My whisky of the year is Cutty Sark Prohibition. At the price point it beats all others and at 50% is non chilled filtered. As and Englishman living in France I've just ordered a dozen bottles from a supplier in Spain for 18 Euros each.
Lagavulin 8 ✅ good one …Smoky Scot ..arrived yesterday so still to try ..probably tonight ..not tried Arnamurchan ever will look into . Whatever your chosen whisky for New Year’s Eve ... Slainte 🥃
Hi Jane. I hope you managed to try Smoky Scot and got on well with it. It's a bit of a beast but one that I really enjoy. My New Year's drams have been PC10 and a little Lag8. Perfection! Here's to a great 2024 🥃
Cracking choices and solid, sane, sound reasoning (as we've come to expect) - folk following you can feel comforted that the advice is straight and true. Cannae ask for any more. Lock solid Shane. 🥃
Nooow... if I may. The pedestal thing... Springbank have looong been on a pedestal - way before we see the crazy of today, what happened was that word got out. Commitment, character, quality, integrity, flavour - all of it will engender fandom. What we need to do is find a way to help the choices and destinations for fandom expand, not restrict the opportunity for fandom. Ardna are a torch-bearer, as Springbank was/is. Although, I do accept your point wrt echoing each other without individual exploration, thought and selection. Cheers to ya Shane and Happy New Year!
The quality of Springbank and 'having favourites' isn't in question. Whether we should put Springbank on a pedestal above all other distilleries might be ;-) Whether we should still be praising a distillery whose entire core range has more or less been unavailable for years should be IMHO. I met Gavin McLachlan in 2015 and he confused me with talk of 'availability issues'. Back then you could pick any online retailer and order an SB10, SB12CS, SB15, SB18, LR18 and Kilkerran WIPs whenever you wanted, and I did regularly. Obviously we're all now painfully aware of the coming issues that Springbank could already see forming. I got an email today from an online retailer saying that they had various Springbank expressions for sale. Half an hour later they were down to just SB10. An hour later, all gone. No more. Better luck next time! Don't live with your phone in your hand? Too bad! I am actually considering reviewing some Springbank this year but mainly just because I have old bottles that I want to open and drink. Some with failing corks which is forcing my hand. Although I'm still reluctant and uneasy about covering whisky that most can't buy and that is a firm favourite with flippers. To me, when a whisky can't be drunk anymore (or not without unnecessary hassle) it's time to look for something else. Just my opinion.
Just wanted to say I enjoyed the year of whisky reviews, particularly the advent calendar countdown. Wishing you Happy new year as I sip my 25 year old 1991 vintage Murray McDavid Glen Scotia, matured in a sherry hogshead with a burgundy barrique finish, 46% ABV. One of the pricier bottles I’ve bought but at around $250 US it was a bargain. It had clearly been sitting for years on the shelf of a shop I don’t visit often. The proprietor told me it was a unicorn whisky and he’d never get it again. This was in late October 2022. I told him I’d tell him what I thought of it. Sadly, when I returned two months later to tell him about it I learned he had passed away from a sudden illness that November. It’s over a year later and this whisky reminds me to try to appreciate the moments we have while we’ve got them. There’s been a lot of hardship this year, and I’m sure next year will have its share as well. But here’s to bright moments, and many more excellent drams.
Sounds like an excellent dram with a special backstory. Life is often difficult and surprising, we could all do with taking an extra moment to appreciate the important things. Cheers and slainte 🥃
I haven't tried any Dornoch yet. While I'd love to I think it's time for me to give the new distilleries a break for a while. I barely had time to drink anything else this year! And with regards to resurrected Rosebank, Port Ellen and Brora... I have a nasty feeling that it will all be too expensive for actual drinkers.
I also have the AD 02.22 & totally agree. It too will also be replaced with whatever AD CS I can get my hands on. Happy new year & I'm looking forward to your 2024 reviews !
ARDNAGERKIN hohoho 😁 its really good and right choice. My Sherry cask release has same level in a bottle like yours but my AD 02/22 stays still unopened on a shelf so i will enjoy it in whole next year. Seems like all AD CS editions been replace by cask strenght annual release like this year. Hope it will be on market every year a year older more matured and fair priced 🤞. Thank you for 2023 and All the Best in 2024 for you and a channel. Cheers and Slàinte 👍😁🥂🙋🏻♂️
Wise move to save the 02.22 for later 👍 I keep going back and forth between the Sherry and 02.22 and most days I'm really preferring the bourbon maturation... but then I have a dram of the sherry cask and that balance of dried fruits and smoke is gorgeous too! Slàinte Mhath! 🥃
@@WhiskyLock after all i prefer bourbon maturation as well. Aeration down the bottle of sherry cask makes the smoke is much more prominent and juice is just yummy. Cheers and Happy New Year 😁🥂🙋🏻♂️
2023 I liked Glenmorangie Lasanta and Quinta Ruban (first time), I liked a lot Lagavulin 8, Kilchoman Machir Bay CS, TB SRV5, TB BSW 6, Glenturret 12, Edradour Caledonia, Edradour 10 SV, Mortlach 2012 SV, Benromach 2012 CS batch 3 and Glenallachie 10 batch 8. But the whisky that really impressed me was Glen Garioch 15- what a powerhorse! Thanks a lot for your brilliant videos in 2023 und all the best for you and your channel in 2024! Rock on!
