What Whisky/Whiskey are we drinking this month?

smileyme1984

illdoit2morrow wrote: »

Just a side question on this.

Do you mean purchasing a bottle in Dublin Airport on the way out of Ireland and bringing it back to Ireland in checked in luggage, or is there a way to purchase duty free (when leaving the EU) and not have to bring it with you on the plane?

From what I am aware the bottle has to leave the zone to be entitled to the duty free price and if it was kept in the airport for collection on your return and the shop was caught doing this they can be fined. I may be wrong however that was what I was told recently by a member of staff and had seen it in documents before relating to taxes.

Mellor

EagererBeaver wrote: »

Think the Distiller's reserves are normally in the duty free Mellor, might save yourself a bit of you hold off until next flight.

Cheers for the tip.
I'm actually flying on the 21th.

illdoit2morrow wrote:

Just a side question on this.

Do you mean purchasing a bottle in Dublin Airport on the way out of Ireland and bringing it back to Ireland in checked in luggage, or is there a way to purchase duty free (when leaving the EU) and not have to bring it with you on the plane?

Buy it on the way back.

RebelButtMunch

I had a look at the Tuath Glass on my lunchbreak. It's pretty nice to look at. Probably just as good as a glencairn for nosing/tasting. I think I would stick with the glencairn glass for trying a nice whisky though, as the Tuath strikes me as a bit of a gimmick. Check out the lovely angles on the base!

Saying that though, for sitting on the couch, I'd rather a tumbler. Less likely to be tipped over and spilled. I'd imagine.

irlirishkev

I've ordered a bottle of Hyde No1, and a Bowmore 12 for Christmas.

Never had the Bowmore before, but have heard good things.
I've had the Hyde before, and it was something wonderful - getting harder to find these days too. This batch must be nearly gone!

Wouldn't mind something else, just trying to decide what!

RebelButtMunch

irlirishkev wrote: »

I've ordered a bottle of Hyde No1, and a Bowmore 12 for Christmas.

Never had the Bowmore before, but have heard good things.
I've had the Hyde before, and it was something wonderful - getting harder to find these days too. This batch must be nearly gone!

Wouldn't mind something else, just trying to decide what!

I'm halfway through a bottle of bowmore12. Lovely stuff.

brokenarms

Drinking Jameson Crested this week. It is just ok. I think Black Bush is better in that price range.

Oafley Jones

Big fan of Nikka from the barrel, so purchased the Nikka tasting set from Master of Malt last week. Worked though them quickly enough and splurged on a bottle of the 12 year old which has just shown up at the door.

RasTa

I bought a bottle of Nikka coffey malt 2 years ago for €50. I still haven't opened the bottle yet. Almost a full bottle of John Lane to finish first and a 1/4 bottle of Connemara

EagererBeaver

brokenarms wrote: »

Drinking Jameson Crested this week. It is just ok. I think Black Bush is better in that price range.

Crested Ten used to be a lovely whiskey but they've changed something with it in the last number of years. Don't know what the point of the rebrand was. Agree that Black Bush a nicer option.

Passenger

Anybody recommend any reasonably priced (40-50ish euro's) Bourbon Whiskey's? Undecided about a few bottles that I'm eyeing up as a gift.

minzabud

Woodford Reserve gets my vote��

L1011

Woodford Reserve, Bulleit, Wild Turkey 101 although I've not seen it in Ireland in some time.

EagererBeaver

Thumbs up for Woodford Reserve. Towards the lower end of the bracket, Maker's Mark is a very solid choice.

Passenger

Thanks lads, I've Buffalo Trace (€34), Bulleit (€37.40) and Woodford Reserve (€43) lined up on O'Brien's and I'll pull the trigger on one of them tomorrow.

L1011

That's a pretty decent price on Bulleit, must stock up for Christmas

irlirishkev

Passenger wrote:

Thanks lads, I've Buffalo Trace (€34), Bulleit (€37.40) and Woodford Reserve (€43) lined up on O'Brien's and I'll pull the trigger on one of them tomorrow.

