Help buying for a friend please

[craig7]

Hi Everyone

Not sure if this is the right section but I have been looking into purchasing a bottle as a gift for a friend who has really helped me out recently

I know pretty much nothing about whisky but know he is very keen, has mentioned Islay to me and thats the direction i've aimed my searching.

Unfortunately the more I learn the more i'm confused

Looking for some help , Im open to any advise but would like a bottle that is a true present and maybe something he would not purchase himself normally so would look into the 150 - 200 range if they are worth it. But if you tell me a £100 bottle is better than open to any advise really

Thanks in advance

[Blackadder]

Has your friend mentioned any brands of whisky he may have a preference for, there are not that many distilleries on Islay.They are Ardbeg, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Kilchoman, Lagavulin, Laphroaig and Port Ellen.

If you knew if your friend had a preference for a particular brand we could certainly direct you to something special from that distillery.

[craig7]

Thanks for quick reply

Unfortunately Ive not managed to pick up on anything as specific as brands, Thought I was doing well getting Islay out of him till I started looking Minefield !!!!

Its difficult, as didn't want to spill the beans and push too hard but at same time appreciate I may not know enough hence why I thought id try and ask for help


Any appreciated

[Quaich1]

Craig, you have many possibilities in your price range. At the 150 pound level, there is a lovely Islay single malt:

Caol Ila 25 Year Old
70cl / 43%
Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery Bottling

There is a another Islay dandy one at a much lower price, 90 pounds:

Caol Ila Cask Strength
70cl / 61.3%
Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery Bottling

Another Islay beauty at about 100 pounds is:

Lagavulin 12 Year Old / Bot.2010 / 10th Release
70cl / 56.5%
Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery Bottling

These are a few suggestions.
Cheers
PS. You can find all of the above at http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/


_________________
"Always carry a large flagon of whisky in case of snakebite and furthermore always carry a small snake."
W.C. Fields (1880-1946)

[Keith]

If you can stretch your budget a little then i can highly recommend the Bunnahabhain 25 year old which is £218 over at The Whisky Exchange. Away from Islay but still an island malt with a touch of peat which i can also recommend and is ideal as a special gift is the Highland Park 25 year old.

[Alastair]

Both the Bunnahabhain 25 and Highland Park 25 are superb and they both are nicely packaged and look good as a gift.

You could also go for 2 or 3 special bottles instead of just the one. Some good whiskies I would suggest are Lagavulin 12 year old 2013, Bunnahahbain 18, Ardbeg Corryvreckan, Laphroaig 18, Bowmore Tempest Batch 5, Caol ila Cask Strength, Kilchoman 100% Islay

[Mark]

Islay is a difficult one to pick out some special whiskies in the around £200 price range the Caol Ila 25 Year Old Murray mentions is good and if you can go the extra few pound the Bunnahahbain 25 is brilliant and your friend will know it is a special whisky from the packaging right through to the taste.

Alastairs suggestion of 2 or 3 whiskies is good also and his suggestions are all whiskies an Islay whisky drinker would love to receive.

[Brent CA]

Craig I havent had the suggested Bunnahabhain 25 but i can say the Highland Park 25 is amongst the best whiskies i have tasted.

[craig7]

Hi guys

Many thanks for all your advise, amazing help truly appreciated

I do like the idea of a couple bottles but think I would like to go for a single bottle as maybe something he would not normally purchase himself to make it a little special if possible


I am torn between the Highland 25 and the Bunnahabhain 25 but think i'm favouring the Bunnahabhain 25 because of Islay and only going off what has been mentioned to me


To be honest I originally mentioned £200 as thought it could get carried away as budgets do, but you've all been very well behaved and I could have been pushed to £300 if there was something tremendous and extra special but that would be my max really


So do you guys think go for the Bunnahabhain 25 or is there something pushing my budget that would really be worth it ?

[Mr C]

Hi,

Have a look at this video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMUQZf6qpt4

[opelfruit]

er.......2 points. First the Bunna 25 is on Masterofmalt for £188.

