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Under_Starmere
Abhorrent Fish-Man

Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2007 5:00 pm
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 15, 2013 11:38 pm 
 

I love me some Islay myself, Ardbeg and Caol Ila are some favorites of mine, and of course Lagavulin is fantastic, but the Laphroiag 10 strikes me as really imbalanced and far too phenolic. It has this really intense mineral/oil quality to it that completely dominates the flavors at play in a way that ruins the experience for me somewhat. It's kind of cloying. Ardbeg 10 and Caol Ila 12 feel smoky to me, Laphroaig 10 tastes more motor oil-y. It's funny because both of those aren't even too far off from the Laphroiag, flavor-wise, but they seem to have such better integration of the peat into their overall makeup. With them it's a harmony, while Laphroaig just seems like it's trying too hard to be "Too Extreme!!!" But then people have different palates that experience things differently.

Ever try Ledaig?
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iamntbatman
Chaos Breed

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PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 7:43 pm 
 

Are any of you guys bourbon drinkers at all? I never really got into bourbon myself but my brother-in-law is a big bourbon guy. I couldn't for the life of me remember if he dislikes scotch or if he's just never really gotten around to exploring it, so I figured what the hell and bought him a mid-shelf bottle as a Christmas present. I was torn between the Caol Isla 12 and Ardbeg 10 and decided to go with the latter as it's something I've had many, many times and felt more familiar with personally. I wanted to get him something nice and well-rounded but with some balls to it, since a guy who's a big bourbon drinker who tries a mellower Highland whiskey to just sort of taste "off" while something like a peaty, smoky Islay will be so obviously different that it will hopefully help him to come at it from a completely different angle.

Good idea, or would you guys have started him on something mellower?
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Grave_Wyrm
Metal Sloth

Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2012 5:55 pm
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 8:42 pm 
 

iamntbatman wrote:
Good idea, or would you guys have started him on something mellower?

I like bourbon in a general sense, but these days I'm liking it best in cocktails since, from my arc of the table, scotch walks on it for neat pours. I'd like to try top shelf bourbons because I know the qualities can fluctuate a lot. In cocktails, though, bourbon's really satisfying, and it has so much versatility that it's tough to beat.

You certainly didn't do your friend any harm buying him Ardbeg. I haven't tried it, so I might have offered something like The Macallan or Glenmorangie, something a touch sweeter and closer to the middle, just to make the bridge a bit less dramatic. That said, there's really nothing like having something really good that's really different change your mind about something. Caol Ila is really chief work, but it doesn't come to mind in terms of a bourbon drinker, so from what little I know, I'd say you made a strong choice.


Smoking_Gnu wrote:
Really? I've become something of a die-hard Islay fan so I couldn't possibly imagine that, haha.

It's actually because of having had other Islays that Laphroaig dropped in my ranking. It is unmistakably a "floored by peat" whisky, to borrow from Inspector_Satan. They want to make sure that no one can possibly say they aren't going to smoke the hell out of their malts. I like a couple glasses just fine, but in the long run I like a more complex palate, a sequence of subtle flavors. The adjective "cloying" works well. Laphroaig is impressive in the nose, but doesn't really deliver on the palate. I don't have anything substantial against it other than it's too much bark and not enough bite, but that's a personal taste. I would think the bourbon barrels would lend more support to the somewhat lacking flavors.

"Robust" is an overstatement (because I didn't find the flavor profile particularly memorable, just the olfactory assault and the, yes, oily viscosity). But if someone says the phrase "balls out peat," that's the one.



Just in case I'm not the only one having trouble with these pronunciations, here's an informative tutorial -- and cheesy.

"The cognac of whiskies, works like a depth charge. *phhow*

Scotch Pronunciation Guide
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Under_Starmere
Abhorrent Fish-Man

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PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 10:11 pm 
 

@iamfatman Ardbeg is a good choice! I support you as a comrade in your decision. In case you're continuingly curious, I'd say Talisker would offer a great transition from bourbon to scotch. It's got that darker, deeper flavor happening as well as a firm punch to it, so it's got a physical familiarity to it, but it's more than different enough from bourbon flavor-wise to set you solidly on the other shore of the Alcolantic.

