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NightConqueror posted:I'll toss Nadurra out there too. I got it for a good price, and am really enjoying it. It's much, much different than the base Glenlivet 12 and has quite a bit of depth to it. It retails some places for ~$70, but it can be had for around $50.
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Jan 7, 2013 08:58
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biglads posted:The Glendronach 15 is very nice. I prefer it to the 18 which is still very nice but a little over oaked for me. No such thing as over-oaked.  That pepper-like bite is one of the things that I crave in a Scotch. The holy trinity for me is pepper, peat and salt.
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Jan 7, 2013 10:14
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MJP posted:So I didn't like Laphroaig 10 years due to being too smokey, I liked Highland Park 15 for deep and caramelly flavors, Macallen 10 years Fine Oak for a light introductory body with enough smokeyness to be interesting, Balvenie Caribbean Cask for vanillaness and sparky kind of flavor. I'm totally open to recommendations for something else interesting up to $80ish. I recommended it earlier in the thread, but give a try to Caol Ila Unpeated. It's rare that I enjoy unpeated drams as much as I did this one. http://www.royalmilewhiskies.com/product.asp?pf_id=2400000001617 (I definitely can recommend shipping / ordering from Royal Mile Whiskies - I got a chance to drop in and visit them once and they're a great shop).
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Jan 7, 2013 10:17
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Also, for anyone with an interest, I've been working on a scotch blog for the last 6 months or so. I try to put up ratings for everything I taste / buy. http://www.scotchbynumbers.com/ dug fin fucked around with this message at 10:27 on Jan 7, 2013 |
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Jan 7, 2013 10:24
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http://www.binnys.com/spirits/Caol_Ila_Unpeated_12_year_old_Limited_Release_160812.html Caol Ila 12yr Unpeated is definitely available in the states. Shipping inside US borders is complicated enough, having to pay UK duties and customs for anything short of the extremely rare just isn't worth it. That's assuming he's in the USA based on his $80 budget. I see there's a 14yr now. The 2009 10yr is pretty much completely gone and the 12yr is dwindling down too.
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Jan 7, 2013 10:27
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Here's some video I took of Imperial Distillery. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOIlHsGTeFs
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Jan 7, 2013 14:38
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Just wanted to check in to this thread as a new whisky fan and say how much it's helped me so far in making purchasing decisions in my young tasting career. My first bottle was a Jameson (couldn't even honestly tell you the age or anything else about it), that I got for my birthday. I bought a bottle of the Glenlivet 12 for myself after that. The Jameson lasted me 8 months, the Glenlivet barely lasted 1. Tried a Glenmorangie 10 after that one and made a trip to the store today and picked up Highland Park 12 and The Balvenie Signature 12. The good man from the shop also offered me a taste of Lagavulin 16, and while I liked the aromas in it I decided to layer my tastebuds with a few gentler scotches before moving on to more smoky, peaty stuff. Can anyone tell me if that was wise or if I should've just bought the Lagavulin anyway? Or if it even matters, really..
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Jan 7, 2013 17:03
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Elliptical Dick posted:Just wanted to check in to this thread as a new whisky fan and say how much it's helped me so far in making purchasing decisions in my young tasting career. My first bottle was a Jameson (couldn't even honestly tell you the age or anything else about it), that I got for my birthday. I bought a bottle of the Glenlivet 12 for myself after that. The Jameson lasted me 8 months, the Glenlivet barely lasted 1. Tried a Glenmorangie 10 after that one and made a trip to the store today and picked up Highland Park 12 and The Balvenie Signature 12. The good man from the shop also offered me a taste of Lagavulin 16, and while I liked the aromas in it I decided to layer my tastebuds with a few gentler scotches before moving on to more smoky, peaty stuff. Can anyone tell me if that was wise or if I should've just bought the Lagavulin anyway? Or if it even matters, really.. Drink what you like, there's no merit badges when it comes to drinking. Don't buy Lagavulin just because everyone says it's great, buy it if you like it. There are essentially no right or wrong answers. I personally love Old Pulteney, but I wouldn't recommend it to someone who loved really peaty whisky. You shouldn't have to train yourself to like a drink. I mean tastes change over time but don't think about building up to things.
