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Bought Aberlour A'bunadh the other day, and it's really impressive. Speyside aged in sherry, bottled at 120 proof. The nose is fantastic, a combination of spice and brown sugar and citrus that reminds me a lot of a rye whiskey. Tastes good right out of the bottle but adding some water really wakes it up and brings out some chocolate and persimmon. I didn't notice any of the grassy flavor I've tasted in other Speysides, just lots of fruit and spice. Almost like eating a fruit cake, but if fruit cake was good. If you ever get a chance to try it out don't pass it up.
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Jun 3, 2013 00:10
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I had me a few swigs of that Yamazaki 25 year single malt the other night. drat I wish I was a wealthy japanese salaryman, i'd be having that every night. But for now, it's going to take a special occasion.
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Jun 3, 2013 04:32
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KhyrosFinalCut posted:I wish they had kept airigh nam beist around instead of the Corryvreckan What do you folks think of BenRiach? Any exceptional bottlings? I've tried to get to know the distillery through a few glasses of their OBs and single casks bought and served by a few pubs, but I always run into this smoked bacon kind of smell and taste that's always lingering somewhere there behind the rest of the flavours, and I've never gotten a pleasant vibe out of it. Any non-meaty BenRiachs on the market? Deleuzionist fucked around with this message at 19:47 on Jun 3, 2013 |
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Jun 3, 2013 16:06
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I got around to trying Lagavulin 16 with dinner this past Saturday (my birthday) and finally got to see why everyone seems to rave about it. Iodine and peat were very prominent when I tasted it neat, and some sweeter notes seemed to come out after adding about a teaspoon of water; at any rate, it seemed a little more balanced after adding the water.
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Jun 3, 2013 21:27
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KhyrosFinalCut posted:
Doing it now and yeah, this is just not happening. Ice/water flattens it out and exaggerates the smoke. What a pity. Wish I'd picked up another bottle of the Galileo or saved it for a society bottle. Oh well. I know there are a couple other NYC whisky goons here. Thinking about coordinating a meetup/tasting once I move at the end of the summer. Please drop me a PM if this interests you.
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Jun 4, 2013 04:54
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A tanker truck containing 6,000 gallons of Scotch whisky overturned and caught fire Tuesday morning in Woodbridge, NJ It's scotch, but scotch that comes in a tanker truck, so probably not scotch I care about.
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Jun 6, 2013 01:14
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KhyrosFinalCut posted:A tanker truck containing 6,000 gallons of Scotch whisky overturned and caught fire Tuesday morning in Woodbridge, NJ TobinHatesYou fucked around with this message at 02:57 on Jun 6, 2013 |
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Jun 6, 2013 02:30
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KhyrosFinalCut posted:A tanker truck containing 6,000 gallons of Scotch whisky overturned and caught fire Tuesday morning in Woodbridge, NJ Can you imagine the smell? Holy crap that neighborhood smells like terrible scotch, although I don't know if it really is terrible but I'm pretty sure yes.
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Jun 6, 2013 05:00
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One of my favorite scotches has been Lagavulin 16 and I also quite like Lap and I love the peatiness. However, the SO has just started taking an interest in scotch and hates the smokiness to the flavours. What might you guys suggest as a sort of a middle ground scotch that would be a good buy for the both of us to sit and unwind with?
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Jun 6, 2013 06:54
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Zatheria posted:One of my favorite scotches has been Lagavulin 16 and I also quite like Lap and I love the peatiness. However, the SO has just started taking an interest in scotch and hates the smokiness to the flavours. What might you guys suggest as a sort of a middle ground scotch that would be a good buy for the both of us to sit and unwind with? Highland Park 12 is lighter on the peat but still might be a little much for someone just starting off. (It it one of my favorites)
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Jun 6, 2013 12:08
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Zatheria posted:One of my favorite scotches has been Lagavulin 16 and I also quite like Lap and I love the peatiness. However, the SO has just started taking an interest in scotch and hates the smokiness to the flavours. What might you guys suggest as a sort of a middle ground scotch that would be a good buy for the both of us to sit and unwind with? My SO and I just opened a bottle of Bunnahabhain. It is pretty tasty, without any overpowering medicinal or smoke flavors. She loved it, I found it acceptable (I am currently smitten with Ardbeg). My liquor store is stocking some Compass Box. Is Peat Monster worth picking up at $38.00 a bottle?
