The Ardbeg 'Lord of the Isles' shown at the right is a very nice dram, but at over 150 Euro's
a bottle it's hardly what I'd call a sound investment. That money will buy you three bottles of
the amazing Laphroaig 10yo Cask Strength - which is, quite frankly, a better whisky in my book.

Or how about a bottle of the top-of-the-line Johnnie Walker Blue Label that I already mentioned earlier.
If you're really lucky you may find a bottle for circa 150 Euro's. That's just plain lunacy, as far as I'm concerned - especially because some liquorists still offer the superb Lagavulin 16yo for less than 50 Euro's. This means I can drink at least three bottles of Lagavulin 16yo for the price of a single bottle of Blue Label. Hardly a hard choice, is it? No, I didn't think so either...

But then again, it isn't quite so easy when you're actually standing in front of the shelves of your liquorist with your money burning in your pocket. In an attempt to rationalize my purchasing process I played around with my calculator for a couple of hours, trying to find some kind of 'formula' to calculate precisely how much 'bang' I could expect in return for my 'bucks'.

Although the price range of single malts stretches from less than 20 to over 100,000 Euro's,
it's not neccessary to pay more than 50 Euro's for a great malt. That is the street price of the
Laphroaig 10yo Cask Strength here in Europe. Fine whiskies like the Talisker 10yo, Ardbeg 10yo,
Balvenie 12yo, Higland Park 12yo and Glenfarclas '105' can be obtained at an even lower price.
I sometimes pay more than 50 Euro's for a bottle, but that's usually for a very special occasion.
Under 'normal' circumstances I'd have to pay an average price of + 40 Euro's for a good malt.
Paying twice as much probably won't double my fun and the odds get worse at higher prices.

So, let's say I'm prepared to pay 40 Euro's for a (0.7 litre) bottle of good single malt whisky.
Using this as my 'Fair Price Anchor', I can take the initial quality score of a single malt, and add
or subtract 1 point for every Euro price difference. Next, I take a look at the alcohol percentage.
I'm a big fan of cask strength malts. For one thing, you can simply dilute them in various stages.
That way, you can enjoy different 'incarnations' or 'moods' of a malt before it reaches the 'standard' 40% ABV.
Some whiskies (like the Saint Magdalene 1979 UDRM) even seem to change completely depending on the amount of water you add. Besides; you simply get more alcohol for your money. That's why every 3% of extra alcohol adds one point to the BfyB score.

The final element in the equation used to be the size of the bottle. Before litre bottlings started to go out of fashion, they generally offered better value than normal bottles because they contain over 40% more whisky than a 700 ml bottle and 30% more than a 0.75 litre bottle. For those of you with the same consumption pattern as me: that means 20 stiff drams per bottle instead of just 15! At the same time, the price difference is sometimes less than 10%. That's music to any malt maniac's ears. Unfortunately, litre bottlings are becoming rare these days, making the distinction useless. What's more, only official bottlings (OB's) are available in litre bottlings, giving them an unfair advantage over independent bottlings (IB's). That's why I decided I had to remove this element from the equation. So, these days I can calculate exactly how much 'bang' I got for my 'buck' using this formula;

(X ~ Y) +/- [(Z-40)/3] = BB

As you can see I haven't squandered my youth by paying attention in math class.
Here's what the formula means to represent;
 
X = The 'fair price' in Euro's (in my case 40 Euro's)
Y = The actual 'street price' for the malt (in Euro's)
Z = The actual alcohol percentage (ABV) of the bottle
BB = The 'Bang-For-Your-Buck' score

Sounds complicated, you say? Not at all. Let me give you an example.
When we look at the Longmorn 15yo, the friendly price of 30 Euro's (in July 2001) adds a cool (40-30=)
10 points to the original 81 'quality' points, pushing it to a cool 91 value points. It is bottled at 45%, so
that means two more points for power. As a result, the final 'BFYB' score is 93 points; not too shabby...
Another example; a litre of Dalmore 12yo costs only 32 Euro's in 2001 (43% bottling), so the initial score
of 80 points translates into (80+8+1=) 89 value points. Let's do one more - an expensive one this time.
The Macallan 18yo went for +/- 75 Euro's in 2001. That means we need to subtract (75-40=) 35 points
from the original score of 89 points, putting it at 54 BFYB points. The fact that this 'Mac' is bottled at
43% pushes the score up by one point, but it's clear that 55 BFYB points isn't a very good 'value' score.

