Recommend a whisky for March

cormacjones

I put up a thread about a month ago titled "Recommend a whiskey for February" and, thanks to some great advice here, I went for a John's Lane and I'm really enjoying it.

So for March I thought I'd buy a nice whisky to drink alongside it. I've my mind made up on an Islay as I like the idea of trying something completely different. I've done a bit of research and have narrowed it down to the following:

1) Bowmore 12 Year Old Islay Single Malt €37

2) Caol Ila 12 Year Old Single Malt €43

3) Ardbeg 10 yr old €50

4) Laphraoig 10 yr old €43

What do people think? I'm I missing another whisky that would top these?

Blisterman

Laphraoig, my favourite whisky in the world! If you can get the Quarter Cask or Triple wood version, even better.

Rangi

Blisterman wrote: »

Laphraoig, my favourite whisky in the world! If you can get the Quarter Cask or Triple wood version, even better.

Agreed.

I have numbers 1,2 and 3,recommend them all,but as Blisterman says,try the Quarter Cask.

johnnyskeleton

Caol ila or bowmore

gandalf

Out of the four you have fired up I would go for the Bowmore 12 year old every time. It is one of my top choices for a whisky

cormacjones

I bought the Bowmore 12 after trying it in Bowes.It's whisky of the month there at the moment, so that was fortunate.

I have to say it's one of the nicest whiskies I've tasted to date, though I've little experience really.

Also tried the Ardbeg 10, Laph 10, Laph QC and Caol Illa 12 (over a few nights!). I really liked them all but possibly the Caol Illa, for its salty(?!) taste, was my favourite. The QC was also top notch.

I'm going to try and build up a small collection so if anyone has any more suggestions, I'd really appreciate it.

As an aside, Bowes is a top notch pub isn't it? I hadn't been there in donkey's years and only popped in because I heard it a good spot for whiskey. Friendly staff, good beer and generally no food (bar free finger nibbels). I like L. Mulligans but the smell of food really takes away from the experience if you're just going out for a few queit drinks.

ciaran76

Tried Talisker 12 Year Old at the weekend and was really blown away by it.

Wish I had a bottle at home.

_blank_

From that list I'd get either of the first two, because I already own bottles of Ardbeg and Laphroaig.

adrian522

I'd take the Bowmore from that lot, I'd also try and dig out Lagavulin as that will stand up against any of the whiskies mentioned above also

Brockagh

ciaran76 wrote: »

Tried Talisker 12 Year Old at the weekend and was really blown away by it.

Wish I had a bottle at home.

Was it the Friends of Classic Malts one, Ciaran. I've never tried that one but would love to.

johnnyskeleton

adrian522 wrote: »

I'd take the Bowmore from that lot, I'd also try and dig out Lagavulin as that will stand up against any of the whiskies mentioned above also

That's getting into a different price category though. There are some superb independent caol ilas and laphroaigs for the same price as laga 16 (not taking away from laga mind),

ciaran76

Brockagh wrote: »

Was it the Friends of Classic Malts one, Ciaran. I've never tried that one but would love to.

I am not sure to be honest. Sorry.

Edit : It was the whisky of the week/month in Against the Grain at the moment so this was the reason for trying it.

Brockagh

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

That's getting into a different price category though. There are some superb independent caol ilas and laphroaigs for the same price as laga 16 (not taking away from laga mind),

At www.whiskybroker.co.uk, I recently bought a Strathmill 1974 single cask for £50 and a Tomintoul 1968 single cask for £60. Great value.

If you like heavily sherried whiskies, he has an Islay 21 at the moment that is very good. It's a Bunnahabhain, but doesn't say so on the label. Might be too rich for some, but if you like this style it's great value at £40ish.

Single-cask independents can be more of a lottery than the distillery bottlings, but there are many many great ones out there.

johnnyskeleton

Brockagh wrote: »

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

That's getting into a different price category though. There are some superb independent caol ilas and laphroaigs for the same price as laga 16 (not taking away from laga mind),

At www.whiskybroker.co.uk, I recently bought a Strathmill 1974 single cask for £50 and a Tomintoul 1968 single cask for £60. Great value.

If you like heavily sherried whiskies, he has an Islay 21 at the moment that is very good. It's a Bunnahabhain, but doesn't say so on the label. Might be too rich for some, but if you like this style it's great value at £40ish.

Single-cask independents can be more of a lottery than the distillery bottlings, but there are many many great ones out there.

I've never come across an independent bottling I didn't like, even if only for being so unusual.

ciaran76

Brockagh wrote: »

Was it the Friends of Classic Malts one, Ciaran. I've never tried that one but would love to.

Went for it again yesterday and yeah it's the Friends of Classic Malts. I asked this time. Very good and too easy to drink.