Scotland Scotch

one bottle of talisker, one bottle of johnnie walker green, and one bottle of lagavulin. visit laphroaig, and if the quarter casks or cask strengths there look inexpensive, substitute one of them for the johnnie walker green. of course, if yah like yer scotch sweet insteada salty, i'm the wrong guy to ask.

cheers! Doc

She would like to bring me 2 or 3

I would go with Aberlour A'bunadh and Laphroaig quarter cask.

If you can find any Ardbeg other than the standard 10 I'd certainly get that as well. (The Ardbeg 10 is super but readily available over here.)

She would like to bring me 2 or 3

Umm, so is the A'bunadh (and Talisker and Lagavulin as well).

-- Larry

Widely available in the US.

Widely available in the US.

Also widely available in the US.

She would like to bring me 2 or 3

As far as distilleries to visit go, I'd recommend Edradour in Pitlochry. It's a lovely wee distillery, the smallest in Scotland. Their Port Wood expression is very good as well. Not cheap though.

Dewar's World Of Whisky is also very good (despite the name, which had me thinking it was going to be Disneyland Whisky)

Jim

U¿ytkownik "Lew/+Silat" napisa³:

Don't know what is or isn't available across the pond, so cannot help you with purchases. However, I'd suggest you go for Ardbeg Airigh Nam Beist, Edradour (any of the OB's) and Mortlach 16yo F&F. These are likely to be hard to come across in faraway lands ;-) and are fantastic drams. If you're after something rather extraordinary, and happen to be travelling through Fort William, then visit the Ben Nevis distillery and go for a bottle of their Dew of Ben Nevis single blend 50yo. Last time I was there, they were asking GBP 135 per bottle. I've heard praises being said about it, and it's defenitely a unique whisky irrespective of anything, with the two components - grain and malt - being distilled and blended in the same distillery, under the same roof, shortly after distillation.

As to visiting distilleries, I know Scotland seems a small place, especially from an American perspective ;-) but could you be more precise as to the whereabouts of the trip? Also, is your daughter a fan/expert on whisky? This will affect the choice of places to go to. I have visited most distilleries opened to the public, and I know their "tourist" offer can vary dramatically. If it's to be a standard tourist attraction, a non-specialist thing, go for any of the Diageo distilleries - Cragganmore, Dalwhinnie, Oban, Talisker, Glen Ord, Cardhu, Caol Ila, Clynelish, Lagavulin, Glenkinchie. You will be satisfied with Glenmorangie (especially that they have a wide selection of their whiskies to taste, at an extra expense), Macallan, Aberlour, Glenfiddich, Glen Moray, Ben Nevis, Glen Grant. Yes, you will love Dewar's World of Whisky. You will adore Strathisla (the most beautiful distillery by far). Dallas Dhu is extremely interesting, although it is not a working distillery any more. With some distilleries, remember to phone them in advance. Otherwise you might find their doors closed and locked despite the notice board saying that tours should be given at the time. Lagavulin is notorious for that. However, of all the distilleries I have visited, the following would be my choices to re-visit: Springbank, Bruichladdich, Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Edradour, Glenfarclas. I'd strongly recommend extended tours (slightly more expensive, but worth ever penny) at Glenfiddich/Balvenie, Aberlour or Glenfarclas, where you get to see a bit more (like malting floors at Balvenie, their warehouses, etc.), the guide is likely to be more knowledgeable, and the tasting is not limited just to their standard bottlings, but can be rather extensive. Whatever your choice is, it is a good idea to let distilleries know in advance that you're coming and that you know a tad more about whisky. You're likely to get a better treatment, more sophisticated stuff to taste. This does not refer to most of the Diageo stills. They don't give a toss. Mind you, I may have forgotten about something interesting...

Cheers, Rajmund

lagavulin. visit laphroaig,

one of them for the johnnie

wrong guy to ask.

