BS: Question about Scotch

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 14 Sep 17 - 02:20 PM

Smoky Black Grouse no bad at a'!

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Sep 17 - 09:09 PM

Congratulations on that raffle win!

Subject: BS: Single malts
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 18 Dec 18 - 07:08 PM

I will drink any single malt whisky, from lightweight to the heaviest smoky peaty jobs. However, though I may be a prosecco socialist, I am no millionaire. I definitely prefer the heavier peaty jobs. My two go-tos are Talisker ten-year-old (beware of those imposters, Talisker Storm and Talisker Skye) and Laphroaig ten-year-old (beware of the terribly inferior Laphroaig Select, but the Quarter Cask is very good). But today is my 42nd wedding anniversary, and, for the third year running, Mrs Steve has bought me a bottle of Ardbeg Uigeadail. I think it costs about fifty quid, but, I tell you, this is by far the finest malt I have ever supped. It's dear, but it's 52% vol. so you get a lot of bang for your bucks. The damnedest finest dram I've ever supped. It's malt. Discuss.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Dec 18 - 07:28 PM

Steve, I transferred your post, please read through this remarkable thread to see what people have already had to say about Scotch. My favorite is the Ardbeg (not the most expensive one). I found a very good comparable tasting one in the US from Total Wine and More, their Sheildag house brand, the Highland variety.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 18 Dec 18 - 07:42 PM

apologies if this has been mentioned already - havnae time tae read thro' it all!
Was half- watching Rick Stein the other day because he was in Australia - in fact, Tasmania, and one of the places he visited was - a small whisky distillery!! Think it jas been going about 15 years? they grow their own barley on the (large) island -- and their single malt has recently been awarded - best in the world? unless I misheard it -- not sure who was judging it and as it doesn't have a large output we may never get a chance to taste it here- -
I am not sure if I approve of whisky produced outwith Scotland getting to call itself malt or single malt?!

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 18 Dec 18 - 08:19 PM

Dammit, Maggie, I now realise how I've duplicated meself in this thread! Still, with Christmas coming and, along with it, the eager unwrapping of whisky-shaped parcels to come, it seems like an appropriate revival of a very fertile theme for discussion. And definitely do not add either water or ice (heaven especially forfend the latter) to any malt worthy of its name. If I hear of anyone doing that, be aware that I'm very likely to call a constable.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Dec 18 - 10:11 PM

I stopped adding anything to whisky a long time ago. It did take a while to cultivate a taste. I find that now that this is my main hard liquor, when I go through the liquor store and see all of the candy-flavored gins and vodkas and such they are totally off-putting.

And a whisky-shaped parcel sounds like a very nice holiday gift!

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Donuel
Date: 18 Dec 18 - 10:28 PM

Happy Anniversary Steve

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 19 Dec 18 - 02:16 AM

I've drank most of the Ardbeg expressions, they are all fabulous, Steve Shaw is spot on about Laphroaig Select, what were they thinking of, it's probably why most supermarkets stock it as their cheapest brand, for supermarket own brands Asda's Islay is hard to beat, and it's only £18.50 a bottle.

Don't get me on about Lagavulin, absolute top whisky IMHO.

Dave H

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 19 Dec 18 - 04:48 AM

Lagavulin always seems a bit dear. The Lagavulin 16 is a thing of beauty, for sure. On the subject of mucking about with names and expressions, years ago I was a Macallan addict, then they started mucking about and I never knew which of the labels belonged to the beloved Macallan ten-year-old. Around the same time I developed a taste for the peaty, smoky Islay ones so I stopped fretting about Macallan. I watch the shelves like a hawk for the Talisker 10-year-old on sale with a few quid off, but more often than not it isn't even there, replaced by those extremely unworthy substitutes Talisker Skye and Talisker Storm. Is nothing sacred?

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 19 Dec 18 - 07:08 AM

I visited the Talisker distilery on Skye many years ago, wonderful place and 10 year old is one of the worlds geat whiskies, Talisker Storm is not bad but Talisker Skye seems very wishy washy to me without peat.

