Scotch!!

ctviggen · « **Reply #240 on:** 23 Dec 2008, 12:00 pm »

Quote from: sturgus on 23 Dec 2008, 05:24 am

I am not a big Scotch drinker but while on vacation in Hilton Head I had a bottle of this and I thought it was great. It was the ASYLA.
Sturgus
http://www.compassboxwhisky.com/home.html

Everything Compass Box makes is good. The only one I haven't tried is Hedonism, which is supposedly their best.

mgalusha · « **Reply #241 on:** 23 Dec 2008, 03:37 pm »

Quote from: ctviggen on 23 Dec 2008, 12:00 pm

And I meant to say that I haven't had either in a while and didn't have them together, so it's hard to say. Plus, I've had three different versions of the 10 yo, and they're all so different that it's hard to classify them versus the 15 yo.

Now I'm curious, I'll have to look at my bottle of 10 yo and note they year. No question I like it, I just liked the 15 more.

EthanH · « **Reply #242 on:** 23 Dec 2008, 05:41 pm »

The compass box hedonism is indeed very good. So is the oak cross. Speaking of blends, I recently had the johnnie gold and was very impressed.

I love Talisker 18 and Lagavulin, but I can't seem to find anything smooth and balanced with that peat/smoke character for less than $70 a bottle, so lately its been johnnie black for me.

Tyson · « **Reply #243 on:** 23 Dec 2008, 08:51 pm »

Highland Park 12 and 15 are perhaps the most balanced scotches I've ever had. Less smoke/peat than Lagavulin and Laphroaig, but it makes up for it with rich, sweet, malty complexity.

Freo-1 · « **Reply #244 on:** 23 Dec 2008, 09:22 pm »

Quote from: EthanH on 23 Dec 2008, 05:41 pm

The compass box hedonism is indeed very good. So is the oak cross. Speaking of blends, I recently had the johnnie gold and was very impressed.

I love Talisker 18 and Lagavulin, but I can't seem to find anything smooth and balanced with that peat/smoke character for less than $70 a bottle, so lately its been johnnie black for me.

Just got back from a cruise, and lo and behold, my bride got me a gift:
A Johnnie Walker collection of four 200ml bottles of Blue, Gold, Green, and Black. I'm waiting for the right time to try them out. I've had the Gold before, and it is very smooth indeed.

Earlier this year, my mate from the U.K. hosted a going away party for a mate from Australia, who was heading back to Oz after a two year stint in Newport, RI. We killed a bottle of 25 year old Glen Morangie, and THAT was excellent!

kgturner · « **Reply #245 on:** 3 Jan 2009, 08:12 pm »

anybody get any good scotch or scotch-related presents for christmas? my wife got me a pair of glencairn whisky glasses. i've been savoring a macallan 12 with my new glasses. she doesn't drink whisky, so i guess i have one glass too many or just enough for when i break one.

kevin t

zybar · « **Reply #246 on:** 3 Jan 2009, 08:24 pm »

Has anybody tried the Glenlivet 16 Year Nadurra Cask Strength ('07)?

I picked this up as a gift for somebody and have never sampled it.

The online reviews I found seemed fairly favorable.

Thanks,

George

mbakes · « **Reply #247 on:** 3 Jan 2009, 08:25 pm »

Quote from: Tyson on 23 Dec 2008, 08:51 pm

Highland Park 12 and 15 are perhaps the most balanced scotches I've ever had. Less smoke/peat than Lagavulin and Laphroaig, but it makes up for it with rich, sweet, malty complexity.

I just picked up a bottle of the Highland Park 15. Very nice. Definitely lacking the peat and smoke of the Lagavulin and Laphroaig.

RoadTripper · « **Reply #248 on:** 3 Jan 2009, 08:56 pm »

Hey Tyson,

I just picked up a bottle of Clynelish 14 at your recommendation last night. $39 for the bottle. My initial taste test last night was very favorable.

I also tried a dram of Talisker 30 year on New Year's Eve. My Scotch drinking buddy breaks it out once per year and I was a beneficiary of that. Admittedly I am a true novice when it comes to Scotch. But that stuff was eye-opening.

Tyson · « **Reply #249 on:** 3 Jan 2009, 09:02 pm »

George, the Nadura is easily the best bottling in the Glenlivet offerings. Very good stuff.

ctviggen · « **Reply #250 on:** 3 Jan 2009, 09:18 pm »

Quote from: zybar on 3 Jan 2009, 08:24 pm

Has anybody tried the Glenlivet 16 Year Nadurra Cask Strength ('07)?

I picked this up as a gift for somebody and have never sampled it.

The online reviews I found seemed fairly favorable.