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Jan 7, 2013 17:37
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Aramoro posted:Drink what you like, there's no merit badges when it comes to drinking. Don't buy Lagavulin just because everyone says it's great, buy it if you like it. There are essentially no right or wrong answers. I personally love Old Pulteney, but I wouldn't recommend it to someone who loved really peaty whisky. Heh, that's funny you should say that. I was standing there in the shop all ready to buy the Lagavulin but the shop owner recommended against it. (edit) He said that building it up is probably wise. Having not much experience with scotch, I just took his word for it. Oh well, I'll put it on my list for next time since I really enjoyed the taste I got.
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Jan 7, 2013 17:39
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Fuzzy Pipe Wrench posted:I've got black bottle around right now and it is nice and peaty, but it seems kind of simple and a touch on the harsh side. I guess I might be spoiled by mostly sticking with Ardbeg and Lagavulin for peaty whisky. Ardbeg is a HELL of a kick to the senses. Love it, but only once in a while Talisker is easier to drink.
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Jan 7, 2013 23:04
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Cellophane S posted:Ardbeg is a HELL of a kick to the senses. Love it, but only once in a while
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Jan 8, 2013 00:20
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I haven't really had anything too peaty but I found Talisker pretty tough to drink when I had it.
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Jan 8, 2013 05:46
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Elliptical Dick posted:Heh, that's funny you should say that. I was standing there in the shop all ready to buy the Lagavulin but the shop owner recommended against it. (edit) He said that building it up is probably wise. Having not much experience with scotch, I just took his word for it. Oh well, I'll put it on my list for next time since I really enjoyed the taste I got. That said, if you like something now, you're not going to stop liking it. Enjoy it, I say. FasterThanLight fucked around with this message at 05:53 on Jan 8, 2013 |
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Jan 8, 2013 05:50
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FasterThanLight posted:That's good to keep in mind if you find you don't care for something something early on. I bought a bottle of Laphroaig 10 early in my scotch career and didn't find it all that memorable. I tried it again later (I actually forgot that I had had it before), thought it was the greatest thing ever, and it has been a must-have in my cabinet ever since. I don't necessarily go out of my way to do so, but I'll always give any whisky a second chance. Similar thing happened to me. First scotch I ever tried was Dewar's (I was trying to be classy without spending money) and didn't touch scotch for like a year afterward. Then I tried Laphroaig 10 and it was too much for me to handle. Spent a while exploring bourbons and then the next time I tried Laphroaig I loved it. You should definitely retry stuff you didn't initially like after you've experienced a lot of new whiskies.
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Jan 8, 2013 06:09
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quote:keep retrying things; tastes change/adapt I am going through exactly that with ryes right now, I hated them the first time I tried them, now I love them. I was actually a huge peathead before this but I think I just burned out on them. Still really enjoy them, but I don't reach for a bottle of Laphroaig 10 or Lagavulin when I want a dram at the end of the day.
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Jan 8, 2013 06:13
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wargamerROB posted:Similar thing happened to me. First scotch I ever tried was Dewar's (I was trying to be classy without spending money) and didn't touch scotch for like a year afterward. Then I tried Laphroaig 10 and it was too much for me to handle. Spent a while exploring bourbons and then the next time I tried Laphroaig I loved it. You should definitely retry stuff you didn't initially like after you've experienced a lot of new whiskies.
