Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: BazaJT on 05 December 2015, 20:42:52
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As I don't drink I'm in the dark here.Which whisky is best?I'm not talking brands or even Irish over Scotch,but rather is single malt best followed by double malt with blended being bargain basement?Or which way round does it go?
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Is that Broocies footsteps I can hear?
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As far as 'whats best' goes, just look at the pricing on any supermarket shelf to get the gist! :)
Blends are cheapest, cheaper generally equals rougher, but the likes of Grouse, Grants, Bells, Whyte & McKay are quite fine for day to day 'cooking' whisky. Personally, I currently favour Grants, but that's just my taste.
Single malts are a very different breed. See https://www.malts.com/en-gb/whisky-guide/the-flavour/ for a hint more info. It is just one multinational firm punting their own products but its a good starting point for reference.
I started with the likes of Southern Comfort and Drambuie but soon found them too sweet. Moved to JD and similar bourbons onto Irish but then Scotch.
Started that journey with Glenkinchie which is a lowland malt from a distillery south of Edinburgh. Rapidly progressed throught the Highland malts onto the Islay with their intense and strongly peated, almost medicinal, flavours.
Probably fried my tastebuds by enjoying Laphroig and lagavoulin a little too much and now enjoy the gentler and arguably more flavourfull Highland and Speyside malts. I now flit between Old pulteny (most northerly mainland malt) and Highland Park from Orkney (great flavours of seaweed, think Iodene and similar) as well as Glenlivet. I favour Glenlivet as its just sweet enough for me without being too oaky or rough.
You could either set aside an evening in a comfy bar and work your way along the top shelf or perhaps get a couple of friends round and get a selection of miniatures and work from there.
Not getting into the older is better, water or not, straight or iced, soda or similar arguments. That's an individual journey best taken at leisure.
Slainge!!
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I'm no expert and never got further than Chivas regal but, by christ, I loved it.
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Think of whiskey as you would the world if wine-it's really that varied.
Very simplistically single malts trump blends, but a good blend could be nicer than a poor single malt.
A blend is a mix of whiskeys chosen to achieve a desired flavour, normally, it's made of younger whiskeys so not as smooth as an aged single malt, but an expensive blend will have older whiskeys in and can be smooth too.
As far as Scottish whisky goes different regions have different traits. Islay gives us peaty beauts (lagavulin, laphroig, coal ila) speyside gives a sweeter offering (macallan prob the most advertised - bonds choice of late, generally think a sherry finish with this region) and highland will be middle of the road (again, very simplistic view. Glenfiddich a well known one)
You then have the Irish whiskey, generally a bit 'harsher' and I'd probably say closest to a highland whisky, and the bourbons/ryes of America. These can vary from a jack Daniels which I personally compare to a bells, to a high west prairie reserve which has a great flavour profile. My personal opinion of bourbon at the cheap end is it lacks the depth of flavour and different tastes that a whisky would, but the higher end stuff can be as good.
Once you get in to the higher end of single malts you can look at single casks (the bottle is taken from one barrel/cask, as opposed to a normal single malt which is made of a multitude of barrels from the same batch-each barrel will have a slightly different flavour, so single cask is for the connesouir that appreciated the subtlety of whisky) there's cask strengths which often need a drop of water or an ice cube to 'open' up the flavour fully, and also non chill filtered, and non coloured-essentially the whiskey straight from the barrel-often very pale, but packs a flavour you'd not expect.
When it comes to mixing-some will need a bit of ice or water to help it taste its best, bushmills is the perfect example of this, an ice cube takes away the harshness and makes it delightful, or arbelours fantastic cask strength d'abunadh, which needs a few drops of water to fully appreciate (it's about 60%abv). Generally a single malt wouldn't be sullied with a mixer, and the more expensive blends would be the same, for Irish coffees grants, famous grouse etc are fine (though not Irish!) and for with Coke jd is ok.
Air also changes the flavour, so something you drink on night one and think blergh, might be a different animal a few days later.
As to which whisky id recommend-well, it depends entirely on the person, my preference is towards the peaty end, but I'd happily enjoy a dram of most offerings, apart from jura elixir, that stuff was awful!
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Yeah, consider all the above and then use whatever whisky you decide on for its real purpose: killing garden slugs ;)
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Highland Park or Scapa for the Islands, and my current favourite of the bourbons is Evan Williams...
Honey JD is a pleasant everyday effort too imho ;)
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Yeah, consider all the above and then use whatever whisky you decide on for its real purpose: killing garden slugs ;)
That will be the Old Cameron, single grain then. Also doubles as paint stripper and tooth enamel removal liquid.....
