# Any Scotch Whisky drinkers out there?



## KingSmono (Mar 10, 2008)

I recently got back from a 2-week trip to Scotland with my father. We were retracing our roots, and spent much time in a tiny town called Buckie, Scotland. Not far from Buckie is the River Spey, which is the water used in many Scotch distilleries. So as you can imagine, there are literally dozens of distilleries in this tiny section of Scotland, all along this river. We went on a tour of the Glenfiddich Distillery, and we also went to the Glenlivet Distillery (which was closed because it was out of season.). The tour of Glenfiddich really made me appreciate all that goes into making a bottle of Scotch! The youngest bottle they have, literally sits on their property undisturbed for a minimum of 12 years... and the oldest is 30 years. (I think they have some rare/limited edition bottles that are older, but for the most part, 30 years is the max.)

It's hard to imagine drinking a bottle of scotch that's older than me! But at Glenfiddich, the Scotch-making process is nearly IDENTICAL to the way their great-great-great-great-great grandfather made it back in the 1800's. They're super-paranoid about changing ANY aspect of the process, for fear that it will change the end-result. So, they still do stuff by hand, and use the same types of wood in all of their tanks, as opposed to using computers to automate the process, and using much longer-lasting stainless steel tanks, etc.

At the end of the tour, we all got a dram of their 12-year old reserve. And since then, I've had a few other types of Scotch. I'm slowly acquiring the taste, and I think I'd eventually like to start a higher-end Scotch collection.

Do you Scotch Connoisseurs have any favorites that you'd recommend to start my collection?


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## monkeyboy (Mar 10, 2008)

I'm not a big drinker but Highland Park is one of my favourites. It's distilled in Orkney. Even the basic 12 year old whisky is very good.


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## Norm (Mar 10, 2008)

Any Scotch whisky is better than the stuff Americans try to pass of as Whisky.  (Ducks and runs)
Norm


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## dulridge (Mar 10, 2008)

The Islay malts are all wonderful!!!!

Especially Port Ellen (Hard to find nowadays and way over $200 a bottle when you do). The nectar of the gods. Impossible to drink to excess as it is so powerfully flavoured. Think Stockholm tar. The distillery has been demolished.

Ardbeg - the most phenolic of the malts
Lagavulin - very nice
Caol Ila - this is truly wonderful stuff and is not as smoky as most Islay malts. The taste is intense, but not nearly as much as Ardbeg. Bites hard the next day if consumed in quantity. Believe me, I know this.
BUNNAHABHAIN (Boo-na-have-n phonetically)- do not buy if less than 15 years old. It seems to smooth out then.

But not everyone likes the Islay malts.

Speyside stuff is more mainstream.

Macallan - it doesn't get any better than this. Heavily sherried, only first fill casks used.

Aberlour is very nice especially the older stuff.

I have a soft spot for old Glen Grants but can't afford them these days.

Glenlivet is nice when it is more than 15years old, not so keen on the younger stuff.

Cardhu is not worth the money IMO

Dufftown Glenlivet varies from horrible to excellent.

Glenmorangie is probably the most heavily marketed brand. It needs to be. Glenmorangie means the "The valley of tranquility" and they did some truly excellent radio ads a year or two ago. Well worth a listen if you can Google them. The whisky is OK, some of the specialty finishes are quite nice. Distilled in Tain.

Any Campbeltown malt is worth a taste - there is only one distillery still operating there, there used to be dozens.

Springbank is likely to be the only one you can find nowadays without spending really silly money.

Talisker - distilled in Jura has its fans. Personally I prefer the Islays but it is worth a swig.


I have had some really excellent Japanese malts but they are more expensive than the Scottish stuff. The good stuff is made by people who learned the trade in Scotland.

The best experience is to get single cask stuff bottled at the strength it came out of the still (i.e., 55-65% alcohol by volume) and add water to taste. I use tap water as ours is very soft and clean and does not normally have a chlorine taint. If your tap water is not soft or is chlorinated, use aerated distilled water or the spring water of your choice as long as it is low in minerals and has a pH below 7. This is important.

The nasty habit of diluting spirits to 40% alcohol is a legacy of the first World War and £$%%£$^&&*^%$ Lord Beaverbrook (Think Citizen Kane). It is also the reason for our arcane licensing laws.

Realistically stuff over 30yr old is a waste of money. It does not continue to improve indefinitely. And at that age $1000 bottles are common. And not worth it.

Take a look at www.smws.co.uk - they have an offshoot in Florida.

PM or email for more information. I live not far from distillery country and if you took the usual route, you went past my parents' house on the way to Speyside.


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## dulridge (Mar 10, 2008)

KingSmono said:


> They're super-paranoid about changing ANY aspect of the process, for fear that it will change the end-result. So, they still do stuff by hand, and use the same types of wood in all of their tanks, as opposed to using computers to automate the process, and using much longer-lasting stainless steel tanks, etc.



There is the famous story of the distillery that got new stills. The master distiller insisted that the same dents be knocked into them as were in the ones they were replacing. With gigantic care, he also moved all the cobwebs to exactly the same place on the new stills.

Sadly, the old malt floors that were the reason for the pagoda tops to characteristic of distilleries, have almost all been closed and just about everyone gets their malt from the maltings at Port Ellen or the huge malting next to RAF Kinloss. Here's a picture of one from Ardbeg. http://www.islaywhiskyclub.com/pages/Ardbeg Distillery_jpg.htm

I have turned malt by hand. It is very heavy and pretty hot work.


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## JasonC8301 (Mar 10, 2008)

Glenlivet 15 year old french oak reserve or their 18 and 21 year old single malts are always on rotation. I go through about a bottle a month or so. I either have them on the rocks or mixed 1:1 with coke.

Macallan is nice too but I only drink that at family events.


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## Retinator (Mar 10, 2008)

Too bad I have such a low tolerance to alcohol, I'm really missing out 

The smell of any of the hard stuff can almost knock me out (burns the nose too).

Me after 1 drink: Mellows right out, maybe a tad happier thannormal

2 drinks - Quiets down, looks around for a corner to curl up in like a cat
3 drinks - I'm headed there

No kidding lol I think I've had 1 full drink (glass of wine) in about 2+ yrs


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## J!m (Mar 10, 2008)

Currently, I'm working on a bottle of Lagavulin 16 year.

The best I've yet had, regardless of price (and you can pay more), is the Balvenie Port Wood 21 year.

I drink these at bottle strength; possibly a drop or two (literally administered with an eye dropper) of water. I agree 100% on water quality as mentioned above.

And, these are not meant to be mixed with anything except ice and/or clean water! There are plenty of low-cost blended whiskeys that blend well with mixers. Using a 'strong' mixer will kill of many of the complexities of a fine whiskey. PLEASE don't do it! (send it to me and I'll replace it with a nice mixing whiskey)

If you want anything that exists, I have a contact in Switzerland that I use. www.smuggler.ch It is all in German; however she speaks English and will ship anything anywhere via DHL. She is sole European importer for many whiskeys that are not found outside of Scotland otherwise...

All this talk is making me thirsty... Another drop of Lagavulin for me please!:welcome:


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## JimmyM (Mar 10, 2008)

I've recently gained an appreciation of proper Scotch. I like the 'livet 21 yo. Nice peat-y taste. I like the slow examination of the complexities of a nice Scotch. I'm new, but enjoy a nice tasting with an experienced afficiando. It's really a learning experience if you want to learn all the ins and outs. It's like tasting fine wine.
I like that you spelled Whisky properly.

Listen to J!m. Don't mix, don't dilute. Until you have the tastes established and know what you're mixing or diluting.
Rocks class, 1 maybe 2 cubes.


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## tygger (Mar 10, 2008)

Cragganmore. My personal favorite. A little peat spice, a hint of honey, not too sweet. Don't have a taste for the Islay "smoky" stuff like Lagavulin. Oban is very good, a little light for my taste. Aberlour is good at 12+ years.


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## 9volt (Mar 10, 2008)

Retinator said:


> Too bad I have such a low tolerance to alcohol, I'm really missing out



You're not missing out, you just get to drink at a discount 

Seriously I'd like to check out some good whiskey too. Is there anywhere to get the stuff online?


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## JimmyM (Mar 10, 2008)

Retinator said:


> Too bad I have such a low tolerance to alcohol, I'm really missing out


You taste Scotch, not swill it. You can enjoy several tastes without consuming a single shot worth.


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## swampgator (Mar 10, 2008)

I tried Scotch recently for the first time. I really want to like it, I do. But it doesn't do anything for me. Give me a good Bourbon anyday.

But the other day I did find myself pricing Scotch. I saw a bottle (can't remember but I think it was a Macallan 30 year) that was $499 for a fifth. I guess anything that's $30 a shot has to be good.


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## JimmyM (Mar 10, 2008)

swampgator said:


> I tried Scotch recently for the first time. I really want to like it, I do. But it doesn't do anything for me. Give me a good Bourbon anyday.
> 
> But the other day I did find myself pricing Scotch. I saw a bottle (can't remember but I think it was a Macallan 30 year) that was $499 for a fifth. I guess anything that's $30 a shot has to be good.


Nothing wrong with good Bourbon. If that's your taste, go woth it. You don't HAVE to like Scotch.
Macallen is nice stuff. $499, I have no idea. I bought a colleage/friend a $160 bottle fo Scotch for his birthday. This was several years ago. I remember the price (!) , but not the brand. He wa impressed, so all was well. Nice guy. $499 is steep. But I was introduced to a Scotch at a resturant that went for $75 a shot. I'm sure there was markup, but that's why a decent bottle of wine goes for $1600 in Vegas.


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## RA40 (Mar 11, 2008)

Used to love SMS's. Something changed for me and now no matter what...I get a headache.  Our regular was pretty mainstream, Highland Park 18YO and Balvenie 21YO Port Wood. 

We enjoy a variety so no preferences, bourbon, cognac, tequila, vodka...if it's fermented...


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## tygger (Mar 11, 2008)

Here's what you do. Take a tumbler and pack it full of ice. Pour in to about half way. Enjoy. Add more ice as necessary. Keep the ice fresh and the scotch will breathe and mellow like a mother. Works especially well for less mature scotch. The trick is to keep it chilled without letting it get watered down.


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## J!m (Mar 11, 2008)

I also enjoy a good bourbon- my current favorite being Woodford Reserve.

Quite a bit less complex than any decent single malt Scotch Whisky; however quite nice, and far less expensive.


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## dulridge (Mar 11, 2008)

tygger said:


> Here's what you do. Take a tumbler and pack it full of ice. Pour in to about half way. Enjoy. Add more ice as necessary. Keep the ice fresh and the scotch will breathe and mellow like a mother. Works especially well for less mature scotch. The trick is to keep it chilled without letting it get watered down.



Ice!!!!

In whisky?

NEVER!!!!!!!!!

Why take away the taste?


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## LuxLuthor (Mar 11, 2008)

Someone needs to say "*Scotch Whiskey*" just so dulridge can have another opportunity to let it rip!  :devil:


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## KingSmono (Mar 11, 2008)

Thanks for all the feedback guys. Some great information here!




dulridge said:


> PM or email for more information. I live not far from distillery country and if you took the usual route, you went past my parents' house on the way to Speyside.


dulridge, thank you for the wealth of information! Seriously! What a great post, and great starting point. We went all along the River Spey, all the way up to the mouth of the Spey (Spey Bay). On our way up to Buckie, we drove through your neck of the woods too! We hired a car in Edinburgh, and drove out to St. Andrews... then up through Dundee and Aberdeen... then we took the road (A94 maybe?) that goes west towards Inverness, and got off at/near Keith and headed north to Buckie. What a gorgeous/scenic drive! But I must say, driving through Dundee and Aberdeen was tricky, not being used to the left side of the road, in a right hand drive vehicle, and having to deal with all the roundabouts! But we quickly got accustomed.




dulridge said:


> There is the famous story of the distillery that got new stills. The master distiller insisted that the same dents be knocked into them as were in the ones they were replacing. With gigantic care, he also moved all the cobwebs to exactly the same place on the new stills.
> 
> Sadly, the old malt floors that were the reason for the pagoda tops to characteristic of distilleries, have almost all been closed and just about everyone gets their malt from the maltings at Port Ellen or the huge malting next to RAF Kinloss. Here's a picture of one from Ardbeg. http://www.islaywhiskyclub.com/pages/Ardbeg Distillery_jpg.htm
> 
> I have turned malt by hand. It is very heavy and pretty hot work.


They told us that story on the Glenfiddich distillery tour!  Very interesting stuff.




J!m said:


> Currently, I'm working on a bottle of Lagavulin 16 year.
> 
> The best I've yet had, regardless of price (and you can pay more), is the Balvenie Port Wood 21 year.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info J!m. I've read good things about the Lagavulin 16! But, I've also read that it's not for Scotch newbies... so I might have to work my way up to it. Also very cool to know about the Swiss Contact! Thanks for the link.




JimmyM said:


> I've recently gained an appreciation of proper Scotch. I like the 'livet 21 yo. Nice peat-y taste. I like the slow examination of the complexities of a nice Scotch. I'm new, but enjoy a nice tasting with an experienced afficiando. It's really a learning experience if you want to learn all the ins and outs. It's like tasting fine wine.
> I like that you spelled Whisky properly.
> 
> Listen to J!m. Don't mix, don't dilute. Until you have the tastes established and know what you're mixing or diluting.
> Rocks class, 1 maybe 2 cubes.


