10 out of 10?

by **Rudolph Hucker** » Mon Sep 23, 2002 4:00 pm

The highest score I remember seeing in the Whisky Magazine tastings is for the Macallan 18 yo Gran Reserva, which got 9.5 from each of the two tasters.

Is there any whisky that you would give 10 out of 10?

Cheers

Rudolph

by **Gate** » Mon Sep 23, 2002 5:16 pm

If I ever found a perfect whisky, it would take all the fun out of searching for one! The nearest to perfection in my book was a 21-year-old Springbank (a few years ago, so not the new bottlings). 9.8, I'd say. Long may I fail to find a 10!

by **BruceCrichton** » Tue Sep 24, 2002 5:06 am

Macallan 12 yr old, Glenmorangie 12 yr old millenium bottle (which is discontinued and I have 2 bottles in the house - nehhhhh) and Highland Park 18 yr old are pretty close to a 10.

Mortlach 16 yr old, Balvenie 10 yr old, Bowmore 17 yr old and Darkest are there or thereabouts as well.

Not sure about scoring whiskies. But these are definitely whiskies that I can drink any time or place regardless of mood.

by **Ize** » Tue Sep 24, 2002 10:36 am

Lagavulin 16 Y.O. is pretty close to perfect ten to me, although new bottlings are rumoured to be worse than previous ones. Second best score is 9+ (9.25) on my scale that is Laphroaig 10 Y.O., then there are two niners on the list Port Ellen 18 Y.O. and Glenfarclas 25 Y.O.

Kippis,
Ize

by **Gate** » Tue Sep 24, 2002 12:30 pm

Bruce

Spot on about Mortlach - surely worth 9+ in anybody's book, and it is (IMO) equally good with or without sherry influence. Criminally underpromoted - I have only ever had independent bottlings of it.

by **Rudolph Hucker** » Tue Sep 24, 2002 2:30 pm

Checking the Tasing Forum to see how the experts scored some of the whiskies posted here, I find that the Lagavulin 16 yo was rated at 9.5 by Michael Jackson and 9.75 by Jim Murray - so beating the Macallan Gran Reserva 18 yo by a quarter of a point!

Cheers

Rudolph

by **JUERG GLUTZ-KURMANN** » Wed Sep 25, 2002 5:13 am

Hi everybody!
Maybe I would give my Black Bowmore a 10. I will let you know in about 20 years, hehe. Maybe I shall be disappointed, I don't know. Don't we expect a rare and old whisky always to be of extraordinary taste? We should not only look for the high-score whiskies (I admit I also watch the New Release pages), but also for the others, from less known distilleries. The one who loves e.g. Laphroaig would rate it high, whereas someone else thinks it's disgusting. It's up to individual preferences.

Slainte!
Juerg

by **Rudolph Hucker** » Wed Sep 25, 2002 11:14 am

Just so, Jeurg - it is all about individual taste, that's the whole point of my question.

So far only Ize has nominated the Lagavulin 16 yo that Michael Jackson and Jim Murray rated so highly - and no-one has nominated the Macallan Gran Reserva 18 yo. But of course there is no reason why any of us would have exactly the same tastes as those
giants!

Personally, I would give 10 to Fours Roses Single Barrel - but I shudder to think what the experts would say about it.

Cheers

Rudolph

by **Ize** » Wed Sep 25, 2002 12:12 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Rudolph Hucker:
Personally, I would give 10 to Fours Roses Single Barrel - but I shudder to think what the experts would say about it.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Sorry, I just have to, is that whisky? Sorry again, I couldn't resist the temptation to fool around.