Lagavulin 16 year old is is great whisky but well overpriced, it seems to be priced that way to keep it exclusive, I rather like the 12 year old cask strength mind, my current one is 57.7% abv abottle at Sainsbury's to

I regularly troll the supermarkets fo bargains, Ardbeg 10 year old £36 at Sainsbury's and £37 at Tesco this morning.

Dave H

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 19 Dec 18 - 10:24 AM

Wot's wrong with Vodka and Irn Bru?

:D tG

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: keberoxu
Date: 19 Dec 18 - 01:08 PM

Well, Irn Bru may well be Scottish,
but is it Scotch? I doubt it --
and I don't even drink ... alcohol ...

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: keberoxu
Date: 19 Dec 18 - 01:32 PM

Like Gallus Moll, preceding,
I have not looked at every post on every page on this thread.
So, for all I can tell,
someone has already posted a link to this six-and-a-half minute video.

As I have read, this video was commissioned by the Johnnie Walker people
to show to Diageo, the Japanese firm which acquired Johnnie Walker;
it was intended as an in-house educational tool.

The video leaked online, however, and went viral.
Robert Carlyle, asked for details about shooting the video,
remarked that the final take was near the end of daylight,
it was roughly Take 34, and he was "knackered."

The Man Who Walked Around The World

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Senoufou
Date: 19 Dec 18 - 04:19 PM

Nothing to do with Scotch, so apologies for the Drift, but does anyone know if one can buy miniatures of brandy anywhere? We're usually teetotal, but I want a tiny bottle of brandy to pour over the Crimbo pudding. None of the supermarkets seem to sell miniatures any more, and we certainly don't want a blooming great bottle of the stuff.
Any ideas?

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 19 Dec 18 - 04:54 PM

If you want it to catch fire it needs to say at least 40% Vol on the bottle.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Jos
Date: 19 Dec 18 - 05:16 PM

I don't know about miniatures but you could probably buy a quarter-bottle, and keep it for next year and the year after, ... for years.
If the supermarkets don't have them, try an off-licence.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Senoufou
Date: 19 Dec 18 - 05:24 PM

Thank you Steve and Jos!
I don't think I'll set it alight (might do though, could be fun!) and I've convinced Muslim husband that any alcohol will evaporate with the heat of the pudding. I just want to pour about three drops onto the thing once it's in our pudding bowls, then add double cream.
I see that Asda has what they call a 'mini bar' so might investigate that.

My fav whisky used to be Glenfiddich, but only a tiny wee taste at Hogmanay and Burn's Night. It's a bit strong for me.

Actually Jos, buying a quarter bottle of brandy and keeping it would be a good idea if we can't get a miniature. I'm sure it does keep for years!

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 19 Dec 18 - 05:27 PM

I was thinking that myself. We generally buy a bottle of Morrisons cheapie (the cheapest at 40% Vol, mind), which lasts us for donkeys' years. We never drink it as actual brandy. Miniatures are incredibly bad value.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 19 Dec 18 - 05:27 PM

That was to Jos.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 19 Dec 18 - 05:34 PM

It will keep for ever. If you set fire to booze it burns off all the alcohol. I never use wine in cooking until I've boiled it in a small saucepan then set fire to the vapour. Not only is that fun, it also removes the harshness that alcohol adds to dishes. I got that tip from Elizabeth David. Can't say fairer than that!

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Mossback
Date: 19 Dec 18 - 05:46 PM

What's the concensus on Craigellachie 13 year old?