At some point we’ll be looking back in time recalling the good ole days when we could pick up the Ardnamurchan Cask Strength NAS for under a hundo. I’m about one dram from empty on my 02/22 cs bottle. Funny you mention Clairin. I have a couple bottles on deck for my next review. Also agree Lag 8 could be peated WOTY any year along with Ledaig. Craigellachie 13 as well. Enjoyed your year in review! All the best😎🎉 Cheers 🥃
Very excited for the Clairin review. They are some of the best unaged rums available in the market. The aged Clairins are on a different level of odd if you get the chance to partake (Velier Papalin Haiti, Clairin Ansyen).
I have absolutely fallen in love with Clairin lately. Largely because of the many spectacular Velier bottles. Really looking forward to your Clairin reviews 😎 Happy New Year John 🥃
Glad you have settled on the Ardnamurchan cask strength as your whisky of the year. I very much enjoyed that batch and I predict you will love the current release - to my palette it is the peatiest yet with a negligible sherry influence. It puts me in mind of everything I love about Ardbeg 10, but better, much richer: it has become my dream dram right now. Thank you for your consistant, honest reviews over the year; I have bought very little whisky this year, and my second bottle was the Loch Lomond special release that I purchased after your review. Needless to say it has been a positive experience. Cheers!
Ardbeg 10? Now I'm really intrigued! Not that much convincing is required to buy CS Ardnamurchan! I'm glad you're getting on well with that Loch Lomond. I love it and really hope we get more of the same. Cheers 🥃
Top choice. I really enjoyed the ad 09/22 this year. I also bought a bottle of Loch Lomond DE 3 on your reccommendation for which I will be eternaly grateful. Happy New Year.
Very glad that you got a bottle of the LL DE3 too. It's stunning. I'm trying to save mine... at least until I review all my other Loch Lomonds 🙂 Cheers 🥃
I have the 02/22 and it is a fantastic whisky. Happy to see you picked up a couple of bottles from the advent calendar. Definitely makes the calendar worth it when you can find good new whiskies at affordable prices. Happy New Year from the future. Cheers!
Happy New Year!! I get so much enjoyment from the Lagavulin 8 and the Red Breast Cask Strength!! I drink them both quite often and although I am a massive scotch single malt lover this Irish Whisky is delicious and well worth the cost. We pay a lot in Canada. Yikes. This Ardnamurchan is wonderful and I agree completely with you! I love it! What fabulous choices! Integrity is so critical and I do hope to see Diagio expressions become natural without colour and being chill filtered. I admit I do love some of their expressions. I am wholly in agreement about avoiding putting distilleries on a pedestal. I really thought we were going down that road with Benromach. It seems to have slowed to the point that it's still possible to buy here and there but it's more difficult to find. Good luck with Springbank. I Love the whisky but I can't find any more ever! Let's do away with pedestals. This is such an enjoyable video and channel and I learn a lot and value your opinions a lot! I hope the holiday season has been lovely for you and loved ones!! Cheers!! 🙂
You clearly have excellent taste 🧐 😉 Here in England you have to look really hard to find even Springbank 10. I can get Longrow NAS, Campbeltown Loch and occasionally standard Kilkerrans but that's it. There are plenty more quality whiskies out there though! Hope you're having a great start to 2024 🎇 🥃 Cheers!
@@WhiskyLock Happy New Year!! Hey I would love to be able to find Kilkerran expressions in a much easier way! I have to order from another province in Canada! Alberta has some terrific spirit stores that manage to get hold of some superb whiskies and they don't hike the price much. I also love Longrow! I have to watch your video on Campbelltown Loch! Did you like it?! Here's to some spectacular whiskies in 2024!! Cheers!! 🙂
Clairin is my new obsession. If you haven't tried any yet then Clairin Communal is a great place to start. Only 43% but not a problem at all. It's a blend of four very good clairins and gives you a good idea of what to expect. Or if you want to dive straight in, any of the Velier clairins are excellent. Happy New Year 🥃
I wept openly when I drained my 02.22, fell into an unresponsive stupor when I missed the 09.22, but recovered quite nicely after picking up a bottle of 05.23 a couple months back. Seriously, the 02.22 was pure bliss. Just happened to pour some of the 05.23 last night. Slightly different. Similar nose profile but perhaps a bit deeper and richer, a wonderfully weighty mouth feel, a smidge sweeter than the 02, and the flavors hold nicely in the finish. Perhaps the 02 wins by a nose, but I'm curious to see what a little more time and air in the 09 bottle will do. Just lovely stuff!
Really great that each batch is different while still being good. Exactly what we want! Is there a little extra sherry in the Cask breakdown of 05.23? Cheers 🥃
I’ve had plenty of the AD releases and several cs bottles- the quality is really there but shows itself as very promising for when it’s older liquid- again Ardna produce quality but they still drink as young as they are… roll on a 10/12 yr cs
I have two previous Ardnamurchan ❤ CS bottlings and will be buying 2023 edition soon. Great Distillery. Can't wait to see what will be released in 2024 from Ardnamurchan! Happy New Year MaltMates 🎉
It's a very exciting distillery to follow. Not least because their QR codes mean that we can see the exact differences between each batch, guess at what's causing the differences and follow their progress. So much added value. Cheers 🥃
Hard to disagree with your pick Shane, brilliant whisky! I agree with you on the Irish whiskey front. I have not had my moneys worth with any of the premium Irish whiskyes but the RB12 CS is a gorgeous whisky. Cheers!
