Happy 200th and spoken like a true Whisky Aficionado. That said, let's face it, we're all spoiled middle class brats here complaining about inflated whisky prices while the world burns, and, closer to home, ordinary working citizens have to choose between food or heating. This middle class brat just bought a 2015 Old Pulteney 17-year old, which ran around € 80 at the time, for € 109 - which still seems like a far better deal than that PC18 😏. P.S.: PC18 is currently sold out due to high demand.
@WhiskyLockАй бұрын
This is true. They may be slowly destroying our hobby and passion but we are all fortunate in the grand scheme of things. OP17 is a banger. I have one bottle left and look forward to opening it and perhaps comparing it to the new 15 and 18 (it will beat both!). Cheers 🥃
@peatbull34262 ай бұрын
Im late here but i need to say Thank You for all 200 episodes that i always look forward to and have been always enjoyed. Massive Congrats!! Big anniversary should always be a Hapoy Moment especially when you going to celebrate with exeptional bottle you spent loads of money for it. But this one looks more like Funeral Party sadly. This PC18 is for me the final chapter in Cask Exploration Series just at double age and double price. Nr of bottle in this batch seems like Bruichladdich knew not many ppl want to spend £175 on bottle of spirit and target for rhis on are mostly addicted old big B'laddie fan boys. Leave this rant off the table hope you enjoy this whisky made this moment special and dont regret buy it. P.S.1, many of us complain for the price this PC18 but easily bought Ardnahoe inaugural release so my conclusion is: if someone spent £70 for 5yo whisky then £175 for 18yo looks like a Bargain 🤫🤭😅. P.S.2, did you already try Siren Bay? Its nice and interesting dram at really good value with some simillarity to Ledaig 18 as rumour says. Some ppl say its Talisker, hard to say but its worth trying even when not on sale. Cheers 😁🥂🥂🥂🙋♂️
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Never too late! 🙂 Thanks. I do feel like PC18 is very overpriced but I was fairly sure that would be the case going into it and I will enjoy it anyway. There just won't be a second bottle! IMHO we're seeing a lot of bottles now that are priced to NOT sell. They're intended to sit on shelves in shops for many years and get people to marvel at the prestige of the brand while actually buying the more reasonably priced stuff. The losers in this situation are the enthusiasts who used to actually enjoy 18yo whisky and now can't afford it. I haven't tried Siren Bay yet but I will give it a look. Thanks for everything 🥃
@SimonneNZ2 ай бұрын
Congrats on 200 reviews! Most 18-year-old whiskies are already off my radar as they are too expensive, there isn't a lot under $200 NZD. Bruichladdich whiskies have really increased in price over the last 2-3 years. I bought my PC10 for $99 NZD and it is now around $130. When I look around to see what else is available at $130 there are plenty of other whiskies around that price point or cheaper, including a lot that I haven't tried yet but have good reviews. I would rather buy one of those than repurchase PC10 at that price. Cheers!
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
If only everyone did as you are doing! Prices might be higher than ever but we also generally have more choice than ever. Support those who support us. Cheers 🥃
@gareth6302 ай бұрын
200 not out, good innings Shane, thank god Ledaig 18 I can pick up for under a ton but guess I've just jinxed that. Heres to another 200 matey, cheers
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Thanks Gareth. I'm dreading the day we see a price rise on Ledaig 18 and Speyburn 15 and 18. They're some of the last true bargains in old malt and we've seen it happen to the rest. Fingers crossed they'll be kind to us. Cheers 🥃
@Balkonwhisky2 ай бұрын
Congratulations to Review 200 🥳 Great Choice for that Anniversary.🎉 I absolutely love PC and the other different peated Expressions from Bruichladdich Distillery. Unfortunately i have to work hard with my own Hands for my Income, so i wont spend that much Money for a Bottle of Booze (Thats what it is at the End of the Day).😅 Maybe i will get a Sample. Until that i enjoy something else from them.😉 Thanks for sharing your Thoughts and Opinion about this Bottling. Keep up your good Work. Greetings from Germany 😎🤘
@Soldano9992 ай бұрын
Yeah i would love to get one but at the end of the day that's just whisky.
