scotch suggestion

If you enjoy Aberlour, you could try a relatively inexpensive bottle of Glendronach 12. Aberlour's double cask ages in Douro sherry casks primarily, and Glendronach sits in Pedro Ximenez casks, which give it a good sherry nose (perhaps the most pronounced around) similar to Aberlour. Both are similar in profile to Macallan and other Speyside whiskies, but less expensive. Kudos to Andrew on his recommendation, too...Glenmorangie has worked hard to upscale its whiskies with some great success. The Quinta Ruban sits in American White Oak, and then for a couple years in Sherry casks, and has a great mint, chocolate and tangerine taste. It is actually not too expensive, either ($50-55 a bottle).

Of course, as you keep bottles like these, you naturally also want a good Ardbeg (Uigeadail is my favorite), Laphroaig (try the Triple Wood or Quarter Cask) or Lagavulin (the 16, under-appreciated IMO) around just in case you want your drink to knock you down from time to time. They're not for dessert, but for those late nights, especially when the weather turns (there's a reason the Scots invented aqua vitae; wards off the chill). In short, they are truly a man's drink.

All of these are under $100 US, but the problem is that, once you start expanding your palette, its tough to stop (as if we'd want to). Bob H

 

I'm glad you enjoyed it!

All the best,
Andrew.

 

Amazing personal experience with Forty Creek has led me to buy the limited supply version, 6600 bottles, of the Portwood Reserve. Also, the good words from the forum have got me to add the Laphroaig 10 to my collection.

Looking forward to tasting both of these soon. Must say it was a costly trip to the store though and got in some trouble for it.
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After trying a glass of Qunita Ruban at Andrews recommendation, I've now got a bottle of my own and it is really exquisite. The color is a vivid copper color, and the sherry flavors from the Oloroso sherry casks really give it a great complex fruity but not-too-sweet flavor for after dinner. Its my new favorite. The bottle was about $45 or so. well worth it for a sipping whisky. I now drink it only in a Glencairn glass with a spash of filtered water, and the aroma alone is half the pleasure. Thanks to all on this thread, you have really enhanced my appreciation and enjoyment of these whiskies, which can be a bit intimidating when you first get into them.

 

Had a glass of Macallan 18 last night and it was amazing. Was extremely smooth to drink and was perfect as lately I've been drinking a single malt and blended whisky.

I will have to pick up a bottle of this in the future.

 

Excellent - enjoy!

All the best,
Andrew.

 

Had two different drinks yesterday.
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Returning from vacation is almost always more fun for me than my wife, since I get a chance to see if there are any surprises on the spirits shelves in the duty free shops. I found two that are hard to get, so I spent even more time mulling over the decision.

The choice came down to an 1824 Estate Reserve Macallan (their 1824 line is only sold in duty free around the world, with the prices for their 4 1824's ranging from about $85 US to $2500 US; this one was about $240 US) and a hard-to-find Glenmorangie Extremely Rare (the title of the bottling) 18 year old. It is a 2010 bottling, and has won several international awards. At about $110 it was a good bargain (it is sold out in many areas and tough to find anymore). Since I had already exceeded my vacation budget, the nod went to the Glenmorangie.

If you like Macallan, Oban, Old Pulteney or other Highland Malts, you'll like this. They age it for 15 years in bourbon casks, then transfer a portion to Oleroseo Sherry casks for the last three years. The taste is light, but with vanilla, oak, light orange, and crisp rather than heavy. It warms you up without being harsh, and would be enjoyable neat or with a dash of water (with water, it opens up into more of a rum flavor in the aftertaste). As I sometimes say, why waste life driving slow cars or drinking bad whisk(e)y. Apologies if the jpeg is on its left side- my whisky acumen far exceeds my tech skills...

Best Regards, Bob H
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Hi Bob,

Thanks again for another great write-up.

Here's your rotated image.

All the best,
Andrew.
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You're welcome. Scotch tastes and preferences are one of those things folks seem to be reluctant to talk about, and for which there is a great wealth of knowledge to help enhance the experience. I enjoy learning, and also expanding my collection (to my wife's chagrin. She does, though, encourage me to sample a bottle when I get cranky). I have attendance at the Feis Ile one year on my bucket list, along with a return tour of Speyside to spend time listening to distillers talk about their craft. Anyone who does that inevitably turns into a whisky drinker once they understand the heritage of the different brands.

