Good whisky/whiskey

[MattPie]

Jefferson Reserve would be near the top of my list. It is about 90 proof so shouldn't be too hot to enjoy neat. Four roses small batch is a pretty intense bourbon with alot of complexity to it. It isn't for everyone though. I could probably say the same about Elijiah Craig. Sazerac Rye is absolutely delicious stuff and would also be on my list. Blanton's is a fantastic pour as well. Rittenhouse rye has a stellar rep. I've never had it though. That is more than 3 but of the ones on this list that I've had before, those are among my tops.

 

If it were *ME* doing the flight I would choose differently from what I gave you above. I would go for three whiskeys that I haven't had before. My choices would be, Rittenhouse rye, Angel's Envy, and either Noah's Mill or Black Maple Hill. But only because I haven't had those products before.

 

Cool, thanks for the tips. I had a really strong bottle awhile back... Booker's. That bottle was 126 proof, tough to drink without some water.

[Eleven]

I learned last weekend that the fanciest bourbon in Puerto Rico is Maker's Mark. Or was, I should say, until that island receives its next shipment.

[biodork]

I learned last weekend that the fanciest bourbon in Puerto Rico is Maker's Mark. Or was, I should say, until that island receives its next shipment.

 

So you had a good vacation, then (or don't you remember)? ;) Don't think I'll be doing MM again anytime soon... It killed me the first/last time I had it.

[korab rules]

Caol Ila 12 year old. Light straw color. Peat and alcohol in the nose. Very light bodied islay. The lighter islay flavors are more apparent here. Sea salt and grass. The peat is light, not dense smoke, but very much present. Would be a great intro to the islay scotches, but is a strong character in its own right. Not bad or weak or amateur, just different than the more stereotypical islay.

Edited January 22, 2012 by korab rules

[Weave]

Call Ila 12 year old. Light straw color. Peat and alcohol in the nose. Very light bodied islay. The lighter islay flavors are more apparent here. Sea salt and grass. The peat is light, not dense smoke, but very much present. Would be a great intro to the islay scotches, but is a strong character in its own right. Not bad or weak or amateur, just different than the more stereotypical islay.

 

I've only had one whisky so far where I've tasted seas salt. I wish I could remember the name of it because it was delicious. I might have to add this one to my purchase list.

 

BTW- you must be feeling your booze by now. Your spelling is showing it anyway. You spelled Caol Ila properly before the beer started to flow. :P

[korab rules]

 

 

I've only had one whisky so far where I've tasted seas salt. I wish I could remember the name of it because it was delicious. I might have to add this one to my purchase list.

 

BTW- you must be feeling your booze by now. Your spelling is showing it anyway. You spelled Caol Ila properly before the beer started to flow. :P

Damn auto correct on iPad is aggressive. Missed that one.

 

This isn't my first rodeo.

 

on further reflection, the sea salt is in the nose and on the palate. The bottle was in the $50.00 range. Not a bad pour. Will have to try this again with a little water. Very little wood or oil in this one, so it starts to burn the tongue if your tastes are too close together.

 

Going with the laphroig next. Wait till you see my spelling after a few drams of the cask strength Ardberg!

Edited January 22, 2012 by korab rules

[korab rules]

Caol Ila 12 year old. Light straw color. Peat and alcohol in the nose. Very light bodied islay. The lighter islay flavors are more apparent here. Sea salt and grass. The peat is light, not dense smoke, but very much present. Would be a great intro to the islay scotches, but is a strong character in its own right. Not bad or weak or amateur, just different than the more stereotypical islay.

Water doesn't seem to help this label. It mutes the peat in the nose and the subtle flavors on the tongue, leaving the alcohol more prevalent. Does release a touch of oil, though.

 

This label is to the Islay family what stainless aged Chardonnay is to the Chardonnay grape.

[korab rules]

The laphroaig is next. Just realized I was leaving out the a. What a great whiskey. It is the classic Islay. Well balanced peat , not overpowering. Golden straw color. More pervasive peat than the the Caol Ila, and more body. Similar profile to the Caol Ila, but everything is just a little more in your face, but in a good way.

