Compliment to Laphroaig? Bourbon?

On 7 Nov 2003 17:56:27 -0800, snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com (J Derby) wrote: Hi John, welcome.,

Why not try something completely different, such as Abelour 10, which is sherried and not at all "iodiniy" or peaty. It is pretty darn good though. Or, if you like the Islay's, try Ardbeg 10.

There are lots of good bourbons. I really like Knob Creek. top notch stuff.

Jeff

One good way to find interesting malts is just to lurk in this group for a while. Plenty of good suggestions come by.

We have an occasional bourbon discussion around here. Here's the most recent one:

which lists six or eight good ones.

(This link will expire in a few weeks. For the permanent one, try to wrap

into your browser, or just search the deja/google archive

and click on Advanced Search for bourbon references in this group.

And in general, try a few different malts, or bourbons, or canadian whiskeys, and follow your palate.

cheers.

bill

Makers Mark is nice.

Laphroaig 10 yr is one of my favorites. If you want to try another Islay, I recommend Lagavulin 16 yr. It has flavors just as intense as the Laphroaig, but different. If you want something completely different, try the standard Glenmorangie 10 yr. It is a very delicately flavored Highland Malt.

There certainly are some excellent bourbons, not just cheap stuff for the drunks. Maker's Mark is a popular "starter bourbon", however I find it to be quite a bland whiskey. Smooth and mellow, but without a lot of flavor. Knob Creek has more flavor and Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve has even more flavor. One of the more flavorful bourbons that I have found is Elijah Craig 12 yr.

Lee's Discount Liquor in Las Vegas had a terrific selection of scotch when I was there about a year ago. I hadn't started experimenting with bourbon then, so I don't know how the bourbon selection is.

Regards, hawk

talk about a christening of fire. It's the strongest malt there is. If you want a complimentary bottle, try TCP...

I must admit that I always enjoy it myself. Laphroaig knows no equal, but I'd recommend you try Talisker next.

Don't forget that if you want to be able to taste anything else, keep the Laphroaig corked untill last... And if you want to taste the actual whiskey, I'd recommend you always dilute malts this strengh with water 50/50.

Welcome. There certainly are a wide range of whiskies to try. Here would be some of my top value recomendations:

Island single malt: Highland Park 12yo Speyside: Longmorn 15yo Campbeltown but peaty: Longrow 10yo Traditional (corn/rye based) bourbon: Evan Williams single barrel vintage Wheated bourbons: Van Winkle 107 10yo; Weller Centenniel 10yo Straight Rye: Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13yo Irish Pure Pot Still: Redbreast Irish blend: Jameson 12yo or Blackbush Irish single malt: Bushmill's 16yo Canadian: Century Reserve (single cask) 13yo

More expensive but worth it would include: Springbank 21yo single malt if you can find it George T. Stagg bourbon 68.8% abv if you can find it Blanton's single barrel bourbon

Hope this helps.

Your friend, John

Transmission Control Protocol?

Good choice.

We have a debate here a couple of times a year on how much water, if any, should be added to malts.

This time around, allow me to be the first to say Noooooo, ohmygod, please do not dilute your Laphroaig 50-50 with water.

Ultimately, the way to drink your whisky is the way you like to drink it and if that means half water, so be it.

But you should begin every malt you haven't tasted before with at least a good nosing and a slow, well-considered sip, or perhaps two or three, as it comes out of the bottle, nothing added.

Then add a drop or two -- literally, only a drop or two -- of spring water, and taste again.

Continue until you realize the last sip was as good as it gets. A little water can sometimes liberate tastes and smells that otherwise remain locked up.

I drink most malts as they come, some with a few drops of water, the odd one, especially cask strength malts, with up to, I'd guess, 10 per cent water to reduce the alcohol burn.

The Laphroaig 10 comes at 40 per cent ABV, at least where I live, and I generally drink it as it comes, and regret it isn't aat 43 or 45 per cent.

Any malt that needs half water is a malt I shouldn't have bought in the first place, I figure. Your mileage may vary.

cheers.

bill

Laphroig is good stuff--a pretty unusual first bottle though--a good sign that you are enjoying it! I enjoy it immensely, but I suppose that it is an acquired taste for most. I would recommend The Macallan 12 year next or Highland Park. I also enjoy Scapa and Talisker. Arbelour is pretty good too.

I generally drink my scotch with 2 small ice cubes. When they begin to melt a bit, the water cuts the alcohol to the point where I can taste the full range of flavors and qualities. I believe that if you drink many whiskies straight, the high alcohol concentration constricts and hides the more subtler flavors. In my experience, 50-50 water would cause to great a dilution.

There are excellent burbons: Makers Mark, Knobb Creek, Woodford Reserve. Perhaps my favorite is Baker's--there are times where I prefer it over my favorite scotch.

Keep us informed on your journey!

