This is my own whisky ranking. I'm an endorser and enthusiast of drinking whisky.
For comparison, I added a professional opinion of Jim Murray, well-known author of Whisky Bible.
My rating:
10 - whisky heaven
9 - excellent
8 - perfect
7 - very good
6 - worth to try
5 - nothing special
4 - drink if you got nothing else
3 - terrible
2 - better than shit
1 - shit
Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor
Fettercairn 1824
age: 12 yo
kind: single malt
region: Scotland
strength: 40%
price: 29-31€ (70cl)
Jim Murray’s rating: 69/100
my rating: 5/10
notes: really low rate by Jim Murray and that’s true. nothing special. for that price you can get Auchentoshan Classic. that’s much better choice.
Glenfiddich 15
age: 15 yo
kind: single malt
region: Scotland, Speyside
strength: 40%
price: 43-45€ (70cl)
website: www.glenfiddich.com
Jim Murray’s rating: 94.5/100
my rating: 8/10
notes: the best in Glenfiddich family. much better than 12yo and 18yo. a lot of honey and vanilla.
Glenfiddich 18
age: 18 yo
kind: single malt
region: Scotland, Speyside
strength: 40%
price: 52-54€ (70cl)
website: www.glenfiddich.com
Jim Murray’s rating: 95/100
my rating: 7/10
notes: a bit smoky. better than Glenfiddich 12 but still no excitement. though the price is almost doubled.
Glenfiddich 12
age: 12 yo
kind: single malt
region: Scotland, Speyside
strength: 40%
price: 28-30€ (70cl)
website: www.glenfiddich.com
Jim Murray’s rating: 85.5/100
my rating: 6/10
notes: nice but no excitement.
Knockando 12 (1997)
age: 12 yo
kind: single malt
region: Scotland, Speyside
strength: 43%
price: 38-40€ (70cl)
website: www.malts.com
Jim Murray’s rating: not rated
my rating: 7/10
notes: 1997 is not rated by Jim Murray but 1994 is 86/100, 1995-71,5/100 and 1996-76/100. it’s as good as 18 yo Knockando so there’s no point to overpay for older one. shiny and light. typical Speyside.
Laphroaig
age: 10 yo
kind: single malt
region: Scotland, Islay
strength: 43%
price: 28-29€ (70cl)
website: www.laphroaig.com
Jim Murray’s rating: 90/100
my rating: 4/10
notes: for real endorsers of islay destilled whisky. it’s far from from Bruichladdich Waves or Caol Ila. Smells terrible and tastes even worse.
Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban
age: 12 yo
kind: single malt
region: Scotland, Highland
strength: 46%
price: 38-40€ (70cl)
website: www.glenmorangie.com
Jim Murray’s rating: 92/100
my rating: 8/10
notes: pepper, fruits and spice. good choice though far from Glenmorangie Original.
Glenmorangie Lasanta
age: 12 yo
kind: single malt
region: Scotland, Highland
strength: 46%
price: 38-40€ (70cl)
website: www.glenmorangie.com
Jim Murray’s rating: 68.5/100
my rating: 6/10
notes: one word - disappointment. Jim Murray is right - “very unimpressive indeed”. Yes it is, thought it’s much better than most of blended whiskies.
Benromach Traditional vs. Speyburn 10
Benromach Traditional
age: not specified
kind: single malt
region: Scotland
strength: 40%
price: 33-35€ (70cl)
website: www.benromach.com
Jim Murray’s rating: 86/100
Speyburn 10
age: 10 yo
kind: single malt
region: Scotland
strength: 40%
price: 29-31€ (70cl)
website: www.speyburn.com
Jim Murray’s rating: 82/100
and the winner is … Speyburn 10
Benromach Traditional - my rating: 6/10
Speyburn 10 - my rating: 8/10
notes: Speyburn is what I like. fruity, smooth and clean. Benromach has too much peat for me. not my style. verdict was easy.
The Glenlivet 15
age: 15 yo
kind: single malt
region: Scotland, Speyside
strength: 40%
price: 38-40€ (70cl)
website: www.theglenlivet.com
Jim Murray’s rating: 80/100
my rating: 8/10
notes: it’s much better than Glenlivet 12. smells and taste very nice but has not own, specific character.
Balvenie Golden Cask
age: 14 yo
kind: single malt
region: Scotland, Speyside
price: 53-55€ (70cl)
strength: 47,5%
website: www.thebalvenie.com
Jim Murray’s rating: 91/100
my rating: 9/10
notes: omg! that is it. i thought 47,5% vol. could burn my mouth. not. it’a great surprise after Balvenie Doublewood . fruity, vanilla, orange and of course smooth and beautiful in smell. very, very close to heaven.
As I know it’s available only in duty free shops on airports. i bought my bottle on Warsaw’s airport for about 40€ but people say that sometimes you can buy it in regular shops for the price mentioned above.
Glen Grant 10
age: 10yo
kind: single malt
region: Scotland, Speyside
price: 27-29€ (70cl)
strength: 40%
website: www.glengrant.com
Jim Murray’s rating: 80/100
my rating: 8/10
notes: fresh, clean, gentle, smooth and full of honey. great quality for quite small price.
Bowmore 12
age: 12 yo
kind: single malt
region: Scotland, Islay
strength: 40%
website: www.bowmore.com
price: 38-40€ (70cl)
Jim Murray’s rating: 91/100
my rating: 5/10
notes: too smoky. only for Islay whisky endorsers. i bought a small 0,05 bottle. lucky me.
Bushmills 10
age: 10 yo
kind: single malt
region: Ireland
strength: 40%
website: www.bushmills.com
price: 35-37€ (70cl)
Jim Murray’s rating: 90/100
my rating: 7/10
notes: nice but not so fine as bushmills classic.
Glenfarclas 10
age: 10 yo
kind: single malt
region: Scotland, Speyside
strength: 40%
website: www.glenfarclas.co.uk
price: 38-40€ (70cl)
Jim Murray’s rating: 80/100
my rating: 8/10
notes: great smell and beautiful honey taste. my new hero ;-) one more time i cannot understand Jim Murray’s low rating.
