Any Scotch drinkers in the house?

[Murrfk]

Originally Posted by Bean

Your comment that Jura Superstition is like "baby Laphroaig" has earned you a follower. Without giving any spoilers, I thought your review on this particular scotch was pretty darn good.

I look forward to your future reviews.

Guess I will have to start drinking more! Thanks for your comments.

[CrunchBite]

Originally Posted by Top Shelf

Coop had the Glenlivet 15 year French oak reserve on sale today. Anyone tried it?

Delicious, especially when on sale.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by Top Shelf

Coop had the Glenlivet 15 year French oak reserve on sale today. Anyone tried it?

I can't stand it. But I don't like oak casked whisky, I prefer sherry cask.

[DoubleF]

Question (hopefully not controversial): How do you guys drink your Scotch?

- Straight up
- Water mix
- Ice
- Cocktail
- Other?

I've completely wrecked my stomach by drinking some of the blackest coffee and heavy drinking so straight up doesn't fly anymore without me feeling ill. I do water mixes and cocktails (more with VSOP) than straight up any more.

Currently, I prefer and I find water mixes to highlight some flavors and also allows me to consume without being keeled over in pain with the equivalent of about 1-2oz. I try to do a 3:1 scotch to water or less but find myself having to go as far as 1:1 on certain bad days. No health issue per docs, just sensitivity. It's weird because I can drink other spirits (ie: Everclear, tequila, rum etc.) full strength no problems, but not scotch or whiskey.


How do you drink your scotch?


Also, any suggestions for me on how to try and reduce my water mixture or certain brands you suggest I stay away from to avoid defiling your favorites?

Oh, I might add... I busted open the Macallan 10 and was able to drink sips of it no dilution. Maybe a drop or two of water for an oz to release flavor though. I thought it weird I could tolerate it with so little dilution. I had to dilute my Laphroaig quarter cask and quite a bit more (I still like this slight sweet aftertaste the most to be honest, but stomach hates me for trying it without going 2:1 or so).

[Slava]

I drink it neat. Definitely at first that way, and then maybe a drop or two of water to open it up, but almost always just neat.

I have a set of the scotch rocks that you keep in the freezer and add to your glass if you want it cold. I never use them because it mutes the flavours and I should just get rid of them in reality.

[CaptainYooh]

Only neat, room temperature with a little bit of water on the side.



Scotch taste often benefits when it is highlighted by an appropriate hors d'oeuvre. Younger whiskeys always taste a bit rougher, peatier and saltier – they are better complemented by something even saltier, like blue cheese, which is an excellent side to almost any younger Islay (Laphroaig 10, Bowmore 12 etc.). Generally, sharp cheeses are a safe bet to make almost any Scotch tasting better. With aging, alcohol content in a whiskey is reducing due to evaporation from the barrel and Scotch becomes mellower and sweeter. Coffee beans and/or chocolate then become a good complement for those.

[kermitology]

I've got scotch rocks as well and don't really like them.

I drink mine neat except for about 1-2 mL of water I'll drop in, usually after the first sip if it's a bit too much.

[rain_e]

I tried the rocks once as well and never again. Pretty much neat with single malts that I like. If I end up with a bottle that I don't care for I'll throw some cubes in there.

[Bean]

I tried those 'ice ball' forms with scotch and would never do it again, the majority of people think it looks cool however it really ruins the experience.

I ended up drinking the scotch as quick as I could just so it didn't get too watered down. Don't get caught up in the hype that they don't melt as quickly; if anything, they may melt even faster than regular cubes of ice.

Glencairn nosing glass and scotch neat from now on in.

[cavalera403]

Glencairn Glass, first sip neat
A drop or two of water for drams of 40%-46% abv
A few more drops if it is cask strength

I have whiskey stones as well but the only use that I have found for them is mediocre rum on a hot day.

[Top Shelf]

Anyone ever been to the Crowfoot Scotch Whisky Festival?

http://www.crowfootliquor.com/events...hisky-festival

I think we are going to try it out. Wanted to do the Willow Park one, but that one is in the middle of the week and more expensive, plus Crowfoot is much closer

[DownhillGoat]

There's a few that I'll drink neat, but usually its 3-5 cubes, or the giant cubes.

The cheaper stuff I'll use a splash of Pellegrino. I'm not much of a purist.

[Raekwon]

When I drink cheap scotch its on the rocks, otherwise neat.

[Raekwon]

Originally Posted by Top Shelf

Anyone ever been to the Crowfoot Scotch Whisky Festival?

http://www.crowfootliquor.com/events...hisky-festival

I think we are going to try it out. Wanted to do the Willow Park one, but that one is in the middle of the week and more expensive, plus Crowfoot is much closer

This is the one I was looking for, we did the rum tasting there.

[DoubleF]

I have metal ice cubes to avoid diluting taste, but I found cold scotch weird so I don't use them. I doubt stone would be any better. Room temp water + scotch in the glencairn glass or whiskey glass is usually what I do.

I'll give the cheese a try to see if I can do neat scotch with cheese and no pain. Thanks for the suggestion. I've tried tums, pepto, pecid etc. with no help. It'll delay the pain rather than allow me to avoid it (ie: 30 mins later). It's frustrating. I can do tequila no problem, but I try growing chest hair again by drinking a gentlemanly drink, body says no.

I'm with kunkstyle. I'm not much of a purist either.

[kermitology]

Johnny Walker Black on ice isn't terrible.

[Locke]

I'll usually have some ice or a splash of water if I'm drinking blended malts. Anything Johnny Walker or Chivas I'll usually take some ice.

I like my single malts room temp and neat.

[MRCboicgy]

I have a small cube ice cube tray, and I find one of those in some of 100+ proof ones (cask strength, etc) is just perfect. Let it melt, sit then sip. Some of the younger ones at 46% are good too with one of these.

[Jimmy Stang]

I like to mix it up : sometimes neat, sometimes with a single rock of ice. I find that just a little piece of ice really opens up the flavour with each sip and I can notice the subtle differences more.

For me it isn't a temperature thing, but just a lazy way of adding a little bit of water so that the flavour changes slightly with every sip.

[rain_e]

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)?