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single malt whisky thread

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Where Laphroaig learned how to be peaty...

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Both are pretty close, but Lagavulin takes the cake when it comes to peat flavor. This is the one that got me into scotch... Christmas party at work, open bar at the distillery district in Toronto...
Glasses of double Lagavulin all night - after that first sip, man-o-man!

Cheers.
 
On top of that, note that unlike wine, scotch does not age in the bottle, only in the casks. So a 12 year old bottled in 1980 will taste the same as a 12 year old bottled in 2011 (assuming that the older bottle was stored in ideal conditions and not next to a furnace or in the sun or anything).
 
S. L. said:
20€-30€, i.e. nothing.
drink it
(unless it's that silver olympic games bottle)

sauce:
http://whiskyauction.com/
results database
-world-"canadian club"
Click to expand...

Haha! Sounds good, pretty much exactly what I thought! I had found that site but wasn't sure if it was actually legit. 'll give it a try this weekend!

For me the scotch that really got me into it was an Oban I believe. I hadn't noted the name but after asking my friend a few months later, we basically deduced that it must have been that bottle. Can't wait to find a good price on it and hit that up!
 
foomfoom415 said:
I think the notion that you need an experienced palate or some number of years behind the glass before you're ready for Islay is ridiculous. People have different tastes and in my experience many more people like the more pungent Islays right off the bat than don't. The most important thing is to remember that there are many different flavors and experiences to be had and don't give up on whisky after one bad experience.
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not that. i just think laphroaig is awful whiskey. i started with Islay, with Bowmore in fact.
 
I'm more of a bourbon guy. My usual would be Makers. I also have some Four Roses single barrel, Bookers and a nice Hancock's reserve single barrel. I enjoy Scotch too though. I have a nice Chivas 18 and on GAF's recommendation I recently acquired a bottle of Laphroaig. I'm enjoying it very much. My wife thinks I stink though and won't kiss me. Very peaty.
 
Fenderputty said:
I'm more of a bourbon guy. My usual would be Makers. I also have some Four Roses single barrel, Bookers and a nice Hancock's reserve single barrel. I enjoy Scotch too though. I have a nice Chivas 18 and on GAF's recommendation I recently acquired a bottle of Laphroaig. I'm enjoying it very much. My wife thinks I stink though and won't kiss me. Very peaty.
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That's the exact same thing with me! The peat and strenght of the Laphroaig really makes it unpleasant for the person who doesnt like scotch.

On another note, a friend brought over a bottle of Aberlour 10 and I was really impressed! That scotch wasn't even on my radar, but damn. Its incredible. It has a really nice smokey and sherry aftertaste and goes down smooth. It's also much cheaper than a lot of other single malts.
 
dsc_0260h071c.jpg


The postman brought today, benriach 10 curiositas . A peated speysider.

pretty nice.
on the light side (like laphroaig but a bit less medical notes, more ardbeg i guess)
taste is smoky, peaty, farmy/grass, vanilla, sweet (definitely bourbon cask).
maybe a tad to young as 10yo

the price is pretty good, won't knock you out of your socks. but i recommend it if you want to try something peaty that isn't from islay
also 46% abv
 
So I am sitting at home on this fine - if a little chilly - Saturday evening, getting ready to go to a theme party that I don't much care for. I wouldn't know very many people there, plus it's a theme party and I do not have a costume or anything, really.

So to give myself a little booster, I poured myself a nice dram of Ardbeg ten year old that has been in a crystal decanter for a couple of weeks now. And it might be the nerves, it might be the excellent qualities of the decanter or it may be the superior Riedel Vinum glass, but this is perhaps the most richest, smoothest Ardbeg I have had the pleasure to drink in a long while. Supernova and Alligator and Corryvreckan all have their distinct qualities, but this one here is a taste sensation of a simpler kind, yet unmatched by other entry level drams.

Here's to you, GAF, and my impending turn into an alcoholic.

*sip

Damn, that is the stuff of legends.
 
so i bought myself a bottle of talisker because i love that peat flavor and the macallan and other bottles just couldnt capture it. do i really have to go to japan for peat? peat monster is good also, but i have... certain ties... to diageo.


edit:
just went back a page and saw a story of a guy pouring talisker down the drain. makes me want to drive to your house and ask for the bottle. fucking guy. i love talisker.

and i just dont get the macallan thing. i have a bottle of 12 year old im working through, and its fine, but the taste just doesnt stand up to something with some peat.
 
