Port Charlotte is so powerful that it could grow hair on the bow of an oil tanker.
@georgiatanasov732711 сағат бұрын
Why do you put the new design as a thumbnail on your video while tasting the old one???
@thewhiskyfriend11 сағат бұрын
My bad there i got the better image with the new one...oppologies...
@peterlee2279Күн бұрын
Lovely ID Bottle review Alan. Merry Christmas to you 🎄
@thewhiskyfriendКүн бұрын
Cheers peter same to you and the family fella...
@thewhiskyenthusiastКүн бұрын
Some solid whiskies there Alan. I have not tried the Talisker or the Turntables but all sound great. I sipped on a SMWS 'Gastronomic Fusion' (8 year old peated single grain from Loch Lomond) and it went brilliantly with both the sweet and the savoury foods we had. Merry Christmas and cheers!
@elmushaw23672 күн бұрын
Merry xmas & happy new year Whisky friend and everyone!! 👍 👍 👌🤘🍻🥃🎄⛄😎✌️
@chentim17512 күн бұрын
Unlike others, Great IB picks , thanks Allan for all the great works
@peathead44503 күн бұрын
Milking succeeded, Alan. Thanks for sharing. My focus mainly is on IB, and then preferably on bourbon matured whiskies (CS, UCF and NC, of course). Not really valuable to mention specific expressions as theymostly are single casks ... and therefore most likely not available anymore. Slàinte mhath
@jbar62843 күн бұрын
Excellent list, Alan, and I'm particularly pleased that you've put the focus on IBs, both in this vid. and this year, because they bring so much to the industry/sector. Some OMCs do appear in my market but not the others, alas. People say SV are releasing too many in the 100 proof series and I understand what they mean, but for nz there's only been 3 for the whole year/just this month so I'm not quite at saturation point, yet. Plus there's the potential frustration of which ones the local importer chooses to pick/omit. Cheers!
@heisenbergguy77723 күн бұрын
You’re killing me Alan, I can’t get any of your 5 here in Texas, USA! Argh
@thewhiskyfriend3 күн бұрын
Then you need to move to Scotland my friend....🤣 happy whisky filled festive season my friend...responsibly of course....😂
@heisenbergguy77723 күн бұрын
My Scotch Whisky of the Year is Glen Scotia 15 and my Bourbon of the Year is Town Branch Overproof!
@michaelwood32033 күн бұрын
I think the independents have been great. Here are some but I’d add them to your list Alan. Signatory vintage 100 Caol Ila 9 years 2015. Signatory 100 Benrinnes 2011 13 years. Signatory Vintage 14 years North British Grain 2009 @46 abv. Douglas Laing Premier Barrell Ardmore 12 years Fathers Day. Cutty Sark Prohibition 50% abv. Happy Christmas.
@Servanus7713 күн бұрын
Agree with Thompson Bros, maybe even old Perth ( cask strength) but sorry for me that Talisker 11 would have to be something exceptional to justify costing more than £100
@thewhiskyfriend3 күн бұрын
Hey buddy it is exceptional. Best talisker ive ever tasted fella...its a crazy whisky my friend....
@agrainofmalt3 күн бұрын
Milk me!
@rupertansell46623 күн бұрын
I’m a big fan of Infrequent Flyers, North Star and Signatory Vintage. There are some fantastic whiskies in their lineups
@brukuns3 күн бұрын
I was blown away by the Infrequent Flyers Highland Park (they just say Orkney) 21y PX... then I bought 5 different samples from other of their bottles (Bunnahabhain 9 peated, GlenMoray 11, Glentauchers 11, Royal Brackla 15 and Alta a Bhaine 17) and was absolutely underwhelmed... All of them very meh whiskies, and the GlenMoray was outright bad. Lots of inconsistency with SV too, they just release way too many bottles.
@thewhiskyfriend3 күн бұрын
Too many fella...happy holidays my friend...
@rupertansell46623 күн бұрын
@ It’s tough to pick as there are so many excellent independent bottlers. Have a great Christmas and a healthy and prosperous 2025 Alan
@rupertansell46623 күн бұрын
@ Interesting
@elduderino31203 күн бұрын
Old Perth for the win!
@thewhiskyfriend3 күн бұрын
Not quite..close though...got a deployment 7 sherry bomb...think if id have cracked that it would have been close....
@neilbloor87433 күн бұрын
Alan good line up. My picks would be 5.Compass Box Nectarosity, 4.SMWS Three in One 140.9 (Balcones), 3. Compass Box No Name No 3, 2.Campbeltown Loch (20/06/23), 1. SMWS 157.1 Toasty, Roasty and Oaky Armorik "Warenghem Distillery"
@thewhiskyfriend3 күн бұрын
All bangers matey...