I wish I had a Scotch expert nearby that could show me the ropes.  Unfortunately I don't, so the pressure's on you guys. 




dulridge said:


> Ice!!!!
> 
> In whisky?
> 
> ...


Haha! On the Glenfiddich tour, our guide brought up whether or not water should be added to their Scotch. She said that a few drops of high-quality room-temperature water "opens" up the flavors and scents of the Scotch, and doesn't do it any harm! But she said that ice does the exact opposite... it closes up the Scotch. And then she said if anyone adds Coke to their Scotch, she'll kick them out of the tour!


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## dulridge (Mar 11, 2008)

LuxLuthor said:


> Someone needs to say "*Scotch Whiskey*" just so dulridge can have another opportunity to let it rip!  :devil:



:nana: Whiskey with an "e" is the stuff that comes from cats isn't it? :nana:


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## KingSmono (Mar 11, 2008)

monkeyboy said:


> I'm not a big drinker but Highland Park is one of my favourites. It's distilled in Orkney. Even the basic 12 year old whisky is very good.


Thanks for the link monkeyboy... appreciate it!




Norm said:


> Any Scotch whisky is better than the stuff Americans try to pass of as Whisky.  (Ducks and runs)
> Norm


Haha, no worries here. It's much like our beer... how's the joke go? What's "American Beer have in common with sex on a boat?" ......... If you haven't heard it, I'll let you google the answer.


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## danedel (Mar 11, 2008)

Wish I could get some of anything liberating. Here in Iraq the best I can do is the occasional whisky in a beer can, five kings or something. It has that distinct taste of cheap fruity whisky. 

So feel free to send me anything ;-)


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## KingSmono (Mar 11, 2008)

dulridge said:


> Take a look at www.smws.co.uk - they have an offshoot in Florida.


I'm very excited about this! Here's a link to the American version...

http://www.smwsa.com/

You have to be 25+ to be a member, which means I can join in exactly 1 month from tomorrow.  Man, this could be an expensive hobby though...


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## danedel (Mar 11, 2008)

This is making me very thirsty!


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## tygger (Mar 11, 2008)

KingSmono said:


> Haha! On the Glenfiddich tour, our guide brought up whether or not water should be added to their Scotch. She said that a few drops of high-quality room-temperature water "opens" up the flavors and scents of the Scotch, and doesn't do it any harm! But she said that ice does the exact opposite... it closes up the Scotch.



Thats actually not true. And if your pallet is that sensitive you probably won't want to drink alcohol of any sort, especially not high proof liquor. Its really boils down to personal preference. Yes, good (mellowed) scotch doesn't need anything. But most people drink blends or scotch thats less than 12 years old. With most stuff less than 10-12 years and you're better off packing the tumbler. Does it dilute the taste? Yes. Will you notice? Unless you're a seasoned (not alcoholic mind you) scotch drinker you won't be able to tell. Don't forget, unmellowed scotch isn't cogniac or sherry, drinking it straight can hammer your taste buds so you don't taste anything. And actually, adding a couple of cubes is worse than packing it full and keeping the scotch at that temperature. With only two cubes, the water melts fast and you've got blah. Again, its all about personal preference. Mellowed scotch, add nothing or maybe one cube. Anything premature, pack it and don't let the ice melt. And as always, YMMV. Bottoms up!


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## fxstsb (Mar 12, 2008)

I think my favorite is Glenlevit 18. The one I drink the most is Johnny Walker Green. I woul never buy JW Blue again. Gold is good.


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## fnmag (Mar 12, 2008)

danedel said:


> This is making me very thirsty!


 

danedel, welcome to CPF. Good luck on your search for a good Scotch. 
:welcome:


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## KingSmono (Apr 10, 2008)

Well, I just bought my first "fine" bottle of Scotch. I'm going camping this weekend for my 25th Birthday. I have been thinking more and more that the 25th is kind of a milestone, and I want a really nice Scotch to celebrate it with... one that would make it very memorable! So I picked up an 18 year old bottle of Macallan.  I can't wait to have a dram, but I'll have to wait until the 12th.


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## CLHC (Apr 10, 2008)

_SMS!_ Well, don't know much about them really, but in the past 8/9/10 months this is what I've got on my shelf*** (in no particular order or preference):

36 YO Duncan Taylor Collection Bunnahabhain

30 YO Laphroaig

25 YO Bowmore

25 YO Highland Park

24 YO Scott's Selection Knockando

21 YO Balvenie Portwood

21 YO Auchentoshan

16 YO Lagavulin

15 YO Signatory Vintage Rosebank

15 YO Springbank Campbeltown

15 YO Laphroaig

14 YO Clynelish

That's all for now. More to come. . _."A slow fire makes sweet malt."_ :wave:

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

*** Not including an assortment of Cognacs. :duh2:


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## Coop (Apr 12, 2008)

dulridge said:


> :nana: Whiskey with an "e" is the stuff that comes from cats isn't it? :nana:




Nah, with the 'e' in it is the stuff that you put in your cars windscreen washer...




JasonC8301 said:


> Glenlivet 15 year old french oak reserve or their 18 and 21 year old single malts are always on rotation. I go through about a bottle a month or so. I either have them on the rocks or mixed 1:1 with coke.



that better be the white lines coke, as mixing a single malt with that brown bubbly stuff and/or ice should be punished in a really nasty way :nana:


Anyway, another couple of nice single malts:

The Balvenie Portwood, a bit on the sweet side so very suitable for beginners

Auchentoshen (or something like that), THE single malt for blended Whisky drinkers, it's ok, but nowhere near most other single malts mentioned in this topic.

The Glenlivet 18 y/o, Very nice

Caol Ila 12 y/o, a bit of an aquired taste, but this is one of my favorites, I can't wait to get my mitts on some of the older versions like the 18 or 23 y/o.


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## HighLight (Apr 12, 2008)

I got a cup of Islay scotch from my director at work to use in smoking an atlantic salmon. Not being a scotch drinker I sipped on some and when I saw my director again I said it tasted like "bogwater" (that being the term we use around my neck of the woods for something that doesn't taste that great). He quickly said its suppose to taste that way because its filtered through the bogs on the island of Islay and thats its a very expensive single malt scotch. I quess I put my foot in my mouth again! He liked my smoked salmon though.


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## gjg (Apr 13, 2008)

Dude: No need to go online to get the good stuff - Club Liquor in Menasha has one of the best selections around (probably 75 single malts), and good prices. Ya want a 30 YO The MacCallan? They have it. You may have to sell an organ to afford it, though... But if you just want to try some decent scotch, I have a little 21 YO Balvenie Portwood left, along wih some nice 1991 Signatory Vintage Rosebank, and some 16 YO Isle of Jura (not bad, but not in the same league as the other two). Just give me a call, I'm always up for a run to Club (or Flanagans in Appleton), could use another bottle or maybe a good Irish... (no peat - less complex than Scotch, but still can be good whisky)
gg 




9volt said:


> Seriously I'd like to check out some good whiskey too. Is there anywhere to get the stuff online?


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## dulridge (Apr 13, 2008)

Coop said:


> Caol Ila 12 y/o, a bit of an aquired taste, but this is one of my favorites, I can't wait to get my mitts on some of the older versions like the 18 or 23 y/o.



If you like that, you owe it to yourself to try Port Ellen. However, the price does go against it - the distillery was demolished in the 80's. 

Here it gets as "cheap" as about $300 a bottle, usually $400 and up. Way up. IMO it is worth it and I may add that this is my whisky expenditure for a LOT longer than the bottle will last.

The new Caol Ila seems different to the stuff before the distillery closed in the 80's (It reopened again fairly quickly). I like both and in fact think I prefer the new stuff. Would need to find a horribly expensive old bottle to test this out though.

It is still hard to beat Ardbeg though - even the usual stuff is very nice.

Really old Ardbeg is a very acquired taste but is wonderful stuff.


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## Coop (Apr 13, 2008)

dulridge said:


> If you like that, you owe it to yourself to try Port Ellen. However, the price does go against it - the distillery was demolished in the 80's.




Tried it and liked it... There was a pub down the street from me before I moved, they had a bottle of the stuff... they serve thimbles, just for tasting. The price here is insane though, thats what wit holds me from reccomending it.

Something completely different: I had the pleasure to taste some Cognac a while ago... Remy Martin - Louis XIII which retails here at about 1200 euro a bottle. Nice, but I prefer my single malts


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## KC2IXE (Apr 13, 2008)

This thread is depressing me. Since I got my leg wound last year in May, I've basically been on some sort of narcotic pain killer every day. Needless to say, Scotch and narcotics do NOT mix. And I have some really nice stuff sitting in the cabinet


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## KingSmono (Apr 14, 2008)

KC2IXE said:


> This thread is depressing me. Since I got my leg wound last year in May, I've basically been on some sort of narcotic pain killer every day. Needless to say, Scotch and narcotics do NOT mix. And I have some really nice stuff sitting in the cabinet



Bummer man, sorry to hear it. If you'd like to remove the temptation from your house, I'll PM you my address.......  JK, but hopefully you'll be off the pain killers soon enough to enjoy your collection!


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## KingSmono (Apr 14, 2008)

Coop said:


> that better be the white lines coke, as mixing a single malt with that brown bubbly stuff and/or ice should be punished in a really nasty way :nana:
> 
> Anyway, another couple of nice single malts:
> 
> The Balvenie Portwood, a bit on the sweet side so very suitable for beginners



Hey Coop, what's up man?! I wish I was into Scotch when I came over last year. I'da brought a bottle and we could've had a few drams before/after dinner! But that beer was still amazing... (Palm special or something rather... the Belgium beer...) Sadly, I've not been able to find it over here in the States. 

LOL at the "coke"! I've always heard that ice closes up flavors of the scotch, while plain water opens it up. Well I was reading the Macallan website before opening my bottle of 18 year old Macallan, and I stumbled upon these "serving suggestions." The 3rd suggestion is "with ice" for a more "intense experience of flavors." But I took mine with a splash of water, and it was amazing. I only had two drams, and then put the bottle away for another day. I can't wait until that day... 

Next I want to pick up the 21 year old Balvenie Portwood!


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## chmsam (Apr 14, 2008)

Pick up a copy of Malt Advocate or try to find some back issues. Lots of good information.

As to water and/or ice -- in my experience adding a tiny bit of water can open up flavors and some tasters use a lot of water (up to 50%) to discern what complex flavors are present. That is for tasting purposes as opposed to enjoying a wee dram. Ice tends to numb the taste buds and prevents the complex flavors from being enjoyed. Ice in a single malt is generally a no-no.

Why no ice? Ice cold beer can be refreshing but has nowhere near the flavors of a good cold beer and indeed some beers are supposed to be served between 40 - 50 degrees F. Scotch is better for the senses if served in a "nosing glass" which is sort of like a miniature snifter -- it concentrates the aromas, while the glass is being held the warmth of the hand releases more aromas, and as good as it is to drink, the aromas of scotch single malts are almost as much a pleasure to inhale, and anosing glass lets the true appearance of the single malts to be enjoyed. Hey, why not please all the senses, right? It's also too expensive to swill, so take your time and enjoy it in many different ways.


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## tygger (Apr 29, 2008)

Just saw this story. 



> Ochone! Japanese whisky is voted the best in world
> 
> Like English wine, it has suffered from the taint of inauthenticity and has been the butt of condescending jokes. Now Japanese whisky has finally scotched all criticism by being voted the best in the world, ahead of its Highland rivals.
> 
> ...



http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/article3822531.ece


Has anyone tried Yoichi?


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## KingSmono (Apr 29, 2008)

tygger said:


> Has anyone tried Yoichi?



No, but now I want to...


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## kaichu dento (Dec 31, 2012)

tygger said:


> Has anyone tried Yoichi?


It's time for this thread to come out of hibernation!

I not only tried Yoichi, but everything from an unavailable bottling and my favorite, 10 year, on up to 12, 15 and 20 year. Really like this stuff, but I'll talk more about it in a thread I plan to start soon.

My first taste of Ardbeg 10 and I was hooked, and I think it may be my overall favorite 'If there was only one brand on earth' whisky of choice. The other favorites I have made recently, and in no particular order are the Ardbeg Uigeadail, Lagavulin 16, Laphroaig 10, Laphroaig Quarter Cask. 

Fears of liking ever pricier and older bottles of scotch have been mostly laid to rest as I seem to like bottlings in the 10-12 year range for the most part, although a taste of some 25 year old Port Ellen has me wanting more, particularly for the everlasting fade that was so good that I didn't want to drink anything else for the next 20 minutes while it lingered deliciously. 

Evidently I like the smoky ones and while it took a week or so after buying my first bottle of Laphroaig 10 to get used to and finally like it, it only took one smell for me to fall in love with Ardbeg 10, one taste to swoon, and the afterglow had me for good. Lagavulin 16 is their best and belongs in every liquor cabinet in the world - or at least at the houses I'm welcome in!


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## mcnair55 (Dec 31, 2012)

Glenmorangie is one of my favorites and at xmas was fortunate to be gifted a couple of bottles together with a really good quality glass.I tried Chivas Regal just before xmas as it was on offer at the local Asda and must admit that will be the one I buy myself next time,i really enjoyed.

[h=2]




[/h]Chivas is a blend of many different malt and grain Scotch whiskies, matured for at least 12 years. This rich, smooth blend it balances style with substance and tradition with a modern twist. 
Tasting notes​
Close[h=2]Tasting notes[/h]*Colour*Radiant, warm amber.
[h=3]Nose[/h]An aromatic infusion of wild herbs, heather, honey and orchard fruits.
[h=3]Taste[/h]Rich and fruity, Chivas bursts with the smooth taste of ripe, honeyed apples, and notes of vanilla, hazelnut and butterscotch.
[h=3]Finish[/h]Enjoy the generous, lingering finish.


