Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: bj229r on October 27, 2022, 07:55:37 PM
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Abandoning my VERY unhealthy flavored whiskey crap, moving in somewhat LESS unhealthy Scotch. Tried a few, LOVED Ardbeg, a bit pricey. Liked Glenfiddich, still a bit pricey. Tried Johnny Walker Red, tolerable in taste and cost. Tonight is Glenlivet, like it ok. Opinions?
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Scotch is one of those things where the taste is worth the cost. Some of the 15+ years are unbelievably smooth. I'm a Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, Glenmorangie fan. I find Glenlivet is the best 'bang for your buck' since it is so popular and there tend to be many different ages and finishes in your liquor store. I always have a bottle or two of 12 Year around. My go-to treat is Glenfiddich 18 Year. I can get it regularly for $115 or so.
Which Ardbeg did you have? I've never had a bad pour.
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"Wee Beastie" was most recent
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JW Black for many years.
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I like Balvenie doublewood.
(https://www.awardrobeofwhisky.com/bottle/balvenie-12-year-doublewood-1-litre-main_image.jpg)
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I have documentedly tasted about 300 different Scotch Single Malts, starting from the cheapest ones up to a couple ones a friend has personally filled right from the barrel at the distillery. What I still haven't tasted are the ultra expensive 30 or so years old ones. I've also been quite happy with some cheap blended Scotch whiskies. There's tasty and less tasty ones in both categories.
The way I've been able to taste that many single malts is rather good for your liver: We're a bunch of six and have been gathering together a few times a year for fifteen years. Everyone brings a bottle which is kept secret until the tasting notes have been written. We have small tulip shaped glass jugs for each whisky so we can compare the looks and the nose when they're all on the table and the amount per whisky is only about 2.5 cl so after the first round we're not too drunk. There's also cucumber, dark chocolate and white bread as well as plain water to neutralize our taste buds between whiskies. I can easily afford one bottle every four months but with the group I can taste 18 whiskies a year!
Here's some basic notes from our six man group:- Price doesn't necessarily tell the taste or quality
- Old age doesn't automatically mean better taste
- Following that path, some are at their best at a certain age, more or less years can be less tasty
- Further, some may be good at several ages with less tasty ones in between
- NAS (No Age Statement) whiskies often are a bit less flavoury (watery) although they may carry the distinctive elements of the older ones
- Maturing in several barrels often improves the complexity and smoothness
- Taste is a personal thing
- The area or even country of origin doesn't tell everything
Ardbeg is a nice yet pricey Islay whisky, Glenfiddich is a common Traveller Retail (=inexpensive) whisky with both smoky and non-smoky variations, the Balvenie is a safe bet for smoothness just to comment the aforementioned ones.
There's also Scotch Single Malts that aren't branded by the distillery. Some are from well established whisky houses and carry the distillery name under the distributor's name and they are as pricey as the distillery bottled ones. But there's also brands that can't be found on the map. Some are for market chains like Lidl or Aldi (both German origin, all over Europe), some can be found at liquor stores. They can even be age specified. The common nominator is that they don't tell who actually has distilled them, only that they are Scotch Single Malts and often also the area like Islay, Speyside or Highlands. The distillery may even vary. But they still are what the label says! Aerstone is one that has both a 'Land fill' and a 'Sea Fill', Finlaggan is another fatherless brand. Grangestone, Ileach, Classic of Islay, you name it...
On the blended side I can recommend a couple relatively inexpensive ones. On the smoky side there's Islay Mist, Monkey Shoulder is a good alternative for Glenfiddich (same company), Bell's is also smooth and pleasing.
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Glenlivet goes down easy. I think Glenlivet and Glenfiddich jockey back and forth for most popular single malt. Johnny Walker's not bad but it's blended, not a single malt.
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Glenlivet goes down easy. I think Glenlivet and Glenfiddich jockey back and forth for most popular single malt. Johnny Walker's not bad but it's blended, not a single malt.
You should give Johnnie Walker Blue Label a try...if you want to try some JW single malt 😉
Outside of that, a friend and I got a fifth of 18 yr old single malt, and for me it blowed JW blue away
Trying to find my boxed bottle to get the name...retail was like $302 but it was on sale 🙃...I didn't have to pay for anything hahaha but soon as it hit my taste buds 😅 I told him that bottle will be gone in less than 30 minutes 😅
I sent a picture of it to Xargos last year and can't find it now
My family does have access to our own private stock scotch over in Scotland...if you ever go to (damn brain fart) a distillery on the west coast of Scotland...you will see our barrels with "Spencer Family" stamped on them...
