I Bought Popular Bottom Shelf Whisky and Ranked Them!

Тәжірибелік нұсқаулар және стиль

Thanks to Tiege Hanley for making this video possible. Get 30% off your first box, plus a FREE gift, when you give Tiege Hanley a try at tiege.com/fpwshocked
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Ever wondered if the BEST budget whiskies hide in plain sight on the bottom shelf?
In this video, I will be blind tasting some of the most debated, worst-rated, and yet possibly the best value-for-money bottles out there.
I've heard some pretty bad things about these whiskies, but I'm curious to see if they're really as bad as everyone says.
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Disclaimer: This video is only a reflection of my personal opinion and perspective.

Пікірлер: 634

  • @FirstPhilWhisky
    @FirstPhilWhisky9 ай бұрын

    Which bottom shelf whisky do you like? Also, don't forget to get 30% off your first box, plus a FREE gift, when you give Tiege Hanley a try at tiege.com/fpwshocked

  • @PSNeko

    @PSNeko

    9 ай бұрын

    What i liked: four roses yellow label, bushmills black, jim beam black, jameson stout

  • @chrissharp6149

    @chrissharp6149

    9 ай бұрын

    Teachers

  • @Cezary_The_FLY_Mucha

    @Cezary_The_FLY_Mucha

    9 ай бұрын

    Queen Margot and Monkey Shoulder

  • @Cezary_The_FLY_Mucha

    @Cezary_The_FLY_Mucha

    9 ай бұрын

    I like Tomatin but CS Bourbon & sherry casks ABV 57,5%. Ther is more flavor in this one and not so expensive for CS.

  • @lukashavel7690

    @lukashavel7690

    8 ай бұрын

    Connemara Peated and Jameson Black Barrel. If I want cheaper, I would always rather go for Irish than Scotch.

  • @edim108
    @edim1086 ай бұрын

    Red Label does what it is meant to do- it's inexpensive, doesn't taste bad and goes well in drinks.

  • @RaoulKunz1

    @RaoulKunz1

    5 ай бұрын

    As someone who has all the Johnnie Walkers there are (it's more of a collection thing, I tend to drink preferably of the "second grade" various "Black Label" blends for everyday [ *not technically every day* mind you🥴😉] consumption and the various "Gold" blends for more spiffy occasions, "Blue Label" in my opinion isn't truly worth it's price - it's still "just" a blend) I was always under the impression that the Red Label was never intended to be consumed by itself but is less of a Scotch "in it's own right" but an *ingredient* for drinks, much like "Rum Aroma" is used in cakes 🧐. So I completely concur with you - it isn't meant to be drunk all alone without juices or syrups😆. Best regards Raoul G. Kunz

  • @GogiRegion

    @GogiRegion

    5 ай бұрын

    @@RaoulKunz1On the Johnnie Walker website, it states Red Label as a cocktail scotch while it calls Black Label a cocktail or sipping scotch. So yes, you are just straight up correct about it being a mixing version.

  • @RaoulKunz1

    @RaoulKunz1

    5 ай бұрын

    @@GogiRegion Ah thanks - should have looked ip up myself but was clearly too lazy..erm... I think the tragedy here is chiefly that I "always" (meaning "often", but as we know: "once is never, twice is always") see Red Label as the only scotch on the locked liquor cabinet in supermarkets and it's treated like it's super-duper-special-behind-locked-doors-expensive-beverage (there is no requirement here in Germany to lock up liquors in stores, it's just a sometimes used way to block potential theft of expensive - and there we are - alcoholic drinks) which of course suggests it's "special" when it's just that... an ingredient. Thanks for pointing this out!^^ Best regards Raoul G. Kunz

  • @RunawayTrain2502

    @RunawayTrain2502

    5 ай бұрын

    Red Label is basically one for mixing -only?

  • @bongboyz6468

    @bongboyz6468

    5 ай бұрын

    Red label is so ass. I hate it straight or mixed

  • 8 ай бұрын

    Here in Brazil we have a special edition of Teacher's 12 Golden Thistle. It is made in Scotland but bottled in Brazil just for the domestic market. It is matured for 12 years in both American and European oak casks and finished in casks that contained Islay single malt whiskies (supposedly from Laphroaig). It is surprisingly good, with a nice balance between the peat and fruit notes and costs less than 20 US dollars. It has become my go to blended scotch whisky and one of the few that I actually enjoy drinking neat.

  • @GeorgeCostanzais10.

    @GeorgeCostanzais10.

    5 ай бұрын

    Putz, não sabia q o Teacher’s podia ser tão complexo. Se eu encontrar dessa edição por um bom preço, vou experimentar. Valeu!

  • @otterlyfresh2886

    @otterlyfresh2886

    5 ай бұрын

    Don't tell them about Teacher's, shhhhH!

  • @user-pq2cp7eu9g

    @user-pq2cp7eu9g

    13 күн бұрын

    Only $20? Teacher's 12 years Golden Thistle is selling for $35-$37 here in Calcutta, India.

