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Eagle Rare is absolutely fantastic. I just finished a 20 year old bottle the other day. I thought it was one of the better bourbon I've ever tried without being too expensive.
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May 14, 2012 17:09
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I'm keen on Eagle Rare but when I brought it up earlier the general consensus seems to be that it can be really hit-or-miss since it's a single barrel offering. Personally I've not been let down, but some folks have been.
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May 14, 2012 17:10
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kitten smoothie posted:Ok, so when I was last at the Makers distillery I bought a bottle of "Makers White" (aka white dog) at the gift shop because I had more money than sense. It's sold primarily as a novelty because it's fairly harsh and untempered by those wonderful charred white oak barrels. I've had a bottle of Buffalo Trace white dog I've been looking to do something with as well. I've added ginger and a bit of sugar to half of it, but it still smells harsh so I've yet to try it. That was over a year ago. There are quite a few places that will sell you an aging kit, usually a small barrel that's been charred for you, to age new whiskey in. I'd personally go that route or make some rumtopf with it. You could probably do something to age it with some charred wood chips as a cheaper way. I'm guessing you have about 375 mL of the stuff so not enough for a barrel.
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May 14, 2012 20:27
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Untagged posted:What is the consensus on Eagle Rare? I was at the liquor store and the clerk recommended that as a good starting point for straight sipping but also cheap enough to mix and not feel bad about it. I've enjoyed it so far. Bought a bottle a couple years ago and just remember neither being impressed nor put off. Never felt any urge to buy it again.
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May 14, 2012 23:40
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Just had a chance to try the Elijah Craig 18 tonight. My dad went out and bought some on a whim, based on the reccomdations from the guy at the store. While I had heard mixed reviews about it, I found it quite nice - very oaky, woody, a little bit of spice but definitely not rye influenced. However, I'm not sure it deserves the $50 price tag. I've had some cheaper stuff that I enjoyed about just as much (including the 12 year old). 18 years old seems awfully old for a bourbon too.
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May 15, 2012 00:48
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NoVA Goons. I got the call from the ABC Store in Tyson's by Men's Warehouse. They got the Van Winkles 12yr in yesterday.
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May 16, 2012 14:42
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I had some Bunnahabhain with a good steak a few days ago, and it was quite surprising. Very mild, it tastes nothing like other whiskey from Islay such as Lagavulin. I quite enjoyed it actually, even though it was nothing like what I expected. Has anyone else tried it?
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May 17, 2012 07:16
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I am trying to pick up a belated mother's day gift and my mom has recently gotten into bourbon. She says she enjoys Woodford and Bulleit, but not Eagle Rare. Unfortunately, she is not able to describe her likes and dislikes with any clarity. Any recommendations on bourbons that I should have try? I was leaning towards Four Roses Single Barrel.
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May 17, 2012 17:32
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I don't have time at the moment to peruse the entire thread so I will just leave a few things that may already be beaten to death. For subtle drinkable whiskey the Irish are absolutely king. From Bushmills light hardly oaked, to soft rich Red Breast 12 they are what I call for time and time again. However... Buffalo Trace is such an elegant bourbon I find it difficult to drink anything else at the moment. Also, has anyone ever experienced a "corked" bottle of whiskey? I had a corked bottle of Red Breast recently and it really knocked my mind around a bit.
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May 17, 2012 19:31
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beefnchedda posted:I am trying to pick up a belated mother's day gift and my mom has recently gotten into bourbon. She says she enjoys Woodford and Bulleit, but not Eagle Rare. Unfortunately, she is not able to describe her likes and dislikes with any clarity. Any recommendations on bourbons that I should have try? I was leaning towards Four Roses Single Barrel. Four Roses Single would be nice, or if you think she would appreciate rye at all, the Woodford Reserve Master's Collection would be cool.
