Single malt whisky

[Jake 4,027]

Haven't had one for years so I ventured into the new Dan Murphys today and came out with this. Chosen after carefully calculating the age vs dollar ratio (basically at random ).

I have to say, what a smokey drop! Very nice. It's a bit like lapsang souchong but with a hell of kick! I think I will have to limit myself to one a day

What else is good?

Cheers,

Jake

[Super Mustud 3,131]

Ooh. My favourite thread from now on!!!!

Next try an Ardbeg. A little less peaty and smoother however still with huge character. Or Lagavulin. Or...or...ah, so fun...

[Jake 4,027]

Well, Super Musty, I think this will be a looooong thread. It's going to take me ages to get through this first bottle!

[frankn 2,560]

very strong character that one. IMO not the smoothest out there however not one to forget though.

[samman 277]

Now this is one fine drop oooooooh so lovely....

[markjd101 0]

I'm going to play, even though I've brought a blended to the party... hic:

[Jake 4,027]

I'm going to play, even though I've brought a blended to the party... hic:

Shall I just ban him now?

/joke!

[kdoot 455]

Now we're talking. My bottle of Laphroaig has probably just one drink left in it. The smokiest of all the whiskies, they say - my definite favourite. I had the very good fortune to enjoy a generous portion of 25yo cask strength Laphroaig last year, an experience which I'll probably never forget.

[Jake 4,027]

So I guess I chose ok then?

I have to say I am not used to the concentration of alcohol. Man, that one little shot before dinner knocked me around.

[rath 2]

At the risk of letting out a best-kept whisky secret resulting in the price going up.... the enchantingly mellow whisky with virtually no unpleasant next-day effects regardless of how much is put away: Baillie Nichol Jarvie. No smoky flavour, I'm afraid, but no merciless kick; it's almost neutral/apathetic in its lack of effrontery.

It's a Protestant whisky (if the blarney on the label is anything to go by) which confilicts with my Jacobite sympathies, but it is a faithful and trustworthy companion.

My father is Irish; it was all about Bushmill's, Chivas Regal, etc. and I learnt to pour him a whiskey and water (Irish whiskey ASISYK is spelt with the added e) from a young age. Sad, I know. He's older now and he's paying for his years of excess. If I'd known about the Baillie all those years ago, I'd have told him.

[Guest guru]

you better enjoy your 15 plus years single malts while you can. after the success of the limited "the john walker" at $4500 a bottle, johnnie walker blending have been buying up any old barrels of whisky they can find and paying stupid money for them because the demand from the chinese market for limited release scotch is insatiable even at the same price or higher. i've been buying 21 plus year scotch's for a few years now as an investment and bottles i bought 2 years ago for $500 are now selling for $2000. there's gold in them there barrels.

[markjd101 0]

At the risk of letting out a best-kept whisky secret resulting in the price going up.... the enchantingly mellow whisky with virtually no unpleasant next-day effects regardless of how much is put away: Baillie Nichol Jarvie. No smoky flavour, I'm afraid, but no merciless kick; it's almost neutral/apathetic in its lack of effrontery.

It's a Protestant whisky (if the blarney on the label is anything to go by) which confilicts with my Jacobite sympathies, but it is a faithful and trustworthy companion.

My father is Irish; it was all about Bushmill's, Chivas Regal, etc. and I learnt to pour him a whiskey and water (Irish whiskey ASISYK is spelt with the added e) from a young age. Sad, I know. He's older now and he's paying for his years of excess. If I'd known about the Baillie all those years ago, I'd have told him.

Spotted this at Dan Murphy's earlier in the week:

Alas, all I have left in the cupboard is more Ballantines, JW Black and Glenfiddich

[Jake 4,027]

At the risk of letting out a best-kept whisky secret resulting in the price going up.... the enchantingly mellow whisky with virtually no unpleasant next-day effects regardless of how much is put away: Baillie Nichol Jarvie. No smoky flavour, I'm afraid, but no merciless kick; it's almost neutral/apathetic in its lack of effrontery.

It's a Protestant whisky (if the blarney on the label is anything to go by) which confilicts with my Jacobite sympathies, but it is a faithful and trustworthy companion.

My father is Irish; it was all about Bushmill's, Chivas Regal, etc. and I learnt to pour him a whiskey and water (Irish whiskey ASISYK is spelt with the added e) from a young age. Sad, I know. He's older now and he's paying for his years of excess. If I'd known about the Baillie all those years ago, I'd have told him.

