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Raffles posted:I've just finished my first bottle of single malt, a Benromach 10 yr old that was recommended to me by the manager of my local whiskey shop. I loved it; sweet caramel notes with a subtle smokiness, it was brilliant. Get some Highland Park 12 year old. Thank me later. 
biglads fucked around with this message at 14:50 on Nov 24, 2011 |
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Nov 24, 2011 14:46
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spankmeister posted:Absolutely, since the laws surrounding Bourbon dictate the use of new white oak barrels every time, whereas with Scotch there is no such requirement and consequently the re-use of barrels is very common. Yeah, I think well over 99% of Scotch is aged in re-used barrels, mostly Bourbon. New wood is too powerful for (what becomes) Scotch. I tried a bottling of Glenturret that was casked in 'Virgin Oak' and it was one of the worst Whisky experiences I've had.
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Dec 10, 2011 16:44
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powderific posted:I'm looking for a relatively inexpensive whisky that isn't too sweet. I really like the single malt scotches I picked up, a Laphroiag 10yr and Highland Park 12yr, but I'd like to have something a bit on the lower end of the price range for sharing freely. It seems like there are lots of recommendations for inexpensive but good bourbons--I've had and enjoyed Eagle Rare, Buffalo Trace, and Elijah Craig--while most other whisky discussion is on the pricier single malt scotches. Is there a blended scotch or something else sortof cheap I might try out? If they sell Black Bottle where you are, that would be worth a go.
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Dec 13, 2011 14:44
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I've been drinking an OMC 19 y/o BenRiach (lovely and buttery) and Springbank 10 (one of my 'go to' drams) over christmas.
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Dec 26, 2011 15:53
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Driving up towards Speyside for Hogmanay tomorrow. Hopefully I get there early enough on the 30th to visit Glenfarclas. Good thing is it looks like no snow this year, the last couple of years have been pretty bad weather-wise. Last thing I need is for the A9 the be closed.
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Dec 28, 2011 14:40
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Had some Glenfarclas 175 yesterday. Worth a punt if you can find some.
biglads fucked around with this message at 16:06 on Jan 3, 2012 |
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Dec 31, 2011 12:59
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Just got back home from spending Hogmanay on Speyside, racing southwards to avoid Hurricane Bawbag2. I made some interesting purchases including a Single Cask Arran and the new bottling of Bunnahabhain 18 (big disappointment) and had some cracking drams at the Highlander Inn (whiskyinn.com). I got talking to a guy who works for Diageo who told me that they are considering re-opening Port Ellen. I expect that if they did this, it would be a brand new distillery as the old one is full of the maltings and maturing Lagavulin.
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Jan 3, 2012 16:09
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DoctaFun posted:
First thing you need is a good water source.
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Jan 3, 2012 23:37
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DoctaFun posted:My friend got me a bottle of Glen Moray 12 for Christmas, anyone know anything about this? I'm thinking it's a cheaper brand a la DeWars or something, but I've never tried it. That's what the guy at his liquor store suggested though. Regardless, I'm excited to at least try something new Glen Moray is a good, light Speyside whisky (the distillery is in Elgin). It doesn't have the greatest reputation in the UK as the old No Age Statement bottling was heavily discounted in Supermarkets and was often the cheapest Single Malt available. It used to be owned by LVMH but they sold it a couple of years ago to a French company (not Pernod) and they are trying to rebuild the brand reputation.
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Jan 6, 2012 13:09
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spankmeister posted:
I have. Didn't like it at all.
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Jan 14, 2012 21:49
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Hypnolobster posted:
Highland Park 12 is a good all-rounder. A bit of everything in here, it shouldn't disappoint. A Glenfarclas 10/12 or an Aberlour 10/12 should be a pretty cheap and nice intro into the sherried speyside style of whisky. A Balvenie Founders Reserve or DoubleWood will be a ridiculously easy drinking sweet tasting malt. If you think you may like a little more peat and smoke in your whisky, your first stop should be a coastal style. A Talisker 10 or Springbank 10 would suit. Oban 14 and Old Pulteney 12 are also coastal style but with a bit less of the peat. If you want a peat bomb, then a Laphroaig, Ardbeg or Lagavulin will be your friend for life. If you fancy something a little more 'left field', grab a Yamazaki or Hakushu 12.
