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JgPz posted:Next new purchase is gonna be one of GlenDronach 12, Aberlour A'Bunadh, or Glenfarclas 15. Lovin that sweetness. I can vouch for the Glendronach 12. You'll not find a better sherried whisky at that price point. A real good value.
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Jun 14, 2013 16:45
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I'd vouch for the Glenfarclas instead but only because I'm not partial to how the taste of booze marks Glendronach 12, 15 and 18yo bottlings similar to Auchentoshans. Then again a friend of mine is a fan of both Auchentoshan and Glendronach so I guess it would depend on whether a stronger taste of booze (little to do with bottling sterngth and more to do with distillery style) is a good or a bad thing to your own tastebuds. Let's drink: Lagavulin Elements of Islay Lg2 (Specialty Drinks, 58%) A cask strength young Lagavulin that has a lot in common with the official 12 year old releases. Peat with gasoline & rubbing alcohol, little sea water and kelp, and a touch of sweet oak remniscent of Pommac soda. Next to a similarly young and fresh-smelling Caol Ila 11yo from Adelphi the Lg2 gives off a lemon skin scent whereas the CI tends more to pine. Both are heavily peaty and phenoly but the CI is sootier and lacks the rubbing alcohol and oil rig notes. Nosing this one next to the 16yo distillery bottling it's interesting how it's very effortless to spot the same aromas in both with the refinement of age settling them down in the 16 and bringing up richer oak from the longer time spent in the cask while taking away the fresh lemon and dry hay notes of the younger one. On the palate some alcohol and peat burn, both manageable even at full strength although this does numb the mouth some. There's no tar here, rather just medicinal alcohols and crude oil. According to the bottler this is "slightly less 'full' or 'wide' than the OB" so I'm looking forward to comparing this with two different OB 12yo:s. Serge of Whiskyfun fame mentioned sweetness in the OBs which I can't find in the Lg2 but definitely can in the 16yo OB, which might account for the bottler's notes above. Water breaks up the gasoline/rubbing alcohol to introduce more smoky, charred and hay notes rather more like burning grease and boot polish than the oil industry smells of the unwatered. The mouthfeel is nicer after a teaspoon of water but the taste definitely suffers, breaking down in consistency.
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Jun 15, 2013 22:41
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I was at a beer festival here in Rochester, and there was the head of a new distillery in town passing out cards. Black Button Distillery, local grains. Immediately (rather, as of October) they'll be selling unaged gin and moonshine, but longer term plans involve wheated bourbon, an American malt whiskey, and maybe rye. Of course, who knows if it will be any good, but it's cool to see a local distillery get started.
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Jun 16, 2013 04:56
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Killer robot posted:I was at a beer festival here in Rochester, and there was the head of a new distillery in town passing out cards. Black Button Distillery, local grains. Immediately (rather, as of October) they'll be selling unaged gin and moonshine, but longer term plans involve wheated bourbon, an American malt whiskey, and maybe rye. Of course, who knows if it will be any good, but it's cool to see a local distillery get started. See if you can get Hudson for cheaper than they gouge you for the 375 ml they charge out of state.
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Jun 16, 2013 06:11
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Some days life is good. A good friend of mine is a long distance truck driver who is only home for maybe a day or two a month. He calls me up and says he wants to drink some scotch with me. I tell me that sounds like a plan, but I don't have any since I haven't bought my bottle yet. No worries, he asks what to get and says he'll just bring it over. I told him Glenlivet 12, he made a slight error and got Glenfiddich 15. Oh my god this stuff is loving delicious! I can't believe I avoided scotch for this long after the horrible experience with Johnny Walker. I'm have another glass or two on Father's Day and try and pay more attention to the individual notes, but I thought it was very smooth and have a berry/cinnamon/cake combination going on. The bottle is almost done so I'm going to need more soon, but I doubt I'll be buying this one again for a while simply because I want to explore. I like the sweetness and how easy it was to drink, but I think for my next scotch i'd like something a little more dry and at least a little more smokey.
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Jun 16, 2013 07:47
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rxcowboy posted:Some days life is good. A good friend of mine is a long distance truck driver who is only home for maybe a day or two a month. He calls me up and says he wants to drink some scotch with me. I tell me that sounds like a plan, but I don't have any since I haven't bought my bottle yet. No worries, he asks what to get and says he'll just bring it over. Glenfiddich has very little smoke compared with a lot of other Scotches. Try to look for a Glengoyne, AFAIK they use no peat at all in the drying of their barley.
