It’s hard to believe, but Malt Advocate magazine turns 20 next year. We going to be doing a lot of reflecting.
Naturally, we’re going to take a look at all the great whiskies that were on the market during this time, and there were many. Some were benchmarks: they defined a new category, were classics for their style, etc.
Naturally, I have my own list of what I think some of the “benchmark” whiskies were over the past 20 years, but I would like to know your thoughts. (And I’m not going to bias you by sharing my list right now.)
What do you think was a benchmark whisky during the past two decades? And why? (This is not just limited to scotch, but rather includes all whisky categories.) Let’s get a discussion going.
Van Winkle 13 year old rye. Perfect balance of age and spice.
Depends what we mean by ‘benchmark’. Benchmark because they’re great? or benchmark because they’re influential or ‘different’?
A few thoughts that might fall into either category…
I think there are better cask finished whiskies out there, but Glenmorangie can claim a lot of credit for starting the craze of finishes.
The Beam Small Batch whiskies – good bourbons and influential – made small batch, boutique a ‘cool thing’ (although that may be mostly hype!). Nevertheless I thought Knob Creek, Booker’s and Bakers were all pretty good.
Yamazaki/Yoichi – even though the Japanese have been producing whisky for a while, it’s only recently that people have started to take notice and Yamazaki can claim much credit. I, for one, love Japanese whisky.
Amrut Fusion or Peated – for proving it really doesn’t matter where whisky comes from. If it’s a classic, it’s a classic.
Black Bottle – for proving good whisky doesn’t have to cost the earth (you can pick up a bottle for about £14 UK and it’s a brilliant blend!)
Glenfiddich 15 Solera – not only is this the only Glenfiddich I’ve ever liked, but it’s the only (to my knowledge) whisky to use the solera method.
Lagavulin 16 – just a great, great whisky. I just wish they’d boost it to 46%, non-chill filter and drop the caramel. Unlikely with the distillery at full capacity though…
Highland Park 18. Personally I prefer the 21, but the 18′s still great, consistently so and the best all-rounder out there (that I’ve tried – and that seems to be the concensus too).
Glenfarclas 15. Reasonably priced and top-notch sherried Spey. Who needs patchy Macallan bottlings when you can have this?
Aberlour A’bunadh – consistently good, sometimes superb. A great intro to cask-strength whisky.
Sazerac & Van Winkle – for the ryes.
Ardbeg – and I know that the knives are out for Ardbeg as it’s more of a cult than a distillery – but, really, it’s difficult to deny that some truly outstanding bottlings have come out of it. Personally I don’t have a prob with NAS whiskies – if they’re good, they’re good.
How about Mortlach 70 for oldest whisky yet produced? I haven’t tried it though – and fat chance I ever will !
I do think it was the beginning of the whole “aged rye” movement, right? And it’s on my list.
Lagavulin 16–tough to find a scotch better than this classic.
I believe so. It set the bar high.
For me, in the past 20 years I fondly remember the Macallan 18s distilled in the early 1980′s and released around the turn of the century. I feel these bottlings were the springboard for Macallan’s current success. More recently, I think the young, peaty expressions from Bruichladdich’s Port Charlotte range were real game changers at how people would regard younger whisky.
The classic malts range, albeit incepted a little over 20 years ago, I think brought single malts to the attention of many US consumers – not that I think all of them were great but I agree with the Lagavulin comment and I would add Talisker.
Although a bit outside the 20 year limit, Blanton’s Single Barrel kicked off the Single Barrel craze that it is today.
Yes, Blanton’s started in the 1980s, but it was the first single barrel bourbon.
Great question and a fun game to boot. What a great 20 years it has been. In terms of whiskeys that were real benchmarks, not just based on their flavor but their impact on the market and industry, I’d include the following:
Jim Beam Small Batch Collection – I don’t recall which of these came out first and I’m not actually a huge fan, but the impact of theis collection on the American whiskey market is undeniable. It was the beginning of premium Bourbon.
George T. Stagg – Taking Bourbon to the next level and showing that it could compete with single malt in terms of pure excellence.
Old Potrero Rye – Fritz Maytag’s rye helped kick off two major trends of the last twenty years: the resurgence of rye whiskey and the craft distillery movement.
Compass Box Peat Monster – Opened up the idea that blended and vatted whiskey could compete with single malts on flavor and opened the door for a flood of high quality blends/vattings. No longer did blended Scotch mean the dregs.
Yamazaki 12 and 18 – made people sit up and take notice of a whisky industry that few in the US knew existed 15 years ago.
Lagavulin 16/Laphroaig 10- The last 20 years was awash in peat, and these whiskies probably had more to do with it than anything (at least in the US). Diageo very successfully promoted Laga in the ’90s as part of the classic malts, and just when it started drying up and getting very pricey, Beam gave wide distribution to Laphroaig 10 at a very reasonable price.
Bruichladdich PC5 : Of all the special release whiskies of the past 20 years, this one may have had the greates impact. PC5 touted the new era of Bruichladdich and showed that even traditionally non-peated whiskies could get in the peat game, but its biggest impact was showing distilleries that they could unload 5 year old whiskies for $120 plus.
This is so much fun that I could go on and on, but I better stop there but other benchmarks might be Ardbeg Uigeadail and Laph QC (the NAS movement), Black Maple Hill (paving the way for super-aged American whiskey), Bowmore Black, Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection and many more.
Several of those are on my list too.
I could ask John Glaser (or look on his website), but which was his first whisky? Or were there a few introduced at the same time?
Asyla, Eleuthera and Peat Monster are the ones I think of as being the first generation, but I don’t know which came first (or if one did).
