RJRiha Posted January 18, 2010 Posted January 18, 2010 if your scotch lasts a year, spring for the two listed above. i don't know how well these last after opening (i read the glenlivet 18 lasts well), but definitely worth it if you are a light drinker. why scrimp and save a couple of dollars a month, literally, and have something that allows for such a shallower enjoyment? then again, the two above are the highest price point scotches i have tasted; what awaits me further down this beautifully cursed road? Hmmm...Glenlivet 18 and Lagavulin 16 are what, $70 or $80 in WA? That's what I would consider an "average" priced single malt. Before you get into the the different oaks, take some time and really go region by region and explore the base flavors. I wish I had done this earlier. Here's a recommended "hit list". Some of these I haven't tried, but come as highly recommended (and are on my list to try). Oban 14 (highland) Dalwhinnie 15 (highland) Balvenie 12 Doublewood (Speyside) Glenfarclas 15 (Speyside) Macallan 18 (Speyside) Highland Park 15 (Island) Talisker 18 (Island) Bunnahabhain 12 (Islay)...I wouldn't normally recommend another Islay as you've tried my normal 1st and 2nd choice with Lagavulin 16 and Laphroig 10, but Bunnahabhain is much more subtle. Auchentoshan 12 (Lowland) Springbank 15 (Cambeltown)...I NEED to try this one (have heard great things) Work through that list and you'll see what awaits you down this road. Average price for a single malt is around 50-60 bucks. That would be for a decent 12 year (e.g. MacAllan 12 or Balvenie 12). I think the Oban is good, but like the similar (but better, IMO) Glengoyne 17. Oban also puts out a special release for a few dollars more that is quite tasty (Kimmo - they have it at the E Pine liquor story in Seattle, the last I checked). Highland park 15 is excellent (and also still reasonably priced). I'd say that most of the 50-60 dollar purchases are in the "entry level", or 10 and 12 year category. There are exceptions, but the middle ground (at least the way I consider it) would be the 15 and 18 year, along with some of the special oak releases and cask strength bottles. The 21 year and up stuff I would consider "high end" (probably anything starting out at $120 or so), with the ultra old and rare stuff making up the "luxury end". I don't normally even consider anything under $40 (except Laphroaig) because, for the most part, it's young and more commercial (or not even single malt). Quote
KaskadskyjKozak Posted January 18, 2010 Posted January 18, 2010 Regarding the Glenlivet Nadurra - do you drink that straight or add water? It is cask strength (anything over 101 proof in bourbon definitely puts me off - never had any cask strength scotches). Speaking of which, has anyone tried the cask-strength Laphroaig? Quote
Gazza Posted January 18, 2010 Posted January 18, 2010 The Nadurra is one that I always add a wee bit of water to to cut the harshness and the flavour still comes through. Had a great tour of the Oban distillery once, everyone even my young boys got a good sized dram and needless to say I had to have theirs. Quote
jordansahls Posted January 18, 2010 Posted January 18, 2010 (edited) Regarding the Glenlivet Nadurra - do you drink that straight or add water? It is cask strength (anything over 101 proof in bourbon definitely puts me off - never had any cask strength scotches). Speaking of which, has anyone tried the cask-strength Laphroaig? I have had the Laphroaig quarter cask. That stuff was potent. Unless your are a smoke/peat fiend, I would stay the hell away. My guess is that the regular cask strength is good. I love the 10 and 15 year Laphroig malts, and the cask strength should be a little more on the peated side, but nowhere near as strong as the quarter cask. Edited January 18, 2010 by jordansahls Quote
matt_warfield Posted January 18, 2010 Posted January 18, 2010 (edited) If you are going to have single malt there should be NOTHING added. It can't be too strong. Neat means water on the side and not mixed with the scotch because its only there to cleanse the palate between tastes. I prefer the peaty scotches as discussed above but to each their own. Tequila is approaching scotch in quality and attention to OCD alcohol consumers (who have money). St. Andrews is great but Brouwers in Fremont has a whole rack of scotch up to at least 40 yrs. I believe. Take your (full)wallet and have one of their many beers while you ogle the selections. I personally could barely put down my first glass of scotch but have ascended to the level where it just tastes great at the right time and not overdone. But peat is good. Edited January 18, 2010 by matt_warfield Quote
