Malt Whisky - once opened, does it go off?

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Originally posted by Top Cat:

Any experts care to advise this novice?

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That sort of advice can only be given personally and in the company of said drinks...

Regards
Steve

4 hours !
Fritz Von Phewi'mappythat'soveragain

I'll agree with everything Tom said - my passions include malt whisky collecting (and drinking !) and I would like to also add that sunlight will also cause degredation.

Also try to avoid cyclical temperatures as this will increase the effect of evaporation.

If in doubt, a good dram or two every weekend should prevent the problem !

Slainte Mhath !

All the best for 2004 to all forum members !

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Originally posted by Tom Alves:
According to Michael Jackson whisky should be stored upright

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The Michael Jackson? I wouldn't take his advice too seriously.

However, let's wait for the word from Swindon.

Herman

There are hundreds of different whisky's and I have about 40 in my cabinet. About half of them are opened and I have never noticed any deterioration when a bottle has been opened for even a year.

I keep the bottles in a cabinet thus no direct sunlight.

The worst enemy of whisky is ice. Ice must never be used in whisky, it kills the flavour.

Whisky should be drunk with a drop of water, say about 25% and this releases the flavours, especially in the single malts. Ice just kills it.

If you do not believe me, pour two glasses, one with ice and one without. The chilled one will be sterile in comparison. Only peasants drop ice in whisky. The only greater sin is to mix it with Ginger Wine, which is what my father in law does.

I therefore keep a cheap blend just for him.

Regards

Mick

I have got into malts recently and got 2 fine bottles for Xmas, Dalwhinnie and Laphroig 15yr old. Anyone got any other suggestions to try ? I

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Originally posted by Mick Parry:
Whisky should be drunk with a drop of water, say about 25% and this releases the flavours, especially in the single malts.

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A drop of water at what temperature?

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Interpretation: 21 C +/- 5 degrees

Have you calibrated your kitchen faucet?

I usually pour myself a small jug of filtered water and let it stand for a while.

I then mix it with the whisky, thus I presume it is spot on room temperature.

Regards

Mick

Thanks.

Enjoy your whiskey and CDS3 this holiday weekend.

Thanks, guys.

Most of my bottles are actually limited edition cask 'expressions' (for that be the term) from the SMWS in Leith (a rather fine establishment - Mick, if ever you happen to have cause to head up to Edinburgh, give me a shout and I'll sign you in ). However, I don't drink a lot (compared to some) and so my dozen or so bottles - at least 8 anyway - do seem to last.

However, when my nearest & dearest bought me a bottle of the Highland Park cask to celebrate my last birthday I thought it would be nice to have a couple of glasses a year and see if I can eek it out for the next 10 or 12 years - i.e. saving it for the birthday, drinking my other bottles the rest of the time...

On the other hand, maybe I've got just the excuse I need to drink it all in the next year

John

TC '..'
"Sun went down in honey. Moon came up in wine. Stars were spinnin' dizzy, Lord, the band kept us so busy we forgot about the time."

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Originally posted by alex95:
I have got into malts recently and got 2 fine bottles for Xmas, Dalwhinnie and Laphroig 15yr old. Anyone got any other suggestions to try ? I

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Those two are almost opposites, so virtually any suggestion could be something that you might like. My most recent favorite is Glengoyne 17yo. Instead of drying the barley over a peat fire, it's air-dried. The end result is a very smooth Scotch. Even so, I suspect that Dalwhinnie might be softer still. (I haven't got a bottle handy at the moment to do a side-by-side comparison.)

I couldn't possibly settle on just one. My collection isn't as vast as Mick's, with only about 10 types in my liquor cabinet. I've also got a few bottles of good bourbon too, and a couple of "good" (at least as good as I've found) of Canadian/rye whiskey. I also enjoy a good rum, and I have at least 10 different types of vodka kicking about.

Variety is the spice of life, they say.

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

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DOes anyone know whether this fine spirit does go off?

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A good malt will go off on your tongue. Never mind the bottle, where's the tumblers?

Ahh, the parallels one encounters in life.

Rico - SM/Mullet Audio
PS: FWIW, I'm with Mick - no bloody ice. If you want a refreshing cool drink, try a good lager or a cocktail.

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Originally posted by Tom Alves:
As for drinking I know Mick has good reason for adding water but I only tend add the stuff when I drink cask strength otherwise I feel it's been watered down enough.

Whisky should be drunk at body temperature and definitely not cold.

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I used to drink Scotch in a variety of ways, depending on my mood. Sometimes with a bit of water (as Mick suggests), sometimes with ice (as my best friend insists on doing), and sometimes straight-up.

As time has passed, I realize that now I only drink it straight-up. If it's really intense, I would consider adding a teaspoon of tap water, but I don't think I could go back to adding ice. As Mick says, it kills the flavour. (My friend still asks whether I want ice.)

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

Happy New Year to all members,niceties over.....John i've never had a malt "go off" after being opened and re-corked.
i've a bottle of CARDHU here 1st opened on my 40th and it's as fresh now as then.
keep it out of the sun and best accompanied with a hand rolled Cuban cigar and friends.

dennis

'Best single malt' experience - living on Taiwan, 1971, visiting a friend: 'Here, taste this and tell me what you think.'

