My Top Distilleries to visit, 5 Whiskies I'll Always Replace & more | Q&A

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Big thanks to Ridge for sponsoring the channel! Here’s the discount if you want to check them out or want good solution for a Father's Day present! ridge.com/firstphil

[@markcalhoun8219]

As a lifelong scotch enthusiast I really reeaaaallly don't want to say this... but I do very much enjoy bourbon, rye and other American Whiskey every bit as much as scotch. There's just something very appealing to aging whiskey in a barn with no ocean to offer temp control in the heartland of America. You get highs and lows that surprise you, wood notes that cool stability just never pulls out. It's far easier to mess up and I think that's part of why it is so impressive. Nobody is going to lose their minds over a 12 year scotch even if it's perfectly competent... but a 12 year bourbon... that might be amazing or garbage depending on the skills and luck of the people running the operation.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Great point Mark!

[@steppbrooEFT]

you have been disowned. jk

[@TheAldawg77]

Eagle rare 10 🦅 👌

[@kierontreas5971]

​@@TheAldawg77 literally bought this today🥃

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

@@TheAldawg77 Tasty stuff!

[@mve9899]

12:00 if you're ever interested in trying more Dutch whiskies, I would highly recommend the Millstone Peated PX! Its a very tasty whisky for its price, pretty spirit-driven (I've had their Newmake and you could really trace that back in the whisky). Its one of the most tobacco-y and spice-y whiskies I've ever had. Also great transparency with vintage dates, natural color and non-chill filtered!

[@SimonneNZ]

Great video Phil! My favourite Arran would be the Quarter Cask at the moment. Cask strength and around $100. I haven't replaced my bottle of PC10 as the price has increased so much since I bought my last one. Price increases are pushing me to explore whiskies from other countries more, as well as rum as a malternative. Cheers!

[@heronwhisky]

I love how much it shows what you can do with a smaller cask. It really shows the age without the time.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Thanks Simonne. That QC is such good value!

[@scotchandscripture]

Great video as always Phil. I think it's the variance of style, flavor and story over such a small country that makes Scotch by far the most interesting and rewarding Whisky to enjoy.

[@kevinnordby4808]

Great video Phil! I agree with you about scotch having the greatest diversity….second greatest has got to be Mezcal! Great stuff.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Thanks for watching Kevin!

[@ironmantran]

RUms, Cognacs/Armagnacs, Ryes, Bourbons, Irish malts et al . . . all can have their BEST which would rival and supersede the once-made-for-sailors (and pirates) Scotches. . . But, BUT : the best whisky to go with the BBQ roo-tail (kangaroo) is my Canadian Rye 65% from Alberta Premium.

[@dj-troost528]

you HAVE to try dutch millstone whisky, it keeps winning awards f=and their single malt, rye, peated whisky, just anything they make is amazing really

[@NZDave]

All hail Tamdhu sherry-goodness, although their prices are creeping up. Agree on 18yo's too I feel they've now become an rare treat instead of a considered purchase.

[@whiskywhereabouts]

Well said answer to the question about scotch versus bourbon. Great video, Phil!

[@Easydoesit101]

Been watching your videos for few months, and now I’m a subscriber.Keep reviewing,

[@CristiNeagu]

9:18 Everyone should visit the Cotswolds distillery. The thing about their tour that makes it special is they sit you down at the end in their nice lounge and you get to try _everything_ they make. All of their whiskeys are on the counter, all of their gins, as well as some of their limited releases that they're working on at the moment.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

I'd love to visit them!

[@iliasel3661]

Mate, you somehow manage to stand out in the heavily congested space of the whisky tube. Keep it up, I hope you maintain this passion. Cheers.

[@newwave151151]

Great video! Covered a lot of topics in one go!

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Thanks for watching!

[@jamesboddington9565]

Great video Phil and thanks to your followers for the brilliant questions

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Thanks for watching James!

