Whisky Bouze

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I searched, I did, I really searched!

My papa gets a bottle or five of Glenfiddich every year. If I have to buy him another one, I think I'll scream. Perhaps he'd like to try another one? Seeing as I've never drank my Glenfiddich myself (despite drinking their brandy/vodka/GIN as a yoof I ph34r3d to go near the Special Stuff), I have no idea of it's quality - rawtiness, tang, BOUQUET ect ect. Therefore: recommend me a good whisky that isn't too much of a departure from Glenfiddich but nice enough so I can drink some too.

And talk about whisky! NUM.

― Sarah (starry), Monday, 24 November 2003 12:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Not Old Grouse.

― Sarah (starry), Monday, 24 November 2003 12:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Laphroig (sp?)

― MarkH (MarkH), Monday, 24 November 2003 12:25 (twenty-two years ago)

isn't that an armagnac?

― the surface noise (electricsound), Monday, 24 November 2003 12:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Surely Laphroaig might be a bit too rawty? Everything the interweb tells me about Glenfiddich is that it is k-k-k-bland! Coo-ee.

― Sarah (starry), Monday, 24 November 2003 12:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Try Millroys in greek st, soho, they have every whisky imaginable for every budget, (i,e, minitures up to we found this barrel at the back of our cellar, not be touched for 200 years you can a a thimble full if you give us your house)

Talisker is a personal favourite, normally around £20 a bottle, sometimes less if you get lucky. Lovely smokey, peaty flavour.

― Ed (dali), Monday, 24 November 2003 12:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Glenfiddich tastes unlike any other single malt. It's weird.

You could try him on some of the more straightforward easy malts, mind. Glenlivet, Strathisla and Dalwhinnie are all very drinkable and unlikely to make him go urgh.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Monday, 24 November 2003 12:29 (twenty-two years ago)

The macallan port, sherry, and other finishes are very good, much more well rounded, smoother, thicker whiskies. Often available down the pub for sampling purposes.

― Ed (dali), Monday, 24 November 2003 12:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Hmmm perhaps I might have to have a sampling night :)

Which are good WHISKY pubs?

(Hem hem note to self DO NOT HAVE SIX PINTS BEFORE STARTING THE WHISKY).

― Sarah (starry), Monday, 24 November 2003 12:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Possibly also Jura, but it's got a slightly buttery greasiness to it which isn't to everyone's taste.

Laphroiag is a no-no I reckon, as are Talisker, Caol Ila and Ardberg. All nice whiskies (except maybe the last - the one bottle I ever had was excessively dettol flavoured), but a bit too rorty for yer soft and gentle fellow.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Monday, 24 November 2003 12:33 (twenty-two years ago)

IIRC the Bloomsbury on New oxford st has an alright selection of whiskies.

― Ed (dali), Monday, 24 November 2003 12:34 (twenty-two years ago)

The Toucan on Soho Square is excellent for whiskey (like 100+ different types), but I don't know of anywhere equivalent for whisky.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Monday, 24 November 2003 12:34 (twenty-two years ago)

I of course shall need some whisky scholars (ok ok pissheads) to accompany me on this WhiskyHunt.

WHISKYFAP = DEATH.

― Sarah (starry), Monday, 24 November 2003 12:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh Ricky you "made-you-look" type person.

― Sam (chirombo), Monday, 24 November 2003 13:06 (twenty-two years ago)

(Just kidding - the whiskey/whisky thing is my favourite useless fact.)

― Sam (chirombo), Monday, 24 November 2003 13:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Bruichladdie would be a good one Sarah, not too fiery, but very very tasty. Scapa is another good general drinking whisky.

― chris (chris), Monday, 24 November 2003 13:13 (twenty-two years ago)

I second Scapa. Oban is a decent middle of the range Dido among whiskies - or alternatively, why not show no mercy and get hima Laphroaig anyway? If he doesn't like it then he might give it to you, and it's k-delicious.

