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single malt whisky thread

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zmoney said:
i only really drink bourbon when it comes to this stuff, and even then only if its made in kentucky.
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anything outside KY is usually considered whiskey, and some even consider a bourbon that uses anything outside the state to not be a real bourbon (from the wood for the barrels to the corn fr the mash)

and makers is my cheap mixing bourbon, plenty of bourbons with better flavor starting with Fort Knox and Woodford Reserve

my personal favorite bourbon is Basil Hayden, very smooth with tones of honey and pepper, a little spicy aftertaste..simply amazing and can find below $50 a bottle

basil-hayden_300.jpg
 
Interested in getting into scotch, I almost bought a large bottle of glenlivet 15 last night, but the lady at the store suggested I get a couple of nips and try them in case scotch isn't for me. So, I got glenlivet 12 and johnny walker black. I looked up "how to drink scotch" and the page I settled on advised me to add water when first starting out to acclimate the pallet. I did this with the JW and really enjoyed it. What would you scotch pros recommend? Should I get a bottle of JWB and work up to the single malt or go straight for the gold? And if I did, is The Glenlivet 15 a good starter single malt?
 
If you want to just dive in head first and have a bit of fun, go and grab a single malt.

You can also grab some quality, popular blends and see which aspects of those blends is to your liking. Once you know what it is about them you like, some single malts can be recommended to you.

That said, I just dived in and started off with a Highland Park 12 and haven't looked back. I've grabbed a different single malt each time I'm at the bottle-o and have liked all that I have bought in a different way. I now have the previously mentioned Highland Park 12, Glenmorangie 10, Talisker 10, Aberlour A'bunadh, Lagavulin 16 and a Tasmanian made Hellyers Road Original I was given as a gift. All of these are quite different as others here can attest.

Also, there is nothing wrong with blends. I always have a bottle of Teacher's Highland Cream on hand and will occasionally pick up a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black. I have heard of some other great blends of which I have yet to try.

Ralfy's videos are well worth watching. He has one on water in whisky here. I've given you that link so you can easily find any of his other videos that may help you with anything else you may want to know.

I'm close to a newbie in this area myself, but hopefully this mess of a post can steer you in the right direction.
 
I love Ralfy's video's. They always make me want to pop open a bottle, no matter what the time is haha.
Just watched the Glenlivet Nadurra vid.
 
Holy fuck myself on Sundays...I didn't know we had a Scotch thread!!!!!!

Subscribed!

I guess I'll start with my life story as it relates to whisky:

I've been drinking Scotch for just over a year now. I spell it "whisky" since I am a purist and that is how it was spelled where it began (err, assuming it didn't "begin" in Ireland). I first had something that wasn't a blend around Christmas 2009 - it was a Bowmore 12 year. I asked for a Scotch that Christmas, my wife did her homework and made the excellent choice of getting Aberlour Abunadh. I still have it as a memento, but there are barely two drams left. Since then I've subscribed to Malt Advocate and moved back to the States. The move has gotten me to branch out from Scotch to Rye whiskies and Bourbon, but I am up for trying anything!

What I have at home now:

Knob Creek Single Barrel (new expression came out in January, its cask strength)
Redbreast 12 year
Aberlour Abunadh (prob. my fav. Scotch, it has sentimental value in addition to being great)
Ardbeg Uigadal (probably the "best" Scotch I own)
Ardbeg Corryvreckan (unopened, waiting for a special occasion)
Laphroaig Quartercask (another Laphroaig fan here!)
High West Rendezvous (love the spice!)
Macallan Cask Strength
Evan Williams Single Barrel vintage (smooth and mellow and a great value)
Balvenie Double Wood


Other notable drams I've had and enjoyed:

Macallan 18 year
Macallan 12
Baker's Bourbon
Makers 46

What I want to get:
Aberlour 18 year (recently released, haven't seen anywhere yet)
Something Highland


And my contribution to the thread:
LEARN ALL about malt whisky with industry experts in our series of educational films.

http://www.thebalvenie.com/en-us/warehouse_welcome.php?sid=26rmna5d326hjc8qjooiht7qp2

- these videos are FANTASTIC, just came out this past month and I am just getting started on them myself, but they are very in depth and despite being done by Balvenie, branch out into other whiskies as well.

