Thanks for sharing your whisky journey, Brian! Also love Springbank 10 (and Longrow).

Hey Brian - have really enjoyed listening to your podcast episodes. Excited for more content. Keep up the great work!

I wasn't in love with this whisky but I might be in the minority! I'm with GWhisky on this one! We agreed the hype is misplaced! Terrific video! Much more pricey in Canada when it can be ordered! I do love the distillery. Glen Scotia and a lowland's whisky is present as well as Ardnamurchan.

The Cairdeas have been hit and miss for me but this 2024 was one of the best. Cheers, Mike

Still haven't grabbed one of these. Hearing it's got some unique character for a budget banger, might need to throw one of these into the cart sooner than later. Slainte!

I was fortunate enough to recently attend a class about this release at the distillery with master blender Calum Fraser. I got to taste the individual components of this Cairdeas and learn about the details behind them, and needless to say, it was an amazing experience. However, although this 2024 is delicious, I find the 2023 release so much more interesting and unique. (And to make everyone jealous, I also got to try two unpeated Laphroaigs and a 32-year-old.) ;-)

Hi Sir I was lucky when I went into a total wine store I saw 4 bottles of tomatin 18year old sitting on the shelves for $80.00 each,and I thought it was cheap enough for an 18year old whisky,so I bought 2 bottles and I drank 1 and still have 1 in the bunker, I went back about a month ago and it had been mis priced, it jumped up to a $135.00 a bottle, so I probably wouldn't buy it again until I finish off the other bottle, I really enjoy this whisky !!! I have also a bottle of cask strength 1 also, but it's not as good as the 18year old for sure, I love your reviews and I always watch all of them, thanks for your review of tomatin 18year old, cheers sir and good luck with your channel !!!

So I got a miniature not too long ago and I got excited to try it for the first time only to get right away this off-note resembling phosphorous on matches on the nose...it was quite persistent and now I don't know if it was a bad sample or I just have a very specific reaction to it

Hah go figure the difference! I had many a Clynelish and never had a bad one so either I was very lucky or I had the same year without realising 😅 Cheers dude 🥃

Same. I’ve had several bottles in the past, all delivered on the waxy taste, but when I came back to it this year I was disappointed. Not at all like I remembered.

Oh no I am so sorry about batch variation. It happens and I have heard about this with Clynelish. I understand it's disappointing. I hope you get a better batch next time. Cheers.

Out of curiosity, what's the batch code on this one?

Great review my friend! I had a Clynelish 14 that was like this last year. The ones I’ve picked up this year have been much better.

I’ve been hearing batch variations for the past few years… l only have experience with bottles 2019 and earlier which were always great…or maybe it’s been Russian roulette and I’ve been lucky… I can still find these for $50-$70 in my area. Cheers 🥃

Maybe a bad bottle? I've gone through at least 3 bottles of Clynelish 14 in last 3 years and they have not been super complex and maybe not at the level of the older releases but they have not been bad. This happened to me recently with a bottle of Irish whiskey. I was intrigued by McConnell's Sherry and got a bottle that is refusing to let go of more than usual Sulphury note on the palate and the folks in the online community don't seem to have that issue. Sometime I think you just end up with a bottle that is an odd ball of the lot, based on my limited experience of a bad bottle.

When batch variation goes wrong! Sorry to hear about the bottle.

I’m two drams into this bottle, first time trying Clynelish. I definitely get a waxy note, but I wouldn’t call this a waxy whisky. Also, I’m not disappointed. I’d expect it will improve, but even if it doesn’t I’d score it at 83-84 right now. Bottle date is May 16, 2023

Did I miss it? What’s your bottle’s bottling date?

At last! My 2020 bottle is the same, nothing like what I heard or read over and over again

Grabbed the last one on the shelf at a local Total Wine. Jumping on the train, this one was very good and stacked up well against the Lore when paired side by side. Lore finish is straight, wet-earthy tobacco and cigar smoke vs sweetness on the Cairdeas.

I’ll have to keep my eyes open for this one. Appreciate your thoughts on this bottle. Thanks.

Nice one Brian! I have not tried this one yet but it seems like this is a resounding success all across the people who've tried it. Cheers!

Bought one. Haven't opened it yet though. Need to open a spot on the shelf! Though I may need to sooner than later to find out if I need backups or not.

Loch Lomond 18 is around the same price. Indeed, I found it for $85 in Minneapolis! It's 46% abv

$160 in Canada but worth it!

I enjoyed this year’s annual release of the 2024 Cairdeas very much. Fabulous! When I found this one I grabbed a few! Complex!

