200th Post Spectacular!!!

This is the 200th post of this lo-fi blog, which warrants some kind of small celebration. Since 2014, I've reviewed 199 bottles of Scotch, which averages to roughly one every other week, although some months are more active than others; it also doesn't account for samples. Sometimes I put the blog down to concentrate on other things; other times, Scotch is life. 

Bottle of the Year 2021 (So Far), based on views: Glen Moray 14 Year (SMWS 35.277 "Waffle Stacking Ecstasy")

Bottle of the Year 2020, based on views: Clynelish 14 Year. 

Bottle of the Year 2019, based on views: Redbreast 12 Year (it was the only review that year). 

Bottle of the Year 2018, based on views: Springbank 18 Year. 

Bottle of the Year 2017, based on views: Invergordon 43 Year Grain Whisky. 

Bottle of the Year 2016, based on views: Kilchoman Loch Gorm. 

Bottle of the Year 2014, based on views: Talisker Storm NAS (?!). 

Some surprising results! I didn't blog at all in 2015, hence the gap there. In fact...

Best Times to Drink Scotch: After a divorce; during a pandemic. My blog exploded during those two events. 

My Top 5 Bottles out of the ~200: In no particular order: 

• Bruichladdich Bere Barley 2010
• Ardbeg Blaaaaack
• (tie) Dailuaine 12 Year (SMWS 41.139 "A Complex Character") or 7 Year (Old Particular)
• Glenfarclas 21 Year
• Springbank 12 Year Cask Strength 2020 Release (56.1%)

Best Independent Bottler: Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS). Yes, I'm a biased member, paid-in-full. Runners-Up: Signatory; Old Particular; Classic Cask; Smokehead. 

Biggest Comeback: Talisker 10 Year. Had a terrible bottle, after a decent reset I tried again - back on form. 

Biggest Reverse Comeback: Ardbeg Uigeadail. Used to be a lot more complex than it is these days. Seems to be declining (as of 2021). I'd call it only half as interesting as it used to be. Happily, Corryvreckan is still full power, or close to it. 

My Top 5 Biggest Disappointments: 

• Ardbeg Auriverdes
• Auchentoshen everything
• Battle Axe 8 Year Islay Blend (SMWS)
• Glenlivet Caribbean Reserve
• Hatozaki Small Batch
• Tomatin 12 Year (old bottling)

Strangest Bottle to Date: Allt-a-Bhaine 7 Year (SMWS 108.27 "Nice to Meat You"). Wish I had another one of these. 

Best Trend: Craft presentation (no coloring, no chill-filtering). Runners-up: Bottling at higher strengths; the rise of independent bottlers; red wine finishes; peated Speysides. 

Worst Trends: 

• Discontinuation of Hibiki blend due to shortage. Especially the insanely good 17 year. 
• The generally insane prices and regulations of Japanese whisky. 
• The continued opacity of No Age Statement releases. 
• The aggressive intrusion of marketing: looking at you, Highland Park. 
• The continued general rising of prices. As my friend Rob says: "How many Ardbeg 10s does it cost?"
• Rum finishing

Best Irish Whisky: Yellow Spot. Runner-up: Teeling Collinstown 12 Year (Dublin airport bottling). 

Best Blend: Compass Box Peat Monster. Runner-up: Campbeltown Loch, Big Peat Christmas Edition. 

Worst Blend: Hatozaki Small Batch. 

Oldest Whisky: Invergordon 43 Year grain whisky. 

Youngest Whisky: Wolfburn 3 Year. 

Moment of Outrage: Realizing that Bowmore 15 Year "The Darkest" was actually colored with E150. 

Best DC Liquor Stores for Scotch: (in no particular order)

• Washington Wine and Spirits on E Street (easily the best)
• Batch 13 (surprisingly good independent bottling collection)
• Ace Beverage (excellent selection and prices, especially on Ardbeg)
• Barmy's (excellent selection, higher prices)
• The Bottle House (good prices on good, solid choices, up on 14th st NW)
• Kogod Liquors (best source for several single malts, especially Glenfarclas)
• Imperial Liquors (go in person - they often have great stuff in their sale bins)

Most Lamented Liquor Store that Closed: Arrowine, late of 2175 K St. You will be missed, Aiden and Aaron. 

Best European Trend That We Need Here: Takeaway pints. Runner-up: Hot whisky. 

Best Whisky Tour: Teeling Distillery, Dublin. Thank you to Ece Ozkan :)

Most Underrated Single Malts (Evan): Dailuaine, Ardmore, Linkwood, Glen Grant. 

Most Underrated Single Malts (Rob): Dailuaine, Speyburn, Mortlach, Linkwood, Edradour, Glen Grant, Benriach, and Benromach.

Most Overrated Single Malts (Evan): Dalwhinnie, Dalmore, Macallan. 

Most Overrated Single Malts (Rob): Highland Park, Macallan, Aberlour (outside of Abunadh). 

Worst Marketing: Highland Park, Macallan, the entire Game of Thrones line (what were they thinking??). 

Most Versatile Malt: Caol Ila. Runners-up: Loch Lomond/Inchmurrin/Inchmoan/Croftongea; Bunnahabhain. 

Biggest Change in My Opinion in the Course of One Year: Bunnahabhain. Zero to hero. I went from actively avoiding them, to seeking them out aggressively. 

Most Overpriced Single Malt: Octomore ($300); Arrrrrrrdbeg ($200); Dalmore Cigar Malt ($160). 

Most Underpriced Single Malt: Loch Lomond 12 Year ($30-35); Bowmore 12 Year ($45); Ardbeg 10 ($45-50); Glen Scotia 15 Year ($60). 

Worst Health Trend: Bleeding ulcers. They don't like Scotch. I don't like them. 

Best Alternative Spirit: Absinthe. Runners-Up: Mezcal; Armanac; Gin. 

Worst Alternative Spirit: (Tie) Rye, Canadian Whiskey. They just don't move me to heights.

Best SMWS Nickname: "Petrichor Vindaloo" (Glenlossie 9 Year). What a curious pairing of concepts!!

Worst SMWS Nickname: "Adventurous African Safari" (Auchroisk 7 Year). Not particularly adventurous, African, or safari-oriented. A real flight of fancy, you might say. 

Best Scotch Forum: Reddit. Just discovered it. Lots of great info and insights.