[@hamo4558]

Your 5 perma shelf are the same as mine, even the Glengoyne. Yes I have it & I enjoy it. But if you want to try the best Aussie single malt ( comparable to a sherry cask scotch) look up Amber Lane, the Apera 087 & Apera 100.

[@pauldvorak2486]

The best styled whisky content out there.

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

Such a fun idea for a video and so well executed as always. Surprised you picked the Amarone cask, only because I love that one to and I did not think it got much attention. Oooh, the Craig 13 is also a fav. Wow, This video hits. Thanks for all your thoughts here, I think I'll need to re watch when I have a little more time, I admit, I skipped around a bit ;) Thanks again!

[@artvanderlay3428]

Nice to see Cape Byron mentioned. I've got 4 of their expressions open at the moment

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

It's good liquid!

[@RockinRickyFox50]

Hey Phil I got a question/ request please! Either a video of your favorite/ best whiskeys on the rocks or I’ll take a comment lol also could a peated/ Islay whiskey be good with ice?

[@nvdlboy]

Another interesting video, I really enjoyed the Q&A approach. I learn a lot from your videos and reviews, thank you. As a Canadian, I am partial to rye and bourbon, though there are several scotches that I enjoy (Arran 10 and Quarter Cask are 2 favourites along with the Classic Laddie and Aberlour 12) - I have found that I'm not a huge fan of peaty scotch, but, like wine, it's the variety. that makes it so good. If you have the opportunity to visit Canada, I'm sure there are loads of distilleries to sample that are unlikely to make it to your neck of the woods. Okanagan Spirits in BC has a range of single malt whiskies with some great varieties - tequila casks, rum casks, pinot noir, etc. Bourbon style as well. Thanks again! Slainte.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Thanks for watching!

[@AzamatKhamidullin-lw4og]

Thank you as always for the video

[@Brent_Fiore]

Finished Rye Whiskeys is the best category. Hands down. If you disagree you have the right to be wrong.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

I need to explore this more!

[@jeteye97]

That’s a perspective you have a right to, and I understand your position, but I think there’s more variety of flavors under the Scotch umbrella. I’d put Rye a close second with Irish a bit behind in third. Not turning any of those down though.

[@michaellutes2163]

🤣

[@phatzwave4424]

For the most part, I have to agree except for William Larue Weller. It's really that good!

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Yeah, I imagine a big part of my opinion is biased because we don't get great bourbon here in NZ. I wish I could try more of the next level stuff. Thanks for watching mate!

[@pikesoNN]

Great video ! Love the Clay distillery to from the Netherlands :)

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

It's good stuff!

[@christinecamley]

Lagavulin is my favourite scotch - nothing comes close to single malt scotch - just bought a case of Offerman 11 yo 4th edition - rum casking - and I just bought a Lagavulin 16 tonight - $200.00 Canadian with taxes and worth every penny! It surpasses Bourbon X 30!!! Love a good high ABV 100% or 95/5 spicy Rye but 98% of the time it's delicious single malt scotch!! Cheers!!

[@100puremustard5]

If you think Laga 16 is that good you should try Kilchoman Sanaig, crushes the Laga 16 and cost less. And if you really want to change your life try Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength and Ardbeg Corryvrekan. Ron Swanson Hipsters lol 😂 smh

[@christinecamley]

@@100puremustard5 I adore all of these fabulous scotch whiskies! They are all amazing and so delicious! Thanks!

[@seanzealony9499]

Hi When you said you’d go blended whisky if prices rise. Are we talking about blends of single malt or blends of mixed grain. I’ve tried a few single malt blends and some are fantastic. Prices are great also.

