t44tq Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 I started my night off with a store select Blanton's, so it only seemed fair to end with something a bit peatier: Longrow Rundlets and Kilderkins. I only have a few pours left, and find myself rationing them. I will definitely be purchasing more Longrow once I clear through some of my inventory. I wish Springbank Distillery on a whole was less expensive, but I can genuinely say that every Springbank product I've consumed has provided a unique and "worth it" experience. All my experience so far has been OB. I'll definitely be interested to see if the IBs can hold up. Or at least the 18 yr Duncan Taylor I have socked away. At any rate, I'm screwed because every Springbank Single Cask that comes stateside makes my mouth water, but they keep going up in price. And then there's the Springbank Green, which I will obviously need to try. And some old label Springbank 15 just sitting around, waiting for a home. And Springbank 10, which was on sale for $55 the other day . . . Wallet, please don't hate me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garbanzobean Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 I haven't had Hazelburn yet. It's on the list . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronWF Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Have you tried any Hazelburn? Definitely different from Springbank.I love the CS 8yo Hazelburn from a couple years ago. Rich, clean malt with nice vanilla tones and just the slightest bit of Springbank funk. Ralfy really liked the R&K but I still have not been able to swallow the $120 price tag for it. I should probably pick up a bottle of the 12yo and give it a whirl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolph Lundgren Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Bought a First Editions 24yr Clynelish (1988). I had high hopes but this has fallen a little short. Its got a nice fruity / buttery nose and is tropical fruit / honey on the palate, but there is a light acidity that is slightly off-putting. It's good, but I don't know if its $170. I'd say more like $100 good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garbanzobean Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Bought a First Editions 24yr Clynelish (1988). I had high hopes but this has fallen a little short. Its got a nice fruity / buttery nose and is tropical fruit / honey on the palate, but there is a light acidity that is slightly off-putting. It's good, but I don't know if its $170. I'd say more like $100 good.I've been waffling back and forth on a FE Clynelish 24. Sounds like I don't need to bother! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bearmark Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 Tonight I'm having a pour of Bruichladdich's The Laddie Sixteen. It's much better than the Ten and discontinued. I found some marked down to $90 recently and grabbed it. Don't miss it before it disappears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t44tq Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 The other night, Old Pulteney 17, Hazelburn CS 8. I liked the Old Pulteney as a lighter, fruity, tasty dram. The Hazelburn was distinctly spicy, reminded me of smoked tree bark. I did not like it, although it was plenty drinkable. It did not have enough going for it to be anything special. The Sauternes finished CS 8 is a completely different animal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclebunk Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 Old Pulteney 21 for me last night. Been fighting a really nasty cold all week and you can always tell when you're finally rounding the corner when your desire for whiskey returns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garbanzobean Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 My local bottle shop gave me a sample of Glenmorangie Tusail to try. I didn't get enough to really give a thorough review, but I got a sense of things. I'm not sure what Tusail was aged in, but it smelled very much like a very potent white wine. Taste was very 'scotchy', with some definite grassiness. Finish was long and reminded me of a nice English pale. Overall I wouldnt pay more than $40-$50 for this, but it wasn't offensive or anything. Fwiw even though its NAS, it tasts 10-12 years old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 My local bottle shop gave me a sample of Glenmorangie Tusail to try. I didn't get enough to really give a thorough review, but I got a sense of things. I'm not sure what Tusail was aged in, but it smelled very much like a very potent white wine. Taste was very 'scotchy', with some definite grassiness. Finish was long and reminded me of a nice English pale. Overall I wouldnt pay more than $40-$50 for this, but it wasn't offensive or anything. Fwiw even though its NAS, it tasts 10-12 years old.Don't think it has a finish which is different from the previous five Private Editions. Rather it is an usual strain of barley more typically used for beer as I understand it. As you note the age is not given and the proof is the usual 46% ABV for the Private Edition line. The fact that the age is not given suggests to me that it is less than 10 years but I have no knowledge of that. If it is 10 or more they tend to reveal that. That would make it the youngest in this series.Early reviews seem to be lukewarm at best. I will probably get at least one anyway if I can just to try it for myself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garbanzobean Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 (edited) Don't think it has a finish which is different from the previous five Private Editions. Rather it is an usual strain of barley more typically used for beer as I understand it. As you note the age is not given and the proof is the usual 46% ABV for the Private Edition line. The fact that the age is not given suggests to me that it is less than 10 years but I have no knowledge of that. If it is 10 or more they tend to reveal that. That would make it the youngest in this series.Early reviews seem to be lukewarm at best. I will probably get at least one anyway if I can just to try it for myself!Yeah, I'm aware that they are highlighting house floor-malted Maris Otter, with no advertized cask finishing. I found a blog entry after I posted that claims it is 10ish years old (maybe slightly more) and 100% aged in ex bourbon. Which is interesting because of the white wine nose and "scotchy scotch scotch" flavor I got from it. I typically associate that with JW blends, and until last night had associated it with