A new, sober, thread about single malt scotch whisky thread.

[NAD]

Why complete the bid on a Chili's in Barstow that I'm in the middle of when I can talk about booze?

These are the three bottles I have in me cupboard right now:

<-- entirely accidental proportionately sized rankings

The Dalmore is pretty good, much better than Glenlivet 12 year and eons above Johnny Faggot Walker Black, for a similar price. The Balvenie Doublewood was my favourite scotch for a long time, even better than a bottle of 15 year I had last year for substantially less money. The Oban 14 year though... oh my. That is an absolutely marvelous drink, and good thing because I've never spent that much on one bottle of booze. I'm not sure what my next bottle will be, but these three are still half (or better) full, so it might be some time. I finally had some Macallan that I enjoyed (14 year), but that shit is so god damned expensive I cannot justify a full bottle, especially because I was quite disappointed with one of their more affordable types.

I have learned two things in the past several years of becoming a scotch snob: do not mix with anything other than some water, and more importantly, DO NOT USE ICE CUBES. It took me ages to understand that second one, about the same amount of time it took to realize that most dark beers are simply NOT meant to be consumed chilled.

Finally, since I know Necromunchkin and perhaps Lies and Perfidy will wander in here:

Only perverts put ice in single malt Scotch. While I don't doubt that the results can occasionally be palatable, ice destroys the structure of single malt Scotch.

That whole thing about putting a single cube of ice into a Glenlivet? That's for tourists. Glenlivet is a "starter" Scotch anyway -- I use it to cook with. (the exception is the quite marvellous Tomintoul Glenlivet, which at 12 years old was fucking nectar.)

Yes, you should use spring water in single malt Scotch -- if it's more than 40% vol. If you're putting water in a Scotch of 40%, then don't kid yourself -- you're making a children's drink. A splash of spring water goes into cask strength Scotches, to open them up (and you should also try it neat, too).

No such worries with American whiskies -- things like Jack Daniels were designed to be drunk over ice. If you like American whiskies, and haven't tried them already, I recommend looking for Maker's Mark and particularly Knob Creek.

Jameson is a reasonable Irish whiskey, but you should really try Bushmills or (my favourite) Black Bush, if you haven't already.

 

[NAD]

Thread title brought to you by the Department of Redundancy Department.

 

[Krilons Resa]

Macallan 12 is good. Lagavulin 16 absolutely RULES. Highland Park is great. Glenlivet sucks. Dalmore is not bad. Dalmorainsuigiggrw/e is pretty damn good. Drink that shit neat nikkuh...or just a drop of spring water to open it up a bit. It really does make a difference. I'll be black.

 

[General Zod]

I believe my cousin was waxing poetic about the Oban last week. Although I've not tried to many single malts, I've yet to find one that tastes of anything but iodine.

In respect to the quote from Warren Ellis... someone should tell him that putting sour mash whiskey in the same sentence with a straight whiskey bourbon, is no different than referencing blended scotches and single malts, as if they were the same thing.

Zod

 

[Krilons Resa]

The ABSOLUTE best bourbon you will EVER have in your entire life. Guaranteed.

It truly ranks up there with some of the fine single malts. Simply astounding.

 

[Reign in Acai]

You want to own and operate a Chili's? Details.

 

[Necromunchkin]

Glenkinchie (orhoweverthefuckit'sspelled) is good. Lagavulin, as per the mighty Doomcifer, is fucking awesome. I love Balvennie and Dalmore both, I have a bottle of each sitting next to my humidor.

I still swear by MacAllan 18 year (if you want to pay the price). It's petey and very heavy-bodied. Much better than the 12, and I love the 12.

Blackbush IS the most enjoyable Bushmills (although 10 year single malt is delicious too). I've never added ice to Scotch, so I have no clue how it tastes. I'll use it with my Irish Whisky just because I kind of dig how mellow it really gets on ice. Unless we're talking Middleton or Jameson 18 year, and then nothing but air touches it.

