Any One for a Scotch? - Page 7

Get a bottle of Cragganmore, Kent. Should be about $30-35. Less than one Jantzen. Check out its Wiki page. ~Huntsman

I'm more into Islay and Highland at the moment.

Sorry!

Well, Caol Ila 12 is a seriously affordable Isaly! In the same $30-35 range as the Cragganmore (around here anyway). It's probably my #2 Islay after Lagavulin 16 (~$75-100). Dalwhinnie is my go-to for the Highland, at around $40.

Huntsman, good summation of malts. It's why I tend to like the Balvenie, just a touch of peat and iodine but balanced with some malty sweetness. I am not into heavy peat and/or iodine and it took me a long time to find a single malt I could appreciate and found that with both Balvenie and the Big Mac.

What Highland do you think I might enjoy for about $100 knowing this about my tastes? Always saves some money in tasting if you can get a pointer or two

Oh, no one got or found my pun funny when I said something was lost in translation. Bill Murray's character was there to film commercials for Hibiki.

"For relaxing times, make it Suntory time."

Thought this thread needed a pic. Got these for Christmas, except for the Glenlivet French Oak which is my "daily drinker".

Although not a scotch Woody Reserve is damn good. I'd be tempted to make it my daily drinker but the Japanese whisky habit is hard to break...

Ok, so you prefer just a hint of peat against sweeter, malty and fruity notes, especially those provided by sherry finishing. Well, that is pretty much the definition of the Speyside malts, of which Balvenie is a member. My favorite region as well. But if you really want a Highland, bear in mind that they will be less sweet/more dry and for the most part more muted in character. $100 is a decent chunk of coin, so that gives room (I believe) to shoot for a few more unusual Highland bottlings, as well as the usual ones. Characteristics are aimed at those above, and ones that differ are noted. Mind you, I may have only tasted some of these, as opposed to owning a bottle and having tasting notes. But my nose and palate have a decent memory for whisky Around $100 - Glenfarclas 21 or 25 - Dalmore 21 - Glenmorangie 18. $50-$100 - Dalwhinnie (a classic Highland, lovely but devoid of peat) - Glenmorangie Sherry Finish (a special bottling, but commonly available) - Dalwhinnie Distillery Edition 1990 (the next whisky I buy -- I have not tasted it, but a port finished Dalwhinnie plays straight to your tastes, but with Highland dryness) I realize the Glenfarclas above is a Speyside, but thinking of you tastes I keep heading that way. So, from Speyside, I'd add: - Cardhu 12 - Cragganmore (any expression, the Distillery's below is especially nice, with a mindblowing nose) - Mortlach 16 (Uncommon, my #1 - spice and fruit and malt with very low peat) Drink in great health, Huntsman

I'd like to give that Pyrat a shot! Looks yummy.

I also agree about the need for pics, to wit:



~ Huntsman

Huntsman, how would you compare the Cragganmore to, say, Glenlivet or Macallan, or Macallan Fine Oak?

Well, I'm not a big fan of The Glenlivet, and I have never tried any of the Fine Oak line, so I can only comment on regular old Macallan. Both the standard Crag and the distillery edition are far drier than Macallan. Further, Macallan is big on sherry, woody, winey, caramely notes and is fairly sweet. Cragganmore 12 is quite dry with no sherry, and a very estery nose (extremly ripe bananas, fruit and solventyness). The distillery edition Cragganmore had a secondary maturation in port wood, hence it is closer to Macallan, so add the wineyness to the dry fruitiness and that's pretty much it -- I really do like that one (pretty label too). Best I can do.

Huntsman, excellent photograph. It illustrates one of the reasons I had all of my furniture made in cherry.

Huntsman, thanks for the tips.

Huntsman:

Thanks for the suggestions. I might well head out today and grab one (or more!) of your suggestions.

Here is a pic from me too. I wandered out of the Scotch realm but I think people will find the non-Scotch items interesting.

Good God, man! You have Remy Louis XIII??!!