I'd be well chuffed with a bottle of Woodford under the tree. Do it!

Zaph

Currently drinking Buffalo Trace and was drinking Woodford Reserve last night. While Buffalo Trace is OK, given the choice my preference would be Woodford Reserve any day.

cloudatlas

Passenger wrote: »

Thanks lads, I've Buffalo Trace (€34), Bulleit (€37.40) and Woodford Reserve (€43) lined up on O'Brien's and I'll pull the trigger on one of them tomorrow.

Eagle Rare 10 yr old

Passenger

cloudatlas wrote: »

Eagle Rare 10 yr old

Give me a good reason why it's worth spending the 45 spondooly's?

cloudatlas

Passenger wrote: »

Give me a good reason why it's worth spending the 45 spondooly's?

Well it's from the Buffalo Trace Distillery which produce many top high end bourbon brands, it's highly regarded, very good for the price, I tried it and could see why people love it, nice sweetness but not too cloying and not a bland or one dimensional as say knob creek which is nice but just has one note in my opinion but all of your choices are good.

killbillvol2

My Christmas present(s) to myself from Masters of Malt:

Cameronbridge 25 Year Old 1991 (cask 12069) - Old Particular (Douglas Laing)

Glenfiddich Experimental Series - Project XX

Kavalan Sherry Oak

Nikka Whisky From The Barrel

Cocksy

i love jim beam it tastes much better than jack

a_non_a_mouse

Passenger wrote: »

Anybody recommend any reasonably priced (40-50ish euro's) Bourbon Whiskey's? Undecided about a few bottles that I'm eyeing up as a gift.

partial to a nice drop of Bourbon myself.
Woodford reserve and Buffalo Trace are probably best bang for buck you can get.  Eagle Rare is nice, but not worth the premium over BT (in my opinion). 
My personal favourite is Wild Turkey 101 (50.5%)  but can be hard to get in Ireland. Makers Mark was nice, but wouldn't buy a bottle again.  Loved my first bottle of Bulleit, but 2nd bottle didn't seem as nice. 
standard Jim Beam and Jim Beam Black 6 year old....both in my opinion are only fit for consumption with a decent mixer and would take Aldi Clarke's bourbon over either

a_non_a_mouse

picked up Cardhu 12 Year Old Single Malt in airport recently for around £31 stg
It was a strange purchase for me as I normally drink Irish or US, but decided I should add another scotch to bar, mostly cos I was well impressed with Johnnie Walker Black which I recently got as present.

So don't plan on opening this just yet, but wondering about people's opinion's on Cardhu 12.

Also, I was surprised to see Midleton 2017 in the old style packaging, I thought first it was 2016.
Had planned on buying the 2017, but didn't when it wasn't the new packaging. in hindsight, I think I should have gotten it and then the new style also but 2 bottles of Midleton 2017 might be seen as over the top by the OH :-)

um7y1h83ge06nx

Newbie question here but how does a bourbon differ in style to say an Irish whiskey? It's been years since I've drank a bourbon and then it would have been Jack Daniels or Jim Beam so no higher end stuff.

brinty

a_non_a_mouse wrote: »

picked up Cardhu 12 Year Old Single Malt in airport recently for around £31 stg
It was a strange purchase for me as I normally drink Irish or US, but decided I should add another scotch to bar, mostly cos I was well impressed with Johnnie Walker Black which I recently got as present.

So don't plan on opening this just yet, but wondering about people's opinion's on Cardhu 12.

Also, I was surprised to see Midleton 2017 in the old style packaging, I thought first it was 2016.
Had planned on buying the 2017, but didn't when it wasn't the new packaging. in hindsight, I think I should have gotten it and then the new style also but 2 bottles of Midleton 2017 might be seen as over the top by the OH :-)

Cardhu 12 is very nice, quite similar to Irish whiskies. Drank very easily for me and was one of my first entries into scotch. If you enjoy it try an aberlour 12. I'm currently on a 16yo aberlour.
Damn it now i want a whisky and i'm in work for a couple of hours yet....

sceach16

brinty wrote: »

Cardhu 12 is very nice, quite similar to Irish whiskies. Drank very easily for me and was one of my first entries into scotch. If you enjoy it try an aberlour 12. I'm currently on a 16yo aberlour.
Damn it now i want a whisky and i'm in work for a couple of hours yet....