And:

http://www.whatdoesjohnknow.com/

The blog of Malt Advocate's editor and chief. Lots of good info and resources, I also trust his judgment on reviews.
 
Welp, went from JWB and water last night to glenlivet 12 and one ice cube tonight. It's official; I love scotch. Going to do a but of research then buy the best bottle I can get my hands on (within reason)
 
anyways, a pickup for drinking
pict5755oglt.jpg

Old Pulteney 12yo 1Liter 40% vol
it's fairly cheap, supposedly has some nice maritime notes and i wanted something Highland
Sumidor said:
^Everytime you post, it makes me sad that I can't get anything like that here.. unless I wanna pay an arm and a leg.
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it's not like i don't pay an arm and a leg... -_-


@DigitalDevil below
you tell us!
having a portwine finish this should make quite a different experience than the regular Glenmo - also it probably won't be everyones cup of tea
 
Just finished my first glass and I really enjoyed it. beautiful color, wonderful mouth feel and relatively complex flavor. Remember though, I only have glenlivet 12 to compare it to!

I'm hooked. I'm going to pick up another bottle soon so I can do some side by side tasting.
 
I enjoyed the Glenmorangie dram I had at a local bar quite a bit. Good first choice I say! Also good that you got something pretty smooth with a good amount of flavor (but not overwhelming flavor). I was going to recommend that you go big on your first try (e.g. Laphroaig or Aberlour Abunadh like myself) but I quickly realized that might be too intense for your first time.

Maybe go for something peaty (smoky) for your second Scotch to contrast with smoother, sweeter Glen dram? Laphroaig would be about as smoky as you could go, I prefer the Quarter Cask to the 10 yr and it shouldn't be much more than $10 more. Ardbeg has probably the best line of Scotches out right now in terms of reviews and popularity. All Ardbeg's have a peaty presence. I'd highly recommend the Uigaedal and it has been showing up a bit cheaper lately. Really any Scotch from Islay would give you a smokier experience.

Also, if you have a bar that serves lots of Scotches I would recommend that you try anything as intense as Laphroaig there prior to buying an entire bottle.

Best of luck.
 
DigitalDevil said:
Just finished my first glass and I really enjoyed it. beautiful color, wonderful mouth feel and relatively complex flavor. Remember though, I only have glenlivet 12 to compare it to!

I'm hooked. I'm going to pick up another bottle soon so I can do some side by side tasting.
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I'd recommend a Highland Park 12
it has a light smonky and peatyness and fairly rich flavor and should be good for comparison with the two bottles you picked up already.
Ardbeg and Laphroiag are quite 'in your face' peaty (which is also nice) but if you want to compare flavors and nuances with the two bottles you already have the HP would probably work better.

Oh and on the other end of the very peaty (standard) Whiskys you have Caol Ila and Lagavulin.
While Ardbeg and Laphroiag are ususally fairly light in taste Caol Ila and especially Lagavulin are a lot richer in their flavor so it may be a bit easier to pick up flavors behind the peat and smoke.

just my two cent


edit:
Some initial impressions of the Old Pulteney 12
Nose: slightly honey, a bit grassy/herbal, tiny bit peat, fresh sea water
Taste: seawater'ish, slightly sweet, herbs
Finish: medium long, grassy, slightly sweet/honey, raisins?

It's interesting alright, but nothing that knocks you out of your shoes. The price is pretty good thou.
 
Here's the second bottle I picked up. Although only 50% the cost of the Glenmorangie at $40 I actually prefer it in some respects. Had it neat with only a splash of water to open it up and the honey notes they describe on the bottle were there in full effect. Very warm mouth feel, and a smooth drink for sure.

I'm in trouble now!

kb3htz.jpg
 
S. L. said:
I'd recommend a Highland Park 12
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I second this motion. A simple way to put it is, Highland Park 12 has a bit of everything. It's quite an unusual whisky in regards to complexity that is a must have in any collection.
 
Danoss said:
I second this motion. A simple way to put it is, Highland Park 12 has a bit of everything. It's quite an unusual whisky in regards to complexity that is a must have in any collection.
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I haven't seen that one yet, but I'll keep an eye out!
 
