Whisky appreciation thread

Post by **Zyx** » Thu Jun 04, 2009 22:49

Having just updated the super secret thingie once again and pouring some leftover Whyte & Mackay with rocks, I realized that there wasn't a proper thread for this noble drink.

So be it Highlands, Islay or even a whiskey from somewhere else, what's your favourite?

Note for those who think that whisky tastes horrible, you probably drank some cheap blended. Get yourself a smooth highlands single malt (fe. Glenfiddich 12 yo.) with a drop of water (as liquid, not as blocks of ice) and you might have found a new friend.

Also, this is an acquired taste, so you'll start liking this stuff only after couple of bottles.

Scythe · Post by **Scythe** » Thu Jun 04, 2009 22:50

Is that a couple of bottles in a row?

Damn alcoholics, I am of a mind to open a milk appreciation thread...

Pater Alf · Post by **Pater Alf** » Thu Jun 04, 2009 22:58

I don't drink that much whiskey, but I like Tullamore Dew.

Post by **Chroelle** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 16:43

I have this funny tastebud thing where I can drink a couple of sips of whisky and enjoy it but then it gets too much for me, and I cant even take a sip again after waiting for an hour...

Post by **Zyx** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 18:17

One of my recent acquisitions is a bottle of White Grouse (from the guys who make the Famous Grouse, a decent blended). The special thing with this whisky is that it's kept in the freezer and is supposed to be consumed ice cold like vodka. Which is kinda odd.

Haven't yet had an opportunity to try it out, but I don't have my expectations high.

I bought the bottle solely so that I could say "Otetaas riekko pakkasesta".

Post by **Zyx** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 22:38

Chroelle wrote:I have this funny tastebud thing where I can drink a couple of sips of whisky and enjoy it but then it gets too much for me, and I cant even take a sip again after waiting for an hour...

Mix it with coke! Coke+whisky is an excellent choice. Now, at first it tastes a bit similar to rum, but the aftertaste is more refined. also coke takes quite well the edge off a mediocre blended.

Also, some people say whisky and milk is good. I haven't tried that.

Pager · Post by **Pager** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 21:45

Now this is a thread about spirits that I can at least somewhat relate to...

Alright, so over the pond in Canada our home country brew, Canadian Whisky, is generally referred to as Rye, or Rye Whisky, of the stuff from here I enjoy Crown Royal, I have been also known to drink Canadian Club, which also makes a really nice barbecue sauce.

Of course if we are talking about Rye, when drinking this I usually enjoy mixing it with something, it used to be Rye + Ginger Ale, or rye and diet coke, but now I am content with just rye + water with a slice of lime.

Now, moving into the American Whiskeys, I find with the better half of these I don't like it sitting in my mouth for a long period of time, ie. sipping is no good. I usually leave the American stuff (Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, Wild Turkey, etc.) for shooters, get it in my mouth and down my throat as fast as possible without touching my tongue, if I get a pre-taste of this stuff before it is down, chances are it is coming back up. I find this a more pleasant shooter with JD is an Apple Jack, 1/2 Whiskey, 1/2 Apple Juice.

But if you still don't like the harsh (almost pukey) taste of American whiskey, you could also have a Whiskey Sour (1 oz. Whiskey and Bar-Lime Mix (if you don't have this, try Limonade, lemonade made with limes (if you ever stumble upon a bottle of mezcal (tequila with the worm) it goes really good with limonade))).

Now as for Scotch, If I drink this stuff it is usually just on the rocks, I tend to not try and mask to flavours or the smoothness of scotch, unless it is some terribly awful scotch. I find Glenfiddich to be my favourite. I once bought a shot of Johnny Walker Blue ($85 per shot) at a New Years party, and found it tasted too much like burnt wood, I was not impressed...I ended up shooting it.

Although I am not one to mix scotch, I have seen, on more than one occasion, my father will drink Rusty Nails (1 oz scotch, 1/2 oz Drambuie) like they are water. I tried one at a small pub once but couldn't stomach the taste of the Drambuie. The bartender gave me kudos for ordering one as it was the first time in his career as a bartender that he ever had to make one...little did he know I put it all in my mouth, went to the bathroom and spit out what I couldn't swallow.

PA Mentioned Tullamore Dew, I usually use this stuff when I make homemade Bailey's. But the last time I did that was at a gathering and someone brought "special" cookies (although I thought they were just plain cookies) so I was drinking homemade Bailey's and munching on these deadly cookies. Possibly the worst time of my life was spent laying in someone's bed watching the time on the clock change and every single minute took for freakin' ever!

Post by **Zyx** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 2:56

Pager wrote:Now this is a thread about spirits that I can at least somewhat relate to...

Whisky is the most democratic of them all, everything from a cheap blended to a rare Islay single mat.

Alright, so over the pond in Canada our home country brew, Canadian Whisky, is generally referred to as Rye, or Rye Whisky, of the stuff from here I enjoy Crown Royal, I have been also known to drink Canadian Club, which also makes a really nice barbecue sauce.

I'm a purist by accident, I don't recall drinking anything but Scotch whiskys. How's the taste compared to Canadians?

I find Glenfiddich to be my favourite. I once bought a shot of Johnny Walker Blue ($85 per shot) at a New Years party, and found it tasted too much like burnt wood, I was not impressed...I ended up shooting it.

I think this is a lesson learnt for all. I haven't tasted "old" whiskeys that much, but what I've understood, 12 yo is pretty much the max you want to drink, anything above that, you're either stupid or rich or, most likely, both.

Pager · Post by **Pager** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 17:48

Zyx wrote:
I find Glenfiddich to be my favourite. I once bought a shot of Johnny Walker Blue ($85 per shot) at a New Years party, and found it tasted too much like burnt wood, I was not impressed...I ended up shooting it.
I think this is a lesson learnt for all. I haven't tasted "old" whiskeys that much, but what I've understood, 12 yo is pretty much the max you want to drink, anything above that, you're either stupid or rich or, most likely, both.

I think for most its one of those things that they buy it to seem like everyone thinks you're so high class...and even then I know people that can afford it but they still don't drink it, they stick with JW Red or some times venture into black label...

As for Rye, I can tell you the science behind it is that it is blended from cereal grains and distlled from the fermented mash of corn, rye and barley,to be a true Rye it contains at least 51% rye fermentation, whereas scotch whiskey is primarily barley.

I find with rye it is a little smoother and the flavour is a lighter.

Also, I find rye to have medicinal properties, if you have a stuffed nose and are generally feeling like arse, have a few gulps of rye, it'll make you feel a little better...never tried it with a sore throat, but if anyone is feeling adventurous, they could try it...

Post by **Zyx** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 9:41

Seems like I need to fetch a bottle of Canadian next time.

At least JW Green has a couple of peat-heavy Islay whiskys, so I think they might be behind the "burnt wood" taste in your JW Blue too.

Next time, get a glass of a single malt islay whisky like Talisker, Laphroiag or Ardbeg for that nice peat taste.

Maz · Post by **Maz** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 2:08

Lagavulin single islay