What's in your collection?

[beloitpiper]

Anybody else want to brag about their Single Malt collection?

Mine:
The Macallan 15 Years Triple Wood
Scapa 16 Years
Glenlivet 15 Years
Caol Ila 13 Years Cask Strength
Macduff 27 Years Cask Strength
Glenburgie 13 Years
Glen Grant 11 Years
Blair Athol 11 Years Sherry Cask
Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix
Yamazaki 12 Years

[EagleJCS]

Unfortunately, I can't afford but one bottle a year (for toasting the New Year and other special occasions), and I really can't afford that either, but I splurge a little with the Christmas money I get from family. I try to make it last.

I currently have The Macallen Cask Strength. I have previously had bottles of The Macallen 12 year and 15 year.

I find I prefer the Speysides over the other single malts. I have tried a couple of Islays and Lowlands, but found them a bit metallic. (Then again, I prefer Maker's Mark over Jack Daniels and a good Shiraz over a Cabernet.)

[Jock Scot]

Now let me see. There are six bottles of whisky in my cupboard and six unopened cases of whisky in the cellar, and without even looking I know the labels will all say:-
TALISKER.

[Whidbey78]

Sadly, my collection has slowly dwindled and is in need of restocking.

Currently, all I have is Glenlivet 15 Years(unopened as yet), Johnny Walker Black and Red (one of each) about 1/2-2/3 gone, and one bottle of JW Blue Label being saved for something special...like finishing my patio so I have a nice place to enjoy it with a good cigar while watching the bug zapper. Nothing special, but nothing I can't enjoy!!

[mookien]

In terms of taste I'm a bit like EagleJCS (John). In general I eschew the island malts - too peaty. I don't like the taste of carbolic acid. It makes a great embalming fluid, though. :-) Two exceptions that prove the rule (for me, anyway) are Bowmore 18 and a blended malt labeled Sheep Dip Old Hebridean 1990 - peaty in the finish, but a great nose, and both VERY smooth.

Also, two of my current favorites are distilled on the coast - Oban 18 and Old Pulteney 17. I have other favorites, of course, but won't bore you with a list.

I sort of like the lowland malts, but the ones I have sampled (eg Bladnoch 10 and 17) are sweet (almost cloying), grassy, and too winey. They taste similar to Paddy Irish whiskey, but it is less expensive. :-) Auchentoshan is an exception. Their 12 is too peaty, but that unpleasantness seems banished from the excellent 18. The 3-Wood has a bit of peat, but it is well corralled by the other flavors and is one of my favorites.

I like what Glenmorangie does with it's basic whisky (both 10 and 18 - the 10 is a better buy for me), but particularly enjoy most of their wine-finished offerings. I didn't care for the Maderia, but they dropped it from their stable, so I guess others felt similarly. I admire their willingness to experiment.

Most of my favorites are Speysides, too. The Macallan Cask Strength (a 15 year, I think) has a wonderful sherry finish, but the GlenMo La Santa (sherry) achieves the same effect in a less expensive bottle. I regard the Macallan 15 "Fine Oak" as even better than their 18 and 21. The Glenlivet 15 "French Oak" is a wonderful malt, as is their 21, which I drink sparingly for obvious reasons. :-) Glenfiddich 12 is too peaty for me, but I love their 15, 18, and 21.

If you're even reading at this point, I think you've had enough from me. I could go on and on, because I love single malts and good blended malts. I'm anxious to read other tastes and opinions.

[Blackwolf]

Currently I have:

Highland Park 12yrs
Dalwhinnie 15yrs
The Isle of Jura 10yrs
The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 yrs
Glenmorangie The Original 10yrs
Glenfiddich Special Reserve 12yrs
Grant's Blended Scotch Whisky
Glen Breton Rare

[ForresterModern]

Now let me see. There are six bottles of whisky in my cupboard and six unopened cases of whisky in the cellar, and without even looking I know the labels will all say:-
TALISKER.

Jock, I knew there was something I liked about you. You are a man who knows exactly what he likes and gets the maximum pleasure from doing the simple things, repeatedly, and as frequently as necessary to maintain happiness. A man should never be short single malt, and Talisker is a good one to rely on IMHO. I have a bottle in my collection. Excellent choice and plan. I shall someday hope to share a taste of it with you---next trip towards your place in the world my friend. Between now and then I shall think of you whenever I open my bottle of Talisker.

Beloit, you and I have exchanged a few comments about my collection due to your enviable profession so I hope you will understand my decision to withhold my response for a while longer while others pipe in with their favorites and collections, for fear that posting my list might dampen, or downright cease, the response from the many other whisky drinkers in the rabble. You let me know when you want me to post my list and I will do so as promplty as possible. I will await your request patiently. (I have mine listed out in my iPhone so that when I go to the liquor store I do not buy something I already have but cannot remember. IT has happened before.)

jeff

[Teufel Hunden]

My single malt collection is small, but delicious.

Glenlivet 12, 18 and 21
Glenfiddich 12, 15.

[Singlemalt]

I collect malt whiskey regularly from the liquor store. However I tend to consume it at the same regular rate. So my "collection" rarely exceeds the open one in the cupboard.

I think I must not have a very sophisticated pallet as in most food and drink I always tend to like the strongest and most distinctive flavours available. As a result I always lean to the Islay malts. I love the rich smoky peaty full flavour. However, I don't really detect the improvement which is supposed to come with age so I tend to buy the youngest Laphroaig, Lagavulin or Bowmore on the shelf.

Can anyone point to what I am missing in not appreciating the 15-18 year old stuff?

[Dale-of-Cedars]

Almost finished a bottle of Bowmore Mariner 15 (it's taken 3 years to do so) and just started a Glenlivet 18.