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Jakabite posted:Yeah it was nice but it was out of my price range too really, and I was unsure of whether to go peat crazy for my first bottle, or whether to go for something slightly more representative of 'normal' scotch. I thought the Bunnahabhain was a happy medium, pretty happy with it really. I was thinking about just going for the Highland Park 12, but didn't get a chance to taste it so thought I'd go for the one I knew I liked. Store brands are 99% of the time utter crap.
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Jul 23, 2012 15:16
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Jakabite posted:Yeah this is one of the 46% ones. What effect does a higher alcohol content generally have on a whisky anyway? Does it just give it a bit more fire or does it do something to the actual flavours, bring them out etc.? You get a bit of a richer taste than you do out of a weaker one. The reason being they come out at cask strength which is about 60% usually give or take. They then dilute the whisky down to 40% which dilutes the flavour. So you just get a bit of a fuller flavour if dilute it less.
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Jul 23, 2012 15:30
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spankmeister posted:Store brands are 99% of the time utter crap. I thought so, might see if I can try the Orrin and if it is poo poo I'll just go for the nasty bourbon and make Old Fashioneds with it. ^^^^^^ Thanks, that makes sense 
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Jul 23, 2012 16:04
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Jakabite posted:Is it worth getting the Orrin to drink neat or is it swill? My understanding is that it's an Aldi special or something but I dunno, couldn't really find out much about it. If I didn't I'd get the bourbon and just make Old Fashioneds with it. Any opinions for a whisky novice? Never heard of the Orrin, but I can vouch for the Morrison's brand Bourbon which I think is very good for a mixer and slightly rough to drink on it's own.
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Jul 23, 2012 20:53
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Orrin is probably just a BS name for the Aldi store brand.
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Jul 23, 2012 20:57
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Got a bottle of 10y.o.laphroaig yesterday, and drat is it a kicker. Very intense nose, and the taste is immense, huge amount of peat and earthy notes. I was quite overwhelmed at first, but after taking a few sips with some water I could appreciate it. As a newb, I'd still vouch for j.walker gold label 18 y.o. as of now, but that might change as my taste develops...
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Jul 23, 2012 21:59
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Finally tracked down a bottle of Angel's Envy bourbon, distilled by a guy who used to be the master distiller for Woodford's Reserve. It was definitely worth the search (made better because of?) and I highly recommend it to any bourbon fans out there. It's not too outrageous at $50, though for bourbon I suppose that's getting up there a bit. It's finished in port barrels which gives it this really nice, elegant finish and makes it one of the smoother bourbons I've had. Also, there's a great bourbon out of Texas called Garrison Brothers. I don't know how widely distributed it is outside the state, but it's really tasty and bold. I'm looking to build up my collection, does anyone have some small batch recommendations or lesser known stuff that doesn't get the love it deserves? I've got a lot of love to give bourbon.
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Jul 23, 2012 22:23
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MOAR posted:Never heard of the Orrin, but I can vouch for the Morrison's brand Bourbon which I think is very good for a mixer and slightly rough to drink on it's own. Thanks very much, just need some bitters now!
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Jul 23, 2012 23:15
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Capt Murphy posted:I'm looking to build up my collection, does anyone have some small batch recommendations or lesser known stuff that doesn't get the love it deserves? I've got a lot of love to give bourbon. Definitely give Four Roses Single Barrel a shot. It's probably one of the best single barrel bourbons. Also, Evan Williams Single Barrel is a tremendous value for the quality of spirit. Also, for anyone interested, apparently Islay distillery Bruichladdich has been bought out by Remy-Cointreau . Seems like some people are concerned that the overall quality of their product will suffer now they're part of a corporation.
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Jul 23, 2012 23:25
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Capt Murphy posted:I'm looking to build up my collection, does anyone have some small batch recommendations or lesser known stuff that doesn't get the love it deserves? I've got a lot of love to give bourbon. The current Rock Hill Farms Single Barrel runs around $40-45 a bottle and is excellent. As in everyone at the local wine house was raving about it for a couple weeks before it came in, one of my friends declared it the best whiskey he has ever tasted, and I know a few other people who have loved it as well. For the record, after I opened my first bottle I went back and bought two more, since I didn't know when my local place would run out of the current batch.
