The 8 Most "Classic" SPEYSIDE Scotch Whiskies (according to whisky lovers)

[@tusharjamwal]

1. Glenfiddich 12 2. Glenlivet 12 3. Balvenie DoubleWood 12 4. Aberlour 12 5. Macallan 12 6. Aberlour A'bunadh 7. Glenfarclas 12 8. Glenfiddich 15 Solera Cask

[@ascajc]

Thank you my friend, your comment should be on the top of the list. I don’t know why they don’t just put the list on the video description.

[@jeffvannda1250]

I would buy 1 on your list...I have better Speysides...by far

[@sander3326]

​​​Craigelachie 17 for example.. and what about Tamhdu and Glenmorangie ...​ Glenmorangie 16 and Palo Cortado in particular.. however... Glenmorangie pioneered cask finishing... so.maybe not the most classic Scotch...@@jeffvannda1250

[@willdenham]

I would put Glenlivet before Glenfiddich. Aren't all of the Balvenie Speyside?

[@loosey_lucy]

Glenlivet 12 - "Always lovely to drink, but hard to remember." 100% hit the nail on the head. It is exactly that.

[@LLS.R]

Aberlour A’bunadh was the one who got me into this delicious hobby.

[@mjhearns23]

You guys are so good at making me watch your sponsorship ads. They keep getting better!

[@ThiagoGasparino]

After the first couple bottles showed up I was like "There are a lot of bottles on that Speyside list that say 'Highland Single Malt'." Then I googled a bit and was about to comment something, but decided to watch further. Good to see the explanation came up. I was surprised no Cardhu, though.

[@MR-hn3rw]

"Karma's gonna wreck that ass, bro" I'm going to use this all the time. Hahaha.

[@khicks72]

That's my new ringtone.

[@MalRae6713]

That was the best line !

[@Jorge_Rafa]

Hahahahha

[@jimmyboyle3543]

I nearly pissed my pants lol

[@jeremytheoneofdestiny8691]

Not sure if she meant figuratively or literally, but I like to imagine it was literal!

[@JWSpeedWorkz]

This sponsor spot is FANTASTIC!

[@Abbicis]

went to comment this and glad i'm not the only one lol

[@NeosGuns]

it was so great lol

[@srve8908]

lmaoooo Karmas gonna wreck that ass bro lololol

[@Ian_P]

40% ABV whiskies..."I've had more dramatic... Iced teas" 🤣🤣

[@SkankbumJerry]

Now I have to try some Aberlour lmao 😂👌

[@magicvibrations5180]

@@SkankbumJerry It's one of my favourite whiskies honestly

[@TerrenceBowden-i4k]

Aberlour 12 is the only scotch I will drink at 40 % alcohol by volume. Usually prefer 43 percent and up.

[@UJSupanova]

@@TerrenceBowden-i4k all tasters proof it down to about 35% when nosing and tasting. I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to buying whisky and I do get skeptical when I see "40%" on the bottle buy when you consider that Laphroaig 10 sits happily at 40% you can forgive it a little.

[@golfinweg]

I went to Scotland a couple years ago. We hung out in Aberlour for lunch. I never tried Aberlour whisky until after we got back home in Texas. The instant I nosed Aberlour for the first time, it took me back to that Scotland trip. Those scents were just like what I smelled in that little town. Memories flooding back. That was the coolest thing I've ever experienced with whisky. Also if you're ever in Aberlour....get a burger from the Mash Tun restaurant there in town

[@doctorsayce1010]

You went to Aberlour and enjoyed it? I went to school at that dump and somehow came out with my insanity intact hahah, but Aberlour whisky is really good, particularly the Aberlour 12, it was one of the first whiskies I ever tried and what got me into whisky, glad you enjoyed it there, take care lad

[@kellywellington7122]