@Balkonwhisky3 күн бұрын
My best peated Malt in 2024 was Port Charlotte SYC01. Tightly followed by the Ardnahoe inaugural and the Glen Scotia Dragon. Thanks for sharing your Thoughts and Opinion about. Whish you happy Holidays. Greets from Germany 😎🤘
@thewhiskyfriend3 күн бұрын
I have that syc o1..not cracked it yet maybe in 2025....have s whisky filled festive season...responsibly of course...
@Balkonwhisky3 күн бұрын
@thewhiskyfriend of course... like always...keep it Quality.🥳
@thewhiskyenthusiast4 күн бұрын
What a list Alan, I can't argue with any of them. So much in par with my peated whiskies of the year as well. Cheers friend, here's to bigger and peatier whiskies for 2025!
@thewhiskyfriend4 күн бұрын
Its always tough to narrow it to just five, i almost swapped out the benromach for the Lagg corriecravie maybe i should have done 6, happy whisky filled festive season to you and yours from me and mine my friend...
@jbar62844 күн бұрын
Great picks, Alan. Some of these aren't available where I am (Midgie, Ardnahoe 5, Glen Scotia Dragon though we do have the Mermaid), but I'm a big fan of Benromach 15 for its dusty farm workshop notes.
@thewhiskyfriend4 күн бұрын
Hey buddy i do think all 3 will eventually make it to your market...all bangers fella...hope you and yours have a whisky filled festive season from me and mine my friend...cheers
@jbar62844 күн бұрын
@@thewhiskyfriend The Midgie and Ardnahoe will arrive, but not the inaugurals, only later editions--I'm not fussed to miss inaugurals as that's not a thing for me, just curious to try the new tastes. Ardnamurchan serves the nz market very well compared to many other producers, but we're so small that some just never make it. Thanks for all your excellent content this year, Alan. The pleasure *is* in the sharing and you've been very generous with that, ta.
@domsansom85084 күн бұрын
❤
@andynelson58644 күн бұрын
Picked up a couple Kilchomans recently. Both earn high marks for what I tried this year. Just cracked the 100% Islay 13th Edition (all ex-bourbon) recently. Superb. Also uncorked the Cask Strength Sanaig (it says 2024 edition, so I wonder if they plan to tweak it in the future?): just what I imagined and hoped it would be.
@pizzawarlord92325 күн бұрын
Nice list. I have to do some shopping now
@rupertansell46625 күн бұрын
I think the Mac-Talla Mara is an underrated whisky
@davidowen28345 күн бұрын
Hi Alan, couldn’t agree more on the Benromach 15, I love this malt. Good video 👍. Have a great Xmas and have a great new year. Slàinte Alan🥃
@thewhiskyfriend5 күн бұрын
I was in two minds about the benromach David almost swapped it out with the Lagg corriecravie...hope you have a happy whisky filled festive period my friend....
@jagonzalez455 күн бұрын
On the Benromach 15, I completely concur!
@peathead44505 күн бұрын
Thanks for sharing Alan. Interesting list. Most of the new whiskies I've tried this year are single cask independent bottlings, so not very relevant to make best of 2024 list. From the official bottlings the Laphroaig 10yo cask strenth (batch 16) and Ardnahoe Feis Ile bottle are worth mentioning. Slàinte mhath
@thewhiskyfriend5 күн бұрын
Loved the Ardnahoe feis lie bottle Frank, its so limited though i could not put it in...preferred the ardnahoe innaugral though that little oloroso swung it...🤣 Looking back now might have swapped the benromach gor the lagg corriecrabie...
@andynelson58644 күн бұрын
2024 aside, I'm curious to hear what you preferred more: Laphroaig's 10yo cask strength batch 15 or batch 16. I definitely enjoy the 16, but I preferred the 15. Until this weekedn, I had to be away from my entire stock for nearly 2 months (oh, the pain!); I'll pour a dram of batch 16 next weekend. From what I noted, it needs more time and air and a drop or two or water to hit its sweet spot whereas batch 15 was just ready from the get-go.
@peathead44504 күн бұрын
@@andynelson5864 That's a difficult one as I've not tasted them side by side (and no, I did not wrote any tasting notes on batch 15), so I have to do it from memory and for what it's worth I think I agree with you.
