vPub Live - The Top Ten Best Selling Scotch Malt Whiskies

[@Aqvavitae]

Timestamps 0:00 -- Opening 0:31 - The Whisky Fatigue Highball 3:44 - Brief intro to topic 6:34 - Welcoming in the Lounge 9:29 - Watching the pours & measures 16:09 - 10: Glen Grant 3.1m 20:42 - Measuring the numbers 31:01 - 09: Aberlour 4.2m 41:54 - 08: Laphroaig 4.5m 56:20 - 07: Talisker 4.6m 1:07:46 - 06: Balvenie 5.3m 1:20:03 - Monkey Shoulder 8.4m 1:27:28 - 05: Singleton 9.0m 1:41:25 - 04: Glenmorangie 9.1m 1:45:21 - 03: Macallan 11.4m 1:56:35 - 02: Glenfiddich 18.5m 2:05:30 - 01: Glenlivet 19.8m 2:16:49 - In summary - what would I buy? 2:32:12 - Quiz at the End

[@mureria]

Thanks!

[@Aqvavitae]

No …. Thank you! Cheers Mureria! 👌

[@eviltrain24]

Thank you Roy for not beating around the bush and calling ethanol poison. IT’S TRUE. I still drink it though and think about total consumption quite a bit.

[@Aqvavitae]

Awareness is key, we'd be deceitful not to admit we enjoy it, but we've gotta stay in charge of it.

[@elduderino3120]

My wife takes an active role in “staying in charge of it” LOL. I sip a small dram about 3-4 times a week and always, it seems, under-her-eye. She’s right when she says it’s only because she worries about the long-term health effects, but these days I have probably 2 dry nights a week, and might drink 1 bottle of red wine and 4 shots in that time, so I don’t worry too much. I have to die from something, and I don’t want it to be boredom!

[@hellswidd4628]

Another fab interesting Vpub Roy, cheers! Nice to grab another in the quiz too! Much love as always from the two of us

[@Aqvavitae]

Congrats on the Hellen, amazing. Thanks also for hanging out and as always hope you enjoyed!

[@peterlee2279]

In recent time I’ve always been late to vpub but this Thursday I was deep in work at Kwang Tung and have missed the live!😢 But watching it on replay at my own pace is not such a bad option. Lately I’ve been having very little whisky with no explanation why. But this doesn’t stop me from my whisky hunt. I’ve really enjoyed this episode of vpub as it has took me back to my beginning of my whisky journey. I thank you boss.

[@Aqvavitae]

Cheers Peter, you've probably not been sipping much because you're just not in the mood as much. I used to find this happen more as we moved into warmer months. You'll get the taste for it back soon enough and since you're still accumulating you'll have a helluva choice when you do! Cheer to you and the fam!

[@chrisgwhisky]

Really enjoyed watching this vPub on replay, thank you. It was great to see you talk about drams that never get mentioned here, or by us in general.

[@Aqvavitae]

Good to take a wee detour now and again Chris and glad you don't mind it! cheers!

[@willemkilian9563]

Thanks, Roy, this was a great "palate cleansing/recalibrating" vPub! My take on snobbery: are we really being snobbish when we, as discerning customers, have tried a variety of whiskies, including these "gateway brands", and start gravitating more toward those with the attributes indicating that our expectations for value and flavour will be fulfilled? I am all for trying mainstream whiskies every now and then to remind us that true quality is still worth it, but I am mostly not going to waste my money again (granted though there are some on this list that are still good). I reckon that true snobbery has more to do with obstinately sticking to a certain brand based on the perception that it must be the "best", not because of intrinsic quality, but because of the branding or an obsolete reputation. We Barflies enthusiastically share and talk about whiskies we think are good, and we’re not uptight about it. Therefore, I submit to you, geekery is not snobbery!

[@Aqvavitae]

Oh no - you'll never hear me rail against geekery. You will hear me rail against unhinged, blind brand loyalty. But here my point was being dismissive of an entire category of whiskies, despite the place they hold and the role they play. We'd do well to remember how they fascinated many of at one point in time, and they still have the power to do so if their quality is maintained. Chasing the cheapest price isn't working for some of these. However, that in itself doesn't mean we dismissively write them off. We need to try them once in a while to 'know' it's the case. To reassure ourselves we're on the right path. Or at least - I need to - so you may not have to. That's being open and assuring our choices are solid. We agree. Cheers Willem and thank you for the virtual dram after the event!