I've done two tours, each nearly forty years apart. The first was the Strathmill distillery (J&B) in Keith, Scotland, in 1980, where I got a whirlwind personal tour from the manager, which ended in the courtyard, where the crew was gathered with the excise man to do some sampling. My 'sample' was a good sized beaker with three of four inches of amber liquid. They gave me the lot, and even though I told them I couldn't down it, they encouraged me to drink what I could, as they'd have to throw out the sample, any way. That was my first taste of 'single malt' Scotch. It didn't exist in the markets of the US in 1980, or was so new and expensive that it was outside my ken. But, I had been tainted. My return included a tour of the Blair Athol distillery (Bell's) in Pitlochry, Scotland, in 2017. This time the tour was far more 'official', a herd of tourists lead by a uniformed guide, but there was still a tasting, carefully poured out in measures less than a dram. It was tasty. I figured out why when I returned home. Its single malt price excludes it from my parsimonious list. It was really good stuff, though. I sure wish I'd had time to tour the Highland Park distillery in Kirkwall, but poor clueless me didn't even know Highland Park existed, much less had a much vaunted distillery where I was wasting time. I ate dinner and sampled their product at a restaurant literally next door to the distillery.

[@jasonpullan488]

Best whiskey I ever had was a 63yr old speyside, was 24yr old when it was bottled. Was honored to be one of 5 people who got to enjoy the bottle 😍

[@ryanc473]

Don't think I've ever skipped one of their sponsorship ads, they're always so great

[@harrr53]

In the solera method, they tend to empty half of the barrel. That means the older whisky decreases exponentially. The whisky they pour in is aged separately before going into the solera cask, so, let's say every year the cask is half-emptied (being generous here, it's probably months), and 14 year old whisky is poured in. When you take half out, half of that is 15 year old whisky. A quarter is 16 years old. And that already accounts for 75% of the bottle you buy. 12.5% is 17yo, 6.25% is 18yo. Just over 3% is 19yo. And so on. So thank god for whisky labelling rules, because when Ron Zacapa rum advertises 6 to 23yo rum in their solera rum...there's about 3 drops of 23yo rum in that bottle. And one final note. The Glenfiddich solera should be labelled "solera". The true solera method is a little more complex, because there is no long normal maturation to start with. There is a descending array of younger solera barrels, which are emptied into the next oldest solera barrel each time. To be a true solera, Glenffidich would literally need a series of 15 barrels, with barrel 15 (the oldest) half-emptied each year, and refilled from barrel 14, which would in turn be filled from barrel 13...and so on, with new spirit poured into barrel 1.

[@mahadevisutar1436]

8. Glenfiddich 15 7. Glenfarclas 12 6. Aberlour A'Bunadh 5. Macallan 12 4. Aberlour 12 DoubleCask 3. Balvenie 12 Doublewood 2. Glenlivet 12 1. Glenfiddich 12

[@mateusz.w.nawrocki]

This is extremely helpful for entry level whiskey enthusiasts. Please do videos also for other regions and types (e.g. sherry casked, blended single malts etc.).

[@DavidFraser007]

It's nice to think that whisky produced about an hour or 2 from my part of Scotland is appreciated everywhere in the world. Also the best salmon fishing.

[@dkelly387z]

The Glenlivet 12 was my introduction to Scotch 20+ years ago.... haven't looked back since and quit ordering mixed drinks until I recently moved to Hawaii.

[@blingblingstarmie-5294]

i hate being basic, but with every speyside i try, my respect for the glenfiddich 12 grows. its not the best whiskey you'll ever taste, but it's never dissapointed me

[@eyedeasneverdie3348]

I've been in lockdown for too damn long. Just watching these 2 guys share a drink in a garden is awesome, cannot wait for the summer and hopefully restrictions lifted so me and friends can do this shit again.

[@lickmyfart]

The lockdowns are exactly why I started drinking more

[@lickmyfart]

@@aframs-cctaf-rams-cct6424 Not a liberal but I live in a liberal state, CA

[@eyedeasneverdie3348]

@@aframs-cctaf-rams-cct6424 1 - you sound like you're in a cult 2 - Im not American, I live in England. 3 - This whole real americans are free is a complete falsehood. 4 - I trust science and lockdown is proven to slow the rate of transmitions meaning our free healthcare service wont get overrrun as well as other benefits. 5 - have a good day.

