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Whisky II

So the An Oa, the 10, the wee beastie, uigideal and corryverkan. All within about £20-30 of one another, that's a pretty congested line-up. Has anyone tried them all? If so, how would you rank them?
I love both the Corryvreckan and Uigeadail. I initially favoured the marriage of peat and sherry influence of the Uigy, but the Corry is a nice foil. The An Oa also has the sherry influence, but for me lacks the balance and complexity of the Uigy. I stuck that in the hip flask. The Ten got me into the Ardbeg, but I haven't had a bottle since discovering the others. At 5 years old, and therefore quite pricey imo, I'm in no hurry to try the Wee Beastie, but reviews are good. Unfortunately no freebies from the buggers at the distillery were on offer last month..

Two recent whisky discoveries I'd recommend have been Balcones Single Malt, a deliciously lip-smacking whiskey from Texas, with incredible depth of flavours considering it's only 2 years or so in the barrel (!). The difference a hot climate makes.

Have also fallen in love with Glen Allachie 12, my new favourite daily sipper. Might be worth noting that this is a lot darker than the earlier version, with a heavier sherry influence. I also tried a sample of the 15, delicious but I'll be sticking with the 12 for now (irregardless of price).

Incidentally, I'm a bit late to the Glendronach party, but I bought a discounted bottle of the 12. Mmm, it's 'smooth' for sure, but pales beside other more interesting drams, especially when compared side by side to something similar from my shelf (Arran Bodega, Glen Allachie). Older stuff no doubt better but that ship has sailed.

Still, plenty of choice out there..
 
Have also fallen in love with Glen Allachie 12, my new favourite daily sipper. Might be worth noting that this is a lot darker than the earlier version, with a heavier sherry influence. I also tried a sample of the 15, delicious but I'll be sticking with the 12 for now (irregardless of price)..
Billy Walker and Co moving through the sherry gears. The colour difference between my first 12 and the new unopened one I have is as you say dramatic.
I have a few of the 10yo cask strengths and must get round to opening one.
Nice review of the Ardbeg line up...must try the Uigey...I've been waiting on an offer but it's been 18 months and there's been nowt but an unfulfilled Amazon order at £49 which I cancelled after 3 months so will have to bite the bullet.
Must try Balcones...so many whiskies...

Lets hope there isn't a knock-on price hike for the nominees.
Some Retailers have pledged to hold prices until January...I guess the enthusiasts market is relatively small so maybe just small ripples from this...though prices are only going one way.
 
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Billy Walker and Co moving through the sherry gears. The difference bewteen my first 12 and the new unopened one I have is as you say dramatic.
I have a few of the 10yo cask strengths and must get round to opening one.
Nice review of the Ardbeg line up...must try the Uigey...I've been waiting on an offer but it's been 18 months and there's been nowt but an unfulfilled Amazon order at £49 which I cancelled after 3 months so will have to bite the bullet.
Must try Balcones...so many whiskies...

Some Retailers have pledged to hold prices until January...I guess the enthusiasts market is relatively small so maybe just small ripples from this...though prices are only going one way.
Interested to see which 12 you prefer. From reviews it seems to come down to personal preference. Would love to have got my hands on a cask strength version - I really must start paying more attention!
 
Interested to see which 12 you prefer. From reviews it seems to come down to personal preference. Would love to have got my hands on a cask strength version - I really must start paying more attention!
I decanted the heels of the old 12 into a miniature so will do a side by side at some point.
If you sign up for emails on the Glenallachie website you will receive forewarning of new releases..."why am I telling everyone"?! :)
 
Macallan Private Eye and the Idiot.

The idiot is me. 25 years ago I bought a bottle of the Private Eye Macallan 35th anniversary edition at the offer price of £35.00. I had intended to drink it but by the time it arrived I had concluded that all the Macallans I had tried (10,12 and 18yo) all tasted just like Macallan, only more so with age so I never opened the bottle and left it at the back of the whisky cupboard. Last night I reached into the cupboard for an unopened bottle of Shackleton I knew was there and casually ripped the foil off before I realised I had picked up the wrong bottle.

Yes, the Private Eye. I have wrecked the value of a still unopened bottle which I was keeping as a backup pension (have you seen the advertised prices?)

Truly, I am an idiot.
 
Macallan Private Eye and the Idiot.

The idiot is me. 25 years ago I bought a bottle of the Private Eye Macallan 35th anniversary edition at the offer price of £35.00. I had intended to drink it but by the time it arrived I had concluded that all the Macallans I had tried (10,12 and 18yo) all tasted just like Macallan, only more so with age so I never opened the bottle and left it at the back of the whisky cupboard. Last night I reached into the cupboard for an unopened bottle of Shackleton I knew was there and casually ripped the foil off before I realised I had picked up the wrong bottle.

Yes, the Private Eye. I have wrecked the value of a still unopened bottle which I was keeping as a backup pension (have you seen the advertised prices?)

Truly, I am an idiot.

But does it taste of Macallan?
 
I visited my favourite shop this week while on holiday (The Whisky Castle, Tomintoul). As ever, after five minutes of knowledgeable browsing I ended up with no idea at all... too many, not enough time?

So I ended up asking Callum his advice and after a half hour ended up with these (all drinking, no collecting). The boy did good!



I tried the Whisky Castle bottling of Macduff 11 finished in a Californian red wine barrel, this is truly excellent. Next will be the Whisky Cellar's House Malt with a sherry finish.

I also have Mac-Talla Mara, a non age statement from Islay (probably Caol Ila) and another Caol Ila from Gordon& Macphail finished in a sherry hogshead.
 
I visited my favourite shop this week while on holiday (The Whisky Castle, Tomintoul). As ever, after five minutes of knowledgeable browsing I ended up with no idea at all... too many, not enough time?

