What to Buy Next

On 3 Jul 2006 14:53:42 -0700, the alleged groups snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com, may have posted the following, to alt.drinks.scotch-whisky:

Experimenting?!?!!1! Several of the posters (lurkers) in this group have been in full-scale research for decades!

That's pretty "nice", but try the Madeira finish Glenmorangie.

I don't know where you are, but hitting 10-12 YO and less than US$40 is damn-near impossible.

See below.

IMNSHO, somewhere between "Rotgut" and mixable, bleahhh.

The MacAllan 18 may be the best of the bunch, but very costly.

Ewwww!

On the "must try" list are:

Talisker 10 Highland Park Balvenie Double-Wood Lagavulin

and...

Springbank CV

Not bad.

I like it pretty well.

Extremely nasty, a low tier Bourbon in these parts.

Very good, but the high rye content puts many people off, has a very harsh edge.

Good stuff, but a bit overpriced.

For a few more Bourbon recommendations:

Woodford Reserve (a bit pricey but quite good)

Buffalo Trace (this is the bang/buck Bourbon) ~$18 here.

Henry McKenna Special Reserve (Very spicey! (but comes in a stoneware jug, so it's a bit hard to know when you're gonna run out))

Booker's (Very expensive and "Blow your haid clean off" unless cut with a bit of branch water (the last bottle I had was 129 proof (64.5% ABV)))

Eagle Rare (needs a few drops of water)

Four Roses (cheap, but pretty tasty)

No problem, try the Buffalo Trace, ask Bill Van for another opinion.

Regards, Rob

We shall not cease from exploration.

Hadn't got around to it, but was going to try it soon, after some posters here said good things about it. Hmm.

I found the MacAllan 10, the only one I've tried, to be quite pleasant. But once I discovered the Islays I wondered why I should put up with a little peat, when I could have a lot.

Lovely, lovely stuff. Always have some in the cupboard. Some people are put off by the medicinal tones, aka Islaydine.

The original poster may want to revisit the Islays from time to time. Some people take to them immediately, others grow to appreciate them over time. And some never do.

If either the Talisker or the Lagavulin turns your crank -- and they are noble works, both of them -- give the Ardbeg 10 a try. The island malts you list are not the best of the lot.

I'd love to try the Finlaggan -- it's a young Lagavulin, I believe -- but at that age it's probably like the other young Lagavvulins bottled under other names, a bit sharper and less balanced than the 16, one of the true greats.

Expensive and getting more so the longer the distillery is closed, no?

(snip bourbon discussion)

Rob is much better versed in bourbons than I am, but the Woodford and Buffalo Trace are available where I live, and if you have a taste for bourbon, I recommend both. I found one bottle of the Booker's a few years ago and liked it a lot, but you do need to be sitting down when you first taste it. It has a kick.

bill

skrev i melding news: snipped-for-privacy@m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.com...

If you have a taste for sherry cask matured whiskies, here are a few suggestions: Aberlour 12 Aberlour a'bunadh (powerful, extremely good, and cask strength) The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 (smooth, a bit on the sweet side, not too sherried) Glenfarclas 12 (full taste, very nice) Glenfarclas 105 proof (Powerful, complex, one of my fovourites)

Some do, some don't.

I have no idea what they charge in your part of the world. Here in Norway we usually have to pay about 100 dollars for a decent whisky : (

I would say it is fruity (dried fruits), malty, just a little sherry, a touch of smoke/peat. And (as you saw in the mentioned thread) a fresh subacid sweetness similar to fruity candy or maybe bubble gum (but even so relatively dry).

Not peaty (like the Islays) and not (much) sherried: Highland Park 12 ( not very sweet, just a touch of sherry, a bit of everything really) Glengoyne 12 Cask Strength (oak, malt, lots of taste, warm, very good) Longmorn 15 (not unlike Glengoyne 12, but lighter and a bit sweeter)

(All of the above just based on my quite limited personal experience. I'm sure some will disagree with my suggestions, or have something to add).

Let us know what you come up with, and how you like it!

Gunnar

The choices are endless, but, as has been said many times here, you can't go wrong with Highland Park 12.

I wish I had your sources! In my area, that $$ is not easy to find.

