These might change your mind... | 5 Great Scotch Whiskies from Unpopular Brands
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- Опубліковано 20 сер 2024
- Another list today, folks. This time it's a follow-up to a video I did a couple weeks ago where I talked about "unpopular" brands. Today we're getting a bit more positive. We're going to find some really good single malt scotch whiskies that are from some of those previously mentioned distilleries. Cheers!
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Glen Moray is an unpretentious solid brand, and their whiskies are priced accordingly, and their $90-100 18yo is one of the best values going. It's nothing magical (few are) but it's very good.
I really like my 12 year old travel exclusive 48% Glen Moray. It was a little soapy at first but after a while it's a really great simple whisky flavoured whisky.
@@torbjornkarlsen I think the Sherry finished version is solid enough to buy.
I'll go to bat for Jura. It's weak specs aside the 14 year old Rye cask is a decent offering. It's cheap and not just cheap for a 14/15 yo but cheaper than most 10/12 yo too. This may sound like a back handed compliment but it's a great scotch-i-tizer haha like you are going to have a few drams and its a great level setter, especially if you are getting into some good stuff as it has some nice subtle hints while also having that rye edge in the background. I'll admit anything younger is pretty weak but the 14 takes it up a notch taste wise while still being extremely inexpensive.
I ordinarily don't buy Glenlivet, but I stocked up on a few bottles of Glenlivet 12 Illicit Still, which I really like. I wish they'd add it to their core. And it is very affordable. Nadurra isn't bad, either.
That Glen Moray 18 is very decent for the price, but I prefer to spend the little extra for something I consider superb, like a Speyburn 18.
I got that Glen Rothes Maker's Cut for half price ($49 USD). It was definitely worth it at that price, but it is a little too sherry bomb rich for my tastes. It does hit the spot under the right circumstances, though, such as on a chilly night by the campfire. Cheers!
The 12 Sherry Dalmore is great! Never had anyone complain.
Same! 🥃
Sherry Dalmore and Glenrothes makers cut are really good indeed😊
I would like you to include the prices for the products. It doesn't matter if the price varies by region. It provides a useful ballpark figure for your viewers. Cheers.
Hi Geoff:
As I recall you also did like Dalmore port wood…
For a Dalmore I think this us a good whisky as well
I liked the Port Wood and the Cigar Malt very much. Typically I'm not a huge fan of very cask-forward whiskies, but I think Dalmore has some excellent cask play. Just don't tell the whisky community I said so. 😉🥃
Great idea for a list. Bowmore Vault Editions always hit well for me.
Clynelish 14, Glenglassaugh Sandend, Tomatin IBs and Ben Nevis IBs.
Some of the best whiskies I've had have been 60s bowmore. The 80s were horrendous but 90s bowmore can be pretty great. You have to go for IB bowmore these days. Seems to be a growing trend of distilleries that are only worth buying IB expressions.
Great video Geoff. Tried the Glen Moray Sherry Cask the other day & for £30 it offers tremendous value for money as a daily, affordable, sipper.
Yeah for the price you really can't complain with Glen Moray. Glad you're enjoying it! 🥃
Great topic Geoff. I have a couple of Dalmore, Bowmore & Glenrothes and there are some good expressions from each. I have a preference for Islay drams so definitely pro-Bowmore. I think everyone forgets sometime that, with a lot of hard work, even the worst distillery can produce a decent dram, just as we have seen the best distilleries also produce some ordinary whisky!
Well said!
Gotta agree with you on Tomintoul 14. I think it's a lovely whisky and it's the one I've been drinking all this week. Another great review, Geoff - well done! 👍
Thanks so much Victor. Yeah Tomintoul 14 really is a nice one. Cheers! 🥃
I'll speak up for the Dalmore Sherry Cask Select and the Bowmore 18. These are two of my favorites, especially the Dalmore.
The Dalmore is well worth the dough. Really rich and full, great finish and usually under $100.
The Bowmore can be tough to find around here. Their 12 and 15 are very available, but not the 18. So, I'll snag a bottle when I see it. It's also well worth the cash.
