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Every year since my Dad turned 70 I have given him a good bottle of Scotch for his birthday. He will be 74 in December. Last year it was Aberlour A'bunadh. The year before it was Highland Park 15. What would you recommend I give him this year? The budget is for a bottle between $80-$120.
I am also curious about Glenora from Cape Breton, and Penderyn from Wales even though they aren't Scotch. Any feedback about those?


Frank

I wasn't overly impressed with Glen Breton, but I only had a small taste. I'm definitely a fan of Highland Park.

My Scotch experience is severely limited by my budget, which usually tops out at $60. When I splurged for the Highland Park, I quite enjoyed it.

I feel the same about Glen Breton.

I'm a big fan of The Macallan. Really nice scotch. Laphroig is another favourite.

Send a message to Jeff Pinhey (brewnoser) - he would likely have some suggestions

I've not tried the latest Glen Breton's, but their first attempts were a little too gentle for my liking.

HIghland Park 15 is a lovely whisky; you'll not go wrong buying another one. If you want to try another Island malt, Talisker is a fairly safe bet, but there's quite a bit of variance from island to island.

For Speyside (Aberlour's region), Cragganmore is probably somewhere between the Aberlour and the Highland Park, but there's also Balvenie, MacAllan and Glenlivet which lots of people love. With the MacAllan especially there are usually several variants to choose from.

Highland is probably also a safe bet where you'll find Dalwhinnie and Oban as fairly easy drinkers and one of my favorites, Glenfarclas that leans a little more towards the peat and smoke. I don't know enough about Lowlands malts to comment.

I'd be careful about getting into the classic Islay malts (e.g., Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Bowmore) unless you know for sure he's into heavy peat and/or smoke. A "gentler" Islay like Bunnahabhain or Bruichladdich might be a go.

If you're looking for something a little different, the Gaelic Whiskies are both pretty good. Poit Dhubh ("potch goo") is their single malt style and Te Beagh ("chey vek") is a blend. You could get a bottle of each within your budget. It's been a while since I've had them but I quite enjoyed both; they're both probably a little sweeter than most malts, but very smooth.

Also, as Liam suggested, Brewnoser can probably give you the best advice easily available.

Balvanie doublewood is really nice.

I was at the Whisky show in St. John's on Thursday...

Tried many many many Scotches.

Dalmore, Dalwhinnie, Oban were good. Laphroig 18 was not. Nor were the older Highland Parks.
Lagavulin is always good. Surprisingly I bought Glenfiddich 14 yr old Rich Oak.... Delicious and you can't get it here.

If I could make an outrageous suggestions, try the Yamazaki 12 yr old whisky. It's delectable. Japanese whisky is slowly taking over the scene. Otherwise go for Lagavulin, about 100 per bottle.

Edit: Glen Breton = Diesel

GasMD30 wrote:I was at the Whisky show in St. John's on Thursday...

Tried many many many Scotches.

Dalmore, Dalwhinnie, Oban were good. Laphroig 18 was not. Nor were the older Highland Parks.
Lagavulin is always good. Surprisingly I bought Glenfiddich 14 yr old Rich Oak.... Delicious and you can't get it here.

If I could make an outrageous suggestions, try the Yamazaki 12 yr old whisky. It's delectable. Japanese whisky is slowly taking over the scene. Otherwise go for Lagavulin, about 100 per bottle.

Edit: Glen Breton = Diesel

Sounds like you're a lowland Scotch fan? I've heard very few people dislike Laphroig or Highland Park.

GasMD30 wrote:Nor were the older Highland Parks.

I don't much like the 18 but if you're talking about the 25 and 30 that's crazy talk. The 25 is great; the 30 is one of the best things I have ever put in my mouth.

If I could make an outrageous suggestions, try the Yamazaki 12 yr old whisky. It's delectable. Japanese whisky is slowly taking over the scene.

Careful calling anything made in Japan "whisky"... Men in kilts and serious expressions may show up unannounced at your door.

I've tried a few malts from over there and I won't say they're not interesting, but (to me) they're missing a lot of the smokiness and peatiness that I love. Not that there's not complexity, but it's a depth of sweetness and maltiness, not a marriage of malt and peat and smoke. That said, it's a fair point that it would be something off the beaten path. Not sure where you can get it in NS though (NSLC doesn't have it).

Otherwise go for Lagavulin, about 100 per bottle.

Not in NS it ain't! $120 for the 12yo (which never used to be available here) but I'd pay the extra $5 for the 16yo. Still, if a person's used to Highland Park 15 and Aberlour, a beast like Lagavulin is going hit pretty hard.

mumblecrunch wrote:
I don't much like the 18 but if you're talking about the 25 and 30 that's crazy talk. The 25 is great; the 30 is one of the best things I have ever put in my mouth.

I had the flight from 10-12-18-21-25 yrs old. I much preferred the 12 to the more expensive 21 and 25 year olds. My Scotch mates agreed. As for the low lander comment.... Why I oughta! Haha each Scotch, even from the same distillery has very different qualities and moving up in age does not equal smoothness. The Laphroig 18 was surprisingly harsh but the 25 was amazing.