U on a coffee break?

Don Kiddick

a_non_a_mouse wrote: »

picked up Cardhu 12 Year Old Single Malt in airport recently for around £31 stg
It was a strange purchase for me as I normally drink Irish or US, but decided I should add another scotch to bar, mostly cos I was well impressed with Johnnie Walker Black which I recently got as present.

So don't plan on opening this just yet, but wondering about people's opinion's on Cardhu 12.

Also, I was surprised to see Midleton 2017 in the old style packaging, I thought first it was 2016.
Had planned on buying the 2017, but didn't when it wasn't the new packaging. in hindsight, I think I should have gotten it and then the new style also but 2 bottles of Midleton 2017 might be seen as over the top by the OH :-)

Cardhu is a lovely whisky, you've reminded me to purchase another bottle...a lovely hint of caramel from it...very, very drinkable

L1011

Morgan Ugly Throat wrote: »

Newbie question here but how does a bourbon differ in style to say an Irish whiskey? It's been years since I've drank a bourbon and then it would have been Jack Daniels or Jim Beam so no higher end stuff.

Massively. Bourbon is usually much younger (8 years is quite old whereas 10 is pretty normal for Irish and there's some great much older product), aged in new oak barrels and usually made from different grains (a mix of grains in most cases).

Taste profiles can be quite varied from cloying sweetness to that toothpasty taste of JD; some quite spicy/peppery depending on how much rye grain is in the mix and so on.

Its rare to get the darker flavours you can get from Irish products and you never get the different flavours from reused barrels you get on many Irish ones - fortified wine barrels being common. Of course, bourbon barrels are often the ones used for Irish whiskey in the first place.

Mellor

L1011 wrote: »

Massively. Bourbon is usually much younger (8 years is quite old whereas 10 is pretty normal for Irish and there's some great much older product), aged in new oak barrels and usually made from different grains (a mix of grains in most cases).

Bourbon needs to be aged a minimum of 2 years. Irish and Scotch is a minimum of 3 years.
Most whiskeys are aged longer that but the different legal minimums are reflected in the typical ages of bourbon vrs Irish/scotch.
Bourbon must be mostly corn based.
Bourbon is also distill at lower ABV and sold as % max - where as Irish/Scotch is 40% minimum.

By no means an expert. But I looks liek to me that bourbon rules are set up so as to retain as much flavor as possible (virgin oak, lower ABV) in as fast as time as possible. Where as the Irish and scotch rules are set up for complex flavours

EagererBeaver

The corn vs barley distinction is the biggest difference by far.

Mellor

EagererBeaver wrote: »

The corn vs barley distinction is the biggest difference by far.

Definitely, especially when taken to the upper limits which would make it corn whiskey
I haven't tried Rye whiskey, but I imagine the same would apply there also.

brokenarms

Don Kiddick wrote: »

Cardhu is a lovely whisky, you've reminded me to purchase another bottle...a lovely hint of caramel from it...very, very drinkable

Dam. I might have got through xmas and not even thought about Cardhu.

Now I have to buy another bottle Whisky.

Its a real winner that stuff.

irlirishkev

So it's December 1st, and it's a Friday.
Is today the day we start opening the Christmas Whiskies??

ZV Yoda

Just happened across this forum... some great info & ideas. My current tipples are:

Dalmore 15. I previousy had a couple of bottles of the 12, but got this as a pressie. My favourite scotch to date - very smooth & peaty.

Yellow Spot. I picked this up without knowing much about it. Quite a strong sherry after-taste. Not sure I'd buy it again.

