I had my first Redbreast last night and really enjoyed it. It was my first irish whiskey since falling in love with bourbon, but I might have to pick up the cask strength version at Binny's.
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I had my first Redbreast last night and really enjoyed it. It was my first irish whiskey since falling in love with bourbon, but I might have to pick up the cask strength version at Binny's.
Tasting Bowmore 12 neat at the moment. I swear it says Islay on the bottle but it sure doesn't taste much like an Islay single malt. Sort of smells like one I guess. Honestly though, this tastes more like a highland single malt to me. And to my unrefined palate all highland single malts taste the same.
Currently drinking:
Aberlour 12 - Very good. Nice notes of heather and honey and only $34 in OH.
Laphroig 10 CS Batch 002 - A bit fruitier than the regular 10, but just enough smoke and salt to know it's a Laphroig. Very nice stuff.
Ardbeg 10 - My first Ardbeg and I love it. Picked up a bottle of the Ugiedal which I'll bunker for a while.
How can you resist? It's one of my favorites - peaty, cask strength & sherried! mmmmmmm.... Top 5 "regular production" whiskies for me...Quote:
Originally Posted by emil
As noted, you might find that flavor in a Talisker more than most of the Isalys. I also agree with the sherried/peated suggestion: I tend to get good cigar/pipe tobacco notes out of of those (Talisker DE, Lagavulin DE, Bowmore Darkest, Ardbeg uigeadail, Longrow 14, less so with Springers for me - but I get the reference, BenRiach Heredotus Fumosus and even some of the Kilchomans).Quote:
Originally Posted by awachatz
However - your best bet for true "tobacco" is going to be an American whiskey from MB Roland - it's called "Black Dog" - and the corn is dried over dark fire with tobacco leaves. It's... very rich, smokey, and full of traditional tobacco & bbq flavors. It's only regularly available as a white, unaged spirit, but he does offer occasional special bottles with some aging on them that are to die for. I've gone through about 6 or 7 different expressions (and even aged some of my own) and it's great stuff. Worth seeking out.
I have been totally mesmerized by this Redbreast 12 Cask Strength since I picked it up several days ago. No "wee dram" on this one. It's a full-bodied, luscious, chewy, flavor bomb of a whiskey. Tons going on in it. There are so many flavors that I pull out of it, it makes my head spin. Caramel, vanillas, that typical Irish pot-still thing, marshmallow, graham cracker--sheeze, it's a dang S'more!!! As a bourbon lover first, I'm hesitant, but not shy to admit, that I'm not sure I can come up with more than 5 bourbons that I would put in front of this Irish. This is one spectacular whiskey.
I don't know if this is the place to talk about Canadians, but I bought a bottle of Rich and Rare Reserve after reading Davin's review of it here. It just showed up at my local store and the clerk commented that everyone who's tried it really liked it-- in fact they were reluctant to add another Canadian to their already full shelf but after they sampled it they couldn't order it fast enough.
Anyway, my take on it is that it's very good. If you like Canadian whisky you'll like Rich and Rare Reserve. If you don't like Canadian whisky, it probably won't win you over. Davin's review is spot on, by the way. This is a pretty subtle whisky and very clean finishing so I think it will be a good warm-weather sipper and mixer. Plus it doesn't have nearly as much of the rubbing alcohol notes that so many of it's peers do.
The best part is that it cost $10.99 for a fifth:bigeyes:. And the bottle looks really nice, too.
Welcome to the dark side my brother...:70358-devil:Quote:
Originally Posted by smokinjoe
Okay. So what's the verdict on Redbreast 12 Cask Strength vs. Redbreast 15? Do you favor one over the other? I need another bottle of Irish whiskey like I need a hole in the head (my Irish section is fairly deep) but neither of these are in the cabinet and St. Patrick's Day is upon us.
I agree with what smokinjoe says about the cask and only had the 15 once so can't compare other than on price and proof with the cask getting the nod. It looks like they are both non chill filtered. From memory I believe John Hansell has the 15 at a 92 and the cask at 95. Can't verify that now.Quote:
Originally Posted by unclebunk