Single Malts

[Damian]

I may be a vulgarian, but I like single malts over ice.  The first sip is strong and unopened, but as the ice melts, the whiskey changes and you experience a full range of flavors as it goes from a greater concentration of whiskey to a greater concentration of water. One of life's great pleasures, in fact, is sucking on an scotch flavored cube at the end of a satisfying cocktail.  I can just as easily sip straight or with a bit of water as the mood strikes, and often do; but single malts (or a quality blend) over ice consistently give me the most pleasure.

[bpsklar]

Damian, you can't do it wrong. Whatever gives you the most pleasure is what counts. Afterall, you are drinking for the taste and your taste is as individual as anyone elses.

[jaybee]

Damian: I may be a vulgarian, but I like single malts over ice.  The first sip is strong and unopened, but as the ice melts, the whiskey changes and you experience a full range of flavors as it goes from a greater concentration of whiskey to a greater concentration of water.

I'm with you Damian.  For the most part, an ice cube adds to my pleasure of a-before dinner drink.  There are some malts, however, that I also like very much without ice.  These are Ardbeg and Springbank's younger whiskies (12 year olds).  The very peaty, Islay Malts benefit from ice but also reward slow sipping a la a good armangnac.

[Adam_Balic]

I couldn't agree more, if it brings you the more pleasure then do it (I draw the line at adding coke though). I have a little tempid water in my Whisky, but I have only really drank it whilst living in Scotland and it is a little too cold/depressing to drink on the rocks here.

Ardbeg is my very favorite, pure joy in a bottle. If anybody ever visits Edinburgh, and is interested, I will take you to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society Rooms, were you can have some truely unique and outstanding SMs (all single barrels given at barrel strength).

[AdamLawrence]

Adam, whereabouts are the Scotch Whisky Society Rooms? The lady wife is a whisky-lover and it'd be a fun thing to take her there next time we're in Embra.

cheers

Adam

PS - my company has a number of whisky distillers among its client base, and we organised a press event recently which featured a tutored tasting. Based on this I can authorititavely ( - I'm not a whisky drinker myself) state that a few drops of spring water does indeed improve the flavour of the whisky.

[Damian]

Jaybee - funny you mention the Islays.  I have lately been drinking Lagavulin and Laphroig, two headstrong Islays (both very different however) and I concur that they are particularly good with water or ice to open them.  Your comparison to armagnac is also interesting, and I think apt, if you meant that both armagnac and strong whiskeys can burn or seem harsh and unflavorful on the first sips, then mellow and become more complex as one continues and one's sense of smell and taste become attuned to the subtleties.

[Suvir Saran]

I have never been strong enough to enjoy taking too much of these single malts.  But to my taste buds... they always seemed very close to armagnacs. So that is very interesting to me as well.  

I have made fruit cakes where I would have used armagnac as the marinating drizzles but chose to use laphroig instead.  It has worked very well. And far more reasonable.

Ice makes single malts easier for me to understand and taste.  But I know many that can take them neat.

[Suvir Saran]

Has any one had Sprinbank aged 21?  It is very smooth.  It actually does not affect my tongue as strongly as other single malts.  I have not seen it much.. wondered if it were just not a very good one.  

It is from Campbeltown.

[jaybee]

Has any one had Sprinbank aged 21?  It is very smooth.  It actually does not affect my tongue as strongly as other single malts.  I have not seen it much.. wondered if it were just not a very good one.  

It is from Campbeltown.

Funny you should ask.  I had a glass of Springbank (sp?) 21 earlier this evening.  I put one small ice cube in it.  I remarked to my host that I found the taste too "iodiney" and not as pleasant as the 12 year old Springbank.  This surprised me. I like Ardbeg and Laphroiag, Lagavulin, et al.  I have had the 21 Springbank before and don't recall reacting negatively to it.  maybe my taste buds tonight were not in the right balance to enjoy it.  I believe that one's mouth and whole sensory sytem is variable, and so we can react differently to the same liquor from time to time.

[Suvir Saran]

what timing, eh.  It is almost end of Spring... and Springbank it is.  Will take a taste from the bottle...

And actually.. it tastes smooth..

[Mao]

I really like the Islay malts.  Laphroig and Lagavalluin are great and readily available, but 17 year old Ardbeg really blows me away.  Its been my experience that almost al of the Islay malts benefit from a splash of water.  Otherwise they are simply too big.

I have also tasted Springbank that is 21 years old, as well as two single bottlings from 1967 and earlier in the 1960s.  I find that water dilutes what to my mind is one of the greater drinks of earth--imagine adding water to cognac, seems criminal.  I have now bought several bottles of the older Springbanks because I am so in love.  Vivin and I broke out a bottle a few weeks ago and sampled.  That is some moving stuff.

[Suvir Saran]

I love Springbank.  Where did you find them?  When I owned my restaurant I found it easy to get it.  Our local store here does not carry it.  They have ordered it for me in the past.

I have very little left in my 21 year old.

How is Vivin.. where is he?  Have not seen him post lately.

And I agree about diluting the fine stuff.

But a very small ice cube.. to chill it.. makes it easier for me... But I know plenty that call it the worst thing to do.

