Scotch Whisky: The Topic

[Rafa]

You're all right about Highland Park 12 of course; don't know what I was thinking associating it with smoke. Still a gorgeous whisky.

I really want to try the Caol Ila now; I love the barbecued meat notes I get from mezcals and peated American whiskeys. Thanks for talking that one up.

[Hassouni]

Make sure you get the standard 12 year old bottling - they do some unpeated ones and 10 years and who knows what else - fortunately the standard 12 is the most readily available!

[Rafa]

Thanks! Have you tried the Distiller's Edition by any chance? I can get it for only $16 more around here.

[Hassouni]

No, haven't seen it for sale, and the only other DEs I've seen have been around the $100 mark, which is getting absurd...But then I was lucky to find the regular 12 y.o. for well under $50

[Tri2Cook]

If you don't mind a bit of that seaside taste, go for Ardbeg - it's argued to be the most peated one out there, though I think it's on par with Laphroaig - but without the excessive brine and iodine. But really, I can't recommend Caol Ila highly enough, there's definite smoke, but it's a very gentle, enveloping whisky.

Good thing you didn't get the Laphroaig cask strength!

I'll have to see if I can talk the local store into getting me a bottle of the Caol Ila. I'm not writing off Chris' suggestion of the Smokehead, he's never steered me wrong before, but it's just not an option to have it transferred to my local store since the LCBO has discontinued it.

Yeah it wasn't the cask strength... it was the quarter cask.

[tanstaafl2]

I find that Bowmore has a moderate smokiness without much iodine influence to them. The 15 is almost chocolate-y. The 18 is also delightful but a bit less smoke and peat and around $100 here.

Don't know if that is an option for you with the LCBO.

I don't get a lot of iodine with the Talsiker 18 either and at least moderate smoke. I can still find it under $100. For the moment...

[Rafa]

Can't say I'm a big fan of the Bowmore Legend, which is smokey but a bit thin and simple, but I'm sure their more mature expressions are superior. A lot of people consider the Legend an "entry level malt" given its price but for a buck or two more you can get Glenmorangie original, a great all around whisky, and Old Pulteney 12, which is truly world class.

[Hassouni]

That's how I feel about Caol Ila 12 and Talisker 10, "entry level" but "world class", along with HP12

[EvergreenDan]

Bowmore Legend is less than half the price of Lagavulin 16, at least here in Boston. I think it's a fantastic value.

[Tri2Cook]

I appreciate all of the suggestions. I'm not in a hurry to add more to the cabinet right now (the opposite in fact) so I'll see what I can do through my local store.

[nickrey]

I looked up Smokehead on its website and it is claimed to be a "rich, seaweedy, and intensely peaty whisky." Comes from Islay, Seaweedy flavour -- sounds like iodine to me.

[Rafa]

Last night I had the Lagavulin 16 side by side with the Distiller's Edition (2010). The 16 tastes like a Viking tire fire on a stormy beach. It is unspeakably delicious. The Distiller's Edition, which is also 16 years old but aged in PX casks for two of those, magnifies everything I love about the 16 and adds some wine cask character on top of that. It's sweeter, brinier, more savory, more complex, somehow even more delicious. Magnificent. At $90-$100 it's not an everyday dram, though, except maybe in Valhalla.

[Hassouni]

Oh good, I got some for a friend as part of his wedding present without having tried it, glad to know it's worthy of the Aesir

[Adam George]

I tried the Port Askaig 19 today.

50.4%

Really didn't mind the water I added. A very nice whisky with just enough honey to offset the smoke and sea. I will return to it again this week. I haven't had much in the way of neat spirit lately.

[Hassouni]

On a more downmarket note, my friend introduced me to Grant's Family Reserve, a bargain basement blend from the owners of Glenfiddich and Balvenie - it's dirt cheap and surprisingly good! Very smooth and delicate, somewhat complex, and very impressive for the price of a high end sandwich in DC. It may become my go-to Scotch for cocktails (not that I make many Scotch cocktails)

[EvergreenDan]

Ok, here's something you don't see everyday:

Monkey Shoulder website

I see it's blended Scotch made by William Grant. Interesting positioning -- hipster 20-somethings?

[Adam George]

Ok, here's something you don't see everyday:

Monkey Shoulder website

I see it's blended Scotch made by William Grant. Interesting positioning -- hipster 20-somethings?

Vatted malt of Glenfiddich, Balvenie and Hazelwood.