  • @DrownInLysergic
    @DrownInLysergic6 ай бұрын

    As somebody who commonly drinks a $10 bottle of bourbon and thinks my local made $35 bottle of bourbon is high class stuff, it's weird for me to hear a $58 bottle called "budget" Although, my current favorite whisky is also the most expensive one I've ever been able to afford at $70

  • @Wazules

    @Wazules

    5 ай бұрын

    Can’t get a $10 bottle in New Zealand mate. Which is where this is filmed.

  • @Metallicazor

    @Metallicazor

    5 ай бұрын

    58$ is nuts. In Germany you can get most good bourbons and single malts for under 30€. Woodford Reserve for 25€ is one of my favourite bargains

  • @HughRogers609

    @HughRogers609

    5 ай бұрын

    NZ and Aus have crippling Alcohol taxes.@@Metallicazor

  • @HughRogers609

    @HughRogers609

    5 ай бұрын

    We can't get anything for $10 in Aus. JW Red is the bottom of the barrel whisky here, and still costs AUD $45-50

  • @monochromaticspider

    @monochromaticspider

    5 ай бұрын

    I'm guessing he's using New Zealand dollars, which are a bit under two thirds of a USD. And that's before taxes and transportation costs are factored in. So probably half the price if you're living a bit closer to ordinary civilization than Kangarooville or Kiwitropolis.

  • @mr.ricochet8603
    @mr.ricochet86039 ай бұрын

    I'd like to give a suggestion as a wishky and coffee aficionado: when nerding out trying to find the best coffee possible you get adjusted to great ones, so sometimes I like to get some average nothing special coffee to enjoy and bring my palate back to square one. I started doing it with whisky too and I feel it works there too, get yourself some solid cheap wishky, and you'll love the good ones more (your wallet will thank you too). Sometimes you just need that 80's action blockbuster 😂

  • @FirstPhilWhisky

    @FirstPhilWhisky

    9 ай бұрын

    Exactly!

  • @Ghost-rq4zv

    @Ghost-rq4zv

    9 ай бұрын

    Same, I’m hugely into to coffee and it always makes me appreciate my freshly ground light roasted coffee whenever I have an average coffee

  • @honkytonkinson9787

    @honkytonkinson9787

    8 ай бұрын

    When you’re used to the good stuff it just tastes normal, and then the mediocre stuff tastes bad. Better to be used to average stuff and save the good stuff for special occasions, no matter what beverage

  • @jdraven0890

    @jdraven0890

    7 ай бұрын

    "Daily drinker" is a thing, yes! Larceny is my "go to" for that. We did the same thing with wines. As you go up the scale in price it doesn't get THAT much better. We regularly had $10 (max) wine bottle challenge blind taste test parties, and discovered some very decent ones. If you're eating red meat you can't go wrong with a Malbec and I've never paid more than 20 bucks for a Malbec and they have never disappointed.

  • @wailingalen

    @wailingalen

    7 ай бұрын

    Bruh I hear ya loud on that 80s blockbuster! It's good to get back into your "place in the world" , and I think it applies to food as well!

  • @hakonyggnrr6621
    @hakonyggnrr66218 ай бұрын

    Teachers highland cream is my budget scotch, while it’s a blended scotch it contains 40% peated Ardmore whisky and bottled at 90 proof which is more than most bottom shelf scotches can boast. Macleans nose also blew my socks off with a 70% malt, both peated and unpeated from ardnamurchan as well as some Sherry aged whiskey. Both have changed the budget whisky game for me as well as what a blended scotch can be

  • @mCblue79
    @mCblue797 ай бұрын

    It's weird how booze is so much cheaper in NZ when it probably passed through Australia to get there. Our "sin tax" is ridiculous. Nice vid!

  • @andyreynolds6194

    @andyreynolds6194

    6 ай бұрын

    There’s potentially an interesting video idea there about bonded warehouses and ‘bottled in bond’ type whiskeys and bourbons.

  • @BigNiz82
    @BigNiz828 ай бұрын

    J & B is freaking great! Patrick Bateman would agree😁

  • @ianbishop3835
    @ianbishop38356 ай бұрын

    Many years ago, I worked for The Glenlivet Distillers, before they were taken over by the Canadian Mafia (Seagrams). The company produced The Glenlivet 12yo; Glen Grant; Benriach and Longmorn - all single malts, and Queen Anne (std blend) and Something Special (De Luxe). If you ever source a bottle, try 12y.o. Longmorn. Top class. I had a bottle of 1955 (Gordon & McPhail bottling) for my 50th birthday in 2005.

  • @FirstPhilWhisky

    @FirstPhilWhisky

    6 ай бұрын

    Amazing! I interviewed Alan Winchester recently when he was over in NZ. Gonna be on the channel soon! I haven't had the 12. But I have a bottle if the old Longmorn 16 in the green bottle. Amazing stuff!!

  • @budj13
    @budj139 ай бұрын

    I really enjoyed this video, Phil. There is such a wide range in whisky and even within the bottom shelf. Some of these are undrinkable as you found and accurately reflected. I do keep blended whisky in the cabinet to keep me grounded, but I have found the gems in that class. That is what you did here. I love your work!

