My father who passed away a few years ago left us a bottle of Speyburn 10 from the early 1990s which our family used to toast his memory. It was 3/4 at the time but still excellent. Since then I've purchased approximately 4 bottles of Speyburn 10 and unfortunately each bottle tasted very different. I hope that with whiskey prices rising these days (2023), distilleries will focus more on consistency and quality.
DAMN good single malt speyside for the price. First bottle I picked up from the bottom shelf of a local store for $32, not sure what to expect. BIG surprise!! Very tasty. Picked up a second bottle yesterday at the same store, marked down to $30!
Here in Indianapolis, our local CVS, used to carry the Speyburn entry level Scotch, which I tried on a whim. It was surprisingly good for the price, and not long after my initial purchase, they stopped carrying it. Luckily I found it in a local liquor store which had a very good Scotch dept. I just purchased a Speyburn 10 year, which I haven't opened yet. Looking forward to trying this one...
Mine is 43 abv. I love this stuff. The aftertaste to me is really quite nice. This has been poorly reviewed on occasion, but it is quite exceptional for the price...
This is a very mild single malt. If you'd like to try something with a bit more bite, one that I do really like is a brand called Teachers Scotch. Though It's a blended whisky, The smoky peat taste is very nice. Give it a try and see what you think.
Just got into whiskey/reviewing/watching your channel, I just wanted to say that I appreciate that you give some history and back story before you go into the reviewing and tasting part of your video. I personally find them interesting and fun :) Again I am new to whiskey tasting, and enjoy that I can taste along with you and feel good about building my palette. for an example, I was thinking there was some citrus going on in here and you go on too say there is, but more specifically a lemon citrus is what it was. I want to learn how to expand my tasting palette and be able to distinguish more of whats going on with my whiskey, and I thank you for being the one to help me do that. Cheers!
That's awesome! (Our logos look similar!) Just keep trying whisky and take your time to smell it, look up reviews to help identify the smells and tastes. You'll get there :)
@@TheWhiskeyDictionary oh wow I didnt notice haha, dont worry I'm not a brand or anything. This is just from an Anime I saw awhile ago when I was deployed in korea. It combines two of my favorite things. But I cant wait to try another bottle from your channel! I look forward to it :)
Just purchased a bottle of Speyburn 10 and started searching reviews. I think its a good single malt for the price. My go to single malts under $30 are Glenmorangie 10 and Glen Moray (NAS)
Just watched you Speyburn 10 review. Here is another great single malt Scotch for 27.00 . Lismore Single malt scotch. I have enjoyed both these Scotch's. I do confess I also use these scotch's when making a rusty nail. I find the Spyburn and Lismore is very comparable to Glenfidech except for the price. Christopher Comeau
Aberfeldy 12 ... I got for $35 and thought it to be a very pleasant non challenging dram. Honey comes to mind & as I say was an easy afternoon sit down. Would purchase again.
I really like speyburn there's actually a couple of scotches that I know of that are under $30 I just picked one up tonight the name is Glencullen 10 and there's another one I think you've reviewed it before call Glen Grant 12 year old the first one that I mentioned it's really good but I would have to say my favorite region in Scotland for single malts has to be speyside anyways cheers my friend
Tomatin Dualchas (Legacy outside of the U.S.)------I get this one for $18.50 after tax and it is a hidden gem indeed..... I highly recommend you review this one too.......
$30 in Oregon. Available only at State Liquor stores. Because of its quality, a good value compared to other Scotches in this price range. Speyburn 10 is our "go-to" Scotch.
Up until recently I got it for $29.99 but recently went up to $34.99 is Loch Lomond 12 year old. Bottled at 46% and I believe unchillfiltered. Pretty solid for the price.
other than glenlivet and glenfiddich the only under $30 not mentioned that I drink are tomatin single malt 12 and glenmorangie original...need to try this speyburn, need to pick one up. you sir have piqued my interest, great review as usual.
As Ralfy said about Speyburn 10: "it's everything Glenlivet should be" :-) great simple malt for under $30. I also like Glenlivet, Glenfiddich and Glenmorangie Original for light malts and Speyburn is great value, 43% abv in the US.