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Jan 18, 2012 13:23
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I know exactly what you are saying about Japanese whiskies, spankmeister. Having said that, some of the single cask bottlings have more variety (as you'd expect) but you get the impression that the attempt is to make the 'perfect' dram. I'm confident that Hanyu will provide more variety (for want of a better word) when they start ramping up their number of releases.
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Feb 20, 2012 13:32
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I'd agree with spankmeister. There seemed to be a silly little game being played by Bruichladdich and Ardbeg recently where they'd run some of their newmake or whisky through a gas chromatograph and announce "The Peatiest Whisky Ever" with x+1 ppm of phenols. I've tried some Octomore (can't remember which release) and also some of the Ardbeg Supernova. I'd say there are many better whiskies released by Bruichladdich & Ardbeg respectively. It's a gimmick whisky really. Young, one-dimensional and expensive. It'll be an interesting dram but probably not a great one.
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Mar 22, 2012 21:44
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I'm off down to Whisky Live in London in an hour or so. I'm sure there'll be plenty of interesting drams to try.
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Mar 24, 2012 11:48
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Capt.Whorebags posted:Booked in for Whiskey Live Sydney in August. Let me know how it goes. Was good, I'm a bit pished but came home with a Glengoyne 21 & a Longrow 14. Happy days. biglads fucked around with this message at 19:53 on Mar 24, 2012 |
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Mar 24, 2012 19:09
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The Glengoyne is the OB. There weren't that many unusual bottles to sample from, the 2 most interesting ones I found were a Port finished Glen Moray and a 'about 3 days short from 8y/o' Kilkerran. If I'd have got round to the BBR or the Compass Box stands, there might have been a bit more interesting selection there. The vast majority of drams there were OB's, perfectly fine but it's nicer to see a bit more variety. Single Cask releases, 'Manager's Dram', just stuff that's a bit rarer/unusual. Having done both over most of the past few years, I reckon that The Whisky Show (http://www.whisky-show.com/whisky-show-2012) is better. There's a bigger selection, more exhibitors and no voucher system there. Diageo display at both (as you'd expect), at Whisky Live yesterday they had all of the Distillers Editions and the Caol Ila Moch. Not bad but when you consider all the stuff they have, a bit light. At the last Whisky Show, Diageo were there with Brora 30, Talisker 30, Glen Spey 31, 8th Release Port Ellen etc. etc. AND they free poured them. biglads fucked around with this message at 10:03 on Mar 25, 2012 |
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Mar 25, 2012 10:00
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kidsafe posted:There are rumors Diageo may just buy Beam Global for Sauza if they can't absorb Cuervo. I'm not sure if they are still talking or if things fell through, but it would be weird if Diageo owned three of the eight Islay distilleries as a consequence. The last round of mergers/acquisitions of Distilling companies ended up with the Monopolies & Mergers Commission (UK) making Distillers/Diageo give up Laphroaig. They probably wouldn't do the same now... I'm sure Pernod Ricard (Chivas Brothers) would love a distillery on Islay. With Vijay Mallaya's money problems, Whyte & Mackay's distilleries (Jura, Dalmore, Fettercairn) could be up for grabs as well.
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Apr 9, 2012 10:12
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Finshed off a bottle of Yamazaki Sherry Cask last night, and followed that up with a big dram of Brora 30. Both exceptional whiskies.
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Apr 22, 2012 12:05
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spankmeister posted:I still have an unopened Yamazaki SC. I have 2 
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Apr 22, 2012 12:56
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wutheringbites posted:Hey, is it okay to ask here about buying whisky as a present? I'll delete if not Get a Glenfarclas and a Lagavulin. Both very nice, completely dissimilar in taste.
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Apr 23, 2012 15:52
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Finlaggan was young Caol Ila a couple of years ago. It could be anything from Islay now, but is unlikely to be Ardbeg or Lagavulin.