 

[NAD]

You want to own and operate a Chili's? Details.

No, I'm bidding the faux stone that gets mortared onto the side of it for some general contractor, because that is what my exciting job dictates that I do.

 

[Demilich]

Could someone please elucidate the difference between scotch and other whisk(e)y for me?
I tried telling someone (probably swizzlenuts) that it was just a mark of origin and he said no but couldn't explain...

I await your tactful and informative replies.

 

[Susperia]

The ABSOLUTE best bourbon you will EVER have in your entire life. Guaranteed.

It truly ranks up there with some of the fine single malts. Simply astounding.

I can't tell if he's black or white.

 

[Demilich]

For a second there I thought Cara was actually gonna post about whisky.

 

[Krilons Resa]

Scotch whisky is whisky made in Scotland. In the United States, it is often referred to as "Scotch". In Britain, the term whisky is usually taken to mean Scotch unless otherwise specified.

Scotch whisky is divided into four distinct categories: single malt, vatted malt (also called "pure malt"), blended and single grain.

..

 

[Demilich]

So Swizzlenuts was fucking wrong? I knew it!

 

[Krilons Resa]

Understanding a Scotch whisky label

Like most other labels, the Scotch whisky label combines law, tradition, marketing, and whim, and may therefore be difficult to understand. Because of variations in language and national law, the following is but a rough guide.

Scotch whisky labels contain the exact words &#8220;Scotch whisky&#8221;; &#8220;Whisky&#8221; is sometimes capitalised. If the word &#8220;Scotch&#8221; is missing, the whisky is probably made elsewhere. If it says Scotch &#8220;whiskey&#8221; or &#8220;Scottish&#8221; whisky, it might well be counterfeit.

If a label contains the words &#8220;single malt&#8221; (sometimes split by other words e.g., &#8220;single highland malt&#8221, the bottle contains single malt Scotch whisky.

&#8220;Vatted malt,&#8221; &#8220;pure malt,&#8221; or &#8220;blended malt&#8221; indicates a mixture of single malt whiskies. In older bottlings pure malt is often used to describe a single malt (e.g. &#8220;Glenfiddich Pure Malt&#8221.

The label may identify the distillery as the main brand or as part of the product description. This is most likely the case for single malt. Some single malt whisky is sold anonymously or with a fictitious brand name. This does not indicate quality, but successive bottles may be completely different. The only reliable way to identify the distillery is to use a reference.

Alcoholic strength is listed in most countries. Typically, whisky is between 40% and 46% abv. A lower alcohol content may indicate an &#8220;economy&#8221; whisky or local law. If the bottle is over 50% abv it is probably cask strength.

Age is sometimes listed as well. If a bottle is, say, 12 years old, then all the whisky in the bottle was matured in cask for at least 12 years before bottling.

A year on a bottle normally indicates the year of distillation and one cask bottling, so the year the whisky was bottled may be listed as well. Whisky does not mature once bottled, so the age is the difference between these two dates; if both dates are not shown the age cannot be known from the bottle alone.

 

[Demilich]

Very informative, thank you.

I have never tried a single malt scotch, just some blended stuff that was ok.

Today I have some Wiser's canadian whiskey in my room that is decent over ice.

 

[E-bortion]

im writing down all of this shit. me likey scotch. so far ive only messed around with glenlivet though.

 

[Tide In Mind Out]

im writing down all of this shit. me likey scotch. so far ive only messed around with glenlivet though.

we've still got a little bit of that left from the meat party. it's waiting for yooooouuu.

 

[Demilich]

can i come?

 

[Tide In Mind Out]

butt of course!

 

[NAD]

Could someone please elucidate the difference between scotch and other whisk(e)y for me?

You feel Scotch in the sinus, and bourbon tastes like wood. That is what both do to me anyhow, in very simplistic terms.

I tried to make up something funny to say about Irish whisky, but I couldn't. Sorry.