Need a Scotch recommendation

Hey all...
I need some assistance. Not being a huge scotch guy, I need a recommendation. My nephew likes good scotch, and I need to do something epic for him. He's given me something I can never repay him for, but I need to at least try. He did this once before for me, and I got him a Glenlivet 21 that he enjoyed. I'd like to top that.

So I'm looking for a stellar/outstanding/epic scotch to buy for him. Sadly I can only swing a bill of about $500 right now. I know he really wants to try the Japanese Suntory 2013 Yamazaki Sherry Cask Single Malt since it was labeled the best of 2015 in Jim Murray's book. But since then it's sold out everywhere.

I know he's not as fond of the Islay region scotch due to the extra peatiness, but otherwise likes most he has tried, and he did mention he tried a different Sherry casked that he enjoyed.

I know there is a lot of knowledge here, so help me out! I'll look around town for your recommendations, but due to limited availability a link to an online source might be helpful.

Thanks!

EDIT to add:  If someone were to have a bottle of the Yamazaki they could send/locate/obtain, I would be willing to not only pay for it + shipping, but also send you an overnight freezer box containing not only my smoked salmon spread, but also a chunk of honest-to-God glacier ice I'd pick up on my boat (with photo to prove) and send along for your drinks. This stuff is DENSE and could be as old as 10k years! Super clean and would be a great item to share with your friends. (I have some in my freezer right now that I'm using in drinks)

Can't help you with the Yamakazi, but for sherry casks and Speysides, my personal choice is Glendronach, hands down.  It's just . . . beautiful, beautiful Scotch.   :love:
 
And they have something pretty epic that's well within your price range, although shipping and VAT will probably take you the rest of the way---Glendronach Grandeur 24 Year Old Cask #006.
 
https://www.thewhiskybarrel.com/glendronach-24-year-old-grandeur-batch-6-whiskey-scotland
 

 
~Boar

I'd send AVB a message.

Balvenie 21

Sadly you wouldn't have been able to get the Yamazaki for $500 even when it first came out.  I do have to agree with NANP about the Glendronach - they have been puttingout some lovely bottles lately.  I've had good luck with both Master Of Malt and Loch Fyne  shipping to the States but it is far more expensive now that when I ran my scotch buys.  Figure you'll be in the £300 area for a delivered Grandeur.  I would also look into some of the 23-25 year old Independent bottlngs of Mortlach that are available in the UK. I like the Signatory 24 which is fairly inexpensive for what you get.  You might be able to swing that and the official 18 and do a comparison. 

Awesome info... thanks. I'm taking notes, keep 'em coming! It would be awesome to find something local as he'll be leaving soon for 2 months of training - but he'll be back in 2 months as well so if I have to order... so be it.

What say you...  one bad ass bottle, or 2 great bottles? Or 3 good ones? :laugh: I tend to think one badass myself, but that's me. I don't drink much hard stuff, so I tend to sip and enjoy it.
 
AVB, I stil have the bottle of Hirsch from a group buy long ago!  Oh yeah - looked and Master of Malt does not ship to AK...

Swissy said:

What say you...  one bad ass bottle, or 2 great bottles? Or 3 good ones? :laugh: I tend to think one badass myself, but that's me. I don't drink much hard stuff, so I tend to sip and enjoy it.
 
AVB, I stil have the bottle of Hirsch from a group buy long ago!  Oh yeah - looked and Master of Malt does not ship to AK...

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Personally I would go with 2-3 nice bottles. However, if you do get a hold of a hard to find whiskey at a good price I would definitely go that route.

Anything with a real uniqueness at a somewhat affordable price is not going to be found in the US easily.

AVB said:

Anything with a real uniqueness at a somewhat affordable price is not going to be found in the US easily.

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I kinda figured that, but was thinking a great bottle now, then hit him with the unique one when he returns. How's the Yamazaki 18? Local shop has a shelf full when I stopped by this afternoon. Get that, or another higher end brand, and have the Signatory 24 shipped, if I can get it send to AK?
 
Or maybe just do the Glendronach outright... hell, it's worth doing both options IMO

The Yamazaki 18 is quite good and is usually thought of as a 90-93 point dram. If you didn't know you would be hard pressed not to think it was really scotch. You can shop for it. K&L has a good price for it but you'll need to check on shipping up there to the tundra.