[@BourbonJazzyLife]

I really love your videos & respect your knowledge. I came from almost ten years of exclusively drinking bourbon & sort of felt I’d be betraying it by going into other categories.Totally different mindset now as I’m buying Irish, Scotch, ASM’s, international whiskies, tequila, rum, white wines, & yes bourbon. With all my experience in the American spirit I’d encourage you to keep branching out into bourbon like you did with the Michter’s. There are strict regulations as you said but still a bunch of diversity in flavors. Texas for example can’t typically age longer than four years because of the climate & tends to have a certain funk people pick up. Indiana bourbon has a certain minerality from the water source that sets it apart. Plenty more example of the subtle & not so subtle differences among the same category.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Great point! I’m so keen to explore more bourbon 🥃 Thanks for watching

[@BourbonJazzyLife]

I should have mentioned yeast strains as well. I have a couple mid & mid high bottles from jack Daniel’s that have a strong banana note both on the nose & palate from the yeast. Here’s another example of differences across brands that can have a huge influence on the final result.

[@Rufflezhaveridge]

Take away sherry and used bourbon casks and scotch would be in trouble

[@proseforpoets]

@@Rufflezhaveridgetake away new American charred oak barrels, and Bourbon would be in trouble.

[@Rufflezhaveridge]

​@@proseforpoetsim a fan of all whiskey btw. What makes scotch more versatile? I would say used barrels and specifically bourbon and sherry. If bourbon didnt have these dumb "I do what scottland says" laws, bourbon would only become more versatile. Not like wild turkey. 101 gonna start using used sherry butts lol

[@welshtoro3256]

I've been a big whisky and bourbon guy for decades. Whisky is blowing bourbon away today. Most bourbon is very similar in profile and you have to pay big for better than that,

[@R3AP3R_117]

This is exactly why I enjoy scotch more than bourbon. You can get 2 lines from the same distillery and get 2 completely different flavors profiles

[@jimreichel1466]

Really nice video. Have you delved into American Single Malt? If so, which ones are your favorite? Thanks so much for your insight. Cheers!

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Not yet. I'm so keen to try some!

[@Koby616]

Great video. Thanks 😊

[@whiskamyaway]

You avoided my first question :P but great video Phil 😊

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Thanks for watching Amy!

[@JeffWhisky]

Loved this speed round Q&A! Great stuff Phil. #discocow

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Thanks mate!!

[@Lance-im6tw]

Loved this one, mate!

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Thanks mate!

[@ao_qd]

I love the Port Charlotte 10, but did anybody else get a bottle that had an ill-fitting cork? Mine wasn't snug at all, and the bottle oxidized super fast. I suspected that the short bottle neck also contributed to the cork not fitting right.

[@norsefireV]

How do you know if a whiskey is better served cold or room temperature? Normally I like mine cold.

[@pizzawarlord9232]

I guess it is all perspective. I find more diversity in the four types of Irish than I do in Scotch but more flavor in high proof bourbons. I love them all.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

True! Don't get me wrong, I will happily drink any of them, too, haha.

[@ADSCP]

My experience with Madeira matured whiskies has been very good until now. The supply of these casks is harder unfortunately.

[@taylor315]

“The best whiskey is the whiskey you like to drink, the way you like to drink it” - The Whiskey Tribe

[@derrickk752]

I would like to know your opinion on Canadian whisky. what is available to you and what us Canucks keep for ourselves!

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

What do you recommend?

[@heronwhisky]

American single malt like Stranahans or High West

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

I'd love to try these!

[@NushiSama]

