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Thanks for the advice, guys. Once I pick something up and try it out I'll post a trip report.
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Sep 18, 2013 23:08
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 Welcome to the collection Bro. You'll not be feeling the kiss of air for a while. Failed twice two days ago. At a whisky bar in Vilnius I tried a Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask series Littlemill 20yo (cask 9443), which turned out to be a very taffy experience (not particularly creamy or sweet taffy even) that didn't change almost at all after water. It was ok but 'ok' in a 20yo whisky is always a disappointment. After that I tried a 'young & feisty' Douglas McGibbon Caol Ila, which was a ball of smoke and soot and nothing much else going on. A bit of a bummer those two, but apparently the universe was quick to make amends as on the plane back home chance seated me next to an absolutely charming woman of my age who turned out to be good company for the flight.
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Sep 19, 2013 17:26
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Wow, nice find. I'm a big fan of Clynelish, and I would kill to try an old Brora. How do the prices for Broras compare to other dead distillers like Rosebank or Port Ellen?
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Sep 20, 2013 12:25
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NightConqueror posted:Wow, nice find. I'm a big fan of Clynelish, and I would kill to try an old Brora. How do the prices for Broras compare to other dead distillers like Rosebank or Port Ellen? I've only tried one Brora, the 2003 release, and it made such an impression on me I simply had to have a whole bottle for myself although it does cut deep in the wallet.
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Sep 20, 2013 15:03
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I don't really have a lot of money to blow on booze, but when I do try to pick up scotches, I try to pick up something at least okayish. Like recently, I picked up a Glenmorangie 12 year Nectar D'Or. Never had it before, but I liked the taste of it. Any similar experiences from you lot? Also, Cutty Sark is a surprisingly drinkable cheap blended scotch.
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Sep 21, 2013 15:20
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GunganRevenge posted:I don't really have a lot of money to blow on booze, but when I do try to pick up scotches, I try to pick up something at least okayish. Monkey Shoulder makes a good, decently priced scotch blend as well.
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Sep 22, 2013 02:50
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Reintroducing myself to Aberlour A'Bunadh. I bought this one around a year ago after finishing one from batch 39 which I liked enough for a repeat purchase. Aberlour A'Bunadh batch 41 59% Neat: vanilla, sulphur, dehydrated plumes, high ABV makes difficult to nose. Adding a few drops of water which already gives it a bit more life. Fatty wax smell, not candley or stuck up like I remember the Clynelish 1993 distillers ed. being. Am I wrong or is there a bit of salinity creeping up there? Will have to see that with more water. If it is there, it's probably peat influence. Lipstick and something nutty that will probably become more clear with added water. Savoury tomato sauce. A wave of oloroso on the tongue, dates and molasses, sweeter and fruitier than PX casked ones. Starts to fade a bit too soon, a lingering aftertaste stays but there is some richness missing - a slightly hollow body. Some rubber at the end. Adding two teaspoons of water. More salinity now, and the whisky has become more muddy in the glass. No wonder it is bottled at cask strength. A bit more nail polish remover now. No longer quite as sweet but a more round aftertaste develops. Something like dried fruit with some salmiak. Speysideish fruit whiff all of a sudden, that nectarine/mango thing. I've nearly missed the peat burn completely but there it is. On the final mouthful a satisfying winegum/mead-like uniform taste that stays for a while. This is obviously one of the whiskies that benefits a lot from having been in the glass with some water for a while. There was at least a good five minutes if not ten between my penultimate and final sips and I consider the last mouthful the best. It didn't even leave behind any unpleasant rubberiness or sulphur. Deleuzionist fucked around with this message at 16:36 on Sep 22, 2013 |
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Sep 22, 2013 16:33
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enjoying an old overholt manhattan
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Sep 23, 2013 01:54
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I'll admit I'm a rookie when it comes to whisk(e)y so I don't really know how to compare and contrast them in technical terms but I'm aiming to change that. I'm a big fan of both Jameson and Crown Royal, could anyone give me some recommendations based on those tastes or tell me what those actual tastes are so I know what to look for?
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Sep 24, 2013 06:56
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Not trying to be a dick, but those are both very lacking in the flavour department. So I'd suggest branching out a little, starting with something like Balvenie Doublewood or Highland Park 12. Those are both still pretty approachable but pack a bit more punch.
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Sep 24, 2013 09:12
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spankmeister posted:Not trying to be a dick, but those are both very lacking in the flavour department. So I'd suggest branching out a little, starting with something like Balvenie Doublewood or Highland Park 12. Those are both still pretty approachable but pack a bit more punch. Someone also mentioned the Glenmorangie Nectar D'or, I found my Lasanta (Sherry cask finish) a good intro to that style too. Obviously no sherry bomb but has a fair bit more flavour than Jameson and Crown Royal as well. For affordable intros and a way to see the differences a finish can make that Glenmorangie range is pretty decent.