How about a Grant's? I haven't had any to date but I will likely change that soon. Seems to be available on the bottom shelf of every spirits shop and very well within the under $30 US. Regarding the Speyburn 10, a truly wonderful single malt scotch whisky for the price. I paid $31 US. It's bottled at a respectable 43%ABV. I found notes of apples, figs, plain popcorn and a mild but pleasant tannic note on the nose. On the palate I found notes of apples, pears, lemon juice, a spicy snap that trends to a warm sweetness then evolving into a dryness with notes of white wine, raisins and barley. The finish was of a medium length highlighted by a friendly maltiness. To sip on a daily basis or just start out one's whisky journey I would pick this over the more expensive Glenlivet 12 expression that retails for $50+ US by me.
+Spirited Based on your strong recommendation, I think I'm going to pick up a bottle of Speyburn 10. I've never had Scotch whiskey before, so this should be interesting. Plus, it's on sale where I live for $26.
Have you ever reviewed the Speyburn Arranta Cask. 46% I tried to get the Speyburn 10 but the were sold out so got a bottle of Speyburn Arranta Cask to try. On sale for $35 . The 10 year was $31 but sold out.
I really should. I was trying to get the 15 year old pretty hard then kind of got annoyed at the distillery because they were no help in locating one. I could see myself reviewing the Arranta cask soon
The Whiskey Dic I tried the Bradan Orach and thought it was ok for the price but could definitely tell it needed more age. I tried to get the 10 year and it was sold out , I think I saw a tag for the 15 year and it was sold out too. They only had the Bradan Orach and Arranta Cask so got it since it was on sale. It’s usually $40 .
wasn't either until I tasted glenlivet 12...now I'm on to better ones. one drawback is scotch is a bit more expensive. I'm still more a bourbon guy...my kind of dessert.
I actually just bought a bottle tonight at our local abc store here in North Carolina. I had looked at it several times before but didn’t know anything about it. I paid a little over $28 and was on sale. I am new to this game but with the profile you talked about I am definitely looking forward to trying it and learning more about it. Thanks for your review. Will try it soon! Great information for someone like me that is new to the game! Bought two bottles of Lismore to try soon. Just the Lismore Single Malt Scotch. Curious how Lismore starts out. Thanks for a great video!
The Whiskey Dic The price was very reasonable and I bought two of the same bottles but the packaging was different. They have various year aged versions so I thought I would start at the beginning of their offerings. As soon as I get organized I will definitely let you know! Awesome videos with great information! Easy to process and understand. Thanks!
How is this Speyburn 10 (and the Bradan Orac) classified as a "Highland" malt when the distillery is located in the Speyside region??? Any info available on this??
I got an Speyburn 10. 46 abv. Its my favorit among my other expensive whiskeys. Borgt it in geamany for abaut 26 euro. Wery sheap. :) Here in Denmark mey be the dople.
I have yet to spend $30 on a bottle of scotch, whiskey or wine for that matter! I am almost exclusively a Total Wine shopper and usually stick to their Spirits and Wine Direct products. I have had some clunkers but I've also been able to find some amazing values because I'm willing to experiment. As for good scotches, the Monarch of the Glen 8 and 12 year blends are really solid. They're medium bodies, fruity with a bit of smoke on the underside. I've just recently discovered Highland Queen single malt line. They come in sherry, burgundy, Sauternes or rum cask finished--all under 30! I'd stay away from any of the Shieldaig products, as I hated the 12 year blend 'The Classic and the rest of the line have terrible reviews. Also, the Duncan Taylor NAS blend tastes like water with fake caramel flavor, though I might try the 12 year blend as it has good reviews.
For a nice budget scotch, I'm a big fan of Lismore (NAS). It's a mystery malt... Tastes like it's sourced from Glen Moray, but that's only a guess on my part. Nice, easy drinking scotch. Not very complex... Fruity... Very enjoyable.