Hedonism, a vatted grain whisky, was an original CBW.
Sku, Peat Monster only came after the original Monster, bottled for Park Ave. Liquors., and that was a few years after the original bunch.
I really miss the Eleuthra, but John told me that 18 year old Clynelish became to expensive for that price point.
Midleton Rare led the movement to higher end whiskies from Ireland.
Lagavulin 16 was released more than 20 years ago, but remains a benchmark – ditto Macallan 18. If we’re including whiskies that were available more than 20 years ago, you’d have to add Glenfarclas 105 and Springbank 21yo in there as well.
From whiskies that first appeared in the last two decades I would suggest Black Bowmore, the original Laphroaig 10 cask strength (not sure exact date on this one), Ardbeg Supernova, Highland Park 18yo, Glenmorangie Port Wood Finish, Karuizawa 1971 and George T. Stagg as whiskies that defined their respective categories (or in some cases, invented or re-invented them). Good call on Compass box as well, Sku.
Didn’t Bruichladdich’s Octomore come out before Supernova?
And wasn’t it the original Tain l’Hermitage that started the finishing? Or did the original port wood (at the higher proof) come first? I have both bottles still. I suppose I should ask Bill Lumsden that question.
Agree with the Black Bowmore, Springer 21 and HP 18.
Not sure which came first between the Tain and the original Port, but it was the Port that really caught on, which was why I included it. I know that Octomore was released first, but imho the Supernova is the benchmark for the uber-peat category.
Oh, great call on Glenmorangie and the finishes Tim. Huge impact there.
Loch Dhu :-I
Well on the serious side I will add this few
Glenmorangie finishes (I’ve heard they were they one that started it all, most think it’s Jim McEwan, not sure here)
Duncan Taylor for releasing old grains
Duncan Taylor for releasing loads of old 1972 Caperdonichs – a distillery thought to be..not so good
Amrut for putting India on the map of high quality whiskies
/macdeffe
Very happy to see that most on the “list” so far are OBs. Here are three deserving of benchmark status:
The BenRiach 10 years old Curiositas (a spin off of the peated Speysider on Seagram’s watch in the early-mid 80s). Have to throw in Authenticus 21 years old, too.
The Balvenie 15 years old Single Barrel — a stunning effort NOT to make every bottle the same
Glenmorangie Astar (it’s all about the “journey”)
Yep, Astar could be viewed as the first “true” designer whisky (depending on how one defines that).
I think the bottle it kind of replaced, the Artisan Cask, may take that honor.
Good point. I need to chat with Bill about that too.
I noticed the conversation has nmoved a bit to concepts over specific bottles, and I will do the same. But first – don’t forget Ardbeg Provenance.
Although not mass-market I think Beam’s Distiller’s Masterpiece bourbons set off a philosophical shift in bourbon. It open the way to the BT experimental collection, the Woodford Chardonnay finished, the new Maker’s 46 – all finishes to a traditional bourbon and moving it in a new direction.
The Woodford 4 grain was also a standard bearer.
I think mainstreaming finishing in scotch really happened with the Distillers Editions of the Classic Malts. On a personal note, the first Lagavulin I tried was the Distiller’s Edition, a great gateway to Islay, the sweetness somewhat tamed the smoke and now I am a full-on peathead.
As a whole the Signatory non chill filter series helped show the way (apologies to Cadenhead / Springbank who did it forever, but in a more modest manner) to differentiate product by removing less, and taken to the logical end, although gimmickey was the Blackadder Raw cask series.
Along with the well-deserving compass Box is Jon, Mark, and Robbo who attempting a slightly downmarket version of the same. Trying to market whisk(e)y by flavor begot the Wemyss scotches.
Yes, Distillers’ Masterpiece whiskeys by Beam were WAY ahead of their time on the American Whiskey experimenting (and finishing).
Though I tend not to be a fan of Canadian whisky, I’ll step up for them here and throw in either Lot 40 or Bush Pilot as examples that could have redefined the genre, but were ahead of their time. It appears now that the market may finally be ready for their kind to succeed.
Can you say “WhistlePig?”
Wasn’t Bush Pilot discontinued about 20 years ago?
Could be. I also didn’t mention Forty Creek, and they surely qualify.
Ian Buxrud boldly claims that Glenmorangie Native Ross-shire, first released (on his watch) in 1990, was the first single cask, cask strength single malt to be released by a Scotch whisky distiller. That has certtainly proved to be a ground-breaker – before then, i think such releases came only from the SMWS and perhaps an independent bottler or two.
Wow, great comments here! I think alot of benchmark whisky’s have been mentioned. I certainly think Blantons, the glenmorangie finished scotches, Beam’s distillers’ masterpiece collection all qualify along with many other mentioned here.
I would put Four Roses into this category. Their ability to mix different mashbills, the fact that they age their whiskey in warehouses which are only two stories high makes this a benchmark in my book. Also, Parkers heritage collection has had a few Bourbons I would consider benchmarks. The 27 year old and the Golden Anniversary come to mind
Benchmarks…….hhhmmmmmm……..aha!!
OK, there it goes.
Balvenie 15yo S.B. – the affordable Speyside single cask cracker!
Ardbeg Uigeadail – the perfect balance between peated malt and sherry cask influence!
Lagavulin 16y.o. – the first heavy/robust/complex malt for many people out there!
Connemara C/S – the huge Irish peated that send many Islays back to school!
Springbank 21y.o. (short bottle) – the once “whisky capital of the world” rennaissance, the tradition, the craft, the myth, the legend, THE single malt!
Highland Park 21y.o. – the true, the original Islander!
Kilchoman “Inaugural” – the 3y.o. new islay kid that has a 10y.o. maturity character!