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Couldn't agree more! Some will say that the price is the price but it really is just a bottle of drink! I hope you manage to find a sample or a bar pour to try but IMHO you're not missing out on much by sticking with PC10. Cheers 🥃
@Bergkampgunner2 ай бұрын
First of congrats on 200! Very cool Sadly every recent Ardbeg NAS committee release was already around the $175-200 mark in the US so this price tag did not scare or surprise me. In fact, often when I see European based reviewers talk about stuff that’s $200 in the US, they are complaining that it’s £80-100 there (which I’m quite jealous of) so 175 came as a surprise. I actually freshly opened the 10 and 18 together last week to see if the hunt and price was worth it. I’ve only had them once and try not to decide how I feel about something just based on the neck pour but my initial thoughts were that I appreciate the proof (most 18+s I’ve had from non-independent bottlers are 40-46%) and I particularly enjoyed the finish of the 18 more than the 10. I plan to try them a couple more times over the next month and form a more thoughtful opinion. I’m glad your review hit around the time I opened them but also glad I watched it AFTER I took my first sips. Cheers!
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
And thus the normalisation of silly prices rolls on! I'm really not happy about how expensive it's becoming to get hold of anything older than 12 years... but it's certainly becoming the rule rather than the exception. I think I prefer the finish of the 18 too although I think that's because of the changing house style rather than the extra age. Bruichladdich just used to be creamier and thicker than the stuff they're making now IMHO. It'd be fascinating to compare this 18 to a PC18 released in ten years time. Although at this rate the price will be £600 by that point... Cheers 🥃
@Gwhisky2 ай бұрын
Great review, Shane. Really want to try this, but this video has been a terrible sales pitch. Congrats on hitting 200, buddy. 🥃
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Thanks Geoff. Right from the start I found myself questioning what you really get over the 10yo with this and that feeling didn't change. It's good whisky but it shouldn't be so close! And for £175 'good' won't cut it. Cheers 🥃
@georgeliapis472 ай бұрын
It is great finding out your channel on the 200 reviews mark, congrats and I raise my glass for the next 200 ones! I watched your video smoking my vintage Latakia and sipping Big Peat, so you can figure out I’m a smokehead (pun intended, just finished that bottle recently). I wholeheartedly agree with your two points: I used to enjoy an 18yo Glenfiddich at ±60£ not so long ago, and things seem to be outrageously uncontrollable nowadays; moreover, let us all, at last, delete the myth that smoked whisky is great when aged - I would much rather enjoy a classic Ardbeg or Laphroaig 10, rather than their 18+ versions (especially at those terribly unfair, for us lovers of their creations, prices). Even an old-time love, the Lagavulin 16, is turning into a luxury good now, a true shame.
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Thanks for watching, George! Ardbeg is the perfect example of why peated whisky is usually better younger. The 10yo is a timeless classic. The recent Twenty Two loses much of what makes Ardbeg great. May we continue to find good peated drams at an accessible price for many years to come 🥃
@jackthepickledhound2 ай бұрын
200 and a rant!!! I just stroked my ego and bought the Bruichladdich 18 for $175 750ml and my collection is done. The PC cask exploration bottles are about $130 for comparison. And Talisker 18 is on the shelf for $168. I've felt that price and logic has gone out the window since we've been all enthusiastic about the KK8 and the GlenAllachie 10. Sure they're half the price but the low age gave the go-ahead for the market to change towards insanity. I really do love the 2007 Port Charlotte Scottish Barley.
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Logic has indeed gone out the window. There are some worrying trends in whisky at the moment. And a lot if it isn't coincidence...
@NeilImmortal2 ай бұрын
For 18 years old and Single Cask, Cask Strength, maybe €200. For a standard bottling this is just crazy pricing. I stopped buying Octomore for this reason, age went down, price went up. Great 200th review!!
