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Are you a Whisky snob?

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  • Javaphile
    replied
    Re: Are you a Whisky snob?

    For those who like to watch their spirit being made webcams of the Bruichladdich distillery and surrounds: http://www.bruichladdich.com/webcams


    Java "Isnt the net a wonderful thing?!?" phile

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  • idolwolf
    replied
    Re: Are you a Whisky snob?

    I used to work as a bartender, but I never drank much whiskey.  Then a few years ago I got into bourbons and just in the last six months I tried a bottle of Jura scotch.  Im pretty happy with it so I think Im comfortable getting more scotches when I get through this one.  Id actually like to try something with more single malt characteristics.  Ive heard Laphroaig is the most distinctive so I thinking of giving it a go. 
    In terms of bourbons my favourite cheaper brand is Elijah Craig, although my all time favourite is old grand-dad 114. 
    This ones getting off topic but during my time as a bartender I came across a mezcal made by Del Maguey, cant remember which one, but it had a beautiful peaty characteristic and seemed closer to a scotch than a tequilla.

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  • malliemcg
    replied
    Re: Are you a Whisky snob?

    I like the Highland and Speyside whiskies - the smoky peatyness found commonly in the Island Whiskies I just cant handle, brings feeling relating to not being able to breathe properly.

    Enjoying a Macallan at present. Dont often top the the collection, when my mum visited a while back she brought me back a sampler of the various regions, gave me a good idea of they styles/typicality that I go for, alas ye budget I knew thee well.

    I must say I did enjoy the JW Blue a mate bought back 6 years ago duty free, finished the last of it about 12 months ago. Not sure Id pay what is asked for it retail though. (Same could be said for [cognac I know] Hennesey XO which I found delicous as compared to the VSOP). Nice to have tried em once.

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  • Steffen
    replied
    Re: Are you a Whisky snob?

    Thanks for the heads-up. Lagavulin 16 is definitely my first choice, with Laphroig 10 being a close second.

    Cheers
    Steffen.

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  • roknee
    replied
    Re: Are you a Whisky snob?

    i just heard that too barry.
    good deal really on the lagavullin

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  • Barry O'Speedwagon
    replied
    Re: Are you a Whisky snob?

    For those interested in Lagavulin, one of the giant liquor depots is selling it at below $80 a bottle at the moment (online and in store) and I presume the others will price match. Ardbeg 10 YO similar price but I have no idea what value this is.
    BOSW.

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  • roknee
    replied
    Re: Are you a Whisky snob?

    yeah my understanding is similar to Barry.
    2% roughly.
    and id find it hard to believe that any distillery is aging their whiskeys in anything than a cask. thats the whole idea of aging whiskey - that it absorbs more from the cask based upon time spent sitting inside it. ive never heard of them removing 3,5 yr old whiskey and transferring to a different kind of vessel. the only thing they might do is to transfer to a different kind of cask, for example the balvenie doublewood, http://www.thebalvenie.com/en-us/ourRange_currentRange.php and plenty others do this too

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  • Barry O'Speedwagon
    replied
    Re: Are you a Whisky snob?

    Originally posted by 694B4041564A4D505D240 link=1279252549/31#31 date=1331962596
    Tell me how this works? If a whiskey is barrelled for 10 years and the losses (angels share) are 12-15% per year, so they the distillery end up with 1/4 of the amount they started off with in the barrel. After 20 years it would 12.5% and so on. So my guess is that whiskey is barrel aged (3-5 years) and then removed from the wooden barrel when it is ready (flavour) and stored in a vessel that does not allow evaporation. Any ideas?
    I thought the angels share was around 2% per year, so 20 years roughly equates to 40% loss (I presume the loss p.a. is proportional to exposed surface area rather than remaining volume but am just guessing...maybe the rate of loss changes with age).
    Cheers
    BOSW

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  • Modernity
    Guest replied
    Re: Are you a Whisky snob?

    Tell me how this works? If a whiskey is barrelled for 10 years and the losses (angels share) are 12-15% per year, so they the distillery end up with 1/4 of the amount they started off with in the barrel. After 20 years it would 12.5% and so on. So my guess is that whiskey is barrel aged (3-5 years) and then removed from the wooden barrel when it is ready (flavour) and stored in a vessel that does not allow evaporation. Any ideas?

    Leave a comment:


  • Barry O'Speedwagon
    replied
    Re: Are you a Whisky snob?

