Whisky

Sadly, not available for purchase any longer. I'm hoarding my last bottle. Have to find a new good one.

Neat, only

>temperate master race
I don't drink the Liquid Jew

Jameson. Pic is old I am drinking it neat.

I like to shoot Jameson's or sip Blanton's (with a single ice cube)

Just finished a bottle of Forty Creek. Delicious but too sweet.

Dubs decides my next bourbon.

Evan Williams is fucking ambrosia in an old fashioned.

Wotm8?

Ardbeg 10, neat or go home

They dont work

This
They only stay cold for a few minutes. Just get a spherical ice mold.

my local liquor store is having a pre-holiday sale: 10% off anything in the store.

thinking of picking up two bottles of whiskey that would normally be in the 40$ range.

might pick up other types of booze, but that's outside the scope of this thread. I will say I fucking love that place, it blows chain stores pit of the water on the selection.

I knew we kept Scotland around for a reason...

t. Evil English Bastard

I usually take my whisky with just a splash of cold water.
Used to make it on the rocks but since i've started going with the splash of water i haven't looked back

I didn't mean by myself, ofcourse. Imagine getting together with some dudes an you wanna share a whisky, but want it cold

The problem is still, that the whisky gets too thin with ice cubes. That is, if you're drinking it at a "normal speed"

I keep Aberlour 12 and Laphroaig 10 in the house.
>very different flavours
>widely available
>often in the £25 range
>consistent quality between batches

I got a non chill filtered Caol Ila 11 at cask strength last year as a gift which was probably my favourite but their commercial bottlings aren't that good

Bought a Glenlivet 15 on sale recently and it's really disappointing, would not recommend

That's the point of using a sphere instead of cubes. A sphere has the lowest possible surface area which provides the minimum amount of dilution.

If you want your whiskey cooled, put your glass in the fridge for an hour before you pour
If you want to lift the flavours and smells, add half a teaspoon of bottled spring water (it sounds pretentious but you'll notice the chemical taste if you use tap water)

If you happen to like ice in your whiskey there's nothing wrong with that but don't add it for a practical reason because there are other options that give you more control over how and how quickly it opens up

Is it crazy to drink cheap whisky neat? Like £20 a litre cheap. I really don't feel the burn.

Otherwise glenfiddich warm and woodford reserve with ice.

Bourbons in that price range can be fine neat. Jim Beam white label is under £20 just about everywhere and doesn't need anything added. Cheap blended scotch tends to be terrible though.

I have a set. They're a meme. As someone else already said, get either a big ass ice cube or spherical ice ball mould so you can chill the drink down but it doesn't melt nearly as fast as regular ice cubes to dilute the alcohol.

Been slowly enjoying this bottle that I got from the wife and kids for Fathers Day.

I generally use Johnny Walker Black as a baseline for scotch since it's tasty, and decently priced where I live.

Being Ganadian I drink a fair bit of rye, but Irish whiskey, scotch and bourbon are all good.

I use these to make my ice balls. You can get a set of two for like twelve bux on amazon. I really like the balls versus ordinary cubes that melt almost instantly.

keep in mind, most iceballers make pretty big spheres so you'll need a decent sized glass

I have that exact same set, and they're breddy good.

>Favorite brand?
Ardbeg or Lagavulin at the moment. Highland park 12 is my "daily" as it is stupidly cheap and tastes good. As far as bourbon goes, I pick up a bottle of Wild Turkey 101 when it is on offer on Amazon/ Failing that, Bulleit is also nice.
>Single malt or blended?
Prefer single malt, but that doesn't mean there aren't good blends. Had a bottle of Hibiki 12 which was nice, but seeing as they replaced it with a NAS ans doubled the price I will be giving it a miss.
>How do you like to drink it?
Neat in a glencairn glass, and I will add a little water if I feel it needs it. Bourbon usually in a regular whisky tumbler with a cube of ice.
>Also, whisky in the fridge, do or no do? I like my whisky cold, but icecubes makes it too thin.
Not for me. Well, with Scottish whisky at least I have found that chilling it / putting ice in it kills the flavour. Ice in bourbon seems to do the opposite and bring out more than plain water, but never thought about keeping it in the fridge.

