Which Whiskey

[Tandum]

I'm not a real Whiskey drinker even though I'm of pure Scottish Heritage.

However we brought back some Talisker Skye Single Malt from a recent trip and with a drop of water and ice, it's a really really nice drop.

What other labels are the whiskey drinkers out there pouring?

This Talisker Blue label is around $80 a liter duty free.
Not sure what it goes for here.

[alocky]

Talisker is my personal favourite- it's the only one from Skye. See if you can get your hands in the 18 year old, it's occasionally available from vintage cellars, but I get it online from whiskes of the world in the uk.
Sláinte- Andrew.

[rustigsmed]

yes the talisker 16yo is nice, the dark storm is alright.
if you like a smokey flavour go with a laphroaig or ardbeg. non smokey i like a Glenmorangie quinta ruben or nector d'or.

[AstroJunk]

If you are enjoying Talisker, then try the Islay malts too - Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Bowmore etc. Lots of peaty loveliness there.

My palette has mellowed over the years and I am more of a Speyside fan now. Much easier on the tongue:P

[Renato1]

I tend to like the Highland, Lowland and Speyside Malts best - which means I'm not that fond of Islay whiskies such as Caol Ila (tastes like boot polish to me) and Talisker (tastes like whisky with a small amount of boot polish to me), even though I unfortunately own them. Talisker Skye I like better than Talisker (less boot polish). Lagavulan and Oban 14, are pretty good too.

Islay whiskies are considered the real man's drink because of all the smoke and peat.

Though the whiskey that I really strongly dislike is Glenfiddich - I tend to give it to friends to drink at card nights.

Recently I discovered Johnny Walker Green Label which is always on sale everywhere. It is a mix of four single malts (including Caol Ila). Every other mix of single malts I've bought tasted dreadful, but Green Label surprised me.

Anyhow, the link below gives you a good idea of the various types of whiskies, though its classification of Glenfiddich mystifies me (perhaps because there isn't part of the diagram labelled "nasty").

And before anyone chimes in to highlight the fact that I have previously stated heretical views here - yes, I only drink them straight as a taste test every now and then. Most of the time I just mix them with Pepsi Max.
Regards,
Renato

http://www2.malts.com/index.php/en_gb/content/view/full/263

[Tandum]

Cheers Guys. I found a Vintage Cellars not far away. Time to let the moths out of the wallet :)

[pluto]

+1 for peaty Islay malts.
Love Laphroaig 10 and Lagavaulin 16 as regular drinks, usually neat.

Also I've recently fallen in love with a bottle of Lark Cask Strength I got on a recent trip to Tassie - just for occasional consumption when I pour a double, drop in a small ice cube, wait for it to melt, and then it's perfect ;)

[el_draco]

Anything from Lark distillery in Tassie. Even the Scott's say it's amazing.

[Troy.k]

+1 on the Lark I have the distillers selection very nice just neat.

[ZeroID]

Ardbeg, Auchentoshen ( the Three Wood in particular), Old Pulteney if you want some real whisky. The Old Pulteney is 'salty', the distillery is on the coast.
(Whisky is the Scotch variety, Whiskey is the USA stuff )
Glen Rothes is another nice wee dram.
I'm steadily working my way through my Whisky Book testing them all. It's a tough life but someone has to do it... :D

Pepsi ... you have to be joking ... a few wee drops of water to 'cut' the nose is all it gets.

[Stonius]

If you liked the Ardberg, give Laphroaig a go. Many of those Islay whiskies are really peaty. Lagavulin is another one in a similar vein.

Cheers

Markus

[OICURMT]

Never use ice, cold water is ok.

Reason: Water tends to pick up aromatic elements from the freezer they are in, consequently can impart offset taste / nose that "taints" the original whisky. You'd be surprised how much you can taste in ice from your freezer unless you have all of your food items well sealed.

BTW: Bowmore 17 ... if you can find it.