[@HeWhoShams]

@@eyedeasneverdie3348 Imagine giving up your freedoms and letting government dictate everything.. even how you should spend your life. Lol pathetic

[@felironmaden1429]

Hello from the FUTURE! Lockdowns are over! Covid is still a thing, but noone really cares anymore (until they actually get it, but we got a pill for that now) Hope you made it through OK and you and your mates are drinkin whiskey on a porch somewhere! Cheers!

[@JamesPancoast]

OMG, "It's always lovely to drink, but hard to remember" hits right on the head (at least for me & Glenlivet). Great way to put it.

[@krisandersen8695]

I tried Glenfiddich once. It was the 12 yo. I thought it was the worst single malt I have ever had. The Balvenie Doublewood is one of my 3 favorite Single Malts.

[@scottym.9077]

I’d really like to see more videos in this format. I had a bottle of Glenfiddich 12 several years ago before I really got into whiskey and didn’t care for it much. I don’t think I had the tasting reference to appreciate it at the time. I kinda steered away from Speyside ever since but this video has inspired me to circle back to it.

[@stephenhudec]

My personal favorite is the Tomatin 14-yr., aged in Port Casks. Stumbled upon the distillery while driving through Scotland, and absolutely love it.

[@willdenham]

I'm drinking Tamnavulin right now and it is everything I like about Speyside. Perfectly balanced yet forward.

[@thevashfan12392]

strongly agree with glenfiddich 15! I started with glenfiddich 12 which got me into scotch but it was 15 that really sold me on scotch!

[@scottym.9077]

Anyone else notice that he kept pouring more in Rex’s glass than in his own but Rex was leaving his glasses unfinished?

[@waldo15]

Best sponsor plug I have seen in a KZbin video by far. And very happy that Glenfiddich 12 came at the top (which is the only scotch in this list I have at home right now)

[@SAMBAMTHEBATMAN]

favorite speyside single malt whiskey of all time is Spey River Peated Finish 12 year, so so smokey and sweet, its like love in a bottle, highly recommended

[@thewingedpoet8658]

Sipping on Glenfiddich 15 as of the moment, first thing that hit on the pour nose wise is a strong granny smith apple, slight tanin that reminds me of white wine like a chardonnay. First taste completely flips the lid with strong barrel taste with a subtle burning on the back of the throat. Going back in has softer wood notes that turn floral, almost dandelion covering small bits of caramel. Such a solid Speyside.

[@azraelf.6287]

I just bought a bottle of Lagavulin 16 to open tomorrow for my Army retirement. You guys are going to make me buy a speyside, too aren't you?

[@Alex-ir9nx]

Thats a big occasion, so you will fore sure also need a speyside. Also for science

[@piltdownman2151]

Congratulations!

[@azraelf.6287]

@@Alex-ir9nx I'll have to take that up with my bank. Currently I have the sealed bottle of Lagavulin, about 1.5oz of Johnnie Blue, and maybe 8oz of Wild Turkey 101

[@Alex-ir9nx]

@@azraelf.6287 All you need then is a Macallan. They aint that expensive

[@timothyjuarez5306]

Congrats on the retirement and for serving our country...many thanks.

[@robertlear2712]

I love Glenlivet 12 on a scotch and soda. Delicious.

[@masterkey5025]

Briana is lowkey becoming my favorite, you guys better step it up lol

[@BillMcGirr]

Interesting fact on the Glencairn glasses.👍🥃

[@andrewsimpson3073]

Would very much like to see the rest of the regions covered in this way. Keep up the good work - Andy, UK

[@nemo4907]

Some of the finest acting I've ever witnessed! It would be a tragedy if the Academy overlooked this cinematographic MASTER PIECE.

[@chadp6456]

Loved the commercial with Briana!

[@ahpadt]

Craigellachie, Mortlach and Linkwood are good options if you want outliers in this region

[@diegomacias4787]

Glenlivet 12 will always have place in my heart it was the forst LEGAL bottle I got think my dad bought it for me for my 21st bday .He also bought me a glen 18yr once. Its a good whisky heavy warm apple notes tbh .