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May 17, 2012 19:42
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beefnchedda posted:I am trying to pick up a belated mother's day gift and my mom has recently gotten into bourbon. She says she enjoys Woodford and Bulleit, but not Eagle Rare. Unfortunately, she is not able to describe her likes and dislikes with any clarity. Any recommendations on bourbons that I should have try? I was leaning towards Four Roses Single Barrel. Yeah if she likes Woodford then the Masters Collection or the new Double Oaked are close to sure bets. 4RSingle is also a good choice as is Small Batch. Off the reservation a bit would be Bakers at 107 proof it'll put some gitty up in her go; but really it is smooth and very drinkable. From what I remember about Eagle was it being very sweet and somewhat "thin" if that helps.
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May 17, 2012 20:02
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beefnchedda posted:I am trying to pick up a belated mother's day gift and my mom has recently gotten into bourbon. She says she enjoys Woodford and Bulleit, but not Eagle Rare. Unfortunately, she is not able to describe her likes and dislikes with any clarity. Any recommendations on bourbons that I should have try? I was leaning towards Four Roses Single Barrel. Four Roses or Blantons.
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May 17, 2012 22:00
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SeaTard posted:I had some Bunnahabhain with a good steak a few days ago, and it was quite surprising. Very mild, it tastes nothing like other whiskey from Islay such as Lagavulin. I have, and I loved it. I remember it being much less peaty/smoky than other Islays in exchange for being mineraly and balanced.
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May 18, 2012 00:13
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Re: Bunnahabhain, I also have had that recently for the first time, and was disappointed exactly because it was more balanced and way, way less smokey than I like from an Islay. That's not to say it was a bad dram, not at all, but it wasn't the campfire smokefest I like out of Lagavulin or Laphroaig, or hell, even Oban Distiller's Edition.
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May 18, 2012 00:21
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After dipping my toe into the Scotch waters with a bottle of Famous Grouse and Johnny Walker Red Label a while back, I decided to take a plunge and pick up a bottle of The Glenlivet 18 year single malt today. Can't wait to try some after dinner tonight. What's the consensus on Glenlivet's Scotches? Edit: Enjoyed the Famous Grouse quite a bit more than the Johnny Walker for what it's worth. Previa_fun fucked around with this message at 21:54 on May 18, 2012 |
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May 18, 2012 21:51
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I'm also a scotch newbie. My first bottle was Redbreast 12 and just recently got Glenlivet 12. I don't think I have much experience to describe them other than they're both good in their own way. I'm waiting to see how the WA liquor store closure shakes out at the end of the month before I try anything else.magnetic posted:Also, has anyone ever experienced a "corked" bottle of whiskey? I had a corked bottle of Red Breast recently and it really knocked my mind around a bit. Both bottles I got recently have a plastic top and cork bottom. I thought it was normal. Is that what you mean, or is it only a tapered cork and nothing else?
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May 18, 2012 22:11
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Cpt.Wacky posted:I'm also a scotch newbie. My first bottle was Redbreast 12 and just recently got Glenlivet 12. I don't think I have much experience to describe them other than they're both good in their own way. I'm waiting to see how the WA liquor store closure shakes out at the end of the month before I try anything else.  quote:Both bottles I got recently have a plastic top and cork bottom. I thought it was normal. Is that what you mean, or is it only a tapered cork and nothing else? It has been known to happen to spirits too.
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May 18, 2012 22:21
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Right, I meant whiskey newbie of course. I'm surprised anything could live with the high alcohol content, but I suppose it would be on the bottle in around the cork and wash out when it's poured.
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May 19, 2012 00:03
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I always thought corked meant the wine oxidized from air leakage.
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May 19, 2012 02:00
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Nevermind I'm an idiot.