Applying these calculations produces a list that looks quite different from my Hit List.
Actually, this new 'Bang-For-Your-Buck' list resembles the actual content of my shelves a lot closer. However, after I finished the list I realized it may have been the ultimate exercise in futility. First of all, there are considerable price differences between different shops and countries. The Dalmore 12 may set you back 32 Euro's here in Holland, but it's probably cheaper in France and more expensive in India or Taiwan. And that's not the only problem; the 'fair price' you're willing to pay (in my case 40 Euro's) is directly related to your discretionary income. Some people may consider 40 Euro's a lot of money while others have no problem spending 200 or 300 Euro's on a bottle of single malt whisky. That means that the formula is only useful for fellow Dutchmen with an identical consumption pattern.

Effectively, everybody will have to figure out his or her own personal 'Bang-For-Your-Buck' formula. And that's not all - shortly after I published the first 'BFYB List' I became aware of a disturbing phenomenon. That phenomenon is called 'batch variation' and it means that official bottlings can show considerable differences between consecutive batches. I didn't include independent bottlings in the original list because I felt it would be pointless to list bottlings that were released in very small numbers - you wouldn't be able to find them anyway. Well, as it turns out the same is true for specific batches of official bottlings. The BFYB value of the 'White Horse' Lagavulin 16yo from the early 1990's was phenomenal, but the more expensive 'Port Ellen' bottling that's available these days doesn't offer quite as much 'value'. After some careful consideration, I decided I had to to drastically chance my approach. Building a 'definitive' BFYB-List that will still be useful in five years time is simply impossible.

So, while this website has been growing larger and larger, this 'Bang-For-Your-Buck' List kept getting shorter and shorter. This has nothing to do with the availability of affordable single malts; keeping a full list with the 'BFYB' scores of all malts I've tried became difficult when I passed the 100 malts mark and virtually impossible after I passed the 500 malts mark. So, over the years I've seperated the chaff from the grain, first by removing all independent bottlings from the list (simply because there are only a few hundred bottles of that particular expression available), then the bottlings that were released over 5 years ago. I finally reduced the content to the twelve bottles listed above, but for your entertainment I've included the version of the list from the early noughties. The list below shows the BFYB score first, followed by the malt, the calculation and a brief description.

The Previous 'Bang-For-Your-Buck-List'
Attention: Prices and ratings are valid valid for batches available in Holland during 2000.
Check the Universal Currency Converter for conversion into your own currency.

*** Best Value for Money

97  Laphroaig 10yo
96  Talisker 10yo
96  Lagavulin 16yo
96  Glenfarclas 105
96  Highland Park 12yo
95  Macallan 12yo
95  Dalmore 12yo
94  Glenmorangie 10yo
93  Dufftown 10yo
93  Glen Ord 12yo
92  Longmorn 15yo
92  Balvenie 12yo DW
91  Balvenie 10yo
91  Glenlivet 12yo
90  Bunnahabhain 12yo
90  Glenfarclas 10yo

