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What dram are you enjoying - Winter/Spring 2019?


lcpfratn
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Since it’s no longer Fall 2018, I guess it’s time for a new thread start. I was not originally a GoT fan, but when Diageo released the Game of Thrones Scotch collection, I was intrigued by the marketing ploy, but didn’t think I would seek them out since I figured that getting all eight in the series would be like trying to round up every single one of the LE bourbons that come out each fall. When I stumbled onto four of them at very good prices at one store, however, I got pulled into the chase. Well, two of the eight were very hard for me to find, but I finally found them all with a bit of help from a fellow SB’r. I know several of these are just “meh” bottles of scotch, but I believe at least a few of them are pretty good based on the reviews I’ve read or seen. The prices were reasonable on most of these anyway, so I’m happy I was able to get the entire collection...and I also became a GoT fan in the process.

 

I recently opened two bottles, the Clynelish and the Lagavulin 9yr, and they are both pretty darn good. If I had to pick my favorite of the two it would probably be the Lagavulin, but I’m a Lagavulin fanboy anyway. I’ll eventually get around to opening all of them, but the ones I’ll probably open next are the Talisker and Oban. Slainte!

 

Edited by lcpfratn
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29 minutes ago, lcpfratn said:

 

Since it’s no longer Fall 2018, I guess it’s time for a new thread start. I was not originally a GoT fan, but when Diageo released the Game of Thrones Scotch collection, I was intrigued by the marketing ploy, but didn’t think I would seek them out since I figured that getting all eight in the series would be like trying to round up every single one of the LE bourbons that come out each fall. When I stumbled onto four of them at very good prices at one store, however, I got pulled into the chase. Well, two of the eight were very hard for me to find, but I finally found them all with a bit of help from a fellow SB’r. I know several of these are just “meh” bottles of scotch, but I believe at least a few of them are pretty good based on the reviews I’ve read or seen. The prices were reasonable on most of these anyway, so I’m happy I was able to get the entire collection...and I also became a GoT fan in the process.

 

I recently opened two bottles, the Clynelish and the Lagavulin 9yr, and they are both pretty darn good. If I had to pick my favorite of the two it would probably be the Lagavulin, but I’m a Lagavulin fanboy anyway. I’ll eventually get around to opening all of them, but the ones I’ll probably open next are the Talisker and Oban. Slainte!

 

 

 

I've got them all open-- my advice would be to uncork the Dalwhinnie next.

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I've got them all open-- my advice would be to uncork the Dalwhinnie next.

I should have known you’d have them all too! That was going to be the next one after the Talisker and Oban, but I guess I’ll bump the Dalwhinnie to the front of the line based on your suggestion.
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Springbank 10 is hitting the spot this week. I prefer it over the 15 and 18, personally. 

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As luck would have it, I made a company paid trip to Dublin last week for 3 days of work, but had a Sunday and 3 weeknights available.  Wife went with me and we walked across the southside to Guinness, where she pronounced the stout "better than I thought it would be".  Small victories.  But we were just a couple of blocks from a large pub (Searsons) with a really well put together whiskey list that afforded me the opportunity to try some new tastes.  The bartenders were quite knowledgeable and helpful as well.

 

I tried Yellow Spot, Green Spot, and their latest release Red Spot, a 15 year single pot still whiskey aged in "a combination of casks pre-seasoned with Bourbon, Oloroso Sherry and Marsala fortified wine. "  Supposedly the varietal has been shelved for 50 years so it's a bit of a newsworthy release.  I liked it well enough to pick up a single bottle in the duty free shop at the airport.  Here's a piece on it if anyone's interested.  https://thewhiskeywash.com/whiskey-styles/irish-whiskey/red-spot-irish-whiskey-returns-to-the-fold-after-a-50-year-hiatus/

 

I keep Redbreast 12 in my cabinet, but they had a new one on the list, a RB 12 cask strength for just a couple of euro more, so I bit on a taste.  Wow!  117 proof, I swirled a cube in it for 15 seconds and pulled it back out, what a smooth (for the proof), delicious dram.  Clove, cinnamon, plum.  For more see the Whisky Advocate Editors Choice selections in the winter edition, they gave it a 95.  I didn't know that at the time, I just liked the higher proof as reason enough to order. 

