BESTBUD
Bowmore 15 is aged for 10 years in first-fill toasted bourbon barrels and then a full 5 years in Oloroso sherry casks. From memory, Bowmores in general have a perfumy, floral character, quite fruity and moderately peated. Bottled at 43% ABV. Very good value for a very good malt.
https://www.boozebud.com/p/bowmore/15yearold
Talisker 10 & Scapa Glansa Bundle $159.98 (+Free 200ml Haku Vodka) - T10 is always solid, but I haven't tried Scapa since they dropped the age statement. The 14 was a fine malt with light peat, similar to the other Orkney distillery, Highland Park. the 14 and this new one are both bottled at 40% ABV, not ideal imo, but if you want to tick a less popular distillery off your list, I'd buy this bundle.
https://www.boozebud.com/p/boozebud/talisker10scapaglansabun…
Other recs:
BoozeBud Merry Whisk-mas Glenlivet & Redbreast Whisky Bundle (+Free 200ml Haku) $179 - The Glenlivet Carribean Reserve is an NAS malt finished in rum casks, similar to Balvenie 14 Carribean and Glenfiddich 21. I haven't tried it but it's bottled at 40% ABV so it'd be "smooth" at least and have tropical notes from the rum casks. Redbreast Lastau is an Irish potstill whiskey; matured in bourbon and finished in sherry, bottled at 46% ABV. This is a very interesting whiskey; Redbreasts are tripled distilled in copper potstills (like Scotch) using a mash of malted and unmalted barley (not like Scotch). There are only a handful of Irish whiskeys I'd buy, and Redbreast in one of them.
https://www.boozebud.com/p/boozebud/merrywhiskmas
Talisker Scotch Christmas Bundle (+free haku 200ml) $240 - I don't even know if this is good value. T10 is T10, Storm is like a fiestier T10, have't tried Skye but it'd probably have the same Talisker profile: smokey, peppery, briny, medium peat. At least they kept the ABV at 45.8% even for the NAS.
https://www.boozebud.com/p/talisker/scotchchristmasbundle
Redbreast 15 $169.59 (+free haku 200ml) - possibly the best Irish under $200, along with the Redbreast 12 CS. See my comment above for more info about this distilling process. The 15 is bottled at 46% - quite complex, perfect amount of oaky spices, fresh and dried fruits. It's almost like a Scotch, but not.
https://www.boozebud.com/p/redbreast/15yearold
Ardbeg Uigeadail $151.90 (+free haku 200ml) - one of my favourites. Bottled at 54,2% ABV, sherried with strong peat, but nicely balanced and full bodied. I'm surprised the price hasn't gone up that much, it was $140ish 10 years ago.
Cheaper here with eBay plus (thanks @plimsol): https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/283876498561
Overeem Sherry $169.99 (+free haku 200ml) - Overeem is a top 3 Australian distillery imo. This is bottled at 43% but punches above it's weight. It is a bit pricey but you're buying from a true artisan distiller. I met Casey Overeem in 2012 and his set up was a smallish potstill in his shed in his backyard. His health was declining at the time and Lark bought him out, then Bill Lark sold out to a bunch of guys and Lark became a publicly listed company, and Casey regained ownership. I think that's what happened. Anyway, Overeem is very good, my favourite being the Port CS. Don't buy the BS $200+ 500ml Larks. Buy Overeem.
https://www.boozebud.com/p/overeem/sherrycaskmatured43
Rittenhouse Rye is the only good American but cheaper elsewhere. Paul John for $80 is great value and fine malts, but I'm an Amrut guy. Old Kempton was good when it was still Redlands. I'm not sure if they are still doing farm-to-bottle, but $200+ for 500ml is a hard pass. Millstone is a very good Dutch rye. That's about it
Please don't buy any of the Japanese whisky, they are overpriced and NOT GOOD. I looked through everything and the above are the only ones that are worth the price.
Check out the Boozebud ebay store, some of the stuff is cheaper, and with free delivery if you have ebay plus
Fantastic detail.
The Bowmore is a ripper at this price, only problem is the bottle is super tall and doesn't fit in the shelf where I keep all our other whiskeys!