Single Malt Scotch Whisky

[Tony]

I scored a 1 liter bottle of Quarter cask for $85 at duty free. Very happy with it. Not as peaty as some but a great drink.

Dave:

Quinta Ruban.

Its not as smooth as a well aged malt but has a delightful full flavour of chocolate and leather.

For a cheaper good single malt, you cant go past the Bowmore 12 year or the Cragganmore 12 year.

Bowmore is dry and peaty.
Cragganmore is full and caramel heaven.

I keep these two on the shelf at all times as a cheaper (under $70 a bottle) sipper. 10 times better than most of your $50 blends!

I still havnt tried anything to rival the Port Ellen!

cheers

 

[davewaldo]

Thanks guys, you've given me a few to look further into. The Cragganmore sounds interesting....

Can't wait for my Quinta Ruban to arrive :icon_drool2:

 

[peas_and_corn]

Hi Everyone, only just saw this thread!

Since my recent visit to Scotland I have really fallen for Single malts. When I was there I went into a Whisky shop which sold nothing but single malts and told them "I know nothing, educate me". Well, the next 2 hours were one of the highlights of my whole trip! The lovely (and knowledgeable) young lady preceded to give me tastes of many, many different whiskies. Starting with clean mellow highland malts, working through the lowlands and ending with the intense Islands, specifically the Islay varieties.

We stopped with the islays because thats where I fell in love. We tried the Ardbeg 10, 15 & 18. The 18 was amazing but apparently the Ardbeg Uigeadail was even better but they didn't have any for tastings. So I went next door to a whisky bar (over 150 malts) and ordered a dram of of the Uigeadail.

WOW! An amazing drink. Cask strength, a blend of vintages some older than 25 years, some young and different woods. It had more character and smoothness than the 18 despite more alc. So I went back and bought a bottle.

With this bottle I have started my collection. I'm just waiting for my second bottle for my collection which my sister is bringing back from Scotland; a Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban. I'm yet to taste it and was glad to see some people here enjoy it.

How would you describe it Tony, Peas&Corn, anyone?

Anyways, I just thought I'd share the fun I had recently in Edinburgh, oh and ask one question... What do you guys think would be a good third edition to my collection. I'm looking perhaps for something a little cheaper that I can drink more often.

Cheers,

Dave.

Ardberg is just fantastic, and in general I must say that I love a peaty scotch.

The Quinta Ruban is a really enjoyable scotch- the port barrels give it an interesting flavour, with notes of chocolate and mint floating around. However IMO scotches are really in the tasting as it's really hard for me to get across exactly what I like about scotch.

On the weekend I had a few glasses of Laphroig ( Isle of Islay ) Quarter cask.....

Little bit of ice and , boy , was it peaty, ( compared to the Wild Turkeys I also hade on ice )very nice, but not something I could drink all day...Great night cap

I have the Hart bros bottling of the La Phroaig 18 year, it is heaven.

 

[manticle]

Not affordable but if you like laphroaig and ardbeg you will most certainly love lagavulin.

 

[peas_and_corn]

Yep, a vote form here on that one as well.

So many scotch, so expensive...

 

[brettprevans]

laphroaig & lagavulin should be high on your must buy and try list. bench marks in their own way.

 

[mwd]

Where you find Lagavulin here not seen it in local Dans or First Choice.

Seems to be pretty rare in most of the worlds duty free too considering it is owned by United Distillers and Cao Ila is found in most stores.

 

[zebba]

Talisker 10 YO is a mighty fine drop for the price. Best in the region of $60, IMO, and whilst not "technically" an Islay it has a similar flavour profile.

Personally though, I think the best "bang for buck" single malt is The Glen Livit (a Speyside I think, def. not an Islay). Better then many bottles that are double the price, IMO.

 

[brettprevans]

Where you find Lagavulin here not seen it in local Dans or First Choice.

really? sure you looked hard enough? next time ask. they should have it. My local first choice has it. Vintage Cellers always stocks it. its pretty freely available. a little less so after the distillery burnt down but they are distilling again.

Talisker 10 YO is a mighty fine drop for the price. Best in the region of $60, IMO, and whilst not "technically" an Islay it has a similar flavour profile.

talisker is a top drop. very nice indeed.

 

[mwd]

Talisker 10 YO is a mighty fine drop for the price. Best in the region of $60, IMO, and whilst not "technically" an Islay it has a similar flavour profile.

If you like Talisker ( Isle of Skye) you will probably like Isle Of Jura and IOJ Superstition.
Subjective but similar to Islays without the strong smokey peat flavours which are the distinctive taste of Islay malts.

 

[zebba]

If you like Talisker ( Isle of Skye) you will probably like Isle Of Jura and IOJ Superstition.
Subjective but similar to Islays without the strong smokey peat flavours which are the distinctive taste of Islay malts.

Thanks for the tip. I've steered clear of them because I'm an incredibly cynical person and the distinctive marketing turned me off. That and I know someone who buys it regularly to drink with coke. :icon_vomit:

 

[manticle]

Don't blame their heathen ways on a very fine drop.

 

[brettprevans]

sitting here sipping away at a laphroaig right now. iodine and salt and ... :icon_drool2:

 

[drsmurto]

sitting here sipping away at a laphroaig right now. iodine and salt and ... :icon_drool2:

Am a bit of a single malt pleb. Having tasted any of the old stuff that a lot of you have been teasing me with, but do like talisker, laphroaig and currently have glen livet (easy drinking but nothing special) and highland park (yet to open).

I think I prefer the really peaty stuff but I've got a lot to learn!

This thread has got my xmas wish list started!

 

[zebba]

currently have glen livet (easy drinking but nothing special)

My love for The Glen Livit is purely bang for buck. You can pick up a bottle for $40 pretty easy and at that price it is one helluva drop. Heaps better then Glenfiddich (same price). Heck, I've got a $100 Glen Farcla 15 that I got as a pressie and The Glen Livit kills it, IMO.

Put a Talisker and a Glen Livit on the table in front of me and no question - Talisker all the way. But for $40, I'm yet to find anything better.

 

[manticle]

Glen Moray's not bad. 37 ish at DM's if you can find it. I agree on the Glenlivet 12 yr though - consistency and affordability are its winning features and it's hard to beat.

The 18 yr old is delicious.

 

[mwd]

Drinking James S Amber with a Lasanta chaser works quite well.

 

[petesbrew]

I love scotch, but am uneducated in what to buy. I do like Strathisla, but my price range usually lies under $50.
Gotta sort out what to get on the way back thru Duty free from OS.

 

[Steve]

Interesting story today on ABC News:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11...?section=justin

Cheers!
Steve

 

[petesbrew]

Okay it's not scotch, so I've gotta correct myself everytime I go to pour myself a scotch, I mean, Whisky.

Prebought for pickup on arrival back to oz. 1L Bushmills Black Bush Irish Whisky and 1L Cointreau for $62. Bargain.
The Bushmills goes down beautifully. The Cointreau? Still have to finish my last bottle. Absolutely LOVE that stuff.

Saw in Bangkok Airport 1L Bombay Sapphire for $23. Problem is, the whole LAG restrictions. You can only take up to 100ml in carry on baggage. F##ken terrorists need to be kicked in the arse for that one.