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## Hesh68 (Dec 31, 2012)

I am not that fond of blends, I have a very nice collection of 12 plus year old scotch's that I started buying in '95. At this time of the year the better scotch's come down in price. I am partial to Glenfiddich 12, 15 & 18 year olds as well as Glenlivet, Glenmorrangie and Langvulin. In fact there are only a couple of names mentioned that I wasnt aware of. Scotch is meant to be consumed with a small amount of spring water, no ice for me, well thats what the distillerys all say on the tours I took.


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## makapuu (Dec 31, 2012)

Wow, you guys make me feel like a novice. I'm just a Crown Royal drinker.
Most of the stuff mentioned I haven't even heard of.
I guess I need to look up what was listed and try them out. :naughty:


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## kaichu dento (Jan 1, 2013)

It never fails to amaze me, the wide range of preferences we all have. I bought a bottle of Glenlivet 12 a few days ago and have decided to give it to one of my friends who mentioned tonight, that it was one of his absolute favorites. No sense in my forcing myself to drink it when they can really enjoy it. 

Can't wait to get my hands on a bottle of good old Ardbeg 10.


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## HighlanderNorth (Jan 2, 2013)

I'd say I am about 80% Scottish, with some German and a little Irish mixed in, but ironically I could never stand the flavor of any Scotch. To be honest, I did quit drinking about 12-14 years ago when I was about 30, not because I was an alcoholic or anything, but because I just grew tired of it. From age 17-30 I'd go out looking for a party or to a bar every Friday and Saturday night, and of course I'd drink. But then it got to the point that alcohol just wasnt making me feel good anymore, it just made me burnt out and gave me a headache. 

But during my drinking days, I went through the premium import beer and microbrewered beer phase starting in 1985 about 8 years before there were any microbreweries around the region, back when 99% of the liquor stores didnt even carry any microbrews or even a decent selection of imports. This was when some people would give you a funny look for drinking beer that wasnt mass produced and well known! Then I went through a French/Italian/Australian/regional wine phase, while still in the premium beer phase. I did drink 'some' whiskey and liquors, but usually mixed as in a gin/tonic or tequila in a margarita, but I could never 'develop' a taste for Scotch. I did occasionally drink shots and chase them with something. I liked Yukon Jack and Southern Comfort, but it became to sweet. I liked Gran Marnier and certain brandies. Sometimes a Jack D and coke was Ok, but when it came to hard alcohol it was mostly mixed drinks made with gin, tequila or vodka. 

But then I quit


***Oh yeah, anyone ever try a Rob Roy? I bought one at an older restaurant once just out of curiosity, as its an old-time drink, and it was the worst tasting drink I've ever had! Its a mixed drink, but its very strong because its just a mixtures of like 3 different hard liquors with nothing to dilute it.


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## kaichu dento (Jan 2, 2013)

Took me a week to adjust to my first bottle of Laphroaig 10, but once I did I was hooked. Picked up a bottle of Lagavulin 16 last month and had two of my friends hooked on it at the first tasting.


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## kaichu dento (Feb 3, 2013)

A couple of favorite single malts from Scotland in the middle, a very expensive, and already sold out 35 year Japanese blend and a couple bottles of Bowmore 18 on the right.


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## 0volts (Feb 3, 2013)

I too am relatively new to the Scotch world, so far Laphroaig 10 is by far my favorite. Ardbeg is also excellent as is Glenmorangie. The Islay malts tend to be my favorites, but for some reason Bowmore has a certain "funk" that I cant get used to. For anyone who hasn't tried Laphroaig, I strongly encourage you to do so, its reasonably priced (around $45 in my area) and there is nothing else out there quite like it.


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## kaichu dento (Feb 3, 2013)

Since I like Laphroaig 10 and Ardbeg as well I think I'll be needing to give Glenmorangie a try. 

Bowmore for me, at least the 18, is a little softer and more complex than I like, and I've only tried a few single malts older than 10 years
that I've liked. Particularly Lagavulin 16 and Port Ellen 25. 

One of my friends liked the Bowmore 18, but hated my Ardbeg 10, so the two tastes may be incompatible.


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## Stream (Feb 4, 2013)

I'm not much of a drinker, but I find The Talisman to be pretty smooth.


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## kaichu dento (Aug 31, 2013)

Been mostly drinking Ardbeg 10 and Corryvreckan lately, along with Yamazaki 12. 

How about some pics? I'll get some up here as soon as I get them together.


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## DUQ (Sep 1, 2013)

I've been sipping on a bottle of *Double Wood 12yr old by The Balvenie*. It's really smooth with a hint of smoke. I'm not a fan of the super smokey and loaded with peat ones such as Langvulin, it's possible that my 40yr old palette has not matured enough to appreciate it.

I also have a bottle of *Johnnie Walker Black* that i finally got my mother in-law to give up after sitting in a cabinet for 25 years.


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## Chauncey Gardiner (Sep 1, 2013)

Brown liquor is a tool of the devil, that's why I only drink vodka, tequila, rum, wine, or beer. Oh, and an occasional Mikes Hard Lemonade. I don't know what the heck that stuffs made from.......and Kahlua, in my coffee or with milk on the rocks. Oops, forgot Cointreau. I like it with pretty much everything.

~ Chance


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## Solid Lifters (Sep 2, 2013)

The Macallan fan here!


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## kaichu dento (Sep 2, 2013)

DUQ said:


> I've been sipping on a bottle of *Double Wood 12yr old by The Balvenie*. It's really smooth with a hint of smoke. I'm not a fan of the super smokey and loaded with peat ones such as Langvulin, it's possible that my 40yr old palette has not matured enough to appreciate it.
> 
> I also have a bottle of *Johnnie Walker Black* that i finally got my mother in-law to give up after sitting in a cabinet for 25 years.


Lagavulin 12 and 16 are both on my short list of favorites, but so is the DoubleWood.

If you like Johnnie Walker you may be want to find a bottle of the Green Label and the Double Black.


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## Launch Mini (Sep 3, 2013)

Might as well chime in too.
I just finished a bottle of Glenlivet 18 year old. That was a great bottle.
Another , reasonably priced one , I really enjoy is Glenmorangie - 12 Year Old Quinta Ruban Port Cask Finish. 

My daughters B/R bought me a bottle of Ardbeg - Uigeadail for my birthday this year. Very smooth and peaty. 

For me, I prefer it neat. No Ice, No water.


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## mccririck (Sep 3, 2013)

Old Pulteney is good.

http://www.somersetwhisky.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/OPLogo.jpg

*Image tags removed see Rule #3 Do not Hot Link images. Please host on an image site, Imageshack or similar and repost – Thanks Norm*

Northernmost distillery on the mainland.


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## kaichu dento (Sep 4, 2013)

Launch Mini said:


> My daughters B/R bought me a bottle of Ardbeg - Uigeadail for my birthday this year. Very smooth and peaty.
> 
> For me, I prefer it neat. No Ice, No water.


If you like the Uigeadail, you'll probably flip over the Corryvreckan. I don't even replace my Uigeadail anymore, although it still tastes fine. The Corryvreckan gives me all of what I enjoy about Uigeadail in spades.


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## JeffInChi (Sep 13, 2013)

chmsam said:


> Pick up a copy of Malt Advocate or try to find some back issues. Lots of good information.
> 
> As to water and/or ice -- in my experience adding a tiny bit of water can open up flavors and some tasters use a lot of water (up to 50%) to discern what complex flavors are present. That is for tasting purposes as opposed to enjoying a wee dram. Ice tends to numb the taste buds and prevents the complex flavors from being enjoyed. Ice in a single malt is generally a no-no.


 
I'll echo this, but sometimes if you add a teaspoon of water, it'll lessen the heat and open up. 

For someone reading this and interested in "getting into" scotch, i have a solid recommendation. it is light and pleasant, Auchentoshan. Try it neat first, add a little water if its too much. Drink slow. Taste. Wait. Repeat. Enjoy.


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## KC2IXE (Sep 23, 2013)

Recently been drinking some 1988 single cask signatory bottling of Highland Park, and a nice 17 Old Pultenty. Had a nice peated Talisker at a friends place 2 weeks ago I loved


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## KC2IXE (Sep 23, 2013)

mccririck said:


> Old Pulteney is good.
> 
> http://www.somersetwhisky.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/OPLogo.jpg
> 
> ...


Got a bottle while I was in London (royal mile whisky was 2 blocks from the hotel). I like


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## Kestrel (Sep 23, 2013)

Norm said:


> Any Scotch whisky is better than the stuff Americans try to pass of as Whisky.  (Ducks and runs)
> Norm



Hey, wait a minute - my 'Ban' button is disabled ... Norm!! 
Seriously though, we just finished a bottle of Basil Haydens which is the finest domestic spirit I've ever had.

And I have one more drink left of Talisker but instead of finishing that off we're currently working through a bottle of Jameson (Irish Whiskey) instead.
Oops ... :banned:


BTW, if anybody is interested, there is also a well-aged thread on this topic over at the CPF/MP Wine-Cheese-Cigar Saloon:
Scotch Recommendations


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## kaichu dento (Sep 24, 2013)

DUQ said:


> I've been sipping on a bottle of *Double Wood 12yr old by The Balvenie*. It's really smooth with a hint of smoke. I'm not a fan of the super smokey and loaded with peat ones such as Lagavulin, it's possible that my 40yr old palette has not matured enough to appreciate it.
> 
> I also have a bottle of *Johnnie Walker Black* that i finally got my mother in-law to give up after sitting in a cabinet for 25 years.


I picked up a bottle of DoubleWood a couple weeks ago and it just keeps growing on me more and more.

Think I'll go home and have a sip.

If you like the Black, you may want to try and find the Double Black and Green, both of which I think are pretty good - particularly the Green.


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## DUQ (Sep 25, 2013)

kaichu dento said:


> I picked up a bottle of DoubleWood a couple weeks ago and it just keeps growing on me more and more.
> 
> Think I'll go home and have a sip.
> 
> If you like the Black, you may want to try and find the Double Black and Green, both of which I think are pretty good - particularly the Green.



Glad to hear you like it. Lately I've been hitting my bottle of bourbon that I brought back from my trip down to Pennsylvania/West Virginia in July. 
I think I'll clean up a few bottles of scotch that are almost empty to make room for new stuff


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## Solid Lifters (Sep 25, 2013)

Norm said:


> Any Scotch whisky is better than the stuff Americans try to pass of as Whisky.  (Ducks and runs)
> Norm



You clearly haven't tried this stuff (beats scotch by leaps and bounds!). 

Basil Hayden's


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## Norm (Sep 25, 2013)

Solid Lifters said:


> You clearly haven't tried this stuff (beats scotch by leaps and bounds!).
> 
> Basil Hayden's



The point is I do not like bourbon style whiskey, I'm sure if the Americans tried to make a Whisky in the Scotch style, I'm sure they could, just as Asahi has in Japan has done.

Norm


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## Chauncey Gardiner (Sep 26, 2013)

Norm said:


> The point is I do not like bourbon style whiskey, :buddies: I'm sure if the Americans tried to make a Whisky in the Scotch style, :drunk: I'm sure they could, just as Asahi has in Japan has done. :sleepy:
> 
> Norm



Me thinks our buddy Norm had a few before posting.

~ Chance :laughing:


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## kaichu dento (Sep 26, 2013)

Solid Lifters said:


> You clearly haven't tried this stuff (beats scotch by leaps and bounds!).
> 
> Basil Hayden's


You clearly haven't tried many scotches. I like Booker's and have been through several bottles in the last year, but the Basil Hayden's was a big disappointment.

Now back on topic, had a friend over last night who doesn't care for any whisky take an immediate liking to Ardbeg Corryvreckan.


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## Solid Lifters (Sep 27, 2013)

kaichu dento said:


> You clearly haven't tried many scotches. I like Booker's and have been through several bottles in the last year, but the Basil Hayden's was a big disappointment.
> 
> Now back on topic, had a friend over last night who doesn't care for any whisky take an immediate liking to Ardbeg Corryvreckan.



I've had plenty. Bourbon beats it by far. 

I do like some scotches, though. The Macallan I posted earlier, for example, is my favorite. 

Basil Hayden's has what I want from a fine bourbon. Wintergreen, wood, caramel, spice and smooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooothness. 

But, to each their own.


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## JemR (Sep 27, 2013)

I'm currently enjoying two bottles of The Balvenie. The Signature (Batch #5) and the DoubleWood. And a bottle of Aberlour (not all at once). I am liking the Signature most. It may have been mentioned before but, for anyone new to malts the “Malt Flavour Maps” are charts (axis diagrams??) that may help give you a little idea of what you might like. After years of dedicated research, rich and delicate is more to my taste.


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## kaichu dento (Sep 27, 2013)

Solid Lifters said:


> I've had plenty. Bourbon beats it by far.
> 
> But, to each their own.


You remind me of a guy I met last month who had tried every scotch on earth and hated the stuff, then went on to say that when he was in Scotland he'd gone into a place that had the best stuff on earth and that was really worth drinking.

In other words he hadn't tried everything and not liked it because what he had in that store too, was scotch.

Bottom line, as you said is to each his own, but when it comes to matters of preference, it's impossible to have a unanimous 'best' and when it comes to this thread, it's about scotch. 

Bourbon's good too, but deserves it's own thread.


