Single Malts

[oraklet]

jaybee,

this really demonstrates my lack of english/lack of knowledge of american(?) culture:

"discovering Reynaud's incursion to your booze supply."

i'm lost.

[jaybee]

jaybee,

this really demonstrates my lack of english/lack of knowledge of american(?) culture:

"discovering Reynaud's incursion to your booze supply."

i'm lost.

Oraklet, I was attempting to be funny. Reynaud is a common fictional name for "The Fox" and so I was riffing off your in-law's description of "fox-piss" taste of your single malt resulting from the fox breaking into your cabin and pissing in the Laphroaig. Having laid the whole thing out like a used bananna, it isn't funny.

[Gavin Jones]

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

At a not very upmarket pub (the delightful New Cross Inn) I occasionally used to change gear on my downhill slide with a whiskey.

I used to get some rather odd looks from the women who worked behind the bar when I asked for a Black Bush.

[oraklet]

jaybee,

"reynaud" - that's very close to the french word for fox, if i remember rightly? well, i did sense a joke, just couldn't see it. woods and trees. but at least your explanation had me smiling

[Vanessa]

My boss is a Scotch whisky lover and ends up with the stuff coming out of his ears at this time of year. So today my heavy hints bore fruit and he presented me with a bottle of 10-year old Glenmorangie. Now, I know nothing about single malts, to the extent that I have probably never before had one in the house. He tells me that this is something of a 'ladies' Scotch' - I'm not sure whether I find that insulting or not.

Wilfrid makes very brief mention of Glenmorangie somewhere at the beginning of this thread. But I would be grateful for any further opinions.

v

[jaybee]

Vanessa:

GLENMORANGIE 10 YEARS OLD

The ten year old is the youngest

whisky produced at their distillery.

Ten years gives the spirit enough time

to mature and mellow, and reach perfection

When you nose it, the fragrance is light and delicate

To me it's floral, rather than cereal like other whiskies

There's also traces of citrus, Mandarin maybe...

... and vanilla.

...and there's a smokiness, but it's a light smokiness, in no way overpowering

Take the first sip...

..and what I get is a beautifully balanced flavour

with honeyed nuts coming through

Then as you swallow, the aftertaste is clean and salving

It's a good place to start, but also one for the connoisseur.

Complex, refined and fresh.

Then again, if you swallow too fast, it will repeat quickly

and come spurting up through your nose.

This can cause severe nose burn and great

embarassment at parties or tony restaurants.

More than six four oz. glasses drunk in ten minutes

will induce what is commonly referred to in the glen as

"the wildness."

Men have been known to father whole families and

not remember them months later.

Women experiencing the wildness have been known to

take on a legion of Highland bag pipers and collapse their

bags to hollow shells, capable of piping no more.

Ah Glenmorangie Ten Year. Wait 'till you try the Twenty!

Edited December 19, 2002 by jaybee (log)

[Vanessa]

Jaybee

v

[Wilfrid]

On that subject, I have some 10 year old Laphroiag hanging around at home. If I wanted to buy an older one, what sort of vintage should I pitch for.

In other words, can anyone identify a reasonable trade off between satisfaction and price? Or does it just get better the older it is, so I need be guided only by my budget?

[yvonne johnson]

There's Fat Guy impersonating me again at the beginning of this thread. No much wonder he has so many posts. You have to watch him.

[jaybee]

On that subject, I have some 10 year old Laphroiag hanging around at home. If I wanted to buy an older one, what sort of vintage should I pitch for.

In other words, can anyone identify a reasonable trade off between satisfaction and price? Or does it just get better the older it is, so I need be guided only by my budget?

Wilfrid, I find the differences vary from one single malt to another. Seventeen year old is almost always noticeably smoother and more mellow than 10s, with more layers of taste. 21s are, in some cases very much without "burn" and in others, not so much different than 17 to be worth the price difference. For me, 17 yrs has almost always been worth the upgrade no matter the whisky.

[Wilfrid]

Belated thanks, Jaybee.

[Gavin Jones]

I think Adam also mentioned this for serious whisky.

