Best single-malt Scotch...

Good call on the Balenvie from what i have read...not tried. But will!!!

I have an older Glenmorangie which i enjoy...a nice gift from good friends who know me well.

I agree with your comments, Lloydc, on the Macallans and have had some non-chill filtered which were wonderful...i enjoy the flavors but would not profess enuf knowledge to know if it was the lack of chill filtering or not.

BTW, i have a rare 34-year old Demerara Rum...exceedingly rare for rum to be this old. Whoa...even my fiancee can drink it straight. It is a wonderful treat we picked up when we popped into the Whisky Shop which has several hundred bottles...and they also had a small rum section of rare rums. Cool!

"The" reference book on scotch is "The Whiskies Of Scotland" by R.J. McDowall. Out of print for years, but can be found online.

The author says there is almost no improvement after 15 to 20 years of aging.

Dr. McDowall has taste tested and characterized most anything you will find in any liquor store.

A must own for Scotch drinkers!

Cool! Thanks, Don_c55. i will look that one up on Amazon to see if they've got it.

"improvement" is a value judgment. lengthy aging changes scotch, which can become very dark and can have unusual, intense flavors, often unlike what we normally think of as Scotch. you should try them for yourself. If you are ever in Edinburgh, go by the Vaults at Leith and try some Society undiluted, non-chill filtered, single malt, single-cask whiskys. Also, the Society has touring tastings in major cities in the U.S.
I consider Michael Jackson's guidebook more useful.

I have both Michael Jackson and Jim Murray's books. I have heard excellent things abou the Society in Edinburgh and there is also a Whisky Society spot in London.