Laphroaig 10 & Talisker 10 – OK, they’re more than 20 years on the scene, BUT they are our best “everyday drams” and we love them!
Slainte from Greece! Nice question John!
-Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage Series – Great vintage bourbons for very little money.
-Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey – A leader in the micro distillery movement & proves great whiskeys can be made outside of Kentucky/Tennessee.
-Chivas Regal 18 yr. – Not the most glamorous whiskey at the moment, but the best blend for the buck in the past 20 yrs.
-Suntory The Yamazaki 18 yr. – Proof more whiskys need to be imported to the US from Japan.
-Crown Royal Cask No. 16 – The Benchmark Whisky from Canada.
-Parker Heritage Golden Anniversary – The best bourbon I have ever tasted.
-Rittenhouse Rye 25 yr. – The best rye whiskey ever.
-Compass Box “The Spice Tree” – The original one. It’s too bad he wasn’t able to continue production of that gem.
-Connemara 12 yr. – Irish Whisky meets Islay.
-Glenmorangie finishes
This is gonna be a great thread.
Besides Compass Box helping to popularize vatted malts, I think they also stand for not doing any finishing – kind of the anti-Bruichladdich /Murray McDavid/ Glenmorangie. Also helping to elevate vatted grain is another contribution – and not in the Snow Grouse vodka-like manner.
And this is a fun thread
Wow, what great choices and I have concerns about missing something – Here are ones that I think changed the way we looked at whisky
- Glenmorangie finshes I think changed our world view of scotch even though they were not the first one to do it – hard to pick which one – I personally love the Claret Wood finish as among the best
- Reopening Ardbeg and getting to the 10 YO has been very important the 10 YO is still a signiture malt
- Bruichladdich’s Octomore was the first to get to the PPM above the 55/60 Range although Supernova was not far behind
- I still find Bunnahbhain’s Old Aquaintance a star in the last 20 years
-PC 5 and the Kilchomen 3 YO have opened our eyes to how good young whiskies can be
-Glenfarclas’s Family Casks have given us a history unlike anything produced by any other distillery and its an amazing thing to have the stocks to be able to do that
I am sure I am forgetting tons here but since I am in vacation in colorado I have the excuse of having a mind that waunders more than usual
OF course I cannot spell Auld instead of “old” …
Another one I would add is the Old Pultney Millenium bottling – long gone now but a smashing bottle overwhelmed with cloves and spices -
As I was lucky enough to stumble into the world of single malt scotch in the late 1990′s, I’d like to nominate the following two benchmark drams:
1) Ardbeg 1974, 20 year old Gordon & Mcphail. This was the introduction to the legendary distillery for many people.
2) Springbank 21 yo. Raised the bar for all of those 40% ABV and chill filtered high end bottlings.
And two more affordable drams:
1) Lagavulin 16. The ‘amazing discovery’ for a whole lot of people.
2) Macallan 12. It might be heresy to say that I like the12 better than the 18, but the 12 is the best all around dram, IMHO.
Slainte.
Louis
Very good topic! Makes you think about the way you spent your money the last few years (for me that is, for most that will be a longer period)
The Classics :
1: Lagavulin 16
2: Springbank 21
3: Laphroaig Quarter Cask
The ‘starters’:
4: The First Amrut Cask Strenght bottles: for me they more or less started this world whisky thing
5: The New Ardbeg 10: More or less the culmination of reopened and rebuilt distilleries. Properly marketed after Very Young, Still Young, Almost There and Renaissance
6: Yoichi 1987 or 1988: The world’s recognition of the incredibly high standards of Japanese whisky (i mean the one that got ‘whisky of the year’ at WhiskyMag)
Great idea. Given that I began drinking whisky about 20 years ago it’s been a fun roller coaster.
My thoughts –
1. The Ardbeg 10 YO, released about 10 years ago and resurrected this grest distillery (I think their marketing efforts – the Committee – was also ahead of its time but thats OT on this thread)
2. The Compass Box whiskies for showing that its doesn’t need to be about distillery/age/finish, just the taste , albeit with some great innovation and ideas along the way
3. The Rare Malts series for its classy approach to making some great whiskies available to punters (and, looking back, at very competitive prices)
4. GleneBay – the explosion in high-end/limited edition finishes (and their prices) is a big trend – 10-15 years ago you could get great aged OBs (e.g. the early Ardbeg single casks and 21 yos) for good prices – now the distillers have seen the eBay prices and priced that in, essentially making this a collector’s market – characterised by my final choice….
5. The Diageo Manager’s Collection – for calling the top of the market in distillers’ hubris
By the way – what happened to Lot 40? I still have a half-empty/half-full bottle and love its refreshing dryness
Re: 3. The Rare Malts series for its classy approach to making some great whiskies available to punters (and, looking back, at very competitive prices)
Besides someone who kicks footballs, what/who is a punter?
James
In this context, read it as ‘the guy/girl in the street who buys decent whisky’
Hope that helps!
nice list…especially #5
I would just mention “widely” available whiskies:
- Glenfarclas 21 YO
- Arbeg 10
- Lagavulin 16 YO
- Talisker 10 YO
- Highland Park 18 YO
- Macallan 18 YO (100% sherry)
-Glendronach 15 YO
- Mortlach 16 YO F&F
- Springbank 15 YO (since the 21 YO is not anymore available)
- Balvenie 15 YO
- Bowmore 12 YO
and for the blends:
- Teacher’s
- Ballantines 17 YO
Came back to mention the Rare Malts, but Leveller has beaten me to it
Slightly surprised to see so many people going for Ardbeg 10 and so few for the Ardbeg 17 which preceded it and really kick-started things post-Glenmorangie buyout.
