You made your own luck Ralfy. 10 years of it to be more specific. A good heads up to the whisky-tube community! Information is power ;) Great videos once again!
I only got in to whisky this time last year, but watching Ralfy reviews has given me a decade worth of insight. Now I know what to look for when faced with an array of bottles on the shelf. Even on a tight budget I can be fairly sure of making good purchasing decisions rather than being swayed by marketing flannel. Pretty sure Ralfy will save me a small fortune by avoiding bad bottles over the coming years. Cheers Ralfy!
Thank you Ralfy for taking the bigger picture gleaned from years of experience and breaking it down for the everyday consumer. We are so lucky to have RUclips and enthusiasts like yourself to search out drinks for us. I am drinking Ardbeg 10 and enjoying smelling it more than drinking it. It is a quality drap.
Barry has a fair point, the bigger issue though is the poor selection of a decent malt that's easily accessible in the supermarket. Taking a trip into the city centre to visit a specialty shop is a bit of a chore for people these days, so if a good bottling was a regular feature in local shops people would save up their pennies to get it, and not feel rushed into buying the odd decent malt that appears for just a week or two, when they can't really afford it.
This is a subject I've thought a lot about. It's tricky and it's not only about money, it's about time and about your liver. If you want to drink a lot then just buy whatever, maybe whisky isn't even the right drink. So you decide to spend more on a bottle and drink less. Good thinking. But if you want to try different quality whiskies and there isn't a good bar nearby, you can end up spending a lot of money on a bottle and then being stuck having to slowly sip your way through something you don't really like. As a result of your curiosity, you can end up with a collection of bottles that you haven't really got time to drink (sensibly). Ralfy recommendations are a great help of couse!
Ralfy, Bowmore 12 costs $60 plus tax in British Columbia, Canada. The same size bottle (750 ml) of Forty Creek Barrel Select Canadian Whisky is $22 plus tax. When you reviewed Forty Creek Barrel Select in February 2010 you gave it a rating of 89, a much higher rating than what you have given Bowmore 12. Canadians are in a really good position when it comes to access to high-quality whisky at very affordable prices as long as they are willing to buy domestic, which they absolutely should be willing to do.
Good afternoon to you Ralfy. It is Friday 12/13 at the time of this post in Arizona in the states. I've enjoyed watching your videos very much & you've expanded my knowledge of whiskys but also got me interested in bothies. The idea of having my own bothy has interested me so much so that when it comes time to retire & purchase some land in a few years I will take into consideration a prime spot where I could build my own. I had never heard the word bothy before watching your channel. So my hats off to you w/another thanks; for the education regarding whisky & for introducing me to the bothy. Cheers!
You mentioned Canada. That Bowmore 15 is $95 here in Ontario. That is a lot. I know you will think me stupid but I like Bowmore 12. I will have to try the 15 when I get the cash.
You can be concerned and yet buy those whiskeys and not be a hypocrite, Ralfy. It is entirely plausible for your concerns to be warranted, yet those whiskeys be a good enough value to pick up. But your honesty and transparency is appreciated 💕
Thanks for taking the time to read my post Ralfy, i must add that i dont yet have the palette to differentiate too much from the better end of the budget range, i.e. i really liked ardbeg 10 and glendronach 12, they were in fact my favourites to date(both radically different but loved them anyway), but not that much better than say glenmorangie 10 or even talsiker 10(which i know you dont rate) to my limited palette (hell i even liked the bowmore 12 you just destroyed). I do take your point about buying less and spending a bit more. My next planned purchases are mapped out as follows: Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie, Kilkerran 12, Aaran 10, Clynelish 14, Deanston 12, and springbank 10 all of which i can purchase for under £40. Any other suggestions are welcome, must add that i really dont want to top the £40 mark
@@bishopburnboy416 yep thats my ignorance shining through there, had much more experience with wooden pallets :). The Glencadam looks really good value @£35 ill put it on list thanks
Great vlog. Wonderful candour. Best whisky vlogger out there . I too reckon 100 pounds is about the limit... My limit for something special. Regards from cape town.
Look for what is available for a decent price around you. Where I live, Scotch is expensive and getting more so, but Bourbon and rum is much more affordable and can offer a very nice experience. Also, you can blend stuff yourself and get an experience that you can't buy anywhere. I learned a lot of this from watching this channel
„Bourbon is affordable“ … Uh, I mean your comment is 4 years old, but still .. the Bourbon boom is going on for many years, and the prices are still rising.
I’ve only dumped two bottles down the sink, Bowmore 12 and Glenlivet 12. I wish I had seen your “make your own liqueur “ video before that. Most of the time in NH, USA, the liquor store discounts their products only 2-5 $, hardly an incentive to buy.
It is my understanding that chill filtering is to remove cloudy-ness. My question is, would you be fine drinking a cloudy whisky if we demand that it never be chill filtered
Yes. It has better mouthfeel, texture and viscosity. And flavor. Some of us already "demand" it by only buying NCF whisky. The cloudiness is fondly called "scotsch mist". And more producers are starting to realize that this is what buyers want.
I just got the Bowmore 12. I'm fairly new to this and before this the only"smoky" whisky I'd had was Teacher's Highland Cream. Of course the difference between Bowmore 12 and Teacher's was quite stark. While I didn't like Bowmore at first, after a couple of days that was the whisky I reached for more than others. It's not very flavourful and I never add water but I did like the softness. However, the other whisky's I have are pretty inexpensive and nothing spectacular - I really do like Famous Grouse, though- but Bowmore 12 has gotten me interested in trying other Islay whiskys. I realise that the other Bowmore's will be much more intense and this has prepared me for it. It may not be too complex or flavourful but it's still clean and distinct.
Barry you should also take note of some of ralfy's blending advice. If you have some of that Ardbeg left try buying a basic Irish whiskey like Jameson's and add a teaspoon of Ardbeg (or any peaty malt) to a dram. It will really lift the Irish dram to a much higher level for a small extra cost.
The expensive stuff can be available - in Britain anyway - if you go to whisky tastings. I have tried bottles that cost over a £1000 at tastings. Usually there are half a dozen whiskies and a host with connections to the distillery who will talk you through them. Costs about the same as a theatre ticket so you get an insight into what the pricey whisky is like. That said, I would never purchase a bottle of whisky that costs £1000. I should also distinguish between small tutored tastings and the big whisky festivals with many distilleries from all over exhibiting their wares. I usually find those to be a horrible, uncomfortable scrum and will no longer attend them.
Oh and just to put things into perspective also, I was in the states the other year and in the supermarkets they was selling Talisker 10 for over $100 and Lagavulin 16 was almost $200. I don’t know if that’s the norm out there but it was certainly an eye opener to see those prices on bottles of Scotch that I get for much cheaper here in the U.K.
Talisker 10 is normally around $80-90+ usd here in nv, and lag 16 used to be priced at about $67-70, but now starts at $90 for the cheapest price currently available that I know of. They were quick to hike the price on the 16, ever since Agent Orange's last round of tariffs. Hilariously enough, Lag 8 has been pretty much $80 ever since it dropped, but is generally $45 in Cali.
I’m having a Cyberswally with my brother this evening. I’m in Tuscany, he’s in Elgin. Best part of an hour together, chatting with a dram, using our iPads.
Ralfy, I agree about Bowmore 12. Recently bought a bottle. It was serviceable but instantly forgettable. Local wine/whisky merchants often have different "stack em high, sell em low" deals to supermarkets. From a local wine shop I recently picked up a bottle of Glenscotia Double Cask and Tamdhu 12yo for a total of £60. Both are delicious in my opinion.
I was shopping over the last few weeks online and got some fantastic whisky for under £50 Laphroaig quarter cask £27.99 amazon Bowmore 15 £ 34.99 amazon Ardbeg 10yr £37.99 saisnburys Oban 14 £33.99 amazon Glenfarglas 17 £49.99 local offies Ralfy is right if there is that really nice bottle I want like a glenfiddich 21year winter storm and such then I save up and buy less for a few weeks great reveiw ralfy spot on if I had a bunnet on I would take it off for u
I really appreciate you mentioning Arran 10YO, reviewed it some time ago and I've been recommending it to all my friends. Got a full bottle recently in Aberdeen Whisky Shop, with 2 of their small tulip glasses, paid 36GBP! At this price that's a STEAL! And people still keep asking me if they should buy Glenfiddich 12YO etc...
