What Whisky/Whiskey are we drinking this month?

irlirishkev

G rock wrote: »

Anyone with Scotch recommendations from any of the Northern multiples?

I've finished a glenfiddich 12 that I got for Christmas, and was a bit underwhelmed.

I normally drink Irish (Green and yellow spot, redbreast, and I too have polished off a black barrel recently), so not sure if I should dive right into the peaty ones yet.

Pop into a pub and try a peaty scotch and see what you think. Or try Connemara, which is peated also.
My favourited peated whisky is Highland Park 12. At this stage not that peaty to me, but to newbies, probably quite heavy.
The peat kings are Ardbeg and Laphroaig.. ease into those!

Quackster

G rock wrote: »

Anyone with Scotch recommendations from any of the Northern multiples?

I've finished a glenfiddich 12 that I got for Christmas, and was a bit underwhelmed.

I normally drink Irish (Green and yellow spot, redbreast, and I too have polished off a black barrel recently), so not sure if I should dive right into the peaty ones yet.

Be guided by what's on special at the moment. Something like Highland Park is a good introduction to peat and can regularly be had for around the £25 mark in one of the multiples. Talisker and Laphroaig can often be on offer at similar prices too.

Same goes for the big Speyside names.

Check the online stores of the supermarkets before you travel to see what's on offer and therefore decide which supermarket(s) to hit.

Slattsy

irlirishkev wrote: »

Pop into a pub and try a peaty scotch and see what you think. Or try Connemara, which is peated also.
My favourited peated whisky is Highland Park 12. At this stage not that peaty to me, but to newbies, probably quite heavy.
The peat kings are Ardbeg and Laphroaig.. ease into those!

Lagavulin.

Ardbeg isn't in the same bracket as Laphroaig and Lagavulin.

irlirishkev

Slattsy wrote:

Lagavulin.

Slattsy wrote:

Ardbeg isn't in the same bracket as Laphroaig and Lagavulin.

Never tried Lagavulin, so can't comment.

beardybrewer

Slattsy wrote: »

Lagavulin.

Ardbeg isn't in the same bracket as Laphroaig and Lagavulin.

I'm a huge Laphroaig 10 fan but I beg to differ. Ardbeg 10 is certainly in the same bracket in my opinion.

EagererBeaver

Ardbeg 10 is a fantastic dram and consistently and widely regarded as one of the world's great whiskies. Lagavulin 16 is also wonderful. As always, comments like "not in the same bracket" are all relative and subjective.

G rock

Thanks all for the replies.

I live just a few miles from the border, and am not planning any excursions just yet, but asking in anticipation of the next time I'm in sainsburys /asda etc.

Redbreast can be bought cheaper alright, but I want my next purchase to replace the glenfiddich.

Thanks for the names to look out for!

Edit : somebody mentioned balvenie to me, worth looking at?

brinty

G rock wrote: »

Thanks all for the replies.

I live just a few miles from the border, and am not planning any excursions just yet, but asking in anticipation of the next time I'm in sainsburys /asda etc.

Redbreast can be bought cheaper alright, but I want my next purchase to replace the glenfiddich.

Thanks for the names to look out for!

Edit : somebody mentioned balvenie to me, worth looking at?

hey mate, think you'll be well able to find the Glenfiddich in both. I got a Glenfiddich 15 Solera in Asda Enniskillen and they'd plenty of the range in there. Just checked their website the Solera is £32 and the 12yo is £35 so that should do.. they also have aberlour 10 and 12, Balvenie 12 which would all be good options for you. Sainsburys ahve a few extra options and even a couple of Japense offerings, i sense a trip to Newry might be happening soon!!!!

mik_da_man

G rock wrote: »

Thanks all for the replies.

I live just a few miles from the border, and am not planning any excursions just yet, but asking in anticipation of the next time I'm in sainsburys /asda etc.

Redbreast can be bought cheaper alright, but I want my next purchase to replace the glenfiddich.

Thanks for the names to look out for!

Edit : somebody mentioned balvenie to me, worth looking at?

