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1.) DParker - 04/04/2014
No, not that (whatever you were thinking...get your mind out of the gutter...sheesh). I finally ventured into the world of single-malt scotch. I thought paying ~$30 for decent bottles of other distilled spirits was a bad habit to get into, but this stuff could be my downfall. Fortunately, some of the better producers sell sampler packs with 50 ml miniatures of 3 of different examples of their many offerings. The liquor store I went to stocked samplers from two producers: Glenfiddich (probably the largest and best known single-malt producer) and The Balvenie. The Glenfiddish sampler contained their standard 12, 15 and 18 year-old offerings:
The Belvanie pack was a little more interesting as it included their 12 year DoubleWood, 15 year Single Barrel and 21 year PortWood:
Since I'm new to all this I'm not going to provide any pretentious-sounding tasting notes (nor could I even if I wanted to, unless I just recited a bunch of gibberish stolen from other people's notes). For now I'll just say, "Wow. I had no idea that whiskey could be this complex." Prior to last night my experience with scotch had been restricted entirely to standard blended varieties (Johnnie Walker, Chivas Regal, et al). But I can honestly say that single malts are a very different ball game. Blends...some of which can be very good and command high prices...are produced with a goal of smoothness and consistency in mind, whereas single-malts tend to be rather individualistic in style, and run the gamut from simple and smooth to powerful flavor bombs that can overwhelm you with smoke and peat, as well as those offering a complicated array of subtle flavors of fruits, nuts, toffee, wood, etc. The Belvanie 21 Year PortWood (so named because after many years of aging in Bourbon and Sherry casks it's finished of by spending several months in Port pipes, taking on some of the characteristics of that delicacy) was an example of this latter variety. Every sip (each being just enough to coat my tongue and the rest of the inside of my mouth) exposed something new, as did the incredibly long aftertaste. A little while after I'd drained the last of it I decided to treat myself to some milk and a few of the chocolate chip cookies my wife had baked. After that, I went upstairs, brushed my teeth and went to bed. After laying there for a little bit I found I could still detect some of the scotch flavors remaining either on my palate or in my retronasal cavity (where aromas are detected), or both.
Unfortunately, that 21 Year PortWood sells for ~$200 / 750 ml bottle around these parts, so it won't be taking up residence in my home anytime soon. On the other hand, the not-quite-as-complex Glenfiddich 15 finished a relatively close 2nd place to my admittedly untrained (yet) palate, and it can be had for a more modest $49. That's still too pricey for an every night after-dinner dram, a roll that will continue to be filled by my beloved sipping Tequilas and fine Kentucky Bourbons. But it's reasonable enough that I can keep a bottle of it (and/or similarly priced single malts that I have yet to discover, but will) on hand for the occasional treat, or when company that I deem worthy drops by.
They talk funny and wear skirts, but there's no denying that Scots know a thing or two about Whiskey.
The Belvanie pack was a little more interesting as it included their 12 year DoubleWood, 15 year Single Barrel and 21 year PortWood:
Since I'm new to all this I'm not going to provide any pretentious-sounding tasting notes (nor could I even if I wanted to, unless I just recited a bunch of gibberish stolen from other people's notes). For now I'll just say, "Wow. I had no idea that whiskey could be this complex." Prior to last night my experience with scotch had been restricted entirely to standard blended varieties (Johnnie Walker, Chivas Regal, et al). But I can honestly say that single malts are a very different ball game. Blends...some of which can be very good and command high prices...are produced with a goal of smoothness and consistency in mind, whereas single-malts tend to be rather individualistic in style, and run the gamut from simple and smooth to powerful flavor bombs that can overwhelm you with smoke and peat, as well as those offering a complicated array of subtle flavors of fruits, nuts, toffee, wood, etc. The Belvanie 21 Year PortWood (so named because after many years of aging in Bourbon and Sherry casks it's finished of by spending several months in Port pipes, taking on some of the characteristics of that delicacy) was an example of this latter variety. Every sip (each being just enough to coat my tongue and the rest of the inside of my mouth) exposed something new, as did the incredibly long aftertaste. A little while after I'd drained the last of it I decided to treat myself to some milk and a few of the chocolate chip cookies my wife had baked. After that, I went upstairs, brushed my teeth and went to bed. After laying there for a little bit I found I could still detect some of the scotch flavors remaining either on my palate or in my retronasal cavity (where aromas are detected), or both.