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Sep 24, 2013 09:58
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Gregorio posted:Someone also mentioned the Glenmorangie Nectar D'or, I found my Lasanta (Sherry cask finish) a good intro to that style too. Obviously no sherry bomb but has a fair bit more flavour than Jameson and Crown Royal as well. For affordable intros and a way to see the differences a finish can make that Glenmorangie range is pretty decent. And anytime these come up I have to endorse Quinta Ruban (port finished Glenmorangie in that line) as well. How do you feel about Johnny Black?
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Sep 24, 2013 18:04
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spankmeister posted:Not trying to be a dick, but those are both very lacking in the flavour department. KhyrosFinalCut posted:How do you feel about Johnny Black? So the general vibe I'm getting is that I should give the Glenmorangie line a try to start with? Seems good to me. I'm a poor student ATM so I won't be going out and buying the whole thing at once but looking at their website the Quinta Ruban sounds really, really nice so I'll probably start out with that. Now to find somewhere that stocks it... Edit: KhyrosFinalCut posted:enjoying an old overholt manhattan
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Sep 24, 2013 19:13
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Quinta Ruban is an excellent whisky, you won't be disappointed.
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Sep 24, 2013 19:28
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Agreed. It's drat tasty. Definitely up there as one of my favorites.
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Sep 24, 2013 19:53
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After not having any whiskey for awhile (besides the occasional scotch) I powered through a bottle of Bulliet Rye like it was my job a few weeks ago. I forgot how delicious it was.. and at $20/750ml at Trader Joes.. it may need to work it's way back into my regular rotation. HOWEVER. On a whim, I grabbed a bottle of Rittenhouse rye ($24 at my local liquor store).. first things first.. a sip by itself, as is. Holy crap. Its so spicy, and even has a little bit of a fruity flavor to it. Delicious. Threw an ice cube down, poured a little more on top and let it chill and dilute just a touch... even better. Just so smooth and easy to drink. It finishes a touch harsh, but the upfront flavors are so good, its easy to forget the finish. I made a few old fashioned's, and it was just great. The spiciness of this really shines through, and it really elevated this drink. Manhattans are the same. My favorite though, was a Derby. Rye, grand marnier, sweet vermouth, and loads of lime. One of my favorite drinks, the Rittenhouse really has just made it that much better. Funny thing is, I ran out of vermouth.. when in a pinch? Use red wine. Holy poo poo.. what a drink. I actually like it better with the straight red wine than I do the vermouth. I think I may have found my new jam for awhile I still love Bulleit Rye, and prefer it straight (not that I really drink it straight that much).. but Rittenhouse may just have it beat.
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Sep 25, 2013 03:30
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spankmeister posted:Quinta Ruban is an excellent whisky, you won't be disappointed. After determining that the Nectar D'Or is my new favourite whisky, I decided to try the Quinta Ruban. I can't make my mind up on it, it has very strong flavours, much more overpowering than the delicate sweetness of the Nectar D'or. I do like the colour, it's a very distinctive dark orange. I think this Whisky will take more tasting to form a proper opinion of, and perhaps could do with a drop of water to bring out the more complex flavours.
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Sep 25, 2013 09:36
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When you all say "a drop of water" do you really just mean a drop? I know for sure that my pallet sucks and I'm terrible at distinguishing flavors from one another, but still I find a hard time believing that a single drop would be useful in changing the character of a whiskey. I tend to like a full sized ice cube with the WT101 or EV Single Barrel I buy regularly and no water at all with the scotches I like. Do you guys think this is just a case of my pallet liking what it likes, or am I missing some big things in between the ice/no ice barrier?
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Sep 25, 2013 10:19
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Though I can't speak for others, for me "a drop of water" means 'a carefully-added nonspecific small amount of water'. You should experiment for yourself. At the end of everything, mind what you alone can taste in the drink and take it the way you like it. If someone else says a bit of water really brings out some quality but you prefer to take a thing neat, sure, try it their way, find out if your experience is similar, but by all means if you like a thing neat then drink it neat. Someone might try to give you grief for putting ice in your whiskey and you can ignore them. Your palate will change with experience and it isn't more correct/incorrect now than it would be in thirty years.
