Food, Drink & Dining Out The Scotch thread

[Quokka]

I haven't really got a taste for the more peaty/smoky whiskeys yet so we've a bottle of 15yr old Glenlivet, it's not complicated but it's nice.

Also trying Chivas Regal after seeing it mentioned a few times as a good cheaper/blended option, still probably prefer Jameson but it's not bad and will certainly try it again.

 

[Maddhew]

Bought a bottle of Talisker, and my previous 2 bottles being Laphroig and Ardbeg 10 its just damn disappointing. I will get through the bottle easy enough but is just really plain in comparison.

 

[Maddhew]

Is scotch drinking financially dangerous, would buying scotch at the $150-$200 price point make going back to under $100 difficult?

 

[manboob]

Is scotch drinking financially dangerous, would buying scotch at the $150-$200 price point make going back to under $100 difficult?

Yes, it's awful. Long story short I had access to tax free liquor (not duty free prices but as in straight-out of the factory prices) for a while and naturally you experiment and try new things. Now it's awful seeing a bottle of something you would down in a night for $70 when you paid $20 for it. Be careful young padawan.

 

[Norwegian Blue]

Having travelled a bit recently I've picked up some duty free.

Auchentoshan Heartwood - decent enough lowland scotch, aged in a mixture of bourbon and sherry casks so is quite sweet. Only available duty free.

Dalmore Valour. Another sherried whisky. Also only available duty free.

Old Pulteney 12yo. Advertised as the Maritime Malt and it really does taste and smell of the sea.

I'm off overseas again next week and I'm planning on using my 2L allowance on Macallan Select Oak and the Glenmorangie Lasanta.

The Macallan is another one that is only available duty free and I hope other distilleries don't make a habit of this. The Dalmore and Auchentoshan are ones I'd like to try again but if they're going to make it hard for me they can GAGF.

 

[LouisCK]

Best blend I've had was the Chivas Royal Salute.

 

[manboob]

Old Pulteney 12yo. Advertised as the Maritime Malt and it really does taste and smell of the sea.

This is my favourite at the moment! So drinkable! It's bigger brother has also won whisky of the year!

 

[Norwegian Blue]

This is my favourite at the moment! So drinkable! It's bigger brother has also won whisky of the year!

The Old Pulteney 17 or the 21? I haven't tried either yet.

As for winning whisky of the year, I've noticed that distillers are just like wine makers in that they love awarding prizes to each other. Take with a grain of salt.

 

[manboob]

The Old Pulteney 17 or the 21? I haven't tried either yet.

As for winning whisky of the year, I've noticed that distillers are just like wine makers in that they love awarding prizes to each other. Take with a grain of salt.

21... I have two friends who have drunk it and both have said it's the business...

 

[Crimson Azure]

Current collection:

Laphroaig Quarter Cask
Glenfiddich 18yo
Yamakazi 12yo
Talisker 10yo
Cragganmore 12yo

I have more recently been getting into bourbon have bought a few but might leave it to that thread. Also about to open my bottle of Louis XIII soon (been saying that for a while), got it when I turned 21 & my old man bought it for me when I was born, pity it doesn't age in the bottle like wine.

 

[Paul Kersey]

21... I have two friends who have drunk it and both have said it's the business...

$200 a bottle, bit shy at the price range knowing the decent bottles you can pick up between $80 and $130.

 

[thetank]

Is scotch drinking financially dangerous, would buying scotch at the $150-$200 price point make going back to under $100 difficult?

Once you try a "great" whisky, it's like a drug.

I started drinking single malts about 8 years ago, before it really started blowing up worldwide. Around that time, I tried the following:
- Talisker 20 (OB, 1981 sherry cask, 61.9% I think)
- Brora 1977 (Rare Malts, bottled 1998)
- Ardbeg Lord of the Isles 25yo
- Ardbeg 1977

All were about $200 a bottle back then, but were magnificent. And then Jim Murray (whisky writer) started raving about the Talisker 20 and the price skyrocketed - costs more than $1k now!

In summary, take care if you try some of the good stuff (the stuff which is extremely good, not just pricey)...it becomes hard to settle back to the normal drink! Like driving a Ferrari and then going back to a Kia.

 

[manboob]

$200 a bottle, bit shy at the price range knowing the decent bottles you can pick up between $80 and $130.

Agreed but wasn't paying that for it

 

[Norwegian Blue]

I'm off overseas again next week and I'm planning on using my 2L allowance on Macallan Select Oak and the Glenmorangie Lasanta.

