Whiskey Or Heroin?

[danthepoetman]

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....

The Glengoyne I like, and I mean, "really like", is the cask strengt. I don't know what it is with this one but I find it so full of flavors and body it's enchanting. For some reasons, it's my favorite passage from a regular strengt malt to the cask strenght, the one for which you see the most the character of the distillery...

[robertlouis]

The Glengoyne I like, and I mean, "really like", is the cask strengt. I don't know what it is with this one but I find it so full of flavors and body it's enchanting. For some reasons, it's my favorite passage from a regular strengt malt to the cask strenght, the one for which you see the most the character of the distillery...

I know I'm biased Dan, but the distillery is a delight. It's very small - a five man operation - but it features a lovely restaurant with the burn just outside, floodlit and tumbling over the rocks. Always puts me in mind of those lines from G M Hopkins: "This darksome burn, horseback brown, his rollrock highroad roaring down", the inspiration for which, at Inversnaid, is only 10 miles away on the wilder side of Loch Lomond. Rob Roy country, and less than 20 miles from the centre of Glasgow. Heaven on earth!

The distinctive hill behind the distillery is Dumgoyne, northernmost of the Campsie Fells, always "my" hill when I was a laddie.

[danthepoetman]

I know I'm biased Dan, but the distillery is a delight. It's very small - a five man operation - but it features a lovely restaurant with the burn just outside, floodlit and tumbling over the rocks. Always puts me in mind of those lines from G M Hopkins: "This darksome burn, horseback brown, his rollrock highroad roaring down", the inspiration for which, at Inversnaid, is only 10 miles away on the wilder side of Loch Lomond. Rob Roy country, and less than 20 miles from the centre of Glasgow. Heaven on earth!
The distinctive hill behind the distillery is Dumgoyne, northernmost of the Campsie Fells, always "my" hill when I was a laddie.

One day, one day I swear, my friend, I'll get there and we'll have a few toghether!

[Stavros]

One day, one day I swear, my friend, I'll get there and we'll have a few toghether!

Just make sure Robert puts his hands in his pockets, Dan...

[Stavros]

I would like to know what people make of NAS -No Age Statement- malts: to me it seems a marketing fad, as for collectors the potential to just produce endless labels is there. Jura have these different silly names like 'Superstition' -the name to me suggests avoid. I would rather have the age so I have some idea of the depth and complexity of flavour I might encounter.

Recently drank a Ladeig which was a special offer for £20, about all it's worth.

[danthepoetman]

I would like to know what people make of NAS -No Age Statement- malts: to me it seems a marketing fad, as for collectors the potential to just produce endless labels is there. Jura have these different silly names like 'Superstition' -the name to me suggests avoid. I would rather have the age so I have some idea of the depth and complexity of flavour I might encounter.
Recently drank a Ladeig which was a special offer for £20, about all it's worth.

I've had Ledaig only once, a good while back. It's just not on the market. I don't remember if it was a private embottling or the distillerie's. The younger brother, Tobermory, was usually accessible here, although we haven't had any in Quebec in at least 5 years. Tobermory is definitely herbal with a bit of sweetness, quite light in body and soul. The Ledaig was similar but a bit peatier. They're produce on the island of Mull but neither has the characteristic flavors of island whiskies.

As you know, Stavros, to call it a whisky, they have to age it at least 3 years. Most whiskies without age statement are young, but pretty rarely under 8 years. None are complex, but some are quite nice. I like a lot as an aperitive the Tamdhu, for instance, less expensive than many, quite simple with a twist of olive on the palate. Cute. It's embottled at around 8 years.
On the other hand, some bigger distilleries with good reputation will often, like Bowmore or Glenmorangie, will produce bottles with different names usually for different types of experiments or wood finish. Many purist dislike these products but some are really good. We were talking for instance, Robert Louis and I, on this thread, about the Ardbeg Ugedail. The Ugedail doesn't have any age mark because it would have to write the age of the youngest whisky in the mix, which would be 14 or 15 years. But they chose not to, as some of the whisky that makes the composition are 25 years of age. So they brand it as a special bottling with a special name and make of it a cask strenght, or very close to it, which is in fashion with the connaisseurs right now, almost uncut with water at 54% alcohol volume. And it's an absolute delight! Ardbeg now does the same with several types of embottling.
So in the end, there are no real rules. Going with the well renowned distilleries is always a good idea, whatever their products are.

If I might suggest something to you, Stavros, if you like the same type of lighter whisky, something not too influenced either by sherry or peat, the Cragganmore, even at only 12 years of age, is an incredibly complex and delightful whisky. There are layers upon layers of taste to that dram, fruit, flowers, herbs, all that on dry mode with a real sense of stony spring water on the tongue. It so complex and subtle that it's almost difficult at first to get the feel of it; then, with each new glass, you start to discover the flavors. And it's amazing: you keep discovering new things about that whisky over and over again. It's really worth the experience. It's in the same range of taste as the Dalwhinnie but oh! soooo much more complex.

[kebertxela]

Heroin for me any day (as long as there are no consequences). I absolutely HATE drinking. It is a poison to my body and leaves me hungover and feeling horrible.

As for the heroin...I was an IV heroin addict for quite a few years. It ruined my life. I did stuff I never even thought I would do to get it. Why did I do these horrible things to keep using? There is no question a lot of it had to do with keeping the withdrawal away, but another reason I used heroin is that it feels soooo fucking good! It is like being wrapped up in God's warmest, softest blanket. Every problem in life just fades away. Every pain in your body melts away leaving behind a warm glow of pleasure in every cell.

Alcohol...makes me act like an idiot and then I throw up and feel like shit.

[Stavros]

If I might suggest something to you, Stavros, if you like the same type of lighter whisky, something not too influenced either by sherry or peat, the Cragganmore, even at only 12 years of age, is an incredibly complex and delightful whisky.

I actually prefer the heavy, darker, dreamier Malts, with peat and smoke -Lagavulin as old as possible, ditto Caol Ila and Talisker as these are my favourites but there are just so many I haven't tried.

[trish]

My shelf is never without a bottle of Lagavulin. I always make sure it's replaced before the last two fingers are poured.

[danthepoetman]

These are all great whiskies. I share your enthousiasm. Lagavulin 16, Caol Ila, Talisker, Highland park too, Laphroaig, Ardbeg are all fabulous beverages!