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Sep 25, 2013 11:19
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When I talk about a few drops of water I usually mean it literally, at least with cask strength whiskys. Nosing it clean first, then adding just two drops or three usually opens the whisky a bit without affecting the clean nose/taste other than amplifying it. Beyond drops the amount to add depends entirely on the whisky and is found out by adding more gradually. With a bottle I don't know yet I usually start with a few drops, then go to nothing less than a 3/4 to a full teaspoon and keep adding similar size spoonfuls as the first one between sips until I get to the point where I say to myself "too much water". I find myself always sad if a cask strength whisky starts to lose its structure after one spoonful. The older the whisky the more care should be taken with water, adding maybe only 1/2 spoonful at a time. Most easily available Scotch is watered to 40-48% so there adding just a drop or two won't produce as dramatic an effect as with cask strengths. Here's Ralfy talking about water. Useful info all around with a bit of fun at the expense of water snobs included. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjp8ETweF-8 edit: that was a lot of typos Deleuzionist fucked around with this message at 00:12 on Sep 26, 2013 |
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Sep 25, 2013 13:44
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kidsafe posted:Yamazaki 12 ($50) or 18 ($150) depending on your budget. You may find Nikka whiskies as well, but they are even more expensive and IMO generally inferior. Back when Yamazaki 18 was available for around 80€ it was an awesome deal, with the recent prices I would go for Yoichi 15 over Yamazaki 18 and Yoichi 10/12 over Yamazaki 12 any day. Not too much experience on the Miyagikyos but I have good memories of their 12yo, should try it again some time.
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Sep 25, 2013 21:08
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For a cask strength whiskey, I generally pour a generous dram and let a reasonable size ice cube melt in it over time. Fun to feel the flavor evolve.
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Sep 25, 2013 21:13
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Have we mentioned yet that Philadelphia is terrible? I am thoroughly regretting this bottle. My dad introduced me to Glenfiddich, Glenmorangie and 1792. Wild Turkey 101, that was college. I still have an empty on my shelf for memories, such as "fuckit, the vending machines are out of cola and ginger ale, let's try Hawaiian Punch and Kentucky Gentleman." (FYI, the taste is somewhat worse than Kentucky Gentleman straight. It goes down red and comes up purple.)
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Sep 27, 2013 03:42
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Coming back to Brora and Port Ellen prices, since it's already for some years been mostly so that the official releases of both distilleries sell out pretty quickly and return to the market at a much higher price, it looks like year by year Diageo is looking to dip more of their beak into that pool of money. This year's Brora and PE officials sell for the outrageous starting prices of 750 and 1500 pounds respectively. They also have a very interesting Lagavulin 37 on the release line but the starting price is even more insane: 1950 pounds. As things stand it looks bloody unlikely my Bro will ever get another Bro to hang out with in the cabinet.
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Sep 27, 2013 09:40
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Capt. Awesome posted:
As a big fan of their Bourbon, the rye just doesn't do it for me. It's nice and drinkable and good, but at the price point I can get stuff (even things designated as bourbon) that has more of the 'rye' flavor I like. I'm glad to see you mention fruitiness though - I always see spicy as a flavor for rye, and while I definitely get that, I get fruitiness from many of them too. I find that to be more similar to the rye flavor I get from a rye IPA or something.
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Sep 27, 2013 16:55
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This seems like the perfect place to ask, I'm sure you good folks can help me out. I'm looking to put together some groomsmen gifts that will include a personalized glass, and I want to include a glass of a decent whiskey (or whisky). The problem I'm facing is that the most I've expanded my taste horizons so far is the bottle of Yamazaki 12 I picked up here locally. I also don't know their tastes. I plan to pair the drink with a cigar, if that helps any. I have a pretty good budget to work with, and I want something that will really make a mark on the guys for a good while after. Do you have any suggestions? Would you recommend getting a decanter and having a good groomsmen ritual deal, or is there some kind of mini bottle I can put into a box with the rest of their gifts that would be a better fit? I have a pretty decent budget to work with, I'm open to all suggestions.
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Sep 28, 2013 09:10
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NovaLion posted:This seems like the perfect place to ask, I'm sure you good folks can help me out. I'm looking to put together some groomsmen gifts that will include a personalized glass, and I want to include a glass of a decent whiskey (or whisky). The problem I'm facing is that the most I've expanded my taste horizons so far is the bottle of Yamazaki 12 I picked up here locally. I also don't know their tastes. I plan to pair the drink with a cigar, if that helps any. I have a pretty good budget to work with, and I want something that will really make a mark on the guys for a good while after. Do you have any suggestions? Would you recommend getting a decanter and having a good groomsmen ritual deal, or is there some kind of mini bottle I can put into a box with the rest of their gifts that would be a better fit? I have a pretty decent budget to work with, I'm open to all suggestions. Honestly at this point I'd go with a good bourbon that can stand up to a cigar. I've smoked a couple of cigars in my day, and while they are good they wreck hell on your tastebuds so pairing a good scotch with them (even a "strong" scotch) would be a bit of a waste. I'd go with Knob Creek, Elmer Lee or Elijah Craig. Honestly nothing you're going to pair with a cigar is going to make a huge mark, they are going to be concentrating on the event and the cigar. Go with a bourbon, you'll save money and still make a good impression.
