Re: Bopper(o) I'm bumping this thread because I want--nay, I demand--a place to talk about scotch on BigSoccer. I just unexpectedly came into a couple hundred bucks and I thought, well since it's basically found money I'd buy a few new bottles! I have a Laphroaig 15 and a Talisker 18 on the way. I'm also thinking about going in for the relatively elusive Lagavulin 12. To brag even more, a friend of mine is bringing me back a bottle of the new Ardbeg Renaissance from London (won't be available in the US).
If you have some money, you should really step up to Bruichladdich, maybe the 3D, since I'm guessing you're really into the smoke thing from the Laphroaig. It's another Islay, too.
I know very little about borbon, whiskey, or scotch, but I am willing to learn. And I'm starting here in October. http://www.kybourbontrail.com/#
I see some common misconceptions about tasting/drinking earlier in the thread, so I have to comment. I work for a distillery and my gf is the wine director at a local five-star. Two things, gentlemen- Ice will not ruin your palate. The cooler a liquid is though, the less the liquid will present it's flavors. Professional tasters dillute their samples down to 40 proof. It opens up the flavors. All this talk about too much water or ice ruining the flavor is a macho pedant's game. I personally enjoy my bourbon, scotch and irish with a tiny bit of ice, and don't drink it until the ice is completely melted and assimilated, but that's just my preference and I would never do that in the quality control lab here. Drink your whiskey however you like and don't tell other people how to enjoy it. It's all good.
PM when you're coming to Buffalo Trace and I'll hook you up with the hardhat tour. You will get to try White Dog. White Dog is bourbon before it's been aged, and you will really appreciate what wood does for whiskey after that experience.
Well, that money is quickly being evaporated by my Laphroaig/Talisker/Ardbeg excursion! In all honesty, I've been hesitant to try Bruichladdich because I've wondered whether the distillery is anything more than marketing savvy--by the late 90's, I believe, they were regarded as very ho-hum until some guy took over their marketing department. Plus, a lot of their whiskies are wine-finished, right? I'm not sure I'd be into that. However, you specifically mention the 3D which I know has proved to be quite popular with people who swear by the Laddie. I just read a very good review (a friend of a friend runs a very comprehensive single malt website) of the 3D Second Edition. Have you tried it? Based on what I read, from a source I trust of course, I think this might be up my alley.
I don't know much about the distilleries (other than it was being monitored by the US Gov at one point, but that's another story) but my gf is a big fan (and she supposedly has a guilded palatte). I've had the 1st and 2nd edition of the 3D. The first edition blew me away . . the second edition was good, but it was all peat and smoke, and you didn't get as broad a pallate of flavors . . . but that's what I think about the Laphroaig taste profile, except I think the smoke (especially in young Laphroaig) tastes extremely extracted. But I think I'm looking for somerthing different in my Scotch than you, and our other friends loved it, and I may have been expecting too much as it had been a while since I had the 1st edition and was probably unfairly expecting a life-altering tasting. And I know a lot more about Bourbon and Wine than I know about Scotch, so take my opinion fwiw. I prefer the laddie full strength, I've had both editions. I do hate their marketing though, but that's just because I don't like graphic-laden bottles or golf- I think it probably has something to do with them not being taken seriously by some.
One that I'd like to hear, actually! Well, the taste profile I read about (but reading and experiencing are two different things!) mentioned some tropical fruits under the peat on the nose, and some lemony-grapefruit on the palate. However, peat and smoke work just fine for me! In any event, I've heard that it's much more delicate than the likes of Laphroaig et. al. I may just give this one a try, even though, like you, I feel a little strange about the gaudy packaging and whatnot.
Laphroaig is definitely my favorite, but other Islay Island scotches that are good are Lagavulin, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain and Ardbeg. I'm also a fan of Speysides, like Speyburn, Glenfiddich, Glenlivit, Knockando, Cardhu, and a few others.
