Another great blurb from the folks at Coolmaterial.com. Sadly I've only tried the JW Blue.
Comparing scotches can be difficult. Some people look for the peatiness of an Islay offering, others champion an expertly crafted blend. But, when it comes down to it, scotch is scotch, and we love all kinds. And while there are plenty of great Scotch whiskies weve tried, there are some that are simply bucket list-worthy. These are the 15 scotches you need to try at least once in your life.
http://coolmaterial.com/food-drink/the-scotch-bucket-list-15-bottles-you-need-to-try-at-least-once/
Comparing scotches can be difficult. Some people look for the peatiness of an Islay offering, others champion an expertly crafted blend. But, when it comes down to it, scotch is scotch, and we love all kinds. And while there are plenty of great Scotch whiskies weve tried, there are some that are simply bucket list-worthy. These are the 15 scotches you need to try at least once in your life.
THE MACALLAN 25 YEAR OLD SHERRY OAK
There are many nice Macallan bottles to be had21 Year Old Fine Oak, for starters but our choice, and the one that really impressed us the most, is the 25 Year Old Sherry Oak. You get tons of fruit, as if youre smelling and tasting your way through a summertime farmers market. Oh, and the honey, theres plenty of that. Expensive? Um, yeah, you could say that. Delicious? For sure. ($1000) LinkJOHNNIE WALKER BLUE
While no other Johnnie Walker color blows us away, each has little elements we happen to like. Those good elements join forces to create Johnnie Walker Blue. Its like Voltron. Johnnie Walker Blue is chewy and smooth with a balance of toffee, smoke, and earthiness. Its not the best scotch weve ever had, but it is the great scotch even nondrinkers know, and its pretty damn tasty. ($160) LinkBOWMORE 25 YEAR OLD
Bowmore is one of Scotlands oldest distilleries, and since the 1700s, theyve been producing fine scotch. Drawing much from its time in Spanish sherry casks, Bowmores 25 Year Old is loaded with fruit and some syrupy sweetness on the tongue. All of that is balanced out but just the right amount of smoke. Smooth and tasty. ($350) LinkBUNNAHABHAIN 25 YEAR OLD
If you love sherry, this is the scotch for you. With a thick and sweet profile, Bunnahabhains 25 Year Old delivers the sherry goodness. Mixed in, youll find hints of nutmeg, leather, and just a nice bit of smokiness. ($325) LinkGLENMORANGIE SIGNET
For a rich and sweet whisky, look no further than this bottle from Glenmorangie. Signet is dessert scotch. With an aroma that reminds you a bit of your morning coffee, a taste reminiscent of a spicy candy bar, and a finish that brightens everything up, its truly one-of-a-kind. Its a creamy treat everyone should try. ($230) LinkSPRINGBANK 12 YEAR OLD
This cask-strength gem packs notes of milk chocolate and vanilla when you open it up with a few drops of water. Like other Springbreak offerings, youll find influences from the peat and sherry casks. At only 12 years old, its really an exceptionaland surprisingscotch. ($80)LinkARDBEG UIGEADAIL
This Islay gem has reached iconic status. A lot of that has to do with Jim Murray naming a special Canadian bottle of it his World Whisky of the Year in 2009. While that scotch wasnt your standard Ardbeg Uigeadail (pronounced Oog-a-dal), this classic is shockingly affordable and simply tremendous. It packs the smoke. Picture yourself drinking a campfire. With just a bit of sweetness, its a unique and wonderful scotch. ($70) LinkLAPHROAIG QUARTER CASK
Another peaty and smokey whisky for you to enjoy. Laphroaigs Quarter Cask isnt their most expensive bottle, or their most well-known, but it is one of our go-to bottles. Another true Islay offering, Quarter Cask is loaded with wood smoke, tobacco, and peat. It honors the tradition of using smaller casks to increase solid contact with the oak. The finish lingers and develops over time, and, best of all, the price is right. ($60) LinkCHIVAS REGAL 18 YEAR OLD
Chivas Regal 18 Year Old is an expertly blended mix of over 20 rare single malts from around Scotland. The winner of numerous awards, Chivas Regal 18 Year Old is smooth, balanced, and approachable. With a long finish and a subtle hint of smoke, its one of the finest blended scotches youll ever come across. ($70)LinkHIGHLAND PARK 25 YEAR OLD
Highland Parks 25 Year Old was the first spiritnot just scotchto score a 100 in the Ultimate Spirits Challenge in 2013. Needless to say, its kind of a big deal. Its a rich single malt with a good amount of honey. Its powerful and could probably use a bit of water, but the flavors are spectacular. Procuring a bottle is up to you. ($360) LinkLAGAVULIN 16 YEAR OLD
In the scotch world, there are some brand expressions that are just well-known. Lagavulins 16 is one of them. The single malt packs a smokey wallop. And, while many Islay bottles can make a similar claim, the fullness and finish really make Lagavulins 16 unique. ($80) LinkISLE OF JURA 30 YEAR OLD
With only 200 bottles released in the United States, the only thing wrong with this whisky is the difficulty in finding it. Loaded with a fresh grain profile thats highlighted by hints of orange peel and toffee, Isle of Jura 30 Year Old is a full-bodied beauty. Known as Carnas an Staca (The Standing Stone), the scotch will continue to intrigue like the ancient monument its named after. ($500) LinkOLD PULTENEY 35 YEAR OLD
If you enjoy a finish like the one in Memento, where it leaves you sitting in amazement and deep in thought for an hour, this is the single malt for you. In the world of high age expressions, in which some have been pushed too far, Old Pulteney 35 can go toe-to-toe with any of the ones that havent. As mentioned before, the finish is tremendous. It slowly develops on your tongue with sweet and smokey notes appearing and fading away. Released for the first time last year, only 450 cases were distributed around the world. ($800) LinkGLENFIDDICH 15 YEAR OLD SOLERA
Glenfiddich 15 is one the best bang for your buck scotches on the market. There are many more expensive Glenfiddich expressions, but this is the one that gets the most rightincluding the price. After a solera process and some time spent in Portuguese oak, Glenfiddich 15 emerges with a honey sweet profile with some wonderful warming spice. Its proof that a great scotch doesnt have to break the bank. ($50) LinkDALMORE SELENE
Dalmore makes some really nice whisky that you can purchase for a reasonable amount of money. This isnt one of those whiskies. Youd be lucky to find one of the 30 bottles produced, and if you did, youd be even luckier if it cost less than $20,000. And while its not the most expensive bottle Dalmore ever released, it is the one that lives up to the hype the bestas much as any bottle can live up to a $20K+ price tag. The 58-year-old scotch is named after the Titan goddess of the moon, and it packs notes of coffee, marmalade, citrus, and lots more. Its one of those bucket list items thats almost impossible to cross off, but the hunt for a sample of a Scotch whisky like this is fun in itself. ($25,000) Linkhttp://coolmaterial.com/food-drink/the-scotch-bucket-list-15-bottles-you-need-to-try-at-least-once/