Smoky Scot is an amazing dram for an amazing price but Ardnamurchan is very much the man of the moment when talking about what is happening in whisky this year. Either would be a justified choice IMHO though. Cheers 🥃
Thanks Geoff. It had to be done with all the new distillery stuff I've covered lately. It would be almost rude not to. I had to give a mention to your pick too though. It punches well above its weight and I've seen it on offer here for around £35 which means I'll probably always have a bottle in the house going forward. Happy New Year (for 4 hours ago). What's it like living in the future? 🤔 Cheers Geoff 🥃
Some great whiskies in that line up. I too like Lagavulin 8 and prefer it to the 16. I must get a bottle of the Smoky Scot which sounds good. Have you tried the Smokey Joe from Angus Dundee….wonder how it compares. As for Ardnamurchan as your WOTY…..stunning….enough said !! Looking forward to your 2024 reviews and recommendations. Sláinte 🥃
The age statement snob in me resisted Lagavulin 8 for quite a while. I think it didn't help that the 8 was more expensive than the 16 at the very start! But I'm a full convert now. Lag8 all the way! I haven't tried Smokey Joe yet but will keep an eye out for it. Cheers to a great 2024 🥃
Hi Shane, good to see there some Clairin (I have a bottle of the "Casimir" (Faubert distillery), harvest 2015, Hawaian sugarcane, 53,4 % abv) I've never reviewed & happy to see some English whiskies....quite impressed by the Lakes I tried this year & also a Filey Bay fan...I agree on many choices (I don't see this Smoky Scot here in France), that said, with no disrespect for the distillery, while I struggled first with the Ardnamurchan 02/22 CS, it is better now, but for me it can't rival with the reduced at 46,8 % releases, balance & complexity wise, just my opinion...I'm preparing also a highlights of the year video, in which you might see (spoiler) an AD., but it won't be this one...😉Cheers !
Hi Greg! I have a Casimir 2020. It's my favourite of the more easy drinking, fruit bomb clairins in my opinion. Very, very good! Fully agree that the AD releases have a bit more balance and complexity. I think I said something along those lines in my review. There are definitely more balanced vattings. But I also love the raw power of the 02.22. No bad choice to be made IMHO 👍 I look forward to your highlights of the year video. Cheers 🥃
I keep trying different releases from Ardnamurchan, but the only one I've liked (so far) is the Paul Launois and even that wouldn't be in any top ten list I might compile... Still, it's good that we don't all like the same things, so that we have a reasonable chance to buy something we want without paying secondary prices (not that I haven't overpaid for a few!).
Well To be honest i tried 12yo rebreast 40% side by side with greenspot and i enjoyed spot a lot more...but best irish whisky for me comes from dingle, its whiskey with attitude. Totally agree with Your choice for whisky of the year!! If you like ardnamurchan and cutty sark prohibition was your whisky of the year you should definetly try mcleans nose it blow my mind last week with quality and taste! Cheeers!
Interesting. I haven't had LL14 yet... although I do own a bottle. This is why I needed the bottle ban. Too many bottles in stock 😉 To be fair I like LL12 and a lot of their other expressions a lot. Even the grains. I'm hoping to review the entire range soon and I wouldn't be at all surprised if LL12 (or perhaps 14) is my WOTY 2024. Happy New Year 🎇 Have a great one 🥃
Happy New Year and thanks for all the great reviews in 2023. I'm drinking rather than buying in 2024, but Ardnamurchan is on top of the wish list, as is the Redbreast CS, which has been recommended from so many quarters. Meanwhile I'll be enjoying Laga8, Smoky Scot and the Cask Craft Tulli.
I can definitely go along with your choice! It's an excellent bottle, but it was a 2022 discovery for me, so it didn't make my list this year (for me it was the newly discovered Edradour 12 as well as the absolutely serendipitous find of a RRP bottle of Springbank 12 just days before my son was born). But my award for "most improved bottle after being open" goes to the base AD release, which I initially wasn't crazy about, but it improved so much on the last third of the bottle that I went out and bought another on sale.
@@listenu Well I certainly enjoyed it! It's quite a heavy spirit with a nice deep oloroso sherry influence. Up there pricewise due to the tiny output of the distillery, but definitely worth a try. Edradour put out sample sizes of most of their expressions, so maybe you'll be able to pick up one of those before buying a full bottle.
Hi Shane. Looking forward to opening my Ardnamurchan CS 2023. Don’t really buy anything from Diageo now (IB’s aside) but Laga 8 I really like and this month was on offer for €40 (around £35) just couldn’t say no. Enjoyed your content this year, good channel Shane. All the best for the coming year. Slàinte 🥃
Thanks David. We sometimes get Lagavulin 8 for around £35 on supermarket offers. I'll be getting that second bottle next time that offer comes around. Worth every penny. Cheers and hope you had a great New Year's 🥃
HI Shane, I am wishing you and yours a Happy New Year. Rum Reviews yes please, I like a quality rum now and then I even have a rum Solera bottle. Ardnamurchan is a great choice for whisky of the year. My good value whisky of the year is the Thompson Brothers Blended Scotch Whisky a great drop at about £35, how much longer its going to be around is anyone's guess. My malt whisky of the year is the Speyburn 15, batches vary but I have not been disappointed so far. Best wishes for 2024.
Thanks Andy. A rum solera bottle! Outstanding 👍 do you put all types of rum into it? Does any particular style dominate? I'm a little ashamed to say that I haven't tried any of the Thompson Bros bottles yet. Time to change that I think! As I've only heard positive things. Speyburn 15 is an absolute gem. Looking forward to getting to know the 10, 15 and 18 some time this year. Hope you're having a great start to 2024. Cheers 🥃
@@WhiskyLock Hi Shane, my rum solera consists mostly of Dooly's, Worthy Park, , Foursquare, Appletons etc. I try and stay away from the sweetened rums., but you know how it is with rums you can never be sure I think things are getting better with some rum producers realising that the market wants clean rums. Plus there seems to be more local legislation on some of the islands banning additives or at least reducing the amounts that can be added. Having said all that I do like a Pussers Gunpowder rum which has I am sure, additional sweeteners in it. Keep up the great work you do, I am a fan of you videos and all that you say on them.