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Jun 6, 2013 15:16
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Zatheria posted:One of my favorite scotches has been Lagavulin 16 and I also quite like Lap and I love the peatiness. However, the SO has just started taking an interest in scotch and hates the smokiness to the flavours. What might you guys suggest as a sort of a middle ground scotch that would be a good buy for the both of us to sit and unwind with? For peat with less smoke I would actually look for Ledaig 10.
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Jun 6, 2013 15:24
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I'm going to chime in as liking the Ardbog. I didn't get a big tar flavor (unfortunately), but it had a lot of smoke anyhow (though much much less than Alligator). I think I prefer Uigedail, but the Ardbog was still a good whisky. If anything it suffered from having a little less complexity and a bit more sweetness than I might want. For the price, not super awesome, but on taste alone it's a nice spirit.
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Jun 6, 2013 19:09
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Thanks for the suggestions, I'll put together a shopping list for my next trip to the store. At worst if they're all too smoky, I'll just end up with a bunch of Scotch to drink on my own.  So far we've started with Speyside scotches, with McCallan and Shieldaig the ones she liked the most
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Jun 6, 2013 22:48
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Cleveland Whisky, aged in weeks, not years Anyone try this yet? Also the first part of the video is a concise overview for novices on the whisky making process.
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Jun 6, 2013 23:51
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KhyrosFinalCut posted:Cleveland Whisky, aged in weeks, not years I'd like to try it for the novelty factor if nothing else. Couldn't watch the vid on my phone, did they mention price or availibility?
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Jun 7, 2013 00:31
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KhyrosFinalCut posted:Cleveland Whisky, aged in weeks, not years I found a review of it here the other day. http://dramgoodtime.com/2013/04/22/cleveland-whiskey-black-bourbon-review-batch-001/ The reviewer doesn't have very good things to say about it. I think that the idea is really cool and I hope that they are able to keep tinkering with it and get something that can approximate a long nap in the barrel.
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Jun 7, 2013 01:16
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KhyrosFinalCut posted:Cleveland Whisky, aged in weeks, not years Would not recommend. I tried it on a whim, and even being a Cleveland local I couldn't muster up any love for it at all.
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Jun 7, 2013 01:56
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Zatheria posted:So far we've started with Speyside scotches, with McCallan and Shieldaig the ones she liked the most
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Jun 7, 2013 15:35
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Dear whisky goons, please help me. I have to confess I've only tried scotch once, and the experience was terrible. A couple of friends and I went to a Johnny Walker tasting event in Georgetown almost ten years ago. I felt like a jackass, I couldn't taste anything but smoke and everyone around me was praising how great the various samples were. So I left and never drank scotch again. It's probably for the best, at the time I didn't like to drink liquor straight. I was a gin and tonic type of guy. A couple of weeks ago I tried Irish whiskey straight, and loved it. It was good, but a touch bland to be honest. I'm looking to expand my palate and find a good scotch for a reasonable (around 50 bucks) that I can drink straight. What's a good place to start? Pretty much every review I've read stated that Glenlivet 12 is the best place to start. Not the best taste, but one of the easiest to get into. I'll be buying blind, so 25 bucks isn't that big of a hit to take even if I don't like it. The bottle I just tried was Bushmill's Irish Honey. To be honest, I liked it less the more I drank it. It was good, very smooth and sweet, almost too smooth and sweet. Good nose, pear, vanilla and honey. When I drank it though I got a load of vanilla and honey, a little alcohol burn and a short finish. I can't picture anyone disliking this, but if I had a bottle of anything with more punch or flavor, I can't picture myself reaching for it either. And it's far too weak to stand up in any cocktail I can think of without being completely overwhelmed. Maybe I'm missing the point of it, but I can't see myself buying another bottle ever again.
