The non-controversial Scottish single malt whisky poll

I can't remember why this poll was controversial. But I just had some Cragganmore, which was pleasingly nutty and sweet, as the tasting notes suggest. And threw into even sharper relief the Laphroaig that followed.

When I want something a bit cheaper i'm down with the Aberlour 10(i think?) year.

Early days but I think both Ardbeg & Lagavulin beat out Laphroaig (for me). Laphroaig is great and has such a ridiculous kick & potency, but I think that there might be an added refinement to be found elsewhere...

I guess that many types will have been scuppered in this poll by being just that bit pricier & harder to get hold of, so couldn't compete.

i don't like laphroaig. there's a bunch of really expensive ones i haven't tried.

I've never liked Laphroaig and always seen it is a poser's whisky - its taste just blares out at you. I would still go for the Macallan 18 above anything else. I do like some of the others, particularly Lagavulin (and yes Ardberg), but there's something delightful about the simplicity of the Macallan. Even when I've been lucky to have v expensive whiskies, they've tasted amazing, but I'm not sure I always want that necessarily.

I should hopefully get a bottle of The Macallan 10 Year Old later this week, if all goes to plan.

I went for the standard version rather than the Fine Oak.

americans u r savages

nb american whisky is great, especially at lower/mid prices but srsly this fucking poll

that was meant to be for the *other* whisky poll, jesus how many of these are you going to bump

Um, two.

was recently introduced to Caol Ila, poss my new fave single malt

My friend had a bottle of Caol Ila and it was trying that that I think really started me on the single malts. It was lovely. I can't remember which expression now. I've only tried Caol Ila once more since, but it still tasted great. It's (one of many) on my agenda.

Mortlach is good! Deserves a vote

after a visit to an exceptionally hospitable scottish household I have expanded my oeuvre & discovered that my two favourite whiskies (thus far) belong to cluster J (Lagavulin, which got me into whisky in the first place, and Talisker, which I had last night, and which I adored).

I also liked An Cnoc, and the Highland Park was nice, but Talisker is serious, serious stuff. felt incredibly balanced & sophisticated for something so peaty and strong

might invest in some cluster J shit

next one to try is ardbeg

caol ila has less phenols but im not a huge fan, its an unusual and distinctive whisky though (almost everything they produce is sold for blending afaik)

clynelish is the only one under j i haven't tried

ledaig?

laphroaig is amazing but i only need a thimbleful or so once a year to sort me out. it's what i order when i go to the fancy whisky bar downtown.

i just bought some of the 12-year balvenie; it seems like a nice thing to have around in the autumn and i suspect i'll be returning to it a fair amount.

for real. Any cabinet that'd favor Laphroig over Macallan isn't worth opening.

― J0hn D., Monday, December 31, 2007 1:55 PM (6 years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

lol shots fired

the macallan is wonderful too, but i'm a "here we are now, entertain us" dumm american and i want my big peaty show.

my project of understanding scotch will continue for years and years is all i can say

i think i'd enjoy any of the cluster H or I entries (glenmorangie is probably the most commercially accessible to americans and apparently has some fans on this thread).

highland park has been pretty great in small samples, right balance of big flavors and being actually pleasant to drink

yh i undersold highland park upthread, it rly was hi quality

laphroaig is, i discovered by drinking both from a tumbler in each hand, a smoother ride than talisker - the latter really is peat in excelsis

talisker is less heavily peated than laphroaig although its bottled at higher abv which makes it harsher in some respects

http://whiskyforeveryone.blogspot.co.uk/2008/04/explain-about-peat.html

has anyone had talisker storm? considering buying some while i can get it cheap

highland park is awesome

hmm I might have some whisky now

drinking a Balvenie

so talisker storm is fairly similar to the 10 yr old

the spiel says it is sweeter and slightly more intense which is probably correct

theres some degree of suspicion about no age statement scotches, the trend probably reflecting increase in demand and the need to sell off younger whiskies, although blends of different ages are normal in cognac

so the storm us no age stmt and looks like even on sale it would be about $10 more than the ten year? that would be a tough sell for me.

yeah its not worth that at all, although i paid....$37 a bottle...so for that its fine

good article here about the 10 yr

http://thekrav.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/taliskravaganza-day-1-talisker-10-year.html

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/271771254022

the other week i had some of that yamizaki 12 that you will have raved about and whilst i thought it was rather good it's not remotely worth the money, not that much whisky is (although falling scotch exports and lowered excise should help)

talisker seem to have a new entrylev no age statement whisky, fittingly most of these involve seem to involve scraping barrels to impart oak phenols more quickly

this was a reply to deems in the other thread that for some reason i posted here, hopefully the irish is able to follow anyway

If whiskey (of any sort) is a solvent to extract hardwood phenols, why haven't any enterprising producers used sawdust and milling waste for faster aging. Granted, it sounds cheap, but surely we can do better in the 21st century. We have the technology.

ardmore legacy is a worthy entrant in the scraping-the-barrel no-age statement peated scotch category, better than laphroaig select and well worth £16 and maybe a bit more than that

if I misremember the yamizaki I dont regret it a bit, some of my fondest memories were fixed in post

xp to sanpaku that presumably already happens in whisky since it happens in wine
http://winefolly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/oak-chips-in-wine-stephen_bolen.jpg
difficult to imagine at least some whisky isnt adulterated
http://www.nytimes.com/1998/06/04/world/bordeaux-winemaker-is-charged-with-fraud-over-contents-of-its-products.html

Old Pulteney is a toothsome delight!

Suntory Yamazaki 12-year is my preferred single-malt, plus it's cheaper than most actual Scotches.

otm you will have noted my telling for it itt and others

Old Pulteney is a toothsome delight!

― Yul Brynner playing table tennis with a deviled kidney (imago), Friday, August 28, 2015 9:44 PM (3 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

ah but then you crack out the Lagavulin afterwards and it's dismissed into memory as the pleasant distraction it always was

better than that, really, but not Lagavulin

Would like to rep for 18 yr glendronach

Would like a chance to.

It's a rich comforter, for sure

I was gifted a bottle 2 years ago and it lasted me well

Had some Ardbeg Corryvreckan over Christmas and that was quite a ride.

xp hey all those best man gigs have to have some benefit, right?

today i bought longrow peated nas b/c when i looked up tasting notes i was told it smells like a harbourmaster's jacket. it's pretty good!

Was on islay. Got a wee bottle of an oa at the ardbeg distillery.Enjoying it

Why is Bushmills on here? it's Irish

― Bill Magill, Thursday, 1 November 2007 19:22 (eleven years ago) bookmarkflaglink

Bill Magill otm

no votes but. giruy