Just got a raise, looking to treat myself.

Does it have to be expensive? Or just good?

If you like sherry and peat, try Bowmore Laimrig. It should be in the price range.

Unless it's batch 36 or, from what I hear, 46, most batches of A'Bunadh are excellent.

For the price of the bottle plus shipping, to close to 100, you could order a bottle of Bladnoch, sherry matured (they have some peated varieties) at 55% with no chill filtration or caramel added. It's one of my favourites, but you have to order it from the UK.

Any of the higher end Amruts should work. Intermediate Sherry, Portonova, the Cask Strength. The Fusion is also good. With some peat, but probably not expensive enough to make the list.

If your raise is substantial, this: astorwines.com/SearchResultsSingle.aspx/…. You can't go wrong with an HP30. Yes, it's a lot, but it's f-ing worth it if you want to celebrate and remember the bottle for the rest of your life. . . . The nice thing about a bottle of whisky is that the celebration can go on for a year, depending on how heavily you hit the bottle. . . .

If your raise is merely nice: foursquare.com/v/caledonia-scottish-pub/…

You live in one of the best cities on earth for whisky bars. Take advantage! Make friends. Step out. Encounter. Live. Learn in real life rather than online ; )

If you think an HP30 costs a lot now, try shopping in two or three years. It will be double the price. Mark my words.

Of course, you can't go wrong with a Glenfarclas 40 year. It's da bomb. Buy it, along with an HP18. Drink the 18, enjoy it like hell, and put the Farc 40 away.

Just knowing you have an unopened Farc 40 sitting around is like magic. It's a great investment, as well, considering what is currently happening in the global whisky market.

Better price on the 30:

winedeals.com/highland-park-single-malt-sco…

And this is the best price for the Farc www.vineandtable.com/spirits.aspx

You can get the Highland Park 18 anywhere. Since you live in NYC, try to score an HP21. That would be a total coup. It's usually only avail in Europe, but if it's anywhere in the States, it's NYC or Boston. In my opinion, the 21 is better than the 25. I have a bottle of the 25 and the 21 is better and cheaper, as well. But it's nigh impossible to lay hands upon in America. Now, up in Canada, that might be another story, if you find yourself up Canook-way.

Well, Aberlour a'bunadh is a sherry bomb, and cask strength - can't go wrong, but check the batch #, as noted above by Nozinan. Must also agree with his recommendation of the Amrut offerings.

On the sherry and peat, what about Ardbeg Uigeadail? ($74 @ Astor Wines in NYC).

Here are some others to consider: Bowmore Darkest 15YO Scapa 16 YO Springbank 15YO Glenfarclas 17 YO (sherry!)

Can you stretch to $110-120? In that range there is: Highland Park 18 YO Bowmore 18 YO Glenmorangie 18 YO Aberlour 18 YO Dun Bheagan BenRiach 16 YO

Congrats on the raise! When you do purchase your celebration bottle, be sure to share it with good friends - it always tastes better with friends.

Slainte!

Just checked the LCBO - lots of HP 21 available, but at C$299.95

LCBO listings:

No HP 30 available, but there are some HP 25 @ C$374.95.

No Glenfarclas 40, but about 25 Gelnfarclas 30 in the GTA @ C$379.95

Thanks for all the replies. It doesn't have to be expensive, i just don't normally spend more than $50 on a bottle under normal circumstances. When i want to try something more expensive i go to the whiskey ward on the lower east side and try it there. I've updated my "cabinet" on my profile to show all the bottles i'v purchased, not counting what i'v tried in the bars.

I'm flexible up to around $125 if its worth it, but i wouldn't go much higher. It was a 10k raise, but i'm still under 60k a year. As of right now, i'm thinking about these choices:

Aberlour A'bunadh Aberlour 18 Year Highland Park 18 Year Lagavulin 16 Ardbeg Uigeadail Old Pulteney 17? (I am a big fan of the 12)

Sometimes i'm not sure what to think about as far as the extra age. Just because i like the 12 from a distillery, does that mean the 18 would be that much better? I tried the Glenlivet 25 at a tasting and i wasn't that impressed, but then again, i had barely enough to wet my tongue.

@zakappel if you have been eyeing the a'bunadh go with that you certainly will not be disappointed it's fantastic. There are even several discussions about the best batches of it on the forums here.

@zakappel I think you have made a good selection and won't go wrong with any. Personally I would go for the Uigeadail or the A'Bunadh.

Well that being said, the A'bunadh is the only one on the list i'v had multiple times at the whiskey bar lol. So i actually have the most experience with it, and figured i should maybe branch out and try something new. Too bad i'm too responsible to buy 2 or 3 lol.

A celebratory dram is Highland Park 21yo. It must be the older version @ 47.5% abv. not the currently available version @ 43% - H/P 21may never again be available at the higher strength. It is one of the World's great Whiskies and not to have tasted it is a 'black hole' in anyone's Whisky journey

@A'bunadhman I'd love to, but i just cant justify shelling out that much at this point. That's going to have to be one of those ones i find at a whiskey bar.

@zakappel OP 17yo. Fantastic step up from the 12, and the treat that you deserve.

@zakappel ah if you have had a'bunadh several times then try the ugi or op 17 they are both impressive drams!

What does everyone think about age when it comes to scotch? I haven't tried enough of the older expressions to weigh in; and i feel like i just assume that because they are older and more expensive, they are higher in quality. Is that always the case? How much of that is novelty? Perhaps i would be better off using my ~$100 budget to buy 2 bottles i'v never tried in the 10 - 12 year range, vs spending it on a single bottle. It wouldn't have the same "treating myself" feeling of buying one expensive bottle, but i don't stand on ceremony.

@zakappel Just from my brief experience, 18 is the sweet spot. Wood has had time to assert itself, but not overpower. Some whiskies over the 25 yo mark have proven to be very drying - though I am starting to like that sensation. If you love peat bombs, age can temper the peat, so keep that in mind.

@zakappel I just wanted to clarify, i dont think the older whiskies are novelties, i do know they offer things you dont get in the younger expressions; i guess my question is, is it a big enough difference to trade off 2 younger ones for an older one.

@zakappel my personal opinion: sure you can get 2 fine whisky's for $100.

But if want to reward yourself for your hard work, one $100 Whisky can give you that extra special something that truly feels like a reward. Just make sure you spend it on the right bottle.

@zakappel Depending on the whisky, yes. I would never buy OP12 again. Just my opinion on 1 whisky.

@Onibubba Not that i expect everyone to like the same thing, but what didn't you like about it? It was the second single malt i ever bought, and at that time i wasn't able to appreciate it, but then i bought it again recently and i loved it. Sometimes i get burned out on all the peat and sherry. Usually i go back to Glenmorangie when i'm in that mood, but sometimes i want something different and Pulteney just seems to hit the spot.

@zakappel I had OP17 before OP12. When I tried the 12, just to see if I was missing anything, I found it to be a pale imitation of the 17, like weak tea. The tastes of the 17 were sharper and more pronounced. Younger whiskies I consider better than their middle aged counterparts? Not many, but Glendronach 12 comes to mind.

I agree on the already mentioned Amruts. They certainly prove that old age isn't everything.

You could probably also do a lot worse than a Glenfarclas 21 YO or the 105 cask strength, if you can find them at reasonable price. I have no clue what you'd have to pay in the US, though.

Congratulations.

There's nothing I can add in terms of recommendations.