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Yeah you want to dilute cask strength whisk(e)y down. The higher proof numbs your tongue.
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Aug 21, 2018 21:32
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Try the Lustau. I really enjoyed it.
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Aug 22, 2018 00:16
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mentalcontempt posted:For those who like Redbreast and opt for the cask strength version, do you add water? 100-proof doesn’t bother me but this appears to be about 115. I usually drink it neat, but generally very slowly. Absolutely good with a little water, too. I would go for the CS or the Lustau so that you're kicking things up a notch either way. I find the "older but otherwise identical" options tend to underwhelm.
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Aug 22, 2018 09:37
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Vox Nihili posted:I usually drink it neat, but generally very slowly. Absolutely good with a little water, too. Agreed. There's a cask strength Highland Park that's marketed in Scandinavia, and I enjoy that one tremendously, no water required so long as you go slow. Wonderful flavour to it.
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Aug 22, 2018 13:00
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Most of the stuff I buy is from SMWS, so always cask strength. There are a few (especially 60+% ABV) that I don't like drinking without water, but most of them are very enjoyable neat.
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Aug 22, 2018 13:33
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Trabant posted:Thank you all for the suggestions! I got back from Ireland a few weeks ago and can provide maybe a few more ideas. As terrible as it looks from the outside Celtic Whiskey Shop is really good, they've got a huge selection and a knowledgeable staff. Inside the airport is pretty decent, but you'll be missing out on a bunch of the smaller distilleries. The Teeling Distillery tour is really fun, everything there is far more human scale than a huge distillery like Jameson. If you're going to be in Dingle, check out Dick Mack's for a gigantic Irish whiskey selection and a really good time. And speaking of Dingle, if you can find some Dingle Batch 001, that stuff is amazing. You might also want to check out Connermara since it's the only peated Irish whiskey I've ever seen, and I haven't found it anywhere outside Ireland.
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Aug 22, 2018 15:12
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Is it true that as a bottle gets closer to the bottom, oxidation increases and flavor changes more rapidly? As I mentioned, I’m down to a finger or two on the Redbreast, and the last couple times it’s tasted noticeably harsher, with less of the delicious sweet raisin and spice than I remember loving. Not sure if it’s all in my head or legit.
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Aug 24, 2018 02:30
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mentalcontempt posted:Is it true that as a bottle gets closer to the bottom, oxidation increases and flavor changes more rapidly? As I mentioned, I’m down to a finger or two on the Redbreast, and the last couple times it’s tasted noticeably harsher, with less of the delicious sweet raisin and spice than I remember loving. Not sure if it’s all in my head or legit. By the time you get halfway down you won't notice the changes at all.
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Aug 24, 2018 02:36
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ReaperUnreal posted:I got back from Ireland a few weeks ago and can provide maybe a few more ideas. As terrible as it looks from the outside Celtic Whiskey Shop is really good, they've got a huge selection and a knowledgeable staff. Inside the airport is pretty decent, but you'll be missing out on a bunch of the smaller distilleries. The Teeling Distillery tour is really fun, everything there is far more human scale than a huge distillery like Jameson. Noted -- thanks! I'll be only in Dublin, but I'll make sure to look around the shops while there.
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Aug 24, 2018 02:51
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mentalcontempt posted:Is it true that as a bottle gets closer to the bottom, oxidation increases and flavor changes more rapidly? As I mentioned, I’m down to a finger or two on the Redbreast, and the last couple times it’s tasted noticeably harsher, with less of the delicious sweet raisin and spice than I remember loving. Not sure if it’s all in my head or legit. Absolutely. Either decant into a smaller bottle, or finish it.
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Aug 24, 2018 08:25
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spankmeister posted:Absolutely. Either decant into a smaller bottle, or finish it. I've noticed this more with sherried whisky in comparison with bourbon matured but that may just be my imagination.
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Aug 24, 2018 16:25
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mentalcontempt posted:Is it true that as a bottle gets closer to the bottom, oxidation increases and flavor changes more rapidly? As I mentioned, I’m down to a finger or two on the Redbreast, and the last couple times it’s tasted noticeably harsher, with less of the delicious sweet raisin and spice than I remember loving. Not sure if it’s all in my head or legit. I've had bottles that were off putting in the beginning but after awhile they mellow but maybe that's just me. I've never had a bottle that started good and got worse, but maybe I drink too fast.
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Aug 24, 2018 19:39
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I've had a few bottles loose their legs a bit towards the end (Caol Ila 12 & Nikka Coffee Grain), but in both instances the last 1/3 to 1/4 of the bottle sat for somewhere between 8-12 months. My favorite pour is still the first pour from every bottle...
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Aug 24, 2018 20:01
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Old Grand-Dad actually got better as it emptied. It lost some of the harshness that killed my enjoyment of it.
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Aug 24, 2018 20:04
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chitoryu12 posted:Old Grand-Dad actually got better as it emptied. It lost some of the harshness that killed my enjoyment of it. Same experience I've had with the 117. Breaking Bourbon did a neat little experiment on the effects of light exposure, temperature, age, and air in bottle: http://breakingbourbon.com/bourbon-storage-experiment.html
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Aug 24, 2018 21:12
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S.W.O.R.D. Agent posted:My favorite pour is still the first pour from every bottle...
