I'll have a Scotch...

[jamespowers]

You are quite right Laddy!
The Macallan is not for the faint of heart. It has an intense flavor that is best described as spicy with a round, firm, dry character that it gets from being distilled into casks that were once used for Sherry production. This is not necessarily characteristic of all Highland produced Scotch Whiskies but the area it is produced in makes a difference in taste due to the malt used.
Laphroaig has quite an interesting history especially the story of how old Donald Johnston (owner) managed to drown himself in a vat of burnt ale. Produced on Islay Island of Scotland, the whiskey has an unmistakable tang to it from the sea air. Some say it also has a peaty taste to it from the peat bogs in the area. Whatever the case, the taste is something best described as aquired.
I am biased in this choosing as I like the Macallan but I am sure other liquor Gormands might have a different opinion. Choose based on what your taste is and let me know what you think.
In closing, WOW your liquor prices there are steep! I can get either of those for about $10 less per bottle at Beverages and More here. I think I will stay here. I could go broke in your area. LOL

Regards to all,

J

 

[Brad Bowers]

Yes, Utah "sin" taxes probably add quite a bit to the price.

Hmm. I had heard similar remarks to yours about Laphroaig, which makes me hesitate, though I am still intrigued by it.

I live for intense flavors, however. I'm adventurous enough to try both, but the wallet says," Sorry, boy, you can only have one for now."

Just wondering what the Scotch drinkers thought!

Brad

 

[MK]

Why not go to a bar and order one of each?

 

[Marlowe]

Originally posted by MK
Why not go to a bar and order one of each?

Great idea, but remember: hard alcohol like scotch will affect your tastebuds (as in, put the whammy on them). So leave a little time and eat or drink something to cleanse your palate between samples. Or try one one day and the other another day...

 

[Brad Bowers]

Huh, I didn't think of that! I might have to go out of state, though. My best shot would be in Wendover, Nevada, just a few hours away, but I'll call around to some of the restaurants in town, maybe they have one or both. Slim chance, but it's worth a shot.

With Utah's strict liquor laws, there are not very many nice places in the state to get a drink. I'll be glad to leave here next year and get back to the real world!

Thanks for the suggestion, MK!

Brad

 

[jamespowers]

That is a great suggestion MK. The thought did occurr to me but I did not know how many bars there really are in Utah. I suppose it would be a good place to send a child who is college bound.
My suggestion would be to try the Laphroig first because of the unique flavor. Have something to eat and then try the macallan. I find that Macallan goes better with food anyway. :cool2:

Regards to all,

J

 

[Retro Grouch]

While not nearly as eloquent as James, Here are a couple of other to add to the list. I'm kinda partial to Balvenie 10yo and Speyburn 21yo. Below are a couple of links.

http://www.scotchwhisky.net/index.htm
http://www.epinions.com/fddk-Spirits-All-Scotch

I know Utah has some "different" laws regarding alcohol. Is getting sponsored in the club the problem or is it getting the "straight" alcohol? Whenever I travel into UT, I ALWAYS bring my own beverages.

Would mail order be an option?

Tom

 

[jamespowers]

Give us a review on those two. I have not come in contact with them yet. How do they taste and how are they different from each other?
Eloquent? Nah, that's the liquor talking. LOL

Regards to all,

J

 

[MK]

I have greatly enjoyed the Balvenie 12 year old. I like it better than the 15 yr old. I don't think I have had the 10.

 

[jamespowers]

I tend to have a Highland bias when it comes to Scotch. A friend of mine recently introduced me to Dalwhinnie and Talisker. Both are even better than my experience with Macallan ten times better than Laphroaig(my bias LOL). The price is also quite a bit more though. When the bar tab came and I found that a Dalwhinnie neat and a Talisker neat both cost $13 each I realized what I was drinking---money! LOL I have since got the bottles at Beverages and More--much cheaper. Both are quite smooth and I do not notice any appreciable difference between the two. They can be beginner Scotches because of the smooth taste without the spiciness of the Macallan or the odd peat and slight salt air taste of the Laphroaig. Don't get me wrong, they are potent Single Malt Scotches but not something like Potcheen that will rip your guts out. LOL
I can recommend both if you just happen to be at a friend's house who is well-heeled and willing to share. They also make great Old Fashioneds---not as good a Tullamore but a great Old Fashioned nonetheless.
Has anyone tried these Kings of Scotch?

Regards to all, :beer:

J
*Hick* LOL

 

[Brad Bowers]

More to add to my list to try, then!

Tom, I'm not sure how to go about purchasing a membership to one of these bars, but of the couple in town, neither are bars I would care to visit.

I might try mail order. One professor ordered his ales straight from Belgium, and the FedEx guy would bring around the box, saying, "Here's your sodas, sir!" Apparently the Belgiums disguised the fact they were alcoholic to get around either state or federal laws.