The website doesn't work on iOS.

What's the schtick? I think it's a pretty good product actually, but I'm a hipster 20-something.

[Rafa]

The hipster thing would explain why I've seen it behind so many Williamsburg bars... haven't tried it, but a vatted malt with the Balvenie can't be too bad.

The website is a hilariously loud, Red Bull-fueled Flash monstrosity. In addition to dapper suited monkeys it features some rumpled 20somethings, which I imagine is what gave Dan the hipster vibe.

[Adam George]

It's a very approachable Whisky. Hopefully that doesn't offend anyone here. It is a damn sight more legit than honey Jack Daniel's et al.

If it is your first step toward more premium blends or malt it's rewarding, but might not be to someone who has drunk Whisky for a decent length of time. It's not the most three dimensional of spirits.

The website sounds hilarious. Perhaps this is getting a push this year.

[Rafa]

Sounds like a good whisky to have around the house for cocktails and such, and as a more approachable sip for people who want to see what Scotch is like but would be turned off by the tire-fire taste of, say, Lagavulin.

[ChrisTaylor]

Tire fire Lagavulin. I like that. I've always thought of Laphroaig as a burning hospital.

But yes. Monkey Shoulder is accessible. It's, no, not compelling if you've developed a taste for Islay or some of the meatier Speysides but I'd say it's a better introduction than most other cheap blends that I've sampled. Three malts from one region. The most accessible of scotch regions, yes, but there's nothing wrong with that: I think it's intended to be a gateway drug. I probably wouldn't buy a bottle myself (I already have too much whisky) but I guess I'd gift it to someone that decided they maybe had a bit of a taste for scotch but couldn't get behind the punch of Talisker or Aberlour.

[ChrisTaylor]

Given how cold it is I've recently shifted away from cocktails and found myself, for the first time in a year or two, going back to a neat dram. I've been rediscovering whiskies I haven't touched in quite some time. I finished off my Lagavulin. Beautiful drop, that. Working my way through some Dalwhinnie and, as I type this, some 21 year old Glenfiddich Gran Reserva.

[Jurges]

I've been a lurker on the forums for a while now and generally can directly/indirectly find the answers to my questions. Unfortunately, there's just a tremendous amount of information out there concerning whiskeys, and as a Scotch rookie, I'm looking for some specific recommendations.

As many have previously mentioned, Laphroaig was my first purchase. I bought a 10-year Cask Strength to use in cocktails. 3 months later I just finished my 2nd bottle and have learned to really enjoy it by itself. What I'm looking for is to expand my palate and knowledge of various region's characteristics.

Does anyone mind recommending a few selections that will help me learn to differentiate between styles/regions? I am very interested in beginning to collect (outside of my Amaro collection), but my priority is learning the basics through diversity. I'm not looking to spend more than $70-$80/btl on my initial purchases.

Thanks for any help

[Chris Amirault]

I'd grab a few inexpensive baseline bottles across a wide variety of styles: Macallan, Talisker, Yamazaki, Famous Grouse 12, Asyla, Springbank. None of those will cost more than $50-60, some quite a bit less. Taste 'em, take notes, read reviews to see if you agree. As you find styles you like, you can then explore within those styles.

A knowledgeable bartender and/or good liquor store salesperson is a true friend in this regard, I will add. Both are likely to give you a wee dram to try something for free, especially if you then buy a glass or bottle afterward.

[nickrey]

I've been a lurker on the forums for a while now and generally can directly/indirectly find the answers to my questions. Unfortunately, there's just a tremendous amount of information out there concerning whiskeys, and as a Scotch rookie, I'm looking for some specific recommendations.

As many have previously mentioned, Laphroaig was my first purchase. I bought a 10-year Cask Strength to use in cocktails. 3 months later I just finished my 2nd bottle and have learned to really enjoy it by itself. What I'm looking for is to expand my palate and knowledge of various region's characteristics.

Does anyone mind recommending a few selections that will help me learn to differentiate between styles/regions? I am very interested in beginning to collect (outside of my Amaro collection), but my priority is learning the basics through diversity. I'm not looking to spend more than $70-$80/btl on my initial purchases.

Thanks for any help

See this post above. It has recommendations relating to this issue. The quoted article has a lot of complex statistics which may put people off reading it but scroll down to appendix A on the article and it gives a classification of whiskies based on taste, style, location, etc. It also gives a best in class which would be the best bet for you to purchase and start your comparative journey into the world of Scotch whiskies.