There are so few bourbons with age statements left on the shelf, let alone with 12 years on them, that mixing with those bourbons would be insane. Weller 12 ... allocated. Elijah Craig 12 ... gone. Even Knob Creek dropped the age statement. I guess there's McKenna 10 still hanging around? Anyway, for mixing choose something cheaper but high proof, like Wild Turkey 101 or Old Grand Dad 114. The alcohol helps the flavor cut through the other ingredients. But even something simple like an Old Fashioned, I wouldn't go beyond a commonly acquired rye, like Rittenhouse. Save the good stuff to sip neat. And honestly there aren't that many cocktails that call for bourbon or rye to begin with, even fewer that call for scotch. (Though tis the season for the Penicillin, one of my fave cocktails, that calls for blended scotch, a float of peaty scotch, and honey-ginger syrup.)
The other day I lucked into a bottle of Four Roses' Limited Edition Small Batch. I love Four Roses in pretty much all its iterations.
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 23 November 2017 15:26 (six years ago) link
I brought a bottle of Henry McKenna (the cheap blended not the bottled in bond) to a whisky weekend at a cabin with some guys where everyone brought a bottle then we did a NCAA style tournament of blind tasting matchups.my $11 bottle emerged as champion, sending several fancy pants $50-$70 bottles packing
― Universal LULU Nation (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 23 November 2017 15:55 (six years ago) link
the artisanal experimental cocktails at fancy bars that use expensive whiskey feel acceptable but I feel guilty using something that cost over $35 per bottle (adjust for your local currency and regional inflation) with anything more than a splash of water or a single ice cube at home
― mh, Thursday, 23 November 2017 16:16 (six years ago) link
Agreed, at home my cocktail whiskey standbys are Rittenhouse rye, which is unfortunately expensive in oz, Suntory Kakubin, which is cheap and cheerful, Wild turkey and whatever is on special at the Greek supermarket across the way.
I’m sure there’s a name for a Manhattan made with Scotch and Johnny walker makes a good base for it. It’s alll about the vermouth anyway.
― American Fear of Pranksterism (Ed), Thursday, 23 November 2017 18:16 (six years ago) link
scotch manhattan is called a rob roy
― -_- (jim in vancouver), Thursday, 23 November 2017 18:24 (six years ago) link
Rittenhouse expensive? How much we talking?I make my old fashioneds with that and it’s about 20 something usd here
― i n f i n i t y (∞), Thursday, 23 November 2017 18:37 (six years ago) link
Im playing bartender tonight and thinking what to do w this glenfiddich bottleThey recommend running a twist of blood orange to the rim then adding it into the glass but i cldnt find bloody blood oranges
― i n f i n i t y (∞), Thursday, 23 November 2017 18:42 (six years ago) link
there are....lots of cocktails that use a rye base.
― call all destroyer, Thursday, 23 November 2017 18:50 (six years ago) link
$75 Australian, it used to be $100 so it’s improved a bit. I feel like I wasn’t paying more than $35 in the PLCB store in Pittsburgh.
― American Fear of Pranksterism (Ed), Thursday, 23 November 2017 18:54 (six years ago) link
XpMentioned this upthread but it’s the glenfiddich ipa — their experimental series one?Tastes different than a regular scotch tho surprisingly not hoppy at allP smooth tho
― i n f i n i t y (∞), Thursday, 23 November 2017 18:58 (six years ago) link
Ed that is very expensive I feel for you
― i n f i n i t y (∞), Thursday, 23 November 2017 18:59 (six years ago) link
Pricing is weird, I can by a bottle of Talisker for less.
― American Fear of Pranksterism (Ed), Thursday, 23 November 2017 19:01 (six years ago) link
CAD, rye cocktails are far less common than gin, rum, etc.Rittenhouse here is less than $30, though price has been going up.
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 23 November 2017 20:11 (six years ago) link
Hmm, thinking about it: Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Vieux Carre, Sazerac, boulevardier ... what common rye cocktails am I missing?
