What whisk(e)y are we drinking? (Part 2)

JMcL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121450217#Comment_121450217

Having the excuse to justify them is the only halfway good thing about a headcold 😀

HenryCase

I did cave over the weekend and open a bottle I bought on IWA. 'A good old fashioned Christmas whisky' ...and it tastes very much like an old fashioned 😄 perfect for this time of year but wouldn't be for everyone.

I do feel a headcold coming on though, blocked nose the past two nights...only one thing for it...

squonk

Got a bottle the €50 on Inis Mor last year when I visited. I had a drop in one of the pubs and said I’d bring a bottle back as a souvenir. Seems like a young whiskey and is bottled at 46%. Wasn’t overly unused after k got home but had a drop there now and it wasn’t as bad as I remembered. Not a whiskey connoiseur by a long shot but it seems like it hasn’t heaps of depth to it, again suggesting young whiskey. Just wondering if anyone wise has tired it and what your thoughts are?

odyssey06

Santa arrived earlier via Drams Delivered (Celtic Whiskey Shop).

I got the Dingle tasting flight and a few other miscellaneous spirits. Flight works out as quite expensive at €50 for 6 tasters, especially as 30ml measures. Delivery (via UPS) on top. Tiny Tipples for comparison are 50ml.

I was very close to buying a full bottle of one of the Dingle Wheel of Time series instead, but I like doing these comparative tastings.

I must try to remember to have the "Grianstad an Gheimhridh" on the (pauses to google) Winter Solstice.

https://www.dramsdelivered.com/dingle-christmas-23

Insect Overlord

I had a second drop of the Grianstad An Gheimhridh last night after first sampling it a few days ago. I must have poured it wrong the first time because the second drop was only gorgeous!

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121467233#Comment_121467233

I only have 30 mls to play with... any tips on how to pour it right appreciated :)

Insect Overlord

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121467249#Comment_121467249

I think think the difference last night was pouring it over ice, which probably isn't what you wanted to hear! The whole series has been very good though, so I'd say you'll enjoy them all.

Anaki r2d2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121467249#Comment_121467249

It’s not Guinness! You cant pour it wrong…..can you??

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121468365#Comment_121468365

Well its more like flowers might need drop of water but dont over water :)

faffingaround

Tesco seem to have great deals with the club card on whisky. Are there any other good spots in Ireland for a bargain Scotch? I see Chivas Regal 12 is available for 30 euro at the moment. Great stuff IMO especially for that price.

On a separate note, is the Midleton rare ‘23 the first year with no wooden cask? Surely that will devalue it compared to other years?

Citizen Six

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121471657#Comment_121471657

Midleton's gone up in cost at retail. But they released way more this year compared to previous years. And flippers have realised you can't really make a killing on it. So it's not devalued due to the box.

Anaki r2d2

Yes, first time in a fancy cardboard box rather than the wooden one of 22 etc. there is a seperate thread on MVR in the beer and spirits section. The merits of the packaging debated there.

my local Tesco has some at 240euro. I’d sooner buy 4 bottles of redbreast myself. The Middleton is good, just not 4 times better than green spot red breast etc. IMHO

Citizen Six

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121471790#Comment_121471790

You'll always get diminishing returns as you go up. I've a 2023, but think I'll open it next week rather than hang on to it.

Was recently gifted Redbreast Lustau, so looking forward to opening that this weekend.

janiejones

Anyone tried the meikle toir? Specifically the sherry one. It's glenallachies rebrand of their peated stuff.

Drinking whiskey sours tonight with a bottle I'm trying to get rid of. I add the full egg, separating the whites is a hassle and it's just more delicious whole.

Beanstalk

Had my eye on the Meikle tor but decided not to go for it (yet).

Had a nice tasting last night. All very good but the Glen Scotia was something completely different. Very savoury not sweet at all.

HenryCase

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121478624#Comment_121478624

I've often been tempted by that Glen Scotia when visiting the UK but never tried it. Enjoyed the Glen Scotia Double Cask previously but wasn't overly impressed with the Victoriana despite all the rave reviews on YouTube. It was only a sample though.

janiejones

Any chance of talisker 10 dropping to 35 euro this year? Didn't happen last year. Seems they rebranded to a potentially not as good liquid but don't want to drop the price for sales.

And I only ask cause I think it's a quality whisky and 35 is an outrageously good price (that we'll probably never see again)

Quackster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121492279#Comment_121492279

It dropped to €30 for a few years before Christmas up to the year before last.

