Suggestions for a nice Christmas Scotch please
Posted by: CraigP on 08 December 2006
All,
I have the family coming round this Christmas and went out today to buy some booze. On the list to get was a bottle of Whisky, after spending 30 minutes being unable to make my mind up i thought i would ask here for suggestions on a good single malt to buy.
Would like to spend no more than £25 on a bottle.
Answers on a postcard please
I have the family coming round this Christmas and went out today to buy some booze. On the list to get was a bottle of Whisky, after spending 30 minutes being unable to make my mind up i thought i would ask here for suggestions on a good single malt to buy.
Would like to spend no more than £25 on a bottle.
Answers on a postcard please
Posted on: 16 December 2006 by SteveGa
Posted on: 16 December 2006 by graham55
Springbank is the very best, I think. Bottled at various ages, the price goes up alarmingly with the age of the whisky.
Graham
Graham
Posted on: 16 December 2006 by dave brubeck
J&B?
Well I like the taste anyway...
Well I like the taste anyway...
Posted on: 24 December 2006 by Malky
The Highland Park 18 year old is hours off being opened.
Posted on: 24 December 2006 by Cosmoliu
Saw the McCallan 18 year at Costco the other day. Seriously tempted, but the price put the purchase off to the next visit.
Norman
Norman
Posted on: 24 December 2006 by ewemon
You should buy something like low flyer or Tottenham Hotspur as they are just cheap and cheerful whiskies. For a differnt malt try Caol Ila from Islay it's peaty flavour is not as strong as Laphroaig (more commonly known in the business as TCP) or Bowmore etc. and is much smoother.
Re the water debate I have never used water in Whisky and I have been drinking it straight now for 40 years. Personally I always think it kills the flavour but hey it's horses for courses.
By the way just to make you lot jealous we get the pure white spirit up here from the distillery's which tends to make the stuff served up in shops or bars look like and taste like weak tea. Now that is whisky- mind you I recommend that you stick your head under a tap as soon as poss once you have drunk it. It tends to make you a wee bit dizzy.
Ah!!! it is a hard job making whisky products and having to sample the whiskies that go into them.
Re the water debate I have never used water in Whisky and I have been drinking it straight now for 40 years. Personally I always think it kills the flavour but hey it's horses for courses.
By the way just to make you lot jealous we get the pure white spirit up here from the distillery's which tends to make the stuff served up in shops or bars look like and taste like weak tea. Now that is whisky- mind you I recommend that you stick your head under a tap as soon as poss once you have drunk it. It tends to make you a wee bit dizzy.
Ah!!! it is a hard job making whisky products and having to sample the whiskies that go into them.
Posted on: 25 December 2006 by BigH47
Just got a couple of small bottles of Glenmorangie 10 yr and port barrel singles.
Posted on: 26 December 2006 by Mick P
Chaps
I was given a bottle of "Loch Ness" single malt yesterday and it is actually bloody good. I suspect it is a brand aimed at tourists but I was pleasantly surprised.
Regards
Mick
I was given a bottle of "Loch Ness" single malt yesterday and it is actually bloody good. I suspect it is a brand aimed at tourists but I was pleasantly surprised.
Regards
Mick
Posted on: 26 December 2006 by London Lad
quote:Originally posted by Mick Parry:
Phil
...........................
Snip
Comparing a blended with a single malt is like comparing corned beef to fillet steak.
Regards
Mick
Not true! There are some excellent blends out there. It's all a matter of personal choice. More like comparing two different methods of cooking and serving the fillet.
Posted on: 27 December 2006 by Steve Toy
A 10 y o Talisker does it for me. It has a really powerful unsubtle smoky/peaty flavour. No water required.
Posted on: 27 December 2006 by long-time-dead
Steve
Given you like Talisker (a great dram IMO) you owe it to yourself to try these two. They are different from Talisker but I think you will like them for their own individuality.
Scapa
Old Pulteney
Given you like Talisker (a great dram IMO) you owe it to yourself to try these two. They are different from Talisker but I think you will like them for their own individuality.
Scapa
Old Pulteney
Posted on: 28 December 2006 by Matthew T
The water thing is a mattter of taste.
If the bottle comes at 40 or 43% then water has already been added (unless it is an ancient cask strength - if you have any of this please send some to me!!!). In this case adding a little water can help release the aroma but is not necessary.
If you have a cask strength bottle then adding water makes a big difference, up to 200% in some cases although depends on how old etc etc, much experimentation is recommended, by the time you get to the end of the bottle it will taste amazing!
Some of the older Ardbegs are stunning; pre-closure and reopening (had a 1974 a few years back which was rather special) and anything that is single barrel cask strength is generally interesting (you might not like it but thats OK).