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Jun 2, 2012 13:23
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The Mandingo posted:
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-11044.aspx It's 33, so you might want so save a bit for 3 years time.
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Jun 18, 2012 23:47
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Banannah posted:I tried the Bowmore 9 year old recently and holy poo poo did I enjoy it, even though my friend said it tasted like antiseptic. What else should I try now? More Islay malts? My experience of whisky boils down to mostly blends like Famous Grouse and Teachers, Glenfiddich (I quite liked the 15 and 18 year when I tried them), and Jura Origin which I enjoyed but found slightly too harsh. Idealy I'd like something that costs less than £40 a bottle but I'll spend more if it comes highly reccommended. As well as the recommendations already posted, I'd like to suggest both Talisker 10 and Springbank 10.
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Jun 28, 2012 08:55
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kidsafe posted:I think in general the Whyte & Mackay owned distilleries have an image problem despite the presence of Paterson as a PR powerhouse. Dalmore and especially Fettercairn aren't nearly as popular as they could be. Whisky hobbyists in particular disapprove of all these whiskies being bottled at 40% with caramel added. Tried some Fettercairn (Fior?) at a whisky show recently. Lovely new bottles, something pretty grim inside. It got added to the very short list of 'drams I have chucked away'. Jura is better than it was a few years ago. Better Wood Management caused that as opposed to a 're-branding' exercise. I got one of the 'Paps' range when I was over there for the Islay festival a couple of years ago. Very nice too, as is the 16y/o. As has already been said, Superstition divides opinion. My wife loves it, I'm not especially keen. The Jura 10 is improved but still quite thin on the palate in my experience. I'd pick an Aberlour 10 over the Jura 10 any day (I'm comparing them as they are often the discounted malt in the supermarket).
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Jul 12, 2012 15:53
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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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Tsk, Sherried Scotch? Mortlach supremacy.
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Aug 8, 2012 15:38
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http://www.masterofmalt.com/whiskies/mortlach-16-year-old-whisky/ Pretty good price, and in stock currently. So rich and meaty. Glenfarclas, Glendronach and Aberlour as have already been mentioned are good sherried drams. I've never been that keen on the Auchentoshan Three Wood but I'll give it another go next time I see it. I've always found Auchentoshan a little sweet for my palate. Glendronach 15 is a real favourite of mine. Of course, Yamazaki 18 is another stormer if you are a bit richer. biglads fucked around with this message at 12:48 on Aug 9, 2012 |
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Aug 9, 2012 12:38
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Jo3sh posted:I held in my hand earlier today a 15 y/o Gordon & MacPhail bottling of Mortlach. I saw at least one more on the shelf. I can't say without knowing a bit more about that bottling. A friend of mine bought a bourbon cask Mortlach last year and while it was very good it wasn't the house style. The 16y/o 'Flora & Fauna' edition is the standard one, and very good it is too.
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Aug 14, 2012 15:02
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Over the last few days I've finished off a bottle of Hibiki 12. Very smooth and easy drinking. Great bottle too.
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Aug 19, 2012 11:51
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Dibrok posted:I was in Scotland back in May for a Scotch tasting tour. We visited every distillery on Islay as well as Jura, Arran, all three in Cambletown and Auchentoshan. The 3 distilleries that stood out the most were Bowmore, Laphroaig, and Springbank. The tours provided at these distilleries were by far the best we encountered in Scotland and I would highly recommend all 3. Jura would also receive a notable mention. Bowmore, Laphroaig & Springbank are 3 of the very few distilleries still doing floor maltings so they can provide a more rounded tour than a place with a 15 tonne malt hopper. Very sad to hear about your experience at Kilchoman. It was good when I was there a few (3?) years back, although I heard they had recruited the distillery manager from Bunnahabhain since then. Was the guy at Kilchoman a scot or an englishman? The english guy who owns & built the distillery seemed a nice guy who had time and inclination to talk and I'd be surprised if you got attitude from him.