I've been passing this over at the store for a while because of its price, exactly as you said, and you've changed my mind for sure. It's $30 for me, still hard to beat. I do have an issue on suggesting Scotch below that price because it's basically JW Red, Dewar's White, and many of the cheapest blends that I've never bothered trying. I'd say Dewar's White is a decent buy for $25 in my location, better than JW Red at least.
The 15 years old just became available yesterday (where I live). Do you think I can wait a couple weeks before getting it or will it not be available anymore at that time?
+acelee632 That is correct. I heard it was new, and I like the Speyburn 10. I have the opportunity to be one of the first to review it and I want to take it :) As far as buying other bottles. At this point I try to go for things that are popular (for Search result reasons) and I think it's where I can do the most good
@@xiamengbaby correct, in fact I noticed the switch in progress soon after I posted that. Also happened to Old Pulteney 12 (same parent company). I stashed a few of the 43% and quit buying.
@@alexk3088 good point, I did notice that with Old Pulteney as well. I wasn't aware they had a common owner though. Interesting, in a sad sort of way. I know a store that still has some 43% OP 12 on the shelf, and I also just came across another store by accident carrying the 43% Speyburn 10 on special right now for $16.99. I may grab an OP, it's $43.99 but for sure will get some $16.99 Speyburn 10.
@@xiamengbaby definitely buy them all, if you can, that is if you like them. OP12 43% was $30 when they were switching in my area, so I scoured several stores and bought them out. All gone now! Prices like that don't come back. Speyburn is on simpler side of things, but I'd totally buy for $16.99! Much better than full price Glenfiddich and Glenlivet 😎
@@alexk3088 I'm going tomorrow for the Speyburn. The store is a bit out of the way, so I hope they have a bunch to make it worth my while. I originally called that store because they had some good prices listed for Springbank, Longrow and MacCallan which it turns out were no longer in stock. So, some cheap Speyburn is my consolation prize. lol
My father who passed away a few years ago left us a bottle of Speyburn 10 from the early 1990s which our family used to toast his memory. It was 3/4 at the time but still excellent. Since then I've purchased approximately 4 bottles of Speyburn 10 and unfortunately each bottle tasted very different. I hope that with whiskey prices rising these days (2023), distilleries will focus more on consistency and quality.
DAMN good single malt speyside for the price. First bottle I picked up from the bottom shelf of a local store for $32, not sure what to expect. BIG surprise!! Very tasty. Picked up a second bottle yesterday at the same store, marked down to $30!
Here in Indianapolis, our local CVS, used to carry the Speyburn entry level Scotch, which I tried on a whim. It was surprisingly good for the price, and not long after my initial purchase, they stopped carrying it. Luckily I found it in a local liquor store which had a very good Scotch dept. I just purchased a Speyburn 10 year, which I haven't opened yet. Looking forward to trying this one...
Speyburn is my go to for Scotch... I do add a stick of white oak in the bottle for 2 weeks before drinking
Suggestions so far:
Monkey Shoulder
Cutty Sark Prohibition
Tomatin Dualchas
Té Bheag
Black Bottle
Finlaggan
finlaggan is true but so is old pulteney
Mine is 43 abv. I love this stuff. The aftertaste to me is really quite nice. This has been poorly reviewed on occasion, but it is quite exceptional for the price...
This is a very mild single malt. If you'd like to try something with a bit more bite, one that I do really like is a brand called Teachers Scotch. Though It's a blended whisky, The smoky peat taste is very nice. Give it a try and see what you think.
I recently bought a Whyte And Mackay Special and just loved it. Here's about 25 dollars or so.
Just got into whiskey/reviewing/watching your channel, I just wanted to say that I appreciate that you give some history and back story before you go into the reviewing and tasting part of your video. I personally find them interesting and fun :)
Again I am new to whiskey tasting, and enjoy that I can taste along with you and feel good about building my palette. for an example, I was thinking there was some citrus going on in here and you go on too say there is, but more specifically a lemon citrus is what it was. I want to learn how to expand my tasting palette and be able to distinguish more of whats going on with my whiskey, and I thank you for being the one to help me do that.
