Tried to pickup Bowmore Tempest at Coop on sale but they are sold out at the 130th location. Anyone happen to spot some at another Coop (relatively close)?
Superstore Liquor Stores have the best prices on Bowmore, actually. Check there.
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"An idea is always a generalization, and generalization is a property of thinking. To generalize means to think." Georg Hegel
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According to him when you add water you're looking to get your scotch down to ~35% ABV.
Was interesting to see this thread bumped as I just read an article about budget scotches a couple of hours ago. Take it for what it's worth, as I haven't tried any of the scotches on the list so I can't say whether the author is full of crap or not.
Superstore has Bowmore 15-yr "Darkest" for $66, which is a great deal and a much better Scotch than Tempest.
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"An idea is always a generalization, and generalization is a property of thinking. To generalize means to think." Georg Hegel
“To generalize is to be an idiot.” William Blake
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Superstore has Bowmore 15-yr "Darkest" for $66, which is a great deal and a much better Scotch than Tempest.
I was fortunate enough in January to win a bottle of The Darkest in a gift basket at a scotch tasting event (along with a aberlour abundh, and a GlenScotia 18). My first dram of The Darkest, for whatever reason I didn't care for it at all. I put it away for a while and circled back to it a few weeks later and since then it has become one of my absolute favourites.
I think perhaps the sherry finish mixed with a peaty scotch took my palate a few tries to get used to. Highly recommend this bottle but for anyone looking to take any of us up on this recommendation, give it a chance if you don't take to it right away
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Absolutely great advise. There area few bottles that I have done this with and it works. It is introducing a small amount of air into the bottle and let's the scotch breath a little and expand its flavours. I have found that this is a necessity with all of my bottles of Imperial.
Well after all of your advice I went to buy some scotch last night. I got distracted by a new pretty bottle called "Dewar's Highlander Honey", OMFG it's awesome! So tasty.
Probably not a traditional Scotchman's choice though as it's 'honey infused with natural flavors filtered through oak cask wood'
Picked up the Balvenie 12 year DoubleWood based on numerous recommendations. Very nice scotch. The best price I was able to find on it was at Costco. Took the picture below last night for anyone wanting a quick reference on Single Malt Scotch prices at Costco, I think they are the cheapest around.
Next on my list is the Oban and I want to try a peaty scotch out as well.
Spoiler!
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Speaking of Costco scotch, has anyone tried the Kirkland scotch? They had a bottle there last time I was in. Can't remember the specifics, but it was $750 a bottle so I had to pass.
I have a bottle of Kirkland Scotch. It was about $50-60 I thought and definitely not $750! It's adequate. Not amazing, not terrible. I like it but there are better scotches. Worst white label I own is Trader Joe's. I mean it was about $20 so you can only be so picky, but I don't love that one.
I have a bottle of Kirkland Scotch. It was about $50-60 I thought and definitely not $750! It's adequate. Not amazing, not terrible. I like it but there are better scotches. Worst white label I own is Trader Joe's. I mean it was about $20 so you can only be so picky, but I don't love that one.
There was a bottle of scotch earlier this year at Costco liquor stores, might be the same one that you picked up, which was flying off the shelves and had rave reviews (possibly from non-scotch drinkers.) I picked up a bottle of that stuff but I haven't opened it yet.
Those liking Laphroaig are not likely to like Glenlivet. Totally opposite. Laphroaig is everything Glenlivet is not. Glenlivet is the least peaty, least smokey and least flavourful Scotch in the whole single malt universe.
Laphroaig Quarter Cask is a nice young Scotch for those that like the rough taste of young Islay malts. Similar to the classic Laphroaig 10 in taste, it is even younger; thus, a bit rougher and saltier. Good value for money.
Remember, by Scotland's law, the age printed on the single malt Scotch bottle must be the age of the YOUNGEST malt used in the spirit (even single malts are blended a bit; just to a lesser degree than "blended" Scotch). If no age is printed, the youngest malt in the bottle is 7 years, which, I believe, is the minimum legal age for a Scotch to be sold as a single malt.
From the Co-Op flyer above - Glendronach 21 and Aberfeldy 21 are both decent value for the price. You'd get a good feel for what 21 years of maturation in a barrel does to a spirit (flavour concentration, mellowing, smoothing, sweetening).
Kirkland single malt is usually made of the remnant quantities of spirit that for some reason did not make it to the branded barrels. I would not pay the big bucks for it in any case; the premium is not warranted.
__________________
"An idea is always a generalization, and generalization is a property of thinking. To generalize means to think." Georg Hegel
“To generalize is to be an idiot.” William Blake
There was a bottle of scotch earlier this year at Costco liquor stores, might be the same one that you picked up, which was flying off the shelves and had rave reviews (possibly from non-scotch drinkers.) I picked up a bottle of that stuff but I haven't opened it yet.
Well the truth is I could be recalling it incorrectly. The problem I have is that I have too many bottles of scotch, plain and simple. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that 18yr vintages are slowly becoming extinct, so I like to buy them while you can. Maybe I will pull it out again tonight and see if I still think its mediocre. I think its a 20yr, sherry cask finished scotch.
The other thing is that I like most scotches, so even bad ones are decent. I like having a diverse shelf also, so everything from young and harsher flavours to older bottlings.
Well the truth is I could be recalling it incorrectly. The problem I have is that I have too many bottles of scotch, plain and simple. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that 18yr vintages are slowly becoming extinct, so I like to buy them while you can. Maybe I will pull it out again tonight and see if I still think its mediocre. I think its a 20yr, sherry cask finished scotch.
The other thing is that I like most scotches, so even bad ones are decent. I like having a diverse shelf also, so everything from young and harsher flavours to older bottlings.
It is probably this one which I have sitting at home unopened:
