Wich distiller has never dissapointed you?

For me the distillers to go to are: Ardbeg, Deanston, Amrut, Balvenie, Glengoyne. And I would say Octomore, but I've had some disappointments with Bruichladdich releases.

For most distilleries I haven't had an opportunity to try enough expressions to be able to say I have never been disappointed and for it to have meaning. For instance, I've never tried Port Ellen. I've only had a couple of Ardbegs, Laphroaigs, etc...

However, I've tried about 12 different Amrut expressions and while one or two may have only been very good, none have ever been disappointing.

For me it has to be Bruichladdich. I have tried around a dozen of their bottlings and have been impressed by each and every one.

@Nozinan You are absolutely right, it's not a 'fact' just an 'opinion' (free quote of Ralfy ;) For me I've had disappointing Laphroaigs, but also disappointing Glenlivets. And stunning Laphroaigs (18 yo) and Glenlivets (Nadurra 16 yo). To me this is an indication that these distillers are more involved in 'making money' then 'making quality'. The quality sometimes is there, it has to be to keep the brand 'high', but to often they try to pull your leg..... When there is a new Glenlivet expression, I'll be on my guard and check it out really carefully. When there is a new Amrut, I almost buy it blind!

@DutchGaelisch

Sadly Amrut is now as expensive as other whiskies in its class and so I can't just buy blind. However, if I saw an expression I didn't have or wanted another of at a reasonable price I as well would buy it "blind".

Highest consistency of high quality products? For me that would be Laphroaig and Amrut. Between the two, Laphroaig delivers the goods at better prices, but Amrut has excellence across a much wider variety of products than does Laphroaig.

Distilleries are businesses. They have to find some way to monetise their lesser casks/barrels of whisky. So they sell them, usually as one of their own lesser labels. Selling the 'so-so' barrels of whisky brings them income and supplies the lower-disposable-income market, but also diminishes the overall reputation of the distillery at large. To produce no 'meh' whisky is the goal of each distillery, but rare in practice.

As to price, well, prices are getting high enough that no one wants to buy the bottle and then find out that it is not so good. At this point I don't buy many bottles without sampling them first.

Springbank!

On a purely personal level, I can also add Ardbeg, but only because I've read reviews and avoided bottles that others have felt disappointed by.

@OlJas

I've really only had 2 Springbanks, 12 CS and 12 CS claret wood. Both excellent. But I did not mention it because I really don't have enough experience with the full range. Though a distillery with a minimum bottling ABV of 46%, no colour and no chill filtration...would have to work very hard indeed to disappoint,..

Agreed. I've had the 10, 15 and 18 OBs, a couple of Longrows and a taste of a Hazelburn (10 I think) and they were all well above average, all at least 46%, non-chilfiltered and natural colour.

I have had Laphroaig QC, 10, 15, 18, Triple Wood and Cairdeas 2015 and have never been disappointed.

I have only had Talisker 10, 18, but I would gladly take either one as my desert island dram.

I have to date had no disappointment with any of the Ardbegs, Lagavulins or Highland Parks that I have tried.

Buffalo Trace Distillery. The spirit of the question is: good product at fair prices and never disappointing. For me this distillery is unquestionably Buffalo Trace.

@paddockjudge I always love seeing your photos...

@paddockjudge Those Blanton's bottles are just so cool.

Springbank and Talisker.....In all honesty, if these were the only two distilleries I could consume for the rest of my life, I'd be ecstatic.

@BlueNote But the contents of the BTAC Weller and the Stagg Jr bottles is way cooler...

@Nozinan I have yet to have the pleasure of tasting any of those. But where there is life there is hope.

A friend and I went together on an order from KWM, Calgary which will be couriered next week. KWM packaged up the order and we arranged for the courier to pick it up at the store and deliver to us in BC. I went for Killkerran 12, Springbak 15, Glenfarcas 15, Kilchoman Machir Bay and Arran 14. My mouth is already watering. He sprung for the new Bruichladdich BlackArt and a couple of pricey SWS bottlings. His three cost well more than my five. Not sure what the shipping cost is, but definitely worth it to get some stuff not available here.

Cheers

@BlueNote That's SMWS bottlings. Fat finger syndrome.

@BlueNote As long as it's not the SWA...

@Nozinan, three bottles in that pic have come from you; Blanton's Gold, Stag Jr, & Old Weller Antique 107.

@Nozinan Southwest Airlines?

@BlueNote Scotch Whisky Association, otherwise known as the Devil...

@Nozinan Oh, them. Big Brother and the Thought Police.

@BlueNote :

...and need of vittles!