(86pts/35C/43.0%/1.00) - At 35 Euro's per litre, this is the quintessential BFYB malt.
(92pts/38C/45.8%/0.70) - Guaranteed to deliver a peppery punch at less than 40 C.
(95pts/40C/43.0%/0.70) - My beloved gentle peat monster still reigns on the Hit List.
(80pts/36C/60.0%/1.00) - Insane value at 60% ABV; cornerstone of any malt bar.
(85pts/35C/43.0%/1.00) - Another affordable malt that feels at home in any collection.
(86pts/37C/43.0%/1.00) - Still one of the best (affordable) sherried malts, but slipping.
(80pts/31C/43.0%/1.00) - Not a 'stellar' score at 80 points, but the perfect daily dram.
(81pts/33C/43.0%/1.00) - You can't go far wrong if you're in the mood for a light malt.
(76pts/24C/43.0%/0.70) - I've always had a soft spot for this highly affordable dram.
(80pts/27C/40.0%/0.70) - An enjoyable malt with just that extra bit of 'Highland' spunk.
(82pts/37C/45.0%/1.00) - A full flavoured Highlander; 37 Euro's buys a litre at 45% ABV.
(85pts/33C/40.0%/0.70) - An ultra-smooth Speysider with just enough sherry influence.
(81pts/30C/40.0%/0.70) - 3 Euro's cheaper than the 12yo, but I prefer the Doublewood.
(76pts/25C/40.0%/0.70) - Another cornerstone of any drinks cabinet; the reference malt.
(81pts/31C/40.0%/0.70) - Not a peat monster like its Islay neighbors, but a great dram.
(79pts/29C/40.0%/0.70) - This isn't quite as sherried as the Macallan 12 - great balance.

In my defense: I'm Dutch. I can't really complain about the availability of single malts here in Holland, but because malt whiskies can't be sold in supermarkets, liquorists don't have to worry about competition too much. So, prices are usually a tad higher than in France or Germany. That means that these days your average 70cl bottle of your average 10yo or 12yo single malt whisky will typically cost you around 40 Euro's. That's quite reasonable, but not quite as cheap as in France, Germany or Italy. Older malts are much more expensive here in Holland by comparison. For example, in 2001 a bottle of Macallan 30yo had a pricetag of +/- 300 Euro's.

** Reasonable

89  Cragganmore 12yo
89  Connemara NAS
88  Tomatin 10yo
88  Ardbeg 10yo
86  Glen Scotia 14yo
86  Glen Grant NAS
86  Inchgower 12yo
86  Oban 14yo
85  Glen Grant 10yo
85  Ardbeg 17yo
85  Glen Garioch 15yo
85  Tamdhu NAS
85  An Cnoc 12yo
84  Bruichladdich 10yo
83  Tamnavulin 10yo
82  Glengoyne 12yo
81  Dalwhinnie 15yo
80  Cardhu 12yo

(81pts/32C/40.0%/0.70) - Fairly light and subtle in style, but with a lot of heart.
(76pts/27C/40.0%/0.70) - An excellent Irish alternative for the Islay peat monsters.
(75pts/27C/40.0%/0.70) - Not a 'high profile' malt, but amazing value at just 27 Euro's.
(86pts/40C/46.0%/0.70) - Not the cheapest Islay malt around, but what a beauty!
(84pts/38C/40.0%/0.70) - The friendlier priced Springer alternative from Campbeltown.
(65pts/19C/40.0%/0.70) - Only 65 points, but at 19 Euro's it beats most premium blends.
(76pts/31C/43.0%/0.70) - Hardly a remarkable dram, but reasonably friendly priced.
(77pts/32C/43.0%/0.70) - One of Diageo's 'Classic Malts' - not my personal favourite.
(70pts/25C/40.0%/0.70) - Better than the NAS version, but hardly worth 6 more Euro's.
(92pts/47C/40.0%/0.70) - An amazing smooth Islay malt from the shores of 'Kildalton'
(78pts/39C/43.0%/1.00) - A fairly average malt that makes it this far in a litre bottling.
(72pts/27C/40.0%/0.70) - Here's another malt I have a soft spot for - just a nice bottle.
(73pts/28C/40.0%/0.70) - Fairly good dramming at 28 Euro's a bottle. A blend beater...
(75pts/31C/40.0%/0.70) - Maybe my least favourite Islay malt, but still decent value.
(71pts/28C/40.0%/0.70) - One of the best summertime malts you'll find below 30 Euro's.
(73pts/32C/43.0%/0.70) - Maybe just a tad too light for my tastes, but good value.
(72pts/32C/43.0%/0.70) - Another malt that's a little lighter than I would have preferred.
(72pts/32C/40.0%/0.70) - No high flyer, but blends twice as expensive can't beat it.