[@gedionsamuel2256]

Highly recommend Glen Fohdry Darach Caribbean. It’s a Speyside matured in Caribbean rum oak casks. Also Glenfiddich 14 is remarkable!

[@JH-up5zj]

My guys yes! Actually talking about whisky first and the indulgent banter a distant second. I love these 2017 vibes.

[@Remrcm]

As a Scotch single malt whisky lover this is the best episode in a long time!! Thank you!🥃🥃

[@godithdadrag]

Glenlivet 12 is hard for me to remember because I end up drinking too much of it and forgot that I had it

[@HolstThorsen]

Thanks for the tip of putting a few drops of islay into the Glenlivit. Made a massive difference. Now it is actually GOOD! Please try at home!

[@joshuamire2721]

Macallan has been my absolute favorite bar/club night scotch. You can find it just about everywhere and it's such an easy drinker.

[@dougs1115]

Abelour Scotland is home to the Walker's Shortbread Factory. As you drive into the town there is a pleasant smell of shortbread in the air. Could this be part of the "pastry" notes in the Abelour 12 Year Old?

[@jetpieolet23]

Great video! Would also love to see something similar for blended scotches... or maybe even a voted best of??

[@johnmaliskey7951]

A'BUNADH (A-Boon-Ar) is a tall ladder top shelf whiskey. That's what's in my flask at special events. The trick to it is take a small sip of water to wet your mouth , then a wee dram, swirl it around for a few seconds, swallow, then another sip of water. The flavour will just explode on your pallet. Did I mention it's 120 proof ????????????? And so smooth ................... The term Speyside is from the Spey River Basin in the middle of the Grant Territory. Essentially a Grant Whiskey. ..... enjoy

[@sp5072]

Make this a series!!! For Highland, Islay, Campbeltown, and Island!

[@mknewlan67]

Very first scotch I had was Macallan 12 sherry cask. Made me fall in love with scotch.

[@JSJ07]

Can we bring back the intro? I miss that!

[@rogerwelsh2335]

The Glen fiddich 15 is amazing. It’s better than the 18.

[@CannonRanger-1]

The Solera cask at the Glenfiddich Distillery is a marvel to behold. It brought a tear to my eyes.

[@khaaaaaaaaaannn]

I have a bottle of Aberlour 12 sat in my kitchen waiting for a special occasion, one of my favourite Speysides

[@Jorge_Rafa]

Best commercial ever!!!! “Karma is going to wreck that ass” did a spit take on that one.

[@Im_Old_Gregg]

You actually put a sponsor in your video without pissing me off. Well done. First time that's ever happened on a KZbin video

[@karl_alan]

Sponsor ads usually piss you off?

[@razldazle10]

What about trying a blend of Macallan 12 Sherry Oak & Aberlour A'bunadh? Best of both words maybe 🤔

[@werners5191]

These guys have the best job in the world.

[@kellywellington7122]

Yep. Once I'd settled on Speyside for my preferred Scotch, I went with Glenfiddich 12. I kept it in my selection for years....until I tried the Solera. The Solera dominated until I returned to Scotland and tasted Highland Park Einar. In the subsequent five years, I've vastly expanded my available selection searching for an adequate replacement for the non-existent Einar and found Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban and the Auchentoshan Three Barrel, with which I've very happy. But, I still sought that 'hint of smoke' that Einar had imparted. I just invested in a bottle of Lagavulin 16 and, although I found the flavor better than the Laphroig 10, it was still too much peat for me. The Quest continues...I've been pointed to Benromach 10 as a contender.

[@Parcello123]

Hey man! The glasses look clean and polished! Congrats! 🎉 👏👍🏻

[@ThreeToesofFury]

Question: If I'm an 100% Islay fan, will i like Speyside's? If so, best gateway starter??

[@karl_alan]

I always get tons of pear on glenfiddich. The XX may as well be a pear cider.

[@dmshampton]

I think that’s why I love it so much. The stone fruit/pear note is pretty awesome and unique!