I bought a bottle of Johnnie Walker Green and am impressed! Actually, I REALLY love it, a lot more than some of my other, more expensive single malts.
Anyone tried the Gold? I've heard its a pretty different taste, I'm interested in some thoughts
 
chrisisawesome said:
I bought a bottle of Johnnie Walker Green and am impressed! Actually, I REALLY love it, a lot more than some of my other, more expensive single malts.
Anyone tried the Gold? I've heard its a pretty different taste, I'm interested in some thoughts
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Green tends to be the Johnnie Walker of choice for most single malt drinkers. Gold also tends to rate well, but the price point makes it a little less palatable.

On a side note, if people were looking to take the plunge with whisky rocks, woot has them for $11 shipped.

www.woot.com
 
chrisisawesome said:
I bought a bottle of Johnnie Walker Green and am impressed! Actually, I REALLY love it, a lot more than some of my other, more expensive single malts.
Anyone tried the Gold? I've heard its a pretty different taste, I'm interested in some thoughts
Click to expand...

Yup, JW Green is wonderful. I like it more than pretty much every single malt in the same price range. Was down in the US recently so picked up a bottle at duty free coming back to Canada since Green is expensive up here. 1L for $60 at the airport. Can't beat that! Green was $99 for 750 ml in Toronto last year before dropping to $75 this year.

I also smuggled a few single malts back in my luggage since prices are so much better. Grabbed a cask strength Glenlivet Nadurra 16, by far my favorite Glenlivet. Also picked up a Yamazaki 12 and a Glenmorangie 10. I'm stocked up for the winter!
 
Thanks to this thread I graduated from drinking Bushmills and Coke to trying out some better whiskey. So far I've tried;

Jameson(liked)
Johnnie Walker Red Label, not good
Glen Moray, ok
Balvenie doublewood, far favorite

I'm looking for something new to try but I'm scared of not liking the smoky peaty ones like Laphroaig. How do you pronounce that btw? Any recommendations similar to the Balvenie doublewood?
 
mccarthys-single-malt-oregon-whiskey1.jpg


Anyone try this American Single Malt? It's fantastic. Pretty smokey and super smooth. My first really good single malt I think.
 
VelvetMouth said:
Thanks to this thread I graduated from drinking Bushmills and Coke to trying out some better whiskey. So far I've tried;

Jameson(liked)
Johnnie Walker Red Label, not good
Glen Moray, ok
Balvenie doublewood, far favorite

I'm looking for something new to try but I'm scared of not liking the smoky peaty ones like Laphroaig. How do you pronounce that btw? Any recommendations similar to the Balvenie doublewood?
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I have a recommendation for you, but before I tell you, keep in mind I really don't like the Balvenie Doublewood; its probably the only single malt i can't drink. I dont know why, something about it.
Anyways, for a really good value single malt, a little smokey, not peaty and very smooth - and in my opinion better than Balvenie in every way, I would recommend the Aberlour 10.
It is quite a bit cheaper than the Balvenie. I really liked it last time i had it!
 
mCACGj said:
mccarthys-single-malt-oregon-whiskey1.jpg


Anyone try this American Single Malt? It's fantastic. Pretty smokey and super smooth. My first really good single malt I think.
Click to expand...

In my opinion, it's the best American single malt available (though, I'm a little bias). I usually have to buy as much as I can before they sell out at the local liquor stores.
 
Hey, this thread is really cool!

I have some ancient Scapa 14yo that is more like 34yo now ;)
I really like it. Small bottle, only for special occasions.

I did get a bottle of the modern 16yo, which I really enjoy.

For bourbon fans, I also highly recommend Four Roses Single Barrel. I never appreciated bourbon until I tasted that.
 
I need a new pickup for Christmas.

I've done Glenlivet 12, Glenfiddich 12, Glennfiddich Snow Phoenix, Dalwhinnie 15, Yoichi 10, Laphroaig QC, and Lagavulin 16.

Lagavulin 16 and Yoichi 10 are my favorites, but I want to try something new. Something different. Any suggestions on something I can attain easily? (I'm at a bit of a disadvantage in Ontario, as I only have the LCBO to purchase whiskey)

Complexity is what I'm looking for at this point...something interesting. I love the Lagavulin and Yoichi because I feel their character changes quite a bit as it sits, as I add a bit of water to them, or as I progress through my dram.

From doing a bit of video watching, I think Old Putney, Glenmorangie, and Ardbeg 10 are at the top of my list.
 
