Whisky (what do you drink?)

[theetruscan]

I was less than impressed with the Pappy Van Winkle 23 batch from a while back. I've heard the new batch has improved but ~$300 for THAT much oak, woooooooof.

Had the Ardbeg supernova? The idea of something with even more peat than Bruichladdich's Octomore scares me

The 23 I had was good, I don't recall thinking it was notably better than the 15, just a bit more smooth. Not close to worth the price, though I've never seen it selling for more than $150. The internet says my memory is shit though.


Supernova is a much more drinkable whisky than Octomore. But both are "Look what we can do" whisky. Octomore (aged in bourbon) is realized best mixed with Port Charlotte (aged in both sherry and bourbon casks) in 3d3, with peat being similar but not quite as nice.

Port Charlotte is the best of the high alcohol content, high peat whisky, to me at least. Octomore, and less so Supernova, are trying too hard to prove how far you can go and just tasty peppery, peaty, and end up less enjoyable than they could.

[sharkweek]

The 23 I had was good, I don't recall thinking it was notably better than the 15, just a bit more smooth. Not close to worth the price, though I've never seen it selling for more than $150. The internet says my memory is shit though.


Supernova is a much more drinkable whisky than Octomore. But both are "Look what we can do" whisky. Octomore (aged in bourbon) is realized best mixed with Port Charlotte (aged in both sherry and bourbon casks) in 3d3, with peat being similar but not quite as nice.

Port Charlotte is the best of the high alcohol content, high peat whisky, to me at least. Octomore, and less so Supernova, are trying too hard to prove how far you can go and just tasty peppery, peaty, and end up less enjoyable than they could.

Keep in mind I'm in Canada so prices are very, very high, not to mention, at least where I am none of the other products in the Van Winkle family are available but the 23 year

I've had Octomore 1 and 2, the second being the most drinkable of the two. The Port Charlottes I've had (PC5, 6, 7) were nice, but for my young, fruity, creamy, peaty Islay money I would much rather buy a Kilchoman. I haven't had the 3D3 but I am curious to know how the ashy, peppery quality that I liked in Octomore translates when cut with less peaty malts.

Currently drinking Port Ellen 1983 / 24 year Provenance bottling

peat done right, creamy and malty but balanced with nice tar notes and some pepper. Soft but not syrupy and strangely fresh on the nose like most other older Port Ellens I've had

[JSebbe]

My favorite distillery, the Macallan.

Mostly drink Laphroaig atm, though.

Still waiting for my shipment of Octomore II "the beast".

[theetruscan]

Keep in mind I'm in Canada so prices are very, very high, not to mention, at least where I am none of the other products in the Van Winkle family are available but the 23 year

I've had Octomore 1 and 2, the second being the most drinkable of the two. The Port Charlottes I've had (PC5, 6, 7) were nice, but for my young, fruity, creamy, peaty Islay money I would much rather buy a Kilchoman. I haven't had the 3D3 but I am curious to know how the ashy, peppery quality that I liked in Octomore translates when cut with less peaty malts.

Currently drinking Port Ellen 1983 / 24 year Provenance bottling

peat done right, creamy and malty but balanced with nice tar notes and some pepper. Soft but not syrupy and strangely fresh on the nose like most other older Port Ellens I've had

Yeah, 23 is not worth it. When you get a chance to try 15, it's easily worth it. But, only if you like bourbon. The sweetness and lack of peat/smoke can make it quite cloying if you're not used to it.

Kilchoman always sells out before I can see it. I need to get the PC8 soon though. The 5 was really fun for me. The way the sweet part and the peaty/smokey part were almost completely, err, separate was just fun. I'm not sure how to describe it, but the sip starts sweet, and ends with salty campfire, it's just unusual.

I'm not familiar with Port Ellen really. If I remember, it's what goes into Johnny Walker Blue to differentiate it from black, but I've never tried any alone. That distillery burned, and is so full of asbestos that it's basically been declared gone forever, right?