[@willemkilian9563]

@@Aqvavitae Good point, cheers man!

[@davet7185]

This was a cracking Vpub Roy and all the better for your statement made during the tasting of the Glenlivet 12.....THIS, is why I enjoy my drams so much! Always an enjoyable narrative my friend allied to further whisky education - the more I learn, the more I appreciate the flavour nuances of the King of all spiritous beverages. Slàinte Mhath buddy.

[@Aqvavitae]

Thanks Dave, so glad you enjoyed and got something out of it

[@redsox367]

Caught up with this mainly on the replay. The Balvenie and Glenfiddich were my gateway whiskies and I still have a soft spot for them. Regular buyer of the Monkey Shoulder as a sipper. Had a laugh when I recall the Recycled review and Roy proclaimed the Founders Reserve as the best cooking Whisky ever.

[@Aqvavitae]

You know what's funny, in a malt-of-the-month, side-by-side about two years ago I sipped the Glenlivet 12 alongside the Founders - and the Founders was clearly better. I really don't know what to take form it... improved Founders or downhill 12yo?! Cheers Andrew!

[@shadowr6348]

Thank you for the Aberlour 10 mention....I almost don't ever want to have it again, my nostalgia from 2009 from the co-op at twenty quid, I remembers it as a real beauty, back then it was my darling whisky, the impress your friends whisky.. Great v-pub....It wouldn't be right or the natural order if we went from Teachers to Springbank in one night, it's not really where you end up, but the wonderful journey......Cheers Charlie

[@Aqvavitae]

Ooooh what a cool comment. Yes indeed, the gradual unfolding of discover is what it's all about. And that Aberlour 10 was a Permashelf bottle here... incredible wee value buy and a perfect crowd pleaser. I have to say, it's a lot better in my memory than their 12yo today. Cheers Charlie!

[@peathead4450]

No chatting, but watched the replay. Thanks as always for organizing and sharing, Roy. And (just as always) hope to see everyone on the next one. Slàinte mhath

[@Aqvavitae]

You were missed, but great to see you're home safe. Hope you're fully recovered too!

[@davidowen2834]

Hi Roy. The Glenlivet 12 was my first single malt, Still got a green bottle version at home but since the rebrand I’ve had one bottle and that’s it. Nice nose but didn’t like the taste at all. Shame really. Still the Glenmorangie 10 and Glenfiddich 12 are still pretty decent. Excellent VPub Roy. Slàinte

[@Aqvavitae]

I'm sure, in the past, they'd have been over-aging and vatting in some more mature stock to the 12, no more, not these days for sure. Inevitable we'll taste a change, not limited to Glenlivet either. Good you've got some nostalgia on the shelf, cheers David!

[@murduk88]

Maybe your best solo effort this year, Roy, specifically b/c fatigue is real. FWIW I switch over to beer, rum or tequila/mezcal to get away from whisk[e]y, or I just go dry for a couple weeks. Always works a treat. Thanks for finding a very interesting and clever way to bring another great topic to the vPub. Cheers!

[@Aqvavitae]

Thank you so much, it was a tricky one since I know many of the audience is interested in slightly more enthusiast focused releases, but I had a surprising amount of fun re-exploring these. thanks for the cool comment and cheers!

[@NZDave]

Huge pangs of nostalgia tonight. Aberlour Balvennie, along with HP were all firm gateway favourites, still enjoy the latter two on occasion. Wonder how many other Barflies had a wry smile as an old friend popped on screen tonight.

[@Aqvavitae]

It was fun for me to reconnect with a couple of these too, surprised most I think by the Monkey Shoulder, Singleton and the Balvenie, the Macallan is objectively the best, but not by enough to justify the asking price. Cheers Dave, glad I inspired a wee bit of whisky nostalgia!

[@gyoshitake]

Thank you Roy for taking multiple hits for the team. I salute you sir! I could not in a million years spend money on these bottles. I would rather spend it all on one single cask bottle, natural cask strength, non-chill filtered, and natural colored.

[@Aqvavitae]

Spot on Greg. I actually had fun with it. Only a few were flat and boring, a couple of surprises in there too.

[@maltymission]

Work and family duties and responsibilities are keeping me from attending the vPub in recent weeks. Luckily, more free time on the horizon. So I’m cherishing my free Friday afternoons to catch up on the replay. Loving this episode, roll on the weekend

[@Aqvavitae]

Cheers Menno! Life is hectic, appreciate you joining always and glad you're looking forward to the weekend! PS: 4th or 11th July for an end-of-season Menno quiz?

