What should every whisky cabinet have?

I would recommend Bladnoch , for value and falvour . If u log on to there website u can join ther forum, and recive 10% of there bottlings . Well worth a look , they do some great whiskies .

I've not tried any Lowland Malts as yet but having read the description and reviews I think that the softer flavour may well be something I'd enjoy. Thanks for the tip. I'll let you know what I think. Cheers

Your cabinet is quite good! I would add something like Ardmore Traditional Cask. It's peated but not too much so you can get accustomed. On the fruitier side, maybe something like Aberlour 15 sherry cask or Benriach Tawny Port. For something more complex, opt for Cragganmore 12; or Distiller's Edition if your wallet permit. Glenfarclas 15 is a well rounded and balanced choice. Auchentoshan 1998 sherry wood if you want to please the Toshan Man. Glenmorangie Nectar d'Or is a must. Springbank 15 is a sure bet but Longmorn 16 (better with the 15 if available) is having good reviews since its release. If you want something vatted or blended, Compass Box The Spice Tree, Johnnie Walker Green or Hibiki 12 from Japan. That is the short list :-P

If you like Speyside and Highland malts you might want to try a sherried or wine finished whisky like the Glenfarclas 15 or the 'toshan that @JoeVelo suggested.

@IainVH a couple of recommendations for you; My foray into SMW over the last 6 months or so has led me to realise that you shouldn't underestimate the lesser known brands/distilleries. At first I thought If I hadnt seen it on the shelves of Tesco or Asda it couldn't be very good. How wrong I was, for me the small distilleries are often in a different class to the big producers, even if their Single Malts are made primarily for blends. This discovery led me to Glen Elgin, Clynelish and Glencadam and I strongly recommend them all.. My second recommendation is that every burgeoning Cabinet needs a good source of supply, and being a fellow resident of West Yorks my greatest discovery on the Whisky front was Wrights Wine and Whisky in Skipton. A veritable aladdin's cave of Whisky and well worth a visit. And no I'm not on commission. Oh and Old Pulteney 12. Never be without a bottle of that for the sake of Twenty quid!

Japanese whiskies tend to be on the mellow side. Suntory Yamazaki 12 is always great to have in your cabinet. Also the Glenkinchie 20 is very clean, fruity, and floral. And the Eagle Rare 10 Kentucky Bourbon might ignite your journey into great American and Canadian bourbons and ryes.

@JoeVelo Thanks for the compliment regarding my beginners cabinet. At least there's no Bells or Teachers to be seen. I've just got back from Loch Lomond (where I picked up my Glengoyne after going on the Distillery Tour). I saw loads of Glenfarclas in the local shops and I wish I'd have bought some now! You're the first of two people to recommend Auchentoshan, so I'll definately make that top of my list for my next purchase and I'll keep an eye out for the others too. Thanks again and bye for now.

@michaelschout Thanks for your reply. Glenfarclas and Auchentoshan are now definately on my list of future purchases. As already said in reply to JoeVelo, I was up near Loch Lomond last week where you aree virtually tripping over Glenfarclas in the shops and I wish I'd bought some now!.Or well, live and learn. Thanks again.

@smokeybarrels Thanks for your reply. By pure co-incidence I'm going to Skipton today (Sat 2/7) so I'll look out for the shop you mentioned. Thanks also for the recommendations of the lesser known malts, Besides the Skipton shop, is there anywhere else I'd be likely to pick them up locally or will it be a delve into internet shopping? On the subject of recommendations for shops, have you tired Czerwyks on Brighouse High Street? It specialises in Wines, beers and cheeses but also has a very good selection of whiskies. Might be worth dropping in if your in the area and of course were not aware of the place already. Cheers.

@whiskyshiba Thanks for your reply. Yes I definately enjoy the more mellow side of things. The peaty whiskies taste very medicine like to me, perhaps I've not got a very sensitive or developed pallet?? Not really considered Japanese whiskies up to now but I certainly will from now on. My North American experience so far has been limited to Jack Daniels in its various guises, so thanks for the recommendations in that area as well. Cheers.

@IainVH Yeah we've got friends in Brighouse who swear by that place for cheese, Ive been meaning to call in for ages- didn't realise they did whisky. I'll go and have a butcher's. Halifax Wines carry a half decent collection of mainly Conneiseurs Choice bottlings. The shop in Skipton is peerless though, and they have a pretty wide variety of miniatures too if you dont want to commit to a whole bottle of something. The other recommendation of a lesser known is Tomintoul 16 year old. If you like Speyside Whisky I would definitely advise you to get a bottle of that- and at about £32 for a 16yo its very good value for money. Let me know how you got on..

@smokeybarrels Went to Skipton and found the shop you recommended. It is as you say a real treasure trove with a mind boggling choice. Bought a bottle of Auchentoshan 12 year old. Like it a lot. Faint hints of chocolate or toffee to my uneducated pallet, can't decide which yet so thats an excuse for a few more trys! Also bought my first copy of the Jim Murray Whisky bible, very informative. Surprised that a blend Ballantines 17yo was judged to be the worlds best whisky. I always thought that blends were universally regarded as inferior to single malts, live and learn I suppose. Also surprised to find that a lot of supermarkets own brands get reasonable scores and reviews, I would have thought that these were to be avoided, again live and learn. Czerwyks is very good for cheeses, wines and beers but having been to the Skipton shop it's no where near as good for whiskies. I'll keep an eye out for the Tomintoul 16 year old. Cheers

@JoeVelo Bought and tried my first Auchentoshan (12yo). Like it a lot. Aftertaste to chocolate or toffee, can't decide which, will have to have few more trys!. Thanks for the tip.

