September 2021
Just in case there is anyone out there that believes that I might arrange my release schedule to allow for certain bottles to make it to the top spot in any given month (only the bottles covered in that month are eligible) just take a look at this month and see the corner I backed myself into.
Of the five different bottles I covered in September, only two are eligible to be picked under my usual restrictions, namely that it must be available at time of writing, and a whisky.
In any case, as usual, I will list the runners up for this months accolade in order of release and finish up with the winner below.
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Runners Up
The first bottle I covered this month is the Ledaig 18 Years Batch 3. Let me start this section by saying that, if this were entirely flavour led, this bottle would have been the top dog by a country mile. As it stands, the batch 3 is only available on the secondary market, and its replacement (no longer denoted by batches…or in a wooden box) is an unknown entity to me, so I can’t recommend it based on my experiences.
That said, if you have money burning a whole in your pocket, and you love peat and Ledaig, this is stunning.
My next bottle is another that I cannot in all good conscience call my whisky of the month as it is a club exclusive and completely unavailable to anyone outside the club. But, again, this Summerton Club English is a fantastic drop that really showcases English whiskies efforts to catch up with the longstanding cousins up north. I’m a big advocate of the Summerton Club and anyone in the UK interested in such things should check them out.
Well looky here, its an eligible bottle! But, as you might guess by its presence here in the body text, it certainly didn’t win this month. The Black Bottle Blended is certainly and excellent value whisky though. A certifiable ‘Guard Whisky’ if you will. Worth a shot if you like a bit of smoke and just want a bottle to drink relatively guilt free
The final entry before the ‘big’ reveal then is one final ineligible bottle. The Darkwood Rum 13 yrs from Heroes and Heretics is the first ever rum on the channel. I’m not a rum guy, but I’m learning and attempting to try different rums when I can. I absolutely love this one though and it’s probable the 2nd best bottle this month, if it were entirely flavour led.
Top Dog
This months winner then, somewhat by default, is the Wild Turkey Longbranch.
Don’t get me wrong, for the price this is an excellent purchase so it deserve to be applauded (and purchased) but it feels a bit weird placing something that I would consider 4th of 5, if it were entirely flavour led, at the top spot. When I set out to do these mini awards, I came up with the mantras that would decide whether or not a bottle was eligible and I guess that works both ways sometimes. Hopefully, you all have the wits to decide for yourself if a purchase is worth your time or not.