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned this yet:

14345s7.jpg


It's only 10yo., and it's cask strength (55,3%) - you'd think it'd punch a hole in your gut, but strangely it's aroma is quite delicate and complex with a hint of citrus. Adding a little water opens the smokiness quite well, too! My favorite whiskey currently.
 
desverger said:
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned this yet:

It's only 10yo., and it's cask strength (55,3%) - you'd think it'd punch a hole in your gut, but strangely it's aroma is quite delicate and complex with a hint of citrus. Adding a little water opens the smokiness quite well, too! My favorite whiskey currently.
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I've never seen this one before to be honest. I only know the regular Bowmore (which I do like btw)
 
The Ardbeg's on the market right now are cask strength (or damn near cask strength) and pretty young (~10 years) and don't punch a hole in your gut. So I guess I didn't think twice about it. Balvenie makes good products too, probably the other reason I didn't think twice about it being harsh.
 
So guys, how do you keep yourself from finishing the bottle? I mostly buy the cheaper but still drinkworthy blends(Jameson for example) because once i start it is hard to keep myself under control.

Im not an alcoholic, but i try to not drink during the week, but when weekend is around ... I just dont want to find myself waking up and realising that i just finished a 80 euro bottle or something like that.
 
Raiden said:
So guys, how do you keep yourself from finishing the bottle? I mostly buy the cheaper but still drinkworthy blends(Jameson for example) because once i start it is hard to keep myself under control.
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Just have self control. It isn't hard.

If you are having a hard time, just limit yourself each time.
 
Raiden said:
So guys, how do you keep yourself from finishing the bottle? I mostly buy the cheaper but still drinkworthy blends(Jameson for example) because once i start it is hard to keep myself under control.

Im not an alcoholic, but i try to not drink during the week, but when weekend is around ... I just dont want to find myself waking up and realising that i just finished a 80 euro bottle or something like that.
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one way is to enjoy them more consciously, ie. nose them properly, write tasting notes, compare nuances, etc instead of just guzzling it down and say 'well that was nice'.
this of course is more fun with the more expensive bottles than a simple Jameson.

on the upside, when you empty an expensive bottle it's a good excuse to get a new one. :D
 
S. L. said:
one way is to enjoy them more consciously, ie. nose them properly, write tasting notes, compare nuances, etc instead of just guzzling it down and say 'well that was nice'.
this of course is more fun with the more expensive bottles than a simple Jameson.

on the upside, when you empty an expensive bottle it's a good excuse to get a new one. :D
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Thats actually pretty good advice, i never rated my malts. Will do that next time :P

Just gonna keep the blends for when i know im going out i guess.

Thanks
 
To echo what S.L. said, you don't drink single malts for the effect, especially not the effect of getting drunk. I approach drinking good whisky like it is something meant to be enjoyed, which involves certain rituals (pouring a moderate amount, nosing, tasting very little to get the nuances, finally taking bigger drinks to get the full effect). You should be enjoying the whisky for its intrinsic qualities. To appreciate those to their fullest effect it actually requires doing all those things (and possibly more) even if you're like me and you aren't particularly good at tasting notes etc..

For me it has never been hard to remember that that $80 bottle of Scotch sitting on the cabinet cost $80 and as such I should be appreciating it much more than my $30 blend. Also, after the first 2 drams there is no way in hell I'll be appreciating the subtle nuances of a single malt (I'll be too tipsy) so I just move on to something else. I haven't had a problem yet of consuming a bottle too fast. If anything I've let them sit around way too long because I don't yet want to "replace" them with something else - we all only have so much room, right?
 
Raiden said:
Thats actually pretty good advice, i never rated my malts. Will do that next time :P

Just gonna keep the blends for when i know im going out i guess.

Thanks
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Or start drinking the Islay malts, can't drink much of that in a sitting due to it's peaty strength.
 
I'm turning 21 this weekend. Recommend me a single malt to enjoy like a boss.

Hell recommend me alcohol in general.
 
I'd recommend Aberlour Abunadh (this will be intense, it's cask strength so you'll probably want to water it down, it's also quite sweet).

Something more mellow and around the same price range would be Highland Park 12 year.

Also Redbreast 12 year might do you well.
 
Someone recommend me the easiest to drink scotch or whiskey (doesn't need to be single malt) I can find. I'm a baby. Maybe I should just go get a bottle of Crown Royal...
 