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I prefer the double sided... uh um oh..... nevermind.
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You should give Johnnie Walker Blue Label a try...if you want to try some JW single malt 😉
Nothing against Johnny Walker but it's my understanding none of their labels are single malt, including the Blue Label.
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Nothing against Johnny Walker but it's my understanding none of their labels are single malt, including the Blue Label.
It's blended yes...single malt scotch and grain whiskey (ie..moonshine, holy water, white lightning etcl)
The other I was referring to in my earlier post is
Glenmorangie 18 Year Old Single Malt Whisky
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Abandoning my VERY unhealthy flavored whiskey crap, moving in somewhat LESS unhealthy Scotch. Tried a few, LOVED Ardbeg, a bit pricey. Liked Glenfiddich, still a bit pricey. Tried Johnny Walker Red, tolerable in taste and cost. Tonight is Glenlivet, like it ok. Opinions?
Even Ardbeg's Wee Beastie is good stuff, not as good as Ardbeg Drum, but still quite tasty.
Johnny Walker Red is trash, pour that crap down the toilet and flush it. ;)
Ben Nevis is good scotch, if you can find it, so is Aberlour. Knappagogue Castle is fantastic Irish Whiskey and I personally like the 16 year old Twin Wood variety. Macallan isn't bad scotch either and the 12 yr old stuff is pretty decent for the price point.
This stuff? (https://www.caskers.com/the-macallan-lalique-62-year-old-highland-single-malt-scotch-whisky/?irclickid=WjK1n%3A1FVxyNWAb2qozSF34YUkDXTQzJzW%3A%3A1g0&ir_cid=4492&ir_affid=2643707&irgwc=1&ir_partnerid=2643707&ir_adid=850897&ir_campaignid=4492)
If you can ever afford it let me know and I'll brt to try it out with you. ;)
If you can find yourself some Stranahan's you won't be disappointed. It's not scotch but it is 100% barley mash like scotch and it's quite good.
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You should give Johnnie Walker Blue Label a try...if you want to try some JW single malt 😉
I don't know of any Johnny Walker whiskey that isn't blended. The taste of single malts vary a bit from batch to batch so some distilleries blend their scotch to achieve a uniform flavor profile from batch to batch. I don't believe it is legal to blend something other than scotch into it and still call it scotch. (Yes, there are laws governing such things.)
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JW Black for many years.
Heathen...
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"Wee Beastie" was most recent
If you can find a bottle of Arbeg 'Ard Core, get it. Pricey but ohhhhh, so smooth after the first 3 or 4 sips.
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Bourbon is good whiskey also and I find that as a general rule, the higher the % of corn mash the better I like it.
That said, Rabbit Hole is tasty as is Angel's Envy. Jefferson's Reserve is good stuff.
Angel's Envy Rye? I'd beat up my own mother for a bottle of that stuff. Whistle Pig is another rye whiskey that is quite tasty. The Angel's Envy stuff is kinda pricey but Whistle Pig has some pretty affordable options as well as higher end stuff.
Of course anyone is allowed to join the ranks of the heathens in this world. <looks at Busher>
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If you can find a bottle of Arbeg 'Ard Core, get it. Pricey but ohhhhh, so smooth after the first 3 or 4 sips.
Good stuff to be sure, trying to weigh out cost tho--was drinking a $20+ fifth of the Bird Dog every 2-3 days, regular Ardbeg like $65 a (litre?) Wee Beastie (5 year old, instead of 12) is near $50, has to last the whole week on the road. May yet settle in on Beastie
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Good stuff
I'm not sure...but in your location, just like mine...you should be able to have access to some great tasting moonshine and/ or brandy 😋....
Here in NC, we are legally allowed to have a still as long as it can not produce over 1 gallon at a time
For medicinal purposes
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Lol we have some, I live about 5 miles from the Franklin county border (The same county of the movie "Lawless") I really can't drink that stuff
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Lol we have some, I live about 5 miles from the Franklin county border (The same county of the movie "Lawless") I really can't drink that stuff
Is why I included the brandy... like people hear "Apple Pie" moonshine...that ain't Brandy and I hate it
But then there is Apple Brandy 🍎 90-95 proof that goes down smooth as honey ( or 🍑 or blackberry etc)....knowing how to make it or having connections to some quality topshelf homemade stuff is wonderful.... same goes for moonshine as well.... you can get ahold of some 115 to 120 proof and it sucks to high heaven....then you can get some different but same proof and is excellent
I've been around it damn near all my life and....well I've said enough already 😉
😆
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My Grandpa (Papa) was taking me around different places/ stills etc at 10 years old, and had me taking snorts of moonshine by 12 years ..by the time I was 14(almost 15) I was bootlegging from Wilkesboro to Wadesboro and all over until I went in the Navy at 16
Living wide open running like a wild horse 🐎
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Haven't gotten into the Scotch game yet. Interesting that the younger generations don't drink Scotch really. I guess I'm saving it until I get older or something.