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## selfbuilt (Jul 19, 2015)

Just thought I'd resurrect this thread with a link to my new whisky/whiskey analysis and review site: http://whiskyanalysis.com/

In particular, you may enjoy going through the whisky database, which tracks a properly-constructed metacritic score (based on statistical normalization), broken down along whisky flavour profiles (based on a cluster analysis of expert review flavour component descriptors).

Don't worry, there won't be a math quiz.  You can find a plain-language explanation of how to explore the databse here.

My goal is really to help people identify possible whiskies they may want to try, based on their existing preferences. Or if you want to venture further afield into styles you haven't tried, to start with whiskies that are well regarded.

Cheers! :wave:


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## bestellen (Jul 21, 2015)

I'm a big fan of Makers Mark bourbon. I dont know enough about scotch / whiskey as i do about beers or wine to really enjoy them as i should...


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## kaichu dento (Jul 23, 2015)

Any Lagavulin 16 fans out there should definitely keep their eyes open for the 12 and Distiller's Editions - both incredible, especially the 12!


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## Mr Floppy (Jul 23, 2015)

kaichu dento said:


> Any Lagavulin 16 fans out there should definitely keep their eyes open for the 12 and Distiller's Editions - both incredible, especially the 12!



I am not so keen on the distillers edition. Only tried it the once though.


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## thomas_sti_red (Jul 23, 2015)

Definitely a fan of Lagavulin. 
Was on vacation in Scotland last month and bought an Aberfeldy 12y and 19y at the brewery. Very nice too. Even my wife likes the 12 and she's no whiskey drinker normally.


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## kaichu dento (Jul 23, 2015)

Mr Floppy said:


> I am not so keen on the distillers edition. Only tried it the once though.


I didn't like it all the first time I had it, or the 12 for that matter, but I've noticed that many great scotches that I hadn't liked a couple years ago now hit my senses differently than when I first started getting interested in them.

Another one I didn't like at first: Caol Ila 12! Now one of my favorites too.

Got a bottle of Laphroaig Cairdeas and it tastes like a Lagavulin more than a Laphroaig, very much like the 12, but with a notably different finish.

I've got many scotches I love, but only a few which have something magical to them and the Lagavulin 12 now joins Bunnahabhain 18 and Ichiro's Wine Wood Reserve. (I know Japanese whisky can't legally be called scotch, but really that's what most of them are)


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## RedLED (Jul 23, 2015)

Once you uncork and break the seal from a new bottle, how long does it last. I don't drink scotch, however we have a full bar at the house for our guests. We can make anything you wish. 

But I never know how they last before they go bad and I don't want to serve stale liquor. 

I was was married at St. Andrews in Scotland and we did our wedding photo on the Royal and ancient golf course! and the people were so nice they loved it. Hope to go back soon and bring scotches for out bar for people to enjoy. 

Thank you,

NR


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## kaichu dento (Jul 23, 2015)

Wine goes bad but not whisky and some of my bottles of scotch have already been open for 3 years with no change.


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## Kestrel (Jul 23, 2015)

kaichu dento said:


> Wine goes bad but not whisky and some of my bottles of scotch have already been open for 3 years with no change.


Unfortunately, my opened bottles of scotch do seem to change; the level goes down on a regular basis. :mecry:


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## Chauncey Gardiner (Jul 23, 2015)

From Ron White's comedy show, You Can't Fix Stupid ~ 

"Somebody asked what I was drinking. If the company that made the stuff I was drinking was paying me, I'd have it in their bottle and not mine. But it's the kind of scotch that people drink that are going to die penniless. It's good though!" 

~ Chance


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## martinaee (Jul 26, 2015)

Does whiskey in general have a shorter life once it's uncorked? It's got a lot of alcohol so germs aren't exactly going to affect it right? And doesn't it just get better with age? Or is that when it's still sealed for the long term? I got into drinking a bit of whiskey over the last few years, but don't drink a liter very fast. I can't drink it really to get tipsy or drunk-- I prefer beer for that generally-- but I do like the taste watered down a bit or in something like milk. I haven't had anything "expensive" but something like Bulleit I've had and is pretty good in my limited opinion. I've tried the rye and bourbon versions.


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## Str8stroke (Jul 26, 2015)

I have some Whiskeys that have been open for years and still taste excellent. Now, I am not a big drinker, I was in my youth. 

I honestly don't ever remember trying scotch. I was Whiskey and Wine only. Sometimes a beer or two.


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## magellan (Jul 26, 2015)

JeffInChi said:


> I'll echo this, but sometimes if you add a teaspoon of water, it'll lessen the heat and open up.
> 
> For someone reading this and interested in "getting into" scotch, i have a solid recommendation. it is light and pleasant, Auchentoshan. Try it neat first, add a little water if its too much. Drink slow. Taste. Wait. Repeat. Enjoy.



Yes, a great Lowland malt as compared to the heavier highland and Islays.


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## magellan (Jul 26, 2015)

kaichu dento said:


> Wine goes bad but not whisky and some of my bottles of scotch have already been open for 3 years with no change.



A mostly full bottle can last for many years. But for a bottle that's 75-80% gone or more, the rule there is to go ahead and drink up as it will eventually go flat.


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## magellan (Jul 26, 2015)

Kestrel said:


> Hey, wait a minute - my 'Ban' button is disabled ... Norm!!
> Seriously though, we just finished a bottle of Basil Haydens which is the finest domestic spirit I've ever had.
> 
> And I have one more drink left of Talisker but instead of finishing that off we're currently working through a bottle of Jameson (Irish Whiskey) instead.
> ...



Jameson is certainly one of the greats. In general, Irish whiskies are triple distilled so are lighter than Scotch whiskies. There are exceptions; Glenmorangie is a Highland single that is triple distilled.

If you liked Hayden's try to find a bottle of Bib & Tucker.


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## magellan (Jul 26, 2015)

kaichu dento said:


> I didn't like it all the first time I had it, or the 12 for that matter, but I've noticed that many great scotches that I hadn't liked a couple years ago now hit my senses differently than when I first started getting interested in them.
> 
> Another one I didn't like at first: Caol Ila 12! Now one of my favorites too.
> 
> ...



Right! Well, Caol Isla is not exactly for beginners.


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## kaichu dento (Jul 30, 2015)

magellan said:


> Jameson is certainly one of the greats. In general, Irish whiskies are triple distilled so are lighter than Scotch whiskies. There are exceptions; Glenmorangie is a Highland single that is triple distilled.
> 
> If you liked Hayden's try to find a bottle of Bib & Tucker.


Be cautious when reading any of our recommendations. I've never liked anything from Glrenmorangie and have tried many of them, and other than a single older Jameson not cared for them either. The only Irish bottling I recall liking so far was a limited edition Connemara that I had a few years back.


magellan said:


> Right! Well, Caol Isla is not exactly for beginners.


Caol Ila and all other stronger bottlings from Islay are just fine for beginners, especially with the right approach, which is to not have even the first sip until the senses have become acquainted with the spirit through the nose first.


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## magellan (Jul 30, 2015)

You would give a complete newbie Caol Ila? LOL! I hope you explained it first and how it differs from other malts.

Anyway, despite what you say, there is in fact a good reason Caol Ila isn't considered a beginner's malt by experts. That's because even for an Islay Caol Ila is considered a rather eccentric malt because of it's dual nature. It is in fact considered the most schizoid of all malts, with the phenolic and "burnt plastic" aspect of a Laphroaig (which many people find unpleasant) but the fruitiness and sweetness of a Longmorn, Little Mill, Dallas Dhu, Glenfarclas 108, or the famous Scapa 1965 (obviously more pleasant). This is why it is considered an unusual and even somewhat forbidding malt and not appropriate for beginners.

Some versions by the various independent bottlers may be more approachable to the neophyte than the standard distillery issue. There was a very atypical one, it might have been a Whyte & Whyte bottling, that was relatively tame for a Caol Isla. But that was almost 30 years ago and I haven't seen anything quite like it since.


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## magellan (Jul 30, 2015)

kaichu dento said:


> Be cautious when reading any of our recommendations. I've never liked anything from Glrenmorangie and have tried many of them, and other than a single older Jameson not cared for them either. The only Irish bottling I recall liking so far was a limited edition Connemara that I had a few years back.
> Caol Ila and all other stronger bottlings from Islay are just fine for beginners, especially with the right approach, which is to not have even the first sip until the senses have become acquainted with the spirit through the nose first.




As far as Glenmorangie goes, you're probably referring to their wood finish of the month approach. But for decades the regular Glenmorangie 12 yr. distillery issue was the most common single malt ordered in bars in Scotland, which includes drinkers who normally prefer the blends. It is very much a typical, middle of the road highland malt without any unusual or extreme qualities. It is a good medium-bodied medium-intensity malt made in average sized pot stills. Its style is more elegant and balanced rather than intense, heavy, or of unusual character such as the Islays or some of the northeast malts. While not my favorite malt the average whisky drinker as well as myself finds it perfectly drinkable and there really isn't much to dislike there.

For me it's not a matter of liking or not liking a particular whisky as I have very broad tastes; it has more to do with appreciating the whisky's unique qualities as well as its being an example of a particular style or region. If it's well made I'll drink pretty much anything.


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## magellan (Jul 30, 2015)

kaichu dento said:


> Be cautious when reading any of our recommendations. I've never liked anything from Glrenmorangie and have tried many of them, and other than a single older Jameson not cared for them either. The only Irish bottling I recall liking so far was a limited edition Connemara that I had a few years back.
> Caol Ila and all other stronger bottlings from Islay are just fine for beginners, especially with the right approach, which is to not have even the first sip until the senses have become acquainted with the spirit through the nose first.



If you in general don't like Irish whiskies you might be reacting to the typical oily character which is rarer in single malt scotches with the occasional exception of singles like Talisker, which has a similar oiliness. Do you like Talisker? If not that might be it.


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## kaichu dento (Jul 30, 2015)

magellan said:


> You would give a complete newbie Caol Ila? LOL! I hope you explained it first and how it differs from other malts.


I've found that even some first time scotch tasters will like anything I have without any care taken to approach, but especially with my Islay offerings I'll tell them not to taste an Ardbeg/Laphraig/Lagavulin/Caol Ila until they've spent enough time just getting used to the smell of it that their senses understand a bit about what they're being introduced to.
Works 99% of the time, and then some people just aren't going to like them anyway.



magellan said:


> As far as Glenmorangie goes, you're probably referring to their wood finish of the month approach.


I don't remember ll the titles but I see a lot of them at airport tastings and have had them in one of the stores I go to. Having tried time and again my senses keep telling me that they're not for me, and who am I to argue.
If one day I find some enjoyment in them then I'll be happy but for now, still on my ignore list, as there are so many I do enjoy.



magellan said:


> If you in general don't like Irish whiskies you might be reacting to the typical oily character which is rarer in single malt scotches with the occasional exception of singles like Talisker, which has a similar oiliness. Do you like Talisker? If not that might be it.


I've tried Talisker 10 several times and haven't cared for it, but the Talisker 18 sits in my collection as it has for the past year now.


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## magellan (Jul 30, 2015)

The Talisker 10 also has a peppery quality and flavor which some people find off-putting, but there are people who will drink none other.

It's been a long time since I tried the 18-year so I'm not sure I'm remembering it accurately, but if I remember right it is toned down considerably from the 10-year, as extra aging on the Islays tends to do. The Islays tend to get more restrained and darker, but also more integrated and more refined with age, but then I don't go to the more intense Islays for the Scotch equivalent of a French Burgundy or Bordeaux. This is why I don't think paying the extra money for the higher ages in the Islays is worth it. I drink them for their intensity and often idiosyncratic character and because I want a good kick in the seat of the pants. LOL

As always, though, there are exceptions. The advanced ages for Bowmore such as the 18 and 21-year are really wonderful and are more worth the extra freight. The famous Bowmore Black was almost like cognac but it was a $700 bottle when I tried it 20 years ago with friends and I have no idea if it's still available or what the price would be now.

One oddity I had one time was a 5-year old McCallan which in the typical 12-year version is a fairly well behaved highland malt as you no doubt know. But this 5-year which isn't publically available made the 10-year Laphroaig or even the old Cadenhead barrel-strength Ardbeg look tame despite the lack of peat. At that age it was more like grappa or Marc de Bourgogne (basically the French version of grappa--pretty raucous stuff ).


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## magellan (Jul 30, 2015)

kaichu dento said:


> I've found that even some first time scotch tasters will like anything I have without any care taken to approach, but especially with my Islay offerings I'll tell them not to taste an Ardbeg/Laphraig/Lagavulin/Caol Ila until they've spent enough time just getting used to the smell of it that their senses understand a bit about what they're being introduced to.
> Works 99% of the time, and then some people just aren't going to like them anyway.



You might be able to get them to taste it, but they're not going to go out and buy a bottle of it. There's a reason the Islays have the reputation they do, which goes back hundreds of years now. It's not for no reason that they're considered strong men's drinks and not for the faint-hearted, and that the vast majority of Scotch drinkers don't favor them. That includes women. For most people if they do drink them they started with other more approachable malts, except for a small percentage of CWN's ("crazed whisky nuts") for whom it wasn't more of a learning process.


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## selfbuilt (Jul 30, 2015)

I have a page my whisky site describing how I like to do tastings: http://whiskyanalysis.com/index.php/background/hosting-a-whisky-tasting/

While it is a good idea to start with more delicate (but good quality) whiskies, it is indeed important to take your time nosing a whisky before sampling. And I always recommend people hold the first sip in their mouths for several seconds (swishing a bit, if possible) before swallowing - and not trying to ascertain flavours until the second sip. Your really need to cleanse the palate before you can experience the full range of flavours. Rushing the nosing/initial taste is probably the biggest mistake newcomers make.