Careful calling anything made in Japan "whisky"... Men in kilts and serious expressions may show up unannounced at your door.

I disagree. While it is 100% not Scotch, that Yamazaki is a fantastic single malt that's more whisky than most rye and bourbons.

Not in NS it ain't! $120 for the 12yo (which never used to be available here) but I'd pay the extra $5 for the 16yo. Still, if a person's used to Highland Park 15 and Aberlour, a beast like Lagavulin is going hit pretty hard.

Yay! For once NL has something the mainland doesn't. Well I mean all other provinces have it but we beat NS!

Anything glenmorangie

Scotch is so subjective, like beer I suppose. But Oban is the best I`ve ever had. The Loose Cannon used to have a scotch night, (wednesdays maybe, i`m not sure) that had several great scotches for the same price, I`m sujre they were selling Oban at a loss, but it`s a good way to test things.

Whiskey or whisky is whiskey or whisky wherever you go, but don't call it scotch unless it comes from Scotland.

My go to scotch is Glenfiddich Solera Reserve (15 yr), I like it better than the more expensive 18 yo

mumblecrunch wrote:

GasMD30 wrote:If I could make an outrageous suggestions, try the Yamazaki 12 yr old whisky. It's delectable. Japanese whisky is slowly taking over the scene.

Careful calling anything made in Japan "whisky"... Men in kilts and serious expressions may show up unannounced at your door.

I've tried a few malts from over there and I won't say they're not interesting, but (to me) they're missing a lot of the smokiness and peatiness that I love. Not that there's not complexity, but it's a depth of sweetness and maltiness, not a marriage of malt and peat and smoke. That said, it's a fair point that it would be something off the beaten path. Not sure where you can get it in NS though (NSLC doesn't have it).

Otherwise go for Lagavulin, about 100 per bottle.

Not in NS it ain't! $120 for the 12yo (which never used to be available here) but I'd pay the extra $5 for the 16yo. Still, if a person's used to Highland Park 15 and Aberlour, a beast like Lagavulin is going hit pretty hard.

1. he called it whisky not scotch, totally acceptable. japanese single malt is exactly that.

2. both gasMD and the orignal poster (frank) are in St. John's

CorneliusAlphonse wrote: 1. he called it whisky not scotch, totally acceptable. japanese single malt is exactly that.

Yes, by the standards of appellation whereby to be marketed and/or labelled as "Scotch Whisky" a product must be produced in Scotland, yada yada.

But by the standards of every Scotsman I've met, "scotch" is a meaningless (or worse) word: "it's fookin' whisky and I assure you we invented the fookin' stuff. That shite over there is nae whisky, it's just whiskey ye ken?"

I'll not pretend it's rational. Stern men in kilts, etc.

2. both gasMD and the orignal poster (frank) are in St. John's

I completely failed to spot that.

Don't worry we'll let it slide.

If I could suggest something else... Maybe for his 75th birthday a trip to the whisky show? It's a busy place but where else can you try $600 scotch?! The pipe bands and roast beef were good too.

GasMD30 wrote:Maybe for his 75th birthday a trip to the whisky show? It's a busy place but where else can you try $600 scotch?! The pipe bands and roast beef were good too.

where is this magical place?

bluenose wrote:

GasMD30 wrote:Maybe for his 75th birthday a trip to the whisky show? It's a busy place but where else can you try $600 scotch?! The pipe bands and roast beef were good too.

where is this magical place?

Lord Nelson...here is a link to the one last year: http://www.mynslc.com/Content_Marketing ... hisky.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I went two years ago and it was fantastic. I usually go to the one in Fredericton every year as well.

These are great since you get to try anything you want. You quickly learn that more expensive bottles aren't always better!

I'm not a big fan of the Glen Breton products. My favourite SMS's are Oban (quite Peaty) and Laphroaig (lots of weird benzene-like flavours, but tastes great IMO).

Thanks for all the suggestions. Some of those he has had before and I prefer to give him a treat, something he hasn't had. I gave him the Oban for his 70th. He enjoyed it. The Glenfarclas and Poit Dhubh are interesting. But neither seems to be in stock at the NSLC or NLC (I am in St John's but hope to get to Halifax before his birthday). I think he would enjoy the Yamazaki just for the novelty of a Japanese whisky. But again it isn't available. I am going to see what Ralfy on Youtube says about the other names. And ask for advice at the stores, see what they say.

Thanks again
Frank

bluenose wrote:

GasMD30 wrote:Maybe for his 75th birthday a trip to the whisky show? It's a busy place but where else can you try $600 scotch?! The pipe bands and roast beef were good too.

where is this magical place?

There is a yearly whiskies of the world show here in St. John's.
http://www.nfliquor.com/Home/events/spe ... 20Web.ashx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Someone just gave me a bottle of Bowmore 12 y. Looking forward to trying it.

Broob wrote:Someone just gave me a bottle of Bowmore 12 y. Looking forward to trying it.

That's my goto. Reasonably priced and quite tasty.

jeffsmith wrote:

Broob wrote:Someone just gave me a bottle of Bowmore 12 y. Looking forward to trying it.

That's my goto. Reasonably priced and quite tasty.

Nice and smokey