[ZeroID]

Been there, done those and the Bowmore 10, 12 and 17 year old. It just get smoother as you go. Highland Park is good, a bit like the Talisker 10 yr.
I have several samplers of the Glenrothes and the Ardbeg special editions. Came in gift packs. Glenrothes is one of the few distillers that do vintage whiskies, ie single barrel selected from one year. Been through from 1992 to 2004 so far, have to wait for the rest to be released.

Dunedin in the South Island is purported to be the most Scottish City outside of Scotland. There is a restaurant there that has over 300 single malts plus about the same in blends. They also sell kilts . .. I've spent a couple of evenings there just testing\tasting. Got talking to some fellow from somewhere and we bounced off each others recommendations..
Funny, can't remember his name though ... wonder why ? :P

We have a 3 litre water jar in the spare fridge, sealed lid. Loses it's 'piped' taint, almost like Branch water to drink.

[Rodstar]

For those who want to take the Blue Pill and see how far the rabbit hole goes, sign up with the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (https://www.smws.com.au)

They only release cask strength single barrel expressions. You will never look back. I have been a member for about 2 years now, and pretty much everything else commercially available pales.

[Weird1]

Was very blessed to be given a bottle of Timboon Whiskey from

http://www.timboondistillery.com.au/#!shop/ch9g

and I can you tell that it is a very nice drop and I have had lot of whiskies from around the world, compliments of my late father who was very much a whisky drinker. Look up the site via the above link and order a bottle. If you are the sort of person who mixes whiskey then Timboon is not for you, it is better straight.

Cheers Keith:cheers:

[RickS]

I tried Laphroaig 30 recently :eyepop: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: Perhaps a little expensive for a daily tipple :)

[ab1963]

I prefer the Irish stuff ,Bushmills 10yr single malt /Black Bush are the ones in my price range , very smooth to drink ,there is older vintages but the price starts to go up considerably .

[Stonius]

I've been getting into the bourbons lately (the kind you don't mix), with Maker's Mark 46 topping the list so far. Any recommendations for less common whiskies of the Bourbon kind?

[Renato1]

Have you tried the fairly common Beam Bonded?
I don't like it much, and neither does anyone else I've spoken to. But apparently it is made in the style that used to be popular in the 1950s.

I find it interesting to think that the current style can be so different.
Regards,
Renato

[graham.hobart]

I've just been on a taste adventure to discover what my tastes are -
I have tried and really liked a Glenmorangie Original 10 yr old- very smooth, a Lagavulin 16 yr - quite peaty and smoky, and a Laphroiag 10, also smoky etc
on my list is a Glenlivet 18, a Balvenie 12 double wood and a Dalwhinnie 15.
I have gone more towards the rich, delicate flavours as although I like the peaty ones, I find the less peaty more drinkable.

:cheers: Graz in cloud land Tas.

[pluto]

There's a special 8 year Lagavulin around at the moment, which they're producing for just one year to commemorate an 8 year they produced a couple of hundred years ago or something. If you like the 16 give it a go :)

This one: https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/32558/lagavulin-8-year-old-200th-anniversary yum!!

[mental4astro]

I've come to notice that those folk who enjoy peaty, smokey Scotches are very much a niche group. You either like the smokiness or you don't.

I'm not big on spirits, but I do like big flavours. Smokehead (http://www.smokehead.com) - now that's a slap in the face big flavour, and has lovely more delicate notes in the aftertaste. I really enjoy this single malt, but no one else does - great for me! :D

Very much depends on what I've been eating (or not) as to the immediate and aftertastes that I experience. Has meant that some drops that I enjoyed first time I wasn't too impressed with anther time, and vice-versa.

[pluto]

I love a peaty scotch, I might give that one a go!
How would you compare it to a Laphroaig 10 year? (which is my benchmark for peaty)

[mental4astro]

Smokehead is a monster by comparison! :lol:

[graham.hobart]

The Laphroiag ten was certainly peaty- it was a nice sipping whiskey where as I found the Glenmorangie a Moorish drop at the scope!
Smokehead is now on my radar too!!:thanx:

[pluto]

Thanks Alex, think I'll give it a go :)