Message in a Bottle

Here are some of my favorites: Tobermory 15 (the wood box and bottle shape and label on the bottle are the apex to me of a good classy craft presentation); Peat Monster (label art of the sea monster is very cool and reminds me of a Sugar Cubes rock band cover from the 90's); Ardbeg Uigeadail (dark box design with gaelic graphics, and the bottle shape/thickness/label are spot on classy and artful); Dalmore 15 (silver stag's head); Wiser's 18 (built like a tank); Angel's Envy (wings on the back and shape of the bottle).

As for a bottle/label that I dislike: the new Highland Park flat (it looks like a bourbon bottle to me, and its new label seems like something you'd find on a bottle of mouthwash). I like the old round Highland Park bottles. Call me nostalgic.

The Yamazaki 18 looks awesome on the shelf too.

I'm not sure if its my favourite bottle but I like the aesthetic of the Aberlour A'Bunadh bottle. I also like the Bunnahabhain smoked glass.

@Onibubba Hmmm. Seems to have cut off half of my reply. The other bottle I mentioned was Glenmorangie Signet. The neck and stopper, the way the glass fades from black to clear at the base, the presentation box.

These two whiskies give off a nice Hellraiser vibe. A bottle of Black Arts would complete the Darkness Trifecta.

@Onibubba Hmmm. Seems to have cut off half of my reply. The other bottle I mentioned was Glenmorangie Signet. The neck and stopper, the way the glass fades from black to clear at the base, the presentation box.

These two whiskies give off a nice Hellraiser vibe. A bottle of Black Arts would complete the Darkness Trifecta.

Hands down it is the willet bottle that resembles a pot still its just a fantastic looking bottle and even bettertasting whiskey.

i'm a huge fan of adelphi bottles. tall (but not too tall), with a small label at the base of the front, the rest is just clear glass. the focus is really on the whisky.....

So far, I would say the Old Pulteney bottle looks fantastic for a "fancy" bottle design and would be my current favourite if I were arm-twisted to pick one!

I like the minimalist etched glass BTAC bottles and the broad shouldered SMWS bottles. Adelphi are also great.

Hibiki is pretty interesting. But in general the Balvenie bottling "seems right" to me.

I like the Ardbeg and Bunnahabin (I don't think I spelled that right) bottling styles, oh and The Macallan bottlings too. Overall I prefer bottlings with the distilleries story/tasting notes. I like a good info-laden essay on my bottles.

Dalmore 15, Cardhu 12, Octomore and Ardbeg are all attractive in their own way. However when it comes to the beauty of a bottle I think many Japanese whiskies are head and shoulders above the rest. Particularly anything from the Karuizawa Noh series. Gorgeous bottles!

Nikka Yoichi, Taketsuru, and Miyagikyou (for the labels); Compass Box Spice Tree and the new Peat Monster Label; Scapa 16 (very minimalist, and the stylized boat is pretty neat, too).

I'm partial to the HP Earl Magnus series, replica bottle circa 1870's presented in a wooden display case with information about the bottling and Earl Magnus on opposite sides of the case. Some good pics can be found her at the Scotch Hobbyest blog: scotchhobbyist.com/2010/02/…

And... the whisky tastes execptional, too!

YakLord: you should write a review of Scappa 16. It's available here in Oregon but the price of $90 seems a bit prohibitive. Still, I've been eyeballing it in the liquor store for the past few months.

On a different note: the box art for Scapa almost looks Scandinavian to me. Geographically, Kirkwall is up there with Norway and the Faroe Islands. By the way, the dialect of Old Norse spoken in Faroe is very much like that of Beowulf.

In fact, Old English scholars often live up there to absorb the dialect so that their command of Old English becomes more intuitive and natural, rather than merely bookish. It is partly for these sentimental reasons that I am intrigued by Scapa. I like the fact that it and Highland Park are the farthest north of any other distilleries in Scotland. Evidently, the Faroe Islands does hold a Whisky Competition. Here's a link: www.fossadal.com/whiskey/year-2003/

Love this photo: It's not a real competition until somebody gets the whisky spins with their eyes closed!

fossadal.com/whiskey/year-2003/…

I have to admit that my favourite looking bottles are usually from Islay. I think Ardbeg and Caol Ila look good, whilst Bunnahabhain looks beautiful. My current favourite however, are the bottles from Kilchomen. They look classy and beautiful!

My current favourite label isn't an OB, but its from That Boutique-y whisky company...... Aultmore!

masterofmalt.com/whiskies/aultmore/…

@rigmorole - I plan on writing a review of it at some point...and speaking of prohibitive prices, that $90 USD would be a steal...it is ~$120 CAD here in Ontario...luckily a friend of mine gave a $50 LCBO gift card for Christmas / Birthday in 2011, so the bottle really only cost me $70 CAD...it is good, I just wish they'd bottled it at 43% ABV instead of 40% ABV.

YakLord: Zounds, sounds like you like the Scapa a lot. Good to know.

Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix is hands down my favorite looking bottle although I enjoy the look of the Old Pulteney bottles. The entire Buffalo Trace Antique Collection is sexy as all get out, especially with the entire range in front of you and for some odd reason whenever I see the SMWS bottles I immediately start salivating.

I'm partial to the rounded shoulders of the Aberfeldy bottles. Those long necked Willett bottles are showy too.

I've always liked the looks of the Balvenie bottlings, and rather elegant labels...Now with that said I'm not liking the price hikes I've been seeing as of late.

@YakLord Agree with you on the Scapa 16 yr bottle; elegant, and minimal...The anCnoc bottles are similar.

@systemdown: +1 Old Pulteney! I think the bottle and the Steam Freighter logo are exquisite. Some of the Cask Strength Edradours come in a lovely decanter which is cylindrical, totally plain, save a small etch. and look very classy, indeed.

@Nolinske 2nd that! That potstillshaped bottle is a genius move and its contents should be really good too. And its not overly expensive:) Definitely wishlistmaterial

Arran Machrie Moor, Blantons, Bruichladdich Islay Barley, Famous Grouse Celebration Blend Decanter, George Dickel Barrel Select appeal to me too

I liked Glentalloch, Edradour and Ben Riach the least

www.youtube.com/watch

Probably in part due to my sentimental attachment to the bottle, I loooove the Grand Old Parr 12 brown glass bottle, with the crackled glass texture. Add in the ivory label with the black/white ethching portrait of Thomas Parr and it screams 60's/70's cheesy design, but in a classy way that just seems to work.

The BTAC bottles are great in their understated elegance, but I also enjoy the rustic/"Old West" feel of the George Dickel #12 and Lot 40 labels.