The best laid plans etc etc...

Instead I picked up a bottle of Aberlour a'bunadh batch 45 at Sydney airport for only $80. I've been eyeing it off for a while but even at Dan Murphy's it's $110, which I find difficult to justify. Cask strength, entirely aged in sherry casks, it's supposed to be great dram.

I also got a bottle of the Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban as I'd read in Jim Murray's bible that the Lasanta had sulphur problems.

 

[thetank]

The best laid plans etc etc...

Instead I picked up a bottle of Aberlour a'bunadh batch 45 at Sydney airport for only $80. I've been eyeing it off for a while but even at Dan Murphy's it's $110, which I find difficult to justify. Cask strength, entirely aged in sherry casks, it's supposed to be great dram.

I also got a bottle of the Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban as I'd read in Jim Murray's bible that the Lasanta had sulphur problems.

I bought a'bunadh #14 probably 6 years ago. Great stuff, although I still have about 60% of the bottle left. Pretty good value for $80 (assuming #45 is the same quality).

 

[Shezza]

21... I have two friends who have drunk it and both have said it's the business...

Old Pultney is excellent.

Highland Park is probably my favourite drop at the moment. Picked this up recently...



Either that or Lagavulin... Enjoying it immensely at the moment.

 

[thetank]

Old Pultney is excellent.

Highland Park is probably my favourite drop at the moment. Picked this up recently...

View attachment 24007

Either that or Lagavulin... Enjoying it immensely at the moment.

Nice! Tried the HP 30 a few years ago, it's on another level compared to the 18 and 25. Did you get it Duty Free, or local retail?

 

[Shezza]

Got it local.

 

[DrKrieger]

Loved the Laphroiag Triple Wood, its pretty much liquid smoke.

I'm still relatively new to scotch so much of what I drink is based on the name and/or bottle as a sample my way across new horizons.

Did end up with a reasoably priced bottle of Johnny Walker Blue Label, I found the Green Label to be a nicer drop, anyone else agree?

 

[manboob]

Loved the Laphroiag Triple Wood, its pretty much liquid smoke.

I'm still relatively new to scotch so much of what I drink is based on the name and/or bottle as a sample my way across new horizons.

Did end up with a reasoably priced bottle of Johnny Walker Blue Label, I found the Green Label to be a nicer drop, anyone else agree?

 

[thetank]

Loved the Laphroiag Triple Wood, its pretty much liquid smoke.

I'm still relatively new to scotch so much of what I drink is based on the name and/or bottle as a sample my way across new horizons.

Did end up with a reasoably priced bottle of Johnny Walker Blue Label, I found the Green Label to be a nicer drop, anyone else agree?

Go with the cheaper one if you prefer it! No right or wrong here...only cheaper or more expensive.

The Laphroaigs are good value. If you like the Islays, try some of the following:
- Ardbeg Uigeadail
- Lagavulin 16
- Laphroaig Quarter Cask

All of these are smoky/peaty, yet well balanced. Good quality/price point.

If you're really cashed up, buy some of the distillery-bottled 30 year old Port Ellen - it is ethereal.

 

[Caesar]

I agree, I find the Green Label to be the nicest JW. All of them I find a bit pricey though.

 

[Jordie_tackles]

Have been drinking a bottle of Glevlivet 12 the last week or two and it seems like a great everyday drop, good value for money imo when it is only 45 bucks or 40 on special.

 

[thetank]

Have been drinking a bottle of Glevlivet 12 the last week or two and it seems like a great everyday drop, good value for money imo when it is only 45 bucks or 40 on special.

Best put the bottle away when Melbourne plays...

 

[Norwegian Blue]

Payrise came through last week so I went down to World of Whisky in Double Bay and got a bottle of the Isle of Arran Amarone cask finish. I was pretty sure that's what I wanted when I went in, although I was willing to let them talk me into something else. But after a sniff of it and a few others I decided to stick with my original plan

I cracked it open last Friday night and it is an awesome whisky! If you like sweeter whisky that's been cask finished, give it a go. I'll be trying their Sauternes cask finished next. The Amarone finish is the second Arran I've tried after the 14yo and this is definitely a distillery I'll be exploring more of.

I also got a bottle of Glenfarclas 12yo, another sweet one finished in sherry like all Glenfarclas. I've been recommended the 15yo so I'll try that next. Either that or the Glendronach 15.

So many whiskies to try...