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Aug 24, 2018 22:02
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spankmeister posted:Heh, in my experience the first pour is anemic and it takes a couple days to open up. You're not wrong, but I love the robustness of the alcohol on that first pour. I tend to favor higher proof stuff because of that. Go go Aberlour A'bunadh neat!
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Aug 25, 2018 13:28
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ReaperUnreal posted:I got back from Ireland a few weeks ago and can provide maybe a few more ideas. As terrible as it looks from the outside Celtic Whiskey Shop is really good, they've got a huge selection and a knowledgeable staff. Inside the airport is pretty decent, but you'll be missing out on a bunch of the smaller distilleries. The Teeling Distillery tour is really fun, everything there is far more human scale than a huge distillery like Jameson. Connemara is all over the place in Australia, there seems to be a big push here from *insert big name company I can't remember* I do agree however it is a perfectly fine whisk(e)y, we ended up with a shitton of minitures of it somehow for "staff education" and boy did we educate ourselves! mentalcontempt posted:Is it true that as a bottle gets closer to the bottom, oxidation increases and flavor changes more rapidly? As I mentioned, I’m down to a finger or two on the Redbreast, and the last couple times it’s tasted noticeably harsher, with less of the delicious sweet raisin and spice than I remember loving. Not sure if it’s all in my head or legit. Oxidation is a real thing. Typically I would say you will lose the delicate, complicated, interesting notes of the whisky after a month or two. For example the IB 18yo Blair Athol I took from the office the other day has been open for ??? and is boring as batshit. I'm sure when that whisky was "young" (that is to say, unoxidised) it was complex and enjoyable. Of course like anything, taste is subjective and some people may prefer a whisky that has been open a while.
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Aug 25, 2018 15:07
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My general rules for oxidation and storage are: 1) Store whiskey (or any fine spirit) in a cool, dark place. 2) Once you drink it down to 25%, it's time to kill the bottle. I'm always tempted to hoard rare bottles, and leave "just a little" in them so I can come back to them later and compare them, but I try valiantly not to do that. It's bad for the spirit, and it leads to liquor-shelf kessler syndrome. There are some exceptions that improve and open up with a little air, but few spirits will ever get better after they get below a quarter full.
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Aug 25, 2018 15:39
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Lowness 72 posted:Try the Lustau. I really enjoyed it. Also good advice for pretty much every Lustau product, coincidentally. Their Peninsula Palo Cortado was the first sherry I drank that I enjoyed, although I wouldn't say it's my top favourite now. Their Gran Reserva brandy is also drat tasty.
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Aug 26, 2018 03:27
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Lustau is a brand?
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Aug 26, 2018 06:35
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Lowness 72 posted:Lustau is a brand? Its a sherry producer.
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Aug 26, 2018 07:55
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hakimashou posted:Its a sherry producer. Yep! Until this page, I didn't realize they'd partnered to create a whiskey, but now that I know it I'm gonna track that fucker down.
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Aug 26, 2018 13:18
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Weltlich posted:My general rules for oxidation and storage are: I followed these guidelines and my Redbreast is no more. Looking forward to trying the Lustau.
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Aug 27, 2018 07:02
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There is no legitimate reason for me to be amused by this, but I am. Feb 1970 Popular Mechanics article on building this server has a bottle of Early Times and Beefeaters. Early Times? Really? Did they send an intern to the local gas station with instructions to buy some cheap whiskey. It's only $10 today, I wonder what it cost then. 
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Aug 28, 2018 05:04
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Nevermind the whiskey, why does it not have casters? They existed in the 70s too.
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Aug 28, 2018 08:26
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wormil posted:There is no legitimate reason for me to be amused by this, but I am. Feb 1970 Popular Mechanics article on building this server has a bottle of Early Times and Beefeaters. Early Times? Really? Did they send an intern to the local gas station with instructions to buy some cheap whiskey. It's only $10 today, I wonder what it cost then. Notice the label "straight bourbon whiskey." It doesn't say that now. At some point in the past it was actual bourbon and not bottom shelf whiskey flavored grain spirits.
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Aug 28, 2018 11:46
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Stultus Maximus posted:Notice the label "straight bourbon whiskey." It doesn't say that now. At some point in the past it was actual bourbon and not bottom shelf whiskey flavored grain spirits. drat, you're right. I've never had Early Times, just assumed it was always cheap whiskey but I was reading on Wikipedia that it was the best selling whiskey in America mid-20th century. As for the casters, I think you pick it up and carry it. I have a soft spot for these old PM furniture projects. I would love to build it but I would never use it.
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Aug 28, 2018 18:19
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I got gifted a bottle of VIRGINIA BLACK. First thing I noticed was the back of the bottle said “NOT MADE IN VIRGINIA.” So then I thought it was like a knockoff Made in China whiskey so I googled it. Turns out it is the Drake whiskey. Also it is not very good.