TheExodu5 said:
Someone recommend me the easiest to drink scotch or whiskey (doesn't need to be single malt) I can find. I'm a baby. Maybe I should just go get a bottle of Crown Royal...
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I'm a fan of Glenfiddich 15-year. Less harsh than many and simple enough for an amateur to pick the parts out of.

Laphroaig 10 is super smooth, but beware. If you're not accustomed to scotch it can come across like drinking a campfire doused in seawater. I mean that in the very best way, though.
 
I always tell people to start with Glenlivet 12. Its the scotch that made me love scotch. It's easy to drink and pretty cheap. I'd say go with that.
 
Ravager61 said:
I always tell people to start with Glenlivet 12. Its the scotch that made me love scotch. It's easy to drink and pretty cheap. I'd say go with that.
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A fine recommendation, as well. I probably have a soft spot for Glenfiddich 15 for the same reason. I had me a few of those one evening and then went and got a bottle of Glenfiddich Solara Reserve 15 the next day. I really wish I could still get more of that, actually.
 
EschatonDX said:
I'm turning 21 this weekend. Recommend me a single malt to enjoy like a boss.

Hell recommend me alcohol in general.
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go to a bar with your buddies and drink every liquor they have in alphabetical order. it will greatly widen your horizon and understanding of the meaning of life

diddles said:
is dewars white label (blended) garbage to you single malt snobs? i'm fond of it, but i rarely drink.
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if you enjoy it there is nothing wrong with it

TheExodu5 said:
Someone recommend me the easiest to drink scotch or whiskey (doesn't need to be single malt) I can find. I'm a baby. Maybe I should just go get a bottle of Crown Royal...
Click to expand...
Glenlivet 12 is supereasy to drink. compared to carbonated water glenlivet is easier. (don't expect a flavor explosion lol)

in other news, if you enjoy heavily sherried whisky (and who doesn't? :D )
I've been going trough a Yamazaki Sherry Cask lately and it's a great whisky at an reasonable price for what it offers.

pict575857as.jpg

it comes with 48% vol and is juuuuuuuuuuuuuust right at that, doesn't need any water.
yum
kipprein.gif
 
Got me a bottle of Coal Ila and it's actually quite nice, very light. Still much prefer a heavier single malt like Talisker 10 or Lagavulin 16.
 
the mailman brought me a nice batch of samples :D :D :D

White Oak (japanese) Akashi Blended
Akashi 5yo
Akashi 12yo
Macallan 12yo Sherry Cask
Glendronach 14yo Sauternes finish
Glendronach 15yo Moscatel finish
Mortlach 16yo flora fauna
Ardbeg ten
Ledaig MoS Sherry Cask 1996/2010
Caol Ila Distillers Edition with Moscatel finish

pict5759fnge.jpg
 
I live in Tomintoul, which is situated on the so-called "Whiskey Trail". There are so many distilleries, it's very common to see one. The amount of Japanese people that come here is crazy. There are bus loads every week, following the whiskey trail. We also get Russians, Chinese, Americans, Germans, Spaniards, you name it, we get it on a daily basis.
 
So a buddy of mine is getting married soon and he made a joke that his fiance wouldn't let him register for liquor and ammunition. So some friends and I are getting together to buy him a big crate full of shotgun shells and cheap whiskey. But I wanted to make sure there's something decent in there, too. So I'm looking for some recommendations on a good scotch in the ~$100 range, or perhaps more likely, a couple of nice ones in the ~$50-$60 range. I know it's blended, but he's liked Johnnie Walker Gold Label in the past.
 
Any idea whether he likes smoky or sweeter (sherried) scotches? The Johnny Walker doesn't really have a strong smoke or sherried presence. So it would be hard to say by that alone.

I'd recommend getting him an Ardbeg Uigeadail, Corryvreckan, or similar Ardbeg yearly expression. These have all been highly acclaimed, have lots of flavor, and can be had in the $60-100 price range. (e.g. last time I checked klwines.com they had the Uigeadail for ~$60). All of those would be smokier but quite balanced, the Uigeadail has a distinct sweetness to the finish in addition to the smoke.

Someone else could make a better recommendation when it comes to whiskys similar to JWB since I've tended to gravitate to whiskys with lots of flavor. You might consider getting him Johnny Walker Green label too (their 15 year, next class above the black).