And when spend & save vouchers could be used on alcohol, that effectively made it €24. Good times..!!

fmul9798

Redbreast Tawny port edition is back in stock on the Midleton website - free shipping too

DeniG2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121492279#Comment_121492279

Don't think it will drop to €35 again. It dropped to €42 last year but €46 seems to the the new discounted price now unfortunately. Given the rebranding (new taste) and lack of decent discount I've moved away from it. It's a pity, years ago Talisker10 for €30 in Tesco used to herald the start of Christmas like the arrival of the Christmas RTE guide, but alas no more, this photo is from 25th Nov 2020 :-(

Beanstalk

I've heard the new rebranded talsiker isn't as bad as people think. Lots of decent reviews of it recently. Its £34 in Tesco NI

DeniG2

It's not bad, just prefer the "only distillery" version to the "oldest distillery" version

Beanstalk

Fair enough. Have you tried the Torabhaig?

DeniG2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121494515#Comment_121494515

Haven't tried it yet, it's on the list, will try get my hands on a bottle

Only recently tried Kilchoman Sanaig which reminded me of the older talisker, lovely balance of smoke/peat/sweet/seaweed/idione

Beanstalk

The Sanaig is lovely alright definitely one of my favourite whiskies of the year

Black Sheep

I wouldn't say the current Talisker 10 is bad.

I think the consensus is more just that it's not what it used to be. The "old label" bottlings floating around are better, I think I posted a while back that I compared the two side by side. But if I'd only tried some of the recent bottlings, I wouldn't think it was a poor whisky, necessarily.

I am a little surprised at the downshift being so discernible, I usually wouldn't have credited it as possible, in the space of just a few years, especially when fundamentally it's the same age statement. If they'd just eliminated the 10 and went for all NOS, and introduced another NOS, it would be more understandable.

I've had a travel retail Torabhaig, and it was fine, but I wouldn't buy again.

Citizen Six

Went into O'Briens looking for something yesterday. Hadn't made up my mind what, but had a bit to spend. Noticed they still had Dingle Batch 6 on the shelf, so went with that, as I really liked it when it came out. Had planned on a Midleton to celebrate some news, but just as happy opening this €70 bottle.

kuang1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121495558#Comment_121495558

You're lucky! Recently killed my last bottle of Dingle 6 and struggling to find another.

It really shows IDL that you can actually finish in a tawny port cask successfully, unlike the latest redbreast offering.

It's a gorgeous dram.

Justin10

Very disappointed to see the Redbreast PX being sold only in the US.

Haven't tried the Tawny Port yet, not sure if it will be to my liking.

Have a bottle of Old Comber and Redbreast O'Brien's to open over the Christmas, so looking forward to that.

2011abc

Eurospar ( are there branches other than Barnhall , Leixlip?) is really pulling out the stops with whiskey deals .I’d already picked up a €22 and change ( minimum legal price ) Blackbush a week or two ago and returned with a view to picking up another to find Sexton at twenty seven something .It’s Bushmills spirit heavily sherried .While initially a big fan I find myself liking it a bit less .It has a slightly rough edge and gives me a hangover unlike almost any other Irish whiskey ( Is that stuff double distilled instead of triple ? Or is that Tyrconnell ?) But unlike the Crested X it’s in the right side of sickly sweet ..The Crested if very cheap makes a good blending whiskey though with basic cheap stuff Still it’s a no brainer at 27 .Fast forward to today and the boss at work gave me a ‘champagne’ .I thought the Mrs would be delighted with that but we were both a bit flumuxed when it turned out to be a Remy Martin Champagne Cognac .I was delighted to not only swap it in a SuperValu for a Redbreast but have the manager (owner ?) waive the €15 extra asking price .It’s €75 at SV but only €60 in Tesco /OBriens

Now I’ve just done a side by side taste test and the Sexton isn’t that far behind the RB12 but ,hey ,the palate can vary massively depending on several variables (?)

I had a RB CS recently keen to verify reports that it was so nice it even beat the 15 .I’ve never had the 15 but personally reckon the basic 12 is better bang per buck than CS

In other seasonal whiskey news ,I had a Dunvilles PX12 in the Dublin Whiskey Museum bar last week and it may be my new all time fave surpassing Teeling Brabazon 1 ( And this despite sub optimal palate conditions - full vs fasted and busy/rushed vs calm ) .I was a bit deflated to see a bottle leaves little or no change from €100 .I’d fancied it for my fancy Christmas tipple but mixed it up with the far cheaper PX I Love You from The Whistler range .

Hope Santa brings you all something nice !