Reply With QuoteWhere does this come on the taste spectrum? Strong? Peaty? I'm no connoisseur!Originally Posted by ktmog6uk
Another good sippin whiskey, Especially at that price.
Mozza
Where does this come on the taste spectrum? Strong? Peaty? I'm no connoisseur!
Ordered a bottle of Dalmore 18 from MoM yesterday, it's the only distillery that I've visited and generally love what they do. You get a dram or two included in the cost of a tour, the last time I was there (been twice) I paid a little extra for a sample of the King Alexander III - such a glorious whisky, that. Budget said "no" when I ordered the 18 as I wanted to try a tequila as well, maybe sometime in the future though...
Far far from a connoisseur but cracked into a bottle of Glenlivet 15 yo solera reserve last night and enjoyed it very much. Currently on offer for £30 at Sainsburys and the 12 yo for £25 which didn't seem too bad.
It's certainly not peaty, very light rounded taste.
Mozza
excellent choice .... opened 18 y/o Dalmore on Friday night - one of my favourites.
As I am off next week I can feel a little road trip. I fancy heading up and along the east coast of Scotland and see what distilleries I can find.
Just have to hope the weather will hold out for me.
Fish
Had a dram of the 18yr old rare edition a couple of weeks ago. Fantastic stuff, albeit £120 a bottle - not exactly everyday drinking material.All, I picked up a bottle of this passing through BHX last week & it is amazing, nutty, floral, very easy drinking but with character. A great all rounder.
I'm blown away by this one, I have been drinking SM Scotch as an enthusiast for +20 years, must have gotten thru almost 100 bottles in that time but this one is very very good...
Web image
Thanks.
I've tried it many times before though this is the first time I've bought a bottle myself, it's a bit of a treat from me to me after recently getting a new job. I've never spent that much on a single bottle before so this one is to be savoured
I found it to have a light peaty note, but VERY nice and nowhere near as peaty as the likes of Laphroaig.
Well for £25 it's worth a punt.
Thank you both.
Sent from my SM-G930F using TZ-UK mobile app
Very envious. I'm on another bottle of the unpeated, which is very refreshing for an Islay. I visited the distillery once, during a trip to Islay which was a rather insightful birthday present from my wife, and met Jim McEwan who was most enthusiastic about his craft.
Massive fan of the Laddie, in most of its guises. Some are quite bonkers - a PC12 HHD Sherry Cask at 58% and an Octomore 7yo, at 139pppm, aged in virgin Normandy Oak at 60.5% abv spring immediately to mind. Their organic Scottish barley is from Islay, Inverness and the Black Isle, apparently.
Very envious. I'm on another bottle of the unpeated, which is very refreshing for an Islay. I visited the distillery once, during a trip to Islay which was a rather insightful birthday present from my wife, and met Jim McEwan who was most enthusiastic about his craft.
The King Alexander III is Worth the extra over the 18 year in my opinion. Bushmills 21 is outstanding too
RIAC
I should have popped down sooner! No discount now.... £39!
Sent from my SM-G930F using TZ-UK mobile app
SOTC on the whisky front, bit low on stock so added a couple of tequilas as well... In the next month or so I'd like to add a Glenfarclas 15 and a Balvenie Caribbean Cask to the mix, had both before and thoroughly enjoyed them. Laphroaig is a staple for me, I'm never without a 10 or a QC.
The Mitchell's is fresh in after reading about it a few posts above this and if anyone is considering the Adnams don't bother! It was bought for me as they knew I drunk their ale, sadly their whisky falls short of the mark.
We went to the Mitchell's Glengyle open day in Campbeltown last month. The bottling, a triple distilled Kilkerran, was sold out, having already been sold during the previous day's Springbank open day. We were able to sample it as part of a Kilkerran tasting. Sad to have missed out, to be honest. It was rather good.
advice needed, been offered a case of 6 bottles for £75, are there fakes around?
If you're a fan of peaty numbers, amazon have Bruichladdich Port Charlotte on offer for £38
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00...port+charlotte
Picked up this oddball in the US last week.
There's a sweetness from the vermouth (so not my normal choice) but it's lovely over lots of ice.
z
Sent from a phone using this TZ-UK app
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Never heard of that one, looks interesting.
OT but I have the fancy for a tot tonight rather than a dram, so . . .
That's got some water in by the way . . .
F.T.F.A.
Needs a Maraschino cherry. Probably.
Master of Malt and Mr Lyan both sell decent versions of a Manattan, as well as other pre-bottled cocktails. Given Mr Lyan's recent success at Tales of the Cocktail, I can imagine stocks will be running low...