  • @milesforwin
    @milesforwin9 ай бұрын

    I'd love to see the whiskey banter video Phil! And as much as you may not have enjoyed these whiskeys, I found it a very entertaining video. Maybe go for a "still cheap but more mid-tier" set next time? Cheers

  • @eviltrain24
    @eviltrain249 ай бұрын

    J&B: pencil shavings. I equate that note as a cold, still full, used, cigarette ashtray. And that is a note that I specifically associate with grain whisky, and it's pretty much universal for me. That said, I do have a taste for grain scotch across the quality and age spectrum from a 30yr old North British I.B., to a Tweeddale Single Grain, and on down to the J&B Rare. As of now, among the blended scotch bottom shelfers, J&B stood out for having a lemony flavor note and I'm quite partial to that in my scotch in general. I'd certainly place the Red Label below J&B, Buchanan's, Bushmill, and a few others.

  • @billwallace1199
    @billwallace11999 ай бұрын

    Great video, Phil. Love to see the banter video. Cheers and need to hear more of your story.

  • @FirstPhilWhisky

    @FirstPhilWhisky

    9 ай бұрын

    Glad to hear you are keen to see a banter video. I'm unsure as it's not technically about whisky, but it will be a good story to listen to with a whisky.

  • @michaelscott7166
    @michaelscott71666 ай бұрын

    A couple of years ago I was in Edinburgh and wanted to treat myself to a nice bottle for my 40th so popped in to a whisky shop. Not being an expert I asked the very helpful member of staff what kind of stuff I liked and what I was prepared to pay and he put half a dozen samples out for me to try. It turned out the one I liked the most was by far the cheapest of the lot called The Ileach. It's from an undisclosed Islay distillery, i've seen it available for around £30 a bottle and often cheaper.

  • @Ghost-rq4zv
    @Ghost-rq4zv9 ай бұрын

    Love this, I’d like to see more blind tastings. Maybe 5 “budget” good value single malts

  • @paintspot1509

    @paintspot1509

    7 ай бұрын

    Its very hard to beat arran or glencadam 10

  • @cyberfieldmarshall1009
    @cyberfieldmarshall10099 ай бұрын

    Fun video, really enjoy your channel, have learned a lot thanks to you. Just picked up a Glenallachie Cask strength Batch 8

  • @ahoneyman
    @ahoneyman7 ай бұрын

    This is pretty highbrow for cheap whisky. You need to get into Cutty Sark, Clan MacGregor, or Black Velvet for a real trip into the bottom shelf. Cutty Sark isn't bad for $25 US for 1.75l.

  • @toolthoughts

    @toolthoughts

    5 ай бұрын

    Cutty's Prohibition Edition is pretty nice and still not expensive.

  • @GeraldWalls
    @GeraldWalls6 ай бұрын

    The Costco/Kirkland Blended 12-yo is worth a try. I THINK it is 50% malt and it is decent enough to actually sip. You'll never ruin a cocktail with it I gu-ar-an-tee.

  • @Repetoire

    @Repetoire

    6 ай бұрын

    Yeah their brand is notoriously good they work with some good distillers.

  • @mmmhorsesteaks
    @mmmhorsesteaks6 ай бұрын

    How about chivas regal? Always found that fairly enjoyable.

  • @WhiskyNeighbour
    @WhiskyNeighbour8 ай бұрын

    Great walk through. I would totally agree with your 1 & 2. Cheers!!

  • @ledsvik
    @ledsvik6 ай бұрын

    I like Teacher's as a budget one. It's kinda like a budget version of Glenfiddish 12yo with a peppery finish. Downside that it also is way to easy to drink. 'Islay Mist The Original Peated Blend' is a very good one for it's price.

  • @NeilImmortal
    @NeilImmortal9 ай бұрын

    The malt always shines ;) Arran 18 has become a rare and endagered species in Germany, those shops that have it want €170, costs more than the 21 at the moment.

  • @sunyboy333
    @sunyboy3339 ай бұрын

    Very fun blind tasting! I unironically enjoy Tomatin Legacy, it just suits my palate. Catto's blended scotch is THE low budget gem for me. Outperforms all the generic big brand names like JW or Chivas at a fraction of the price.

  • @meanmrbean8641
    @meanmrbean86415 ай бұрын

    Proper Twelve looks and tastes like someone asked ChatGPT how to make whiskey.

  • @pietvw
    @pietvw9 ай бұрын

    Great video! Yes on the banter video!

  • @njsmwalker
    @njsmwalker9 ай бұрын

    Great video and spot on…the Glen Moray is a good budget scotch ..and the port finish version is good too.

  • @PrestigeLiquidsWW
    @PrestigeLiquidsWW9 ай бұрын

    Excellent videeo mate, it looked like you had some fun with it😁

  • @FirstPhilWhisky

    @FirstPhilWhisky

    9 ай бұрын

    Thanks mate!