I think bourbon is a lot more experimental now compared to Scotch by quite a bit. And I think I can say that because I do live in the US so it's much easier to know about it here. But I think just Mashbill alone makes Bourbon more experimental. Because as long as it's atleast 51% corn and aged in new white oak(plus some other requirements) it's considered bourbon and it allows for distilleries to experiment with other grains to add to the Mashbill. Ive seen, Rye, Wheat, Honey Wheat, Malted Barley, Barley, Chocolate Malted Barley, just to name a few. And adding in those different grains at varying percentages can drastically change the flavor profile of the Bourbon. Plus the big thing now with Bourbons is cask finishing which you see just as much if not more variety in. I've had Bourbons finished in Curacao Barrels, Honey Barrels, Maple Syrup Barrels, Barrels that previously held peated scotch, Tequila Barrels, the list goes on. Then on top of that you get Single Barrel offerings too which even though it is the same liquid made the same way depending on where the cask was in the warehouse, what the weather was that year, if barrels are rotated, etc you can have 2 barrels that taste different. It's why collecting Single Barrels here is so popular because you can get something slightly different even if it's the same Distillery and Bottle you've bought before. Or their stuff like Four Roses where they have 10 Different recipes and you can get a single Barrel expression for each of them. This also isn't mentioning blends which are also super common in America. To have like Bouryes or even have Bourbons blended with Single Malts or American Malts etc.. Or just really good Bourbon blends like stuff from Barrell Bourbon Company or limited releases like Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch which can blend Bourbon from 12 years old to 25 years old. So tbh I'd actually say it's the other way around from your Statement I think Scotch is more narrow of a scope comparatively to bourbon 🤓 of course pricing and availability is vastly better here in the US for it, and generally Bourbon is cheaper here which is why it's vastly more popular here. I love both Bourbon and Scotch but I will say on my top 25 best Whiskeys I've ever had I do have more bourbons on it than Scotch and my favorite Whiskey I've ever had was a Bourbon 🤓

[@NushiSama]

I also forgot to mention the different levels of Charring a Barrel too also influences how a Bourbon will come out tasting from just toasted Barrels all the way to LVL 5 Alligator Char

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

That's actually a really good point! The Mashbill is a huge thing scotch doesn't have. What would be your top 5 available bourbons for a scotch geek (not beginner, so i'm ready for high proof, etc)

[@NushiSama]

@@FirstPhilWhisky Ill try to list some hopefully you have access to or can maybe try at a bar or if you travel might see. 1. Four Roses Single Barrel and or Small Batch Select 2. Knob Creek 12 and or Single Barrel 3. Any Batch from Barrell Bourbon Co and try Seagrass (Rye) from them 4. Elijah Craig Toasted and or Single Barrel 5. Makers Mark 46 Cask Strength Some probably less available ones but if you can try then please do Eagle Rare Stagg Jack Daniels Single Barrel Barrel proof both the Bourbon and Rye Widow Jane Decadence Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Thats alot more than five lol but there you go 😅

[@BracchiAlessandroFineArt]

Lphroaig 10 35€ i can live just with this one: I tried Bourbon and American single malt but i don't like it, i quite sure is for the heavy impact of virgin oak barrel . outside Scotland i will go to Japanese (the real one , not the sourced from other countries) is leaning more to the scotch style that i like.

[@Soldano999]

Bourbon is pretty hard to beat under a certain price. But it's very one dimensional and scotch is more varied and complex on the high end.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Good point! Bourbon can be incredible at certain price points!

[@aroneaton2639]

Love Oban 14.

[@chongkokchoyify]

Is there any great New Zealand whisky to recommend and online websites to buy from?

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

I have a whole video on this coming out soon. Stay tuned!

[@Dustyphoto915]

Bourbon is a one trick pony. I just don’t like it enough to have the patience to disprove that to myself.

[@ADSCP]

In the last years I’ve been avoiding sherried whiskies. Of course it’s very difficult to skip it totally due to the amount of sherried whiskies available in market but the problem is that in the last 30 years sherry casks used to mature whisky are seasoned casks, mainly from new oak and not real traditional casks used to bottle the wine itself. Spain decided to forbid the exportation of sherry casks and to leave Spain sherry must be already bottled. So the industry created this type of “seasoned casks” and the wine used for it can’t be bottled and is discharged to produce vinegar or brandy. A few days ago I read that bodegas don’t want the wine to be bottled at all because they consider it a low quality wine and too woody, due to the new wood casks, not matching the standards of traditional sherry wine. This means the majority of sherried whiskies used artificial casks produced in large scale to answer the demand of the industry and this is why there are so many cheap sherried whiskies. I try to be very selective when choosing a sherried whisky - and don’t get me wrong, I like sherried whiskies (but not the wine itself) - but I try to vary with other types of maturation. For instance Madeira wine casks work tremendously and I know these are traditional casks wich aren’t so easily available. I just think the sherry industry surrounding whisky lacks some integrity

[@hahanah1463]

Its hard to find( there are a couple) a bourbon that isn't aggressive and loud

[@JamesLee-qx3be]

good video

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Thanks James!