Anyway, my two favorites are Balvenie Doublewood and Glenfarclas 15. If I had to choose one forever, it would be the Balvenie. I also have a special place for the Glenfarclas Cask Strength, which is something very different and special.

Some more sherry ones for you (I'm in the UK so I don't know how much they'll cost)

Balvenie Founders 10yo Balvenie Doublewood Highland Park 12yo (sort of a sweety-peaty) Glenlivet 12yo and 18yo - unexceptional but not bad. Glanfarclas 105 - cask strength Aberlour a'bunadh - another cask strength and a favourite of many here.

Those last two will be outside your price range, but are worth a purchase.

Kinda-sorta-Talisker-ish. It's one of the 'salty' drams - when you nose it you can sense the sea-breeze.

Worth a try.

Jim

I mostly lurk around here, but can't help but notice the Highland Park name come up time and time again. My taste are definitely for the Islay's- Lagavulin, Laproaig, Caol ila, etc...but I was not impressed by the Highland Park 12.

When I first got into the single malts I went for a Highland Park 12(based on reading here), and have to say, at least to me, it was not a memorable whisky. This is in no way to insult HP fans, but maybe I bought a bad bottle? I know everyone has different taste, but HP is not something I'd go out and buy again.

I'm in a minority on Highland Park. I find it pleasant, but not very exciting. It tastes to me like it's missing something, and what it's missing is what I find in the Islays -- some combination of heavier peat, smoke and Islaydine.

That doesn't make Highland Park a bad malt, just not one that fits my tastes very well.

bill

"Matt" skrev i melding news:fvXqg.495$ snipped-for-privacy@fe08.lga...

I'm not overly impressed by it either. It's got a bit of everything, but no real edge or direction IMO. Maybe a choice as an introduction to single malts though.

From what I've heard and read, I am under the impression that HP 12 was a better malt in earlier years - maybe it tends to get a bit overrated theese days because of its good old reputation?

Gunnar

My current favorite is the Aberlour 10 and should fall within your budget as I can find it locally for under $40. Here in Oregon liquor stores are state controlled and prices are about 40% higher than I've seen when visiting my parents in California.

If you have a chance I'd also recommend the Oban 14. I consider this my "special occasion" drink as the bottle price for me is around $70.

Enjoy.

I'm with you Bill as I love the peat and smoke of the Islay's. However, there are quite a few of non islay single malts I have enjoyed more than HP

12(Balvenie DW, Longmorn, Aberlour, oban, etc.).

To me, HP is definitely missing something as well, and I also agree with Gunner that it seems somewhat directionless.

A bit of everything and no direction is a great way to sum it up Gunnar. When I was introduced to SMS, I was really looking forward to opening the HP

12 I just purchased....I remember tasting it, and looking at the bottle I just opened to make this was the whisky that the group was raving about? I had higher expectations for it. It was not bad, just missing something(as Bill said). Not that distinct to me.

Could be? I know I've read nothing but positive reviews on that whisky.

Sorry about that spelling error Gunnar.

As a rank novice and a new lurker, I thought I'd stick my ignorant nose in here for a moment.

I've been a wine fan and more recently a "good" beer fan for a number of years (decades on the wines). As a recent discoverer of SMS, I have spent a good deal of time looking over web sites, trying to decide what to begin to stock my modest bar with. My choices are rather limited in the middle of the U.S. (more whiskey here than whisky) so I make do with what I can find.

My father had stocked Cutty Sark and Chivas Regal for many years so my previous experience was all with blends. I began with a Glenlivet 12. I decided to span out and pick one bottle that would be a generic representative of each of the areas that represent good scotch. All my bottles are are "cheapies", as I wanted to gain some experience before spending a load on a style that I wouldn't appreciate. Some regions are not available here, so I'm planning a trip to either Kansas City or Tulsa to do some shopping, but so far I've been pleased with the bottles I've collected:

Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Cragganmore 12 The Dalmore 12 Glen Garioch 10 Glenfiddich Special Reserve 12 Glenfiddich Solera Reserve 15 Glenmorangie Port Wood 12 McCallan 12 Oban 14 Scapa 12

Note only one of these bottles was over $50, and most in the 30's. As you can see, several key areas are not yet represented.

