Honey I Love You!

by **Lord_Pfaffin** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 9:15 pm

Looking for the most honeyed and smoothest single malt? Something to rival or best my most rescent encounter with a bottle of Balvenie 15 SC.
I went to the LCBO for one of my favorite Islays, the C.I. CS or second choice, the Bowmore 17 and both were NA, however there was lots of the Balvenie 15 SC so i carted one home and WOW (honey i love you), i'm so glad that i did. Quite a nice simple, but totally impressive malt, i was blown away by. Islays have owned my palate of late, but the Balvenie definately turned my head around.
I remember being impressed by the taste and style of the JMR's "smoother, sweeter one" until they ruined it by changing the vatting, i believe the original was a SM from Cooleys.
Looking for more of the same overpowering blast of honey and smoothness for one of my next puchases. No reason why it shouldn't be another bottle of the Balvenie 15 SC, or could i do better?

by **bernstein** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 10:06 pm

Lord_Pfaffin wrote:No reason why it shouldn't be another bottle of the Balvenie 15 SC, or could i do better?

The 15yo is definitely the best of the range, LP - but if you're looking for some more honeys out there, try p.e the Balvenie 10yo Founder's Reserve - a fine honeyed malt, a true classic and soon to be removed :cry:

.

by **jimidrammer** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 10:42 pm

Open the tube in the store and check the bottles for the vintage. The '89-'04 I had was even better than the '90-'05 I have open now. There doesn't seem to be any more '89's around here, but I'm still hopeful I'll run across another. Either vintage is great, but they are also very different, so explore that if you can find different ones.

by **WestVanDave** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 3:16 am

On an added note - rumour has it that the Balvenie 15 (and possibly others) destined for the US market gets the "caramel" treatment... whereas the "real" stuff doesn't... so Lord P - ain't it great to be in Canada... (or Scotland - or anywhere else where this doesn't happen)...

I've got to agree - the Balvenie 15 is a great dram - I'm just curious if this rumour is true - and if it's a recent change. I've got a 98-03 on the go (had some a couple of nights ago... and recently stocked up on the '05... so I'll have to do a H-to-H.)

I know Mr T is a big fan of the Balvenie 15 SC and likely purchases his bottles in the US. Perhaps we'll treat him to a dram or three when he's in Victoria next month to see if he can confirm a difference.

Cheers, Dave.

by **Deactivated Member** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 5:31 am

I'd be very surprised, Dave, if they color it for the US but don't colour it for Canada. See you in Victoria!

I'm not sure those vintages mean all that much--there must be quite a few different cask releases every year. My recent samples have been #'s 3991, 3995, and 6382.

by **WestVanDave** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 7:10 am

It was just a rumour... about the colour... and if we have to spend countless hours and numerous bottles trying to dispel it, well then, that's just the price we'll have to pay... :wink:

It's not like we'll have much else to do in Victoria in January (the surfing is crappy that time of year and the golf courses might be a tad soggy) ... so, given the gaps in our busy Festival schedule, we'll have to entertain ourselves with Lawrence's collection - and I'm sure there are a few Balvenie 15's in there (and Aberlour A'bunadh Batch No. 14's and... and... and... )... :roll:

Cheers, Dave.

by **Aidan** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 8:45 am

I agree with you about the Smooth, Sweeter One. The original version was better.

You could go for an unpeated Cooley single malt, which is usually characterised by honey. The Tyrconnel is getting better each year, and the Locke's 8 yr old too.

by **Tom** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 6:06 pm

A Glenrothes has plenty of honey too, perhaps that's a suggestion. Also the Glenmorangie Cellar 13 holds tons of clean honey. Other then that I agree with Bernstein, the 10Y old Balvenie has honey that is clean as a whistle.

by **BruceCrichton** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 6:35 pm

bernstein wrote:
Lord_Pfaffin wrote:No reason why it shouldn't be another bottle of the Balvenie 15 SC, or could i do better?

