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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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The crazy thing about Scotch barreling is how a fundamental character of the whisky has changed due to seemingly unrelated economics. A couple hundred years ago the vast majority of Scotch was aged in old port, sherry, or Madeira barrels, since those Iberian fortified wines were insanely popular in Britain and were being imported en masse. Rather than pay to ship back empty barrels, people would sell them dirt cheap to the distilleries. That gave the Scotch a particular character. Fast forward two hundred years and the market for Iberian fortified wines just ain't what it used to be, but now we've got the American bourbon industry churning out piles and piles of barely-used barrels all the time. Suddenly flavors from the barrel have a lot more oaky vanilla and less of the round fruitiness of the wines. Pretty cool stuff.
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Dec 10, 2011 21:44
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I tried Peat Monster today and fell in love with Islays and the surge of smoke and the body high it induced. Didn't care for the Compass Box Asyla Blended. Are there better options near that price with the same level of smoke? Would I like Laphroaig QC, Laphroaig 10, Lagavulin 16, or Ardbeg 10?
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Dec 11, 2011 08:38
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Kenning posted:The crazy thing about Scotch barreling is how a fundamental character of the whisky has changed due to seemingly unrelated economics. A couple hundred years ago the vast majority of Scotch was aged in old port, sherry, or Madeira barrels, since those Iberian fortified wines were insanely popular in Britain and were being imported en masse. Rather than pay to ship back empty barrels, people would sell them dirt cheap to the distilleries. That gave the Scotch a particular character. Yes, and it's even gotten tot the point where due to the shortage in sherry casks, some heavily sherried whisky expressions (like old-style Macallan) are importing barrels of sherry, then dumping out the contents and filling it with distillate.
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Dec 11, 2011 13:26
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Abel Wingnut posted:I tried Peat Monster today and fell in love with Islays and the surge of smoke and the body high it induced. Didn't care for the Compass Box Asyla Blended.
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Dec 11, 2011 18:25
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So my boyfriend suggested that I buy him some good whiskey for Christmas, specifically bourbon. Any recommendations? I'm looking to stay in the $40 - $60 range. I don't usually spend more than $20/750ml, so I'd really like to find something that's at least a good deal. He said bourbon, but should I look at scotch too? I'm in Texas so I will be buying this at Specs (http://specsonline.com/) and it looks like most bourbons they have aren't over $20 ish.
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Dec 11, 2011 18:58
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Just ordered this for my Dad's Christmas present. http://www.masterofmalt.com/whiskies/master-of-malt/master-of-malt-lowland-single-malt-whisky/ Pretty stoked to try it!
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Dec 11, 2011 19:17
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muscat_gummy posted:So my boyfriend suggested that I buy him some good whiskey for Christmas, specifically bourbon. Any recommendations? I'm looking to stay in the $40 - $60 range. I don't usually spend more than $20/750ml, so I'd really like to find something that's at least a good deal. fake edit: Wow that website is terrible.
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Dec 11, 2011 19:58
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edit: whoops icehewk fucked around with this message at 20:08 on Dec 11, 2011 |
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Dec 11, 2011 20:03
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muscat_gummy posted:So my boyfriend suggested that I buy him some good whiskey for Christmas, specifically bourbon. Any recommendations? I'm looking to stay in the $40 - $60 range. I don't usually spend more than $20/750ml, so I'd really like to find something that's at least a good deal. Scotch is really different from bourbon, so you can't substitute. Check out the "Boutique Bourbon" section on that site, it has more of the more expensive specialty varieties. Note that section also has the rye in it, which isn't the same as bourbon either. Out of what I know in the price range, Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit is good stuff and it's at a decent price there for what I've seen. It also comes in a sort of "decorative" bottle, which I consider a plus for a gift whiskey.
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Dec 11, 2011 20:56
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Killer robot posted:Scotch is really different from bourbon, so you can't substitute. Check out the "Boutique Bourbon" section on that site, it has more of the more expensive specialty varieties. Note that section also has the rye in it, which isn't the same as bourbon either. I asked for clarification and apparently he would actually prefer scotch. Or rye. Or bourbon. Guess I'll just have to take my pick. Apparently he likes scotch on the peatier side of things? I did read through this thread but thought the recommendations for scotch wouldn't apply, so I'll go do that again. He mentioned liking Talisker and thinking that Glenmorangie was ok but not the best. muscat_gummy fucked around with this message at 23:02 on Dec 11, 2011 |
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Dec 11, 2011 22:57
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There's tons of good choices here but i'd get him Lagavulin 16 YO personally. It's a peaty Scotch from Islay and one of the better ones at that.
