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DoctaFun posted:I don't know the legality of shipping booze, but if they were say, significantly cheaper with a greater selection than where you live, I might be able to be persuaded to do a little shipping. You know, for an old L4D companion. Shipping liquor is illegal in my state and postal security having been beefed up I wouldn't want anyone to risk it. I appreciate the sentiment though.
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| # ? Jan 17, 2012 03:00 |
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| # ? May 21, 2013 15:46 |
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Hello whisky/ey goons, I haven't ventured in here for a while because I've been trying to conserve my liver and money lately. Tomorrow night my brother and I are getting together over steaks and a hookah and reminiscing. We agreed that the best liquor for the occasion would be Irish whiskey, which is not something I have a whole lot of experience with. Other than cheapo Irish whiskey for Irish car bombs, the only ones I've had are Black Bush (which is okay) and Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve, which I really liked but was a tad sweeter than I typically like my spirits. So anyway, I'm looking for suggestions for Irish whiskey. I'm not looking to spend much more than $250 for a fifth. Also, I'm not sure if anyone here is in these areas but I'm looking for a good shop to find rarer whisky/ey in the Northwest Ohio / Southeast Michigan area (as in, Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Toledo) and also for one in the Columbus Ohio area.
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| # ? Jan 17, 2012 22:03 |
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Does Irish whiskey even really reach that price point? I have to assume you mean $25/fifth. I've been quite a fan of Powers for a fairly inexpensive Irish whiskey. Redbreast, as mentioned earlier, is amazing, but runs more like $40/fifth where I'm at.
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| # ? Jan 17, 2012 23:13 |
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Kenning posted:Does Irish whiskey even really reach that price point? I have to assume you mean $25/fifth. That Rarest Vintage Reserve was ~$240, I'm not up on the pricing of Irish whisky so I assumed that was where you'd start to get the real premium ones. If I'm off, I have no problem spending less money than I set out to. But yes, I do mean $250, not $35.
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| # ? Jan 17, 2012 23:24 |
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Hahah okay right on. Well Redbreast is still really good.
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| # ? Jan 17, 2012 23:43 |
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A $240 bottle of Jameson is probably good but nothing beats Redbreast 15 or even the 12.
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| # ? Jan 17, 2012 23:50 |
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Jibo posted:That Rarest Vintage Reserve was ~$240, I'm not up on the pricing of Irish whisky so I assumed that was where you'd start to get the real premium ones. If I'm off, I have no problem spending less money than I set out to. But yes, I do mean $250, not $35. I don't think I'd spend that on Irish Whisky, but that is just me. That said, for some of the tip-toppest Irish whiskies topping out around $150 try Middleton Very Rare, Connemara 12, or Tyrconnell's top end offerings. Redbreast is also very good, the 15 year in particular. There is also this at K&L which looks really good: http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1060260 ETA - if Redbreast is what you consider the pinnacle of Irish whisky, you owe it to yourself to try Middleton. ETA2 - is it ok to talk other dark spirits here? Like Calvados, or Cognac?
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| # ? Jan 17, 2012 23:55 |
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You might as well. This seems to be the only liquorchat thread that can survive. Gin and rum threads have come and gone, and when I started a general spirits thread it only lasted a few pages.
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| # ? Jan 18, 2012 00:31 |
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So, I'm a beer guy and pretty new to whisky. I've had Glenlivet 18 and 12 and enjoyed them. From what I've very briefly read, those are more or less the Dogfish Head 60 minute/Rogue Dead Guy/etc of the whisky world (gateway drinks). So, where should I go from here? My local selection blows, unfortunately. Is buying online even remotely feasible? I'm in Ohio, and fairly sure that's one of the states where such things are legal.