@MrChristopherMolloy5 күн бұрын
Great video 👍 I'd like to recommend Scarabus Batch Strength @58% and usually around $40. It's an Islay Mystery Malt, but it's most certainly Caol Ila, and it's an extraordinary value, as is Scarabus @46%. The only version of Scarabus I'd steer clear of is the 10yo which sadly is bottled @40%.
@thewhiskyfriend5 күн бұрын
Made a note mr Molloy.. hope your well my friend, never tried it Chris...happy whisky filled holidays my friend...
@MrChristopherMolloy5 күн бұрын
@thewhiskyfriend Merry Christmas ✌️
@peathead44505 күн бұрын
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Alan Due to the sherry influence not a whisky I will be first in line to try. Slàinte mhath
@michaelwood32035 күн бұрын
Hi Alan. I’ve been missing on parade for a while, too much happening. Thanks for the review and all your many efforts. Happy Christmas, enjoy every moment.
@thewhiskyfriend5 күн бұрын
Same right back at you Michael, happy whisky filled holidays... responsibly of course🤣🥃
@enotrilogy5 күн бұрын
How would compare to Glenfiddich 15 Solera
@thewhiskyfriend5 күн бұрын
I think its more interesting and a little cheaper than the fiddich 15 and this will change with every bottling....natural colour anf non chill filtered also helps...cheers...
@enotrilogy5 күн бұрын
0
@peathead44506 күн бұрын
Thanks for sharing Alan. Have not tried this one but heared others that did and loved it. Slàinte mhath
@caskstrength76297 күн бұрын
Welcome Back 👌🥃
@elmushaw23677 күн бұрын
👌👌👌🍻🥃🙌
@elmushaw23677 күн бұрын
👍👍👍🍻🥃🤩
@mcw25537 күн бұрын
40% malt (Glenfarclas, Glen Garioch, Fettercairn & Blair Athol) and 60% grain - Cambus but could also contain other grains. The cask that was used is a refill Islay sherry cask.
@thewhiskyfriend7 күн бұрын
Thank you very much for the info....cheers...
@TheGentlemanScholar8 күн бұрын
Missed ya, Alan!
@thewhiskyfriend8 күн бұрын
Needed a break fella, its been a long 8 years doing videos every week...good to be back ...🤣
@TheGentlemanScholar8 күн бұрын
@thewhiskyfriend I need my regular infusion of guid Scots patter...
@peathead44508 күн бұрын
Thanks for reviewing Alan Yep, tasted this one during GWF. Decent dram. Slàinte mhath
@GTJWilding8 күн бұрын
I bought this one Al. Online chatter tends to assume that naming it Kildalton should mean it's basically Ardbeg for a few reasons. It's closest to the cross itself and Ardbeg has used the name on some official past bottlings. But I agree with you that it plays more like a Laphroaig in some ways.
@TheGentlemanScholar8 күн бұрын
He's BACK! 0:59
@ders59058 күн бұрын
Its says 40% malts..60% grain
@emcrolls9 күн бұрын
Heyyy FRIEND 💜🥃☕️
@thewhiskyfriend9 күн бұрын
Hey Emily...you good?
@emcrolls8 күн бұрын
@ I’m managing to juggle wheelchair jazz etc that’s something Looking forward to talking a breath in a bit 💜🥃☕️ Best to you and yours ❤️🔥
@peathead44509 күн бұрын
First of all, thanks for returning, Alan. And of course thanks for sharing your thoughts on this one. Had the pleasure to try their Ardbeg (teaspooned) myself during GWF. Decent stuff. Unfortunately I couldn't take any bottles home with me... Slàinte mhath
@thewhiskyfriend9 күн бұрын
Thanks Frank, just took a month off to recharge,( first break in 8yrs) and ready to go again my friend...happy hols to you and yours...
@gawievanas13839 күн бұрын
Absolutely great to see you again!!!!!
@bekemdangiu9 күн бұрын
Its so satisfied looking at the Shelf on your back 🎉🎉🎉🎉
@WhiskeyKnows9 күн бұрын
Good to see you back!! Happy Holidays!!
@thewhiskyfriend3 күн бұрын
Wishing you and yours a merry whisky filled festive season fella...
@neilbloor87439 күн бұрын
Alan good to see you coming out of retirement. Looking forward to your whisky of the year must be the Speyburn 20 you had from me.
@fraserthistle42009 күн бұрын
Good to see you back fella 🥃
@djbeacon68959 күн бұрын
Alan, great to see ya back. At that price and 40 years old, is it a grain rather than a malt whisky? CHEERS!
@thewhiskyfriend9 күн бұрын
Cant find much info DJ it just said blended Scotch fella...i think its a mix of both with more malt than grain for me fella...