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Jun 7, 2013 19:03
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rxcowboy posted:The bottle I just tried was Bushmill's Irish Honey. Their website calls this a "honey infused spirit drink," which sounds to me like it's sweetened - and if it's sweetened, it's probably not based on their better whiskey.
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Jun 7, 2013 20:49
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rxcowboy posted:I'm looking to expand my palate and find a good scotch for a reasonable (around 50 bucks) that I can drink straight. What's a good place to start? Pretty much every review I've read stated that Glenlivet 12 is the best place to start. Not the best taste, but one of the easiest to get into. I'll be buying blind, so 25 bucks isn't that big of a hit to take even if I don't like it. I'm far from an expert, pretty much just starting out myself, so I'm coming from that angle. I had my start with a bottle of Glenfiddich 12yr and that sold me on Scotch forever! It's not especially complex, kind of a single-note flavor, but it's a good note and very easy to drink. I'd suggest starting there. From there I worked off the suggestions in this thread and I've discovered that goons have good taste!
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Jun 7, 2013 20:56
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rxcowboy posted:Dear whisky goons, please help me. I have to confess I've only tried scotch once, and the experience was terrible. A couple of friends and I went to a Johnny Walker tasting event in Georgetown almost ten years ago. I felt like a jackass, I couldn't taste anything but smoke and everyone around me was praising how great the various samples were. I also think Irish whiskey is pretty bland. On the one hand I'd try a Speyside malt, like Glenlivet 12, as you said, or a Highland malt, like Old Pulteney. On the other hand, try a rye. Your best bet is finding a decent whiskey bar near you. Try the Sazerac 6-year, if they have it, and Rittenhouse Bonded, if they have it. Those are quite nice and should be a good introduction to American whiskeys. I'm not recommending a bourbon, because it's corn-based, and Irish has a lot of corn, and well I like rye better.
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Jun 7, 2013 22:45
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Started listening to the scotch podcast and they were raving about the Clynelish 14 so I picked that up today. I wanted to get a decent bourbon as well but they were sold out of/overpriced on everything that was on my list to try that I carry around. I picked up a bottle of Jefferson's Very Small Batch merely because it was on sale (there are a couple rarer Jeffersons I've been wanting to try but no luck on those). Looking forward to trying one of those this weekend!
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Jun 7, 2013 23:40
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Zatheria posted:One of my favorite scotches has been Lagavulin 16 and I also quite like Lap and I love the peatiness. However, the SO has just started taking an interest in scotch and hates the smokiness to the flavours. What might you guys suggest as a sort of a middle ground scotch that would be a good buy for the both of us to sit and unwind with? First of all, if you like Lagavulin, try any of the Caol Ila line. The peat/smoke flavor will knock you on your all. For something to share with the SO, a great starter scotch is something like Glenmorangie 12 year Port Cask. It adds the sweet hint of port flavor into the scotch flavor. And, for the bourbon crowd out there, I highly recommend the Bulleit Bourbon 10 year that just got released. Twice as good as bottles that cost twice as much. And this is my first post here. My Id needs escape. Stupid real life.
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Jun 8, 2013 00:48
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Zatheria posted:One of my favorite scotches has been Lagavulin 16 and I also quite like Lap and I love the peatiness. However, the SO has just started taking an interest in scotch and hates the smokiness to the flavours. What might you guys suggest as a sort of a middle ground scotch that would be a good buy for the both of us to sit and unwind with? This isn't a middle ground, but Balvenie anything is always a crowd pleaser.
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Jun 8, 2013 02:19
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kidsafe posted:Oban 14yr has a very heavy honey sweetness, but also a little bit of everything else, including earthiness/smoke. Hazelburn 12yr is more of the same, but a bit more earth/salt. I'll agree with this. Oban is, in my opinion, kind of all over the place which makes it hard for me to recommend if only because at that same price point you have access to a lot of other really great single malts. It's still good, however. I find that Balvenie is consistently good stuff, and I've been really enjoying the 15 year old Single Barrel. The Doublewood is also quite good.