TheExodu5 said:
I need a new pickup for Christmas.

I've done Glenlivet 12, Glenfiddich 12, Glennfiddich Snow Phoenix, Dalwhinnie 15, Yoichi 10, Laphroaig QC, and Lagavulin 16.

Lagavulin 16 and Yoichi 10 are my favorites, but I want to try something new. Something different. Any suggestions on something I can attain easily? (I'm at a bit of a disadvantage in Ontario, as I only have the LCBO to purchase whiskey)

Complexity is what I'm looking for at this point...something interesting. I love the Lagavulin and Yoichi because I feel their character changes quite a bit as it sits, as I add a bit of water to them, or as I progress through my dram.

From doing a bit of video watching, I think Old Putney, Glenmorangie, and Ardbeg 10 are at the top of my list.
Click to expand...

If I had to pick from your shortlist, I'd pick the Ardbeg. Glenmorangie is not that complex (I make cocktails with it when I run out of cheap stuff!) and while the only Old Pulteney I've tried so far is the 21, I don't really like it, despite Jim Murray calling it the best whisky in the world this year. To me it tastes like someone took a good whisky and dumped a ton of salt into it.

Other stuff I've liked that I've tried this year (I looked all of these up on the LCBO website and they're all available):

Glenfarclas - I had the 15 year when I was in Scotland and it was a revelation. I've since tried the 105 cask strength and the 17 year and I think I like the 17 the best. It's finished in sherry casks and therefore is a bit sweeter than most you've tried, but it has a very unique taste even among sherried whiskies and I absolutely love it.

Amrut Fusion - Don't be put off by the fact it's from India, Amrut is good shit. All their stuff is great actually but I really, really like the Fusion. It's bottled at 50% so it has a nice kick and it tastes great.

Glenfiddich 21 - Expensive but damn is it good. It's finished in rum casks so it's unique and again it's delicious.
 
Thanks a ton. Definitely gonna check out those recommendations.

I've been watching a lot of ralfy reviews on YouTube...really interesting stuff. The Nikka Pure Malt has be incredibly interested.

I could watch his reviews all day.

edit: nooooo. LCBO is discontinuing the Yoichi 10. I need to pick up a bottle before I can't find anymore. :(

Gonna pick that up and I think I'll take your recommendation and go with a Glenfarclas. I'm tempted to get the 17 or 21, but I'm probably better to start off with the 15 so I can appreciate the progression.

How different are the 15 and 17?
 
Yeah I love Ralfy too :)

The Glenfarclas 15 and 17 are very similar. The 15 has a slight bitterness on the finish that seems smoothed out in the 17 which is why I like it more, but lots of people like the 15 best so I think your plan is a good one.
 
chrisisawesome said:
I bought a bottle of Johnnie Walker Green and am impressed! Actually, I REALLY love it, a lot more than some of my other, more expensive single malts.
Anyone tried the Gold? I've heard its a pretty different taste, I'm interested in some thoughts
Click to expand...

It's still got that 'Johnny Walker' taste, which just doesn't do it for me. It's like they have an additive to give it that signature taste, but it just tastes like they tipped some dirty JW Red in there. Probably did.
 
So I finished my first bottle of scotch last night. Glenmorangie 10 yo.
I very much enjoyed it.
Today, I bought Bowmore Legend (following nitewulf's recommendation).
Drinking it right now, I think I like it more than the Glen, thanks nitewulf :)

Edit: tried to upload pics using tinypic, but it doesn't seem to work.
 
I'm going to be flying through Heathrow soon and I want to pick something up at their duty free malt shop (http://www.worldofwhiskies.com/)

I'm torn between the Dalmore 18 at 70 pounds ($111 Canadian, $170 at the LCBO) or the Glenlivet 21 at 57 pounds ($88 CDN, $154 at the LCBO) any advice?
 
Fifty said:
I'm going to be flying through Heathrow soon and I want to pick something up at their duty free malt shop (http://www.worldofwhiskies.com/)

I'm torn between the Dalmore 18 at 70 pounds ($111 Canadian, $170 at the LCBO) or the Glenlivet 21 at 57 pounds ($88 CDN, $154 at the LCBO) any advice?
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I had the Glenlivet 18 at it was unremarkable boring. can't imagine the 21 changing that much. So if I had to chose between those to i'd go with the Dalmore.
they have a Lagavulin Distillers Edition 1 Litre bottle for 45 which seems like a great price to me
 
Globehopper said:
Yeah I love Ralfy too :)

The Glenfarclas 15 and 17 are very similar. The 15 has a slight bitterness on the finish that seems smoothed out in the 17 which is why I like it more, but lots of people like the 15 best so I think your plan is a good one.
Click to expand...