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| # ? Jan 18, 2012 00:47 |
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therattle posted:Worcester sauce often contains anchovies and is thus not vegan. This is a pretty cool description of what is in the sauce:
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| # ? Jan 18, 2012 01:04 |
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Jibo posted:Also, I'm not sure if anyone here is in these areas but I'm looking for a good shop to find rarer whisky/ey in the Northwest Ohio / Southeast Michigan area (as in, Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Toledo) and also for one in the Columbus Ohio area. The best spot in Ann Arbor, IMO, is Super Liquor IV on State St. just south of I-94. They have some interesting stuff, and the biggest selection of IB's I've seen in the state. Mind you, that isn't saying much. As for Ohio, forget it. That's an ABC state, and while not as bad as some states, you can straight up forget finding rarer stuff. That said, the best place I found was Corner's Beverage Shoppe in Gahanna on the corner of Morse and E. Johnstown, but apparently they've closed? There's another one up around Polaris somewhere, but I've never been to that one. The best source for beer in Columbus is probably Kenny Road Market, on Kenny north of Henderson a bit. I don't remember if they carried spirits, but if they did, I wasn't impressed. I can't think of another place that really grabbed me, but I've heard good things about Weiland's.
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| # ? Jan 18, 2012 01:08 |
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Hypnolobster posted:So, I'm a beer guy and pretty new to whisky. I've had Glenlivet 18 and 12 and enjoyed them. From what I've very briefly read, those are more or less the Dogfish Head 60 minute/Rogue Dead Guy/etc of the whisky world (gateway drinks). I started out with Highland Park 12 and Glennfiddich 12 year and could not be happier. I will probably rebuy both bottles, to give to my non scotch friends, and the corresponding 15 year spirits when I am out of single malt.
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| # ? Jan 18, 2012 03:26 |
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pork never goes bad posted:That said, for some of the tip-toppest Irish whiskies topping out around $150 try Middleton Very Rare, Connemara 12, or Tyrconnell's top end offerings. Redbreast is also very good, the 15 year in particular. Never had the pleasure, but experts would disagree with you about Midleton being the pinnacle, instead Redbreast is widely regarded to be the best, by professional whisky tasters. So, if I come across a bottle for a reasonable price (not likely) or find one in a bar for a reasonable price (slightly more likely) I'll be sure to try it out.
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| # ? Jan 18, 2012 08:21 |
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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 12:23 |
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As a bourbon drinker just starting to break into scotch, I thought this chart was pretty neat. Is it fairly accurate as far as you veterans can tell?
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| # ? Jan 18, 2012 15:13 |
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spankmeister posted:Never had the pleasure, but experts would disagree with you about Midleton being the pinnacle, instead Redbreast is widely regarded to be the best, by professional whisky tasters. I'm not sure if I think Midleton is better than Redbreast, since they are quite different, and there is significant variation in Midleton's bottlings from year to year. The 2003 was widely considered to be a flop, for example. That said, I've always found Redbreast quite bullish, a little closed on the nose, and perhaps too chewy and resinous on the palate. Midleton tends to be a little more floral, and a little more elegant. All that said, it's the same distillery!
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| # ? Jan 18, 2012 17:38 |
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With Redbreast 12yr, I found that leaving a half full bottle for several months to a year caused the whiskey to deteriorate badly. Drink it fast.
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| # ? Jan 18, 2012 20:07 |
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kidsafe posted:With Redbreast 12yr, I found that leaving a half full bottle for several months to a year caused the whiskey to deteriorate badly. Drink it fast. Is that even possible? I've kept homemade grenadine palatable for 6 months just by putting a shot of vodka in it. What do they put in that poo poo?
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| # ? Jan 18, 2012 20:18 |
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Just picked up a bottle of the redbreast 12 to see what all the fuss is about  . Also, the same liquor store had Pyrat rum on sale for $15  . I haven't seen the stuff for any less than like $35 before. I have a friend who loves the stuff so I picked him up a bottle.
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| # ? Jan 19, 2012 01:09 |
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GoGoGadgetChris posted:Is that even possible? I've kept homemade grenadine palatable for 6 months just by putting a shot of vodka in it. What do they put in that poo poo? Exposure to oxygen and light can cause various flavor compounds to change and degrade. It's really mostly an issue with delicate brown spirits – a London Dry gin or white rum could last forever on the shelf, pretty much. Scotch and Irish whiskey, and to a lesser extent American whiskeys, can experience a substantial loss of flavor over time.