Tried scotch a few times and hated it, so I always assumed it just wasn't for me. Last week, though, I had some Glenmorangie 10-year and Macallan 10-year, and good god, I don't want to drink anything else any more. I also like the Glenlivet 12-year.

My problem is that I can't afford to keep buying any of those (especially the Macallan, which is my favorite of the three). Does anyone have any recommendations for a good, affordable scotch?

Also,

>Macallan
>Single
>Neat
>Bourbon in the fridge, scotch at room temperature

Macallan is a speyside, so they are known for the sherry notes which is Macallan's defining characteristic. Not sure where you are in the world, but the 10 was discontinued in the UK a few years ago and replaced with the gold (which is average at best, quite weak) yet still charged the same price for it. We have the 12 which is good but it is crazy money. Many people switched to Glendronach 12 which is another sherried Speyside and is lovely.

You could also look into Aberlour - the 12 is a good starting point, and the 16 is really nice if your budget can stretch to it. You could also try some of the Glenmorangie Lasanta which is very nice too.

I'm in the US, I hope it doesn't get discontinued here. I'd still like to get it for special occasions.

I don't think the Arberlour or Gelndronach are available in my area. Glenmorangie is the most budget option right now, but $40 is still a bit higher than what I'm used to paying for whisky. For reference, my drink used to Buffalo Trace, which is like $28 for 750 mL.

I have a feeling I'm just not really going to be able to find anything enjoyable in that price range. All of the scotches I disliked before were cheap blended bottles. The only one I remember the name of was Grant's. It was awful.

Ah fair enough, there is a much bigger selection in the UK and it is a bit cheaper, but then our bourbon range isn't great.

Cheap blends are generally a bit shit, however Famous Grouse and Black Bottle are ok if you can find them cheap. Black Bottle as a little smoke to it, so might not be your thing. Glenlivet 15 is a nice dram too and usually quite cost effective.

I like the 15 year better but the 18 is good too, just different flavors.

Lagavulin 16 is $200 USD at my local liqueur store, I wish I could find some of their scotch without the markup.

>Favorite Brand?
Love Laphroaig and Monkey Shoulder.
I really want to try Ardbeg, belvenie and some of the other scotches since I’ve tried nothing other than the aforementioned because I’ve been hung up on Johnnie Walker blue for 10 years
>How do you like to drink it?
Best way is lounging outdoors with a warm campfire and good company, neat at whatever the outdoor temperature is.

I may give Famous Grouse a shot again. I forgot that that was the second one I tried. It was the best of the ones I didn't like, but maybe now that I'm getting used to scotch, I'll like it a bit better. I'll also keep an eye out for Black Bottle, I think I've actually seen that one a few times. If nothing else, I'll just suck it up and keep getting the Glenmorangie.

Thanks, friend.

>Lagavulin 16
We paid around $110 CDN for that bottle at Costco I think.

Famous Grouse and Grants are decent entry level blends.

Got some Glen Marnoch Islay. Smokey stuff, pretty decent if I do say so myself.

i was gifted this, what am i in for?

Good shit. Huge chocolate notes

>tfw old crow reserve is nowhere to be found anymore
Best cheap whiskey I've ever had.

Agreed. Even when I could afford better I would often buy a handle of it.

If we're counting scotch, Kilchoman is probably my favorite. Sanaig in particular. Bunnahabhain (sp?) is also delicious.

just got this on a whim. gotta say im impressed with the rich layers given its reasonable price.

who knew the french could be good distillers?

I also picked up this bottle since I was intrigued with the idea of whiskey distilled from rice. as a fan of sake im looking forward to giving it a try. ill report back once i do

not as good as I expected honestly, kind of smokey smooth? maybe my palate is a bit off from that previous glass.

desu, I prefer Laphoraig to Caol Ila.

