What Whisky/Whiskey are we drinking this month?

killbillvol2

Cazale wrote: »

The Whisky Exchange have started selling their tasting packs for their Whisky Show. They are releasing a few packs a day.

I'm not going to bother. Even if you buy a pack you have to pay £20 for a pass to attend all the virtual sessions. This pass does give you £10 off each pack but with postage costing £10 to the North it's not a great deal. For example to buy the JJ Corry (5*30ml) and Glen Grant (5*30ml) packs would cost nearly £90. To quote French Toast from Hardy Bucks I might be daft but I'm not stupid!

https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/whiskyshow2020

I'm out too. Postage to the south is £16.95 and upwards. That's assuming it gets through.

Padraig Mor

blacklilly wrote: »

Any suggestions for a peated/smokey whiskey? Was thinking of Connemara single malt but as I’m not a whiskey drinker myself, I’m looking for suggestions

The Islays are the daddy in this area but TBH you'd be just as well starting with a Connemara - cheaper and easier to get - and if you don't like that, chances are you won't like the Scots! If you want to go 'all in' at first try, my face is Laphroaig 10 but be warned - it's not for everyone!

GrumPy

Bagged a bottle of Black Bush & Chivas 12 year in an airport recently for €57.50. Thought that was a good deal!

Opened the Bushmills yesterday, decent!

Ivefoundgod

BonnieSituation wrote: »

I couldn't see the Knap 14 on sale on their website is all.

The Method and Madness was very very nice I have to say.

The website seems to change daily with what it lists, presumably based on stock. I went on it Wednesday and couldn't find Method & Madness in the whiskey sale section. Typed it into the search bar and it showed up allright but a few others didn't appear anywhere. I've noticed this often with the O' Briens site where stuff will just disappear.

Plenty of stock in my local O' Briens though, i'd imagine you'd still get a bottle in a shop if you have one nearby.

BonnieSituation

Ivefoundgod wrote: »

The website seems to change daily with what it lists, presumably based on stock. I went on it Wednesday and couldn't find Method & Madness in the whiskey sale section. Typed it into the search bar and it showed up allright but a few others didn't appear anywhere. I've noticed this often with the O' Briens site where stuff will just disappear.

Plenty of stock in my local O' Briens though, i'd imagine you'd still get a bottle in a shop if you have one nearby.

I'll check on the way home. What price did you get it for?

Cazale

Ivefoundgod wrote:

Plenty of stock in my local O' Briens though, i'd imagine you'd still get a bottle in a shop if you have one nearby.

The website was better when it had live stock of each shop. There are three close to me so it was handy to know where to go.

Speaking of O'Briens I was at a family event a few years ago and was chatting for ages to my Das cousin who I never met before. Of course my Ma tells me the next day your man you were talking to owns a few off licences. Such a missed opportunity!

Ivefoundgod

BonnieSituation wrote: »

I'll check on the way home. What price did you get it for?

€46 i think it was or possibly €46.95

Ivefoundgod

Cazale wrote: »

The website was better when it had live stock of each shop. There are three close to me so it was handy to know where to go.

Speaking of O'Briens I was at a family event a few years ago and was chatting for ages to my Das cousin who I never met before. Of course my Ma tells me the next day your man you were talking to owns a few off licences. Such a missed opportunity!

I’ve only got one near me in Carlow here so wasn’t much use to me but I didn’t trust the stock it showed online anyway. Plenty of times stuff showed out of stock online and I’d wander down to see a fully stocked shelf of stuff. Useful as a guide only IMO but not that reliable in my experience. Could just have been down to the owner though.

Quackster

BonnieSituation wrote: »

Also, where did we fall down on the Powers 3 Swallow Release?

I know some were very positive on it but I can't remember?

It regularly can be picked up in the €30-€35 range and I think it's cracking value at that price. I always have a bottle of it open.

Picked up a bottle of John's Lane for €50 (with Dunnes shop & save vouchers) as a weekend treat as the evenings draw in!