What does the adding of the color do to the whiskey? I realize it darkens it or makes it whatever color they desire but does it have any kind of effect on the flavor or the quality?
1. yes, it can add bitterness (it is sugar that was "burnt" by heating in acid) and 2. it betrays a lack of integrity - if they are willing to artificially "correct" cosmetic appearance, what other corners were cut?
Ralfy, I've been sipping Bourbon and Rye for 30 years. I now only buy higher proof and mostly un-chill filtered... My local Scotch selection includes only about 4 integrity malts. I've gone bonkers for peated malts. I actually like Bowmore 12 but I realize I'm only beginning my malt journey. I'm going to travel to get a Port Charlotte. You've never steered me wrong.
I’m lucky that I know a few people who work in whisky bonds, and get whisky at proper prices. Kilkerrran 12 was only £29 on the Dufftown Whisky ship online. If you look you can find some great independent bottles for the £30 mark.
We have such a virtual whisky club in Russia where we share opinions! We also exchange some bottles which are unavailable / hardly available in our country.
My very strong advise for people who love whisky and want to explore it but are on a tight budget...……..join a whiskyclub, it gives you the oppertunity to taste whiskies you could never buy yourself. And when your whiskyclub has a good leadership it will give you the chance to buy exclusive club-bottlings for descent prices……...and beside that, you learn a LOT about whisky!
I think it’s possible to get your hands on quality bottles locally if you are on a budget. Start saving @ $25 a month. This way several times a year you can pretty much buy 15 yr bottles of good quality or splurge on a $100 bottle here and there through out the year while still buying a monthly “cheap” $30 bottle of something decent like a jw black or glenmorangie 10 etc.
Howdy Ralfy. I need some advice: in one of our Moscow's liquor stores i spotted a bottle of 18 y.o. HP. It's still there and as it turned out it was bottled in 2014. It costs 7900 roubles, that is approx. 130-140 bucks. The first question is: Is it a "good year" release or might it be of inferior quality? The second question:Is it a decent value?
@@jensrogerkristoffersen5472 Hi Jens. Thx. I have tried the 10 and really enjoy it. It is just harder to find where I live. Am pretty hooked on the Islay malts. Arbeg 10 and Caol Ila 12 being the ones I can afford to get and really enjoy enjoy the most! From Ardbeg, I prefer the 10 to the Uigeadail myself. Only tried one bottle of the Uigeadall which was quite a bit more expensive than the 10, but went right back to the 10.
@@thewhiskybothy Thanks Ralfy, it is as cheap as chips here, around the equivillent of 20 UK pounds. I will buy one just to taste. The 10 that Jens mentioned I enjoyed, sort of slightly less in your face for peatyness compared to the Ardbeg.
I love your point about checking out what is good locally. It might not be scotch but one of my local distilleries A.D. Laws puts out several whiskies that would give a lot of scotch's a run for their money! I'd love for Ralfy to try out their "Hordeum" straight barley whisky: damn fine dram 😉
I agree with you and Barry to certain degree. However, we must all understand that the time and situation have changed for you, Ralfy. In my opinion, it is good for you to keep that in mind that there are people who are in a tighter budget like you'd have found yourself back when you were young and first started the channel. Just like a Rock&Roll star who now lives in a big mansion cannot write about being broke and how bitter life is, you simply cannot resonate with people in that situation because you have persevered and moved on. Even if he writes such songs, people won't feel connected due to the lack of authenticity. Let me ask all of you who cannot help but complain. What have you done, in your life, for more than 10 years other than sleeping, eating, drinking, farting, shitting etc? Here we have a man who is genuinely passionate about quality spirits that has dedicated more than a couple of decades learning and experiencing the spirits and now sharing with the rest of the world. I am glad Ralfy has moved on and not stayed where he started. We should all have that in mind as well. I think that is the least we can do to show respect.
I don't know how it's any kind of put down to anyone to acknowledge that, in general, cheaper whiskies may or may not be better values but often not high achievers in terms of quality. If all someone can, or is willing, to buy is Red Label, is it any insult to anyone to say that Blue Label is simply better, even if disproportionately more expensive for the quality it offers?
@@Malt454 Hello there malt mate, well if my comment was in any way vague, I must apologise. What I wanted to say is that we all should understand where Ralfy is at (in his Scotch whisky journey) and have that in mind when we look at his reviews. I agree that if someone is only able and willing to buy Red Label, AND able to enjoy it without feeling sorry for him/herself and enjoy the Red Label for what it is? I fuckin respect that mate. But how many people can actually do that? Social media is a great tool that we can use to connect with people around the globe, however, it has the side-effect that everyone is pretending that they are some sort of rich billionaires who are balling like a boos and put other people who are genuinely trying to make their days better down. Like I said, I respect people who is trying to make a name for themselves and make a difference in this world. My point was that I would like to see more people embracing the journey as it starts, develops and finishes - and share their journeys and findings with others like Ralfy does. I think that is the biggest advantage we have today. As Ralfy once said in his review, one can have all the money in the world to buy one of the rarest, most expensive, most sought after dram in this fine world but whether or not he/she has the palate to assess, really get to know it, appreciate and enjoy is the real challenge. This journey is sort of like fitness - with money - you can afford the best personal trainers, best food, and best supplements available today but you still have to do the work yourself to get in shape. And that doing the work is our experience and in fine Spirits, experience matters a lot. Thank you for your comment and sharing your point of view! We need more of that and have decent conversation with others.
@@jeongwoohyeon9464- Thanks for the response. Red Label outsells Blue Label and I don't really think that it's clear that everyone that buys Red is doing so while feeling sorry for themselves or that they aren't enjoying Red for what it is - if they didn't enjoy it for what it is, why would they buy it or why wouldn't they buy something else, even when price is clearly an object? While people have a limit on how high they'll go on price, and how low they'll go on quality, and these vary with the individual, products survive on the perceived value (Quality/Price Ratio) that they deliver. Where I live, Blue Label sells for close to 10 times the price of Red Label, and Blue Label IS the better product in terms of quality, but it isn't 10 times better, so while Blue has higher quality, Red is the better value in terms of quality for price (QPR). Is Blue simply beyond most people's budget? No question it is. Is Blue overpriced for what it is? In my opinion, yes, yet others obviously disagree and Blue, and Red, both survive, even though I don't really find it debatable, that Blue is at the low end of value, just as Red is at the lower end of quality. In fact, while I think it's completely beyond question that Red is, by far, the best value of the ENTIRE Johnnie Walker range (score them all fairly and then divide the score by the price), I think the best compromises between price and quality are offered by Black Label and Green Label, even though both are more expensive than Red and it can be argued that neither is quite as good as Blue in terms of quality. Ralfy can afford whiskies that others cannot, but I don't really see how that comes into it, or how Ralfy, or anyone, is insulting or looking down on anyone to say some whiskies are high quality but low value (like Blue) and others are low quality but high value (like Red). As with most things, you generally get what you pay for in terms of quality, even though you pay disproportionately more for the quality you get as you pursue higher quality. I guess I just don't know what Ralfy supposedly had to apologize for, given that he's assessing whisky quality, not people's budgets. Like Ralfy, or anyone else, I can afford whiskies that others can't, just as I can't afford whiskies that others can, but I don't apologize or pity myself for either, and I don't see how what anyone can afford comes into the question of assessing quality, or even value. I think it's perfectly valid to say that if you're only reviewing whiskies that very few can afford in the first place you're limiting the relevance of your reviews to your potential audience, but I don't find Ralfy reviewing as many really expensive whiskies as Serge Valentin. Now, is my opinion on all this somehow more or less valid based on what I can or cannot afford? I don't really see how what I can, or do, buy or drink factors into it - beyond, perhaps, actually having tried the whiskies in question. I'd like to hear your thoughts. All the best.
@@thewhiskybothy - Ralfy, could you do a chalk talk on the differences between quality and value, or Quality/Price ratio, and how some whiskies survive while having high quality but comparatively low value (say Blue Label) while others survive offering comparatively low quality but relatively high value (Red Label). I think it might be informative and create a lot of good debate. All the best!