I had a bottle of that Glenrothes Whisky Makers Cut. It never occurred to me to get a second bottle.
Glenrothes IB's tend to be bangers in my experience, strangely enough
hoo boy. that Tomintoul 14 taught me it's possible for a NCF, 46% craft presented whisky to still have anemic flavors to the point of wondering how it was even possible to be that boring. no sure when my bottle was shipped but I did buy it in 2021.
This might be one of those rare moments where we're not on the same page. I'm really enjoying mine. Could be a batchy issue, though. I don't come back to it often, so I'm not sure if this one ever fluctuates in quality. Cheers buddy! 🥃
Great video Geoff and fair play that you're trying to find the good experiences among the brands that get disregarded online.
Thanks! 🙏🥃
G I still love the GM 18 and a few years ago asked you to review it(thank you you did). As it was newer in my whisky journey I moved away to more challenging expressions and only recently went back to it. I still like the straight 1st fill Bourbon cask aging and easy drinking with a hint of spice. Probably GM’s best!
Yeah that Maker's Cut is pretty solid, I do like Glenfiddich as well and those VAT releases are actually all pretty good, haven't tried the 14 but I'm getting warmer towards Tomintoul in general, yeah the sherry cask is much better than the 12 for sure, I also agree with the Bowmore which I quite like for what it is. That mystery pour is fantastic bang for buck. Nice one dude, cheers 🥃
Bowmore 18 is fantastic. I’m willing to look past the specs for this one. I have a weak spot for Bowmore in general, so your #1 is mine as well!
Great topic, Geoff. I was just talking about how that particular bottle from Distillery No. 5 elevates that distillery's range. We'll see what happens next ...
Thanks Tim. Yeah curious to see what happens with the brand's new line. Cheers! 🥃
Tomintoul's Old Ballantruan. 50% ABV, peated, good price and a pretty decent dram. I get nice fudge notes from it. Cheers!
Hi Geoff... another excellent video, interesting list indeed, although I have only tried the Glenfiddich VAT 04, and the truth is the ABV makes a very positive difference compared to the core range, also the VAT 03 a 15 y.o. is another that I would recommend without a doubt.
About Glen Moray 100% agree, certainly the most affordable 18 y. o. (in my market), and unlike other producers they are not pretentious at all, I think what they offer justifies the price of their other bottles as well.
Cheers! 🥃
Well said! Cheers! 🥃
I'm a bit baffled, how you regularly have to present your opinions with disclaimers.
Oh my.
I hope (surely) I wasn't coming forward as "attacking" in my opinion about the Lagg Kilmory (that I commented on last week). I really just was not impressed like "the rest of the community".
Love (and respect) your work and opinions, Geoff. Keep 'em coming!
Thanks and cheers buddy!
Oh... and by the way: Spot on about that Glen Moray 18 yo
If I can find it at a fair price, when my current bottle is empty, it's gonna be replaced without hesitation.
Thanks so much Benny! Appreciate it! As for the disclaimers, I don't have to do that I suppose, but I do like to stress that this page is a) all opinion based and b) just for fun. But yes, some people (a tiny minority) get upset when my opinion doesn't align with theirs. As for you comment, trust me zero offence was taken. Feel free to share your thoughts any time here! 🥃
Love the glen moray 18. Damn good scotch. Cheers. Try glen aliche 15 and 18.
Loving the content Geoff, and the lists 😁 For Bowmore I’d have to recommend the Vaults Edition No1 - Atlantic Sea Salt, it’s a stunner. I know you like the coastal profile so I think you’d enjoy it!
Came to say the same! Also Tomintoul makes Heavily peated whisky called Old Ballantruan which is excellent
Haha. Same. Added that same one then read this comment. lol
Did people really get offended on our list ? Ohhh well - subjectivity 😅
Great list my friend, I was really surprised for Bowmore you didn't choose the Deep&Complex instead of the regular 18 .