[Mao]

I can't recall.  They are not that hard to find.  Try throwing "cask-strength spingbank" or something like that into a search engine. It may take a bit of work.  I don't have my scotch on hand.  Its in storage.  Otherwise I could tell you the distributor. There are a couple of firms that are Scotland based that go and buy casks, bottle them and resell them.  You are not likely to find the gold at your local store.  There is also some kind of whisky magazine that inevitably will have adverts for this sort of thing in the back.  I have seen it at B&N.

I think the two major ways of getting online would be via

Cadenheads

Gordon and MacPhail

Vivin is fine, and in the midst of some residential transitions that have kept him busy.

[Suvir Saran]

Thanks Mao.

[anil]

I love Springbank.  Where did you find them?  When I owned my restaurant I found it easy to get it.   ...

Try Park Avenue Liquor - 40th & Madison

[Adam_Balic]

Adam - it is in Leith, here is the website:

http://www.smws.com/index.html

You have to become a member, but at thirty quid a year (each member can bring three guests per visit) it is a bargin. There is also a branch in London so that may be closer?

[AdamLawrence]

Adam - it is in Leith, here is the website:

http://www.smws.com/index.html

You have to become a member, but at thirty quid a year (each member can bring three guests per visit) it is a bargin. There is also a branch in London so that may be closer?

Thanks for that. Although it may now all be academic anyway, as the lady wife claims to have foresworn drink for ever and ever after the consumption of two pints of Goff's Lancelot, one large gin and tonic, her share of two bottles of Jackson Estate Pinot Noir (between three of us) and two double Lagavulins on Saturday evening left her unable to rise from her sickbed until 4.30pm yesterday.

We shall see how long this lamentable situation endures   . But if it does last, what am I bid for an almost untouched bottle of Bowmore 17-year-old, half a bottle of Talisker and about a third of a bottle of Ledaig 25-year-old?

cheers

Adam

[jaybee]

he lady wife claims to have foresworn drink for ever and ever after the consumption of two pints of Goff's Lancelot, one large gin and tonic, her share of two bottles of Jackson Estate Pinot Noir (between three of us) and two double Lagavulins on Saturday evening left her unable to rise from her sickbed until 4.30pm yesterday.

Formidable! (spoken in French).

[jaybee]

Mao: I really like the Islay malts.  Laphroig and Lagavalluin are great and readily available, but 17 year old Ardbeg really blows me away.  Its been my experience that almost al of the Islay malts benefit from a splash of water.

My experience as well.  I have an unopened bottle of

Ardbeg 17 waiting for me.  The 12 year old is so interesting.  I think between Macallan 15 or 17 and the Islays, I could be happy.  Oddly, Springbank 12 seems to please my palate more than the 21 year old!  I just purchased a tasting ("nosing") glass from the "Malt Advocate".  It is superb.

[Mao]

The 17 year old Ardeg is mind boggling.  Its funny I had two tastes of Bowmore recently (both aged in two distinct kinds of wood, can't recall what).  I was pleasantly surprised at how rich and complex they were.  My mother is a food and wine photographer who went to Scotland did some work for Bowmore and brought back all of their major vintages about 5 years ago. At the time I thought them all completely bland, and a poor excuse for an Islay malt.  Now I am not sure.  Worth revisiting at least.

[oraklet]

few years ago wife and i left half a bottle of laphroaig at in-law's cabin for them to drink (and be educated by). response:

"it tasted of fox' piss"

"???"

explanation: they had had it as scotch-and-soda. and it must be admitted that getting to like it that way would be hard work. like most good whiskies it benefits from adding just 1/4 amount of water.

older whisky (17-21 years) i drink more as if it were a good brandy, cupping the glass, thus slowly warming it, smell it, sip it, cup it, smell it, sip, cup, smell mmmmmmmm. one glass may take an hour or more.

[jaybee]

few years ago wife and i left half a bottle of laphroaig at in-law's cabin for them to drink (and be educated by). response:

"it tasted of fox' piss" "???"

We have had squirrels and other critters in our country house. Perhaps your in-laws were demonstrating a perceptive palate and discovering Reynaud's incursion to your booze supply.

[col klink]

Once at a wine and cheese party, I brought a bottle of scotch for my buddy and myself. We weren't the wine drinkers then that we are now. Anywho, when one of the partygoers smelled my scotch, he replied: "you drink that petrol?"

When I first started drinking scotch, it was blended, and it was a scotch and soda. Then I quickly moved to scotch (again blended) on the rocks. Shortly after that, single malts served neat. And I just love warming them up in my hand. When I first read this thread back in February or early March, I took note of the addition of a little water. I very much like adding a couple of drops, I'm not sure why I like it better, but I do. Scotch can be a very expensive habit.

Most of the time I drink Black Velvet on the rocks or Jim Beam on the rocks for a change. Both relatively inexpensive liver thumpers that can go down pretty quickly if one isn't paying attention.

[bigbear]

Most of the time I drink Black Velvet on the rocks or Jim Beam on the rocks for a change. Both relatively inexpensive liver thumpers that can go down pretty quickly if one isn't paying attention.

Oberst.... For a change, try some Black Bush on the rocks, a smooth Irish from Bushmills.

[col klink]

Thanks, I'll give it a whirl. Worse thing that can happen is I lose a liver right?

edit: loose? aaachem!