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
We all thought it was crazy when OB 18s went over £100 and now look 😬 Makes you wonder where it's going to end. Cheers! 🥃
@christinecamley2 ай бұрын
Excellent review Shane! I do love this Port Charlotte 18 but I agree the prices are out of control. I grabbed a couple of these beauties but the pricing is leaving many enthusiasts out and I hate that. I do feel outraged by the prices. Great thoughts as always. They are very appreciated. I do think I enjoyed this Port Charlotte a bit more than you - not sure! I am very happy with the 18 and was glad I could try this scotch. I did experience a lot more elegance. It stood out more for me. I do love (adore!) the Bruichladdich 10 but for me I do enjoy the 18 in an elevated way. Criticism is absolutely fair but just for me this a very pleasurable experience and a delight on my palette to sip on. I'm not new to older scotch and I love it and seek it out when I can and I am okay with this purchase in the end but I absolutely value your take on this scotch. Right on - I also love the youthful peat monsters! I give financially to meaningful world causes so perhaps I feel slightly less guilty giving in occasionally to these outrageous scotch prices as a splurge (and I splurge on very little) but my overall view with everything is that I want these amazing scotch whiskies to be accessible for everyone to enjoy and take part in. I hope that makes sense. Cheers Shane!🙂
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Thanks Christine 🙂 I don't think any of us should feel guilty for buying and enjoying whisky at any level. It is sad that certain flavour profiles are no longer accessible to a lot of drinkers though. It's a key part of the experience to me and those who can't spend £100+ on a bottle can no longer experience it. I'm glad you're enjoying this release. I am too. But I was surprised how close it is to the PC10 and disappointed not to get more of those transformative old malt notes that you get from something like a Ledaig 18, Laphroaig 18 or Longrow 18 (why are they always L distilleries? 🤔). Cheers 🥃
@christinecamley2 ай бұрын
@@WhiskyLock Great thoughts Shane. I appreciate your thoughtfulness. I really do. I want everyone to be able to afford scotch and take part in the enjoyment.
@Nikolay_Nikolov2 ай бұрын
Hey, Shane! Nice review , well spoken, insightful and detailed. As for the particular whisky I simply don't care. I have way too many whisky bottles in the stash, enough to easily last me a decade even if I completely stop buying new bottles today and keep the consumption rate. So I decide to just not indulge the blatant greed of any producer or merchant. Nobody should be entitled with such cynical behavior. Bruichladdich or not, 18 yo or not, the price asked is absolutely unjustifiable. IMHO 100 pounds for a bottle of this whisky are perfectly fine to make up for the production costs and even secure a decent profit nowadays. 150, 170 or even more is abuse which I refuse to be a part of. Cheers!
@WhiskyLockАй бұрын
Great points! If an 18yo whisky takes the same amount of malt and takes up space in a warehouse for twice as long as a 9yo whisky then why doesn't it cost twice the price? Or less? Are we meant to believe that half of the casks destined to be 18yo simply go bad and are thrown away, adding to the cost? 🤔 I think not! For an established distillery with adequate stock £100 should be fine. Tobermory and Deanston think so... Cheers 🥃
@SmirGel2 ай бұрын
Congratulations to Review 200 ! 😸 I must say I was really looking forward buying this bottle if it was around 200€ after asking from Bruichladdich is it going to be for sale in my country or some other European stores they said no. You can only order it from their online store which would mean import taxes and alcohol tax for me.. No thank you I guess I am not going to try this after all. Anyway Great review as always and interesting to hear your thoughts! I'll be looking forward seeing their new cask exploration bottle tho!
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
That sucks... but makes your decision a little easier. IMHO you're not missing much by buying a bottle of PC10 and looking for a more affordable 18 elsewhere. Cheers 🥃
@kevinnordby48082 ай бұрын
Thanks for the review Shane. I absolutely love the Bruichladdich 18 and bought a backup bottle….I think I will pass on the Port Charlotte 18.
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
That's good to know. I have an unopened bottle of Br18. I'll have to do something with it soon. Cheers 🥃
@laurentsteck60862 ай бұрын
Hi, Thanks for the exellent review. I agree that the price is going up like crazy. In Switzerland, it's even more expensive (more than £260 equivalent). I was lucky to be able to buy the last two bottles that the Bruichladdich distillery was selling directly at a good price. I could save the 20% VAT on the price as we only have 8.1% VAT here in Switzerland. Looking forward to receiving it. I also got the Bruichladdich Eighteen at the same time. Hope it's worth it. Cheers!
@WhiskyLockАй бұрын
Crazy prices indeed! I don't believe for a second that they're based on anything other than making up a number and seeing if it sells 😂 I haven't opened my Bruichladdich 18 yet either. Trying to think of a special video to do with it 🤔 I hope it's good too 🤞 Cheers 🥃
@TheReal_DeanD2 ай бұрын
Very well explained and an informative review. I paid 200 USD for this bottle and it was a cannonball run to get it. I have not opened it yet as I was waiting for a special occasion. I have made mental note of what was stated here and I hope to get some enjoyment out of this Scotch. my curiosity got me and I just had to know about an 18-year-old Port Charlotte.