Brad

 

[jamespowers]

Ah, soda to go with my Scotch. LOL
There are so many Scotches out there that one may never get to them all---without brain damage of course. LOL Stay with the single malts and you keep the list a little shorter.
Everyone knows what single malt means right?

Regards to all,

J

 

[Brad Bowers]

Means the malt's not married, right?LOL

Brad

 

[jamespowers]

Originally posted by Brad Bowers
Means the malt's not married, right?LOL

Brad

No, he's a playboy. Gets around a lot. LOL
You really do not know?

Regards to all,

J

 

[Brad Bowers]

Yes, I know about single malts. I just couldn't pass up making a lame joke!

Brad

 

[jamespowers]

Well, explain it so everyone knows. LOL

 

[Retro Grouch]

Originally posted by jamespowers
Give us a review on those two. I have not come in contact with them yet. How do they taste and how are they different from each other?
Eloquent? Nah, that's the liquor talking. LOL

Regards to all,

J

I am more of a scotch drinker than reviewer. It's been a while since I've has the Speyburn 21yo but I do remember that it has a distinctive peet and smoke taste.

The Balvenie tasting was recent. A mountain tourist town over from me has a Scottish highlands festival every year. What good is a Scotish gathering without scotch? I was able to try the Balvenie 10yo and 15yo. Sadly, I didn't pony up for the 25yo ($17 a shot ). Of the two, I liked the 10yo much better. It had a raw first impression that mellowed but left the sides of the tongue numb. Yes, that means I liked it. Not much of an iodine flavor but some good peet.

The Balvenie 15yo was good, don't get me wrong, but it was smoother and more mellow.

A friend of mine is into single malt scotch in a big was. luckily, he is very generous with it and information. He keeps teasing me with a tasting party, though. :beer:

Originally posted by jamespowers
Has anyone tried these Kings of Scotch?

Regards to all, :beer:

J
*Hick* LOL

Would that be Chevis Regal? Scotch in name only.

 

[jamespowers]

Originally posted by Retro Grouch
Would that be Chevis Regal? Scotch in name only.

SINO - Scotch in name only. LOL
Chevis Regal does come in a nice tin though. LOL That is about all I can say for it. I don't care if it is triple blended--it is blended and most people think of it when you say Scotch.
Blending good Scotch with mediocre Scotch and some excellent Scotch does not do it for me. It does not even taste like malt whiskey anymore! If it is not good enough to be bottled without blending in other vintages or types then it is not good enough for me to drink. Yes, I am a Scotch Snob. It has to be a single malt Scotch from a single excellent malt Scotch (not always Highland ), not blended with grain whiskey or with other malt whiskeys, in order to truely test the maker's distilling skills. Anyone can mix this, that and the other thing without truly understanding the distilling process and what it takes to make a good malt Scotch (Water of Life).
Off of the soapbox now. You mentioned the age of Scotch. Age in Scotch, or just general whiskey for that matter--henceforth called Whiskey, is important only to a certain extent. It is the general concensus that Whiskey is best at about ten years of age. Older does not actually mean better. The Whiskey can improve beyond ten years but it can also deteriorate. Most whiskey does not improve in taste above ten years though so do not be fooled into paying more for the years. Once the whiskey is removed from the cask and bottled aging stops. As long as the bottle remains closed the whiskey will remain at its current state of maturity. A bottle that has been opened and exposed to the air will change though ever so slightly.
RG, I congratulate you in tasting the difference in the Balvenie and realizing that the extra years did not make a difference. Thanks for the review. You are a gentleman, scholar and above all a good judge of whiskey.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Brad Bowers]

Geez, with the Lounge down most of the day, I actually had to go and do some actual work grading quizzes!

As to the quiz you gave me, single malt Scotch is made with barley malt from a single distillery. Vatted malt is blended from two or more malt distilleries, and blended whiskey is a blend of malt and grain whiskeys.

Gosh, all this work's making me thirsty. Better take a break!

Brad

 

[jamespowers]

Originally posted by Brad Bowers
Geez, with the Lounge down most of the day, I actually had to go and do some actual work grading quizzes!

Yeah tell me about it. You don't miss something until it isn't there. LOL

Originally posted by Brad Bowers
As to the quiz you gave me, single malt Scotch is made with barley malt from a single distillery. Vatted malt is blended from two or more malt distilleries, and blended whiskey is a blend of malt and grain whiskeys.

Gosh, all this work's making me thirsty. Better take a break!

Very good. It really wasn't a quiz though.
Malt Barley is a very interesting cereal grain that is best consumed as a liquid. LOL
So which do you prefer single malt or one of the others?

Regards to all,

J