    Originally posted by 447A75757F76130 link=1279252549/28#28 date=1331723772
    Just polished off 2nips of Ardbeg; cant believe no one has mentioned it yet!!!
    I found it a bit subtle the only time Ive tried it ....but then again Id had about 8 pints of ale and a Lagavulin before shifting to it. Might give it another go at pub tomorrow (without the palate handicap).
    Cheers
    BOSW

    Leave a comment:


  • jaybee
    replied
    Re: Are you a Whisky snob?

    I was interested to discover that bad farming practices in many lowland regions have destroyed the water quality to such an extent that the water used to make some whiskey is imported. Glencinchy for example uses Japaneese water (well it did when I was a student at Edinburgh Uni!). The definition below talks only about where the product is made, not where the ingredients were grown!

    For the record, Lagavulin for me (ok, Ardbeg over 40 years in the barrel at a very expensive push!)

    Originally posted by 6665777773657D040 link=1279252549/1#1 date=1279255026
    Originally posted by 404A5F4848475355260 link=1279252549/0#0 date=1279252549

    I decided not to restrict it to Scotch whisky only. Some purists/uber-snobs might argue that if it isnt distilled in Scotland from a single malted grain, then it isnt whisky. But work with me on this...
    Agreed.
    The definition seems too restrictive and would limit some nice drops.

    From wiki:
    "The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 define Scotch Whisky in UK law.

    Under the legislation, Scotch Whisky means whisky:

    (a) which has been produced at a distillery in Scotland from water and malted barley (to which only whole grains of other cereals may be added) all of which have been:

    (i) processed at that distillery into a mash; (ii) converted at that distillery to a fermentable substrate only by endogenous enzyme systems; and (iii) fermented at that distillery only by the addition of yeast;

    (b) which has been distilled at an alcoholic strength by volume of less than 94.8% so that the distillate has an aroma and taste derived from the raw materials used in, and the method of, its production;

    (c) which has been wholly matured in an excise warehouse in Scotland in oak casks of a capacity not exceeding 700 litres, the period of that maturation being not less than three years;

    (d) which retains the colour, aroma and taste derived from the raw materials used in, and the method of, its production and maturation, and to which no substance other than water and plain caramel colouring may be added."


    I have tried the Blue Label. Still some sitting on my drink shelf. It is nice but 3 times the price it should be. The JBM of whisky.
    But I dont really like blends. I find them boring.

    Talisker and Lagavulin are probably my favourites. Glenlivet is probably my staple.

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  • Wiffle
    replied
    Re: Are you a Whisky snob?

    Cant believe i havent seen this thread before!!

    Just polished off 2nips of Ardbeg; cant believe no one has mentioned it yet!!! My favourite of all the Islay malts, although lagavulin and oban are also great (and laphroig). Jura superstition is another goody, and for everyday stuff Ill go glenmorangie or a Speyside of some type (glen moray at the moment).

    Not into blends at all (even got a bottle of royal salute free and was glad I hadnt paid for it). Think glenfiddich is highly over rated (just my opinion). Dont mind black bush to fuel the squabbles now and then.

    Havent tried the tassie drops as Ive found theyre either hard to get or ridiculously expensive; apparently some good ones from WA now, too.

    Whiskey and coffee; bloody awesome, although not always at the same time (would struggle with an Islay first thing in the morning).

    Slightly OT, but then we come to Mexican whiskey (aka tequila); if youve never tried herradura anejo its a true revelation!! :-)

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  • roknee
    replied
    Re: Are you a Whisky snob?

    i wouldnt necessarily knock blends. for example abunadh is a very well regarded whiskey and its a blend, not that most folks would know it. blends dont state an age on their labels.

    follow your tastebuds rather than single malt and ages...
    as for mixes, like whiskey and cola...well, i wont say anything about that

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  • phrostyboi
    replied
    Re: Are you a Whisky snob?

    like a decent drop of scotch myself

    so far have come to like dimple 12yo (blend I know), glenfiddich 12yo an aberlour (think its 8yo)

    aberlour is my pick of the bunch at the moment, not as smokey and bitey as the dimple and glenfid

    went off blends and mixed stuff ages ago

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  • roknee
    replied
    Re: Are you a Whisky snob?

    tullibardine 1993 vintage. one of the best single malts i have EVER had. so smooth and creamy you almost forget its whiskey

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