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Kenning posted:Seconding that. It is impressively mellow for such a high proof. Oh man it's good. Just a couple drops of water takes the edge off the high proof but keeps this amazing smooth roundness. How is Bonded compared to this, flavor-wise?
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Apr 30, 2013 01:56
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Joining in on the Macallan diss. Based on the "meh"-iness of the glasses I've had and their ludicrous price policies I've permanently crossed the distillery off my purchase list.
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Apr 30, 2013 10:05
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Deleuzionist posted:Joining in on the Macallan diss. Based on the "meh"-iness of the glasses I've had and their ludicrous price policies I've permanently crossed the distillery off my purchase list. Totally agree. I went to Raise the Macallan last week and got to sample 5 different offerings. The only thing that I wanted to buy was their ice ball maker. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCqg8tQZuPI&t=51s I've got a theory on why their pricing is so messed up. According to the Macallan ambassador they spend 20m a year on barrels (they claimed it was more than the entire rest of the industry combined) And only use 16% of what their "curiously small stills" produce. If they ditched those stills and just doubled their yield of acceptable spirits to 32% then they would be able to keep prices much more stable even with their crazy barrel spending.
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Apr 30, 2013 21:47
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What I take away from that video is that perhaps I didn't appreciate my Macallan simply because I'm an uneducated boor who doesn't get the Macallan is best enjoyed MAXIMUM COOL. I stand corrected. The ball is neat though.
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Apr 30, 2013 22:23
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Jesus Christ, that ice-ball maker is listed for £650 on Macallan's site.
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Apr 30, 2013 23:23
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I think that thing blew over from Japan, apparently some swanky Japanese hotel serves these ice balls, the bartender chops and forms the ice by hand. I also remember this device from a video of some trade show or whisky event where some Japanese people were demonstrating it. It looked less fancy and more prototypey but it was like $1000 then so the price sounds about right.
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Apr 30, 2013 23:29
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Couldn't you basically just have plastic molds in the shape of spheres that you fill with water and put them in the freezer? Couldn't those pieces of plastic be sold for like $5? That video made me not want to ever buy a Macallan whisky, blah.
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May 1, 2013 05:46
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I don't understand the ice balls. The reason ice keeps things cool is because it takes a large amount of energy to melt ice into water; a lot more energy than just raising the temperature of the ice by a few degrees. If your ice isn't melting then it isn't cooling your drink. It doesn't matter what shape the ice is.
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May 1, 2013 05:54
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Just got a bottle of Elijah Craig 12 year small batch. Liking it so far, a little bit of that 'compost' smell on the nose reminded me of woodford reserve, but mostly smells like caramel or toffee. The hotness of the taste reminds me of wild turkey, but its smoother and I like the creamy toastyness of it better. A lot of reviewers said they taste bananas but I'm not getting any. feels kinda thick and sticky. Good stuff!
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May 1, 2013 06:10
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Gegil posted:Totally agree. The Asian market loves its sherry bombs, and Macallan is the most recognized single malt in that region. TobinHatesYou fucked around with this message at 07:08 on May 1, 2013 |
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May 1, 2013 07:04
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kidsafe posted:Macallan may have small spirit stills, but they have five (or six?) of them. The part that hurts is the extremely small middle-cut... They're still able to output ~8M liters of single malt a year, second only to Glenlivet. Macallan goes for the prices it does purely through brand recognition and marketing. You want a sherried speysider? I think that the offerings from Glendronach or Glenfarclas will knock the spots off a similar aged Macallan for taste & price. I've got around half a dozen limited edition bottles of Macallan, all tucked away at the back of one of my cases ready to be sold at a ridiculous price to people who have more money than sense. It's not bad whisky, but for the price you can get a lot better.
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May 1, 2013 14:11
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Yeah Macallan is firmly on my "drink it if offered but if it's my money I get something else" list. Unlike stuff like Johnnie Walker which is "politely refuse if offered" .
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May 1, 2013 14:23
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biglads posted:Macallan goes for the prices it does purely through brand recognition and marketing.