Hi everyone,
Compass Box HQ here. I just wanted to reply to a couple of questions raised in this (fascinating) debate.
John’s first whisky was Hedonism which he launched in late 2000. John’s motivation for creating this 100% vatted grain whisky was to set the tone for what was, and still is, the CB philosophy; namely, enlightening people, challenging preconceptions and simply trying to make great whiskies for people to share and enjoy.
We then launched Asyla in 2001, followed by the dearly departed Eleuthera at the end of the same year. Limited Editions apart, this was followed by The Peat Monster, The Spice Tree and Oak Cross. Then finally, the resurrected Spice Tree came back last September.
You can find lots more lovely geeky detail at http://www.compassboxwhisky.com or on our Compass Box Whisky Facebook page
many thanks
Chris
Chris
Good to see you on the site – Hedonism was a real eye-opener and, for me, the CB bottling that had the greatest impact, followed by the original Spice Tree
Keep up the good work!
Thank you very much Mr Leveller,
It’s nice to be here.
Hedonism is still the whisky that probably suprises and delights the most people at any tasting we do. Saying that, it’s crazy to think that 10 years on, despite the great work done by guys like Duncan Taylor and other independent bottlers, there are still so few good grain whiskies out there. Vive Grain whisky!
[...] that’s come up quite a lot recently but John Hansell has started a cracking debate over at What Does John Know and it’s well worth taking part in if you’re a whisky fan – and remember it can [...]
This is a great thread! I have been drinking whisky (properly) for about 12 years now so missed a lot of things. My list would be
Macallan 18yo vintage bottlings prior to the 1980 Vintage
Mortlach 16yo F&F
Highland Park 18yo
Talisker 25yo
Bunnahabhain Auld Aquaintance
Aberlour Abunadh
Lagavulin Distillers Edition
Macallan 1874 – then it all went wrong
And for the slightly more obscure
Armore centenary bottling
Hedonism
Invergordon 1965 from Duncan Taylor possibly the first of the grain revolution
SMWS Smokey, bourbon cask 12yo Macallan – cant remember number but it was way before fine oak came out
Greenspot
Peated Connemara
Old Potrero
Hirsch 16yo
I could go on and on actually will need to give this more thought!
Connemara – taught the Scots how to do peat all over again and brought back the long-forgotten Irish peated tradition
Redbreast 15 yo – PPS taken to a whole new level, and one of the most speculated whiskeys in history
Irishman 70 – PPS and Single Malt blend? A world first.
Bushmills Millennium – selling by the cask to the public on a large scale for the first time
Jameson RVR – 400 euro for a NAS blend – the baleful power of marketing in action.
Kilbeggan distillery reserve pure malt – the first whiskey off the stills from this distillery in over half a century.
I defer to those with greater knowledge on US, Scotch and other types of whiskey. But some of those others that seemed to make history to me would include:
Old Potrero Rye
Octamore
Amrut Fusion
Arran’s wood finishes
Glenmorangie’s Solera
Mackmyra – proving European continental whiskey has a market.
Bushmills 16 triple wood comes to my mind.
I do have several benchmark whiskies.
I feel the Second Distiller’s Masterpiece from Jim Beam was ground breaking for the American Whiskey.
The Arbeg Provenance was benchmark as it showed Islay Scotch can be aged for many years and keep its peat integrity.
I also feel the first 3 Black Bowmores were benchmark for Highend special editions, even though the fourth edition does taste better
And last but not least, the Springbank Millenium Limited Edition 25 year old, The most complex and well balanced whisky ever made. I recall a piece you wrote about it almost 8 years ago “10 whiskies worth the price” . If there is a whisky to try this is it!
Yes, that Springbank Millennium 25 was pretty amazing. (I wish I had a bottle.)
I’m curious: why the second Distillers’ Masterpiece? I agree that it was better than the first one, but it was the first one that started something new, right?
Marketing benchmark or taste benchmark?
The first generally available single barrel Bourbon should qualify as a benchmark – was it Blanton’s?
The first generally available uncut unfiltered Bourbon at cask strength – maybe Stagg and W.L. Weller?
I’ll second Van Winkle Rye as being the benchmark for the Rye resurgence.
Van Winkle 20yr Bourbon remains a notable benchmark for super aged Bourbon.
Super aged Demerara Rum seems to have created a sea change in how people perceive and drink Rum – I nominate Zacapa 23 and the departed Zaya Guatamala as the benchmarks in that category.
I could be wrong but I thought Booker’s was the first uncut (barrel strength) unfiltered bourbon (their website says since 1992). Also, one of the few named after a living master distiller.
I believe your correct. The memory may not be the first to go but it’s close.
Now that I have 3 bottles of the Springbank 25 i am sure we can come to an agreement.
the 2nd distillers was the was focused and improved on the flaws of the first and made it amazing. I think of it as an uncut diamond. there are several uncut diamonds that were larger than the Hope diamond but the cutter and polisher made that diamond what it is. sure the first might have been “the first” but the second one is the one that made everyone notice so that one is the groundbreaker. the black bowmores, the first 3 were remarkable enough and made people take notice of special editions. I mean who ever heard of a $100 bottle of scotch before the first edition?
Port Ellen annual releases are for me benchmarks. With the 7th as the best.
And, I think, Lagavulin 12 yo cask strength belongs in this group.
In the US corner I would like to nominate Bookers and Knob Creek.
Although I have been enjoying whisky over that whole 20 year period, most of that time my enjoyment was rather casual, so I can’t comment on the 1990s very thoroughly. But in my view there were two extremely important milestones for Scotch
1. The Glenmorangie finishes because they added a whole new dimension for single malt bottlings
2. The Classic Malt concept of Diageo. This marketing stunt certainly helped single malts to come out of the closet at all by showing the variety that can be found among them.
