Jump to content

What Water of Life/Scotch are drinking or purchased 2025?


jvd99

Recommended Posts

40 minutes ago, Scotch_Collector said:

@Kepler, I am interested to see how you like them. I am a big fan of The Arran Malts. 

 

I have some old Arran Malt bottles that are cask strength and delicious. I have a single cask bourbon cask that I had to have gotten over 10 years ago. From about the same time I have Single Cask sherry cask as well. I rarely drink them because they are so good and I believe both were under $100. Probably spend a lot more to get that kind of flavor now!

 

I also have a few more recent bottles from them. The Sauternes cask finish is lovely (100 proof) and so is the Amarone Cask finish (100 proof).

 

Finally, I have the Broderick Bay 20 Year cask strength. That is an amazing bottle.

 

Bottom line: Arran makes good scotch. 

 

Yessir I've heard many great things so I had to add these to my shelf.  Both of these are excellent, hard to pick a favorite.  They are different, with the newer 10 having more sherry influence than the original (exactly as I had read in reviews prior to purchasing).


Which one do I prefer?  Depends if I'm in a real sherry mood or not.  Haha yes I'm riding the fence 😁.  They are both very high quality whisky and great values for the money.  I can see why Arran 10 is considered a staple in the single malt world.  

 

For now, these are great for me.  I'm sure eventually I will be curious about what what else Arran has to offer higher up in their range like you have.  But sounds like your older bottles are something special.

 

  • I like it 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Picked up a bottle of The Spice Tree, since it has been retired/discontinued  by Compass Box, along with The Spaniard.  Both of those are two that I have always tried to keep on hand, but I have also tried the new ones that will be replacing them in the regular line-up, and they do not disappoint either.

IMG_9156.jpeg

  • I like it 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

30 minutes ago, NDN98 said:

Picked up a bottle of The Spice Tree, since it has been retired/discontinued  by Compass Box, along with The Spaniard.  Both of those are two that I have always tried to keep on hand, but I have also tried the new ones that will be replacing them in the regular line-up, and they do not disappoint either.

IMG_9156.jpeg

The Spice Tree is a very interesting bottle. The Spaniard was a steal! Sad to see them go. 

  • I like it 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/17/2025 at 11:48 PM, Kepler said:

 

Yessir I've heard many great things so I had to add these to my shelf.  Both of these are excellent, hard to pick a favorite.  They are different, with the newer 10 having more sherry influence than the original (exactly as I had read in reviews prior to purchasing).


Which one do I prefer?  Depends if I'm in a real sherry mood or not.  Haha yes I'm riding the fence 😁.  They are both very high quality whisky and great values for the money.  I can see why Arran 10 is considered a staple in the single malt world.  

 

For now, these are great for me.  I'm sure eventually I will be curious about what what else Arran has to offer higher up in their range like you have.  But sounds like your older bottles are something special.

 

I understand. Sometimes you feel like a sherry bomb, sometimes you don't. 

 

I have more wine/sherry/port, etc. finishes than bourbon or other wood finishes in my single malt collection. However, I am not always in the mood for that flavor profile. I really enjoy all different casks, but from a collectors perspective, it is fun the amount of different types of finishes exist in the wine world. Different kinds, different time in them, different bases, different aged end products, etc. 

  • I like it 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, NDN98 said:

Picked up a bottle of The Spice Tree, since it has been retired/discontinued  by Compass Box, along with The Spaniard.  Both of those are two that I have always tried to keep on hand, but I have also tried the new ones that will be replacing them in the regular line-up, and they do not disappoint either.

IMG_9156.jpeg

Nice. I love Compass Box. I scored a Spaniard a couple months ago. I still see Spice Tree. 

IMG_0639.jpeg

  • I like it 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, NDN98 said:

Picked up a bottle of The Spice Tree, since it has been retired/discontinued  by Compass Box, along with The Spaniard.  Both of those are two that I have always tried to keep on hand, but I have also tried the new ones that will be replacing them in the regular line-up, and they do not disappoint either.

IMG_9156.jpeg

 

Good call.  I also picked up a Spice Tree a week or two ago.  It was on clearance sale for a couple bucks off, so it was a no brainer.  I prefer it slightly more than the Spaniard.  I also picked up the latest Flaming Hearts release but I haven't tried it yet.