Thanks,

Bill

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 19 Dec 18 - 06:19 PM

Never had that one. I'm determined to live to 135 so that I can sample every malt in existence. My liver may not agree.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 19 Dec 18 - 07:09 PM

I may also be repeating myself, having previously contributed to the thread and having a bad attack of deja vu when I first saw Steve's "new" thread (subsequently merged with the older one!)
Yes, I still like A-Bunadh, and no, I don't, on the whole, like the heavily peated ones. (Some reminiscent of operating theatres with all that carbolic!)
Have to make an exception for the Lagavulin 16-year old, as (on another lucky day!) we won a bottle while visiting a "ceilidh night" at the Lagavulin distillery some years ago: we didn't have the first ticket out of the raffle hat, but the lady who did had worked for the distillery so wasn't bothered about winning another bottle of whisky: she went for a piece of local pottery. Ours was the second ticket out, and guess what prize we chose?
And my third lucky win was the "Roll a £1 coin at the bottle" - a favourite game at ceilidhs as everyone thinks they are a crack shot and this will be easy: the coin nearest the bottle wins. Easy to raise £100 or more in a few minutes if you have a half-decent bottle to roll at: on this occasion it was Glenkinchie, from Pencaitland near Edinburgh: more than half-decent! And I won!
As for adding things to whisky: YES to water in moderation, no to anything else. It "releases the vapours" - if you go to any official whisky tasting, they will advise you first to try the whisky neat, then to add small amounts of water: you will get far more amazing flavours out of it than just drinking it neat all the time.It is not diluting it; it's bringing on a whole new experience!

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 19 Dec 18 - 07:25 PM

My abundant saliva dilutes the whisky quite enough, thanks! And don't forget that all these malts that hover around 40% have been well diluted already.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 20 Dec 18 - 02:40 AM

Never put anything in a single malt, except another one.

Dave H

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 20 Dec 18 - 04:46 AM

I add water sometimes but our tap water does have a chlorine-y taint so I use bottled stuff. Or just let the tap water stand in a jug for a while. I never put ice with Scotch but do with bourbon or other American whiskies. Not sure why!

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 20 Dec 18 - 09:29 AM

Well you really are missing something by never adding water.....
The friend who puts on very good whisky tastings at our local rugby club will only use one brand of bottled water, Highland Spring.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Dec 18 - 07:45 PM

Single malt does make a great gift, if you know others who drink it. I seem to be the only one in my immediate circle of friends and family who enjoys it.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 21 Dec 18 - 08:23 PM

We thought my sister had wanted me to get a bottle of malt for Christmas for me for which she would later reimburse me. So I bought a bottle of Laphroaig Ten. But it seems we had our messages crossed, and she's bringing me a bottle that she's already bought. So I now have a redundant bottle of Laphroaig.




Damn.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 21 Dec 18 - 08:47 PM

Never redundant! It will keep......or maybe it won't.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Bill D
Date: 15 Oct 23 - 10:32 AM

I was reminded of this thread today, and I thought I would add my recent acquisition of this:
https://www.masterofmalt.com/whiskies/highland-park/highland-park-15-year-old-viking-heart-whisky/

Sipping it very slowly

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Oct 23 - 12:05 PM

We've been reading the same discussion elsewhere; after a couple of dozen tests of different single malt products I settled on the store brand at Total Wine (actually, they say it isn't a store brand, but they buy about 95% of what that company makes, so few others carry it). The Shieldag Highland variety. I recently was in a different store poking around and found a Macleod's Islay single malt that has about the same amount of smoke and peat (and they say salt); I think it's more typical for that flavor mix in the Islay, from talking to a couple of clerks about varieties.

Anyway, the complexity and less-sweet aspects of Scotch appeal to me much more than sweet cocktails (the subject of that other discussion).

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 15 Oct 23 - 12:21 PM

I've become inordinately fond of Ardbeg Ten in recent times.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Oct 23 - 01:32 PM

The Shieldag that I like is as close as I could come to the Ardbeg without the sticker shock, and the Macleod fits in that (though it's closer to the price I paid for Ardbeg last time I bought it.)

