Single malt thread

[Peeping Tom]

hmmm ... started my 25 days off, R&R time after a month in the jungle ...

Glenfarclas 15 yr
Bowmore 17 yr
Lagavulin 16 yr
Laphroaig
Glenmorangie Portwood Finish
Glenmorangie
Balvenie Founder's Reserve
Johnnie Walker Black Label (not a single malt)

All that in the first week. Three of the above are Islay malts, my favorite type. Needless to say, lots of $$ spent on this hobby - enough that several appointments could have been booked.

What do terbites drink? Are there others with large single malt bills?

 

[happygrump]

Single Malt

Cardhu is probably my fav. Nicely gentle with just enough snap to let you know you're alive. Royal Lochnagar is nice too, though hard to find in Canada. Took a distillery tour with my ex there a few years back. Very cool.

 

[sweet guy]

What do terbites drink? Are there others with large single malt bills?

1) Glenmorangie 15 years (18 years is expensive)-very smooth and light
2) Bruichladdich 15 years-typical salty, Islay single malt.

Both with Belauga caviar on top of the sockeye salmon. Would love to try with a fine Cohiba but it's expensive hobby .

whisky I would love to try,

1) Johnnie Walker gold/blue label (Blend whisky)
2) Middleton Vary Rare (The premium Irish whiskey)

Things I have never done with whisky,

1) Whisky on the rock-that's a BIG No-no IMHO
2) Toast with Haggis and reading Robbie Burns poems.

BTW, what's your favorite Bourbon?

 

[Peeping Tom]

I have tried the Bruichladdich, not bad but not outstanding in its price bracket. The Johnnie Walker Gold was a fine whisky, more towards subtle character in comparison with its single malt competitors - not smokey or peaty at all - vague semblance to Glenmorangie whisky.

Fave bourbon is Jack No. 7 (by default as it is the only bourbon stocked around Montreal). Does the LCBO carry any - this could justify a visit to your fine town.

Cigars and malt - that's another complication, in matching wrappers to malts. Fortunately in my case I pass through several duty free shops frequently enough to have a decent humidor.

 

[blogs]

Glen Morangie 10 year
Glen Livet 12 year& 18 year
Knockando 23 year & 15 year
Lagavulin 16 year
Mortlach 21 year
Hart Brothers (Dalmore) 21 year

plus vintage ports: 1970 Taylors, 1978 Taylors, 1991 Graham, Taylors 40 year Tawny

blogs

 

[WineGuy]

Bruichladdich 20
Macallan - 18, 25
Bowmore BiCentenial

vintage ports Ghram's 64, 70

 

[thecoolguyms72]

Here is what I have in my liquor cabinet at the office at the moment:

Glenmorangie 18 yr. old
Glenlivet 12 yr. old
Tomintoul Speyside 10 yr. old
Balvenie 15 yr. old
Laphroaig 15 yr. old

A couple were gifts from those that I sent business their way, but I like Glenmorangie and Balvenie and Laphroaig so got those myself. My next thing is to set up a decent humidor. I am a member of a club/cigar lounge where I have a locker, so that's where I usually go to enjoy a cigar, but a couple of us have air exchangers in our offices so we could smoke in there once in a while, but I'd rather not. I'd like to have them more for giving to clients that I know enjoy a good one.

I would like to start a decent wine collection, but I'm hardly a connaisseur at all. I know what I like and there are more inexpensive wines out there that are good quality. For instance, many of Mondavi's wines are actually from Chilean grapes that are imported, so if I want a decent wine at much lower price, I'll just by the Chilean (if you like Chilean wines) like Santa Rita or Santa Carolina.

After that, I'd like to have some nice vodka's as well. I have some Ketel One which is my current fave, and of course Absolut. A couple more for the collection would be good. Any suggestions? Gray Goose is okay, but I really don't like Chopin personally. The funny thing is, I went on a vodka tasting tour with some friends in the restaurant industry and strangely Absolut won. I didn't pick it, but apparently it wins more than not. I found that surprising.

Anyway, any other suggestions for beverages? Great thread, by the way.

 

[Peeping Tom]

Good to see that single malts are appreciated by many here, many good bottles in use on the evening. Keep posting those replies.

The Laing series of independant bottlings (single barrel) were the focus of my secondmost recent malt attack. The Aberfeldy, Ardbeg (several casks) and Rosebank were sampled and compared to some fine Islays. Ardbeg was the clear winner. Hopefully the SAAQ will restock this line ...

 

[zydeco]

Peeping Tom - I'm glad to see that you included Johnnie Walker Black in your list. While it is a blend - it is a fine drink. Too many of the Scotch "snobs" overlook this one because it's not a single malt.

 

[JeremytheWicked]

I have always maintained that J.W. Black is one of the very best scotches in the world, blended or not, bar none.

I prefer Lagavulin, if single is to be had.