 

A very good whiskey, but you know that it is only 10 years old. Knowing there are 3 or 4 other labels of Laphroaig, you want to try them.

[Braedon]

 

 

Lol sorry, weave... I'm still new enough to tasting that I'd probably just be copying the distiller's notes, haha. I will say that you'd probably be unimpressed with the Glenlivet Nadurra 1991 I mentioned in the Santa thread. As unfamiliar as I am with scotch, I remember tasting and thinking, that's it? Not bad by any means, but for the price point and age I expected a more complex flavor.

 

And yeah, where IS Braedon? And LastPommerFan for that matter... Both seem to have disappeared. :(

Sorry folks, at overload with work. That and beyond disgust with this team. I fear Im becoming a TSC member so quietly venting rather than poison the watering hole further.

Caol Ila 12 year old. Light straw color. Peat and alcohol in the nose. Very light bodied islay. The lighter islay flavors are more apparent here. Sea salt and grass. The peat is light, not dense smoke, but very much present. Would be a great intro to the islay scotches, but is a strong character in its own right. Not bad or weak or amateur, just different than the more stereotypical islay.

If you think the 12 is light, the 18 is even lighter and has tones much like a Speyside. Although I prefer the stronger Islay malts, I like Caol Ila as its extremely smooth and pairs with almost any food. FYI if you want a tad more smoke, try Bunnahabhain 12. Otherwise very similar to Ila IMO.

The laphroaig is next. Just realized I was leaving out the a. What a great whiskey. It is the classic Islay. Well balanced peat , not overpowering. Golden straw color. More pervasive peat than the the Caol Ila, and more body. Similar profile to the Caol Ila, but everything is just a little more in your face, but in a good way.

 

A very good whiskey, but you know that it is only 10 years old. Knowing there are 3 or 4 other labels of Laphroaig, you want to try them.

Also agreed, although I contest in blinded taste test you wouldnt know its a 10. Complexity is comparable to some older malts and for the price, you cant beat it. Laphy and Lagavulin are 1 and 1A for me right now. Laphy has a punch of iodine and more peat...definitely a whisky to chew on. And if you like it, you'll drool over the 15.

 

My only contribution since last posting is Springbank 18. First jouney into Campletown malts but I was told its the best of the region.

 

http://www.springbankdistillers.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=2&products_id=105&osCsid=06enr99udulh4vnpaeblsht923

 

Purchased it as a send off for a close friend (wedding, not war), and was not disappointed. Much thicker in body compared to other mainland malts, but similar in fruit/floral. Except maybe more vanilla. Finish lasts forever and is all over the road. For my bourbon brethren, I hope you get a chance at it. Bit pricey but well worth it.

[RR61]

I don't have high falutin' tastes, nor do I demand a single malt. But I do enjoy a good Irish Whiskey. My favorites are Tullamore Dew, Michael Collins, and Black Bushmills.

 

I have no prejudice against Jamesons, and think it is just fine for making irish coffees.

 

I was a scotch drinker in my youth, but just don't have the palate for it anymore.

[biodork]

Sorry folks, at overload with work. That and beyond disgust with this team. I fear Im becoming a TSC member so quietly venting rather than poison the watering hole further.

...

 

Glad to hear you're still around! I think most of us are in danger of joining TSC these days. :( As always, thanks much for the drink recommendations! Korab has to be feeling it today after the tour of beer and whisky he did last night, lol.

[korab rules]

 

 

Glad to hear you're still around! I think most of us are in danger of joining TSC these days. :( As always, thanks much for the drink recommendations! Korab has to be feeling it today after the tour of beer and whisky he did last night, lol.

Up at 5:45. Out the door at 6:30. Never felt better.

[biodork]

Up at 5:45. Out the door at 6:30. Never felt better.