Hey Ralfy can you do an episode about the actual flavour of MALT. Like when I’m tasting a whisky what are the characteristics that I look for when I’m trying to taste the actual malt? I get all the other flavours of the casks, the fruits and toffees etc but what am I looking for when it comes to actually dissecting the flavour of the malt? Cheers matey!
That's a hard one, but you can start with a smell... after you finish a dram, don't wash your glass but leave it overnight. Smell it the next morning...
I see your rational. Let the poorer quality for price sit on the shelf. I agree, that's kind of where it belongs. And it will put pressure on the distillers to 'step up' the poorer bottles. I was disappointed with Bowmore 12 as well. It's there, it's a single malt but I didn't get the impact I expected from it. It's not an intense smoke heavy peat monster and that's fine but it was a 'dull' drink. Kind of washed out compared to what you can find in other bottles. It's priced almost the same as Highland Park 12, viking and the sweet barley alone outshines what Bowmore offered me with the 12. Like to try the 15 though. It does sound good.
One of the most interesting discussions/essays about whisky I've seen in some time. The value of "expertise" died out, at least with whisky, when people realized that most experts were in the back pocket of the whisky industry, and that no amount of "expertise" could get them to denounce things as patently ridiculous as the "arguments" for nonsense like NAS - it wasn't that the whiskies so labeled are good or bad, but the idea that age "doesn't matter" with some whiskies, yet does with others, is obviously bullshit. So now we're left with opinion, whether well or ill informed, but it's left us in a place where now there supposedly IS no actual truth, only opinion, and so every soapbox stands at a progressively more even height with every other one - so everybody just keeps shopping until they find someone to confirm their own bias and personal opinions and, in that way, actually knowing anything about the topic only serves to alienate the hordes of the uninformed, which is the new target audience of the internet. The phenomena of paying progressively more, not just for older whisky, but more PER YEAR of an older whisky's age was explored by Serge Valentin here: www.maltmaniacs.net/E-pistles/Malt-Maniacs-2010-04-Does-the-age-of-Scotch-whisky-matter.pdf I don't really see the conflict between saying that you have to spend more (even if disproportionately more - after all, no one is saying the Bowmore 15 is TWICE as good as the 12 for being twice the price) to get better products and that some people simply can't, or won't, spend more to get better products. The price, and quality, of the 12 (and the 15) are pitched at those who find the Quality/Price (value) ratio acceptable for them personally, not for some other consumer interested in buying something else at a different price/quality level. It's not wrong, or snooty, to admit that, in terms of quality, not necessarily value, that the achievement of less expensive whisky is not generally all that high. In fact, in all makes sense - lower levels of product investment (cask quality, time IN cask, etc.) results in lower costs, lower quality and, sometimes, hopefully, in lower pricing. I don't resent that people can (and do) spend more on whisky than I do, just as I don't apologize for spending more than other people can or do, but I think that the point that reviews of products that relatively few people can afford are relevant, by definition, to relatively fewer people as prices increase is well made. That said, I don't think it's a criticism of anyone's economic status to say that you generally get what you pay for and that cheaper whisky is, normally, of only low or middling quality, no matter how economical. But - and this is the far more fundamental problem - it could also be true that all of this plays out against the backdrop of a whisky market in which affordable quality has simply increasingly departed for many consumers... people now, it could be argued, overpay just as much for age-statement whisky (mostly because of all those willing to overpay for who-knows-what NAS concoctions, so the price of just knowing what you're drinking has now gone up considerably) as for anything else and it will take a large number of consumers turning away from the current market to cause any kind of price correction. If people are pissed off that what they can afford isn't very good, or is progressively becoming worse... well, it's just a sign that people are beginning to wake up. All a note in a bottle in the ocean, I know, but it's my two cents.
I think Whisky is expensive enough. We are already paying luxury-prices and sometimes paying at lot extra for big names or numbers (high age statements). So, I don't see a problem to buy them on heavily reduced prices. The big Companys still make good money. And you usually don't find Whiskys from, for example, Springbank on Sale (maybe 5 or 10% less, but no Black Friday Discount prices). I bought Glengoyne 18 on Black Friday on Amazon for around 57 €, normal price in Germany is about 65 - 75 €. I don't see any reason to feel bad about this.;)
Long Time Watcher First Time Commenter... Like many others here I value your “opinion’, especially with regards to “integrity malts”. It’d be great if you could put together your Integrity Top 10, or Integrity Top 10 for 2019. With so many reviews this would help me create a short list of whisk(e)y’s to try
Nice one ralfy I do love a good rant from ya also I got Laphroaig 10 for £26 and bunnahabhain 12 for £30 I need there’s discounts also good hunting everyone
Some of the best whiskies I’ve had have been Bowmore. Unfortunately none of them were official bottlings. My heart breaks over the untapped potential of Bowmore. As you mentioned, if the 15 year was naturally presented it would absolutely be the nectar of the Gods. But unfortunately their product is filtered to death and coloured orange. What happened to the releases like Tempest, Devils Cask and Laimrig. Where have all the special releases gone?
Value for money is vital to the whisky industry. I would like to make a play for Glenmorangie Quinta Rubin as the best value for money in the US, ever. Especially now that it is 14 years old. A non-chill filtered 14 year old 46% abv uncolored whisky for $53? No-brainer, as we say. It was worth it as a 12 year old. It is highway robbery as a 14 year old. Hats off to Louis Vuitton for allowing that lally Scots asset to rock it like a hurricane!
Addendum: in the realm of bourbon, W.L. Weller Special Reserve used to be the best whisky on the market. The bottle said "7 year old", and it was $10... yes, ten, dollars a bottle for a wheated bourbon whisky. Now, because of the bourbon boom, and some twonk on the internet linking it to Pappy Van Winkle, it is $35 a bottle. It is good whisky. It is not $35 a bottle good. There are vastly superior whiskies at that price point. Value outweighs swag and trends every day from my house. Bugger the pundits. Quality only has value as long as it is accessible.
The Golden Triangle... as long as I can afford... I drink alot of Glen Scanlan lately... 1 liter for a little more than 20 $ (at 40%) - it is more than just fine...
Barry for 18€ get a bottle of queen margot 8yo.. about 14 pound.. absolute bang for your buck!!!! Cant recommend enough.. its sweet, powerfully malty youl love it!!!
@@thewhiskybothyHi Ralfy, lets stay at a little bit more expensiv bottle: did you see the Auchentoshan Old Particular 22? I've heard, that older Auchies could be much more better than the whole core range... Any plans for a review?
i can identify with Barrie. im so strapped i make a blend of Canadian Club (27.20 CDN) with Bowmore 12 (roughly 60 bucks CDN) ...2 ounce CC and half an ounce Bowmore. in a tumbler (sorry) and two cubes (not sorry lol)
Off topic: The Richard Gooding whisky collection will be auctioned off. It contains 3,900 bottles of whisky. It is considered a "Perfect Collection". It will sell for more than $10 Million. Are you going to buy it?
Thank you for this video... I mean today I know more or less what is "worth" to spend my " little" money for... ecpecially when it comes to spirits... but I wish I could watch this video like 20 years ago...
The Glenfiddich 12 and 15 have been given a makeover, the bottle's designs have been changed to quote "ENTICE NEW DRINKERS" I couldn't find much on if the content has been changed too but the recent 12 I bought was just plain awful. Almost all alcohol taste and nothing else to add, while before it really was a descent cheap single malt imo... The 3y Queen Margot is a regular of mine and I'dd take it over the Glenfiddich 12 any day now and that's just a little sad... The same thing I experienced with Famous Grouse, used to love it but the internet confirmed they changed the blend and then it was just terrible. I'm on an "ok" budget but always on the search for best value vs price and the good to excellent whiskys on a budget have come almost all out of unexpected corners and almost non out of the big famous brands...