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| # ? Jan 19, 2012 01:57 |
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Kenning posted:a London Dry gin .... I had a glass of Beefeater on the rocks at my wife's grandparents house sometime ago, grandpa informed me it was from his first marriage, in the 60's! It tasted the same as any gin I have ever had, although I am not a big gin fan. So far one of my favored single malts has been Glenlivet 18, I am also a big fan of the 12 have been drinking it for years before trying much else. I tired Highland Park 12 and 18 and thought they were just ok. Like Balvenie Doublewood quite a bit and am working my way though a Balvenie caribbean cask, jury is still out on that one. I also fancied a Aberlour 12. I guess I am all over, but if someone could tell me where I might go assuming Glenlivet 18 was my best where should I look next?
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| # ? Jan 19, 2012 04:32 |
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spandexcajun posted:I had a glass of Beefeater on the rocks at my wife's grandparents house sometime ago, grandpa informed me it was from his first marriage, in the 60's! It tasted the same as any gin I have ever had, although I am not a big gin fan. Well by the looks of it you like Speyside whiskies, I suggest the Glenlivet 15 French Oak or the Glenfiddich Solera Reserve, Macallan has some very nice offerings like the 12YO Fine Oak. These are all rather light but rich in flavour.
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| # ? Jan 19, 2012 08:11 |
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DoctaFun posted:Just picked up a bottle of the redbreast 12 to see what all the fuss is about That's a good deal for Pyrat which is a decent rum. I struggle to drink them anymore after giving up (most) sweets a few years ago. I must have gotten a bad batch of Redbreast because my bottle was mediocre to put it mildly, not worth $50 for sure.
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| # ? Jan 19, 2012 08:28 |
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Schpyder posted:As for Ohio, forget it. That's an ABC state, and while not as bad as some states, you can straight up forget finding rarer stuff. That said, the best place I found was Corner's Beverage Shoppe in Gahanna on the corner of Morse and E. Johnstown, but apparently they've closed? There's another one up around Polaris somewhere, but I've never been to that one. The best source for beer in Columbus is probably Kenny Road Market, on Kenny north of Henderson a bit. I don't remember if they carried spirits, but if they did, I wasn't impressed. I can't think of another place that really grabbed me, but I've heard good things about Weiland's. I think gin lasts forever because it is literally Pine-Sol.
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| # ? Jan 19, 2012 15:28 |
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Upon recommendations I got Red Breast 12 the other night. Would have liked to have gotten the 15 year, but I couldn't find it. It was really good. Also, had my first Talisker experience this evening (it's hard to find decent liqour where I am). It's quite delicious and I can see myself keeping a bottle on hand from now on.
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| # ? Jan 21, 2012 08:31 |
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I opened my bottle of Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit last night, and had a glass. Initially it was a little overpowering for me(I think it's like 101 proof), but I added one ice cube and it became a little more approachable. I am going to reserve final judgement for when I try it again, but my initial thought is it's a little 'wild'. Maybe the WT is just not for me? I will try it again before saying that though . It definitely wasn't unpleasant, but I'm not used to the higher proof stuff so that could be it.
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| # ? Jan 24, 2012 05:39 |
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DoctaFun posted:...but I'm not used to the higher proof stuff so that could be it. But once you are used to it, anything below 100 proof will taste weak.
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| # ? Jan 24, 2012 07:27 |
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Best thing about high proof whiskeys is that a little water and you have exactly what the 80 proof version would be anyway.
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| # ? Jan 24, 2012 07:36 |
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Killer robot posted:Best thing about high proof whiskeys is that a little water and you have exactly what the 80 proof version would be anyway. Higher-proof whiskies are better value.