  • @abrahamtomahawk
    @abrahamtomahawk6 ай бұрын

    In terms of a decent, cheap(ish) single malt, I like either the Glenlivet Founder's Reserve, or the standard Talisker. In terms of a blend. I've always rather liked the Black Grouse (a smoky whisky by the Famous Grouse), a portion of the profits from went to black grouse conservation in Scotland. Also, Tomatin is in Strathdearn (also called the Findhorn Valley by Philistines), the next Strath north-west from Strathspey. The Findhorn is a different catchment from the Spey (rather than a tributary of it like the Livet or the Dulnain for example), so it wouldn't be considered a Speyside.

  • @kayfountain6261
    @kayfountain62617 ай бұрын

    My late mother used to drink Bells or Grouse, but she used to add a tumbler of ginger ale to a measure of scotch to make her long bedtime drink. She felt it would have been a crime to pollute anything better.

  • @McIntyresMalts
    @McIntyresMalts9 ай бұрын

    Haha this is solid gold Phil, great video and keen on that break in story mate.

  • @ItsAMadHouse360
    @ItsAMadHouse3607 ай бұрын

    I used to drink a lot of White Horse, it was a blend that was very affordable and had a little smoke.

  • @thewhiskyenthusiast
    @thewhiskyenthusiast9 ай бұрын

    Any Glen Moray Elgin heritage is a good bang for buck whisky to get started on. They're not great but they do alright same with Tomatin and I'll take a Jameson any day. Cheers Phil, very entertaining video!

  • @Slo-Mode
    @Slo-Mode9 ай бұрын

    Honestly I love the idea of you trying to find good budget single malt because they're not easy to find at all

  • @jamesnugent1256
    @jamesnugent12568 ай бұрын

    The 12 in proper 12 refers to where McGregor is from seemingly as he is from Dublin 12.

  • @judithmorse6829
    @judithmorse68299 ай бұрын

    I really like using the Tomatin for cocktails. Aside from Monkey Shoulder it’s my favorite for cocktails.

  • @davidowen2834
    @davidowen28349 ай бұрын

    Hi Phil. Actually I like the tomatin legacy, last bottle I payed €19. The Glen Moray classic peated version is also worth a buy, for a budget malt it’s not that bad at all. Haven’t had a J & B blend in years, says it all really. Excellent blind tasting video 👍, slàinte Phil.

  • @jaime_hi-meh_not_jay-mee7095
    @jaime_hi-meh_not_jay-mee70959 ай бұрын

    Wow, 5/5! Nice one, Phil! For some reason, NAS Irish whiskies are cheap here in the Philippines, and these have become a staple in my shelf: - Teeling Single Grain - NZD65 - Teeling Single Pot Still - NZD56 - Teeling Small Batch and Jameson Stout: NZD29 Yes, I’m a Teeling fan.😊

  • @archeofutura_4606

    @archeofutura_4606

    8 ай бұрын

    Gotta love Teeling :) it’s definitely my go-to Irish whiskey. There are so many good Irish distilleries out there, but their stuff is so expensive and hard to find compared to the mediocre brands. Teeling stands out, however🇮🇪🇮🇪

  • @OscarOSullivan

    @OscarOSullivan

    5 ай бұрын

    Teeling is nice

  • @Helliconia54
    @Helliconia549 ай бұрын

    I know many who prefer Johnny red because of its taste.I know many that'd buy a red over the black ANYDAY.

  • @EuropaWill

    @EuropaWill

    7 ай бұрын

    Me included. Red is much more interesting than black. Stands up better in a cocktail also.

  • @levanabrzeni
    @levanabrzeni9 ай бұрын

    Hello. I need your advice. Long ago I tasted Glen Storn scotch whisky and loved it. Currently can’t find it at local stores. Could you recommend me whiskies of the similar sort? Thank you

  • @michaellrakes5521
    @michaellrakes55216 ай бұрын

    Johnnie Walker Red is 50/50: ive drank bottles that were incredibly smooth and had almost a buttery flavor ( butterscotch? *Rimshot*). But then ive had bottles that are very rough, including the most recent bottle ive gotten. Its an issue with the blending and the young age. Sometimes they get it right and other times they botch it

  • @Thedrunkenswede1337

    @Thedrunkenswede1337

    6 ай бұрын

    That is very true have the same experience. Some are okay others have a very bitter after taste. Dont know why. Dont buy that shit anymore. Now my go too wiskeys is black lable or Jack Daniels old 7.

  • @chrisbergin390
    @chrisbergin3907 ай бұрын

    That arran 18 must have gone down like an absolute dream after having those haha

  • @chumaninxazonke117
    @chumaninxazonke1176 ай бұрын

    You're spot-on. I made the mistake and purchased the Proper 12. Biggest mistake of my life! It's overpriced! Tastes more like Viceroy brandy. The Red Label shouldn't be part of the Jonnie Walker family. The colour of J&B is disgusting. Flavour is a joke. Yet South Africans love it. I don't understand!

  • @163andyc
    @163andyc7 ай бұрын

    Johnnie Walker red is $30 plus tax in the United States for a 1 3/4 litre bottle at Walmart and ABC liquor store.

