I Blind Taste 4 x Eighteen Year Old Single Malt Whiskies
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Today was a special day. I decided to blind taste four single malt whisky all of which are Eighteen (18) years old! In the lineup we had:
• The Macallan 18 Double Cask
• Aberlour 18 Double Sherry Cask Finish
• Glendronach 18 Allardice
• Arran 18
All great whiskies but we had to pick a winner! Tune in to find out which whisky reigns supreme.
TIMESTAMPS
INTRO 00:00
THE WHISKIES 01:10
WHISKY #1 07:11
WHISKY #2 10:25
WHISKY #3 13:21
WHISKY #4 16:00
THE VERDICT 18:28
Whisky Macallan Aberlour Arran Glendronach
Пікірлер: 132
great video! you betcha! Almost drank up all the Arran LOL. Cheers!
Great video. Love the format.
What a wonderful comparison video!!!!! Hope that you do many more blind comparison videos.
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
More to come!
Great video, enjoy this format, please do more head to heads! Haha would have been fun to see your predictions as you went also, I know it didn’t go so well last time but it’s still entertaining to watch and to get more of an idea of your thought process.
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Will do! Though I nailed them this time around. Promise!
Fantastic video, this is a great comparison between all of these sherried whiskies.
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Thank you!! Glad you liked it!
Loved this format. Would like to see more vids like this blind tasting 4 of similar category such as (Age Statement, NAS, or Barrel Finish). My only suggestion would be to get a set of Black, Dark Blue, or Dark Green Glencarin glasses for the blinds, because sometimes the color gives the dram away (I.e. current dark batches of Glenallachie vs anything else).
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Believe me I'm not that good !!!
@jackthepickledhound
Жыл бұрын
Now your describing my life style. I'm trying to buy at least four bottles for every style. I made the mistake for my first blind flight of all New Your cask strength ryes, 90-100 % rye. So after the second round of tasting they were all the same .
Great blinds of 18 YOs MA. Arran 18 deserves the top spot in that line up.
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
What a dram!
Like the style and good review thanks for helping me to learn
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Any time!
Nice ranking - I totally agree👍 Do more tastings like this one (other 18s)😉
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
I will definitely do that!
four very sought-after 18s, great video. !!!
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it!
kickass vid, delightful viewing, great flow.
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Thank you brother! And appreciate your membership. I will do the same!
Nice 👍🏻 I will have to check out Arran!
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Please do!
PINky WINKY 😁. Im Not surprised. Its Winner for me as well. Love Arran at all. Fantastic juices! It was good fun, been really enjoyed. Just want more this kind of F2F wars 👍😁🥃🙋♂️
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Noted! Will look into more head to heads.
It would be fun to see the winner of this shootout pitted against budget-18s like Singleton, Tomatin, Loch Lomond, and Glen Moray. All under $100 USD.
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Nice idea. Maybe I can do one like that. Cheers.
@jackthepickledhound
Жыл бұрын
These were big hitters today. Some of the less expensive ones have better specs. I almost picked up another Tomatin today, around $80.
I will get The Arran 18!
@MaltActivist
7 ай бұрын
Good call!
I'm not sure I ever had the pleasure to try Arran 18... Really makes me want to try it. Not too surprised Maccallan finished last, recent years Maccalan has been "over priced average whisky" sadly. Long gone are the glory days but the reputation keeps prices high. Interesting video, keep it up!
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Cheers. You should get one.
Nice and fair review. Arran is great stuff. Got the 21, but just ordered the 18 as well. The 18 is hard to get here in Europe, but is avaible at the Arran webshop. So be quick If you want one. Glendronach also good, only the chill filtering is a shame. Still got all unchill filtered bottles
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Good choice!
@Dafoodmaster
Жыл бұрын
it's weird, the 18 is more expensive than the 21
Hope I too get this in my collection 🍻
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Good luck !
Well done bro... 👏
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Thank you so much 😀
Try Deanston 18yo. Its a very good dram & can be bought in the UK for under £70. It's finished in Kentucky bourbon casks. Unchilfiltered, natural colour and 46.3% ABV.
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
I have my eye on that !
@astroboy3507
5 күн бұрын
Even deanston 12 was fantastic!!!! 👌🏻
I’m a big fan of the Aberlour 18 as well
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
me too!
Right now I'm buying nothing but Arran before the price goes up even more. The Bodega the Bothy and the 10 are amazing for the price.
Would you consider the Glenlivet 18 (older version, 43% ABV)?