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Jul 24, 2012 01:22
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NightConqueror posted:Also, for anyone interested, apparently Islay distillery Bruichladdich has been bought out by Remy-Cointreau . Seems like some people are concerned that the overall quality of their product will suffer now they're part of a corporation. I'm not that worried about this, Rémy Cointreau produce a really quality product already and Bruichladdich really needed the cash. They will also purchase The Botanist with Bruichladdich which is one of the best Gin's I've ever tasted. Also I know nothing about Bourbon really, I tend to buy Bulleit Bourbon because I like it and I find the bottle pleasing. I was looking at a bottle of George T. Stagg, is it worth a look?
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Jul 24, 2012 09:07
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Aramoro posted:Also I know nothing about Bourbon really, I tend to buy Bulleit Bourbon because I like it and I find the bottle pleasing. I was looking at a bottle of George T. Stagg, is it worth a look? Bulleit is my go-to have-at-all-times bourbon because it's delicious and not too pricey. And the frontier medicine bottle is super cool. The Stagg is a fabulous bourbon, really bold and aggressive, and expensive as all hell. If you can afford it and you like a drink with some kick, I'd say give it a try - it's loving delicious.
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Jul 24, 2012 13:47
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So, Remy-Cointreau have just bought Bruichladdich for £58m. http://www.scotsman.com/business/management/scotch-distillery-price-record-as-remy-pays-58m-for-bruichladdich-1-2427545 EFB biglads fucked around with this message at 13:19 on Aug 9, 2012 |
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Jul 24, 2012 19:33
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Capt Murphy posted:Bulleit ... And the frontier medicine bottle is super cool. My wife thinks I'm an idiot for keeping an empty Bulleit bottle on the mantle in my office man cave. Not a big fan of the drink though, tried it twice and the first bottle was good and the second not. There were goon reports in the old thread about it being inconsistent. Maybe it's better now?
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Jul 25, 2012 02:24
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Whisky newb here. Bought a bottle of Glenlivet 12 and Laphraoig 10 last week after I ran out of gin and thought I'll try something different. I really liked the Glenlivet, been drinking that since last week and I could see myself drinking it regularly. That is until I opened the Laphraoig last night. I had a finger of the Laphraoig last night and like previous posters said, it is a real kicker. I like it well enough and thought I'll probably only be drinking it occasionally. Yet here I am, middle of the workday sitting in my office and I realized that the Laphraoig really left and impression on me. I can still remember the taste and all the different flavors and aroma. Just from memory, I can almost get a tinge of the finish rolling around in my mouth. I want a glass right now... P.S. Maybe it is just me but the smokiness of the Laphraoig makes me think of bacon.
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Jul 25, 2012 19:28
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Okay, so after making my way through two bottles of Bulleit Rye I was ready to start exploring a bit more with other brands. Went to the ABC ( ) and took a look around. At around $25, Wild Turkey Rye seemed a safe bet, and I'd had both the regular and 101 before and been happy with them. This, though, I'm not too thrilled with. It has the kick of the Bulleit, but not much else. Still drinkable, but not nearly as good. (Ri)1 looked pretty classy but was just slightly out of my price range. Is that worth picking up or should I look elsewhere?
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Jul 26, 2012 04:11
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I too am a whisky noob. The wife got me a whisky glass + stone kit for the anniversary so I figure I'd give it a shot. First thing I bought was some Evan Williams. This was the first time I'd even drank anything of this proof neat so I figure I'd start off with something cheap yet decent. I enjoyed it quite a bit. I just recently got to try some scotch as well (Glenlivet 12, Macallan 12, and Laphroaig 10). I enjoyed the Glenlivet quite a bit, the Macallan was good as well, but the Laphroaig... You aren't joking when you say it is not subtle. It was an interesting experience. I think it would take some getting used to before I could drink that on any sort of regular basis. But I can defiantly see how it is a very polarizing whisky. (PS I would love to see non-whisky drinkers reactions to the smell and taste of Laphroaig. It would be priceless)
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Jul 27, 2012 16:16
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Laphroaig really is the extreme end of the scale and personally for me not a great Whisky but a lot of people love it because it's so extreme.
