Best value $20 bottle of single malt

by **dave43** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 12:51 am

Is it possible to get a decent bottle for around $20? Someone suggested 12 yr old Tomatin. Is that a good choice?

by **Lawrence** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 1:17 am

I like it but it's not the choice a lot of people would make. Where can you fin d it for that price, it's much more that that here.

by **Deactivated Member** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 1:28 am

That's cuz you're using loonies. We're gaining on you, though.

I can't recall seeing any real sm's for $20 around here--pseudos like Glen Parker, maybe (not recommended, based on rep). I think of $35 as the minimum for something decent, and realistically more like $45. I don't drink blends, but you can probably get some decent ones for that, or close. Bourbon and Irish will give you better value, too.

by **dave43** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 1:32 am

The Tomatin 12 yr old runs $22 in Minnesota. It says single malt. This is where I saw it recommended-

http://www.maltwhiskey.com/html/favorites.htm

by **Lawrence** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 1:35 am

That's a good price, here it's C$43 or about US$39 but as Mr. T said (Actually I think he's following me around the forum

) most malts are priced higher than $22.

by **dave43** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 1:41 am

Thanks for the reply,

At that price is it a good buy? Or is it looked down upon? I'd like to find it for $17 like the site says!

by **Lawrence** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 1:43 am

I think for $22 it's hard to go wrong.

by **Deactivated Member** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 1:47 am

Jackson gives it a very respectable 75. (Murray has been hiding on me.) Agreed that, at $22, you probably can't go wrong here, as long as you're not expecting fireworks.

Lawrence, your zipper is open.

by **Lawrence** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 2:25 am

MrTattieHeid wrote:Jackson gives it a very respectable 75. (Murray has been hiding on me.) Agreed that, at $22, you probably can't go wrong here, as long as you're not expecting fireworks.

Lawrence, your zipper is open.

JM gives it a 79 and Mr. T thanks for the 'advice'.

by **Frodo** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 2:28 am

I tried the 12yr Tomatin OB a while ago and was impressed at $45 cdn. At $22 US I think I'd stock up! If I remember corectly, it was a malt with quite a lot of flavours and quite smokey. Not a quiet little personality.

by **jimidrammer** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 3:52 am

Finally, a good reason to open my Tomatin 12yo. It has been sitting on the shelf over a year and I just find reasons to open everything else ahead of it. Oops, I've just opened a rash of new bottles, so it might have to wait awhile. Reviews I've read on it remain consistently average, no real killer, but" good for the price" type comments. Mid-$20's here, too. The Glen Garioch 10yo is really worth that price, about $26US here.

by **dram_time** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 6:49 am

Tomatin seems to be underated by most people. I like their range, the 25 year old is around £60- £70 here, sounds like good value too.

There does seem to be a bit of variation in taste in the bottles though, more than I have noticed with other brands.

Dt

by **Lord_Pfaffin** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 7:02 am

Best deals on single malts has to be the Dun Bheagan 8yo Islay (Laga') rated 91 in J.M's '05 Whisky bible, it's $43cdn and in second place must be the Bowmore 12yo OB on sale now for $39cdn. With the Canuk bucks gaining ground in value on the US$, you can see whisky is cheeper where you are Dave43. You might find some nice bourbons for $20 a bottle down there, up here, not likely. Take full advantage of that situation while it lasts:wink:

by **dave43** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 3:23 pm

I think maybe the reason Tomatin doesn't get more respect IS because of the low price. Also It is the largest single malt distillery in the world and owned by the Japanese.

by **Deactivated Member** » Sun Jul 30, 2006 3:47 am

That's a good point. I very recently heard a retailer say that certain things don't sell because the price isn't high enough! People looking for cheap whisky will pick a cheap blend; those looking for single malts will assume it's low quality at that price. A parallel issue to single-digit age statements.

by **Lord_Pfaffin** » Sun Jul 30, 2006 4:59 am

MrTattieHeid wrote:That's a good point. I very recently heard a retailer say that certain things don't sell because the price isn't high enough! People looking for cheap whisky will pick a cheap blend; those looking for single malts will assume it's low quality at that price. A parallel issue to single-digit age statements.

