The Whisky Thread

[willk]

Never in the lighter styles and only enough in the big bruisers to reduce the ABV to around 40-45% - basically a splash! I tote a bit of Ardbeg or Laphroaig when pack camping as it carries light and stretches out with water

[Chris Caton]

I just like taking the time to enjoy the experience of tasting a new one, sometimes the good ones just take you by surprise!!

[wiLlfish]

Originally Posted by willk

It has a curious lemoney honeyed palate with a salty finish.

wft

itts lyke lissenin too a lode ov jokkstrapp wyne snobbs

sted ov wofflin onn bowt peet boggs, matyewrin in barruls wot av ad uvver shitt in dem, misst cuvverd hilsides an de lyke stikk sum fkin peppsi inn itt an gett itt dowen yorr nekk

[Bigmuz7]

Originally Posted by 9D280

Recent finds - Smokehead - the grey coloured tin one is particularly good. It's like all the best bits of all the Islay malts rolled into a glass.....

Ive lifted that off the shelf ...but never got it into the basket yet ... think its time to have a snifter

Originally Posted by 9D280

One I would "barge pole" was (and I now forget the distillery) but they matured it in Rioja casks. "This should be heavenly" thought I, fab whisky - fab wine. Well. It was at best mediocre. Add water to make it taste like flat "own brand" cola. Wish I could remember whose malt it was.

Funny how it works out ... a worst for me of late was a Glen Moray (pish however its finished) but some master blender thought they fix the problem by maturing it in chardonnay casks boy that stuff was baaaad

Originally Posted by willk

Caol Isla, if my residual Gaelic learning is correct, means Song of Islay - well named it is too...... I think that the base 12yr old is the best buy - it's an intermediate Islay style - not particularly peaty but not very light either. It has a curious lemoney honeyed palate with a salty finish.

Aye thats a fair description, a nice dram, .....you just have to look at Islay its self for the massive variance in the product ... fantastic

Originally Posted by willk

For those "big" nightcaps, or special days, I haven't found anything to beat Ardbeg's Uigeadail.

Ive only tried it once but it certainly has some mighty flavour Wasnt it the Corryvreckan that one the Whisky of the year a while back ? whats it like compared to that ?

[willk]

Originally Posted by Bigmuz7

Certainly has some mighty flavour Wasnt it the Corryvreckan that one the Whisky of the year a while back ? whats it like compared to that ?

No, that's the Uigeadail. The Corry is fantastic too, a huge whisky, but I couldn't taste the extra money

I didn't try them side by side, but I think that the Uigeadail has a better balance, more harmonious* as it were. To be fair, I'm not ever going to be on a quest for "more peating" so wee dhraps like Octomore leave me cold - I think they just pander to fanatics - the type who eat the strongest chillies, rawest meat, etc.

* That's the same as a mouth organ, wilfie

[steco1958]

Originally Posted by Bigmuz7

Holy jihad .. I just came across a whisky porn site

Splooth

yum yum .. takes a while for the catalogue to load .. keep scrolling down .. and theres more ... and even more theres loads of stuff in here I didnt know existed

What a fantastic site,,,,,,,bookmarked immediately and will be using often Hic

[jambo]

You notice I haven't mentioned Jura yet!!!!!

Sent from my iPhone using Rib.net

[willk]

A long story with a sad ending. The making of Whiskey is an old Celtic Nations trick that goes back centuries. Irish Whiskey reached it's pinnacle in the late 1800s when Irish Whiskey was the toast of these islands. Scotch played a much smaller part in those days and Irish was a common "shout". The USA was a major consumer and Irish distilleries were on full steam. Then came the dual hammer blows of Independence in Ireland (with the associated trade war with what was left of the Empire) and Prohibition in the USA. There was a commercial bloodbath and we have never returned to those glory days, producing bland whiskeys that are traditionally taken alongside stout, or at the end of the night. There are only three meaningful distilleries here now - Bushmills, Midleton and Cooley. They produce all the labels and brands that you see doing the rounds. Of them all, I'd only bother with Bushmills' better malts and Midleton's Redbreast 12yr Pot Still and it's kissing cousin, Greenspot. Black Bush is OK, if you're stranded in a dry corner some night.

Cooley was recently acquired by Beam, who will pour in cash. Other distilleries will come in time and if the world interest in Whisky/Whiskey continues, it will be just a matter of time before something special happens here. As you navigate into those western loughs and islands, you can't help but think - hmmm, Arranmore 10yr old Malt, or maybe a Cask Strength Falcarragh...

[willk]

These guys for shipping to the UK - linky

These guys for the Irish Republic - linky

Any other suggestions? I've used the Whisky Exchange a few times - they're VERY good. I have a delivery coming from the other outfit in a few days, so I'll report back. They're legit but I don't know what their service and packing are like. You want your grog to arrive on the right side of the wrappers

[Bigmuz7]

Originally Posted by jambo

You notice I haven't mentioned Jura yet!!!!!

