Best single-malt Scotch...

Oh yeah, forgot. Sounds like the Macallan might be going towards no age statement whisky. Their latest entry level release @ 40% ABV NAS. Exactly how old is anyones guess, 5, 6, 8? Don't really know. This while many other distilleries are upping their ABV from 43% to 46%. Any less than 40% ABV and you can't legally call it whisky in Scotland.

Also, their "fine oak" releases are disappointing when compared to their sherry cask offerings. All their whisky was once sherry cask aged and they built their reputation on it.

I think we're seeing the results of such high worldwide demand for single malt Scotch whisky that some distilleries just don't care what they're putting in their bottles. Hopefully they won't all go this route.
Sorry for the rant!

You all need to join the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, if you are at all serious about Scotch. The commercial bottlings listed above are all good, but the best bottles I have had were single malts which were single-cask, undiluted, and not chill filtererd. I suppose my all-time favorite was a 16 year old Ben Nevis, but can not remember the exact bottle number. Some over-30-year olds (which I collect, up to a point - I wouldn't want to die with an undrunk collection) I have had contained bottled happiness. I don't know how they capture that, but some bottles have it.

Curriemt11 mentions the 1966 Springbank Local Barley. I drank my bottle of it, and it was wonderful - I would certainly rank it above anything else mentioned here. Little did I know it would be worth thousands, but I buy the stuff to drink, not admire or keep or resell. I have had other Springbank bottles which I liked more.

Lloydc

sounds like good advice. thanks...Springbank is good stuff...i own the 18 and the 21-year. I have had the 35-year. All great...the 21 ranks in my top 5. the 18 in the top 9.

Just had some 21 and 35 distillery bottled Springbanks a couple of weeks ago at a friends. Really liked the 21 a lot, cracked open for the occasion.
Another friend is sitting on a distillery bottle of 45 Springbank. What do I have to do to get him to open that one?