Unfortunately, that 21 Year PortWood sells for ~$200 / 750 ml bottle around these parts, so it won't be taking up residence in my home anytime soon. On the other hand, the not-quite-as-complex Glenfiddich 15 finished a relatively close 2nd place to my admittedly untrained (yet) palate, and it can be had for a more modest $49. That's still too pricey for an every night after-dinner dram, a roll that will continue to be filled by my beloved sipping Tequilas and fine Kentucky Bourbons. But it's reasonable enough that I can keep a bottle of it (and/or similarly priced single malts that I have yet to discover, but will) on hand for the occasional treat, or when company that I deem worthy drops by.
They talk funny and wear skirts, but there's no denying that Scots know a thing or two about Whiskey.
2.) bluecat - 04/04/2014
[QUOTE=DParker;18518] But it's reasonable enough that I can keep a bottle of it (and/or similarly priced single malts that I have yet to discover, but will) on hand for the occasional treat, or when company that I deem worthy drops by.[/QUOTE]
...so you have to decide whether they are Glenfiddich worthy.
...so you have to decide whether they are Glenfiddich worthy.
3.) DParker - 04/04/2014
[QUOTE=bluecat;18519]...so you have to decide whether they are Glenfiddich worthy.[/QUOTE]
More generally, $50 / bottle booze worthy.
More generally, $50 / bottle booze worthy.
4.) Deerminator - 04/04/2014
Quote " good booz tends to be exspencive " . Unfortunutly alot of it tastes really, really good as well.
5.) DParker - 04/04/2014
I think the up-side of the higher cost is that it acts as a throttle on my consumption. Well, that and the fact that I don't start drinking until fairly late, and these days I generally pass out not too long after 10pm anyway.
6.) bluecat - 04/04/2014
As a novice I have to ask. Single malt means that the malting process is allowed only once as other manufactures malt multiple times?
7.) DParker - 04/04/2014
[QUOTE=bluecat;18523]As a novice I have to ask. Single malt means that the malting process is allowed only once as other manufactures malt multiple times?[/QUOTE]
It means that it's consists exclusively of malt-based (as opposed to those made from wheat, rye or other grains) scotch from a single distillery. "Blended" scotch (about 90% of all scotch by volume) is, as the name suggests, a blend of scotches from anywhere from 10 to 50 different distilleries, and often even scotches made from different grains.
That's the simple version. It turns out that the world of scotch is a very complicated one. But I found a decent on-line beginner's guide that's really helpful:
[URL="http://www.maltmadness.com/malt-whisky/beginners-guide-to-scotch.html"]http://www.maltmadness.com/malt-whisky/beginners-guide-to-scotch.html[/URL]
It means that it's consists exclusively of malt-based (as opposed to those made from wheat, rye or other grains) scotch from a single distillery. "Blended" scotch (about 90% of all scotch by volume) is, as the name suggests, a blend of scotches from anywhere from 10 to 50 different distilleries, and often even scotches made from different grains.
That's the simple version. It turns out that the world of scotch is a very complicated one. But I found a decent on-line beginner's guide that's really helpful:
[URL="http://www.maltmadness.com/malt-whisky/beginners-guide-to-scotch.html"]http://www.maltmadness.com/malt-whisky/beginners-guide-to-scotch.html[/URL]
8.) bluecat - 04/04/2014
[QUOTE=Deerminator;18521]Quote " good booz tends to be exspencive " . Unfortunutly alot of it tastes really, really good as well.[/QUOTE]
Have you been drinkin? Slow down. Pull to the side of the road. Exit vehicle.
Have you been drinkin? Slow down. Pull to the side of the road. Exit vehicle.
9.) Hunter - 04/04/2014
[QUOTE=DParker;18520]More generally, $50 / bottle booze worthy.[/QUOTE]
I wonder how many of us would be Glenfiddich worthy??????
I wonder how many of us would be Glenfiddich worthy??????
10.) DParker - 04/04/2014
[QUOTE=Hunter;18526]I wonder how many of us would be Glenfiddich worthy??????[/QUOTE]
What do you look like in a skirt and a tight sweater?
What do you look like in a skirt and a tight sweater?
11.) OKY - 04/05/2014
[QUOTE=DParker;18527]What do you look like in a skirt and a tight sweater?[/QUOTE]
Go home DP, yer drunk!
Go home DP, yer drunk!
12.) DParker - 04/05/2014
[QUOTE=OKY;18529]Go home DP, yer drunk![/QUOTE]
[video=youtube;IGCBX1WuTQA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGCBX1WuTQA[/video]
[video=youtube;IGCBX1WuTQA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGCBX1WuTQA[/video]
13.) Triton Rich - 04/05/2014
[B]I'm more of a beer/wine person myself but I have always been curious about the "scotch" thing. It's not likely it'll turn me into a spirits sipping hombre like yourself DP but I will be trying some out one of these days. [/B]
14.) Deerminator - 04/05/2014
Scotch is great!