I have a Balvenie triple wood at home and it's awesome.
Would recommend it

brinty

So picked up a 16 year old Aberlour as a birthday present
Looking forward to cracking it open when I get home
Had a lugavulin 16 in hand too but guy in store suggested aberlour is better in this weather

picachu

Do people chenge their whiskeys from winter to summer?

G rock

I bought a bottle.

Granted, it's only a 50ml bottle of Ardbeg 10,but hey ,it's still a bottle!

Will sample later and see what the peat buzz is all about

L1011

picachu wrote: »

Do people chenge their whiskeys from winter to summer?

Kinda. Would drink more smokey scotches in winter and would drink more bourbon based cocktails in summer.

pa990

After a long trip, over a few borders.
I've picked up the following (along with a 2L pack of 47%Bombay)



I've an interesting few months ahead



Also a litre of glenfiddich 12, not shown.

11L of duty free in total... don't ask how I managed it.

brinty

pa990 wrote:

11L of duty free in total... don't ask how I managed it.

You deserve a thanks just for the act of getting all that through customs

pa990

brinty wrote: »

You deserve a thanks just for the act of getting all that through customs

That was by car/ferry

My previous record was 8L on a plane

sceach16

Midleton Very Rare 2017

Not drinking but has anyone seen it? Or know when it is likely to be issued?

gandalf

Picked up a bottle of Tullamore Dew 12 yr old Special Reserve last week. Lovely wee dram!

mik_da_man

sceach16 wrote: »

Midleton Very Rare 2017

Not drinking but has anyone seen it? Or know when it is likely to be issued?

Not out yet afaik, didn't see it in the distillery 2 weeks ago when I was there.
Usually released a bit later in the year.

irlirishkev

For a significant birthday recently, I received a few bottles..
Opening them one by one.

Currently a bottle of Caol Ila 18. Have to say it's mighty fine!

illdoit2morrow

Got a bottle of Slane Whiskey in O'Brien's a few weeks back.

Descent enough IMHO and nice to see another distillery opening, not too far down the road from myself.

mik_da_man

illdoit2morrow wrote: »

Got a bottle of Slane Whiskey in O'Brien's a few weeks back.

Descent enough IMHO and nice to see another distillery opening, not too far down the road from myself.

Picked up a bottle of that in the Airport a few weeks ago, got it signed by the head distiller, so the collector in me doesn't want to open it!!

Must pick up a drinking bottle

Quackster

Considering picking up a bottle of Tullamore DEW Phoenix in Dunnes as it's currently reduced to €50 (so €40 with voucher).

Any opinions?

the beer revolu

mik_da_man wrote: »

Picked up a bottle of that in the Airport a few weeks ago, got it signed by the head distiller, so the collector in me doesn't want to open it!!

Must pick up a drinking bottle

Signed by the head distiller where it was made or by the head distiller from the distillery under construction?

lord lucan

the beer revolu wrote: »

Signed by the head distiller where it was made or by the head distiller from the distillery under construction?

It was Alex Conygnham,Henry Mountcharles son,he signed a load of bottles during a 4 week period in the airport while they had exclusivity on it.

L1011

So not the distiller of the current stock

the beer revolu

L1011 wrote: »

So not the distiller of the current stock

It's a joke!
Something really need to be done so the consumer can know who has actually made the whiskey in the bottle they've bought.

I suggest a distillery number system like they have for Tequila. There's a number on every bottle which refers to the distillery where it was made.
That way the marketing people can create any Ballymagash brand they want to but the savvy consumer can, if they are interested, look up the number and find out where it was made.

Currently it is a mess with some brands really clouding the waters. There are companies called distilleries who don't have distilleries. For example on a bottle of Hyde Whiskey you will see the company name Hibernia Distillers Ltd even though they don't distil a drop.

él statutorio

the beer revolu wrote: »

It's a joke!
Something really need to be done so the consumer can know who has actually made the whiskey in the bottle they've bought.

I suggest a distillery number system like they have for Tequila. There's a number on every bottle which refers to the distillery where it was made.
That way the marketing people can create any Ballymagash brand they want to but the savvy consumer can, if they are interested, look up the number and find out where it was made.