[@jasonedwardledburynewzeala9897]

You need to try more Bourbon Phil! 😝👊🥃🥃🥃

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

I agree!

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

What would be your top 5 available bourbons for a scotch geek (not beginner, so i'm ready for high proof, etc)

[@jasonedwardledburynewzeala9897]

Jack Daniels Single Barrel Barrel Strength. 1792 bottled in Bond, old forester 1920, 1792 full proof, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof.

[@jasonedwardledburynewzeala9897]

​@@FirstPhilWhisky Old Grandad Bonded, old Forester 100, or Statesman, Four Roses Single Barrel, Bakers 7yrold.

[@jasonedwardledburynewzeala9897]

​@@FirstPhilWhisky Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, wild Turkey Rarebreed in the 1 litre, Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Single Barrel 101, Old Forester 1897, Jack Daniels Bonded, Makers Mark 101.

[@Vortex1988]

While the flavor spectrum of Scotch is larger than something like bourbon, I find there really are only a few different segmentations of scotch. You've got the peated stuff, the sherried stuff, the sherried and peated stuff, coastal whiskies, and then the bourbon aged stuff. You also have different wine cask maturations as well, but those are typically kind of oddball whiskies that are very hit or miss. I find that in each category there are usually only a few brands that stand out as really high quality products, while the rest suffer from Diageo syndrome, aka super young, 80 proof whiskies packed full of artificial coloring. I think what could be a very large variety of quality scotch suffers as a result due to the sheer number of mass market, lowest common denominator scotches that are out there. The fact that 92 proof is considered generous in the world of scotch is also disappointing, especially when just about every bourbon or American Whiskey brand offers a cask strength option. That combined with the fact that bourbon doesn't need to age as long and must follow very strict guidelines means there are many more full flavored, unadulterated, and full bodied bourbons on the shelf than there are scotches, and yes, you can still get a fairly wide spectrum of flavors within the category. You don't have to finish it in a used wine barrel just to get some flavor out of it. And don't get me wrong, I love scotch. I just think in a lot of cases, scotch can be weak tea when compared to bourbon or rye.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

These are really insightful points! I appreciate your detailed take on the differences between Scotch and Bourbon. I've got to agree that 92 proof is low compared to many other spirit categories. It's always great to hear thoughtful perspectives like yours.

[@mayasevelen]

What’s up with springbank? New here!

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

It’s a great whisky that is legendary among whisky geeks, but it’s hard to find now and many flippers and investors have been hiking up the price. So many people who can’t get it are keen for an alternative.

[@peterg7257]

scotch....much more interesting as a drink class...so many different shades of flavours

[@_fwd_racecar_]

My last bore-bon was EH Taylor Barrel Proof... and I thought, really? that's it? that's the exact same flavor notes I get on regular old buffalo trace, just more refined. What a rip-off. Nice scotch is not only more refined, but get a half dozen extra notes than it's value equivalent, and the flavor keeps evolving as you sit with it for an hour, or add water, and is much more fun to home blend with different types of scotch. but it's like you said, the range of borebon is either candy made for kids with immature palates, or intensely bitter oak for grizzled old tobacco smokers who can no longer taste much of anything. am i being overly harsh, maybe, probably because 75% of youtube channels are borebon exclusive, and i dont even know what they have to talk about anymore, borebon is borebon is borebon. bookers is just refined wild turkey101, who cares. thanks for your used casks newbies, not trying to lick a tree over here. my apologies for this rant on your respectful channel, you're much more polite than I.

