Bunnahabhain 12

Hope not. And I suspect not. I don't have much to contribute at the moment -- malt budget pretty tight for a while -- but I will keep looking for others' accounts of their experiences.

'nother question: Has that Lagavulin 12YO that's supposed to be replacing the 16 shown up anywhere, particularly in North America? I don't recall seeing tasting notes. Anyone?

bill

The Lagavulin 12 yo Special Release at cask strength is widely available in the US - for about $160. I don't think they are replacing the 16 yo and it seems the shortage of last winter is no longer an issue, at least in Connecticut.

I noticed this too at a recent tasting. I thought I could be wrong but now that you mention it...

found it much more "fruity" than past bottles purchased here in the US. Is this a trend? Has Bunnahabhain changed??

I think the first one I ever hand was light and sea-spray-like. Kind of bright and fresh and zesty. The one I have now (purchased last fall) has been open for a couple months, which I think benefits this bottling, and is very smooth and medium-thick on the palate, with a gentle warmth, and a cedar-chest woodiness accompanied by some almost light-syrupy sweetness of something like plum, ripe-peach, and hibiscus. It's a surprisingly sumptious whisky! I thought it wasn't as rich as the one I bought several months prior to this one, but after being open for a while it gets really plush.

Oh yeah--the group HAS gone dead. But that happens now and again. And it's summer, for chrissake--we should all be drinking margies!

Doug, wine maybe; beer after a hot and sweaty game of golf only; margies - never!! A correctly made good sweet Rob Roy - anytime before a meal. SMW always

Dave

But I got in all this great Suave Patria 100% blue agave tequila for only $9.99 a bottle. And limes--what's wrong with limes?

What vermouth do you use? Come to think of it, what whisky do you use? And is a cherry correct, incorrect, or irrelevant?

I find with mixed drinks like a SRR the types of whisky are almost irrelevant as long it is a reasonable quality. However, I do NOT use my single malts for this kind of drink. So I use my stash of JW Black. Actually I've never thought about vermouth as having different qualities (are there?) so I use the standard Marti Rossi sweet vermouth. Mixtures are exactly 3 : 1 with a cherry (definitely) and a half a teaspoon of cherry juice. All well shaken over ice and strained into a very chilled martini glass.

When I order one of these in a restaurant before dinner and they bring it out any other way (like a lemon peel instead of a cherry) it goes back until they get it right. Really good bartenders are hard to find, I think.

And actually I like Limes but not tequila after a very bad experience in college.Like the experiences we all have had at one time or another in our lives when it comes to booze at a young age. Mine was with tequila and another with Southern Comfort. As a result I can't go near either one with having thoughts of days gone by. Which in turn brings me to other more fun times as well. But I digress........

Dave

my stash of JW Black.

I made one yesterday (in your honor), but it was with Speyburn--and it was terrific. Speyburn is a lot cheaper than JW Black!

I've often thought it would be fun to be a bartender for a while. However, without any training and besides the usual beer, wine and stuff that comes straight out of a bottle (like SMW), the Rob Roy would be about th eonly drink I could make right now! But they are fun to make and more fun to drink.

I'm also getting the feeling that you and I may be the only two people in this room and the rest have drifted off to lands unknown! Strangely quiet lately. Must be that time of year, again.

Dave

Taking a moment's reflection, Douglas W. Hoyt mused: | | But I got in all this great Suave Patria 100% blue agave tequila for only | $9.99 a bottle. And limes--what's wrong with limes?

Not a thing. I'll be over in a bit ... I'll stop for ice.

Taking a moment's reflection, DaveS mused: | | I'm also getting the feeling that you and I may be the only two people in | this room and the rest have drifted off to lands unknown! Strangely quiet | lately. Must be that time of year, again.

I'm sure there are a few lurking ... like me. But, you both have inspired me to try a Rob Roy tonight. I think I have a bottle of Speyburn lying about.... ;-)

"Douglas W. Hoyt" writes: [..snip...]

For those of you in the US, you might try the Vya vermouth (sweet and dry) from California. I've enjoyed martinis, manhattans, rob roys and negronis more since discovering Vya. (Specs in Houston carries both sweet and dry from time to time.) I use the dry vermouth in cooking, too, and it will hard to be go back to Cinzano or Noilly Prat...

