Any One for a Scotch? - Page 116

Ok ok. Sounds pretty good, so I will not get a shock while I taste it :) Will give this a try aswell.

So the CC Balvenie was sold out when I went to buy some today, so I picked up the HP 12 and really like it. It also came with a small sample of the HP 18...I have a feeling that this is going to become an expensive habit. Even my wife loved the Highland Park.

Talisker is Isle of Skye and as such it shares some of the same attributes as the other island malts--lots of peat and maybe some iodine and salt.

In some quarters (and on its label) Macallen is touted as a "Highland malt" but really it is one of the better Speysides. As such it has little or no smoke...peat reek. I had an 18 at an Easter brunch one year and ever since I have always called it my "breakfast dram". Sweeter and very easy on the palate. The only Speyside I've found that I like as well (and I've not tasted them all) is Craggenmore 12...some even consider it the best Speyside but as I say I don't have all that great a sample to compare to.

Aberlour A'bunadh cask strength.....here's my one smiley review:

The jump from the 45-50% ABV whiskys that I'm used to up to the 60.3% of the A'bunadh is quite noticeable. Stuff tastes great out of the bottle, but add some water and everything definitely opens up.

I'm a fan of it!

BTW For the MaCallan I discovered the reason why I enjoyed the 12yr I recently purchased much more than previous 12yr MaCallans. This one is the Sherry cask advertised as a Speyside.

Previously I must have had the fine oak 12yo, which is advertised as a highland.

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I read somewhere that, in some quarters, Speyside is considered part of the Highlands. I suspect it depends on who you're talking to and what their agenda is. I got a GlenGoyne 17 for Christmas. It touts itself as a Highland malt but it is nearly the epitome of a Speyside--sweet, almost fruity, and no peat reek at all.

Not bad, but I'd take a HP over it in a minute.

From what I understand, Speyside IS in the highlands region. The difference being that Speyside distilleries reside near or along the River Spey, thus, giving them their own category (and flavor profile?). I think it was just a way to further differentiate amongst the Highland distilleries as those cover the largest surface area and can vary quite a bit.

(If you knew that already, then ignore me)

Well yes, I guess that's the rationale but Speyside is divided into five regions and has roughly 46 distilleries (more than 50% of all the distillers operating in Scotland) and yet few if any draw their water from the Spey or any of its tributaries.

My only reservations is that Speysides have a very distinct flavour profile as compared to most Highland malts. Speysides are known for having little or no smoke...a note I like, personally...whereas Highlands generally have enough peat reek to make itself known in the dram. So whether The Macallen is technically in the Highlands, or better classified as a Speyside (which by flavour profile it definitely is) seems moot. It strikes me as a little misleading is all. I expected some smoke in the Glengoyne but there was none.

Check out this website:http://www.scotchwhisky.com/english/about/malts/regspey.htm you may find a lot of interesting information and not just about Speyside.

hibiki 12, 17, and 21 scored.

Now searchign for hibiki 30

Something that people may find interesting:

A Classification of Pure Malt Whiskies

It breaks down a bunch of the categorizations of different scotches by geography and by taste characteristics. Kind of neat. Also has a good map showing where all the distilleries are. Very academic

Honestly it's no skin off my teeth if folks want to discuss these whiskies but they are not Scotch. (see title of thread)

As I understand it, legally Scotch must come from Scotland and must be aged in wood in Scotland for no less than three years.

Just sayin'...

Quite true. But, I don't know where else they would be discussed--they are certainly Scotch in spirit, if not in letter

that was my dilemma

 

an expensive hunt :) one i'm unable to take at the moment. i'd love to see a pic when you do have it