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Jul 27, 2012 16:55
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Hubbins posted:
Having tried precisely this experiment with a bunch of whiskies and whiskeys, Lavagvulin is the funniest I reckon, mostly because of the intense smoky, salty, seaweed-y smell. Related note: I've noticed that as a rule, I vastly prefer 40% ish spirits to 60%+ ones. How aggressively do people add water to their cask strength scotch?
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Jul 27, 2012 16:55
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Cthulhu Dreams posted:Related note: I've noticed that as a rule, I vastly prefer 40% ish spirits to 60%+ ones. How aggressively do people add water to their cask strength scotch? It depends exactly on the one I'm drinking really, from just a dash to 1/3 water in some. I know that's not a very useful answer.
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Jul 27, 2012 17:00
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Cthulhu Dreams posted:Having tried precisely this experiment with a bunch of whiskies and whiskeys, Lavagvulin is the funniest I reckon, mostly because of the intense smoky, salty, seaweed-y smell. I love cask strengths that are well done, as the mouthfeel is intense, but more to it, the oils that are removed during chill filtering are generally still there, which is why the mouthfeel is so different. Well, that and the alcohol. To answer the question, I literally use a dropper. Generally 2-3 drops is enough. It's not at all intended to dilute the alcohol, but rather it disrupts the oils and really does change the taste immensely.
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Jul 27, 2012 17:07
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Good (quick, simple) post on the K&L Spirits Blog yesterday - http://spiritsjournal.klwines.com/klwinescom-spirits-blog/2012/7/26/a-few-more-words-about-blending.html
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Jul 27, 2012 17:21
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Paramemetic posted:I love cask strengths that are well done, as the mouthfeel is intense, but more to it, the oils that are removed during chill filtering are generally still there, which is why the mouthfeel is so different. Well, that and the alcohol. To answer the question, I literally use a dropper. Generally 2-3 drops is enough. It's not at all intended to dilute the alcohol, but rather it disrupts the oils and really does change the taste immensely. I just find the alcohol burn to much, whether it is wild turkey 101, laphroiag QC or Abelour Abuandh. I probably prefer the regular 10 year old to the Abuandh because of this.
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Jul 27, 2012 17:22
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Voodoofly posted:The current Rock Hill Farms Single Barrel runs around $40-45 a bottle and is excellent. Just snagged the last bottle of this from my local liquor store and had a little glass to start my Friday evening off. I want to hug you right now, this is delicious.
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Jul 27, 2012 22:12
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Capt Murphy posted:Just snagged the last bottle of this from my local liquor store and had a little glass to start my Friday evening off. I want to hug you right now, this is delicious. It really is one of the best drinks I've ever had. I remember after the first sip I looked at my liquor cabinet and thought "well, I guess I'm not drinking much from those other bottles anytime soon."
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Jul 27, 2012 22:17
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Hubbins posted:...but the Laphroaig... My first taste of Laphroaig really put me off but after a day I couldn't stop thinking about it and wanted more, then I just kept wanting it. It's odd because I wouldn't say I like it but something about it has me on the hook.
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Jul 27, 2012 23:58
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Hmm, never actually just sat and drank it before but Jack Daniels isn't actually bad at all in my opinion. Never had bourbon before (other than JD which was always with coke previously) so I don't know how it compares, but it is tasty. Vanilla and slightly singed wood are what I'm getting at the minute, it's actually slightly similar to the Bunnahabhain 12 with the vanilla. The nose and finish aren't that great though, unless it's just because of my mild hayfever. What's the general consensus on JD?