Benchmark Bottles (non exhaustive):
Ardbeg 17, Lagavulin 16, Laphroaig 10 and Macallan 18 for their benchmark quality
Aberlour a’Bunadh for the batch concept and for proving that No Age Statement does not have to equal inferior whisky.
Bruichladdich Octomore for pushing the limits.
Compass Box Spice Tree for testing the limits
Excellent choices, Oliver. We sometimes forget how radically the Classic Malts revolutionised and popularised the market for high quality Scotch single malts in the 1990s (especially but not only in the US), and the wood finish/extra matured etc concept has provided Scotch with one of the few areas in which it has been able to innovate radically within the tight controls of SWA-policed regulations.
It’s interesting that few people mention blended Scotches when listing benchmark whiskies of the past 20 years. Blended Scotches are, by far, the biggest sellers in the whisky/whiskey market. There must surely have been some benchmark blended Scotches introduced over the last two decades (or not?)
Aside from Compass Box which has been mentioned extensively here, Johnnie Walker Blue probably deserves mention as a marketing benchmark. The introduction of Blue presaged a whole generation of whiskies that aimed for the high roller set. Macallan Lalique, the G&M Mortlach 70 and all of those other $1,000 plus retail whiskies we’ve seen proliferate in the past ten years in particular owe their market share, in part, to JW Blue.
Another vote for the first Classic Malts range. That consarned wooden plinth–and as importantly, that twenty some dollar box of miniatures–turned a lot of folks on to whisky for the first time.
In that spirit I’d also note the Beam component whiskeys (I think?): Booker, Baker’s, etc., did similar for opening up the “interesting bourbon” world to a wider audience.
And I’ll also vote for Spice Tree because everyone talked about it, I never got to see or taste it, and it was a Big Deal.
Too bad it’s too early to nominate that Karuizawa ’71 I never got to try!
I’m not a bourbon guy, but I’m surprised that Buffalo Trace hasn’t been suggested.
Two Bit:
While Buffalo trace is an excellent bourbon (and a great value) I wouldn’t put it as a benchmark bourbon. It really wasn’t “the first” in any category, meaning it wasn’t the first super premium bourbon, it’s not a cask strength bourbon, its 9 years old so its doesn’t benchmark the aged bourbons. While its a small batch bourbon I think I would have to say Knob Creek would be the benchmark. Having said that, I like Buffalo Trace every bit as much as Knob Creek. I’m just not sure what it would be the benchmark for.
Thanks for the clarification, Vince. Guess I got sucked into the marketing vacuum: I hear the name so often I figured they must have done something special.
Bruichladdich Octomore 1, Ardbeg 1977, Strathisla 40yo, Talisker 18yo, Lagavulin 16yo, Amrut Cask strength Peated, Mackmyra Preludium 03, Bowmore 16yo 1992, Caol Ila Cask strength, Compass Box Hedonism, Garneath Grain 40yo – 1969, Highland Park Earl Magnus and 40yo, Kinninvie 17yo Portwood finish, Laphroaig 10yo Cask Strength, Port Ellen 1982 OMC…
Bruichladdich Octomore, Glenmorangie (cask finishes) & Compass Box for their innovation and the way they change the “visage” of whisky world… Kilchoman for bringing new blood in scottish whisky world.
The Wild Turkey range and micro distilleries in USA ( Finger Lakes, McCarthy Oregon, Woodstone Creek) … so much good stuff out there !
In Canada, Forty Creek have the gold medal for their Premium Barrel and also for the Double Barrel Reserve…
New world whiskies: Mackmyra and Amrut ! Simply wow !
And Glenora distillery for their battle over the SWA !!! Rock on !
We can also mention the benchmarks of badness. There were a few turns in the road that were definitely not for the better.
Loch Dhu : Under the premises that dark rich color was best, lets make something from wood most likely taken from conflagration and make something truly special. It remains (to me) as the single worst thing I have ever consumed.
Manager’s Choice: Diageo determined that we can charge any amount for standard whiskey if we make up a story and make it limited in its release. I think this act for many defined them as the penultimate greed machine.
Hold on, Brian (and everyone else)!! That’s my post for tomorrow. Please keep your frustrations to yourself for one more day.
… chomping at the bit …
So that’s the sound I keep hearing in the background: bits being chomped on.
John, I don’t think we have seen your list yet…
I’m saving it for our 20th Anniversary issue, so I can’t let the cat out of the bag just yet.
Wait – isn’t that over a year away?
Less than a year, but you will have to be patient. Sorry.
sorry about that John. ^_^
I guess i know exactly what I am posting tomorrow then.
I began drinking whisky in the mid 1990s and the whiskies that I was pointed to time and again in my early days were:
Lagavulin 16
Redbreast 12
Laphroaig 10
Bookers.
Since then I’d give a nod to Ardbeg 10, Talisker 10, Highland Park 18, George T Stagg and. Hirsch 16.
I can’t forget to mention the first Rye I tried and the one that influenced many. The Van Winkle 13.
I’m obliged to agree with most of you, for me the Lagavulin 16. This has been one of the very few whiskies that when I tried them my tongue explodes with flavors. And I should add the same story for the Talisker range (specially the 18yo).
Bye the way, yesterday I explored a new Bourbon for me, the Maker’s Mark… wow. Pretty nice, I usually tasted just Scotch, but this one has earned it’s place among my collection.
