30 Year Old Single Malt - Birthday Present

[Manda]

Hi, I'm new to the forum but wondering if you had any suggestions for me.
My husband turns 30 this year and I was thinking of buying him a bottle of 30 year old single malt whiskyy as a surprise. He generally has a preference for highland single malts and last year I bought him a bottle of Ardbeg 1990 Airign Nam Beist which he really liked.

Any suggetions on what to buy and where to buy it from would be gratefully received. Preferrably anywhere on the East Midlands mainline, London or Manchester or online.

Thanks
Manda

[Charlie]

Hi Manda

You dont say what your budget is as the price for a 30 year old single malt can vary from £100 to £1000's. As far as where to buy, I would recommend The Whisky Exchange which is a specialist online whisky shop, i have always found there delivery service very good and very fast.

As far as suggestions goes for which whisky to buy, this is what i would suggest without knowing your budget.

Port Askaig 30 year old which is The Whisky Exchanges own Islay whisky independent bottling and excellent value at £150

Brora 30 year old usually around £250 i can recommend the bottlings from 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. The 2005 bottling was excellent also but more expensive at £350

Balvenie 30 is excellent. Around £300

Old Pulteney 30 again excellent £250

Hope that helps, i am sure others will be happy to suggest some more.

Charlie

[Big Mac]

Hi Manda

The Highland Park 30 year old is excellent, it deservedly got the best single malt whisky award in its age group in this years whisky bible.

If your husband likes sherried whisky then the Glenfarclas 30 year old is also excellent and a great price for a whisky of this age, usually around £120

Mac

[Alastair]

Manda if you visit The Whisky Exchange they have a drop down box for "Birthday & Anniversary" on their home page where you can select 30 year old. This will give you probably the best list of 30 year old whisky that you will find in one place. If you take a look at the list and if there is any whisky you what to know about just let us know.

I can recommend the Highland Park 30 and the Balvenie 30 mentioned above both superb whiskies. Also for a bit of smoke the Brora whiskies mentioned are excellent. I also noticed the Glen Ord 30 year old is on offer at TWE for £145 which is a £60 saving, this is a very good Highland single malt.

Alastair

[DavidUK]

[Keith]

Manda, a few 30 year olds which i have had in the past year which i think your husband may like are from the Diageo Special Releases 2009 - they are the Talisker 30, Brora 30 and the Port Ellen 30 although you will be lucky to find a bottle of the Port Ellen still available.

[Manda]

Thanks everyone, I think I may have to rethink this idea
The maximum I was thinking of spending was £120 but I guess from your replies this is not going to be enough. Not sure my husband would be too impressed with me spending any more, or else he'd feel guilty drinking it :s

Alistair, I did look at the Whiksey Exchange's birthday/anniversary list but I wanted suggestions of what my husband is likely to actually like - don't want to spend a fortune (at least for me - I'm a student :p) on something he won't like.

Don't know if it'll help but at home we have the Ardbeg 1990 which I bought last year, Balvenie Doublewood 12 year old and an Ardmore traditional cask,

[Andy M]

Hi Manda

If you still want to get a 30 year old whisky then the Longmorn 30 Year old which is £78 at The Whisky Exchange is a good whisky and great value for a whisky of this age. Also considering that you husband already likes the Balvenie Doublewood which is a sherry finished whisky then he should also enjoy the Glenfarclas 30 year old which is an excellent sherried whisky and also a great price for its age £115 at TWE.

There are also many excellent younger and cheaper whiskies. If your husband liked the Ardbeg 1990 and Balvenie Doublewood then i would highly recommend the Ardbeg Uigeadail which is both smoky and sherried and it is priced under £50

Another idea would to get 2 or 3 bottles with a combined age of 30 years, say an 18 year old and a 12 year old. If you would like any suggestions for this let us know.

Andy

[Bookie]

[Brummie]

I would probably need a bank loan if i was to purchase a bottle with the same age as myself

[Manda]

I'm glad decided to post, you have been great. After a brief discussion about whiskeys of the whiskeys in the house, my husband prefers the Ardbeg 1990 and Glenfiddich Caoran Reserve 12yr (I missed that when I went looking earlier).
Given that and a budget of £120, what do you suggest I should get either as a 30yr old or as a 12yr + 18yr?

[Andy M]

With your husbands preference for the Ardbeg 1990 and Glenfiddich Caoran Reserve he obviously has a taste for smoky whisky.

Given his taste for smoky whisky i would recommend the Laphroaig 18 year old, Talisker 18. An excellent independent bottling is Smokehead Extra Black 18 Year Old bottled by Ian Mcleod (which i suspect is Ardbeg in the bottle)

Or with just a hint of smoke but an excellent whisky is the Highland Park 18
year old. An excellent 18 year old sherried whisky is the Macallan 18 Sherry Oak.

A smoky 12 year old which i would recomend is the 2009 bottling of the Lagavulin 12 year old which is a cask strength bottling and an excellent whisky IMHO.

Another excellent 12 year old i would recommend is the Highland Park 12 year old which has just a hint of smoke and a superb whisky for your money.

Hope this gives you some ideas

Andy

[Bookie]

I will second Andys recommendation for the Lagavulin 12 year old 2009 special release, excellent if you like smoky whisky. You can read a bit more about it here

Also the 18 year olds he suggests are all excellent, i wouldnt hesitate in suggesting any of them for someone with a preference for smoky whisky.

As far as 30 year old whisky in your price range goes, i had a look over at The Whisky Exchange and i would say the Ardmore 1977 30 Year Old from Douglas Laing will have a bit of smoke (not much) and should be be a good whisky. The Bunnahabhain 1978 30 Year Old from Douglas Laing will be a sherried malt. My choice out of the 30 year old in this price range would be the Longmorn 30 year old from Gordon & Macphail. The Campbeltown Loch 30 is a blended whisky and from what i have read it is a rich fruity, vanilla, toffee, creamy blend and great for a whisky of this age but it will not be in the league of the 18 year old single malts suggested above for taste and complexity, but will make a great gift and is presented in a nice case for under £40

Bookie

[Manda]

Hi everyone, sorry for not replying for a week, been busy. It's getting to the time I need to order my husband's present if I'm going to get it on time so after reading your comments as far as I can work out:
If I want to get a 30year old my best options (after removing everything over £200):
Highland Park 30 £189
Glenfarclas 30 year £115
Ardmore 1977 30 £82.72
Longmorm 30 £78.49
Port Askaig 30 year £150
Glen Ord 30yr £175

I can't really go over £120 myself, do you think I should buy Glenfarclas, Ardmore or the Longmorn or should I go for the 18 + 12 option?
If I could get the money would it be better to get the Highland Park, Port Askaig or Glen Ord or still better to get one of the others?

Thanks for your help and I hope you don't mind me asking so many questions.

[McKay]

Hi Manda

The Highland Park 30 is an excellent whisky. but i would say there is no need to spend more than what you have budgeted as they are all good whiskies.

The Longmorn 30 Year Old is an excellent whisky and at £78 well within your budget if you really want to buy a 30 year old.

For a 18yo + 12 yo i would go for the Highland Park 18 + Lagavulin 12 year old 2009 special release. These are both superb whiskies and they will give your husband the chance to try 2 different styles of whiskies.

McKay