Duncan Taylor Whisky

johnnyskeleton

Has anyone had any of the Duncan Taylor range of whisky and if so how do they rate?

O'Briens seem to have a selection of them but there's very little by way of reviews or comparisons on the internet.

Bought a bottle of Caol Ila 15 year old in his NC2 (non chill filtered, non coloured range) for €60 and it looks interesting, but it's a bit of a gamble.

EDIT: Had a taste, a really good (if unusual) whisky. Spicy, sweat and peaty which I've never tasted all in the same whisky before. The fact that it is non chill filtered means there is sediment in the bottle and it is slightly cloudy light yellow when held up to the light. Strangely (for the few scotches I've had before) there is very little by way of aftertaste (or finish, if that's the correct fancy term).

Brockagh

They're very respectable independent bottlers. I think they have some very good casks, but it's going to vary, like anything else. I think your Caol Ila is pretty good value.

They've a good range. I think it includes Rare Auld and NC2, as well as some younger stuff.

IrishWhiskeyCha

As Broc says a good range but quite expensive in O'Briens for some of the older stuff. If your interested in some of the others and can affoard to purchase a few various bottles try a few UK online retailers.

These bottles are for drinking and not collecting as they will unlikely gain mhuge value over the years compared to Distillery bottlings.

However these are a great way to taste a distillery from a different prespective.

johnnyskeleton

IrishWhiskeyCha wrote: »

These bottles are for drinking and not collecting as they will unlikely gain mhuge value over the years compared to Distillery bottlings.

Surely the proof of the whiskey is in the drinkin?

IrishWhiskeyCha wrote: »

However these are a great way to taste a distillery from a different prespective.

Have to say, the look of the whisky put me off, but it was very tasty. It's a pale yellow and cloudly, with bits of sediment in it. But tasted like no other whiskey. Also, it is Scottish Whisky, which no-one wants.

Brockagh

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

Surely the proof of the whiskey is in the drinkin?



Have to say, the look of the whisky put me off, but it was very tasty. It's a pale yellow and cloudly, with bits of sediment in it. But tasted like no other whiskey. Also, it is Scottish Whisky, which no-one wants.

Whisky can become cloudy at cask strength if you add water or if is cold. This effect stops below 46% abv or if you chill filter it. Most "experts" want it unchillfiltered, as the fats that solidify to give this cloudyness add another dimension to the whisky.

I wouldn't say no one wants Scottish whisky. It's the most popular whisky worldwide, I think. Scotland has more distilleries than anywhere else, for good reason.

Caol Ila is an excellent distillery. Lovely single malts - and it's one of the chief ingredients in the Johnnie Walker blends.

IrishWhiskeyCha

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

Surely the proof of the whiskey is in the drinkin?

Of course dear boy Just making sure you were not buying as an investment as buying an IB is generally not worth while as OB is the way to go.

IB (Independent Bottler) A company that buys casks and bottles them independently to the Distillery.
OB (Original Bottler) in other words the Distillery under the Distillers brand name.

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

Have to say, the look of the whisky put me off, but it was very tasty. It's a pale yellow and cloudly, with bits of sediment in it. But tasted like no other whiskey. Also, it is Scottish Whisky, which no-one wants.

Coal Ila is generally a very safe distillery to buy from as nearly any of the IB's I've tasted have been good. A distillery like Glenrothes can be hit and miss from an IB prespective but the OB's are wonderful.

In relation to cloudy whisky Broc has hit the nail on the head. Chill filtering was brought in to stop this and all 40% & 43% whikies (which are the most common strengths) are chill filtered. This was done purely from an asthetic point of view as people thought it was gone off when they saw this but as we all know whisky does not really go off. However chill filtering takes greatly from the taste as some of the bigger fats are removed thus removing some of the taste. That is why Cask strength non chilfiltered whisky is much sought after but whisk(e)y nuts like myself and Broc. Irish people in general have not caught on to the delights of the various whiskies and have a habit of sticking to one brand. This is sad as there are a multitude of wonderful whiskies out there. It used to be that 90% of whisky sold in the world is Scottish 5% Irish and the rest of the world makes up the rest with the US accounting for a large precent of that. But not sure now as it is changing, hopefully in favour of Irish but there is a long long way to go before we even hit 10%

johnnyskeleton

IrishWhiskeyCha wrote: »

Of course dear boy Just making sure you were not buying as an investment as buying an IB is generally not worth while as OB is the way to go.