Currently it is a mess with some brands really clouding the waters. There are companies called distilleries who don't have distilleries. For example on a bottle of Hyde Whiskey you will see the company name Hibernia Distillers Ltd even though they don't distil a drop.

I thought Hyde were building a distillery, (or did I imagine that?) and they were doing what everyone else was doing and buying from the existing distilleries, rebadging and building a brand.

the beer revolu

él statutorio wrote: »

I thought Hyde were building a distillery, (or did I imagine that?) and they were doing what everyone else was doing and buying from the existing distilleries, rebadging and building a brand.

I'm open to correction but I don't think Hyde are building a distillery.

The fact that everyone else is doing it doesn't make it alright, imo.

Also, signing a bottle as a head distiller is very misleading when you didn't distil the product. How I'd love to have come across him at that malarkey in Dublin airport!
It's all (legal, unfortunately) smoke and mirrors.

Silver Serpent

Has anyone tried the Great Oaks Single Cask Irish Whiskey?

I'm thinking about buying a bottle but cant find any info on the web about it.

I usually go for Teeling single malt or small batch. I like the 46ers

Quackster

the beer revolu wrote: »

It's a joke!
Something really need to be done so the consumer can know who has actually made the whiskey in the bottle they've bought.

I suggest a distillery number system like they have for Tequila. There's a number on every bottle which refers to the distillery where it was made.
That way the marketing people can create any Ballymagash brand they want to but the savvy consumer can, if they are interested, look up the number and find out where it was made.

Agree something needs to be done but how would that labelling system deal with a blend of multiple distilleries?

Even worse IMO is the (ab)use of geographic locations with which products have absolutely no connection, e.g. 'Connemara' Whiskey and 'Kenmare' beer.

él statutorio

the beer revolu wrote: »

I'm open to correction but I don't think Hyde are building a distillery.

The fact that everyone else is doing it doesn't make it alright, imo.

Also, signing a bottle as a head distiller is very misleading when you didn't distil the product. How I'd love to have come across him at that malarkey in Dublin airport!
It's all (legal, unfortunately) smoke and mirrors.

I don't really have an issue with them buying from the distilleries and rebranding and then getting their name out there in advance of distilling their own. I get it from a business point of view.

While there's nothing wrong with just re-labeling stuff like Hyde are doing, there's nothing that really distinguishes that from the likes of Tesco or Dunnes doing an own brand Irish whiskey.

I do have a serious issue with the signing though. You're either the head distiller or you're not, it's pretty simple. If he was signing those bottles as the owner or even as the "creator" or some similarly vague title I'd be ok with it.

the beer revolu

Quackster wrote: »

Agree something needs to be done but how would that labelling system deal with a blend of multiple distilleries?

Even worse IMO is the (ab)use of geographic locations with which products have absolutely no connection, e.g. 'Connemara' Whiskey and 'Kenmare' beer.

Like Cork Dry Gin.
Compounded in Dublin, despite saying distilled and bottled by Cork Distillery on the label.

Lots of Crean's Irish lager is (or certainly was) made outside of Ireland. That is legal, would you believe.

él statutorio

the beer revolu wrote: »

Like Cork Dry Gin.
Compounded in Dublin, despite saying distilled and bottled by Cork Distillery on the label.

Lots of Crean's Irish lager is (or certainly was) made outside of Ireland. That is legal, would you believe.

For Creans doesn't bottling it in Ireland "count" as it being Irish?

Quackster

the beer revolu wrote: »

Lots of Crean's Irish lager is (or certainly was) made outside of Ireland. That is legal, would you believe.

I believe it's all brewed in Ireland now but Clonmel is no more Dingle than Glasgow is!

At least the likes of Aldi/Lidl private label whiskey etc use makey-uppy place names that don't actually exist.

cloudatlas

él statutorio wrote: »

I don't really have an issue with them buying from the distilleries and rebranding and then getting their name out there in advance of distilling their own. I get it from a business point of view.

While there's nothing wrong with just re-labeling stuff like Hyde are doing, there's nothing that really distinguishes that from the likes of Tesco or Dunnes doing an own brand Irish whiskey.

