Vote On The Best Scotch
 

I recently found a liquor store that caries more of the older or harder to find scotches. I want to get an older scotch but there's too many to choose from, so help me out:

Vote on which you think is the absolute best:

1.) Balvenie 21 Portwood.
2.) Glenfarclas 21
3.) glenfiddich 21
4.) glenfiddich 30
5.) glenlivet 25
6.) macallan 21 fine oak
7.) highland park 21
8.) highland park 25
9.) highland park 30 (hp 12 is my favorite btw)
10.) Oban 18 distillers edition
11.) Yamazaki 18

Some less old for vote:
1.) Aberlour A'bunadh
2.) Macallan French reserve
3.) macallan cask strength
4.) Scapa 16
5.) glenrothes special reserve
6.) glenrothes 1994 (15 yr)

1 Balvenie 21
2. Macallan Cask Strength

You should put up a poll.

It all has to do with budget. Where i live the Highland Park 30 (my vote) is about $500 USD.

I have been wanting to try highland park 30 but it is quite expensive.
In my location there are two options: one that is in a red case (I assume an older bottling) for $285 and the newer one in the wood case for $299. Is this a good deal? The 21 is about $170 and the 25 about $230.

Also, the balvenie portwood is $160.
Macallan cask strength like $75.
Glenlivet 25 about $260.
Oban distillers edition $85.
Yamazaki 18 is $160.
Glenfarclas 21 is $95.
Glenfiddich 21 is $130.
Glenfiddich 30 I don't remember but I think somewhere between $250-300.

All the rest are between $40-65.

Value-wise, which stick out as the best bargains?

Under $100

Macallan cask strength
Oban
Aberlour A'bunadh

I agree about the aberlour abunah
Try glenfarclas 30 year old , I know is not on your list but should be cheaper than the glenfiddich 30 and in my opinion much better , if you like sherry whisky that is.

The Yamazaki 18 is the only one of the bunch that I've tried, but my tastes run to younger bottlings and the Yamazaki 12 is one of my favorites.

1.) Balvenie 21 Portwood

Truly an incredible whisky. Worth it's price tag of $180 or so. Hard to justify over $200.

2.) Glenfarclas 21

VERY good whisky. The 25 was also very good. However, I wouldn't pay more than $100, as the 17 is also very good, but the 15yr is the best of the bunch.

3.) glenfiddich 21

I don't like fiddich. Never tried the 21, as I didn't care for the 12, 15, or 18.

4.) glenfiddich 30

See above.

5.) glenlivet 25
6.) macallan 21 fine oak

Never tried these two.

7.) highland park 21
8.) highland park 25
9.) highland park 30 (hp 12 is my favorite btw)

The HP 25 is 'blow your mind' good. Never had the 30, but I sure would like to.

10.) Oban 18 distillers edition
11.) Yamazaki 18

Haven't had these.

Some less old for vote:
1.) Aberlour A'bunadh

Always in my cabinet. The best of its genre.

2.) Macallan French reserve
3.) macallan cask strength

A'Bunadh is better.

4.) Scapa 16
5.) glenrothes special reserve
6.) glenrothes 1994 (15 yr)

I love Glenrothes, but the 94 is thin. The select reserve is good, but not fantastic.

Highland Park 25
Glenfarclas 21
Balvenie 21 Portwood
Yamazaki 18

These are what I feel are the most exceptional of the bunch, though I do like most of the other bottlings. That said, IMHO, older Glenlivets from independent bottlers almost always enthuse me more than the official bottlings.

The most recent bottling I've had of the HP 25 last fall was awesome. One of my top ten!

Almost forgot the Signatory Vintage 25 year old Port Ellen - would be right at the top of my favorites if it wasn't so damn expensive.

"Absolute best" to me, depends on my current mood. Sometimes is peat warmly welcome, sometimes not. I also not always like cask strength it depends on the destillery character of the whisky whether cask strength fit them or not. Whether adding some water helps, or not. ...Sometimes I just wish a dram of lovely Bladnoch.

Regarding the original list at the top of this post I would go for Highland Park 25, however I think less expensive special edition Leiff Eriksson is almost as good es the 25y.

Port Ellen or Bunnahabhain are not on the list, but I think both have excellent destillery characters. Also amazing how close bourbon hogshead aged young Kilchoman, or young Laphroaig come to Port Ellen or Ardbeg.

I shouldn't forget about Longrow, esp. the 14 years old...