It'll be my Birthday on Sunday, so I've bought myself a treat...
Single barrel, cask strength, non chill filtered, natural colour, independent bottling of Laphroaig. Being quite young, very little of the peaty goodness will have had a chance to mellow too much.... And that suits me just fine!
No. 132 of 305 bottles - Can't wait until Sunday!
Gary
Sent from my iPad using TZ-UK mobile app
^ yes, always found it funny how a lot of the more expensive Islays are the younger ones. Have you tried any of the Ardbeg young spirits?
James Eadie has released an 8yo Caol Ila at under £40, which I quite liked at the price.
Re Ardbeg - do mean the ones from years ago - Still Young, etc?
Oooh, that sounds right up my street, let us know what you think. I was a big fan of the 10yr cask strength, much better than the standard 10yr and even the quarter cask. Used to find it occasionally in asda, but has long since dissapearedIt'll be my Birthday on Sunday, so I've bought myself a treat...
Single barrel, cask strength, non chill filtered, natural colour, independent bottling of Laphroaig. Being quite young, very little of the peaty goodness will have had a chance to mellow too much.... And that suits me just fine!
No. 132 of 305 bottles - Can't wait until Sunday!
Gary
Sent from my iPad using TZ-UK mobile app
Just thought I'd do a Whisky & Spirits SOTC. I'm really enjoying what I have open at the moment.
Would love to see what others have on their shelves...
L-R
Gordon & McPhail; Imperial (a now silent distillery), 1995 bottling, not tasted yet, will keep this for a very special occasion as distillery is silent.
Gordon & McPhail; Glendullan 2001, not tasted yet (Speysider).
GlenSpey 12years old, Flora & Fauna edition, supposed to be fantastic but not tasted yet.
GlenGrant 10year old; probably the best all around whisky I have ever tasted. I really like this.
Ardbeg, 10year old. Great peaty, oily, smokey Islay Malt. A fantastic dram.
Drumshambo Irish 'Gunpowder' Gin (Amazing).
Hendricks Gin; always a winner.
Irish Whiskey; Redbreast 12year old. Fantastic warm whiskey, wonderful nose, magic.
Midleton Rare; supposed to be one of the best Irish Whiskeys available but not yet tasted.
Good to see the Glen Grant 10 getting a smashing, superb Whisky
RIAC
I was put on to the Redbreast last year by Irish family. Bloody hell its a nice drop, smooth as you like too. 👍🏻
The latest addition to the collection, a long term 'want', the Caol Ila 18.
The standard 12yr is one of my favorites, and the Distillers Edition is lovely too but never tried the 18yr so thought I would give it a go, pretty much a more 'grown up' version of the 12, not quite as sharp but well rounded with the light peat and slight 'brine' quality
Picked up a few of Cadenhead's 175th Anniversary bottlings:
- A 2005 Ledaig 11yo, bottled last year at a whopping 61.8% is absolutely wonderful. Peated, obviously (otherwise it'd be called Tobermory) to around the 40pppm mark if I remember rightly. There's a minty, menthol initial taste to it that's medicinal, but not in that classic Islay way. There's also a wonderful, almost Campbeltown saltiness, and softish smoke. Quite remarkable. Almost as good as the 1996. Almost.
- A 1992 Glen Scotia 25yo, bottled at 44%
- A 1993 Bruichladdich 23yo 1993 at 47%, Bourbon Hogshead
- both William Cadenhead Islay 9 year old releases (one at 59.3% and the other at 58.9%)
I posted on here some time back that the Bailie Nicol Jarvie (by Glenmorangie) was the greatest blend I ever tasted and that Mitchells (by Springbank) was another fantastic job.
So, I have another amazing blended scotch; The Antiquary 12yr;
Great stuff this, very easy drinking, rich oak like taste with some fruit and perhaps nutty apple in the background. Lovely fiinsh, opens up lovely with a cube of ice.
Highly highly recommended (I think it was about £30 on masterofmalt).
Lidl do a range called Ben Bracken, i was a bit dubious but tried the Islay malt & it is superb. Very similar to Laphroaig.
Just wanted to post a positive review on here regarding masterofmalt.
I had a 3-bottle parcel off them last month and I was on some business travel in between now and then perusing the duty free.
I have to say masterofmalt significantly undercut both the supermarkets and the duty free for price and the selection must be the best out there. Needs to be recognised (no connection here, just very impressed).
Anyway, just a recommendation for the chaps on here who like a dram. I've had about 4 orders from them at this point (across last 3 years) and each time very impressed with price, selection and delivery (cost & time).