* Unattractive

79  Miltonduff 12yo
79  Royal Lochnagar 12yo
79  Glenmorangie Port WF
78  Benriach 10yo
78  Benromach 12yo
78  Speyburn 10yo
77  Glenmorangie Madeira
77  Glen Elgin NAS
77  Glenkinchie 10yo
77  Auchentoshan 10yo
76  Glen Deveron 12yo
76  Strathisla 12yo
76  Littlemill 8yo
75  Balblair 16yo
74  Inchmurrin 10yo
74  Arran NAS
73  Laphroaig 15yo
73  Glenlivet 21yo
73  Glenfiddich NAS
72  Balvenie 21yo Port
71  Glenturret 12yo
71  Springbank NAS CV

(74pts/36C/43.0%/0.70) - I know I'm a penny-pincher, but 36 Euro's seems a bit much.
(74pts/35C/40.0%/0.70) - I guess it's nice to try a fairly 'obscure' malt once or twice.
(85pts/47C/43.0%/0.70) - This is a malt I love, but I can't afford too many bottles.
(71pts/34C/43.0%/0.70) - A score in the lower 70's doesn't warrant a price of 34 Euro's.
(75pts/37C/40.0%/0.70) - 37 Euro's is a tad rich for an 'average' single malt in my book.
(69pts/31C/40.0%/0.70) - Hardly expensive, but still too high a price for a 60's malt.
(83pts/47C/43.0%/0.70) - I love this one just slightly less than the Port Wood Finish.
(70pts/35C/43.0%/0.75) - Simply not a very attractive price/performance ratio.
(66pts/30C/43.0%/0.70) - But I should probably add that this is a very personal opinion.
(68pts/31C/40.0%/0.70) - Once I must confess to prejudice towards young Lowlanders.
(63pts/27C/40.0%/0.70) - A friendly price, but the Tamdhu is a far better alternative.
(74pts/39C/43.0%/0.70) - Certainly not a bad malt, but arrogantly priced at 39 Euro's.
(65pts/29C/40.0%/0.70) - Another young Lowlander bites the dust - hardly worth it...
(75pts/40C/40.0%/0.70) - With such an average score a more average price seems fair.
(66pts/32C/40.0%/0.70) - Just not good and/or cheap enough to make my heart flutter.
(63pts/30C/43.0%/0.70) - But I imagine the quality will go up as the stocks mature.
(88pts/56C/43.0%/0.70) - A WONDERFUL malt, but a tad pricy for those of limited means.
(83pts/51C/43.0%/0.70) - This is a recommendable whisky, but the 12 offers better value.
(60pts/27C/40.0%/0.70) - Still not my favourite malt, but they seem to be improving now.
(87pts/60C/40.0%/0.70) - An excellent dram for special moments, too bad about the price.
(69pts/38C/40.0%/0.70) - What were they thinking, charging 38 C for sub-standard stuff?
(75pts/46C/46.0%/0.70) - Not a bad malt, just an average one - overpriced at 46 Euro's.

- Unreasonable

69  Tormore 12yo
67  Deanston 12yo
67  Lochside 10yo
67  Glenmorangie Sherry
67  Tobermory NAS
66  Edradour 10yo
66  Isle of Jura 10yo
66  Loch Lomond NAS
64  Tullibardine 10yo
64  Drumguish 3yo
63  Macallan 18yo
53  Glenmorangie 18yo
48  Bowmore Darkest
08  Loch Dhu 10yo