  • I like it 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/13/2025 at 10:02 PM, NDN98 said:

Opened this one tonight and it has a lot going on and is a definite Sherry-bomb! First impressions are very good with hints of raisins, chocolate, subtle pepper spice, and honey.

IMG_9115.jpeg

Is this available in the States?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, jvd99 said:

Is this available in the States?

It is not.   I ordered some bourbon from overseas that from my favorite online store that was having some sales and I threw in a couple of bottles of Scotch not available here so I could get the biggest bang for my buck with shipping.

  • I like it 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice. I'm going to Kenya via Doha in August, I'll look for this in the Doha duty free to drink while on safari

Link to comment
Share on other sites

image.thumb.jpg.c6b0a4244807332c9dc5856f7e3f3328.jpgThis is interesting, but not my favorite. I’m glad I picked it up. 
 

  • I like it 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is one of my favorite bottles I have open right now. Although tonight it’s got this smoky banana thing going on. 86 proof to finish the weekend feels about right. 

IMG_0643.jpeg

  • I like it 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

During a vacation to France, picked up a Mortlach 17 year Signatory (1st fill Oloroso Sherry Butt first finish) and a Laphroaig Port Cask. Waiting for my sniffer to recover from the travels to try (but made samples for a buddy already). 

 

IMG20250628131339.thumb.jpg.76cad689fac7be10f8f55466bebf8cfa.jpg 

 

IMG20250628131359.thumb.jpg.a613cdaaf92e906966b2433408c722d1.jpg

  • I like it 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/25/2025 at 5:18 PM, LCWoody said:

image.thumb.jpg.c6b0a4244807332c9dc5856f7e3f3328.jpgThis is interesting, but not my favorite. I’m glad I picked it up. 
 

 

I really like the 12 year PX Cask from them.  It's really good.

 

  • I like it 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Glenrothes 30 Year Old 1995 Signatory Symington’s Choice

Super excited about this one. Generally more of a Bourbon and Rye guy, but I had fallen in love with some Signatory Speyside bottlings. Not sure how soon I will open this though.

  • I like it 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

43 minutes ago, JGrassa said:

Glenrothes 30 Year Old 1995 Signatory Symington’s Choice

Super excited about this one. Generally more of a Bourbon and Rye guy, but I had fallen in love with some Signatory Speyside bottlings. Not sure how soon I will open this though.

Welcome to SB jgrassa.  Bourbon and rye guy?  Which ones are your faves?

  • I like it 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

47 minutes ago, smokinjoe said:

Welcome to SB jgrassa.  Bourbon and rye guy?  Which ones are your faves?

Thank you!

Bourbon:
Currently - Dark Arts French Oak finish. 
All Time - 2012 Micthers 20 year. (Never owned a bottle but was fortunate to taste it twice)

Rye:
Currently - Found North Cask Strength Rye Single Barrel Red Pineau des Charentes Finished (VWM Store Pick) - (Full Disclosure. This is my store pick. I bought the store back in October, and was lucky to collab with a few other stores on a barrel pick)
All Time - Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13yr

Really been digging Found North (Canadian juice), Dark Arts, and Seelbach's in recent months. The new Old Fitz 7yr is pretty great too. Always looking for tips, and willing to offer my own!

Pretty incredible the amount of information on this forum. Only discovered it seeing some thread with Julian Van Winkle back in 2003.

  • I like it 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, JGrassa said:

Thank you!

Bourbon:
Currently - Dark Arts French Oak finish. 
All Time - 2012 Micthers 20 year. (Never owned a bottle but was fortunate to taste it twice)

Rye:
Currently - Found North Cask Strength Rye Single Barrel Red Pineau des Charentes Finished (VWM Store Pick) - (Full Disclosure. This is my store pick. I bought the store back in October, and was lucky to collab with a few other stores on a barrel pick)
All Time - Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13yr

Really been digging Found North (Canadian juice), Dark Arts, and Seelbach's in recent months. The new Old Fitz 7yr is pretty great too. Always looking for tips, and willing to offer my own!

Pretty incredible the amount of information on this forum. Only discovered it seeing some thread with Julian Van Winkle back in 2003.

Yessir, that VWFRR is fabulous whiskey.  I look forward to eventually trying the OF 7.  Some good reports on it, here.  Good to hear more positive i

press from you, as well.  
 

Again, welcome aboard!   

  • I like it 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.