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Aug 31, 2012 15:47
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Dibrok posted:The distillery manager at Kilchoman was an Englishman, although I do not believe it was the owner. It might have been the guy from Bunnahabhain, but I cannot remember his name. It is the guy from the picture on this website: http://kilchomandistillery.com/whisky-shop/single-malt-whisky-liqueur That guy with the glasses is Anthony Wills, he's the owner (or one of them) from memory. I've met with him a few times and he's always come across as very nice and more than happy to chat. He must have been having a bad day I guess. Shame that you didn't have a good time there.
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Sep 3, 2012 14:58
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Aglet56 posted:I'm drinking another glass of Lagavulin right now, and I'm enjoying it a lot more; it's definitely got more sweetness and body than I picked up on my first tasting. I guess it's just sort of an acquired thing. Sometimes with Scotch, the flavour 'opens up' a little once you've cracked the bottle. The second (third, fourth?) dram from a bottle is better. Also, sometimes the first experience you have with a heavily peated scotch is so shocking that you can't get over the thwack of peat to discern anything else. Once you're expecting it, you can pick up the other stuff.
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Sep 28, 2012 15:46
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Midorka posted:This is the video I'm talking about, I don't think it's a joke. I just see a very eccentric enthusiast. That's Richard Paterson. Pretty much the top man at Whyte & Mackay. Normally seen extolling the virtues of some ridiculously priced old Dalmore.
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Oct 4, 2012 18:32
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I had a bit of a Springbank night recently, which consisted of finishing a bottle of 10 y/o and opening up bottles of 12 y/o Cask Strength and 15 y/o. I like the Springbank 10, it's probably my 'go to' Malt and finishing a bottle just means I'm going to have to buy another. The Cask Strength 12 is a bit rough around the edges in my opinion. A little bit wild even with a good amount of water added it's interesting but I couldn't honestly recommend it. It's one of the oiliest whiskies I've ever seen. It really sticks to the side of the glass. The 15 y/o is absolutely gorgeous. Apart from the rich, oily mouth feel it doesn't share a great deal with the other two, being more heathery and oaky, rounding off into a nice vanilla finish. I suspect that the 10 y/o has a higher proportion of Sherry Casks than the 15, but Springbank is truly batch processed so YMMV if you have some to hand.
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Oct 25, 2012 17:05
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NightConqueror posted:I've always been a bit curious about Sprinkbank's stuff. I've heard its very good. Have you tried the Springbank CV? It's a cheaper NAS that's supposed to be decent. I've got some Longrow CV but I haven't had any Springbank CV, yet. I'll try to grab some soon.
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Oct 25, 2012 18:15
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Nov 29, 2012 23:08
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Steve Yun posted:That's just a picture you took at the store, isn't it No, it's actually my collection from about 2 years ago. I have more now. E: The Springbank 15 that I'm tucking into tonight is lovely. biglads fucked around with this message at 23:22 on Nov 29, 2012 |
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Nov 29, 2012 23:16
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Troll Bridgington posted:Yes indeed. I wasn't aware of it being a special release, though. Looks like it's a fairly new offering: All of the Balvenies are too drat easy to glug down. An extra touch of demarera in the taste just makes it ever more gluggable. Balvenie is one of those drinks that is usually gone pretty quickly after you crack it open. At least in my house I'm finishing off a bottle of Balvenie Golden Cask right now.
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Nov 30, 2012 22:41
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It was very nice. Not sure where else it's available, I think mine was a duty-free. That version was a 14 y/o finished in Rum Casks at 47.5%. I've yet to meet a Balvenie that I didn't like. They're all just so incredibly nice. I got a bottle of Clynelish at the supermarket yesterday. It's been a while since I had any of that so I'm looking forward to cracking it open. biglads fucked around with this message at 12:42 on Dec 1, 2012 |
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Dec 1, 2012 12:39
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| # ¿ Apr 27, 2024 19:36 |
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^^ What kidsafe said. The guy who started whisky production in Japan (Masakata Taketsuru) is dealt with here http://www.nikka.com/eng/founder/index.html Unless you are a Suntory man, in which case you'd say that Shinjiro Torii was the guy responsible http://theyamazaki.jp/en/story/history.html
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Dec 20, 2012 12:42
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