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May 1, 2013 14:58
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You folks know one thing right, the Talisker distillers' edition is delicious. edit: Late night fight between Talisker DE and Lagavulin 1995 DE The Talisker's nose has more of a dessert wine quality, sour sweetness, than the Lagavulin which tends toward coffee and gasoline. Yes, that essential Lagavulin smell of heavy diesel fumes is very much intact although there's a second layer of sweetness - plum and raisins - on top of the normal 16 yo's own tarry sugariness. The Talisker has a fresh edge to it that I don't recall from the 10yo, which to my nose is close or alike to raspberry jam. In mouthfeel the Lagavulin triumphs - it's not that the Talisker's mouthfeel has anything wrong with it but the Lagavulin is like velvet. Tastewise the Talisker's finish gives it exactly what I think the 10yo lacks, some character and additional flavour. The 10yo is a good whisky but I've always thought its palate is fairly simple and could use a little something. Turns out the distiller's choice of amoroso cask is a perfect compliment to the distillery's style. The Lagavulin's finish gives it cinnamon, cardamom and coffee with plum juice sweetness. I like these both quite a lot and in the case of the Talisker I think I'll be buying the DE exclusively instead of the 10yo from now on. I'm disappointed the Highland Park Loki isn't figurative or literal piss. That would've been the true spirit of Loki. Deleuzionist fucked around with this message at 22:55 on May 1, 2013 |
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May 1, 2013 19:36
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So, I'm sipping on some Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban. Man, is this stuff tasty. It's very rich, sweet and fruity, like eating berries covered in dark chocolate. I could easily drink this stuff as a dessert.
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May 2, 2013 15:27
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And the next step up is their Sauternes, even sweeter. I have both of those, the Quinta Ruban and Nectar D'or at home and enjoyed them both. The fruitiness of the port really does come through in the former and the incredible sweetness of the sauternes is very prominent in the latter. I recommend exploring the whole Glenmorangie line to get decent examples of what different barrels bring to the scotch.
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May 2, 2013 18:09
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Just got a small raise at work, so decided I'd spring for a small upgrade (price wise at least) in my bottle and picked up some Laphroaig QC instead of my normal Laphroaig 10 or Ardbeg 10. Gotta say, I'm loving the smell of this stuff far more than the taste. I mean it tastes great and I'd say it's a step or two above what I'm used to, but holy poo poo the QC just smells amazing! It does seem like the QC is a little rougher on my palate. My tongue tingles and burns a little more with this stuff than any of the other scotches I've tried. So far I've had HP12, Ardbeg 10, Glenmorangie La Santa, Laphroaig 10, JW Green, and this Laphroaig QC. I was not really a fan of the La Santa and the Highland Park wasn't particularly noteworthy except in how quickly I finished the bottle. I guess I'm partial to the smokier flavors. Can you guys recommend me something new to try in the $50-$70 range?
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May 3, 2013 08:06
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Around 70 I like Lagavulin and Oban. If you like Laphroag you should go for Lagavulin.
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May 3, 2013 14:54
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I'd suggest either Ardbeg Uigedail or Talisker 10. Lagavulin is hard to beat though - it's probably the most elegant Islay whisky. EDIT: Also, looks like Laphroaig is changing their packaging. I liked the less-clean look of the old bottles. NightConqueror fucked around with this message at 15:45 on May 3, 2013 |
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May 3, 2013 15:40
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NightConqueror posted:EDIT: Also, looks like Laphroaig is changing their packaging. I liked the less-clean look of the old bottles.
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May 3, 2013 17:44
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Here's Tamdhu's very Arbeg-esque brand relaunch Cute bottle design, but it's chill filtered and bottled at 40%. You think with the way whisky is moving, they would opt for a more natural presentation of the spirit. Oh well - it's probably being marketed for low-cost, high volume sales. Might be interesting to see how the distillery progresses in the years to come. 
