What Whisky/Whiskey are we drinking this month?

L1011

Hogzy wrote: »

at €35 he'll be doing well to shift it! Thats Crested/Teelings Small Batch prices!

Can sometimes (Paddys Day/Christmas usually) get Bush 10 on offer for that which I find the best value Irish on the market. Definitely wouldn't pay it for what is likely to be very similar to Bushmills White!

L1011

L1011 wrote: »

Can sometimes (Paddys Day/Christmas usually) get Bush 10 on offer for that which I find the best value Irish on the market. Definitely wouldn't pay it for what is likely to be very similar to Bushmills White!

imo black bush has more character than bushmills 10

mik_da_man

It will be snapped up ahead of the fight in a few weeks regardless of the price!

30 would have been the correct price point imo.

irlirishkev

L1011 wrote: »

Can sometimes (Paddys Day/Christmas usually) get Bush 10 on offer for that which I find the best value Irish on the market. Definitely wouldn't pay it for what is likely to be very similar to Bushmills White!

I really like Bushmills White. That or Powers Gold would be my weeknightly nightcap
But I never pay more than 20-23euro for either, thanks to them being at the lower end of the price market. Great value whiskies in my opinion.

mik_da_man

My tipples this week

Redbreast Lustau
Powers John's Lane
Connemara Peated
Powers Three swallow

Wailin

What's the lustau like compared to standard 12 yr old?

Useful.Idiot

Wailin wrote: »

What's the lustau like compared to standard 12 yr old?

Similar base taste profile but more of a sherry bomb. literally just bought a bottle today actually. just class.

Wailin

I have the 12 year old cask strength, haven't opened it yet, have some other stuff I'd like to finish off first :pac:

EagererBeaver

Wailin wrote: »

I have the 12 year old cask strength, haven't opened it yet, have some other stuff I'd like to finish off first :pac:

It's the best of them all other than the 21.

mik_da_man

Wailin wrote: »

What's the lustau like compared to standard 12 yr old?

As said, all the qualities of the 12 year old, but heavy on the sherry. Christmas in a bottle

denismac

Wailin wrote: »

What's the lustau like compared to standard 12 yr old?

Its got a strong sherry linger. I prefer the standard12 year old.

Mellor

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

So, White Bush at twice the price?

Nobody knows and we're unlikely to ever find out what's in it, unless a more expensive age statement version comes out.
After that review (assuming it wasn't a paid ad) I'm slightly more confident that it's not Red Bush rebrand.

blondeonblonde

Mickiemcfist wrote: »

Anyone else absolutely hate the term "Dram"?

Dram? It is what it is, common parlance in Scotland I suppose. Never really heard anyone use it here.

Anyhoo, dram, drop or nip, who cares what it's called when it's liquid gold like Lagavulin 16! Just having a taste tonight for the first time in a while. Hard to beat it!

Wailin

Only introduced myself to the lagavulin and peaty scotch stuff very recently. Nothing compares to it really. Nice change to the smooth and easy to drink Irish whiskey.

Mickiemcfist

blondeonblonde wrote: »

Dram? It is what it is, common parlance in Scotland I suppose. Never really heard anyone use it here.

Anyhoo, dram, drop or nip, who cares what it's called when it's liquid gold like Lagavulin 16! Just having a taste tonight for the first time in a while. Hard to beat it!

Its fairly common in this thread but you're right in fairness, it's irrational on my part!

irish_goat

Picked up a 200ml Jura 10 Year Old and Fyne Ales IPA gift pack(plus glass) for £6 in Tesco today. 700ml of Jura is normally £30ish so it seemed like a good bargain anyway.

L1011

Consider drinking it from the fridge; for me ice seemed to benefit it for about a minute until it got a bit watery and destroyed the taste.

Wailin

Whiskey from the fridge? The purists would frown upon that...

L1011

Wailin wrote: »

Whiskey from the fridge? The purists would frown upon that...

Absolutely; but they'd be even more irritated by ice - and probably OK with a bit of water which I feel ruins this whiskey.

Personal tastes apply, as always.

odyssey06

L1011 wrote: »

Absolutely; but they'd be even more irritated by ice - and probably OK with a bit of water which I feel ruins this whiskey.

Personal tastes apply, as always.

What about the whiskey stones from the freezer that dont melt? Any use or a gimmick?

Hogzy

Best way to drink whiskey is the way you enjoy it.

L1011

odyssey06 wrote: »

What about the whiskey stones from the freezer that dont melt? Any use or a gimmick?

Gimmick. They do cool the whiskey slightly but the majority of the cooling from ice is the endothermic reaction of the ice melting and the stones don't melt.

I have a set, I used them once. An enthusiast might need five or six sets on the go to ensure there's enough for a night...