Thanks for rotating it to show the label. The jpeg was correct when loaded, and then it seemed to have its own "Inception" moment. Perhaps the bottle was just getting ready for its final resting position after I purloin its contents...

Bob H

 

The Glenmorangie sounds tasty!

Always wise to browse the duty-free, as there does seem to be a proliferation of "DFS-Only" editions. Balvenie 14 Carribean Cask was DFS-Only for a long time.

 

Just added this to the collection today utilizing some cross border savings. The 18 was a lot more than I expected. It wasn't cheap at the bar either but 260 a bottle at the local store.
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Macallan has a branding similar to that of Rolex (and Ferrari); even novices have heard of it, and it has a panache that conveys a status statement in many circles. Scotch has been gaining significantly in popularity in Asia, and there are now Japanese whiskys rating quite well in tastings. Macallan is also popular in Mexico and South America, so supply and demand is playing a part in their price rise. Amongst purists, the 18 rates well, but nowhere near the top of the charts. Nonetheless, its popularity continues to rise, thus the price rises accordingly. One trend Macallan is leading is the move away from age statements. Ardbeg has a history of naming their various bottlings, and it seems most will soon follow.

Regards, Bob H

 

Funny you would say that Bob because I don't believe it has that same level. I'd say the most popular brand in this neck of the woods would be Glenfiddich. I didn't buy Macallan because of the brand that's for sure. I enjoyed the 18 but am not as pleased with the 12. Regardless, it's now in my collection and will be enjoyed with good company.

 

Here is my updated bar menu and I'm looking for suggestions! Bob I would love to hear what you have for me that would add a unique twist to my collection. I'm looking for a bottle with a sticker of $100 on the top end but would prefer to keep it under $75.

I have a Grey Goose coming shortly and possible another Tequila addition.
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Thanks for the chance to provide ideas...

Looking at what you have, you might enjoy adding to your American whiskeys with a bottle of Whistle Pig 10, a rye whiskey that gets great reviews and is about $60-65. Another choice in this realm would be Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select, a bourbon for about $35.

For single malts, if you enjoy Laphroaig, their quarter cask is very good (and verrry strong). It is about $60-70 a bottle. Lagavulin 16 is one of my favorites of the Islay brands; generally at $60-70 a bottle. Another favorite for me is Ardbeg's Uigeadail at a similar price.

For a Highland/Speyside alternative to the Macallan 12, you can try GlenDronach 12 "Original" for about $50. It is a very good sherried malt (like Macallan). Another is Glenmorangie;s Nectar D'Or for $65-70. An Oban 14 would be another choice from that area, but it is a little more astringent and has a "dry" taste in the mouth (which some folks like, and which is like Vodka's effect in the mouth). It is $55-60 a bottle.

Going a little further afield, Redbreast 12 is an excellent Irish single pot still whiskey. I like it a lot, and it is generally available as an alternative to the Irish blends you have. It also runs about $60, and is worth the trouble to find a bottle.

That should keep you going for awhile...which, of course, is the point.

Best Regards, Bob H

 

Sorry, one more. Seeing your home locale, if you want a Canadian whiskey, my thought would be Crown Royal Special Reserve (or Reserve, same whiskey) for about $45-50. It doesn't look as cool as Collingwood, and is one of those old-school brands, but the Reserve was named as the Canadian Whiskey of the year in 2012 by Jim Murray, who literally writes the book. Besides, you get a really cool gold bag with this one...

Bob H

 

I have a tough time tasting the difference between Macallan 12 and Mac 18. What should I look for?

Are there ways to highlight the differences? (tasting a cracker or something prior to tasting the scotch?)

(I have no trouble differentiating whiskeys of similar vintages from the same maker.)

 

I think the 18 is smoother.

 

Re the differences between 12 and 18 year old whiskies...

Using Macallan as an example, but this applies to all whiskies.

Distilled spirits only age in the barrel, and not once bottled. When they come out of the still (or stills if they are multiple-distilled) all spirits are colorless. This is why you see American moonshine as clear, etc. The color comes from the cask or barrel in which it is aged.

