3 Bottles of Scotch - Your Recs at $60-$250

If you had a budget of $60 to $250 per bottle, what three bottles of scotch would you buy?

Oh man! This is torture!!!

Ok, do you like peat? Then definitely a Laphroiag Caerdias or Lagavullin 12.

For me, the Balvenie Portwood 21 is the bee’s knees.

And for an “everyday drinker”, the 2000 Dalwhinnie Single Malt Scotch Highland “The Distillers Edition” finished in Oloroso Casks

I don’t know if Spec’s in Dallas is the same, but here they have a wonderful range of bottlings from Cadenheads and other independent bottlers. I’ve found the Cadenheads bottles to be across-the-board superb, so I’d probably buy the best you can in your price range.

Of more widely available options, I like Springbank a lot these days.

Highland Park 18 and Talisker 18 are two of my favorites. I usually go with Haighland Park 12 and tend to think anything that sits in a barrel for more than 20 years tastes more like wood than whiskey (whisky). While I’ve toured a few distilleries in Scotland, St. George Whiskey is another favorite, and comes from California; super floral and different than anything else I’ve had. I live in Ohio which is a state owned and controlled liquor control state–so it’s pretty limited. Luckily they haven’t stopped much online/catalog shipping yet. Often when I’m looking for a gift or something special, I check out what Caddell Williams has in stock: https://caddellwilliams.com/

Abelour d’Abundah is a favorite, at the low end. And I’m sure it’s considered unsophisticated, but Macallan 18 is always a pleasure for me.

Laphroaig 10 cask strength
Longrow 18
{some cask strength independent bottling, probably}

Highland Park 18 for me. Price is typically in the $125 range so certainly fits the bill.

Macallan 18
Abelour Abundah
Macallan Classic Cut
Macallan Edition #2

Personal consumption or gift? Exploring scotch or you know what you like? Peat vs Sherry? Prefer single malt or is blend ok? Willing to look outside U.K.?

Anyway, without knowing anything, these are diverse and some of my favs, although I’m not a huge peat guy:

Balvenie
Macallan
Springbank
Lagavulin
Bruichladdich
Aberlour
Talisker
Laphroiag
Yamazaki
Hibiki
Compass Box

Joe,

Gotta give me three specific bottles. Your three that you would buy for you. I’m interested in figuring out what folks would get themselves with that budget. I’ll eventually pick three or so that I’ve not had a bunch of and try those. But I’m not looking for producer names. I’ve had at least one bottle of every actual Scotch producer you listed. With the exception of Compass Box. Which I am now intrigued by.

Ok, I’ll try to limit my recs to stuff you can find on the shelf easily.

  1. Springbank 17 sherry or 18
  2. Glenmorangie Signet
  3. Balvenie 21 year portwood

My personal 3 pack would be…

Macallan 18
Lagavulin 16
Highland Park 18

I like all three of those. One is not like the others…but that’s the one I might like the most.

Variety!!

Macallan 18, Macallan 15, Johnny Walker blue

Balvenie 21
Hakushu 18
Macallan 18

Macallan Double Cask

My personal three pack.

Ardbeg Uigeadail.
Balvenie 17.
Aberlour 16.

If you could find a Bladnoch that is not molested by water or chill filtration with age on it, buy that before all else; especially if it’s from a reputable independent bottler.

At the high end of that budget, I’d get a Dalmore King Alexander III. SO much better than Macallan 18 for not much more money.

Nothing wrong with Oban 14 at the lower end of your range.