Seth Brundle

Hogzy wrote: »

Best way to drink whiskey is the way you enjoy it.

Exactly!
Neat!

blondeonblonde

Hogzy wrote: »

Best way to drink whiskey is the way you enjoy it.

True... As long as you're not spending a fortune on premium stuff and then deadening all the taste with ice!

listermint

blondeonblonde wrote: »

True... As long as you're not spending a fortune on premium stuff and then deadening all the taste with ice!

Its their money and their mouth

blondeonblonde

listermint wrote: »

Its their money and their mouth

Also true, they can lash a load of coke into it while they're at it.

Hotblack Desiato

L1011 wrote: »

Gimmick. They do cool the whiskey slightly but the majority of the cooling from ice is the endothermic reaction of the ice melting and the stones don't melt.

It's not an endothermic reaction, it's a phase change (latent heat of fusion.)

/pedant

Mellor

blondeonblonde wrote: »

True... As long as you're not spending a fortune on premium stuff and then deadening all the taste with ice!

blondeonblonde wrote: »

Also true, they can lash a load of coke into it while they're at it.

What's the issue if they do? serious question btw.

I agree that ice changes the taste. Why should anyone say what the "right" taste is. And I'd well believe that ice "closes the distance" between a bod standard 4 year whiskey, and a 15 year+ premium. You'd have a tough time convincing me that the premium doesn't still taste marginally better in that state.

If somebody wants to splash out on a premium with a standard would suffice. That's their money to spend imo.

The Nal

This is lovely stuff. One of my favourite bourbons.

https://www.celticwhiskeyshop.com/Basil-Hayden's-Bourbon

Wailin

Ever try Eagle Rare 10? Bought a bottle some time ago for making old fashioned cocktails, not bad neat though. Bit of a leathery aftertaste that spoils it a little but nice contrast to Irish pot still.

L1011

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

It's not an endothermic reaction, it's a phase change (latent heat of fusion.)

/pedant

My C-grades in honours chemistry and physics fail me again :pac:

EagererBeaver

I drink pretty much any whiskey - blends, pure pot still, single malt, peated or non-peated. Scotch, Japanese, Taiwanese. Whatever. However, I'm not a big drinker of any American whiskey, never have been add it was never something the aul fella would have been into but I do like the Eagle Rare. Also quite like Blanton's. Don't like JD, don't like Maker's Mark or Wild Turkey except in cocktails. I'm conscious that the variety is endless - any suggestions as to where I could next turn my attention to try something new?

Wailin

Four roses or George T Stagg very highly rated. Never tried them myself and not too common from looking around.

I always find american bourbon to be fairly sweet and honeyed, but im certainly no expert on them.

Cazale

Any recommendations for Cask strength Irish Whiskey? Thinking of getting the Redbreast cask next but I'm open to suggestions.

EagererBeaver

Cazale wrote: »

Any recommendations for Cask strength Irish Whiskey? Thinking of getting the Redbreast cask next but I'm open to suggestions.

The Redbreast is one of the best of any Irish whiskey. Can't recommend highly enough.

Writer's Tears and the Irishman both very good too.

Wailin

Yeah I don't think you'll find better than the RB cask strength in fairness. I have it but not opened yet. Some rate it better than the 21 yo which is a lovely whiskey.

Waiting on someone to try the Glendalough 13 mizunara to let me know what it's like so I can decide whether to get it or not

Cazale

Wailin wrote:

Waiting on someone to try the Glendalough 13 mizunara to let me know what it's like so I can decide whether to get it or not

I picked that up last night but have yet to taste it yet. Smells nice though if that helps. I'll let you know!

The Nal

EagererBeaver wrote: »

I drink pretty much any whiskey - blends, pure pot still, single malt, peated or non-peated. Scotch, Japanese, Taiwanese. Whatever. However, I'm not a big drinker of any American whiskey, never have been add it was never something the aul fella would have been into but I do like the Eagle Rare. Also quite like Blanton's. Don't like JD, don't like Maker's Mark or Wild Turkey except in cocktails. I'm conscious that the variety is endless - any suggestions as to where I could next turn my attention to try something new?

The nicest bourbon out there
https://www.angelsenvy.com/

listermint

blondeonblonde wrote: »

Also true, they can lash a load of coke into it while they're at it.

Are you off your rocker, what does that even mean..

Useful.Idiot

Wailin wrote: »

Waiting on someone to try the Glendalough 13 mizunara to let me know what it's like so I can decide whether to get it or not

Tried it at a tasting. Definitely pick it up if you can afford to. Its great. One the most interesting whiskeys I've ever had anyways. It seems to be generally very well regarded.

I was at the Celtic Whiskey Shop Buffalo Trace tasting the other night so got to try six of their bourbons/whiskeys (Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, W.L Weller, Sazerac Rye, George T Stagg, E.H Taylor).

