Binny's Hand Picked bottles

I own only one Binny's handpicked: a Blanton's Single Barrel bourbon, and it's excellent. Other than that, I only know that their handpicked expressions have a good reputation. Reviews, when you can find them, tend to be very favorable. For what it's worth, I bought a 21 yo Mortlach from Binny's, but it's a Gordon & MacPhail, not Signatory. A great dram, if you don't mind a slight dusty quality.

@Timothy-James are you talking about the Duncan Taylor Laphroaig or the Signatory? I have tried both. The Signatory was better. That said, I would still buy the Laphroaig Cask Strength (any batch) over either of these two options and would save good money and have a better dram.

I don't know anything about the Mortlach. However, seeing as it is 21yo (my favorite age for a scotch) and cask strength I would go for that one. I have been tempted by a few Mortlach's lately . . .

For what it is worth: be warned I like big bold and intense flavors. So my memory of the hand selected Laphroaigs was that they were too uneventful for Laphroaig. If you desire a Laphroaig that is more mellow then the standard 10yo or the 18yo even . . . then they are probably worth a go.

Hope that helps in some small way

Thank you for the feedback guys. The Mortlach is at the top of my list the price is right. @Nock, thanks for the info on the Laphroaigs maybe I will bump it down the list. I was talking about the 13 year old.

This is a great discussion. I'm hoping more members "in the know" will comment.

Sent my sister with a list headlining with the Mortlach exclusive. Fingers crossed it is still there. 2nd is a Kilchoman exclusive. After that the list gets more general. I plan on drinking it at my scotch meeting on the 8th so I will post mine and the groups thoughts on it. Really looking forward to it.

Hi Timothy: I've generally found that the most intriguing and the best deals on Binny's are "in store" purchases only. This said, I have been on the fence about the Springbank Claret. I see that you already have that one. Have you opened it yet? Any good?

The Highland Park Signatory Unfilterred Sherry Butt 20 YO looks intriguing and it is "in store" purchase only.

Another that interests me are the Signatory 12 Year Braeval. It's only $50. If I recall, Two Bit Cowboy is into that interesting new distiller. You might ask him about it.

The Signatory 1991 15 year Clynelish also has potential to be similar to those wonderful old "barn yardy" Broras of olde. Eegads what a wonderful roll of the dice if no member here have tasted it. Sometimes it's fun to live dangerously ; )

The '92 19 year Longmorn Signatory Unchillfiltered is only $75. For that wonderful price, it might be worth the gamble.

Scoring a 1998 Signatory Cragganmore 13 year old Unchillfiltered is a real find since Cragganmores almost always have fake caramel in them. That one will most certainly not!

Of course, this one is also in store only: 1991 Signatory Mortlach 18 year old Cask Strength Binny's Handpicked Cask for only $70! What a steal!

You can get a hogshead Signatory version for eight fewer dollars. That would be interesting since Mortlachs can be very woody indeed. A hogshead would allow the whisky to mature independently from so much wood influence, thereby potentially bringing out more malt magic. It will also be "hotter" since it matured more slowly in a bigger barrel. But it could prove to be interesting and different from other Mortlachs because of that. Speaking of hogsheads, I am quite intrigued by K&L's latest offering of Glen Elgin, 17 year, I believe?, that was aged in a hogshead. Hogsheads were bigger in the 70's if i'm not mistaken. That was an interesting era for many things, but not always the architecture! I have seen a few too many Boston Brownstones ruined with concrete "bunker style" facades that were trashed in the 70's.

If I buy the 17 year hogshead Glen Elgin, then I will rent Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and take a sip every time Gary Oldman does in the film! Ha! Talk about Cold War nostalgia. So what if the Cold War was completely manufactured and fake! It's still fun to imagine the Soviet threat was a real one (instead of the initial Anglo American banker scam that it was; "Reds" indeed). But hey, nobody much died in that "war" now did they? Can't say the same for the so-called "wars" of today. Then again, 40 million died within the borders of the Soviet Union under Stalin. Not so cool. Or in the borders of "Red" China during its purges when 100 million are rumored to have perished at the loving hand of Big Brother. Not so cool. Fake countries like those "communist" nations did indeed get away with murder. Let's hope the march towards collectivist national socialism in the so-called "West" doesn't wreak similar havoc before 2050 when I drink my last scotch and breathe my last breath. I'm crossing my fingers!

Be sure to have your sister apply for a Binny's card. It's worth the savings, I think, if she can get it same day!

Tell us what you end up trying! We are very interested! Binny's and K&L both are giants with some very interesting offerings indeed. I really like all the Signatorys in Binny's catalog since they are relatively rare in the States. Not sure about Canada! I see you have a Bunnahabhain 10 year Chieftains. Very unique bottle. Any good? Chieftains are impossible to get in Oregon, but not so at Binny's! I would assume it is a very big "Islay" style Bunna at that age and strength. Keep us posted. And again, best of luck!

Wrote my response before I saw yours. Oh well. There's always next time.

I'm not very big on Kilchoman. For me, personally, it just doesn't have the complexity of a PC7 or a PC8, for example, which are also quite young but quite a roller coaster ride of fun.

Being young and also complex are rare qualities in scotch and in women (in their 20's, which is young to me). I've tried Kilchoman on two occasions and been disappointed both times. Both in a pub

@rigmorole Thanks for all the research. Too bad I didn't pose this question a week or so ago when my list was pretty much finalized in my head. In regards to the Springbank Claret Wood I would strongly recommend it. I actually bought a second one once it was finished. Great deal when you consider how much the Wood Expression Springbanks cost.

I have yet to open up the Bunna Cheiftain's. Not sure when that will go down.

As for Kilchoman, that's too bad. My two favourites I have had is the Winter 2010 and a sherry cask single bottling for La Maison de Whiskey.

I had the Machir Bay twice. I certainly should try another type before writing off the distillery. You are right about that

@Timothy-James I also have a bottle of the Kilchoman Winter Release which I really enjoyed. I have tried the Machir Bay twice . . . but both times I got to sample a killer right after it. A single cask Kilchoman bottled for Red Dog Wine and Spirits in Franklin Tennessee. It was awesome . . . I killed my bottle within a month (and I keep most bottles open for 6 months to a year . . . and longer). That single cask Kilchoman currently has me in love with that distillery. I am sure that not all single casks are good (the Binny's single cask of Ardbeg by Chieftain's is so so . . . nothing special) but I will try any single cask from Kilchoman I can get my hands on.

Let us know what you end up with from Binny's

@rigmorole I tasted the single cask Kilchoman right before the PC7. I ended up buying both bottles (single cask Kilchoman is gone the PC7 isn't open yet). My memory is that the PC7 was more subdued and darker. That Kilchoman had everything turned up to 11 and just blew the PC7 away intense flavor wise. It had crazy fruit and smoke ant peat . . . I really should have tried the PC7 first . . . it wasn't a fair to my taste buds. I am looking forward to opening it in October (my Birthday).

@Nock RE: Red Dog Kilchoman - I know! Bacon in a bottle am I right?

@Onibubba Yes . . . it is fantastic. Did you pick up a bottle?

Opened up the Mortlach today. Really interesting. It's 52.8% but tasted like a 40%, in a good smooth way. Very fruity. Like I mentioned incredibly smooth. I didn't notice the "beefiness" some mention with Mortlach, maybe that will come as the bottle progresses. I find with older malt it is very difficult to pick out individual tasting and nosing notes but overall the mouth feel is second to none. Very happy with the purchase and looking forward to seeing how it progresses.

got a bottle of the PC8. Think I will wait on opening it for a few years. heh heh heh