(67pts/39C/43.0%/0.70) - But I should probably add that I have a personal aversion.
(57pts/30C/40.0%/0.70) - Before I tried it I didn't understand why Deanston is so rare.
(68pts/41C/40.0%/0.70) - Here my problem with overly 'oily' notes reduced enjoyment.
(73pts/47C/43.0%/0.70) - By far my least favourite of 'Morangie's special wood finishes.
(55pts/28C/40.0%/0.70) - Once again the oily elements keep me from enjoying this one.
(70pts/44C/40.0%/0.70) - And I've heard that some other batches were really bad.
(59pts/34C/43.0%/0.70) - Yet another 'oily' malt that doesn't quite deliver the goods.
(51pts/25C/40.0%/0.70) - A single malt that reaches my Shit List without the help of oil.
(61pts/37C/40.0%/0.70) - Oily and a bit 'herbal' (eugalyptus, fennel?) which I don't like.
(40pts/16C/40.0%/0.70) - Even at a measly 16 Euro's this single malt offers bad value.
(90pts/68C/43.0%/0.70) - A great malt, but at 68 Euro's I can get two good ones instead.
(82pts/70C/43.0%/0.70) - Nice enough, but certainly not worth twice the price of the 12.
(65pts/58C/43.0%/0.70) - Are they daft? This malt is simply WRONG! Not even worth 25 C.
(11pts/43C/40.0%/0.70) - The biggest disaster in recent malt history. WORST MALT EVER!

Before I came up with this 'lean and mean' list, the BFYB-List used to be a lot longer.
Some two years after I started this site, I noticed a growing discrepancy between my Hit List and my Stock List - in other words; I didn't really put my money where my mouth was...

So there you have it.
Because these 'value' ratings are based on my personal 'likability' ratings, they are coloured by my preferences.
But I just don't see how you can determine the 'value' of a malt without taking the pleasure it provides into account.
And pleasure is, as we all know, a personal and subjective experience. An alternative approach to the system I've used would include a fictuous standard malt with a 'fair' rating and a 'fair' price - for instance 80 points and 40 Euro's. From there, you can calculate a fair price for each rating on your scale and determine your own 'value' range.
 
I hope the information on this page will help you to spend your malt money as sensible as possible.
Check out the Shit List for tips on how to spend your money unsensibly.
 

At just 21.50 Euro's at www.grandwhisky.de/shop/ (on 01/09/05)
this is a pretty good offer; you won't find many single malts in this
price segment and this actually beats most blends under 30 Euro's.
Maybe not perfectly suitable for everyday dramming, but given its
fairly unique credentials (Irish AND single grain) it's a nice addition
for the whisky collection of everybody who, like me, likes to expose
his guests to different styles and types of whisk(e)y now and then.

Well, this certainly is the 'ugly duckling' of the dozen.
Scoring of only 72 points it hardly seems like a likely candidate for
the BFYB-List, but I have to admit I have a soft spot for this one.
Considering that this is (A) Irish, (B) a grain whiskey and (C) just
eight years old, that score of 'only' 72 points is mightly impressive.
This is the first young grain whisk(e)y that I actually liked, beating
comparable Scottish products like the 'Blackbarrel' with a stick.

The score of 72 points may not seem particulary impressive
at first sight, but keep in mind that different malts perform
differently under different circumstances. In the summertime
I tend to pass by the heavier sherried and peated malts and
go for a lighter, cleaner malt. The Tamdhu is a refreshing malt
that doesn't require the attention that 'bigger' malts demand.
This is a light, unassuming summertime dram.

This 'standard' version of Tamdhu has been available for at least
a decade now, and I've often felt myself drawn to this slender,
attractive bottle. I'm quite sure the friendly price (23 Euro's at
La Maison du Whisky in France on 01/09/05) has something to
do with that. There are not that many single malts available in
this price range (except for the occasional 'bastard malt') and
The Tamdhu hasn't let me down so far.