@@andywalker6908 That sounds like a hell of a recipe. Yes, a lot of rum producers really are listening to the enthusiasts. Funny how rum, a drink that traditionally has a bit of a bad rep, is working to improve and it's only really Scotch that's giving pushback... Pussers Gunpowder is a great rum. Very different style to your Foursquares and Appletons, etc. but really great. I have a bottle of Pussers 151 at the moment but the Gunpowder Proof is probably the ideal drinking strength. Thanks for the supportive comments and cheers 🥃
You mentioned mezcal... i bought 2 "artisnal' bottles this year to try it, opened 1, oof. Cant see me drinking this stuff. Am i missing something? Although i remember saying the same thing 20 years ago with my first bottle of scotch, glenlivit. Its amazing how your taste buds can change! Again, cheers to you!
Amazing indeed! My advice would be to put it away for a while and see if it grows on you. Don't give up too easily 🙂 There was a time when I found Bowmore 12 unbearably earthy... that was many, many years ago now though 😂
Hampden are a real success story. Great rum, great presentations. Not a coincidence that Velier also played a part in spreading their products around the world 👍 There are exciting things happening across Jamaica at the moment though. I've had some really great rum from Worthy Park and Long Pond lately. And a lot of it is cheaper and easier to get than Hampden. Cheers 🥃
All of the Velier clairins are exceptional. Far better than any non velier offerings IMHO. My preference is Vaval and Sonson though. Have you tried La Roche? I found the 2017 quite similar to Sajous. Cheers 🥃
@@MrPsiman I've not had any of those but Mexico make some spectacular unaged smoke bombs. I'll add your recommendations to my list to keep an eye out for. Cheers 🥃
Not sure how much of the Mexican stuff is in the UK. The new Hampden Estate Great House 2023 should be here in the U.S. soon. I want to try the new Worthy Park unaged Overproof made with cane juice@@WhiskyLock
Hi Paul! Happy New Year. Ardnamurchan is still young and I think we all have a different tolerance for youth. I've become a lot more accustomed to young whisky over the last few years providing that it's well made and I think Ardnamurchan is. Perfectly possible that it's just not for you though. One thing that I have found to help a lot with many of these young whiskies from new distilleries is to give it plenty of air. When I first open them I will quite often leave the cork out all evening and I often find that it can take the edge off. Hope you're having a great New Year's 🥃
Thanks for your reply Shane. Perhaps I will try a cask strength version next, a sherried one maybe, and take plenty of time (and water) with it. @@WhiskyLock
My whisky of the year is Cutty Sark Prohibition. At the price point it beats all others and at 50% is non chilled filtered. As and Englishman living in France I've just ordered a dozen bottles from a supplier in Spain for 18 Euros each.
That was my WOTY last year. Solid dram and totally unbeatable for the price 👍 Cheers 🥃
I bought a bottle of the Redbreast CS because of GWhisky too!! 😂 He should be on commission!
Maybe he is 😒😂
Lagavulin 8 ✅ good one …Smoky Scot ..arrived yesterday so still to try ..probably tonight ..not tried Arnamurchan ever will look into . Whatever your chosen whisky for New Year’s Eve ... Slainte 🥃
Hi Jane. I hope you managed to try Smoky Scot and got on well with it. It's a bit of a beast but one that I really enjoy. My New Year's drams have been PC10 and a little Lag8. Perfection! Here's to a great 2024 🥃
Cracking choices and solid, sane, sound reasoning (as we've come to expect) - folk following you can feel comforted that the advice is straight and true. Cannae ask for any more. Lock solid Shane. 🥃
Nooow... if I may. The pedestal thing... Springbank have looong been on a pedestal - way before we see the crazy of today, what happened was that word got out. Commitment, character, quality, integrity, flavour - all of it will engender fandom. What we need to do is find a way to help the choices and destinations for fandom expand, not restrict the opportunity for fandom. Ardna are a torch-bearer, as Springbank was/is. Although, I do accept your point wrt echoing each other without individual exploration, thought and selection. Cheers to ya Shane and Happy New Year!
Cheers Roy! Happy New Year and hope 2024 is going well for you 🥃
The quality of Springbank and 'having favourites' isn't in question. Whether we should put Springbank on a pedestal above all other distilleries might be ;-) Whether we should still be praising a distillery whose entire core range has more or less been unavailable for years should be IMHO.
I met Gavin McLachlan in 2015 and he confused me with talk of 'availability issues'. Back then you could pick any online retailer and order an SB10, SB12CS, SB15, SB18, LR18 and Kilkerran WIPs whenever you wanted, and I did regularly. Obviously we're all now painfully aware of the coming issues that Springbank could already see forming.
I got an email today from an online retailer saying that they had various Springbank expressions for sale. Half an hour later they were down to just SB10. An hour later, all gone. No more. Better luck next time! Don't live with your phone in your hand? Too bad!
I am actually considering reviewing some Springbank this year but mainly just because I have old bottles that I want to open and drink. Some with failing corks which is forcing my hand. Although I'm still reluctant and uneasy about covering whisky that most can't buy and that is a firm favourite with flippers. To me, when a whisky can't be drunk anymore (or not without unnecessary hassle) it's time to look for something else. Just my opinion.
Completely agree 👍 Happy New Year! Ciao 👋 S.
