Rolls Royce of brands!

[adrian44]

I know this is very generalizing and that quality is where you find it. But which of those producers in your opinion has he best overall brand perception and have provided high quality with consistency?

[Di Blasi]

Gosh, a tough vote here cause words I would use to describe Rolls Royce are class, elegance, old-fashion, and in a class by itself. Highland Park and Talisker and Balvenie all have a big name, but I wouldn't describe them with these words. Macallan, although not a favorite, is classic, and I assume drunk by folks driving Rolls Royces, or having their Rolls Royces driven for them while they drink the stuff in the back seat. And even if Ardbeg can carry perhaps the largest price tag of any of the listed, I'm not sure I'd say that would be the drink of choice in the back seat of a driven Rolls Royce. The Ardbeg would be what would come out late late at night after everyone has gone to bed, and the Rolls Royce has been parked for hours, on a rainy, cold, windy London night.

[Deactivated Member]

Springbank. People say there's nothing like it, but it costs more than I'm willing to pay...just like a Rolls.

[Danny]

When viewing the results, other has recieved 40% of the votes. There are two or three in this group that I would class as the heavy weights in this type of poll. Macallan and Springbank for two.

I would like to know the brands that are getting the other votes.

[Danny]

When viewing the results, other has recieved 40% of the votes. There are two or three in this group that I would class as the heavy weights in this type of poll. Macallan and Springbank for two.

I would like to know the brands that are getting the other votes.

[Dubois]

Sharing first place -each very different- are: Ardbeg & Highland Park.

[Apathy78]

For me it's the Lagavulin hands down.
So far that is the best that I have tried.

[Deactivated Member]

I voted Glenfiddich, partly because I had such a good experience at their distillery, and partly because I have tried their entire range and not found a bad whisky among them - and the best are sublime.

[bamber]

Macallan. Overpriced and out of fashion.

[Lawrence]

Macallan. Overpriced and out of fashion.

Good comment! There are a few other distilleries in that boat also.

[Aidan]

Highland Park. Ardbeg is very good, but way over-hyped (in my opinion, of course).

[Mr Ellen]

It's really hard to classify any of the mentioned whiskies as the "Rolls Royce" of Malts, but if it's about a matter of consistency & quality throughout the range and positive experiences at the visitor centres etc. I guess few distilleries could compete with Glenlivet.

Top scores for the entire range from most whisky writers, achieved without glossy or fancy promotion or advertisement.
No premium, -deluxe, -superfancy, -superlimited, -not available, -only for connoisseurs or -members bottlings. Highest quality whisky made for consumption.
Highest possible service at the site with the utmost competent and friendly staff available.
Extraordinary whisky at ordinary prices (with just a few exceptions).

It's subtle, reliable and well made...just like a Rolls.

It's not my favourite but I'll give them my vote for quality and consistency...always!!

Cheers
____________________
Anders

[Lawrence]

Macallan gained the reputation as the Rolls Royce of maltsquite a while ago when the use of sherry casks for OB bottlings was the norm, not the exception.

The good old days. However it's a good example of the industy is not static, that distilleries rise and fall, as all businesses do.

[Paul A Jellis]

I'd say Glenfiddich, just like a Rolls - solid, elegant, a touch of class and reluctant to let you down.

A lot of the others come and go, but Glenfiddich has always been there!

Cheers, Paul

[irishwhiskeychaser]

Highland Park for me..... I have had a few different expressions and I've loved every one. All the others have had something that is not totally to my taste so far. However maybe the fact HP does not have as much variety as some other distilleries so they are at an advantage that wa.

[lbacha]

I went with Macallan based on their history and the fine and rare range they have but if you want to go with a the current Rolls Royce it would have to be Port Ellen. To me a Rolls Royce is a car that only has one class of model and that is expensive and exclusive. This description fits the current status of Port Ellen to a tee.

Len

[Deactivated Member]

To me a Rolls Royce is a car that only has one class of model and that is expensive and exclusive. This description fits the current status of Port Ellen to a tee.

Yes but...

Rolls Royces were designed to be luxury cars, enjoyed for what they are. Port Ellen was designed to be cheap peaty whisky for blends. Its current expensive and exclusive status was never envisaged at the time of manufacture. Perhaps Port Ellen is more like a vintage VW Beetle.

[lbacha]

The problem with most distilleries is they have affordable whisky's in their lineup. To trully be the Rolls Royce they have to only provide high-end exclusive whisky. Take for example Lagavulin and Springbank both their standard expressions 16yr and 10yr respectivly are higher priced than most but that is a matter of supply and demand and underestimating the market a few years back. For a distiller to compare to Rolls Royce they need to only sell exclusive whisky that only the well off (or whisky nuts like ourselves) are willing to pay for.

