Choose your bottles wisely...

[ZacRob76]

If you had $500 dollars to spend, which of the following SMS would you select? I am trying to come up with a list myself, but I have only tried the Bruichladdich Sherry Cask, so I'm in a bit of a quandary...

Ardbeg Uigeadail $75
Ardbeg Corryvreckan $90
Bruichladdich 1992 Sherry Cask $100
Bruichladdich Octomore 2 $135
Glenmorangie Artein $80
Lagavulin 12yo Cask Strength $80
Lagavulin Distiller's Edition 2008 $110
Mortlach 1993 12yo $90

Any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated!

[bredman]

So you liked the sherry cask Laddie? I assume so as it made it onto your shortlist. Have you tried any Ardbeg or Lagavulin before? Those are heavily peated and not everyone's cuppa.

[Ganga]

If you had $500 dollars to spend, which of the following SMS would you select? I am trying to come up with a list myself, but I have only tried the Bruichladdich Sherry Cask, so I'm in a bit of a quandary...

Ardbeg Uigeadail $75
Ardbeg Corryvreckan $90
Bruichladdich 1992 Sherry Cask $100
Bruichladdich Octomore 2 $135
Glenmorangie Artein $80
Lagavulin 12yo Cask Strength $80
Lagavulin Distiller's Edition 2008 $110
Mortlach 1993 12yo $90

Any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated!

Any particular reason for these choices?

I think the Corry and Octomore are pricey compared to their actual quality. I don't know the Mortlach you refer to. Both Lagas are pretty tasty and the Oogies are very smokey (recent batches). I'd rather get the Glenmorangie 18 than the Artein but that is just me.

I think the Springbank 12 cask strength is quite good if that is available to you. Laphroaig 10 cask strength is pretty good although it seems to be getting more pricey. Maybe think about a Kilchoman; although young, I think you'll be surprised by how good it is.

[ZacRob76]

So you liked the sherry cask Laddie? I assume so as it made it onto your shortlist. Have you tried any Ardbeg or Lagavulin before? Those are heavily peated and not everyone's cuppa.

Yes, a friend of mine purchased the sherry cask, and although I am not the Laddie fanatic that he is, I was pleasantly surprised. I tend to favor more heavily peated malts, and I keep Ardbeg 10 as well as Lagavulin 16 in my cabinet at all times.

[ZacRob76]

If you had $500 dollars to spend, which of the following SMS would you select? I am trying to come up with a list myself, but I have only tried the Bruichladdich Sherry Cask, so I'm in a bit of a quandary...

Ardbeg Uigeadail $75
Ardbeg Corryvreckan $90
Bruichladdich 1992 Sherry Cask $100
Bruichladdich Octomore 2 $135
Glenmorangie Artein $80
Lagavulin 12yo Cask Strength $80
Lagavulin Distiller's Edition 2008 $110
Mortlach 1993 12yo $90

Any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated!

Any particular reason for these choices?

I think the Corry and Octomore are pricey compared to their actual quality. I don't know the Mortlach you refer to. Both Lagas are pretty tasty and the Oogies are very smokey (recent batches). I'd rather get the Glenmorangie 18 than the Artein but that is just me.

I think the Springbank 12 cask strength is quite good if that is available to you. Laphroaig 10 cask strength is pretty good although it seems to be getting more pricey. Maybe think about a Kilchoman; although young, I think you'll be surprised by how good it is.

I chose these particular examples because I recently found them in a store downtown and had not seen them offered anywhere else within an hour's drive. Many of the stores near me have the standard flagship offerings, so I was excited to find a bunch of drams I'd only read about. I have had the Laphraoig 10yo cask strength and enjoyed it immensely. The only Springbank I've run across was the 15yo (which was excellent, but a bit pricey), but I will definitely look for the 12yo cask strength. I've also purchased the Summer 2010 Kilchoman and, as you mentioned, was very pleased with the quality for so young an offering.
Thanks for the advice on the Corry/Octo; I seem to be hearing quite often that the price point for both of these is a bit sub-par. I haven't thought about the Glenmorangie 18. I may have been swayed a bit by a friend who raved about the Artein- it's nice to hear a different view!

[bredman]

So you liked the sherry cask Laddie? I assume so as it made it onto your shortlist. Have you tried any Ardbeg or Lagavulin before? Those are heavily peated and not everyone's cuppa.

Yes, a friend of mine purchased the sherry cask, and although I am not the Laddie fanatic that he is, I was pleasantly surprised. I tend to favor more heavily peated malts, and I keep Ardbeg 10 as well as Lagavulin 16 in my cabinet at all times.

If the object is to buy $500 of whisky that you will enjoy then only you can decide on the Bruichladdich. So, if you enjoy the Ardbeg 10 and the Lagavulin 16, imo a step up from both is the Laga 12, and the Uigeadail. I think the Uigeadail is something quite special, and the Laga 12 has that extra something that the drab 16 lacks. So to the Corry', which is a lively whisky but a little bit rough around the edges. It is a very nice whisky but the Uigeadail and the 10yo are more sophisicated. If you find the 10 to be a beauty, and you'd like to try out the slightly uglier and wilder sister, then the Corry is worth a punt. You will also notice that the Uigeadail, the Corry', and the Laga 12 are all high strength.

Over here the Laga DE and the 12yo are about the same price, i'm not sure about that $30 jump to the DE. But the DE are usually ok.

Ganga is spot on about the Octomore, there is definitely better for your money there.

[ZacRob76]

Thanks Bredman and Gagna! I believe I will be going for the Oogie, both Lagas, and the Mortlach. Springbank 12yo CS was mentioned, but the only description I can find of the one available in the store is the "12 YO Claret Campbeltown SMS." Do either of you know if this is in cask strength? The website doesn't say one way or the other.

Thanks again for the advice! It's kind of a shopping spree for me, but I needed to set a price cap and then see which of the bottles I've read about might be worthwhile to fit into the list. Here's hoping

[The Third Dram]

Thanks Bredman and Gagna! I believe I will be going for the Oogie, both Lagas, and the Mortlach. Springbank 12yo CS was mentioned, but the only description I can find of the one available in the store is the "12 YO Claret Campbeltown SMS." Do either of you know if this is in cask strength?

The Springbank Cask Strength Claret Finish is high proof, indeed. I have a bottle of this stashed away as well as an open bottle of the 12 Year Old (non-cask-finished) Cask Strength, which is truly excellent.

I'm not sure which versions you're referring to when you state, "Both Lagas." If this means the 12 Year Old Cask Strength and the regular 16 Year Old and/or Distillers Edition, I'd probably not go for either of the latter two (the first not on the same level as the 12YO CS of late, as far as I'm concerned, and the second a little on the high side price-wise).

The Uigeadail and Corryvreckan are (as previously mentioned) each memorable in their own unique ways.

[whiskgeek]

If you like Lagavulin 16, you'll love Laga DE and Uigeadail. Corryvreckan and Laga 12 are up to more personal tastes.

Bredman says "the Laga 12 has that extra something that the drab 16 lacks," but some feel it's the other way around. Also I've found its quality and character to be variable, so maybe that's the issue. Not sure how these factors affect the DE. I agree with what Bredman said about the Corry.

Octomore is best tasted simply for the experience of tasting Octomore.

Springbank is good.