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 23 November 2017 20:36 (six years ago) link
Friend gave me a bottle of Laphroaig Triple Wood - had a couple of drinks and when I burped the next day it was still peaty
― louise ck (milo z), Thursday, 23 November 2017 20:41 (six years ago) link
because of current trends I see a lot more whiskey cocktails on restaurant menus than gin ones!
― mh, Thursday, 23 November 2017 21:03 (six years ago) link
ah missed the restriction to rye... if you open it up to bourbon cocktails where rye is fine, you end up with a lot
― mh, Thursday, 23 November 2017 21:04 (six years ago) link
I'm thinking of traditional/classic drinks. Buy if you're talking about contemporary concoctions, the permutations are endless.
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 23 November 2017 21:08 (six years ago) link
Laphroaig Triple Wood is what I currently have at home. I don't hate it, but it suffers a bit from an identity crisis, the different flavors don't seem to know how to exist with each other, with the sweet sherry overtones butting heads with the smokey base. I miss the light medicinal tang of the 10 year.
― Moodles, Thursday, 23 November 2017 21:14 (six years ago) link
i've never had a japanese whiskey! what should i start with?yesterday i bought a standard 10-y-o laphroaig opened it up and was like "ahhhh my old friend"― illegal economic migration (Tracer Hand), Thursday, 23 November 2017 21:45 (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
yesterday i bought a standard 10-y-o laphroaig opened it up and was like "ahhhh my old friend"
― illegal economic migration (Tracer Hand), Thursday, 23 November 2017 21:45 (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Japanese All whiskey is going through a boom right now. Not sure where you are now but there must be a bar you could go and try a few. It seems to be becoming very common in Melbourne at least.
I can heartily recommend the Akashi White Oak as a good starting point, the tikka from the barrel mentioned above is good too.
One of our local bottle shops does 250ml splits from fancy bottles of whiskeys from around the world which is both delicious and dangerous.
― American Fear of Pranksterism (Ed), Thursday, 23 November 2017 21:44 (six years ago) link
My Sydneysider brother in law is constantly gifted Scotch, but bourbon seems to be gradually catching on.
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 23 November 2017 21:58 (six years ago) link
Re jp whiskiesHad a few really good whiskies when in japan but hibiki is probably the second most sought after (17yr maybe first?) after yamazakiAnything 12+, if you can actually manage to get a hold of oneOnly thing is prices in the west are super inflated
― i n f i n i t y (∞), Thursday, 23 November 2017 22:02 (six years ago) link
Suntory Yamazaki is good but it’s climbed from the low 30s to mid 50s.
― louise ck (milo z), Thursday, 23 November 2017 23:15 (six years ago) link
rising
― fake pato is kind of racist, dude (darraghmac), Thursday, 23 November 2017 23:17 (six years ago) link
Top tip is to go to the liquor store in Tokyo station where you can taste nips of all kinds of rare stuff for 50-150yen a go.
― American Fear of Pranksterism (Ed), Friday, 24 November 2017 00:23 (six years ago) link
Monkey Shoulder has been a hit every time I bring a bottle somewhere. Fairly cheap Scotch blend, not challenging but not super sweet or anything.
― louise ck (milo z), Friday, 24 November 2017 00:38 (six years ago) link
CAD, rye cocktails are far less common than gin, rum, etc.
Rittenhouse here is less than $30, though price has been going up.
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, November 23, 2017 3:11 PM (five hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
i'm sorry, you can count "traditional/classic" cocktails in any number of ways but i just don't really agree with this! rye (and bourbon), applejack, cognac, holland gin, and jamaican rum were basically on equal footing in the formative years of the cocktail.
― call all destroyer, Friday, 24 November 2017 02:08 (six years ago) link
I'm not arguing that. Just want you to name names!
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 24 November 2017 02:15 (six years ago) link
Revisiting the laphroiag 10Smokier than I remember it but i just opened the bottle so it’ll probably mellow outAlmost has a bacon note to it but i guess that’s the seaweed
― F# A# (∞), Sunday, 7 October 2018 04:18 (five years ago) link
Also what is going on with laphroiag giving “1 sq ft” of their island for freeI don’t like it enough to get my own plot but it sounds gimmicky
― F# A# (∞), Sunday, 7 October 2018 04:36 (five years ago) link
…the coffee of whiskeys?
