The best 25 years old malt

[Lugarteniente]

Go with the 25 years old...

[bamber]

Well I've only had the Glenfarclas, Caol Ila and HP in that list (assuming they are OB's), and I'd rank those:

HP,CI,GF.

I would dearly love to try the Mac and a 25yo OB Ardbeg

[Deactivated Member]

I wonder whether we aren't attaching rather too much importance to the age statement. Comparing all 10yos - fair enough, if we must. But at older ages, we are simply not comparing like with like. You cannot usefully say that all 25yo whiskies are in the same category any more than you could say that every 46% whisky was in the same category. Many bottlings at this age are one off, and excellence can be achieved at younger or older ages. Most 25yos would be well over the hill, whilst a few 25yos might develop further with longer maturation. Others may be at their peak right on the button of 25.

My view - arrogant perhaps - is that milestone ages (18, 25, 30, 40) are aimed primarily at selling product to people who don't know very much about whisky and assume that quality (and hence price) should rise on an exponential scale against age. Frankly, people who have more money than sense - the ones who just look for the oldest age statement they can get for a given price. I suspect that people who know a little more about whisky would seek out quality wherever it was found, and understand that the age statement is little more than a useful way of identifying bottlings.

Sorry if that sounds a little harsh.

[bamber]

I agree with that Nick but you can still rank them. Everyon loves some stats no ?

[Deactivated Member]

Well, we might have been able to rank these if we had tried them all. I haven't and I doubt that many others will have done. We might have tried one or two (although I have tried none of those listed) but all that will yield is an analysis of how many people have tasted brand A and how many have tasted brand B.

What I object to is the perpetuation of the naive belief that 25yos are better than 18yos are better than 12yos are better than 10yos. Frankly, that is just amateur nite.

As I say, I can accept polling for best 10yos because they are at a lower price range and generally are not the best expressions of each distillery. But if people want to take this approach to seriously old, landmark age OBs when genuinely top class whiskies can be had at non-landmark ages and at far lower prices, then I think it betrays a real lack of understanding of whisky. It looks to me like flashing cash, hoping to attract respect but actually demonstrating that a fool and his money are easily parted.

Again, sorry if I sound harsh.

[bamber]

Heh. It reminds me of being at WoW at Heathrow airport and all the muppets buying JW Blue and Glenfiddich 30yo (not knocking this one but we know why they bought it).

Probably keeps the price down on better less celebrated whiskies though

[Deactivated Member]

I tend to agree with you, Nick, but if somebody wants to have a little fun with a poll, where's the harm? If I don't find it relevant or have nothing to add, I don't participate. To paraphrase the great sage, if we don't want to vote, how are they going to stop us?

Personally, I see no point in ranking such as these, or choosing a favorite, but I think the objective is to promote discussion. The author of this thread, whose English is a bit limited (but far better than my Spanish), is doing his best to do just that. If divvying everything up into age groups seems a bit naive, still there's no harm in it. And cheer up, he'll run out of numbers soon!

[Muskrat Portage]

Nick, I wish I lived in Alba and could access 25 yo more readily. Being in the far North across that big pond definitely restricts our choices.

Now about ageism - I personally perceive that the Balvenie 12 is superior to the 15 yo and then there is a marked improvement by the 21, until you reach the 25 yo Single cask which is so pleasing that I have only a bit left and may polish off tonight. This is probably not true of all whisky but is what I've run into.

Regretfully, I've not sampled or acquired too many 25 yo although I quite like the Glen Rothes 1973 which I seem to remember is a 27 yo. Generally, due to geographical limitations, I've been able to acquire a dozen or so varieties of the 18 to 28 yo range at best. (Heavy Sigh) However, the 21 yo St. Magdalene is a delightful Lowland, grassy and summery while the Royal Lochnagar 23 yo cask str is high on the personal favorite list. So, "don't cry for me..." I'm not suffering.

[cowboyweaver]

some of that Ardbeg 25 ain't to shabby. Springbank and Highland Park are pretty tasty around 25. Forget the highlands at 25 there over the hills although Macallan around 25 shows character. Ever tried Jameson up in its years. whoa, little pony we're gonna ride some tonite!

[Dubois]

Highland Park 25 Yrs for me...

[irishwhiskeychaser]

Have to plug for an plug for an Irish here... eventhough not strictly a single Malt as it is a pot still.

Midelton 25yo .... stunning stuff.

But out of the list the HP 25yo only because I do not have tasting under my belt for a lot of these.

I would love to get my hands on a Talisker 25yo to see how it pans out though.

[MacLover]

Only had a chance to sample a few of these and the Ardbeg LOI, Springer 25YO (LE- Haven't tried the new release yet), and Talisker are all excellent, but I will have to go with the HP.

[mikeymad]

I voted for the Mac 25 (which is good), but my top is really the Mac 25 bottled by MM.

[peergynt323]

The Talisker 25 and HP 25 are tied for me, but I figured the HP would have gotten more love.

[Wave]

-=Other=-

Port Ellen 5th Release


Cheers!

[jimidrammer]

From the list I've only had three: Talisker edges out Glenfarclas, just barely and they both overtake Highland Park, IMHO. I would love to try the Balvenie, though.

[Deactivated Member]

The old ones are the best...

[ScotchPalate]

Thanks, Nick.