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Hi Dean. Don't let my opinion ruin the experience! You will enjoy this whisky. I do think it's better than the very well thought of PC10 after all. My objections are mostly that it just doesn't have that oily, waxy full bodied maltiness than you normally get from 18yo Scotch and that the price is too damn high... Let me know what you think when you open yours. Cheers 🥃
@Bowman19992 ай бұрын
Shane, congrats on 200 reviews and thanks for reviewing this Whisky. I'm a Bruichladdich/Port Charlotte fan but after paying $170 USD for the Bruichaladdich 18 I didn't even think about getting a bottle of PC 18. Cheers to next 200 reviews!
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Thank you 🙏 Call me cynical but I do wonder if they released the BR18 before the PC18 because they knew that if launched together the peated dram would've stolen sales from the unpeated 🤔 devious! They're certainly not doing the enthusiasts any favours with the pricing either way. Cheers 🥃
@andrewjudd90012 ай бұрын
Thanks for biting the bullet for us. I think unless I get a massive pay raise I won’t be buying any 18 year old whisky until the bubble pops
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Ooh 18yo whisky becoming affordable again? That would be the dream. Cheers 🥃
@chazchilly96972 ай бұрын
Just spared me the hassle of the mental gymnastics surrounding buying or not buying 😉. Congrats on the milestone good sir! 👍🏼
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Thank you very much 😌🥃
@neolaonl2 ай бұрын
Happy 200th! PC18 is not yet make to my market. But will keep an eyes to get a sample before make any purchases decision
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
At this price point a sample is a wise idea! Cheers 🥃
@Soldano9992 ай бұрын
I really wanted to buy it but at 200€ that's just way too expensive for me. I got a Craigellachie 17 instead for litteraly half the price. Same goes for their cask series. I stick to the 10YO and i buy it at travel retail in 1000ml format.
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
That really shows how badly they missed the mark choosing the price with this one. Craigellachie 17 is a quality dram 👍
@0Wiggles2 ай бұрын
Oh yeah! That bunna is unbelievable and one of my all time favourites
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
The Bunna Moine is fantastic! A great example of a special whisky that actually justifies a higher price. Just about 🙂
@timpowles75142 ай бұрын
Nice honest review Shane. Can’t ask for more than that. Cheers
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Cheers Tim 🥃
@Rohit_M2 ай бұрын
Congrats Shane! PC 18 is a no go at that price. I have the 10, SC01 and Islay Barley so I think that gives me enough of variety in the PC line up for now. As for the 18 range, I managed to myself a bottle of Ledaig 18 recently and excited to try it.
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Agree! Enjoy that Ledaig 18 - it's a stunner.
@ccuellar62122 ай бұрын
New subscriber here. Although Rafly is going to live forever, it’s always good to have a backup. Appreciate your in-depth analysis.
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
😂 thank you very much 🥃
@edfriday77092 ай бұрын
I picked up an 18 yr old Deanston, admittedly at ‘only’ 46% but significantly lower than £100. Great value.
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Deanston are really crushing it for value and disproving all the nonsense we keep hearing about how expensive it is to store casks...
@chentim17512 ай бұрын
my go-to whisky, I spent $80 for a bottle of Deanston 18!! decent dram, good deal!!
@Piface20992 ай бұрын
Whisky was the very definition of a working class libation for the first several centuries it existed - I mean how it was made, who made it, who tried to keep tabs on it being made, you name it. It's only very very recently it's started to be perceived as a luxury item; in my mind that shift coincides with the industry's consolidation into an ever-smaller number of massive hands (Diageo, Pernod Ricard, etc.) and has has been intentionally engineered by the same. Fine, a leopard can't change it's spots, but consumers have bought into it - literally - hook line and sinker. In America you have people queuing up outside stores at 4am on delivery days so they can post pictures of their "haul" against the backdrop of their Mercedes steering wheel. Silliness.
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Very well said. The original 'spirit' of whisky was precisely to escape from what it's now become.
@Bergkampgunner2 ай бұрын
People queue at 4am to get a bottle for $50 that the secondary market values at $600-1500. I’m never paying that for a $50 bottle but camping out a couple times a year for the chance to get one of those for a reasonable price is fun
@austinfletcher6375Ай бұрын
@@Bergkampgunnercamping to get a bottle sounds fun. Camping to FLIP a bottle… terrible for the industry and the whisky enthusiasts
@austinfletcher6375Ай бұрын
Nice points. Is there any long term pricing data on a specific single malt, at least since the 80s. That would be interesting to see, and how it went with global trends, whisky loch era, etc. Media went hand in hand with marketing too. Malts used to have to get by on what’s in the bottle and a lot less “people know that rich people in movies only drink macallan” etc
@andypike12342 ай бұрын
You´re an old soul and an intelligent guy
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Thank you Andy 🥃
@whiskywhereabouts2 ай бұрын
I wish I could say I'm surprised ... I haven't gotten my hands on this yet, but I was underwhelmed by the Bruichladdich 18, which, at least here in the US, is much more "affordable" than this one.
