So we reach the end of my scotch filled holiday. This time with a scotch that has been talked about a few times here, and is one of my personal favorites – truly a spirit of ‘if you were stranded on an island and could have a crate of just one spirit’ sort of favorite. I am of course speaking of Oban. While Auchentoshan was my first time I really tried and realized I loved scotch, my first Oban was when I realized I was in love with scotch.
Week 2 of 3 for the gifts of scotch, this time a step up from the Select in terms of price (although Select is meant to take from all of Laphroaig. I’ve always been big fans of multiple wood casks (especially with things like The Balvenie), and this is no exception. If I complained last week about a lack of first impressions – damn does this have one.
Alright now that the holidays are over, time to review my gifts. Specifically two very lovely bottles of Laphroaig, the Select this week and the Triple Wood next week (and some Oban the week after). This week we start with the lower cost scotch, but it is by no means a bad scotch in any right.
I will say that Bruichladdich’s marketing prowess of standing out among the scotch aisle has certainly worked by proof of me purchasing it despite many choices on a New Hampshire trip. I am a fan of the peat and the Islay, and this practically shouted at me that I could find it here. However while the peat is certainly a very loud aspect of the whisky it lacks any sort of rhythm or complexity in it’s noise.
This scotch was actually a recommendation to me by a friend as his favorite budget single malt. My current has been Deanston, and in truth I can understand his reasoning. The problem is that in terms of scotch I’m a highland and Islay kind of man, and while a Speyside or Lowland is always welcome – it’s just not what gets my blood pumping.
In place of an article this week for one of my favorite scotches of all time, I have a video instead. Make no mistake I too enjoy Lagavulin as much as that man, and my brevity comes not from a lack of desire to write about the scotch, but that really nothing more needs to be said. This is in my top 10 of greatest things I have ever drunk in my life.
First I want to say this, when you name is capitalized like that – you automatically lose points on the honesty metric of our ‘objective’ scoring system. I wish that wasn’t the case, that a scotch can just be what it wants and doesn’t need to abide by your rules man – but then scotches shouldn’t be American punk bands calling us the man instead of just punching us in the face like a real scot would. You hear that scotch – I want you to hit me – as hard as you can.
I think at this point we’re running out of Taliskers to try. So while the original 10 year has been something that we like well enough, and gives us enough uniqueness to pick it up every once in a blue moon, this is sadly a different case. We picked up the 18 year for a recent convention, and while it’s a great scotch, we wanted so much more from an 18 year old scotch, and an 18 year old Talisker.
We’ve never actually reviewed Glenlivet, so apologies on starting with the 15 year. Personally while I find the 15 much better than the 12 – it’s the 16 Year Nadurra is my favorite (the later years are okay, but are a bit too overpriced.) Overall though Glenlivet is likely one of my favorite scotches that you can find almost everywhere.
Deanston was something we found at one of the rare Whiskey Wednesday events that we actually have been able to go to, and it’s something we’ve come back to a few times. For those unaware Whiskey Wednesday’s is a meeting at Julio’s Liquors which basically involves them opening their basement to a bunch of whiskey tastings (god we wish we lived closer)