  • @JoshBattershell
    @JoshBattershell5 ай бұрын

    My favorite cheap whiskey is Evan Williams Bottled in Bond. Around me it’s $35 for a 1.7L bottle. It’s not the best to sip on its own, but it’s a great mixer and you can make an ok enough old fashioned with it.

  • @levonhovhannisyan2181
    @levonhovhannisyan21819 ай бұрын

    I do prefer Ballantine's from the bottom shelf, even though it always tends to be ignored by whisky reviewers, for some reson. Any idea why is it so rarely reviewed, even though it's the second best selling scotch in the world, after JW?

  • @arnaldoalegria2209

    @arnaldoalegria2209

    9 ай бұрын

    I do prefer Ballantines over JWred because it's less smoky and it makes the best whisky sour that i've had in my life

  • @BigNiz82

    @BigNiz82

    8 ай бұрын

    Love Ballentines!

  • @mondoenterprises6710

    @mondoenterprises6710

    6 ай бұрын

    I have a scotch buddy and that's his go to for daily drinker.

  • @joepauly2311
    @joepauly23117 ай бұрын

    You should give Boilo a try sometime, a winter favorite here in the Skook. Made with Four Queens.

  • @user-rb3bb7mi3u
    @user-rb3bb7mi3u9 ай бұрын

    Glen moray is a great budget whisky, where I am from they sell for 14 €, I prefer the clasic and the port finish expressions pn their basic line.

  • @mellorarma
    @mellorarma5 ай бұрын

    We went to the Johnny Walker factory earlier this year. the lady there told us that the red label is blended specifically to be drank with a mixer like Coke. I’m guessing that as J&B is the same style of whiskey, it would also suit being mixed .

  • @TheFox2450
    @TheFox24506 ай бұрын

    A great Vid Phil, you've got me in. My story: I'm 73 & just love my one finger of Scotch every evening, except on w/ends when it is two fingers. I keep my Scotch in the 'fridge & enjoy the different aromas & mouth feel as it warms to room temp. over about half an hour. They say that Scotch doesn't age in the bottle, I beg to differ !! Just this year I found a pack of two 100ml bottles of Haig in the back of a cupboard that were packed for sale in 1974. One was 12 years old, the other 18. I savored those two bottles sparingly over 3 days & it is near impossible to describe what my nose & palette went through. Unfortunately, Scotch in Oz is terribly expensive, so I just buy my McAllister once a fortnight & tipple away. Oh, before I forget. Once I put a bottle of Black Douglas in the freezer & it froze ... Never again ... I always test a new Scotch this way.

  • @curetiamhices289
    @curetiamhices2896 ай бұрын

    Just found your channel. Very interesting and informative. I’m a big bourbon drinker, but I do have a few bottles of scotch and an Irish whisky on my bar. The Dalmore 18 (my favorite) Glenlivet 18, Bunnahabhan 18, The Dalmore 12, and Redbreast 12. You have given me some info on your other videos on a variety of scotch and I will start expanding my scotch selection.

  • @OscarOSullivan

    @OscarOSullivan

    5 ай бұрын

    Irish Whiskey not whisky

  • @curetiamhices289

    @curetiamhices289

    5 ай бұрын

    @@OscarOSullivansorry man, didn’t mean to offend!

  • @OscarOSullivan

    @OscarOSullivan

    5 ай бұрын

    @@curetiamhices289 It is alright I adhere to the Scotch Whisky and Irish Whiskey convention

  • @michaeltovey02607
    @michaeltovey026076 ай бұрын

    Johnnie Walker Red is only good for making cocktails or drinking with ice and ginger beer. It probably cleans drains too.

  • @Oddzilla51
    @Oddzilla517 ай бұрын

    JW Red is a good mixer. Rarely drink it straight unless it's the only bottle where I'm at. :)

  • @beebobox

    @beebobox

    7 ай бұрын

    Who would go someplace that only had jw red... jeez :)

  • @halfsourlizard9319

    @halfsourlizard9319

    5 ай бұрын

    @@beebobox We all occasionally face desperate times stranded in places with crap bars.

  • @klizzt
    @klizzt9 ай бұрын

    Well it is interesting to me that picking out the single malts was this easy. I haven't done a side by side comparison myself (and since I came to whisky through single malt, I have next to no experience with budget blends). Really makes me want to set up a blind tasting with more premium blends compared to single malts...

  • @FirstPhilWhisky

    @FirstPhilWhisky

    9 ай бұрын

    Yeah, the Irish blended definitely stood out. The J&B and Johnny Walker just tasted more engineered.

  • @jamtea573
    @jamtea5739 ай бұрын

    I feel like throwing in some mid-top shelf stuff to make the tasting a bit more of a fair gauntlet, it's not like you're going to confuse that Irish with the Scotch after all!

  • @jonnyblair7771
    @jonnyblair77718 ай бұрын

    Excellent video as always. Just one question, what are you going to do with those whisky's you really didn't like? I'd like to know almost as much as what happened to your arm!!

