Best Value Whiskies
This list, really, is remarkable - good whiskies for good price. I originally based this upon the value score, developed in this blog post and further discussed here. Basically, it evaluates the value of a whisky based on its price and its rating. This is a terrific scheme because it doesn't mean "cheapest" - it really means beast bang for your buck based on other whiskies in the market at that price. However, I’ve now transitioned to a more subjective discussion where I can discuss value (the previous score, at its core, was based on market and a subjective score). Only about 9% of the whiskies I review get to the “very high” category, while 16% get to the “high category” - so it is a slim list.
This is based on taste, not on scarcity or other categories. Basically, for that class of taste experience, is it a good price?
And yes, yes, Canadian whiskies are better value than Scotch and American - partly due to markets (I am in Ontario), and partially because Scotch and American are in higher demand and actually sell for more. But, in terms of how high they score relative to price, Canadians rule the world as far as I have evaluated...
Very High Value
Canadian Whisky
Alberta Premium 25 Year Old (2007; $30)
Alberta Premium 30 Year Old (2012; $50)
Canadian Rockies 21 Year Old (Batch 001; $68)
Crown Royal Bourbon Mash 13 Year Old (2018; $83)
Crown Royal Hand Selected Single Barrel (2015; 2016; 77$)
Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye (2015 $35; 2017 $36)
Crown Royal Wine Barrel Finish (2017; $70)
Danfield's 21 Year Old (2013; $45)
Forty Creek Evolution (2014, $70)
Forty Creek Confederation Oak (Batch A & Batch B; $70)
Forty Creek Copper Pot (2012; 2015; 2017; $30)
Forty Creek Heart of Gold (2013; $70)
Gibson's 18 Year Old (2013,$75)
Gooderham & Worts (2015; 2016; $45)
Gooderham & Worts Eleven Souls (2018; $100)
J.P. Wiser's 35 Year Old (2017; $165)
J.P. Wiser's Dissertation (2016; $65)
J.P. Wiser's Legacy (2012; 2015; 2016 $50)
J.P. Wiser's Triple Barrel (2017; $32)
J.P. Wiser’s Wendel Clark (NHL Alumni Series 2018; $45)
Lot no. 40 (2012, 2014, 2015, 2016 Yellow Label; $40)
Lot no. 40 12 y.o. Cask Strength (First Edition; $70)
Masterson's Rye (Batch 1; Batch 3; $110)
Ninety 20 Year Old (2014, 2016 & 2017; $50)
american Whisky
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (2014; $114)
Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch (2013; $80)
Four Roses Private Selection Single Barrel OESF (2015; $80)
Four Roses Private Selection Single Barrel OBSK (2015; $53)
Four Roses Private Selection Single Barrel OESV (2015; $53)
Four Roses Private Selection Single Barrel OESK (2014; $71)
Four Roses Single Barrel (2014; $46)
Four Roses Small Batch (2014; $40; 2018, $50)
Hochstadter’s Vatted Straight Rye (2019, $40)
Jim Beam Devil's Cut (2013; $31)
John E. Fitzgerald Larceny (2015; $38)
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve (2013; $57)
Knob Creek Small Batch (2013; $47)
Old Weller Antique 107 (2015, 2016; $35)
Rittenhouse Bottled-in-Bond (2014; 2017; $47)
Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye (2011; $150)
W.L. Weller 12 Y.O. (2016; $45)
Scotch Whisky
The Spice Tree (2012 - $70; 2019 - $80)
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength (2016; $76)
Lagavulin 12 Y.O. (2012; $140)
Laphroaig Quarter Cask (2012,2014; $75)
Indian Whisky
Amrut Peated Cask Strength (Batch 12, Batch 28; $107)