Scottish whisky (and most other whiskies) is generally aged in barrels already used to age another spirit, usually bourbon, sherry or port. The type of barrel will determine both the color and the bouquet/taste of the whisky itself. Bourbon aging will have less color (like Balvenie) while sherry aging will impart more of a rose color and taste (like Macallan). The longer any whisky is in the cask, the darker it will become (which is your hint re undated bottles as long as they don't color it after casking).

A number of distillers also do finish aging, where the whisky spends most of its life in one barrel, and then is finished for 1-3 years in a second barrel to give better complexity in the finish (Lagavulin's Distiller's Edition is an example).

The longer a whisky is aged, the smoother it gets. The interaction with the wood during aging helps smooth the astringent and harsh tastes, and the period of time between 12 and 18 years seems to make the difference. 25 years is often the pinnacle for most brands, with some 30-40 year olds, all of which are usually smooth beyond imagination. Macallan seems to age especially well from the 12th to the 18th year, and their 18 is sherry casked, which imparts a flavor many find attractive. The harshness is gone, and the color is deeper and richer. They also sell a "fine oak" of various years, very smooth (like Highland and Speysides are) but without the sherry taste (these are getting good reviews, and the market seems to be moving that way).

One of the practicalities of aging is that evaporation occurs (this is called the Angel's Share) in all barrels. When you get beyond 25-30 years, evaporation becomes a real issue in re having enough left to sell.

Unless it is a single-cask bottle, older Scotch is also smoother and more flavorful because all casks of the particular age are blended together; the older casks have a better chance of aging well than their younger counterparts.

To taste differing whiskies, have spring water available, both for adding to the Scotch and to drink between varieties. The heavier Scotches benefit from a small splash of water because it opens up the flavor and helps diminish the peat impact. Drink some water between varieties to clear your palette and you're ready to go.

Bob H

 

Very informative. Thanks.

 

I've been looking to add the Crown Royal but have a nice Canadian Presence with the Forty Creek. I have to pick up a Confederation Oak as I prefer that over the Port wood bottle.

Edit: Just an addition I truly appreciate your knowledge on the subject Bob. I'm certainly much newer in the field of scotch, whisky, and whiskey, but have learned an immense amount just reading your posts.

 

Thanks! Sorry, I keep forgetting Forty Creek is Canadian. Its bottle appearance reminds me of Woodford Reserve, so I tend to think it is a Tennessee whiskey and miss it. It is an interesting blend of rye and corn malts, & I'll make it a point to find some to taste. Glad you enjoy the posts; I enjoy the whisky a lot more knowing the work and artisanship the distillers put into it. Regards, Bob H

 

Anybody here like "The Balvenie?"

I had it and an Oban tonight. Two very different tastes. One has lots of peat. (Peet?) (Oh for Pete's sake!)

 

The great debate, and divide, in scotch is the peat...

Balvenie is owned by Glenfiddich, but they have smaller batches and are reliably good. Like many of the Speysides, they are lighter and have none of the peat scent or taste. Balvenie uses Highland heather, which produces what folks usually describe as a "honey" or "honey-heather" taste. It is not sherried, either, which some like a lot (as compared to Macallan). The Balvenie 15 is consistently good, esp the single barrel 15.

Oban 14 is very popular; it is coastal Highland, and has an astringent or medicinal taste. That profile is close to what old-time traditional scotch drinkers recognize, so Oban seems to hearken back to that. It is more smokey than peat, and also has some of the sweetness of other Highland malts. It will almost always be rated more highly than Balvenie malts, mostly due to its complexity and traditional taste.

Just like wine, one thought when tasting is to go from lighter to heavier varieties (from Balvenie to Oban in this instance). Once you get strong smoke, or heavy peat, it's tough to clear it from your palate to go back to lighter drams. Balvenie, for me, is a great early evening drink, and goes well with pre-dinner snacks like fruit. I own it to serve to friends who like Scotch, but not the heavy ones. I find they enjoy the taste as opposed to the brands they usually find in much larger supply, like Glenfiddich or Glenlivet. Oban is more suited to after dinner with a cigar. It is also a great gift to a scotch drinker who knows his stuff, and who will appreciate that you do, too, by giving him this one (it's about $60 a bottle, so not to pricey, either).

As always, everyone has favorites and will enjoy different things. At the same time, there's nothing like the surprise of finding something you're not certain about, but which you then really enjoy. The secret is probably finding a lush like me and having some bottles with them to sample new brands and find new favorites.

Regards, Bob H