It could be worse i.e. your house could be about 400 yards away from the shop (like my cottage is) and therefore that place will bankrupt you!

If you're in Tomintoul again then drop me a line!
 
Really enjoyed the Bookers Bourbon so on recommendation have ordered another expensive Bourbon, Colonel EH Taylor Small Batch looking forward to it.

colonel-eh-taylor-small-batch-whiskey.jpg
 
Really enjoyed the Bookers Bourbon so on recommendation have ordered another expensive Bourbon, Colonel EH Taylor Small Batch looking forward to it.
I've enjoyed that Booker's too. Personally I'd snap up any barrel-proof bourbons available in the UK. Worth trying Baker's, also Jim Beam, 7yo, slightly less proof, but more subtle, almost cognac-like to my palate. I would, however, avoid Jim Beam's Basil Hayden - silly packaging, overpriced, one-dimensional.
Not tried the EH Taylor, meant to be good bourbon, Bottled in Bond, but for some reason it's priced here well over what the Yanks are paying. Which is why I think WT Rare Breed is such a bargain, it easily sits alongside Booker's for me. But don't tell anyone, supply already seems to be getting scarce...
 
I've enjoyed that Booker's too. Personally I'd snap up any barrel-proof bourbons available in the UK. Worth trying Baker's, also Jim Beam, 7yo, slightly less proof, but more subtle, almost cognac-like to my palette. I would, however, avoid Jim Beam's Basil Hayden - silly packaging, overpriced, one-dimensional.
Not tried the EH Taylor, meant to be good bourbon, Bottled in Bond, but for some reason it's priced here well over what the Yanks are paying. Which is why I think WT Rare Breed is such a bargain, it easily sits alongside Booker's for me. But don't tell anyone, supply already seems to be getting scarce...

Interesting the other bottle I was recommended was the Basil Hayden but maybe wait until I get to try a shot first then
 
Prying into my Bourbon?
Amateur what?
I'm struggling to understand your point but:
I'd be surprised if any of us were professional as we tend to drink weekends and the odd weekday evening.
Also, this is a whisky thread on a mainly UK-based forum so our focus is naturally more towards Scotch. That might account for a somewhat limited and generic approach to bourbon.
Bourbon also tends to have limited availability and is (IMO) overpriced in the UK for the age statement and quality on offer. This would be another factor in our amateur status if that's what you're getting at.
Hope this helps.

If I was being controversial I could say that a lot of whisky drinkers view bourbon as a bit of a One Trick Pony as your compatriots and Paul Simon would say. But I'm not. So I won't. Oops I maybe just did.;)
 
Perhaps a lazy analogy but I see Scotch vs bourbon similar to ale vs lager. Sipping your way through a complex imperial porter is a wonderful thing, but sometimes a cold, hoppy lager is the best drink in the world.
As for amateur, pah, not with the hours I put in..

I like both; but bourbon for me is more of a summer evening drink with a large block of ice... I don't drink it all year round like I do with whisky

Michters is my go-to

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00OVRKATY/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21
 
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I like bourbon but am a long way from professing that I'm an expect (not that I am for Scotch whisky either). I've think I've only got 4 bottles in at the moment (Angel's Envy, JD Gold, Gentleman Jack, 1792) - so pretty much a novice - so definitely interesting to hear advice. By comparison I've got maybe 60 or 70 whiskies, however I've got masses to learn their too!

We're visiting Glenlivet tomorrow as part of my daughter's 30th birthday celebrations, but today we had a really nice visit to a small gin distillery called Persie Gin, and that was excellent. We sampled 7 gins and a vodka as well as having a tour of their interesting little distillery.

172086806.gdI0LGzo.pg01.jpg


172086810.vGAZdBhw.pg05.jpg
 
Prying into my Bourbon?
Amateur what?
I'm struggling to understand your point but:
I'd be surprised if any of us were professional as we tend to drink weekends and the odd weekday evening.
Also, this is a whisky thread on a mainly UK-based forum so our focus is naturally more towards Scotch. That might account for a somewhat limited and generic approach to bourbon.
Bourbon also tends to have limited availability and is (IMO) overpriced in the UK for the age statement and quality on offer. This would be another factor in our amateur status if that's what you're getting at.
Hope this helps.

If I was being controversial I could say that a lot of whisky drinkers view bourbon as a bit of a One Trick Pony as your compatriots and Paul Simon would say. But I'm not. So I won't. Oops I maybe just did.;)
"Amateur" is a French word, in its original language it means literally "one who loves" and is used as English speakers use " enthusiast ". I suspect that the post above is from someone who has English as a second language and is using "amateur" in the French sense.
 
"Amateur" is a French word, in its original language it means literally "one who loves" and is used as English speakers use " enthusiast ". I suspect that the post above is from someone who has English as a second language and is using "amateur" in the French sense.
Fair point...his profile page says "USA" though.
 
I like bourbon but am a long way from professing that I'm an expect (not that I am for Scotch whisky either). I've think I've only got 4 bottles in at the moment (Angel's Envy, JD Gold, Gentleman Jack, 1792) - so pretty much a novice - so definitely interesting to hear advice. By comparison I've got maybe 60 or 70 whiskies, however I've got masses to learn their too!

We're visiting Glenlivet tomorrow as part of my daughter's 30th birthday celebrations, but today we had a really nice visit to a small gin distillery called Persie Gin, and that was excellent. We sampled 7 gins and a vodka as well as having a tour of their interesting little distillery.

172086806.gdI0LGzo.pg01.jpg


172086810.vGAZdBhw.pg05.jpg

Steve, the design of the vertical column would make a splendid retro valve amp.
 


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