Sherry cask matured bottles advice

[Newkophile]

Currently, I'm enjoying the Glenmorangie Lasanta (46% ABV), aged its final two years before bottling in Spanish Oloroso sherry casks. What other single malts in this vein could be recommended, preferably in the $50 or below price range? The Balvenie Doublewood 12, for example? Others? I also tend to favor an ABV of 43% or greater.

[opelfruit]

Yeah the Balvenie Doublewood is a good example and the whisky that got me into the world of single malts.

Head over to Benriach - they wood finish in just about every type and over various ages and prices. Ive yet to have a bad benriach, their whole range is great.

[jwise]

Check out Aberlour and Glendronach.

[TheEtherMan]

Originally Posted by jwise

Check out Aberlour and Glendronach.

x2
You'll love them.

[jwise]

Aberlour 12 is good, but the 16 is fantastic. Of course the 18 is divine, but perhaps too smooth and subtle, making the 16 a great choice (its a bit spicy!)

10 - $25
12 (double cask matured) - $35
15 - I forget, as I've only found it once.
16 - $55-65
18 - $80-100

The 10 and 15 are not worth purchasing, but you probably will never see either of those offerings for sale.

[Newkophile]

Originally Posted by jwise

Aberlour 12 is good, but the 16 is fantastic. Of course the 18 is divine, but perhaps too smooth and subtle, making the 16 a great choice (its a bit spicy!)

10 - $25
12 (double cask matured) - $35
15 - I forget, as I've only found it once.
16 - $55-65
18 - $80-100

The 10 and 15 are not worth purchasing, but you probably will never see either of those offerings for sale.

My local Total Wine & Liquor has just raised the prices of all the Aberlours as well as the bottles from a few other Scotch distilleries. So the 12 is now priced at $48, a 20% increase. I think though I can find the 12 elsewhere for under $40.

[jwise]

Well, that stinks for you!

[oscarswanson]

Aberlour A'Bunadh or Macallan Cask Strength Both very good B+ in my books.
$52 & $62 respectively and plenty of proof in either of these.
I know these are a bit more than your price point but these are both a step above the others you are looking at.
I happen to price shop constantly so you may find these at much higher prices in your area.
It amazes me at the huge price differences in the same scotch whisky from one source to the next.
cheers

[valuetl]

I have all the mentioned sherry based brands listed but still love hands down the Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX by far. No brainer. Please try it!

[Newkophile]

Originally Posted by oscarswanson

Aberlour A'Bunadh or Macallan Cask Strength Both very good B+ in my books.
$52 & $62 respectively and plenty of proof in either of these.
I know these are a bit more than your price point but these are both a step above the others you are looking at.
I happen to price shop constantly so you may find these at much higher prices in your area.
It amazes me at the huge price differences in the same scotch whisky from one source to the next.
cheers

You're right about prices. Total Wine & Liquor just raised the price of the Aberlour A'Bunadh to $74 (!), but I found one the other day (batch 21) at a small liquor store for $60. I bought it and thus have gone over my $50 threshold for the first time. I suspect it will not be my last

[David_T]

The Dalmore 12 should be well within your budget - one of my favorites in the sherried category.

[jwise]

Originally Posted by valuetl

I have all the mentioned sherry based brands listed but still love hands down the Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX by far. No brainer. Please try it!

Well, yeah, but Sonnalta PX is a LOT more than the given budget.

It's been a while since I tasted PX, so I had to look up my review from January of 2011:

I am very excited about this whisky. I have really enjoyed the Glenmorangie whiskies I have tasted so far: 12yr Port Wood Finish, La Santa, Quinta Ruban, 18yr, etc.... Even the 10yr was ok. However, the Sonnalta PX is a very special whisky to me. It is matured for 10 years in American white oak casks, before transitioning for two more years into Spanish ex-Pedro Ximenez (PX) casks. These casks are referred to by the distiller as the "king of sherry casks". Among others, the whisky gets some very impressive remarks: Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2010 "It is, unquestionably, the perfect whisky finish" (96.5 / 100).

But that's enough about what others say. Let's get on with the review!

The Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX is a 12yr whisky, bottled at 46% ABV.

Nose: Wonderful sherry right up front! Wow. Wonderful apples, pears, honey, apricot, and a little nose tingle! It smells like a delicious bowl of bread pudding with a whisky reduction sauce and juicy sultanas! I am getting hungry nosing this whisky! Wow...

Body: Plenty of firmness to provide a perfect mouth feel.

Palate: Spice up front, with honey and marmalade. Maybe just a touch of dark chocolate.

Finish: Slight dryness with a magnificently long apricot finish! Spice rolling through my mouth.

Delicious! I am really enjoying this whisky. I am not a big fan of dryness in my whisky, but this is a very slight flaw, as it just comes in on the front of the finish, and fades quickly. The nose is probably the best part of this whisky, but the palate and finish also has a lot to offer.

I am not sure how much this whisky costs, but I will have to find out. It is very tasty, and I would enjoy having a bottle of it in my cabinet. However, I am afraid it will be priced a bit higher than it is worth. It is basically a sherried whisky with spice. I can think of three excellent whiskies that share this same basic profile: Aberlour 16yr, Macallan 12yr, and Glenfarclas 10yr.

There is no smoke or caramel, so for my taste, I much prefer Glenfarclas 15yr. But, it's still a really good whisky!

[valuetl]

Not sure how much folks back in the states are paying but I'm getting it at around $60 a bottle for PX. Still cheap for the taste you get.

1000ML going for less than $70 !

http://item.rakuten.co.jp/kawachi/3939220000019/