It was on sale on Amazon for 25 quid just now

>yfw you bite down on one thinking it's an icecube

>RIP teeth

We have similar taste in cheap bourbon. Have you tried Old Granddad? is it worth paying the extra $2 instead of getting a fifth of benchmark?

There are a couple decent bourbons around the 15 euro per 1.75 Liter mark that are perfectly fine neat. Notably Benchmark, Old Crow, and Jim Beam.

I could have a glass of jameson at any moment and be happy with it.
If I wanted something a bit gruffer I'll have some Famous Grouse.

Drinking Alberta Premium Dark horse right now. Very rich, almost creamy. Smooth.

I have some Bulleit bourbon, but haven't quite gotten super into it yet.

Honourable mention to Jim Beam Red Stag. Not really whiskey, but tasty stuff.

Jameson in ice. I let it chill. Love it.
Pic is what I'm sipping on. Pretty buzzed so I let the ice melt.

The bottle tells me to put it in ginger ale, but I have no idea why I would ever do that. Is it worth mixing into something?

I like the taste as is. Ice cubes bring out the flavor. Ginger ale is okay but makes it sweet. Dr pepper is good but also too sweet. I like it for shots or chilled.

>Laphroaig, they've just put out more expressions I like than most others, they have a higher 'hit' chance with me if I'm buying blind.
>single malt if it's an option.
>neat with a dash of water if it's cask strength, I got used to drinking mine in a nosing glass just because it's a good size for a single measure
>I've never heard of keeping whisky in the fridge before. I don't think I'd try it.

Currently enjoying a bunch of stuff, picked up a bottle of Compass Box Peat Monster to see what the fuss is about, don't usually drink blends but it's not bad. Also Glasgow Blend from CB and it's alright, not really up my alley so much though.

Pic related is very nice however. I'm thinking of getting myself a bottle of Ceòbanach because the description sounds good.

Collingwood in coke is super good.

I've never tried stones, I usually just chill a glass shortly before drinking. Are stones any good? I tend not to use ice because it melts and continually dilutes my drink so I just chill a glass and throw a few drops of water in depending on if it makes an improvement.

You'll probably like Ardbeg 10 a lot if you're anything like me. Corryvreckan is alright but uigeadail is a little better, but 10 is the best of them I've tried so far.

Warning on the Black Bottle they recently switched up their source/mix using in blending so you might wanna be careful, I've heard a lot of complaints about the new line. It used to be great though. It's a blend with Ardbeg as a base. (if you want the Laphroaig equivalent go for Islay Mist)

it'd help if I included the image.

you can buy alcohol on amazon??? nothing’s showing up on my search

Depends on your country I guess.

opinions?

That. Many, if not most, places prohibit mail-ordering alcohol.

you waste a lot of money that could be used to improve your life or have an interesting experience in some way

you want to be seen as sophisticated but it doesn't work

i do that with books not with whisky
also whisky makes me happy s it improves my live

Decent selection there. That Deanston stuff is lovely. Enjoy the Glenlivet 12 while you can, you won't be able to get it much longer as it is being replaced with NAS Founders Reserve

>drinking whisky when there's another far less peaty, more superior drink to be had

Get it together lads

I impulse-bought this stuff yesterday.
It's cheap as fuck

That's literally all the leftovers mixed together

Haven't had a bottle in years but I remember it used to be perfectly fine, has it changed?
You can in the UK, can you not in the US? It is brilliant - almost always the cheapest prices and free next day delivery with prime.

>inferior cheap corn and molasses byproduct
>actually considering the offputting whore-perfume sweetness of bourbon a positive trait
basic bitch americans need not apply

It's pretty good compared to licking an ashtray, aka scotch.

it's basically their mixer product. it isnt really meant to be had straight, but you be you and enjoy.

>You’ll probably like Ardbeg 10 a lot

Thanks for the recommendation, mate. It may very well be the next bottle I pick up for the holidays.