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## kaichu dento (Jul 30, 2015)

magellan said:


> You might be able to get them to taste it, but they're not going to go out and buy a bottle of it. There's a reason the Islays have the reputation they do, which goes back hundreds of years now. It's not for no reason that they're considered strong men's drinks and not for the faint-hearted, and that the vast majority of Scotch drinkers don't favor them. That includes women.


We're going to have to agree to disagree on this whole area of what 'other people' can or can't handle, or even like. Your points are well taken, but there is more than a little urban-myth type of opinion in it and my experiences say otherwise. 
You may be a whisky pro and I may be not, but whatever experiences I've had with quiet get-togethers tell me that the rhetoric of 'strong men's drinks' is completely founded on nothing more than emotional content and not reality. 
Let's not allow this to turn into an argument over whether anyone can drink Islays and just let them try for themselves using the manner described below in Selfbuilts post.

I'll just close with this for now.
When I met my girlfriend I handed her my glass of Ardbeg 10 and she said it smelled so good she almost drank it, and her not being a scotch drinker. A few weeks later I let her sample some Lagavulin and she was amazed at how delicious it was.
Both Islay scotches very often considered to tough for all but the bravest, and yet, they are in all reality, much more than that.


selfbuilt said:


> I have a page my whisky site describing how I like to do tastings: http://whiskyanalysis.com/index.php/background/hosting-a-whisky-tasting/
> 
> While it is a good idea to start with more delicate (but good quality) whiskies, it is indeed important to take your time nosing a whisky before sampling. And I always recommend people hold the first sip in their mouths for several seconds (swishing a bit, if possible) before swallowing - and not trying to ascertain flavours until the second sip. Your really need to cleanse the palate before you can experience the full range of flavours. Rushing the nosing/initial taste is probably the biggest mistake newcomers make.


The one difference here between what I've been doing, and which I plan to start doing, is your point about placing more importance on the second sip. 

I'd love to have both you guys over to enjoy my roomful of scotches if you were ever up this way! I've also a bottle of Laphroaig Cairdeas (cairdeas = friendship, rapport, kindred spirits) that would be in the middle of the fray!


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## magellan (Jul 30, 2015)

If you've had such success introducing beginning scotch drinkers to the Islays then you deserve credit for being a truly fine scotch ambassador. Most were not as successful as you.

But there's no doubt the Islays in recent decades have received more attention, which is all to the good. The Islays developed a bit of a cache starting in the late 80s and continuing into the 90s and beyond because of their reputation for being extreme malts at a time when consumers were looking for something different. The single malt revolution brought wide attention and even fame to many previously obscure malts, including the Islays. A rising tide floats all boats. So as I said there's no doubt even the Islays benefitted by that, and that more people tried them who might not have otherwise.

I can tell you a funny story. Back in 1981 before the scotch awakening in this country I had the interesting experience of sitting in a pub on the south end of Loch Lomond, and asking the bartender for a shot of Laphroaig. I was 30 but looked much younger and the bartender was a Scots gentleman probably in his mid 50s, but anyway, he politely refused to serve it to me and instead poured me some Royal Lochnagar, saying he could do much better than the Laphroaig. Well, the Royal Lochnagar was a perfectly fine Scotch but still not what I wanted. No doubt he thought I was some young, inexperienced American who didn't know what he was asking for and was trying to spare me an unpleasant experience. 

The situation for the Islays has certainly improved since then, but at the time his attitude wasn't unusual, and yet this was a Scottish pub and a Scottish bartender. LOL

Anyway, it's been fun discussing the ins and outs of single malts. I wish you the best of luck with your scotch tasting whatever dram you happen to choose.

Almost forgot, whereabouts do you live?


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## magellan (Jul 30, 2015)

selfbuilt said:


> I have a page my whisky site describing how I like to do tastings: http://whiskyanalysis.com/index.php/background/hosting-a-whisky-tasting/
> 
> While it is a good idea to start with more delicate (but good quality) whiskies, it is indeed important to take your time nosing a whisky before sampling. And I always recommend people hold the first sip in their mouths for several seconds (swishing a bit, if possible) before swallowing - and not trying to ascertain flavours until the second sip. Your really need to cleanse the palate before you can experience the full range of flavours. Rushing the nosing/initial taste is probably the biggest mistake newcomers make.



I read your detailed article on doing a tasting. Some great info and advice there.

Just a minor technical aside. You briefly discussed Canadian whiskies and I was interested that a special glass had been developed for them, based on the assumption that they're drunk with ice. That could be. In any case, Canadian whiskies are very different from scotch or bourbon in that stainless steel cylindrical triple column rectifiers are used to distill the mash rather than a copper pot still, which produces a very different malt which could probably benefit from having its own specially designed glass.


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## Launch Mini (Jul 30, 2015)

Reading all these posts has enticed to hit my liquor cabinet tonight for a glass of gods nectar . Will try the Bunnahabhain 25 year tonight.


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## selfbuilt (Jul 30, 2015)

kaichu dento said:


> The one difference here between what I've been doing, and which I plan to start doing, is your point about placing more importance on the second sip.


Yeah, I learned that tip in my first structured tasting, and it really stuck with me. I've since noticed that experienced whisky drinkers never comment on taste after just one sip - they always wait to the second or third try before saying anything about palate. I try to apply that on every new whisky I try. 



magellan said:


> In any case, Canadian whiskies are very different from scotch or bourbon in that stainless steel cylindrical triple column rectifiers are used to distill the mash rather than a copper pot still, which produces a very different malt which could probably benefit from having its own specially designed glass.


Yeah, I don't get into the differences in process among jurisdictions very much (although I do provide some links for further reading here: http://whiskyanalysis.com/index.php/introduction-main-page/how-whisky-is-made/). Davin de Kergommeaux's site has a lot of great info on Canadian methods.

Although it's true that most Canadian whisky is column-distilled, there is still plenty of pot-distilled product in the better quality blends - although I warrant most of the mass-produced stuff is probably mainly column-distilled. Of course, technically, I suspect one could argue most Scottish whisky is also column-distilled (i.e., only ~10% of sales are single malts, the rest being blends composed mainly of column-distilled grain whisky with lower proportions of pot-distilled malt whisky). But the relative ratio is presumably more skewed to column-distilled in Canada.

The different processes across jurisdictions are interesting, as they likely explain a lot of the different taste/feel of the final products, as you observe. Our use of "grain bills" for example (i.e., typically most grains are distilled separately and then mixed before aging in Canada, AFAIK). This differs from the more common mash bills for bourbon (i.e., blending the grains before distillation), and the blending after barrel aging for scotches. And of course, our common use of low ABV rye whisky to "flavour" higher ABV base whiskies gives a very signature flavour here. Personally, I'm glad to see more "straight" rye whiskies coming on the market, as they are distinctive.

At the end of the day though, the higher-end blends (which we don't export)  tend to be produced by blending different stocks produced using high-quality methods. There are plenty of really good whiskies here, but you generally have to come to Canada to try them.


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## magellan (Jul 31, 2015)

Thanks, will check that link out.

Yes, I was referring to the traditional major brands. For boutique Canadian whisky I know there's been some interesting developments there. I'm not up to date on those since I don't follow Canadian whiskey as much as I do other distilled spirits but I'd love to come to Canada to try some of the ones that don't get exported some day. It's a great time for spirits affianados as there is so much going on. On a trip to some of the Caribbean islands a couple of years ago I found many rums that don't get exported to the U.S. I'd heard about these for years but hadn't been able to try some of them until then.

Speaking of interesting developments in whiskey here's one in the U.S. that's worth a look:

http://www.haliimailedistilling.com/paniolo-whiskey

They're located on Maui and I had the pleasure of attending the grand opening of their new facility and taking the tour of the distillery a few months ago and getting to talk with the master distiller. I didn't recognize some of the equipment and it turned out the master distiller there personally designed much of it and had it custom built to his specifications. They use pineapple distillate to make vodka and a bourbon whiskey. They also make a rum.


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## magellan (Jul 31, 2015)

Haven't tried an old Bunnahabvain like the 25 year in a while. I'd be interested in your impression.


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## kaichu dento (Jul 31, 2015)

magellan said:


> If you've had such success introducing beginning scotch drinkers to the Islays then you deserve credit for being a truly fine scotch ambassador. Most were not as successful as you.


I mostly noticed how much a difference it made for me and especially how some people would recoil immediately at the smell, but after a few minutes their nose got used to it and prepared the palate for what we already know to be elixir once the senses have prepared themselves.



> I can tell you a funny story. Back in 1981 before the scotch awakening in this country I had the interesting experience of sitting in a pub on the south end of Loch Lomond, and asking the bartender for a shot of Laphroaig. I was 30 but looked much younger and the bartender was a Scots gentleman probably in his mid 50s, but anyway, he politely refused to serve it to me and instead poured me some Royal Lochnagar, saying he could do much better than the Laphroaig. Well, the Royal Lochnagar was a perfectly fine Scotch but still not what I wanted. No doubt he thought I was some young, inexperienced American who didn't know what he was asking for and was trying to spare me an unpleasant experience.


My first Laphroaig experience came in the form of a purchased bottle that did not sit well with me for about three days. Then inexplicably I grew to love it, as I also do the Quarter Cask.

Come on up to Alaska and check out my collection! (Bring lights)



Launch Mini said:


> Reading all these posts has enticed to hit my liquor cabinet tonight for a glass of gods nectar . Will try the Bunnahabhain 25 year tonight.


I'm in love with both the Bunnahabhain 12 and 18. The 25 must be heavenly.


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## magellan (Jul 31, 2015)

kaichu dento said:


> You clearly haven't tried many scotches. I like Booker's and have been through several bottles in the last year, but the Basil Hayden's was a big disappointment.
> 
> Now back on topic, had a friend over last night who doesn't care for any whisky take an immediate liking to Ardbeg Corryvreckan.



Just noticed your comment on the Hayden's going thru some of the previous posts.

I've always felt the same way about the Basil Hayden and have always been puzzled by its positioning in the market as a super premium bourbon because I didn't find the finished product justified the extra cost.

I think part of my problem is I'm not a big fan of lighter bodied and lighter flavored spirits of any kind and that includes bourbon. But there is no doubt it's still a legitimate bourbon style even if it's not to my liking, ranging from cheaper examples like Early Times and Rebel Yell (which are perfectly fine gven their price point) to intermediate premium price examples like the Woodford Reserve, or the somewhat cheaper Jim Beam 8-yr. black label or the 103 proof Fighting ****, to the super premiums like Hayden's.


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## kaichu dento (Jul 31, 2015)

magellan said:


> Just noticed your comment on the Hayden's going thru some of the previous posts.
> 
> I've always felt the same way about the Basil Hayden and have always been puzzled by its positioning in the market as a super premium bourbon.
> 
> I think part of my problem is I'm not a big fan of lighter bodied and lighter flavored spirits of any kind and that includes bourbon. But there is no doubt it's still a legitimate bourbon style even if it's not to my liking, ranging from cheaper examples like Early Times and Rebel Yell (which are perfectly fine gven their price point) to intermediate premium price examples like the Woodford Reserve, or even the Jim Beam 8-yr. black label, to the super premiums like Hayden's.


After realizing I was a scotch fan more than a bourbon fan I had the opportunity to try Basil Hayden's again as one of my friends favorites and liked it much more than that initial bottle when we were drinking a wide variety of bourbons regularly. Had some Booker's again yesterday and still think it pretty good.

Nice to see you mention my favorite cheap bourbon, the Jim Beam Black, although I gave my last bottle away as it was gathering dust next to the scotches.


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## magellan (Jul 31, 2015)

The Booker's is truly wonderful stuff. I wish I'd saved one of the few bottlings that came in at over 130 proof.

The Jim Beam black label is very nice but unfortunately much less common in the U.S. than the white label.

Interestingly, despite their popularity, the Jim Beam white and black label don't have a typical bourbon flavor profile, which have a wine-like flavor and character that none of the other bourbons has.

Sometimes bourbons can be just as wild, weird, woolly, and wacky as single malt scotch. 

However, no one can match the venerable Queen of England in that regard. It's said she likes to lace her claret with Scotch, thereby ruining two of the world's greatest drinks. :eeksign:


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## selfbuilt (Jul 31, 2015)

magellan said:


> Yes, I was referring to the traditional major brands. For boutique Canadian whisky I know there's been some interesting developments there. I'm not up to date on those since I don't follow Canadian whiskey as much as I do other distilled spirits but I'd love to come to Canada to try some of the ones that don't get exported some day.


Interestingly, there is not as much of a craft industry in Canada. While there are some newer, small distilleries, most of the high-quality Canadian whisky is actually made by the major brands. They just make very little of it, proportionately speaking.

It took me awhile to figure this out. I have to admit to being initially biased against Canadian whiskies - precisely because I am Canadian.  My initial experience with the cheap stuff was a turn-off, and it was hard to believe these same distilleries could be making excellent quality products. But things like the Crown Royal Special Reserve, Gibson's 18 yo, and Wiser's Legacy, are eye-opening compared to the base expressions they sell.

