Best Value Spirits

[MrMon]

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Aces,

I don't know about "Best Value," but I got a good buddy a bottle of the Balvenie Doublewood 12 for Hannukah, and we both thought it was great. I'd definitely recommend it over the similar-tier Macallan 12. Neither of us drink more than the ocassional scotch.

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The Doublewood has long been a Lounge favorite, even before it was on the Best Value list. It shows up in virtually every list here and OOT as not just a good value, but as one of the best Scotches period, especially for only occasional Scotch drinkers. I think the only thing higher praised is Highland Park.

[trotski]

Excellent thread guys. The wife is gone tonight, so it will an evening of xbox and scotch. I was going to pick up my normal Macallan, but between this and the thread in 00t, I need to rethink that, and try something new. Based on the recommendations in here, I think I will pick up the Cigar Malt. Thanks guys!! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Kneel B4 Zod]

nice thread. I just came from some booze shopping today, and while neither of these are exciting, I thought I would mention them as they are standbys of mine.

Goslings Dark Rum ($20/1.75L)
Stoli unflavored vodka ($25/1.75L)

to me these are 2 great values in standard bottles/liquors to have in your cabinet. (especially at NH State Liquor Store prices)

I'd love to find a gin "great value". I love Saphhire and Hendricks, but I have a hard time calling these great values.

[MrMon]

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I'd love to find a gin "great value". I love Saphhire and Hendricks, but I have a hard time calling these great values.

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I didn't put it on the list, but it's on the link. The "official" value gins are:

CLASSIC (96–100)/HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION
Tanqueray Special Dry English Gin $19.

SUPERB (90–95)/HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Beefeater London Dry Gin $17


Gin just doesn't bring a premium price, so there's not much to choose from as far as "value" goes. I would add in Plymouth Gin, but that's a different beast than the classic gins. Certainly worth a try, and reasonably priced.

[MrWookie]

MrMon,

The Highland Park 12 might be more praised by those who have tried it, but I think more have tried the Balvanie 12 for whatever reason. Regardless, both are great Scotches, solid value picks (albeit not quite as good as the Bowmore Darkest or reportedly the Cigar Malt), and great Scotches for new Scotch drinkers.

KB4Z,

I haven't tried Gosling's dark rum, but I've seen it mentioned (maybe by you). The other rums in the same ballpark I've tried are Mount Gay and Meyer's. You know how they compare?

[MrMon]

Okay, after a long run of bad health where I just didn't feel like drinking anything, I can finally get back to this list and what I found at Sam's in Chicago. (I managed to get sick all of my Xmas break with an infection that lasted for 3 weeks, then made a serious attempt at breaking my arm while skating, and have been on painkillers and NSAIDS ever since. Worst health run in a long time.)

Rain - Great vodka, especially for the price. Any price, in fact, they could charge a lot more. Made one heck of a vodka martini, and my wife, who's a big fan of them, said that what I make is topping what she's getting in restaurants when she orders Grey Goose martinis. Of course, that could be the bartenders not knowing how to make a proper martini, but still, it's standing up to the Goose at about half the price. And the bottle is very cool.

Speaking of martinis, I see in Food & Wine where there are now better vermouths out there, and this is supposed to make a vast difference. I may need to track some down and run a test against good old Martini & Rossi.

Redbreast Irish Whisky - This isn't on the list, but I picked it up anyway because someone mentioned that's it's a pretty good value, and it is. And a damn fine Irish whisky. But after tasting this one, and numerous other Irish whiskys, I've come to the conclusion that Scotch is better. Oh sure, there are those who swear by Irish whisky and say it's better than Scotch, but it's not true for one reason - all Irish whisky is nearly identical, whereas Scotch is all over the map. I like the adventure, even if I do occasionally like to retreat to a nice safe glass of Irish. And my wife swears that Irish whisky is great for headaches too. You want predictable, smooth, by the fireside with a dog, you go Irish. You want rough around the edges, who knows what this bottle may bring, real man stuff, you go Scotch.

Domaine de Laubade X.O. Bas Armagnac - This has been my only disappointment so far on the list. It's not that this is bad Armagnac, it's just that I expected more, and on first tasting, it didn't seem to deliver. I've had better for not much more money, so to call it Best Value just doesn't work for me. It seems too refined, and maybe that's what I want in Armagnac and don't know it, but I like in Armagnac what I like in Scotch, more powerful and distinct, rough around the edges, like the distiller barely managed to keep it under control. This one just seems too tame, which can be good when you want that, but I wasn't expecting that, so maybe I'll just have to get back to it later after I taste some other Armagnacs that I bought.

Dalmore Cigar Malt - Great Scotch, but not for everyone. When I first nosed it, I thought Armagnac. Very fruity, not your typical Scotch, the opposite end of the Laphroig/Lagavulin spectrum. If you have to have peat in your Scotch, this won't do, but if you like to see the other half of the Scotch world, this is great. I'll post a more extensive review later in El D's Review One Whisky thread.

Still got more to go through, but this will bump the list for those who have never seen it/forgotten about it. It's very worth going through and buying things off of. Take a chance, odds are, you're going to find something you love for little coin.

[MrWookie]

Good bump. And better vermouth? I still have a ways to go on my bottles of M&R, but I'm curious to hear your report on them.

[MrMon]

Yes, this caught my eye in the March 2005 Food & Wine. I'm curious...

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Ten years ago, bartenders rinsed their martini glasses with inexpensive, generic vermouth and then dumped it out before mixing the drink. Now there are plenty of dry and sweet vermouths on the shelves that deserve to stay in the glass—including Carpano, Noilly Prat and Boissiere. Because he hated to see expensive spirits mixed with cheap vermouth, Andy Quady of Quady Winery in Madera, California, has begun making both a sweet and a dry vermouth under the label Vya. Mixologists are pairing vermouths such as Carpano Antica Formula with bittersweet spirits such as Campari and Cynar.



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Complete Article (It's short and on other stuff of interest.)

[miajag]

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Chivas Regal 12-Year-Old Blended Whisky $28.


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JW Black is, imo, better than Chivas and about the same price.

[MrMon]

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Chivas Regal 12-Year-Old Blended Whisky $28.


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JW Black is, imo, better than Chivas and about the same price.

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I don't drink either of those, but someone who does should feel free to do a side-by-side taste test.