Whisky

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Well we've got Ale and Wine.

Bruichladdich are where my taste mainly lies. Another new one discovered today...
Islay Barley, Rockside Farm 2007.
It is young but it's unusually superb.
All the barley is commissioned and grown locally on Islay... all of it, by independent farms. That's responsible and unique. Worth searching out for that aspect alone.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

oooh. Where to start? Erm...I'm quite partial to a Talisker.

Going to have to have a think about my favourite though. It tends to change.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

oooh. Where to start? Erm...I'm quite partial to a Talisker.

Going to have to have a think about my favourite though. It tends to change.

I don't mind Talisker, but it's never featured in my top raves.
Before Bruichladdich in its many modern variations, ancient Port Helen was the stuff I searched for. Everyday tipples however: Highland Park, Edradour, Glenmorangie (I know, I do know), and Aberlour.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

All single malts though. I've had one or two blends that hit the spot, but very few in the spectrum of superior stuff.

[Bruce Rioja]

Well we've got Ale and Wine.

Bruichladdich are where my taste mainly lies. Another new one discovered today...
Islay Barley, Rockside Farm 2007.
It is young but it's unusually superb.
All the barley is commissioned and grown locally on Islay... all of it, by independent farms. That's responsible and unique. Worth searching out for that aspect alone.

On alighting the ferry at Port Ellen, I was horrified, feck* horrified, to be greeted by a sign proclaiming "Diageo Maltings welcome you to Islay'.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Well we've got Ale and Wine.

Bruichladdich are where my taste mainly lies. Another new one discovered today...
Islay Barley, Rockside Farm 2007.
It is young but it's unusually superb.
All the barley is commissioned and grown locally on Islay... all of it, by independent farms. That's responsible and unique. Worth searching out for that aspect alone.

On alighting the ferry at Port Ellen, I was horrified, feck horrified, to be greeted by a sign proclaiming "Diageo Maltings welcome you to Islay'.

Yep... outrageous. They're controllers of Glenfiddich, aren't they?

[Bruce Rioja]

Well we've got Ale and Wine.

Bruichladdich are where my taste mainly lies. Another new one discovered today...
Islay Barley, Rockside Farm 2007.
It is young but it's unusually superb.
All the barley is commissioned and grown locally on Islay... all of it, by independent farms. That's responsible and unique. Worth searching out for that aspect alone.

On alighting the ferry at Port Ellen, I was horrified, feck horrified, to be greeted by a sign proclaiming "Diageo Maltings welcome you to Islay'.

Yep... outrageous. They're controllers of Glenfiddich, aren't they?

Probably. On Islay the own Caol Ila and lagavulin. I thought that they'd also bought the utterly dreadful yet ubiquitous Laphroig, but it seems not.

When I was there my favourite visit was to the distillery at Kilchoman, which is still a working farm. Here they grow their own barley and still practice floor malting (although it is the newest distillery on Islay).

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[clapton is god]

Nowt wrong with a drop of Glenmorangie!

My stash currently has in it a bottle of Bells, which I may clean the lawn mower with, Whyte & Mackay, Jamesons, a Chivas Regal 12, a Glenfiddich 15, a bottle of The Balvenie and another of The Singleton. However, I'm currently working my way down a bottle of Penderyn, a Welsh whisky.

I think I mentioned this on here at the time but four or five years ago a friends father died. I knew the old man well and had been to the Reebok and Burnden before that many a time with him. At every birthday and Christmas all his working life his friends and business contacts presented him with a bottle of whisky, which he said thanks for and then placed in cupboards all around the house where my mate found it all when the old man passed away. He was teetotal! Now, my mate didn't drink either and he wondered where he could dispose of all this whisky. I volunteered, as any friend would, and received about 20 bottles, a dozen half bottles and many miniatures. There were no really special bottles and the alcohol had boiled off in some of them (the level was about 2" down and all that the bottle contained was whisky flavoured water) but there was some really nice stuff. A bottle of JW Black which was dated about 1968, and two half bottles from the 50's, one with a gold foil top and the other with silver foil, I remember. Took me a couple of years to get through it all and I'm sure I did my liver no favours whatsoever.

[Bruce Rioja]

Chivas Regal is the only blended one that I'll drink. Current favourite malt is Balvennie Double Wood.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

All single malts though. I've had one or two blends that hit the spot, but very few in the spectrum of superior stuff.

This is where I am.

I barely drink these days, so I'm just mopping up occasional drams of Glenmorangie as I've various versions given to me over the years. I do enjoy the clean saltiness of Talisker, though I know it isn't for everyone. The only malt I've had that I'm not keen on is Ardbeg. Tried a 25 year McCallan a couple of years back that was pretty spectacular, though it should be at around a 150 notes a bottle

For those of the Londinium chapter, a must visit Milroys on Greek St. A veritable treasure trove of whisky. Doesn't look much from outside, but head in and down to the basement. I've had many a lunchtime taster whilst browsing the bottles

[Gary the Enfield]

Whiskey.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Whiskey.

[Montreal Wanderer]

Whiskey.

Steady now.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Whiskey.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Just had a tiny drop (= English for wee dram) of the English Whisky Co product.
Apart from its apalling name, and its awful caramelised colour, and the fact it's chill filtered, it is extraordinarily Ordinary. Very average I'm afraid.

[Bruce Rioja]

Japanese Whisky. I actually hear excellent reports. Bloody expensive by the looks of it too. Anyone had a go?

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Japanese Whisky. I actually hear excellent reports. Bloody expensive by the looks of it too. Anyone had a go?

In my day, when I lived there it was all blended stuff. Mind you Suntory was better than Bells, Teachers or White Horse.
But then I discovered sake...
Leave whisky to the Scots and sake to the Japs...

[Lord Kangana]

I hate Whisky Bruce, but (but), there's a guy's shop I visit in the South West who has a shop that's like drinks nirvana. In his Cave Privee, larger than most wine shops in itself, he has an entire wall of whisky. And about 1/4 of that is Japanese. Now, this might not mean much as of itself, but 1) The guy knows his stuff (and my missus is impressed that he shakes my hand when we return once every blue moon, but I think that's more to do with him thinking the cash cow has returned ) and 2) The French are proper hedonists. The stuff wouldn't be there if it was crap.

My advice, much as I hate whisky, is try it, its probably wonderful.

[Bruce Rioja]

Cheers, Lord. I most certainly intend to when I get a chance. Obviously I'd look to try before I buy.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Cheers, Lord. I most certainly intend to when I get a chance. Obviously I'd look to try before I buy.

But do they actually distil the stuff?
In the eighties it was shipped in by oil tanker, I kid you not.