I did an analysis of LCBO inventory in one of my blog commentaries, and noted that over 96% of the production of these major distillers goes into their entry-level expressions (at least in Ontario). So while it can be hard to find a bottle of the good stuff mentioned above, it is worth it (i.e., maybe 1 in 10 LCBO outlets within 30 kms of my house carry any of the above mentioned 3 expressions, whereas they all have tons of the cheap stuff).



kaichu dento said:


> I mostly noticed how much a difference it made for me and especially how some people would recoil immediately at the smell, but after a few minutes their nose got used to it and prepared the palate for what we already know to be elixir once the senses have prepared themselves.
> My first Laphroaig experience came in the form of a purchased bottle that did not sit well with me for about three days. Then inexplicably I grew to love it, as I also do the Quarter Cask.


That's a really good point - I should probably give them even longer to get used to the smell. My approach to date has been to save those for the end (i.e., the Lagavullin 16 yo is the last bottle to come out for the evening). 

As an aside, I've never really managed to come around to enjoying the Laphroaigs. I still prefer the Ardmore/Talisker style for the lighter peat, or the Lagavulin for the full-blown flavour experience. It's too bad, since the Quarter Cask is probably the best relative deal at the LCBO (i.e., cheaper than the 10 yo, and only a few dollars more than the entry level Bowmore).


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## magellan (Jul 31, 2015)

<<Interestingly, there is not as much of a craft industry in Canada. While there are some newer, small distilleries, most of the high-quality Canadian whisky is actually made by the major brands. They just make very little of it, proportionately speaking.>>

Interesting. The situation is a bit different here in the U.S. as the craft breweries and distilling operations have succeeded beyond anyone's expectation. Either way, though, I'd love to sample them on my next trip to Canada which is coming up in the fall. We're getting to several places including the P.E.I.

I know what you mean about the cheaper whiskies which can be a bit harsh but the premium ones you mentioned can be very nice too. The cheaper American whiskies such as Early Times or Rebel Yell aren't really that harsh; they just lack enough true bourbon character in my humble opinion. My view is that since what distinguishes bourbon compared to other distilled spirits like cognac, scotch, rum, etc., is its emphasis on the darker fruits: i.e., prunes, plums, raisins, peaches, stewed fruit, etc., those flavors should be at least as noticeable in a bourbon as the vanilla imparted by the charred oak or the cereal grain maltiness which is pretty much universal among distilled grain spirits.

This is also why I'm not big on several of the more premium bourbons like the Woodford Reserve or Basil Hayden's; especially in the case of the Woodford most of what you get is a fairly clean tasting bourbon with a few perhaps interesting but weak top notes but a lot of vanilla, but the other favors are just not up to snuff. It's the same with the Basil Hayden's, just with less aggressive up front vanilla flavor. If you're paying that kind of money I just think you should get more true bourbon character. Others mileage may vary.

This is why I like the Blanton's, still a lighter bourbon (although getting very close to a medium one if not actually) but it has much more flavor and character. At the same price point as the Woodford there's Knob Creek which is more fully flavored and is excellent.


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## magellan (Jul 31, 2015)

selfbuilt said:


> Interestingly, there is not as much of a craft industry in Canada. While there are some newer, small distilleries, most of the high-quality Canadian whisky is actually made by the major brands. They just make very little of it, proportionately speaking.
> 
> It took me awhile to figure this out. I have to admit to being initially biased against Canadian whiskies - precisely because I am Canadian.  My initial experience with the cheap stuff was a turn-off, and it was hard to believe these same distilleries could be making excellent quality products. But things like the Crown Royal Special Reserve, Gibson's 18 yo, and Wiser's Legacy, are eye-opening compared to the base expressions they sell.
> 
> ...





selfbuilt said:


> Interestingly, there is not as much of a craft industry in Canada. While there are some newer, small distilleries, most of the high-quality Canadian whisky is actually made by the major brands. They just make very little of it, proportionately speaking.
> 
> It took me awhile to figure this out. I have to admit to being initially biased against Canadian whiskies - precisely because I am Canadian.  My initial experience with the cheap stuff was a turn-off, and it was hard to believe these same distilleries could be making excellent quality products. But things like the Crown Royal Special Reserve, Gibson's 18 yo, and Wiser's Legacy, are eye-opening compared to the base expressions they sell.
> 
> ...



Interesting analysis you did there. It sounds like the high end whiskies are hard to find in Canada. Can you order online and have it shipped in without paying an arm a leg in import duties?

I was fortunate to live for 30 years only 20 minutes from the store in California with the largest spirits inventory outside of N.Y. city, which was a great help to my education.

About Laphroaig. Yeah, basically a bit of a one-horse show. It's sort of the Kardashian or Paris Hilton of the single malts, famous for being famous. I prefer the other Islays myself, or the Campbell towns which are second cousin to the Islays.

What does LCBO stand for? Licensed Canadian Booze Outlet?


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## Launch Mini (Jul 31, 2015)

kaichu dento said:


> I mostly noticed how much a difference it made for me and especially how some people would recoil immediately at the smell, but after a few minutes their nose got used to it and prepared the palate for what we already know to be elixir once the senses have prepared themselves.
> 
> My first Laphroaig experience came in the form of a purchased bottle that did not sit well with me for about three days. Then inexplicably I grew to love it, as I also do the Quarter Cask.
> 
> ...



The 25 year is amazing. So many flavors. I received as a gift for 25 years of service at my office. As good as it is it s not my all time favorite 
I'm terrible a describing tastes. 

I've only shared it with friends who appreciate a good glass of scotch. 

Smooth is an understatement.


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## magellan (Aug 1, 2015)

I read your article on analyzing and categorizing whiskies. Nice job on that. The book sounds good. I should probably read it.


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## selfbuilt (Aug 1, 2015)

magellan said:


> Interesting analysis you did there. It sounds like the high end whiskies are hard to find in Canada. Can you order online and have it shipped in without paying an arm a leg in import duties?
> What does LCBO stand for? Licensed Canadian Booze Outlet?


Liquor Control Board of Ontario, which makes it pretty clear that they hold the provincial state's monopoly on liquor sales (outside of beer - which oddly has a private monopolistic entity in the province). While you could get a bottle sent from one LCBO outlet to another, in practice this is highly dependent on the mood of the individual clerks approached at each outlet.  Virtually impossible to get something out of province in Canada (unless you order a case, and then will have nasty fees imposed). And as for international, well, the current additional duty fee on a single 700-750mL bottle of whisky is ~$80-90 right now (on top of the retail price of the bottle, of course). And you have no choice but to go through the LCBO (i.e., can't order privately). In any case, almost academic - most international sellers won't even consider dealing with the LCBO, so shipping to Ontario is not even an option (even if you were willing to pay the ridiculous markup).

That said, if you are up this way, they can have pretty decent selection to choose from at the larger outlets - in the late fall, when gearing up for holiday sales. 



magellan said:


> I read your article on analyzing and categorizing whiskies. Nice job on that. The book sounds good. I should probably read it.


Thanks, glad you liked the site. :wave:

While back on the topic of scotches specifically, any fans of Auchentoshan out there? The base 12 yo expression goes over very well with everyone who tries it at my house (and was also one of my early favourites when starting out). Can't say I go for it much anymore, but I always thought this one was under-rated by people.


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## magellan (Aug 1, 2015)

Sure, Auchentoshan is considered the archetypal Lowland, along with Rosebank. It was always the first lowland I introduced new whisky buffs to at tastings because of it's very balanced and integrated character. 

My other two fave lowlands were Littlemill, which was notable for it's cocoanut and vanilla flavors and overall very sweet and fruity character. I've seen bottles of Littlemill that you could literally pour over ice cream (I've done it, fun stuff ) like you could one of the sweeter bourbons. Littlemill could have quite an expressive range, though; check out the tasting notes on various bottlings by this reviewer who seems to have a pretty perceptive palate:

http://www.maltmadness.com/whisky/littlemill.html

Then there was Bladnoch, which has a very lemony, lemon-grass, citrus-like taste. As I considered those more "specialist" type lowland malts I would often follow the Auchentoshan with those. The point was to demonstrate that the lowlands could be almost as individualistic and eccentric as the weirder Islays such as Caol Ila since the lowlands usually don't get as much attention as the other regions.

Note I said "almost" because in general the lowlands are traditionally considered softer and more approachable than the other regions. But they're an important part of a good tasting. You progress from the lowlands to the highlands and other regions and finally to the Islays. The lowlands are more well behaved; you start there and then end up with the Islays where you're in psycho-freakshow territory.  Usually the Caol Ila or one of the "liquid peat" Ardbegs was the last malt on the list. For a while I used a Cadenhead barrel strength Ardbeg at around 120 proof that was ridiculous; it tasted like heavily peated shoe or nail polish, until it ran out. I've seen died in the wool Islay drinkers almost spit it out and not be able to finish a shot. A tasting can be a lot of fun if set up right. 

Now before anyone says anything of course there are always the exceptions and limitations to the geographic approach as you have noted in your blog. The classic examples of that are Bruichladdich and Bunnahabhain which are not typical Islays and are more like southern highland or even lowland malts. Most of the Islay lovers I've given those to who had never tried them before were disappointed. On the other hand, they liked the Springbank and Highland Park which although Campbelltown and Orkney malts respectively are basically second cousin to the Islays. They even liked a Clynelish which I mixed 50-50 with a Longmorn better (the favorite concoction of the late, great Victorian connoisseur, Professor Saintsbury--who am I to disagree with the professor?) LOL


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## kaichu dento (Aug 4, 2015)

selfbuilt said:


> ...things like the Crown Royal Special Reserve...are eye-opening compared to the base expressions they sell.
> 
> My approach to date has been to save those for the end (i.e., the Lagavullin 16 yo is the last bottle to come out for the evening).


Crown Royal Reserve is the only non-scotch type whisky I keep on hand anymore. As one of my friends said a couple years ago, "that stuff is dangerously drinkable!".

The other night we had a three Lagavulin session which was a lot of fun and if you get the chance to pick up the 12 year, got for it with no hesitation!



Launch Mini said:


> The 25 year is amazing. So many flavors. I received as a gift for 25 years of service at my office. As good as it is it s not my all time favorite
> I'm terrible a describing tastes.
> 
> I've only shared it with friends who appreciate a good glass of scotch.
> ...


Hmmm, I feel I just got to share in the experience. I'll be on the lookout for it if I'm ever lucky enough to find it in a scotch bar.



magellan said:


> The classic examples of that are Bruichladdich and Bunnahabhain which are not typical Islays...


I sure like some of the Bruichladdich that I've had the chance to try and have a 10 right now, but that Bunnahabhain 18 is one of the most enigmatic scotches in my range of experience. Sublime, magical...


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## selfbuilt (Aug 4, 2015)

kaichu dento said:


> Crown Royal Reserve is the only non-scotch type whisky I keep on hand anymore. As one of my friends said a couple years ago, "that stuff is dangerously drinkable!".


Yes, Crown appears to have dropped the "special" part from the label in recent years, but it is the same stuff (i.e. CR Special Reserve = CR Reserve). It's definitely a bit confusing with all the variants they have released over the years, but this is one of the highest ranked Crown Royal's in my database. I note the LCBO still has it labelled as "special reserve".



> The other night we had a three Lagavulin session which was a lot of fun and if you get the chance to pick up the 12 year, got for it with no hesitation!


Yes, I've heard good things about all three - and all score well in my database (but the 16 yo seems to remain the crowd favourite). So far, I've only tried the 16yo and Distiller's Edition (and prefer the 16 yo myself), but will keep my eyes open for the 12!


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## kaichu dento (Aug 6, 2015)

selfbuilt said:


> Yes, Crown appears to have dropped the "special" part from the label in recent years, but it is the same stuff (i.e. CR Special Reserve = CR Reserve). It's definitely a bit confusing with all the variants they have released over the years, but this is one of the highest ranked Crown Royal's in my database. I note the LCBO still has it labelled as "special reserve".
> 
> 
> Yes, I've heard good things about all three - and all score well in my database (but the 16 yo seems to remain the crowd favourite). So far, I've only tried the 16yo and Distiller's Edition (and prefer then 16 yo myself), but will keep my eyes open for the 12!


Crown Black was my first experience of actually finding a whisky that tasted good, and the start of my new pastime. My two favorite Crown Royals are Reserve, and then the very difficult to find Cask No. 16, which I'll probably never see again. 

Funny thing with the Lagavulins, I didn't care either for the 12 or the Distiller's Edition when I first tried them, even though I loved the 16 right from the start. Having tried all three (and the Lagavulin-like Laphroaig Cairdeas) at the same tasting, it was apparent that as good as they all were, there was something very special about the 12 putting it in special company in my experiences, along with Bunnahabhain 18, TirNaNog 18, Port Ellen 25 (Signatory Vintage), Ardbeg Corryvreckan, Ichiro's Malt Wine Wood Reserve, Macallan 16, and, get ready for it, Glenfiddich Special Old Reserve. 

I hope you can post up sometime about your views of the Lagavulin 12 to see if you find it to be as good as I do.


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## magellan (Aug 8, 2015)

Nothing wrong with the Glenfiddich. They don't get much respect these days as it's considered a beginner's malt, but they were the first single malt to widely advertise in the attempt to attract new buyers and to convert drinkers of blends. This goes all the way back to the 1920s and the industry thought they were crazy at the time, but it worked. The whole industry really owes them a debt as they were the first to show it could be done. Until then the singles were considered too esoteric for most palates, not to mention expensive.