I suppose I should have included a Lowlander in these first three
'light' whiskies on the BFYB list, but to tell you the truth I can't
honestly recommend the Auchentoshan 10yo or Glenkinchie 10yo
and I haven't tried the relatively new Bladnoch official bottlings.
So, with the Lowlands seemingly unable to produce a young and
affordable single malt that meets my quality criteria (apart from
a few independent single cask bottlings) I had to look elsewhere.

Let me be the first to admit that I'm not the biggest fan of the
Dalwhinnie 15yo - I usually like my malts a little more expressive.
That being said, I know there are a lot of people who absolutely
adore this gentle, subtle malt. Especially those who don't enjoy
heavily peated or sherried malts as much as I do like this a lot.
Given the chance some of my friends choose the Dalwhinnie from
my shelves (filled with 35 other good single malts) every time.

The beautifully designed bottle is a sight for sore eyes as well.
Usually my shopping behaviour is quite rational (well, taking into
account my 'malt mania', of course) so I don't often allow myself
to be seduced by the looks of a bottle. One notable exception is
the Cardhu 12yo; the malt isn't spectacular but the bottle looks
so nice. But unlike Cardhu, Balvenie actually delivers the goods.
Out of two dozen bottlings I tried only one scored below average.

The Balvenie 12yo 'Doublewood' is an old favourite of mine.
Even though the latest batch I tried wasn't quite as excellent
as earlier batches which scored 85 or 86 points, it's still a very
fine dram. The 10yo 'Founders Reserve' expression is even more
affordable but lacks the rich fruity notes and extra complexity
that's imparted by the extensive sherry finish of the Doublewood.
In this case, I think it's worth the few extra Euro's.

To me, the Dalmore is one of the best 'regular sipping malts'.
It is relatively neutral in style, but much bigger and bolder than
some of the sharper, shallower malts that are so abundant now.
I'll try to put my hands on a more recent release as soon as
possible so I can report on any changes in the profile that might
have occurred. Right now I'm quite confident it's still 'up to par'.
Do you have a bottle that doesn't satisfy? Send me a sample!

I have to admit it's been a few years since I revisited the 12yo
expression of Dalmore, but if my experiences with a few bottles
from the 1990's are anything to go by they managed to keep the
dreaded 'batch variation' to a minimum at Dalmore over the years.
The packaging an labeling looks quite simple and down-to-earth,
but it still has an identity of its own. The colour is nice as well,
but they have to use caramel to reach the desired effect.

After the demise of Macallan in the early noughties the Aberlour
10yo is a fairly obvious choice. To the best of my knowledge, it's
one of the most affordable sherried malts on the market. It's not
an all-out sherry monster like the more upmarket 'A'bunadh', but
if sherry is your thing, here's an affordable sipping whisky that's
versatile enough to please even those who can't stand too much
sherry in their malts. Scroll down for a real 'sherry monster'.

After three light whiskies and three bigger, maltier malts it's time
too look at a style of whisky that I like a lot myself; malts with a
generous dose of sherry. One would think that the best you can
get in this category is a single cask bottling from a sherry cask or
a vatting with a high percentage of sherry casks. This isn't always
the case, though... If they used refill casks for a '100% sherry'
bottling, a bourbon/sherry mix could actually be more sherried.

The price of 35.50 for a bottle is friendly enough in itself, but
when you realise this is a litre bottle at an ABV of 60%; you'll
understand how much 'bang' you'll get for your buck. A normal
70cl bottle with a 40% ABV contains (.40 x .70 =) 280cl of pure
alcohol while one litre bottle of the '105' contains no less than
(.60 x 100 =) 600cl of alcohol; the equivalent of two 'ordinary'
bottles. Most importantly: it's an absolutely fabulous whisky!

This is without a shadow of a doubt one of the best 'bang for
your buck' malts on the planet - and it has been for at least a
decade. Already great value with a score in the lower 80's, the
old packaging (shown at the right) is now overshadowed by its
successor, the new '105' (I couldn't find a picture yet). With a
score of 88 points (!) this puppy is obviously ready to play with
the big boys. A beaken of hope in the current ebbing of quality.