Though the only thing I'm a member of is e.G. this is probably worth it - particularly if you're in London from time to time.

[yvonne johnson]

A friend gave us a bottle of A'bunadh* made by Aberlour. It's a single Speyside malt that is 60.2% Alc/Vol. Only a tinge of peatiness, incredibly dense. Usually I add just a few drops of water, but this can stand a lot more. It's very nice.

http://www.aberlour.com/enjoying_aberlour/abunadh.asp

* means, "the origin" in Gaelic, I see

[Thomas Secor]

Yes, the A'bunadh, which I think was introduced in early 2002, is very good. I have given it as a birthday gift to a few people, as I think it is both somewhat original and fitting (since the name means origins).

Wilfrid, if you are in London these days and looking for a very solid older single malt, I would suggest the Ardbeg 17. It is a clear example of how a very distinctive and flavorful 10 yr can retain those traits but be mellowed by age becoming much more drinkable. Ardbeg 17 is mentioned a number of times above. The reason that I specify your being in London, is because there has been a promotion on Ardbeg 17 in a number of shops (I can think of Oddbins and the Soho Wine Shop (which has excellent deals by the way)) are having a special and I have seen it for as low as 26 pounds which is a real steal.

I also think the Glenfiddich 18 is infinitely superior to the standard younger Glenfiddich 12 (which I dont generally drink).

If you are looking for smoother whiskies of similar years, you might try one of the "double matured" series (Dalwhinnie, Lagavulin, Talisker, Glenmorangie, and maybe a few others). These whiskies have been matured according to the standard process of the particular distillery and then recasked and matured for a further period (e.g. the Lagavulin was second matured in ximena sherry casks). I have found that this produces a smoother and slightly sweeter finish. This is particularly so with the heavily peated Islay whiskies such as Talisker and Lagavulin. The double matured Lagavulin is one of my favorites.

[Adam Balic]

Ardbeg is an excellent whisky and until recently my favoured Islay. Bruichladdich is an Islay well worth trying as it is a very good malt in it's own right, but is of particular interest due to it being rather different to the other Islay malts. Try the 17 year old V the ten year old for an interesting comparison.

[Wilfrid]

Good advice here. I should go and compare with 10 year olds with the 17 year olds somewhere. The whisky bar at the Athenaeum suggests itself. Of course, I'm on the wrong side of the ocean right now.

[Al_Dente]

Try this on for size. A snifter of Oban with a pint of Guinness on the side. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..........

[sashae]

For another mild dram, the Balvenie Doublewood 12yo is fantastic, and available for around $30-35.

My personal collection is fairly small right now... Ben Nevis 12yo, Glenrothes 1979, Glenfiddich 12yo, Bowmore Dawn, and Lagavulin 16yo. Just discovered a store locally in Los Angeles called the Wine and Liquor Depot that has *500* malts. It's a bit intimidating ;)

http://www.wineandliquordepot.com

Scotch is an evil, evil habit. Fortunately it's a bit less expensive than a French wine habit as long as you're avoiding stuff like Black Bowmore ;)

-s

[David De Silva]

I am with Damian on this one. I have been a drinker of single malts for some years now and have tasted nearly all of them (well many of them at least). Adding water (what I used to do) opens up a whisky both nose and taste wise. I now take mine on the rocks. The gradually melting ice adds just enough water to open things up and gives varying tastes and aromas at different times. I love whisky but personally can't fathom drinking it neat.

There are many many awesome single malts, each one with it's own distinctive strengths and personalty depending on where it's from. Personally I find the whiskies from The Macallan (the 30 yr. old is simple amazing) and Highland Park to be among the most consistently delightful out there. They are complex, with hints of sweetness, and very balanced. I also have a bottle of Glenfarclas Cask Strength (120 proof) that is very dark, heavy, and good after dinner with a good strong cigar. The aforementioned Bushmills Irish single malt is nice as well, but I find Irish whiskies to be less complex than Scotish malts.

I also enjoy fine Bourbons but again find them rather sweet and less complex (if you can find some Hirsch anywhere but it! W.L. Weller is also mighty fine). Just my thoughts.