Whisky Fans

[stonehart]

Have we any Whisky fans on the forums?
Do we have anyone who is interested in whisky?

Well I hope so because I thought I would make a thread discussing and reviewing good Scotch single malt's and maybe for our American friends that stuff they make

Personally I love the stuff and collect it like crazy but it has taken me years to learn the difference between the types and regions of scotch production.

Things I intend to post here over time will cover (not in any specific order) :

a. What makes a good single malt
b. regions and what makes them distinctive
c. the process and what the different caskings mean to the the finished malt.
e. History of scotch
f. how to spot a good one and how to drink it (yes there is a specific way to drink it)
g. The color, the nose, and the taste. what this means and what to expect.

Anyway I will add more to this as the thread evolves but today I am going to start with a good introductory Scotch for those that have tried the stuff and declared that they don't like it.

So the Scotch of the day is:

BenRiach "Solstice"

Region: Speyside
Strength: 50%

My reason for choosing this single malt are many but the most obvious is the drink ability of it for the newcomer.
I have introduced a fair number of people to the world of Scotch drinking with this particular dram simply because it is soothe, sweet and easy on the palate.
Form asking people why they do not like Scotch I have found that the reason many people do not like Scotch is simple because they have been subjected to bad Scotch and have built their expectation of the taste on those examples. I could name a few company's but I probably should not right off the bat. This Single malt in my own opinion helps to repair the damage done and show that yes scotch can be just as easy to drink as a good red wine (just with a little more fire).
So lesson number one is don't drink cheap crap or over marketed stuff, now this is not to say that all cheaper scotch is bad or all expensive stuff is good as it is unfortunately more complex than that.

Anyway let us look at this lovely offering from BenRiach.


The Color: It has the color of raspberry in good light with maybe a ruby red overtone.. so what do I mean? well what this says to me is that it has been finished in one of two possible barrel types

1. A sherry Butt
2. Port Pipes/barrel

The deep red says port finish to me but that is not always the case as some single malts finished in a sherry cask can get this deep color as well (example is Bowmore Laimrig which has a deep red brown) but as a good rule of thumb I would expect the sherry finish to be a little more golden in color but there are always exceptions.


The Nose: In short the smell of the scotch once poured into a glass. BenRiach say this: "Rich wood smoke with ladles of sweet peat. Homemade raspberry jam and spiced fruit shortcake. Spicy and big" In truth I agree with them on this but I will add a few thoughts of my own on this dram.

First off do not expect to be hit with all those smells at once because that is simply not how single malts work. What happens is much like a good red wine different characteristics of the whisky present themselves over time as the spirit oxidizes in the glass.

The Taste: Well let us listen to what the bottler has to say first:
"Massive peat and wood smoke flavours partner a base of soft red fruits and autumn spices – cloves and cinnamon specifically. Very bold and intense characteristics."

Well that is all true but for the newcomer what you should expect is a sweet edged scotch with a good bit of fire to it and I don't men hot alcohol fire but peat smoke fire (which is soothing and mellow.. not harsh).
The difference being this: Hot alcohol edge to any whisky means that the distillation process has been rushed and some heavy (less refined) alcohol has made it to the caksing. This is far from desirable as it gives the whisky a harsh acrid edge and is in my opinion the fault with a lot of mass produced whisky that turns people off.

The fact that the scotch has been finished in old Tawny port pipes gives this single malt a rich almost syrup like finish (in short this means it will be a sweet tasting one to drink).
Now much like the "Nose" the "Taste" will develop over time to release the other flavors present so don't expect it to all come at once. Personally this scotch is very up front in my opinion and for the price there is much better but for me this is also a tried and true mainstay on the shelf that I am happy to share with friends.

Well that is enough from me today and I hope that was not a bad first posting.
Expect more as I will go through my collection and talk about them all (I have a hell of a lot of Scotch).

 

[DaveM]

If you want to have a newcomer to whisky take an interest in Scotch you should have started with something else. Most new people are turned off by the taste of peated whisky initially. You normally have to work your way up to something like an Islay whisky.

