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I'm more a wine drinker, but I prefer a Highlands scotch...Glenmorangie, with water, as the Scots do.
I have a friend who loves Ardbeg. EEK.. To me it's like licking ashtrays, so peaty! Never saw Glenfiddich or Johnnie Walker on any bar the whole time I was in Scotland.
Most likely because you didn't ask for it or couldn't afford it. Last pubcrawl I did in Edinburgh in the mid 1990's is when I developed a taste of the Johnny Blue and Fiddich.
Both are the most expensive production Scotch whisky you can buy. Now if you have 10k you can get a 50year Glenfiddich.
Johnnie Blue is the perfect example of price not always equaling quality. I've had it several times, last one was at a Johnnie tasting in Sherman Oaks, CA, nothing about it has ever stood out to a degree where I could fathom spending $200.00 plus on a blend. There are better Scotches that cost more - and better Scotches that cost less. I could spend more on a Macallan 25 and it's definitely better, or less on an artisan Whiskey like Compass Box Hedonism, and that's better too IMO. Heck, I'd even take a Sprinbank 10 over Johnnie Blue. This isn't anything negative towards Johnnie Walker, it's just that some brands taste better, some of those brands come from Johnnie Walker themselves (I prefer the Gold and Green to the Blue as well).
I love scotch! I have a bottle of the Laphroaig pictured. Great stuff. Although, if you don't like strong flavors you best proceed with caution. I think diluting it 2 to 1 with water is too much. Maybe 1 to 1 but just start off slow and and a bit more until you like it. My buddy loves it undiluted.
Yes, the glencairn glass is the best for drinking whiskey, actually most spirits.
I have not had the blue label JW but I have heard its overpriced. I do agree the green label is very good, RIP.
My favorites:
Sheep dip 1990 old hebridean (not the regular one). I think its discontinued but if you can find a bottle, wow! This is a vatted malt. They took three single malts (ardbeg, fettercain and dalmore I believe) that were around 20-25 years old and then married them in fresh casks for about 15 more years, crazy! The end result is really outstanding and a great value for the money. I think I paid $70. Try buying a 40 or even a 20 year old whiskey for that.
The laphroaig 10 cask strength. A Peat monster.
Aberlour A'bundah. Spicy, sherry and cask strength...yum.
Bruichladdie Laddie. Creme brullee, butterscotch, some spice, very nice.
Bunnahbain 12. Thick, a bit smokey, a little sweet, nicely balanced.
I dont care much for the Glenlivet 12. It's too boring for me. It like scotch on training wheels.
The glemorangie is a bit better but a little too floral with not enough spice for my taste.
I'm glad it will soon be Friday night, I'm thirsty!
Also, older scotch is not always better, even though I raved about the 30+ year old sheep dip. The aberlour a'bundah is young but great(7, 8 years old I think). While the glenlivet 12 is older but boring. I also just went too a tasting and had the Bunnahbain 12 which I enjoyed more than the 18 and more than the Deanston 30 year old (same master distiller).
This is a vatted malt. They took three single malts (ardbeg, fettercain and dalmore I believe) that were around 20-25 years old and then married them in fresh casks for about 15 more years, crazy!
I thought the term "vatted malt" was quite useful, as a way of distinguishing a whisky that was blended from malts only, from what had always been called a "blended" whisky, in which grain spirits were added. It was part of my stock in trade as a bartender to tell customers about the little details like that.
Imagine my surprise when the Scotch government banned the term "vatted malt" three years ago and replaced it with the term "blended malt."
"In the case of Scotch whisky, blended malts do not contain any whisky made from grains other than barley or spirits distilled using continuous distillation, unlike products labelled as "blended whisky."
For the Scotch whisky industry, the terms vatted malt or pure malt have been reclassified as blended malts under the Scotch Whisky Regulations of 2009, and it has become unlawful to label Scotch Whisky using the prior terminology."
A single malt scotch for me.
All I want is water, barley and yeast. thanks.
Under the terminology established by the SWR 2009, a "Blended Malt Scotch Whisky" is a mixture of Single Malt Scotch Whiskies, not a mixture of malted barley whisky and non-barley whisky. The term "blended malt" was previously called a "vatted malt" under the prior labelling conventions.
I thought the term "vatted malt" was quite useful, as a way of distinguishing a whisky that was blended from malts only, from what had always been called a "blended" whisky, in which grain spirits were added. It was part of my stock in trade as a bartender to tell customers about the little details like that.
Imagine my surprise when the Scotch government banned the term "vatted malt" three years ago and replaced it with the term "blended malt."
They've been battling this for so long, unfortunately, the SMWS has such pull that they can get away with this nonsense. Putting a vatted malt like Compass Box in the same class as something like Johnnie Walker is a travesty, they are clearly in two different classes. The powers that be think differently though, as far as I'm concerned, I'll never recognize them as being in the same class, it's ridiculous.
Also, older scotch is not always better, even though I raved about the 30+ year old sheep dip. The aberlour a'bundah is young but great(7, 8 years old I think). While the glenlivet 12 is older but boring. I also just went too a tasting and had the Bunnahbain 12 which I enjoyed more than the 18 and more than the Deanston 30 year old (same master distiller).
That Bunna 12 is so fruity, I had to look at the label to make sure I was drinking an Islay. Good stuff, just different. I haven't had the Deanston 30, just the 12 year, which wasn't bad, just more earthy, which I guess is a good thing since that distillery is supposedly self sustained. I'll always give them props for that.
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