― I have measured out my life in coffee shop loyalty cards (silby), Monday, 8 October 2018 01:33 (five years ago) link
I have not been drinking scotch every night of this werk
― F# A# (∞), Friday, 12 October 2018 01:45 (five years ago) link
Week
Drinking scotch every night is fine. Just make sure to brush your teeth after. I used to buy scotch for people as holiday gifts, but then the next year would find the unopened bottle still there and I would then drink it all. It was like regifting to myself. Self regifting?
― Yerac, Friday, 12 October 2018 01:48 (five years ago) link
Yeah i agreeThe laphroiag 10 especially — very unique
― F# A# (∞), Friday, 12 October 2018 02:07 (five years ago) link
It's smokey yet light, very drinkable with a medicinal edge.
― Mario Meatwagon (Moodles), Friday, 12 October 2018 03:06 (five years ago) link
the last bottles of scotch I drank by myself were Oban 14 yr and Springbank (whatever the most common is).
― Yerac, Friday, 12 October 2018 03:12 (five years ago) link
Tried the Laphroaig Brodir (48%) last week. Completely agree with the description that it’s a reverse Laphroaig, sweetness first followed by a build of intense smokiness. Not sure I’d buy a bottle but pretty great for a nip.
― You (bleeping) need me. You can't Finn without me (fionnland), Friday, 12 October 2018 07:02 (five years ago) link
Springbank is fucking amazing
Oban too
Highland Park has usually been my go-to but I can also get with Bunnahabin or however you spell it and Lagavulin
― illegal economic migration (Tracer Hand), Friday, 12 October 2018 08:13 (five years ago) link
Also what is going on with laphroiag giving “1 sq ft” of their island for free
I don’t like it enough to get my own plot but it sounds gimmicky
I got my plot! Yes, it's basically gimmick but quite a nice one. If you go they used to lend you a pair of wellies so you could go and look at the peat bogs. I don't know if they still do.
― Ned Trifle X, Friday, 12 October 2018 08:24 (five years ago) link
I'll have to dig out the certificate. It was a while ago.
Ha damn broGood to kno
― F# A# (∞), Friday, 12 October 2018 13:46 (five years ago) link
I really should get some whiskey to take back with me. I think at home I now only have Jameson and a bottle of mesquite smoked arizona bourbon that someone gave me.
― Yerac, Friday, 12 October 2018 13:58 (five years ago) link
When I got married my officemate gave me a bottle of Yamazaki as my present, I was like "you know me so well."
― Yerac, Friday, 12 October 2018 14:14 (five years ago) link
I treasured my yamazaki 18 for maybe 5 years before I decided it was time to finish itHaven’t had j whiskies in a while
― F# A# (∞), Friday, 12 October 2018 15:03 (five years ago) link
just opened a glenlivet founders reserve and it smells as christmassy as anything ive ever had but the taste is much thinner, smoother and higher than expected
very good tho
― phil neville jacket (darraghmac), Friday, 16 August 2019 20:39 (four years ago) link
The Onion's video "Jim Beam Releases New Whiskey Specially Made For Knife, Gun Wounds" is still one of my favorite things ever and I think about it a lot more than I probably should.
― Yerac, Friday, 16 August 2019 21:14 (four years ago) link
irish version would be for toothache
― phil neville jacket (darraghmac), Friday, 16 August 2019 22:04 (four years ago) link
bottle of redbreast 12 made its way back onto my shelf for first time in years lately and its better than i gave it credit for, a richer and sweeter green spot would be a fair guideline
― Banáná hÉireann (darraghmac), Friday, 10 January 2020 21:42 (four years ago) link
treated myself to a bottle of yellow spot right before xmas but haven’t dug into it yet.
― call all destroyer, Friday, 10 January 2020 22:59 (four years ago) link