BonnieSituation

Quackster wrote: »

It regularly can be picked up in the €30-€35 range and I think it's cracking value at that price. I always have a bottle of it open!

It's 35 in O'Brien's right now and very tempting.

I may go in and see if they've the Knap 14 and if not I'll grab the Powers.

That being said, Black Bush is 25.95 as well, and going back to my youth it was always my favourite whiskey. Long time since it was in my cabinet. Very tempted to rectify that oversight as well.

All in all I'll have a bottle of something new this evening.

irish_goat

BonnieSituation wrote: »

That being said, Black Bush is 25.95 as well, and going back to my youth it was always my favourite whiskey. Long time since it was in my cabinet. Very tempted to rectify that oversight as well.

Black Bush is great value for its price. I think I'll probably always have a bottle on the shelf.

Starlord_01

BonnieSituation wrote: »

It's 35 in O'Brien's right now and very tempting.

I may go in and see if they've the Knap 14 and if not I'll grab the Powers.

That being said, Black Bush is 25.95 as well, and going back to my youth it was always my favourite whiskey. Long time since it was in my cabinet. Very tempted to rectify that oversight as well.

All in all I'll have a bottle of something new this evening.

Seen the Knap 14 in O'Briens Ballybrack last night if that's any help.

blacklilly

Padraig Mor wrote: »

The Islays are the daddy in this area but TBH you'd be just as well starting with a Connemara - cheaper and easier to get - and if you don't like that, chances are you won't like the Scots! If you want to go 'all in' at first try, my face is Laphroaig 10 but be warned - it's not for everyone!

Thanks for all the advice so far.

When I look up Laphroiag it’s coming in at about €40 - I was expecting it to be a bit more.

It’s a present for my husband and I know for sure that he likes a peated whiskey but I’m just clueless in this area.

Cazale

Random enough tasting tonight from a sample swap. Ranked in order of preference:

Arbikie Highland Rye 4 Year Old

Tullamore Dew 12 Year Sherry Cask Finish

Tipperary Watershed

Rampur Select Indian Single Malt Whisky

actuar90

Finally got around to rewatching the Mulligan's japanese whiskey tasting.
Highly recommend the chita (a wine finished single grain) and the nikka coffey malt. The hibiki japanese harmony follows closely behind and might pick up a bottle of this based on the fantastic bottle.

It's a really pity that japanese whisky is so much more difficult to pick up or else so much more expensive here.

killbillvol2

Cazale wrote: »

Random enough tasting tonight from a sample swap. Ranked in order of preference:

Arbikie Highland Rye 4 Year Old

Tullamore Dew 12 Year Sherry Cask Finish

Tipperary Watershed

Rampur Select Indian Single Malt Whisky

£250 for a 4yo whisky? What's the story there?

newbie runner

It was an Arran 10 year old single malt for me tonight,but needed something with a bit more punch,so moved onto Caol Ila 12 year old.Really enjoying it.

newbie runner

actuar90 wrote: »

Finally got around to rewatching the Mulligan's japanese whiskey tasting.
Highly recommend the chita (a wine finished single grain) and the nikka coffey malt. The hibiki japanese harmony follows closely behind and might pick up a bottle of this based on the fantastic bottle.

It's a really pity that japanese whisky is so much more difficult to pick up or else so much more expensive here.

The Hibikis are gone outrageous!

newbie runner

Ive come to the realisation,that buying any whiskey to put awayong term is not going to happen here.Lifes too short.
I have a few middle of the road( €100 to €200) ,that I was going to keep for 5 or 10 years and maybe flip,but am going to open every single one of them in the comming few months.They were distilled to he drunk afterall.��

Wailin

Balvenie 14 carribean cask followed by ardbeg 10 tonight. The ardbeg is typical classic islay, the balvenie is OK, not something I'd rush out and buy again.

Cazale

killbillvol2 wrote:

£250 for a 4yo whisky? What's the story there?

