Best in Blog #58: Top 10 Whiskies of 2009; Distilleries Doing Good Work
Lots of tastings notes to start off the new year. Be sure to check out Whisky for Everyone’s top 10 of 2009, and John Hansell’s ongoing conversation about the impressive work done by distilleries during the last year. Enjoy.
Tasting Notes From Bloggers We Trust:
- Scotch Hobbyist reevaluates an old standard – Lagavulin 16.
- Meanwhile, Whisky Notes samples the Lagavulin 12 OB (2006 Special Release), which he finds “more gentle but more complex” than the 2009 release.
- Whisky for Everyone does a quick review of their top 10 new whiskies of 2009. This is a great list, though I might quibble with the order: Part 1 and Part II.
- Whisky Notes also has a best of 2009 post up.
- Here’s Whisky for Everyone taking part in the now blogosphere-wide review of Johnnie Walker Blue Label (matched against Chivas 18, though W4E didn’t really play along).
- Whisky Notes gives a medium score, but praiseworthy notes to the 18 year old Glenfiddich Ancient Reserve.
- He gives Glenmorangie Signet slightly higher marks, though he says it took time to grow on him.
- Edinburgh Whisky does a head to head comparison of Penderyn Sherrywood and Penderyn Peated whisky.
- This 30 year old Brora (Diageo 2009 Special Release) is expensive, but John Hansell gives it extremely high marks.
Whisk(e)y News on the Web:
- It pays to contribute on whisky blogs. John Hansell is giving his top 5 commenters a sample of a rare Ledaig.
- John Hansell also wants to know what distilleries impressed you in 2009? I put in my own $.02 for American microdistilleries.
- Whisky Cast begins the decade with a look at Japanese Whiskies.
- Whisky Intelligence has more on the upcoming launch of Smokehead in the US.
- Looking to sell some older bottles of whisky? The Whisky Exchange is buying.
- Drink Hacker is running a contest to give away three pairs of tickets to Whiskies of the World San Francisco.
- Finally, Whisky Intelligence has the lowdown on The Macallan 1824 Collection.
–Whisky Party
Related posts:
Oh come on guys – that’s harsh! We did play along in the Chivas v JW thing but did it in a different way. Chivas were well happy with us anyway! Thanks as ever for the comments and links – what would your Top 10 order be then?
Regards, Matt @ W4E
True enough, you reviewed both bottles – and quite thoroughly as always – but not in a head to head match up.
I’m at work now, but I’ll leave a comment with my re-ordering later. Mostly it’s a matter of just a few bottles, as I haven’t tasted all the ones you listed. In particular, I didn’t think Benromach should be at #1.
Cool – the justification for Benromach as no.1 was the quality v price/value for money argument. Keep up your great work and we continue to follow your blog with interest. M
That makes sense, and I certainly appreciate you making affordability/quality a factor in your consideration rather than promoting an unaffordable and ungettable bottle that most folks won’t ever see. . .