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Anyone into Single Malt Scotch Whisky?
- Thread starter brukuns
- Start date
What I'm currently working on. The Macallan 12 is very good - seems like a 14 or 15 in quality. The small bottles were Christmas presents. Between Jim Beam and Maker's Mark if I have both I'll feel like drinking each equally - I think Jim Beam is a pretty good value. I got started on Scotch one Friday evening during a TV show filmed at the Glenlivet distillery - the woman put a couple of drops of water in to create oxidation and increase the aroma - it looked so good I got in my car and picked up a bottle of Glenlivet 12 as soon as the show ended. At this point I usually buy at least 12 year old Scotch - if I go under 12 I taste that it's not as good.
One night my wife and daughter arranged 8 bottles in a blind taste test for me. I thoughtfully said what each was as I tried it, thinking I was pretty right each time. Boy was I wrong!
One night my wife and daughter arranged 8 bottles in a blind taste test for me. I thoughtfully said what each was as I tried it, thinking I was pretty right each time. Boy was I wrong!
I will still get my hands on a macallan, but I went too crazy recently... like, seriously, all those bottles on the first post were purchased in less than a month. I really wanna try the Macallan 12 Sherry Cask but it will have to wait (80% chance I'll purchase it before the weekend is done).
My Maker's Mark is arriving tomorrow, can't wait to taste some Bourbon now that I'm more familiar with whisky (I tasted bourbon before obviously but that was before I knew how to appreciate it. I remember ordering Jack on the rocks when going to bars in Los Angeles because beer was so expensive I would be broke before getting properly drunk).
My Maker's Mark is arriving tomorrow, can't wait to taste some Bourbon now that I'm more familiar with whisky (I tasted bourbon before obviously but that was before I knew how to appreciate it. I remember ordering Jack on the rocks when going to bars in Los Angeles because beer was so expensive I would be broke before getting properly drunk).
OMG, someone hold on to my credit card, I'm gonna go broke. Just ordered the Aberlour 12, non chill-filtered at 48% ABV.
The same whiskey can taste different as you finish the bottle because of exposure to air. You almost have to drink a full bottle before you judge it. Good luck on the journey and good luck with you wallet.
Yup, I know. I taste a lot of alcohol on the Glenmorangie 10 I got...I'm seriously considering putting half of it in another bottle to speed up the oxidation process a bit. I hear it actually works! Both my Glenfiddichs feel like they could use some time to open up too.
Weird thing about the Quinta Ruban is that when I first tasted it, it felt incredibly smooth... but on my later tastings I feel a lot of the alcohol in there and not really enjoying it... I'm putting the ones I'm not enjoying much away for a while to taste them again later. It's clear to me now that as my palate develops my preferences swing quite a lot. Doublewood is an example... I was not enjoying it at first but now it's become my favorite.
A few drops of water really does reduce the alcohol “burn.” My son and I hit a ~dozen distilleries, every tasting had water served with the drams. The first distillery we visited was Talisker’s. I asked the bar keep what his thoughts were re ice and whisky. He thought it was not the way to enjoy the whisky. Every distillery we visited after that, I asked the same ‘ice’ question. Every bar keep said they also enjoyed with ice or, there was nothing wrong with enjoying the whisky with ice; most suggested going slow on the drops of water if the whisky was iced.
Just happened to chance upon this last night. Whiskey section starts at 11:45.
I'm personally not a water or ice guy but I've always heard a drop or two of water "opens" up whisky, some much more than others. I've used a small straw submerged in water then you can use you finger at the top to be precise about how much water you add.
I dove deep into scotch and japanese whisky as covid started to ring the alarms. Late night solo draming while doom
scrolling were a nightly ritual. Sometimes paired with roasted cashews for a salt and texture balance.
Some of my faves - Highland Park 12, Johnny Walker green, Macallan 12 sherry oak, Oban 14, Springbank 10, Glendronach12,
Nikka coffey malt, Hibiki harmony, Yamazaki 12, Balvenie double wood.
I've repurchased those bottles twice, sometime thrice when I can find them. The Springbank is hard to find and is near the top
of my list.
scrolling were a nightly ritual. Sometimes paired with roasted cashews for a salt and texture balance.
Some of my faves - Highland Park 12, Johnny Walker green, Macallan 12 sherry oak, Oban 14, Springbank 10, Glendronach12,
Nikka coffey malt, Hibiki harmony, Yamazaki 12, Balvenie double wood.
I've repurchased those bottles twice, sometime thrice when I can find them. The Springbank is hard to find and is near the top
of my list.
I was reading about this and it seems the problem with ice is that it "compresses" the particles, so it will pretty much suppress taste, smells, etc. Even when adding water, it's best to add it at room temp and cooling whisky overall is far from ideal. I think this makes total sense. In the end it's all relative and each person should drink their whisky as they please... if you're the one who paid for it and you want to drink a macallan 25 with OJ, it's absolutely "your" call.
I have been adding a couple drops of water to my drams... I always start without it and only add it after a few sips. I'm liking it so far. I've been using a teaspoon, super easy to count the drops (would use a straw but none easily around in the house)
Also considering that I'm really new to this (and I was never a distillate guy to begin with), I think that "alcohol burn" will become less and less apparent as I dive into alcoholism. This is something my brother in law mentioned today... he used to feel that in the beginning but with time it kinda faded away.
I don't know Nikka, Hibiki or Yamazaki, but I dig your line up very much. I'm on my second glendronach 12 bottle and my Doublewood doesn't have much time left. Almost got the Highland Park 12 and Green Label but went with Talisker instead (one of my faves now too so it was well worth it). And would get a macallan or a springbank in a heart beat, but the price is an issue (and I'm not even sure I can find Springbank here too easily)... Another I really wanna try but ain't so easy to come buy (thus not cheap) is the Edradour Caledonia.
I drank yesterday, and tomorrow will get pretty cold here, so I'm using all my willpower to not sip today and save it for tomorrow... It's been a struggle not to drink everyday, no joke. I'm loving to just sit back and watch some movies or TV shows as I slowly sip my drams... I never thought I would be that guy.
One of my favorite pairings is brandy with salted peanuts, holyfukk is it wonderful. Will have to try whisky w/ cashews!
You might have to elaborate. English as a second language (self taught of all kinds) can be a bitch. (seriously, I don't understand what you meant and that's fucking annoying... are you being cool and nice? Are you making fun of me? I can't tell.)
Didn't have any willpower btw. Watching the last 2 episodes of Westworld without a dram (or 4) would be a sin. GlenLivet 15 has just been promoted too, what an excellent little DRAM!