My problem is lack of selection in local small liquor stores, and lack of someone to share drams.

If you can find them, I like the Bowmore 17, Ardbeg 10, Aberlour A'bunadh Cask Strength, Lagavulin 16 and Laphroaig 10. Even Jameson's Irish Whiskey with a Guinness chaser is quite an adequate quaff. I don't have any of the ones on your list, but will check out a few when my next Social Security check comes in. Which are your 2 or 3 favorites? Here in N. Hollywood, I share your lack of someone to share a few wee drams with. That greatly adds to the pleasure, as I was reminded on a trip to London and a more recent trip to Florida. I have a bottle of The Glenlivet 20 year old French Oak Finish, which has remained unopened for almost 3 years, as I await a WW II buddy's coming by to share it with me.

Slainte!

I've seen the Ardbeg 10, Aberlour A'bunadh (don't know which -cask or regular - I'll check), Lagavulin 16 and Laphroaig 10 and also a Talisker on the shelves but haven't had time to venture there yet. I have used Michael Jackson's "The Complete Guide to Single Malt Whisky" 2004 Ed. as a rough guide, more for the description and locations than for his ratings, although I tend to agree with him for the most part.

As a new SMS fan, I'm still into exploring the "cheapies" for style and to build my experience as my previous list would indicate before I spring for a $100US bottle of something that I don't like as well as two $50 bottles. I'm intrigued by the "medicinal" descriptions of the Lagavulin and Laphroaig (and to some degree the Ardbeg) and am eager to venture into those muddy waters. The descriptions sound "terrible", yet the ratings are incredibly high.

Favorites? So far I'd have to vote for the Balvenie DoubleWood, McCallan and Glenmorangie Port Wood, not necessarily in that order. All different and all excellent. I don't dislike any of them, but I also haven't given the Oban and the Scapa much of a tasting yet. I did have a taste of an Islay, the Bowmore Legend, and loved the salty, smoked peat character, although I don't yet own a bottle. I just need a bit more time to experiment!

I have drawn on the wisdom of my Scot-Brit buddy Graeme to a large degree. I again urge you to seek out a bottle of the Bowmore 17. This is the Single Malt Scotch whisky that The Rt. Hon. Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, born George Islay MacNeill Robertson, former Secretary-General of NATO, gave to heads of state. It is lovely. If ya don't like it, let me know and I'll give ya yer money back!

Did you say, "Cheapies?" One of the cheapest blends you can get is Clan MacGregor, at less than $20 for 1.75 litres. It's surprisingly smooth, especially considering the price. Perhaps because they've been making it for over 300 years. It's also an excellent cooking whisky, which I use in Scottish soups, such as Cock-a-leekie soup, to wash down grilled trout and the like, in rabbit stews, and casseroles (if I could find rabbit or hare here in Lost Angeles, CA), and various desserts and mixed drinks.

I don't know what the Hell they're talkin' about. It tastes good or it doesn't. I can recognize peaty, smokey, sweet, flowery scent, maybe sea; stuff like that. Medicine, iodine? f'd if I know!

OK. My Social Security check lands on the 18th. I'll check 'em out and letcha know. Thanks.

And if ya don't like one, ya can always cook with it. Since ya don't have anyone ta share a dram with, I'm assuming ya don't have anyone ta give it to. ;-(

Slainte! "Lang may yer lums reek!"

I'll put the Bowmore 17 on my "watch" list. Haven't seen one anywhere, but I'll be in a couple of bigger towns in a week or so and will definitely keep an eye out for one. Thanks for the "heads up". The Bowmore Legend (no age listed) is very reasonably priced (30's) and has that Islay "brine" character with some smoked peat. Nice to my inexperienced palate.

I think I paid something like $44 for it the last time. I've given several bottles to friends in Seattle, Texas and Florida. They all love it. Of course, I've always got a jug here in N. Hollywood, should you happen to drop by! You would be most welcome, as would any of the a.d.s-w'ers. Might even get some authentic Thai food.

I'll be making my monthly run up to Wine & Liquor Depot in two weeks to check out your recommendations. May not be able to pick up all three, depends on upcoming bills. Moral is: Don't outlive yer money!!!