Sent from my iPhone using Rib.net

That filth ? .... actually as I mentioned before, I rate Jura 'prophecy' as a very fine dram indeed despite being a confirmed Jura hater I can still taste the base spirit, but its cloaked in a massive mix of other beauty ... the trouble is finding it at good money .. my local Tesco has it on offer one week at £38 then £55 the next ?

Originally Posted by willk

Irish Whiskey reached it's pinnacle in the late 1800s when Irish Whiskey was the toast of these islands.

Here now.. to be sure .. I had a Connemara peated Irish last week I was well surprised with who makes that ?

[Bigmuz7]

Originally Posted by willk

so wee dhraps like Octomore leave me cold

Isnt it just a bit like the various finishing processes though ?... or more like Heston Blumenthal let loose in a distillery ?

[jambo]

Originally Posted by Bigmuz7

That filth ? .... actually as I mentioned before, I rate Jura 'prophecy' as a very fine dram indeed despite being a confirmed Jura hater I can still taste the base spirit, but its cloaked in a massive mix of other beauty ... the trouble is finding it at good money .. my local Tesco has it on offer one week at £38 then £55 the next ?



Here now.. to be sure .. I had a Connemara peated Irish last week I was well surprised with who makes that ?

Now that you have mentioned the 'other' island renowned for the 'amber glow'! I agree with you re the Prophecy a very fine dram indeed but as i have said i prefer the smoothness of Superstition its my, Wilk's Caol Isla go to on a long night with friends. mind you I will not turn down any premier labels from the neighbouring island
Willie the head of Jura IMHO is playing about with to many variations of casks for my liking.

[jambo]

I was just thinking, sometimes I do on a cold winter's night when its pissing down!! How about this year we organise a whisky tour in the ribs. I am up for it what better way to spend these 'tropical' nights but sitting on one of these glourious islands sampling the delights and maybe a meal or two as well

[willk]

Originally Posted by Bigmuz7

Here now.. to be sure .. I had a Connemara peated Irish last week I was well surprised with who makes that ?

Cooley, under the previous private ownership. I've tried it and while I wouldn't throw it out of bed for eating crisps, I'm not a fan. Perhaps it's the lack of age - they don't say what it is! It is made many leagues from Connemara and I find that a bit cynical. However, it does give a hint of what could be done with a decent base malt if they REALLY wanted to give it a lash.

Redbreast 12yr Pot Still Single is a better whiskey, IMO. It has a large proportion of malted grain, unpeated and distilled in the quintessentially Irish Pot Still. It doesn't pack a wallop like some, but it shows it's class in subtle ways. Green Spot is a variation of it, bottled originally for Mitchell's, now yet another label of Midleton (Irish Distillers aka Pernod Ricard).

[jambo]

Redbreast 12yr Pot Still Single is a better whiskey, IMO. QUOTE]


Ah IMO what Irish dreams are made from

[Chris Caton]

Originally Posted by jambo

I was just thinking, sometimes I do on a cold winter's night when its pissing down!! How about this year we organise a whisky tour in the ribs. I am up for it what better way to spend these 'tropical' nights but sitting on one of these glourious islands sampling the delights and maybe a meal or two as well

sounds good to me, that like a proper rib cruise

[willk]

Originally Posted by Bigmuz7

Isnt it just a bit like the various finishing processes though ?... or more like Heston Blumenthal let loose in a distillery ?

I like a smoky peaty malt. I'll happily sip a Laphroaig without water. However, I get bored with the taste quite quickly - three fingers and I'm done (actually, that reminds me of a..., well, maybe that's a story for later). I don't like walking around thinking me gob tastes like I was licking a crofter's chimney. It's like some oaf on the sousaphone thinking the piece needs more "oomph".

So is it like "finishing"? Not quite, I think finishing appeals to "dilettantes" who are attracted to bright colours and flashy lights. Extra-peated malt is more for masochists who have something to prove to their mates. Harsh comment? Yeah sure, and partly in jest as usual. I like mine somewhere in between. I was very impressed with that Auchentoshan 3 Woods BTW. Jaysus, what a hangover though. Three Irish shots and I was guaranteed a blinder at 0400hrs.

[willk]

Originally Posted by jambo

How about this year we organise a whisky tour in the ribs.

Hard to beat!

[jambo]

Originally Posted by willk

Hard to beat!

yea but it is only for the snobby ribbers of redbay!!

[wiLlfish]

Originally Posted by jambo

How about this year we organise a whisky tour in the ribs.

Iym upp forr dat

Iyll brinng mee owen peppsi