Cheers!
That's awesome! (Our logos look similar!) Just keep trying whisky and take your time to smell it, look up reviews to help identify the smells and tastes. You'll get there :)
@@TheWhiskeyDictionary oh wow I didnt notice haha, dont worry I'm not a brand or anything. This is just from an Anime I saw awhile ago when I was deployed in korea. It combines two of my favorite things.
But I cant wait to try another bottle from your channel! I look forward to it :)
Fantastic! I love coffee too!
Just purchased a bottle of Speyburn 10 and started searching reviews. I think its a good single malt for the price. My go to single malts under $30 are Glenmorangie 10 and Glen Moray (NAS)
Just watched you Speyburn 10 review. Here is another great single malt Scotch for 27.00 .
Lismore Single malt scotch.
I have enjoyed both these Scotch's. I do confess I also use these scotch's when making a rusty nail. I find the Spyburn and Lismore is very comparable to Glenfidech except for the price.
Christopher Comeau
Aberfeldy 12 ... I got for $35 and thought it to be a very pleasant non challenging dram. Honey comes to mind & as I say was an easy afternoon sit down. Would purchase again.
Glen Moray peated. It's the best of both worlds and i love it.
I really like speyburn there's actually a couple of scotches that I know of that are under $30 I just picked one up tonight the name is Glencullen 10 and there's another one I think you've reviewed it before call Glen Grant 12 year old the first one that I mentioned it's really good but I would have to say my favorite region in Scotland for single malts has to be speyside anyways cheers my friend
Tomatin Dualchas (Legacy outside of the U.S.)------I get this one for $18.50 after tax and it is a hidden gem indeed..... I highly recommend you review this one too.......
I just added it to my list. Thanks for the suggestion!
It is delicious
$30 in Oregon. Available only at State Liquor stores. Because of its quality, a good value compared to other Scotches in this price range. Speyburn 10 is our "go-to" Scotch.
Up until recently I got it for $29.99 but recently went up to $34.99 is Loch Lomond 12 year old. Bottled at 46% and I believe unchillfiltered. Pretty solid for the price.
I really enjoy John Barr blended scotch. $29.99. You will not be disappointed. A hidden gem for sure..
I tried it. I agree! A pretty good blend
Té Bheag Scotch Whiskey. A 750ml bottle costs a little over $35, but it might be cheaper in the U.S.
other than glenlivet and glenfiddich the only under $30 not mentioned that I drink are tomatin single malt 12 and glenmorangie original...need to try this speyburn, need to pick one up. you sir have piqued my interest, great review as usual.
Thanks Steven! It's a total hidden gem
As Ralfy said about Speyburn 10: "it's everything Glenlivet should be" :-) great simple malt for under $30. I also like Glenlivet, Glenfiddich and Glenmorangie Original for light malts and Speyburn is great value, 43% abv in the US.
How about a Grant's? I haven't had any to date but I will likely change that soon. Seems to be available on the bottom shelf of every spirits shop and very well within the under $30 US.
Regarding the Speyburn 10, a truly wonderful single malt scotch whisky for the price. I paid $31 US. It's bottled at a respectable 43%ABV. I found notes of apples, figs, plain popcorn and a mild but pleasant tannic note on the nose. On the palate I found notes of apples, pears, lemon juice, a spicy snap that trends to a warm sweetness then evolving into a dryness with notes of white wine, raisins and barley. The finish was of a medium length highlighted by a friendly maltiness. To sip on a daily basis or just start out one's whisky journey I would pick this over the more expensive Glenlivet 12 expression that retails for $50+ US by me.
+Spirited Based on your strong recommendation, I think I'm going to pick up a bottle of Speyburn 10. I've never had Scotch whiskey before, so this should be interesting. Plus, it's on sale where I live for $26.
Tomatin Dualchas (US) or Legacy everywhere else, seems to be under $30 in the US. Maybe Cutty Sark Prohibition (100 proof)
Agree with Curry Sark Prohibition.