I know this is taking the thread a little far but what the heck it's all for fun and conversation anyways.

Len

[Deactivated Member]

Analogies only go so far. Frankly, I don't think any distillery compares to Rolls Royce, really. It's just a different business. But go ahead and have fun with it.

[WestVanDave]

OK - with little rhyme or reason I'll call Springbank the Rolls Royce and Ardbeg the Bentley (i.e., turbocharged) and then look to apply the Ferrari / Lamborghini labels next ...

[Dubois]

Highland Park as a Rolls Royce,
Ardbeg & Lagavulin as Bentley's...

[Frodo]

I dunno. I've been blown away any time I've tried PE's (2 bottlings). The title of a Rolls Royce does seem to fit from my perspective...

[Deactivated Member]

Highland Park as a Rolls Royce,
Ardbeg & Lagavulin as Bentley's...

I'd have Highland Park down as a Mini Cooper S - it looks dead smart and goes very fast.

[WestVanDave]

Highland Park as a Rolls Royce,
Ardbeg & Lagavulin as Bentley's...

I'd have Highland Park down as a Mini Cooper S - it looks dead smart and goes very fast.

Any comments Harry???

[Deactivated Member]

Has Harry got a Mini Cooper S too?

[hpulley]

For any whisky to be finished quickly, the cork should stay off so it's ready to pour at any time, thus my MINI is a convertible, driven with the top down even in the dead of winter

Harry

[Deactivated Member]

What a choice. Every stable should have one of each.
The image of Rolls Royce though is rather stuffy. Even with updated models they still seem clumsy and they are not particularly good looking cars. What they stand for is wealth - so suppose a Rolls Royce whisky may be a Dalmore 62 yo for example.
No doubt brilliant to drive occasionally, but you'd actually prefer an Aston or Jag and if the Rolls is crashed, it probably won't be replaced.

[jamiepotter]

The obvious contender in the 'Other' category is Brora. If money were no object, I'm sure this is the whisky people would drink.

Having said that, my choice would still be Glenlivet. I think Glenlivet actually advertise themselves as the Rolls Royce of malts, and with some justification. Although people bitch about its finish being too short, whilst it's there, it's generally pretty darn good. Complex, fruity, light-bodied, yummy. It certainly feels quite exquisite in a way that many an Islay or Highland whisky would struggle to. I mean, I love Laphroig for instance, but it's a slut of a whisky, not a classy number.

[Jan]

Well, after giving this some thought, I've reached the conclusion that the Rolls Royce of malts is..... a blend.

I see RR as a car you drive (or are driven in), if you are rich and you want to show your status to the world.

So the whisky equivalent would be JW Blue Label

Cheers
Jan

[African Peatmonger]

The Glenlivet is the Rolls for me, not as macho as the Ferrari and not as standard as the Mercedes. That being said: Ardbeg is a 747 Rolls Royce jet engine .

[Thomas H.]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say...

Glenrothes.

I really like their whisky. I think it has class and style.

[irishwhiskeychaser]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say...

Glenrothes.

I really like their whisky. I think it has class and style.

I agree they have some crackin' whiskies ... I love them too. Way nicer than Macallan for me.

Or ardbeg for that matter but I prefer to compare islay to Islay and maybe a few islands. However Highland Park I would compare favourably against Macallan also.

[jobert82]

Difficult, but when I think of the new Rolls Royce Phantom I'ld probably name it robust but complex, in some way subtle, leaving the smell of burnt rubber....

Must be an older Ardbeg.
And when I think of the price: maybe the new Ardbeg 1965?

No way I can affort it.
I'll stick to my lagavulin DE 1987, my 18y old Talisker and a Balvenie portwood...

Cheers Jobert

Great forum by the way!

[scoobypl]

Very difficult question to answer I think...
I would draw an arbitrary line between anything bottled before (rougly) 1995, and anything bottled after that...
Before 1995 I would call Springbank, Macalllan, Glenfarclas, Highland Park, Strathisla en Glenrothes the RR and Bentley's of their time, with Talisker, Laphroaig and Lagavulin the Lamborghini's... Those whisky's had panache, had an aura, had character! They had flaws to, but they were great and incomparable...

after 1995 I think there are no more Rolls Royces left...maybe a number of Mercedes Benz S-classes... but no RR! Glenfarclas, HIghland Park, Ardbeg (although they took a big blow with that farce "1965" ) Talisker, Laga, Pulteney, Longmorn, Glenrothes and even Benriach... These are still the best you can get, but they've lost some of their soul...maybe technically they are better then ever...but they have become a bit duller and a bit more "detatched"....

Does this make any sense?

[Deactivated Member]

I don't know...but I'm curious to know why you think the Ardbeg '65 is a farce.

Oh, wrong thread. I'll go check the other--probably you said your piece there.