Second; if he likes Islay and doesn't normally spend a lot then chances are he likes peat. Bunna is hardly peated, so i don't think this will float his Islay boat.....


To be honest, the older you go (read more expensive) the lower the peat impact as this fades dramatically with serious age. I'd think you'd be better going for 2 very good bottles at £100 each, on of which should be a Lagavulin 12yo Special release (any year, they are all good).


You could pair it up with something young and beastly like a Single cask Kilchoman or an Octomore (Edition 06.1 is out now, cask strength nutter of an Islay) - both around £80-£100.


If it were me though, I'd want something special that I'd probably never ever have again. I can see that thewhiskyexchange still has some bottles of Ardbeg Airigh Nam Beist about for £200 - pricey given what it used to sell for, but that's not the point. Once it's gone it's gone and it's probably one of the best Islay whiskies you're going to get your mits on.



PS. please buy me a bottle of Airigh Nam Beist
PPS. Airigh Nam Beist is amazing.
_________________
"Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whisky is barely enough."

[k1ranki]

Agree with Opel's comments , go for something peaty if he wants Islay.

Ardbeg Ten Years Old BIG Bottle - ticks all the boxes - £ for £ it's the best Islay, a bottle that he certainly wouldn't buy himself and a present he will not forget. For sale in the shop and www outlets.

[James T]

craig7, I would guess that most of the suggestions made above have been made with the consideration that you do not know if your friend likes big peaty whisky or not, all you know is your friend has mentioned Islay. To go for a big peaty monster could be a big mistake or it could be a big hit. The suggestion of Bunnahabhain 25 and Highland Park 25 would be taking into consideration your lack of knowledge of your friends tastes as these 2 whiskies are superb all round whiskies which any whisky drinker would appreciate and recognise as being very special whiskies.

There are very few (if any) current bottlings from the big peaty Islay distilleries such as Ardbeg, Lagavulin, Laphroaig or even Bowmore in the £200 - £300 price band, most bottlings in this price band are discontinued limited release bottlings which now have a collectable price tag and although very nice to drink I don't think they are £200 - £300 special. For example the Ardbeg Airigh Nam Beist was a superb whisky for its release price which was around £45 but I certainly wouldn't consider it at £250 that is the collectable price tag.

You really need to spend a lot more to get something very special from the big peaty Islay distilleries for example the outstanding Ardbeg 1977 is £475 over at The Whisky Exchange.

craig7 if you are unsure of your friends tastes I would recommend playing safe with the suggested Highland Park 25 and perhaps a 2nd bottle from Islay, one that doesn't get mentioned often but it is a superb peaty Islay whisky, the Smokehead Extra Black 18 Year Old which is bottled by Ian McLeod Distillers, it originates from a Islay distillery but they do not disclose the distillery but I suspect it could be Laphroaig or perhaps a heavily peated Bunnahabhain, whatever it is, it is a superb whisky and you don't see many peaty Islay whiskies bottled at this age.

Another suggestion I would make is Talisker 25 or 30 year old, there should be a few special releases to choose from which fall within you price range and if your friend likes Islay whisky he is sure to like Talisker.

Do let us know what you finaly choose and what your friend thinks of it.

Cheers, Jim

[craig7]

Again massive thanks for all your posts and suggestions

To be honest I was going round in circles, one minute defiantly this one then nope certainly that one. what started out being a nice thoughtful gift I thought and oh what a headache lol ...Not really just trying to make the right decision thats all


James I have to say thanks for your comment as thats where I was at just when you posted, what if i go down this route and actually I have got it wrong. So referring back to the Highland Park 25 and the Bunnahabhian 25

Which would you guys most rate more special as a gift or is the better whiskey would you say ???


Thanks again

[opelfruit]

Personally I'd go with the Highland Park. It's got more.peat than the Bunna so it's actually more like an Islay than the Bunna is. Bunna is more salty.

I've had both and prefer the HP, the Bunna I had contained a few duff sherry butts and it just took the edge off a great whisky. The HP was flawless, it's a beautiful whisky.
_________________
"Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whisky is barely enough."