Now that all the bottle-share whiskies have been tasted again and the initial notes have been expanded with more detailed impressions, there’s little left to do but compile the results. Below is the top 10 (out of 10) whiskies, ranked from least to most favorite, with a short explanation for each.

I’m very pleased with how this bottle share turned out and with the whiskies themselves. It’s great when lesser-known distilleries manage to surprise you with something truly excellent — and a little disappointing when personal favorites don’t quite live up to expectations. I’m also happy that, once again, it proves that age and alcohol strength don’t automatically determine my preferences. I like reminding myself of that from time to time — if only to keep the price per bottle under control…

Final Ranking

#10 – Bunnahabhain
Too flat, lacking depth, and no real reason to revisit it.

#9 – Clynelish
A bit too musty and corky to really shine.
(There’s quite a big quality gap between #9 and #8.)

#8 – Longmorn
I expected much more. Not a bad whisky, but a bit too rounded and indistinct.

#7 – Lochside
Perhaps I should taste this again, but for now it doesn’t strike me as very special. No real peaks in aroma, taste, or finish.

#6 – St. Magdalene
A very nice whisky with good balance and pleasant vanilla notes. Just not quite a top-tier whisky — I miss some complexity for something this old and expensive.

#5 – Bladnoch
A very pleasant surprise. Lots of flavor, very fresh, and simply very tasty.

#4 – Strathisla
An honest whisky that doesn’t change much after the nose — but what it does, it does extremely well. Lovely earthy notes.

#3 – Caol Ila
The cheapest whisky in the lineup, yet one of the tastiest. BBQ, bacon, sweet paprika, and peaches. Packed with flavor.

#2 – Glenrothes
The orange-and-chocolate combination really works for me. Plenty of rich flavors without becoming sharp. Very, very good.

#1 – Glen Grant
Although it’s the oldest and ended up being my favorite, that still surprised me. There’s so much going on in this whisky that it really rewards sitting down and exploring it properly. Perhaps it’s more the most interesting than the outright tastiest — but in the end, balance is what matters most.

Conclusion

As far as I’m concerned, this bottle share was a great success. Buying a selection of whiskies more or less on a whim is probably one of the most enjoyable ways to explore them — even if it’s not always the most economical approach. This way, you minimize the downside and maximize the upside.

It certainly didn’t disappoint. I discovered several whiskies I’m very enthusiastic about: my first Lochside and Strathisla, and — besides some standard bottlings — also my first Longmorn and Glen Grant. Plenty of positive surprises.

I’m already looking forward to organizing the next bottle share. Quite a few people have expressed interest, and I already have about eight pre-registrations. The next one will feature bottles from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society — a members-only club whose bottlings don’t mention the distillery name, only a cask number. That makes things even more fun, because you’re forced to judge the whisky purely on taste rather than reputation or marketing.

If you’re interested, leave a comment or send me an email (if you have my address). The next bottle share is planned for November, so everything should arrive before the holidays — although I probably won’t wait that long to start tasting. First come, first served. If there’s enough interest, I may order two of each bottle, which would require 25 participants in total. So even if you think you’re too late, feel free to get in touch — there will be a reserve list if a second set becomes available.