[@richardnixon8795]

Brilliant videos, but I have a question. I don't know if it's "tradition" or what, but I noticed you did not add water. I have heard adding a squirt of water is supposed to open up the whisky or something like that. So, my question is - what are your thoughts on adding water?

[@marcracioppi766]

Great video guys!! Glenfiddich 15 is my favorite… My Go To whisky!! I’m surprised Mortlach didn’t make the list. Really enjoyed your list though and looking forward to more videos. The Genie was Awesome as well. 😂😂

[@larrywagner1432]

The word cloud for the Glenfiddich 12 is so wild for me. Seeing all the fruit notes that other seem to get is mind blowing. All I get is old garden, dried leaves, and funky malt, and that’s about it. I’m one of those that would have voted the Glenlivet 12 up.

[@LimPu]

You are not the only one Sir. I love the Glenfiddich 12 for its mostly (for me) spicy and strong woody notes with very mild fruit in the background. IF I am getting the fruity notes, which I seem to not always get.

[@barryh.2306]

As someone who's trying to get into Scotch, this is super useful! Would love to see similar videos for the different Scotch regions.

[@quentins5692]

Glenlivet 12 is one of my first and still FAVORITE scotch whiskys especially for the money

[@capitaldd3693]

Great info.... Would have liked to see a list of the 8 in the intro- so I could play along..... now I have to write them.down and play.. it's just time consuming....ya know..🥃

[@ZacharyCorum]

If there were an awards ceremony for ad's on KZbin channels you guys would dominate.

[@MrSplic3r]

"FROLK!!!!"

[@michaelrehn]

Texas welcomes back the warm temps!

[@andrewfarnsworth7178]

I was watching them and thinking to myself. Ahhh yes, in another month or so when it gets up to 45-50 degrees daily I can be sipping whiskey wearing a t-shirt in my back yard too only I'll still have snow banks in the background. I'm getting all sentimental now.

[@pap915]

"Aberlore" good Daniel, good.

[@Punkologist]

The first single malt I ever bought was the Glenlivit 12 and the second was the Balvenie 12. So looks like I made decent choices.

[@usuallyflaccid1721]

Excellent gibbon impression from Rex at 12:37

[@keelanallen1985]

How many other people who have found that whisky which pulled you in and you can't seem or want to stop buying and trying more whiskey. Thanks to go whiskey vault and tribe I've wanted and trying to widden the range and diversity in the regions which the whisky is from funnily it was wild turkey 101 and Laphroaig 10 (non cask strength) although I will get the cask strength as soon as I finish the (NCS). Btw I'm 20 from the south west of the UK and loving the content and the widening of my drinking horizon.

[@NikStarow]

Cragganmore 12yo is one of the whiskys i always have in my cubbard. Once one bottle is movin towards the last quarter, i order one more. Don't want to be in a situation where i really want a Cragganmore 12, and im out.

[@stephenhill6555]

Love A'bunadh!! My special occasion whiskey at the moment. You should do a whiskey tribe top 10 'special occasion' whiskey episode. That would be Interesting

[@theFsibal]

Had the Glenfiddich 12, Glenlivet 12, Glenferclas and Balvenie, will try the Macallan and AberLour

[@busternineshoes]

I'm old. I remember the Glenfiddich base bottle as 8 years old. It was far more complex than the current 12 (which I find difficult to drink). How about a series of tasting 70's and 80's bottling's to the current ones?

[@JourneyFontenot]

Briana the genie, please make that a reoccurring thing!

[@thetardis5763]

Yes Briana The Genie, please grant thy wish!

[@brucemacmahon5603]

Love that Aberlour A'bunadh.

[@jhort100]

The eff is wrong with the tip of your pocket knife? ALSO what brand knife do you carry?

[@kellywellington7122]

This is an older video, so you probably haven't tried the Glenlivet 'Nadurra', which is the distillate finished in somebody's former peated whisky barrels.

