A Good Whisky-up to 80 GBP

[Jonwin]

My Friend is in Scotland and offered to buy me a bottle of Scotch. I'm wondering what Whisky would be a good choice.
Should I go For Something from a distillery, that has aged in a unique setting, or maybe try a Cask Strength bottle.
Any recommendations would be most appreciated.

Jonathan

[Jonwin]

Hi Guys, right now I have narrowed down the choices:

1. Talisker 18- is it significantly better then the 12 year old?

2. Caol Ila- a friend of mine told me that it has a peaty taste to it but not a salty one like many other isleys.

3. a distillery edition of Edradour.

4. probably out of my reach but is the GLENMORANGIE Signet really as good as it looks?

Any comments? Probably a few of Great ones I haven't thought of.

[Knolly]

From that list, Talisker 18yo, without a doubt. You will be happy

[bredman]

Hi Guys, right now I have narrowed down the choices:

1. Talisker 18- is it significantly better then the 12 year old?

2. Caol Ila- a friend of mine told me that it has a peaty taste to it but not a salty one like many other isleys.

1. Yes the Tali 18 is significantly better, i'd be tempted to go for a Laphroaig 18 as a peatier and a personally preferred alternative.

2. Caol Ila produce whiskey with variable amounts of peat, but at it's best is as peaty an experience as the best of them. The Natural Cask Strength is a good buy and well short of the £80 budget (you could get a second bottle, perhaps a Bladnoch 20 (also about £40)).

Where is your friend staying? If travel is no problem i'd go for a distillery fill-your-own. Aberlour and Pulteney are recommended and may have a choice of a sherry cask and a bourbon cask. If you like sherry the big talking point of the moment are the Glendronach Single Cask releases, there are several of them available and a few are in your quoted budget. They are highly praised.

[Jonwin]

Thanks a Lot! I never tried a Lowland, maybe a bottle of Bladnoch would be a good place to start.

And a couple more questions:

1.How dose the Talisker 18 stand in comparison to the lagavulin 16 and Bowmore 18?

2.what would be the taste difference to expect between a Sherry Cask aging and a Bourbon Cask aging?

3.What's a Signatory Vintage Scotch?

4.Do the distilleries themselves offer a variety of whisky's in the distillery shop which are hard to get else where?

My friend is was in the Edradour Distillery near Perth and tried the Edradour Cask Strength- Said it was great!

Thanks again
Jon