Happy New Year Sandro! 🎇 🥃
Cheers to that!
Happy New Year 🥃😊👍🏻
Just wanted to say I enjoyed the year of whisky reviews, particularly the advent calendar countdown.
Wishing you Happy new year as I sip my 25 year old 1991 vintage Murray McDavid Glen Scotia, matured in a sherry hogshead with a burgundy barrique finish, 46% ABV.
One of the pricier bottles I’ve bought but at around $250 US it was a bargain. It had clearly been sitting for years on the shelf of a shop I don’t visit often.
The proprietor told me it was a unicorn whisky and he’d never get it again. This was in late October 2022. I told him I’d tell him what I thought of it.
Sadly, when I returned two months later to tell him about it I learned he had passed away from a sudden illness that November.
It’s over a year later and this whisky reminds me to try to appreciate the moments we have while we’ve got them.
There’s been a lot of hardship this year, and I’m sure next year will have its share as well. But here’s to bright moments, and many more excellent drams.
Sounds like an excellent dram with a special backstory. Life is often difficult and surprising, we could all do with taking an extra moment to appreciate the important things. Cheers and slainte 🥃
Happening at Dornoch too, and will happen at Rosebank
I haven't tried any Dornoch yet. While I'd love to I think it's time for me to give the new distilleries a break for a while. I barely had time to drink anything else this year! And with regards to resurrected Rosebank, Port Ellen and Brora... I have a nasty feeling that it will all be too expensive for actual drinkers.
Spot on
A great list. They've figured something out with the current batch of #5; it seems to be having a moment right now.
I also have the AD 02.22 & totally agree. It too will also be replaced with whatever AD CS I can get my hands on. Happy new year & I'm looking forward to your 2024 reviews !
Happy New Year my friend 🎇 🥃
ARDNAGERKIN hohoho 😁 its really good and right choice. My Sherry cask release has same level in a bottle like yours but my AD 02/22 stays still unopened on a shelf so i will enjoy it in whole next year. Seems like all AD CS editions been replace by cask strenght annual release like this year. Hope it will be on market every year a year older more matured and fair priced 🤞. Thank you for 2023 and All the Best in 2024 for you and a channel. Cheers and Slàinte 👍😁🥂🙋🏻♂️
Wise move to save the 02.22 for later 👍 I keep going back and forth between the Sherry and 02.22 and most days I'm really preferring the bourbon maturation... but then I have a dram of the sherry cask and that balance of dried fruits and smoke is gorgeous too! Slàinte Mhath! 🥃
@@WhiskyLock after all i prefer bourbon maturation as well. Aeration down the bottle of sherry cask makes the smoke is much more prominent and juice is just yummy. Cheers and Happy New Year 😁🥂🙋🏻♂️
2023 I liked Glenmorangie Lasanta and Quinta Ruban (first time), I liked a lot Lagavulin 8, Kilchoman Machir Bay CS, TB SRV5, TB BSW 6, Glenturret 12, Edradour Caledonia, Edradour 10 SV, Mortlach 2012 SV, Benromach 2012 CS batch 3 and Glenallachie 10 batch 8. But the whisky that really impressed me was Glen Garioch 15- what a powerhorse! Thanks a lot for your brilliant videos in 2023 und all the best for you and your channel in 2024! Rock on!
Sounds like you've had a great 2023 👍 Glen Garioch is one I'm looking forward to trying again soon. Cheers and here's to 2024 🥃
At some point we’ll be looking back in time recalling the good ole days when we could pick up the Ardnamurchan Cask Strength NAS for under a hundo. I’m about one dram from empty on my 02/22 cs bottle.
Funny you mention Clairin. I have a couple bottles on deck for my next review.
Also agree Lag 8 could be peated WOTY any year along with Ledaig.
Craigellachie 13 as well.
Enjoyed your year in review!
All the best😎🎉
Cheers 🥃
Very excited for the Clairin review. They are some of the best unaged rums available in the market. The aged Clairins are on a different level of odd if you get the chance to partake (Velier Papalin Haiti, Clairin Ansyen).
@@samueld1 stay tuned…
I have absolutely fallen in love with Clairin lately. Largely because of the many spectacular Velier bottles. Really looking forward to your Clairin reviews 😎 Happy New Year John 🥃
I bought a bottle of RB12 CS 3 days ago for exactly the same reason - Gwhisky! 😂
He hasn’t let me down yet. 👍
Oh dear! We know who is to blame when the global supply runs out 😂
Glad you have settled on the Ardnamurchan cask strength as your whisky of the year. I very much enjoyed that batch and I predict you will love the current release - to my palette it is the peatiest yet with a negligible sherry influence. It puts me in mind of everything I love about Ardbeg 10, but better, much richer: it has become my dream dram right now.
Thank you for your consistant, honest reviews over the year; I have bought very little whisky this year, and my second bottle was the Loch Lomond special release that I purchased after your review. Needless to say it has been a positive experience. Cheers!
Ardbeg 10? Now I'm really intrigued! Not that much convincing is required to buy CS Ardnamurchan!
I'm glad you're getting on well with that Loch Lomond. I love it and really hope we get more of the same. Cheers 🥃
Happy New Year to all, I had Ardnamurchan cs 2023 side by side with Kilkerran b7, KILKERRAN wins for me.
Kilkerran is a tough one to beat. Probably the best malt coming out of J&A Mitchell at the moment 👍
Nice choice Shane it is so good and of high quality. It will be hard to get that stuff in the coming years in my opinion. HNYear🎉
That is always the danger but for now I'm thankful we have great whisky from Ardnamurchan 🙂 Cheers 🥃
Top choice. I really enjoyed the ad 09/22 this year. I also bought a bottle of Loch Lomond DE 3 on your reccommendation for which I will be eternaly grateful. Happy New Year.