So far on the list:
Love:
Laphroaig 10
Monkey Shoulder (blend)
Glennfiddich 16
Blue Label (blend)

Like:
Glenfiddich 18
Johnnie Walker Green

Don’t like:
Glenfiddich 12
Johnnie Walker red (its basically acetone)

Want to try:
Lagavulin
Glenmorangie
Ardbeg
Jura
Balvenie
Some of the Laphroaig variants

I can see myself grabbing another bottle of Laphroaig 10 (because its my favorite so far) and maybe Ardbeg 10 or Lagavulin 8 or something, I’m not sure.
I’d like to keep my total “liquor for me” cost under $200.

Getting my dad some more Blue Label since that’s all he drinks besides Budweiser.

I know it's considered a meme at this point, but Lagavulin16 is an absolutly incredible whiskey that balances everything just right. I had a bottle of Laphroag and loved it, but lagavulin blew it out of the water.

the bad part is the price...

Yeah I want to try it and I guess it’s just a meme because of Parks and Rec. IIRC, its $115-$150 at my local liquor stores and I haven’t seen lagavulin 8.

I love the peatyness and “campfiresque” feel of Laphroaig 10, and now that my bottle has been open for a year, it’s mellowed out a lot. I liked it more when it was fresh and very harsh.

I’ve heard Laga 16 is more of a middle ground between peat lovers and sweet lovers. I’m trying not to meme but damn I really might grab a bottle of that

>Some of the Laphroaig variants
Do not be drawn in by the cheap price of the Select, it is shit. The Quarter Cask however, is really good.

Ardbeg is seriously good, I actually prefer the 10 to the Laphroaig 10. Try Glenfiddich 15 as well, a lot of people prefer it to the 18. Word is that the Lagavulin 8 is being added to the core range alongside the 16 (i.e. not a special edition) so the price might come down in the near future.

>licking an ashtray, aka scotch
I didn't know females came on this board

Try Johnnie Black, and Glenlivet 12, also I don't really find a huge difference between black and blue label, definitely not worth $200 for blue label

I agree with you about the Johnnie walker red, got it hoping it would be similar to JWB and it tasted like piss and rubbing alcohol

I want to try QC and Lore.
I’ve had the Glenfiddich 16 (I had a typo in my post listing it as glenfiddich 15) and I enjoyed it very much more than the other glenfiddich variants, but I don’t know if I could justify buying another bottle of it.

I believe Lagavulin 8 goes for around $80 here but that seems inflated to me. Also I’ve only ever seen a placemarker for it, without it being in stock, so I don’t know if it’s an availability issue in my area.

I live next to a liquor store and their toppest shelf display is laga 16.

I managed to get monkey shoulder at $22 which is a steal imo, so I bought 2 bottles and have demolished them in the past year

I have the 2016 Special Release Caol Ila at home and it was really good. Outside of that their standard line is meh. IBs are godly though.
Try Glenfarclas and prepare to have your perceptions broken
If you want good deals and higher proof stuff look for
>Glenfarclas 105
>Laphroaig 10 CS
>Aberlour A'bunadh
>Ardbeg Corryvreckan
>Independant Bottlings of good blenhouses like Blair Athol, Mortlach and Auchroisk

I know my store has JW black, and honestly I should just give it a try at the bar to see if I like it before I buy a bottle, it is most definitely a cheaper alternative.

Laphroaig cask strength
I think I could have them order that, it would probably be delicious, but I know they don’t carry that usually.
I’m going to write down the other ones you’ve posted so when I do my shopping I can compare.

Maybe if you didn't use suffer candles on your barrels, it wouldn't be so bitter.
>Drinking scotch is manly
Grow up

Which state are you in?

Tennessee.
I have about 15 different small liquor stores but one is literally next door to my house and one is within walking distance from my work office. They all carry different shit.

you're more than welcome to like and dislike anything, but if you come into a whiskey thread insulting a gigantic subset of the drink, you're going to get called a faggot.

you can post catty little quips like "grow up" all you want, you're the fool for starting this.