I know this is relatively recent but the revival of Glendronach under Benriach’s umbrella. All of their releases have been stellar and the glendronach’s in the 80′s were superb too! Can’t wait to try the first single cask releases from them
A lot of my benchmark malts have been mentioned, but some of my favorites have been the Springbank 21, Macallan 18, Highland Park 18, and of course Laphroaig 10 and Lagavulin 16. Almost forgot Talisker (10 and then 25). And the Balvenie Islay Cask, Bowmore 17 and 21 and Longrow 10.
There have also been a few independent products that stand out, such as the Blackadder Raw Cask series (love the 1971 Glen Grant), Old Malt Casks releases of fantastic older Ardbeg and Brora at fair prices (1974 and 1975 Ardbegs), and the first three Murray McDavid Mission series (especially the first Clynelish, a 1972).
I remember (and still have a bottle of) that Clynelish 1972 from MMD. Nice!
What about the benchmarks to see who can have the highest price! I don’t know where it all started, but when Scotch became something to spend tens of thousands of dollars on, it became something to collect, for the elite few, and not drink.
As an aside, I think the general trend of reviving distilleries, instead of the mass closures of 1983. Benriach and Glendronach under new management, Bruichladdich, Edradour, and Benromach purchased and revitalized by independent bottlers, Ardbeg under Glenmo/LVMH, Glenlassaugh coming on board, Raymond Armstrong with John Mcdougal revitalizing Bladnoch, one of the few Lowland distillery.
Irrespective of the individual whisk(e)ys more are being released.
The whisky that turned me from a casual single malt drinker to an enthusiast was Black Bowmore 1st release. Back then, it could be bought by mere mortals, although I blanched at a Scotch that cost almost $200! Four drained bottles later, it had become well beyond my reach. The whisky was great (although the overlooked Anniversary 1963 was better). but I think it is in the pantheon because it sparked the whole speculator/collector/auctioneering craze to a new level.
The US release of Springbank 12/100. What a concept! Dilute younger, stronger whisky with old, old underproof whisky and sell it for less than $50 a bottle. My all time winner for the QPR prize.
I also agree with those that pointed to Bush Pilot’s Private Reserve 13yo. It was the very first recognition that Canada had something legitimate to offer beside the brown vodka flooding the borders.
I’d like to add BBR’s original “Blue Hanger” blend to the list because it was such an idiosyncratic whisky and again elevated the concept of what a blended whisky could be.
For Irish, it’s got to be Green Spot. The first unmalted barley blend I’d ever heard of, let alone tried. It gave me a whole new appreciation of the style.
Finally A.H. Hirsch 16yo Rye, which sparked the rye renaissance and let us get in touch with the history of whiskey making outside of KY and TN.
Hirsch 16 yr is my all time favorite (only have a bottle and a half left)
Enjoy:
Macallan 18 yr
I am surprised that no one has mentioned Thomas H. Handy yet. Some of the releases of this one are the best rye whiskies I have ever had. I really like that it is unfiltered and barrel proof. I wish that more whiskies were released this way.
I like Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit a lot also. I think this is the best bourbon that is easily available and not a limited or annual release.
I never “got” the attraction to Handy. It struck me as a musty rye, containing the same “house flavor” as Buffalo Trace bourbon, another whisley that I’m not on board with. Glad you liked it, though!
Apart from already mentioned standards like Highland Park 18Y and Lagavulin 16Y my benchmark single malts over the last 20 years from special bottlings are
Macallan 18Y, 1978 (benchmark Speyside)
Rosebank, 9Y, 1989, 58,1%, Cadenhead (benchmark Lowlands)
Springbank, 24Y, 1967 (benchmark Campbeltown)
Ardbeg 18Y, 1974, 56,8%, Cadenhead 150th Anniversary (benchmark Islay)
Lagavulin 21Y,1985 (benchmark sherried Islay)
Talisker 20Y, 1981, 62%, (benchmark Islands)
Brora 24Y, 1977, Rare Malt (benchmark Highlands)
Longrow 18Y, 1974, 54,7% Cadenhead 150th Anniversary (benchmark all categories)
Karuizawa, 1967, Cask 6426 (benchmark Non-Scotch)
Marcus, I have a bottle of that Cadenhead’s Longrow 1974 18 y/o. You are the first person I know who ever mentioned it (besides me). A very special treat for sure. I should have two, but I think the person getting it for me at the time drank one of them. (And I can’t blame him.)
Ardbeg 1975, 1st whisky I ever loved & made me fall in love with whole catagory
Ardbeg 10, for teaching me older is not always better
Macallan 18 I love Sherry’d Malts
Royal Lochnagar Select Reserve, see above
Eagle Rare 10, 1st bourbon that made me go wow!
Yamazaki 18, for making me look around the world for my favourite dram
Famous Grouse Golden Reserve, 1st blend that I thought amazing
can remember 1st & last sip of each
cheers
Craig
I would have to say Laphroaig Quarter Cask. I’ve tried loads of others, especially Islay Malts, but I always return to this. Not that it stops me searching for new drams. Second is Ardbeg Uigeadail or Lagavulin 16 – tough call.
As for blends I keep returning to Whyte and Mackay Special. Nice for a break from the expensive malts.
[...] if we’re going to highlight all those benchmark whiskies over the past two decades, I suppose we should take a look at the other end of the spectrum: the defining whiskies that [...]
Lee, thanks for the kind words about the Whyte & Mackay Special.
Remarkable bottlings within the last 20 years, should be:
Ardbeg, very young – starting the wave of Scotch Whisky, with high quality, and below 10 years of age, also opening up for some of the new distilleries to sell their product before, they reach the age of 10.