mkporwit Posted January 19, 2010 Posted January 19, 2010 Brouwers is a good place for Scotch, though I wish their Glenfarclas lineup would extend beyond the 21. In general they're a little light on the 20+ year-old scotches... Also, for less expensive Scotches, I would recommend the Scapa 16. I wouldn't inflict the Laphroig 10 on anyone. The 15 isn't bad. Quote
KaskadskyjKozak Posted January 19, 2010 Posted January 19, 2010 If you are going to have single malt there should be NOTHING added. Glenlivet Nadurra is about 116 proof. Quote
RJRiha Posted January 19, 2010 Posted January 19, 2010 Regarding the Glenlivet Nadurra - do you drink that straight or add water? It is cask strength (anything over 101 proof in bourbon definitely puts me off - never had any cask strength scotches). Speaking of which, has anyone tried the cask-strength Laphroaig? You do NOT need to add water to the Nadurra though it is cask strength. Just sip smaller quantities, and enjoy the oily feeling of the Scotch mix in with the saliva in your mouth. Some Scotches benefit from a VERY tiny (few drops max) bit of water, but this one is good without. I haven't had cask-strength Laphroaig, but I saw it at the liquor store and have it on my list. I'll probably get it when I finish this bottle of Laphroaig 10. I can't feel right without having SOME type of Laphroaig in the house. Quote
jon Posted January 19, 2010 Posted January 19, 2010 The Duty Free in Sumas has started carrying some Isleys in the past few months, and I'm assuming the others are doing the same. Quote
pope Posted January 19, 2010 Posted January 19, 2010 so after having sampled some scotch over the years, i never understood how people could choke the stuff down. i thought it to be another humanoid affectation, like tattoos or fetish amputations. laphroaig 10 year comes to mind: ummmm i'll take the hickory smoke flavor for 3.99 a bottle at fred meyers thank you. but then a friend gave me some glenlivet 12 yr, and it made sense. i could actually ENJOY this crap, cuz there were flavors to pick out, like flowers and fruit and stuff. neat! so i'm looking for other recommendations. what are the scotch drinker's favorites, and, importantly, why? what are the reasons and flavors and etc that makes ya want this one? This is what sport climbers discuss when they want to feel macho. Quote
selkirk Posted August 23, 2011 Posted August 23, 2011 Killed off a bottle of White Dog Whiskey out of Woodinville. Was really rather dissapointing. Had a funny bite at the end that was very un-whisky like, Almost vodka-ish. Currently on to a Bourbon Quote
E-rock Posted August 24, 2011 Posted August 24, 2011 Regarding the Glenlivet Nadurra - do you drink that straight or add water? It is cask strength (anything over 101 proof in bourbon definitely puts me off - never had any cask strength scotches). Speaking of which, has anyone tried the cask-strength Laphroaig? You do NOT need to add water to the Nadurra though it is cask strength. Just sip smaller quantities, and enjoy the oily feeling of the Scotch mix in with the saliva in your mouth. Some Scotches benefit from a VERY tiny (few drops max) bit of water, but this one is good without. I haven't had cask-strength Laphroaig, but I saw it at the liquor store and have it on my list. I'll probably get it when I finish this bottle of Laphroaig 10. I can't feel right without having SOME type of Laphroaig in the house. I can't stand this sort of snobbery. I doubt you, or anyone else, could tell the difference between a glass of scotch with a "few drops" of water in it, vs. a glass without water in a blind tasting. Furthermore, I doubt you could describe the positive changes in flavor profile this addition creates, even if the tasting weren't blind, other than "more mild". And if "more mild" works for one brand of scotch, it will work for others. It's not like you're going to start tasting skunk fart in Nadurra if you add some water. Quote