[@GeoffreyBangers]

Bring it Menno! I've heard rumblings that you've been off your game the last few quizzes and the questions have been pedestrian at best. I'm sure the community could use an actual challenge this time! Quick disclaimer: I'll be watching on replay, leaning heavily on the chat, and reserve the right to pause video after every question and use the full breadth and depth of the internet (including and not exclusive to) the dark web. I'm sure I'll need it now.😬 Cheers guys!

[@maltymission]

@@GeoffreyBangers I invite you to do the quiz on the Jeffpub 😄🍑🎩. But Point taken 😉

[@Diddlydums]

I really appreciated the topic for tonight’s Vpub Roy. I am a few years into my journey but my wife is starting to dip her toe into the world of whiskies. Everything on that list is readily available and will be a good selection of single malts for us to start with. Cheers! 🍻

[@Aqvavitae]

Great to hear - really glad there's some use for those newer in the door too, I think her journey will fast track with a keen coach. I hope she enjoys!

[@PierreMoisan-vf2ze]

Very interesting cause I realized how far my journey is now while sipping my Hazelburn 10 So, thanks Roy so far you guided me through that journey and I can see and appreciate that. Cheers 🥃

[@Aqvavitae]

Some memories in there for you Pierre? Pouring that wee HB next to any of these would highlight the flavour density we come to appreciate! Cheers

[@carlossandiego7925]

Thanks for taking one for the team Roy. Some of these are 43% in the US but that only marginally helps. Still enjoy Glenmo 10 and Glenfiddich 12 but only on a rare occasion when there aren’t other options. Please treat yourself to the good stuff now. 😂

[@Aqvavitae]

Thanks Carlos - I'm reset and ready to move onto the good stuff again! See you next week buddy and great to see you in the live session this time around!

[@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies]

Roy, I hope you and the family are doing well. Several weeks before I returned to Scotland in April I was experiencing nose blindness. At first I thought it was due to tasting a lot of whiskies in preparation for a blind tasting exam. It turns out it was due to allergies which got worse when I was in Scotland (April 13 - 26) and has not cleared up. I took every available pharmaceutical available and tried using Navage to wash out my sinuses. It didn't help much and tasting whisky was like listening to music while wearing ear plugs. Well, after more than too months of suffering I went to the hospital and it turns out I've got a sinus infection and bacterial pneumonia. The doctor put me on antibiotics which I hope will be the cure. In the mean time, I am taking a break for at least a month and perhaps all summer. Slainte!

[@whiskeywithe7907]

Reminds me of COVID times when we there getting frustrated not being able to smell the whisk(E)ys .hope your sinuses get well soon mate .cheers from 🇭🇲🥃

[@Aqvavitae]

Erik, that's awful to hear. Especially know how much you enjoyed the appreciation of aroma and flavour, that must've been pretty hard. I really trust you're back on the road to a full recovery. Love and best wishes my friend!

[@SimonneNZ]

A bit of a trip down memory lane. Nice to see some bottles that I started my single malt scotch whisky journey with. Scored 10/10 in the quiz at the end too. I started off my whisky journey with blends, especially Johnnie Walker Black. Glenfiddich 12 was my first single malt, followed by Highland Park 12, and Glenmorangie 10. My first Islay was Laphroaig 10. To combat whisky fatigue, I do the Whiskey Tribe dry week 4 times a year, although not always at the same time as them. Also, I don't stick to scotch whisky, I break it up with other world whiskies and rum. Cheers!

[@Aqvavitae]

Nice work on the quiz! Switching out the drinks is a good idea and taking a break too, I think it's safe to reassure you that you don't need to travel down Memory Lane too often!

[@michaelheslin2739]

10/10 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 Needed some help from the lounge on the Singleton question…

[@deefischer8198]

Thank you for doing the research so that we don’t need to buy these bottles. I have tried most of these expressions and only enjoy the Talisker. Enjoyed the quiz, thank you for enjoyable vPub.