- Jim

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I happen to be a fan of "The Perfect", made as above, but half sweet vermouth, half dry. Any reasonable blend will do. And as Douglas points out, I wouldn't think of wasting even a decent single malt on a drink like this. In fact, I'd go further & say don't even waste a real good blend, e.g., Dewars 12.

FWIW, I happen to drink these as a highball as opposed to in a martini glass, w/ice.

For a dry RR, use only dry vermouth, natch, garnished w/a lemon peel.

BFB NYC

I never think of vermouth as having a specific "flavor" so usually just pull one off the shelf. Now you've got me thinking that maybe that Rob Roy could taste a bit better with a better vermouth. I'll try the Vya the next time I'm in the market for some vermouth.

Of course, now that is going to lead me to thinking about a specific kind of cherry and then on to a more specific kind of scotch, and then should I have the glass chilled in the freezer before I make one, etc......... This could be more work then it's worth. 8^) I'll just go for the Vya and I will use it in cooking as well where I do use both vermouth and vodka quite often.

my $.02

Dave

Dave

saw this in an email this morning and thought back to this NG and this particular string. It brought a smile to my face and even though it is a bit mundane, and about Vodka and not vermouth. enjoy

Dave

Vodka: the wonder liquid

1. To remove a bandage painlessly, saturate the bandage with vodka. The solvent dissolves the adhesive. 2. To clean the caulking around bathtubs and showers, fill a trigger-spray bottle with vodka, spray the caulking, let set five minutes and wash clean. The alcohol in the vodka kills mold and mildew. 3. To clean your eyeglasses, simply wipe the lenses with a soft, clean cloth dampened with vodka. The alcohol in the vodka cleans the glass and kills germs. 4. Prolong the life of razors by filling a cup with vodka and letting your safety razor blade soak in the alcohol after shaving. The vodka disinfects the blade and prevents rusting. 5. Spray vodka on vomit stains, scrub with a brush, then blot dry. 6. Using a cotton ball, apply vodka to your face as an astringent to cleanse the skin and tighten pores. 7. Add a jigger of vodka to a 12-ounce bottle of shampoo. The alcohol cleanses the scalp, removes toxins from hair, and stimulates the growth of healthy hair. 8. Fill a sixteen-ounce trigger-spray bottle and spray bees or wasps to kill them. 9. Pour one-half cup vodka and one-half cup water in a Ziplock freezer bag, and freeze for a slushy, refreshable ice pack For aches, pain, or black eyes.. 10. Fill a clean, used mayonnaise jar with freshly packed lavender flowers, fill the jar with vodka, seal the lid tightly and set in the sun for three days. Strain liquid through a coffee filter,then apply the tincture to aches and pains. 11. Make your own mouthwash by mixing nine tablespoons powdered cinnamon with one cup vodka. Seal in an airtight container for two weeks. Strain through a coffee filter. Mix with warm water and rinse your mouth. Don't swallow. 12. Using a q-tip, apply vodka to a cold sore to help it dry out. 13. If a blister opens, pour vodka over the raw skin as a local anesthetic that also disinfects the exposed dermis. 14. To treat dandruff, mix one cup vodka with two teaspoons crushed rosemary, let sit for two days, strain through a coffee filter and massage into your scalp and let dry. 15. To treat an earache put a few drops of vodka in your ear. Let it set for a few minutes. Then drain. The vodka will kill the bacteria that is causing pain in your ear. 16. To relieve a fever, use a washcloth to rub vodka on your chest and back as a liniment. 17. To cure foot odor, wash your feet with vodka. 18. Vodka will disinfect and alleviate a jellyfish sting. 19. Pour vodka over an area affected with poison ivy to remove the urushiol oil from your skin. 20. Swish a shot of vodka over an aching tooth. Allow your gums to absorb some of the alcohol to numb the pain. 21. If all else fails, just turn the bottle up and drink it; nothing will matter anymore anyway!

kind of cherry...

It doesn't matter what kind of cherry you use. Just wave your hand over it and whisper "maraschino". If it works for dry martinis, it should help the cherry. Come to think of it, some people drain the fluid from the cherry jar and replace it with high proof vodka. After a day or two, the cherry has a bit of a kick.

I do not think Bunnahbhain has changed its taste... My experience is that whisky taste is something really subjective, and the influence of the mood, the glass, etc... could explain a lot.

For tasting notes of Lagavulin 12 yo, see

Slainthe