Whisky love

[ringydingydingdang]

Michter's Bourbon and Rye are amazing stuff.

Worth the search.

The best recommendation I've received in years, spirits-wise.

And dont get caught dead with Four Roses

Had it in some country I cant remember where - it had a nasty flavor even when in a whisky and coke. I dont imagine it's palatable on its own.

[esem]

Tuthilltown put out some amazing single malts. First legal distillery in New York since prohibition.

As far as bourbon goes...Blantons with one rock and I'm good.

[readytoignite]

Hmmm.

Lagavulin 16 year is just to die for. It never seems to get topped. Their 10 year cask strength is a beautiful drink as well, though it isn't necessarily worth the effort it seems to take to find.

Caol Ila (older is better on this one, big time) is just the Scotchiest scotch ever. Not sure how else to say this, but it tastes like the epitome of scotch. It's not the best, but it has all the characteristics you usually associate with scotch in abundance.

i've said both these before:

lagavulin 12 kills 16 any day of the week. 12 used to be standard before being relaunched as a more commercial 16. not that 16 is bad but if you have the opportunity to buy 12, go for it - it's raw and intense.

the 14 yr adelphi bottling of caol ila absolutely slays the 18 yr. it probably beats lagavulin 16 too.

if you like islay style whiskeys, these two are pretty much the dog's bollocks.

the conclusion here being, older is not necessarily better.

[theetruscan]

Suntory, Nikka, Ginkyo, Hanyu, & Karuizawa

Errr, definitely our bartender had a slightly different idea. I know we did the first two. I know we did Yamazaki, I'm not sure beyond there.

[jyoni]

What is a good entrance to peaty, smoky scotches? I've tried Highland Park, which has many of these undertones. It seemed like a bridge between sweet and smoky. But my next attempt was Ardbeg, and it was too big a jump for my palate.

[theetruscan]

What is a good entrance to peaty, smoky scotches? I've tried Highland Park, which has many of these undertones. It seemed like a bridge between sweet and smoky. But my next attempt was Ardbeg, and it was too big a jump for my palate.

Lagavulin may be too big a jump as well, but it's a much better rounded scotch than Ardbeg. Ardbeg is just nasty, it tastes sour not just smokey . It may not be too big a jump, it may just be something you don't like. Laphroaig (I suck at spelling) is another good smokey one and the price of entry is a little less ruinous than lagavulin. Tomiltoul or Tomintoul (I recommended it earlier here) is smokey, but much sweeter and easier drinking than either of the other two here.

[jyoni]

Lagavulin may be too big a jump as well, but it's a much better rounded scotch than Ardbeg. Ardbeg is just nasty, it tastes sour not just smokey . It may not be too big a jump, it may just be something you don't like. Laphroaig (I suck at spelling) is another good smokey one and the price of entry is a little less ruinous than lagavulin. Tomiltoul or Tomintoul (I recommended it earlier here) is smokey, but much sweeter and easier drinking than either of the other two here.

Okay, so it wasn't just me. Ardbeg has a taste not unlike the smell of burning rubber.

Thanks! I suppose my next few bottles will be Tomiltoul/Tomintoul (if I can find it) and then Laphroaig.

[readytoignite]

try cragganmore. or just got to a bar with a decent selection of scotch whiskey

[Smoleu]

If you guys are peat heads, try some laphroaig cask strength.

[Joe E Taleo]

Last night I drank the last of my Lagavulin 16, and also had some Macallan 18 to keep the buzz going.

Nice whiskys mentioned- I was thinking of buying a bottle of Laphroaig, but reading through I was reminded of how much I love Highland Park.

Interesting note on Lagavulin 12- I don't think I've ever even seen it! As well, I've had some Japanese whiskys, and while I enjoyed them, I haven't had one that can hold a candle to some of the better Scotch whiskys.

[jyoni]

try cragganmore. or just got to a bar with a decent selection of scotch whiskey

That would probably be a better route. I'll go with a list.

[Fuuma]

Glad to see the Lagavulin love, I always keep at least one bottle around.

[theetruscan]

Glad to see the Lagavulin love, I always keep at least one bottle around.

Sigh, I'd like to, but I blow too much money on clothing and bikes lately.