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Jan 8, 2013 06:29
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Also, don't be afraid to just not like things. If you go back every 2-3 years to run through the list of things you didn't like, you'll never have time to drink the things you actually do like. E to expand: I bought 2-3 bottles of Glenlivet 12 over the past 5-6 years because it was the "starter scotch", and even tried the 18 a friend picked up for a party. It was OK, but I just thought it was super boring. People who loved the 18 just raved about how the finish lingered forever and exhaling after a sip was like a breath of vanilla, but I just couldn't really taste it. Scotch didn't click for me at all until I got into peat. But I felt like I had to get into the lighter stuff first, and I blew a bunch of money trying things twice that I already knew I didn't really enjoy. I'm not saying don't try new things, just also don't be afraid to trust your tongue. Huxley fucked around with this message at 18:14 on Jan 8, 2013 |
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Jan 8, 2013 16:39
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Huxley posted:Also, don't be afraid to just not like things. If you go back every 2-3 years to run through the list of things you didn't like, you'll never have time to drink the things you actually do like. Also nothing is stopping you from experimentation without buying vast quantities. There's always opportune moments at local restaurants and whisky bars for a sampling new stuff. Bottle shops should definitely have 50mL bottles of common styles like Glenlivet as well. TobinHatesYou fucked around with this message at 21:32 on Jan 8, 2013 |
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Jan 8, 2013 21:25
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kidsafe posted:It seems like you went to an extreme. Instead of recognizing that Glenlivet wasn't to your tastes and just keeping one bottle longer, you forced it upon yourself like medicine rather than a curiosity. The beauty of spirits is that they can last indefinitely in a cellar or even cabinet conditions. I get that, but it's never been the way I've tried or enjoyed things. I tend to buy a bottle and drink every drop of it before I buy another. It's super rare for me to have more than one bottle open at a time. Just the way I roll. And yeah, if you have the chance to spend a night at a good bar, give a few things a try. It's a ton of fun.
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Jan 8, 2013 21:54
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My Dad was always a whisky drinker whereas I've never had the taste for it - think baby sucking on lemon for the face I used to pull when sipping whisky, for as long as I've been able to buy booze I've bought him a bottle of some random scotch for his birthday and Christmas. He died suddenly August last year. I've start trying whisky myself, partly as a way of remembering Dad, and partly as a way of cutting down on booze consumption - I can make my only shot of the night last for hours. So far I've tried a couple of 3 bottle miniature sets: a Glenfiddich one (12, 15 & 18 y.o. single malts) and a 2nd that I can't remember off the top of my head right now (It had a sherry cask, an ale cask and something else cask miniatures in the set). I liked the Glenfiddich 18 year old single malt the best, not sure exactly why. On a whim I bought a 70cl bottle of Dalwhinnie 15 year old as I remembered my Dad talking about it. It's possibly one of the nicest whiskies I've had so far. Really intend to make it last though, it's nice to get a slight "alcohol buzz" without going on to get pissed or drinking a number of pints of beer.
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Jan 9, 2013 00:29
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Picked up some rittenhouse today. Not really that big of a fan. It's got a lot of flavor, and I dig the 100 proof bottling but it seems to have a sweeter backbone than the Templeton and Bulleit (rye) I'm comparing it to. So far, my fav has been the Bulleit. Any recommendations on a big, dry, spicy/peppery rye to try next? They have a bottle of Willett single barrel at local liquor store and I've liked their bourbons. Is that worth trying? Trying to hunt down a bottle of one of the Old Potrero offerings. Edit: Also saw these. They caught my eye enough to take a picture, though I'm not sure I would try them anytime soon.  
GrAviTy84 fucked around with this message at 07:21 on Jan 9, 2013 |
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Jan 9, 2013 07:16
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Mr Darcy posted:
Oh man, I had a couple glasses of that at a restaurant a couple months ago. It was absolutely delicious. How much did that bottle cost where you live?
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Jan 9, 2013 15:36
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Mr Darcy posted:Really intend to make it last though, it's nice to get a slight "alcohol buzz" without going on to get pissed or drinking a number of pints of beer. One of the things I say to people about Scotch is that if you're drinking Scotch to get pissed, you're doing it wrong. It's definitely a spirit with so much going on and so many levels of appreciation and taste that it's worth sipping and enjoying rather than just downing it. Sounds like you've definitely got the right idea.
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Jan 9, 2013 16:30
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Troll Bridgington posted:Oh man, I had a couple glasses of that at a restaurant a couple months ago. It was absolutely delicious. How much did that bottle cost where you live? If you live in Minneapolis you can get two bottles for $75, with free delivery to your door! http://www.shopmerwins.com/da15twopafrs.html There's a $15 off coupon on that page which brings it down to $75. I've never bought the stuff but it always seems to be in the $45-$55 range at most liquor stores by me.
