My Top Ten Favourite Distilleries

A 'conversation pit'

Hi there, and welcome to a blog where I list my top ten favourite whisky distilleries in descending order, so starting with my tenth favourite, and then work my way down (a gruelling business for both reader and writer) to number one, which would be my favourite whisky distillery. I realise that absolutely no-one asked for this. Look, in previous blogs I might have said things like 'best of all time' or 'best of the year' or something like that when, of course, it's only my opinion, and, yes, I am addicted to lists, but in a rare moment, I am saying that this list is just my personal preference, like, of course, all these lists are. And in the conclusion I explain what makes a distillery special, to me. However, you should probably have got the gist of it if you (brave reader) have read all the way through. So, without much further ado, in descending order, these are my top ten favourite whisky distilleries at the moment, here we go, here we fucking go (starting with number ten)!

10 - Balblair

Balblair will always hold a special place in my heart due to some travel retail bottles and a period in  my life where I was traveling between Amsterdam and London very regularly. Some of you might know that I have a fear of flying, and one of the things that helped me was having access to some rather excellent litre sized bottles of their '04 vintage, the bourbon and sherry specifically. I still have both versions in my collection, I guess you could call them 'bottled liquid memories', but I probably wouldn't, however, if that's what you want to call them, who am I to judge? Yes, I have seen Angels Share, but it's really those beautiful bottles of that delicious whisky they made for the '04 vintage that helped me through 'the fear' that means Balblair makes this list. Well done Balblair, and cheers!

9 - Aberlour

Aberlour is here because of their A’bunadh and their 10, which are, IMHO of course, fantastic whiskies and whiskies that I have had a lot of fun with. One of my favourite summer drinks is a glass of A’bunadh with a massive ice cube in it, really great, just so fantastic, and their ten is, or perhaps was, a drinkers whisky if every I had one. I could just drink and drink the ten all night long, and have done, on many an occasion (poker nights and funerals for example). I have had a 'sniff' around the distillery, but only been to the little shop as I never booked a tour, but one day I will, I promise. A little unimpressed by their sixteen as I recall, but this is a positive blog, and Aberlour have more than deserved their place in my top ten. Well done Aberlour, and cheers!

8 - Bunnahabhain

Bunnahabhain comes in at number 8 due to another number, and that number is 12. I drank so much of their 12 at one point when I worked next to a Waitrose and was able to get it at such a great price sometimes, I think even for 25 pounds at one point. And the 12 is excellent, my god how good is that whisky? It was my bathtime whisky, pop in the bath after a long hard day at the office with a bunna 12 'and relax'. I have also had some really good bunna from the SMWS, so this was an easy choice. A quick mention also goes out to David Brodie, who works for them and has a 'great twitter game' which is so important, as I mentioned (I totally didn't but will later), whisky is vibes as well as liquid. Well done Bunnahabhain, and cheers!

7 - Glenfarclas

Glenfarclas, ah yes, that family owned distillery in Speyside. They really looked after me well during my visit and I tried that Chancellors cask which was really really fantastic so I bought a bottle, even though I do hate Conservative politics with a passion. In any case, the 15 really opened my eyes to sherried whiskies back in the day and I keep on meaning to buy a bottle, and I have the most wonderful memories of drinking the 105 from the bottle in a wood fired hot tub for my 40th birthday. Glenfarclas is also keenly priced which I really do appreciate and it's meant I have had quite a lot of it in my glass, enough to know that I like what they are doing there, and I regret not buying a bottle of their 40 year old back in 2017, when I almost did, but didn't. Life is full of regrets, and that was one of them, ah well. Well done Glenfarclas, and cheers!

6 - Macallan

Macallan, Robert, at number 6? What on earth, what on earth what are you doing have you lost your mind? NO, I have not, Macallan is number six on my list, even though their core range is overpriced and so much of their stuff is just not meant for the average person, but it's number six because their cask strength release some years ago was one of the finest whiskies I have ever drank in my life, so good I could not believe it. There is also a story behind me drinking one of their 18 year old Gran Reservas (again fantastic) and their Jazz trio from the SMWS was great as well. I do have some Macallan from the SMWS (both sherried and bourbon) as well as a couple of editions and a 10 from the nineties that is perhaps my most treasured bottle, so that's why they are here. Oh, also I did a tour there and it was pretty good. Look, I know, Macallan at six, I know, damn you Macallan, goddam you, and cheers!

5 - Glen Scotia

Glen Scotia are at number 5 because their SMWS bottles are superb, they are amazing and I need to get more of them. Also, I don't think I have ever had a bad Glen Scotia, but perhaps that's down to luck and I didn't try anything from their 'Highland Cow' phase, so perhaps that's a blessing? I heard they weren't as good as they are now. I remember being impressed by their double cask also, but really, those SMWS 93's are why they are number 5, excellent drams and I am currently having my socks blown off by one of them at the moment. They are also affordable and available, and apparently I need to try their Victoriana.  Number 5 purely because of those drams, goddam they are good, well done Glen Scotia, and cheers!