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Jun 16, 2013 15:19
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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. Other good options for this include:
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Jun 17, 2013 00:40
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I'm looking for a gift for the missus, who is a light dabbler in whiskey and scotch. We like Yamazaki, we really love Laphroig, and Maker's is our 'slummin it' whiskey of choice. I was thinking about grabbing a bottle of Whistle Pig after seeing it on Breaking Bad and reading some solid reviews that compared rye whiskeys to scotch. Solid purchase, or does anyone have some recommendations in the $50-$70 range?
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Jun 17, 2013 03:59
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Luegene Cards posted:I'm looking for a gift for the missus, who is a light dabbler in whiskey and scotch. We like Yamazaki, we really love Laphroig, and Maker's is our 'slummin it' whiskey of choice. I was thinking about grabbing a bottle of Whistle Pig after seeing it on Breaking Bad and reading some solid reviews that compared rye whiskeys to scotch. Solid purchase, or does anyone have some recommendations in the $50-$70 range? My not so random suggestion is Compass Box anything in the specified price range. Oak Cross or Spice Tree, doesn't really matter which. Only suggesting readily available stuff because I don't want to send you on a wild goose chase. TobinHatesYou fucked around with this message at 05:42 on Jun 17, 2013 |
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Jun 17, 2013 05:40
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Additionally, Peat Monster is spectacular for a smokey blended scotch.
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Jun 17, 2013 09:24
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Is Bulleit Rye a good indication of what I can expect from the genre? I can't say I dislike it exactly, but I'm definitely not craving a 2nd glass the majority of the time. I expected a bit of spice but I'm mostly just picking up a whole lot of sweetness. I'm terrible at picking up on the nuances of the whiskeys I like, I just know I love all the smoky, peaty goodness I can get, and I prefer sweeter notes to be much more subdued. It may be that rye is not for me. I love bourbon and I love a lot of the scotches I've tried (Glenmorangie La Santa was also too sweet for me) so figured I'd try and expand my horizons, but I'd like to know if I'd just be wasting money on a different bottle of rye. e: I'm having some Bulleit now and I think the thing that's turning me off is how much it reminds me of Fireball. I'm just getting this huge cinnamon blast where I think others are talking about spice. I could see this being a great introductory whiskey for those (like a lot of my friends) who drink a shitload of fireball and nothing else except Coors Light, but I doubt I'll buy any more of it. Inspector 34 fucked around with this message at 10:33 on Jun 17, 2013 |
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Jun 17, 2013 10:04
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Inspector 34 posted:Is Bulleit Rye a good indication of what I can expect from the genre? I can't say I dislike it exactly, but I'm definitely not craving a 2nd glass the majority of the time. I expected a bit of spice but I'm mostly just picking up a whole lot of sweetness. I'm terrible at picking up on the nuances of the whiskeys I like, I just know I love all the smoky, peaty goodness I can get, and I prefer sweeter notes to be much more subdued. Briefly put, no Bulleit Rye is not a good representation of the genre. Bulleit is unique in that they use a lot more Rye in their mash bill than most (>90% IIRC). This is what will bring out that spiciness that you have compared to Fireball. Most of my experience with introducing people to Bulleit seems to be a 70/30 split where 70% love it and 30% couldn't care less about it. The Rye whiskies that I believe is probably most representative would be:
Ryes are only recently coming back into popularity (like last 10 years recent). For a long time, the only widely available product was Old Overholt Rye. It's not a bad Rye, but it doesn't really taste like Rye to me. Apparently after Jim Beam took over the product some 40-50 years ago (pulling numbers out of my rear end), they changed the mash bill in some meaningful way and it is now no longer as delicious as it used to be.
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Jun 17, 2013 15:38
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rufius posted:Briefly put, no Bulleit Rye is not a good representation of the genre. Bulleit is unique in that they use a lot more Rye in their mash bill than most (>90% IIRC). This is what will bring out that spiciness that you have compared to Fireball. Most of my experience with introducing people to Bulleit seems to be a 70/30 split where 70% love it and 30% couldn't care less about it. TobinHatesYou fucked around with this message at 18:42 on Jun 17, 2013 |
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Jun 17, 2013 18:33
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kidsafe posted:It's really hard to outright say a rye whiskey will be spicy based solely on its mashbill. Templeton Rye, like Bulleit Rye uses the same 95% rye recipe from LDI, but it is quite mild compared to most. Jefferson Straight Rye, which is 100% rye, is less spicy than most typical bourbons. I *think* but am not sure that Jefferson's gets its rye distillate from Alberta Distillers...likely the same as Whistlepig. I didn't realize that about Templeton. I find it to be a drinkable but unremarkable Rye personally... I haven't had Jefferson yet mostly because bartender friends keep steering me away from it. Regarding mashbill content, I should have stated that my observations are anecdotal, not necessarily factual.
