What Wee Dram are you enjoying now?

[ebo]

Just finishing off the last of my bottle of Highland Park 18. I probably won't be replacing it anytime soon. 35 hours a week kinda puts a dent in the whisk(e)y buying.

[The Boozer]

Finished off a bottle of Laphroaig 1/4 cask. Very tasty and the amount of sweetness suprised me. Now on the must buy list.
TJ

[unclebunk]

Finished off a bottle of Laphroaig 1/4 cask. Very tasty and the amount of sweetness suprised me. Now on the must buy list.
TJ

My wife bought me a bottle of Laphroaig Quarter Cask for my birthday last month and I found it head and shoulders better than the standard Laphroaig 10 which I also love. The Quarter Cask just seemed to have a bit more intensity all the way around, and to me was worth the extra $15-$20. I'll always have a bottle of both in the house from now on.

[Megawatt]

I've been enjoying my newly-purchased Talisker 1996 Distillers Edition. Fantastic marriage of smoke and sweetness, very rich in the mouth. Better than the 10 but not quite as good as the 18.

[JamesW]

Had a few pours of Clynelish 14 last night for the very first time. It's not overly complex but has a nice, semi-sweet, seaweedy nose and a long, mildly peppery finish. I plan on having more tonight in a side-by-side tasting with Clynelish's neighbor, Old Pulteney 12. These are whiskies that I enjoy for their subtleties, so those looking for heavy flavors and pronounced characteristics may find them less interesting than I do.

I'm a fan of both. I agree with your description of the Clynelish 14. I think I like the saltiness of the OP12 a bit more.

What was your comparison like?

[unclebunk]

I'm a fan of both. I agree with your description of the Clynelish 14. I think I like the saltiness of the OP12 a bit more.

What was your comparison like?

Honestly, James, I've grown to really love them both. I did my side-by-side the other night and leaned towards the OP12 for the same reason as you. That bit of saltiness adds a dimension that I really like. On the other hand, I also found the OP12 a bit more honey-ish than the Clynelish 14, so which one I reach for will depend upon my mood. Interestingly, my brother found the OP too sweet and therefore preferred the Clynelish, but I enjoy them both for different reasons.

I've been searching for a few inexpensive single malts to have around that don't break the budget but also don't sacrifice on quality. I think I've found two good ones in the Old Pulteney and Clynelish. Add the Highland Park 12 to the stable and you've got three affordable winners in my book.

[JamesW]

I've been searching for a few inexpensive single malts to have around that don't break the budget but also don't sacrifice on quality. I think I've found two good ones in the Old Pulteney and Clynelish. Add the Highland Park 12 to the stable and you've got three affordable winners in my book.

I agree. In that low price point range, I also like the Balvenie Doublewood but it has been creeping up in price lately (you can still find it though around $40). But once you're in that range I prefer the Ardberg 10 for about $42 ish. Two different beasts, I know, but there's not a lot to choose from in that range that I like. Move into the $50's and I'm liking Talisker 10 etc....

[unclebunk]

In that low price point range, I also like the Balvenie Doublewood but it has been creeping up in price lately (you can still find it though around $40). But once you're in that range I prefer the Ardberg 10 for about $42 ish. Two different beasts, I know, but there's not a lot to choose from in that range that I like. Move into the $50's and I'm liking Talisker 10 etc....

It's funny about price differences from one area to another, and I'm not talking about just a few bucks. Our Balvenie Doublewood is generally around $40 and is a good choice in that price range. But our Ardbeg 10 prices are always in the neighborhood of $60 compared to your $42. Why nearly a $20 difference? That's insane! (Fortunately, I've found a few places that still have semi-dusty Ardbegs on the shelf with old prices in the $40-$45 range. They simply haven't bothered to re-price them because they're not selling even at the cheaper price.) Laphroaig 10 varies a great deal as well but can often be found on sale for under $40. And last night I cracked a bottle of Sheep Dip which is quite a nice pour but at $45 I wouldn't buy another when I can get HP12 for slightly less. I nearly pulled the trigger on a Yamazaki 12 recently because it was under $30 but when I went back to get it the price jumped to mid-$40's, so I didn't bother. I still have a small stash of $40 and under bottles but they're getting harder to find these days which is disappointing.

[JamesW]

The Laphroaig 10 is about $45 here these days. I paid around $55 for the Quarter Cask I bought a few months back.

How's the Yamazaki? I haven't had the pleasure yet.

[unclebunk]

The Laphroaig 10 is about $45 here these days. I paid around $55 for the Quarter Cask I bought a few months back.

How's the Yamazaki? I haven't had the pleasure yet.

Our Laphroaig 10 prices are generally about $45 as well, though on sale you can usually get it for $38 or so. I paid $57 for the Quarter Cask which was worth every penny. I only sampled the Yamazaki 12 once at a friend's house and was pleasantly surprised by how good it is, but opted not to buy it when the price jumped from $28 to $45 two weeks after I first spotted it. I'd say the Yamazaki is a very good pour, and actually was quite like the Sheep Dip I had last night, with a slightly longer finish.