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
I wouldn't have minded had I had some lying around.
Please make a review on Arran remnant renegade 🙏
Arran 18 is great bottle! My favourite is Glendronach 18 (2019) it was not chill filtered in 2019 and 2020, don’t know about now 2022.
@pl3317
Жыл бұрын
Glendronach 18 in 2019 is totally different to the newest version. It was at least 23 years old and non-chill filtered.
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
I think 2021 onwards they started filtering
@Nikolay_Nikolov
Жыл бұрын
@@MaltActivist As far as I'm aware Glendronach haven't changed their production process. All they have done is removing the "non chill filtered" statement from the tubes. The reason for that is they have been using and still do (non chill) filtration methods that border chill filtration so they were afraid of being accused of providing false information on the packaging. The degree of filtration they use depends of the batch and they aim for a certain level of clarity for their malts. Apparently for some batches required filtration is so close to chill filtration that they don't feel safe keeping the statement on the tubes. Cheers!
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
@@Nikolay_Nikolov You're right - that's what I read. I'm researching the process a little more and may even release video about that. That's why you would have noticed I didn't say chill filtration but a different type of filtration. Thank you for pointing it - that really helps! Cheers.
The Arran 18 is 100% sherry matured. No bourbon cask involvement. Nonetheless, you made the right choice. Arran 18 is exceptional!
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Thank you for pointing that out. Couple of sites I went to for research mentioned ex-bourbon barrels. I should have been more thorough.
@jackthepickledhound
Жыл бұрын
I think the old bottling was blended from bourbon and sherry.. that's all I see near me. 2 shops still have a few bottles. The only new bottles I see are the 10 and some NAS. I didn't know what I would do if I saw the braille Arran 18, cause it's going to be expensive. Now I know...BUY it!
@rivenbeef
Жыл бұрын
@@jackthepickledhound that’s right - the old bottling was a mix of bourbon and sherry. Don’t be too sad about not seeing the new bottling yet. The old one was a beautiful whisky. It’s actually the one that started my obsession with scotch lol. Plus, they are very difficult to find now and the prices have gone up for those bottles. I would scoop some up!
Nice...Two of my possibles (I'm shopping 18+ Scotches) top out. Note that here, at least, the Arran 18 is $40 cheaper than the Abelour.
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Oh wow!
When blind tasting I think it’s not apples to apples without matching the bottle levels. I find that last 1/8 of a bottle if it has sat for more than a week slightly diminished as a general rule and peak flavor is about 1/3rd down in the bottle.
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
I agree but it's not an exact science - tough for me to make sure all bottles are at the same fill level
My personal choice is the Abelour...... By quite a margin. Didn't do a blind tasting but tasted all of them during this video.
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Like I said I loved the Aberlour but there was something endearing about the Arran 18 that I fell for.
What are those glasses you're using called? And are they better than the regular Glencairns?
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
They're the Glencairn Copitas. I prefer them to the regular tulip shape.
@herbyonwheels
Жыл бұрын
@@MaltActivist Thank you.
What is the glass that you used in this tasting?
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
It's a Glencairn Copita - I had it personalised with my logo
Finally love on KZread for Arran
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Actually I gave a lot of love to the Arran QC !
@troylee3700
Жыл бұрын
@@MaltActivist Then I'll have to visit your channel more often
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
@@troylee3700 Please do!!!
You need the Glenfiddich 18! It is a winner. Great notes don’t sleep on it
@OGCAMG
Жыл бұрын
Better than Glenlivet lower proof 18 and the arran IMO
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
I have it sitting in my closet ! Let me get to it.
@OGCAMG
Жыл бұрын
@@MaltActivist love your content though
@canal-do-guga-namura
11 ай бұрын
Tried it a few weeks ago. Meh. I had the Springbank 15 before the Glenfiddich 18 and obviously the Springbank absolutely destroyed it. I then tried the Ledaig 18, and although not as good as the springbank, it also obliterates the Glenfiddich 18. Taste is taste though. It's not bad either, but I have countless other 18 year olds or even younger whiskies that are so much better. I also had the GlenDronach 18 on the same day, all of these are on another league.
My guesses were before you judged them…1 . Glendronach 2. Arran 3 . MacAllan 4. Aberlour. Aberlour bottling always seem to give me synthetic feel on the palate, and a saccharine aftertaste. Glendronch is absolutely sublime. Really enjoyed your review. Slainte 🥃👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
I love this new Aberlour that they've come out with. The Glendronach is lovely but maybe a tad bit spice forward and thin on the mouth. Older Glendronach 18s were just awesome!