Bruchladdich – for trying every thing – 4 times destillation, Organic, the race against the 100 PPM, …
Macallan 18 before “fine oak” took over, the old Sherry versions is still the benchmarks, when talking Sherry Whisky
Diageo’s series of “Rare Malts” – bringing old destilleries to live, and setting the agenda for Whisky at cask strength.
And in the end, the worlds greatets all rounder – Highland Park 18, for just combining the best of all whisky types in one bottle.
I think in general terms the resurrection of American whiskey (rye and bourbon) is the biggest benchmark.
Respectfully, American whiskey never lost its glow here in the states. It just took the respect afforded it by even-handed representation in Malt Advocate (and few other publications) to make it a player on the world stage, though.
…very true
Most of the bottles from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society during the early 1990′s; they were cherry picking the industry. OB’s? Laphroaig 10, Springbank 100 Proof, And dare I say it? The Classic Malts; they kicked open many doors for me. They are not the same whiskies today but they were very good back then.
Used to be mainly Peat – i.e. Islay Islay Islay with Laphrpaog and Bruichladdich leading the way.
After being to Feis Ile 2010, discovered Jura – fell in love as well.
Ever since I came back, started tasing any whisky I can find, so t still experimenting looking for those not Islay-Jura whiskes to enjoy on regular basis.
Old Forester Birthday Bourbon. It’s usually an extremely good mingling, and each year’s bottling is deliberately different from previous ones.
The Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. Particularly the barrel-proof expressions.
Likewise Parker’s Heritage Collection.
The late, lamented Weller Centennial. 10 years old and 100 proof, it was shockingly cheap compared to the 8 year old 100 proof that was sold as Very Old Fitzgerald, once upon a Stitzel-Weller ago.
I will hesitantly add Wild Turkey 12 year old, hesitant only because I don’t know whether it was first marketed within the 20 year limit. But it was some of the finest distillery juice ever put into a bottle; I wish I could find a time machine, go back ten years, and buy a case or two of it. That was the bourbon I would pour for Scotch aficionados who told me they wouldn’t touch bourbon because it was too rough. It was a very persuasive argument in a glass.
I still have me a bottle of Weller Centennial. Great stuff!
I must say that I am VERY impressed by everyone’s comments. You know your whisky! The past 20 years were my main drinking years and they hold many fond memories for me. I love sharing them with you.
Very few references to Glenfiddich here. Biggest sms brand (by a long way) in the world. That’s odd?
For example; as far as I can remember, Glenfiddich 50 years old was a benchmark whisky in the early 1990s. It started the trend for distilleries to release very, very old whiskies, commanding high prices and gaining lots of media coverage. Distillery releases of rare and expensive old vintages has become a feature of the whisky scene in the past 20 years.
Iain,
The Glenfiddich 50 yo might be a benchmark, but unfortunately very few of us have tasted it.
If I might taste it once in my life, maybe it will appear as a benchmark.
Amongst the Glenfiddich, the 15 YO solera is my benchmark
Iain, I think Glenfiddich is considered a starters whisky by many (myself included). Therefore, it might be omitted more than it should be, since I have fond memories of popping my first bottle of Single Malt, which was a Glenfiddich. Now, I am not too fond of them anymore, so that might be a reason.
Glenrothes seems to have been overlooked here. The benchmark? Vintages. That very first 1979 still sticks in my mind as a wondrous whisky.
1. Four Roses Mariage 2008
2. Lagavulin 16yo
3. Buffalo Trace OB
4. Four Roses Single Barrel
5. Laphroaig 10 CS
6. George T. Stagg
7. Rittenhouse BIB
8. Wild Turkey Rare Breed
9. Highland Park 18
10. Bruichladdich Blacker Still
It’s endless, really.
Only been a whisky drinker for 7 years thanks to my better half so many whiskies I have not been able to comment on but here are my favourites: -
Ardbeg Uigedail
Ardbeg 10yo
Black Bowmore
Bowmore Dawn
Highland Park 18yo
Highland Park 25yo
Highland Park 40yo
Hanky Bannister 40yo
Aberlour A’Bunadh
Old Pulteney 17yo
Pappy van Winkle 20yo
Middleton Rare
Laphroaig Quarter Cask
Laphroiag 18yo
Whyte & Mackay 30yo
Dalmore 40yo
Lagavulin 16yo
Talisker 18yo
What about the emergence of very high end blends? They don’t seem well-represented here (other than compass box) but to me that’s been one of the true stories of the last five years in terms of marketing.
Fascinating thread. As a newbie, I must once again extend a hearty thanks to the many experienced enthusiasts who comment here, along with the man himself. A question for you based on some comments here: How have the Classic Malts from the lauded and lambasted Diageo declined over the years? They are certainly still benchmarks for me, though few of my current raves are among them. (Talisker still delights me each and every time.) Details of that decline would be helpful; and would you attribute it to the bottom-line approach of a giant corporation?
Henry, I think that you are asking an excellent question and I would like to hear myself what is so wrong with Classic Malts. I like Diageo’s simplicity, quality and no gimmick approach to presenting whisky. They do not have new, substandard expressions out every couple of months. All the other independent or smaller whisky distillers seem to be using more marketing tricks.
Michael, I doubt you’ll find many here who’ll agree with you about “Diageo’s simplicity, quality and no gimmick approach to presenting whisky.” I surely don’t. But neither am I sure that the aficionados here find things “so wrong with Classic Malts.” I’m simply asking them to give more detail about a decline in quality they’ve found in some or all of them over the years.
In case it’s not clear, I’m no fan of Diageo or any other large corporation. Yet many of their distilleries still produce some excellent whisky. I just want to see more informed opinions about them.
