Any Scotch drinkers in the house?

[Burninator]

Superstore has a pretty good well priced selection of scotch as well.

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by cavalera403

If he really likes the peat I would check out ardbeg 10 year old or if you can find it a cask strength 12 yo lagavulin

I'm fairly new to scotch, and one of my early favourites is Ardbeg. I love the smoke and peat though. I have even considered buying "peat cones" from their web site (think incense that smells like a peat fire!), but the shipping was absurd. I'm sure that my wife would be thrilled if I made the house smell like peat smoke!

And if anyone else likes Ardbeg, pick it up at Highlander. The shelf price is about $79 or so, but it rings in at about $59 at the till. I asked if this was the permanent price, and the lady said "yes". I then asked why it wasn't reflected on the shelf price the last two times I have bought it (once for my Dad), and she shrugged and said "I'm not sure."

[Murrfk]

This is a good thread, which really demonstrates the diversity of tastes that people have. I have been exploring single malts for a while, and have yet to find one that I really don't like. However, each is different, and some taste different depending on mood and what you've eaten/tasted before hand. I have a tasting blog on scotch in case anyone is interested. Singlemaltscotches.blogspot.ca Feel free to comment if you wish.

I think my all time favourite so far is Bowmore the Devils Casks. Very complex and full flavoured.

[LChoy]

Question, is Johnny Walker Blue really worth the hype?

Ended up picking up a bottle from Duty free for $160 Canadian (LCBO retails at $299.99 + tax). Looking forward to tasting it and comparing it with the Red, Black, and Double Black I already have.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Murrfk

This is a good thread, which really demonstrates the diversity of tastes that people have. I have been exploring single malts for a while, and have yet to find one that I really don't like. However, each is different, and some taste different depending on mood and what you've eaten/tasted before hand. I have a tasting blog on scotch in case anyone is interested. Singlemaltscotches@blogspot.ca Feel free to comment if you wish.

I think my all time favourite so far is Bowmore the Devils Casks. Very complex and full flavoured.

Nice work on the blog! What does a bottle of the Bowmore run? At such a small number, that might be a nice collectors piece...

I think its amusing that you had the same experience with Aberlour as well. We polished off a bottle one (rather lengthy) night. Really tasty for a cheap single malt!

[toonmaster]

Originally Posted by toonmaster

The Johnnie Walker blends are just #### in my opinion. I had high hopes the Gold would be up to par, but it fell flat on its face. It will be a while before I go exploring in Johnnie's world again.

I have a bottle of this in my cupboard now:

http://whiskycast.com/ratings/johnni...he-gold-route/

All I have to say is wow. It is superb. I sampled the spice route as well, and it was also fantastic. This bottle has totally changed my view on Johnnie Walker. I still maintain that the red, black, and gold is pure junk, but once you get into their more premium levels, it seems to totally turn the corner.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by Lchoy

Question, is Johnny Walker Blue really worth the hype?

Ended up picking up a bottle from Duty free for $160 Canadian (LCBO retails at $299.99 + tax). Looking forward to tasting it and comparing it with the Red, Black, and Double Black I already have.

No. Not a chance.

Also, don't ever buy the tiny sample bottles. Waste of money.

On NYE, my neighbour and I did a sampling. His 375mL sample bottle of Blue, and a flight of Red, Black, Platinum and a proper size Blue.



First, the sample size was complete garbage. Like, worse than the red.

Red is pretty bad.
Black is drinkable.
Platinum is oily but not too bad.
Blue is good, but oily and doesn't really have any defining characteristics other than being a relatively smooth drink.

For the price, you are much better off buying a single malt IMO.

[LChoy]

Nice comparisons Kermitology, I'll keep this in mind when I open mine up to sample.
I got the 750ml
There was also a much more expensive, and larger Blue Cast edition. At a higher alcohol content, it would be a little more intense than the regular Blue. However, it was a bit more than I really wanted to spend, especially without being able to sample it, so I stuck with the 750ml Blue first. The main selling point with the higher editions of Johnny is the smoothness.

No worries though, I do have a good collection of the single malts. I just wanted a Blue for the collection.

[fundmark19]

If there are any lurkers like myself who want to get into the scotch lifestyle but can't quite stomach the taste yet try a Rusty Nail. You do 1 for 1 Drambuie and Scotch and if you start with a bad scotch it really sweetens it out and then when you drink just a regular glass of scotch afterwords it makes it taste amazing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rusty_Nail_%28cocktail%29

[Slava]

Originally Posted by fundmark19

If there are any lurkers like myself who want to get into the scotch lifestyle but can't quite stomach the taste yet try a Rusty Nail. You do 1 for 1 Drambuie and Scotch and if you start with a bad scotch it really sweetens it out and then when you drink just a regular glass of scotch afterwords it makes it taste amazing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rusty_Nail_%28cocktail%29

Buy some Cutty Sark or J&B or JW Red for that though! Don't use a single malt for mixing.

[fundmark19]

Originally Posted by Slava

Buy some Cutty Sark or J&B or JW Red for that though! Don't use a single malt for mixing.