Quite right Mr.TH. I guess you just have to be a bargain hunter at heart. I learned with wines for many years that sometimes you could find a $10-$15 bottle that would rival the $30 lot, and if you'd like to up it a bit to $20-$25 range you're again looking for the odd ones there that would rival the bottles in the $50 range and so on. The bargain bottles of whisky are rarer indeed, but then again the availability of varieties of the whisky is much more limited than wine, such is the case with the LCBO, a good perveyor yet a government run monopoly.

by **ilsoo** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 8:56 am

Bowmore and Dalmore have been my go to bargain single malts. Haven't bought a bottle of Dalmore in awhile, but I remember paying $26US last time I had it...might have gone up...

Tom

by **DramMeister** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 9:29 pm

I think young Glen Grants are great for the price. I've had a NAS one for about 15 euros. Local co op has the 10yr at £12 at the moment. I don't know what US prices are like.

by **Lawrence** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 1:11 am

DramMeister wrote:I think young Glen Grants are great for the price. I've had a NAS one for about 15 euros. Local co op has the 10yr at £12 at the moment. I don't know what US prices are like.

That's a great price but I think you'll find it quite difficult to source any OB Glen Grant in North America.

by **laphroaig10_65** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 10:37 am

In fact it depends on the countries, you can find Glen Grant 5 yo everywhere in Italy, for about 10 euros, and a Glenfarclas 10 yo in Hamburg for 19.95 euros (70 cl.).
Bye
Luca

by **irishwhiskeychaser** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 11:14 am

laphroaig10_65 wrote:In fact it depends on the countries, you can find Glen Grant 5 yo everywhere in Italy, for about 10 euros, and a Glenfarclas 10 yo in Hamburg for 19.95 euros (70 cl.).
Bye
Luca

Imagine a whisky for 10 Euros

I wish I could live in a country like that. Do they still sell Bushmills 5yo over there????

by **JWFokker** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 5:56 am

I can't stand anything Bowmore, it tastes like bacon grease in seawater to me, but the Dalmore I can stand behind as a solid value. It's still around or under $30 most places. Oddly enough, the Dalmore Cigar Malt I've actually seen for less than the standard 12yo some places. I've yet to try it though.

by **Drrich1965** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 12:39 pm

JWFokker wrote:I can't stand anything Bowmore, it tastes like bacon grease in seawater to me, but the Dalmore I can stand behind as a solid value. It's still around or under $30 most places. Oddly enough, the Dalmore Cigar Malt I've actually seen for less than the standard 12yo some places. I've yet to try it though.

I very much enjoy the Dalmore 12. A very rich dram with nice robust flavors. My last bottle seemed to tire quickly, but it was excellent until then. The Cigar malt, on the other hand, I found thin and almost dusty. It did not work for me at all. I on the other hand, enjoy Bowmore Legend and 12yo; but I am an Islay guy. Another good cheap malt in the US; Glenfarclas 12, which can often be had for $30. Heavy sherry, some peat at points, a nice malt in my eyes. I have also seen Laphroaig 10 for $30. While some lament it is not the dram of yesteryear, I still enjoy the balance of peat and malty sweetness that the dram gives. I recently tried one of the 1980s 10yo Laphroig (Johnson and Johnson on the bottle), and frankly it was too austere and lacked balance (for me). A total peat monster, but I wanted some other element (and in spite of myself, the distilery character was not enough).

Rich

by **rthomson** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 6:56 pm

I recently picked up a bottle of Auchentoshan Select for US $22. It's nothing spectacular but there are some straw and floral aromas on the nose. The flavor is light but the malt does come through. It was certainly worth the $22.

Cheers,
Ron

by **Jon Barleycorn** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 9:29 pm

Speyburn 10 is the cheapest double-digit single malt in my area, retailing for $20 or less. It's a gentle, pleasing dram that won't knock your socks off but is hard to beat in terms of value for your money.

by **Drrich1965** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 11:03 pm

Jon Barleycorn wrote:Speyburn 10 is the cheapest double-digit single malt in my area, retailing for $20 or less. It's a gentle, pleasing dram that won't knock your socks off but is hard to beat in terms of value for your money.

I agree. A nice summer time dram on those days you do not want anything too intense, or too "challenging." I have heard some of the older expressions offer a bit more, would like to try.

by **dave43** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 11:25 pm

Anyone living in minnesota...Surdyk's has the 12 tear Tomatin on sale for $17. They also have the McClelland Highland single malt for $17.

by **Ganga** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 5:18 am

The Dalmore 12 is wonderful, especially at the $20 I've been paying. Also, I was able to get the Aberlour 10 for $20.