Mikey Purp fucked around with this message at 18:05 on May 31, 2012 |
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May 19, 2012 04:06
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You guys... Corked wine is wine that has been spoiled by TCA. It's got nothing to do with the flavor of the cork - uncontaminated cork has no TCA taint. Typically the taint is from the cork in the bottle, though to some extent TCA can be transferred through the cork from barrels, in transport, or at other times (some sources say almost never, some say half the time, it doesn't seem to matter either way to me). TCA is a metabolite of TCP, a common fungicide. There are a wide variety of bacteria (including Botrytis Cinerea, typically quite desired in certain sweet wines) and fungi which can metabolize chlorinated phenolic compounds into anisole derivatives like TCA. TCA taint in wine is detectable by most people in the parts per trillion range (as in 4 parts per trillion or so, not in the hundreds of parts per trillion range). That said, people habituate to it quite fast, so it's less detectable on the second sniff. In high quantities it makes wine (or other corked liquids) smell and taste flat, with the natural aromas suppressed. In larger quantities it smells musty, like wet newspaper, mold, a damp basement, or even a wet dog. Wine which is overly oxidized before its time would be described as prematurely oxidized, or premoxed. This is a big problem with White Burgundy right now, and people aren't exactly sure of the cause. Prematurely oxidized wines have an almost sherry like character. Often premoxed wine will be so due to air leakage as Wormil suggested, but it's often more complex than that, and is a long term result of some complex of factors between racking, aging, stirring, time on lees, barrel treatment,bottling style, sulfur levels, &etc. Premox is not a problem with whisky, but TCA taint is. If you ever have a bottle of whisky which tastes almost inextricably flat, and which seems to have no aroma, or at least none of the aromas you expected, TCA taint could be the culprit. You can order kits which contain bottles of various aroma compounds - wine flaw kits are some of the most fascinating. Smelling some of the chemicals that contribute to the negative aromas of brett bloom alone is enlightening in particular, since many of them in small quantites contribute a lot of the complexity that many belgian beers, Rhone valley reds, and Loire reds have. There is this almost farmyard, or barnyard, like aroma which in high quantities absolutely ruins wine, but which in small amounts has a sort of savory, funky, meaty thing going on that is delicious. Premox is not a real problem with whisky,
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May 19, 2012 05:26
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pork never goes bad explained it much better than I could....
TobinHatesYou fucked around with this message at 05:46 on May 19, 2012 |
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May 19, 2012 05:44
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Previa_fun posted:After dipping my toe into the Scotch waters with a bottle of Famous Grouse and Johnny Walker Red Label a while back, I decided to take a plunge and pick up a bottle of The Glenlivet 18 year single malt today. Can't wait to try some after dinner tonight. What's the consensus on Glenlivet's Scotches? Glenlivet 18 is a solid Speyside whisky. The issue you're going to run into with single malts, however, compared to blends, is there is a greater variety and depth of character. Blends combine many different malts, and balance them with grain whisky, in order to obtain a desirable neutrality. As a result, they lose character. Single malts on the other hand have much depth, but even these are vatted and so tend to obtain a kind of neutrality within a given range. Different regions and different distilleries produce pronounced differences. Glenlivet is a Speyside, it will be on the sweeter side, with more character than either of the blends you've mentioned. Their 18 year is quite good, though to be honest I don't think it's better than their 12 year enough to justify the price. While there are exceptions, I generally find that anything older than 15-18 years becomes a bit of a wash, because the liquor can't take on any more character from the wood. The flavor and character of a Scotch comes mainly from the wood in which it is aged. Certainly the region and its practices (peated versus unpeated) also matters, but the wood is very important. Neither here nor there, though, with Glenlivet. The short story is, The Glenlivet is the most popular distillery in the US, and for good reason. It is pleasant and economical, sophisticated without too much complexity that can be intimidating to a beginner, and an excellent pour. It is also affordable. If you like it, please let us know and I'm sure people can recommend some other single malts. If you have a price range or any particular characteristics you like I'm sure a lot of us have opinions to share. quote:Edit: Enjoyed the Famous Grouse quite a bit more than the Johnny Walker for what it's worth. I like the Black Grouse better, and tend to call Famouse Grouse the Infamous Grouse, on account of an experience I recently had in Scotland where four of us went through two bottles and by the end of it I felt it tasted worse than when I started. That said, it should hopefully be better than Red Label. Blends are very popular in Scotland because it is only very recently that the general population has been able to afford Single Malts, and the Famous Grouse is the most popular blend in Scotland. Red Label is, however, specifically blended for mixing and is never intended to be drank straight, but rather in coke or other mixers. Black Label is the lowest blend from Johnny Walker meant to be drank "straight," and even that generally takes water.