Some lovely turns of phrase Rath.

Will keep an eye out for it.

[Catostylus 611]

I can recommend it. I've been given several bottles over the years as birthday/Christmas presents. Quite fine in a non-assertive kind of way.

[rath 2]

Oops, the whisky I spoke of is a blended, not a single malt. I must learn to read. Cheers, markjd101 and jake.

BTW the word Ballantine's scares me to sobriety. Same for Johnnie Walker and a lot of others. Make good floor polish. imho Age is immaterial, it's all about the mellow factor. Much like music. Ah, but opinion is subjective, is it not?

[Jake 4,027]

It would be a dull world if we all had the same tastes.

[Chill3 733]

Haaaa single malt

We have a lovely tradition my wife buys me single malt for special occasions, I buy her French bubbles

She often enquires what is the best single malt

My reply

"sweet heart , single malts are like BJ s there all good !"

Vinyl, single malt, my wife

And the job to pay for it all

PS read an article the other day about a high end single malt shop in London , some keen drinkers drop $10 k a month on the real good stuff

[markjd101 0]

I might also admit to being a fan of bourbon on occasion:

[A J 1,976]

Now your talking haha

As for Laphriag, my wife long ago surrendered to my addiction to this smokey number. At any one time I will have at last three bottles in my grog cabinet, cask strength of various vintages and plain old ordinary. This was my intro to single malt, and although I regularly drink a range of them, this one is the one I always relax to when I get a chance to hang out on my listening chair.

I've recently started buying high end rums as well, now that is something else

I'll remind myself to oganise a GTC when my Hautonga amp makes it over to Sydney

[rath 2]

Haaaa single malt

We have a lovely tradition my wife buys me single malt for special occasions, I buy her French bubbles

She often enquires what is the best single malt

My reply

"sweet heart , single malts are like BJ s there all good !"

Vinyl, single malt, my wife

And the job to pay for it all

This raised a chuckle. Amen to vinyl.

[Guest guru]

Haaaa single malt

We have a lovely tradition my wife buys me single malt for special occasions, I buy her French bubbles

She often enquires what is the best single malt

My reply

"sweet heart , single malts are like BJ s there all good !"

Vinyl, single malt, my wife

And the job to pay for it all

PS read an article the other day about a high end single malt shop in London , some keen drinkers drop $10 k a month on the real good stuff

the whisky exchange, the most expensive whisky they had in stock when i was last there was a springbank at 15000 pounds a bottle.

[brettk 5]

i've posted this before but i love whisky so it can't hurt to share again. i've gotten through most of this now and have replaced with a few more of the same and a highland park 18 which is sensational. there is two blends in there both japanese that have won big in the competitions over recent years and deservedly so. the hibiki 17 is a beautiful blend and the taketsuru 21 was one of the nicest blends i've had but difficult to get your hands on.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brettinjapan/4457137548/

the laphroaig cask streght is like a punch in the face the first time but a great drink to share with unsuspecting friends and watch them cough and splutter. the balvenie doublewood 12yr is my favourite cheaper whisky. could happily have a glass everyday.

also has anyone tried any of the tasmanian offerings? have read some good reports but haven't tasted. also i guess if you like whisky you'll know about maltmaniacs but just in case http://www.maltmadness.com/

Edited July 14, 2011 by brettk
added link

[Super Mustud 3,131]

Oops, the whisky I spoke of is a blended, not a single malt. I must learn to read. Cheers, markjd101 and jake.

BTW the word Ballantine's scares me to sobriety. Same for Johnnie Walker and a lot of others. Make good floor polish. imho Age is immaterial, it's all about the mellow factor. Much like music. Ah, but opinion is subjective, is it not?

As it turns out I am drinking the last of a bottle oh Johnnie Green at the moment. Will have to go into the garage and get another bottle tomorrow. I keep at least six malts open at any time to sip according to my mood, and while I have nothing nothing like guru, I always seem to have about 5 dozen of my favourite malts on hand as I buy when I see a good deal. Bought some of the last of Compass Box Peat Monster in Australia a few weeks ago.

Try Johnny Green. A very nice vatted malt - not a grain whisky.

[Jake 4,027]

Enjoying another glass of Laughfrog now. It tastes even better now.