malts that are a blend of mediocre sherry casks and ex bourbon casks. It sort of reminds me of how waterlogged wood smells, maybe combined with a grassy or "rope" note. At any rate, if this is ex bourbon, looks like it doesn't need to include any sherry for me to pick it up. So at the very least this sample has furthered my malt education, and that's never a bad thing!I personally wouldn't recommend it over any standard Glenmorangie malt. The excellent finish just doesn't justify the extra money to me, and I definitely prefer just about every standard glenmo nose to this one. That said, if you're a big Glenmorangie fan and have the money, I don't think you'll be rushing to pour this down the drain. As always, my opinion is probably worth exactly as much much as you paid for it . . .Cheers! Edited February 7, 2015 by garbanzobean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Yeah, I'm aware that they are highlighting house floor-malted Maris Otter, with no advertized cask finishing. I found a blog entry after I posted that claims it is 10ish years old (maybe slightly more) and 100% aged in ex bourbon. Which is interesting because of the white wine nose and "scotchy scotch scotch" flavor I got from it. I typically associate that with JW blends, and until last night had associated it with malts that are a blend of mediocre sherry casks and ex bourbon casks. It sort of reminds me of how waterlogged wood smells, maybe combined with a grassy or "rope" note. At any rate, if this is ex bourbon, looks like it doesn't need to include any sherry for me to pick it up. So at the very least this sample has furthered my malt education, and that's never a bad thing!I personally wouldn't recommend it over any standard Glenmorangie malt. The excellent finish just doesn't justify the extra money to me, and I definitely prefer just about every standard glenmo nose to this one. That said, if you're a big Glenmorangie fan and have the money, I don't think you'll be rushing to pour this down the drain. As always, my opinion is probably worth exactly as much much as you paid for it . . .Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garbanzobean Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 Killed the last of my Longrow R&K, then had a pour of Ohan 14. I really do need to pony up the cash for the 18 at some point. I've almost bought it a few times, but keep getting hung up on paying $130 bucks for an 18 year old whisky of fairly anemic proof. As opposed to the 14, which I find on sale for $44 quite often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvd99 Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Just saw this on the shelf for $199. This version was baby blue box and label which is different from the maroonish color of the euro packaging. Looks tasty for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacinJosh Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I've been hitting the Takisker 18 pretty hard lately. Having trouble staying out of that one! Right in my wheelhouse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Got roped into a tasting of BenRiach last night. Interesting history on the distillery. Current owners bought it in 2004 after it had been closed since about 2004. Most of the whisky that came with the purchase was reracked and a fair amount of it was finished in various casks. I don't know that they have released anything of their own make yet. 7 bottles last night including the 12yo single malt and several finished whiskies (16yo Sauternes, 15yo Madeira, 15yo Tawny Port, 15yo Dark Rum) and 2 peated versions finished in sherry and port. All were pretty good except the port finished Importanticus Fumosus. Don't know if it was corked or what but it didn't have a cardboard nose so much as old rubber bands and in this case not in a good way! The PX Sherry finished Heredotus Fumosus was much better. Of the others I liked the Madiera the best. The rum was a bit sweet and one dimensional. The Sauternes was good as well. Apparently not terribly expensive and perhaps a bit cheaper overseas than here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garbanzobean Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Lagavulin DE 2013. This is really hitting the spot. Lagavulin 16 + tons of juicy red fruits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbroo5880i Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Glenlivet 18. I am a scotch noob so I don't have much of a frame of reference. I am about 1/2 way through the bottle and I still don't have a taste for it. It is ok but, for example, I much preferred the HH BIB/EWSB blend that preceded it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amg Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Glenlivet 18. I am a scotch noob so I don't have much of a frame of reference. I am about 1/2 way through the bottle and I still don't have a taste for it. It is ok but, for example, I much preferred the HH BIB/EWSB blend that preceded it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garbanzobean Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I find Glenlivet 18 to be a nice, inoffensive, boring scotch.The problem with trying not to offend anyone is that some people find that to be offensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbroo5880i Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I find Glenlivet 18 to be a nice, inoffensive, boring scotch.Boring...that is probably the word that best describes it. There is nothing wrong with it but there is nothing compelling about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBoldBully Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Laphroaig 10yr cask strength bottled in '11. Excellent stuff, but sure wish I had gone back to get more at under 50 bucks before it was gone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garbanzobean Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Pours of Lag DE and Oban 14. Diageo is sort of evil, but they sure do own some amazing distilleries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisg Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Yesterday I finished off a bottle of Port Charlotte 8 Yr SMWS 127.1 and had a pour of Ardbeg SN 2010. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garbanzobean Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 A nice big Oban 14. A little water really cleans up some of the bitterness that seems to be hanging out in my current bottle. Not sure what that's about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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