[@WhiskyTopia]

Thank you Roy for this in depth and perspective widening / humbling research on what’s selling Out in wider genera Public ! Slàinte mhath! 🥃

[@awderty]

Very enjoyable vpub Roy. Always good to widen the horizon, if only to confirm what we like. On a completely separate note, ever thought of doing an ‘ask me anything’ vpub? There’s loads of questions I’d love to ask about your whisky journey and about the vpub process, where you get your ideas, etc. I’m sure loads of others would have other questions. You could probably request them early and screen them so you don’t get load of “how much do you earn?” ones. Anyway, just a thought. Keep up the great work!

[@Aqvavitae]

Every vPub is an ask me anything - just throw the question out there! In the past I've done those, although mostly with patrons and it's been quite a while - food for thought

[@russell3733]

Always good to come down to earth and return to where the journey may well have begun with a few of these popular, high-volume sellers. By chance, I reached for my Laphroaig 10yo (40%) earlier this week and was pleasantly surprised at how it still both smelled and tasted. It's a 2016 bottling and has been open for almost 7 years. Enjoyable for a Tuesday night dram. There's many a time when 40% abv is all you need. Was also happy to pick up the Singleton 12 for €20 just before Christmas last year. Great whisky to get the palate calibrated at the beginning of a flight. Surprisingly good. Agree with you as well on the Balvenie 12 Double Wood. It does seem to have a greater intensity on the palate than many of the other bottles in the top ten list. And I still enjoy the keenly-priced Talisker 10, which goes down like a house on fire if you're outdoors on a long hike and partaking from a hip flask. Glenfiddich 12 goes well in summer for me - as a sipper on a hot day or a refresher with tonic. There's one thing we can all be happy about: most of these popular entry-level bottles may have crept up in price recently, but only incrementally. It's the hardest-fought part of the whisky single malt market and the big boys are nervous about moving too far ahead of that €30 to €35 price bracket (Macallan and Balvenie excepted). We might as well make hay while the sun shines! Cheers.

[@Aqvavitae]

We agree on all the points made here Russell, cheers to you. What I do worry about however, is that the rarer, more precious and higher age-stated bottlings are funding, in some respects, the razor-thin competitive margins at this end of the market. Room for another vPub topic there.

[@philjones1013]

Hi Roy. Thoroughly enjoyed tonight's session and some interesting whiskies on display despite the low ABV's and disappointing presentation. However it occurs to me that even in this band of entry level whiskies that there must be some hidden gems floating around, eg. AnCnoc 12 or slightly higher ABV Tomatin Legacy which I would probably include on my Permashelf. "Ten interesting entry level whiskies for us whisky geeks." Is this possibly a subject that could be discussed sometime at a future date? Keep up the good work

[@Aqvavitae]

Hi Phil - you're reading my mind - the perfect follow up to this is the Top Ten Whiskies that *should be!* Working on it in the BG, hopefully it'll make a session close enough to this for it to make sense. I'll keep you posted. 😉

[@seanzealony9499]

How you are still speaking without slurring? I salute you Sir. I did a Whisky tasting at Filey Bay distillery last week. 4 generous drams in 15mins and I was merry. Wife couldn’t believe how much whisky was drank in so shorter time. I’m pretty new to whisky about 4yrs now and I’ve acquired a collection of 13 bottles so far. With Father’s Day approaching I’m looking to add another bottle. Glen Scotia double cask, Lagg, or a nice Bunnahabhain 18 I’ve not decided yet. Great video and as a newbie it was very informative.

[@Aqvavitae]

Kept it to tiny pours and some weren't finished (spittoon off camera - shhh!), I really try not to do the slurring thing, drunk is never a good look; broadcasting myself so - even worse. Love whisky, hate being drunk. Thanks for tuning in Sean, nice to welcome a new name.

[@seanzealony9499]

@@Aqvavitae Lips are sealed 👍🏻😀

[@elduderino3120]

The Aberlour 12 NCF 48% abv was a staple for me around 2014-2017 and IIRC you could get a litre version at (some) airport duty frees… a very nice drink. I had a “normal” Aberlour last year and it was nowhere near as good, flat in comparison 😕

[@Aqvavitae]

It's been a while since I saw that Aberlour - it would be good to see it back. Their current 48% releases are chill-filtered, unfortunately.

[@kiwigor]

That was a very good vPub. I sometimes think some enthusiasts are hating too much on these „basic“ single malts. But they’re here for a reason and probably played their part in making whisky so popular which led to the great variety we have now to choose from. To be honest every now and then I enjoy a „basic“ single malt myself…. Why not? It’s a mood thing after all…. But not while watching the vPub …. Little Craigellachie 17 at the moment 😎🤓

[@Aqvavitae]

That Craigellachie 17 is still one of the nicest Speyside whiskies on my shelf - it's a true peach, and even more so if we sip it against any of these. Yeah, it's three times the price, but the point I made at the end stands. Where I am today (where most of us are?) I'd rather taste a little quality than drink a lot of insipid. Still, a fun exercise. Cheers my friend!

