Whiskey Or Heroin?

[bluesoul]

Really? They must have a lot of lawsuits on their docket...

i like makers mark. now that's some real talk.

dan the poet man you old bugger, i'll have to spin ye an old yarn abouts when i was a worm, but not now mate. i'm still spinning from that poison i had last night. give myself and my kidney some time, and we'll be as smart as paint. perhaps tonight sir. we have designs on a pretty wench as well.

[danthepoetman]

i like makers mark. now that's some real talk.

dan the poet man you old bugger, i'll have to spin ye an old yarn abouts when i was a worm, but not now mate. i'm still spinning from that poison i had last night. give myself and my kidney some time, and we'll be as smart as paint. perhaps tonight sir. we have designs on a pretty wench as well.

There's no better way to know someone and forge a bound than to get drunk with him. We've talked about it before, we should eventually get to it, you and I, Bluesoul!

[danthepoetman]

I could inject Glenmorangie into my veins and it would still taste great.

Glenmorganie is one of the wonders of the universe.

You guys know your whisky! This is the highest selling malt whisky in Scotland itself! Adorable marmalade, cinamon with a whiff of smoke...
I don't know if you've ever tried this variety, Glenmorangie Nectar d'Or. They finish the maturation in Sauternes wine old casks. It has French pastries tones, pâte feuilletée (crust of mille-feuille like). Many radical connaisseurs dislikes it, but this makes a marvelous holliday drink!

[robertlouis]

Glenmorganie is one of the wonders of the universe.

Dan and I were mutually extolling the virtues of this drop of Caledonian nectar earlier, Trish. Well worth any effort to get hold of some. IMHO it's the best ever. Note it's the Uigedail (Oochadoil with a hard "ch") variant. Glorious beyond words.

[robertlouis]

You guys know your whisky! This is the highest selling malt whisky in Scotland itself! Adorable marmalade, cinamon with a whiff of smoke...
I don't know if you've ever tried this variety, Glenmorangie Nectar d'Or. They finish the maturation in Sauternes wine old casks. It has French pastries tones, pâte feuilletée (crust of mille-feuille like). Many radical connaisseurs dislikes it, but this makes a marvelous holliday drink!

Hmm. I'm something of a traditionalist, Dan, and remain to be convinced about the fad for maturing malt in different cask woods. The only one I really like is the Balvenie Doublewood. When it comes to Glenmorangie, well, just don't fuck with a classic.

Sherry casks are still the best. I've heard that some of the Islay malts go for Manzanilla casks, because that driest of dry sherries is traditionally matured in casks in warehouses with slatted sides right by the sea so that they can absorb some of the salt. You can certainly taste it in Bowmore, Ardbeg and Caol Isla.

[Tapatio]

I find the Glenrothes single cask vintages nice- but I don't buy them often.

I don't collect scotch (or truly appreciate it, I'm afraid) so I don't always buy the new releases. When I find one I like, it's gone or so rare by the time I decide to buy another bottle that the only store that has it can't ship to me due to legal restrictions, or the price is too high to justify the purchase (my tastes are fairly plebeian and I admit it- I also tend to spend most liberally on the things I enjoy most.)

I looked the company up a few weeks ago; I read that they provided batches to other companies to blend long before they bottled under their own name.

Not sure if it's true- I read one article, on the internet- my source isn't the most reliable.

Any aficionados who know? Anyone with a favorite vintage? I'd love to hear your take. I don't think I have the language for expressing the taste. I can't talk wine either (but I don't drink it, so. . .)

[danthepoetman]

Hmm. I'm something of a traditionalist, Dan, and remain to be convinced about the fad for maturing malt in different cask woods. The only one I really like is the Balvenie Doublewood. When it comes to Glenmorangie, well, just don't fuck with a classic.

Sherry casks are still the best. I've heard that some of the Islay malts go for Manzanilla casks, because that driest of dry sherries is traditionally matured in casks in warehouses with slatted sides right by the sea so that they can absorb some of the salt. You can certainly taste it in Bowmore, Ardbeg and Caol Isla.