Have you ever reviewed the Speyburn Arranta Cask. 46% I tried to get the Speyburn 10 but the were sold out so got a bottle of Speyburn Arranta Cask to try. On sale for $35 . The 10 year was $31 but sold out.
I really should. I was trying to get the 15 year old pretty hard then kind of got annoyed at the distillery because they were no help in locating one. I could see myself reviewing the Arranta cask soon
The Whiskey Dic
I tried the Bradan Orach and thought it was ok for the price but could definitely tell it needed more age. I tried to get the 10 year and it was sold out , I think I saw a tag for the 15 year and it was sold out too. They only had the Bradan Orach and Arranta Cask so got it since it was on sale. It’s usually $40 .
Hey another nice review, not much of a scotch guy but it sure opens my eyes to it that's for sure
+MY BOURBON JOURNEY Thanks!
wasn't either until I tasted glenlivet 12...now I'm on to better ones. one drawback is scotch is a bit more expensive. I'm still more a bourbon guy...my kind of dessert.
I've said it before, but Black Bottle is my go to budget scotch. Then Ben Bracken Green or Blue
I actually just bought a bottle tonight at our local abc store here in North Carolina. I had looked at it several times before but didn’t know anything about it. I paid a little over $28 and was on sale. I am new to this game but with the profile you talked about I am definitely looking forward to trying it and learning more about it. Thanks for your review. Will try it soon! Great information for someone like me that is new to the game! Bought two bottles of Lismore to try soon. Just the Lismore Single Malt Scotch. Curious how Lismore starts out. Thanks for a great video!
I've never tried Lismore before, you'll have to let me know!
The Whiskey Dic The price was very reasonable and I bought two of the same bottles but the packaging was different. They have various year aged versions so I thought I would start at the beginning of their offerings. As soon as I get organized I will definitely let you know! Awesome videos with great information! Easy to process and understand. Thanks!
This is the first Scotch I've tried under $30. I'll definitely buy it again compared to Glenlivet and Glenfiddich 12 yo.
This my favorite scotch under $30
How is this Speyburn 10 (and the Bradan Orac) classified as a "Highland" malt when the distillery is located in the Speyside region??? Any info available on this??
because its north of the lowlands, which people generalize as the highlands though its not correct
I got an Speyburn 10. 46 abv. Its my favorit among my other expensive whiskeys. Borgt it in geamany for abaut 26 euro. Wery sheap. :) Here in Denmark mey be the dople.
Speyburn 10 year old is bottled at 46% in Germany? Really? It was 43% in the US market but new bottles are only 40% ABV. I've given up on it.
ancnoc 12 in the u.s. it is 43abv,no color , and non chill filtered. i get it for 29.99 on sale . not on sale around 34$.
You influenced our choice of whiskey for one of our beer cocktails episodes last week... :)
+TroubleBrewingStudio I'll go check it out!
Well, we did end up obfuscating the trademark since we do beer reviews and this was a whiskey, but the bottle should be distinctive.
Finlaggan old reserve
under $30: Mush Cut, Dewars 12 , Cooper Dog.
I am enamored with the Famous Grouse. It is the scotch I keep in stock.
That would be "enamored "of", not "with".
Famous Grouse is a blended scotch not a single malt ... and sincerely ... far worst than a Speyburn. Sorry ... just my opinion.
I have yet to spend $30 on a bottle of scotch, whiskey or wine for that matter! I am almost exclusively a Total Wine shopper and usually stick to their Spirits and Wine Direct products. I have had some clunkers but I've also been able to find some amazing values because I'm willing to experiment. As for good scotches, the Monarch of the Glen 8 and 12 year blends are really solid. They're medium bodies, fruity with a bit of smoke on the underside. I've just recently discovered Highland Queen single malt line. They come in sherry, burgundy, Sauternes or rum cask finished--all under 30! I'd stay away from any of the Shieldaig products, as I hated the 12 year blend 'The Classic and the rest of the line have terrible reviews. Also, the Duncan Taylor NAS blend tastes like water with fake caramel flavor, though I might try the 12 year blend as it has good reviews.