[@christinecamley]

Superb V Pub!! I always enjoy peated scotch! I do occasionally enjoy the Laphroaig 10 - the Quarter Cask is lovely and far better! I prefer Lagavulin, Ardbeg, Talisker, Kilchomen and more but this is okay to sip on once in awhile if it's an older Laphroaig 10. Yes it should be much better. Some older Laphroaig 10s were quite lovely. It has changed. I haven't bought a Laphroaig 10 in quite some time. I adore Talisker 18 and this 10 is quite nice. I like it. In Canada I think it's a bit overpriced at $115 before British Columbia taxes. I always have a bottle around! Not a fan of the 12s shown! Cheers Roy!!

[@Aqvavitae]

I hope you can get your hands on some of the stuff that encourages a bit more contemplation of flavour - and yeah - I know Canada can be tricky for that. Thanks for joining in Christine and taking the time to comment

[@christinecamley]

@@Aqvavitae Thanks so much Roy! Hey I want to try the Ardnahoe5 and tonight I am sipping on a Lagavulin Offerman 11 Edition 4 - I bought a case!! I can get quite a bit here for delicious scotch - I just wish some of these huge companies would gouge! I admit I buy anyway! Okay I halt that at the Ardbeg special expressions for the most part - ridiculously priced although I did just buy the latest out! $250? Before taxes? Yikes! NAE. Cheers!

[@jimm8799]

Happy that we can get The Balvenie at 43 here. 46 would be better, but every little bit helps. Unfortunately some, like Aberlour 12, are 40% so I pass them by.

[@Aqvavitae]

Regardless of ABV, you're in the right lane, the Balvenie was demonstrably better. Cheers Jim!

[@cantbendknee]

I think perhaps the point has been missed, what is affordable and accessible. I've been heading into the supermarket recently to grab whisky on offer because I know that I won't be able to afford the whisky sponges as the credit crunch closes in and I have to prioritise spending money on other bottles. Similarly there are people on budgets who will love a bottle of glenlivet.

[@Aqvavitae]

Oh aye - I don't doubt it at all. It certainly depends on how much you get through and if your consumption rate or excitement for variety means you're in this price bracket - then that's exactly why I went through this exercise. The Glenlivet was one of the poorest here. Beaten by the Glenmo and certainly by the surprising Singleton - which was actually the cheapest. Mission something of a success I hope. Cheers!

[@Eunegin23]

Those are also found in many bars as their choice of 3 or 4 whiskies. Not too expensive, available and reliable. Often the first whisky for many and starting point of their whisky journey. They definitely have their place there.

[@Aqvavitae]

Spot on. And, it seems, also pretty good for contrasting what we move on to to realise how far we've come. Thanks for joining in!

[@leojudkins2040]

Balvenie's popularity - I'd hazard a guess that for the casual shopper, "Balvenie" just sounds like a cool name, the kind of name you'd imagine good Scotch to have.

[@Aqvavitae]

In this line up against this competition, it was one of the best. I need to vaveat though - this is an older bottle. It was a decent pour. Cheers Leo.

[@Spotty_Cooperage]

Glenlivet 12 taught me I liked whisky. Glendronach 12, Bunnahabhain 12, and Glen Scotia 15 taught me how great whisky can be. Thank you Roy for acknowledging that whisky burnout happens to everyone and simply trying to “push through” is not the answer.

[@Aqvavitae]

Absolutely. For burnout - take a break, for fatigue; do the same or switch it up. I was disappointed in the Glenlivet this time around, but some others were a surprise when sipped in contrast. I'm now keen to pick up a Balvenie 12 to compare to that older bottle. It's been a while.

[@jimm8799]

I am going to buy a bottle of Macallan. Have never had it, and I think I should at least work through a bottle to understand it. It is 43% here. I guess sherry oak would be most representative.

[@Aqvavitae]

Oh dear. Well, okay then. Yes the Sherry oak would certainly be my pick, but I can't recommend it at current retail. It's far too expensive, but I understand anyone who wants to understand where it sits. It is decent, just seriously over priced. Good luck Jim.