 

[truthseeker]

I personally like Jameson 12. Really smooth Irish Whisky.

 

[stonehart]

If you want to have a newcomer to whisky take an interest in Scotch you should have started with something else. Most new people are turned off by the taste of peated whisky initially. You normally have to work your way up to something like an Islay whisky.

Work up to an Islay? That was where I started strangely enough but I get the point.

That Solstice is not as heavy peat as they say... hype.

But start a newcomer out on an Islay .. no I would not do that myself .. well I guess you could try them on a Bunnahabhain 12 year old which has very little peat to it at all and that Iodine edge is much subdued for an Islay (was saving the Islay for a bit latter).. But for a more mellow but sweet whisky then a " Signatory UCF Glenrothes", or maybe "Clynelish" hell there are a hundred different ones out there you could try.

The fact is even if BenRiach call it "Heavy Peat" it is not that heavy to me (my opinion), yes it has some of that fire but frankly it is not that big on peat and the sweetness of the port in the whisky is much bigger than what peat it has anyway. It is a case of do not always believe what is written on the label with this scotch.

When I think of a reasonably priced "Heavy Peat" I am thinking of something like a "Campbeltown Longrow" from Springbank, now that is a heavy peat whisky.

anyway good start to the thread...

Whisky is all opinion, we all have our favorites and we all have different appreciation for the stuff so post away if you have some suggestions.

Heck I have drunk a lot of scotch but there are still many many more to try.

 

[DaveM]

If you really want to chat with experienced whisky drinkers you need to go to connosr.com, If I were to to recommend a Scotch whisky to a beginner, I would go with a tried and true... Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, Highland Park or perhaps a small distillery like Springbank.

 

[Burnt State]

I enjoy Scotch, certain Rums and good Whisky. Have little $$$ to overly indulge in such things - probably a good thing. I've had a variety, heavy and light, and like Oban when it's around but for a great many years now my favourite has been the classic original Glenmorangie, with a drop or two of water in it to wake up the dragon on the palette.

 

[stonehart]

If you really want to chat with experienced whisky drinkers you need to go to connosr.com, If I were to to recommend a Scotch whisky to a beginner, I would go with a tried and true... Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, Highland Park or perhaps a small distillery like Springbank.

I am a member on the whisky club here in NZ and I have representations of the whiskys you have posted but there are much better whiskys out there.
Personally I have a weak spot for the independent bottlers like Old Malt Cask, Adelphi, Signatory UCF.

Anyway this is getting away from the point...

The point of this thread is to chat with "Forum Members" about whisky and have them post what they like.. also to chat with anyone who is interested in trying it or expanding their tastes.

I enjoy Scotch, certain Rums and good Whisky. Have little $$$ to overly indulge in such things - probably a good thing. I've had a variety, heavy and light, and like Oban when it's around but for a great many years now my favourite has been the classic original Glenmorangie, with a drop or two of water in it to wake up the dragon on the palette.

Is that the 10 year old 40%? I have a bottle here and really rather enjoy it but then again I am a bit of a chameleon with my scotch taste.
My big weakness is for Islay single malts.

 

[boomerang]

Alcohol interacts unfavorably with the gazillion medications I take these days. I miss my beer-snob beer more than liquor. But I will cast a favorable vote for Jameson's. Seems to combine the best of a good bourbon and Canadian flavors.

 

[Burnt State]

The point of this thread is to chat with "Forum Members" about whisky and have them post what they like.. also to chat with anyone who is interested in trying it or expanding their tastes.

Is that the 10 year old 40%? I have a bottle here and really rather enjoy it but then again I am a bit of a chameleon with my scotch taste.
My big weakness is for Islay single malts.

Well I look forward to your suggestions as I'm always up for trying something with some taste complexity. So please continue with the well written descriptions. I'm also interested in those Irish Whiskies which also have some great mouthfuls of complicated.