AVB said:

The Yamazaki 18 is quite good and is usually thought of as a 90-93 point dram. If you didn't know you would be hard pressed not to think it was really scotch. You can shop for it. K&L has a good price for it but you'll need to check on shipping up there to the tundra.

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Cool... I'll grab a bottle as the local specialty store has a number of bottles, and only $30 more than online prices, without having to pay the extra for shipping. Then I can get the 'special' bottle to suprise him with once he gets back. That'll allow me to find a place in the UK that will ship to me in AK, or get someone to recieve it and then ship to me within the States - whatever i end up getting

The Grandeur is a 24 now?  When did that change?
 
Hey Jim, I agree about the Yamazaki.  It's really good stuff.  Glenfarclas 40 might be another option. It's out there for $575.  How often does the average scotch drinker taste something that old?

For a once in a life time bottle, try to hunt down anything you can find from Port Ellen. They went out of business in the 80s but you can still find the odd bottle or so on the Internet. It's a typical Islay with some peat. Last time I got one it was about 7 years ago and I spent around $300. Do it
Once and he may never get the opportunity to do it again.

As an aside, I don't necessarily thing older and more expensive is better with scotch. There are plenty of amazing drinks which are only 12-16 years old. So don't feel you have to spend a ton to get something worth savoring.

Jim - is he a cigar smoker?  How about a really nice bottle of scotch, along with a nice box of cigars?  You could easily spend $250 on each and have a really nice gift.
 
Edited to add - I miss the Swissy Spread

I don't think there is a Port Ellen anywhere for $500 unless you run across one of the 20CL bottles. It is a good Islay but he mentioned that his nephew wasn't overly fond of the Islay peatiness so that might put a dampener on this idea. I agree that there are some great bottles out there at 10-16 yo but few are a "never to be repeated" experience unless you luck out and find this years version of Black Bowmore.
 

MichaelD said:

For a once in a life time bottle, try to hunt down anything you can find from Port Ellen. They went out of business in the 80s but you can still find the odd bottle or so on the Internet. It's a typical Islay with some peat. Last time I got one it was about 7 years ago and I spent around $300. Do it
Once and he may never get the opportunity to do it again.

As an aside, I don't necessarily thing older and more expensive is better with scotch. There are plenty of amazing drinks which are only 12-16 years old. So don't feel you have to spend a ton to get something worth savoring.

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again, Thanks for the suggestions. AVB is correct, he's not fond of the Islay stuff. Altho he's not tried everything, so you never know. But for this, it's gotta be top notch and I don't want to take a chance - so I'll avoid Islay stuff for now. (I myself, however, love the Islay region!)
 
TiaraBoy, he does smoke cigars (don't tell my sister, she'd KILL me if she knew) but he only does them on occasion with me and he knows he can raid my coolidor any time he wants. So I'll stick with a big bottle of awesomeness. And it doesn't matter if it's last weeks or 4 decades old bottling... if it's epic and worthy, that's what it will be. I guess I could hawk off some cigars or hunting gear to afford more than $500 - but I gotta draw the line somewhere and figured that was a good amount.

I took a look at the current prices and they are all now in the $700 range. Port Ellen is a refined peat and not as strong as the Lags and Laphs. But yes, if he is not a fan, that won't work. But for the life of me I can't imagine anyone not worshiping the Nectar of God producing island of Islay. [emoji6]

ok, well things have progressed. He got his email today stating he has to report to Miami for training in 3 weeks. And, he may not be back for some time so I went ahead and got a bottle of the Glendronach Grandeur 24 shipped to me. We'll see if there is any issue with having it sent to me as in Alaska there are wet areas, 'damp' areas and dry areas due to all the native Alaskan villages. But there is no restriction to Anchorage so we'll see. Thankfully I have options if that's the case.

Man I'm glad I posted when I did... I'd hate to have given him something 'average' :laugh:

I think that'd be a hell of a bottle to receive. I've become a Glendronach fan myself. I wish it were easier to find. Online is okay, but I've never come across it for sale in my travels.

It's disappeared here.  
 
Spec's used to carry it and now doesn't.  Twin Liquors up in San Antonio apparently stocks the full line, but I haven't made the road trip yet---I want to take enough for a case of Revival with me if I'm going to drive an hour and a half!
 
~Boar