Need advice, what whisky is most like.....

[Rdelusion]

Nicest whisky I have ever tasted, baring in mind I have not tasted a lot, was the Balvenie Craftmans Reserve No 1.

For anyone that has tatsed this whisky what would be the closest I could get to it in both taste and smell?

For those that haven't tasted it, it had so many flavours in it that a lot of whiskies I taste now seem quite one dimensional.

Most of all was the smell though, very much reminded me of Christmas.

I would like to buy a bottle of something approaching this without having to splash out £399 on the balvenie itself......any suggestions?

Thanks in advance guys.

http://blog.thewhiskyexchange.com/2012/01/balvenies-craftsmans-reserve-1-the-cooper/

Tim (these notes are from a sample, rather than my notes at the time which are in a notebook I left at Joel Caskstrength's house during a messy impromptu post-event after-party).

Nose: Lovely rich raisiny notes straight off the bat. Perfectly clean sherry profile, not a trace of sulphur. Rich baked apples and syrup. Becomes biscuity and nutty (hazelnut shell, brazilnut, chocolate praline). Then some more vinous notes, rosehips, flapjacks and a touch of treacle.

Palate: Polished oak up front, then the syrup-sweet notes. A tad hot and dry at full strength, lets add water:much better. Stays very true to the nose, with the oak quite assertive. This can take plenty of water, don't be shy. Delicious sweet, rich, nutty, apple & raisin goodness.

Finish: Warming and balanced.

Comments: This Balvenie certainly needs water to get the best out of it. But what a cracking dram.

Billy (these notes are from on the night because I'm a good boy and went home, despite the naughty people trying to tempt me into staying out)

Nose: It starts off with pungent manuka honey (or is that just my brain telling me I can smell Balvenie's signature note?), good maraschino cherries and a powerful woody spice scent that masks most of the other flavours. That slowly burned off in the glass along with some of the higher alcohols to reveal rum and raisin dark chocolate, sour cherries, Garibaldi biscuits and slightly sweet German black bread. A drop of water added some astringently woody spice - especially cloves.

Palate: Chewy, rich and oily with icingless cherry bakewells, coffee sweetened with dark brown sugar, leather, burnt dark wood and some sweet woody spices. Water opened it up a little revealing fruity malt loaf (with a light sheen of butter), dried fruit and a bitter edge of clove and sharp wood.

Finish: Hints of anis, dark chocolate and spice, fading to lingering clove and polished wood.
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I was put on this earth to accomplish a certain amount of things, at this rate I may never die!

[Quaich1]

[albo]

I've not tried this so I actually can't help with your specific question.

However, it's one of those questions that comes up time and again, what whisky tastes like 'this' because I really like 'this'?

You'll get some reasoned responses and I do hope that you find something which fits your palate and doesn't do as much damage to your wallet.

I will add my own £0.02 worth as this is one of them things that kinda bugs me, when I know it shouldn't.

Why would you want to find something that tastes like this? Why wouldn't you want to go on an explore the myriad of other whisky available out there to see if you can better this, it may not be a sherried expression that you find, it could be a peaty dream that next comes to you. You said yourself that you've not tasted too many drams, so for me, I'd say forget the Balvenie (or more accurately remember it fondly) but spend your time and energy exploring as many of the other available options as you can within reason, health and budget aside. You may find some cracking drams, you may find some horror shows, but you'll have a story to tell, you'll have more to discuss and a more rounded view of the whisky world.

That's the way I see it anyway, but each to their own, as my old Nan would have said "It wouldn't do for us all to be alike". Kind of makes me wonder what on earth she would have made of the internet had she still been with us

[Rdelusion]

Thanks for the replies guys,

Balvenie Caribbean is definitely on my list already

Point well taken albo, however I have bought a few whiskies that I really didn't take too and took it ill out I have spent the money on it where I could have gotten something else instead. It's too expensive and hobby, for me anyway, to buy a bottle for it to turn out I don't like it. I generally experiment in the pub ect but on experimenting with bottles I tend to go for a description more in keeping with what I know I like.

The reason I've asked this particular question, what tastes like.. Is because I'm not spending £300 for the original one and would like a budget £30-£40 bottle that I can have as a regular in the drinks cupboard while I still experiment with others.

Anyone tried this, http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-9731.aspx as it seems to hit what I'm looking for.
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I was put on this earth to accomplish a certain amount of things, at this rate I may never die!

[Genuine Risk]

[minesascotch]

Rdelusion

You have found an excellant Balvenie I have been lucky to get a bottle it is superb, the only problem is you found it early on your whisky journey, to try and find something similar and cheap is going to be very difficult, but it is always good to keep searching.

I have tried the New Glendronach 15 and agree that it is a good dram and has been getting very good reviews, may I suggest the Balvenie 15 yr old Single Cask it is a good Balvenie and you will find it is similar though weaker to the Craftsmans Reserve, the Aberlour a'bunadh is Cask Strength and reminds me of Christmas pudding ect at about £40.00 it fits your requirements I think, try and get a sample before you buy, but I think you will enjoy it..

Good luck

[Rdelusion]

Nice one lads!

Whisky exchange do the 70cl Aberlour A'Bunadh / Batch 44 for £35 and while onlyhalfmad's experience with the Glendronach was awful WE also sell a miniature of the Glendronach 15 Year Old Revival for 6 quid.

Sounds like a winning plan to me

If I don't get other suggestions put into the pot by Wed night I'll get it ordered.
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I was put on this earth to accomplish a certain amount of things, at this rate I may never die!

[Alexppp]

The Glendronach 15 is my favourite sherried whisky. It's really quite spectacular. Pity onlyhalfmad had bad luck with his miniature bottle, but all the drams I've had of this had no problem with sulphur - hopefully that's all in the past.

[Rdelusion]

Change of plan.

just ordered samples from Masters of Malt;

Aberlour A'Bunadh Batch 44 3cl

Glendronach 15 year old revival 3cl

Balvenie 14 year old carribean 3cl

Glenmorangie Nectar D'Or 3cl

Penderyn Sherrywood 3cl

Penderyn with tasting glass 10cl

Looking forward to the weekend

Last two because I've always fancied trying this distiller when I've seen it in the supermarket.

Thanks for the feedback.
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I was put on this earth to accomplish a certain amount of things, at this rate I may never die!

[Quaich1]