[@rkostyantyn]

Is there anything from Laphroaig's recent bottlings that deserves attention, other than the overpriced (IMHO) Cask Strength?

[@Aqvavitae]

I'd say yes - if the ABV is decent - many of their releases are at 48% - and the price is okay for you I'd say give it a go. Avoid the PX cask from the airports, it's poor, and seek out their 10yo cask strength - any batch is a cracker. Cheers Konstyantyn

[@frankhayward6758]

PB with 9/10 😊 on quiz without looking at chat. I'll stick to my Ledaig 10 instead of these big sellers. Thanks for the vPub.

[@Aqvavitae]

Introduce that Ledaig into the mix and we have a winner, for only a few quid more. Good choice Frank and amazing quiz work!

[@markoneill5110]

I've got a Macallan 12 triple cask. It says natural colour on the front label. It's a few years old though. Bought it at least 3 years ago.

[@Aqvavitae]

I believe Macallan are all - and have always been - natural colour. A lot to be said for that. Cheers Mark

[@colourlessbluethings]

Haven't bought a bottle in a couple of years (though I do have a couple in my stash) but I definitely have a soft spot for Talisker 10 and I'm not remotely embarrassed to say it. Call it "entry level" if you want but, that's a good whiskey and great value when on offer.

[@Aqvavitae]

I think there's been a softening of that whisky, it feels younger with more first fill in the mix, also a wee bit flatter too, although now I sound like I'm whingeing when it's a rarely visited malt these days here. Nice to see your name pop up again and always grateful for you catching it CBT!

[@marcwhiskey]

One thing to notice is the top 10 pretty much covers the full range of flavor profiles. You have the speyside fruity, a heavily peated, a more lightly peated coastal style, heavier sherry cask usage & highland malty/honey/fruity. And some are in between or a combination of the previously mentioned. So even the mass market has a basic range of flavor they are curious about and buying, but there are people that just wont go above a certain price point. After all this is a luxury good. And by nature, anything higher abv or older generally has less supply, so they would not make it to this list. As there would not be enough bottles of it made.

[@Aqvavitae]

You make good points, absolutely. I wanted to make that clear in the summary - they do a different thing from what we're after these days. We have 7 from Speyside, two highlanders and an Islay, but in terms of profile we're more or less covered, spot on.

[@danswank3378]

Roy, if you want to fix your lower strength Glenlivet 12 add a little bit of 15.

[@Aqvavitae]

The 15 - been a while since I had that one around. It was once a bargain price here and just checking now, yeah, it's still around for as little as £40. A £1 for every 1% of ABV! Cheers Dan

[@andrewjudd9001]

Trying port or sherry are also great relatively affordable ways to take a whisky break while still increasing your whisky knowledge.

[@andrewjudd9001]

Also am on my second bottle of Aberlour 12, find it really easy drinking and a good balance to the other single malts that I drink

[@Aqvavitae]

Agreed, although both, for me, are single glass pours and therefor a wee bit wasteful, but I do enjoy. Especially interesting tasting at Glen Scotia recently where they poured matching drams and sherries. Very interesting. Cheers Andrew!

[@GregsWhiskyGuide]

Missed 3/4 of this because of what you know, an unexpected barflies meeting here in Paris (hope they'll be others, now you know that we have a first spot/place where it could take place...!). Interesting topic this, I have most of the bottles you talked about here, with a few exceptions, and for instance I gave up buying the Laphroaig 10 reduced a long time ago, as for me the Quarter Cask surpasses it easily, but, this year & next one might see for my collection a big number of "not restocking" bottles, due to disappointing evolution of the recipe of some brands previously solid references (Glenfiddich 12, 15, 18, Glenlivet 15, 18 & Aberlour 12, 14, 16 come to mind, but probably also others from this list, because of their price increase. I'm surprised though I don't see in this list Lagavulin 16 yo but I understand it isn't anymore (if it has been ?) as it has been discontinued at some point & has seen a big price increase recently...Also, unfortunately, in France, like I said in my latest live show, Diageo has decided for now on to remove 2 key references from supermarkets and keep them for retailers ("cavistes") only : Lagavulin 16 & Talisker 10 ! No need to say pricing will be affected by that...Slainte !

[@WhiskyTopia]

Does anyone have a recommendation for where I can acquire a small barrel for me trying to experiment with a home infinity barrel of scotch malt whisky ? Thanks in advance ?