Doc those are all available in the states.. But thanks for the recommends:) My current top shelf: Laguvulin 16 Macallans 18 1976 Talisker 10 Bowmore 25 Highland Park 18 Aberlour A'bunadh Laphroaig

She says my "gift" price is about 100 E per bottle....... I love my daughter.. :)

purchases. However, I'd

Mortlach 16yo F&F. These are

If you're after something

visit the Ben Nevis distillery

was there, they were asking

defenitely a unique whisky

distilled and blended in the

from an American perspective

your daughter a fan/expert on

distilleries opened to the

a standard tourist

Cragganmore, Dalwhinnie, Oban,

will be satisfied with

taste, at an extra expense),

will love Dewar's World of

Dallas Dhu is extremely

distilleries, remember to phone

despite the notice board saying

choices to re-visit: Springbank,

recommend extended tours (slightly

Glenfarclas, where you get to

guide is likely to be more

bottlings, but can be rather

that you're coming and that

more sophisticated stuff to

Rajmund,

Thanks for your thoughtful reply. Im not a novice in the art of drinking scotch. My daughter is a novice. She wants to learn and is getting the Scotch because she loves me and knows I appreciate the whisky. She is also a beautiful 33 yr old so Im sure she will get the attention she needs at the distilleries:) She is planning on traveling the "Whisky Mile" (?), maybe going to the Isle of Skye and Glasgow. Ill have more information in our next correspondence.

Your new friend in Portland Oregon Lew/+Silat PS Rajmund please write me at snipped-for-privacy@kriocoudek.mailexpire.com if you dont mind. Its a throwaway email. I will respond from a real email addy:)

Lew, IIRC US Customs says one litre per person. I don't know how strictly it's enforced or how they deal with overages.

Nick a friend told me that you can bring in quite a bit as long as its for personal use.. I called customs and they said the same thing. ????

KEWL Lew. It's been several years.

I hope yer daughter has a wonderful time! If possible, she should find herself in Auld Reekie (Edinburgh), the home of Robert Fergusson, Robert Burns, Robert Louis Stevenson and Sir Walter Scott, on the evening of January 25th. She will be able to enjoy the Burns' Night Dinner, an absolutely wonderful and unforgettable experience celebrated throughout Scotland and by Scots throughout the world! I enjoyed it immensely with Graeme at the London Supporters of Edinburgh's Hibernian Football Team Burns' Night Dinner in 2004. One of the highlights of my life!

More to the point she'll be able to pop into Royal Mile Whisky :-)

Jim

I often order from them.

Jim

On Fri, 19 Oct 2007 00:52:32 -0700, the alleged Lew/+Silat, may have posted the following, to alt.drinks.scotch-whisky:

Maybe you need a Campbeltown on that shelf. Maybe a Springbank? I'll never turn down an offer of one of those and they are becoming hard to find in even an free-market state. I'd suggest the Springbank 15, or the Springbank 16 Rum finished.

Regards, Rob

She would like to bring me 2 or 3

If your daughter is going in March 2008 then this might be an option:

Robertsons shop in Pitlochry at the end of the tour do some nice deals and she would really get to know the product this way.

Peace,

Jock

U¿ytkownik "Lew/+Silat" napisa³:

Yes, I've noticed that :-)

This is my point. If it's your first ever visit to a distillery, you don't really know whether what you're getting is good or not. I suggest she visits a few distilleries.

I'm afraid it is not the looks that matter, unfortunately. The distilleries enjoying quite a lot of tourist traffic tend to be lazy. To be fair, many of their visitors, popping off coaches in front of, say, Dalwhinnie, Glenfiddich or Aberfeldy (Dewar's World of Whisky) wouldn't really tell whisky from white wine. So why should they care? It's good to at least hint that you're not one of those ;-)

Will do in a moment.

Cheers, Rajmund

It is almost never enforced, so long as the amount brought in is within reason and the person is honest about declaring it. Even if Customs decides to charge duty, it's only around 10% of the declared value on the amount over 1L per person.

-- Larry

Lew/+Silat schrieb:

She would like to bring me 2 or 3

Royal Mile Whisky is close to Edinburgh Castle on High Street. Further down same street (there called Cannongate) there's Cadenhead's which is an independent bottler. If she is in Elgin, visit Gordon & MacPhail. If she passes through Inverary, have a look at Loch Fyne Whisky. And if she's in any of these shops she may ask for something special. And they'll help her, I am sure.

At least in may distilleries they have visitor centers with a wide range of whiskies. But I don't know what's availabble in the US.

Or: Become a Member of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, enjoy the two member's rooms in Edinburgh and then shop the greatest of all malt whiskies.

Andreas