That is why I said a bad scotch! Don't waste the good stuff or use someone's good stuff to do it or you will be shot! Keep it cheap mix the drink enjoy its goodness then have a good scotch right after and it will taste magical

[Murrfk]

Originally Posted by Slava

Nice work on the blog! What does a bottle of the Bowmore run? At such a small number, that might be a nice collectors piece...

I think its amusing that you had the same experience with Aberlour as well. We polished off a bottle one (rather lengthy) night. Really tasty for a cheap single malt!

The bowmore devils cask runs just under 100 a bottle. I bought 5. Won't be getting another chance at it and it is exceptional.

I do like the aberlour for "everyday use"!

[MRCboicgy]

Originally Posted by Burninator

Superstore has a pretty good well priced selection of scotch as well.

I concur, their Ardbeg 10 yr is only 56, compared to 74 at KWM or 63 at Co-op.

[DFO]

I picked up a scotch advent calender at Kengsington this year. Turned out to be an excellent experience trying out a pile of new scotch.

http://www.masterofmalt.com/whiskies...ar-2012/?srh=1

Here is the list from a month long tasting,

Master of Malt Islay Single Malt
Deanston Batch 1
Yamazaki 12 Year Old
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Pig’s Nose
Talisker 57 Degrees North
Benriach Heart of Speyside
Auchentoshan Three Wood
Arran 16 Year Old Single Cask
anCnoc 12 Year Old
Blended Malt Batch 1
Dalmore 15 Year Old
Glen Parker Single Malt
Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Year Old
Bruichladdich Laddie Classic Edition 1
Isle of Skye 6 Year Old (Ian Macleod)
Green Spot Single Pot Still
Deanston 19 Year Old Single Cask (Master of Malt)
Loch Lomond Single Malt
Speyburn Bradan Orach
Arran 10 Year Old
Clynelish 1997 Oloroso Sherry Distiller’s Edition
Bowmore 15 Year Old Darkest
Master of Malt 50 Year Old Speyside (3rd Edition)

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by Lchoy

Nice comparisons Kermitology, I'll keep this in mind when I open mine up to sample.
I got the 750ml
There was also a much more expensive, and larger Blue Cast edition. At a higher alcohol content, it would be a little more intense than the regular Blue. However, it was a bit more than I really wanted to spend, especially without being able to sample it, so I stuck with the 750ml Blue first. The main selling point with the higher editions of Johnny is the smoothness.

No worries though, I do have a good collection of the single malts. I just wanted a Blue for the collection.

Yeah, it's certainly a smooth scotch, but I still think you get a better experience from a $120 single malt. There's basically no excuse IMO for drinking anything other than Blue, but at the price, it's just not good enough for me.

[EYE_Overstand]

Originally Posted by Lchoy

Question, is Johnny Walker Blue really worth the hype?

Ended up picking up a bottle from Duty free for $160 Canadian (LCBO retails at $299.99 + tax). Looking forward to tasting it and comparing it with the Red, Black, and Double Black I already have.

Really overrated.
I prefer single malts over blends though

[CaptainYooh]

For those interested in single-malt Scotch, see below photos from my trip to the four most famous Isle of Islay distilleries in Scotland: Bowmore, Laphroig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg. At Bowmore, we were able to see the entire production process starting from spreading barley on the floor all the way to the first fill of newmake. Any questions, let me know.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/5169344...7639594931616/

[Flacker]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

For those interested in single-malt Scotch, see below photos from my trip to the four most famous Isle of Islay distilleries in Scotland: Bowmore, Laphroig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg. At Bowmore, we were able to see the entire production process starting from spreading barley on the floor all the way to the first fill of newmake. Any questions, let me know.

Drool!

Thanks, now I have a pressing desire to grab a bottle of Lagavulin on the way home work.

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by Flacker

...now I have a pressing desire to grab a bottle of Lagavulin on the way home work.

Well, you better do it soon, as chances are it will be more expensive next year. There is a big problem brewing in the single-malt world caused mainly by the shortage of bourbon, sherry and port oak casks and the warehouse space for aging. Scotch companies have been successfully cultivating the idea of the older-age Scotch being better than younger-made Scotch for the last 50 years or so. The fact is – they really are smoother and more refined. The conundrum is that they didn't expect expensive Scotch to become so popular. The demand for older Scotch is higher than what they can reasonably produce. By law, no malt components of the Scotch with a stated age on the bottle can be younger than the age stated. The solution: marketing a lot of new Scotch without stated age under different "models". Bruichladdich distillery purchased and revived by a savvy entrepreneur from bankruptcy has pioneered making new Scotch and calling it "funky" names. Older distilleries are following. Older Scotch is used increasingly for making the "ageless" new spirits under new names with bottle descriptions saying something to the effect "25-yr Scotch was used in making this spirit" etc.

National Post and New Yorker both published reports on this situation. Long story short, fine aged single-malt Scotch will likely become rarer and more expensive in the near future, so stocking up is not such a bad idea.

[fundmark19]

Anyone have any insight on Tamnavulin 14 yr? I had a glass of it at Buchanan's and enjoyed it. Seemed to be a little weaker tasting then other Scotch's I have tried. Anyone had any before is it good or junk? Should I try and hunt down a bottle or look elsewhere