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May 19, 2012 05:51
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Cpt.Wacky posted:I'm also a scotch newbie. My first bottle was Redbreast 12 and just recently got Glenlivet 12. I don't think I have much experience to describe them other than they're both good in their own way. I'm waiting to see how the WA liquor store closure shakes out at the end of the month before I try anything else. As already has been pointed out, Red Breast is not Scotch at all but rather Irish Whiskey. It is very good for Irish Whiskey, that being said. Definitely a good pour, highly sippable neat. I buy this for people who haven't had it for gifts and such, or if they're keen on Irish whiskey over Scotch. quote:Both bottles I got recently have a plastic top and cork bottom. I thought it was normal. Is that what you mean, or is it only a tapered cork and nothing else? This is the typical way to cork Scotch. I have never seen one with a wine style cork, always a corked lid. There are of course exceptions which have screwcaps, but I'd stay away from them. Blends are typically screwcaps but that's a different story and no reason to avoid that.
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May 19, 2012 05:53
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pork never goes bad posted:You guys... Corked wine is wine that has been spoiled by TCA. Yeah I googled it after posting but my phone wouldn't let me edit so instead I poured a glass of the disappointing Knob Creek Single Barrel and lit up a maduro cigar to kill the taste. On the bright side, the Knob Creek is all gone. Seriously though, whether it's corking or something else, I've had bottles of whisk(e)y that were just... crap, but that typically get good reviews (e.g. $40 RedBreast, $55 Bookers, $45 Knob Single). The Knob I believe was just a poor barrel choice. The Bookers tasted like dust and alcohol, something was very wrong with it. The RedBreast had nothing, generic whiskey with a somewhat metallic taste. It makes me appreciate labels like Elijah Craig, Wild Turkey, and Woodford that maintain a high degree of consistency.
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May 19, 2012 09:35
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I couldn't contain myself when tasting it Booker's at WoW Expo this past March. If there ever was a brown spirit that benefits from ice, Booker's might be the one. Baker's is the one out of the Beam Small Batch selection that I would gravitate toward. It's been almost a decade since I bought a bottle of Redbreast 12, but I did like it at first. Eventually though I poured myself the remnants of the bottle after a couple a years and I guess the air in the bottle made the whisky taste very watery. TobinHatesYou fucked around with this message at 10:55 on May 19, 2012 |
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May 19, 2012 10:51
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pork never goes bad posted:Metric fuckton of This is an excellent post, thank you. Btw where can I order one of those kits?
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May 19, 2012 11:36
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spankmeister posted:This is an excellent post, thank you. http://www.winearomas.com/ This is the gold standard for quality, but they are quite expensive. You can find cheaper ones, but they are often not as good. To add some actual whisky content, recently bought an AD Rattray vatted malt. It's a mix of Auchentoshan, Balblair, Benriach, and Bowmore. It's a vatting of 4 sherry butts at least 19 years of age, which were further married in sherry hogsheads. Bottled at approx 56%, this definitely needs water to bring it out of its shell. A lot of the typical sherry flavors were there, along with some interesting undercurrents from the blend selections. The Auchentoshan contributed a sort of floral sweetness that floated above the blend, with the Bowmore contributing a backbone of smoke and spice. I can't identify anything I'd specifically attribute to the other two, and for all I know they may be the ones bringing the spice, but the blend is certainly more than any Bowmore or Auchentoshan, or really any single malt I've had. I'm not sure that it's better than these single malts, tough - personally, as a sherry fiend, I prefer Glenfarclas 18 and Aberlour A'bunadh both.
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May 19, 2012 18:58
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Last autumn I happened into a wine tasting where one of the wines had very clear but not overpowering cork taint in it. Fortunately the host had another bottle of the same thing, so we got to taste the real thing and the cork tainted version head to head. This made me realize that I have had at least one corked whisky, a Longrow 14 that shared the very same weird characteristics than what was extra in that corked wine. In this case the whisky definitely wasn't flat, more like extra flavour. It had this potato peels + basement vibe on top of the more typical Longrow taste.
