Help me pick my next bottle

[Nock]

So on my next trip to Vancouver I plan on picking up ONE of these bottles. They are all malts I have never tasted (but really want to). Which one do you think I shouldn't leave Canada without?

I should also add that I can't find any of these in Seattle. So my one chance is this store in Vancouver (on Cambie and 42nd)

As to my taste, I love spicy and peaty. My current favorites are Talisker and Ardbeg. I also really like Highland Park 12yo and Laphroaig 10yo.

[karlejnar]

I think you should pick up the Lagavulin. It gives you the most peat/smoke/spices, and tastewise it is nearer to Ardbeg/Laphroaig than the others.
The Caol Ila could be your 2nd choice if the Laga' is sold out. But try to get the CS version instead. CI 12yo is peaty OK, but the CS is much more pungent.
Independent versions of CI are usually way better than OB's, wonder why Diageo doesn't do more for this malt.

[Tom]

I'd say Highland Park 18.
Personally i never was quite impressed by Caol Ila 12 and even less of the 18. i find it a flat and relatively dull dram. The CS is indeed a different story and worth looking fore.
As for the Laga 12. Like you said you like peaty and spicy, indeed it would be a logical next step,but although i like it, i find the Uigaedail a far better dram and there you have both peat and spices (pepper). I chose HP because the laga 12 has nothing to offer that other Islays on Cask strength cant give you. HP18 is simply put top quality balance unlike anything else out there.Personally i find this one quite difficult because you want to look for all the layers and flavors in a whisky and with this one its so hard to distinguish them. The 12 has some mild honey and slightly peat to pup up over the other flavors, but the 18 is more balanced and even for those characteristics you will have to search. This makes it also quite complex.
Hard choice i guess. Good luck.

[Deactivated Member]

I voted for Clynelish, a nice coastal malt that fits in your profile, but is different enough to further your education.

I'll add that price may be a factor, plus your desire to get something "special"--if you're looking for value, then definitely Clynelish (the Caol Ila fits in here, too, but I agree with some others that it's not the most interesting dram--you'll like the peat at first, but after a while may find it lacking in depth). If you want something special, then by all means get the Lag CS if you can afford it. HP 18 would be a fine choice, as well.

[Lord_Pfaffin]

Only just the one bottle is a very tough choice indeed. The Caol Ila 12 is, as it states on the bottle "vatted for drinkability", so if you choose this i recommend that you get two bottles. If you find it as likeable as do, i the 1st bottle will disappear so fast that you'd wished you had brought another. As a matter of fact i almost feel that way about the Clynelish but the price would make me balk. As for the Laga; haven't tried it yet but i can tell you that everytime a shipment comes in it clears the shelves quickly, usually the next day. The Spingbank 10 i found very spirity and peppery and ended-up doctoring the last third of the bottle to dispatch it. Highland Park 18, the priciest of the bunch and with good reason and that won't make your decision any easier at all either. I'd suggest substituting the Springbank on your list for the Laga 16 and draw lots for your choice; you will be pleasantly surprised without any risk of being disappointed.

[Admiral]

I'm with Mr T....the Clynelish is the stand-out. Dollar for dollar, it offers a tremendous punch on the palate with a little bit of everything.

Cheers,
Admiral

[Lawrence]

Nock, if you have the chance come to Victoria and visit the Strath Liquor Store, it has a better selection than Cambie with a few exclusives in BC along with the only supply of Glencairn glasses.

As to the whisky I voted for the Caol Ila 12 but that's just me. The BC Liquor purchasing system is a little odd and the prices are a little high but there are some gems not found in other parts of Canada, the Talisker 18 and the Caol Ila 18 come to mind. What Diageo is doing is providing BC with small lots of unusual malts and once they are gone they are gone.

[Nock]

Thanks for all the input guys
I really appreciate it.

And thanks Lawrence for the heads up on the BC oddity. At the Cambie store there was a great deal of Talisker 18 and the Caol Ila was listed as a "new item." I don't remember seeing the Caol Ila 18 though.

Well I am heading up this weekend (again) and so I will make my final decision on Saturday

[Lawrence]

Sorry, the Caol Ila 18 is all gone, I was just using it as an example of single malt that was available for a short while. I suspect the Talisker 18 is a similar limited shipment to BC.

[patrick dicaprio]

So on my next trip to Vancouver I plan on picking up ONE of these bottles. They are all malts I have never tasted (but really want to). Which one do you think I shouldn't leave Canada without?

I should also add that I can't find any of these in Seattle. So my one chance is this store in Vancouver (on Cambie and 42nd)

As to my taste, I love spicy and peaty. My current favorites are Talisker and Ardbeg. I also really like Highland Park 12yo and Laphroaig 10yo.

i say try the clynelish. very unique and one of the best all around malts.

Pat

[Nock]

Thanks again everyone for the help.

