Best Brands of Whiskey?

Monasette

The difference is the treatment of the corn beforehand. 'Malted' corn is sprayed with water and begins germination. Before any sprouts appear, the process is stopped by kilning, where hot air is pumped through the barley. The malting process increases the sugar content (or is it the starch, I can never remember) and that affects the taste. (This process is used for beer too). Laphraoig distillery is one of the few places where the malting is done on the premises. The malting floor is on the top of the building, and the floor is perforated so that air can circulate under the corn. There is also a fair quotient of birdsh*t in the mix, since they leave the windows open and every bird on the island flies in for a feed. They use turf in the kiln, hence the smoky flavour. I can't recommend a visit to Islay enough - a beautiful island full of Scots with a fanatical devotion to whisky - how can that be bad?

/John

Kell

Originally posted by Jaden
Lagavulin - The best of the Islay whiskies. (Which are the best of the single malts, which in turn, are the best whiskies).

Tsk. Try a Bowmore Mariner or the Bowmore darkest and rethink your assertions!

One that no-one has mentioned is Springbank. Delicious whisky, though a tad expensive. Rule of thumb- if yer mates looking to stock Scotch go for the classics i.e. Talisker, Lagavulin, Oban, Cragganmore, Glenkinchie and Dalwhinnie. Most of the buying pulic havnt a clue what a good Scotch is. As for Glenmorangie, sneak in a Glenmorangie Portwood finish- its sex in a glass. Trust me on this. Oh, and then theres Balvenie, especially the single barrel stuff. Yum.

Go here- www.whiskyshop.com for all brands of whisky from everywhere.

K-