And the highland is very glenfarclas 😜Lidl do a range called Ben Bracken, i was a bit dubious but tried the Islay malt & it is superb. Very similar to Laphroaig.
My 'SOTC' at the moment......
Whisky by Robert Seymour, on Flickr
I'll take 5 from the top row and 3 from the bottom, please - Carol
(you're spoiled for choice)
If I'm having a dram I'll normally have a single malt as I'm interested in that sort of thing, if the mood takes me, I'll have a second one but after that, i.e. - if we have company over, I'll drop onto blended (I can't discern any complex taste after the first 2).
Now Black & White is a great blend, very easy to drink (like Lawsons / Grouse / JW Red); doesn't pull the heartstrings if company mixes it with soda or cola either.
I notice Black and White is becoming very hard to get a hold of. I notice this in supermarkets / off-licenses local to us / online retailers.
I hope old Black & White isn't being shelved by Diageo...
Just wanted to say this dream is excellent - picked it up in duty free on a 2 for £70 offer (with a Glenlivet Masters, also great)...I think rrp is in the £60s for this bottle, but it's absolutely fantastic!
Ps - yes, that's a baby monitor on the coffee table
Chita... yum yum yumJust wanted to say this dream is excellent - picked it up in duty free on a 2 for £70 offer (with a Glenlivet Masters, also great)...I think rrp is in the £60s for this bottle, but it's absolutely fantastic!
Ps - yes, that's a baby monitor on the coffee table
- - - Updated - - -
Chita... yum yum yumJust wanted to say this dream is excellent - picked it up in duty free on a 2 for £70 offer (with a Glenlivet Masters, also great)...I think rrp is in the £60s for this bottle, but it's absolutely fantastic!
Ps - yes, that's a baby monitor on the coffee table
Agreed; Chita is class. I got a great deal on a bottle passing thru BHX last year (£30 ?). Fine stuff; nutty / coffee / floral. Wonderful. Bottle lasted no time on my shelf. Enjoy !
Can I pick your brains on the Caol Ila, hoops? I'm a big Islay fan, Lagavulin 16 being my all-time fave, bang-for-buck, but was a bit disappointed with Caol Ila 12. A bit 'damp stale dishcloth' on the nose, which puts me off a bit, and has stopped me looking further up the range. I keep going to back to it every few weeks I always find it the same and adding water doesn't change it in that respect.
Do you find the 12 similar, or have I got a bad bottling? How do the 14 and 18 compare to the 12?
Best regards
Gary
If you like lagavulin then kindred spirits await in Bowmore and the lesser known but equally wonderful Bunnahabhain. Distinctly different but still very obviously Islays.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Just ordered one bottle each of Glenfarclas 15 and Balvenie Caribbean Cask, two of my all-time favourites.
I'll now finish off the rather splendid Ocho Curado tequila that seems to have caught my attention tonight...
Hi Gary, the Caol Ila 14 is un-peated, and cask strength so its a very different beast. The 18, I would describe as a bit more grown up, the 12 is very fresh and as you say, a slight medicinal quality to it, if a little 'brine' quality too. The 18 is a lot smoother and subtle.
If you like Lagavulin, Bowmore, as below is worth a try but also Ardbeg and the Port Charlotte bottles.
The Bunnahabhain is a favorite, the 12 is very good but the 18 is exceptional, very thick and almost syrup quality from the sherry cask aging with a hint of islay (not very, if at all peaty).
Got to agree about being disappointed in Caol Ila.
Have you tried any of the weird and wonderful Ardbeg expressions? Airiegh Nam Beist was a favourite of mine, Corryvreckan a close second.
My current crop.
The bar I was in last week....
and that was about half of what they had on offer.... there are two more shelf sections to either side of the camera as well :-)
Went in a few 'whiskey' bars over the two weeks and the conversation usually started with words to the effect 'and what is your budget?' i.e. anything less than a tenner a shot then forget it. Tried several tipples from bottles not available south of the border and decided I'm more of a Speyside man. I used to think I was into the strong peaty but actually I prefer the less peaty offerings. The general consensus is the big name brands that you see in Sainsburys or even Waitrose are generally best avoided because they invariably sell on name. Not to say they're bad but just having 'the name' does tend to mean you're paying extra for something that's maybe not that brilliant. Anyway that's what I was told.
Wow!! Where was that fella?
Sent from my SM-G955F using TZ-UK mobile app
That was near Gairloch.
The bar with the biggest selection though was Dornoch Castle Hotel which regularly wins the 'best whiskey bar' awards. I spent thirty quid there for two shots of whiskey (one on each night we were there!).
Posting Permissions