Love the regular though - my best friend's favorite whisky. He is the one who introduced me to whisky. ( Although at this point I definitely surpassed him with dedication lol 😂)
Cheers Buddy
🥃🥃
Hah yeah it wasn't a big deal, a few people were kind of rude and defensive. It was also the most disliked video I've ever done. Hah. As for Bowmore, yeah I like the Deep & Complex too. Both excellent! 🥃
The one Glenfiddich I was impressed by is an odd one, likely the only peated whisky they make. It is their 'Fire and Cane', a lightly peated whisky finished in Carribbean rum casks. I liked it enough to go out and buy a bottle.
Yes I loved that one too, great price, great taste and not overly Peaty.
Greeat video - you shouldn't receive any hate for the "most disliked" distilleries video... A little thing to add: Sadly the Tomintoul 14 is not fully natural: They dropped the "natural colour" statement (now it states only "high strength") a few years ago - pretty sad.
Hello Geoff,
1. I prefer Glenrothes as IBs since they changed the Age Statement from Vintage to Years and NAS. Right now i have open a Bottling from Hunter Laing (Old Particular) 17yo SherryButt Cask Strength Delicious but not to compare with OBs😅.
2. I avoid the Fiddich not because i think its bad Stuff. I dont grab it because its not interesting enough😅.
3. I had a Tomintoul 16 Standard and an IB which was a really hot Spirit (not in a good Way!) So... yep, i dont buy it anymore. 2 very different Versions, 2 Dissapointments. Done for now.
4. I had the King Alexander... a few Years (or maybe a Decade😅) ago and it was quite good.
Unfortunately the Price didnt remain where i remembered so i didnt bought it again.
I had some other OBs from them and it wasnt the Quality i expected (+ the ABV and Colouring Issue)😅
5. I pretty much like their Bottlings, especially the older ones mostly to find as IBs. They are really great Malts but when it comes to buying a whole Bottle, somehow for no Reason i never grab a Bowmore😂.
6. I would add Ardbeg to that List because of their Behavior in Terms of „unscrupulous priced Special Editions and Committee Releases, Lack of Information on their Bottles, not responsive Customer Support, Batch Variations without mentioning different Batches and so on.
I'm really sad about this, but i cant buy even their High Quality Standards because of these Problems.
Thanks for sharing your Thoughts and Opinion about these Bottlings.
Greetings from Germany 😎🤘
Hi Geoff, good list video. From Tomintoul I like the old ballantruan and from Bowmore my last buy was the Tempest batch 6, a lovely Bowmore and I still buy the Glenfiddich solera 15 but the distillery edition 15 yrs was much better.stopped buying Glenrothes and Dalmore years ago. Slàinte Geoff.🥃
I haven't had Old Ballantruan in forever. I should try to find it. Very difficult to come across in my market. Cheers David! 🥃
For me Glenlivet falls in the same category as Glenfiddich. I did really enjoyed their 12 year Illicit still version however. Unfortunately it seems to be a one time release
I like the Glenlivet house style. I think they're a really good brand when they put in some effort. 🥃
Glenlivet also released Licenced dram just after Illicit Still
@@ingebrunsvik9298 I tried both actually. Enjoyed the first one more tbh
It’s a shame you got flack for the previous video. I thought it was great and you very clearly explained yourself. That being said, this video was also great! Cool concept.
The Glen Moray Aged 18 Yeara and Loch Lomond Aged 18 Years are superb value for money. You can't go wrong on the prices of both of them😀😁😎🤩
Agree! 🥃
Bought the Tomintoul 14 a couple of years ago because of it's specs. Very underwhelming for me. Bowmore vault edition 1 is Fantastic ! Worth hunting down if you want the spirit and delicate peat character front and center. Glen Moray 18 is total quality 47.2% ncf full maturation in 1st fill bourbon. Side by side beat Deanston 18 every time for me Cheers
Glenlivet and glenfarclas are two very underrated makers
I found a Bowmore 10 cask strength (Tempest?) at auction that frequently pleases me quite a bit.
I had been considering trying out the Tomintoul 14 for a while, and you may have nudged me.
12 yr macallan can be found at 43% atleast by me. I have a 12. First i tried the 18 by someone, and was impressed, then i tried the 15 and found it not much less than the 15, and then i tried the 12 and found it not much less than the 15, but the 12 is like a quarter the cost of the 18! So i got one.