Picked up a Glenfarclas 15 and Yamazaki 12 today.

Going through a dram of Glenfarclas at the moment...watered is down a tad too much. I was not terribly impressed at first, but it's been a few months since I've really drank any whisky. For some reason, it feels like my palate lost its training. I'm getting through the dram and I feel I'm discovering more and more about it. I lack the vocabulary and experience to describe it, but I'm enjoying it so far. It's not overly different from what I'm used to, but it has a really unique and pleasant aftertaste. It's an interesting finish that I don't know quite how to describe.
 
Fifty said:
I'm going to be flying through Heathrow soon and I want to pick something up at their duty free malt shop (http://www.worldofwhiskies.com/)

I'm torn between the Dalmore 18 at 70 pounds ($111 Canadian, $170 at the LCBO) or the Glenlivet 21 at 57 pounds ($88 CDN, $154 at the LCBO) any advice?
Click to expand...

I got the Dalmore 18 (from World of Whiskies at Heathrow!) a few months back. It has an unusual taste that I find hard to describe. It's like... mothballs, dried oranges and an old leather couch. I like it, which you might not get from that description :) It doesn't set my world on fire like the Glenfiddich 21 Gran Reserva does though.
 
Well shit...

I actually like the Yamazaki 12. It was described as an overly sweet whisky, but I'm not tasting that at all. It smells quite sweet, but it's a bit peaty on the pallet, and not very sweet. A tiny bit dry, could actually use a touch of sweetness in the taste, but quite pleasant and intriguing nonetheless.

With both the Yamazaki 12 and Yoichi 10 being hits in my book, I think I need to try more Japanese whisky. I think what I'm liking so much is the contrast in between aroma and taste.

edit: if anything though, a knock against the Yamazaki is that I don't feel it's evolving all that much as I make my way through my pour. The finish isn't terribly interesting. The whisky is getting drier over time...I much prefer it as it gets sweeter as with the Lagavulin 16.

edit2: after having gone through my whiskies again tonight...definitely the Lagavulin 16 is by far my favorite. It's such an interesting whisky. Love it. I absolutely love that both the nose and the taste evolve as the drink settles.
 
Hmmm, I do like the Yamazaki 12, but it doesn't really have a spectacular finish. I assume the older versions might have a more refined finish? Not sure if I can even buy them here though...
 
As far as standard bottlings go:

The Yamazaki 18yo is fantastic. Fairly pricey thou.
Very rich and thick, very complex with great sherry influences.
Same goes for the Yamazaki Sherry Cask NAS - for all the sherrybomb whiskylovers. Can be hard to find thou, but worth the price.
 
I bought another bottle of Lagavulin 16 today. Even on the pour I noticed the color a lot lighter than what I'm used to and its not as bold as I'm used to either. Should I take it back to Costco? Or am I just drunk?

EDIT: F U CALIFORNIA!!!! Apparently California passed a law so you cannot return/exchange alcohol. Some bullshit to prevent people from returning alcohol from parties and such. Well fuck that, I paid $60 for Lagavulin, not expensive ethanol with no flavor.
 
Hey,
So I'm kind of at a loss, I don't really know what whiskey to try next. I am finding more and more, as I am trying new ones, that my tastes are changing and some that I really liked at first are not as awesome.
Here's what I like : smokey finish, wood
What i'm not a fan of: Pete taste and Balevenie double cask

For example, first time I had the laphroaig 10 I thought it was superb, but then the petey taste really got to me and I find it just average at best.

I'm still really liking Talisker 10, Johnnie Green and the Glenmorangie 10.

I'd love some recommendations
 
ChanHuk said:
I bought another bottle of Lagavulin 16 today. Even on the pour I noticed the color a lot lighter than what I'm used to and its not as bold as I'm used to either. Should I take it back to Costco? Or am I just drunk?

EDIT: F U CALIFORNIA!!!! Apparently California passed a law so you cannot return/exchange alcohol. Some bullshit to prevent people from returning alcohol from parties and such. Well fuck that, I paid $60 for Lagavulin, not expensive ethanol with no flavor.
Click to expand...