Other Islay scotches? You listed almost all of them, Jeremy! Islays are definitely my favorite, and I can't wait to do a head-to-head with this Ardbeg Renaissance I have coming (basically a cask strength version of the upcoming 10 year old) and the new 10 when it finally comes out. I have also heard that the new Bowmore 15 Darkest is supposed to be great, and better than the old version I'm surprised you didn't mention the Balvenie--classic Speysider! The only bad thing about single malts is that my wallet can't keep up with my enthusiasm. Of course, that might be more like one of the bad things about being a grad student...
I guess that is most of the Islays. What can I say, they're my favorites. I also like Ilse of Jura, which has a similar "peaty" flavor, at least to me. And yeah, Balvenie is good stuff. It's probably the first single malt I really noticed a decade and a half ago.
Islays are my favorite as well! Recently, two friends and I did a head to head tasting of the main Balvenie expressions. We had the 10, 12, 15, 17, and 21 port wood. The 15 won out, followed by the 12.
Awesome- We just formed some sort of partnership with Isle of Jura- It's bottled there, but it goes to distributors through our warehouse. I actually got to taste a 30 year from there . . . Of course, unfortunately it was in QC, so I only got a dram and had to spit. Are you drinking the 16year?
I've had some fairly outlandish vintages, but I think for all styles of whiskey, once you get past 18 years you're really pushing it . . . . Even though that '15' is probably more like a 17, but that's also a whole other discussion about the industry.
I agree that there's certainly a law of diminishing returns as a whisky gets past 18 years old. Although that doesn't mean I wouldn't jump at the chance to pick up a bottle of Laphroaig 30! It's interesting about the Balvenie 15--since they put the dates of vatting and bottling on the bottle you can tell exactly how old your particular bottle is. I've had one that's 16 years old, and I've run into a handful of people who have had 17 year old bottles, and even one 18 year old as well! The Balvenie 21 was admittedly out of this world on the nose--all tropical fruit (guavas, papayas and the like) and rich vanilla sherbet. But the whisky just fell flat on its face once you tasted it! Quite a let-down.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-Y3Vf-FZHg"]YouTube - Types of Whiskey : Blended Whiskeys[/ame]
A friend is turning 40 and I'd like to get him a bottle of 40 year old scotch. Any recommendations? (please give rough price estimate if you know it) I could settle for Whiskey or Irish Whiskey also. Thanks in advance.
I don't know any good 40 year olds offhand, but I can tell you one thing for sure: it will be cheaper getting "any old" 40 yo bottle rather than a bottle from a specific "vintage". Two suggestions: you might check out Binny's in Chicago, or, even better, The Whisky Exchange in London. With the latter you'll pay for overseas shipping, obviously, but their selection is unparalleled and you can search for specific years for anniversaries or birthdays if you so choose. Depending on your budget, this may be something you want to get several people to pitch in for. Feel free to PM me with questions!
Highland Park has a 40 for around 2000 that is supposed to be amazing. I'm sure it is, but be advised that 40 year old stuff is usually more a gimmick than actually good. With the angels share, I think whiskys made to be aged that long are probably over distilled so that they still have some punch left at the end.
This is true, and I'd probably recommend Sport Billy get two 20 year olds instead of one 40 year old, anyway. Plus, what 40 year old doesn't want two 20 year olds on his birthday? Some independent bottlers get great casks that do last well into their old age. Longmorn, Bowmore, some Glen Grants, Glenfarclas, maybe Port Ellen, all of these have often been successfully bottled with ages ranging from 29-39/40 years. And they're often wonderful. But, like I said, if you choose to go this route it will most certainly cost you.
Although the Islay malts, especially Lagavulin, are my favourites I am occasionally partial to a good blended whisky such as The Famous Grouse whisky. The blend is crafted from the finest malt whiskies such as Macallan and Highland Park. This is the biggest selling whisky in Scotland. The Jackson review of The Famous Grouse is as follows:- Nose..........Sherry. Juicy fresh oak. Palate........Calvados. Slight butter. Flowering currant. Crystalised ginger. Finish .......Faint suggestion of garden bonfires. Comment..Creates the illusion of being massively more malty than it really is. Personally for my taste it's a little too sweet and would never replace the Islay malts.