I've been drinking the 1792 lately. Really smooth taste for me. Only thing I am wondering though is why there are in such a shortage. I cannot find it anywhere now and all the cashiers have no idea why there is a shortage of 1972. Does anyone here know by chance?
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Bourbon all the way. 1792 is great, I have a special 6 barrel blend that was made especially for my county.
1792 fifths are less plentiful than the handle. Sadly, the cat is out of the bag and whiskeyfiles are realizing how good 1792 is for a $40 bottle. It will have the same fate as Jefferson's soon.
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Bourbon all the way. 1792 is great, I have a special 6 barrel blend that was made especially for my county.
1792 fifths are less plentiful than the handle. Sadly, the cat is out of the bag and whiskeyfiles are realizing how good 1792 is for a $40 bottle. It will have the same fate as Jefferson's soon.
(https://i.ibb.co/dLMvdJV/163-C3-FB0-6566-44-CD-897-B-ADA0-A16011-B9.jpg) (https://imgbb.com/)
You haven’t truly lived unless you get ahold of this swill when 16, pound the bottle, and spend the day puking while telling your parents you had food poisoning
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(https://i.ibb.co/dLMvdJV/163-C3-FB0-6566-44-CD-897-B-ADA0-A16011-B9.jpg) (https://imgbb.com/)
You haven’t truly lived unless you get ahold of this swill when 16, pound the bottle, and spend the day puking while telling your parents you had food poisoning
Heathen...
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Bourbon all the way. 1792 is great, I have a special 6 barrel blend that was made especially for my county.
1792 fifths are less plentiful than the handle. Sadly, the cat is out of the bag and whiskeyfiles are realizing how good 1792 is for a $40 bottle. It will have the same fate as Jefferson's soon.
Blanton's stomps on your 1792 and grinds it under it's heel. ;)
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I live in VA,, check the state-run liquor store every time I go there for Blanton's, haven't seen it since Christmas two years ago
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Bourbon all the way. 1792 is great, I have a special 6 barrel blend that was made especially for my county.
1792 fifths are less plentiful than the handle. Sadly, the cat is out of the bag and whiskeyfiles are realizing how good 1792 is for a $40 bottle. It will have the same fate as Jefferson's soon.
That is cool! Is that because you are in the same state as them? Funny you say that because i was joking about that exact same reason to the cashier. Aparently they wont tell management whats going on. At Winn Dixie I can get it for $27. I'm glad that it's considered good though :aok
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John Barr Reserve Blended Scotch. I find it very similar to Johnny Walker Black and half the cost. You may have to do some searching to procure it.
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Blanton's stomps on your 1792 and grinds it under it's heel. ;)
Obviously, but the topic I replied to was Violator asking about 1792.
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That is cool! Is that because you are in the same state as them? Funny you say that because i was joking about that exact same reason to the cashier. Aparently they wont tell management whats going on. At Winn Dixie I can get it for $27. I'm glad that it's considered good though :aok
No, just something some distilleries do. Just finished a 5 barrel blend from Maker's that was made for my county. It was called Lord Craven's Select.
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I've been content with Glengoyne 18 Year as of late. When my buddy flew out to visit in September, we went in on it. It is smooth and had never tried it before. But I had some local stuff from Hollow Creek Distillery (William Allen Bourbon) and we went that route. They have a Bourbon that medalled in SF earlier this year and it is very good.
Also Beej, I cannot recommend Woodford Reserve Wheat Whiskey enough (It has a thin red label). It has to be one of the hidden gems in the Under $50 bracket and is much smoother than Gentleman Jack. Since moving down here to South Carolina, I have been unable to find it. I had brought down four 1/5ths of it when we moved and it is almost time to replace them.
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I've kinda zoned in on the Ardbeg 'Wee Beastie' 5 year Scotch, will see how it goes
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Port Ellen and Talisker are my favourites.
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So many Scotches, only one liver.
https://www.gearpatrol.com/food/drinks/a741961/best-scotch-whisky-makers-independent-family-owned/