Very glad that you got a bottle of the LL DE3 too. It's stunning. I'm trying to save mine... at least until I review all my other Loch Lomonds 🙂 Cheers 🥃
I have the 02/22 and it is a fantastic whisky. Happy to see you picked up a couple of bottles from the advent calendar. Definitely makes the calendar worth it when you can find good new whiskies at affordable prices. Happy New Year from the future. Cheers!
Absolutely. Getting to discover a new quality dram is the best result. Here's to a great 2024 🥃
Happy New Year!! I get so much enjoyment from the Lagavulin 8 and the Red Breast Cask Strength!! I drink them both quite often and although I am a massive scotch single malt lover this Irish Whisky is delicious and well worth the cost. We pay a lot in Canada. Yikes. This Ardnamurchan is wonderful and I agree completely with you! I love it! What fabulous choices! Integrity is so critical and I do hope to see Diagio expressions become natural without colour and being chill filtered. I admit I do love some of their expressions. I am wholly in agreement about avoiding putting distilleries on a pedestal. I really thought we were going down that road with Benromach. It seems to have slowed to the point that it's still possible to buy here and there but it's more difficult to find. Good luck with Springbank. I Love the whisky but I can't find any more ever! Let's do away with pedestals. This is such an enjoyable video and channel and I learn a lot and value your opinions a lot! I hope the holiday season has been lovely for you and loved ones!! Cheers!! 🙂
You clearly have excellent taste 🧐 😉
Here in England you have to look really hard to find even Springbank 10. I can get Longrow NAS, Campbeltown Loch and occasionally standard Kilkerrans but that's it. There are plenty more quality whiskies out there though! Hope you're having a great start to 2024 🎇 🥃 Cheers!
@@WhiskyLock Happy New Year!! Hey I would love to be able to find Kilkerran expressions in a much easier way! I have to order from another province in Canada! Alberta has some terrific spirit stores that manage to get hold of some superb whiskies and they don't hike the price much. I also love Longrow! I have to watch your video on Campbelltown Loch! Did you like it?! Here's to some spectacular whiskies in 2024!! Cheers!! 🙂
Happy new year shane! 🥃 Interesting that Clairin. Will take a deeper look at that.
Clairin is my new obsession. If you haven't tried any yet then Clairin Communal is a great place to start. Only 43% but not a problem at all. It's a blend of four very good clairins and gives you a good idea of what to expect. Or if you want to dive straight in, any of the Velier clairins are excellent. Happy New Year 🥃
I wept openly when I drained my 02.22, fell into an unresponsive stupor when I missed the 09.22, but recovered quite nicely after picking up a bottle of 05.23 a couple months back. Seriously, the 02.22 was pure bliss. Just happened to pour some of the 05.23 last night. Slightly different. Similar nose profile but perhaps a bit deeper and richer, a wonderfully weighty mouth feel, a smidge sweeter than the 02, and the flavors hold nicely in the finish. Perhaps the 02 wins by a nose, but I'm curious to see what a little more time and air in the 09 bottle will do. Just lovely stuff!
Really great that each batch is different while still being good. Exactly what we want! Is there a little extra sherry in the Cask breakdown of 05.23? Cheers 🥃
I’ve had plenty of the AD releases and several cs bottles- the quality is really there but shows itself as very promising for when it’s older liquid- again Ardna produce quality but they still drink as young as they are… roll on a 10/12 yr cs
It's a very, very rare malt that drinks older than it is IMHO. Shame that the opposite isn't true 😯
I have two previous Ardnamurchan ❤ CS bottlings and will be buying 2023 edition soon. Great Distillery. Can't wait to see what will be released in 2024 from Ardnamurchan! Happy New Year MaltMates 🎉
It's a very exciting distillery to follow. Not least because their QR codes mean that we can see the exact differences between each batch, guess at what's causing the differences and follow their progress. So much added value. Cheers 🥃
Hard to disagree with your pick Shane, brilliant whisky! I agree with you on the Irish whiskey front. I have not had my moneys worth with any of the premium Irish whiskyes but the RB12 CS is a gorgeous whisky. Cheers!
Yeah I don't think I've ever enjoyed an Irish Whiskey as much as my current bottle of Redbreast 12CS. Superb! Cheers 🥃
Thought you might go with the Smoky Scot but you can't go wrong with Ardnamurchan CS. Cheers on a great year of Whisky reviews!
Smoky Scot is an amazing dram for an amazing price but Ardnamurchan is very much the man of the moment when talking about what is happening in whisky this year. Either would be a justified choice IMHO though. Cheers 🥃
Nice one Lock will be on anCnoc 18 and Ledaig 18 tonight so have a good one 64 today 🙂
The cask strength Ardamurchan I'll hold back
Happy birthday my friend 🎂 Ledaig 18 makes my mouth water just thinking about it. Cheers end enjoy 🥃
Thanks - Happy New Year!!
Thanks Jason - Happy New Year! 🎇 🥃
A good choice for the winner Shane 🥃
Happy New Year!
Thanks and Happy New Year! 🎇 🥃
Yes more malt-ternative reviews: rum/rhum/clairin/Cognac/armagnac/mezcal.