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May 19, 2012 23:14
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smn posted:This made me realize that I have had at least one corked whisky, a Longrow 14 that shared the very same weird characteristics than what was extra in that corked wine. In this case the whisky definitely wasn't flat, more like extra flavour. It had this potato peels + basement vibe on top of the more typical Longrow taste. I mean look at how much of the stuff is on the floor and walls in close proximity to the barrels...  Image from The K&L Spirits Journal.
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May 19, 2012 23:50
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kidsafe posted:If there ever was a brown spirit that benefits from ice, Booker's might be the one. Baker's is the one out of the Beam Small Batch selection that I would gravitate toward. Well Bookers is something like 126 proof. Bakers is the only Beam product that I really like although Knob regular isn't bad.
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May 20, 2012 02:34
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That amount of mold certainly affects the aging environment. Many caves in the Mosel, Alsace, and the Rhone in particular the owners never clean, believing that the mold and such in the caves contribute to the expression of terroir of their wines. I'm sure a similar effect would be expected with whisky. Though as the person above who reported corked Longmorn mentioned, things are not exactly comparable due to the higher abv of whisky, higher intensity of flavors, and the often significantly longer aging.
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May 20, 2012 05:05
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It's highly unlikely that mould in the warehouse has any significant effect on the taste of the whisky or all whiskies that come from particularly mouldy warehouses would have a similar taste, which is not the case. Still, the warehouses at Springbank do smell pretty damned good.
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May 20, 2012 06:39
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Why do you say that? Presumably there is more than one kind of mold, and presumably more than one factor can contribute to taste.
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May 20, 2012 07:13
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Wired Magazine had an article about mold in distilleries last year: http://www.wired.com/magazine/2011/05/ff_angelsshare/all/1 It doesn't say anything about any influence the mold has on spirits, but apparently the mold flourishes on the angel's share of alcohol evaporated from casks.
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May 20, 2012 07:20
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Base Emitter posted:
Not all distillery storehouses are as extreme as Springbank's. Most are quite clean and stored in modern climate controlled facilities.
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May 20, 2012 07:52
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pork never goes bad posted:Why do you say that? Presumably there is more than one kind of mold, and presumably more than one factor can contribute to taste. There are far more factors that contribute to taste than a bit of mould growing in a warehouse - it's not in contact with the whisky and it doesn't grow on or in the barrels to any significant extent so it's unlikely to have very little effect at all. kidsafe posted:Not all distillery storehouses are as extreme as Springbank's. Most are quite clean and stored in modern climate controlled facilities. I can't think of any warehouses in Scotland that are climate controlled, poor yanks must have huge power bills.
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May 20, 2012 09:58
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Anyone else out there got experience with buying hogsheads at the distilleries at age 0 and letting them age there for a good number of years (so far I have an Arran, a Bruichladdic and just gotten a Mortlach home, and may be looking to acquire more).
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May 20, 2012 10:14
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duckstab posted:There are far more factors that contribute to taste than a bit of mould growing in a warehouse - it's not in contact with the whisky and it doesn't grow on or in the barrels to any significant extent so it's unlikely to have very little effect at all. As for climate-control...I know independent Chieftain's has a rack-style warehouse with modern amenities. I suspect Diageo's central storehouse is modern as well. In the states, Buffalo Trace's warehouses have been using some form of climate control since the late 1800s. California wineries use climate control as well as a misters to keep the barrels from drying out, others use caves where the natural insulation does a decent job...
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May 20, 2012 12:14
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duckstab posted:I can't think of any warehouses in Scotland that are climate controlled, poor yanks must have huge power bills. I don't believe most US whiskey barrel warehouses are climate controlled other than vents and maybe fans to let excess heat out in the summer. According to kidsafe the warehouses at Buffalo Trace have crude climate control although I don't remember that being mentioned during the tour. I know the Wild Turkey warehouses are not climate controlled and they can tell you almost exactly how long it will take each barrel to mature based on it's location. Micro-climates in the warehouse are why age statements on whiskey are only generally useful as some barrels could mature a full year before another in the same building.
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May 21, 2012 02:27
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