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Sep 2, 2018 21:02
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quote:Virginia Black is a “personally selected collection of two, three, and four-year old Bourbon Whiskey focused on a high-rye content and finished with a decadent profile.”[7] It is mellowed to 40% ABV (80 proof).[1] Young blended bourbon watered down to the lowest possible proof. Sounds like a recipe for quality.
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Sep 2, 2018 22:19
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Well, I spent my Labour Day long weekend, sitting at home studying for an auditing exam on Friday. To help lift my mood, I finally poured a glass of the Laphroaig PX cask I bought in Paris last year. I don't normally care for scotch that has both peat and sweetness to it, but I really liked this. I can't believe I waited so long to finally try this. Weltlich posted:There are some exceptions that improve and open up with a little air, but few spirits will ever get better after they get below a quarter full. I was at trivia (RIP trivia bar) night once, and in a really good mood so I ordered a glass of one of their single malts. It tasted... flat. I realized later than the bottle had probably been sitting there for a long time, and there was only a few ounces left anyway.
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Sep 4, 2018 18:50
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I'm not really a bourbon drinker but my girlfriend went to Kentucky recently and brought me back a bottle of Four Roses Single Barrel (you can get it here in the UK but it's like 2-3x what she paid). Nothing will ever beat a nice peaty Islay for me but drat this poo poo is tasty.
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Sep 11, 2018 18:41
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Frankston posted:I'm not really a bourbon drinker but my girlfriend went to Kentucky recently and brought me back a bottle of Four Roses Single Barrel (you can get it here in the UK but it's like 2-3x what she paid). Nothing will ever beat a nice peaty Islay for me but drat this poo poo is tasty. Try as I may, I've yet to find anything that beats it.
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Sep 11, 2018 19:07
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Frankston posted:I'm not really a bourbon drinker but my girlfriend went to Kentucky recently and brought me back a bottle of Four Roses Single Barrel (you can get it here in the UK but it's like 2-3x what she paid). Nothing will ever beat a nice peaty Islay for me but drat this poo poo is tasty. It's a classic. If you're ever in America, try to track down one of the store pick single barrel bottlings, they're age-stated and bottled at cask strength in a number of different formulations (high rye vs low rye and several different yeasts).
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Sep 12, 2018 00:26
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Four Roses is interesting because it used to be a bottom shelf product. They've revamped themselves into a premier band with better marketing and their 14 different mash bill varieties. The store picks as Vox mentioned are excellent in the right hands. But now their workers are on strike so it's a brand set back for sure.
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Sep 12, 2018 02:07
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Four Roses was ruined by Seagrams and saved by Kirin/Jim Rutledge. With Rutledge now doing his own thing, I'm a bit worried Four Roses doesn't have a competent brand manager / master distiller anymore.
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Sep 12, 2018 02:29
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TobinHatesYou posted:Four Roses was ruined by Seagrams and saved by Kirin/Jim Rutledge. With Rutledge now doing his own thing, I'm a bit worried Four Roses doesn't have a competent brand manager / master distiller anymore. Brent Elliot is a competent blender, I think he was head of QA before. The LE's haven't been quite as good as the 2015 or 2013, but I think the 16 and 17 were comparable to the 14, but haven't justified the 50% price increase from 2015 and this year's is supposed to be $140. Al Young edition was amazing and I think he's still working for them, so there's always that Then again, their workers are currently on strike...https://whiskycast.com/four-roses-distillery-workers-strike-on-eve-of-kentucky-bourbon-festival/
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Sep 12, 2018 13:16
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Gravitee posted:Four Roses is interesting because it used to be a bottom shelf product. They've revamped themselves into a premier band with better marketing and their 14 different mash bill varieties. The store picks as Vox mentioned are excellent in the right hands. Not a bourbon fan, but I suppose this is worth a try. Local monopoly has them, so I might as well. My experience with american whiskey is limited at best, but I've been raving recently about Michter's US*1 single barrel straight rye. It's... well, I can only describe it as fantastic. I've been through at least six bottles so far and it's never been anything short of extremely good. Definitely outside of my usual comfort zone, but you drink it and it settles right down into your bones. I was deeply impressed.
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Sep 12, 2018 13:32
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Nice piece of fish posted:Not a bourbon fan, but I suppose this is worth a try. Local monopoly has them, so I might as well. Rye has a super unique flavor profile relative to other whiskeys, which sometimes taste... basically mildy sweet plus whatever flavor the barrel(s) impart. The classic rye notes are herbaceous, minty, and garlicky. Typically this is covered up and sweetened to some extent by the large amount of corn also present in most rye whiskeys (if it doesn't say 90%, 95%, or 100% rye on the label, its probably a 51% rye mashbill, so around half corn). Now if we only knew which distillery actually makes the stuff for Michters. If you can track it down, Rendezvous Rye (High West label, distilled by MGP) really demonstrates the hefty flavors that a strong, 95% rye bill whiskey can dish out.
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Sep 13, 2018 01:30
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Bulleit Rye is 95% rye too and that is easy to find (at least here). The same recipe is made by the MGP distillery for a ton of whiskeys. For some reason I found it pretty tame but comparing it to the Bulleit Bourbon might be interesting since that also has a pretty high rye content (28%).
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Sep 13, 2018 09:35
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