[Super Mustud 3,131]

you better enjoy your 15 plus years single malts while you can. after the success of the limited "the john walker" at $4500 a bottle, johnnie walker blending have been buying up any old barrels of whisky they can find and paying stupid money for them because the demand from the chinese market for limited release scotch is insatiable even at the same price or higher. i've been buying 21 plus year scotch's for a few years now as an investment and bottles i bought 2 years ago for $500 are now selling for $2000. there's gold in them there barrels.

I buy my malts for drinking rather than investment, so keep under $130 a bottle even on my more expensive ones. One of my favourites is Glenfarclas 15. Due to the relatively small size of the distillery and it being one of the last family owned distilleries I have kept my eye on this, and have noticed a 30% price increase from my favourite discount supplier over the last 18 months. I have enough for a few years, however I think the high Australian dollars is not goiung to keep the price of Scotch malts down given how aspirational it has become in Asia. Some of the best private Scotch collections I have seen were in Hong Kong. Those guys know their whisky. No ignorant collecting there.

[Guest guru]

As it turns out I am drinking the last of a bottle oh Johnnie Green at the moment. Will have to go into the garage and get another bottle tomorrow. I keep at least six malts open at any time to sip according to my mood, and while I have nothing nothing like guru, I always seem to have about 5 dozen of my favourite malts on hand as I buy when I see a good deal. Bought some of the last of Compass Box Peat Monster in Australia a few weeks ago.

Try Johnny Green. A very nice vatted malt - not a grain whisky.

evening sm,

i ghost the wine auctions picking up the scent of son's and daughters disposing of their late fathers vile tipples. always works a treat but i'm not the only one out there. oldest one i have at the moment is a 1959 macallan.

cheers,g.

[Super Mustud 3,131]

evening sm,

i ghost the wine auctions picking up the scent of son's and daughters disposing of their late fathers vile tipples. always works a treat but i'm not the only one out there. oldest one i have at the moment is a 1959 macallan.

cheers,g.

Nice, very nice. I have not indulged in Macallans all that much, only have a few bottles of the Select Oak on hand. In fact you have just motivated me to have a bit after the Johnny Green. Very different nose a little more assertive with bite (in an elegant way). Stuff all peat, which is as usually expected from a Speyside, so most probably not a whisky of attraction to the OP, however very very good. Not in the league of your 1959 of course.

I thought of buying a few bottles of the Glenfarclas 1977 from the U.K.to celebrate the Mustud marriage year, however decided that a couple dozen of 1996 Lanson made a better wedding anniversary prezzie for the two of us.

Sounds like your taste in Scotch is in sync with your taste in hi fi. Enjoy.

.

[Jake 4,027]

Stuff all peat, which is as usually expected from a Speyside, so most probably not a whisky of attraction to the OP

The Laughfrog chosen basically at random. I will drink anyone's whisky

[Super Mustud 3,131]

The Laughfrog chosen basically at random. I will drink anyone's whisky

That's what I like to hear!

Whisky is one of the most interesting distilled drinks that can be explored. Made in pretty much every country. A huge range available. A fascinating history, and far more so than cognac, a wide variety of flavours to be appreciated. And yes, even the cheapest usually has redeeming features. I can enjoy sipping Johnny Red quite easily. Well, with a slight dash of water.

[wolster 4,763]

I'm another Glennfiddich supporter - but alas the cupboard is bare.

I have been slowly enjoying a bottle of Para port as my short drink over the last while but this thread has strengthened my resolve to get back to a good single malt.

BTW, my preference is to only add filtered water at room temperature. I was told many years ago that ice bruises good whisky and my experience since tends to agree.

As for those that add coke - well, each to his own is about the kindest thing I could say. ;-)

ALSO - has anyone noticed that Rath is new here? Welcome to SNA, mate!

[Super Mustud 3,131]

I'm another Glennfiddich supporter - but alas the cupboard is bare.

I have been slowly enjoying a bottle of Para port as my short drink over the last while but this thread has strengthened my resolve to get back to a good single malt.

BTW, my preference is to only add filtered water at room temperature. I was told many years ago that ice bruises good whisky and my experience since tends to agree.

As for those that add coke - well, each to his own is about the kindest thing I could say. ;-)

ALSO - has anyone noticed that Rath is new here? Welcome to SNA, mate!

Actually it looks like we have 2 new members on this thread. Welcome guys. Great to see a couple of new whisky fanciers on board.

Yes, no ice is close to gospel.