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Jan 9, 2013 18:09
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Troll Bridgington posted:Oh man, I had a couple glasses of that at a restaurant a couple months ago. It was absolutely delicious. How much did that bottle cost where you live? I think it was about £27 to £30. dug fin posted:One of the things I say to people about Scotch is that if you're drinking Scotch to get pissed, you're doing it wrong. It's definitely a spirit with so much going on and so many levels of appreciation and taste that it's worth sipping and enjoying rather than just downing it. Sounds like you've definitely got the right idea. Cheers. If anyone can recommend something similar to the Dalwhinnie that I can line up for a month or two then I'd appreciate it - The smoother the better with a similar price too!
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Jan 9, 2013 18:55
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When I think of Dalwhinnie I think of honeyed sweetness so I would say something like Glenmorangie, either the standard 10 year bottling, or if you want extra sweet notes and don't mind spending a bit more, the Sauturnes cask finished Nectar d'Or.
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Jan 9, 2013 19:11
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Anyone here try any of the new Johnnie Walkers? Platinum, Explorer's Club, or Gold Reserve? Are they good or just fancy marketing? I do still like my Black Label.
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Jan 10, 2013 12:31
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Mr Darcy posted:If anyone can recommend something similar to the Dalwhinnie that I can line up for a month or two then I'd appreciate it - The smoother the better with a similar price too! Auchentoshan makes some extremely nice whiskies in a sweeter, smoother style. If you don't mind spending a few extra dollars, I DEFINITELY recommend the Valinch. http://www.royalmilewhiskies.com/product.asp?pf_id=0010000038125 http://www.royalmilewhiskies.com/product.asp?pf_id=2666600001686 Glenkinchie also has some nice whiskies. http://www.royalmilewhiskies.com/product.asp?pf_id=0010000035155 http://www.royalmilewhiskies.com/product.asp?pf_id=2400000001465
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Jan 10, 2013 15:56
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Cellophane S posted:Anyone here try any of the new Johnnie Walkers? Platinum, Explorer's Club, or Gold Reserve? Of course it's marketing, the entire brand is just that, the brand. Notice how none of the new expressions that replace the old ones have any age statement, this allows them to use younger and thetefore cheaper whiskies in the blend. That and the removal of Green out of their lineup (which is pure malt so no cheap grain in there!) should tell you what direction they're heading. And who can blame them? Their customer base is not made up of whisky aficionados so why bother? Having said that, the Black label is good value and a decent blend. Also, I've bought myself a bottle of the double black in duty free a while back and although it lacks some of the depth and complexity of the standard black it's a pretty tasty dram as well.
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Jan 10, 2013 18:38
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spankmeister posted:Of course it's marketing, the entire brand is just that, the brand. You make great points. Neither the Explorer's or the Gold have age statements but the Platinum actually says 18. Then again it costs 80 GBP. I'm sticking with Black Label when it comes to JW for sure. It's still very good to have around the house!
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Jan 10, 2013 19:03
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GrAviTy84 posted:Edit: I've never tried the Balcones, but I'll check the local bars I frequent, and get back with a report if successful. Rebecca Creek, on the other hand I have had plenty of. I enjoy it with just a touch of water added, or with a single ice cube if hot out. http://www.rebeccacreekwhiskey.com/
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Jan 10, 2013 23:40
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Sat here with the Uigaedail. loving delicious. Raisins, burnt wood, smoke, fire and a slightly sharper sweetness sometimes. Mild brine maybe occasionally, I dunno. Gorgeous whatever the case.
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Jan 10, 2013 23:59
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GrAviTy84 posted:Picked up some rittenhouse today. Not really that big of a fan. It's got a lot of flavor, and I dig the 100 proof bottling but it seems to have a sweeter backbone than the Templeton and Bulleit (rye) I'm comparing it to. So far, my fav has been the Bulleit. Any recommendations on a big, dry, spicy/peppery rye to try next? They have a bottle of Willett single barrel at local liquor store and I've liked their bourbons. Is that worth trying? Trying to hunt down a bottle of one of the Old Potrero offerings. Looks like I'm alone on my rye journey but I'll keep updating in case anyone cares. I passed by a BevMo today on the way back from a meeting and they had a bottle of High West Double Rye. Priced pretty well considering the reputation of High West. Excited to try it later.