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 24 November 2003 13:16 (twenty-two years ago)

what is the Busted of whisky?

― mark s (mark s), Monday, 24 November 2003 13:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Bruichladdie! He might get that one just so I can say "eeey, bruich laddie"! Barry, I am still trying to get through my own bottle of tasty laphroaig (me and Katie at lunchtime decided laphroaig is "TCP with class") first!

Busted of Whisky = MAKERS MARK!

― Sarah (starry), Monday, 24 November 2003 14:09 (twenty-two years ago)

(Yes I know, before you say anything :))

― Sarah (starry), Monday, 24 November 2003 14:10 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.royalmilewhisky.com/

For all your mailorder whisk(e)y needs...

― elisabeth k, Monday, 24 November 2003 14:25 (twenty-two years ago)

could you get him goin on bourbon? my fave is Wild Turkey "Russell's Reserve" (unfortunately unavailable from the site above, or indeed any UK high street shop, apparrently, so NEVER MIND) (i used to go for Dickel until they SOLD OUT to DA MAN)

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 24 November 2003 17:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Might work, but most big scotch whisky drinkers I know don't really go for bourbon ('cept in biscuit form, obv, haha). The taste is v different.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Monday, 24 November 2003 17:43 (twenty-two years ago)

not as different as Glenfiddich is from Laphroaig!

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 24 November 2003 17:47 (twenty-two years ago)

laphroig is infused with the socks of scottish crofters.

― Ed (dali), Monday, 24 November 2003 17:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Jim Beam strains his bourbon through a pair of those same crofter-socks, which he carried intact across the Atlantic with him; it is the sea-salt of that ocean passage that lends his bourbon its distinctive tang

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 24 November 2003 18:02 (twenty-two years ago)

i highly recommend glenrothes. gave a bottle to stepbrother last xmas and it was a big hit. his grandma couldn't get enough of it, as "nothing's as smooth as this!" and ended up a bit stumbly. i think it is used in many blends, including cutty sark

― ron (ron), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 02:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Whisky suxx, bourbon roxx, u r all gay.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 02:50 (twenty-two years ago)

WA state liquor stores website has a product search page which always makes me smile, one of the product dropdown choices is "Industrial Alchohol". Yes, I'll take a 10 gallon tequila, please.

― lyra (lyra), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 05:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Your general Oddbins counter staff are very good with their whisky knowledge, and they sell the delightful Scapa.
The Glenlivet is very similar to glenfiddich, but a little classier, and very smooth. But mind you don't get confused with any of the other Glenlivets. The name is very sought after, as it implies class and quality, others use glenlivet in the name (it's the name of the valley, or the river/stream, can't remember which) but only the Chivas whisky can be called 'The Glenlivet' and they make a HUGE deal of it.

― Vicky (Vicky), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 10:28 (twenty-two years ago)

The re-emergence of the Ed sock meme leads me to believe that he has some kind of foot fetish and is in violent denial.

― Tim (Tim), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 10:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Well ahem half the point of this is so I can drink some too so he's not getting bourbon. I went to a more specialist bouze shop yesterday and tried to chat to the nice man. I was told "everything is good", which lead me to believe he thought I was a heathen who should BUY SOMETHING OR GET OUT! GET OUT GET OUT!

They did have rose petal vodka though.

― Sarah (starry), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 11:23 (twenty-two years ago)

I'd suggest going to a big Oddbins when it's quiet. They're normally pretty knowledgeable about the whisky and more than happy to try and flog you something nice. You might even be lucky enough to get given a snifter of 35 year old cask strength Balvennie, like I did from the nice man in the Oxford Oddbins.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 11:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Also, some branches of Oddbins used to do tastings for not much money. Not sure if they still do, but it might be worth a look.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 11:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Cor any suggestions? No idea of any Oddbins apart from the one round Oxford Street and Brewer Street.

I still think a good whisky pub should be found.