As a general purist, I probably would never have diluted the malt, were it not for the instructions to do so on the bottle. I'm glad I did, because the first drink I had was outstanding, very flavorful, long finish. Then I read about the water/no water debate, and assumed straight should be the way...do I really need to release more iodine scent, I asked. Well, no, but the straight dram suffered without water--much taste omitted. So I added 1/3 water, which was way too much. In a very scientific manner, I splashed some whisky into that mix, reviving it to an extent, but it will take lots of experimenting to find the ratio that I stumbled upon initially. Ah, well, the bottle's pretty big. I wonder if anyone is obsessive enough to use a ml syringe? I have one around somewhere, I think...

John

Taking a moment's reflection, BR0UGH mused: | | talk about a christening of fire. It's the strongest malt there is. If | you want a complimentary bottle, try TCP...

I've had a lot of malts, but I would definitely not say that Laphroaig was anywhere near the "strongest malt there is." Most certainly Lagavulan, and Talisker are stronger. Laphroaig is strong in iodine, but not in terms of smoke and peat when compared to others.

| Don't forget that if you want to be able to taste anything else, keep the | Laphroaig corked untill last... And if you want to taste the actual | whiskey, I'd recommend you always dilute malts this strengh with water | 50/50.

Now I know you are off your rocker. 50/50 will give you whisky flavoured water. Maybe 1/50 water to whisky.

That's what I think. The Glenmorangie 10 or 15 should be great (and very different to Laphroaig).

Andreas

This is Laphroaig we're talking about, right? 1:1 is right.

I obviously shouldn't have used the word 'strong'. I meant rough, and it is

*the* roughest malt there is.

I would normally add between 1/4-1/2 water, depending on the whisky. I had a bottle of Glenmorangie last week, I obviously didn't dilute that 1:1!

But 1/50 to a whisky like Laphroaig? What's the point?

At the end of the day it's just Laphroaig, so it's probably for the best, but once you try it neat isn't your sense of taste pretty much shot to bits?

I agree, but when it comes to actaully tasting I'd recommend people sample it

1:1 and work down from that, rather than the other way around. That way you still have some tastebuds to spare.

I'll disagree, with respect. I think you'll find most posters here drink their malts neat or with very little water. As someone else said, diluting Laphroaig 50-50 would leave you with a glass of whisky-flavoured water. The thought makes me shudder.

As to shocking your tastebuds into submission, I find that's not a factor unless you're drinking cask-strength. Even then, I'll have a sip neat before trying a little water.

I do drink whisk(e)y with ice and as much as 25 per cent water at times. But that's what blends are for. Why buy a magnificent malt brimming with flavour, and then proceed to drown most of it in water?

cheers. bill

The more appropriate question would be "1 to 1? What the point of buying single malt whisky?"

Hell, why not mix Black Bowmore with coke or milk and really save your taste buds?

-- Larry

Taking a moment's reflection, BR0UGH mused: | | This is Laphroaig we're talking about, right? 1:1 is right.

Feel free to waste your single malts by drowning them in water if you wish. I'll take mine neat or with just a few drops.

| I obviously shouldn't have used the word 'strong'. I meant rough, and it | is *the* roughest malt there is.

Not to be contrary, but I wouldn't agree there either. Depending on your definition of "rough" try some Cask Strength, or some plain *bad* whiskies.

| I would normally add between 1/4-1/2 water, depending on the whisky. I | had a bottle of Glenmorangie last week, I obviously didn't dilute that | 1:1!

So, it would seem you are giving your opinion of whisky dilution based on your own palate rather than an accepted norm of practice. Do understand that there are those who read this group that might take what you write as an accepted standard (which is most certainly isn't), and get the (wrong) impression that whisky is to be consumed with a 1:1 of water to whisky. Perhaps if you have to add *that* much water to Laphroaig 10 you shouldn't be drinking it.

| But 1/50 to a whisky like Laphroaig? What's the point?

I would ask the same of you with 1:1 ... whisky flavoured water ... I'd rather drink a blend. ;-)

But, since you asked ... a single malt scotch is to be enjoyed on its own merits. It's generally considered a waste of good whisky to mix it with anything. Some go so far as to say "no ice ... ever," and some say "add nothing at all." However, it's fairly widely accepted that adding just a few drops (literally) of filtered/distilled/mineral water evokes a chemical change in the balance of the whisky which causes flavours and aromas that would ordinarily go undetected to be released ... and experienced.

Personally, I have found this to be true with some malts, but not all. Certainly, though, with a 1:1 of water, you are not releasing anything ... you are merely diluting (decreasing) any and all significance and character of an otherwise interesting single malt.

Hi, "Brough"!

In my experience, this comes down to how you actually drink your whisky. People I have met who argument for deluting heavily also take big gulps at a time.

To appreciate an undeluted malt, try a very small sip, equivalent to maybe as little as two, three drops, and wait for the taste to develop and fade before taking the next little sip. This way, the moisture in your mouth will be delution enough, and your tastebuds will survive.

True enough, with most malts a couple of drops of water will release aroma. But I do not see the point in deluting single malt scotch as much as 1/1, or even 1/4: To mix a highball I would use a blend.

Gunnar

"BR0UGH" skrev i melding news: snipped-for-privacy@mb-m14.aol.com...

I don't remember being asked? Iain Henderson certainly doesn't share your views and for what its worth neither do I.