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Dec 11, 2011 23:06
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What would you recommend for a good, reasonably inexpensive bourbon? I'm fairly new to the world of whisk(e)y, so far I've just been drinking scotch and Canadian but I'm interested in trying the American side of things. Being in Canada I have a somewhat limited selection, I've been looking at Maker's Mark or Bulleit. Are either of these good or should I aim my sights a little higher? For about $10 more Knob Creek 9yr and Woodford Reserve are also options. 9x19 fucked around with this message at 07:51 on Dec 12, 2011 |
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Dec 12, 2011 07:45
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muscat_gummy posted:I asked for clarification and apparently he would actually prefer scotch. Or rye. Or bourbon. Guess I'll just have to take my pick. Apparently he likes scotch on the peatier side of things? I did read through this thread but thought the recommendations for scotch wouldn't apply, so I'll go do that again. I'll second the Lagavulin 16 recommendation, it's good stuff. Laphroaig is also a good choice. To move away from the peaty/smoky stuff, Balvenie 15 Single Barrel is also quite good. It's a bit sweet, but not overbearing (in my opinion), with flavors of butterscotch and vanilla. He might like it, despite not being a peaty scotch. If you know what he normally drinks, you could just go to Specs and ask someone in the liquor area what they would recommend. The one I go to (arbor walk in austin) has a guy who is usually pretty knowledgeable and has good advice. Or you could go completely off the wall and get him a good sipping tequila. Recently, I've been partial to Toro de Lidia extra Anjeo.
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Dec 12, 2011 08:07
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Lagavulin 16 and Balvenie 15 Single Barrel have opposing effects on me. At Thanksgiving this year a bunch of friends who don't drink much alcohol were given Lagavulin to try. Luckily they were not put off by the smoke, and were very quick to mention how smooth it was with no alcohol burn. Balvenie 15 is more raw and does not mask the alcohol as well, as most single barrel expressions tend not to. I suspect he would rate the Balvenie similar to Glenmorangie. While Talisker is quite different than Lagavulin, it does suggest he can handle a bit of peat smoke and brine. If you want to be daring, you might consider splurging on Compass Box Hedonism. It's a blended Scotch grain whisky, so it's made very much like a bourbon...down to the cereal grains and distilling process. It is more mellow than bourbon...being aged in used barrels and I doubt there's any rye used Scotch grain recipes. TobinHatesYou fucked around with this message at 11:33 on Dec 12, 2011 |
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Dec 12, 2011 08:58
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Coffeebean posted:What would you recommend for a good, reasonably inexpensive bourbon? I'm fairly new to the world of whisk(e)y, so far I've just been drinking scotch and Canadian but I'm interested in trying the American side of things. Being in Canada I have a somewhat limited selection, I've been looking at Maker's Mark or Bulleit. Are either of these good or should I aim my sights a little higher? For about $10 more Knob Creek 9yr and Woodford Reserve are also options. Of those you listed, Bulleit and Woodford would be my recommendations. Maker's and Knob Creek never impressed me.
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Dec 12, 2011 17:57
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spankmeister posted:Yes, and it's even gotten tot the point where due to the shortage in sherry casks, some heavily sherried whisky expressions (like old-style Macallan) are importing barrels of sherry, then dumping out the contents and filling it with distillate. I didn't know this and it's pretty hilarious.
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Dec 12, 2011 22:45
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Kenning posted:I didn't know this and it's pretty hilarious. They should bottle it as "Macallan Select Sherry" or something. Market it like "this is the sherry that gives the Macallan it's GREAT TASTE." I bet it would sell, especially if they put it in the Whisky section.
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Dec 12, 2011 23:41
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Thanks for the recommendations!  I went to Specs with the intention of buying the Lagavulin 16, but then the guy there recommended Ardbeg Uigeadail after I told him what I told this thread (likes Talisker etc). Edit: He also thought the Lagavulin would be good, but came running up to me at the register when I was about to buy it to tell me that the Ardbeg might be better.
muscat_gummy fucked around with this message at 02:19 on Dec 13, 2011 |
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Dec 13, 2011 02:14
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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?