If you happen to find a bunch of older batches on a dusty shelf
somewhere, try to find the first version without a batch number,
batch #6, batch #7 and #11. These were my personal favourits
but I have to say that I haven't tried a mediocre A'bunadh yet;
all of them were highly recommendable. Let's just hope that they
have enough good sherry casks left at the Aberlour distillery to
keep this A'bunadh range going for the decades to come...

The Aberlour 10yo and Glenfarclas '105' are relatively sherried
malts, but not 'sherry monsters' by any means. That's where the
A'bunadh comes in. They are released in different batches which
all differ in subtle ways. Each version I tried so far qualified as a
sherry monster, though... The street price has risen to more than
50 Euro's in many stores, but as long as I can find a webshop that
offers it for less than 50 Euro's I'll keep this one on the BFYP-List.

The style of the Caol Ila is very different: crisp and clean.
If the main requirement you're looking for is pure peat, this is
your malt. It may lack some of the 'dirty stuff' that I find so
enjoyable in the other two peat monsters listed here, but you
can save yourself at least a tenner compared to the other two
malts listed here. So, this malt will come in handy every time
you're looking for a peaty punch without an in-depth analysis.

If you're looking for some sherry character in your malts and
you want to get the maximum 'return on investment' the '105'
from Glenfarclas is clearly the best and most sensible choice.
The Caol Ila fills that position when it comes to peaty malts.
It's quite different in style from the other two Islay malts on
this list though. The Lagavulin and laphroaig are 'dirty' malts
with murky and mysterious depths filled with 'organics'..

Like some other distilleries, Lagavulin switched to maturation in
100% bourbon casks in the late 1990's. If they continue to carry
a 16yo expression in their portfolio, we schould see a change in
profile starting around the year 2015 - maybe even sooner. It's
to be expected that the profile will move to the more 'bourbony'
style of the 12yo Cask Strength version that was first released
in 2002. A very fine dram, but much more in the 'Caol Ila' style.

This is was the single malt that ignited the holy fire in me over
a decade ago. The 'Port Ellen' bottlings of recent years are not
quite as exquisite as the 'White Horse' bottlings from the 1990's
(who all scored well into the 90's), but they still make this list.
The Lagavulin 16yo may have lost some depth and complexity
over the years, but the profile is still adorable. The peaty power
is balanced out by just the right amount of fruits and tannins.

If you try just one bottle from this list, make sure it's this one.
Well, provided you're not allergic to peat, that is... This is a peat
monster par excellence, combining the depth and complexity of
the Laphroaig 15yo OB with the raw power of the 'Phroaig 10yo.
This offers the best of both worlds, as far as I'm concerned...
It's so good that I simply don't dare to open one of the eight
bottles I have in my reserve stock - top notch material.

Last but certainly not least is the amazing Laphroaig 10yo C/S.
Both the 'green stripe' and the more recent 'red stripe' version
are brilliant. Although there are some subtle differences, both
earned a staggering 94 points in my book. I realise the price of
49 Euro's puts it at the very top of my 'value' price range but in
this case I think it's worth every penny. This bottling even beats
some of the amazing Douglas Laing Ardbegs from the early 1970's.

Please note that this is a litre bottling at 45% ABV.
That means you'll get a lot of bang for your buck, although the
litre bottle of Dalmore I just mentioned offers even better value.
Both the Dalmore and this Longmorn really are a great addition
to any drinking collection. Big and malty, but not TOO sherried,
making them perfect sipping whiskies for those lukewarm days
when it's too cold for Lowlanders and too hot for Islay malts.

The Longmorn 15yo is another old favourite of mine.
And just like the Dalmore, I haven't tried a recent version.
The last batch I tried was bottled around the year 2000 and it
scored 81 points; one point less than a predecessor released
in the mid-1990's. It looks like I'll have to put this one on my
shopping list as well to check if the most recent versions are
still as good as they used to be. I'll temporarily assume they are.