Whisky

[cutting42]

What's the Port Charlotte MRC:01 all about
compared to the standard bottling?

I actually don't know the std bottling at all but I tasted the MRC:01 in Tomaka Spirits in St Albans a couple of years back and it blew me away and had to have a bottle, well I have had 3 now, 59.2% alcohol so needs water adding IMO but it is a current favourite. Very heavy peat with a touch of sweetness which I normally don't care for but here it just adds to the complexity.

 

[cutting42]

I am surprised to see Jack Daniels on that list only because my one taste of it saw me handing it back to my chum. Now the aforementioned chum is a serious heavy metal fan and is almost religious in his devotion to certain things Rock oriented including JD, ‘the drink of rock’ according to him. He only ever drinks it with coke and now I understand why, it really was not to my taste drunk neat which is how I like whiskey.

On the subject of how many bottles you have open at any one time, how long can you realistically expect an opened bottle of whiskey to be OK?

I really don't mind a neat JD but its main role is for guests who ask for a scotch on ice and it amuses me to see if they can tell they are not getting one. Oh and for cocktails as well.

I have had bottles open for many months and not noticed any degradation

 

[hifilover1979]

What's the Port Charlotte MRC:01 all about
compared to the standard bottling?

For one it's more cask strength; 59% compared to 50%

Have a read; plenty of interesting info on there: https://www.bruichladdich.com/port-charlotte-heavily-peated-whisky-range/

 

[Barrymagrec]

Opened Whisky bottles will stay good for a fair time if still reasonably full but that last half inch in the bottom of the special bottle you have been keeping for years won`t be as special when you come to drink it.

 

[hifilover1979]

Opened Whisky bottles will stay good for a fair time if still reasonably full but that last half inch in the bottom of the special bottle you have been keeping for years won`t be as special when you come to drink it.

Yup; been there, done that, cleaned the kitchen sink with it

 

[SteveG]

I am surprised to see Jack Daniels on that list only because my one taste of it saw me handing it back to my chum. Now the aforementioned chum is a serious heavy metal fan and is almost religious in his devotion to certain things Rock oriented including JD, ‘the drink of rock’ according to him. He only ever drinks it with coke and now I understand why, it really was not to my taste drunk neat which is how I like whiskey.

The standard JD is definitely not a sipping whisky in my opinion but some of their other ones are. I like Gentleman Jack and that's usually pretty cheap (I tend to use it with mixers but it's fine neat) and the Gold is definitely a good sipping whisky.

I like Jameson’s and their Black Barrel is very moreish. I also like the less smokey Scottish malts but my limited contact with Japanese whiskey has left me unimpressed, however I have only tried a few. I currently have a Cotswold Whiskey which is not bad, apparently their aged ones are pretty special. I live in Oxfordshire so it’s a Royston Vasey variety of whiskey - ‘local whiskey for local people’.

On the subject of how many bottles you have open at any one time, how long can you realistically expect an opened bottle of whiskey to be OK?

I've got about 20 bottles open at the moment, some of them for a few years, and haven't seen any particular issue with the ones that have been open for a while. Might be beyond my palate to detect though!

 

[SteveG]

For one it's more cask strength; 59% compared to 50%

Have a read; plenty of interesting info on there: https://www.bruichladdich.com/port-charlotte-heavily-peated-whisky-range/

I don't have the MRC:01 (yet) but the standard Port Charlotte is very nice.

 

[Snufkin]

The standard JD is definitely not a sipping whisky in my opinion but some of their other ones are. I like Gentleman Jack and that's usually pretty cheap (I tend to use it with mixers but it's fine neat) and the Gold is definitely a good sipping whisky.

I've got about 20 bottles open at the moment, some of them for a few years, and haven't seen any particular issue with the ones that have been open for a while. Might be beyond my palate to detect though!

Thanks, that’s useful to know. I tend to limit it to three or four bottles at a time, perhaps I should be more adventurous.

 

[hifilover1979]

I don't have the MRC:01 (yet) but the standard Port Charlotte is very nice.

The standard is very good. Only tried a very small nip of the MRC and bar it being a bit more of a kick, couldn't really see where the extra £40 is...

Personally the standard is good enough; I'd stick with that

 

[Hoopsontoast]

My usual budget is around the £50-£60 mark, maybe up to £80 if its something I really want to try. I think the most I've paid was ~£100 which was the Bunnah 18 & Port Charlotte OLC:01 IIRC.

Its mostly Islay malts for me, usually a selection of Bunnahabhain (Totieach a Dha & PX Cask) Caol Ila (12, DE & 18), Port Charlotte (MRC/OLC), Ardbeg (Uigeadail/Corryvreckan). Also a couple of other Diego Distiller Editions in the Oban & Talisker.

I do like a Sherried Islay!

 

[Sue Pertwee-Tyr]

I don't have the MRC:01 (yet) but the standard Port Charlotte is very nice.

I've had both. Started with the Port Charlotte, then because I'd really enjoyed that, I treated myself to an MRC-01 when I'd finished it. They're different,and the MRC-01 is more complex, but I'll probably get another bottle of the regular Port Charlotte at some point, or maybe go for the Islay Barley expression.