Out of the limited amount of malts ive tried, glenfiddich 12 to me was my least favourite, seemed sharp and not a great deal of taste, (was still OK)but maybe thats just me, i found ardbeg 10 and laphroaig 10 buttery smooth in comparison
I would love to join a whiskey club here in NC (USA), but the problem I've seen first-hand is actually two-fold: 1) too many are bourbon fans only, they almost never engage in rye and they never dip their toe into ASMs, and 2) these people are insufferably brand-led. They follow the herd and fall victim to marketing hype (Buffalo Trace is a big one); you bring up chill filtration and they look at you quizzically. It's like there's simply no _meaningful_ knowledge there at all, all their so-called knowledge is this or that bourbon and it's expensive or hard to get so therefore it must be good (as if distilleries don't throttle the market by deliberately slowing production). They're just shallow, empty people frankly.
It all depends what you want to do. If your goal is to get drunk and polish off a bottle in no time flat, then yes a whisky hobby can be expensive when buying quality stuff (and is a waste, might as well buy cheap stuff). However, if your goal is to nose and taste and appreciate a fine whisky, there is no reason why you and a bunch of your mates can't all chip in for a bottle and slowly appreciate it. If all you are looking to do is get drunk, then yes it can be costly. You are also watching the wrong channel.
I agree Ralfy. I've been 'getting into' spirits for about 6 months now, and Ive quickly realized that Im better off spending $10-$20 more per bottle, even if it means buying fewer. Every now and again, I indulge in the thrill of getting a so-so spirit for a very low price (such as Finlaggan Islay single malt for $20, which I recently discovered!) , but more often than not, it's better to pay the premium price for the premium spirit & savor it longer.
0:50 Of course you aren´t, Ralfy. Let´s keep that a secret, shall we... after 933+ videos and 30+ years in the field. Let Diageo, Highland Destillers, LVMH, and other distillery-owning companies know you´re a private dude with an opinion. An discerning opinion that can´t be influenced by presents or power, that is. 1:30 (Edit: A warning, and a great many fingers crossed, indeed...)
The shitey entry-levels bowmores may vary in price but they never discount Bowmore 15 year old. The price is always around £55 mark and they know it's worth it so why charge less? 15 year old is extra matured in better quality casks, like Talisker distillers edition or all these fancier Glenmorangies that also are pricier than ordinary bottlings but also it's 3 extra years of maturation that matters and I guess after 12 years in the warehouse they select better casks to be kept that bit longer and worse ones to be bottled straight away. That makes Bowmore 15 quite an attractive option to choose from, for those who prefer to put quality before quantity and want a solid, enjoyable, decent whisky in this 50-something price range... Hold on Ralfy, is that Bowmore Darkest you are reviewing? It's not the current version of the Bowmore 15. They of late dropped the adjective and the red livery. I hope it still is as good as the Darkest was.
unexampled , That’s not my point. I’m not suggesting he come here to shop, and return, but to review American retail as hr reviews the UK’s. Perhaps he doesn’t have sufficient subscribers in America? Or, he’s adverse to “American ways”?
@@sunzeneise so... are you suggesting he take a 16+hr flight from the isle of man to go to the US to review regular retail whiskey there? :D i mean if -some- most of the best whisky in the world is produced in his country, why would he *not* focus on that? i doubt it has much to do with subscriber count. he's done some videos on american spirits, it's just not his 'specialty' :)
Simply, and respectfully, No. Simply, I would expect he would wish to garner more subscribers from where ever. And, wish to acknowledge his American listeners. Especially, with reference to price value.
Ralfy, why are you calling yourself hypocritical for buying a single malt that was heavily discounted at a supermarket? I know you are all for high integrity bottles and all that but supermarkets aren't evil and there is nothing wrong with getting a bottle that was marked down either.
I'm sure Ralfy would appreciate you buying him a bottle of the "good" stuff you want him to review. Personally, Ralfy's reviews are most useful when the cheap stuff happens to be the good stuff.
You made your own luck Ralfy. 10 years of it to be more specific. A good heads up to the whisky-tube community! Information is power ;)
Great videos once again!
Bunnahabhain 12 is tremendous!
Inexpensive but a really good malt!
@@DrakkarCalethiel in my top 3 ive tried so far
@@barrieanderson5851 Top 10 for me. IMO, one of the malts you need to try.
100% agree. Fantastic malt.
Got it as a gift a few years ago, fantastic whiskey.
I only got in to whisky this time last year, but watching Ralfy reviews has given me a decade worth of insight. Now I know what to look for when faced with an array of bottles on the shelf. Even on a tight budget I can be fairly sure of making good purchasing decisions rather than being swayed by marketing flannel. Pretty sure Ralfy will save me a small fortune by avoiding bad bottles over the coming years. Cheers Ralfy!
Same here
Malty Mesoamerican Mezcalions - for any mates in Mexico.
1. "Cheap" and "Inexpensive" are different concepts.
2. Life is too short to waste drinking cheap whiskey.
2.amen
I made the exact same comment (#2) earlier today on a Facebook Whisky group. Why buy crap Whisky? I don't get it.
@@UsedBrain4U to get pissfaced on a street party with your drunkard friends :P
@@UsedBrain4U what is crap whisky though? Its all very subjective and down to individual taste
Is it like the difference between "used" and "previously owned"?
Thank you Ralfy for taking the bigger picture gleaned from years of experience and breaking it down for the everyday consumer. We are so lucky to have RUclips and enthusiasts like yourself to search out drinks for us. I am drinking Ardbeg 10 and enjoying smelling it more than drinking it. It is a quality drap.
Barry has a screaming boss, screaming wife and 2 screaming kids - its unfair to ask him to buy less!
you dont know how spot on you are with that comment :)
Good thoughts your way in that case, patience and a positive attitude are virtues in such instances mate!
If Barry's self medicating, it's no insult to him to say that cheap aspirin isn't an expensive antibiotic.
Barry has a fair point, the bigger issue though is the poor selection of a decent malt that's easily accessible in the supermarket. Taking a trip into the city centre to visit a specialty shop is a bit of a chore for people these days, so if a good bottling was a regular feature in local shops people would save up their pennies to get it, and not feel rushed into buying the odd decent malt that appears for just a week or two, when they can't really afford it.
But I guess some of the smaller distilleries we'd love to be able to find represented in supermarkets don't have the output to supply them
This is a subject I've thought a lot about. It's tricky and it's not only about money, it's about time and about your liver. If you want to drink a lot then just buy whatever, maybe whisky isn't even the right drink. So you decide to spend more on a bottle and drink less. Good thinking. But if you want to try different quality whiskies and there isn't a good bar nearby, you can end up spending a lot of money on a bottle and then being stuck having to slowly sip your way through something you don't really like. As a result of your curiosity, you can end up with a collection of bottles that you haven't really got time to drink (sensibly). Ralfy recommendations are a great help of couse!
Ralfy, Bowmore 12 costs $60 plus tax in British Columbia, Canada. The same size bottle (750 ml) of Forty Creek Barrel Select Canadian Whisky is $22 plus tax. When you reviewed Forty Creek Barrel Select in February 2010 you gave it a rating of 89, a much higher rating than what you have given Bowmore 12. Canadians are in a really good position when it comes to access to high-quality whisky at very affordable prices as long as they are willing to buy domestic, which they absolutely should be willing to do.
Good afternoon to you Ralfy. It is Friday 12/13 at the time of this post in Arizona in the states. I've enjoyed watching your videos very much & you've expanded my knowledge of whiskys but also got me interested in bothies. The idea of having my own bothy has interested me so much so that when it comes time to retire & purchase some land in a few years I will take into consideration a prime spot where I could build my own. I had never heard the word bothy before watching your channel. So my hats off to you w/another thanks; for the education regarding whisky & for introducing me to the bothy. Cheers!
You mentioned Canada. That Bowmore 15 is $95 here in Ontario. That is a lot. I know you will think me stupid but I like Bowmore 12. I will have to try the 15 when I get the cash.
Lots of gold nuggets of information passed on in this xtra. Thanks Ralfy, a lot to consider and think about.
Just bought glencadam 10: inexpensive, but so delicious...
Ursus_Maritimus congratz
One of the best "budget" whiskies I ever had. Good for you!