Thought that myself. They are going for the whole farm to bottle onsite angle and the limited amount of bottles they are producing. It's also the first Scottish Rye whisky in over 100 years. Not worth £250 but it's really nice stuff. I wish I had more than 50ml of it.

the beer revolu

killbillvol2 wrote: »

£250 for a 4yo whisky? What's the story there?

We really need to get over the whole age = value idea.
Age is just one factor that makes up a bottle of whisky but going by common attritudes and comments on here, one would think that age is the only factor.
It seems you could put any old pish in a barrel, age it for 25 years and sell it for whatever you like but, conversely, you could put alcoholic angel's tears in a barrel for 3 years and most wouldn't clean their toilet with it!

Or to put it differently.
How can you comment on the value of a drink that you haven't tasted?

On another note, I've been in that distillery.
It's a massive shed with a distillery in it.
Was parked outside, looking for it and thought I'd see if there was anyone in the shed that might know where it is!

killbillvol2

the beer revolu wrote: »

We really need to get over the whole age = value idea.
Age is just one factor that makes up a bottle of whisky but going by common attributes and comments on here, one would think that age is the only factor.
It seems you could put any old pish in a barrel, age it for 25 years and sell it for whatever you like but, conversely, you could put alcoholic angel's tears in a barrel for 3 years and most wouldn't clean their toilet with it!

Or to put it differently.
How can you comment on the value of a drink that you haven't tasted?

On another note, I've been in that distillery.
It's a massive shed with a distillery in it.
Was parked outside, looking for it and thought I'd see if there was anyone in the shed that might know where it is!

That's why I asked a question. But don't let that get in the way of your rant.

the beer revolu

killbillvol2 wrote: »

That's why I asked a question. But don't let that get in the way of your rant.

I won't, thanks.

newbie runner

Wailin wrote: »

Balvenie 14 carribean cask followed by ardbeg 10 tonight. The ardbeg is typical classic islay, the balvenie is OK, not something I'd rush out and buy again.

Have you had any other of the Balvenies/
When you say it was ok, what was it you weren't too keen on.

newbie runner

the beer revolu wrote: »

I won't, thanks.

Must reconsider reading this thread.Surely everyones personal choice and view should be respected, and why would we need to get away from the idea that age is value?

When a whiskey is as young as 4 years old, then its a logical question to pose.
Yes, 10 and 12 year olds have been given a significant amount of time to mature , and at the same time taking notes from the barrel.

To make a stupid analogy, it's like a barman pouring a pint straight,(in those days when we could get a pint) instead of leaving it settle for a while.
Will it taste off? No.
Is it right , hell no.
But yet we do it.
I prefer my whiskey to be age statements when possible, and I'm not a whiskey snob, but at least I know what I'm getting for my dosh

L1011

That's a shockingly bad comparison really.

The two-part pour was invented by Guinness Ltd marketing to try figure out a way to make a draught pint take somewhere close to the length of time the old two-cask system actually took to pour.

It doesn't affect the flavour. Decades of expensive marketing has drummed in to every Guinness aficionado that it does, though; and now people who see a single pour prime themselves to "know" they're getting a "bad pint".

If Guinness told people tomorrow it wasn't needed nobody would want it anymore.

See also - people demanding Guinness in the "proper glass", which usually means the shape it was when they started drinking Guinness. Guinness branded glasses have been every shape and style under the sun.

newbie runner

L1011 wrote: »

That's a shockingly bad comparison really.

The two-part pour was invented by Guinness Ltd marketing to try figure out a way to make a draught pint take somewhere close to the length of time the old two-cask system actually took to pour.

It doesn't affect the flavour. Decades of expensive marketing has drummed in to every Guinness aficionado that it does, though; and now people who see a single pour prime themselves to "know" they're getting a "bad pint".

If Guinness told people tomorrow it wasn't needed nobody would want it anymore.