Very happy that you like the Auchentoshan @IainVH . For more info on this, look at @markjedi1 . He is the pro and a gentleman.

@IainVH Yes I was surprised when Ballantines 17 won that award as a blend but having bought and drank a bottle to judge for myself I have to say I can see why. It's like a tour round the various whisky regions in one dram that really showcases the best of each region. Im not into heavily peated or overly smoky whiskies but this just gives you a palletable taste of those characteristics. Having said that it is a dram that I admire more than love, but it definitely illustrates the art of the master blender (and I got my bottle for around £25 at duty free which was a bonus). I know what you mean about being a bit "prejudiced" about some blended whisky though, I was staying at my Mum's a few weeks ago and she asked me if I'd like a whisky and my heart sank when I saw her bringing a bottle of Grant's Family reserve over, but it was pretty damn good- Its very easy to become a whisky snob very quickly I reckon. Cheers..

• Balvenie 12 year/15 year • Highland Park 12 year/18 year

A variety of glasses and many open bottles (recorked of course). I have maybe 70 glasses in 15-20 shapes and sizes. Plus several I've mentally set aside for visitors to take home if they're without or just starting out themselves. I've given away maybe 10 Glencairns so far this year. And open bottles: I have a friend who buys whiskey but thinks hard before opening pretty common stuff. This is weird. Whisky is for drinking. I kind of understand saving something special for later, or buying two of something, opening one and saving the other. Let's just say this: I'll not die if there's still something on my shelf left to drink. I can't let it go to waste.

@IainVH Glad to hear you liked your first encounter with Auchentoshan, sir! @JoeVelo, you are too kind, sir.

@IainVH I have tried to start a similar discussion to get an idea of what would be a cabinet that allows to pour the nicest representative set of whiskies being made out there. you can look at it, there might be some interesting posts for you. connosr.com/wall/discussion/…

BTW, where can we subscribe to the bike ride you are showing us as your picture ? ;o)

@IainVH keeping in mind your "likes" so far and to answer your question directly, but with options, I offer these ideas:

At least one of these American oak beauties: Glenlivet 16 Nadurra, Glenrothes Alba Reserve, Bruichladdich 12 2nd Edition

One or both of these islanders: Isle of Jura 16, Isle of Arran 10

One or more of these unusual spins on your theme: anCnoc 12, Glen Grant 10, Tullibardine 1993

and this sort of typical Speysider: Strathisla 12

Pretty easy question... good whisky... ;-p The Balvenie, Ardbeg & a nice Pig's Nose will get you properly underway...

So let's not discriminate nor segregate, blends and malts cone together, as long as you're good ones !

I am not sure if you can get it over there but I encourage you to try George Dickel 12, the other Tennessee Whiskey.

"Wodha wrote: A variety of glasses ...I have maybe 70 glasses in 15-20 shapes and sizes. Plus several I've mentally set aside for visitors to take home if they're without or just starting out themselves. I've given away maybe 10 Glencairns so far this year."

I'll second that, for me different whiskies want different glasses it is as simple as that, a quick count shows seven different types in the rotation. Glencairn glasses are a great standard, are ubiquitous (sp?) at whisky shops and events (usually with logos) and can sometimes be had for the asking. They make great gifts for guests.

"Wodha wrote: And open bottles: I have a friend who buys whiskey but thinks hard before opening pretty common stuff. "

Hey! That's me ... well not quite, with the exceptions of the Diagio "Classic Malts" my local selections are spotty, if I see something interesting it may well be that I'll never see it again so i buy it.

Two things I'll add 1) sample bottles (empty) those little 1/4Gill, 5cl bottles are good for sending samples away with guests or trading with others. 2) books, not just one but a couple of different ones, it is nice to see others opinions and the comments help get any discussion going. I like to write my own (and guests) notes in the margins.

You are right ! @Wodha I do keep some bottles for some special occasions but I think I will open them sooner than expected. Life's for living!

@IainVH To the contrary your cabinet is good. I see you have a Bowmore 12 and Macallan 10 year fine oak (actually one of my favorites). My I suggest building on these and expanding the range of these distilleries, try a Bowmore Darkest and/or Macallan Cask Strength. Both are polar opposites of what you have and will demonstrate the wide-range within distilleries themselves.

@markjedi1 Very much so, looking forward to tryting othetrs in their range. Cheers

@smokeybarrels Well the fact that blends are not to be avoided at all costs opens up even more scope for trying new whiskies which I've never tasted. Hurrah! Cheers

@rwbenjey Ok thanks for the suggestions, I'll look out for them. Cheers

@Wodha To be honest I've not really considered the importance of glasses. I have some very nice heavy chrystal tumblers which do the job very nicely for the malt whisky and some very crass Rolling Stones tall shot glasses which I use for my JD. Intrigued that different whiskies suit different glasses, elaborate please?? On the subject of not opening a bottle of whisky, this seems to make no sense at all. I suppose if I was fortunate enough to have a whisky worth several hundred pounds (which I don't) I would only dip into it on special occasions but I wouldn't leave it un-opened, that would make buying it pointless in my view. As to more 'normally' priced whiskies, open and enjoy I say! Cheers

@Kutter Thanks for the link, I'll certainly have a look. As to the bike ride, I'll ask the girls and get back to you. Cheers.