Looking for a good Scotch (from the islands)

redhugh

Can anyone reccommend a good whiskey (or whisky) form Islay or Jura or any of the other western islands i would prefere this good Peaty flavour found in the island scotches as opposed to Highlands or Speyside Scothches

Brockagh

redhugh wrote: »

Can anyone reccommend a good whiskey (or whisky) form Islay or Jura or any of the other western islands i would prefere this good Peaty flavour found in the island scotches as opposed to Highlands or Speyside Scothches

Hi Redhugh

How much are you thinking of spending? Personally, I think the Lagavulin 16 is brilliant. It's about €45 in Europe, but more expensive here. Laphroaig is more medicinal and really good too. The Quarter Cask is good value.

Bowmore has some great ones, but they have a huge range and some aren't great. If you can get the 18, it's pretty sherried and very good, if you like that sort of thing.

Caol Ila have some great stuff too. A new distillery called Kilchoman has just released its first whisky. It's an Islay farm distillery. Supposed to be very good.

Bunnahabhain is an Islay distillery, but it isn't that peaty. Bruichladdich is a little more peaty, in general. They do a whisky called Octomore, which is very, very heavily peated.

The one everyone raves about is the Ardbeg 10. It's really excellent. Very peaty.

I have only tasted a few from Jura, and they weren't to my taste, but I haven't given the distillery a fair go, really.

Going up north, Highland Park is known as the great all-rounder. Has a bit of everything.

Not all the island whisky is that peaty, and some Highland and Speyside whisky is very peaty. You could also try Longrow. Made at Springbank, it's one of their peaty ones. And BenRiach has produced heavily peated whisky, as has Edradour.

Almost too many to mention, but off the top of my head, I'd say Lagavulin 16, Highland Park 18, Tallisker 10, Ardbeg 10 or Bowmore 18. All very good, in my opinion.

Laphroaig52

You seem to be having a wonderful life.

redhugh

Just a word of thanks Brockagh, whilst browsing through good shops i have noticied these brands you have mentioned but was unsure of their rep at least now when i commit to buy i wont be dissappointed, i would normally drink Busmills 10 or 16 & sometimes the Busmills 12 from the rum casks, but some evenings would like a bit more variety especially with the cold nights approaching fast

Bearhunter

Just to add to Brockagh's extensive (and excellent) list - Tobermory from Mull is a lovely gentle drop and Scapa is a characterful whisky too. If you want a special occasion drop, try the Dewar & Rattray 25-year-old bottling of Caol ila - brine, smoke and salted butter flavours. Stunning whisky.

mloc

I'm a fan of Tallisker myself, though not a big peaty man; this is the exception. If I'm drinking scotch generally though its Balvenie for me.

Brockagh

There's Arran too. It's an island distillery, a beautiful one, but it is not that peaty.

You could also try Connemara, an Irish whiskey with peat.

redhugh

I Spotted that Connemara one alright i might chance a bottle on top of ono of the scotches mentioned above

Ponster

PC8 Port Charlotte

If you want a good peaty beast of a whiskey then this is the stuff.

Brockagh

Ponster wrote: »

PC8 Port Charlotte

If you want a good peaty beast of a whiskey then this is the stuff.

That's from Bruichladdich. It is supposed to be better than previous years, but it is still massively over-priced for what is just an eight-year-old single malt.

Just my opinion, of course.

tribesman44

the connemara peated single malt is fantastic. just had some the other day. i am currently in the market for some laprhoaig 10 year single malt. i heard it is the best bang for the buck in the islay region. i am primarily an irish whiskey drinker, but i am starting to really get into the scotch whisky's. i have a nice bottle of balvenie 15 year single malt from speyside. it gets drank on special occasions.

Brockagh

tribesman44 wrote: »

the connemara peated single malt is fantastic. just had some the other day. i am currently in the market for some laprhoaig 10 year single malt. i heard it is the best bang for the buck in the islay region. i am primarily an irish whiskey drinker, but i am starting to really get into the scotch whisky's. i have a nice bottle of balvenie 15 year single malt from speyside. it gets drank on special occasions.

Yeah, Laphroaig 10 is great value. As is Laphroaig Quarter Cask, which many think is even better than the 10. Both are available in Ireland, in the Celtic Whiskey Shop anyway.

tribesman44

Brockagh wrote: »

Yeah, Laphroaig 10 is great value. As is Laphroaig Quarter Cask, which many think is even better than the 10. Both are available in Ireland, in the Celtic Whiskey Shop anyway.

any celtic whiskey shops located in galway?

Brockagh

I'm afraid not, but IrishWhiskeyChaser is from Galway and will know the shops that might stock it there.

tribesman44

Brockagh wrote: »

I'm afraid not, but IrishWhiskeyChaser is from Galway and will know the shops that might stock it there.

the only place i know of is a pub on shop street. that is about an hour from me though!