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May 4, 2013 00:13
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NightConqueror posted:I'd suggest either Ardbeg Uigedail or Talisker 10. Lagavulin is hard to beat though - it's probably the most elegant Islay whisky. Me too. The current labels are probably the simplest of any whisky and I really appreciated them for that fact. The new design takes that minimalism too far in my opinion.
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May 4, 2013 00:56
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door Door door posted:Me too. The current labels are probably the simplest of any whisky and I really appreciated them for that fact. The new design takes that minimalism too far in my opinion.
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May 4, 2013 03:02
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kidsafe posted:I think it looks great personally. It's just as distinctive without being noisy. What truly matters is the quality of the whisky in the bottle. No! As whisky enthusiasts we have to argue and bicker about the most minute changes 
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May 4, 2013 03:32
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NightConqueror posted:Cute bottle design, but it's chill filtered and bottled at 40%. Maybe it's really made in Tennessee.
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May 4, 2013 03:50
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NightConqueror posted:Here's Tamdhu's very Arbeg-esque brand relaunch IIRC tamdhu has always been one if those "budget" single malts.
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May 4, 2013 08:35
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derp posted:Just got a bottle of Elijah Craig 12 year small batch. Liking it so far, a little bit of that 'compost' smell on the nose reminded me of woodford reserve, but mostly smells like caramel or toffee. The hotness of the taste reminds me of wild turkey, but its smoother and I like the creamy toastyness of it better. A lot of reviewers said they taste bananas but I'm not getting any. feels kinda thick and sticky. Good stuff! I'm drinking it right now and I find it to be fairly simple. Very pronounced corn on the finish, which I love, but the nose and palate are fairly simple imo.
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May 4, 2013 13:35
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The new Talisker Storm is a dram of pepper and beer with a bit of liquorice. Recognizably pungent Talisker peat, some faint coastal vibes (kinda non-saline for a storm), remnants of the Talisker 10 sweetness. IIRC the 10yo has a deeper colour, this is somewhere between maize and gold. Sootball mouthfeel, as if the Talisker peat had decided to materialize here and rake the tongue while passing. Worth the price it retails for but I'm not certain the addition to the product line was entirely necessary. edit: one hour later and even though I forgot which glass I put where it is obvious like night and day which empty glass had Storm and which Talisker DE. Caol Ila 25 vs. Port Askaig 25  Lighting conditions and crappy camera made it a moot point to try and capture the colour difference which was minimal, both tending to sunglow. Two Caol Ilas separated by branding, some 2% alc. vol. and €57,40. In this case there can only be one. Which one? The PA's nose is much closer to what I'd expect from a Caol Ila, greasy smoke and sea with lime on top. The distillery's own is more hayish, like fresh cut grass, dry hay, and lemon. Very little smoke here, some peat but subdued. If I hadn't ordered the bottle of Moch that's here for a workmate I'd be tempted to crack it open just now to sample its peat vs the distillery 25's. Why? The Moch's tasting notes on Master of Malt: "Lemon sherbet and apple crumble topping with custard. Dry grass and not a hint of smoke." Familiar? There's something else in the distillery bottle too, cumin? Like fresh ginger & soap. Both are really frisky and fresh for something this old. They don't really smell young at all, but I can't find any leather, tobacco or their associates in either bottling. PA is royal velvet in the mouth (stellar watering job done here), with a taste that starts as charred, sooty and strong but surprisingly develops into absolutely delicious blackcurrant wash. The turn into berry juice territory is for me unexpected but the very reason I love this bottling: just when I think I've had a pretty good Caol Ila, holding it in my mouth a moment longer takes the whole experience up a level. With the distillery's own we're into entirely different waters. Here the peat does show, but so does a fruit candy flavour like winegums(more synthetic here than the wild berry of the PA). The finish sticks to the walls of the mouth, feels like something really bitter but taste is full, phenoly. The aftertaste loses the fruit candy notes and turns into lemon, soot and iodine (almost xylitol). Liberal addition of water later the distillery's own tones down on the soap notes in favour of sour cream. Artificial lemon still present, smoke somewhat amplified. The water smooths the way the dram clings to the mouth and the tongue but this is still not as smooth as the PA was out of the bottle. Good this is, no doubt about that, but +€57,40 good? No. There can only be one and it is the Port Askaig. Deleuzionist fucked around with this message at 11:38 on May 7, 2013 |
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May 6, 2013 20:11
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Finally got to try Balcones Blue Corn. Sweet Sassy Molassey! -- and I mean that both as an interjection and as decriptive language. The finish lingers forever and the density of sweetness as a follow on to the spice/burn of the palate is really molasses-like... and I can't come up with something to append to that that sounds less cheesy than "but in a good way." So I'll just go with that.