From personal experience, other good choices would be the Ardmore Traditional Cask and the Benromach 10. Maybe Highland Park 12 or Yamazaki 12, for something on the lighter side. A selection from Bruichladdich also wouldn't go amiss.
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iamntbatman
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 11:40 pm 
 

Well I'm not going to be buying him gifts all that often, hah. Talisker would've been a nice transition, I reckon (the ten's always a good mid-shelf choice) but unfortunately they were all out of it. I'm a big Ardmore fan myself (I generally tend to favor those sort of rounded, slightly fruity Highland scotches) but I thought maybe that was a bit safe. Highland Park's decent stuff but not really all that interesting, I guess (definitely one of the more ubiquitous distilleries around here, anyway). I'm not sure I've ever seen a bottle of Yamazaki for sale in the US, though I've had it in bars. I've never had anything from Bruichladdich.

Sometimes I do miss the stuff (used to be a much bigger scotch drinker than I am these days) but I think I'm too thoroughly entrenched in the beer world to come back to the peaty side anytime soon.
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Under_Starmere
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 11:49 pm 
 

I know a good wharfside place in East Innsmouth that we can check out when I get back home for vacation. The Brackish Earl. They've got tons of vintage stuff, even cellared moonshine laid down by the early town patriarchs. The guy who owns it is my uncle, I think. I've got a lot of uncles.
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Inspector_Satan
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 2:04 am 
 

Under_Starmere wrote:
Inspector_Satan wrote:
Not at all actually, I've only had a handful of the big names besides the Suntory one which was surprisingly good. The concept always struck me as economic by design so I hadn't bothered wasting the money. I definitely prefer bourbon but I'll pick up an Auchentoshan on occasion since it's like the appletini of the scotch world. I've heard good things about Bruichladdich too, and I'm open to suggestions if you know of anything similar.


The only Bruichladdich I've had thus far is the Rocks, which was pretty alright but nothing amazing. I had a bit of a hard time pinning down what was going on in the flavor department with that one, which on one hand is kind of interesting and on the other sort of left me wanting. I don't know what the more standard expressions are like, but I can't say I've ever heard them widely praised. I also still have yet to try Auchentoshan, but it's on my list, both the 12 and the Valinch. If you're into scotches on the sweet/smooth side I'd suggest you look into the Aberlour 10/12 or the Yamazaki 12 off the top of my head, though there are plenty more out there. That style is also the stock in trade of Glenmorangie and Macallan, two other big names, so be sure to not miss those either.


Sorry for the late reply, I thought I responded to this already. Thanks for the heads up on that Bruichsladdich, I've been wanting to try it for a while but haven't had the scratch to drop the $60 on a blind buy. I'll keep an eye out for pours around here. I'm fairly certain I've had the Macallan and Glenmorangie at some point and I did like the Yamazaki, though it's been so long since I've had any of them I could do with a refresher. Thanks!

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Under_Starmere
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 2:15 am 
 

At this point I'd probably be apt to steer you away from Bruichladdich's unpeated offerings, honestly. They have an excessive cask influence to them that comes off really bitter and nasty on the finish. Not cool. For more scotches on the low-peat, sweet/amiable-yet-complex side, you might do well to also check out the Tobermory 10, which is quite buttery and smooth (need to try this one again), and two that bear some distinct similarities to one another and that I've recommended before: the anCnoc 12 and Hakushu 12.
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iamntbatman
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 2:45 am 
 

Under_Starmere wrote:
I know a good wharfside place in East Innsmouth that we can check out when I get back home for vacation. The Brackish Earl. They've got tons of vintage stuff, even cellared moonshine laid down by the early town patriarchs. The guy who owns it is my uncle, I think. I've got a lot of uncles.