You can be concerned and yet buy those whiskeys and not be a hypocrite, Ralfy. It is entirely plausible for your concerns to be warranted, yet those whiskeys be a good enough value to pick up. But your honesty and transparency is appreciated 💕
Thanks for taking the time to read my post Ralfy, i must add that i dont yet have the palette to differentiate too much from the better end of the budget range, i.e. i really liked ardbeg 10 and glendronach 12, they were in fact my favourites to date(both radically different but loved them anyway), but not that much better than say glenmorangie 10 or even talsiker 10(which i know you dont rate) to my limited palette (hell i even liked the bowmore 12 you just destroyed). I do take your point about buying less and spending a bit more. My next planned purchases are mapped out as follows: Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie, Kilkerran 12, Aaran 10, Clynelish 14, Deanston 12, and springbank 10
all of which i can purchase for under £40. Any other suggestions are welcome, must add that i really dont want to top the £40 mark
Haven't tried the new Classic Laddie yet. The others are all terrific choices, Barry. I'm sure you'll enjoy them. Best of luck to you!
@@kubr1ck36 Cheers im sure i will, as i havent had a malt ive disliked as yet
Glencadam 10
Oh and palette , ( that’s in your mouth or a painter’s studio) pallet is made of wood for shipping , Barry you are an artist , so palette
@@bishopburnboy416 yep thats my ignorance shining through there, had much more experience with wooden pallets :). The Glencadam looks really good value @£35 ill put it on list thanks
Great vlog. Wonderful candour. Best whisky vlogger out there . I too reckon 100 pounds is about the limit... My limit for something special. Regards from cape town.
Daily drams - most are around 50€ so affordable (for me):
Aultmore 12
Kilkerran 12
Glendronach 12
Bunnahabhain 12
Springbank 10
Glenlivet 18
Dalwhinnie 15
Glenfiddich 12
Deanston 12
I'd say also Arran 10, Glencadam 10, Highland Park 10 or 12 if it's on offer (in the UK it often shows up in Tesco etc. for 25-26GBP, so around 30€)
Ben Nevis 10 is available atm too. Very educational!
Ardbeg 10, Benromach 10, Clynelish 14, Balblair 12, there are loads of great malts available around the £40 mark, if you live in the UK...
Why Dalwhinnie?
@@rasklaat2 because I like it, an easy sipper. And so does @ralfy ruclips.net/video/-pBxZi8aHTM/видео.html
Maybe a time to re-review?
Look for what is available for a decent price around you. Where I live, Scotch is expensive and getting more so, but Bourbon and rum is much more affordable and can offer a very nice experience. Also, you can blend stuff yourself and get an experience that you can't buy anywhere.
I learned a lot of this from watching this channel
„Bourbon is affordable“ … Uh, I mean your comment is 4 years old, but still .. the Bourbon boom is going on for many years, and the prices are still rising.
@@justinafuchs2619 I was just talking about that last night. Waiting for people to get tired of whiskey so prices will go down!
I’ve only dumped two bottles down the sink, Bowmore 12 and Glenlivet 12. I wish I had seen your “make your own liqueur “ video before that.
Most of the time in NH, USA, the liquor store discounts their products only 2-5 $, hardly an incentive to buy.
Follow the prices at Totalwine. Natick isn't too far from NH and their store is close by 95.
It is my understanding that chill filtering is to remove cloudy-ness. My question is, would you be fine drinking a cloudy whisky if we demand that it never be chill filtered
Yes. It has better mouthfeel, texture and viscosity. And flavor. Some of us already "demand" it by only buying NCF whisky. The cloudiness is fondly called "scotsch mist". And more producers are starting to realize that this is what buyers want.
I just got the Bowmore 12. I'm fairly new to this and before this the only"smoky" whisky I'd had was Teacher's Highland Cream. Of course the difference between Bowmore 12 and Teacher's was quite stark. While I didn't like Bowmore at first, after a couple of days that was the whisky I reached for more than others. It's not very flavourful and I never add water but I did like the softness. However, the other whisky's I have are pretty inexpensive and nothing spectacular - I really do like Famous Grouse, though- but Bowmore 12 has gotten me interested in trying other Islay whiskys. I realise that the other Bowmore's will be much more intense and this has prepared me for it. It may not be too complex or flavourful but it's still clean and distinct.
Barry you should also take note of some of ralfy's blending advice. If you have some of that Ardbeg left try buying a basic Irish whiskey like Jameson's and add a teaspoon of Ardbeg (or any peaty malt) to a dram. It will really lift the Irish dram to a much higher level for a small extra cost.
The expensive stuff can be available - in Britain anyway - if you go to whisky tastings.
I have tried bottles that cost over a £1000 at tastings. Usually there are half a dozen whiskies and a host with connections to the distillery who will talk you through them. Costs about the same as a theatre ticket so you get an insight into what the pricey whisky is like. That said, I would never purchase a bottle of whisky that costs £1000.
I should also distinguish between small tutored tastings and the big whisky festivals with many distilleries from all over exhibiting their wares. I usually find those to be a horrible, uncomfortable scrum and will no longer attend them.
Always a wise word! Thanks for the honest opinions and lovely content, as always.
Oh and just to put things into perspective also, I was in the states the other year and in the supermarkets they was selling Talisker 10 for over $100 and Lagavulin 16 was almost $200. I don’t know if that’s the norm out there but it was certainly an eye opener to see those prices on bottles of Scotch that I get for much cheaper here in the U.K.
Talisker 10 is normally around $80-90+ usd here in nv, and lag 16 used to be priced at about $67-70, but now starts at $90 for the cheapest price currently available that I know of. They were quick to hike the price on the 16, ever since Agent Orange's last round of tariffs.
Hilariously enough, Lag 8 has been pretty much $80 ever since it dropped, but is generally $45 in Cali.
Brian Hennebeul I forgot to mention I was in California. Maybe that had something to do with it too I know they are tax happy in that state lol
Cuuurrent Lagavulin 16 in my area I $65 /bottle
I’m having a Cyberswally with my brother this evening. I’m in Tuscany, he’s in Elgin. Best part of an hour together, chatting with a dram, using our iPads.
Ralfy, I agree about Bowmore 12. Recently bought a bottle. It was serviceable but instantly forgettable. Local wine/whisky merchants often have different "stack em high, sell em low" deals to supermarkets. From a local wine shop I recently picked up a bottle of Glenscotia Double Cask and Tamdhu 12yo for a total of £60. Both are delicious in my opinion.
I was shopping over the last few weeks online and got some fantastic whisky for under £50
Laphroaig quarter cask £27.99 amazon
Bowmore 15 £ 34.99 amazon
Ardbeg 10yr £37.99 saisnburys
Oban 14 £33.99 amazon
Glenfarglas 17 £49.99 local offies
Ralfy is right if there is that really nice bottle I want like a glenfiddich 21year winter storm and such then I save up and buy less for a few weeks great reveiw ralfy spot on if I had a bunnet on I would take it off for u
Make sure it's a Ralfy-approved barley bunnet!
@@mark5ization I wish I had 1 that's why I said if I had 1 I don't just want any It needs to be one of his 2nd editions
Some current/recent sales prices on German Amazon:
Connemara NAS - 16,49€ (£13.92)
Ardmore Legacy - 16,99€ (£14.34)
The Tyrconnell Single Malt - 16,99€ (£14.34)
Bowmore 12 - 21,99€ (£18.56)
Knockando 12 - 22,99€ (£19.40)
Cardhu Gold Reserve - 23,99€ (£20.24)
Laphroaig Quarter Cask - 24,99€ (21.09£)
Glenmorangie 10 - 25,09€ (£21.17)
Highland Park 12 - 25,49€ (£21.51)
Bunnahabhain 12 - 28,99€ (£24.46)
Auchentoshan Three Wood - 28,99€ (£24.46)
Dalwhinnie 15 - 28,99€ (£24.46)
Caol Ila 12 - 29,99€ (£25.31)
Teeling Single Malt - 29,99€ (£25.31)
Ardmore 12 Port Wood - 30,99€ (£26.15)
Laphroaig Triple Wood - 31,99€ (£26.99)
Ardbeg 10 - 33,21€ (£28.02)
Connemara 12 - 33,99€ (£28.68)
Oban 14 - 35,49€ (£29.95)
Bowmore 15 - 36,99€ (£31.21)
Glenfarclas 15 - 37,79€ (£31.89)
Scapa Skiren - 38,89€ (£32.82)
Lagavulin 16 - 41,39€ (£34.93)
Glenmorangie 12 Nectar d‘Or - 44,99€ (£37.96)
Ardbeg Uigeadail - 50,99€ (£43.03)
Bowmore 18 - 58,99€ (£49.78)
Lagavulin Distillers Edition - 65,49€ (£55.26)
Plattforms like Mydealz in Germany (or hotukdeals in the UK) are quite useful to make good use of a limited budget.