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## magellan (Aug 10, 2015)

Jameson's was mentioned a while back and I just had the opportunity to try the 12 and 18 yr. last night. It had been years since I'd had either of them. The 12 yr. was actually the better whisky in my opinion for the price as it was more complex and had more character. Noteworthy were favors of butter brickle, English toffee, and vanilla. The 18 yr. was smoother as might be expected, but the aforementioned flavors were gone, replaced by a mandarin orange or perhaps orange peel flavor, but that was all. Nice smooth finish but just too one-dimensional and not as interesting and fully flavored as the 12.


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## magellan (Aug 10, 2015)

Just tried the Dead Guy Whisky from the Rogue brewery and distillery in Oregon, more famous for their beer. This isn't a bourbon as it's made from barley malt. I just looked up the web site and they had the info below. I would only add that it has a light smokiness, similar to Glen Garioch (although the GG is a much smokier style) and a hint of herbalness, reminiscent of the highland malt, Cragganmore. 


Rogue’s Dead Guy family has a whole new spirit—Dead Guy Whiskey is distilled from the same three malts as Rogue's Platinum medal-winning Dead Guy Ale. Dead Guy Whiskey, ocean-aged by both the Pacific Ocean and nearby Yaquina Bay.


TASTING NOTES: 
Dead Guy Whiskey has a fresh orange citrus aroma with a delicately sweet, rich malt complex. Medium-bodied, flavors of oak and honey give way to a clean vanilla finish.
7 INGREDIENTS:
2-Row, Maier Munich, C15 & Rogue Farms Dare and Risk Malts; Rogue's Proprietary Pacman Yeast & Free Range Coastal Water.
Proof: 80Available Sizes: 750ml


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## magellan (Aug 10, 2015)

Forgot to say that they don't mention if they use any peat or otherwise smoke the malted barley. I suspect the cost of buying and importing peat would be prohibitive, so it could come from some other way of smoking the malt, but I really don't know. The smoke flavor is not that strong. I don't find the orange citrus aroma they mention follows through that strongly on the palate, but the vanilla finish is certainly there. My industrial microbiology is a little rusty at this point, but it's possible the smokiness comes from the non-enzymatic browning process common in beer malt production.

I like to mix it 1 part in 4 with another American whisky, the Corsair Triple Smoke (cherry, beechwood, and peat) to add a little more smokiness. I've found mixing it 50/50 overpowers the somewhat delicate nose and palate of the Rogue but it does sorta give you an American version of the classic smoky style Glen Garioch without the phenolic "burnt plastic" character of some of the Islays. Unfortunately the classic pure smoky style is much rarer these days than 150 years ago.


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## selfbuilt (Aug 11, 2015)

I did a scotch single malt whisky overview on my YouTube channel - giving examples of what I consider good value expressions in each of the major super clusters (as explained on my whiskyanalysis.com site).



Not quite what my subscribers expected, but most seem to be rolling with it.


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## magellan (Aug 12, 2015)

Nice.

The Highland Park is one of my favorites. Have you tried the 18 yr? Very different from the 12.


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## selfbuilt (Aug 12, 2015)

magellan said:


> The Highland Park is one of my favorites. Have you tried the 18 yr? Very different from the 12.


Yes, fabulous whisky the HP 18 yo. And very distinctive - actually sits in the middle of the winey/smokey flavour scale, which is extremely unusual for such a complex whisky.

Unfortunately, also rather pricey at ~$200 here at the LCBO. The 12 yo is about a third the cost, which is why I picked it up. Sort of the poor man's 18 yo  (although I warrant it doesn't match the sherry-ness of the 18 yo, or its complexity). If I could only have one whisky in my cabinet, the HP 18 yo would be a top contender!


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## magellan (Aug 12, 2015)

Yowser, $200 is pretty steep.

Great whiskey, though. The 12 yr. is often considered the greatest all rounder in the scotch world because it has a bit of everything. And the 18 yr. is wonderful too.


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## kaichu dento (Aug 17, 2015)

Not much concern on my part what others think and I make my own decisions what tastes good to me. I don't care for Glenfiddich in general although the aforementioned Special Old Reserve is one of my favorites and while I absolutely love the HP 18, the 12 is just another scotch, which although I have it in my collection, could easily find itself replaced with a good number of others.

As with all things, there are no 'bests', just 'personal bests' and I'd say it's best to make ones own decisions.


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## broadgage (Aug 18, 2015)

Retinator said:


> Too bad I have such a low tolerance to alcohol, I'm really missing out
> The smell of any of the hard stuff can almost knock me out (burns the nose too).
> Me after 1 drink: Mellows right out, maybe a tad happier than normal
> 2 drinks - Quiets down, looks around for a corner to curl up in like a cat
> ...



No need to miss out at all, just be cautious and take whisky or other strong drink in very modest volumes.


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## bestellen (Sep 3, 2015)

I like Glenmorangie, and I like Jamiesons. I don't like Bells and I'm not that keen on Jack Daniels.

My favourite supermarket whisky is Islay 10 year old single malt which I think is only available at Asda (not certain)..

There may be better brands, but I haven't finished trying 'em all ye


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## selfbuilt (Dec 9, 2015)

Given the holidays coming up, I thought I'd bring this thread back up - and plans for special purchases/gifts? :santa:

I've given out my list for friends and family (although I've emphasized gift cards for our state-run liquor stores, as easier to consolidate for a few nice bottles that way). I've also posted a holiday gift guide on my whiskyanalysis.com website. Basically, I've pulled out of my whisky database the highest scoring whiskies that have reasonable availability where I live - broken down by flavour class (with an emphasis on single malts).


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## martinaee (Dec 9, 2015)

I don't drink much and when I do usually it's just a beer or two, but I do have a bottle of Bulleit bourbon and I've tried their rye version as well. I think honestly my favorite thing about whiskey even more than having a little sip sometimes is smelling it. I don't really like to drink hard liquor ever to get tipsy/drunk so it's usually just to sip and enjoy the taste.

A question though for those really into it and willing to spend crazy cash on it: Do you find some of the really high end whiskeys/bourbons are objectively "better" than a lot of the more inexpensive ones or is that you just can't get the same tastes that you can out of whiskeys that have gone through careful selections, processes, and aging? I've only had what I guess it the low end pricing wise so I'm just curious.


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## smokinbasser (Dec 10, 2015)

Aberlour is my current scotch in my bar but like Irish whiskys it's fun finding how many different scotches there are out there


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## kaichu dento (Dec 12, 2015)

Balvenie 15 and 17 are my two favorites out of their lineup. Very different, both excellent.


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## wacbzz (Dec 12, 2015)

Love the whiskyanalysis.com site! I cannot wait to get deeper into it...

I prefer most Islay's over all any day of the week; the smokey peat monsters are for me, where it's at. In general, Ardbeg>Laphroaig>Bunnahabhain>Lagavulin. The only thing that I dislike about scotch in general is that there is no real tasting; one must certainly purchase a bottle to determine if it is right for you and then if you don't really care for it...well, you're really SOL!


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## CLHC (Dec 12, 2015)

A small sampling of my household "bar."





On said Whiskey/Whisky/Scotch, I mostly post on M4C, USN and AS for the individual bottle acquired. Of course not shown, Vodka.

Enjoy!


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## kaichu dento (Dec 12, 2015)

wacbzz said:


> I prefer most Islay's overall any day of the week...The only thing that I dislike about scotch in general is that there is no real tasting; one must certainly purchase a bottle to determine if it is right for you...


Caol Ila too! I've only had the 12 so far, but it's different enough from the others to merit a place on the shelf.

Keep your eyes open for scotch tastings and check with your better liquor stores. If they think there's enough interest they'll put one on. The ones I've been to have been anywhere from $40 to $100. You get to try some new stuff without having to buy a bottle and also meet others with the same interests.

Lagavulin, try to find the 12, it's far and away their best!


CLHC said:


> A small sampling of my household "bar."


One of the best!

I see some Yamazaki and Hakushu back there too! I guess you've already had the Hibiki 12, but if you can get your hands on the 17, go for it!


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## CLHC (Dec 13, 2015)

kaichu dento said:


> I see some Yamazaki and Hakushu back there too! I guess you've already had the *Hibiki* 12, but *if you can get your hands on the 17*, go for it!


Some really nice "Whisky" from the Land of the Rising Sun. Two (2) of my fellow co-workers have the Hibiki 17, 21, and 30 Year Olds. Now I've got to get over to their place for a sip! :drunk:


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## kaichu dento (Dec 13, 2015)

CLHC said:


> Some really nice "Whisky" from the Land of the Rising Sun. Two (2) of my fellow co-workers have the Hibiki 17, 21, and 30 Year Olds. Now I've got to get over to their place for a sip! :drunk:


I think the Hibiki 21 is the only one of the lineup that I don't like so it'll be interesting to hear your take on it. 

The 30 is predictably good, which you would hope for at $1,000 a bottle, but the 17 is excellent and affordable, if you happen to be over there. In fact it costs about the same as you pay for the 12 over here.

If you're in Japan and can get over to the Osaka/Kyoto area, the Yamazaki distillery is right in between and very easy to get to. The various components of the Hibiki series are available for tasting and the mizunara is so good, makes you wish it was available by itself, which unfortunately it's not.

Hakushu distillery is the exact opposite of Yamazaki, being at least an hour of fast walking to get there from the closest train station, but really worth the visit.

Make sure and post back here after your tasting session!


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## GLHunter (Dec 23, 2015)

J&B, or JW black label for me.

Aside from scotch whisky, I prefer Canadian whisky to American whiskey... Bourbon is just not on my drinking list.


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## kaichu dento (Dec 26, 2015)

GLHunter said:


> J&B, or JW black label for me.
> 
> Aside from scotch whisky, I prefer Canadian whisky to American whiskey... Bourbon is just not on my drinking list.


If you like the Black Label I'd suggest springing for a bottle of the Double Black Label next time around.

I'm with you on the Canadian whisky and Crown Reserve is the only non-scotch that I try to keep around.


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## selfbuilt (Dec 26, 2015)

kaichu dento said:


> I'm with you on the Canadian whisky and Crown Reserve is the only non-scotch that I try to keep around.


Good choice, ties for second place in my reviewer database for a crown royal expression - along with the new Harvest Rye. Monarch (aka 75th Anniversary) still takes the top CR spot. Haven't had the reserve yet, but just got a bottle of Monarch - will try it out soon. Gibson's 18, Forty Creek Confederation Oak, and Wiser's Legacy all still score higher (and all are great, IMO).

Still like a nice single malt though ... 

_Edit: Tried out the CR Monarch tonight, and it is really nice. Would score a little below the Gibson's 18, but definitely the best CR I've had. _


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## CLHC (Dec 27, 2015)

kaichu dento said:


> Make sure and post back here after your tasting session!



Well, I arrived late to my friend's gathering because of work (_we're ongoing 25 hours a day 8 days a week 13 months a year_) and unfortunately my friend's Grandfather and Father really enjoyed the bottles of 21 and 30 Year Olds. Oh, well. Here's to the next go 'round.


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## kaichu dento (Dec 30, 2015)

selfbuilt said:


> Good choice, ties for second place in my reviewer database for a crown royal expression - along with the new Harvest Rye. Monarch (aka 75th Anniversary) still takes the top CR spot. Haven't had the reserve yet, but just got a bottle of Monarch - will try it out soon. Gibson's 18, Forty Creek Confederation Oak, and Wiser's Legacy all still score higher (and all are great, IMO).
> 
> Still like a nice single malt though ...
> 
> _Edit: Tried out the CR Monarch tonight, and it is really nice. Would score a little below the Gibson's 18, but definitely the best CR I've had. _


You like the Monarch better than Cask No. 16 and XR? If that's the case then I'm going to pick up a bottle. I think you'll like the Reserve and I buy it almost as a sentimental thing. My first experience of 'liking' a whisky was with Crown Black but since I like the Reserve better, I always keep one on hand.

Almost all of my collection is made up of single malts and there are probably very few if any locations around the world who would have everything that I have managed to gather together. Makes me hesitant to drink them by myself, so lately I've mostly been only touching the HP 12 or 18 and Balvenie Golden Cask or 17.

My favorite to pull lately when sharing has been the Laphroaig Cairdeas 2014.


CLHC said:


> Well, I arrived late to my friend's gathering because of work (_we're ongoing 25 hours a day 8 days a week 13 months a year_) and unfortunately my friend's Grandfather and Father really enjoyed the bottles of 21 and 30 Year Olds. Oh, well. Here's to the next go 'round.


Well here's a toast your way and I hope you can make it to the next one!


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## Archangel72 (Dec 30, 2015)

Jeez I did not even know this thread was here..

I love Scotch
particular to the smokey peaty stuff

what I have and or love
Ardbeg ( best bang for buck I feel ) 
Highland parks 12 and 15
Lagavulin 16 yr and distillers edition ( My absolute favorite Yes I like it better than JW blue because I can buy this at nearly 3 to 1 )
Laphroig ( Ugh so many different bottles )
I think I have 3 of the different cask strengths lot 003 004 and 006?
10 year is always open and flowing
select
Cairdeas 2015
18 year old
triple wood
quarter cask
Balvenie single barrel 12 and 15
cragganmore 12 year
johnnie walker red and double black ( MISS the blue I had have not replaced it probably wont too many others to taste and enjoy )
Talisker storm
Talisker 10 year
Cardhu
Bowmore 12 year
And I had but gave away after one dram ( Octomore 6.1 ) I was disappointed in it and wanted to share


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## selfbuilt (Dec 30, 2015)

kaichu dento said:


> You like the Monarch better than Cask No. 16 and XR? If that's the case then I'm going to pick up a bottle.