What I meant to say is that basic range of Lagavulin is 12YO, 16YO, DE; Caol Ila 12YO, 18YO, DE, CS. They have (in my mind) very simple, elegant presentation and are all excellent whiskies. I like Port Ellen yearly releases as well.
My favourite distillery is still Laphroaig (really like 30YO). I like (and collect) Karuizawa and Kilchoman also have Ardbeg, Yamazaki and Highland Park (25YO and 30YO). I would rather have Ballantine’s 17YO and 30YO than many Speyside whiskies.
i’m not a fan of the distiller’s editions (which seem to me to blunt the edges of whiskies with individual, “unique” characters) but i have not made out much of a decline in the talisker 10, the lagavulin 16 or the caol ila 12 in recent years. and i think the laga 12 cs from 2009 was excellent, as are recent talisker 25s (and the 18 from some years ago). then again i have not been drinking these whiskies for as long as some (many?) here and can’t speak to a decline over a larger period. as i’ve said before i think the justified anger at diageo’s marketing/pricing sometimes bleeds over into evaluations of the whiskies themselves.
Depends what we mean by ‘benchmark’. Benchmark because they’re great? or benchmark because they’re influential or ‘different’?
A few thoughts that might fall into either category…
I think there are better cask finished whiskies out there, but Glenmorangie can claim a lot of credit for starting the craze of finishes. GlenMo Port finish?
The Beam Small Batch whiskies – good bourbons and influential – made small batch, boutique a ‘cool thing’ (although that may be mostly hype!). Nevertheless I thought Knob Creek, Booker’s and Bakers were all pretty good.
Yamazaki/Yoichi – even though the Japanese have been producing whisky for a while, it’s only recently that people have started to take notice and Yamazaki can claim much credit. I, for one, love Japanese whisky. Yamazki 18 or Yoichi 15 worth name-checking.
Amrut Fusion or Peated – for proving it really doesn’t matter where whisky comes from. If it’s a classic, it’s a classic.
Black Bottle – for proving good whisky doesn’t have to cost the earth (you can pick up a bottle for about £14 UK and it’s a brilliant blend!)
Glenfiddich 15 Solera – not only is this the only Glenfiddich I’ve ever liked, but it’s the only (to my knowledge) whisky to use the solera method.
Lagavulin 16 – just a great, great whisky. I just wish they’d boost it to 46%, non-chill filter and drop the caramel. Unlikely with the distillery at full capacity though…
Highland Park 18. Personally I prefer the 21, but the 18′s still great, consistently so and the best all-rounder out there (that I’ve tried – and that seems to be the concensus too).
Glenfarclas 15. Reasonably priced and top-notch sherried Spey. Who needs patchy Macallan bottlings when you can have this?
Aberlour A’bunadh – consistently good, sometimes superb. A great intro to cask-strength whisky.
Sazerac 18 & Van Winkle 13 Family Resrve Rye
Ardbeg Uigeadial – and I know that the knives are out for Ardbeg as it’s more of a cult than a distillery – but, really, it’s difficult to deny that some truly outstanding bottlings have come out of it. Personally I don’t have a prob with NAS whiskies – if they’re good, they’re good.
How about Mortlach 70 for oldest whisky yet produced? I haven’t tried it though – and fat chance I ever will !
Somebody mentioned the absence of blends in the benchmark whiskies.
May I nominate Black Bull 30 yo. Simply the best blend I ever tasted.
They have a 40 yo and would very much have a chance to taste it.
But the 30 yo is simply fantastic!!
Well I know this bottling is not widely known, but Serge gives it a 92 and raved about it…1968/2003 Scott’s Selection Longmorn-Glenlivet (61.3% ABV!). I got this as a surprise birthday present this weekend! This has to be one of the best deals ever. $180 for wonderful whisky distilled in 1968 and still at 61.3% ABV!
Amazing whisky, smoky, peaty, tons of tropical fruit and mint, and even at 61.3% it doesn’t need water.
That list will be more than interesting. I yust can say, which Whisky i would like to see and why i prefer these one;
Lagavulin 16 yo, is one of the best Whisky, which have made it to the discounter and over them to the bigger group of customers. A real good Whisky in a very good price range. A symbol for Whisky!
Ardbeg Rennaissance, the name says everything.
Rosebank 12 yo F&F , because Rosebank shall life forever
Talisker 175th anniv. ; one of the best whisky i have ever had
I love the Tali 175th as well..better than the 18, but not quite as good as the 10.
I’ve been milking my bottle of 1966 Vintage Balvenie for some time know. It’s amazing, and also one of the great earlier OB vintages available back in the 1990s.
As usual I travel and get on these threads late (I know should tweet but so far have refused to board that train). Great posts bringing back great memories. Some of my benchmarks, most of which I dont think have been mentioned yet, and most of which I still have some on hand (unfortunately very few unopened bottles but many with just a taste missing…):
Glenmorangie Claret Wood. The high end whisky that started it all for me. And to be clear, I mean the US release (in 750 ml bottles), not the Pall Mall UK release (in 70 cl bottles), the two releases were miles apart in breadth and quality. And once again special thanks to Bill Lumsden who solved the mystery for me when the Pall Mall private bottling showed up on US shelves some years ago.
Talisker ’89 Double Matured Amoros Sherry Cask (wish I still had some of this)
Any Bookers. Evan Williams may have been the first (and I would never disagree with John especially when he is probably right) but Bookers for me IS the bar.
Laphroaig QC. Agree with above comments, the standard in NAS whiskies.
Ardbeg – da’ Beastie!
Octomore. So peaty that my peat lovin little brother doesnt like it (which floors me still).
Any PC, and think I have em all.
Ardbeg Rollercoaster – and being a math geek I love the bar chart.
nuff….