High Value
Canadian Whisky
Alberta Premium Dark Horse (2013, 2015; $32)
Bearface Triple Oak (2018; $40)
Canadian Club Chairman’s Select 100% Rye (2014; 2017; $29)
Canadian Club Classic 12 Years Old (2014; 2016; 2017; $30)
Canadian Club 20 Year Old (2014; $60)
Canadian Rockies 21 Year Old (2018; $82)
Century Reserve 21 Year Old (2013; $48)
Century Reserve Lot 15/25 (2013; $33)
Collingwood 21 Year Old (2013; $45)
Collingwood Double Barreled (2017; $45)
Crown Royal Cornerstone Blend (2016; $70)
Crown Royal Hand Selected Barrel (2015, 2016; $77)
Crown Royal Blender’s Select (2017; $55)
Crown Royal Bourbon (Blender's) Mash (2018; $35)
Crown Royal Limited Edition (2013; $40)
Dillon’s Three Oaks Rye (2017; $60)
Forty Creek Barrel Select (2016; $28)
Gibson’s 8 Year Old Bold (2016; $30)
Gibson’s 18 Year Old (2015; $75)
Glen Saanich Ancient Grains (2017; $80)
Highwood Stampede 100th Anniversary 25 Year Old (2012; $60)
Hiram Walker Special Old (2014, 2017; $26)
J.P. Wiser’s 15 Year Old (2017; $45)
J.P. Wiser’s 150 Limited Edition (2017; $50)
J.P. Wiser’s Double Still Rye (2015; $28)
J.P. Wiser’s Last Barrels (2016; $65)
J.P. Wiser’s Guy Lafleur Alumni Series (2018; $45)
Lot no. 40 (2016 Green Label; $40)
Lot no. 40 Cask Strength (2019; $90)
Last Mountain 100% Wheat (2016; $50)
Last Mountain Private Reserve (2015, 2016; $45)
Lock, Stock & Barrel 16 Year Old (2016; $200)
Lot no. 40 Cask Strength (2018; $100)
McLoughlin & Steele (2013; $28)
Mt. Logan 5 Year Old (2016; $30)
Mt. Logan 20 Year Old (2016; $55)
North of 7 Four Grain (2019; $60)
Pike Creek 10 Year Old Port Finish (2012; $40)
Pike Creek 21 Year Old Oloroso Sherry Finish (2019; $90)
Shelter Point Single Malt (2018; $66)
Stalk & Barrel #Canada150 Blend (2017; $45)
Stalk & Barrel Red Blend (2016; $40)
Twelve Barrels Canadian Whisky (2017; $35)
Two Brewers Classic (2017; $100)
american Whisky
1792 Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon (2016; $65)
Balcones Texas Rye (2018; $70)
Blanton’s Original Single Barrel (2013, 2015; $65)
Buffalo Trace (2013, 2015; $40)
Bulleit 10 Year Old (2016; $50)
Eagle Rare Single Barrel (2017; $57)
Elijah Craig 12 Year Old (2013; $48)
Four Roses Private Selection Single Barrel OBSO (2015; $53)
Four Roses Single Barrel (2014, 2016; $46)
George Dickel Barrel Select (2016; $60)
George Dickel No. 12 (2015; 2017; $30)
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve (2016; $57)
Old Charter 10 Year Old (2013; $32)
William Larue Weller (2015; $130)
Willett Pot Still Reserve (2018; $50)
Scotch Whisky
Aberlour A’Bunadh (2013, 2016; $100)
Bowmore Laimrig 15 Y.O. (2014; $120)
Grant’s Family Reserve (2013; $28)
Great King Street Artist’s Blend (2012; $45)
Great King Street Glasgow Blend (2015- $57; 2018, $60)
Great King Street Momofoku Finish (2018; $92)
Glenmorangie Original 10 Y.O. (2013; $75)
Highland Park 12 Year Old (2011; $80)
Lagavulin 8 Year Old (2016; $100)
Lagavulin 16 Year Old (2013; $120)
Laphroaig 10 Year Old (2013; $86)
Laphroaig Cairdeas 200th Anniversary (2015; $100)
Ledaig 10 Year Old (2015; $68)
Longmorn 16 Year Old (2014, $100)
Peat Monster (Compass Box; 2012 - $100; 2018 - $80)
Port Charlotte 10 Y.O. (2018; $100)
Irish Whiskey
Bushmills 10 Year Old Single Malt (2017; $42)
Bushmills Black Bush (2015; 2017; $37)
Bushmills Red Bush (2017; $35)
Redbreast 12 Year Old (2013, 2017; $75)
Writer’s Tears Red Head (2017; $65)
Indian Whisky
Amrut Intermediate Sherry (2015; $100)