That is the standard 10 year @ 40%. I had one last night as you put scotch on my brain. Can you explain why scotch explodes in flavour with that single drop or two of water?

Hands down my favourite rum comes from my place of birth, Stroh's, though I can only get the 54% here in Canada as opposed to the light your mouth on fire 80% my father used to bring back whenever he used to visit.

 

[Burnt State]

I looked for the BenRiach Solstice but it could not be found at our local liquor store. I decided to venture off track to try a different Whisky and went for this Irish single malt peaty character. Very smooth drinking with a great peaty flavour to it.

 

[stonehart]

Well I look forward to your suggestions as I'm always up for trying something with some taste complexity. So please continue with the well written descriptions. I'm also interested in those Irish Whiskies which also have some great mouthfuls of complicated.

That is the standard 10 year @ 40%. I had one last night as you put scotch on my brain. Can you explain why scotch explodes in flavour with that single drop or two of water?

Hands down my favourite rum comes from my place of birth, Stroh's, though I can only get the 54% here in Canada as opposed to the light your mouth on fire 80% my father used to bring back whenever he used to visit.

Sorry for the late reply but life has been a bit hectic the past few days.

The reason to add water to scotch is to either open the aroma of the nose and the flavor of the cask over the spirit if that makes sense.
some also add water if they find the whisky to be a bit bold.

I looked for the BenRiach Solstice but it could not be found at our local liquor store. I decided to venture off track to try a different Whisky and went for this Irish single malt peaty character. Very smooth drinking with a great peaty flavour to it.

I have not had that one so I will give it a try as I do enjoy a good Irish Whiskey now and then.

I drink this one often: Knappogue Castle

 

[marduk]

Yup, sign up for connosr. Great for keeping track of your history.

Myself, I've recently broadened my horizons to include bourbon. Last few bottles of scotch included Balvenie Doublewood (my standard), a few bottles of Macallan various ages (they are switching up to the Johnnie Walker style grading instead of years which is BS), and a couple bottles of Glenrothes.

Damn, I sound like a drunk now.

 

[Burnt State]

Here's some Whisky do's and don'ts on ice, mix and water from whisky-distilleries.info:

ICE

Ice is to be avoided in any case. Ice neutralizes and kills almost all the aromas in the whisky, and anaesthetizes the papilla's.

MIXTURES

A good whisky does not need any mixture to be appreciated. Additions of coke or any other kind of soda is to be avoided. The only liquid whisky can stand is water. Preferably fresh mineral water. Ideal would be to add the same water that was used during the distilling process. But this is nearly impossible ...

WATER

Whisky is by definition a strong alcohol (between 40% and 60%). This high alcohol rate is difficult to appreciate by people who are not used to it. This can be considered as an aggression to the papilla's. Adding some fresh water softens the aggressive character of a strong alcohol.

But, even for people who are used to drink strong alcohols, adding a drop of fresh water will open up new horizons. Adding a drop of water will provoke a chemical reaction, freeing the fragrances. The whisky will "open" itself.

In the case of a "cask strength" (generally round 60%), adding water will make it possible to taste the whisky at different alcohol rates. The drinker is entitled to determine the best alcohol rate for himself. When he decides it has reached the ideal alcohol rate, he just can stop adding water.

I once had a fellow scotch drinker over and they had never tasted scotch with a drop of water inside. And I do mean a drop, any more spoils the taste IMHO, but that single drop certainly opens up the flavour of scotch in a profound way. They were jaw dropped by the flavour comparison. Try for yourself...

Question: I've never heard of nor seen anyone add the drop of water to anything but scotch - what's going on there? Does this not have the same effect on other whiskies? I can see why some people would want to lower cask strength though part of the joy of good Whisky is its burn and long finish on the taste buds.

On the other hand I grew up with 96% potato alcohol smuggled in from Poland. There was no way you could drink such stuff. My grandfather would make his annual blueberry and cherry liquors with a mix of his smuggled hooch and 40% vodka. Ironically he lived to be 96 himself - uncertain of any connection there.