For a nice budget scotch, I'm a big fan of Lismore (NAS). It's a mystery malt... Tastes like it's sourced from Glen Moray, but that's only a guess on my part. Nice, easy drinking scotch. Not very complex... Fruity... Very enjoyable.
Never heard of it. Ill give it a look!
Monkey Shoulder. But it just must evaporate very fast because the bottle is always nearly empty after its been opened😉
I've been passing this over at the store for a while because of its price, exactly as you said, and you've changed my mind for sure. It's $30 for me, still hard to beat. I do have an issue on suggesting Scotch below that price because it's basically JW Red, Dewar's White, and many of the cheapest blends that I've never bothered trying. I'd say Dewar's White is a decent buy for $25 in my location, better than JW Red at least.
The 15 years old just became available yesterday (where I live). Do you think I can wait a couple weeks before getting it or will it not be available anymore at that time?
+MaximanX My understanding is that it's a new offering so it'll be around for a while
Allright then! Thank you for the fast answer!!!
Have you maybe tried Speyburn Hopkins Reserve?
I haven't. Is it available in the states?
The Whiskey Dic
I am not sure ...i am from Europe....we can buy it in freeshops on the airports.... Cca 30euros for a Litar bottle
Have you tried Buchanan ??
I have but havent reviewed them
17$ ? Holy whiskey, its like 45€ here in Finland, you guys get it good
I will blend it with cask strength to get @46%, still think $wise is worth it
I love McGregor blended scotch weisky.
As in Clan McGregor?
I bought a bottle the other day I swear it was 84 prof. I got to check.
Glen Moray Sherry Cask
Islay Mist 8, $25 cant beat a peated scotch for that price.
Magnus is great its 30 to 35 dollar single malt
My next bottle
Let me know what you think!
kinda curious how you go about buying bottles. You are buying the Speyburn 15, just to review for us?
+acelee632 That is correct. I heard it was new, and I like the Speyburn 10. I have the opportunity to be one of the first to review it and I want to take it :)
As far as buying other bottles. At this point I try to go for things that are popular (for Search result reasons) and I think it's where I can do the most good
Glengoyne 12.
Isle of skye 8, Scottish Leader, White Horse.
Not sure what this means
Three scotch whiskies, under $30, that are worth reviewing.
Perfect, thanks!
Monkey Shoulder for sure. Tomatin 12 year. (Not a fan of the dualchas).
Dewar's 12
Speyburn 10 is 43% in the US.
Not anymore. 😥
@@xiamengbaby correct, in fact I noticed the switch in progress soon after I posted that. Also happened to Old Pulteney 12 (same parent company). I stashed a few of the 43% and quit buying.
@@alexk3088 good point, I did notice that with Old Pulteney as well. I wasn't aware they had a common owner though. Interesting, in a sad sort of way. I know a store that still has some 43% OP 12 on the shelf, and I also just came across another store by accident carrying the 43% Speyburn 10 on special right now for $16.99. I may grab an OP, it's $43.99 but for sure will get some $16.99 Speyburn 10.
@@xiamengbaby definitely buy them all, if you can, that is if you like them. OP12 43% was $30 when they were switching in my area, so I scoured several stores and bought them out. All gone now! Prices like that don't come back. Speyburn is on simpler side of things, but I'd totally buy for $16.99! Much better than full price Glenfiddich and Glenlivet 😎
@@alexk3088 I'm going tomorrow for the Speyburn. The store is a bit out of the way, so I hope they have a bunch to make it worth my while. I originally called that store because they had some good prices listed for Springbank, Longrow and MacCallan which it turns out were no longer in stock. So, some cheap Speyburn is my consolation prize. lol
Tomatin dualchas
Don't do prices, in Canada its 65$ ...
Glendronach 12
Glen Moray 12. Late to the game.
Pear and apple are NOT citrus fruits!
Yup. Slip of the tounge there
Teacher's
Did I make a typo or something?
That color looks dreadfully generic. Would I be correct in guessing it's artificial?
+physics2112 chill filtered and colored