Any One for a Scotch?

[Fueco]

Just picked up a bottle of Mortlach 25 YO Gordon & MacPhail as well as an 18 YO independent bottling of Highland Park. I tend to drink more scotch in cool weather and more bourbon in warm weather. The Mortlach dodges the overwood bullet which is pleasing. I have not opened the HP but had an Old Particular bottling of HP 20 from last year that was excellent.

I haven’t had the 25yo, but Mortlach 18 is in my top three. Admittedly, I haven’t tried all that many whiskies.

 

[sinnedk]

Hey guys, need to help out a friend who needs to get a real nice Japanese whiskey as a present, budget $200. I’ve narrowed it down to 2 bottles the Yamazaki distillers edition or a Yamazaki 12, which is the more impressive of the two?

 

[jcman311]

I have a distillers edition but haven't tried it. From what I hear its the lowest of the Yamazakis. The 12 is always nice and from what I hear, all Yamazaki going forward will have no age statements.

 

[sinnedk]

I have a distillers edition but haven't tried it. From what I hear its the lowest of the Yamazakis. The 12 is always nice and from what I hear, all Yamazaki going forward will have no age statements.

i've had the 12 and its good, my fave is the hibiki 12 but that **** is no where in site now. Sounds like between the distillers and the 12, the 12 is the better option.

 

[cchen]

$200 for yamazaki 12? seriously this is getting out of hand. i used to buy 18 easily for around that price and hibiki 17 for $85. prices are getting stupid. there are much better values in scotch these days.

 

[Bhowie]

That’s stupid pricing.

 

[jcman311]

$200 for yamazaki 12? seriously this is getting out of hand. i used to buy 18 easily for around that price and hibiki 17 for $85. prices are getting stupid. there are much better values in scotch these days.

Its true that prices are ridiculous. Not unlike the Pappy craze. But I'd also say that Yamazaki and Hibiki are such high quality drams that they were absolute steals for years. Once discovered, there was no way the supply would keep up with demand. I mean 10 years ago, Yamazaki 12 could be had for around $40 a bottle. You can barely get JW Black for that these days.

As for better value, its becoming harder to source quality for cheap these days because of supply. I'm currently enjoying the new Aberlour Casq Annamh these days. Not the sherry bomb of Abundh, but quite fruity and enjoyable for around $60. And the trend continues of no age statements.

 

[reidd]

$200 is a ridiculous for Yamazaki 12. It is a good solid whisky but really nothing that special. I have a bottle sitting in my collection that I paid $90 for like 2 years ago, even that was perhaps a value stretch. Lots of great (age statement and 46%+ abv!) scotch out there for that price.

 

[sinnedk]

Guys,

Back in day, this was approximately 10 years ago now, Yamazaki was $40 and hibiki12 $65ish.

Then there was a huge whiskey resurgence and the japanese labels started selling very well. The problem that happened was that Japanese whiskey producers (suntory and etc) cut back on whiskey production back in 80s i believe because people were trending towards sake/soju. This didn't have effects at the time but now that you need a blend of 12 years and scotch aged 12 years, you simply don't have it. Thus, they released the harmony and plan to release a similar yamazaki with no year.

The scarcity drove up the price of the yamazaki 12 and hibiki 12. Last year i had 3-4 yamazaki 12s for approx $100 but now they are all gone and if you go online and search the price is consistently 180-200.

Is it worth $180-200, well idk but i cant get it for any cheaper.

 

[sinnedk]

$200 for yamazaki 12? seriously this is getting out of hand. i used to buy 18 easily for around that price and hibiki 17 for $85. prices are getting stupid. there are much better values in scotch these days.

i always preferred hibiki to yamazaki. I had 3 12s at a point within the past 1-2 years then they just dried up. I still have a 1/4 of a hibiki 12 and an unopened hibiki 17. The 17 is worth crazy cash now, i'd actually sell the damn thing if i knew how to and not get busted by ATF.

 

[jcman311]

i always preferred hibiki to yamazaki. I had 3 12s at a point within the past 1-2 years then they just dried up. I still have a 1/4 of a hibiki 12 and an unopened hibiki 17. The 17 is worth crazy cash now, i'd actually sell the damn thing if i knew how to and not get busted by ATF.

Overseas auction. Hibiki 17 looks like its worth about $600 minus any fees. Still have some ground to cover to catch my bottle of Yamazaki Sherry Cask.

 

[jcman311]

Looking forward to this tonight.

 

[jcman311]

More from Taiwan.

 

[reidd]

This bottle has been going waaay too fast. Can’t remember what I paid but it was definitely sub $200.

 

[jcman311]

This bottle has been going waaay too fast. Can’t remember what I paid but it was definitely sub $200.

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I love most of the stuff Signatory puts out. Reasonably priced as well.
Tonight.