It would be 3-rd time I sit down and sum up what malts impressed me the most during the year. 3 categories as usual, let's go...
The best contemporary malts I've tried this year (bottled 2011 and later):
1. Fettercairn 35 yo 1978/2013 53.5% - varying from 95 to 96 points, let it be 96/100!
2. Glen Grant 40 yo 1972/2012 Mba 51.6% - even in a small sample it scored 95/100!
3. Benriach 37 yo 1976/2014 cask #529 44.2% - bourbon finish of a sherry cask, 94/100!
4. Speyside 1973/2017 Ma 49.6% - haven't tried all of them, but this one is great, 94/100!
5. Speyside 1973/2018 Mba #93 53.2% - same story, 94/100!
6. Bunnahabhain 30 yo Kinship 2018 52.8% - perfect sherry-aged Bunna, 93/100!
7. Bunnahabhain 40 yo 1973/2013 WhM 48.5% - perfect bourbon-aged Bunna, 93/100!
8. Bunnahabhain 42 yo 1968/2010 MT 43.8% - legendary year for Bunnas, 93/100!
9. Talisker 35 yo 1977/2012 54.6% - clean and fruity Talisker, 93/100!
10. Glen Scotia 22 yo 1992/2014 Silver Seal cask #38 57.6% - just crazy cask, 93/100!
11. Glenfarclas 40 yo 46% - Glenfarclas as is, 93/100!
12. Speyside 1973/2017 Mba #82 50.5% - need to retaste, but at least 93/100!
13. Speyside 1973/2017 Ten Years TWA 48.6% - need to retaste, but at least 93/100!
14. Irish 1989/2018 Ten Years TWA 45.1% - need to retaste, but at least 93/100!
P.S. This year was pretty good in terms of tasting fantastic malts, in addition to 5 malts scored 94 and higher I put in the list 9 more malts with 93/100 mark. Actually the difference is so thin and in other conditions the same malts might get other marks easily.
The best older malts I've tried this year (bottled before 2011):
1. Mortlach 50 yo 1957/2007 GM 43.5% - stunning nose, 97/100!
2. Glenlivet 56 yo 1954/2010 GM 51.6% - stunning taste and finish, 97/100!
3. Brora 2-nd release (bottled 2003) 56.6% - the best Brora I had so far, 96/100!
4. Ardbeg Lord of the Isles (bottled 2002) 46% - the best Ardbeg I had so far, 96/100!
5. Port Ellen 9-th release (bottled 2009) 57.7% - symphony of Islay, 95/100!
6. Brora 6-th release (bottled 2007) 55.7% - just notch weaker than 2-nd release, 94/100!
7. Sprinbank 21 yo 46% - colour and taste vary in different bottles, though 94/100!
8. Port Ellen 23 yo 1975/1998 Silent Stills cask #160 56.1% - amazing PE, 93/100!
9. Highland Park 30 yo (round bottle) 48.1% - casks laid in 1970s, needs time, 93/100!
10. Ben Nevis 25 yo 1984/2010 casks #3008/3046 54.0% - just crazy cask, 93/100!
P.S. Was lucky to retaste my unicorns - Mortlach and Glenlivet from GM Private Collection - this time no winner detected, both were equally stunning.
The best standard malts I've tried this year (widely available and below EUR 100-150):
1. Springbank 12 yo CS (batch #12) 54.1% - classic CS Springbank, 89/100!
2. Springbank 12 yo batch #15 56.5% - great quality for 12 yo malt, 89/100!
3. Springbank 11 yo 2006/2017 Local Barley 53.1% - coastal and briny, 89/100!
4. Longrow 14 yo 57.8% - brilliant one, 89/100!
5. Longrow 18 yo (bottled 2017) 46% - utterly drinkable, 89/100!
6. Lagavulin 12 yo (bottled 2018) 57.8% - a must for the friends of Lagavulin, 89/100!
P.S. Looks like domination of Springbank distillery, but what can I do?..