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May 6, 2013 20:47
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 The Balvenie Caribbean Cask is quite delicious.  The Current stash, the Glenmorangie 18 hasn't been opened yet. The Lagavulin is probably my favorite.  My pops enjoys his crown... that is 20+ bags of CR Black there....\ Evil_Penguin_v2 fucked around with this message at 03:43 on May 7, 2013 |
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May 7, 2013 03:32
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I.G. posted:I don't understand the ice balls. The reason ice keeps things cool is because it takes a large amount of energy to melt ice into water; a lot more energy than just raising the temperature of the ice by a few degrees. If your ice isn't melting then it isn't cooling your drink. It doesn't matter what shape the ice is. A sphere has less surface area than an equally large cube, less surface area means less of the ice is in contact with the environment and thus melts slower in comparison. Also it just looks nicer than a big honking cube and the Japanese have a thing for aesthetics Edit: Anyway those solid aluminum ice ball makers are more for actual commercial bars than just your individual user as they pump out ice balls far faster (If you are using a solid block of ice and chipping off appropriate size hunks to put in the machine you can do about 30-40 an hour) than filling up a plastic mold with water and freezing it. mikemil828 fucked around with this message at 07:21 on May 7, 2013 |
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May 7, 2013 07:04
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I'm sure a plastic mold would not come out as nice. In any case it's a gimmick.
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May 7, 2013 08:46
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What's the consensus of whisky stones btw?
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May 7, 2013 17:08
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bunnyofdoom posted:What's the consensus of whisky stones btw? Gimmicky, and less effective than chilling your glass. http://jason-scotchreviews.blogspot.com/2013/01/product-review-whisky-stones.html
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May 7, 2013 18:21
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I received some whiskey stones for xmas - they are pretty much useless. DoctaFun posted:Couldn't you basically just have plastic molds in the shape of spheres that you fill with water and put them in the freezer? Couldn't those pieces of plastic be sold for like $5? http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/f0b6/ Death Star Ice SPHERE (out of stock  )
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May 8, 2013 14:29
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NightConqueror posted:Gimmicky, and less effective than chilling your glass. drat. I picked some up in the states. Actually, I may do a test tonight. Make two manhattans, alike in dignity, in my fair kitchen, where I lay my scene. From ancient stones break new reciepe, Where a test preformed makes a delicious drink to be seen. (Translation. Gonna whip up two manhattans. One with ice, one with stones. Not going to transfer either to the glass, and see which is better.
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May 8, 2013 14:46
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NightConqueror posted:Gimmicky, and less effective than chilling your glass. I'm probably a Philistine for admitting this, but I like the melting ice in my drinks. (I could be criticized for the water, and/or I could be criticized for the ice.)
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May 8, 2013 14:50
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prefect posted:I'm probably a Philistine for admitting this, but I like the melting ice in my drinks. (I could be criticized for the water, and/or I could be criticized for the ice.) Meh, I don't see the big deal. If you like ice or water in your drinks, then so be it.
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May 8, 2013 14:58
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One of my Very favorite drink experiences was staring out onto the ocean by some wrecked boardwalk on the jersey shore, sitting on a log, sipping Ardbeg Galileo in the bitter cold of January at about 2 in the morning. That's how you get your drink chilled.
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May 8, 2013 15:40
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bunnyofdoom posted:drat. I picked some up in the states. Don't use the stones to make a Manhattan. The dilution from the melting ice is part of what makes a Manhattan balance properly.
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May 8, 2013 23:50
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