  • @ArtaghVril
    @ArtaghVril5 ай бұрын

    Great vid 👍 I personally really like to have at least one good budget whiskey at home - like the Glen Morey, Tamnavulin, a good Bourbon (I love Bourbon 😄) or even a Ballentines - just for a small sip or if you wanna offer a glass to someone who's not into this - you don't wanna give a beer fan your 25 year old Chivas 😅 That's why I like vids focused more on bottom shelf/budget bottles. If you just let yourself get into it, you'll find some really good, really affordable gems. A good sip does not have to break your bank 🙂🥃🥃

  • @pierreluna1654
    @pierreluna16548 ай бұрын

    Great idea , but I think that was a little easy. You should try always "cheap whisky" but all NAS (or same age) single malt, same casks, 40% ABV Because it's clear that Glen Moray and Tomatin are not in the same category than the others.

  • @farklestaxbaum4945
    @farklestaxbaum49455 ай бұрын

    J&B is my favorite out of these lol. The Red Label and the Tomatin were almost undrinkably bad. Proper 12 is ok but a totally different type of whisky. Havent had this Glen Moray but Ive had their more expensive bottlings and most of those are alright.

  • @gabrielmariz9610
    @gabrielmariz96109 ай бұрын

    I'd love to see a video like this but with islay single malts!

  • @Mylatestdram
    @Mylatestdram9 ай бұрын

    I like the Tomatin Legacy! Even with my growing collection, I whould buy it.

  • @richiehoyt8487
    @richiehoyt84876 ай бұрын

    If that's your 'bottom shelf', then Oh Man! You have no idea how low you can go! (Without crossing the line into hand~sanitizer category...)

  • @OscarOSullivan

    @OscarOSullivan

    5 ай бұрын

    Maybe spending a bit more and getting a good middle of the road price wise whisky or whiskey

  • @richiehoyt8487

    @richiehoyt8487

    5 ай бұрын

    @@OscarOSullivan Oh yes, of course.

  • @Nicolas_Allende
    @Nicolas_Allende9 ай бұрын

    I cringed every time you were about to drink that J&B. Way to soldier on man! Great video as always.

  • @jdraven0890
    @jdraven08907 ай бұрын

    Glen Moray is actually decent, especially for the price...ill be shocked if it's not the best one. EDIT: yep! I've been able to find Glenn Moray on sale for 35 bucks, and the peated and Sherry cask are legit good

  • @toddhildebrand6057
    @toddhildebrand60576 ай бұрын

    Watching again lol. Love this one

  • @smashexentertainment676
    @smashexentertainment6768 ай бұрын

    The best under 30 bucks whiskey is Glen Moray. They have single malt, chardonnay, port, sherry, peated, aged whiskey. You can try them all without breaking the bank. The only thing cheaper I can tolerate neat is bourbon like Wild Turkey, Buffalo Trace, Four Roses. And Famous Grouse if I really need to.

  • @johngracie5497
    @johngracie54979 ай бұрын

    Tamnavuline Red Wine cask is £24 in Scotland. Great value for a non offensive, cheap single malt

  • @khalid969
    @khalid9696 ай бұрын

    I've never seen anyone get them all right. I'm impressed.

  • @manuelbou2576
    @manuelbou25765 ай бұрын

    Next time do 3 bottom shelf and 3 higher shelf and stack then in that line. I feel like because you know they are all low grade, your negative bias is doing nothing but dogging on them. You'd be more cautious with your words if you do that to a top shelf hiding amongst the cheaps.

  • @halfsourlizard9319
    @halfsourlizard93195 ай бұрын

    Walker Red is great to have with soda in the morning. Cannot imagine drinking it neat, though ...

  • @andremartins8723
    @andremartins87238 ай бұрын

    cutty sark prohibition and naked malt are my go to cheap whisky!!

  • @tomgstew
    @tomgstew9 ай бұрын

    MacLean's Nose is around £30 in Scotland and is one of the best value drams I've had in ages 🤌

  • @peatbull3426

    @peatbull3426

    9 ай бұрын

    🤩🤗👍🥂🙋🏻‍♂️

  • @jeremytheoneofdestiny8691
    @jeremytheoneofdestiny86917 ай бұрын

    I find that the bottles I regret the most are usually the ones that are most hyped up. For instance, monkey shoulder. I found it barely drinkable neat. Naked grouse was also one of the worst whiskeys I’ve ever tasted. Ardbeg 10 is touted as a holy Grail, but I also hated it.

  • @lucas82
    @lucas825 ай бұрын

    I was planning on picking up a bottle of Proper 12 out of curiosity, but I will get the Glen Moray instead.

  • @FatPigTheConqueror
    @FatPigTheConqueror6 ай бұрын

    I like J and B because it shows up in the background of a bunch of my favorite films!

  • @LarryFleetwood8675

    @LarryFleetwood8675

    5 ай бұрын

    That's how I got interested way back, had to check it (or any whisky) out at the time and surprisingsly liked it.