[jake431]

I enjoy Makers Mark (heading to my favorite bar tonight for $2 Makers as a matter of fact). But my current favorite bourbon is probably Buffalo Trace. It's really cheap at my local liqour store, about the same price as Jack, but I greatly prefer it. I'm also diggin' Elijah Craig these days. Basil Hayden's is also good, definitely want to drink it on it's own though as it's so light bodied. Good for summer sipping.

Scotch-wise, I'm pretty hung up on Laphroaig, what other peaty stuff should I be looking out for? Ardbeg? What else?

Thanks,

-Jake

[YoungPunch]

bourbon whiskey

[im a ninja]

all this talk about whiskey makes me want to step my game up.

as of right now.. all i drink is Makers with some ice. kinda craving it right now...

Can you guys recommend something new for a Makers fan?

[salaryman]

Have any of you ever had Four Roses Bourbon? ..... is supposed to be loved in Japan

any one ever seen it any where?

Yeah, like you said, its everywhere here. But, I don't get why though. Like you said its pretty mediocre but for some reason its stocked at practically every bar in the city.

[drivel]

all this talk about whiskey makes me want to step my game up.

as of right now.. all i drink is Makers with some ice. kinda craving it right now...

Can you guys recommend something new for a Makers fan?

Makers Mark is way overpriced. You're just paying for their advertising.

I bought a bottle of this at the liquor store mainly because the distiller was there, Parker Beam, he signed the bottle too, kinda cool. A benefit of living in Louisville. It tastes really good and is inexpensive for a single barrel.

Evan Williams Single Barrel

[jimmyc]

Just came in the mail today from the whiskey exchange...

I'd like to think it will last a long time, but it won't.

[theetruscan]

I tasted 10 or more < $30 bottles of bourbon recently, there are a few winners. I'll post up my notes (if I can find them) after work, or at least the reasonably drinkable ones if I can't.

[broneck]

for anyone looking to try a new single malt...

[jimmyc]

Clopek you do realize that is for sipping and should not be used to play "quarters".

EDIT: forgot, your Canadian. Don't use single malt to play "Loonies"

[oh snap]

The restaurant I work at has a scotch tasting the first Tuesday of every month. I've been lucky enough to try some very nice scotch over the last year or two. Glenmorangie sherry and port casks, Hakushu, Yamazaki, Bruichladdie 10 and Aberlour 12 standout in my mind. The last tasting was 5 different bottlings of Laphroaig, which didnt really suit me, but it was nice to try.

I'm poor so I usually just drink Grant's Family Reserve or Aberlour 10 if I'm feeling saucey

[FUCK]

Tried this the other night and was pleasantly surprised!

pretty affordable and very smooth.

[sungrak]

i HATE wild turkey, and i'm not much a fan of bourbon altogether,

but i had a sitdown with jimmy russell and this was some pretty solid stuff.

im seconding the consensus on these two.

i like a young hearty scotch, and even though the caol ila is beastly compared to the talisker (i always have to add a splash of water, which i usually try not to do), theyre both great values.

[FUCK]

had this tonight and i'm thrilled to say the least.

Highly recommended!

[YoungPunch]

A reasonably priced blended scotch whisky:

[jimmyc]

had this tonight and i'm thrilled to say the least.

Highly recommended!

Yes, I agree.

[maldoror]

to clear up some of the four roses confusion upthread, the deal in brief is as follows: four roses was bought by seagrams a while back, who let the line and brand go to shit while focusing on an export market (esp. japan). kirin then bought the line and revamped it significantly, adding a single barrel and small batch while keeping it a japan exclusive product until last year, when they reintroduced it to the us. AFAIK the US availability is still limited to new york, tennessee and Illinois, but this could already have been expanded by now.

every serious bourbon drinker owes it to themselves to try the single barrel and the small batch four roses, which are two of the best on the market. I've also heard talk of a cask strength variety being introduced later this year which is sure to pop skulls the nation over.

[Ispy]

For a standard, always keep a bottle around the house, scotch I love the reg. 10 year Glenmorangie. The barrel aged varieties are good but I always come back to that starter.

Longmorn 15 year is a great Speyside.

Someone a few pages back asked about a good peaty scotch. My uncle gave me a bottle of Finlaggan Old Reserve a few months back and it blew me away. It's an Islay and although I'm not (wasn't) a huge peat guy but it made me a beleiver.

Also, this might not be news to most but if you get the chance to read over Jim Murray's Whiskey Bible do. Great write ups, some funny as hell.