15.) NEBigAl - 04/05/2014
Im partial to Laphroig for scotch, but for regular drinking I am a Jameson man.
16.) DParker - 04/07/2014
[QUOTE=Deerminator;18534]Scotch is great![/QUOTE]
[video=youtube_share;bzG_J7RCGS0]http://youtu.be/bzG_J7RCGS0[/video]
[video=youtube_share;bzG_J7RCGS0]http://youtu.be/bzG_J7RCGS0[/video]
17.) Swamp Fox - 04/08/2014
There are two things wrong with scotch: It's either an acquired taste, or you like it right off (or so some people claim).
If you like it right off, you might have some type of genetic predisposition to drinking problems, or at least a strong tendency to delude yourself.
If you have to develop a taste for it, that tells you a lot about scotch right there, and you might still have the drinking problem and the delusions. That's kinda the Triple Whammy of alcohol tells.
:wink
If you like it right off, you might have some type of genetic predisposition to drinking problems, or at least a strong tendency to delude yourself.
If you have to develop a taste for it, that tells you a lot about scotch right there, and you might still have the drinking problem and the delusions. That's kinda the Triple Whammy of alcohol tells.
:wink
18.) DParker - 04/08/2014
My only alcohol problem is that I'm tending more and more toward pricier bottles of it.
19.) bluecat - 04/08/2014
[QUOTE=DParker;18527]What do you look like in a skirt and a tight sweater?[/QUOTE]
20.) Swamp Fox - 04/09/2014
:laugh::laugh::laugh:
21.) Bob Peck - 04/09/2014
I get the nuances of beer and have a gut to show for it but have never quite understood or experienced the nuances of any spirit. Single malt, triple filtered, scotch, bourbon, whiskey ... my head spins trying to figure it all out. Mix any of those spirits with coke, sprite, whatever and I'm sure the nuance is gone or at least altered. Drink it neat and I get the body shivers.
When it's time to head to the occasional spirit (usually the holidays) I go with what my Dad drinks. Bushmill's w/ soda and twist. I'm a neophyte and apparently destined to remain so.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]415[/ATTACH]
When it's time to head to the occasional spirit (usually the holidays) I go with what my Dad drinks. Bushmill's w/ soda and twist. I'm a neophyte and apparently destined to remain so.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]415[/ATTACH]
22.) DParker - 04/09/2014
[QUOTE=Bob Peck;18617]I get the nuances of beer and have a gut to show for it but have never quite understood or experienced the nuances of any spirit. Single malt, triple filtered, scotch, bourbon, whiskey ... my head spins trying to figure it all out. Mix any of those spirits with coke, sprite, whatever and I'm sure the nuance is gone or at least altered. Drink it neat and I get the body shivers.[/QUOTE]
I was the same way for nearly my entire adult (or my version of "adult", anyway) life, until fairly recently when I learned that the characteristics of spirits within even a single category can vary [I]wildly[/I], with the better examples bearing little resemblance to their more commonly-consumed brethren. The best example of this is my foray into premium Tequila (and its very close cousin, Sotal). The average Tequila is pretty much only useful for either mixed drinks or slamming shooters for the sole purpose of getting hammered. But try something like the Tequila and the Sotol that I wrote about here...
[URL="http://forums.huntingcountry.com/forums/showthread.php?951-My-quest-for-a-premium-Tequila-and-learning-something-new-in-the-process"]My quest for a premium Tequila, and learning something new in the process[/URL]
...and you realize that they have relatively little in common, flavor-wise, with stuff like Cuervo Gold. They really should be called something altogether different (OK, the Sotol already is). Ditto a really good bourbon like the Blanton's I keep on hand now vs., say, an $8 bottle of Jim Beam. Very different animals.
I was the same way for nearly my entire adult (or my version of "adult", anyway) life, until fairly recently when I learned that the characteristics of spirits within even a single category can vary [I]wildly[/I], with the better examples bearing little resemblance to their more commonly-consumed brethren. The best example of this is my foray into premium Tequila (and its very close cousin, Sotal). The average Tequila is pretty much only useful for either mixed drinks or slamming shooters for the sole purpose of getting hammered. But try something like the Tequila and the Sotol that I wrote about here...
[URL="http://forums.huntingcountry.com/forums/showthread.php?951-My-quest-for-a-premium-Tequila-and-learning-something-new-in-the-process"]My quest for a premium Tequila, and learning something new in the process[/URL]
...and you realize that they have relatively little in common, flavor-wise, with stuff like Cuervo Gold. They really should be called something altogether different (OK, the Sotol already is). Ditto a really good bourbon like the Blanton's I keep on hand now vs., say, an $8 bottle of Jim Beam. Very different animals.