  • @nellyt2807
    @nellyt28075 ай бұрын

    My wife found a real beauty in a local merchants she paid £41 for it in its original bottle and label may I just say at the time of drinking I didn't know that much about malt still don't but I know more than I did back then. It was purchased for my birthday it was a dusty dark bottle that I enjoyed drinking it immensely it's taste was special. Anyway it was an original bottling of an Ardbeg 1963 it just so happened that year we were taking a trip to the Highlands and popped into Gordon & mcphails in Elgin I asked him if he had the same bottle in stock. I told him I had drank it and enjoyed it I then gave him the news of what it was honestly he didn't speak for a while then when he finally did he just said and you drank it. I then started to get worried I had done a bad thing when he told me the closest he could get me was more than ten years later and it was a connoisseurs choice then he told me what the bottle would cost I had drank if I could ever find one I'm sure I had a tear in my eyes. It was a little merchants in the midlands he could not have known what it was an old Asian fellow my wife said it was at the back of the shelf covered in dust he gave it a quick wipe and asked for 41 quid I do wish I could find another.

  • @ARCSTREAMS
    @ARCSTREAMS6 ай бұрын

    hiram walker special old rye is so far my fav canadian gem bottom shelf,, as for scotch my go to's have been dewars white label and j&b which i been doing even more, but jwr is also a great one with a the right amount of water and has lot to offer despite bad critique but its too expensive for me , anyways whiskies sometimes vary from batch or year to year sometimes horrible other times grreat stuff from the same brand , recently my j&b has more peat in it which really surprised me and tasted like an expensive scotch so im gonna go back to the store and get another bottle to stock up on because these things may be accidents that wont happen again or it could be the canadian i was tasting that has no peat simply brought out the peat more in the j&b also some banana notes

  • @rosskirby8116
    @rosskirby81167 ай бұрын

    I got a Glen Turner (also owned by La Martiniquaise) single malt port cask over in Spain for 14.99 euro...... couldn't really argue!

  • @phildicks4721
    @phildicks47216 ай бұрын

    One that actually isn't that bad as a mixer is Ancient Age Bourbon. You can pick up a 750ml for around $12US where I live. For its price its just okay neat or on ice(I'd rather pay a little more for something else though), but as a mixer its not bad.

  • @robhalford92
    @robhalford929 ай бұрын

    This video was a cracker! You really can't beat a blind whisky line-up, and glad to see Glen Moray get that top spot of the blind champion (according the Roy) the Tomatin Legacy 🥃

  • @Breizhtobe
    @Breizhtobe5 ай бұрын

    Funny you mentioned that Red Label would be suited for Highballs... Because it actually was Churchill's whisky of choice for his daily quota of Highballs (roughly 6 per day) 😊

  • @DrumondArt
    @DrumondArt9 ай бұрын

    Great one!

  • @yanmcrae6106
    @yanmcrae61067 ай бұрын

    OMG, tried the Proper 12 and it was awful, IMHO. Ugh. Tullamore is a little more and much more pleasant. But Port Charolette is my go to when I want to really enjoy a good dram, maybe Oban for a totally different profile. Above those price ranges I have no idea

  • @davidelourenco2537
    @davidelourenco25379 ай бұрын

    Red Label is great for highballs.. has a lether note that hangs on still in a dilution.. What is the best whisky for scars stories? cheers

  • @FirstPhilWhisky

    @FirstPhilWhisky

    9 ай бұрын

    Good question! Something intense I think!

  • @xOogieBoogie3x
    @xOogieBoogie3x7 ай бұрын

    I actually like J&B, but not as much as Cutty Sark. I think J&B is a little more complex than say Dewar's White Label, which is basically just notes of smoke and honey. Cutty Sark is similar to Dewar's, but a little smoother and more refined.

  • @ibj3
    @ibj36 ай бұрын

    I enjoy some bottom shelf whiskies like Vat 69, Sir Edwards. The only way i can drink red label is with sprite. JW black is also one of the good ones.

  • @SoCal9705
    @SoCal97056 ай бұрын

    Would like to see you do Chivas Regal!

  • @peterperigoe9231
    @peterperigoe92315 ай бұрын

    I'm in Ireland the capital of which is Dublin, I don't drink spirits but tuned in to hear your thoughts on Proper 12, which is Irish and named Proper 12 as Conor McGregor is from Dublin 12, it's a clever play on words.

  • @akosgergely6289
    @akosgergely62898 ай бұрын

    Well done!!

  • @hordeum-vulgare
    @hordeum-vulgare9 ай бұрын

    My experience: NAS budget Irish blends are generally somewhat better than NAS budget Scotch blends. But then I haven't tried the Proper Twelve yet!

  • @peatbull3426

    @peatbull3426

    9 ай бұрын

    Its means you saved your money and its w lot. 👍😁🥂🙋🏻‍♂️

  • @arnaldoalegria2209
    @arnaldoalegria22099 ай бұрын

    My secret: a bottle of Grant's but you have to open it the day before, it smells harsh, leave it open for 5 minutes and close it until the next day, it will be surprisingly smooth 😂 it doesn't have any complexity whatsoever but it's sippable even without ice

  • @8bitorgy
    @8bitorgy6 ай бұрын

    Here in Florida I have literally never seen glen moray or tomatin. Also never seen proper twelve near for that price point.