God damnit we're getting ripped off in Canada. Lagavulin costs me $120. :(

chrisisawesome said:
Hey,
So I'm kind of at a loss, I don't really know what whiskey to try next. I am finding more and more, as I am trying new ones, that my tastes are changing and some that I really liked at first are not as awesome.
Here's what I like : smokey finish, wood
What i'm not a fan of: Pete taste and Balevenie double cask

For example, first time I had the laphroaig 10 I thought it was superb, but then the petey taste really got to me and I find it just average at best.

I'm still really liking Talisker 10, Johnnie Green and the Glenmorangie 10.

I'd love some recommendations
Click to expand...

You should check out the Lagavulin 16. It does have some peat, but it has so much more going in it than that. I wouldn't want Laphroaig to be your last exposure to peaty whiskies...it turned me off a bit as well. It would have been a shame if I didn't check out Lagavulin, because it's now my favorite whisky.
 
Lagavulin 16 is around €50 here, which is like $67. Hopefully I'll find a nice bottle of it under the christmas tree. (if not I will have to buy myself one)
 
TheExodu5 said:
God damnit we're getting ripped off in Canada. Lagavulin costs me $120. :(
Click to expand...

You're not getting ripped off, you have free and/or very affordable health care. I can buy Aberlour A'bunadh for $60 here in Missouri, as opposed to the $90 it cost me when I lived in Vancouver, but the premiums on my health coverage every month more than make up for the difference ;).

Unrelatedly, I'd also stress that Laphroaig can be a fine starter scotch - for some. We all have different tastes. Personally I'd want to try something that does one thing and does that thing well (i.e. peat or sherry). I tried Highland Park 12 early on and didn't enjoy it. If Glenlivet 12 had been my first scotch I wouldn't have realized what was so great about scotch, just like I didn't when I tried JWR.

It was an Islay whisky (Bowmore) that got me to realize scotch is great, precisely because it can do interesting things other spirits can't. Now that my taste for scotch is more developed I can appreciate the nuances of Highland Park in a way I couldn't before, and I have a better understanding of what it is trying to accomplish, but I still don't like it all that much. For all its acclaim for being balanced, it still comes off to me as schizophrenic. It would be among the three or four scotches I recommended to a first-timer - to provide a sense of what whisky can accomplish - but if I had to pick just one, it wouldn't be something boring, tame, or even balanced. It would be something distinct.
 
Heh, I might try a Bowmore on your recommendation, then.

Glenlivet 12 and Glennfiddich 12 were my first exposures to whisky due to them being "recommended for starters", but they didn't gel well with me at all. Not a fan of subtle/delicate whiskies, I guess. I'm a fan of whiskies that bring a lot of different qualities to the table, that evolve, that I can learn and appreciate over the course of the bottle. The Lagavulin for me is such an interesting mixture of smells/taste. I love how the heavy peat mellows out as the whisky is allowed to breathe and it turns more into a heavy sweetness after a while. It's a whisky that is not boring in the least to me. I want to find more whiskies that express this kind of quality.
 
arotator said:
It was an Islay whisky (Bowmore) that got me to realize scotch is great, precisely because it can do interesting things other spirits can't. Now that my taste for scotch is more developed I can appreciate the nuances of Highland Park in a way I couldn't before, and I have a better understanding of what it is trying to accomplish, but I still don't like it all that much. For all its acclaim for being balanced, it still comes off to me as schizophrenic. It would be among the three or four scotches I recommended to a first-timer - to provide a sense of what whisky can accomplish - but if I had to pick just one, it wouldn't be something boring, tame, or even balanced. It would be something distinct.
Click to expand...

Hmm, I hadn't thought about the Bowmore, but seeing as its around $50, I'll give it a shot. That, or I'll wait till I go to the States and get it at the Duty Free!
 
The problem with the Bowmore, and the reason I don't own it, and wouldn't recommend it to someone who has exposure to Lagavulin 16 or Laphroaig QC, is that it doesn't finish well in comparison. I think Bow 12 has a pretty complex and rewarding nose, and the mouth feel is nice too, but it lacks in texture, and certainly in finish, compared to other, better Islays. It really lets you down as you're ready to swallow whereas the Laga and the Laphroaig QC keep rewarding. That is my opinion anyway, others might tell you differently, but Bowmore is consistently rated under those two was well. So maybe get a dram at a pub if that's an option? It's nice for a first-timer though, since it provides a good sense of what whisky can offer compared to other spirits, and it does so without being as overwhelming as Laphroaig.

Given your enjoyment and description of Laga 16, I'd steer you towards a bottle of Ardbeg Uigaedal - stat!
 
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