Any One for a Scotch? - Page 88

I'll check out cask of dreams. Not that it means anything, but the backstory behind cask of dreams is uber lame.

Shit on a stick you got a good wife...even if she overpays

all y'all got conned into buying glenfiddich's scraps blended into a fancy package

>spends fortune on shit-quality final distillate from silent stills

Yea, the story is dumb, though it's kind of nice that they reached out to the States like that. Generally, we are the redheaded step-child of the scotch world.

I generally hate on Glen, but I enjoyed Cask of Dreams. Snow Phoniex was very forgettable.

I thought that this year's Brora was pretty shitty, speaking to your second point.

diageo continuing to capitalizing on dumbasses like me... what else is new? well, the crap pe/broras i've been buying have been indies but still... doesn't make me any less stupid.

what's new with you, ama?

I buy them too...oh well. I've had much, much better luck with PE than Brora for what it's worth. A lot of the DL PE bottles have been very good. One of the newest ones to hit the States, the Duncan Taylor, however, was just terrible.

As for me, I've been a little more into rum recently, but it's not as fun as scotch as there isn't as much variation in it. What have you been up to?

Best thing you've had recently? For me, it was this: http://dandm.com/scotch-whisky/independent-bottlers/d-m-bottlings/bowmore-1984-28yr-lm.html though I did just crack open a L6 Oogie that is out of this world.

Park Avenue Liquors has a bottle of 30 year old Talisker right now for $315. I have a couple of bottles of 25 year old and I love that stuff. So, for you guys in the know, is the 30 better than the 25? I have heard that aging scotch ceases to actually improve the taste after a while and while the price goes up the quality goes down (but I guess the bragging rights go up). If the 30 is better than the 25, is it 150 bucks better than the 25?

The Talisker 30yr OB is the stuff of dreams (if you dream of Talisker), but I'd say it is priced fairly at best. There were crates of the 2005 25yr selling for less than $100 in NYC for a while... that was a fucking steal. As for aging, there's definitely a sweet spot for basically every cask out there (before it starts going downhill). I'd say it is universally true that the ABV and peatiness decreases over time, but the spirit can pick up other interesting characteristics.

Sadly, haven't been drinking much of anything lately. Just buying the occasional bottle here and there. I was in Germany a couple months ago and was debating between an Old Bothwell PE that was just released and a Talisker 20yr OB from a few years ago (both priced about the same). Came home with the PE but now I wish I bought the Tali. I went through a big tequila phase before I lost interest... maybe I will pursue better rums this summer. Lately I've been nerding out over coffee... which is a little sad. I'm sure my liver is happier tho.

how do you guys feel about putting scotch and/or whiskey in the freezer to cool it down w/out ice? one of my buddies suggested it and said its really good that way...

What are you looking for in terms of improving?

That pretty much sums up my thoughts on it. One of the Talisker 25s I have I got from that place that was selling it for maybe $89 a bottle. I'm figuring on $150 being about right for the Talisker 25, based on how I rate it compared with other stuff I have and what that cost. My favourite right now is a 25 year Laphroaig that I picked up at Heathrow about six months ago. That stuff is just divine, but probably cost more than the 30 Talisker. I also had a bottle of 30 year old HP that has now gone. The price I've seen that stuff for over here makes the 89 for the Talisker look just ridiculous and presumably the 315 for the Talisker 30 look reasonable.

I know that place is priced quite high, but they do have very interesting stuff in there at times. I may have to pull the trigger on this. One question though - what does "OB" mean there? All I can think of is "Old Bottling".

Warehouse Wines & Spirits on Broadway. Love that place!

Original (Distillery) Bottling

Going back and forth between Lagavulin 16 and Ardbeg uigeadail.

I get a big nose full of smoke from Lagavulin 16, and just an undertone of smoke from the Ardbeg, which is contrary to most reviews/tastings I have read.

I was under the impression that the L16 was a "beginner Islay" that wasn't too smokey or peaty and that the Ardbeg was the dangerous one, but my own experience has been the opposite.

I like them both a lot. I can't really enjoy the Ardbeg at 54% without mixing it 50/50 with water, at which point it is quite enjoyable. Without water it just burns out my nose and I can't smell a thing.

I think the L16 is a better whiskey.

Anyone else drinking these two and willing to compare ?

They are two Islay classics and imo, they are different enough to warrant having both open at once. Lag16 isn't really a "beginner" Islay in the sense that it might be mild, but it is often the first Islay SMS drinkers experience due to how accessible it is (I find it at the most abysmal bars).

Lagavulin doesn't go easy on the peat and smoke (I find the 16yr to be one of the "ashiest" whiskies out there), but Ardbeg in general may be seen as more "challenging" due to the stronger maritime influence (sea water, seaweed, oysters, iodine, etc). 50/50 water is a little extreme... I'd try watering down your next dram slowly/gradually until the heat is closer to Lag16's 43% ABV.

Anyway, both are quality whiskies, but the Oogy is a better value considering they're basically at the same price point. Just my 2 cents.