The producer's country's currency getting tanked by stupid decisions also helps, I guess...
@@kaktuskontrafaktus Bunnahabhain 12, Ardbeg 10, Glenfarclas 15 together for 99.99 euro ;-) Amazing !
@@moopt7339 What can I say except "You go, Boris, pound that Pound!"?
I really appreciate you mentioning Arran 10YO, reviewed it some time ago and I've been recommending it to all my friends. Got a full bottle recently in Aberdeen Whisky Shop, with 2 of their small tulip glasses, paid 36GBP! At this price that's a STEAL!
And people still keep asking me if they should buy Glenfiddich 12YO etc...
What does the adding of the color do to the whiskey? I realize it darkens it or makes it whatever color they desire but does it have any kind of effect on the flavor or the quality?
Endtimescoming Some say iT does
1. yes, it can add bitterness (it is sugar that was "burnt" by heating in acid) and 2. it betrays a lack of integrity - if they are willing to artificially "correct" cosmetic appearance, what other corners were cut?
On point, Ralfy, as usual !
Ralfy, I've been sipping Bourbon and Rye for 30 years. I now only buy higher proof and mostly un-chill filtered... My local Scotch selection includes only about 4 integrity malts. I've gone bonkers for peated malts. I actually like Bowmore 12 but I realize I'm only beginning my malt journey. I'm going to travel to get a Port Charlotte. You've never steered me wrong.
Excellent as always Ralfy! Love your honest rants. Have you tried the Bowmore 18 Deep and Rich. Any comments vs the 15 Darkest? Thanks!
I’m lucky that I know a few people who work in whisky bonds, and get whisky at proper prices.
Kilkerrran 12 was only £29 on the Dufftown Whisky ship online.
If you look you can find some great independent bottles for the £30 mark.
. . . very good price !
We have such a virtual whisky club in Russia where we share opinions! We also exchange some bottles which are unavailable / hardly available in our country.
That gas stuff is superb. Worth every penny for me as someone who can open a bottle and not go near it more than a few times a year.
My very strong advise for people who love whisky and want to explore it but are on a tight budget...……..join a whiskyclub, it gives you the oppertunity to taste whiskies you could never buy yourself. And when your whiskyclub has a good leadership it will give you the chance to buy exclusive club-bottlings for descent prices……...and beside that, you learn a LOT about whisky!
I think it’s possible to get your hands on quality bottles locally if you are on a budget. Start saving @ $25 a month. This way several times a year you can pretty much buy 15 yr bottles of good quality or splurge on a $100 bottle here and there through out the year while still buying a monthly “cheap” $30 bottle of something decent like a jw black or glenmorangie 10 etc.
It seems that if a whisky chill filters and adds colorant, they charge a premium. Seems like it should be cheaper.
I just received the Glenfarclas 21 y Whisky FM + signed Ralfy book from my Gf!Really looping forward to Pouring myself a Glencairn on Xmas eve!
Howdy Ralfy. I need some advice: in one of our Moscow's liquor stores i spotted a bottle of 18 y.o. HP. It's still there and as it turned out it was bottled in 2014. It costs 7900 roubles, that is approx. 130-140 bucks. The first question is: Is it a "good year" release or might it be of inferior quality? The second question:Is it a decent value?
. . . be cautious ! bit pricey, check whiskybase !
@@thewhiskybothy Thanks a lot! Okey doke, I'll be OVERcautious!)
What's the low down on the pretty cost effective Laphroaig Select?
I would recommend to spend the couple of extra £ for the standard 10.
. . . it's the worst version of Laph out there !
@@jensrogerkristoffersen5472 Hi Jens. Thx. I have tried the 10 and really enjoy it. It is just harder to find where I live. Am pretty hooked on the Islay malts. Arbeg 10 and Caol Ila 12 being the ones I can afford to get and really enjoy enjoy the most!
From Ardbeg, I prefer the 10 to the Uigeadail myself. Only tried one bottle of the Uigeadall which was quite a bit more expensive than the 10, but went right back to the 10.
@@thewhiskybothy Thanks Ralfy, it is as cheap as chips here, around the equivillent of 20 UK pounds. I will buy one just to taste. The 10 that Jens mentioned I enjoyed, sort of slightly less in your face for peatyness compared to the Ardbeg.
It's all smoke and mirrors.
I love your point about checking out what is good locally. It might not be scotch but one of my local distilleries A.D. Laws puts out several whiskies that would give a lot of scotch's a run for their money! I'd love for Ralfy to try out their "Hordeum" straight barley whisky: damn fine dram 😉
I agree with you and Barry to certain degree. However, we must all understand that the time and situation have changed for you, Ralfy. In my opinion, it is good for you to keep that in mind that there are people who are in a tighter budget like you'd have found yourself back when you were young and first started the channel.
Just like a Rock&Roll star who now lives in a big mansion cannot write about being broke and how bitter life is, you simply cannot resonate with people in that situation because you have persevered and moved on. Even if he writes such songs, people won't feel connected due to the lack of authenticity.
Let me ask all of you who cannot help but complain. What have you done, in your life, for more than 10 years other than sleeping, eating, drinking, farting, shitting etc? Here we have a man who is genuinely passionate about quality spirits that has dedicated more than a couple of decades learning and experiencing the spirits and now sharing with the rest of the world.
I am glad Ralfy has moved on and not stayed where he started. We should all have that in mind as well. I think that is the least we can do to show respect.
. . . thanks !
I don't know how it's any kind of put down to anyone to acknowledge that, in general, cheaper whiskies may or may not be better values but often not high achievers in terms of quality. If all someone can, or is willing, to buy is Red Label, is it any insult to anyone to say that Blue Label is simply better, even if disproportionately more expensive for the quality it offers?
@@Malt454 Hello there malt mate, well if my comment was in any way vague, I must apologise. What I wanted to say is that we all should understand where Ralfy is at (in his Scotch whisky journey) and have that in mind when we look at his reviews.
I agree that if someone is only able and willing to buy Red Label, AND able to enjoy it without feeling sorry for him/herself and enjoy the Red Label for what it is? I fuckin respect that mate. But how many people can actually do that? Social media is a great tool that we can use to connect with people around the globe, however, it has the side-effect that everyone is pretending that they are some sort of rich billionaires who are balling like a boos and put other people who are genuinely trying to make their days better down. Like I said, I respect people who is trying to make a name for themselves and make a difference in this world. My point was that I would like to see more people embracing the journey as it starts, develops and finishes - and share their journeys and findings with others like Ralfy does. I think that is the biggest advantage we have today.
As Ralfy once said in his review, one can have all the money in the world to buy one of the rarest, most expensive, most sought after dram in this fine world but whether or not he/she has the palate to assess, really get to know it, appreciate and enjoy is the real challenge. This journey is sort of like fitness - with money - you can afford the best personal trainers, best food, and best supplements available today but you still have to do the work yourself to get in shape. And that doing the work is our experience and in fine Spirits, experience matters a lot.
Thank you for your comment and sharing your point of view! We need more of that and have decent conversation with others.
@@jeongwoohyeon9464- Thanks for the response. Red Label outsells Blue Label and I don't really think that it's clear that everyone that buys Red is doing so while feeling sorry for themselves or that they aren't enjoying Red for what it is - if they didn't enjoy it for what it is, why would they buy it or why wouldn't they buy something else, even when price is clearly an object?