Thanks,

George

George,

I'm not a big fan of Glenlivet, but my opinion of the Nadurra was that it is a very good scotch. I'd rate it probably low to mid 8s on a scale of 1-10, where the unreachables (Mac 25, Talisker 30) are above 9.

zybar · « **Reply #251 on:** 3 Jan 2009, 09:25 pm »

Thanks for the comments guys.

Sounds like I won't embarrass myself when I give the gift.

George

GregC · « **Reply #252 on:** 4 Jan 2009, 06:24 am »

I never tried the Glenlivet Nadurra but I have drank the 18yr and enjoy it straight up when I am in the mood for a mellow, smooth scotch. Most the time I enjoy a peaty and smoky scotch like Lagavulin 16 yr or Laphroaig 10 yr cask strength.

CSJ · « **Reply #253 on:** 12 Jan 2009, 02:58 pm »

Tried the Ardbeg 10 this weekend; I found it to be a bit of a peat monster with a nice finish on the backend to give it nice balance. I started drinking Lagavulin and Craggenmore many years ago and find the Ardbeg 10 less smoky (plenty of peat) than the other two, overall the Ardbeg 10 is a very nice dram. I moved away from this style once I started drinking Springbank 21 year old 15 years ago but will have to keep some Ardbeg 10 around. Good stuff.

Tyson · « **Reply #254 on:** 12 Jan 2009, 11:22 pm »

Quote from: Seminarian on 3 Jan 2009, 08:56 pm

Hey Tyson,

I just picked up a bottle of Clynelish 14 at your recommendation last night. $39 for the bottle. My initial taste test last night was very favorable.

I also tried a dram of Talisker 30 year on New Year's Eve. My Scotch drinking buddy breaks it out once per year and I was a beneficiary of that. Admittedly I am a true novice when it comes to Scotch. But that stuff was eye-opening.

If you get a chance to try the Jura Superstition, it's a rich, peaty dram that is quite good, IMO.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #255 on:** 15 Jan 2009, 10:55 pm »

Interesting show....about scotch and Scotland....

Three Sheets - Scotland....

ctviggen · « **Reply #256 on:** 17 Jan 2009, 02:33 pm »

Quote from: GregC on 4 Jan 2009, 06:24 am

I never tried the Glenlivet Nadurra but I have drank the 18yr and enjoy it straight up when I am in the mood for a mellow, smooth scotch. Most the time I enjoy a peaty and smoky scotch like Lagavulin 16 yr or Laphroaig 10 yr cask strength.

The 18 yo isn't bad. It's probably their best, other than the Nadurra, which might be better, although I didn't have the 18 and the Nadurra at the same time to compare. Currently, I have the following (with some initial comments, which are likely to change):

Old Pulteney 17: This is great. Very smooth. I'd rate it in the low 90s.

Signatory Caol Ila 11, 1996: Very, very good. Very dry. An excellent rendition of Caol Ila. Upper 80s to low 90s. Here's this one:

http://www.binnys.com/spirits/Signatory_Caol_Ila_1996_Vintage_11_Year_Old_Cask_Strength_160800.html

Springbank Bourbon wood: I think this is also very good, but I need more time with it.

Longrow CV: Not sure about this. The briney and peated flavors sometimes don't mix. I'll reserve judgement until later. This may be the type of malt where one drink is "Wow, this is great!" and another drink a week later is "I'm not so sure about this".

Compass Box Hedonism: Exceedingly good. Low to mid 90s. Reminds me of Carsebridge (sp?) 43 yo, although smoother and less fruity.

I have another I've not tried yet.

EthanH · « **Reply #257 on:** 17 Jan 2009, 04:56 pm »

I tried the Balvenie 17 year rum cask and the Macallan 1841 replica recently. Both were very good and totally different from the sort of scotch I usually drink. The Balvenie had a spicy and very short finish and a beeswaxy character to it that was not unpleasant. It was interesting. While not as bold or big as I typically like, the Macallan was very smooth and tasty with a somewhat light mouthfeel, although I don't really remember much else about it.

beachbum · « **Reply #258 on:** 10 Feb 2009, 01:47 am »

Tyson your posts here are outstanding. I've been enjoying the fine taste of Single Malt Scotch for 3 years dont even mess with other booze any longer. I'm now stepping out and trying your best of selections. Dont think i will live long enough for all of your tastings. Going to try a nice bottle of Glenmorangie next. Many thanks for your fine reviews.
Mike

kgturner · « **Reply #259 on:** 11 Feb 2009, 11:23 pm »

i'm about to polish off my bottle of the macallan 12 and i'm looking for a new bottle to try. i'm leaning towards the glenmorangie original or a glenrothes select reserve. anybody have any recommendantions as to which way i should lean?

kevin t