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
I'm actually saving a bottle of Bruichladdich 18. Perhaps for a special video or a comparison 🤔 haven't tried it yet. I think over here the Bruichladdich 18 was £150 and the PC18 was £175. So both priced pretty high! Ledaig 18 is still around £90 and Speyburn 18 is £85
@ryanmercer6002 ай бұрын
Excellent review, as Always
@peathead44502 ай бұрын
Excellent review as usual, Shane. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Totally agree with your opinion on the high prices, but... as long as we continue to buy these rediculous prices, the industry will not stop with increasing the prices. So I stopped buying more than 2 digit prices... and as long as there are great whisky within that price range... I'm happy. Slàinte mhath
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
True. With certain brands it's clear that the market has appetite for this craziness. For other brands not so much. I'm pleased to see that a lot of these high priced releases aren't flying off the shelves and remain in stock. Although if the mission is for them to sit on shelves and generate prestige and hype for the brand as a whole then they may not care. Giving anything three digits a pass is a good strategy. There are simply too many bottles now that have been priced too high to offer good value no matter the quality. I certainly wouldn't have bought this for £175 if I wasn't reviewing and I won't buy another. Cheers 🥃
@umami02472 ай бұрын
Not being an oak fan and having a hard cap of 150 American on what I’m willing to pay for alcohol these are pretty much passes. I do enjoy certain toasted bottles mostly bourbon and I do enjoy certain wine finishes but for the most part it’s a pass on these. And I’m not a peat guy if it’s heavy the lighter peat bottles I have enjoyed and I’m trying to extend my peat issue. Great points on this bottle and I’m sure there are many that are going to get these regardless of price or taste. Enjoy!!
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Sounds like you've weighed it up and made the correct decision for you. The price, oak and wine influence are issues for me too. I don't feel conned as such... but I definitely wouldn't buy it again. Cheers 🥃
@bingerbub2 ай бұрын
Well said!
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Cheers 🥃
@Georgie08442 ай бұрын
Congratulations on reaching 200 reviews Shane. I always look forward to watching each new, and going back through your catalog of videos. Cheers.
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Thank you very much 🙏🥃
@Atthapong152 ай бұрын
Truly too expensive. Btw., I appreciate your narrative and honest reviews!
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Thank you 🙏 I can't help feeling that they missed a chance by pricing this one so high... Cheers 🥃
@Atthapong152 ай бұрын
@WhiskyLock It was on my whisky grail list but if it isn't worth it then nevermind! A bullet dodged
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
@@Atthapong15 I'd highly recommend Ledaig 18 or a cask strength Bunna Moine instead 👍 much better value.
@Atthapong152 ай бұрын
@WhiskyLock I have the Ledaig 18 but have to look up this Bunna Moine
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
@@Atthapong15 Moine is what Bunnahabhain calls their peated stuff. The older examples are stunning.
@TheReal_DeanD2 ай бұрын
Pricing for 18 year old scot is totally insane and has been for years for a majority of the offerings. Right now if I can get $10 per year I’ll take it for an 18-year-old scotch or even a 15 year. Scotch pricing is out of control and it doesn’t seem like it’s getting any cheaper unless it is a big liquor retail store that just sells it at a loss.
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Fair appraisal of the situation. When you look at the rate that prices are rising and how some distilleries are still able to put out 18yo whisky at £5 a year it's hard not to assume that they're just taking us for a ride though. I'd love things to go back to how they were but I can't see it happening.
@BourbonJazzyLife2 ай бұрын
Wonderful review as always. I come from the bourbon world where it’s common to pay ten dollars for each year of age. In other words we typically don’t flinch when a ten year old whiskey is around 100$. Our climate combined with the new charred oak restriction makes most stuff over 12 years old a little too oaky in most cases. Even when a more aged statement is released we as bourbon fans tend to go back to that adage. Curious if there’s any commonly held thoughts about price relating to age in the Scotch community. Only just a year or so into the category myself.