While people have a limit on how high they'll go on price, and how low they'll go on quality, and these vary with the individual, products survive on the perceived value (Quality/Price Ratio) that they deliver. Where I live, Blue Label sells for close to 10 times the price of Red Label, and Blue Label IS the better product in terms of quality, but it isn't 10 times better, so while Blue has higher quality, Red is the better value in terms of quality for price (QPR). Is Blue simply beyond most people's budget? No question it is. Is Blue overpriced for what it is? In my opinion, yes, yet others obviously disagree and Blue, and Red, both survive, even though I don't really find it debatable, that Blue is at the low end of value, just as Red is at the lower end of quality. In fact, while I think it's completely beyond question that Red is, by far, the best value of the ENTIRE Johnnie Walker range (score them all fairly and then divide the score by the price), I think the best compromises between price and quality are offered by Black Label and Green Label, even though both are more expensive than Red and it can be argued that neither is quite as good as Blue in terms of quality.
Ralfy can afford whiskies that others cannot, but I don't really see how that comes into it, or how Ralfy, or anyone, is insulting or looking down on anyone to say some whiskies are high quality but low value (like Blue) and others are low quality but high value (like Red). As with most things, you generally get what you pay for in terms of quality, even though you pay disproportionately more for the quality you get as you pursue higher quality.
I guess I just don't know what Ralfy supposedly had to apologize for, given that he's assessing whisky quality, not people's budgets. Like Ralfy, or anyone else, I can afford whiskies that others can't, just as I can't afford whiskies that others can, but I don't apologize or pity myself for either, and I don't see how what anyone can afford comes into the question of assessing quality, or even value. I think it's perfectly valid to say that if you're only reviewing whiskies that very few can afford in the first place you're limiting the relevance of your reviews to your potential audience, but I don't find Ralfy reviewing as many really expensive whiskies as Serge Valentin.
Now, is my opinion on all this somehow more or less valid based on what I can or cannot afford? I don't really see how what I can, or do, buy or drink factors into it - beyond, perhaps, actually having tried the whiskies in question.
I'd like to hear your thoughts. All the best.
@@thewhiskybothy - Ralfy, could you do a chalk talk on the differences between quality and value, or Quality/Price ratio, and how some whiskies survive while having high quality but comparatively low value (say Blue Label) while others survive offering comparatively low quality but relatively high value (Red Label). I think it might be informative and create a lot of good debate. All the best!
I'm in New Zealand and recently bought the Glenfarclas 12 on special for 70 bucks and also Glenfarclas 105 for 85
Really good advice, the whole extra was very well said!
Hey Ralfy can you do an episode about the actual flavour of MALT. Like when I’m tasting a whisky what are the characteristics that I look for when I’m trying to taste the actual malt? I get all the other flavours of the casks, the fruits and toffees etc but what am I looking for when it comes to actually dissecting the flavour of the malt? Cheers matey!
That's a hard one, but you can start with a smell... after you finish a dram, don't wash your glass but leave it overnight. Smell it the next morning...
Moop T that is a top tip. I do the same thing. It’s fantastic.
I see your rational. Let the poorer quality for price sit on the shelf. I agree, that's kind of where it belongs. And it will put pressure on the distillers to 'step up' the poorer bottles.
I was disappointed with Bowmore 12 as well. It's there, it's a single malt but I didn't get the impact I expected from it. It's not an intense smoke heavy peat monster and that's fine but it was a 'dull' drink. Kind of washed out compared to what you can find in other bottles. It's priced almost the same as Highland Park 12, viking and the sweet barley alone outshines what Bowmore offered me with the 12. Like to try the 15 though. It does sound good.
In Calgary the Glenlivet 15 is cad 53 about us 40
Bowmore 12 year old is reduced more to £20 on Amazon UK now.
You absolutely are an expert, I don't care what you say Ralfy!
Hey Ralfy, any news regarding the international online shop launch of your book? I want to gift it to myself for xmas.
One of the most interesting discussions/essays about whisky I've seen in some time.
The value of "expertise" died out, at least with whisky, when people realized that most experts were in the back pocket of the whisky industry, and that no amount of "expertise" could get them to denounce things as patently ridiculous as the "arguments" for nonsense like NAS - it wasn't that the whiskies so labeled are good or bad, but the idea that age "doesn't matter" with some whiskies, yet does with others, is obviously bullshit. So now we're left with opinion, whether well or ill informed, but it's left us in a place where now there supposedly IS no actual truth, only opinion, and so every soapbox stands at a progressively more even height with every other one - so everybody just keeps shopping until they find someone to confirm their own bias and personal opinions and, in that way, actually knowing anything about the topic only serves to alienate the hordes of the uninformed, which is the new target audience of the internet.
The phenomena of paying progressively more, not just for older whisky, but more PER YEAR of an older whisky's age was explored by Serge Valentin here:
www.maltmaniacs.net/E-pistles/Malt-Maniacs-2010-04-Does-the-age-of-Scotch-whisky-matter.pdf
I don't really see the conflict between saying that you have to spend more (even if disproportionately more - after all, no one is saying the Bowmore 15 is TWICE as good as the 12 for being twice the price) to get better products and that some people simply can't, or won't, spend more to get better products. The price, and quality, of the 12 (and the 15) are pitched at those who find the Quality/Price (value) ratio acceptable for them personally, not for some other consumer interested in buying something else at a different price/quality level. It's not wrong, or snooty, to admit that, in terms of quality, not necessarily value, that the achievement of less expensive whisky is not generally all that high. In fact, in all makes sense - lower levels of product investment (cask quality, time IN cask, etc.) results in lower costs, lower quality and, sometimes, hopefully, in lower pricing.
I don't resent that people can (and do) spend more on whisky than I do, just as I don't apologize for spending more than other people can or do, but I think that the point that reviews of products that relatively few people can afford are relevant, by definition, to relatively fewer people as prices increase is well made. That said, I don't think it's a criticism of anyone's economic status to say that you generally get what you pay for and that cheaper whisky is, normally, of only low or middling quality, no matter how economical.
But - and this is the far more fundamental problem - it could also be true that all of this plays out against the backdrop of a whisky market in which affordable quality has simply increasingly departed for many consumers... people now, it could be argued, overpay just as much for age-statement whisky (mostly because of all those willing to overpay for who-knows-what NAS concoctions, so the price of just knowing what you're drinking has now gone up considerably) as for anything else and it will take a large number of consumers turning away from the current market to cause any kind of price correction. If people are pissed off that what they can afford isn't very good, or is progressively becoming worse... well, it's just a sign that people are beginning to wake up.
All a note in a bottle in the ocean, I know, but it's my two cents.
Yea I haven’t been a fan of bowmore being I think an Islay whisky you think I’d love it but nope didn’t get any peat unless I watered it down
Barry where are you from?? I wanna send you a whisky this christmas!
I've Pm'ed you my address. Macallan 40 fits snuggly into my stocking. Cheers, from Barry.
Thats a very nice offer, but really theres no need :)
I miss the 8 year age statement on Jim Beam Black.
Here here
I think Whisky is expensive enough. We are already paying luxury-prices and sometimes paying at lot extra for big names or numbers (high age statements). So, I don't see a problem to buy them on heavily reduced prices. The big Companys still make good money. And you usually don't find Whiskys from, for example, Springbank on Sale (maybe 5 or 10% less, but no Black Friday Discount prices). I bought Glengoyne 18 on Black Friday on Amazon for around 57 €, normal price in Germany is about 65 - 75 €. I don't see any reason to feel bad about this.;)
Long Time Watcher First Time Commenter...
Like many others here I value your “opinion’, especially with regards to “integrity malts”. It’d be great if you could put together your Integrity Top 10, or Integrity Top 10 for 2019.
With so many reviews this would help me create a short list of whisk(e)y’s to try
Came for the malt reviews, stayed for the extras.
salute to Scotland for the great stuff.
Nice one ralfy I do love a good rant from ya also I got Laphroaig 10 for £26 and bunnahabhain 12 for £30 I need there’s discounts also good hunting everyone
Some of the best whiskies I’ve had have been Bowmore. Unfortunately none of them were official bottlings. My heart breaks over the untapped potential of Bowmore. As you mentioned, if the 15 year was naturally presented it would absolutely be the nectar of the Gods. But unfortunately their product is filtered to death and coloured orange. What happened to the releases like Tempest, Devils Cask and Laimrig. Where have all the special releases gone?
Bowmore 15 £39.99 on Amazon UK
Dude, you're the best!
