Whisky Whiskey Everywhere...
Jeordy and I have long been proud of our alcohol collection. From Absinthe to zesty liqueurs, our home bar has you covered. Among the colourful array of bottles one alcohol stands out as the dominant force upon the liquor shelf: whiskey. Jeordy and I, as whiskey lovers, have long debated our favourites among the 14 whiskies in our collection. We decided it was time to taste and rank the whiskies, and finalise this debate.
Jeordy and I being of sound body (and sound mind before the tasting, not so much after) both ranked the drinks out of 5, with 1 being undrinkable and 5 being our ideal whiskey. Scores were then calculated.
Our ideal whiskey should be smooth, with a good flavour and usually quite smokey/peaty but without a burn. Contrary to popular belief, whisky does not have to burn your throat! Many whiskies are smooth without a burn.
14. HoneyBee (less that £1)
Starting off on the lowest rung of the ladder is our resident Indian whiskey. Local to Goa and purchased on my last trip there, this whiskey has one redeeming quality: it is cheap like the budgie. If my memory serves, I purchased this 750ml bottle for a whopping 70p, and in all honesty on reflection wouldn't pay much more for it. Honeybee is a locally distilled Goan honey whiskey. Though smooth it has a chemical burning taste that leaves a lasting impression. It is the ultimate drink for giving the worlds most intense hangover.
Ranking: Jeordy: 1/5 James: 1/5
13. Pogues (£24)
This Irish whiskey named after the band of the same name unfortunately is not as smooth as their music, landing in at number 13 on our list. Distilled in West Cork, it is said to have a 'smooth, intense flavour with hints of nuts and chocolate.' The whiskey was certainly intense but not in a good way. With a smokey sensation burning ones throat there is little taste in the drink at all. A redeeming quality would have to be the bottle, the matt black bottle with bold white lettering is sleek and modern.
Ranking: Jeordy 1.5/5 James: 2/5
12. Jack Daniel's (~£25)
The most famous of bourbon whiskies is found barely clinging on to the end of our ranking. Jack Daniel's may be a perfect bourbon to have with a mixer, who doesn't enjoy a JD and Coke from time to time? However, the taste of this infamous Tennessee whiskey is overwhelming, as Jeordy put it, 'meh.' With a lack of any distinct flavour and lack of smoothness, Jack Daniel's is fortunate to have its long heritage and excellent branding supporting it.
Ranking: Jeordy: 2/5 James: 2/5
11. Bell's (£20)
Finally a Scottish Whisky joins the race but comes in a little slow. Jeordy and I have two Bell's in this ranking: one aged, one not. Not surprisingly this lower ranked whisky is not aged. In 1851 Arthur Bell began mixing single malt whiskeys to form a more concession blended one. It's rich history earns this blended whisky respect, yet similar to Jack Daniel's the name alone is not enough. The un-aged blended Bell's whisky falls short. With a lack of flavour and intense burn, Bell's might be better sampled with a mixer.
Ranking: Jeordy 2/5 James: 2/5
10. Southern Comfort (£21)
Sugar, spice and everything nice... Perhaps surprisingly high on our list is this dark horse of the race. Though this is likely to enrage many who proclaim Southern Comfort is not a true whiskey, I classed it as such and entered it into the ranking. The slogan 'the taste of whiskey made comfortable' is undeniable, yet Jeordy's remarks on the matter are that "it should be ranked lower." This whiskey-based drink is infused with spices and irresistibly smooth. It may not be the most authentic on our list but it receives a tick for drinkability.
Ranking: Jeordy 2/5 James: 3/5
9. Jameson (£20-22)
An improvement in the ranking for Irish whiskey! Established in 1810 this Dublin distillery is one of Ireland's most famous, yet is now distilled in Cork. This whiskey is standard and found in most pubs but has a little more taste and a little less burn than its Scottish brother and equivalent, the un-aged Bell's. The flavour may not be overly exciting, but at least it is there.
Ranking: Jeordy: 3/5 James: 3/5
8. Bell's Aged 8 years (~£35)
The famous Bell's whisky is here again, this time aged, its amazing what a little time can do. In 1960 the distillery established the slogan 'afore ye go' meaning 'before you go' and 'stay a while longer.' This has become the top selling whisky in the UK and remains so since 1978. With a smoother finish and a flavour of spices and some peat, the lack of an after-burn allows for a greater taste. Unlike its non-aged brother, this is certainly a whisky worth its slogan and I would be happy to have just another 'afore I go.'