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Really interesting point. I'd say a decade ago a sensible price for a 10yo was £35 and an 18yo maybe £60. But that was around the time when a lot of distilleries began doubling the price for the 18s overnight. Highland Park 18 and Bunnahabhain 18 suddenly went from £55 to £120. Talisker more recently went from £75 to £175. And a few like Highland Park 21 and Laphroaig 18 were discontinued. In the case of Laphy 18 permanently. This is why me and a few other long term fans of older Scotch are annoyed. Sudden and random doubling or trebling of prices with no apparent logic. Even worse when distilleries like Glenlivet nearly double the price of their 18 whilst reducing the ABV 😐 It's a bad time to enjoy old Scotch and an even worse time to have never got to try it.
@BourbonJazzyLife2 ай бұрын
@@WhiskyLock damn I could really see a long time Scotch drinker feeling like they had the rug pulled from beneath their feet. That’s disappointing for sure & makes no sense at all. I guess once one or two started selling at that higher price other producers felt they’d be silky not to join in. I don’t know what’s worse, having those taken out of your range after tasting & enjoying them or me as a newbie just never trying anything over twelve years lol. Cheers sir & thank you again for the great reviews.
@JunkusanagiАй бұрын
The 18 YO is $400 vs the 10 YO at $120 here in Singapore and is just made available by 1 importer. I am glad I resisted the temptation and after seeing this video I have to give myself a pat on the back : )
@WhiskyLockАй бұрын
It's pretty clear which is the better value buy. Enjoy that PC10 🥃
@log0log2 ай бұрын
I had many samples of the whiskies at 0.02 to 0.05l volumes ... and I don't remember them as good as "whole bottles samples"... at least 100-200ml bottles 21 YO Glenfiddich has 0.2L bottling with ~affordable price 45 euro, It would be good for other whisky brands to do the same with their 15-21 yo
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Oxidation / airing issues aside, I would love more distilleries to offer samples and 200ml bottles 👍
@MaLiCeCoLtRaNeАй бұрын
Strange question perhaps, obviously comparing a peated to an unpeated, but how would you compare the PC 18 to the Bruichladdich 18 in terms of quality and craft? Very well thought out and articulate review, as always, Shane. Thanks!
@WhiskyLockАй бұрын
Hi! Not a strange question at all. I have a bottle of Bruichladdich 18 but not opened it yet. I will do soon and that will be something I consider. I'm about to record a video on the latest Laphroaig 18. I've had a few 18s lately and what I am noticing is that new expressions just aren't as good as the previous ones. Laphroaig 18 included. It just seems like a lot of distilleries aren't putting out the quality that they were. Because of higher demand perhaps... There are many great whiskies available for sure but damn does it seem like we're always paying more for less... Cheers 🥃
@underwave1926 күн бұрын
I think the country where im from (south korea) seem to have played a big roll inflating the whisky price due to ad-volume alchol tax system for imported bottles..
@ironmantran2 ай бұрын
Laws of diminishing return applies here. . . nice vid, just save 300-400 $CA. . .
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Diminishing returns indeed! Sadly a common occurrence in whisky these days.
@steveno70582 ай бұрын
This is a fair price IMO. What other 18 year peated cask strength OB is cheaper?
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
I might be wrong but I haven't seen Bruichladdich suggesting that this is cask strength. It's 95 proof. You have a point though. There aren't many 18yo peated OB whiskies at all but if prices keep trebling every decade then none of us will be drinking this for much longer. IMHO the lack of affordable, peated 18s is part of the problem not the answer.