 

I wouldn't be up at 5:45am on a weekday, much less a Sunday after a night of heavy drinking! Impressive. :worthy:

[korab rules]

 

 

I wouldn't be up at 5:45am on a weekday, much less a Sunday after a night of heavy drinking! Impressive. :worthy:

Kids had hockey. No choice.

[LastPommerFan]

Lol sorry, weave... I'm still new enough to tasting that I'd probably just be copying the distiller's notes, haha. I will say that you'd probably be unimpressed with the Glenlivet Nadurra 1991 I mentioned in the Santa thread. As unfamiliar as I am with scotch, I remember tasting and thinking, that's it? Not bad by any means, but for the price point and age I expected a more complex flavor.

 

And yeah, where IS Braedon? And LastPommerFan for that matter... Both seem to have disappeared. :(

 

I'm back! Been busy getting a new job... in WNY! I start in 2 weeks. :D I will be sad to leave bourbon country, but liquor travels well, and there is no place like home.

Edited January 27, 2012 by LastPommerFan

[biodork]

I'm back! Been busy getting a new job... in WNY! I start in 2 weeks. :D I will be sad to leave bourbon country, but liquor travels well, and there is no place like home.

 

That's F'n fantastic -- congrats! :clapping: .

[Weave]

Tried something new (to me) and very different this afternoon. It is called Kansas Clean Distilled Whiskey. http://www.kansascleandistilled.com/

 

Unlike most whiskeys it is nearly colorless. Very, very light straw in color. I took it to be one of the new "unaged" whiskeys that seem to be showing up lately. Now, I'll preface my comments by saying that I don't "get" the fad of unaged whiskey. And I definitely don't get paying a premium for whiskey that has gone straight from the still to the bottle. Part of the premium you pay for aged whiskeys has to do with the expense of storing said whiskey for years. So why pay the same price for whiskey made and moved out right away? It seems like blasphemy to me. But anywho, I digress.....

 

Bartender poured a 2oz sample into a whiskey tasting glass. Initial aroma was, well, interesting. Kind of fruity, a little grassy, but had a very, very sweet aroma as well. And a good hint of vanilla was present. That baffled me. Vanilla components usually come from barrel aging.

 

The flavor was very whiskey-like, but lighter. It had a vanilla component. But I swear I picked up green apples on the tongue as well. It wasn't grainy. It was a bit hot for its proof (80). And it was suprisingly smooth. And it had a sweet finish to it. I had no trouble at all drinking it straight. Much softer than cheap, young whiskey, or even vodka for that matter. Which brings me to my final tasting thought..... the flavor is soft enough that I bet it could be substitued for vodka in many drinks. I'm thinking a martini made with this stuff might be very interesting, or maybe a Gimlet, something where the subtle flavors of this "whiskey" could show and not get masked. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised.

 

So, I get home and while dinner was cooking I needed to do some research into this bottle. It is made from 100% wheat. And that explains the soft flavors. But it is distilled the same way vodka is distilled, which is rather different from how whiskey is distilled. And it is blended with a small amount of small batch whiskey. So I guess that is where the vanilla components come from.

 

And the surprise? Check the "Contact" page of their website. The whiskey is made in Kansas, but the company that owns it is right here in Rochester, NY. They are called Fabulous American Beverages. Never heard of them. Their company name is lame. But this whiskey is interesting.

[Eleven]

Tried something new (to me) and very different this afternoon. It is called Kansas Clean Distilled Whiskey. http://www.kansascleandistilled.com/

 

Unlike most whiskeys it is nearly colorless. Very, very light straw in color. I took it to be one of the new "unaged" whiskeys that seem to be showing up lately. Now, I'll preface my comments by saying that I don't "get" the fad of unaged whiskey. And I definitely don't get paying a premium for whiskey that has gone straight from the still to the bottle. Part of the premium you pay for aged whiskeys has to do with the expense of storing said whiskey for years. So why pay the same price for whiskey made and moved out right away? It seems like blasphemy to me. But anywho, I digress.....