See also - people demanding Guinness in the "proper glass", which usually means the shape it was when they started drinking Guinness. Guinness branded glasses have been every shape and style under the sun.

Fair enough.(I did point out it was a stupid analogy)

For what its worth, my viewpoint is that age = value, and the older the whiskey is, the more quality spirit I'm getting.I'm not the one paying a crazy price for a 4 year old whiskey, and never will.

killbillvol2

newbie runner wrote: »

For what its worth, my viewpoint is that age = value, and the older the whiskey is, the more quality spirit I'm getting.

That's total BS in fairness.

As the other poster pointed out, aging p1ss for 10 years won't produce a quality spirit. He just had to be a pr1ck about it.

I had asked about the particular whisky as I assumed there was a backstory to justify the price. Which there was.

newbie runner

killbillvol2 wrote: »

That's total BS in fairness.

As the other poster pointed out, aging p1ss for 10 years won't produce a quality spirit. He just had to be a pr1ck about it.

I had asked about the particular whisky as I assumed there was a backstory to justify the price. Which there was.

That's fine so. All good.
Back to having a whiskey, and discussing what one is drinking this week.

killbillvol2

newbie runner wrote: »

That's fine so. All good.
Back to having a whiskey, and discussing what one is drinking this week.

In the interest of balance I'm having a drop of Waterford (less than 4 years old) while watching the rugby. I'll have something older later.

Cheers.

newbie runner

killbillvol2 wrote: »

In the interest of balance I'm having a drop of Waterford (less than 4 years old) while watching the rugby. I'll have something older later.

Cheers.

Very little Irish Whiskey unfortunately in the cabinet tonight, so its a Port Charlotte 10 for me right now(with rugby also as it happens)

L1011

Used O'Briens sale to replenish the Green Spot two weeks ago, might actually open it this evening. Went looking for a francier-but-not-premium dram a while back and found that the cupboard had basically just premium (Bush 16, Jameson 18, Yellow Spot) and conventional (Bushmills, Powers Gold) in it; other than the remains of a bottle of Writers Tears.

Which is now empty!

Wailin

newbie runner wrote: »

Have you had any other of the Balvenies/
When you say it was ok, what was it you weren't too keen on.

Don't get me wrong, it's a quality whisky. I'm happy I got a bottle but I'll leave it at that. It's not one I'd be coming back to as I feel it doesn't offer anything too different from other single malts, despite the rum finish which does add some nice sweetness. Lovely nose on it but the taste just doesn't match.

Cazale

After all the talk of Knappogue Castle recently here I thought I'd give their core range a go. Have a very special one lined up for tomorrow night

newbie runner

For anyone interested in Waterford Whiskey, a good live stream on Youtube at the moment that they are featured in, and discussing the story.Really interesting so far.

Whiskey Tribe BASTARD'S BALL 2020 (live stream)

EagererBeaver

First kid born tonight. By my count, I'm entitled up expect three bottles of Middleton and a Hakushu 12.

If I get one of the Midleton and a bottle of Bushmills I'll be doing well.

Felexicon

EagererBeaver wrote: »

First kid born tonight. By my count, I'm entitled up expect three bottles of Middleton and a Hakushu 12.

If I get one of the Midleton and a bottle of Bushmills I'll be doing well.

Congratulations. Best job in the world!

Cazale

EagererBeaver wrote:

First kid born tonight. By my count, I'm entitled up expect three bottles of Middleton and a Hakushu 12.

Congratulations!

sceach16

EagererBeaver wrote: »

First kid born tonight. By my count, I'm entitled up expect three bottles of Middleton and a Hakushu 12.

If I get one of the Midleton and a bottle of Bushmills I'll be doing well.

You have just started a long and expensive learning experience. You are required to provide at least 21 bottles of Midleton. Enjoy the (relatively) inexpensive phase !


But Congratulations and best to all three.

RasTa

Yeah, why is a 4 year old whiskey £250? What's gone into it to make it that expensive.