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JD White Rabbit and Glenlivet 12 Year Old Scotch Malt Whisky are the two I currently like. :y
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I think whiskey is a very personal thing and thus it requires a lot of experimentation to find your way :D
For me, i cannot get enough of a 33 yo Dhalwinnie. Which reminds me, not much left in that bottle. I might need some more...... ::)
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I think whiskey is a very personal thing and thus it requires a lot of experimentation to find your way :D
For me, i cannot get enough of a 33 yo Dhalwinnie. Which reminds me, not much left in that bottle. I might need some more...... ::)
World of Whiskies opens at 4am iirc ;)
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They dont do Dalwhinnie as far as i remember
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They dont do Dalwhinnie as far as i remember
Can have a looksee in a bit ;)
Nowt suggested on their website :'(
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They dont do Dalwhinnie as far as i remember
Can have a looksee in a bit ;)
Nowt suggested on their website :'(
Last time I took a spin in their shop in GTW they said they didn't stock it. Shame really, it's ferkin lovely :P
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I think whiskey is a very personal thing and thus it requires a lot of experimentation to find your way :D
For me, i cannot get enough of a 33 yo Dhalwinnie. Which reminds me, not much left in that bottle. I might need some more...... ::)
Agreed.
I have a friend who can distinguish the taste of more than 30 malts.
His favourite is Laphroaig.
He describes Glenfiddich as 'commercial crap'.
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Somewhat more complicated than I'd thought!Not about to take up drinking just to find out if there's any I like as it'd be a present for very long time friends and I just thought I'd try and get them something a bit "special"I know their usual tipple is the grouse one,if any ones got any tips based on that?
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Ask Santa for this .
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Malt-Whisky-Companion-6th-Edition/dp/1405319666
I've used my copy for 20 years now and it is , accurate ,informative ,and educational , in short 'tis a good read.
I haven't worked my way through it , yet , but each I try is uncannily similar to the descriptions. :y
It's a very interesting subject .
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I've never met a man who doesn't appreciate a dram of Jura on evening.
Available nowdays from most supermarkets too if you look
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Quite enjoy a glass or two of some of the Glengoyne single malt whisky the 35 year old is my choice
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Never touch the stuff! ::) ::) ::)
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A book on the subject!Now that's something to consider,a bit of a twist which they may well appreciate.Thanks for that tip :y
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Never touch the stuff! ::) ::) ::)
Liar, liar, pants on fire....... ;D
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Never touch the stuff! ::) ::) ::)
Liar, liar, pants on fire....... ;D
I did stay up right all night :y ....... apparently! ::)
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I like whisky far too much to the point it would cost me a fortune to shop on the higher shelf at the supermarket :) so I tend to go for the cheapest bottle at a litre and at the mo im enjoying bells but in my younger years I always said if it begins with g its ok haha.ive had expensive scotchs that were heaven and ive also had expensive ones that were really bad I do like an irish and like a jd infact I like spirits to the point I don't drink much wine or beer now and enjoy a large scotch at bedtime.does anyone remember or has had a cheap one called lone piper going back about 15 year ago I really liked that and knew a few blokes who said the same.
all this talk of whisky RIP vamps :y
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Never touch the stuff! ::) ::) ::)
Liar, liar, pants on fire....... ;D
I did stay up right all night :y ....... apparently! ::)
Only 'cos you were sitting down for most of it.... :y
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Never touch the stuff! ::) ::) ::)
Liar, liar, pants on fire....... ;D
I did stay up right all night :y ....... apparently! ::)
Only 'cos you were sitting down for most of it.... :y
true! ;D ;D
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all this talk of whisky RIP vamps :y
Indeed! :(
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all this talk of whisky RIP vamps :y
Indeed! :(
Yup. A genuine and nice bloke who is sadly missed by many. :'(
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:-[ Have to say it's wasted on me , just can't get away with the stuff :-[
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Never touch the stuff! ::) ::) ::)
Liar, liar, pants on fire....... ;D
I did stay up right all night :y ....... apparently! ::)
Only 'cos you were sitting down for most of it.... :y
true! ;D ;D
Much to the annoyance of some of us ::) ;D
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Used to enjoy Bushmills Irish whisky. Can,t drink it now due to the tablets i take. :'(
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In my yoof, me and a mate used to come in from the pub and then polish off a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label between us! ::)
I think that would lay me up for a week now! :o ;D
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Never touch the stuff! ::) ::) ::)
Liar, liar, pants on fire....... ;D
I did stay up right all night :y ....... apparently! ::)
Only 'cos you were sitting down for most of it.... :y
true! ;D ;D
Much to the annoyance of some of us ::) ;D
;D ;D ;D ;D
All I can say, is that it was a good job I was leaving on the Monday ........ legally or otherwise I wasn't fit to drive home the following day. :-[
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Used to enjoy Bushmills Irish whisky. Can,t drink it now due to the tablets i take. :'(
I believe its spelt Whiskey over there. ;)
Not a big drinker of the stuff myself, but enjoy the occasional J.D.