 

[clivem2]

I get the Jack Daniels mentioned higher up...with plenty of ice it's a good drink for a certain sort of mood.

My current favourites which I re-purchase are:

Springbank 10
Springbank 15
Hazelburn 10
Redbreast 12
Yellow Spot
Laphroaig Cairdeas

Sherry or peat bombs are fun occasionally but over time have a too dominant flavour for me, I buy the occasional bottle, eg Glendronach Revival 15. It's been while since I've bought a Lagavulin, Ardbeg or Caol Isa; I used to drink nothing but Islay but with age my tastes have changed and I find I'm more taken by what I'd call traditional flavours, Springbank / Hazelburn do this for me big time. The Laphroaig Cairdeas with subtle port & wine notes is a wonderful dram with great complexity.

I buy plenty of one-offs which I enjoy and then buy something else. I always have a favourite also open too.

 

[Weekender]

The standard JD is definitely not a sipping whisky in my opinion but some of their other ones are.

I picked up one of these on offer at £25 :
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001GLID4M/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21
And one of these at £42 : https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B077PMM1C2/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21
Barely scratched the surface with them...the Single Barrel Strength is quite something! Water on hand...

From my open bottles I have repurchased Bunnahabain 12, Ardbeg 10 and Laphroaig Quarter Cask and will definitley replace my Springbank 10. I was pleasanly surprised by the Glenfiddich 12 as an everday dram.

 

[stevec67]

I picked up one of these on offer at £25 :
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001GLID4M/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21
And one of these at £42 : https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B077PMM1C2/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21
Barely scratched the surface with them...the Single Barrel Strength is quite something! Water on hand...

From my open bottles I have repurchased Bunnahabain 12, Ardbeg 10 and Laphroaig Quarter Cask and will definitley replace my Springbank 10. I was pleasanly surprised by the Glenfiddich 12 as an everday dram.

I was given a Gentleman Jack this Christmas, it's very nice. I'm not normally a fan of American whiskey but I'm impressed. So far I've had it straight and as an Old Fashioned, both good.

 

[SteveG]

I picked up one of these on offer at £25 :
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001GLID4M/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21
And one of these at £42 : https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B077PMM1C2/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21
Barely scratched the surface with them...the Single Barrel Strength is quite something! Water on hand...
Of the open bottles I have I have repurchased Bunnahabain 12, Ardbeg 10 and Laphroaig Quarter Cask and will definitley replace my Springbank 10. I was pleasanly surprised by the Glenfidd

The barrel strength does look interesting - I might well pick up a bottle of that at some point. I bought a bottle of the Gold at an airport in the Middle East (I think it was about £70, when it's usually £85 or so here) when I was bored and that is good, although only 40%. With that barrel strength being well over 60% then I'm not sure how I would drink that - although I bet it'd make for a very nice JD & coke.

 

[SteveG]

I was given a Gentleman Jack this Christmas, it's very nice. I'm not normally a fan of American whiskey but I'm impressed. So far I've had it straight and as an Old Fashioned, both good.

I used to think JD was a bit crap until I got introduced to Gentleman Jack when I was over in the US a few years back, and since then I'll have pretty much always have had a bottle in the house, especially as it's cheap enough (and it's often available for £20-25) to use with mixers.

 

[gintonic]

I actually don't know the std bottling at all but I tasted the MRC:01 in Tomaka Spirits in St Albans a couple of years back and it blew me away and had to have a bottle, well I have had 3 now, 59.2% alcohol so needs water adding IMO but it is a current favourite. Very heavy peat with a touch of sweetness which I normally don't care for but here it just adds to the complexity.

I like Tomoka Spirits, the guys that run it are very knowledgeable. Have (or perhaps had) a nice cocktail bar. Have delivered many a bottle of gin here (we are a few miles from there). Their gin tastings are excellent, as is their ticketed gin festival.

 

[Weekender]

With that barrel strength being well over 60% then I'm not sure how I would drink that...

Very slowly!

 

[mjw]

@stevec67, my suggestion of Caol Ila was based on what I’d read rather than a qualitative judgement - and you’re quite right about the ‘special’ iterations. Ditto Laphroaig Select. It’s only OK, even at its modest price.

 

[raysablade]

My notional limit is £150 but no more than two in twenty is close to that and recently only older 21 plus Arrans fall into that category.

Of the remaining 18, 3 would be around £50 for things like Glen Scotia 15, 5 around £35 such as Arran 10. The remainder would be everyday drinking and around £25, things like the BBR blends.

I think there is quality at every level and the older stuff needs to extra special to justify the extra cost. It is a testament to the quality of Arran 23 that i would not swap it for 6 £25 bottles.

My problem is the remaining third of a bottle of the Tamdu 1962 I was bought for my 50th birthday nearly 10 years ago. It is beautiful stuff and so delightfully special that it has been easy to eke it out. A similar replacement is possible but I cant justify the thousands it would cost, that is a little sad.