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Dec 13, 2011 04:05
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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? Laphroiag 10 year was smokey as gently caress iirc. I can't think of a bourbon similar, and honestly I don't think there's a scotch that's good under the $40 a 750ml. Scotch is vastly different than bourbon. Laphroiag is a scotch, so is Highland Park, but then you name 3 bourbons that you liked. I'm confused as to what you want. Honestly you're not going to find much better than Buffalo Trace for the price, but that's a bourbon, not a scotch...I don't think there's such a thing as a good cheap scotch. Elijah Craig 12 year is probably more up your alley as Buffalo Trace was a bit sweet.
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Dec 13, 2011 07:45
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muscat_gummy posted:Thanks for the recommendations! Excellent choice, I like it a lot. The Uigeadail is Ardbeg that has been "finished" in sherry casks for 6(?) months, which imparts a sweetness to the otherwise smoky briny Ardbeg. It works very well. spankmeister fucked around with this message at 09:20 on Dec 13, 2011 |
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Dec 13, 2011 09:10
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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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Midorka posted:Laphroiag 10 year was smokey as gently caress iirc. I can't think of a bourbon similar, and honestly I don't think there's a scotch that's good under the $40 a 750ml. Scotch is vastly different than bourbon. Laphroiag is a scotch, so is Highland Park, but then you name 3 bourbons that you liked. I'm confused as to what you want. Honestly you're not going to find much better than Buffalo Trace for the price, but that's a bourbon, not a scotch...I don't think there's such a thing as a good cheap scotch. Sorry, I was mostly looking for a new whisky to try that wasn't too sweet and wasn't too expensive. I was listing the bourbons as examples of inexpensive whisky's I enjoyed, rather than the type of whisky I was actually looking for. So I guess that was confusing. Basically, some kind of inexpensive scotch (which may not really be an option--I'll check out that black bottle stuff) or a less sweet bourbon than the ones I listed (if that exists) or something else I hadn't listed. My only criteria are: less sweet, good enough to drink on its own, and relatively inexpensive. If there isn't anything out there like that, or, more likely, if I'm not describing what I'm looking for well enough for anyone to offer a good suggestions, I'll probably just try a rye whiskey as I've always been curious about those anyway.
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Dec 13, 2011 15:44
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Can't go wrong with Highland Park 12! A great dram and it's one of the cheaper Single Malts. e: reading comprehension, derp. You've already tried it.
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Dec 13, 2011 15:50
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Bought my dad a bottle of the Glenfiddich 19 year old Age of Discovery as a present from the Heathrow duty free, can't wait to try it with him when I get down there for the holidays.
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Dec 13, 2011 17:13
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powderific posted:Sorry, I was mostly looking for a new whisky to try that wasn't too sweet and wasn't too expensive. I was listing the bourbons as examples of inexpensive whisky's I enjoyed, rather than the type of whisky I was actually looking for. So I guess that was confusing. I'm no help on scotch, but give Bulleit a try, or better yet Bulleit Rye.
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Dec 13, 2011 17:56
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powderific posted:If there isn't anything out there like that, or, more likely, if I'm not describing what I'm looking for well enough for anyone to offer a good suggestions, I'll probably just try a rye whiskey as I've always been curious about those anyway. For a cheaper rye I like Rittenhouse! But the Bulleit is also good.
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Dec 13, 2011 18:25
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I have a more general question. Say I were to buy a bottle of Glenlivet 12 and let it sit on a shelf for 6 years. would it tast like glenlivet 18? It seems like the aging and flavor change come from the type of barrel the liquor is stored in, but would the flavors degrade at all or would it taste like the same bottle of glenlivet 12?
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Dec 13, 2011 21:34
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Sealed, bottled liquor changes little, if at all. Once opened, it might oxidize a bit, particularly after the level drops a bit. You're right that aging happens in barrels. Passage of time in glass is just the passage of time.
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Dec 13, 2011 21:36
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There are occasionally good things about living in Kentucky. (2716/2732) We haven't discovered proper camera technology yet though.
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Dec 16, 2011 21:43
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I've never had any type of scotch. That being said, I went to a local package store this evening and looked around until I found a reasonably priced bottle to try out. I settled on a bottle of Ballantine's Finest. It was ~$15 and I figured that it would be a decent introductory blend. I got home an hour or so ago and poured a bit for myself and when I tasted it, I almost spit it back out. I'm not really sure how to even describe the taste, except that it's got sort of a chemical kind of aftertaste, if that makes any sense. Now my question is this: Is this the typical aftertaste for scotches, or is something wrong with this bottle?