Adding to the chorus of praise for this one... it's been years since I last saw a Cairdeas locally but I picked one of these up online. I love that they're around for those of us who go looking - and still under $100, too. The people's whisky!

I purchased a 2nd bottle a week after trying this. It's that good. I do wish we got the same prices in the NY area that you guys in California get. Every Cairdeas for many years now is between $119 - $124. The previous year tends to drop the next year when the new one comes out to around $100. Even at the $119 that I spent for each bottle I have no regrets. I might even buy a 3rd bottle should this drop to $100 when the 2025 comes out.

Good juice for sure at a reasonable price! Cheers 🥃

This seems to be a banger of a whisky 🤩

I bought a bottle of deanston 12 about a year ago and it had dark color almost like tea,it was delicious. Bought a bottle yesterday and the color is now bright like very bright,haven,t tasted it yet but i,m suspecting they colored the deanston 12 before and now they stoped adding colorant.

Such a fun brand when I can afford to get one on the shelf!

LOVED this beauty!!

thanks

So, I noticed that you gave this the same score as the Bruichladdich 18, with the same "they will probably will get a better score later" caveat. That was interesting to hear, since most reviewers differentiate them significantly. I love what you have been doing. I have the Port Charlotte 18, and have been contemplating getting the Bruichladdich. That you scored them the same encourages me to get the Bruichladdich 18. I love the Ledaig 18, the Ardbeg 19, and the Springbank 18 as well. I saw you really love the Ledaig as well. I would be curious to hear you review the Ardbeg Traigh Bhan, the Springbank 18, and the Glenallachie 18! I have, and enjoy, them all. Thanks

Just found your channel - looked through several reviews. I am a long time K&L Single Malt ... collector, addict? Anyway, love your honest, informative, straight-forward approach. Just subscribed! Thanks

Great Review! - I have been on a worm tub kick lately. In Speyside, the distilleries with worm tubs include Mortloch, Benrinnes, Craigellachie, Cragganmore and Glen Elgin (I may have missed some that are in Speyside) Right now, I am really enjoying an IB bottling of Glen Elgin. The only Speyside I have not tried yet is Benrinnes. I hope to find one soon.

Great Review. I think I paid $55 at K&L for both the SRV5 & TB/BSW. I picked up that Maclean's Nose on the same trip for $35 (took 2 for that price). I haven't really explored either much yet. My budget "go-to" might still be Benromach 10, although I'm seeing price closer to $50 than $40 now, so I may re-think that. Orchard House is a good shout btw. Costco's Kirkland Islay Singe Malt is pretty good for around $35 too. Also look out for the Murrray McDavid Single Malts which are also a bargain at $44. Those were also K&L Wines. Cheers.

Thanks for this! Great to see some value injections into the whisky scene, hopefully they can get the prices down to match what it is in the UK

Great review. I am also hoping this comes down in price. I like this. For me a 6/10 - Not a 7 for me because I would have like a bit less Sherry. You can definitely taste the quality, so I need to try the SRV5. I also agree about the Compass Box Orchard house, particularly in this summer heat.

Love this one. It reminds me of the way Macallan 12 used to taste in the early 2000s. This is $55 in my area, NY, as well and I'm perfectly happy paying that. Orchard House is $51 so it's not that much of a difference. It's a lot better than the other budget Compass Box blends like the Glasglow Blend. It's also better than Maclean's Nose or the Naked Grouse. Thompson Brothers right now is the best at producing these reasonably priced blends for connoisseurs.

Loved the video and production value. You have a great voice for narrating and really enjoyed the background music. It reminded me of a matured version from one of my favorite whiskytubers. One thing I've noticed which I'm sure you already are aware of is that top 5 or 10 lists brings in the crowds. That should help with the sub numbers. Great video and I'm looking forward to going through all the others.

liquorice...

I found that bunny 12 has lost a little something over the last 7-8 years.. Still great though

1996 Ben Nevis is definitely a famous vintage, and I'm completely on board with the love for it! Great stuff.

I passed through Fort William on my way to Skye last year. Sadly, Ben Nevis Distillery was closed because it was a weekend. So, embarrassingly, I’ve been to Scotland & back without so much as trying Ben Nevis. Are younger IB’s worth checking out? They tend to be fairly pricey even as 7 or 8 year releases. Is Nikka From the barrel a good introduction? Thx.

Where did you buy this? I can’t find it anywhere for less than $200 online in the US and some places are much more than that!

Having a dram of this right now. Delicious in my opinion. I find this bottle for around $70 at a local shop as of late June of 2024. I decided to add about a teaspoon of purified water to it tonight and it *REALLY* opened up the flavors. I'm a big fan of the Tomatin distillery....

Yikes that's a hefty pour!

A bit too detailed.