@justwhisky2 ай бұрын
I looked for an octopus on the label but they can be allusive and camouflage well.😂 This PC18 is more in line with the PC cask exploration series than a mature PC10 which is mostly exbourbon. I’m in alignment with you regarding price… and there’s absolutely NO way we’d buy another…. Until next year if they release a mostly exbourbon 😂 Then we’d have to buy one final time just to compare….for science 🧐 and then swear off them forever once again 😇
@WhiskyLockАй бұрын
The wine certainly shows in this. More than I'd like. I wouldn't say it spoils the experience but I think it detracts from it. But then there's more wine in the PC10 than I'd prefer as well! I'd be intrigued to try a fully ex bourbon version but I don't think I'd pay this much again. 'Fool me once' and all that! I'm just not convinced that Bruichladdich is a distillate that's suited to long maturations. I've had Laddie 16 and 22, a few older indies and now this and I never get the wow factor (waxy oily old malt with the body turned up to 11) that you expect from something of that age. Do you? 🤔 I haven't opened my bottle of Bruichladdich 18 yet... so maybe that will change my mind 😁😬😒
@justwhiskyАй бұрын
@@WhiskyLock the B18 didn’t wow me either🤷♂️… both decent but not worth the price…IMO
@stebeardX2 ай бұрын
Nice review mate, fuk the price either way, if you can afford it and like it go for it! if not go for something else, plenty great drams for under £100.......personally £175 is out of my range for this and most stuff at that price, it would have to be something special (like an octomore!) that i would splash out on........but with ardbeg uigiadal at £65 im a happy lad. cheers
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Octomore makes a good point of what's happened to prices actually. When I bought my first bottle in 2014 it was £120 which most people thought was outrageous. Now I can get a bottle of 14.1 for £135 which seems like the high end of normal for cask strength and craft presented. Crazy times... Agreed that there are plenty of quality options well below £100 though. Just as well! Cheers 🥃
@lightplays21812 ай бұрын
PCH my favorite ))))
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Modern classic 👍 I think I'll stick to the 10 though. Cheers 🥃
@greigmartin43392 ай бұрын
As a fan of the Bunnahabhain 18 I would often hear they were extracting the urine charging £120 which was sometimes difficult to push back against. we have seen Talisker 18 triple in price overnight and Diageo rightly took a kicking for that same for Kilchoman with their 16. Bruichladdich seem to get a longer leash with enthusiasts but with these recent 18 y/o releases they have now jumped their own shark. Thank god (or the algorithm) I came upon this review as I was strongly considering buying blind but this has made me see sense. It’s been relegated to try before I buy and from what I have just heard I don’t think it will pass the taste test. I wonder if they have some casks of 18 year old Octomore ready to throw out there for £500 a pop. Worth remembering that there’s people who drop £180 on Johnnie Walker Blue Label.
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Bunna 18 is another one that I loved back when it was around £60 and I wasn't that long ago! Bruichladdich jumped their own shark indeed... Good point regarding JW Blue. It's easy to see why diageo value those customers so much. Money for nothing!
@alfiefranklin78312 ай бұрын
How would it compare to Ledaig 18 at half the price?
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Ledaig 18 blows it away IMHO. More balanced, benefits more from the age. Just better. I think Ledaig 18 is the proof that Bruichladdich have made a mistake on the pricing with this one.
@alfiefranklin78312 ай бұрын
Cheers for that, very good video again thanks
@Kevin-eg3mf2 ай бұрын
When are you doing a Black Label review?
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
I actually reviewed it 4 years ago 😬 Review #9. A showcase of the professionalism that I've shown since day 1 I'm sure 😂 I remember being really tired when I filmed the series of JW reviews but doing them anyway to keep to a weekly upload schedule. So if I look drunk it's actually because I'm falling asleep 😬 I have a couple of samples of 1970s Johnnie Walkers though so maybe I'll do a mini JW Black re-review when I review the antique one. Thanks for reminding me.
@steveno70582 ай бұрын
Add water. Not a surprise you can’t sense the age at 54.3% ABV
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Doesn't make much difference to me. 54.3% really isn't enough to overwhelm your palate if you're used to it. Some distillates just don't benefit as much from aging.
@whiskyguidedog65582 ай бұрын
Caol Ila 18; Speyburn 18: AnCnoc 18; Deanston 18; Balblair 18; and of course the winner: Ledaig 18
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Some great whiskies there. And many are far less than £175!
@rezdm2 ай бұрын
Hi. I have a quick question. That board on background with whisky bottle labels. I want to create the same, and I saved some bottles with labels for this purpose. I understand that there are a few ways to remove a label from a bottle, but based on your experience, can you recommend the one that worked/works for you, please? Thanks
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Hi! Great to see another label collector. I actually made a video about this: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/atthdcqqv9SvYKc.html In short, I found that the best way is to fill the bottle with boiling water (I've never had one shatter!) And give it time for the glue to soften before peeling with a razor blade. Some labels are just utter bastards though. Thin matte paper ones that were common years ago and foil ones in particular can be really difficult and sometimes benefit from direct soaking in hot water for a few hours. Have fun 🥃
@rezdm2 ай бұрын
@@WhiskyLock, amazing! Thanks a lot!
@ryanmercer6002 ай бұрын
Peated Whisky is always better at a younger age
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Absolutely. A peated whisky should be an intense whisky 🥃
@andynelson58642 ай бұрын
Here's to the next 200 reviews, Shane. "Drivel"? Seriously? Well, I guess if you work really hard at it, just like I have, you might see that drivel rise to the lofty heights of pure gibberish! As for the PC stuff, I've always enjoyed the 10 and have flirted with the idea of buying something different from them, but I'll pass on the 18.