Not surprising to see the Arran 18 win! Don't understand why the other 18 year old were bottled at 43% ABV.
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Love the Arran 18
why the double oak macallan and not the sherry only
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Cuz that's what I had !
@zulu1520
Жыл бұрын
@@MaltActivist I think itwould be a more fair competition with all core release.
KAPOW! chill filtered -once again takes a shot to the mug, if you will
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
true...
As surely as the sun rises, Macallan keeps disappointing. A $500 bottle comes in 4th and a $100 bottle comes in 1st. SOMEthing has to give eventually.
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
You're so right. But when is the question!!!!
@davecummings2424
Жыл бұрын
$500? Yikes! I paid +/- $325 about 9 months ago.
@Watchman999
Жыл бұрын
@@davecummings2424 which currency are you referring to? I'm in Canada.
@davecummings2424
Жыл бұрын
That's U.S. dollars. Most I've ever paid for a bottle of booze, still waiting for the right occasion to open it.
@Watchman999
Жыл бұрын
@@davecummings2424 OK well $500 CAD is $370 USD. So not far off. It's heavily inflated compared to many others like Glengoyne and of course Arran.
What year is the GD18?
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
2021
@arygerman6122
Жыл бұрын
@@MaltActivist I found that there was a decline from 2017 to 2018 / 2019. I haven’t tasted the 2020 or 2021 but I assume - given the general trend - that it is no longer quite the same whisky. I have a 2021 GD15 and it is very average. I don’t know if you have had the Macallan 15 Double Cask but I prefer that to the 18. Not surprised that it was at the bottom of your list.
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
@@arygerman6122 I'll be honest I didn't drink them all like that. Though I remember drinking earlier 18 year old GDs that were sublime (2015, 16, 17) - I drank this one after a long time and found it to be lacking the older complexity. I have not tried the Macallan 15 Double Cask. Will try and get my hands on it.
you nees to try bowmore 2003 ED or Bowmore 1998 Sb you will understand after you will try it
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Let me try and get my hands on them! Thank you for the suggestion.
Brilliant. 10yo next?
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Lets do it !
And u can buy 4 of the other 3 whiskies for 1 macallan 18. What a joke macallan
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Yup, that's the harsh reality of life!
so i'd presume this is one of the post-2019 glendronachs and no longer the powerhouses of back in the day?
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
That would be correct, sir
@Dafoodmaster
Жыл бұрын
@@MaltActivist thank you
Great video, not a big fan of Macallan, find a lot of their whisky, lacks real depth, no surprises with regards to Arran, what a dram that is, I am a big fan of Glendronach, though their recent 18yr release, is just not as good as the old nectar, which was sublime, never tried the Aberlour 18, so will have to check that out. I believe the Speyburn 18 is a cracker, though I have not had the pleasure of trying it yet.
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
People have been asking me to review Speyburn 15 and 18 -- so that's next on the agenda
My absolute No. 1 is Caol Ila 18 yrs.
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Good call!
I'm pretty sure you knew which was what
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
I really didn't - of course when I sipped them I had a pretty good idea.
Anyone watching this - it so depends on the yearly batch, they arent all the same.
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
very true
I'm traveling to UAE, can we meet?
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Hey. Drop me a DM on my Instagram and let me know your dates. If I'm free maybe we can catch up for a quick drink. Cheers.
I agree with your rankings (though I’ve never actually tried Aberlour). I finally just found a bottle of Glendronach in my local wine store, for $219. I had to try it because I really like the Glendronach 15 & 21 years. I have to say though, I would not buy it again, because it tastes (to me) nearly identical to the Arran 18, which is $80 cheaper.
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Makes sense....
Do you speak Hindi or Punjabi or any other language?
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
I can speak Hindi
@sachinkainth9508
Жыл бұрын
@@MaltActivist cool
Least favourite, most expensive and most overhyped whisky
Tough job, very jealous
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
😁 haha good point
Macallan 18 is now an absurd $420 in Minnesota -- Way over priced!!!
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Damn! That's crazy dude.
Glenlivet 18 will beat all of these.
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
damn! you think so?
Hey man, would like to know your opinion on Dalwhinnie 15. Is it a decent dram to buy?
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Yup, great dram! One of my favorites early on in my drinking career.
@MaltActivist
Жыл бұрын
Though I hope the quality is the same as yesteryears
@IncognitoChronicles
Жыл бұрын
@@MaltActivist thanks a lot man, will grab a bottle today