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I really like this rum, and am on to my second bottle as it is only 90 nz$. I get diferent notes to you, though will have to have a dram to compare next time. I'd be less impressed if I'd paid 50 pounds, even though it's very good stuff. Thanks for your thoughts. A vast behind me hearty!

This one seems expensive compared to other rums, around the same price as Doorly's 14. I've only had the Havana Club Anejo Especial before which I bought for mixing as it was cheap. It was OK but wouldn't purchase it again. The Havana Club 3yo, 7yo and Cuban spiced are also readily available here. Cheers!

Think it´s a great rum😀👌

I have an older bottle of the Laphroaig 18 and it’s one of my favorites. Cheers to another great review.

Boom! Japanese Nikka from the Barrel! Didn’t predict that one !! Great review Shaun ! Happy New Year. Always wanted to try this so may take the plunge and get a bottle or sample !!

A great shirt that fits today's review. 😎

Refreshing review. There is actually not such a thing as “Spanish” rums. Rums are very different based on country of origin. For example Guatemala, Columbia, The Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Costa Rica, and Cuban rums have nothing to do with each other. And yet they are all Spanish former colonies. Selección de Maestros is okay, but very Batchy. The HC 3 Year old is a mixer rum. The HC 7 year old is probably the first zipper on the HC line. Ron Santiago 11 years and older Santiago rums are probably the best Cuban Rums in the markets these days. Cheers!

Unfortunately due to our 60 year embargo Cuban products are still banned in the US which makes us want their products more… maybe someday 🤷‍♂️ Cheers 🥃

Hi Shane. I think Havana Club is owned 50/50 by the Cuban State (Corporación Cuba Ron) and Pernot Ricard. There is a legal dispute which is a really good read (Wikipedia) - this version is sold in Cuba and internationally, but not in the US, where Bacardi owns the name rights and sells Havana Club. Not a big rum fan myself, I have a bottle of this as my only rum and quite like it (got it in Germany for 35 Euro, so great value at that price point). I read somewhere that this is one of the rums that does not have additional sugar added, but can't remember where I read it (it was a list of lots of rums setting out which of these had sugar added). I was wondering about the cask strength as well, but perhaps they blend different casks to achieve the 45% for each batch?

Happy New Year Shane! Excellent review, as per usual :) My bottle of Seleccion de Maestros rum has been opened since the summer of 2022 and it still has some 150 ml. left in it. It is from an earlier batch, pre-COVID. Back then the packaging was different with a beige tube with artificial "wooden" pattern instead of the blue carton of the contemporary releases. Very nice rum indeed! Fine and rounded blend with reasonable oak influence and spice to support the delicate spirit. No off notes whatsoever, no cloying sweetness. As price/quality ratio goes this is by far the best Havana Club rum there is and may be even the best "Latin" style rums in general, IMHO. I just can't think of another one that presents at least similar value. All those "solera" rums (or "rons") with fake age statements, "premium" packaging and tons of additives I wouldn't touch let alone spend my hard earned money for them. I paid the equivalent of around 31-32 pounds for my bottle in 2020 and I can still find it for roughly the some price in Bulgaria or some online shops in Germany and Netherlands if need be :) Cheers!

Fantastic rum I would recommend worthy park 109 proof.

thanks for another rum review shane.

🥃😊👍

Interesting choice. My whisky of the year is a Teacher's Royal Highland 12 year blend from 1975. I got it off ebay for €45 and it's amazing. As other 70s/80s blends I've lapped up for little money have been. Affordable old blends have been my discovery of the year. The raw material supersedes current average single malt, the barrel qualities are staggering and the blending thoughtful and competent. But I don't want to sound reactionary. This is a great time for whisky. I've greatly enjoyed that Tullibardine, as well as Ardnamurchan, Kilchoman 100% Islay, Benromach and Laphi CS, and got some great IBs (Highland Park) and 18+ year olds at reasonable prices (Caperdonich, Longmorn, Ardmore). It's becoming a buyer's market once again and firms that don't react will suffer.

Always appreciate your thoughts, Shane. Cheers!

I don't like where my beloved Laphroaig is going and I think they haven't woken up and smelled the coffee. The 18 is available here for the equivalent of 140 pounds, but I get a Caperdonich 18 for € 112, a great Scotch from a closed distillery. At the last big whisky auction older Laphi CSs like #12 were going for original prices. Ardbeg is falling apart. Scotch is in crisis. There is no more room for or interest in overpriced mediocrity. It will not do well. Thanks for the great review, though.

Wow ... surprise surprise.... I will say that I haven't been a fan of Japanese whiskies.... Yama 12 and Hakushu and others did absolutely nothing for me....BUT.... tried the ''Barrel' .... Loved it! have 2 sitting in the cupboard... Another Nikka that I can't find anymore ... The Pure Malt black... lovely lovely whiskey. Have you tried it? Thanks for the vid, AL

thanks for another year of informative and interesting whisky reviews and discussion. I'm still anticipating the review of the Bruichladdich 18, though I have a guess at the verdict based on your Port Charlotte review. Also, any reason you didn't do an advent calendar in 2024? Cheers to another year of responsibly moderate but always quality sipping. (P.S. I'm currently sipping Teeling Small Batch Irish whiskey, in my market at under $30 USD probably the best quality for value budget whiskey I can think of.)

Happy new year mate love you're picks I too love the TB/BSw. Ben Nevis 10 is a big favourite here. Not the 18 Ledaig but the new Triple wood for the Mull wildlife is a belter, :-)

Good Picks Shane. My WotY is Ardnahoe Inaugural Release. Thanks for sharing your Thoughts and Opinion about your chosen Bottlings. Greets from Germany 😎🤘🏻

I picked up that Nikka FTB from Costco on Xmas Eve. I like what I've had. However, I'm deducting points for the lack of a bottle neck. A messy pour. My pick would be the 2024 Laphroaig 10 Year Càirdeas. It won my peat & Sherry blind. Lagg Corricravie & Speyburn 18 are honorable mentions. Good shout on the Thompson Bros. Fantastic blenders. Still waiting (impatiently) for my "Sutherland" bottle to arrive. Cheers & Happy New Year.