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Sep 28, 2013 10:28
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I had a feeling that was the case. I was thinking something along the lines of having the drink prior to the ceremony, and the cigars after/during the reception. I doubt it would go over too well if I were to smell of smoke during the ceremony. None of us are especially big smokers, just the occasional celebratory stick.
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Sep 28, 2013 10:54
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Something super peaty should be able to stand up against a cigar killin your taste buds. Obviously it's less than ideal conditions for tasting whisky. Something like Lagavulin or Laphroaig should still give a nice taste alongside a cigar.
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Sep 28, 2013 11:01
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In case of combined smoking and drinking I'd also go with something sweeter, a good bourbon or even a grain, rather than put the money into a single malt, especially since you mentioned people who don't smoke often and as a consequence can't ignore the taste and smell of the smoke like a habitual smoker. If you plan to have the drink before the cigar then the sky's the limit really, or actually the shelves of the stores near you. What options are available?
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Sep 28, 2013 12:19
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Right now, I'm in Japan. The wedding itself will be in Arizona so I imagine there is quite a bit physically available. I'd limit the budget to something around $750 at most. I'd really like to avoid walking into a liquor store and just looking around without a clue.
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Sep 28, 2013 15:42
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So when I've done the scotch and cigar thing, I have opted for a mild scotch -- while it's true some kind of peat monster will stand up to a cigar, if you have 4 glasses poured of a harsh smokey islay in the same small space, that's going to, IMX put out enough in the air that this may interere with the appreciation of the cigar flavor. I've really enjoyed Edradour 10 in this spot, it's a really clean and surprisingly sweet highland. If you're going with a bourbon or other american whiskey -- Bernheim Wheat Whiskey is really punchy and has a strong cherry note that will cut through even an aggressive cigar.
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Sep 28, 2013 17:56
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Is there a single standout corn whiskey? I've never tried any and figure it's time.
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Sep 28, 2013 20:17
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Good corn whiskey is labeled bourbon. Bad corn whiskey is labeled corn whiskey. BTW, peat tastes bad. Bourbon tastes good. If you agree with this post, I highly recommend you try some FOUR ROSES SINGLE BARREL. The Small Batch is good too.
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Sep 30, 2013 08:41
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JewKiller 3000 posted:Good corn whiskey is labeled bourbon. Bad corn whiskey is labeled corn whiskey.
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Sep 30, 2013 09:40
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Not sure if this is the right thread for this question, but I figure someone here might have some insight. I just got back from a trip to the Finger Lakes in New York state, which has a couple upstart distilleries. We stopped by Myers Farm distillery, which has apparently just opened in the recent past. Among other purchases the clerk informed me that the bottle of their rye I picked up was the first one they ever sold to the general public, as they had released it that morning. Is that notable enough to hold onto the bottle, or should I drink it? I assume that would depend if the distillery takes off.
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Sep 30, 2013 16:05
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LogisticEarth posted:Not sure if this is the right thread for this question, but I figure someone here might have some insight. I just got back from a trip to the Finger Lakes in New York state, which has a couple upstart distilleries. We stopped by Myers Farm distillery, which has apparently just opened in the recent past. Among other purchases the clerk informed me that the bottle of their rye I picked up was the first one they ever sold to the general public, as they had released it that morning. Is that notable enough to hold onto the bottle, or should I drink it? I assume that would depend if the distillery takes off. Unless it actually says that on the bottle I'd just drink it. It might gain value as the first production run but any potential buyer would have to take your word for it being the actual first bottle ever. Buy the thing, not the story. 
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Sep 30, 2013 16:09
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Well I did save the time-stamped receipt and was considering asking the distillery for some kind of letter. I just know next to nothing about whiskey collection outside of the obvious and didn't know if it was worth any if that trouble.
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Sep 30, 2013 19:10
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LogisticEarth posted:Well I did save the time-stamped receipt and was considering asking the distillery for some kind of letter. I just know next to nothing about whiskey collection outside of the obvious and didn't know if it was worth any if that trouble. Whiskey collecting is worth a bit if you find the right ones. A random microdistillery in New York is not that. Drink it , enjoy it, buy more if you like it. But don't expect it to be worth any more than you paid.
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Sep 30, 2013 22:08
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| # ? Apr 19, 2024 20:43 |
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The only value a whiskey should have is the value to your tastebuds. My principal is always, if I have a choice between collecting whiskey and drinking it, I go with drinking it. My Dad drinks his whiskey except for his mini collection. He has about 50 minis of different scotches, with the expectation that at his wake, my brother and I will drink them all to toast him.
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Sep 30, 2013 23:06
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