Recommendations for a 30 year/1988 vintage whiskey

[state]

Hi all,

This is far out of my standard choice/budget of Bushmills White Label, but I figure I can only do this once: I'd like to get a (an affordable) birth year Whiskey for my upcoming 30th.

I prefer Irish to Scotch, but I don't think I will have many options for a 30 year Irish. Any recommendations in this arena? I do like peat (e.g. Connemara) and I can't rave enough about Whiskey Del Bac, which uses mesquite wood instead of peat to malt the barley. But I generally gravitate towards a triple distilled Irish, and splurging more on something like Red Breast, Bushmills 10 year, or Knappogue 12 year.

Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[Cricket1]

Not sure of a recommendation, but you are going to have a hard time finding any 30 yr old whisky, Irish, Scotch or American. Your best bet will be a single malt scotch, but it's gonna be big $$$$$$. Most likely you will have to get it from an auction.

Good luck on your hunt, and keep us posted.

 

[TexLaw]

Your choices are limited, but there is plenty out there in the way of single malt or single cask Scotch whiskies. Most of the well known outfits offer a 30-yr. If you have a VERY good shop nearby, you might get lucky and find something there. Otherwise, you'll have to order it. A little poking around and searching online should show you your options. For something actually aged 30 years, though, you're probably looking at several hundred dollars to well over $1,000.

If you are willing to settle for something distilled in 1988 but bottled prior to it's thirtieth year, you can pay a lot less.

Don't get your hopes up about finding a 30-year aged Irish whiskey. There isn't much of that around at all. If you were to find any, prepare to reach far more deeply into your pockets. Again, you might have a better chance finding something distilled in 1988 but aged for less than 30 years.

In the end, you might want to just splurge on a bottle of Redbreast 12 Cask Strength, 15, or 21 and be very pleased.

 

[M14Shooter]

Plus 1 Red Breast Cask Strength is very good .

 

[Doc4]

I figure I can only do this once: I'd like to get a (an affordable) birth year Whiskey for my upcoming 30th.

Unless you have some strange time machine, then yes, you CAN only have your 30th birthday once.

I'm gonna think outside the box here, and toss you a suggestion straight outta left field. Instead of getting a whisk(e)y that's from 1988 ... get a vintage port. There are lots of great options out there ... I'm not going to pretend to have tasted any of them or to be able to tell you which in particular is the one you should get but ... look into it.

Oh, and by the way, there's an historical precedent for this, too. "Back in the day", it used to be tradition for well-to-do Englishmen to put a case of vintage port in the cellar on their son's birth, to be drunk ... dranken, drinked, consumed ... on the son's 21st birthday. Now, absent that funky time machine mentioned above, we can't do this for your 21st ... nor do you need a whole case ... but this seems a good way to nod to old-timey tradition.

 

[ackvil]

The only 30 year old liquors I have seen were single malt Scotches. I recall a Highland Park and a Laphroaig 30-year old that cost close to $1,000 a bottle. I also recall seeing an Armagnac when I was in France that I thought was 30 years old.

 

[cleanshaved]

How about as a alternative getting 2 nice 15 year old bottles or even 3 - 10 year old whisky.
One 18 year and a 12 year old.

 

[gunny_badger]

Here you go:

30 Year Old Whisky - Master of Malt

They will or should ship to the US, but either way be prepared to spend some dough. If anything, it’ll give you an idea of what to search for locally.

Don’t be afraid to ask the clerks if they have anything in back or even try to make friends with a store owner.


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[cleanshaved]

Here you go:

30 Year Old Whisky - Master of Malt

They will or should ship to the US, but either way be prepared to spend some dough. If anything, it’ll give you an idea of what to search for locally.

Don’t be afraid to ask the clerks if they have anything in back or even try to make friends with a store owner.


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This was on their site.

 

[bobmsp]

This was on their site.

View attachment 918464

That’s too bad - but at least you have the names of several 1988 whiskys.

 

[gunny_badger]

This was on their site.

View attachment 918464

Well damn, they use to ship to the US. That’s unfortunate as they have a good selection, but most of it comes at a premium.

As it was pointed at least he has some options to look for.

If all else you may be able to find an Armagnac with a 30 years age statement. I know a 25 year age statement is readily available at a really good price. Don’t know about 30’s as I’ve never looked for one.


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[cleanshaved]

Well damn, they use to ship to the US. That’s unfortunate as they have a good selection, but most of it comes at a premium.

As it was pointed at least he has some options to look for.

Maybe they will set up a store in the States to sell from.
Yes, the options make the link of good value. Maybe a bottle of one could be picked up locally if the OP is interested in them.

I see they ship to NZ. I've briefly considered getting a bottle or two delivered from the UK but I think the added duty, GST and customs fees at the NZ boarder would price them much higher.

 

[state]

Thanks for the comments so far, everyone! I was also using the Master of Malt site on a recommendation, but hadn't seen that they don't ship to the US anymore, drat! And here I was excited that I could maybe get a 30 y.o. bottle for less than $150. Things are further complicated by the fact that I am currently in an ABC state; shipping to a private individual looks like a nightmare. I might have to resign to the 2x15 year idea, which is a good one.

I'm still open to ideas, in case I find myself in a bar near my birthday where I can at least get a good single malt in that age range.

 

[gunny_badger]

@state I don’t know what you’re looking to spend; however, this bottle is available near me and I guarantee I can get it to you. Not sure if the price is inline with other Balvenie 30’s.

How do I know I can get it to you? Let’s just say I may or may not have done this a few dozen times. I’ll plead the 5th in an open forum.

The Balvenie 30 Year (750 ML)

If you’re interested PM me and we can discuss.


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[jlanger]

FYI you can find 30 year old port fairly easy, not whisky but still might work.

Total Wine & More

 

[The Knize]

Unless you have some strange time machine, then yes, you CAN only have your 30th birthday once.

I'm gonna think outside the box here, and toss you a suggestion straight outta left field. Instead of getting a whisk(e)y that's from 1988 ... get a vintage port. There are lots of great options out there ... I'm not going to pretend to have tasted any of them or to be able to tell you which in particular is the one you should get but ... look into it.

Oh, and by the way, there's an historical precedent for this, too. "Back in the day", it used to be tradition for well-to-do Englishmen to put a case of vintage port in the cellar on their son's birth, to be drunk ... dranken, drinked, consumed ... on the son's 21st birthday. Now, absent that funky time machine mentioned above, we can't do this for your 21st ... nor do you need a whole case ... but this seems a good way to nod to old-timey tradition.

If I recall, the tradition was to put aside a "pipe" of port for a son's future use from the year he was born. A pipe was a large barrel and a rather crazily large amount of port. So large an amount that I am skeptical that there was such a tradition!