😳 Nikka🤕

I recently purchased Nikka From The Barrel and also the Nikka Miyagikyo. Both excellent whiskies. Interested to see the Mezcal reviews. I've never tried Mezcal. All the best for 2025! Cheers! 🥃

Well done Shane we need more rabbits out of the hat! Quality stuff has to stand out and used to challenge the others! Cheers and have a great year!

12:14 I have been saying that exact sentence so much the past year. If I had the capacity to get annoyed by such things, I would be annoyed by the general trend of people becoming too accepting of a lack of age statements. We went from people completely dismissing NAS whiskies to people completely dismissing the value of an age statement, neither of which are very logical or useful. I've started phrasing it like this: all whisky without an age statement isn't necessarily bad, but a bottle of whisky with an age statement is by definition better than the exact same bottle of whisky with an age statement. Why would you want less information? How does that help you make a better purchasing decision next time around?

I to did not see that coming. Great video enjoy 2025 Salute

Happy New Year from NZ. My pick would be Kilkerran 12yo 2024 edition (bottled Dec 23). Better availability as well lately.

I really liked your comments about how older age statements oftentimes don't justify their ridiculously high prices. And oftentimes much younger whisky is just objectively better. For a fraction of the cost. I think more reviewers need to grow a pair and talk about this elephant in the room like you are doing. Respect.

Happy new year Shane! Just picked up Laphroaig Cairdeas Warehouse 1 today and will be pouring a wee dram. Cheers! Oh and I loved the mezcal mention. I've branched out and have been exploring mezcal and tequila the last few years. Single Malt isn't the only game in town.

I was sure the ben Nevis was taking it. As for your top, I just love it and if I caould get Thompson Bros, I would. All day long! Thank you for the great videos you've shared this year. Happy New Years, and cheers to 2025!

Certainly one of the reasons why i keep on watching your reviews is you dont follow the crowd. These reviews broaden, certainly mine and many others horizons. I agree the gold standard that SMSW is been trying to protray isnt that always and they "get away with it" were they can. People are thinking very carefully now where they choose to spend the little luxury money they have left and hopefully the distilleries are listening.

Interesting lineup there Shane…was surprised at your pick but now I’ll revisit mine…. Cheers 🥃

Thanks for sharing Shane. Slàinte mhath and have a great 2025.

Perfect Whisky for the bourbon lover. Happy new year. Keep up the good work.

Great (as usual) no nonsense video. All the best 👍

Big fan of most Nikka products including Nikka from the Barrel. It was at Costco this year for $55 USD and I ended up buying 3 bottles. They make great gifts. I also found a bottle of Smoky Scot this year and purchased based on the advent calendar you did last year. Very nice for the price and absolutely deserves to be mentioned. Can't wait for more content in 2025

Nice pick! Happy New Year, Shane. Cheers!

Happy new Year! Very interesting. I'd buy a second bottle of this. Being mass produced, do we think there is any batch variation?

I recently tried a bottle of Murray McDavid Cask Craft. For the money, It is a fine dram.

Just picked up the Nikka SFB at costco in Az a couple weeks ago…the liquid was about 2-3 shades lighter than yours…and at $52 it wouldn’t even crack my top 10 for the year 🤷🏻‍♂️ Either way great chat Shane and happy new year!

That's a nice wrap on the year Shane. I have had a bottle or two of Miyagikyo in a last couple of years and you simply can't go wrong with Nikka. Happy New Year Shane and all the best in 2025 🍷

It's sad because other than that Nikka and prohibitively-expensive 18 year olds, I havent seen ANY of the other runner-ups anywhere in or around NYC.

Me and my partner were visiting Munich this year my first time in that city. I said I wanna go to this whisky shop there my first proper whisky shop. Anyway I was looking for several bottles to buy but in the end I decided to buy G&M Mortlach 15yo and my partner wanted to buy Nikka From the barrel for 35€ I must say yeah it has been a good purchase. We have both enjoyed it a lot before that my partner tried it in Japan and said it was great. I have been looking forward buying my first 18yo whisky and after lot of consideration I decided to buy Longrow 18yo 2024 release I found it for a good price compared to many other 18yo bottles I wanted to buy which were way over 250€ easily. I considered buying Laphroiag 18yo which was 175€ in Germany but it's not my favorite distillery decided to pass on that one. Happy new year from Finland!

good choice, it's a permashelf bottle for me.

Cheers great video. I love Nika from the barrel. It’s one of my most bought and drank bottles. I love the flavours and the heat. It’s a nice winter drink. Also, I was totally surprised with a achiros Malt and grainI have a bottle open right now in I’m loving it.

I wouldn’t have picked something that is the complete opposite of an integrity bottling. That’s definitely not the signal I want to send to the industry. But this is your WOTY so thanks for sharing.

Think I'm on my 3rd or 4th bottle of tbbsw this year. Amazing stuff

Wow, that Nikka FTB was Whisky Advocate's WOTY a few years back and I thought it was very good, but prices shot up as a result and I haven't purchased another bottle since. I am making a conscious effort NOT to buy another bottle of whisky in 2025 in an attempt to put a dent in my out of control collection. Happy New Year and All the Best! ✌️

If you can find the red lable Nikka that's heavenly

Wow that took me by surprise even though I did watch that review. I honestly might give it a try even though I have tried to move away from any of the big brands.