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Jun 17, 2013 20:34
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Politicalrancor posted:See if you can get Hudson for cheaper than they gouge you for the 375 ml they charge out of state. Sadly, Hudson is just as expensive in state. I'd try it at its price for 750ml, but 375 I still haven't tried. The guy running the new place said he's aiming for more reasonable prices, but we'll see how it works out.
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Jun 17, 2013 20:49
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I've really enjoyed Thomas Handy and Masterson Rye.
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Jun 17, 2013 22:45
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Politicalrancor posted:I've really enjoyed Thomas Handy and Masterson Rye. It's interesting you group those since Handy is a very distinct American Rye and Masterson is a good Canadian Rye. Both are delicious.
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Jun 18, 2013 03:20
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Thanks guys, I'll have to check out one or two of those before I give up on rye altogether then. I realize that comparing the Bulleit to Fireball was maybe a little harsh, it's not nearly that bad!
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Jun 18, 2013 04:17
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I'm pretty new to whisky and I'm deciding on what to get after finishing a bottle of Yamazaki, which was great. I was recommended Glen Grant 10, and the thimbleful I tried was pretty tasty. I figured I should hold off buying until I fly to London in a week or so, so I can try and pick it up in duty free, but I'm not sure if the airport would have it. Are there any similar whiskys that might be more readily available?
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Jun 18, 2013 10:04
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breathstealer posted:I'm pretty new to whisky and I'm deciding on what to get after finishing a bottle of Yamazaki, which was great. I was recommended Glen Grant 10, and the thimbleful I tried was pretty tasty. I figured I should hold off buying until I fly to London in a week or so, so I can try and pick it up in duty free, but I'm not sure if the airport would have it. Are there any similar whiskys that might be more readily available? TobinHatesYou fucked around with this message at 11:37 on Jun 18, 2013 |
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Jun 18, 2013 11:26
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kidsafe posted:Glen Grant 10yr is so common...skip it and try something unique to Duty Free like Balvenie [12/16yr] Triple Cask. Heathrow has World of Whiskies...I could stare at their shelves for hours. And free tasters. It's really awesome on long layovers.
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Jun 18, 2013 16:25
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rufius posted:[*]Rittenhouse Rye - a delicious, cheap as gently caress, Rye that I drink the majority of the time. It's also 100 Proof so it'll be a bit stiff. Rittenhouse, Redbreast 12 year and Old Overlholt are all i'll ever need as far as whiskey/rye/bourbon goes. Nothing else compares at their price points honestly...especially Rittenhouse. Although there is a bar near me that has Redbreast 12 for 5$ a shot, which is a ridiculous deal.
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Jun 18, 2013 22:29
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vivisectvnv posted:Rittenhouse, Redbreast 12 year and Old Overlholt are all i'll ever need as far as whiskey/rye/bourbon goes. Wouldn't you want a bourbon to complete your trifecta instead of two rye's and an Irish whiskey?
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Jun 18, 2013 23:45
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rufius posted:It's interesting you group those since Handy is a very distinct American Rye and Masterson is a good Canadian Rye. Both are delicious. oh that's just what I've been drinking lately.
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Jun 19, 2013 20:31
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Tasted Highland Park Loki out of a whim today because I spotted it on the shelf of a nearby bar. Reminds me of Hakushu 12 with more coastal notes and additional spiciness. Notably hollow and fleeting aftertaste. At 140€ a bottle I feel exactly like I feel after trying a glass of HP Thor last year: a good whisky but price range by taste should be closer to their 18yo (around 70€). At 140€ for what could easily be found in a lucky IB single cask release for much less only an idiot would consider it a good purchase. Sure you might guess from the look of this thing that you might end up paying premium for a portable hat rack from China, but in case you had any doubts, let me assure you that's the case Deleuzionist fucked around with this message at 19:25 on Jun 20, 2013 |
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Jun 20, 2013 19:19
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Went to my B&M last night, and they had the Highland Park Loki locked up in their glass case. I stared at it for a good while, and the bought a bottle of Blantons, and a Balvenie Doublewood sampler. If I could justify the cash, I'd buy it anyways. Even with the reviews that it's decent, but overpriced. Also, did you wind up tasting the Highland Park Thor? If so, how did it compare?
