Young vs. old

[Alexppp]

It's normally the case - within the 10-18 year range at least - that older whiskies tend to be more special than their younger siblings from the same distillery. But what examples can you think where in your opinion the younger is better? In my limited experience I find the 12 year-old Glenlivets (both the normal one and the First Fill) better than the 15 year-old. My dad also prefers Talisker 10 to the 18 year-old.

What about you?

[Carson]

The older expressions in general are more polished with the rough edges a young whisky can have buffed off, but youthful whisky can be every bit as enjoyable. One example of a young but still very much enjoyable whisky that i can think of is the Benromach Traditional, clearly a very young whisky. Good to compare with the more polished 10 year old.

[Crane]

I am drinking Springbank 18 tonight and i have to say it is way better than the 10 year old or CV. Definitely one of those distilleries that improves a lot with age.

[SkyeIslay]

Interesting question. I prefer:

Laphroaig QC to Laphroaig 10
Glenlivet 12 to Glenlivet 15
Glenfiddich 15 to Glenfiddich 18
Bowmore 12 to Bowmore 18
Old Pulteney 12 to Old Pulteney 17
Balvenie Doublewood to Balvenie 17

But these tend to be exceptions rather than the rule. As Carson said older whiskies are smoother and more polished. I can see why your dad would prefer Talisker 10 to 18 for example, it's more aggressive and in-your-face. Nothing wrong with that, they're both excellent drams.

[DavidUK]

Old Pultenay 17 yo is much better than the 21yo.

Bladnoch 8yo and 18yo better than the 20yo

[5-12-1908]

I have to say I also prefer the Glenfiddich 15 to the 18.

Nothing wrong with the 18, but the 15 just fits my tastes better.

[SkyeIslay]

[Keith]

Yeh i think the Benromach 10 has been about a couple of years now, not sure if they are planning a 12 year old expression or not, cant see any sign of a 12 year old on the Benromach web site.

[Alexppp]

Thanks for the replies so far. I've never tried a Benromach, but it's on my shortlist of things to buy next.

On young vs. old, I also like the Glenlivet 12 First Fill at least as much, if not more than the Glenlivet 18.

[Bower]

I have only had one bottle of the Glenlivet 12 First Fill and it was very good, i wish they would put it on general release instead of just travel retail. To be honest when i did buy it i actually thought it was the standard 12 i was buying so i was very pleasently surprised.

[Blackadder]

I need to watch out for a bottle of the Glenlivet 12 First Fill.

It is the bottles that you dont find in the duty free/travel retail that annoys me. Such as Highland Park 18, you now only see the HP vintages also you never see Lagavulin 16 always seems to be just the Lagavulin Distillers Edition although it is very good it would be nice to be able to pick up the standard 16 year old but it never seems to be in the duty free shops i pass through.

[Alexppp]

[Blackadder]

The 1 litre bottles is often what attracts me to my duty free purchases as they are great value. I think the Lagavulin Distillers Edition is £45 at the airport for a 1 litre bottle so a great buy.