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Jul 28, 2012 00:22
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wormil posted:My first taste of Laphroaig really put me off but after a day I couldn't stop thinking about it and wanted more, then I just kept wanting it. It's odd because I wouldn't say I like it but something about it has me on the hook. I just received a bottle of Highland Park 12 as a birthday present. The slight peat/smoke reminds me of it. I am without a doubt, going to be trying it again. In my case, I think the smell is more overpowering than the taste.
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Jul 28, 2012 02:38
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Jakabite posted:What's the general consensus on JD? That it's a dandy if you want to get drunk on something innocuous. JD is the Budweiser of American whiskey. That said, if I go into a bar with a poor bourbon selection I will sometimes order JD.
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Jul 28, 2012 10:30
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 Current booze collection above. Roughly ordered in preference from right to left. Thoughts below, but I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions of anything to try based on the preferences here. Some random thoughts: 1. Booker Noes Small Batch Eh. Just.. eh. 2. Johnny Walker Swing Eh? The unfortunate result of getting someone else to buy you things in Costco, it's just not very good. The Highland park bottle is the same money. So is the Blantons. Why am I drinking this again? I guess the bottle is pretty cool, but the Blantons bottle is cooler. However as you can see I haven't tried much and might need to give it another shot. The first glass was smooth, a bit fruity, slightly smokey finish. However, the Abelour 10 year old seems to offer comparable or better smooth, fruity whiskey for 60% of the money so I don't see myself as a repeat customer. 3. Wild Turkey Rare Breed The sheer power of thing masks what seems to be a quite enjoyable spicy bourbon. Probably need to give it another throw before I condemn it forever, but given the price/performance mark Blanton's is better. 4. Abelour 10 year old Low ranking is mostly because this is the strongest value choice. Around here it's 2/3rds to half the price of the other stuff in this lineup. As a result, if I want to take a scotch somewhere, this is often the selected candidate. Sweet, sugary fruity smell is quite pleasant. Reminds me of peaches or nectarines. Thinking about it, I would rate it much higher, up with the Highland park. 5. Abelour Abuandh I gave this another go this evening with a two teaspoons of spring water, and I was pleasantly surprised. Obviously needed a bit more water before. Reminds me of the 10 year old (surprise, surprise) with a fruity nose, but it is more like sour cherries than peaches and has a pleasant oaky aftertaste. 6. Woodford's Reserve The other product of the mystery shopper CostCo tour, this is actually pretty good. Very strong spicy flavor with oak and vanilla. I guess my only knock against it is that it's just not as pleasant to sip straight as the Blantons. Given the punchy flavours, I suspect this would be brilliant in an old fashioned and I'd give that a crack if I wasn't super lazy. 7. Laphroig Quarter Cask I'm finishing a glass of this right now, and wondering if I haven't rated it to high. I guess I'm comparing it to the Lagavulin. Peaty smell, but there is that sweet, medicinal flavour that lingers on your tongue. I don't know what it is, but I'm not a big fan. I guess I have rated it to high. Punt it back down to 4. I don't even want to finish this glass. 8. Talisker 10 year old The last three whiskys here are all smokey peaty things, but this is the lightest. Tastes great, very smooth, slightly sweet, only knock is it's not as good as the other two. 9. Highland Park 12 Like the Talisker except with a more meaty/chewy flavour. Heavy smoke and peat. The guy at my local will give me a triple and bill me for a single, what's not not love? It really is meaty though. I confess I tend to drink this with a cube of ice though  10. Blanton's Single Barrel Very smooth, sweet vanilla-y honeyish taste is just fantastic. I love this stuff. For comparison I think I've drunk three bottles of this in the same time I've drunk that half bottle of woodfords reserve, though if I have people round and bring out the booze they tend to pick this one as well. 11. Lagavulin 16 year old OK this is the best scotch I have ever tried. Salty, smokey, iodiney and seaweedy. Comparing it to the Laphroig, it's just so much smokier and the flavour is intense. The salty taste is much more pleasant than the Laphroig's sickly sweetness. My one complaint is the bizarre and offputting colour. What were they thinking? It looks evil in the bottle. The Oban and the Famous Grouse 18 year old lurking at the back of the lineup are unopened. Cthulhu Dreams fucked around with this message at 14:02 on Jul 28, 2012 |
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Jul 28, 2012 13:56
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wormil posted:JD is the Budweiser of American whiskey. I don't know if it's that bad. JD is one-note, but straight-forward and distinctive in its own charming way. If you're with buddies at the bar and they all want to take shots of some other bar-rail bourbon, you can more easily convince them to upgrade to JD instead of a top-shelf bourbon.