[@Watchman999]

There are just two different approaches to whisky. The top 10 cater to one approach (mass consumption and finding a path to comfortable numbness) and then these alternatives that we have on our shelves that speak to us individually and provide a deeper and more contemplative experience. It’s an allegorical indicator of humanity’s condition. Ok I’ll jump off my soapbox. I don’t have a single Macallan for a reason. I would take 10xCraigellachie 13, 8xBunna 12 or 5xSpringbank 10 in a heartbeat over any of the others. Slàinte Mhath whisky wanderers.

[@Aqvavitae]

What you say makes perfect sense Greg. This session also has shown me how many people want to participate in whisky on a much tighter budget, and these are the whiskies they can therefor connect with. Discovering what to enjoy here and what to avoid was a worthwhile exercise for me too. Cheers

[@majornut9728]

Catching up where I left off last night with a sample of Adelphi''s Benrinnes 12yo in the glass. A little different than the ones in this vPub. However, I wouldn't be where I am today in my journey without some of these whiskies. Interesting vPub as always 🙂

[@Aqvavitae]

Thanks Major - I think we can all relax a wee bit with these, there were one or two surprises and if we're out at a regular bar, restaurant or what-have-you, we'll be fine stopping by these. The quality is still there, just not what they once were in some cases and a little light on sipping compared to our usual, or that Benrinnes. Thanks for catching it as always!

[@jbar6284]

Balvenie whiskies have always been over-priced in nz. The 12 doublewood today costs ~UKP58-82, and I've not seen it below ~UKP48 in >15 years. Balvenie 14 week of peat ~UKP95-120.

[@Aqvavitae]

Yes, more pricey than here jbar. Although I understand that's the case for most things in NZ - even your domestic malts(!) I haven't tried the 14 Peat Week (or have no memory of it) but the 17yo I have on hand is a beauty. The Balvenie 12 last night was clearly one of the best in the line up, really quite a nice wee pour (gimme it at 46% though!) Cheers to you!

[@jbar6284]

NZ distilleries are all small-scale so lack economies of scale, and young so likely carrying sizeable debt. The prices I've listed have tended to be the notably over-priced ones, like Balvenie above. Malt prices in nz generally are higher than UK/Europe, but some are not gratuitously so whereas others are more on-the-nose. NZ doesn't have the tax "excuse" that's present in Australia, so it's simply small market/lack of competition/gouging, etc. 14 is the only Balvenie peat week in nz, and at that price it's staying on the shelf, at least for me.

[@michaelwood3203]

I think tonight’s VPub tells me something about people’s buying habits and their deep rooted conditioning created by brand influence and the power of advertising. The subliminal messaging is rather disturbing. Good news Roy. Monkey 5 Me 7. At last a win.

[@Aqvavitae]

Th moneky got a passmark! Well done on the 7 though Michael. Advertising remains vital wrt anyone who doesn't have the time or the motivation to investigate like we do... it, along with shelf presence is very powerful. One folk start to compare, contrast and otherwise explore, marketing is all but neutered.

[@Owyn1993]

I don't think it's whisky snobbery, I don't buy those brands because they are chill filtered and coloured not because of the brand, i just dont want to spend my money on products that arent in my opinion honest. If they were all natural I would buy them. I don't buy any bottle that's chill filtered and coloured, this helps me control my spending and it means I can enjoy every aspect of the bottles I own.

[@Aqvavitae]

A perfect strategy. But many of the folk coming into our community that are still trying to understand the value and implication of filtration and added colour are doing so through these. I'm buying these so you don't have to Owyn, and occasionally we might uncover a wee gem or at least dial in what we can recommend to those that are still finding their way. Thanks for tuning in and commenting!

[@ericcunliffe4112]

It’s a little concerning that Laphroaig plans to double their stills and output in the next decade. They do promisingly have ambitions to work towards near 100% in house maltings as well. Time will tell.

[@Aircraftsystemst]

Horrible array of whiskies Roy. I didn’t notice any grimace!😉 Sorry I’m probably being a snob.

[@Aqvavitae]

Nope not at all - no grimaces and no snobbery. Just truth and where we're at. Cheers!

[@thewhiskyenthusiast]

Brilliant epsiode I'm surprised to see Balvenie and Aberlour on this list with their prices! I get Macallan as it's marketed like crazy but those two is interesting. Damn I missed it by one 9/10! The got me!