Ranking: Jeordy: 3/5 James: 3/5
7. Monkey Shoulder (£27)
An aptly named whisky to reflect its history. The process of barley turning to produce whisky took its toll on Scottish men as it caused one arm to hang down a little further and a slightly hunched back- known as monkey shoulder. The distillery was established in 1886 and the three monkeys of the bottle represent the main three components: smooth, malty and fruity. Though there is little fruit found within its taste it is certainly smoother than others we tasted and powerfully malty. Overall it is an inoffensive and drinkable whisky but does lack greater depth of flavour.
Ranking: Jeordy: 3/5 James: 3.5/5
6. Shackleton (£35)
A Scottish whisky blended from the recipe of the whisky taken by Sir Earnest Shackleton on his expedition to the South Pole. A whisky with such an interesting name attached to it should perhaps be a little higher on the list. Nevertheless, this adventurous whisky remains at number 6. Its bold taste lacks smoothness, with a sharp and rather intense burn making it quite undrinkable compared to some of the other whiskies above it. Were this a branding contest it would be a different story, as the bottle with a pale blue map of the south sea is easily the prettiest bottle in our ranking. Just remember not to judge a bottle too much by its label.
Ranking: Jeordy: 3/5 James: 3.5/5
5. Laphroig (£35)
Coming in at the start of our top 5 is Laphroig. This single malt, 10 year aged Scottish whisky was established in 1815 and has remained a well known Scottish whisky ever since. This particular bottle (lovingly displayed in our decanter) is drinkable, with little burn but lacking a distinct flavour. There are tastable notes of salt and complex layers of peat which gave it a smokier finish.
Ranking: Jeordy: 3/5 James 4/5
4. Ardmore (£35)
Yet another Scotch whisky in the top 5. The Ardmore Legacy Single Malt Whisky is up there with Shackleton for its presentation. Ardmore's bottle is labelled with a beautiful topographical map of its distillery along with a golden inlaid eagle. It became clear from this ranking that I am particularly fond of whiskies with maps on their bottles. The taste is a little disappointing, it is perhaps the peatiest whiskey on this list but an intense after-burn leaves little taste to return to.
Ranking: Jeordy 3.5/5 James 4/5
3. Knob Creek (£35)
We are equally as surprised to have found a bourbon so high up on the list, but it is fair to say this is not just any bourbon. Kentucky is the home of American whiskies, and Knob Creek is a loved favourite of ours. Being ranked in third, Knob Creek does the U.S. proud. There is little burn and it is woody, smokey, but irresistibly smooth. It makes the best Old Fashioned cocktail around but is equally as delicious standing alone. Drinkable and moreish.
Ranking Jeordy: 3.5/5 James: 4.5/5
2. Johnnie Walker (Green Label) (£39-40)
For Johnnie Walker to be so high upon this list as a blended whisky really is a testament to its long history. This is no ordinary blend; it is a malt blend, meaning it is a mixture of only single malts to create a more balanced flavour before being aged 15 years. Johnny Walker have a line of blended whiskies which are ranked by colour from red to gold. Johnny Walker Blue Label happens to be my favourite whisky though its younger greener brother is a suitable stand-in. The taste is palatable, almost fruity with a hint of smoke and most importantly is smooth with a lack of burn. Extremely drinkable.
Ranking: Jeordy 4/5 James: 4.5/5
1. Glenfiddich (£25)
The Scots would no doubt be happy to see a Scottish whisky coming in as the winner of this ranking. As a Brit I'm happy to see this Scotch whisky win the crown. This single malt 12 year aged whisky has a beautiful taste with plenty of peat and a slow mellow finish that leaves one wanting more. It was a clear winner for both of us.
Ranking: Jeordy: 4.5/5 James: 5/5
We decided to include estimated prices for each brand as a point of reference, but it's necessary to emphasise that we did not have this information when we tasted and ranked. The whiskies on our ranking varied from £1-£40, but averaged £27. While the trend shows that more expensive whiskies are worth the cost, our winner shows you don't need to bankrupt yourself for a whiskey done right!
There you have it. Did you agree with our ranking? Let us know your favourite whiskies!