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Try to find a pub with a decent choice of whisky. Harder than it sounds, as most places will serve JD and Bells ::) Or ask what a single malt is. Sigh. But they're about.
However, if you can get a dram of , for example, Talisker, Glenfiddich, etc, and report back, that will tell you what sort of whisky you like. Exactly like wines, the variety is extreme. Not difficult, as basically there's just a few groups
-Single Malt / Blended - a little misleading, this just means from the same (single) distillery or a mix (blended) from numerous whiskys of difference distilleries. However, as a rule, yes, Single Malts are more expensive than blended. Famous Grouse, Bells, Jameson etc.
-Highland and Island - Often what most people probably taste and decide they 'hate all that scottish whisky' it's peaty, smoky, dry. If you like smoked salmon, etc, this could the one for you. Talisker, and Highland Park, etc. Jura is the exception to the rule!
-Speyside - the most common, usual and palatable of Whiskies. Warm, rich, often nutty, chocolatey, oaky. More Whiskies from Speyside Distilleries than any other. Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Aberlour, Balvenie. Also see above, Jura tastes like a Speyside, but is actually an Island Malt.
Obviously that covers just the Scottish side of things. Personally don't get on with Irish, but love a good Bourbon. Gentleman Jack is a fine example for not much £
Like I say, try and try a few, get an idea of what you like, then look for others similar. If you don't Talisker, you probably won't like Laphroig, if you like Glenlivet 18r, then worth trying Balvenie etc... :y
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I think whiskey is a very personal thing and thus it requires a lot of experimentation to find your way :D
I concur, very personal. Like anything that's stimulating the taste buds.
My mum, for eg, has a nightcap most nights, and Grouse is her tipple. I don't particularly like it. I've taken here on a journey across the Scottish Republic, but she hasn't found a malt she likes, east, west, north or south.
I don't often have a "nightcap", but when I do tend to go for a trip around Scotland in one evening. Obviously, purely for medicinal purposes,
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I think that would lay me up for a week now! :o ;D
Its called age.
I find I drink less and end up looking worse in the mornings, as those attending OOF meets will testify to :-[. Thank god there is normally a DTM on hand for a grease infusion.
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And, as Vamps has been mentioned, I shall make an effort and raise a glass of Scotland's finest to him tonight.
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I had a large Laphroig yesterday and found it a bit harsh. Could be my age or mood I suppose or maybe what other drinks had preceded it. :-\
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If you like the peaty ones, Islay malts are the best, with Laphroiag being on the extreme end of the peat spectrum. There are 8 distilleries on Islay, and supermarkets used to do own brand Islay malts which were superb value. Sadly, they do not seem to do so now. The 12yo Bowmore is an excellent buy IMHO. I have to agree with Opti that Glenfiddich is a poor malt, and it was the first malt I tried on moving to Speyside for 10 years, and which I then thought was nectar!!!I subsequently graduated through Glenmorangie, Macallan, Glenfarclas and other Highland malts, eventually settling on Islay malts for the flavour. But as it is so subjective, there are malts to suit every taste.:y
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I can't tolerate peaty whisky's and prefer the smoother variety. Quite pleased with the Grants one with a sherry flavour ( blue label?) as an everyday but when slightly flusher I can do some damage to a black bush. My most favourite is John Powers gold label,an Irish one that's difficult to track down over here and was rather pleased when a bottle was mysteriously delivered to me on Saturday, an old colleague sent it as a thanks for a reference I did them :)
Aldi and Lidl's malts are pretty decent for the price too :y
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And, as Vamps has been mentioned, I shall make an effort and raise a glass of Scotland's finest to him tonight.
A large Laphroiag raised in honour of Vamps tonight. RIP Vamps.
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Here's a different way to look at whisky, as an investment. Apparently old quality single malts are in short supply and have gone up nicely in value. :y
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/diyinvesting/article-3350838/From-auctions-online-platforms-start-whisky-investment-make-sure-returns-don-t-turn-sour.html
It could still give you a headache though. ::) ;D
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:y
https://www.bonhams.com/press_release/20560/
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/22768/
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all this talk of whisky RIP vamps :y
Indeed! :(
Yup. A genuine and nice bloke who is sadly missed by many. :'(
Yep,never met Mike in person but enjoyed our chats here :'(
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Seems altogether too much room for error in choosing the wrong one,so I think I'll go with the book idea,but thanks for the replies/info people,very grateful for all the input :y