For a safe bet a 18yo Glenlivet makes a very exceptable pre dinner drink and anything from the southern coast of Islay is good (though they have all become rather commercialised and the prices charged for the big names for older cask strength bottles are crazy (Ardbeg is going that way too sadly). I had a bottle of Port Ellen a while back which was pretty nice, sadly not operating anymore, and if you can get a 15yo Laphroaig that is very special.
Enjoy
Matthew
If the bottle comes at 40 or 43% then water has already been added (unless it is an ancient cask strength - if you have any of this please send some to me!!!). In this case adding a little water can help release the aroma but is not necessary.
If you have a cask strength bottle then adding water makes a big difference, up to 200% in some cases although depends on how old etc etc, much experimentation is recommended, by the time you get to the end of the bottle it will taste amazing!
Some of the older Ardbegs are stunning; pre-closure and reopening (had a 1974 a few years back which was rather special) and anything that is single barrel cask strength is generally interesting (you might not like it but thats OK).
For a safe bet a 18yo Glenlivet makes a very exceptable pre dinner drink and anything from the southern coast of Islay is good (though they have all become rather commercialised and the prices charged for the big names for older cask strength bottles are crazy (Ardbeg is going that way too sadly). I had a bottle of Port Ellen a while back which was pretty nice, sadly not operating anymore, and if you can get a 15yo Laphroaig that is very special.
Enjoy
Matthew
Posted on: 30 December 2006 by RiNo
Tonight I'll take some Dalwhinnie Distillers edition 1990 WITH some water!!!!
Posted on: 30 December 2006 by markah
I rediscovered the pleasures of whisky a couple of years ago and present fave is Bruichladdich from Islay - not too peaty and a good one for 'beginners' I would think.
Posted on: 08 January 2007 by Chumpy
I have extensively researched many, and although in theory/psychology/nostalgia I favour PROPER ordinary Macallan (purchasable for £19.99-£26.99) as an overpriced single malt, I am now convinced that the cheapest 40 %whisky from Aldi at about £7.29 is just as good.
The cheapest whiskies from e.g. Asda are cheap/taste vile.
People, including 'experts' with feelings/taste-buds/brains etc have found cheap fizzy white-wine to be superior to £25-£70 champagnes,
and IMO the same is similarly true of good cheap blended whisky compared with overpriced single malt - 18 years old or more decrepit.
Bit like good cheap budget audio equalling performance of overpriced 'brand'y names ...
The cheapest whiskies from e.g. Asda are cheap/taste vile.
People, including 'experts' with feelings/taste-buds/brains etc have found cheap fizzy white-wine to be superior to £25-£70 champagnes,
and IMO the same is similarly true of good cheap blended whisky compared with overpriced single malt - 18 years old or more decrepit.
Bit like good cheap budget audio equalling performance of overpriced 'brand'y names ...
Posted on: 09 January 2007 by Malky
quote:Originally posted by Chumpy:
I am now convinced that the cheapest 40 %whisky from Aldi at about £7.29 is just as good.
and IMO the same is similarly true of good cheap blended whisky compared with overpriced single malt
I fear you have taken leave of your senses.
Posted on: 09 January 2007 by Blueknowz
quote:Originally posted by graham55:
Springbank is the very best, I think. Bottled at various ages, the price goes up alarmingly with the age of the whisky.
Graham
Another vote for Springbank ,although I do like Lagavulin as well as a nice drop of 15yr old Laphroaig which is a huge improvment on the 10 yr old !
Posted on: 09 January 2007 by PJT
quote:Originally posted by Chumpy:
I have extensively researched many, and although in theory/psychology/nostalgia I favour PROPER ordinary Macallan (purchasable for £19.99-£26.99) as an overpriced single malt, I am now convinced that the cheapest 40 %whisky from Aldi at about £7.29 is just as good.
The cheapest whiskies from e.g. Asda are cheap/taste vile.
People, including 'experts' with feelings/taste-buds/brains etc have found cheap fizzy white-wine to be superior to £25-£70 champagnes,
and IMO the same is similarly true of good cheap blended whisky compared with overpriced single malt - 18 years old or more decrepit.
Bit like good cheap budget audio equalling performance of overpriced 'brand'y names ...
You can get a lot of very nice malt whiskys for around NZ$100. OK 30 quid to you guys...
I prefer the unfiltered 'straight from, the cask' bottlings, and generally try to have 1 Islay malt, something else, something Irish, and a cheap blend for "lemonade drinkers", so to simply scoff while cooking - half fill a pint with crushed ice, cover ice with aforementioned scotch, and top up with water
cheers
Pete