 

Bartender poured a 2oz sample into a whiskey tasting glass. Initial aroma was, well, interesting. Kind of fruity, a little grassy, but had a very, very sweet aroma as well. And a good hint of vanilla was present. That baffled me. Vanilla components usually come from barrel aging.

 

The flavor was very whiskey-like, but lighter. It had a vanilla component. But I swear I picked up green apples on the tongue as well. It wasn't grainy. It was a bit hot for its proof (80). And it was suprisingly smooth. And it had a sweet finish to it. I had no trouble at all drinking it straight. Much softer than cheap, young whiskey, or even vodka for that matter. Which brings me to my final tasting thought..... the flavor is soft enough that I bet it could be substitued for vodka in many drinks. I'm thinking a martini made with this stuff might be very interesting, or maybe a Gimlet, something where the subtle flavors of this "whiskey" could show and not get masked. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised.

 

So, I get home and while dinner was cooking I needed to do some research into this bottle. It is made from 100% wheat. And that explains the soft flavors. But it is distilled the same way vodka is distilled, which is rather different from how whiskey is distilled. And it is blended with a small amount of small batch whiskey. So I guess that is where the vanilla components come from.

 

And the surprise? Check the "Contact" page of their website. The whiskey is made in Kansas, but the company that owns it is right here in Rochester, NY. They are called Fabulous American Beverages. Never heard of them. Their company name is lame. But this whiskey is interesting.

 

 

VERY interesting. But I think "wheat vodka" would be a more accurate description than "unaged whisky." I appreciate that it tasted good. Was it whisky?

[Weave]

VERY interesting. But I think "wheat vodka" would be a more accurate description than "unaged whisky." I appreciate that it tasted good. Was it whisky?

 

The bottle was labeled whiskey but it had as much in common with vodka as it had with whiskey.

[biodork]

Tried Wild Turkey American Honey bourbon last night... regrettable. Even after the ice melted, it was still disgustingly sweet. I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised given the name, but most of the time the flavors mentioned in the distiller's notes are subtle so this kind of caught me off guard. If I had to guess, probably not too far off of d4rksabre's Jack Daniels maple syrup cocktail a while back. :sick:

[Weave]

Tried Wild Turkey American Honey bourbon last night... regrettable. Even after the ice melted, it was still disgustingly sweet. I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised given the name, but most of the time the flavors mentioned in the distiller's notes are subtle so this kind of caught me off guard. If I had to guess, probably not too far off of d4rksabre's Jack Daniels maple syrup cocktail a while back. :sick:

 

I've been avoiding that one. Given your thoughts I will continue my avoidance. It is a shame they feel the need to dumb down bourbon. They are capable of making very impressive whiskey.

[biodork]

I've been avoiding that one. Given your thoughts I will continue my avoidance. It is a shame they feel the need to dumb down bourbon. They are capable of making very impressive whiskey.

 

Yeah, I know you've indicated you shy away from bourbon because it tends to be sweet, so you definitely wouldn't like this. I didn't even finish it, and I hate wasting alcohol.

[Weave]

Yeah, I know you've indicated you shy away from bourbon because it tends to be sweet, so you definitely wouldn't like this. I didn't even finish it, and I hate wasting alcohol.

 

I think you've mistaken me for someone else. 2/3 of my posts in this thread are about bourbon. :P But I avoid the sweetened and flavored ones like the plague (Jim Beam Red Stag I'm lookin at you).

[Eleven]

I've been avoiding that one. Given your thoughts I will continue my avoidance. It is a shame they feel the need to dumb down bourbon. They are capable of making very impressive whiskey.

 

I'll confirm biodork's findings: It's gross.

[biodork]

I think you've mistaken me for someone else. 2/3 of my posts in this thread are about bourbon. :P But I avoid the sweetened and flavored ones like the plague (Jim Beam Red Stag I'm lookin at you).

 

Whoops! I just looked back and that was Korab and JoDo. lol my bad.