All: OK, time for a lot of belated responses...
bd: Very good article. I've had all of those except for the Triple Smoke. IMO American Single Malts are way overrated.
Zimmer: DID YOU DRINK IT ALL?
toss: solid choices
redsox/nomad: I've tasted all of the Single Oak Project bottlings from buffalo trace, and overall, they suck. I think that's a horrible money-grubbing gimmick, and I wouldn't buy any of their Experimental or other BS. I'm glad that 19yo was great, but I think you prob just lucked out. Stay away IMO.
nomad: There are a few
bottlers like that who put out some amazing bottles. Murray McDavid is prob my favorite, everything I've had by them has been excellent. Gordon & Macphail is also really good. Some of my favorites are peaty scotches like Laphroaig finished in dessert wine casks.
bearz: My guess is that Knob Creek and Woodford would rate highly, and maybe Maker's as well. In general I think ones that lean towards a little sweeter and little smoother taste will rate highest.
blame: I've been on the fence for a while re: pulling the trigger on a Galileo vs some other bottles at that price point I really love. How would you compare it to other Ardbegs you've had?
BT: Remy bought Bruichladdich last year, and nobody really knows what is going to happen now. But the management you are referring to that bought it 10 years ago definitely did all kinds of crazy ****. Check out their huge array of offerings:
http://www.bruichladdich.com/whisky-shop/whisky (I like a lot of these bottles, but my fave is prob Black Art)
druid: Alas, I couldn't convince anyone to go with me and didn't feel like doing it alone. I'm going to go to that bar next weekend, though, and they have a bunch of those bottles on the shelf now. So I'll get a chance to taste the ones I really want to check out.
ET: That Willett Rye is IMO the best cocktail rye out there anywhere close to this price range (it's $35-40 here). I like Templeton a lot too, but I like the extra pop the Willett brings to a cocktail.
Suigin, cobra: Yamazaki is quite good, but I def don't think the 18 is worth the extra money. However, for just a couple bucks more than the Yamazaki you can get the Hakushu, which I think is quite a bit better.
SHARK: Highland Park is great. Ardbeg is WAY peatier than the Highland Park and quite a bit peatier than the Bruchladdich Peat I've had (this can change based on bottlings, though).
All: Finally, some pictures.
My current status - whiskey has started its attack on the lower shelf too:
I have a decent collection, but here's a friend's main cabinet (he's involved in the industry):
Here's his first backup storage area: