Any One for a Scotch? - Page 137

That's truly awesome.

It was unreal. I had an incredible, incredible time -- my first trip outside the States, in fact. I brought home only two whiskies, but they are whiskies I really adore and cannot buy here at all: Royal Lochnagar's distillery bottling, and the Mortlach Flora and Fauna. I really had no expectation of finding either, and the RL was ~ $30, and the Mortlach at about $65, too! There were many, many, many wonderful bottles at the $120 and $200 price range, including the Tomintoul 44.

 

~ H

 

Sounds like a great trip with many awesome whiskies. I've never been to Tokyo, but would love to find any excuse to go. I love sushi, so I would love to try Sukiyabashi Jiro for the experience.

Drooling. Another good reason to go back to visit Tokyo.

What do you think of the mortlach flora and fauna? I have a bottle and count it among the best I've had

Great pics and write up, H. Glad you had such a good time and such good Scotch.

 

I encourage you to go if you can swing it. I never anticipated going to Tokyo (which is odd, for a variety of reasons), and only went as a good friend of mine was there so I went to visit (way cheaper, of course, if you don't have hotel bills), and I was really amazed. I'm glad, in a way, that my first international trip was to somewhere so different.

 

I really don't eat sushi, because I live in the middle of nowhere and don't really trust to the fish, but I ate a very decent amount of sashimi while in Japan, which was excellent. Also, being of Ukrainian descent and thinking of horseradish like candy, I loved me some real wasabi! That stuff is awesome.

 

I would love, love, love, to go back.

 

 

 

Mortlach is my favorite whisky -- I have not had the F&F in several years as I can't get in in the States. Sadly, most of the independent Mortlachs are not that great, though I have an Old Rare Malts Mortlach 22 which is the best I have ever tasted. Really looking forward to opening the F&F -- will do so once I get over this cold, and will do a comparative tasting with my other Mortlachs (I think I have like seven or so).

 

 

Thanks, Piob. Awesome place; hope you consider going sometime. I had some really incredible and beautiful cocktail experiences, too.

~ H

Certainly sounds like a great experience. It's on the big list for us but my fiance wants to visit a couple other places first. We generally do a good bit a traveling every year, so I'm hoping we can get it in sooner rather than later.
Edited by SkinnyGoomba - 3/24/13 at 10:44pm

I picked up a bottle when I was in Scotland last year. Let me know how it compares to the others. I'll be looking to buy a new bottle when its done for (which might be soon) and would be curious what you would advise.

Have any of you tried this? Looks pretty neat if you really know what you like.

http://www.masterofmalt.com/blend-your-own-whisky/

I made one with very old Islay, sherried Highland and sherried Speyside. It came out to 85ish pounds. I like it, but I wouldn't do it again. Its pretty expensive for what you get.

 

 

I'm enjoying it right now. Did a quick tasting with the rest of my Mortlachs. The F&F was #2 against the Old Rare Malts Mortlach 22 which just blows my away. I also have Rattray 19 (unopened), A G&M aged in d'Yquem casks which is tasty, but a bit weird balancing the beefiness of the malt with Sauternes' sweetness (absent the rot, it would never work), a Signatory, and A G&M 10 in Port casks which I don't think is that great. I'll open the Rattray before either the F&F or the ORM is done.

 

I'll also provide better notes at some time, just enjoying it tonight: Here, the F&F with its other Mortlach siblings

 

 

~ H

Tokyo has great prices too, considering we're halfway around the world.

I just picked up Miyagikyo 10y for 3900y during a drunk midnight Don Quijote Roppongi trip the other day. I think it's normally near twice that, which is why I've never had it in my rotation before. Yoichi 10y is better and slightly cheaper, but a bottle of Miyagikyo at that price I wasn't going to pass up.

What the hell happened in here?

So, I started drinking this stuff around November, and feel I have a good feel for what i like now. I've tried TONS, most of which I liked, but few I loved.

The LOVE list:
Laphroaig QC, TW, 18, 10 (Cad. is just ok)
Balvenie CC14, Single Barrel 12, Portwood 21
Powers John Jane

LIKE a lot:
Tyrconnell Sheery and Madeira
Knappogue Castle
Lagavulin 16 & DE
Port Charlotte Peat Project
Oban 14 (like it better than the 18 and DE)
Linkwood 17
Jamesons 18
Bowmore 15
Talisker 18
Talisker DE
GM Nectar D'or
Caol Ila 10, 12 & DE (think I like the 10yo best)


M'eh:
Glenfarclas 17
Highland Park 12 & 18 (which I loved at first)
Auchentochin 12
Ardbeg 10
Macallan 12
Bowmore 18
Jura
Anonc 16
Old P 12

You guys see anything missing here that is a must try I haven't sampled yet? I think my next shot will go to Campbeltown, Springbank. Is the 18 worth the premium?

Anything new hitting shelves that you guys are stoked over?

Rob, give Aberlour A'bundah a try.

My go to's recently have been Talisker DE and the Aberloud A'Bundah.

I like the sherry, port, and sauternes cask scotches a bit more in the summer and the heavy peat scotches more in the winter.