:lol:

One day, I'll have a nice study and a smoking jacket and a well-stocked scotch cabinet. A man can dream...
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Evangelion2014
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 3:52 am 
 

Speaking of bourbon, I bought a eagle rare bourbon, a single barrel bourbon aged 10 years apparently owned by buffalo trace. It opens up with the standard sweet bourbon notes, then goes right into rye and wood tastes. It's not bad, but it has such a high rye profile I'd rather just drink a rye whiskey. The opening sweetness isn't distinctive enough to separate it from the bulliet rye I have. But on the other hand it was only $29 with tax.

So, christimas is coming up, and I think it's time to round out my scotch collection. As far as something I'm buying for myself I'll probably go with another smoky malt to complement my ardbeg 10 that is disappearing a little TOO fast. Speaking of which, now that it's around halfway gone a sweeter peat note is starting to develop and the smoke isn't as prevalent. I'm thinking about the laphroaig quarter cask, any opinions on that? I heard it's peaty but heavier bodied than ardbeg, with a balancing wood sweetness with it as well. I want to stay away from anything with sherry notes cause I really don't like that flavor profile.

As far as what I'm asking for a gift, I'm thinking of a heavy, rich highland whiskey with a strong grain/cereal flavor. Any ideas? I was looking at the Oban 14, but it's on the expensive side for just being aged 14 years. It's like an 18/16 year price for a 14 year whisky which I believe is because of the water that is used to make it. Also, the tasting notes signal a heavier fruit (oranges mainly) than grain profile.

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iamntbatman
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 3:58 am 
 

Laphroaig Quarter Cask is pretty good stuff, probably my favorite thing in their current lineup now that the wonderful 15 is no more.

Oban 14's great. Sell some plasma or something and get it! Then drink some of that Ardbeg. Nothing like drinking immediately after giving blood.
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Under_Starmere
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 9:23 am 
 

That Eagle Rare actually sounds really good, been meaning to try it recently but have been far too distracted by what the more discerning gentleman might call "Playa Juice."

I tried the Oban 14 not too long ago and wasn't very impressed. It was fine, I mean it tasted...good...but for the money I think you can probably do better. Maybe I just didn't have the right moment with it or something.

I've noticed that phenomenon of the smoke on bottles starting to fade after the volume gets to about halfway. It's a shame, really. No one's going to believe you're not an alcoholic when you're freight training your bottles and you tell them it's because of "the concern surrounding smoke retention."

Oh an Inspector_Satan, for more sweet 'n' easy offerings, I know PhilosophicalFrog swears by Glengoyne as a go-to creamdream. (Do you want to share his creamdream?) I've also read some quite good things about Glendronach's 12-year-old offerings for whisky on the sherried-but-not-excessively-sherried wavelength.
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Smoking_Gnu
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 10:49 am 
 

So I bought a bottle of the Ardbeg Uigeadal (spel?) to see what the hype was about. It was good, but I really don't think I'd consider this my favorite Islay as many do, and it doesn't seem worth the $78 price tag here. The strong chocolate and raisin notes on the opening is definitely noteworthy, but I think Laphroaig Quarter Cask does a better job with the "sweet opening into Islay peatiness" approach. Respectable, but not something I'd drop that much money on again.
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Inspector_Satan
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 4:33 pm 
 

Under_Starmere wrote:
Oh an Inspector_Satan, for more sweet 'n' easy offerings, I know PhilosophicalFrog swears by Glengoyne as a go-to creamdream. (Do you want to share his creamdream?) I've also read some quite good things about Glendronach's 12-year-old offerings for whisky on the sherried-but-not-excessively-sherried wavelength.


:lol: I'm open new experiences. The scotch that is.