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Ah pure gibberish is some pro level stuff. I'll keep working on it 😂 Cheers 🥃
@ryanmercer6002 ай бұрын
Had a 20 year Port Charlotte two weeks ago from SMWS, very good but not good value
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
That sounds great. I've been considering signing up to SMWS for a few months and doing some reviews. Seems pricey though.
@duncs38502 ай бұрын
Buy indie bottlings for older malts
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
For many it's becoming the only option...
@dalekelly73142 ай бұрын
Let's face it. All of these Islay "special releases" are way overpriced. Ardbeg (always $200+) Port Charlotte Cask Exploration Series ($150+), Lagavulin 12 ($150+). In my opinion the only ones that are reasonable are Laphroaig. The Cairdeas comes out every year and it's like $100. The core range of Ardbeg and Port Charlotte are all you really need. Oogie and Corry are great and are $100 or less. For the record I bought this bottle and love it. Yes its overpriced but at least you still get a hefty punch of peat at 18 years old. You even mentioned that a lot of the peat flavors get mellowed out in older whiskies. Talisker 18 is way too mellow for example. I want some punch! What else is out there that's 18 years old, at this poof and craft presented? Bunna is another one that has lost its mind with pricing. The 18 is like $300 in the US.
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Agree. I've long said that core range Ardbeg and Laphroaig 10CS in particular are where it's at. Ardbeg Committee Releases are the broken clock that's right once a day, but Ardbeg 10 takes some beating and is the king on value. Talisker 18 is certainly a gentler style of peat but I do love the waxy, oily old malt character in it which is the main thing I miss in this PC18. Sadly, with Taliskers new prices, I won't be buying the 18 again.
@stebeardX2 ай бұрын
subscibed. i wear a peakcap and have a beard ( lot more grey than yours lol). good work. cheers
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Beard caps unite! 😂 Cheers 🥃
@andrewmainprice21792 ай бұрын
I won't buy the 18 at that price point.
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Honestly, me either. I bought this because it came out while I was reviewing the rest of the range. Review is done now and I won't be buying this again for the price they're asking. The price of some 18yo whiskies has tripled in 10yrs. Wages have not. I agree that it's too much.
@andrewmainprice21792 ай бұрын
@@WhiskyLock I bought glenfarclas 25 for £110 a few years ago and now it is probably about £250 .
@Whiskyfan5192 ай бұрын
I can't wait to hear your opinion on the absolute disgraceful price on the ardbeg abyss just announced. Ardbegs reputation is gone. First the paired rollercoaster of insanity, and the not so spectacular circus now the endless abyss of avarice. Ardbeg is dead
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
@@Whiskyfan519 I saw the announcement, didn't see the price. I believe the email just had a button to 'express your interest'. If you have to ask the price then you can't afford it as they say 😂
@Whiskyfan5192 ай бұрын
@@WhiskyLock 25000 euros. For a 34 yr old corryvreckan. I've been up all night fuming. I haven't been this upset about an announcement since starting my journey.
@b1gsteve2512 ай бұрын
This bottling isn’t for me. I stick to OB’s under $100, and that includes the current Spring Bank insanity. Now IB’s are a completely different story.
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
This is the way 👍 Everyone is free to spend their money as they wish but when you see these bottles that are 50-100% more expensive than they should be then you're going to get burned on value more often than not.
@jasonpetch14492 ай бұрын
“Moments of greatness, but a bit of an identity crisis” haha made me laugh. Sounds like it’s going through a mid life crisis…
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Exactly so 😂
@steveno70582 ай бұрын
Curious what 18 year you do recommend? Or is it just a dead category because of price. Besides Ledaig 18 there really isn’t anything that good under $150 USD at 18 years
@WhiskyLock2 ай бұрын
Not a lot. It used to be my happy place but over the last decade most of the options have become expensive or unavailable. Ledaig 18 and Speyburn 18 are probably the last good examples. I'd add Caol Ila 18 and Bunnahabhain 18 to that list when I'm in a generous mood. To be fair I haven't tried Arran 17, Glencadam 18 or Bruichladdich 18 yet. I have unopened bottles of all three so maybe they'll join the list. The glorious Laphroaig 18 would've been high on the list but it's been discontinued for years and the modern 16yo is miles behind.