The_Mowgs
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Im not really that into peaty whisky yet so just give it some time, the other guys will soon give a suggestion.
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Whisk(e)y Lovers thread
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Polly101
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The_Mowgs
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Ah nice. Let us know what you went with.ahh luckily I remembered his Whizzky app has a wishlist
The Ardbeg Corryvrekan and Uigeadail and you'll have some change. You'll also find the Octomore 7.1 in that price range, I'd rather go for both Ardbegs though.
TheMightyQuin
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Yaaasss please !!
TheMightyQuin
Not amused...
The Corry and Octo are both exceptional and and a great proposal, but....if she has to buy it TODAY, it might be difficult getting those off a retail shelf somewhere?
Unless she's within driving distance from Whisky Brother ?
No not at all, in my search for my sazarac rye the corry was almost at every spar/makro/checkers/liquor city I went to, the uigedal was only available at one store. Obviously WB is best but you have a great chance of getting the corry almost anywhere
TheMightyQuin
Not amused...
Good to know. I have't bought off the shelf for a while.No not at all, in my search for my sazarac rye the corry was almost at every spar/makro/checkers/liquor city I went to, the uigedal was only available at one store. Obviously WB is best but you have a great chance of getting the corry almost anywhere
"My" Makro has really deteriorated re. their Whisky options and I don't recall seeing Corry at my local Tops or Checkers recently when browsing, but that may just be coincidental.
Only buy from pnp on special they are generally always more expensive than anywhere else.
That and you keep buying irish whisky and returning disappointed. It's by far the least complicated / challenging / easy going dram. Up your game into scotch...
TheMightyQuin
Not amused...
OR start buying GOOD Irish Whiskey, like Teeling, Bushmills and Redbreast...just sayin...
SykomantiS
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Is Bushmills really that much better than Jameson though? (I mean, as far as relatively cheap whiskies go)
TheMightyQuin
Not amused...
You get Bushmills...and then you get Bushmills.
satanboy
Psychonaut seven
I love Teeling, but the cheapest I can find is R590 a bottle, that is R290 extra per bottle. Great advice.
Redbreast = R850 a bottle
I thought this was the Whiskey thread, not the snobbery thread.
TheMightyQuin
Not amused...
Really now?
Recommending Whiskey that I didn't know you cannot afford/don't want to buy, makes me a snob??
Wow...
Toxxyc
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If you like Irish, I really suggest you give even the cheap Bushmills a try. It's something different to Jamesons. Jamesons is a good whisky - there's a reason it sells so well. It's not the best though. Typically, you'll pay more for better whiskies. Like with Scotch - Glenfiddich 12YO is just fine. It's "cheap", and it's just fine. Pay a little more though (that R300 more) and you start getting exceptional whiskies for great money. Glenmorangie Lasanta 12YO, for example.
Same with Irish whiskies. You pay R400 for a bottle of Select Reserve. Take out a bit more for a Teeling Single Batch though, and you'll start seeing why you pay that little extra. With whiskies you can cheap out and get ****, or you can mellow out and get average, and then, IMO, your ROI starts flattening out.
For example, I struggle to think of a single whisky I have tasted to date that's worth the money when it comes to whiskies priced over the ~R1,200 price tag. The most expensive whisky for me, to date, that's worth the money, is the Ardbeg Uigeadial. For me, the sweet spot is between R500 and R900. Some real gems to be had there. And no, it's not snobbery, that's just how it is.
Same with Irish whiskies. You pay R400 for a bottle of Select Reserve. Take out a bit more for a Teeling Single Batch though, and you'll start seeing why you pay that little extra. With whiskies you can cheap out and get ****, or you can mellow out and get average, and then, IMO, your ROI starts flattening out.
For example, I struggle to think of a single whisky I have tasted to date that's worth the money when it comes to whiskies priced over the ~R1,200 price tag. The most expensive whisky for me, to date, that's worth the money, is the Ardbeg Uigeadial. For me, the sweet spot is between R500 and R900. Some real gems to be had there. And no, it's not snobbery, that's just how it is.
Agreed, there are loads of options and great options for 500-900 unfortunately this is the range for good/exceptional whiskeys.
You do get some good ones below R500 obviously but once you break into the great whiskeys you realise what a whiskey truly can be.
The guys here took me from Monkey Shoulder/Jameson all the way to Ardbeg Corry, no snobbery here no judgement and I have appreciated the advice I got over the last year.
For example I would never have ever thought a sub R200 bottle could be decent. VAT69 was recommended and with a few blocks of ice is not bad at all.
Here just like wine quality and price go hand in hand for the most part. I love complexity in a whisky and that typically comes with a price. BUT if you ask for advice and look a little you can find gems.
Last example (then im out) buffalo trace and bains (very similar in my opinion) but buffalo trace is just too simple therefore I prefer the bains and guess what its sub R300.
Agreed, I only have one bottle of Irish whisky in my collection (Bushmills 10) my go to when I just want something uncomplicated
Buy in bulk and save, works out to R414 per 750ml
Teeling Big Batch (5 Litre)
This 5 litre bottle of Teeling Small Batch ("Big Batch") includes a complimentary Teeling branded optic and wall mount. Produced by the Teeling Whiskey Company, this is a small-batch blend with a very high malt content - this particular batch was bottled in April 2018. Finished in ex-rum casks...
www.whiskybrother.com
Good choices! Bushmills Black Bush is a good value buy for me.
I've had the Select Reserve when out for dinner and it was quite different to me from regular Jamesons. There's quite a sherry cask influence to this one. Maybe give the bottle some time to breathe and try a teaspoon of water and covering your glass (ideally use a wine tasting glass if you can) and leave it for 20 minutes. I bought Jameson Caskmates (stout) and didn't find much of a difference, it took me till I was almost finished it to find the difference and realize I didn't actually like it.
There's plenty of good interesting whisky in the 300-450 range.
- Tullamore DEW 12 - Similar to the Jameson's Select Reserve but imo better and better than most Scotches in the price range usually priced at R389~ at Makro.
- Most bourbons (Bulleit is good but liquor city has Elijah Craig which gets good mentions)
- Private Barrel no 68. I can't speak for their Irish but this one is a spicy Speyside and at the end of my bottle I really found myself wanting it again.
- Loch lomond single grain
- Bells Special Reserve (See review a few pages back, Slightly peated)
- Johnnie Walker Black/Double black - Actually nice whisky considering how mass-produced it is. (Slightly peated)
- Dewars 15 - Better than many higher priced Scotches imo.
- Three ships 5/Bourbon cask and Bains are all great for the price.
- Liquor city stocks Glen Moray and I love the Peated one but heard good things about the Chardonnay cask at least.
- Glenfiddich/Glenlivet 12 are both fine drams
This list isn't exhaustive but it all really depends on whether you want something a bit more interesting or something easy to drink. It's important to enjoy drinking whisky, that's why people recommend better whisky because it generally leads to a better experience.
Also ideally try to try before you buy unless you really trust a review or recommendation! It's worth knowing what you're getting and I realize that's not always possible but some bars do have decent selections. Yes this is pricey but better than regretting a whole bottle. But exploring whisky is always a gamble and sometimes a bottle you initially dislike becomes something more as time passes and sometimes something you think is a sure win isn't. For me finding the gems is the greatest prize and experience.
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