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iamntbatman
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 6:36 pm 
 

Bah, well, my sister told me that my brother-in-law is actually really not big on scotch, so I wound up returning the bottle of Ardbeg 10 I had gotten him and got him a bottle of Booker's bourbon instead. Hopefully it's decent!
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Diamhea
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 6:38 pm 
 

My sister's boyfriend just paid $200 for a fifth of johnnie walker blue. Reminded me of this thread. He claims it is worth it. I'm a vodka guy, so not my area to start with.
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iamntbatman
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 7:03 pm 
 

Johnnie Walker Blue Label is for rich people who have never heard of Google.
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Smoking_Gnu
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 7:05 pm 
 

I think the most expensive scotch I've tried that's also worth the money is Tallisker 10 at $67 ($60 before tax.) I have a friend who dropped $300 on a bottle of bourbon once and I just don't get it.
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PhilosophicalFrog
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 8:42 pm 
 

boss just bought me Tullibardine 1993 Vintage for Christmas - note just said "Welcome to the Team"
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Under_Starmere
Abhorrent Fish-Man

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PostPosted: Tue Dec 24, 2013 12:01 am 
 

Out of the freelance doldrums and armed with fresh scotch? The Frog lives!
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iamntbatman
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 24, 2013 2:14 am 
 

Just had some Macallan Fine Oak 17. Very much in the tradition of the Fine Oak 10, but of course a fair bit sweeter and mellower, with ramped up tinges of bourbon and sherry from the extra time in the (three!) casks. Pricey stuff but man was it ever a sweet dram.
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Evangelion2014
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 25, 2013 3:20 am 
 

iamntbatman wrote:
Bah, well, my sister told me that my brother-in-law is actually really not big on scotch, so I wound up returning the bottle of Ardbeg 10 I had gotten him and got him a bottle of Booker's bourbon instead. Hopefully it's decent!


The reviews I've seen are quite positive, with a very robust taste and mouthfeel, but they do warn of a very intense alcohol bite since it rests around 63-64% alcohol

So next on my buy list are dalmore (either 12 or 15) and laphroaig quarter cask. I figure I'd go with the quarter cask because it's cheaper and apparently smokier compared to the 18. The end of this ardbeg 10 is really losing it's smoke, and for my next smoke bomb I'd figured i'd try something with a bit more wood influence as opposed to the lime, citrus, vanilla notes that balance the ardbeg off. I'd like to get an irish whiskey to balance all the scotch off, and thinking of getting either the tullamore dew 12 or the redbreast. And my next bourbon might either be blanton's or maker's mark. Looking for something on the sweet caramel, vanilla corn side.

I might try to get into the sherried style of scotch, but the macallan 12 was way too much of it for my taste. I'll worry about that later since I have some smoke and malt bombs to fill up on first.

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Under_Starmere
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 25, 2013 2:51 pm 
 

MALT BOMB. That sounds good. I'd have to recommend the Benromach 10 as a really nice sherried whisky. It's got a rich cask influence with a significant nutty/sherry presence, but it's balanced really well between sweet, spicy and bitter tones, finishing with a firm peatiness. Very nice, complex stuff and well worth the quite reasonable price. They've also got a Peat Smoke release that I'm keen to check out but it's not that easy to find.

Glendronach 12 is another sherry-heavy whisky that I'll be testing out soon. From what I've read it strikes a really nice palate balance as well. I'd like to keep some distance from really sherry-obvious whiskies like Glenfarclas for a while.
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Under_Starmere
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 31, 2013 2:06 am 
 

Revisited the Yamazaki 12 this weekend and wasn't quite as gratified as I thought I'd be. Though it's a very pleasant, smooth, and tasty whisky, there's something about it that seems quite "safe" and thus not particularly exciting or intriguing. If I were to receive a bottle of it as a gift I'd be perfectly happy, but I'm not sure it's something I'd go out of my way to invest in. I find Hakushu by far the more interesting dram - it's multifaceted, refreshingly sweet and crisp and dry with powerful grassy notes and spice...very lively, lovely stuff. Yamazaki leaves an impression not much different than a very mellow, gentle bourbon with added scotchy notes. Perfectly nice and very precisely crafted, and altogether admirable for that, but nothing I could get too drummed up about. Just a solid whisky that could be a great go-to if smooth 'n' easy is your thing.
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leslieavila
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 31, 2013 8:40 am 
 

hey that's not weird. It's actually admirable, when you wait for the legal age to drink. Got to act like your age you know

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Smoking_Gnu
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 31, 2013 9:09 am 
 

The Uigeadail has grown on me. Definitely interesting to experience a blend between Islay peat and sherry-cask sweetness. Still not quite worth the price for me, though.