'Wow,', thought I, 'How did a single malt get onto Taiwan? Surely the liquor monopoly doesn't stock it? Who's visiting? And 'Mars' is a strange name for a single malt....'

Close examination of the labels didn't really determine whether this was blended or not.

Closer examination discerned the 'Made in Okinawa' label. Funny, I didn't know my friend knew Marlon Brando....

Another best: Just 2 days ago I was in my favorite liquor store coincident with a single malt tasting. The salesman offered me a taste of 'Ardbeg' (?), since I said I liked LaPhroiag and Lagavullin. At $70 I wasn't going to buy it, especially since I have a couple of bottles and drink very sparingly (avoiding simple carbs).

Oh, but is it good! Can anyone provide some insight into this Ardbeg? Or other peaty malts?

All scotch is good. I'll put ice and water or soda into blendeds of any age up to 15 years, and into Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, and other light single malts which don't taste any better to me than J&B or Dewars blends. But my beloved LaPhroaig and Lagavullin are sipped straight.

I love Scotland for the LP12 and Ewan MacColl. I revere Scotland for the malts.

Regards.

Phil

Whiskey recommendations

Speyside
Glenlivet 15 yro
Macallan 15 yro, 20 yro 25yro....
Cragganmore is pretty nice too

Highlands
Glenmorangie Port Wood finish
Dalwhinnie
Oban
Not completely convinced by Jura or Highland Park olthough the older bottlings can be good

Lowlands
Glenkinchie is the only one easily found

Talisker (if you like the idea of liking seaweed this is the one for you)

Islay (these are the best)
Lagavulin 16 yro or older, fantastic
Ardbeg 10 yro (very nice), 17 yro (if you can get it), 20+ yro (wow, the finish lasts for hours!)
La-frog the 15yro is a good one, never found any old bottlings, yet!
Bowmore skip the young ones, you need 15 yrs or more
Port Ellen if you can find it, still got some of my 20ish yro
Bunnahabhain - lighter Islay
Bruichladdich - also nice
Caol Ila - ditto

Matthew

I would recommend the Whiskey magazine web site, which you can find at www.whiskymag.com.
Under tastings you can get a wide variety of reviews done by the infamous Michael Jackson amongst others.

There are other interesting items there as well.

I would also recommend www.whiskyweb.com which is the other site that Michael Jackson is affiliated with. tw

Anyone know what the produce of Tom Alves soon to be local distillery (Glenturret) is like?

Oddbins own label are good value. They offer a geographical range of single malts. Most around £20.

regards

Richard S

I've had a rake and found a half-full bottle of Macallan 10 year old which I'm pretty sure my wife won in a competition about 15 years ago. Just tried it (with a spot of water as advised by Mick) and it still seems drinkable enough.

Tom - so are we doing Ben Chonzie from the Loch Turret side then?

Tom,

That route sounds good. I've been up Auchnafree hill many years ago when the snow was to deep for Ben Chonzie to be done from the Glenturret side.

I have 21 different single malts.

Some have been opened and put back in their boxes with the lid on for years.

They all taste just fine.

The biggest single thing you can do to enhance your enjoyment of any malt is to shout yourself and a mate a couple of Riedel single malt glasses. The difference is like going from a 72 to a 552.

My pic is Bunnahabhain with a couple of bits of chocky.

Laphroiag is the most distinctive and the Islay malts are generally in a different category as they are produced using peat around the island and aged in Sherry barrels.

Most of them are really bacony in flavour.

Yes, a good thing to sip on while the hi-fi is going especially when its brass monkeys outside.

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Originally posted by Jonathan Hales:
The biggest single thing you can do to enhance your enjoyment of any malt is to shout yourself and a mate a couple of Riedel single malt glasses. The difference is like going from a 72 to a 552.

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I've always been a bit of a glass nutter. I considered the Reidel:



As far as I was concerned, both felt like wine glasses with stubby stems, whereas I prefer the solid-bottomed heft of a rocks glass.

I explained Riedel's approach to my wife: an elongated thistle shape on a truncated stem. The design incorporates a small, slightly out-turned lip that directs the spirit onto the tip of the tongue, where sweetness is perceived, and serves to bring out the elegant creaminess of a top-quality single malt. I added my desire for a solid base, and she found a great bit of crystal that satisfies all the criteria. It is indeed an extreme pleasure drinking Scotch from this glass.

Coincidentally, I was also given a set of Glenfiddich branded glasses from my ex-wife. They look like inverted cones, are not crystal, and also have a solid base. My best friend prefers that glass, although I think it's for the looks and not to accentuate the qualities of the Scotch. Of course, he also insists on drinking his Scotch with ice, so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised.

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My pic is Bunnahabhain with a couple of bits of chocky.

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I've also discovered that chocolate goes well with Scotch. (Perhaps I'm late to the game with this one.) When I mention this to people, though, they often look at me like I'm daft.

-=> Mike Hanson <=-