a while back. I picked up a Kingsbarns Dream To Dram the last time I was up St. Andrews way. Forty five quid for something that was only mediocre. I also bagged a Daftmill at auction a while back for about £100- decent enough, but I won’t be shelling out a three figure sum for another bottle anytime soon. The only one I don’t begrudge is Lochlea, to my mind easily head and shoulders above all the other rash of newer lowland distilleries.

Always meant to get around to trying Quinta Ruban. I might take a punt. Cheers for that.
 
Finnegan said:
Agreed, there was a Dramface article about new distilleries pricing policies a while back. I picked up a Kingsbarns Dream To Dram the last time I was up St. Andrews way. Forty five quid for something that was only mediocre.
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My wife bought me one of the limited edition cask strength Kingsbarns for my birthday but I've not tried it (or anything else from them) yet. The main reason she bought it was the distillery was one of the places the hairy bikers visited in one of their programmes.

The only other whisky I've bought recently was one of the Ardnamuchans, but I've not tried that yet either as I've far too many open bottles at the moment.
 
SteveG said:
My wife bought me one of the limited edition cask strength Kingsbarns for my birthday but I've not tried it (or anything else from them) yet. The main reason she bought it was the distillery was one of the places the hairy bikers visited in one of their programmes.

The only other whisky I've bought recently was one of the Ardnamuchans, but I've not tried that yet either as I've far too many open bottles at the moment.
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The CS will hopefully be more exciting than the Dream To Dram.

While we’re on the newer lowland distilleries, I’ve just picked up a Stobhill, the inaugural release from the Clydeside Distillery. If ever anyone does the tour, cross your fingers you get Ronnie as your guide. I never imagined I’d have a West Indian guy give me a tour of a Glasgow distillery, and who knew more about whisky than me! He was brilliant- that’s if he’s still there of course, it was a few years ago now.

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www.masterofmalt.com
 
whiskybroker are launching a Bruichladdich 20yo for £100 (RMW have launched something similar for close to £200), the hitch is having to email to get onto the ballot before 5pm today, so for anyone interested, the email is: martin (at) whiskybroker.co.uk with subject line 'Bruichladdich'
 
I was in my local whisky shop a couple of weeks back and noticed that the Glenfarclas 25 was £329.99! Ok it's only(!) £249.99 at Amazon but that is quite an increase on the £99 I paid for the bottle I had a while back. It's just as well my bottle is open otherwise I probably wouldn't drink it as I'm not convinced my palate is up to those sorts of expenses.
 
SteveG said:
I was in my local whisky shop a couple of weeks back and noticed that the Glenfarclas 25 was £329.99! Ok it's only(!) £249.99 at Amazon but that is quite an increase on the £99 I paid for the bottle I had a while back. It's just as well my bottle is open otherwise I probably wouldn't drink it as I'm not convinced my palate is up to those sorts of expenses.
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Glenfarclas was, for years, one of the best secrets and one of the biggest bargains in whisky. Its prices, even for its aged 17, 21 YO etc gave lie to the exorbitant prices charged by the likes of Macallan. Glenfarclas was every bit as good as any other sherried Speyside you care to mention, and a fraction of the price.

But yes, over the last few years the prices have crept up. I have an unopened 17 yo squirrelled away, but once drunk, it sadly won’t be replaced.
 
Finnegan said:
Glenfarclas was, for years, one of the best secrets and one of the biggest bargains in whisky. Its prices, even for its aged 17, 21 YO etc gave lie to the exorbitant prices charged by the likes of Macallan. Glenfarclas was every bit as good as any other sherried Speyside you care to mention, and a fraction of the price.

But yes, over the last few years the prices have crept up. I have an unopened 17 yo squirrelled away, but once drunk, it sadly won’t be replaced.
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Glenfarclas 25 was always my recommendation for a very good but cheap 25 year old as it was a steal at the under £100 price you'd often see it at. Even at £250 I suppose it's still fairly cheap for a 25 (and it's on offer at MoM for £170 at the moment).

My 16 year old recommendation was usually the Tomintoul 16 as it could often be had for £40 or so. It still looks reasonably priced at the current £60 or so, although currently it's £64.95 on MoM and the Lagavulin 16 is slightly cheaper at £63.95.

I don't buy to collect but given the way prices have gone up there are a few bottles that I have now that might never get opened (or at least I'll be waiting until a very special occasion) including a couple of generous gifts like a Tomintoul 25 and a 23-year old Glenfiddich Gran Cru (although that bottle has been engraved so will likely reduce its value).
 
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