Could anyone recommend any non-Islay scotches with a dry, woody flavor that aren't as heavy on the bourbon/sherry flavoring?
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Under_Starmere
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 31, 2013 9:55 am 
 

The first thing that came to mind (in my given experience) was the Longrow. It's a little on the younger side so it's got brighter and drier notes of fresher oak (or so it occurs to me) as well as a rather drying, lightly ashy finish. Also no real weight to either side of either bourbon or sherry influences. Springbank distillery in general is good for that kind of not-this-and-not-that profile...they seem to have a nice uniqueness to their style in that sense.
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Evangelion2014
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 06, 2014 3:23 am 
 

So I bought a mini of JW black the other day as something to drink until I could get more beer. Started out with a wintergreeny mint note, then came heather/honey, vanilla and finally a mild peat that fought with the mint and heather to the finish. I mean, maybe it's a pretty substantial peat compared to some other whiskies but it was enough for me to notice but I still describe as mild. The main tastes were the wintergreen and peat, and honestly I like the spearmint/herbal flavor in the bulliet rye whiskey better and the peat in an ardbeg more. It's not a bad whiskey, it just seems to have a bunch of notes that I would rather explore individually in depth. It's better than chivas regal though, the other 'generic' scotch I've had. I'm thinking of glenmorangie 10 to get a good handle on the more honey/vanilla note.

I also special ordered my laphroaig cask strength batch 005. Can't fucking wait. Still looking for an easygoing, sweet carmael/corn/vanilla bourbon though, maybe I'll try maker's mark for that.

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Pippin_Took
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 17, 2014 4:38 pm 
 

So I just got back to the US after some time back home in Scotland, which included a trip to Edinburgh with my girlfriend. Used the opportunity to continue my foray into single malt a little further. After drinking mostly in the Speyside environs when I started out with whisky, I'd convinced myself that I didn't like the heavily peated Islays (some half-remembered taste of Laphroaig had put me off), but when I found myself sitting in the first bar I decided that it was time to revisit this potentially daft perception. Anyway, I went for the Laphroaig 10, which I see from the last page or two people aren't perhaps the biggest fans of, but it seemed like an obvious way back in, and: I loved it. Obviously this is the first taste of an Islay malt I can conciously recall, but the smell of it (my girlfriend turned her nose up and sat a little further along the bar...!) was immense, and that potent mixture of peatland and sea once it gets into your mouth was just amazing. The following evening, on the recommendation of a bartender, I tried the Bowmore 12, as a slightly milder Islay, and I think that was even better**: a softer peat mingled with flowers. Also tried the Auchentoshan Three Woods (as something contrasting) which was like a sweet and delicious pudding, and then an Oban, which I recall enjoying but since it was late in the evening after a long ceilidh I remember rather less of. So, pretty much all over the place, but I enjoyed them all, and am looking forward to continuing the studies!


**I actually screwed up though, buying a bottle of what I thought was Bowmore 12 in the duty free as I flew back out...turns out it was the Enigma; has anyone had that?? Haven't opened it yet...still have my last duty free purchase, the Yamazaki 12 to finish up

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PostPosted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 5:22 pm 
 

iamntbatman wrote:
Johnnie Walker Blue Label is for rich people who have never heard of Google.