[sharkweek]

Yeah, 23 is not worth it. When you get a chance to try 15, it's easily worth it. But, only if you like bourbon. The sweetness and lack of peat/smoke can make it quite cloying if you're not used to it.

Kilchoman always sells out before I can see it. I need to get the PC8 soon though. The 5 was really fun for me. The way the sweet part and the peaty/smokey part were almost completely, err, separate was just fun. I'm not sure how to describe it, but the sip starts sweet, and ends with salty campfire, it's just unusual.

I'm not familiar with Port Ellen really. If I remember, it's what goes into Johnny Walker Blue to differentiate it from black, but I've never tried any alone. That distillery burned, and is so full of asbestos that it's basically been declared gone forever, right?

I do (really) like bourbons, but generally the more rye-heavy bourbons. Wheated ones can be nice, like the William Larue Weller, but it is balanced with some heat from the fact that it's 70%. I have the same problem with really big sherry and/or port cask whiskys being too syrupy/cloying though, which is weird because I'm a total monster for Pedro Ximenez on it's own. I'll definitely seek out a bottle next time I'm in the states, what's an average price for the 15?

I imagine loads of Johnny Walker went into all of the Diageo blends when it was still operational. As far as I know, only the malting portion of the distillery is still up and running. I guess the way it worked out is during a whisky glut long ago loads of casks of Port Ellen were being sold for cheap, which is why you see so many independent bottlings now. I've tasted maybe five or six bottlings, youngest being 24 years, oldest being 30. From what I've had they're all very fresh (think post-rain air almost?), but still ashy and tarry with nice iodine roundness. The bottle I have at the moment is actually from the last season of distillation

currently drinking: A.D. Rattray Cask Collection Laphroaig 18 year (single cask/cask strength/first fill hogshead. Leather, tar, lemon ice cream, salty butter. Awesome.

I have too much fucking whisky in the cupboard, need to have a heel-clearing party

[sinbad]

I love to drink Jack aDaniel's
It is very common, but I like the taste of it.

[CUTUP]

Very cheap as far as whisky goes, but I prefer this over many brands 3-5 times its price. Very smooth over ice, and it has a pleasant aftertaste

[TypicalFashion]

Lately:

Kings Co.
Death's Door
Russells Reserve
Glenmorangie

[Real Real]

I've been making a lot of rum drinks since coming across a bottle of Smith & Cross earlier this summer. I think the infatuation is just about over, but the drink I made tonight was particularly good:

2 oz Lemon Hart Demerara
1 oz Batavia Arrack
1 oz lime juice
3/4 oz vanilla syrup
1/4 oz Allspice Dram
4 dashes Angostura
a lot of crushed ice

shaken

Demerara at the core, the funk of the arrack playing off the bitters, the lime juice balancing out the sweetness and spice of the allspice/vanilla - classic Tiki.

[jumpoff]

Had my first good Japanese whiskey experience the other night with the Hibiki 17 year old. But then again, in Japan I've only been drinking regular Suntory before, which might just be the worst whiskey I've ever drunk.

[Atom]

I rarely drink whisky, not something I enjoy. But yesterday a friend of mine offered me a glass of 10 year old Laphroaig. I must say it was suprisingly good, best drink I've had in ages.

[Fenix]

Just finishing off a bottle of Cragganmore 12. Such a pleasant surprise, fruity, nutty, highly complex scotch. It's a nice spring/summer choice.

We also just had Yamazaki 12 become available in Montreal. It's much more of a value in the states but I was happy to see something from Japan arrive.

[Zzyzx]

glenlivet 21 here.

[david s]

Scotch recommendation

Anyone have a good recommendation for a single malt Scotch, smooth but with some complexity.

It's a gift for my brother and his wife, first kid.

I'm looking to spend in the $150-200 range.

thx -d

[Pumpfish]

You could do worse than exploring what is available from Glenfarclas in your price range. In general these have the complexity and smoothness-