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Bill D
Date: 15 Oct 23 - 01:53 PM

It turns out that the Total Wine store nearest to where I'll be moving soon doesn't carry hard liquor. Evidently Virginia has adopted a 'hard liquor only at state ABC stores' policy. I've never been to one, so I have no idea of what they carry.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 15 Oct 23 - 01:59 PM

I never buy malts for myself, Maggie. I solicit them from my nearest and dearest at Christmas and for my birthday, which events, fortuitously, are just about six months apart. Ardbeg Ten usually comes in at about £45 which is very pricey, but swooping is done when it's on offer anywhere.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Sol
Date: 19 Oct 23 - 07:17 PM

From my limited experience, I have found Aberlour to be my 2nd favourite. Macallan's being it's only superior.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Bill D
Date: 19 Oct 23 - 07:24 PM

I got my interest in Scotch thru MacAllan's. Aberlour is a fine substitute.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 19 Oct 23 - 07:32 PM

Well I've always found that Abelour is just a bit dull. Sorry to be a contrarian. I'm biased because I'm a confirmed heavy peat man, so don't listen to me!

Tragically, I've just seen Talisker ten at fifty-two quid in Waitrose. I'm in mourning.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 20 Oct 23 - 02:57 AM

Lidl's Ben Bracken malts are surprisingly good for about £17. They do Highland, Islay and Speyside with the latter being my favourite. I also start to sing Sir James the Rose when I drink it. Because it rhymes:-D

On a blended tangent, anyone know what has become of Stewart's Cream of the Barley? I used to like that but have not seen it for years.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Oct 23 - 02:46 PM

I think Kendall decided Abelour was his favorite, if I recall the results as we tasted various brands available when this thread started over a decade ago. That's about the only thing I know about that brand.

It always strikes me as unusual that some of you in the UK (or all of you in the UK?) can buy hard liquor in the grocery store. Most of the states I've been in will allow beer and wine sales in grocery venues, but higher proof needs a separate business. Only in Arizona did I see everything for sale in one place (and that was in Walgreens pharmacies - I don't remember if hard stuff is sold in groceries? They may need to be in a separate room because of minors in the store.)

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 22 Oct 23 - 03:49 PM

Back when I still drank alcohol (i.e. Pre-2006) my favourite Malt was Bunnahabheinn, from the NE coast of Islay. Heavy, dark, peaty. Eighteen years since I had a taste. Visited the distillery several times during my sea-going years.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: gillymor
Date: 22 Oct 23 - 04:43 PM

I'm not much of a Scotch drinker but I have a bottle of Lagavulin 16 sitting on a side table in the living room that serves as a memorial to my late friend and fishing buddy, Don who left it to me, probably as a posthumous effort to convert me to the stuff but I haven't got the heart to open it.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Donuel
Date: 23 Oct 23 - 06:35 AM

I was surprised to learn there are people who take Scotch intravenously. They say they can still taste it.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: gillymor
Date: 23 Oct 23 - 07:01 AM

50 ccs 12 yr. old single malt stat!
Seems like there was a time back in the '70's or 80's when rock stars were shooting up booze for fun.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 23 Oct 23 - 05:46 PM

I think the Scotch I really loved was Talisker. About four seconds after the first taste, there was this peppery after taste. Quite exquisite.

If God really has it in for me _ I'll spend the first million years of eternity going round apologising for my behaviour chasing that after taste.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Bill D
Date: 24 Oct 23 - 01:16 PM

"..don't listen to me!"
Got it, Steve. I understand...sort of... why folks choose heavy peat. I also understand why some choose very hot peppers, but I don't listen to them either!
   I suppose we 'could' pool our money and share some Talisker.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Oct 23 - 05:09 PM

gillymor, it's a shame not to open it, just to see what they were sharing with you. If you aren't fond of it the contents still might be welcome by occasional guests to your home.

Subject: RE: BS: Question about Scotch
From: gillymor
Date: 26 Oct 23 - 04:40 AM

SRS, I'm well familiar with this whisky as it was my old pal's favorite tipple on special occasions. The bottle, which has been the centerpiece of a small shrine for about 6 years is going to a family member after I'm no longer around. He'll be able to appreciate it far more than I ever could.