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| # ? Jan 24, 2012 08:57 |
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Kentucky Spirit is definitely a fiery bourbon though. I'm a big fan of Wild Turkey of their 101 bottling, and the Kentucky spirit, which is I believe 90 proof, is very tasty but very warm. It's a single barrel bottling though, so experiences will vary.
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| # ? Jan 24, 2012 09:13 |
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Killer robot posted:Best thing about high proof whiskeys is that a little water and you have exactly what the 80 proof version would be anyway. But then shouldn't I just buy the 80 proof version for 2/3 of the price  . Just kidding of course . Fiery is a good way to describe the kentucky spirit Kenning. I checked my bottle and it says that it was bottled at 100.5 proof or something. Isn't the rare breed like 104 or 105 proof? Anyways, there is definitely a big difference between this WTKS and something like Four Roses Single Barrel. That's good though, I don't want all my whiskies tasting the same.
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| # ? Jan 24, 2012 20:32 |
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spankmeister posted:This. After all the grief you gave me over putting an ice cube in bourbon.
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| # ? Jan 25, 2012 06:24 |
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wormil posted:After all the grief you gave me over putting an ice cube in bourbon. I believe, but I may be mistaken, that I said that adding a splash of water is A-OK but that adding an ice cube dulls your tastebuds first of all and second of all adds way too much water. But if I didn't say that, well I said it now.  Small splash of water is fine, ice cubes are still a crime. But drink your bourbon however the gently caress you want, I don't really care in the end 
spankmeister fucked around with this message at Jan 25, 2012 around 10:24 |
| # ? Jan 25, 2012 08:09 |
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I drink every whiskey neat the first time around but unless it's really good, I add an ice cube after that.spankmeister posted:But drink your bourbon however the gently caress you wan't, I don't really care in the end I do, and I know you don't.
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| # ? Jan 25, 2012 10:13 |
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Hey, if we're going to be talking about what to put in your whiskey, who knows boilermakers? Specifically, had them now and then before but I'm specifically thinking that matching the right style of whiskey with the right style of beer could make for some very different effects. I guess scotch and scotch ale are an obvious one, I need to try that.
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| # ? Jan 25, 2012 11:14 |
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DoctaFun posted:But then shouldn't I just buy the 80 proof version for 2/3 of the price I think Rare Breed is 103.8 or something oddly specific like that. One of my favorites though.
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| # ? Jan 26, 2012 03:53 |
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In celebration of a completed exam, I finally cracked open the bottle of Ardbeg Blasda that I picked up at the duty-free about three months ago. The first thing I noticed is that it's the colour of Żubrówka (incidentally, the cousin that we stayed with while in the UK liked to serve that with apple juice. I didn't know that was a thing among Poles until I read that wiki page). It's very light-coloured. I mean, I'm surprised that it has the colour of watered-down apple juice. It's not heavy with peat at all. In fact, it has a kind-of light sweetness to make up for the light peat. It's not something I'll be on the look-out for, but it's a nice change of pace from the sweetness of the last bottle of Balvenie DW that I had and the small spicy Jura Superstition (minus the recent forays into Canadian whiskies and odd bourbon).
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| # ? Jan 27, 2012 03:05 |
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I think Rittenhouse is back! I saw fully stocked shelves of our bottled in bond favorite at two different liquor stores in NYC. Fingers crossed that it is already or will soon be in everyone's local!
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| # ? Jan 28, 2012 02:58 |
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I saw it in BevMo, of all places, right alongside Laird's bonded also. My mind was utterly blown, I hope they've figured their supply angle out and it's not just a temporary glut.
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| # ? Jan 28, 2012 04:01 |
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| # ? May 21, 2013 15:46 |
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So excited to have picked up a bottle of "Elements of Islay CL1" this afternoon. The barkeep who introduced me to this whisky told me it was a real rarity down under! Big bursts of smokey sweetness, packs a real punch at 62.9% vol (which I think is 125.8 proof in American speak).
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| # ? Jan 28, 2012 05:40 |
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