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Jun 8, 2013 03:04
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I tried Connemara (peated irish single malt) and it tastes like dirty toilet water.
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Jun 8, 2013 13:04
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Politicalrancor posted:I tried Connemara (peated irish single malt) and it tastes like dirty toilet water. I'll do some horizontal tastings between recent bottlings of Lagavulin once I open the last ones. The now on sale 16yo and the 1995 DE will comprise one round, and the 2010 12yo, the 2012 12yo and the Elements Lg2 another one. I expect I won't be tasting or smelling anything but gasoline for hours once I'm done with the younger ones.
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Jun 8, 2013 22:59
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I got $30 as a gift and I thought it would be fun too see how far I could go with it. In an age where the price of single malts and blends is skyrocketing, finding good budget buys is a good skill. I was thinking about the Ardmore Traditional Cask. I've heard its not earth-shattering, but definitely competent considering the cost.
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Jun 9, 2013 02:11
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Try to find some Finlaggan. I mentioned it earlier in this thread. It's rumored to be either a young Ardbeg or a young Lagavulin. In any case it's <$20 for a single Islay malt.
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Jun 9, 2013 05:52
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Overpaid ($40) for Auchroisk 20yr at a steakhouse. Definitely not worth *that* price of admission, not even worth a $20 pour w/fancy restaurant markup. Without looking it up, my first guess is that it comes from a refill hogshead rather than something more exotic. It was definitely smooth, but the flavors were generic...slightly nutty, sultanas/white wine, oldish wood...that sort of thing. Cracked open a bottle of Amrut Immediate Sherry at home with my future brother-in-law and that was much, much better (and cheaper.)
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Jun 9, 2013 08:03
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Kenning posted:Try to find some Finlaggan. I mentioned it earlier in this thread. It's rumored to be either a young Ardbeg or a young Lagavulin. In any case it's <$20 for a single Islay malt. I'm glad I found Finlaggan awhile ago as my first foray into the peaty world of Islay's, because I really, really did not enjoy it. I've tried time and again with it, but I just can't get my palette around it. All I get out of it is an overwhelming amount of smoke. I still have like 1/2 a bottle in the back of the liquor cabinet, and it'll probably stay that way for awhile. From what I've tasted, I think Highland Park 12 is about as far on the peat side of things I can go, and still enjoy it.
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Jun 10, 2013 16:15
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The courier came by. Among some other stuff there was this: I wanted to know how bottlings from the IB Adelphi are like in their starter price range so I went and got this 11yo Caol Ila single cask. I've got a pretty good idea of what different variations young CI can come in and this one's definitely among the better ones. At hefty 60,6% this is still perfectly drinkable without water, and in fact after a few rounds I decidedly prefer it undiluted. While for example the Specialty Drinks bottling Cl4 contains a young, super-smoky but otherwise not particularly memorable spirit, this one's coastal notes with heavy iodine presence and some young wood and peat, but surprisingly little of the lemon & lime tones that usually can be found in coastal CIs. Instead of citrus there's a cereal note present. The timidness of the aftertaste bothers me a bit I admit. Verdict: About the price of what I'd pay for Ardbog locally, about the same age category too from what I heard, but this one's in my opinion much more fun. If you like Lagavulin 12 or other raw young CS islays, then this is for you. Deleuzionist fucked around with this message at 19:24 on Jun 10, 2013 |
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Jun 10, 2013 19:22
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Is this thread appropriate to discuss bourbon? I hope so. My experience with bourbon has been pretty limited, before I did shots of JB when I was younger and drank Makers in soda, never straight though. Decided to take the plunge and buy a bottle of Evan Williams Black Label because it's been consistently reviewed as a great starter bourbon and I can see why. I like it, easy to drink straight. My only complaint is that I think I'd prefer something with the scales tilted more towards spice than pure sweetness, so I'll be trying more rye prominent bourbons and "heavier" bourbons next.