See the reasoning above, you'd be foolish buying that. Seems like it's from a gin/vodka marketing company.

Black Sheep

I have somehow ended up with a glut of Redbreast, which is not even a whisky that I particularly am a fanboy of anymore.

I have two bottles of 12 year old and a bottle of 15 year old.

Anyway, last night I discover that I am out of gin, and am mid way through making a negroni. Now, habitually I mix things up and sub bourbon for the gin, making the negroni a boulevardier, but on this occasion... I chucked in the Redbreast 12 year old. It transpires that the resulting drink is vastly more similar to what a negroni tastes like than what a boulevardier tastes like.

I only bring this up as it might be a good follow on from the 250 quid 4-year old ....

Is it a waste of 12 year old? In monetary terms probably yes, but ... It's not always about what is the most efficient use of your money. There's expediency, there's whimsy, there's a host of reasons people might spend their money or use their possessions in ways that mystify the person who always has an eye on the bottom line. Relevant to that 4 year old Scottish rye too.

L1011

EagererBeaver wrote: »

First kid born tonight. By my count, I'm entitled up expect three bottles of Middleton and a Hakushu 12.

If I get one of the Midleton and a bottle of Bushmills I'll be doing well.

Congratulations

In ~2030, look out for not too pricey 10 year old (or 2028 for 8, 2035 for 15, whatever) dated bottlings to dig out for the 18th and 21st. If it turns out they don't appreciate whiskey, you can just down them yourself :pac:

Dont be at yourself

It’s always a moment of real anxiety when I’m in the mood for a hot whiskey and don’t want to use the good stuff.

Thankfully was gifted some Proper 12 a while ago so I’ve been able to use that guilt-free!

L1011

Dont be at yourself wrote: »

It’s always a moment of real anxiety when I’m in the mood for a hot whiskey and don’t want to use the good stuff.

Thankfully was gifted some Proper 12 a while ago so I’ve been able to use that guilt-free!

Dying of a cold a while ago I instructed my partner to procure me a hot whiskey.

"Use the Powers" got interpreted as "use the Powers Johns Lane 12" :eek:

killbillvol2

L1011 wrote: »

Dying of a cold a while ago I instructed my partner to procure me a hot whiskey.

"Use the Powers" got interpreted as "use the Powers Johns Lane 12" :eek:

Grounds for a break up surely?

RasTa

L1011 wrote: »

Congratulations

In ~2030, look out for not too pricey 10 year old (or 2028 for 8, 2035 for 15, whatever) dated bottlings to dig out for the 18th and 21st. If it turns out they don't appreciate whiskey, you can just down them yourself :pac:

Feck that, treat yourself to a cask!

https://www.celticwhiskeyshop.com/Whiskey-Casks

Total cost for a 20-year-old single pot still finished in a sherry cask (17 years from purchase)

Initial cask investment is €3995

Storage, yearly sample & insurance for 20 years is €2040

Sherry cask & transfer is €600

Disgorgement, bottling, dry goods is €1069

Total cost €7704.00

Approx 188 bottles at 52%, would work out at €40.97 ex-vat, ex-duty per bottle.

At today’s duty rate of €42.57 LPA you would pay duty of €15.50 per bottle. A further €12.98 vat at today’s rate of 23% would also need to be paid.

Final price would be €69.45 per bottle

Bargain...

L1011

killbillvol2 wrote: »

Grounds for a break up surely?

Well, it was a delicious hot whiskey.

Cazale

Cazale wrote: »

After all the talk of Knappogue Castle recently here I thought I'd give their core range a go. Have a very special one lined up for tomorrow night

Another one ticked off the bucket list tonight.

Knappogue Castle 1950

Distilled in 1950. This is bottle number 39 from cask number #4. This liquid was produced at Daly's Distillery in Tullamore, which was founded in 1829 and closed in 1954.

illdoit2morrow

Haven't tried it yet so can't comment on it.