I do have a serious issue with the signing though. You're either the head distiller or you're not, it's pretty simple. If he was signing those bottles as the owner or even as the "creator" or some similarly vague title I'd be ok with it.

Sure they have to get their name out there. I have an issue with the prices of these bottlings and the quality which I think is very poor entry level.

mik_da_man

the beer revolu wrote: »

I'm open to correction but I don't think Hyde are building a distillery.

The fact that everyone else is doing it doesn't make it alright, imo.

Also, signing a bottle as a head distiller is very misleading when you didn't distil the product. How I'd love to have come across him at that malarkey in Dublin airport!
It's all (legal, unfortunately) smoke and mirrors.

To be fair, those were my words and not his.

I do realise the difference between the Distillery and where it's finished/blended.

So yeah, poor choice of description on my part, and in fairness to him he did explain at the time that the spirit was not theirs, but something they finished.
Their own stock will not be available for a number of years.

Sorry for the confusion

the beer revolu

mik_da_man wrote: »

To be fair, those were my words and not his.

I do realise the difference between the Distillery and where it's finished/blended.

So yeah, poor choice of description on my part, and in fairness to him he did explain at the time that the spirit was not theirs, but something they finished.
Their own stock will not be available for a number of years.

Sorry for the confusion

OK, that does clear things up a lot.
Glad to hear he was open about the provenance, not every one is.

beardybrewer

Amazon have/had a ?10 discount when you bought 2 bottles so I tried out Caol Ila for the first time. Good, but lacks the strength of Ardbeg/Laphroaig/Talisker. Has a bit more oomph than Laphroaig Select but is equally drinkable (not a bad thing).

Enjoying it with a Bushmills (1:6 mix) and that little addition adds loads of depth and complexity.

limnam

I'll be dipping into a RedBreast 21yr old

illdoit2morrow

Bushmills 10yo €30 in Tesco Ashbourne. I don't know what it was before, bit it says €15 off.

SneakyDoyle

Jameson Black Barrell 30 quid in tesco! Doubt you'll ever see it cheaper

Erik Shin

SneakyDoyle wrote: »

Jameson Black Barrell 30 quid in tesco! Doubt you'll ever see it cheaper

Cracking little whisky and an absolute steal at that price

limnam

SneakyDoyle wrote: »

Jameson Black Barrell 30 quid in tesco! Doubt you'll ever see it cheaper

Not often you get to rob tesco

Cazale

SneakyDoyle wrote:

Jameson Black Barrell 30 quid in tesco! Doubt you'll ever see it cheaper

€48 in my local Tesco today.

cloudatlas

limnam wrote: »

I'll be dipping into a RedBreast 21yr old

Verdict?

limnam

cloudatlas wrote: »

Verdict?

I didn't get to it this weekend. I'd a bottle of 200 fathoms stout which is pretty strong at 10% so I left off the RB.

But I've had a number of drams from this bottle before, I tend to get it out for birthdays/xmas.

It's probably the only whiskey I almost prefer nosing than drinking given the chance I could sit there nosing it for hours.

I've mentioned before here I don't really think the jump from 12yr to 15 is worth double the price of the 12yo. I actually prefer the 12 to the 15.

But the 21yo is a different beast. It's the "smoothest" whiskey I've ever tasted and the finish just seems to go on for ever where I find the 12yo dulls much quicker.

The only downside is going back to the mid week "standard" dram after it

If you've not tried and like the 12 or 15 and are considering buying it. You will not be disappointed.

Pinch Flat

Did the Teelings distillery tour on Saturday. Picked up a bottle of their Single Grain and enjoying a drop of it now.

L1011

Offo in Zandvoort has Bush 10 for 28 quid. Drinks at the festival I'm at are 6.60 for 500'm of Jupiler. So rather a lot of Bush 10 is being drunk.

Hogzy

I don't know if this is the correct thread but could people recommend a whiskey for me.

My favourite whiskeys are:

1. Black Bush
2. Teeling Small Batch and Single Grain.

I am not mad on regular Jameson, i find it goes down too harsh on my throat and almost burns. Based on that, has anyone any recommendations?