Honestly, I do have thought about trying bourbons out. Elijah Craig 12yo or 18yo have been on my list, but should I consider that FR Single Barrel instead? It would be cheaper at least ...

by **Gate** » Wed Sep 25, 2002 12:24 pm

Absolutely. I can (more or less) tell when a whisky is good, as in being well made etc., but that doesn't mean I'll like it as a whisky to drink. For example, I have a real blind spot about Cragganmore: I can tell that it is very well made, complex, balanced, full of character - but it just doesn't ring my bell. On my own rough and ready scale, being a "good whisky" gets it up to about 8 - the rest is "do I like it" and "am I in the mood" element: there aren't that many whiskies I can drink and enjoy the same any time regardless of mood. On that basis, my "close to 10" list is Springbank 15, 21 or CV (whatever happened to that?), Highland Park 18, Glengoyne 17, Ardbeg 17, Macallan 30s or 40s, Old Rip Van Winkle 15, Longmorn 15, Talisker and Lagavulin Distiller's Editions, Black Bottle 10 and pretty much any Mortlach or Balvenie.

by **Rudolph Hucker** » Wed Sep 25, 2002 1:25 pm

OK Ize - I forgive you!

So happens I have a bottle of the Elijah Craig 18 yo, and was drinking some only last night.

It's certainly a good bourbon, but in my view - purely personal, you understand -
I would put it at about 8 compared to the Four Roses 10.

Only bourbon that runs Four Roses close is the Van Winkle - at least a 9.

Cheers

Rudolph

by **Ize** » Thu Sep 26, 2002 6:04 am

Friend of mine gives perfec ten to Labrot & Graham Woodford Reserve bourbon. Too bad my whisky provider do not have that item to sell, so I'll go for Four Roses next time I fill up my "stock".

Kippis,
Ize

by **Rudolph Hucker** » Thu Sep 26, 2002 8:38 am

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Ize:
Friend of mine gives perfec ten to Labrot & Graham Woodford Reserve bourbon. Too bad my whisky provider do not have that item to sell, so I'll go for Four Roses next time I fill up my "stock".

Kippis,
Ize<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

just shows how personal this taste thing is,
Ize.

I have tasted Woodford Reserve twice - the first time I could not believe how bad it was!

Against that, I have just had a taste of a
new whisky to me described on the label as a SPEYMALT from the Macallan Distillery'
1993. It was imported into the US by Park Avenue Liquor Shop - if you ever get a chance go there, it's got a great range and Jonathan Goldstein really knows his whiskies. I need to taste it a few more times - at least that's my excuse! - but the feeling already is that this could turn out to be a real favorite

Cheers

Rudolph

by **Gate** » Thu Sep 26, 2002 12:32 pm

Some of the Speymalt Macallan bottlings (G&M, I think - it's a while since I had one) are very nice indeed, and can be a real change from The Macallan, particularly the ones with less sherry. I have just got hold of a bottle of no-sherry Macallan (refill bourbon cask, from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society), and I love it. I need to drink some more to be sure it's not just the novelty value (that's my excuse, anyway

), but that is shaping up to be a real favourite, and maybe my favourite Macallan, which puts it well into the 9s.

by **John Clotworthy** » Sun Oct 13, 2002 2:01 pm

Hi everybody
Just joined this forum and it looks brill. We are currently the top malt whisky bar in the country with over 460 single malts as well as vatted malts bourbons, Irish Welsh and Japanese, check Rudolph's best whisky bar thanks for your kind comments Rudolph.
The great thing about malts is the vast amount of tastes, aromas and mouthfeel. It really depends on our tastes and mood, eg. try a Glen Moray matured in a Chardonay cask before dinner, or Old Pultney 12 year old along with smoked salmon, Highland Park 18 year old along with Aberdeen Angus Sirloin steak, and one of the biggest surprises see if you can find a hint of peaches in Benromach along with your sweet. Finally after all that lot sit with your feet up by the open fire with Aberlour Abunagh or G&M's cask strength Mortlach just bottled in June this year,mmmmm. Another new surprise is the Glenfiddich Caoran which will be launched on Wednesday 16th October. This is a simple 12 year old matured in an Islay cask. If anyone is at Whiskyfest New York that same night come to our stand and have a taste of it.
Slainte John Clotworthy
Drumchork Lodge Hotel.

by **heer.veer** » Mon Oct 14, 2002 8:39 am

i´d have to say: The Lagavulin 16 indeed, but the older bottlings!, The Laphroaig 10 at Cask Strength and the Highland Park 18. But the rare malts version of St. Magdalene 1979 is great too.