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whiskey
Best Whisky
Good whisky - it belongs in every home bar!
Good whisky is a real joy. As a gift for a family member, for the boss or a good friend, many people search every day for the one type and the one manufacturer that offers the best whisky. Due to the large selection of different brands, the answer is of course not clear. It all depends on which flavors you like best and what price you are willing to pay!
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Smoky and woody – whiskies with a statement
Highland Park 12 years
1. The Highland Park distillery is located on the Scottish island of Orkney. This is where the barrels from which the 12-year-old Highland Park whisky is bottled are stored. For its very high quality, the whisky is a real bargain. A bottle currently costs around 30 euros. The island whisky tastes relatively peaty, but can convince with aromas such as honey and raisins when nosing. Overall, the Highland Park whisky makes a very balanced impression. A fine little drop from Scotland for little money.
Laphroaig Quarter Cask
2. The Laphroaig Quarter Cask is a special whisky. It is matured in small 50-litre barrels. This means it has significantly more contact with the wood and therefore does not need to be stored for as long. It is usually stored for between 5 and 11 years. After that it is bottled and comes in a full 48% alcohol content. Anyone who tries it for the first time will taste a mixture of coal, wood, smoke and peat. If you take a little time afterwards, you will also notice the caramel, dark chocolate and a hint of coffee when nosing. The Laphroaig Quarter Cask is definitely recommended for Islay fans.
Lagavulin 16 years
3. If you love peaty and smoky whisky, you can't go wrong with Lagavulin. It is considered a benchmark among connoisseurs. During production, it is stored in oak barrels that were previously used in bourbon production. After that, it is left for a while in previously used cherry barrels for its finish. This is where it gets its slightly fruity note. A bottle costs around 70 euros. For that, real whisky lovers get an earthy, smoky bottle of whisky that sometimes even reminds them of the aromas of leather.
Talisker 10 Years
4. There simply cannot be a list of the best whiskies that does not include a Talisker 10 year old. The bottle costs around 30 euros and offers a very special treat. It is produced on the Isle of Skye, which is why many people also call it the island whisky. The aromas are smoky and salty, fruity and tart. Pear, lemon and mandarin meet wood and smoke aromas. Beginners should be prepared for a slight burning sensation in the throat when swallowing. This is the Chili Catch from Talisker. A very good whisky for beginners and an absolute must for collectors.
Bowmore 15 Years
5. The Bowmore 15 year old whisky has very complex aromas and should not be missing from any tasting. It has aromas of dark wood, chocolate and raisins. The whole thing is topped off with particularly fresh citrus notes and a hint of sea salt. The Bowmore 15 year old is also matured in barrels that previously contained cherry. If you taste carefully, you will also recognize peat and smoke in abundance. Nevertheless, the Bowmore is one of the best whiskies with a balanced taste.
Caol Ila 12 years
6. Most people probably don't know this whisky yet, because a large part of the production ends up in blends. The Caol Ila 12 years is very diverse. At under 40 euros, the price is definitely reasonable, because the customer gets a very balanced and special whisky. Smoke and peat are in the foreground, but there are also cloves and nutmeg, grapes and currants. The taste is clear and even when nosing you have to sniff several times to recognize the fruity notes. It doesn't get much smokier than the Caol Ila 12 years.
The best whiskies in the “mild and fruity” category
Benromach 10 years
1.This whisky once again shows more than clearly that even the small distilleries in Speyside can produce very good spirits. The Benromach distillery is almost an insider tip here, but very popular among connoisseurs. When nosing the Benromach 10 year old, you immediately notice the vanilla, the malt and a lot of fruit. Overall, the aroma of this good whisky is very complex. The taste is then again grounded. Grain, malt and roasted aromas play off each other and provide few surprises, but a solid taste in the mouth. Very unusual as a gift and definitely not an everyday occurrence. The price per bottle is 35 to 40 euros.
Dalmore 15 years
2. The Dalmore, like some of its relatives, is matured in former bourbon and cherry barrels. This means that a very wide range of aromas can be experienced when nosing. A little cherry here, a little Christmassy scent there, and both surrounded by caramel and citrus. The Dalmore 15 Years continues this surprise when it comes to taste. The tasting is very silky and soft overall. The roasted aromas are clearly in the foreground, which is why connoisseurs sometimes refer to it as a gentleman's whisky. A bottle costs around 55 euros, which is more than reasonable for this quality.
Balvenie Caribbean Cask
3. Rum lovers in particular will get their money's worth with this Scotch whisky. It is matured in precisely these barrels and the aromas can therefore also be found in the final product. It takes 14 years for the tropical flair to fully develop. We have pineapple, papaya, coconut, banana and vanilla. Overall, the aroma is not too complex and the taste is a little reminiscent of an exotic fruit salad, but for beginners and friends of fruity whisky it is exactly the right choice.
Auchentoshan Three Wood
4The Auchentoshan Three Wood is one of the few whiskies that is sold without an age statement on the bottle. However, its name at least reveals that it was matured in three different barrels. 10 years in a former bourbon barrel, 2 years in an Olosoro sherry barrel and then a certain amount of time in a Ximenez sherry barrel for the finish. This gives the glass fruity and sweet notes that tell of cherries, caramel, chocolate, walnut and other delicious ingredients. With the Auchentoshan Three Wood, customers get a very good and above all delicious whisky, which with its mild aroma is very suitable for beginners and pleasant to drink.
Do you already know all the types of whisky?
To help you keep track, we have put together a list of the most important types of whisky.
... Or go to the overview and look at other whisky best lists!