Recently finished a bottle of Bushmills 12 "Distillery Reserve" bought from the distillery gift shop during a visit. Very drinkable. I think it can only be bought in the gift shop or online direct from the distillery.

On the Christmas shopping list... Redbreast 12 (another favourite) and Jameson Black Barrel. Also tempted to go for another Dalmore 15 - there's a nice gift pack with 2 x glasses on Master of Malt I've never used them before - does anybody have experience with them?

killbillvol2

ZV Yoda wrote: »

Just happened across this forum... some great info & ideas. My current tipples are:

Dalmore 15. I previousy had a couple of bottles of the 12, but got this as a pressie. My favourite scotch to date - very smooth & peaty.

Yellow Spot. I picked this up without knowing much about it. Quite a strong sherry after-taste. Not sure I'd buy it again.

Recently finished a bottle of Bushmills 12 "Distillery Reserve" bought from the distillery gift shop during a visit. Very drinkable. I think it can only be bought in the gift shop or online direct from the distillery.

On the Christmas shopping list... Redbreast 12 (another favourite) and Jameson Black Barrel. Also tempted to go for another Dalmore 15 - there's a nice gift pack with 2 x glasses on Master of Malt I've never used them before - does anybody have experience with them?

Just used them for the first time. Excellent communication, quick delivery and a great range at good prices.

EagererBeaver

Have bought off both Master of Malt and The Whisky Exchange with no issues. Prefer to get off Amazon if possible these days due to Prime.

ZV Yoda

killbillvol2 wrote: »

Just used them for the first time. Excellent communication, quick delivery and a great range at good prices.

EagererBeaver wrote: »

Have bought off both Master of Malt and The Whisky Exchange with no issues. Prefer to get off Amazon if possible these days due to Prime.

Thx... just tried Amazon there for the Dalmore 15, but got "does not ship to Ireland" message.

Ordered them from Master of Malt in the end, so we'll see how it goes.

MightyMandarin

I find Kilbeggan really nice and sweet, and one of the easiest to drink. It's honestly the best entry level whiskey around imo.

Anyone know of something similar which I should try out?

um7y1h83ge06nx

Was in Tesco and had my head wrecked over what to buy.

Black Bush for 26
Caskmates Stout Edition for 28
Bullelit Bourbon for 35

Went for the Bullelit in the end as I'm eager to try out some bourbon. Hope I made a decent choice!

Don Kiddick

Cousin just landed.... pressie!!

dmc17

Morgan Ugly Throat wrote: »

Was in Tesco and had my head wrecked over what to buy.

Black Bush for 26
Caskmates Stout Edition for 28
Bullelit Bourbon for 35

Went for the Bullelit in the end as I'm eager to try out some bourbon. Hope I made a decent choice!

Good choice!

um7y1h83ge06nx

Any tips on drinking Bullelit by the way? Neat or with a drop of water?

VW 1

Morgan Ugly Throat wrote:

Any tips on drinking Bullelit by the way? Neat or with a drop of water?

Try each, see which you prefer! Best way, no accounting for individual taste

VW 1

J. Marston wrote:

9 games. 1 goal. 0 wins.

Just looking at the redbreast 12yo cask strength I picked up last week, compared to the one I got in Feb last year. Alcohol percentage up to 58.2% compared to 57.2% from the 2016 version.

Don Kiddick

Only the finest

Seth Brundle

Don Kiddick wrote: »

Only the finest

limnam

Don Kiddick wrote: »

Only the finest

I'm holding off till xmas eve.

Tried the aldi Irish reserve again.

Struggling to find much enjoyable about it.

Don Kiddick

limnam wrote: »

I'm holding off till xmas eve.

Tried the aldi Irish reserve again.

Struggling to find much enjoyable about it.

A pub in Kerry is selling it at €15 a shot...
There's a floral aftertaste to it...I like it

limnam

Don Kiddick wrote: »

A pub in Kerry is selling it at €15 a shot...
There's a floral aftertaste to it...I like it

Yeah I read that.

Fair play to them if they can find people to buy it!