P.P.S Of course that is my humble and subjective opinion based on my taste solely :) Thanks to all and Happy New Year!
The best contemporary malts I've tried this year (bottled 2011 and later):
1. Fettercairn 35 yo 1978/2013 53.5% - varying from 95 to 96 points, let it be 96/100!
2. Glen Grant 40 yo 1972/2012 Mba 51.6% - even in a small sample it scored 95/100!
3. Benriach 37 yo 1976/2014 cask #529 44.2% - bourbon finish of a sherry cask, 94/100!
4. Speyside 1973/2017 Ma 49.6% - haven't tried all of them, but this one is great, 94/100!
5. Speyside 1973/2018 Mba #93 53.2% - same story, 94/100!
6. Bunnahabhain 30 yo Kinship 2018 52.8% - perfect sherry-aged Bunna, 93/100!
7. Bunnahabhain 40 yo 1973/2013 WhM 48.5% - perfect bourbon-aged Bunna, 93/100!
8. Bunnahabhain 42 yo 1968/2010 MT 43.8% - legendary year for Bunnas, 93/100!
9. Talisker 35 yo 1977/2012 54.6% - clean and fruity Talisker, 93/100!
10. Glen Scotia 22 yo 1992/2014 Silver Seal cask #38 57.6% - just crazy cask, 93/100!
11. Glenfarclas 40 yo 46% - Glenfarclas as is, 93/100!
12. Speyside 1973/2017 Mba #82 50.5% - need to retaste, but at least 93/100!
13. Speyside 1973/2017 Ten Years TWA 48.6% - need to retaste, but at least 93/100!
14. Irish 1989/2018 Ten Years TWA 45.1% - need to retaste, but at least 93/100!
P.S. This year was pretty good in terms of tasting fantastic malts, in addition to 5 malts scored 94 and higher I put in the list 9 more malts with 93/100 mark. Actually the difference is so thin and in other conditions the same malts might get other marks easily.
The best older malts I've tried this year (bottled before 2011):
1. Mortlach 50 yo 1957/2007 GM 43.5% - stunning nose, 97/100!
2. Glenlivet 56 yo 1954/2010 GM 51.6% - stunning taste and finish, 97/100!
3. Brora 2-nd release (bottled 2003) 56.6% - the best Brora I had so far, 96/100!
4. Ardbeg Lord of the Isles (bottled 2002) 46% - the best Ardbeg I had so far, 96/100!
5. Port Ellen 9-th release (bottled 2009) 57.7% - symphony of Islay, 95/100!
6. Brora 6-th release (bottled 2007) 55.7% - just notch weaker than 2-nd release, 94/100!
7. Sprinbank 21 yo 46% - colour and taste vary in different bottles, though 94/100!
8. Port Ellen 23 yo 1975/1998 Silent Stills cask #160 56.1% - amazing PE, 93/100!
9. Highland Park 30 yo (round bottle) 48.1% - casks laid in 1970s, needs time, 93/100!
10. Ben Nevis 25 yo 1984/2010 casks #3008/3046 54.0% - just crazy cask, 93/100!
P.S. Was lucky to retaste my unicorns - Mortlach and Glenlivet from GM Private Collection - this time no winner detected, both were equally stunning.
The best standard malts I've tried this year (widely available and below EUR 100-150):
1. Springbank 12 yo CS (batch #12) 54.1% - classic CS Springbank, 89/100!
2. Springbank 12 yo batch #15 56.5% - great quality for 12 yo malt, 89/100!
3. Springbank 11 yo 2006/2017 Local Barley 53.1% - coastal and briny, 89/100!
4. Longrow 14 yo 57.8% - brilliant one, 89/100!
5. Longrow 18 yo (bottled 2017) 46% - utterly drinkable, 89/100!
6. Lagavulin 12 yo (bottled 2018) 57.8% - a must for the friends of Lagavulin, 89/100!
P.S. Looks like domination of Springbank distillery, but what can I do?..
P.P.S Of course that is my humble and subjective opinion based on my taste solely :) Thanks to all and Happy New Year!
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