[@KNURKonesur]

- Replace Macallan with literally any other whisky. They're elitist wankers who don't deserve any support from our wallets - Sherry bomb - any S.F.T.C Edradour! - Fav Arran is the Machrie Moor Fingal's Cut Quarter Cask and the original Bothy/Quarter Cask, otherwise the Drumadoon Point, but it's way too expensive - Smoky/Sherry, I'd get smoky forever and ever. sherry gets too boring after a while - Sub 100$ single malt - Port Charlotte 10 for me, but the Glencadam 10 is a fantastic shout as well - Non-peated recommendations would be the Arran Bothy, Glencadam 10 again, GlenAllachie 10CS, Deanston 12, Tobermory 12 - Springbank substitute? Any Ardnamurchan or Benromach CS, or subverting expectations with a Clynelish 14 - One region forever - I agree with you 100%

[@jbar6284]

> Sub 100$ single malt I'm afraid PC10 is rather more expensive than NZ$100, at least in the nz market: ~NZ$130-160 = US$80-100/UKP63-77.

[@chuckandrews5339]

None of my top 5 whiskies are bourbons..

[@BackLooking]

I love bourbon. There´s not a big variety of flavor profiles, but that´s not what I look for in bourbon. I just want that solid classic bourbon flavor I can always go back to. I love Scotch for the adventure, but bourbon is like home to me.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Great point! 🥃

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

What would be your top 5 available bourbons for a scotch geek (not beginner, so i'm ready for high proof, etc)

[@BackLooking]

@@FirstPhilWhisky Four Roses Single Barrel, Evan Williams Bottled in Bond, Makers Mark Cask Strenght, Wild Turkey Rare Breed, and if you can get Bakers, its also great. That would be 5. But I think that Wild Turkey Rare Breed gives you everything you want from bourbon. Classic rich and full flavor at 58,4% alc. Cheers.

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Thanks so much! What do you think of Eagle Rare 10, Knob Creek 9, Russell 10 and Old Forester Prohibition?

[@BackLooking]

@@FirstPhilWhisky I don´t think we have Old Forester Prohibition in Europe. At least no store I know of. We have only the basic Old Forester and Old Forester Statesman. Eagle Rare is a wild animal 😀 I´ve had only two bottles so far. The first was great and the second one was terrible. So, I don´t know. But I think Buffalo Trace is better. Knob Creek seems to have too much of a wooden note in the taste. It's not bad, but not something I tend to come back to. And Russels 10 has escaped me. It used to be available in my country and when I finally decided to buy a bottle, it was gone. So next time I see it I´ll check it out. My favorite bourbon used to be Baker´s when it was a small batch product. To me it was perfect. But now they changed the bottle, made it a single barrel and I can´t find it in the stores anymore. So we´ll see. The whisk(e)y world is always changing.

[@johnnyheidi2839]

Scotch all the way for me it’s just way more refined and exciting than Bourbon not that I don’t enjoy a Bourbon it’s just a different drink the flavour profile s are too similar same with Irish whiskey . Personally I’d put a good rum before Bourbon these days .

[@jasonedwardledburynewzeala9897]

Old Grandad bottle in bond

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Good shout! I need to try it.

[@jeteye97]

Why is Scotch better than bourbon? It just is. Convo over and out.

[@theodosios2615]

Yup. Sometimes, what is understood doesn't need to be discussed.

[@Dan-hn1lx]

The only one on the list i disagree with is Dalwhinnie 15 just a very underwhelming whisky just bad specs...Springbank alternative I would go Clynelish 14 and Craigallechie...

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Great alternative suggestions!

[@craigroberts5965]

Dalwhinnie 15yo is narsty, sorry Phil!

[@craigroberts5965]

Love your five whisky to always replace, though :)

[@FirstPhilWhisky]

Yeah I don't mind my bottle. But it is very subtle.