Value for money is vital to the whisky industry. I would like to make a play for Glenmorangie Quinta Rubin as the best value for money in the US, ever. Especially now that it is 14 years old. A non-chill filtered 14 year old 46% abv uncolored whisky for $53? No-brainer, as we say. It was worth it as a 12 year old. It is highway robbery as a 14 year old. Hats off to Louis Vuitton for allowing that lally Scots asset to rock it like a hurricane!
Addendum: in the realm of bourbon, W.L. Weller Special Reserve used to be the best whisky on the market. The bottle said "7 year old", and it was $10... yes, ten, dollars a bottle for a wheated bourbon whisky. Now, because of the bourbon boom, and some twonk on the internet linking it to Pappy Van Winkle, it is $35 a bottle. It is good whisky. It is not $35 a bottle good. There are vastly superior whiskies at that price point. Value outweighs swag and trends every day from my house. Bugger the pundits. Quality only has value as long as it is accessible.
The Golden Triangle... as long as I can afford...
I drink alot of Glen Scanlan lately... 1 liter for a little more than 20 $ (at 40%) - it is more than just fine...
Barry for 18€ get a bottle of queen margot 8yo.. about 14 pound.. absolute bang for your buck!!!! Cant recommend enough.. its sweet, powerfully malty youl love it!!!
Lidl supermarket by the way
Any comment on the auction of macallan going for 2 million (!) per bottle .. did i see right.?
. . . sign of the times !
@@thewhiskybothyHi Ralfy, lets stay at a little bit more expensiv bottle: did you see the Auchentoshan Old Particular 22? I've heard, that older Auchies could be much more better than the whole core range... Any plans for a review?
i can identify with Barrie. im so strapped i make a blend of Canadian Club (27.20 CDN) with Bowmore 12 (roughly 60 bucks CDN) ...2 ounce CC and half an ounce Bowmore. in a tumbler (sorry) and two cubes (not sorry lol)
As a Canadian facing down absurd booze taxes/import duties, I salute this custom cocktail.
As an Australian, I can confirm most of the locally made production spirits suck.
Brad's Guitar Garage must be looking in the wrong places..
golden triangle sounds a bit more like a square
Off topic: The Richard Gooding whisky collection will be auctioned off. It contains 3,900 bottles of whisky. It is considered a "Perfect Collection". It will sell for more than $10 Million. Are you going to buy it?
. . . no plans !
Many-Multimedia-Metamorphosis-Magnified-Mulindry-Maniacs.
Barry is the Malty Everyman.
Thank you for this video...
I mean today I know more or less what is "worth" to spend my " little" money for... ecpecially when it comes to spirits... but I wish I could watch this video like 20 years ago...
The Glenfiddich 12 and 15 have been given a makeover, the bottle's designs have been changed to quote "ENTICE NEW DRINKERS" I couldn't find much on if the content has been changed too but the recent 12 I bought was just plain awful. Almost all alcohol taste and nothing else to add, while before it really was a descent cheap single malt imo... The 3y Queen Margot is a regular of mine and I'dd take it over the Glenfiddich 12 any day now and that's just a little sad...
The same thing I experienced with Famous Grouse, used to love it but the internet confirmed they changed the blend and then it was just terrible.
I'm on an "ok" budget but always on the search for best value vs price and the good to excellent whiskys on a budget have come almost all out of unexpected corners and almost non out of the big famous brands...
Out of the limited amount of malts ive tried, glenfiddich 12 to me was my least favourite, seemed sharp and not a great deal of taste, (was still OK)but maybe thats just me, i found ardbeg 10 and laphroaig 10 buttery smooth in comparison
Bushmills 10 is great value
Ralphy when did you start the dirty protest?
Review some Asian Malts which are taking the world by storm and they are very tasty.
...and diametrically opposed to the message of this video of affordable malts
Enjoyed very much🍸🇺🇸🇬🇧🎅🎄👍
I would love to join a whiskey club here in NC (USA), but the problem I've seen first-hand is actually two-fold: 1) too many are bourbon fans only, they almost never engage in rye and they never dip their toe into ASMs, and 2) these people are insufferably brand-led. They follow the herd and fall victim to marketing hype (Buffalo Trace is a big one); you bring up chill filtration and they look at you quizzically.
It's like there's simply no _meaningful_ knowledge there at all, all their so-called knowledge is this or that bourbon and it's expensive or hard to get so therefore it must be good (as if distilleries don't throttle the market by deliberately slowing production). They're just shallow, empty people frankly.
It all depends what you want to do. If your goal is to get drunk and polish off a bottle in no time flat, then yes a whisky hobby can be expensive when buying quality stuff (and is a waste, might as well buy cheap stuff). However, if your goal is to nose and taste and appreciate a fine whisky, there is no reason why you and a bunch of your mates can't all chip in for a bottle and slowly appreciate it. If all you are looking to do is get drunk, then yes it can be costly. You are also watching the wrong channel.
I agree Ralfy. I've been 'getting into' spirits for about 6 months now, and Ive quickly realized that Im better off spending $10-$20 more per bottle, even if it means buying fewer. Every now and again, I indulge in the thrill of getting a so-so spirit for a very low price (such as Finlaggan Islay single malt for $20, which I recently discovered!) , but more often than not, it's better to pay the premium price for the premium spirit & savor it longer.
Wait...Ralfy, you mean my level 3 whisky sommelier status is a scam?? 😮
Malty Mariners, those living in the Irish Sea....
Salty Mariners, those NOT living because theyre down in the Irish Sea.
0:50 Of course you aren´t, Ralfy. Let´s keep that a secret, shall we... after 933+ videos and 30+ years in the field.
Let Diageo, Highland Destillers, LVMH, and other distillery-owning companies know you´re a private dude with an opinion.
An discerning opinion that can´t be influenced by presents or power, that is.
1:30 (Edit: A warning, and a great many fingers crossed, indeed...)
bowmore 12 a favorite of mine... 15 sherry ... makes me feel sick ha.
same here, i love it.
The shitey entry-levels bowmores may vary in price but they never discount Bowmore 15 year old. The price is always around £55 mark and they know it's worth it so why charge less? 15 year old is extra matured in better quality casks, like Talisker distillers edition or all these fancier Glenmorangies that also are pricier than ordinary bottlings but also it's 3 extra years of maturation that matters and I guess after 12 years in the warehouse they select better casks to be kept that bit longer and worse ones to be bottled straight away. That makes Bowmore 15 quite an attractive option to choose from, for those who prefer to put quality before quantity and want a solid, enjoyable, decent whisky in this 50-something price range...
Hold on Ralfy, is that Bowmore Darkest you are reviewing? It's not the current version of the Bowmore 15. They of late dropped the adjective and the red livery. I hope it still is as good as the Darkest was.
Rally, Why don’t you shop in America in different states and regions? Not enough subscribers in America? (I doubt it.)
customs duties..? why would he pay a premium for bourbon when he lives in the UK, where he has access to a lot of scotch and can specialize on that?
unexampled , That’s not my point. I’m not suggesting he come here to shop, and return, but to review American retail as hr reviews the UK’s. Perhaps he doesn’t have sufficient subscribers in America? Or, he’s adverse to “American ways”?
@@sunzeneise so... are you suggesting he take a 16+hr flight from the isle of man to go to the US to review regular retail whiskey there? :D
i mean if -some- most of the best whisky in the world is produced in his country, why would he *not* focus on that?
i doubt it has much to do with subscriber count. he's done some videos on american spirits, it's just not his 'specialty' :)
Simply, and respectfully, No. Simply, I would expect he would wish to garner more subscribers from where ever. And, wish to acknowledge his American listeners. Especially, with reference to price value.
Ralfy, why are you calling yourself hypocritical for buying a single malt that was heavily discounted at a supermarket? I know you are all for high integrity bottles and all that but supermarkets aren't evil and there is nothing wrong with getting a bottle that was marked down either.
First
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. . . Verified as First !
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@@thewhiskybothy thank you sir, to be part as a maltmilenial.
I wish you’d get off the cheap stuff. People watching reviews want the good stuff. Good stuff doesn’t always have to be too expensive.
I'm sure Ralfy would appreciate you buying him a bottle of the "good" stuff you want him to review.
Personally, Ralfy's reviews are most useful when the cheap stuff happens to be the good stuff.