Johnnie Walker Gold is nice, but expensive. Forget about the Blue becouse of its price and availability, although I would like to try it anyway.

 

[Peeping Tom]

Black Label is a fine scotch in its own right. It shouldn't be looked down on, rather, seen for what it is - a decent bottle below the entry level for single malts (and able to humble those in its immediate price bracket). At its 40$ price, the only other whisky I would choose above it is the Glenmorangie, at 45$.

 

[Peeping Tom]

That list was the result of a random grab, whatever was in stock at my regular booze shop - not a recommendation of personal faves. But yes, if Black Label is at arm's length, I won't hesitate grabbing it.

Now, if I had to make a must taste list ... me shudders at the thought of the cost of doing so ...

I'm glad to see that you included Johnnie Walker Black in your list.

 

[marcus aurellis]

Dalwhinnie 15, easily my fav.

Splurged on a bottle of 25 Macallan a few years ago ($299 a bottle) and was not impressed. Good but not great.

My suggestion would be Knob Creek Bourbon, $50 a bottle and worth every penny.

Marcus Aurellis
"are you not entertained?"

 

[Peeping Tom]

Knob Creek - about 7$ US per bottle in south american duty free, I'll have to pick one up next time.

 

[sweet guy]

Macallen 18 yr is my favourite for special occassions.

I have tried one after I graudated, 25 years. I almost "fall in love" with Macallan but it's really expensive. It's like a mistress to me

No wonder Macallan is called the "Rolls Royce of single malt".

BTW, would you like to drink whisky in neat, or on the rock?

 

[sweet guy]

Peeping Tom - I'm glad to see that you included Johnnie Walker Black in your list. While it is a blend - it is a fine drink. Too many of the Scotch "snobs" overlook this one because it's not a single malt.

I have tried the Red Label couple of times-nothing special.

Black Label is fine. For some reason I always drink Black Label on the rock.

Gold Label sounds nice, but like PTom said, I would not pay too much on blended whisky. I got a better deal on Glenmorangie.

Blue Label is the most expensive. Maybe I will give it the only Blend whisky for the premium collection.

BTW, I hear Diageo introduces Green Label -15 years Blend if I remember right to the market. Anybody tried that one?

 

[DCork]

mmmm

I'll second the motion on Dalwhinnie, and I've been treating myself to the double matured (Distillers Edition)- very smooth and a great match for the non-Cohiba cubans. On the peaty side, I have Ardbeg and Laphroaig at the ready for the Cohibas.


thecoolguyms72, I like your thinking on your wine selections. I've been collecting for a while and the key is knowing what you like. There are no wrong choices. I seek out and cellar good inexpensive wines that have good legs. It's the storage that adds value. The Chileans you mention are great after 10 years, choose the Reserva or the Medallia Real. I have the usual suspects from France, Italy, and Spain, but the real pleasures are the well aged Periquitas, Simonsigs, Chateau Tahbiliks, and the Chileans already mentioned. To be fair, they aren't up to a Chateau Perdrix Nuit Saint-Georges and the like, but they cost 1/4 to 1/6th the price, and after cellaring,taste very close to those pricier bottles. The trick is not to dip. Keep a good selection of "drink now" on hand and your cellar should be safe.

To your health Terbites.

 

[baci2004]

My second fav topic...I think the first is obvious.
I currently have 20 botles on hand, The Macallan 12yr is my default malt of choice and I actually prefer it over the 18 (thank God) I find the 18 a bit sweet.
Some of my collection includes, Bowmore's 8 -21 and all in between, 25yr Macallan and the 1841 replica Macallan.

If you consider yourself a true whiskey fan, I emplore you to try 21 yr Bowmore. There are 2 versions of it, I can't remember the difference but the one I am refering to is in a black box and dated 1974 (I'm sure that the date will have changed) L.C.B.O said they would be happy to order it, as they don't carry it anymore.

Also pick up a copy of "Michael Jackson's Malt whiskey Companion " it's a must read. It also gives a rating for most of the popular malts discussed in this tread.

Drink up boys!!!

"Scotch is the water of life" Robert Burns

I should put that in my quote thread..

 

[sweet guy]

Hmm...I was told it was the Irish who introduced to the Scots Uisge beatha.

Some would probably argue that the Irish whiskey is smoother than the Scottish cousins. Premium brand like Middleton Very Rare (not Jameson or Bushmill) can rival the top of the line Single Malt like the Macallan.

Any comments?

BTW, Michael Jackson's Malt whiskey companion is considered the "bible" of whiskey/whisky tasting.

He has no relationship to the Wacko Jacko

 

[baci2004]

For the price conscious "The Singleton" is amazing at under $40 a bottle if you can find it. It's like Macallan's little brother (sherry cask).

"The Famous Grouse" also under $40 is probably the best blend I have ever had. If you close your eyes you might think it's a single malt.

BTW I learned of these two from my Scotish brother-in-law lol.