olyclimber Posted August 24, 2011 Posted August 24, 2011 OH SHUT IT! the mouth feel is important and a few drops of water can release the tension, resulting in dampened viscosity. the taste can be like earth after a good rainstorm, with a slight touch of sea breeze. its like a strange sweetness then the peat hits followed by smoke and a touch of sea salt. strongly reminds me of the annual bonfire in the backyard or at the doctors office getting a colonscopy. Quote
jordansahls Posted August 25, 2011 Posted August 25, 2011 OH SHUT IT! the mouth feel is important and a few drops of water can release the tension, resulting in dampened viscosity. the taste can be like earth after a good rainstorm, with a slight touch of sea breeze. its like a strange sweetness then the peat hits followed by smoke and a touch of sea salt. strongly reminds me of the annual bonfire in the backyard or at the doctors office getting a colonscopy. I'm with you right up to the colonoscopy part. Perhaps, because I have yet to reach the ripe age where one must endure the scope, I am missing something? I hope not. I don't think I could stomach scotch if my main association with it is clinical butt rape. Quote
E-rock Posted August 25, 2011 Posted August 25, 2011 OH SHUT IT! the mouth feel is important and a few drops of water can release the tension, resulting in dampened viscosity. the taste can be like earth after a good rainstorm, with a slight touch of sea breeze. its like a strange sweetness then the peat hits followed by smoke and a touch of sea salt. strongly reminds me of the annual bonfire in the backyard or at the doctors office getting a colonscopy. Porter, your spray is so profound. How do you come up with this stuff? It's as though you're a seasoned and trained taster. At times, I try to emulate your spray, because I think you've got it down, but, at long last, I finally realize, and call you master. I'm serious. Unless , of course, you actually mean all that jibberish about scotch, in which case you can add a few drops of urine to some gasoline for all I care. Quote
bstach Posted August 25, 2011 Posted August 25, 2011 It's not like you're going to start tasting skunk fart in Nadurra if you add some water. Lagavulun tastes like skunk fart with or without water. Granted, I may not have a sophisticated palet as some here. Glenlivet 12 tastes pretty darn good to me. I recently tried Oban and thougt it was f'n fantastic. Quote
selkirk Posted June 17, 2014 Posted June 17, 2014 So what's everyone drinking? Currently working on a bottle of Woodinville Bourbon that is pretty good, and got a bottle of Yamazaki single malt for my birfday Quite tasty and my first Japanese whiskey And finally a bottle of Strathisla single malt scotch, which is really quite yummy. That should keep me busy for a while. Quote
olyclimber Posted January 30, 2016 Posted January 30, 2016 Have you guys tried 2009 Boone's Farm Melon Ball 18 Day Mason Jar Cask? It has an exquisitely fruity opening with a sophisticated, diesel-y finish with spicy notes of shoe polish and old feet. Ah...the good ole days! Miss ya Steven! Quote
KaskadskyjKozak Posted January 30, 2016 Posted January 30, 2016 I just tried ardbeg uigeadail at Brouwer's earlier this week. It was quite tasty - generally I'm not a find of the Islay's but I did enjoy this one. It has all the peaty smokiness of an Islay but the sweetness softened it just enough. I had an IPA beforehand, so I was belching smoky-hoppy-peatiness for the next hour or so and that was a bit odd Quote
olyclimber Posted January 30, 2016 Posted January 30, 2016 Aren't you gonna break it down Ralfy style? Quote
KaskadskyjKozak Posted January 30, 2016 Posted January 30, 2016 Aren't you gonna break it down Ralfy style? occasionally I can detect flavors and aromas as you read in the reviews, on the store label, etc, but honestly, just enjoy drinking the scotch without dwelling on that aspect Quote
olyclimber Posted January 30, 2016 Posted January 30, 2016 uigeadail, for me (not so experienced) was like drinking a collection of disgusting things mixed with jet fuel. but after the bottle (you gotta stick with something so $), everything else tasted more pedestrian and i longed to drink goat urine mixed with moldy mushrooms out of a well worn shoe again. what about dat dewshine tho? http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/27/health/tennessee-teenagers-die-dewshine/ Quote
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