The 15yo is definitely the best of the range, LP - but if you're looking for some more honeys out there, try p.e the Balvenie 10yo Founder's Reserve - a fine honeyed malt, a true classic and soon to be removed .

The Balvenie 10 is like warm honey in a glass.

Also honeyed is Longmorn 12 from Gordon and Macphail. The 25 may be even better.

Independent bottlings of Clynelish can be very sweet and honeyed and JW Gold is another honeyed, syrupy dram, albeit a deluxe blend.

by **Lord_Pfaffin** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 5:39 am

BruceCrichton wrote:Also honeyed is Longmorn 12 from Gordon and Macphail. The 25 may be even better.

Yeah i should hope so! I spotted a bottle of the G&M Longmorn 25 looked reasonably priced at $189 sitting on a shelf beside a bottle of Glenesk at $649.

by **BruceCrichton** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 8:04 am

Lord_Pfaffin wrote:
BruceCrichton wrote:Also honeyed is Longmorn 12 from Gordon and Macphail. The 25 may be even better.

Yeah i should hope so! I spotted a bottle of the G&M Longmorn 25 looked reasonably priced at $189 sitting on a shelf beside a bottle of Glenesk at $649.

Over here, G&M Longmorn 25 is less than £50

by **bernstein** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 10:33 am

Even the Longmorn 15yo OB has some strong and pleasant honey aromas - pine honey?

by **Lawrence** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 5:28 pm

I recently bought a bottle of the Longmorn 25 by G&M and it's very very good and especially for the price of C$105 in Alberta.

by **Deactivated Member** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 7:44 pm

Can't go wrong with HP18 if you want honey!

by **WestVanDave** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 7:36 am

Crieftan wrote:Can't go wrong with HP18 if you want honey!

Can't go wrong with HP18. (period) :!:

Cheers, Dave.

by **Frodo** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 11:02 pm

Lawrence wrote:I recently bought a bottle of the Longmorn 25 by G&M and it's very very good and especially for the price of C$105 in Alberta.

That's brutal. $190 here. :cry:

by **Lord_Pfaffin** » Sun Dec 25, 2005 5:12 am

Last minute in the LCBO spotted a mickey 350ml, Signatory IB of a 1993 Ledag 10yo. @43%abv., oak cask with natural colour. It comes off as a lighter honeyed version of the Balvenie with a little peat. A light little number, nothing special but definately an above average dram.
MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL!!!

by **BruceCrichton** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 7:10 pm

Just had a little dram of Gordon and Macphail's 'Pride of Strathspey' 12 year old and it's sweet, honeyed and slightly syrupy. Almost liqueurish, in fact.

by **laphroaig10_65** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 3:31 pm

Maybe it's not better than the Balvenie 15 CS, but Scapa 12 ys is very honeyed, both at the nose and taste.
Bye

by **rifkin** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 4:41 pm

Personally I must mention the Dailuaine 16 FF. I LOVE this bottle. It's so sweet, almost syruphy, distinct cain-suger, and a gracious touch of honey.

I've read and spoke to people that think this is sherryish, although I quite can't find that taste myself.

by **irishwhiskeychaser** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 9:40 pm

Dalwhinnie 15yo is another which will not dissappoint.

But off the mark and as Aidan says some Irish will be another avenue.

by **Dubois** » Fri May 19, 2006 7:54 am

My Top-3 of honeyed whisky :

Highland Park 18 Yrs
Glenrothes
Glenmorangie Cellar 13

by **DramMeister** » Fri May 19, 2006 8:45 pm

BruceCrichton wrote:Also honeyed is Longmorn 12 from Gordon and Macphail. The 25 may be even better.

I found to 25 a little woody and has a somewhat bitter finish. However this is the only malt of this age I own, maybe I'm not used to them.

by **BruceCrichton** » Fri May 19, 2006 10:07 pm

Have you tried the 12 year old?

by **elli** » Mon May 22, 2006 11:23 am

try the scapa, its like honey sliding down your throat

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