A Good Spirit To Try?

[Brad Churchill]

Again + 1 to this.

However the 15 YO Solera Reserve is an altogether different experience and if you can get that for a good price well worth it.

Glenfiddich 12 is easy to drink but the blandest of the single malts in my opinion.

There are better SMs for the same price or less. The idea of trying a few glasses before springing for a bottle is a good one.

 

[stef]

Also, for the discerning drinkers out there- i think i would probably prefer a kind of toffee/caramel etc sort of flavour rather than a smoky one... Any hints?

 

[Bizier]

I will second the Hendrick's and cucumber w/ tonic, the Zubrowka and apple juice, and also the Appleton rum.

Even if you get a bottle of something cheap and easy going like Jameson, or the drops mentioned above, you can dip your toe in to see if you like whisky/whiskey. If you can dig it, move up to more expensive and complex drops.

I have my own cocktail that I order occasionally when out, especially if there is no decent beer. I get equal parts Havana Club Reserva or similar and cola with a couple of ice cubes, squash a decent wedge of lime and drop it in. Has a nice balance of tartness, sweetness and rumminess. The tastiness and low volume makes them a little dangerous.

Patron is over one hundred dollars here, which is ridiculous. Tequila prices here make me want to cry.

 

[Bizier]

Also, for the discerning drinkers out there- i think i would probably prefer a kind of toffee/caramel etc sort of flavour rather than a smoky one... Any hints?

You could look at bourbons, which are very toffee/caramel, and some of the sweeter Scotch styles. Stay away from Islay whiskies for the minute.

 

[manticle]

Also, for the discerning drinkers out there- i think i would probably prefer a kind of toffee/caramel etc sort of flavour rather than a smoky one... Any hints?

Generally the speysides.

Arbelour, Macallan 12, Glenfarclas 8 and if you want to spring for the extra - aberlour a'bunadh

 

[np1962]

Stef,
Something that opened my eyes to the taste of different whisk(e)y's while I was in Ireland was tasting Irish, Scotch and Bourban side by side.
For me I can't go past Bushmill's Irish Whisky, of any variety, Black Bush is a good starter.
You need to make the long trek to your nearest bottlo grab a few half bottles then settle in for a night of tastings. Cellarbrations has to be what? 100metres away?
Nige

 

[stef]

Stef,
Something that opened my eyes to the taste of different whisk(e)y's while I was in Ireland was tasting Irish, Scotch and Bourban side by side.
For me I can't go past Bushmill's Irish Whisky, of any variety, Black Bush is a good starter.
You need to make the long trek to your nearest bottlo grab a few half bottles then settle in for a night of tastings. Cellarbrations has to be what? 100metres away?
Nige

100m? Ha, try 35! They dont really have too much there though. Mostly wines. Dan murphys is about 3 mins away and 1st Choice about 2 mins away. Yes, i'm well situated!

I might write down a list of those which sound nice and try to find the smallest possible bottles so i can buy a few of them to compare.

Thanks!

 

[Hatchy]

If you want to try a few then the Wheaty is probably yr best bet mate (except for having to get home somehow obviously).

 

[Tony]

Im a big fan of single malts...... expecially the nice peaty ones. I have quite a collection with bottles over $400 to $500 in the ranks........... but.........

If i wanted something to start with id recomend a fine Irish whiskey!

Jameson 12 year is wonderful as is Tullamore Dew 12 year. The Tullamore Dew 12 year special reserve has some sherry cask aged spirrit mixed in with it and they adds a bit of sweetness to it which is devine.

All available at Uncle Dans for around the $50 mark whick is a lot cheaper than a good single malt......... you can get a single malt at this price but its not worth your money....... why drink **** single malt when you can drink wonderfull Irish Whiskey!

my 2c

 

[Cocko]

If you wanna go straight to the top, lets say as compared to someone who has never tried beer and you recommend a SNCA....

Expensive yes but you get what you pay for.. you would try: Bakery Hill Something unpeated would be the absolute upper echelon...

Anyway, 2c.


:icon_cheers:

 

[mwd]

A bit of a +1 here Tony I am enjoying a Jameson Special Reserve 12 year. Goes well with beer and has a kind of sweetish aftertaste.

The 15year Solara Glenfiddich may be a bit out of the OPs price range but has a nice honey like sweetish finish and the caramel. It is also very smooth which is dangerous as you tend to drink way too much of it.

For beer and whisky lovers a beer with whisky chaser is like apple pie and custard they just go together the malt from the beer sets up for discovering the subtle notes of the malt whisky.

 

[Tony]

personally if i found a $100 bill on the street........ id get a bottle of 16 year lagavulin or 10 year laphroaig...... but its not to everybodys taste

 

[Screwtop]

Simple, a Ron Zacapa Rum from Guatemala.

Maybe the 23yo Solera Gran Reserva

Screwy

 

[InCider]

If you really want to take your tastebuds for a ride...

Legend has it that Mel, in his efforts to keep costs down and revenues up would save all the leftovers from the night before and pour them into a single container. Port, brandy, wine, you name it, Mel saved them all and experimented with various brewing techniques. Dr. Jurd's Jungle Juice was created. This was eventually followed by a "spirited" marketing campaign. But, you could only obtain this special drop at Mel Jurd's Wollombi Wine Bar, which stands by the old convict built Great North Road about 100 miles north west of Sydney town. The product has remained the trademark for the establishment ever since.

 

[Eater]

Can also try the gift packed spirit samplers, giving a wide choice range, low volume outlay, at not much more than a single (decent) bottle cost.

But yes so far for my own personal tastes Manticle and Tony are delivering great choices.

 

[dcx3]

http://www.tasmaniadistillery.com/componen...p;category_id=7
I got given a bottle of this from one of my closest mates out of the blue just a thanks for being my friend thing.
Im not an expert by any measure but i loved this and was happy to try an Aussie brand.

 

[browndog]

Chartreuse green.

View attachment 44832

Ahhh that takes me back Bribie, but I don't think it is as strong now as it was back then.

 

[browndog]

If you really want to take your tastebuds for a ride...

jeez, I know that stuff well too Incider, way back when we used go on day rides up to Wollombi to sit in the pub and down a few with some very nice scenery.

 

[roo_dr]

Oban 14yr - if you can find it after the global shortage...

Leave Islay until your mouth knows what it is doing.

 

[DJR]

Surprised nobody has called Highland Park 12yr yet - good balance, sherry cask, bit of smokiness, definitely a good single malt to start with, should start about 60-65 at Dans but sometimes you can find it cheaper (duty free is 1ltr for about that price). I'd have recommended most speyside scotches 10 yrs ago (6 yrs ago i drove down the spey river and stayed in Dufftown, was awesome), but almost none of them use sherry cask anymore, the Macallan we get is all ex-bourbon cask now and it's just not the same.

But as a start maybe try an Irish - triple distilled and very smooth for the price. JW black as well (shudder) as a simple go-to scotch with enough flavour and smoothness for the price.