Oh, and you probably couldn't go wrong with a Highland Park 12 year. It has a little bit of everything, can be had for $45-60. This would be a much safer pick than the Ardbeg, but I really think he'd like the Ardbeg.

Finally, a Macallan 12 yr is a very smooth, under $50 sherry influenced (sweeter) scotch, very tasty and a "gateway" scotch IMO. I bet that would be a hit as well.
 
Is it possible/legal to order whisky online from outside of the country in Canada?

edit: doesn't sound like it. The only available Japanese whiskies here are Yoichi 10 and Yamazaki 12. I'd try the Yamazaki 12, but it's not available anywhere near Ottawa. :(
 
There was a bottle at the LCBO called Glenrothes 1879...but there was no age date on it. It was 40%. It had a handwritten label.

Any clue if this one would be good?
 
TheExodu5 said:
There was a bottle at the LCBO called Glenrothes 1879...but there was no age date on it. It was 40%. It had a handwritten label.

Any clue if this one would be good?
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1879 is the founding date, i assume it is this one?
http://whiskybase.com/whiskies.php?merkid=76&whiskyid=11471

Glenrothes 'Alba Reserve' (40%, OB, +/-2009) Matured exclusively in American oak refill bourbon casks- and Kosher. Colour: straw. Nose: rather aromatic, starting with notes of gooseberries and vanilla, with a little wood smoke in the background. Also notes of coconut from the almost new oak and a little smoked tea as well as mild floral and honeyed notes. Exactly ‘pleasant’. Mouth: very easy, fruity and vanilled, with good body despite the low strength. Notes of herbal tea (chamomile), caramelised peanuts, dried coconut and malt. Hints of orange blossom water, baklavas, crème brûlée. Finish: medium long, more honeyed. Comments: a very easy dram, flawless and very drinkable. Blend drinkers should like this. SGP:431 – 80 points.
http://www.whiskyfun.com/archivejanuary10-1.html#130110



edit: or one of the other "Reserves"
http://whiskybase.com/distillery.php?merkid=76
 
I had the pleasure of tasting my first Japanese whiskey last week: Yamazaki 12 year. I was completely blown away.

Starts smooth and then just keeps getting stronger, deeper and more complex. Coats your mouth beautifully and leaves a great aftertaste.

I highly recommend it.
 
:(

Damnit Canada.

edit: so does anyone know where I could try samplers in Canada, or more precisely, Ottawa? I want to try that Glenrothes...but $60 seems like a lot. Maybe I'll give it a whirl anyways, but unless I really take to it, it could be the last bottle of whiskey I try.
 
TheExodu5 said:
:(

Damnit Canada.

edit: so does anyone know where I could try samplers in Canada, or more precisely, Ottawa? I want to try that Glenrothes...but $60 seems like a lot. Maybe I'll give it a whirl anyways, but unless I really take to it, it could be the last bottle of whiskey I try.
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you should ask here
http://www.whiskywhiskywhisky.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=204

but from my understanding, while it is "illegal" to import whisky, lots of people do it and nothing happens to them
/shrug
 
Okay...so apparently the SAQ in Quebec actually has a decent selection. I'm going to go and buy a bottle of something decent.

So anyways, how would I do with one of the Japanese single malts? I love the packaging, and a buddy at work who likes scotch but has never had Japanese single malt would surely be interested in trying it.

These are the Japanese ones I can find there:

Nikka Taketsuru 12
Yamazaki 12
Yoichi 10

Any good? What would be best to get?

I might grab a bottle of the Glenrothes to have something to compare to.

edit: I'm assuming none of these are too difficult for a beginner to enjoy. I want something with complex flavors, but not something overly harsh in terms of mouth burn.

I'm primarily a beer drinker and I love something that really brings out many flavors at once. I'm a huge fan of beers like La Fin Du Monde and Trois Pistoles. I'm just running out of beers to try now, so I figured I'll give scotch another chance.
 
the yamazaki 12 is light and mellow, the yoichi 10 will pack a bit of a punch, smokey, peaty and a underlying heavy sweetness.
both are great and worth trying

if you enjoy heavy dark beers i'd say give the yoichi a try
 
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