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Dec 17, 2011 06:13
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RHIN0002 posted:I've never had any type of scotch. That being said, I went to a local package store this evening and looked around until I found a reasonably priced bottle to try out. I settled on a bottle of Ballantine's Finest. It was ~$15 and I figured that it would be a decent introductory blend. I got home an hour or so ago and poured a bit for myself and when I tasted it, I almost spit it back out. I'm not really sure how to even describe the taste, except that it's got sort of a chemical kind of aftertaste, if that makes any sense. Now my question is this: Is this the typical aftertaste for scotches, or is something wrong with this bottle? I haven't tried that one, but scotch in my experience is one of those liquors where the "drinkable" price range is higher than most, so something harsh and chemically smoky sounds about right. It's not like vodka or rum where you can spend $15 and get something palatable, you're looking more twice that to start. The first I ever really enjoyed was Johnnie Walker Black, say. What I'd suggest if you want to experiment a little with scotch without major investment is the little single serve bottles, assuming they're available in your area.
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Dec 17, 2011 06:24
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Killer robot posted:I haven't tried that one, but scotch in my experience is one of those liquors where the "drinkable" price range is higher than most, so something harsh and chemically smoky sounds about right. It's not like vodka or rum where you can spend $15 and get something palatable, you're looking more twice that to start. The first I ever really enjoyed was Johnnie Walker Black, say. That's pretty much what I had figured. Thanks.
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Dec 17, 2011 06:26
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RHIN0002 posted:I've never had any type of scotch. That being said, I went to a local package store this evening and looked around until I found a reasonably priced bottle to try out. I settled on a bottle of Ballantine's Finest. It was ~$15 and I figured that it would be a decent introductory blend. I got home an hour or so ago and poured a bit for myself and when I tasted it, I almost spit it back out. I'm not really sure how to even describe the taste, except that it's got sort of a chemical kind of aftertaste, if that makes any sense. Now my question is this: Is this the typical aftertaste for scotches, or is something wrong with this bottle? Ballantine's is fine, just mix it with club soda and ice. It's not good scotch, but it gets the job done at a reasonable price. Johnny red and Dewar's also work well with ice and soda. I wouldn't recommend drinking them straight but they have a role and they fill it well.
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Dec 17, 2011 07:18
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RHIN0002 posted:I'm not really sure how to even describe the taste, except that it's got sort of a chemical kind of aftertaste, if that makes any sense. Now my question is this: Is this the typical aftertaste for scotches, or is something wrong with this bottle? It's typical for some scotch, well, most scotch. If you read tasting notes you'll see all sorts of unappetizing flavors represented but oddly they will grow on you. $40/bottle is about as cheap as I can go on a bottle of scotch and still be able to drink it neat or even on the rocks. Scotland is a cooler climate and it just takes longer to mature. Plus I'm told the cost of business in Scotland is sky high so that doesn't help prices. Glenlivet is the typical introductory scotch, very smooth and mellow, the 12yr is drinkable and runs about $38/bottle here. The 15yr is noticeably better at $56/bottle. Highland Park is my preference for inexpensive scotch and runs $49/bottle here. Dalwhinnie 15yr wasn't bad. I've had a few blends but the only one I would buy again would be Johnnie Walker Green. Truthfully though, anything below $50 and I'd rather have a $20-30 bourbon.
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Dec 17, 2011 09:07
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I got a bottle of Bulleit yesterday and absolutely loved it. I don't really have the kind of money to be dropping $40-$50 on a bottle of scotch, so I may be sticking with bourbon for a bit.
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Dec 17, 2011 09:10
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Opened a Glenfarclas 25 for my 25th birthday  All I've been drinking lately are Laphroaig QC, Ardbeg and Caol Ila so it was quite a change of pace. I want more, but it's hard to justify at this time of day.
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Dec 17, 2011 18:56
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I love introducing people to Laphroaig 10 and having them describe the flavors/bouquet: "rusty shipyard" "wet lumber" "old leather purse" "campfire" "It's delicious but I don't know why." God I love that Scotch.
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Dec 18, 2011 00:30
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One of my friends described Laphroaig 10 as "a forest fire in my mouth."
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Dec 18, 2011 05:09
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