I'm guessing you're in the States? The American market gets most whiskies sold at 40% internationally at 43%. You guys are lucky! 🥃
Yes, Macallan 12 Sherry is 43% and drinks well, but how can anyone who knows about this stuff choose it over say Bunnahabhain 12 Cask Strength at the same price or GlenDronach 12 for $20 less? Macallan survives off over low-info customers and their allies in the liquor shops who push their stuff ✌️
@@Gwhisky yep ;) like laphroaig 10 and some others. I guess it makes a difference
@@MrChristopherMolloy bunna 12 cs is a different beast. Mac 12 has some sort of macallan sherry profile u dont find anywhere else. bunna 12 cs is more expensive by me, atleast by $5-10, okay not much, its like $90-95 whereas mac12 sherry is $80-85. Also bunna 12 cs isnt all that great imo, with the exception of the 2022 release which is now basically sold out and way more $ on secondary. 2023 release is good but its nothing like mac12. I totally get why people would buy mac12, i think they make a fine product, and people mostly complain that its more expensive and not as good as it used to be. But that doesnt mean it doesnt hold up. Glendronach 12 isnt much cheaper either and like i said if u want that classic macallan sherry profile u need to buy a mac, no one else does it quite like them, not that theyre better but atleast they offer a unique experience that isnt replicated
@@TalkingTorah613 I agree that Macallan has a unique signature and tends to make good whisky despite its anemic pedigree, but $85-90 on average around NYC (but I've seen it for as much as $150), is absurdly overpriced and I can't recommend it because of that; and the similarly pedigreed GlenDronach 12 is a $65 bottle where I shop, and that's a significant enough price difference to mention IMO. It's a good bottle that drinks similar to the far pricer Macallan.
As for Bunnahabhain 12 Cask Strength, it's ultimately a matter of taste, but as far as value goes it's a no-brainer and I'd unhesitatingly recommend it, any vintage, to anyone reading this, especially experienced drinkers ✌️
Jeff, do you know some history about Macallan? For example, how did all the fluff about Macallan being "the best" scotch etc come into vogue? Was it recently 1995 onwards or was it over the years?
@4:00 well the upside of having no demand for their whisky, is being able to hold onto excess stock for as long as they want
I really want to try the Glen Moray 18, but while I want to, I am not driving ~100 miles just for it.
That's a long haul. 🥃
@@xxacidmv I wouldn't drive a hundred miles for any bottle of whiskey!
Have you tried some of the Macallan classic cut? They are high abv and the price is not as high as others macallans. If jyou can find some 2017-2019 they are amazing.
I really like your #5 (but: be aware of batch variation!) and your mistery pour! 😁
Tomintoul is a Speyside whisky, not Highland.
Good catch on the Tomintoul (literally says Speyside-Glenlivet on the bottle!). That ABV was corrected in the video. Cheers! 🥃
@@Gwhisky Sorry, I didn´t see the correction at first. Tomintoul is next to the river Avon.
Glenrothes is just brutal swill.
Aberlour was my first true dram and I fell hard. Then I realized that it's not that beloved by enthusiasts and I learned about ABV, chill filtration and E150. I still come back to it from time to time for the memories. However, in that sea of poorly presented whisky you have the A'bunadh, which is one of my favorite scotches.
A'bunadh is legendary stuff! I still come back to it myself from time to time. 🥃
Aberlour 12yo un-chillfiltered @ 46% is great! Try it if you can
I love almost every Aberlour I’ve ever had even with weak specs. Have 4 in my cabinet. The only one that didn’t peak my interest was the taste of the 12. But could have been a bad bottle.
Bowmore is a good call. I enjoyed the 18 Deep and Complex. Is there any real world difference between the 2?
I am first here 🎉 nice suggestions. I wonder if there is any good Jura out there?
So do I. I hear they're around out there. To be fair I've had a few that were decent. Usually average or below average, though. 🥃
Ive had a Douglas Laing Old Particular which was a 15 year old a was great tbf. I reckon you could find a solid IB but idk about core.