IB (Independent Bottler) A company that buys casks and bottles them independently to the Distillery.
OB (Original Bottler) in other words the Distillery under the Distillers brand name.

My style of investing in whiskey is stockpiling it for the end of the world, rather than expecting any sort of return from a sale in a few years time. Mind you, I wouldn't mind digging up a bottle that I've been saving up only to find out it is worth a shedload of money. However, I doubt that this is likely to happen (no matter how many times CWS say that there are no more redbreast 15s going to be made).

IrishWhiskeyCha wrote: »

In relation to cloudy whisky Broc has hit the nail on the head. Chill filtering was brought in to stop this and all 40% & 43% whikies (which are the most common strengths) are chill filtered. This was done purely from an asthetic point of view as people thought it was gone off when they saw this but as we all know whisky does not really go off. However chill filtering takes greatly from the taste as some of the bigger fats are removed thus removing some of the taste.

Should have clarified - the light yellow colour was more off putting than the sediment & cloudiness. It is very hard not to find that presentation makes a difference in food and drink and this whisky looks like it might be weak (which it isn't).

IrishWhiskeyCha wrote: »

That is why Cask strength non chilfiltered whisky is much sought after but whisk(e)y nuts like myself and Broc. Irish people in general have not caught on to the delights of the various whiskies and have a habit of sticking to one brand. This is sad as there are a multitude of wonderful whiskies out there.

Price is a fairly significant factor in that though, and a lot of the Scottish single malts don't have much penetration in the lower end of the market. I think the way you usually have to buy a full bottle or pay a lot in a pub is also quite off putting for many people.

And of course there is the misplaced nationalism that makes it very hard to be giving our jobs to dem foreigners what we invaded all those years ago and who now make our drink (debatable) better than ourselves (also debatable).

IrishWhiskeyCha

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

Should have clarified - the light yellow colour was more off putting than the sediment & cloudiness. It is very hard not to find that presentation makes a difference in food and drink and this whisky looks like it might be weak (which it isn't).

or maybe it subconsiously reminded you of a urine sample :P

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

Price is a fairly significant factor in that though, and a lot of the Scottish single malts don't have much penetration in the lower end of the market. I think the way you usually have to buy a full bottle or pay a lot in a pub is also quite off putting for many people.

True, true, even the better Irish whiskeys sometimes come at a outrageous cost. It's a pity the likes of Tesco don't stock the scotch whiskies in Irish store like they do in the UK and more importantly we can't avail of the UK prices.

johnnyskeleton

IrishWhiskeyCha wrote: »

or maybe it subconsiously reminded you of a urine sample :P

Thanks, I still have the best part of a bottle left and that comment will really help

IrishWhiskeyCha wrote: »

True, true, even the better Irish whiskeys sometimes come at a outrageous cost. It's a pity the likes of Tesco don't stock the scotch whiskies in Irish store like they do in the UK and more importantly we can't avail of the UK prices.

Don't suppose you know of any good off licences/supermarkets in Newry?

IrishWhiskeyCha

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

Don't suppose you know of any good off licences/supermarkets in Newry?

From my side I usually head to Enniskillen Omagh or Derry. However Sainsburys, Tesco & Aldi are usually well stocked with some standard single Malts. Laphroaig 10, Highland Park 12, Lagavulin 16 amongst them. Also the likes of Jura, Macallan Glenmorangie

aidanmac

I would normally recommend distillery bottlings over independent bottlings for consistent quality. Independent bottlings are a bit of a gamble.

Brockagh

If a distillery has a bad cask, it can hide it in a big vatting, but if an independent bottler has a bad cask, the chance are they'll sell it on as is. There are a lot of great indepently bottled casks, though. Cadenhead are very good, I think. The Single Malts of Scotland range is also generally very good too. Douglas Lang have some good stuff too. I suppose they all do.