It's nice to know that there is an audience for such things 😌 Cheers 🥃
Thanks for the video. Happy new year
Happy New Year! 🎇 🥃
Bunnahabhain 12yo CS 2022 the Best 2023 😉🥃🥃
Hard to go wrong with Bunna 👍
Awesome picks, Shane. Ardnamurchan may be an obvious choice but its a damn good one. Happy New Year! 🎉🥃
Thanks Geoff. It had to be done with all the new distillery stuff I've covered lately. It would be almost rude not to.
I had to give a mention to your pick too though. It punches well above its weight and I've seen it on offer here for around £35 which means I'll probably always have a bottle in the house going forward.
Happy New Year (for 4 hours ago). What's it like living in the future? 🤔 Cheers Geoff 🥃
Some great whiskies in that line up. I too like Lagavulin 8 and prefer it to the 16. I must get a bottle of the Smoky Scot which sounds good. Have you tried the Smokey Joe from Angus Dundee….wonder how it compares. As for Ardnamurchan as your WOTY…..stunning….enough said !! Looking forward to your 2024 reviews and recommendations. Sláinte 🥃
The age statement snob in me resisted Lagavulin 8 for quite a while. I think it didn't help that the 8 was more expensive than the 16 at the very start! But I'm a full convert now. Lag8 all the way!
I haven't tried Smokey Joe yet but will keep an eye out for it. Cheers to a great 2024 🥃
Hi Shane, good to see there some Clairin (I have a bottle of the "Casimir" (Faubert distillery), harvest 2015, Hawaian sugarcane, 53,4 % abv) I've never reviewed & happy to see some English whiskies....quite impressed by the Lakes I tried this year & also a Filey Bay fan...I agree on many choices (I don't see this Smoky Scot here in France), that said, with no disrespect for the distillery, while I struggled first with the Ardnamurchan 02/22 CS, it is better now, but for me it can't rival with the reduced at 46,8 % releases, balance & complexity wise, just my opinion...I'm preparing also a highlights of the year video, in which you might see (spoiler) an AD., but it won't be this one...😉Cheers !
Hi Greg! I have a Casimir 2020. It's my favourite of the more easy drinking, fruit bomb clairins in my opinion. Very, very good!
Fully agree that the AD releases have a bit more balance and complexity. I think I said something along those lines in my review. There are definitely more balanced vattings. But I also love the raw power of the 02.22. No bad choice to be made IMHO 👍
I look forward to your highlights of the year video. Cheers 🥃
I keep trying different releases from Ardnamurchan, but the only one I've liked (so far) is the Paul Launois and even that wouldn't be in any top ten list I might compile... Still, it's good that we don't all like the same things, so that we have a reasonable chance to buy something we want without paying secondary prices (not that I haven't overpaid for a few!).
Paul Launois is one of the few I haven't tried at this point. Horses for courses though, as you say! Cheers 🥃
Before I watch this vid, I will tell you I already know what it is going to be. #1 will be Jura 12 year old, no doubt. 🤣🤣
Damn you guessed it 😬 I'd better quickly change it now 😂
Well To be honest i tried 12yo rebreast 40% side by side with greenspot and i enjoyed spot a lot more...but best irish whisky for me comes from dingle, its whiskey with attitude. Totally agree with Your choice for whisky of the year!! If you like ardnamurchan and cutty sark prohibition was your whisky of the year you should definetly try mcleans nose it blow my mind last week with quality and taste! Cheeers!
Maclean's Nose review coming very soon (and I actually mean soon this time 😂). It's a solid blend 👍Cheers 🥃
I’d love to think there could be a WLoch meet up this year
LockFest 2024! I should probably work on making a livestream actually happen first though 😒
Picked up the loch lomond 14, I like it, tastes like tobermory 12 to me. Also love the ad cs.
Happy new year!
Interesting. I haven't had LL14 yet... although I do own a bottle. This is why I needed the bottle ban. Too many bottles in stock 😉
To be fair I like LL12 and a lot of their other expressions a lot. Even the grains. I'm hoping to review the entire range soon and I wouldn't be at all surprised if LL12 (or perhaps 14) is my WOTY 2024. Happy New Year 🎇 Have a great one 🥃
Happy New Year and thanks for all the great reviews in 2023. I'm drinking rather than buying in 2024, but Ardnamurchan is on top of the wish list, as is the Redbreast CS, which has been recommended from so many quarters. Meanwhile I'll be enjoying Laga8, Smoky Scot and the Cask Craft Tulli.
Sounds like you're very well stocked for now 🙂 Time to enjoy all those purchases. Cheers 🥃
I can definitely go along with your choice! It's an excellent bottle, but it was a 2022 discovery for me, so it didn't make my list this year (for me it was the newly discovered Edradour 12 as well as the absolutely serendipitous find of a RRP bottle of Springbank 12 just days before my son was born).
But my award for "most improved bottle after being open" goes to the base AD release, which I initially wasn't crazy about, but it improved so much on the last third of the bottle that I went out and bought another on sale.
I've never tried edradour. Should I pick up the 12 if I get the chance?
@@listenu Well I certainly enjoyed it! It's quite a heavy spirit with a nice deep oloroso sherry influence. Up there pricewise due to the tiny output of the distillery, but definitely worth a try. Edradour put out sample sizes of most of their expressions, so maybe you'll be able to pick up one of those before buying a full bottle.
@@klizzt cheers!
