Whiskey is better!

Discussion in 'Food and Drink' started by JoshMorr, Oct 4, 2015.

  1. bazelio

    bazelio Friend

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    Lagavulin 16, Ardbeg Corryvreckan for the win. A teaspoon of water with the latter, though. I also enjoy run of the mill Macallan 12 too, though. The 18 has shot up in price and doesn't seem worth the delta anymore. I've never had the 25, and never cared for the "Fine Oak" series.

    Top right is too sweet for me. The older sherry casks, Glenfarclas etc. In the middle right, the Nectar D'or is a nice desert whisky. And I've found Obans marginally enjoyable.

    Highland Park 25 is the most memorable scotch I've ever tasted. Although the chart doesn't indicate the same, I found it to be absolute liquid caramel that lingered on the palate for days. So good.
     
  2. brencho

    brencho Friend

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    Nice, I just finished an ardbeg that I really enjoyed, and lagavulin is my current favorite. The Ivan is a nice departure from the recent Islay adventures but gotta branch out a bit more soon.
     
  3. porkfriedpork

    porkfriedpork Friend

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    I definitely prefer more flavorful whisky's with lots of complexity. I started drinking
    through the lower right quadrant (dishwater), moved up to the top right (rosewater),
    and got corrupted by the dark side in the upper left (firewater). It's really hard to
    go back to a mild dram after getting to know the Ardbeg Uigedell or Bruichladdich Octamore.

    The second tier from most distillaries tend to be a big step up from the first.
    Ardbeg Uigedell > 10, Laphroig Quarter Cask > 10, Bruicladdich Laddie> Rocks, Aberlour Abunad'h > 10.
    I'm pretty happy with younger whisky too. Adding years adds wood and smoothness but tames
    the dram quite a bit. There's notable exceptions but they're in the HD800 price range.

    If you're new to whisky, get to know all the main expressions before branching out into special editions.
    Special editions tweak the signature in interesting ways, but rarely are a direct upgrade.

    And non-chill filtered, no caramel statements mean they care.
     
  4. GoodEnoughGear

    GoodEnoughGear Evil Dr. Shultz‎

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    I bought two bottles of Port Charlotte PC8, the 8 year old pre-release. It really is fantastic - an even more raw kick than Laphroaig Cask Strength with a popcorn note (weird as that may sound) and the characteristic Bruichladdie/PC foundation. As it oxidises after opening with time, it really develops into something exceptional. I was initially very dubious and am now very glad I bought two and have one stashed away to enjoy later. The PC Heavily Peated aren't landing as well with me to be honest.
    I almost bought the latest Octomore en route through Dubai Duty Free, but couldn't quite justify it.

    If I had to be stuck on a desert island with just one, it would be Lagavulin 12 Cask Strength.

    In general I like whicky peaty and smoky and I like my peat straight up. No offense but that Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez finish crap is well, crap. Way to taint a great whisky...or disguise a mediocre one.
     
  5. brencho

    brencho Friend

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    Out of town friend stopped by for the night, so had a taste of different whiskeys and listened to some music. Fuego.

    IMG_4746.JPG
     
  6. pedalhead

    pedalhead Friend

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    Nice selection. We polished off a bottle of Ardbeg at the recent UK Headfi meet, one of my favourite off the shelf bottles for sure. That Caol Ila is jolly tasty too.
     
  7. TwoEars

    TwoEars Friend

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    @brencho Ohh... a Nikka Coffey Grain Whiskey. That looks interesting, any comment on that one?
     
  8. CEE TEE

    CEE TEE MOT: NITSCH

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    The Nikka Coffey is surprisingly sweet. Pretty nice neat.
    (Coffey is the name of the type of still used, for anyone wondering...)
     
  9. winders

    winders boomer

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    I am a big fan of Ardbeg Uigeadail and Lagavulin 16. A Macallan 12 is great if looking for something a little less involved. Ardbeg Uigeadail for the win though....it's the Yggdrasil of the Single Malt world.
     
    Last edited: Apr 13, 2017
  10. brencho

    brencho Friend

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    yeah man it's quite nice and something different! it also tends to be a less expensive whiskey, which is a nice relief from the pricing trend these days. anyway, i'd say it's a sweet caramely full fruity whiskey... honey and sweet fleshy fruits (like peach or maybe mango or something) and vanilla cinammon sweetness, summer day at the carnaval sweetness. nice departure from my more recent go-tos which tend to be peaty, smokey, salty, herby, etc.
     
  11. brencho

    brencho Friend

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    Agreed! Sweet fruit honey bomb but not super sticky.

    Yeah the Uigeadail is probably my favorite (even looks a bit like Yggrasil when you write it out haha), Lagavulin might be my desert island pick possibly, but I've been really digging the Caol Ila lately.
     
  12. GoodEnoughGear

    GoodEnoughGear Evil Dr. Shultz‎

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    I'm a big Caol Ila fan, but for some reason they don't do the cask strength anymore, which was my favorite. If I had to be marooned on an island, Islay would do just fine :).
     
  13. TwoEars

    TwoEars Friend

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    Nice, I might pick up the Coffey Grain one if I see it. Nice to try something different.
     
  14. CEE TEE

    CEE TEE MOT: NITSCH

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    Maybe the craziest scotch I have ever had a bottle of: Caol Ila 18 yr about 12 years ago. Bacon and smoked meat amongst tons of peat.
     
  15. JeffYoung

    JeffYoung Friend

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    Rare Malts did some great cask-strength Caol Ila bottlings about 15 years ago, but I don't think they're around any more. If you like that style but with a bit more complexity, try a Campbelltown or Port Ellen.

    I love some of the Nikka stuff. The Miyagikyo 15yr is excellent (but the same in 12yr not nearly so good).

    Cheers,
    Jeff.
     
  16. CEE TEE

    CEE TEE MOT: NITSCH

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    Thanks! I don't know the Miyagikyo...
     
  17. GoodEnoughGear

    GoodEnoughGear Evil Dr. Shultz‎

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    I have a handful of 200ml Port Ellens from 2005 to 2007. Beautiful stuff, especially the 2005. Getting bloody pricey now, though :(.

    Lagavulin Cask Strength is lovely too. The 16 is like Prince William and the 12 CS is Prince Harry...less polite and a lot more fun!
     
  18. JeffYoung

    JeffYoung Friend

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    I just did a search on some of the Port Ellens (particularly from Signatory), and boy you weren't kidding. Too pricey for me.

    The best bang-for-the-buck I've ever found is the Glenlivet Nadurra. Totally different from the normal Glenlivet (which I'm not actually much of a fan of), but only a little more money.

    Cheers,
    Jeff.
     
  19. GoodEnoughGear

    GoodEnoughGear Evil Dr. Shultz‎

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    The current Bunnahabhain 12 is very nice too, for reasonable money. Not smokey/peaty but a great improvement over the monotony of many of the unpeated offerings out there.
     
  20. pedalhead

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    Ooh yes Port Ellen is good stuff. I have a 1983 here with sadly not much left in it. Saved that one for my stag do before my wedding...a bunch of sweaty cyclists in a tent swigging vintage Port Ellen...haha.
     

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