Haven't tried those two, since they are not carried by the LCBO (I'm limited to the state-controlled liquor agency in my province). But the meta-analysis review scores on my site pretty clearly favour the Monarch over everything else by Crown Royal. Incidentally, Whisky Advocate (Davin de Kergommeaux) named it the top Canadian whisky pick this year.



Archangel72 said:


> particular to the smokey peaty stuff


I'll say - you've covered the bases there pretty well! Not a big peat fan personally, but I like them as a special occasional dram (e.g. Lagavulin 16, Ardbeg Uigeadail), or for something lighter but smoky (e.g. Talisker 10, Ardmore Traditional Cask, etc.).

UPDATE: I'm also a big fan of Highland Park, all editions.


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## Andi Licious (Dec 30, 2015)

I'm on Highland Park. 12 year old. And a cigar.


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## kaichu dento (Jan 2, 2016)

Archangel72 said:


> what I have and or love
> Ardbeg ( best bang for buck I feel )
> Highland parks 12 and 15
> Lagavulin 16 yr and distillers edition ( My absolute favorite Yes I like it better than JW blue because I can buy this at nearly 3 to 1 )
> ...


Get a bottle of the Lagavulin 12! I've got all three and it is really that much more special. My Cairdeas is 2014 so I don't know if it's true for all of them but mine tastes like a Lagavulin!

I'd like to find that Single Cask 12 and Highland Park 15 but have never seen them yet.


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## CLHC (Jan 2, 2016)

Archangel72 said:


> Jeez I did not even know this thread was here..
> 
> I love Scotch
> particular to the smokey peaty stuff
> ...



Almost similar here. 

Ardberg, yes. For me the ones I've had and enjoy[ed]: Corryvreckan, Uigeadail, and the 10 Year Old

Highland Park: 12, 15, and 18 Year Olds

Lagavulin 16, can't get enough of this one!

Laphroaig 15, 18, and 30 Year Old with the latter being the "Best" in my opinion. That bottle only lasted an evening. That's what happens when you bring it to a SMS (Single Malt Scotch) Party.

Balvenie, pretty much anything from this Distillery but the Portwood 21 Year Old is my favorite.

Bowmore 15, 17, and 18 Year Olds.

Ahhh, so many Single Malt Scotches out there so little time. . ._air do shlàinte_!


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## kaichu dento (Jan 3, 2016)

selfbuilt said:


> ...meta-analysis review scores on my site pretty clearly favour the Monarch over everything else by Crown Royal. Incidentally, Whisky Advocate (Davin de Kergommeaux) named it the top Canadian whisky pick this year.


Well your urging pushed me over the edge and I picked up a bottle of the Crown Monarch tonight. Very nice indeed and I think that if you could get some of the last of the Cask No 16 you'd like it too. Thanks for suggesting that one.

Once again, for all Islay fans I have only two things to say about Ardbeg and Lagavulin. If you like Ardbeg, go find Corryvreckan and for you Lagavulin 16 fans, go find the 12! I'm eyeing another bottle now and might have bought one tonight except for the planned Monarch purchase and another.

The other was completely unexpected but there it was, Distillers Edition of Dalwhinnie. They had three bottles, two of which were 16 year (1996-2012, 1997-2013) and one 17 (1997-2014) and I bought it on the spur of the moment.


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## RBR (Nov 15, 2016)

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## RBR (Nov 20, 2016)

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## RBR (Dec 2, 2016)

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## kaichu dento (Dec 15, 2016)

RBR said:


> Hi there, just found this one and would like to ask the experts if anyone tried a Maker's Mark 46 yet?
> 
> If so, what are your impressions?


I've bought it before and turned two Maker's Mark drinkers into 46 drinkers. Very good.



> Currently available on my shelf:
> 
> ...Talisker 10 yo
> Talisker Distillers Edition
> ...


If you like Talisker their 18 is a must have and even more than the Lagavulin 16 and Distillers Edition, the 12 is their best, and not that much more considering how good it already is.


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## RBR (Jan 6, 2017)

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## kaichu dento (Jan 10, 2017)

RBR said:


> Became a HP18 instead...


Great choice!


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## RBR (Feb 19, 2017)

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## flashy bazook (Feb 22, 2017)

Hello there, I've been eyeing this thread for a while but avoided it, thinking that I am probably well below the level of knowledge that posters here will have. But I've done some more tasting recently, plus a bit more reading, so I decided to have a peek! So, yes, clearly posters here are much superior (like single malts vs. blends:laughing. But anyways, I thought to put down a few words, what's the harm?



wacbzz said:


> Love the whiskyanalysis.com site! I cannot wait to get deeper into it...
> 
> I prefer most Islay's over all any day of the week; the smokey peat monsters are for me, where it's at. In general, Ardbeg>Laphroaig>Bunnahabhain>Lagavulin. The only thing that I dislike about scotch in general is that there is no real tasting; one must certainly purchase a bottle to determine if it is right for you and then if you don't really care for it...well, you're really SOL!



OK, the one thing I can say here is that you can do scotch tasting---in Scotland! I visited there recently and you can go to these places stocking, I don't know, more than 400 varieties, and they have proper tastings.

But the main thing I found myself wondering is whether for a novice scotch drinker, is it sensible that 10-12 year old single malts taste better than the 18 year olds?

I've been finding the 18 year olds harder to like, but have no problem with several well known brands in the 10-12 year range.

Is this something people noticed early on, but as they became more experienced scotch imbibers, it changed? Or...? Is it something else, like alcohol strength, or taste strength that I react less positively to?

Interested in thoughts on this. And again, thanks!


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## kaichu dento (Feb 23, 2017)

flashy bazook said:


> ...the main thing I found myself wondering is whether for a novice scotch drinker, is it sensible that 10-12 year old single malts taste better than the 18 year olds?
> 
> I've been finding the 18 year olds harder to like, but have no problem with several well known brands in the 10-12 year range.
> 
> ...


I was happy at first to find that I liked mid-priced bottles the best, in general, as it helped me save money. It was a little while before I liked a couple of the more expensive favorites I now have, but I wouldn't worry about it as long as you're enjoying them.


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## RBR (Feb 23, 2017)

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## Chauncey Gardiner (Feb 23, 2017)

Enjoy the less expensive blends if you can, heeding Ron White's warning. ~ "People that drink the scotch I like, die penniless." 

~ Chance


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## RBR (Feb 23, 2017)

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## Chauncey Gardiner (Feb 23, 2017)

RBR said:


> The last shirt has no pockets...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Your English is far superior to my German. Also, I'd love to see a picture of your stange.  

~ Chance


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## RBR (Feb 24, 2017)

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## RBR (Mar 15, 2017)

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## Need a Light? (Mar 15, 2017)

RBR I believe you can upload to imgur.com without an account. That's what I used to do.

I've only ever had a Glenlivet 12, shared with a friend as our first scotch. Good stuff, scotch (not that mine was very fancy compared to some here!).


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## RBR (Mar 16, 2017)

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## kaichu dento (Mar 16, 2017)

Need a Light? said:


> I've only ever had a Glenlivet 12, shared with a friend as our first scotch. Good stuff, scotch (not that mine was very fancy compared to some here!).


Some like the Glenlivet 12, one of my friends' favorites, so I gave mine to him.



RBR said:


> Thank you very much for the hint, I will check that.


You may want to steer clear of that one, or at least taste it before buying. Like I said above, the moment I found out one of my friends liked it, I gave it to him, and almost full bottle.



> Some members left the community, some arrived new on the shelf so here's an updated list:
> 
> AnCnoc 22yo
> AnCnoc 18yo
> ...


Nice list, and growing!

I'd love to try some of these but am glad to see the Lagavulins, HP 18 and Talisker 18 on there. For the best of Lagavulin, find a bottle of the 12. More pricey, but even better than the 16.


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## Launch Mini (Mar 17, 2017)

I found an odd brand last year that I really liked, was called Monkey Shoulder, and very reasonably priced.
However, seems the liquor stores around here don't bring it in very often 

For a while I enjoyed the "peaty" flavours, but now I find my preference is for those aged in Sherry Casks.


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## dhunley1 (Mar 17, 2017)

A couple of my favorites.











I also really like Johnnie Walker Platinum, but I tend to drink Black label most often. Dewars 12 year is another one I enjoy.


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## RBR (Mar 18, 2017)

The green label JW is a very nice dram, as well as the black label.

:thumbsup:


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## dhunley1 (Mar 18, 2017)

For the price, I think the Johnnie Black is my favorite. I've only really been drinking Scotch for about a year, so there's still a lot of stuff I haven't tried yet.


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## scout24 (Mar 18, 2017)

RBR- It seems in your pics, that images are hotlinked directly from another source. CPF rule #3 prohibits that, please remove or re-host the images... Thanks!


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## RBR (Mar 19, 2017)

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## scout24 (Mar 19, 2017)

Thank you, sir... :thumbsup:


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## Launch Mini (Mar 20, 2017)

RBR said:


> The green label JW is a very nice dram, as well as the black label.
> 
> :thumbsup:



I was going over to a friends for dinner, darts & Scotch, had a JW Double Black in my hand, but a MacCallan Amber caught my eye ( Sherry Cask), so switched bottles. Glad I did, really like the Amber that night. Not so much the next morning though.


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## kaichu dento (Mar 21, 2017)

Launch Mini said:


> I was going over to a friends for dinner, darts & Scotch, had a JW Double Black in my hand, but a MacCallan Amber caught my eye ( Sherry Cask), so switched bottles. Glad I did, really like the Amber that night. Not so much the next morning though.


The Double Black is definitely worth the slight uptick in cost over the standard Black.


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## RBR (Mar 21, 2017)

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## Launch Mini (Mar 21, 2017)

BRB, thanks for this info, there was a bottle or Ruby sitting there, if I recall about 3x the price of Amber, but I may just grab one.
But I do like trying new ones too.


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## RBR (May 1, 2017)

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## kaichu dento (May 1, 2017)

RBR said:


> Latest additions in red...


Tell us about them when you get the chance. Really curious about the first two.


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## RBR (May 2, 2017)

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## vadimax (May 2, 2017)

I don't understand Americans drinking scotch acid when they have perfect drinks. Like this one:


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## RBR (May 2, 2017)

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## vadimax (May 2, 2017)

RBR said:


> Take the 101 or the Rare Breed instead, not much higher costs and way better...
> 
> :thumbsup:



I would if I could  Never spotted them in Lithuania so far.


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## RBR (Jun 19, 2017)

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## RBR (Aug 15, 2017)

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## Chauncey Gardiner (Nov 17, 2017)

RBR said:


> Take the 101 or the Rare Breed instead, not much higher costs and way better...
> 
> :thumbsup:



Cheers gentlemen. I took your advice. 

It tastes like a warm summer's day. 
- Raylan Gibbons

~ Cg


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## RBR (Nov 18, 2017)

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## RBR (Dec 18, 2017)

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## terjee (Dec 18, 2017)

RBR said:


> What’s your Christmas dram this year guys?



I’m partial to Islay, and will probably be going with an Ardbeg this year.


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## kaichu dento (Dec 19, 2017)

terjee said:


> I’m partial to Islay, and will probably be going with an Ardbeg this year.


Go for some Ardbeg An Oa if you haven't already. Also by the way, Corryvreckan>Uigeadail.


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## dhunley1 (Dec 19, 2017)

I think the best stuff I've tried is The Macallan 15 year. I have a bottle of the 12 year that I'll probably polish off on Christmas. My go to for cheap scotch is Dewars 12 year.


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## RBR (Dec 25, 2017)

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## RBR (Mar 2, 2018)

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## flashfan (Apr 3, 2018)

Anybody partial to Karuizawa? I know nothing about whiskey, or any alcoholic drinks, but was cleaning out the cabinet and found an unopened bottle that was a business gift years ago.


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## Bullzeyebill (Apr 3, 2018)

Don't open it. I did some googling, and it may be worth $100,000. Try googling it yourself, maybe you can find a buyer.

Bill


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## kaichu dento (Apr 4, 2018)

flashfan said:


> Anybody partial to Karuizawa? I know nothing about whiskey, or any alcoholic drinks, but was cleaning out the cabinet and found an unopened bottle that was a business gift years ago.


With all the time I've spent looking at whiskies in Japan, I've never even seen a Karuizawa; only heard of them. Do what Bill says and do a value check on it. 

By the way, got any pics of it?


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## RBR (May 11, 2018)

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## bigburly912 (May 11, 2018)

First time I ever vomited drinking was off of one shot of dewars. Thought it was the nastiest thing I’ve ever tried and my body apparently rejected it like poison. From that day forward it has always been called “sewers”. Not a huge scotch drinker and I’m probably missing out because of that one incident.


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## RBR (May 11, 2018)

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## RBR (May 31, 2018)

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## kaichu dento (May 31, 2018)

RBR said:


> Bunnahabhain XVIII


Bunnahabhain 18, one of my longtime favorites.


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## RBR (Jun 16, 2018)

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## heelsthrow (Jun 21, 2018)

My dad loves scotch so much.


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## kaichu dento (Jun 22, 2018)

heelsthrow said:


> My dad loves scotch so much.


That just inspired me to have a sip...


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## RBR (Jun 22, 2018)

Me too...going to kill the Bowmore tonight...:kiss:

Cheers

RBR


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## RBR (Jun 23, 2018)

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## donotgogentle (Jun 23, 2018)

Laphroig FTW!


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## kaichu dento (Jun 23, 2018)

donotgogentle said:


> Laphroig FTW!


Yeah, Laphroaig Quarter Cask!


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## RBR (Jun 30, 2018)

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## RBR (Aug 11, 2018)

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