Single Malt Scotch Whisky

[robertlouis]

After hijacking Trixie's thread with umpteen posts about the joys of single malt usquebaugh, it's time to break away and leave the poor lass in peace.

Now, there needs to be some ground rules before we start:

1. Only "whisky", please. If you want to talk bourbon or rye, gtf out of here. This is about serious, original stuff with a 2000 year history.

2. The only things to be added to single malt are (a) bottled or Scottish water, still, not sparkling and (b) more single malt.

3. Anyone who wants to add ice will be offered counselling, or, failing that, death by lethal injection.


OK guys, over to you.

[danthepoetman]

Great idea! And I accept whole hearthedly the rules presented to me and I'll click "I agree" anytime. This could potentially be a fabulous thread, as a bottle of whisky is most probably the most beautiful thing after a woman.

I must say I have given my little bits and what not on the Alcohol thread on the subject. Drinking exclusively whisky, the whole alcohol thread was highjacked by my good care towards Scotland without stopovers. But I'm ready to talk about over and over and over again, and especially if it forces me to taste some more in order to comment!



Fabulous idea, Robert Louis!

And to start things nicely, let me post some lovely old pictures, the first one of an artisan working alone, the second of the Bowmore dislillery, the third one of the peat picking and the last one of the defunct Port-Ellen distillery, still surviving nontheless as a malting installation, if I'm not wrong...

[robertlouis]

Great idea! And I accept whole hearthedly the rules presented to me and I'll click "I agree" anytime. This could potentially be a fabulous thread, as a bottle of whisky is most probably the most beautiful thing after a woman.

I must say I have given my little bits and what not on the Alcohol thread on the subject. Drinking exclusively whisky, the whole alcohol thread was highjacked by my good care towards Scotland without stopovers. But I'm ready to talk about over and over and over again, and especially if it forces me to taste some more in order to comment!



Fabulous idea, Robert Louis!

And to start things nicely, let me post some lovely old pictures, the first one of an artisan working alone, the second of the Bowmore dislillery, the third one of the peat picking and the last one of the defunct Port-Ellen distillery, still surviving nontheless as a malting installation, if I'm not wrong...

Thanks Dan. We can have some fun with this!

I spent a couple of blissfully pissed summers on Islay staying with a university friend whose family home was in a wonderfully ramshackle Georgian mansion built around a 13th century tower house overlooking the Atlantic at Portnahaven. We worked for the island council maitaining graveyards but spent most of our time sleeping off our hangovers on table stones.

The island's common currency was malt - everyone had at least one family member who worked in one of the distilleries and nobody ever paid for it! And I've sunk a few bottles of Port Ellen too. Wonder what they would be worth now?

Last night I toasted Andy Murray's Wimbledon win with the remainder of my 21 year old Springbank. Dropping heavy hints for my birthday next month!

[danthepoetman]

Out of curiosity, I was just searching the site of the State control liquor stores, here, to see the price of a Port Ellen, and I noticed that they have, for the first time, to my knowledge, the Springbank in store! A 10, a 15 and an 18 yrs old. The two first at relatively reasonable prices, around $100, and the third at almost $200. I might just try the 15. I never had a Campbeltown before!

As to the Port Ellen, it's a Douglas and Laing embottling, 30 years old, "Rare Platinum", at the modest sum of $1 160...

Here's a couple more of my friend Ferrell...

[danthepoetman]

I'm joking, Trixie. Although I wouldn't rule out turning up in upper New York state some time with a couple of good bottles....
But you're right. Single malt is wasted as a party drink - it should be sipped and savoured, so it does lend itself to male only sessions and the swapping of stories. I've only met two women in my entire life who share my passion for single malt, and both of them had the income to indulge their hobby too.
That's what it was first distilled for all those centuries ago, after all, sitting in a stone house around a peat fire and telling tales of great battles won and lost.
And good luck to you. This is the last post that will interfere with the original direction of your thread. Apologies for the long diversion.

So, OK. I'm quoting you from the other thread to this one, Robert Louis, because I want to comment on this. I find that if there is one irrefutable of the fundamental difference between men and women, it's indeed the love of whisky. I have never met a woman who liked whisky! NEVER! And believe me (yes, really, really believe me on this), it's not because I haven't tried. For some reasons as deep as they are mysterious and probably of the most profound anatomical or biological origin, whisky is essentially a man's drink!

[robertlouis]

So, OK. I'm quoting you from the other thread to this one, Robert Louis, because I want to comment on this. I find that if there is one irrefutable of the fundamental difference between men and women, it's indeed the love of whisky. I have never met a woman who liked whisky! NEVER! And believe me (yes, really, really believe me on this), it's not because I haven't tried. For some reasons as deep as they are mysterious and probably of the most profound anatomical or biological origin, whisky is essentially a man's drink!

Both the girls who liked malt were high-flying executive colleagues. It was great when we travelled together to go into the hotel bar late and work through the gantry!

[danthepoetman]

Both the girls who liked malt were high-flying executive colleagues. It was great when we travelled together to go into the hotel bar late and work through the gantry!

There's a few ladies that I can think of that have really good taste and a great palate for whisky, but they are in the very rare numbers. There's Helen Arthur, who wrote a couple of good books, a lady of Scottish origins. And French Martine Nouet, who lives in Islay because of her love of whisky, and invents delightful recipes to make with it and eat while drinking it, before and after, and sometimes during!

[danthepoetman]

Here are a few more beautiful pictures. An old one first, then Bowmore, old and more recently, Glengoyne and finally, a beautiful pic of Edimburg.

[mellownella]

Now for me it has to be one of the famous peaty malts

[robertlouis]

Here are a few more beautiful pictures. An old one first, then Bowmore, old and more recently, Glengoyne and finally, a beautiful pic of Edimburg.

Ah, I grew up within walking distance of Glengoyne. It's a magical setting.