 

[Burnt State]

Yup, sign up for connosr. Great for keeping track of your history.

Myself, I've recently broadened my horizons to include bourbon. Last few bottles of scotch included Balvenie Doublewood (my standard), a few bottles of Macallan various ages (they are switching up to the Johnnie Walker style grading instead of years which is BS), and a couple bottles of Glenrothes.

Damn, I sound like a drunk now.

Yes, it seems the older one gets the more one experiments with new whiskies looking for new taste sensations. I have been unable o move out of the scotch, Austrian rum, Irish Whisky habit but was thinking about bourbon...though whenever I think about it I feel like I need to get myself a plaid jacket, take up cigar smoking and wild turkey hunting. In your opinion, what's a great bourbon?

 

[marduk]

Yes, it seems the older one gets the more one experiments with new whiskies looking for new taste sensations. I have been unable o move out of the scotch, Austrian rum, Irish Whisky habit but was thinking about bourbon...though whenever I think about it I feel like I need to get myself a plaid jacket, take up cigar smoking and wild turkey hunting. In your opinion, what's a great bourbon?

I'm still new to bourbon (and still drink the scotch!) but the bottles I've liked so far have been the Maker's Mark 46 and the Four Roses.

They both are quite smooth, low finish, beautiful colour.

My problem is that they are slightly higher alcohol content than scotch, so my body hasn't found the "enough bourbon, time for bed" spot yet.

 

[marduk]

Here's some Whisky do's and don'ts on ice, mix and water from whisky-distilleries.info:



I once had a fellow scotch drinker over and they had never tasted scotch with a drop of water inside. And I do mean a drop, any more spoils the taste IMHO, but that single drop certainly opens up the flavour of scotch in a profound way. They were jaw dropped by the flavour comparison. Try for yourself...

Try a drop of warm distilled water... really opens it up.

 

[DaveM]

Here's some Whisky do's and don'ts on ice, mix and water from whisky-distilleries.info:



I once had a fellow scotch drinker over and they had never tasted scotch with a drop of water inside. And I do mean a drop, any more spoils the taste IMHO, but that single drop certainly opens up the flavour of scotch in a profound way. They were jaw dropped by the flavour comparison. Try for yourself...

Question: I've never heard of nor seen anyone add the drop of water to anything but scotch - what's going on there? Does this not have the same effect on other whiskies? I can see why some people would want to lower cask strength though part of the joy of good Whisky is its burn and long finish on the taste buds.

On the other hand I grew up with 96% potato alcohol smuggled in from Poland. There was no way you could drink such stuff. My grandfather would make his annual blueberry and cherry liquors with a mix of his smuggled hooch and 40% vodka. Ironically he lived to be 96 himself - uncertain of any connection there.

I generally agree about the adding of anything to whisky. However if you were in Japan, the highball is the drink of choice. They tend to add plenty of ice, tonic or whatever makes the drink taste good to them. I know that other countries do add extras to the whisky.

 

[DaveM]

Yup, sign up for connosr. Great for keeping track of your history.

Myself, I've recently broadened my horizons to include bourbon. Last few bottles of scotch included Balvenie Doublewood (my standard), a few bottles of Macallan various ages (they are switching up to the Johnnie Walker style grading instead of years which is BS), and a couple bottles of Glenrothes.

Damn, I sound like a drunk now.

Better get ready for more NAS (no age statement) whiskys. Once Diageo (the biggest producer of alcoholic beverages in the world) does it, you can be sure the others won't be far behind.

 

[marduk]

Better get ready for more NAS (no age statement) whiskys. Once Diageo (the biggest producer of alcoholic beverages in the world) does it, you can be sure the others won't be far behind.

I know, I know, I'm stockpiling like mad.

The wife gets all pissy when I dump $Ks into booze and I claim it's a smart investment.

You know, in my drunken future.

 

[mike]

Im not allowed to drink spirits, by the time i figure out ive had too much, its too late.
Whereapon i have a tendency to take off all my clothes and go play in heavy traffic.