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Jun 13, 2013 21:29
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rxcowboy posted:Is this thread appropriate to discuss bourbon? I hope so. My experience with bourbon has been pretty limited, before I did shots of JB when I was younger and drank Makers in soda, never straight though. Try Wild Turkey 101 or Old Grand Dad 100. Both are spicy and excellent bourbons at any price level (and both are cheap, too).
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Jun 14, 2013 00:56
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Has anyone had experience with any of the Elements of Islay? I have seen these around and the concept looks really cool.
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Jun 14, 2013 02:18
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I'm new to whisky, here's the few bottles I've purchased over the last few months; The Glenlivet 12 The Balvenie Doublewood Redbreast 12 Peat Monster Great King St Artist's Blend Alberta Premium Dark Horse Glenfiddich 12 (gifted) It's been fun. I've went from detesting the Glenlivet's alcohol burn to absolutely adoring and savouring a measure of just about anything I've poured. Except for the Peat Monster. Oh man I was not ready for peat. It smelled like something you'd douse an open wound with, but it's slowly (very slowly) growing on me, and I find myself craving it at times. I'm starting to pick up the sweeter notes in the background behind that wall of iodine, and the palate is actually kind of fruity and sweet and lacks the sometimes distracting spicyness that comes with the sherried stuff. Great King St is the one I like best, and it's the first one I'll be replacing when it's empty. Not only is it drat tasty, Compass Box stuff is competitively priced in Ontario for some reason. Next new purchase is gonna be one of GlenDronach 12, Aberlour A'Bunadh, or Glenfarclas 15. Lovin that sweetness.
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Jun 14, 2013 06:44
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Evil_Penguin_v2 posted:Has anyone had experience with any of the Elements of Islay? I have seen these around and the concept looks really cool. If you like young Islays I can vouch for Cl2, Lg2 and Bn4 from that series. The Lg2 and Bn4 are very young, possibly 10-11 years old while the Cl2 is older, probably at 12-15 years, and a bit more balanced. Cl3 is godlike but unfortunately only available on a cruise ship going between Stockholm and Helsinki (it is possible that Port Askaig 19yo CS is the same stuff as the alc. vol., tasting notes and bottling years match). Cl4 isn't worth the investment: heavy smoke but little anything else, and practically undrinkable without adding water. I haven't tried the Bruichladdich or Bowmore ones and was too late to the party for the so far only releases from Ardbeg and Laphroaig, as well as the Cl1. I heard the first Port Ellen in the series was magnificent but it's gone now, and apparently the later PEs in the series never quite reached its level. Deleuzionist fucked around with this message at 07:05 on Jun 14, 2013 |
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Jun 14, 2013 07:03
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Deleuzionist posted:If you like young Islays I can vouch for Cl2, Lg2 and Bn4 from that series. The Lg2 and Bn4 are very young, possibly 10-11 years old while the Cl2 is older, probably at 12-15 years, and a bit more balanced. Cl3 is godlike but unfortunately only available on a cruise ship going between Stockholm and Helsinki (it is possible that Port Askaig 19yo CS is the same stuff as the alc. vol., tasting notes and bottling years match). Cl4 isn't worth the investment: heavy smoke but little anything else, and practically undrinkable without adding water. I haven't tried the Bruichladdich or Bowmore ones and was too late to the party for the so far only releases from Ardbeg and Laphroaig, as well as the Cl1. I heard the first Port Ellen in the series was magnificent but it's gone now, and apparently the later PEs in the series never quite reached its level. Ardbeg and Laphroaig 10 year selections are 2 of my favs. I am very interested in the Lg1 and Lg2 as Lagavulin hasn't been topped on my list yet, I am sure as you can tell these sound like drinks right up my alley as i quite enjoy the peat and smoke that comes from them. I have been on a mission to find the 12 year cask strength but no avail in Dayton so far. Also the bottles they used piked my interest, using medicinal shaped bottles is just downright cool.
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Jun 14, 2013 07:19
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