Edradour 12 is a great dram. I have a bottle that I'm half way through at the moment. Proper old school sherry 👍
Hi Shane. Looking forward to opening my Ardnamurchan CS 2023. Don’t really buy anything from Diageo now (IB’s aside) but Laga 8 I really like and this month was on offer for €40 (around £35) just couldn’t say no. Enjoyed your content this year, good channel Shane. All the best for the coming year. Slàinte 🥃
Thanks David. We sometimes get Lagavulin 8 for around £35 on supermarket offers. I'll be getting that second bottle next time that offer comes around. Worth every penny. Cheers and hope you had a great New Year's 🥃
HI Shane, I am wishing you and yours a Happy New Year. Rum Reviews yes please, I like a quality rum now and then I even have a rum Solera bottle. Ardnamurchan is a great choice for whisky of the year. My good value whisky of the year is the Thompson Brothers Blended Scotch Whisky a great drop at about £35, how much longer its going to be around is anyone's guess. My malt whisky of the year is the Speyburn 15, batches vary but I have not been disappointed so far. Best wishes for 2024.
Thanks Andy. A rum solera bottle! Outstanding 👍 do you put all types of rum into it? Does any particular style dominate?
I'm a little ashamed to say that I haven't tried any of the Thompson Bros bottles yet. Time to change that I think! As I've only heard positive things.
Speyburn 15 is an absolute gem. Looking forward to getting to know the 10, 15 and 18 some time this year. Hope you're having a great start to 2024. Cheers 🥃
@@WhiskyLock Hi Shane, my rum solera consists mostly of Dooly's, Worthy Park, , Foursquare, Appletons etc. I try and stay away from the sweetened rums., but you know how it is with rums you can never be sure I think things are getting better with some rum producers realising that the market wants clean rums. Plus there seems to be more local legislation on some of the islands banning additives or at least reducing the amounts that can be added. Having said all that I do like a Pussers Gunpowder rum which has I am sure, additional sweeteners in it. Keep up the great work you do, I am a fan of you videos and all that you say on them.
@@andywalker6908 That sounds like a hell of a recipe. Yes, a lot of rum producers really are listening to the enthusiasts. Funny how rum, a drink that traditionally has a bit of a bad rep, is working to improve and it's only really Scotch that's giving pushback...
Pussers Gunpowder is a great rum. Very different style to your Foursquares and Appletons, etc. but really great. I have a bottle of Pussers 151 at the moment but the Gunpowder Proof is probably the ideal drinking strength.
Thanks for the supportive comments and cheers 🥃
I recommend leith legacy 10 to you
Honestly I had never heard of it! I'm always open to affordable whisky at 46% though. Thanks for the recommendation!
You mentioned mezcal... i bought 2 "artisnal' bottles this year to try it, opened 1, oof. Cant see me drinking this stuff. Am i missing something?
Although i remember saying the same thing 20 years ago with my first bottle of scotch, glenlivit. Its amazing how your taste buds can change!
Again, cheers to you!
Amazing indeed! My advice would be to put it away for a while and see if it grows on you. Don't give up too easily 🙂
There was a time when I found Bowmore 12 unbearably earthy... that was many, many years ago now though 😂
Pretty sure Redbreast are phasing out the 12cs to become a nas cs- that’s why they changed 12 to twelve- the slow phase out
Gah... I hope not 😕 might be time to stock up...
Bring on the rum! I'm not sure any distillery on the planet is flying higher than Hampden these days.
Hampden are a real success story. Great rum, great presentations. Not a coincidence that Velier also played a part in spreading their products around the world 👍
There are exciting things happening across Jamaica at the moment though. I've had some really great rum from Worthy Park and Long Pond lately. And a lot of it is cheaper and easier to get than Hampden. Cheers 🥃
@@WhiskyLockI agree, Worthy Park at its best is as good as anything in Jamaica. I've had a few great Long Ponds as well.
I’ve spent more time at Christmases with Shane’s channel than I have my extended family
We're all family here! 🥃
Great answer, Happy New Year .@@WhiskyLock
Sorry that Thompson Bros 8 yr blended malt takes a lot of beating for value, nose and taste. good punt for dram of the year ;-)
It does sound like a bargain banger. Sadly I still haven't tried it yet but Thompson Bros are very much on my radar now!
Sajous is the best of the Clairin from Velier
All of the Velier clairins are exceptional. Far better than any non velier offerings IMHO. My preference is Vaval and Sonson though. Have you tried La Roche? I found the 2017 quite similar to Sajous. Cheers 🥃
all the Clairin's are good. Have you had any of the Mexican unaged Clairin like stuff like Paranubes or Canada or Urupan or Dakabend ?@@WhiskyLock
@@MrPsiman I've not had any of those but Mexico make some spectacular unaged smoke bombs. I'll add your recommendations to my list to keep an eye out for. Cheers 🥃
Not sure how much of the Mexican stuff is in the UK. The new Hampden Estate Great House 2023 should be here in the U.S. soon. I want to try the new Worthy Park unaged Overproof made with cane juice@@WhiskyLock
The new Hampden Estate 2023 should be in the U.S. soon and the new Worthy Park unaged Overproof made with cane juice and molasses@@WhiskyLock
HNY Shane, I enjoy watching your channel. Am I the only one who thinks Ardnamurchan is too hot, too spirit driven ? Paul.
Hi Paul! Happy New Year. Ardnamurchan is still young and I think we all have a different tolerance for youth. I've become a lot more accustomed to young whisky over the last few years providing that it's well made and I think Ardnamurchan is.
Perfectly possible that it's just not for you though. One thing that I have found to help a lot with many of these young whiskies from new distilleries is to give it plenty of air. When I first open them I will quite often leave the cork out all evening and I often find that it can take the edge off.
Hope you're having a great New Year's 🥃
Thanks for your reply Shane. Perhaps I will try a cask strength version next, a sherried one maybe, and take plenty of time (and water) with it.
@@WhiskyLock
PC10.
That's actually my NYE dram 👍