― Sarah (starry), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 11:53 (twenty-two years ago)

The scotch Malt Whisky Society have their own bar, but I'm not sure if they let mere mortals in. I went to one of their whisky tastings, and ended up buying a £37 bottle of cask cambeltown, and it's absolutely gorgeous

http://www.smws.com/about/members.html

If you wanted to splash out, their tasting notes are very good, and everything is amazing.

― Vicky (Vicky), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 12:00 (twenty-two years ago)

sheep dip

― ron (ron), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 13:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Scotch - the water of life and Scotland's national drink. The word is never used to describe the people of Scotland - they are "Scots", not Scotch or Scotsman not Scotchman!

― smee (smee), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 14:10 (twenty-two years ago)

That's a quote, maybe it should be on the grammar thread....

― smee (smee), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 14:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Never listen to a Scotchist.

― Sarah (starry), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 14:22 (twenty-two years ago)

I was a bit surprised that they called themselves the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, as it can perpetuate that myth of calling Scottish people Scotch.

― Vicky (Vicky), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 14:23 (twenty-two years ago)

I think they are trying to pretend they are from Scoltand....

― smee (smee), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 14:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Tis the whisky that is Scotch, not the society.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 14:31 (twenty-two years ago)

It's confusing they're the society for Scotch, but not just scotch, scotch that is malt, hence the scotch malt whisky society. Headquarters are in Edinburgh, so they're scottish as well

― Vicky (Vicky), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 14:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Maybe they like any kind of whisky as long as it's made with scotch malt?

― Tim (Tim), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 14:35 (twenty-two years ago)

There shoul be a / then, tis misleading!

― smee (smee), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 14:38 (twenty-two years ago)

I can't see how a / would help, unless you've been drinking the stuff for a while.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 14:40 (twenty-two years ago)

but the malt isn't necessarily scottish....

there was an interesting piece in the Observer the other sunday, the japanese have always been extremely interested in Scotch and the making of it, and have always tried to make their own back in japan. Apparently they have finally succeeded, and made a malt whisky (after abandoning clinical japanese methods and copying traditional Scottish ones),that is very tasty indeed, and I contemplated buying some to try it, but it was over £40 a bottle.

― Vicky (Vicky), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 14:40 (twenty-two years ago)

sarah, you'll find details of oddbin stores in the west end here: http://www.oddbins.com/storefinder/StoreResults.asp?Location=West%20End%20%26%20Central%20London

There's a limited choice to buy online, but they come with amusing tasting notes, such as 'marmalade'

― Vicky (Vicky), Tuesday, 25 November 2003 14:55 (twenty-two years ago)

nine months pass...

cor!

― cºzen (Cozen), Friday, 17 September 2004 20:09 (twenty-one years ago)

I also heard that they've just started making whisky in Wales.

― MarkH (MarkH), Saturday, 18 September 2004 15:38 (twenty-one years ago)

In the isle of mann they make colourless whisky.

― Ed (dali), Saturday, 18 September 2004 15:53 (twenty-one years ago)

In Wick their houses are heated thanks to whisky.

― Alba (Alba), Saturday, 18 September 2004 16:04 (twenty-one years ago)

one year passes...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4752164.stm
A distillery on a west coast island is preparing to produce the "world's most alcoholic single malt whisky".
Managers at Bruichladdich on Islay will use an ancient recipe to distil the whisky four times and produce an alcohol content of at least 92%.
Bruichladdich believes it will be akin to a drink described 300 years ago by travel writer, Martin Martin.
Managing Director Mark Reynier said the distillery was doing it as a bit of fun and it was unlikely to be repeated.
Tasting note
He said: "We are doing this because we have this ancient recipe and therefore we can.
"It is unlikely that we will ever produce any more quadruple distilled malt again, so we expect it to become much sought after."
In his 1695 travel book, The Western Islands of Scotland, Martin Martin refers to a quadruple distilled whisky known as "usquebaugh-baul" and wrote what is probably the world's oldest whisky tasting note.
He said: "The first taste affects all the members of the body: two spoonfuls of this last liquor is a sufficient dose; and if any man should exceed this, it would presently stop his breath, and endanger his life."
The secret lies in the drink being distilled four times - usually malt is only distilled twice.