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Jun 20, 2013 19:36
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I don't remember the Thor that well anymore since it was only one glass and I had it last summer, but along with it I tasted several other upmarket whiskys like Caol Ila 25, Linlithgow 28 and some others I can no longer remember and among them the Thor didn't appear to be particularly complex or memorable. A sort of a letdown since it's named after a dude who wasn't exactly known for being mild mannered and bland.
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Jun 20, 2013 19:48
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Interesting, your take on the Thor seems to match what I've read other places. I'd love to give them a try just to say I did though. drat their marketing department and my love of comics.
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Jun 20, 2013 19:55
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My degree is in Folklore and Mythology. I studied Old Norse for a year in College. I am a giant loving nerd and played a Odin in a multi-year mythology pastiche larp Here is a picture of me and my friend who played Loki (these were modernly costumed/timeless interpretations. We have our respective runes Othala and Thorn carved into our wrists. So long story short, HP's definitely getting my money when Odin comes out.
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Jun 21, 2013 07:16
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You two are such marks.  Can anybody tell me anything about what to expect from the Arran distillery? I ordered a small sample of their 10yo cask strength but have no idea what it's going to be like, just thought it was time for us to be introduced. Evil_Penguin_v2 posted: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 21, 2013 09:42
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Deleuzionist posted:Can anybody tell me anything about what to expect from the Arran distillery? I ordered a small sample of their 10yo cask strength but have no idea what it's going to be like, just thought it was time for us to be introduced. Had a 7 yo cask strength from them in a society bottle. Extremely rich sweetness, almost like chocolate cake.
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Jun 21, 2013 16:07
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On a budget note, before I knew anything about anything, I somehow got into my head that Old Grand-dad was "drunk under a bridge" hobo whiskey and refused to try it. But since trying more and learning more, I picked up a bottle last night. I would say it compares favorably to 101, which isn't something I'll say about a lot of stuff (because I really like 101). I was kind of surprised to find out it was a Beam product, since I usually prefer Heaven Hill's stuff, for whatever reason.
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Jun 21, 2013 16:28
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Huxley posted:On a budget note, before I knew anything about anything, I somehow got into my head that Old Grand-dad was "drunk under a bridge" hobo whiskey and refused to try it. But since trying more and learning more, I picked up a bottle last night. I would say it compares favorably to 101, which isn't something I'll say about a lot of stuff (because I really like 101). Eh it wasn't a Beam product always. And unlike Old Overholt, Beam has largely left the OGD production alone.
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Jun 21, 2013 22:18
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Old Granddad is fun when you want to feel like a cowboy but I personally wouldn't compare it to 101 or anything over $20/bottle.
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Jun 21, 2013 22:54
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wormil posted:Old Granddad is fun when you want to feel like a cowboy but I personally wouldn't compare it to 101 or anything over $20/bottle. Had OGD BiB?
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Jun 21, 2013 22:57
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wormil posted:Old Granddad is fun when you want to feel like a cowboy but I personally wouldn't compare it to 101 or anything over $20/bottle. OGD 114 is outstanding, and one of the best bargains in bourbon, full stop.
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Jun 21, 2013 23:28
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Yeah, the Bonded and the 114 are both really excellent whiskeys.
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Jun 22, 2013 00:18
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Our stores only carry one type.
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Jun 22, 2013 00:21
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wormil posted:Old Granddad is fun when you want to feel like a cowboy but I personally wouldn't compare it to 101 or anything over $20/bottle. I should have said it was the 100, not the 80. I put down my fifth bottle of 101 in a row and got it instead, and wasn't mad at myself after, which is I guess the best review I can give it. I wish I had the taste to pick up nuances, but I only ever seem to taste the big notes, and basically nothing on the front 1/3 of my tongue at all. I get plenty of nose, finish and texture, but the roll it around part just tastes like water to me. Maybe I ought to be drinking corn liquor to save money. E: Or more practice. :-)
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Jun 22, 2013 00:26
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NightConqueror posted: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 22, 2013 02:35
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