They had the E.H Taylor Four Grain which won best whiskey of the year in this year's whiskey Bible. Im not too well versed in bourbons but it was awesome. Really glad I got to try it.

Their entry level Buffalo Trace bourbon was great too, so that would be a good affordable one to try if not convinced by stuff like Bulleit and Makers Mark and the like.

Mickiemcfist

Cazale wrote: »

Any recommendations for Cask strength Irish Whiskey? Thinking of getting the Redbreast cask next but I'm open to suggestions.

Cheaper offering, but West Cork cask strength is absolutely lovely, I've actually recommended a few of theirs here, rum cask being my favourite. It has about 8 levels to it's flavour which changes as you go from nose to finish, it's worth trying at the very least. (I'm a huge fan of buying Irish & supporting local, so I try to focus on non-IDL brands)

Wailin

listermint wrote: »

Are you off your rocker, what does that even mean..

Think he was being sarcastic.

Wailin

Useful.Idiot wrote: »

Tried it at a tasting. Definitely pick it up if you can afford to. Its great. One the most interesting whiskeys I've ever had anyways. It seems to be generally very well regarded.

I was at the Celtic Whiskey Shop Buffalo Trace tasting the other night so got to try six of their bourbons/whiskeys (Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, W.L Weller, Sazerac Rye, George T Stagg, E.H Taylor).

They had the E.H Taylor Four Grain which won best whiskey of the year in this year's whiskey Bible. Im not too well versed in bourbons but it was awesome. Really glad I got to try it.

Their entry level Buffalo Trace bourbon was great too, so that would be a good affordable one to try if not convinced by stuff like Bulleit and Makers Mark and the like.

What did you think of the Eagle Rare 10?

Useful.Idiot

I liked it! the samples were arranged in ascending age and complexity and the Eagle Rare was more complex than the Buffalo Trace, more fruit and oak. Really liked the Rye one too.

adrian522

Useful.Idiot wrote: »

I liked it! the samples were arranged in ascending age and complexity and the Eagle Rare was more complex than the Buffalo Trace, more fruit and oak. Really liked the Rye one too.

Was at the same tasting, wasn't impressed at all overall but I'd take the eagle rare as the best of ones that were there.

I've never gotten into Bourbon to be honest.

beardybrewer

Tried a bottle of West Cork blended bourbon casked whiskey. Yikes! Had it back to back with Bushmills and it was a sad substitution. Bourbon character seemed forced with a strong nose of low-quality Jack. Very sweet, obvious vanilla, some nut/spice, and a unrefined finish. Really better for a mixer than something quality enough to have straight. Will be slow to finish this bottle for all the wrong reasons.

blondeonblonde

listermint wrote: »

Are you off your rocker, what does that even mean..

Ahem... sarcasm perhaps?

I actually have nothing against anyone having whiskey with ice or mixer. I enjoy a Jameson & Coke on occasion or sometimes a whiskey on ice or with soda however, they are a different drink.

The point is that I wouldn't dream of mixing a good, expensive whiskey with anything except a tiny drop of water or else simply having it neat. If I go to the trouble and expense of buying a top shelf whiskey I want to taste, smell and experience everything it has to offer and that won't happen if I throw a load of ice into it.

It's all fine & well people saying it's their mouth and their money but it just doesn't make any sense to me.

So like I say, ice it up if you like, lash on the coke, use it to clean the jacks if it tickles your fancy! It makes no earthly difference to me but I don't have to agree with it!

Mellor

beardybrewer wrote: »

Tried a bottle of West Cork blended bourbon casked whiskey. Yikes! Had it back to back with Bushmills and it was a sad substitution. Bourbon character seemed forced with a strong nose of low-quality Jack. Very sweet, obvious vanilla, some nut/spice, and a unrefined finish. Really better for a mixer than something quality enough to have straight. Will be slow to finish this bottle for all the wrong reasons.

FWIW Bushmills is bourbon casked also. It's actually a kinda odd thing to label a whiskey as imo, as it's so standard.
I'd guess that the harsh Jack like taste is possibly down to the really high % of grain.

gozunda

beardybrewer wrote: »

Tried a bottle of West Cork blended bourbon casked whiskey. Yikes! Had it back to back with Bushmills and it was a sad substitution. Bourbon character seemed forced with a strong nose of low-quality Jack. Very sweet, obvious vanilla, some nut/spice, and a unrefined finish. Really better for a mixer than something quality enough to have straight. Will be slow to finish this bottle for all the wrong reasons.

Tried the West Cork port cask. Not impressed overall and imo quite harsh on the nose and tongue

k99_64

Powers John Lane - its gone down in price by 5euro.

I love it.