Abso-fucking-lutely, man. That's what I've ALWAYS said. Johnnie Walker Blue is for people with way too much money on their hands and not a clue about scotch.
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somefella
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 2:48 am 
 

Going to second that as well. But hey, they're just going to keep on walking.
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Under_Starmere
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 12:16 am 
 

Two more scotches tasted tonight:

Glenmorangie 10 - Very light scotch here, with a subtle nose that actually enfolds lots of shifting aromas. Pear, grass, milk chocolate, light blackberry, quite lovely despite how elusive it all is. Almost too elusive, at the risk of blandness. The palate and finish, however, are quite brisk with oak and grassy notes, maybe even a bit at odds with the nose, a sudden shift to the savory from the playful sweetness of the nose. Interesting, better than Cragganmore, but probably not a favorite anytime soon.

Port Charlotte PC 10 - This peated Bruichladdich is...well, essentially a peaty Laddie 10, more or less. Probably a bit brighter/lighter overall, though still retaining most of the Bruichladdich characteristics (most of which I don't actually like that much, unfortunately). The peat and smoke (a lot less smoke in this than I was expecting :( ) balance it better, rounding out the oaky bitterness that jumps out badly in the Laddie 10. Buttery, savory stuff with olive-like notes, a bit like a less intense Talisker. Gently smoky/earthy finish. Pretty good stuff, but doesn't really hold a candle to the best of Islay.
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Evangelion2014
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 11:10 pm 
 

Under_Starmere wrote:
Two more scotches tasted tonight:

Glenmorangie 10 - Very light scotch here, with a subtle nose that actually enfolds lots of shifting aromas. Pear, grass, milk chocolate, light blackberry, quite lovely despite how elusive it all is. Almost too elusive, at the risk of blandness. The palate and finish, however, are quite brisk with oak and grassy notes, maybe even a bit at odds with the nose, a sudden shift to the savory from the playful sweetness of the nose. Interesting, better than Cragganmore, but probably not a favorite anytime soon.

Port Charlotte PC 10 - This peated Bruichladdich is...well, essentially a peaty Laddie 10, more or less. Probably a bit brighter/lighter overall, though still retaining most of the Bruichladdich characteristics (most of which I don't actually like that much, unfortunately). The peat and smoke (a lot less smoke in this than I was expecting :( ) balance it better, rounding out the oaky bitterness that jumps out badly in the Laddie 10. Buttery, savory stuff with olive-like notes, a bit like a less intense Talisker. Gently smoky/earthy finish. Pretty good stuff, but doesn't really hold a candle to the best of Islay.


Hrm, will probably give the Glenmorangie 10 a pass then. On the other hand, I just got my Laphroaig cask strength and it's awesome, tons of iodine, smoke and brine with a touch of plum lurking underneath. Smilarly, the Ardbeg Uigeadail is just as awesome as ardbeg 10, but with the vanilla and barley tastes switched from a rich dark fruit (grapes is what I get) note combined with the earthy, sooty ardbeg smoke. Next my list is Glenlivet nadurra, it's on sale and I want to round out more of my cabinet with something on the sweet side but something that isn't excessively light.

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Grave_Wyrm
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 27, 2014 1:05 am 
 

I can safely say that Glenmorangie is the essentially near the lowest rung of "good". Instead of getting Glenfiddich or its passably middling ilk, go for this. Way more enjoyable over all, and only slightly more expensive. This is a good enough bottle for someone who likes their scotch safe but not disappointing.
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 28, 2014 12:06 am 
 

I just got a new whisky.

Amrut Fusion, an Indian single malt whisky that is made with barley from India and peated barley from Scotland.

It tastes pretty good. Very much like a Scotch. Feeling a buzz from it too, haha. There's a peaty smokiness, reminds me of Bruichladdich in a way, that's definitely from the Scottish barley. There's also a distinct sweetness, it's different from the sweetness I've tasted in other whiskies. This sweetness is very distantly like molasses (but not quite, there's no rum notes). It's sugar sweet, not honey sweet.
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Under_Starmere
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 28, 2014 12:58 am 
 

Indian whisky. I have heard tell of such things! Sounds pretty tasty.