[@nverroye]

Have you had 2 gingers whiskey and if so what do you think about it

[@joellathers5959]

Hope you are doing this with every category is scotch. Very informative. Scotch is one of those journeys I want to explore more of , but I’m still waiting on my decoder ring to come in the mail. Love you guys you shave even a great source for my whisk(e)y journey thus far. 👏👏👏👏👏🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃

[@alfredgytu9457]

What about Glenrothes? I've tried most of them and they are by far some of the best Speyside single malts!

[@jarrettjordan]

I see Rex's moochling showed up lol. That was awesome.

[@RaduB.]

Glad to hear that Glenfiddich 12 came on top!... It's my favorite Speyside whisky. 🙂

[@maltphilistine923]

The first rule of "A'bunadh Club", is you don't talk about "A'bunadh Club".

[@charlagarth926]

My all time favorite. Shhhhhhhh 😏

[@fish_built]

All time favorite here too, good lord it's just on another level

[@benbrothers6968]

Have you tried the alba? All the fantasticness, but bourbon instead of sherry. A'bunadh is unbeatable at that price I swear.

[@fighterx4133]

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh we dont need the price going up

[@jnaga48]

That was the best ad i've seen on youtube.

[@Raven_Leblanc]

Holy... The glenlivet 12 hit me where I live I remember when I was in Scotland for vacation, my family and I went to the Glenlivet distillery and did a tour, and it was my first whisky I've tasted properly! OOOH the memories!

[@jessetheunending9357]

Good to see all you MBs!

[@Moreno1232]

AERSTONE single malt scotch whisky. SEA CASK.10 years. My single favorite, what do you guys think or this whisky? Can we get a review!?

[@andyn2003super]

This was a playlist of All my favorites, with the flavour and nose notes word for word

[@Pyraxxis]

The flavor cloud bit was my favorite. Had to pause it and pull out my bottle to follow along. Can confirm that Glenfiddich 12 does indeed taste like Ron Burgundy’s flop sweat. 😂 but in the best way...

[@randyboyd3839]

Heading to Scotland for first time this fall, big gin drinker but can you give me some advice about drinking n tasting Whiskey ? I will be visiting western Scotland around Prestwick n Ary. Thanks

[@sonata2477]

Hi , I love your channel , Just to ask what is the best liquor describe the smoky oak woody dry intense and robust feeling?

[@scottbristow3370]

Hey lads, why not do an episode where you try to blend Aberlour A'bunadh and Macallan 12 in an attempt to create "the perfect Speyside"... Worth a try I reckon!

[@phunkydroid]

"I wouldn't be able to stand up, cuz we would get demonitized..."

[@jonathanratliff1501]

I'm here for more of these "quintessential" videos

[@Rgmekanic]

I'm new to scotch, and have found I love Speysides. I recently had Macallan 12 and am now in desperate need for a more budget option of a sherry finished Speyside. Everything around me is $75 a bottle, and I want a cheap "go to".

[@michaelferguson9642]

Honestly, good luck. Cheap scotch just isn’t enjoyable at all. The cheapest I found that I enjoyed was the Glen Moray 12. It was $40 and I got it on sale.

[@Rgmekanic]

@@michaelferguson9642 I've been enjoying Monkey Shoulder quite a bit. It's $35ish here. but I'm craving that sherry finish

[@artkingvie]

@@Rgmekanic I don't know where you're from but if you're into sherry finishes - Edradour 10 is a must-try. Especially if you're new to the Whisky world.

[@justinmacchiaverna4028]

I’d give Tomatin 12 a try. It’s a little more expensive than Monkey Shoulder, but it is a very good everyday scotch that I’ve been enjoying quite a lot. If you’re into stuff like Macallen 12 that’s heavy on sherry, I’d highly recommend this one.

[@burkec33]

@@michaelferguson9642 I am enjoying Glen Moray as well. Not as known but very good.

[@brandonj8952]

Aberlour all day any age hands down the best speyside sipper! You hit the A'bunadh as a pregamer (first 1 or 2 glasses) for those fancy get shity nights before switching off to Monkey Shoulder to keep the buzz alive as you smoke a stoggie.

[@androkles04]

There may come a day where I will skip the Tribe's ad-rolls, BUT IT IS NOT THIS DAY!