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Jan 11, 2013 00:14
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spankmeister posted:Of course it's marketing, the entire brand is just that, the brand. Right now I have 2 bottles of Green Label, I may buy more. I also have two bottles of old Gold Label which were gifts, but I do enjoy anyway.
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Jan 11, 2013 00:54
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Son of a bitch. 1 liter bottles of Talisker Distillers' Edition and 57° at ridiculously low tax free prices and 'purchasing not allowed to you specifically sir because of some silly law between your departure and destination countries'. 
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Jan 11, 2013 01:03
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GrAviTy84 posted:Looks like I'm alone on my rye journey but I'll keep updating in case anyone cares. I passed by a BevMo today on the way back from a meeting and they had a bottle of High West Double Rye. Priced pretty well considering the reputation of High West. Excited to try it later. I'm still on the fence about Rye since I've only tried a few. The most recent was Woodinville Whiskey Co. Rye. It's 100% rye at 46% ABV and microbarreled. I liked it more than the Bulleit Rye. The Woodinville Bourbon on the other hand didn't work for me at all.
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Jan 11, 2013 01:23
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GrAviTy84 posted:Looks like I'm alone on my rye journey but I'll keep updating in case anyone cares. I passed by a BevMo today on the way back from a meeting and they had a bottle of High West Double Rye. Priced pretty well considering the reputation of High West. Excited to try it later. I for one am very interested in your rye journey. You should try to find some Sazerac 6 year. It's got an almost rum-like richness to it.
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Jan 11, 2013 01:30
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GrAviTy84 posted:Looks like I'm alone on my rye journey but I'll keep updating in case anyone cares. I passed by a BevMo today on the way back from a meeting and they had a bottle of High West Double Rye. Priced pretty well considering the reputation of High West. Excited to try it later. Rye Whiskey owns, and I think I'm going to step out of my comfort zone and try something else than my Rittenhouse 100. A Binny's by me has tons of High West stuff, which is tempting.
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Jan 11, 2013 02:38
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Kenning posted:I for one am very interested in your rye journey. You should try to find some Sazerac 6 year. It's got an almost rum-like richness to it. Sazerac 6 year ridiculous. I just did a side-by-side blind test with Bulleit to see if I could come to a better decision of which I like better. Didn't help.  The Sazerac 6 year is really light and floral compared to the Bulleit, but each has its place and I could drink either all day. It's also cheap as hell with a really distinctive bottle.Gravity, I've been trying ryes for awhile now. I can at least recommend Russell's Reserve Rye as being pretty rich and flavorful (it's the only one I take with water) and that you should probably avoid ri(1) unless you want the bottle real bad. Wild Turkey's rye didn't impress me, either. On a non-rye note, I decided to get a lower-shelf scotch to have a budget option on deck while exploring something new. I remembered reading that Black Grouse was pretty good, but they only had 1.75L bottles so I went with Famouse Grouse. This could grow on me, but it starts off almost cloyingly sweet. Are there any other scotches in that price range (20-30) that are worth giving a whirl? Here is a list of everything available in-state, though my store won't have everything listed. So far I've enjoyed Glenfiddich the most, Glenlivet was pretty decent, and Johnny Walker Red and Black were kinda poo poo. Dewars was also too sweet for me, if I recall.
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Jan 11, 2013 04:15
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GrAviTy84 posted:Picked up some rittenhouse today. Not really that big of a fan. It's got a lot of flavor, and I dig the 100 proof bottling but it seems to have a sweeter backbone than the Templeton and Bulleit (rye) I'm comparing it to. So far, my fav has been the Bulleit. Any recommendations on a big, dry, spicy/peppery rye to try next? They have a bottle of Willett single barrel at local liquor store and I've liked their bourbons. Is that worth trying? Trying to hunt down a bottle of one of the Old Potrero offerings. Have you tried Whistle Pig? It's the spiciest rye that I have tried so far, and that includes Rittenhouse bonded. It has an incredible strong peppery finish that last forever.
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Jan 11, 2013 06:24
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