I went with the Lagavulin 12yo. It was the 2003 special release at 57.8%. I think this is the second release (am I mistaken?). While the Clenelish was a HUGE temptation I settled on the Lagavulin because not only did it get the most votes BUT it was also the cheaper of the two. The Lagavulin was at $74 CAD, and the Clenlish was in the $80's or $90. SO now the big question is do I open it soon or wait for a more appropriate time. I am kind of hoping to acquire a few more cask strength malts over the next few months and then have one big tasting. We will see. Thanks again and trust me, if I have another opportunity I will definitely pick up the Clenlish

[jimidrammer]

It's strange how the prices vary so much from market to market. Here's the U.S prices I've seen for these:
Caol Ila 12yo 43% $45US

Clynelish 14yo 46% $39US

Lagavulin 12yo 57.8% $175US!!!!!

Springbank 10yo 46% $51US

Highland Park 18yo 43% $62US


I've purchased all of them except the Lagavulin 12yo, and since the Lagavulin 16yo is a $100 less I've stocked up on it instead All of those are excellent malts, I'm glad the Clynelish is so reasonable here since it is one of my favorites.

[Lawrence]

Wow, Lagavulin 12 for US$175 a bottle. Somebody somewhere is really making a lot of money.

[Nock]

Thanks for the info on the prices jimidrammer

The HP 18yo was just over $100, the Caol Ila was around $85, the Springbank 10yo was $94 and I think the Clynelish was in the high 80s, or 90s. (all prices are CAD with GST added in). What is funny is that the Lagavulin 16yo was going for $94 while the 12yo was going for $74.

Ya, here in Seattle you can still find an abundance of Lagavulin 16yo at $59 but no 12yo that I have seen.

[Lawrence]

It makes sense that the 16 year old is more expensive than the 12, right?

Nock next time you visit Vancouver on a shopping trip let us know so we can let you know what's new in the stores.

Lawrence

[Deactivated Member]

It makes sense that the 16 year old is more expensive than the 12, right?

Not necessarily...the 12 is a cs and a limited bottling. I can get it here for about $120-125, the Clynelish for under $40. That is comparable to UK prices, if I'm not mistaken--those BC prices are really weird.

[Lawrence]

Our prices are normal, your are the prices that are all weird. But you're correct, I forgot about the CS of the 12.

[Frodo]

I vote Clynelish. Dollar for unit, it's a better value at the LCBO. I don't have access to the price list that you have to chose from however. I've never had the Clynelish 14yr OB but judging from the feedback on the board, it sounds like a winner. And it is different enough (with that mustard taste) from your other choices that you would be missing out on something very different but with the same coastal flavours you've identified that you like...

Frodo

[Nock]

Thanks for the input Frodo. I would love to get my hands on the Clynelish. My biggest obstacle is the boarder laws. I am only allowed to bring one liter (or litre) of alcohol with me back into the states ONLY if I have stayed in Canada for over 48 hours. So unless I take a gang of friends up for a weekend trip I must settle for one bottle at a time.

Thanks for the offer Lawrence.
I will certainly let you know when I plan on heading up next. I could use all the inside info I can get. Ya, it is a shame to think that there is something sitting right under my nose that I might be taking for granted. For example the last time I was in San Francisco and saw Finlaggan Old Reserve for $17, and Laphroaig OB 10yo for $30. WHY didn't I buy more??!!!

Here the Laphroaig goes for $50 and my bottle will soon be empty.

Further, right now the Lagavulin 16yo is abundant at $60 a bottle. And there is plenty of the Sherry cask strength Macallan. I am just waiting for them both to be gone. The Macallan never to be seen again, and the Lagavulin to be seen at over $120 a bottle. Just a fear. I remember the Cambie Liquor store still had the older sherry Macallan 12yo (can't find it in Seattle) and they were asking $85 CAD (or something in the 80's).

In a few years I might regret that I didn't pick up a bottle . . .
But . . . I must keep chanting:
I only have so much money for scotch, and I was never a huge fan of Macallan to begin with . . .
I just hope I still believe it when the older Macallan prices go through the roof.

[Lawrence]

There's a lady in Oregon that has an amazing selection and ships all over the place via Fedex. I cab let you have her email address if you want to talk to her.

[WestVanDave]

Hi Nock: 'sorry I missed your post prior to your trip to Vancouver. I think you made the right choice with the Lag 12 - especially at $75 Cdn ($60 US) vs. the $175 US price.

I have ranted many times on this forum about BC's meagre supply and tax-bloated prices - and our neighbouring land of opportunity: Alberta, where with their privatized system and flat tax the prices are typically 25 ~ 40% lower and sometimes more - while their offerings continually expand and they are keen & interested in promoting and supporting new & rare whiskies... (OK - take a breath and calm down!!!). (A prime example would be Springbank 10 - $94.90 in BC and $49 in Alberta!!! )

Please let me know if you are planning to visit Vancouver again and I can keep you posted on any rare finds here along with the West Coast Whisky Society events (Tastings, special purchases, etc.).

Likewise, Lawrence is a great wealth of info for anyone Victoria bound - as well as having lots to share on other worldly destinations - and he's not the only one whose Whisky Passport runneth over...

This is a great forum for anyone travelling and wanting to augment their trip with some Whisky (buying, sampling, etc.) - so much so that perhaps I could suggest a Travel Help section for such posts as: "I'm travelling to _____________ - any thoughts on ____________ (Pubs, Whisky shops, Clubs/Societies holding tastings, etc.)...

Cheers, Dave.