Cadenhead Jura 12 manzanilla cask
Macallan may be a good whisky in its own right but it doesn't justify the price anyway. In any case, the peated version of Tomintoul - 10 year old Old Balantruan is very good, unlike the non-peaty expressions of this distillery
I find it amusing to classify Glenfiddich as an unpopular distillery. They sell a lot of whiskey. Besides their being allergic to putting out stuff over 40% their stuff tastes good.
It's unpopular among enthusiasts, who this channel caters to. Most of the top selling brands (Macallan, Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, etc ) aren't widely liked among enthusiasts. We're a very picky and whiny bunch.
@@Gwhisky oh I know, I just enjoy pushing the enthusiast’s buttons once in a while.
@@jasonwest9425 We deserve it. 😉
eh, i'll drink a lot of cheap stuff and enjoy it, but have tried glenfiddich early on and then came back to it later with more experience, and was bad both times. the malt note just seems off. same problem with their sister distillery balveine
The trouble with Macallan is that for the price there is nothing extraordinary about any of its products.
macallan is the bench mark of sherrued whiskies. youare correct in that they are overpriced
Agree with most of the list, would swap Glenrothes with Jura. Very rarely I hear about them, nor does any of my friends like/appreciate it. I’m not judging here, just sharing my observations😉
Best is Kilchoman PX
the bowmore seems tasteless to me ;;
Thanks for shining a dislike on these brands, Geoff.
As an (almost) only IB whisky drnker, what the hell am I doing here other than just annoying you? For the record, the brands are mostly no surprises.
Slàinte mhath
It cracks me up that people get defensive about whiskies they like and someone else doesn't. So fragile!
After a few years on UA-cam I've become pretty used to it. Couldn't tell you how many times I've had to remind people that it's all subjective opinion. 🥃
Isnt Macallan,Dalmore,Whyte & Mckay very unpopular...
@@iancrombie8862 pretty sure they are popular.
Unpopular among enthusiasts. They sell very well, of course. 🥃
LOL. No need to defend your ideas against weenies. Whisky and weenies just never seem to go well together...
Always puzzles me when people get offended about personal taste in whisky. I like asparagus. Oddly, I don't get all butthurt if someone doesn't like asparagus.
For me I won’t buy Dalmore, Macallan, Glen-leave-it, Bowmore (except the 18 :), Jura (Indie bottles are actually not bad) and there are a few others including Caol Ila core range HOWEVER Caol Ila indie bottles are in my top 10 favourites. What the actual front door is going on with that?
Tomintoul (" - toil" as in toy'll) is really hit+miss / the Seiridh (sherry) is amazing with eh Euro-cask of oloroso.
Ah thought I fixed the pronunciation from the last video. I'll nail it next time, though! 😉
I'll have to try that Seiridh. Also want to try their Cigar Malt. Cheers! 🥃
Uhh no, I’m from Moray and his pronunciation was spot on this time. It’s Towel as in bath towel.
Yes, definitely 'towel'....
Dalmore 12 Sherry Casks is a $90 bad joke, just like Macallan 12 Sherry Oak.
You mean the sherry cask or the regular 12. The regular 12 I'm not a fan of, but the Sherry Cask Select at USD $50 in my market is fantastic imo. 🥃
@@Gwhisky I just checked around and I saw the Sherry Cask Select for $90. At $50 it would be a good buy...kinda.
@@Gwhisky I'd like you to do a blind tasting of several ~40% Sherried malts, including this Dalmore and $30 Glen Moray Elgin Classic Sherry Cask Finished, and tell us what you think.
Weird video, bro. Not sure why you're, in a way, apologizing to those cry babies with a basic/pedestrian taste in whiskey. They can go kick rocks with bare feet while sipping on their chill filtered, color added, 40% ABV overpriced baby whiskeys.
not a single Macallan is worth the price they ask, i can buy multiple bottles of better whisky at cheaper price (i hate this brand 😈).
Totally fair. 🥃
Come on Geoff. Unbutton more of that shirt. Lesbe honest, I didn't come here for the whisky reviews 😂