Having said that, Spain is one of the biggest consumers of Scotch. Yes, it is almost exclusively grain whisky, and they use it as a mixer with coke and ice, but hey, years ago I used to enjoy Turkey and diet coke so who am I to preach.

I think that the palate develops as time goes by. Perhaps the palate also becomes a little less sensitive with age and starts to really appreciate the flavour differences in the various fire waters. At that stage things like vodka also lose any attractiveness.

[rath 2]

Thanks for the welcome. Have to say I am hardly a connoisseur when it comes to whisky. Very impressed with the knowledge of some of the commenters here, not to mention the contents of their whisky cellars! Might have another look at the Laughfrog, and might consider a dalliance with the Johnny Green next time I venture to the local.

[hgholden 56]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]34170[/ATTACH]

Nixons, Melbourne. mmmmm nice single malt.

hgholden

[brettk 5]

Actually it looks like we have 2 new members on this thread. Welcome guys. Great to see a couple of new whisky fanciers on board.

Yes, no ice is close to gospel.

Having said that, Spain is one of the biggest consumers of Scotch. Yes, it is almost exclusively grain whisky, and they use it as a mixer with coke and ice, but hey, years ago I used to enjoy Turkey and diet coke so who am I to preach.

I think that the palate develops as time goes by. Perhaps the palate also becomes a little less sensitive with age and starts to really appreciate the flavour differences in the various fire waters. At that stage things like vodka also lose any attractiveness.

the highball has made a big comeback in japan the last few years. apparently causing a shortage of some of the younger stock of single malts to create blends. not a fan myself but there are a couple of whiky's i do prefer with ice and will usually try new whisky with and without first up. yamazaki 12 in particular really becomes very sweet and aromatic with a bit of ice and is much nicer in qld summer chilled a little.

[kdoot 455]

the laphroaig cask streght is like a punch in the face the first time but a great drink to share with unsuspecting friends and watch them cough and splutter.

By an amazing happy accident, Laphroaig 25yo cask strength - with just one tiny piece of ice - was my first introduction to good whisky. I've never enjoyed any drink/substance as much as I enjoyed that. Just magic.

also has anyone tried any of the tasmanian offerings? have read some good reports but haven't tasted.

I was given a bottle of Lark, also cask strength. No peat whatsoever, more of a honey-like flavour. Very strong vapours! Not a relaxed drop but quite rewarding.

[davidsss 844]

I must say I far prefer whisky with ice. I just find it takes the edge off and allows me to taste the complexities of the drink in hand. I also like it a little chilled so ice it is for me. Each to their own I reckon although there is a line, mixing a good whisky with coke is just a waste.

DS

[Super Mustud 3,131]

I must say I far prefer whisky with ice. I just find it takes the edge off and allows me to taste the complexities of the drink in hand. I also like it a little chilled so ice it is for me. Each to their own I reckon although there is a line, mixing a good whisky with coke is just a waste.

DS

David, your whisky drinking preference explains why you are so frosty on private school education. I sense an opportunity to expand your view now I understand the cause.

[Super Mustud 3,131]

Thanks for the welcome. Have to say I am hardly a connoisseur when it comes to whisky. Very impressed with the knowledge of some of the commenters here, not to mention the contents of their whisky cellars! Might have another look at the Laughfrog, and might consider a dalliance with the Johnny Green next time I venture to the local.

The love of whisky crept up on me over a number of years. Let this be a warning to you!

the highball has made a big comeback in japan the last few years. apparently causing a shortage of some of the younger stock of single malts to create blends. not a fan myself but there are a couple of whiky's i do prefer with ice and will usually try new whisky with and without first up. yamazaki 12 in particular really becomes very sweet and aromatic with a bit of ice and is much nicer in qld summer chilled a little.

You make a good point on drinking in a Queensland summer. Alas Davidsssssss has no such excuse. Methinks he is just frosty.

Hi Dave - must offer you a Glenfarclas with a slight dash of water next time we meet (I brought a bottle once to a GTG at Keith's however no-one seemed interested).

[Catostylus 611]

I brought a bottle once to a GTG at Keith's however no-one seemed interested.

What was wrong with those people???

[Drizt 43]

Hi All,

A long time burbourn drinker here. I would like to get into Whisky, but wouldn't know where to start. Which one would you recommend for a burbourn drinker to start out with? Are there some places where you could do a winery type tour for Whisky's?