Whisky Saga's Best Whiskies of 2019

It is time to look back at 2019 and the whiskies I rated. In total I tasted around 400 new whiskies in 2019, and 170 of these ended up as reviews here on Whisky Saga. I really should have managed 200+ reviews this year, but alas there was not time enough.

Below you will see the whiskies I gave the highest score in different categories.

Single Malt Scotch NAS

1. Glenmorangie Allta 88/100

2. Highland Park Valfather 88/100

3. Ailsa Bay Release 1.2 Sweet Smoke 88/100

4. Elements of Islay Peat Full Proof 87/100

5. Macallan Classic Cut 2018 86/100

Single Malt Scotch 12 Years Old and Under

1. Glengoyne 10 YO CASK Anniversary 92/100

2. Port Charlotte 10 YO Heavily Peated 89/100

3. Longrow 2007 11 YO Single Cask 89/100

4. Bunnahabhain 11 YO, batch 5 (TBWC) 89/100

5. Bruichladdich Port Charlotte MRC:01 2010 7 YO 89/100

Single Malt Scotch 13 to 20 Years Old

1. Springbank Rum Wood 15 YO 90/100

2. Balblair 1997 The Tasting Room Exclusive 18 YO 90/100

3. Bunnahabhain Moine Marsala Finish 13 YO 88/100

4. Balblair 15 YO 88/100

5. Deanston 15 YO Organic 88/100

Single Malt Scotch 21 Years Old and Over

1. Bunnahabhain Marriage 27 YO 92/100

2. Balblair 25 YO 92/100

3. Bruichladdich Rare Cask Series 1985/32 32 YO 92/100

4. Islay #2 25 YO Batch #5 (TBWC) 91/100

5. Arran 21 YO - Explorers Series Volume 2 - Lochranza Castle 91/100

Single Malt Nordics

1. Smögen 8 YO 91/100

2. Smögen Single Cask Edition No. 5 Cask 51/2011 6 YO 90/100

3. Braunstein E:10 90/100

4. Spirit of Hven Seven Stars No. 7 Alkaid 90/100

5. Braunstein 18:1 89/100

Single Malt Japan

1. Yamazaki Distillery Spanish Oak 2009/2019 9 YO 93/100

2. Chichibu The Peated - 10th Anniversary 2018 92/100

3. Chichibu Paris Edition 2018 5 YO 89/100

Single Malt Rest of the World

1. Millstone 1996 19 YO Special No. 9 91/10

2. Paul John 6 YO Batch 3 91/100

3. Rogue Spirits Oregon Single Malt Whiskey 88/100

Irish Whiskey

1. Green Spot Single Pot Still Whiskey 88/100

2. Pearse Lyons 12 YO Founder’s Choice 87/100

3. Jameson Caskmates IPA 85/100

Rye and Bourbon

1. Spirit of Hven Hvenus Rye 89/100

2. Sazerac 1981 18 YO 88/100

3. Helsinki Whiskey Rye Malt - Release VYS #8 87/100

Single Grain

1. Invergordon 42 YO (TBWC) 91/100

2. Cameronbridge 1991 27 YO 89/100

3. Invergordon 1987 31 YO (cask 902322) - Celebration of the Cask 88/100

Blended Malt Whisky

1. Yula Blended Malt Scotch 22 YO 90/100

2. Vega 1977 40 YO 89/100

3. Naked Grouse 87/100

Blended Whisky

1. Japanese Blended Whisky #1 21 YO batch 4 (TBWC) 89/100

2. Hankey Bannister 21 YO 88/100

3. Famous Grouse Ruby Cask 86/100

Other

1. Hakushu Distillery Rye Type 2012/2018 4 YO 90/100

Please let me know in the comments field if you agree or disagree with any of this.

Sláinte!
- Thomas