Master Distiller Jim McEwan said: "The whisky produced will be around 92% alcohol.
"It should be very similar to the whisky tasted by Martin when he came to the island. It will be very floral, but most importantly it will take your breath away!"
Whisky usually has an alcohol content of between 40% and 63.5%.
Just twelve barrels will be made on Monday at lunchtime.
Bruichladdich distillery was mothballed by the American multi-national Jim Beam in 1994.
It was purchased in December 2000 by a group of private investors.
The distillery was built in 1881 by William Harvey and his brother.
The original Victorian machinery, painstakingly restored over six months, is still used.

Most importantly it will take your breath away
Jim McEwan
Master distiller

― Last Of The Famous International Pfunkboys (Kerr), Sunday, 26 February 2006 14:24 (twenty years ago)

At lunchtime? That is a strange little article. Martin Martin said too that usquebaugh-baul was made from oats.

― Paul Eater (eater), Sunday, 26 February 2006 18:20 (twenty years ago)

one year passes...

i am not going to drink any whisky

― That one guy that hit it and quit it, Thursday, 10 January 2008 23:17 (eighteen years ago)

I am going to drink all the whiskies.

― milo z, Thursday, 10 January 2008 23:24 (eighteen years ago)

yeah, me too :(

― That one guy that hit it and quit it, Thursday, 10 January 2008 23:24 (eighteen years ago)

one year passes...

If they still have it at that one place in Tupelo, I'm going to celebrate the completion of house painting, roofing and repairs with a bottle of Lagavulin.

― Beanbag the Gardener (WmC), Thursday, 2 July 2009 17:27 (sixteen years ago)

five years pass...

Well shit. Cork broke in the bottle. When I tried to get the remains out with a corkscrew, it disintegrated and fell into the whisky.

In drunkard's desperation I strained the contents of the bottle through a coffee filter, rinsed out the bottle and poured it back in. A fair portion was lost in this process, curse it all.

Any good tips on viable short-term alternatives to a cap? I don't have any other bottles (or caps) lying around, so will take a trip to the store and see if they have extras tomorrow.

My current solution is the sort of goofy shit you'd probably see in an old Sierra text adventure game. I cut out a piece of coffee filter, put the remaining top half of the cork in it, then shoved it into the bottle, the filter ensuring that no further loose bits of cork will fall in. Snug. I have no idea if having paper in the bottle overnight will have any effect on the whisky. (a Laphroaig quarter cask, btw)

― July retires into a shrubbery. (Øystein), Monday, 25 May 2015 21:49 (ten years ago)

whisky takes a long time to oxidize so even if you left it uncovered it would probably be alright for a few days

the effect of pouring solvent through a coffee filter is probably more likely to cause deleterious effects

― serene manish (nakhchivan), Monday, 25 May 2015 21:58 (ten years ago)

afaik ingesting a few tiny pieces of cork won't hurt anything, would rather do that than run whisky through a coffee filter

― ultimate american sock (mh), Monday, 25 May 2015 22:01 (ten years ago)

Well damn, shoulda posted first, I guess. It doesn't taste off to me right now, I'm happy to say.

― July retires into a shrubbery. (Øystein), Monday, 25 May 2015 22:09 (ten years ago)

that stuff is 48(?)% abv and so strongly flavoured you could probably put half a glass of castor oil in it without noticing

the last laphroaig i had was that new one laphroaig select or whatever which was fine but not as good as the 1/4 cask or the 10yr old

― serene manish (nakhchivan), Monday, 25 May 2015 22:13 (ten years ago)

my friend left some laphroaig open for about five minutes and his home smelled like a bog mummy

― ultimate american sock (mh), Monday, 25 May 2015 22:28 (ten years ago)

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