  • @fturla___156
    @fturla___1567 ай бұрын

    Thank you for your sacrifice. I have never heard good words about the three you classed at the bottom. J&B and Proper 12 have had horrible reviews while Johnny Walker Red's flavor has dropped badly in the last two decades. Glen Moray is priced about 10% above those bottom dwellers, while Tomatin is priced more than double the other options you tasted. Do I think that with additional aging and refinement that Proper 12 will beat the regular version of Jameson whiskey? No.

  • @TheRealOfficialGator
    @TheRealOfficialGator6 ай бұрын

    It's shocking to me that single malt scotch is such a major improvement over blended scotch, as some of the really good whiskeys of other types, such as irish and canadian, tend to be a blend and are wonderful. For example, Crown Royal is considered a top shelf whiskey by some but is only about 25 dollars US for a bottle of the standard and up to around 45 for Reserve, which would categorically put it as a bottom-mid shelf brand. I haven't had reserve, but I would be shocked if it was much better than Crown Dark, which goes down SO smoothly.

  • @clintondeabreu8565
    @clintondeabreu85659 ай бұрын

    Would of personally included Jamesons Whiskey in this lineup, have a feeling it would of been top placement. Would have also snuck in a Wild Turkey 40.5% as it would have killed all of these in flavour.

  • @arnaldoalegria2209

    @arnaldoalegria2209

    9 ай бұрын

    Yeah but it's not bottom shelf, more like medium low shelf haha, still my favorite in price/quality

  • @ritan8204

    @ritan8204

    6 ай бұрын

    Jameson is definitely my favourite budget blend whiskey, fine enough to drink straight and cheap enough to mix in cocktails 🙂

  • @ivandyakov8709
    @ivandyakov87099 ай бұрын

    True sest would be if you have put a few of your favourite/ better whiskies in the mix. Otherwise you already know those you've got a pretty cheapand basic and a bias towards them is formed whether you recognize it or not. I would also like to see a whisky banter.

  • @Kerys23a
    @Kerys23a6 ай бұрын

    You should try Penderyn a whiskey from Cymru

  • @WhoeverNevermind
    @WhoeverNevermind7 ай бұрын

    I agree with you, I always have like 10 bottles of mediocre whisky laying around and go back to them from time to time, just to really appreciate the good ones. It is insane how much going from a mediocre one to one of my favorites can enhance the experience. My mediocre bottles right now are Loch Lomond NAS, Glengarry NAS, The Gauldrons NAS, Cameron Bridge Single Grain, Speyburn Bradan Orach, The Deveron 12 and... Tomatin Legacy and Glen Moray Chardonnay finish, exactly those two you tried lol. IMHO, Tomatin Legacy is awful, the worst of them all. Anything I try after it tastes like glory lol

  • @EuropaWill

    @EuropaWill

    6 ай бұрын

    This is hilarious 😂.

  • @mr-yr1tp

    @mr-yr1tp

    4 ай бұрын

    The gauldrons is not mediocre at all, far from that; it's a delicious campbeltown blended malt. If you call that mediocre your judgment on scotch can't be trusted 😅

  • @atverde
    @atverde6 ай бұрын

    I live in Spain and here our bottom shelf brands include J&B and another called Ballantyne's, which is absolutely grim. I've met veey few Spaniards who appreciate neat whiskey. Invariably they throw Coke in it, which considering the brands they are exposed to is hardly surprising.

  • @bjartemannnn

    @bjartemannnn

    5 ай бұрын

    Ballantines! that is the worste thing i have ever tasted. I had to double check to see if someone had put a out a cigarette in my glass, it is just beyond bad. I would love to see that one tested, if that company is still around.

  • @Darrk40
    @Darrk405 ай бұрын

    I’ve been whiskey shamed. I like red. It’s fun. It’s cheap.

  • @frschoonover1
    @frschoonover16 ай бұрын

    Very interesting video. I learned a lot here. Thanks for uploading. However, may I make a suggestion. Have you ever thought about doing a video on bargain priced whiskeys? I happen to like one bargain priced Irish whiskey called John L. Sullivan. It ranges usuaaly within the 12-13 dollar range. About two years ago, I bought a bottle of John L. Sullivan just to give it a try and when I took a little sip of it when I came home, I was pleasantly surprised. IMHO, this is actually a pretty good tasting whiskey for the low price it's sold for. For me, I feel that I really don't need to buy higher priced ones. Why? As in the words of the KISS song "Cold Gin"; "The cheapest stuff is all I need. To get me back on my feet again." That's just me. No, I'm not an alcoholic, but to me, I feel I don't need to buy any high priced liquor. By the way, before I started John L. Sullivan, I used to buy Merry Irish Whiskey, but that is not around anymore. Just thought I'd comment. Thanks again.

  • @KIKIC666

    @KIKIC666

    2 ай бұрын

    Feel disappointed, I love JB...

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