>Some of the Laphroaig variants
Okay we're in my wheelhouse

>Quarter Cask
Great, honestly a toss up between this and the 10 year old as they're a similar price

>Lore
Not great, kind of weak and not very tasty
>Select
Avoid, a worse version of the lore
>Triple Wood
Not bad, sweeter than the 10 but still on the light side of what makes laphroaig memorable
>An Cuan Mor
Weirdly spicy and not in a good way.
>Brodir
I really like the Brodir but I don't really know how to describe it, but if you like the 10 and the QC you'll like it, probably not better than either of those but it is one of the few NAS Laphs worth picking up
>PX
The best NAS Laphroaig they make. If you can get your hands on a bottle of this do it. Started off as an airport/dutyfree only bottle but you can buy it online now and have it delivered in a day or two if you live in the UK. Well worth it. The one I have the most bottles of.

Also:
>Lag 16
you'll probably like
>ardbeg
10 over uig and corv.
>Balvenie
The carribean cask was quite nice but I've not tried many of the regular aged ones.
>Jura
I tend to avoid, not really a big fan, don't know what it is, but they tend to just be kind of unremarkable.
You might want to also look into Bruichladdich's Port Charlotte.

I don't get the Johnny Walker appeal, I've tried blue black red gold and platinum and they all just seem like really average blends.

>I didn't know females came on this board
You do realize this board is about cooking, right?

>>ardbeg
>10 over uig and corv.
I agree with pretty much all of your post except this. The 10 is really good, but the Uig and the Corry are a cut above. Uig has a lovely slightly sweet sherry influence and the Corry is a smoky masterpiece without being a punch in the face. They are a lot more expensive though, so not really fair to compare. It is a shame more NAS whiskies aren't as good as they are. All Ardbeg stuff is un chill filtered and no with no added colour too.

First off thanks for the phenomenal rec post, I love getting recommendations!

I will most definitely look into Laphroaig PX, QC and brodir- and some of the others you mentioned.

As of now, the store is overflowing with select- and I see why since no one likes it. I’ll avoid it.

Blends are great for drinking if I want something mellow during or after a heavy holiday meal. I tend to start with blends at get-togethers with friends and by the end of the night after my food baby has worn off we’ve cracked someone’s single malt open.

But I definitely appreciate your taste, I believe we’d like the same scotches

Totally cool to hate on bourbon tho, got it. At least we don't add caramel color to our alcohol.

I'm a fan of ice in my whiskey because it lets the drink evolve as you enjoy it. You start out with the full harshness, then it opens up a bit, and when it's melted and cloudy you can just easily sip it until it's time for a new one.

Is Glendalough double barrel any good?

>Bruichladdich's Port Charlotte.
Port Charlotte is super overpriced and overrated, especially the standard one. Classic Laddie is the only one worth buying for the price outside of Octomore if you can find the latter at $100-$120

Tennessee user here.
Bourbon is crap compared to scotch.
Only American whiskey that I’ve ever liked was ol grandad.
The only one I could ever suggest to anyone is gentleman Jack, and that’s only if you can’t find any scotch to throw $25 down on.
I’d even pick clan MacGregor (maybe a slightly different name, idr) over most bourbons that I’ve tried.

My only exceptions are buffalo trace, which was highly recommended to me (but I have yet to try) and whatever the hell the high end makers mark is called (as a mixer, so it loses points there)

And desu I don’t even know if makers is considered a bourbon

pretty decent entry-level stuff, ftb is my favorite of the bunch
fuck up bitch

Noice, how do you like the Japanese whiskeys? I've been told to try them a lot, but I usually drink scotch. Assuming you bought those because you like them, we have pretty similar tastes, so I'm interested in what you think.

>Bourbon is crap compared to scotch.
Bakers and Bookers (uncut) are both extremely solid whiskeys.

>makers mark as a mixer
Here is your (you), user.