4 - Laphroaig/Ardbeg

What a massive fucking copout, I hate myself for doing this, I am absolute scum I am so sorry, but these two stills will be forever intertwined for me due to visiting them on the same day. They should have their own places, but I didn't want to choose because I am a gutless swine. Laphroaig will always be a favourite due to their ten, same with Ardbeg's 10, and although Ardbeg's 10 is better, I simply have drank more Laphroaig due to reasons, and some of that is independent bottlings, and again, the SMWS. But I have had mind blowing Ardbeg from the SMWS as well! Look, Ardbeg 10 was my favourite whisky for a long time, so if I had to say overall perhaps Ardbeg, but I do love Laphroaig and this is perhaps one of the best whiskies I ever had so I decided not to choo choo choose and put them both at 4. Perhaps my recent experience with the Laphroaig Quarter Cask is influencing me a bit. Well done Laphroaig and Ardbeg and cheers, and sorry!

3 - Glendronach

Glendronach, oh my sweet Glendronach and the non chill filtering controversy, and yet so high on the list. Number three and number three because I love sherried whiskies and I have had some goddam fine sherried whiskies from Glendronach. I have been there three times, two good tours one bad, and have a couple of handfills which already means I really like them, but there was a special night drinking a fantastic bottle from the Aberdeen Whisky Shop which really turned me onto them. It might well have been this one and subsequent 'special' drams I have had from them have been supersonic! Had the 8, 12, old 15, some 18 of course (but never the 21) and they have all been really good, but those special bottles are something else, and, I think, highlight quality casks. What do I know, other than I really like Glendronach, well done Glendronach, and cheers!

2 - Springbank

Springbank would normally be number one, but here they are at number two even though perhaps they should be number one but they are not, they are at number two. The most bang average Springbank was, as I vaguely recall, at the Grill in Aberdeen and it was super old, but I can't remember exactly which one it was. In any case, Springbank is amazing due to that distillate, it's down to the distillate goddamit they have that correct. The 12CS, and all it's batch variance, is the whisky I is my favourite when anyone asks me the question, what is your favourite whisky. It's Springbank 12CS. My rule is, see a Springbank, and buy it. Within reason of course. Just yesterday, I tried to buy a Springbank, but failed because someone else got there first it was my mistake as I didn't buy it at the time, left it, and came back and it was gone. The 10, the 15, amazing stuff. Local Barley? Amazing stuff. Springbank, amazing stuff, you know it's going to be good. Also I have had very good experiences with Cadenheads. Well done Springbank and cheers!

1 - Glen Moray

Glen Moray is my favourite distillery. Yes it is, and I am sick of pretending it's not. I love Glen Moray, for a number of reasons. This was going to be a Glen Moray blog, but my addiction to lists got the better of me and I decided to make a top ten distillery list, perhaps, to simply highlight why. This is vibes as much as it is whisky, but, for me, they are so connected. I like their core range, specifically the peated and the sherry offerings, which I have had a lot of fun with for no money at all. Their 10 Chardonnay Cask is so damn good, not just as a whisky, but as a DRINK. I have given this to many people who say they didn't like whisky, and they liked this drink. I love it, I miss it, I should have bought more of it when it was available and I am a fool. I will probably try the Chardonnay Cask finish very soon. But apart from all of that, I had such a great tour there, and that's what made this my favourite distillery. I turned up for the tour and it was just me, and it was an absolute blast! I asked, politely, of course, and I went a little 'off the beaten path' I think, having a proper look around warehouse 1 I think it was, so much fun. And I got some handfills! In short, I was treated so well, and therefore, they are my favourite distillery. I like their experimental stuff too, from what I have tried, and, to be honest, probably should open some of the stuff I have from them. God bless you Glen Moray, well done and cheers!

Conclusion

Well, what have we learned from this? Well, for me, whisky is absolute vibes, it's 100% vibes, well, maybe like 50% vibes 50% whisky. When I drink whisky, I am vibing, I am enjoying it, but also, I am 'thinking', I am saying cheers, I am 'talking' and I am probably getting a little too excited, but that's what alcohol does to me I guess. Is Glen Moray making better whisky than Springbank? I don't think it is, but they are making good whisky, they are experimenting with casks and those fucking vibes dude, those vibe fucking vibes I tell you. Vibes, it's all about them vibes! Of course you can have a great 'anything' but what sets things apart, for me at least, is when you have some contact or experience regarding the brand or production of that 'anything', it's so important. Imagine, if you will, getting 'bad vibes' from a distillery, or from anything for that matter! No matter how good the output the companies (or blog LMAO) is, it will always 'taste somewhat bitter'. Anyway, once again, I thank you for reading, taking the time to do so, and wish you a very nice day, full of vibes, fucking vibes dude!