One that I loved particularly with the sherry finish was the Bowmore Darkest. Shame they don't make it anymore. But Bowmore has the chic to make unique stuff they stop making after a while -think of the Black Bowmore (one I never tasted). And the Dusk, finished in red wine (can't recall which) was also very good, always kept at a 50% alcohol volume.

I completely agree indeed with the Ugedail. But it's a very manly drink, very much for whisky aficionados, or people with the palate for peat. The first time, it might be rough on some. No to say anything about the alcohol level.

[danthepoetman]

I find the Glenrothes single cask vintages nice- but I don't buy them often.

I don't collect scotch (or truly appreciate it, I'm afraid) so I don't always buy the new releases. When I find one I like, it's gone or so rare by the time I decide to buy another bottle that the only store that has it can't ship to me due to legal restrictions, or the price is too high to justify the purchase (my tastes are fairly plebeian and I admit it- I also tend to spend most liberally on the things I enjoy most.)

I looked the company up a few weeks ago; I read that they provided batches to other companies to blend long before they bottled under their own name.

Not sure if it's true- I read one article, on the internet- my source isn't the most reliable.

Any aficionados who know? Anyone with a favorite vintage? I'd love to hear your take. I don't think I have the language for expressing the taste. I can't talk wine either (but I don't drink it, so. . .)

Some editions of Glenrothes are absolutely great indeed. It's a pretty subtle drink. Bits of vanila, lots of almonds, heather honey, faint spices. Very nice dram imo too.
Yes, they most probably sell some of their stock to blenders; almost all distilleries do. Those blends contain essentially tasteless grain alcohol; they have to mix it with a certain amount of good malt. For instance, the Chivas Regal is made with Strathisla; the Johnny Walker has changed providers over the years here and there, but I think it's mostly Talisker (a great dram) and Caol Ila that provides the taste in it (I think there was also some Cardhu before, but the distillery has went to a lot of changes over the last decade and so), etc.

[robertlouis]

One that I loved particularly with the sherry finish was the Bowmore Darkest. Shame they don't make it anymore. But Bowmore has the chic to make unique stuff they stop making after a while -think of the Black Bowmore (one I never tasted). And the Dusk, finished in red wine (can't recall which) was also very good, always kept at a 50% alcohol volume.

I completely agree indeed with the Ugedail. But it's a very manly drink, very much for whisky aficionados, or people with the palate for peat. The first time, it might be rough on some. No to say anything about the alcohol level.

Interesting comments on the "manly" attributes of some scotches. I've always subscribed to the view that a peaty monster like Laphraoig is probably the ultimate challenge for the novice. Some women do have very mature and sophisticated palates though - my dear late mother could hold her own easily and loved malts at their darkest and deepest. That said, I know a few blokes who start off with the lighter, aperitif style malts like Dalwhinnie, Bladnoch or Glenkinchie and never shift. But for me the champions come from the islands, whether it's Islay, Jura, Skye or Orkney and the peatier the better. Then there's the one I "grew up" with - Glengoyne, set at the far end of the Strath of Blane in Stirlingshire. The burn that provides the water for the scotch ran along one boundary of my childhood home. I'm getting just a mite thirsty now....

[robertlouis]

Some editions of Glenrothes are absolutely great indeed. It's a pretty subtle drink. Bits of vanila, lots of almonds, heather honey, faint spices. Very nice dram imo too.
Yes, they most probably sell some of their stock to blenders; almost all distilleries do. Those blends contain essentially tasteless grain alcohol; they have to mix it with a certain amount of good malt. For instance, the Chivas Regal is made with Strathisla; the Johnny Walker has changed providers over the years here and there, but I think it's mostly Talisker (a great dram) and Caol Ila that provides the taste in it (I think there was also some Cardhu before, but the distillery has went to a lot of changes over the last decade and so), etc.

Johnny Walker Red should be avoided unless you need to clean your toilet or wreck your guts.

However, my two favourite blends, Bells and Famous Grouse - the latter of whose tv ads at Christmas in the UK are a sheer joy - happen to contain the highest concentration of Islay malts. Other blends which I can manage straight or with just a little water are J&B, Cutty Sark and Dewars.