Just picked myself up a bottle of this earlier today:

Image

A Highlander from the smallest distillery in Scotland! In their branding and marketing they seem to really like playing up how small they are, how feeble and insignificant their production capabilities are in the face of larger (macho) distilleries, how barely capable of commercial output they are. They are only three men.

Anyway, I just poured the first, small glass of it, and I'm quite pleased thus far. It's not as unique as I was hoping for, as I'd read it had an unusual character (?), but it's still pretty fuckin' good. On first blush, the nose might be my favorite part of this. So many shifting aromas here that uncovered themselves in a clear sequence: bourbon vanilla, plum/prune, grass, cherry, dates, then a strong, delicious appearance of plump dried peach. Underlying nuttiness with some mild sherry-ish notes, and so little spirit edge to it (even at 43%) that you can really huff the stuff without any sharpness. Just wonderful nose on this.
The palate will take me a while to put words to, so far it just strikes me as smooth, full, and malty/spicy/nutty, then the finish is rather short, but lingers mildly and pleasantly with some gentle flavors of almond, honey, and vanilla. If the finish were longer this would immediately go straight into my top-tier sweet whiskies. But it's very, very nice stuff. Really rich and sensual but with a sense of modest restraint, not at all cloying or obviously sherried. Delicious! Looking forward to seeing how it develops with some oxidation. Anyone into smooth, sweet whiskies should snap this up wherever they can find it. It's not that easy to find due to its excruciatingly limited production, but the price is definitely right.

EDIT: Just checked out the Edradour website and it's pretty damn cool. The place is like some quasi-living history museum of whisky-making. Looks like they've got an awesome range of special wine cask maturations and finishes to offer, as well as their peated Ballechin sublabel. Cool shit. Also seems that the 10 year that I bought is the only bottling of theirs that's chill-filtered. Would be very game to try any of their others that aren't.
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The Ardbeg Wizard
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 11, 2014 4:30 pm 
 

Burnyoursins wrote:
iamntbatman wrote:
Johnnie Walker Blue Label is for rich people who have never heard of Google.


Abso-fucking-lutely, man. That's what I've ALWAYS said. Johnnie Walker Blue is for people with way too much money on their hands and not a clue about scotch.


This.
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Smoking_Gnu
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 11, 2014 4:36 pm 
 

Anyone have any recommendations for scotch with a very strong wood/oak flavor, but less/no bourbon flavor? Just not much of a fan of anything aged in bourbon barrels, it would seem...
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Under_Starmere
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 16, 2014 11:18 am 
 

As I've recently been on the hunt for some good but lesser-known sherried scotch, I picked myself up a bottle of the Glendronach 12:

Image

So far it's rather nice but not exactly blowing me away like the Edradour did a good job of. It hasn't got the complexity of the Edradour, but it is rather robust in its flavor, which is warm, spicy, and just all-around pleasant. A very nice choice for a bourbon drinker, I'd say. For a scotch that's been aged exclusively in sherry casks, the taste profile on this doesn't become cloying with sherry notes at all, rather finding a very solid, fused balance with oaky body, dense spice, and warming peachy/apricoty/raisiny sweetness. It's got a nicely lingering finish to it, different from the short dropoff of the Edradour. If this whisky could open up its range of flavors more it'd be a real winner, but so far it's just plain "good." Maybe with some time in the bottle it'll start to reveal itself a bit more.
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Under_Starmere
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 16, 2014 11:22 am 
 

Smoking_Gnu wrote:
Anyone have any recommendations for scotch with a very strong wood/oak flavor, but less/no bourbon flavor? Just not much of a fan of anything aged in bourbon barrels, it would seem...


Try Glenmorangie 10, Longrow Peated, or Springbank 10. The former is on the grassy/oaky side, while the latter two are on the drier, woodier/saltier side without a whole lot of bourbony/vanilla notes.
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