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Jul 28, 2012 21:19
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Jakabite posted:What's the general consensus on JD? For me it's too rough neat. I actually like it with 7 Up.
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Jul 29, 2012 00:00
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Jetfire posted:I don't know if it's that bad. JD is one-note, but straight-forward and distinctive in its own charming way. If you're with buddies at the bar and they all want to take shots of some other bar-rail bourbon, you can more easily convince them to upgrade to JD instead of a top-shelf bourbon. I didn't mean to imply it's bad or low quality, just that JD is made for mass consumption and not interesting as a sipping whiskey. Perhaps calling it the American Crown Royal is more fitting. Supposedly it meets the requirements of bourbon but it doesn't stand up if compared that way. I don't dislike it but like Makers, you can buy much better whiskeys for the price.
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Jul 29, 2012 00:41
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wormil posted:I didn't mean to imply it's bad or low quality, just that JD is made for mass consumption and not interesting as a sipping whiskey. Perhaps calling it the American Crown Royal is more fitting. Supposedly it meets the requirements of bourbon but it doesn't stand up if compared that way. I don't dislike it but like Makers, you can buy much better whiskeys for the price. Oh yes of course. If you're sipping JD or Crown Royal you're clearly doing it wrong.
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Jul 29, 2012 04:16
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I don't mind JD myself, but I can't really imagine buying it again when there are bourbons I like which cost less. My relative bottom shelf American whiskey of choice is Evan Williams.
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Jul 29, 2012 05:07
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Cthulhu Dreams posted:
I've heard so many mixed things about this bourbon that I've always been hesitant to buy it. I'm a huge Wild Turkey fan and was surprised that a barrel-strength version of their stuff was so inconsistent. From all the ooh-ing and ahh-ing about Blantons in this thread, I might have to give it a shot after I finish my Four Roses Single Barrel.
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Jul 29, 2012 05:28
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wormil posted:Supposedly it meets the requirements of bourbon but it doesn't stand up if compared that way. Pretty sure they can't call it bourbon if it's not made in Kentucky. e: but can they call it Tennessee whiskey if it's not made in Tennessee? 
Mr. Glass fucked around with this message at 05:42 on Jul 29, 2012 |
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Jul 29, 2012 05:34
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Mr. Glass posted:Pretty sure they can't call it bourbon if it's not made in Kentucky. Can they call it Southern Comfort if it's extremely uncomfortable?
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Jul 29, 2012 06:05
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Mr. Glass posted:Pretty sure they can't call it bourbon if it's not made in Kentucky. This should be posted in the OP if it isn't already: CFR 5.22 posted:(b) (1) (i) “Bourbon whisky”, “rye whisky”, “wheat whisky”, “malt whisky”, or “rye malt whisky” is whisky produced at not exceeding 160° proof from a fermented mash of not less than 51 percent corn, rye, wheat, malted barley, or malted rye grain, respectively, and stored at not more than 125° proof in charred new oak containers; and also includes mixtures of such whiskies of the same type. CFR 5.22 Kraven Moorhed fucked around with this message at 06:33 on Jul 29, 2012 |
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Jul 29, 2012 06:27
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Mr. Glass posted:Pretty sure they can't call it bourbon if it's not made in Kentucky. Bourbon can be made anywhere in the US. Broadly, the requirements are at least 51% corn in the mashbill, aging in new oak barrels, some specific requirements around proofs at various stages in the process (distillation, introduction to aging, bottling), and various other requirements for "straight" bourbon or whisky. EFB :---(
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Jul 29, 2012 06:28
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