 

I tried to buy it at the airport duty free as my first choice but it was already sold out.  "settled" for the Red Spot.

 

Searsons whiskey menu:  http://searsonsbar.ie/whiskey-bar/

 

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Warming up for St. Paddy's day with a pour of RB cask strength.  Always a very nice little change up! 

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Having a pour of Glendronach 21. So good.

We can finally get this in our market, but I still haven’t been willing to cough up the dough they want for a bottle these days...I will have a weak moment someday though a make the splurge. I do have the 18yr though, so that helps me hold off on splurging on the 21. Enjoy that pour!
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7 hours ago, lcpfratn said:


We can finally get this in our market, but I still haven’t been willing to cough up the dough they want for a bottle these days...I will have a weak moment someday though a make the splurge. I do have the 18yr though, so that helps me hold off on splurging on the 21. Enjoy that pour!

The price here is a bit much. After UK voted for Brexit and the pound fell in value, I ordered a few things from Master of Malt (back when they still shipped to the US!). Even with shipping, it was quite a bit less than what it goes for in the U.S.

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5 hours ago, Spade said:

The price here is a bit much. After UK voted for Brexit and the pound fell in value, I ordered a few things from Master of Malt (back when they still shipped to the US!). Even with shipping, it was quite a bit less than what it goes for in the U.S.

Only drawback is there are 50mls missing :) 

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The price here is a bit much. After UK voted for Brexit and the pound fell in value, I ordered a few things from Master of Malt (back when they still shipped to the US!). Even with shipping, it was quite a bit less than what it goes for in the U.S.

I did exactly the same. It’s the only thing that I’ve intentionally bunkered. I felt weird about it but happy when I look at them.
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The price here is a bit much. After UK voted for Brexit and the pound fell in value, I ordered a few things from Master of Malt (back when they still shipped to the US!). Even with shipping, it was quite a bit less than what it goes for in the U.S.


I did exactly the same. It’s the only thing that I’ve intentionally bunkered. I felt weird about it but happy when I look at them.

Unfortunately, I missed my opportunity to do that. I ordered some rums, Blanton’s SFTB, Blanton’s Gold and some cheaper scotch that I couldn’t get here, but passed on adding Glendronach 21 at the time because my order was already pretty pricey. I just figured I’d add it with my next order, but then within a few months of receiving my order, Master of Malt stopped shipping to the U.S. [emoji3525]
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Unfortunately, I missed my opportunity to do that. I ordered some rums, Blanton’s SFTB, Blanton’s Gold and some cheaper scotch that I couldn’t get here, but passed on adding Glendronach 21 at the time because my order was already pretty pricey. I just figured I’d add it with my next order, but then within a few months of receiving my order, Master of Malt stopped shipping to the U.S. [emoji3525]

So you’re saying that I might should bring up one next month in case you need a break from bourbon at some point over the weekend?
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17 minutes ago, BigRich said:


So you’re saying that I might should bring up one next month in case you need a break from bourbon at some point over the weekend?

You always have been a tease Rich. ;)

 

Biba! Joe

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Friday night dram. Glencairn Glass. Accompanied with a Laphroaig 10. This stuff is a treat. Love it. 

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Hitting like Bill Ward on “War Pigs”... it’s got a crazy long evolving finish. 

 

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42 minutes ago, Marekv8 said:

Hitting like Bill Ward on “War Pigs”... 

Love that description! To bad Ardbeg doesn't have an "opinion wall" like Laphroaig has, that'd be a great one!

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So you’re saying that I might should bring up one next month in case you need a break from bourbon at some point over the weekend?

Rich, That sounds like a wonderful idea! I’m glad you thought of it. [emoji3][emoji106]
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On 3/6/2019 at 8:41 PM, marshbound said:

As luck would have it, I made a company paid trip to Dublin last week for 3 days of work, but had a Sunday and 3 weeknights available.  Wife went with me and we walked across the southside to Guinness, where she pronounced the stout "better than I thought it would be".  Small victories.  But we were just a couple of blocks from a large pub (Searsons) with a really well put together whiskey list that afforded me the opportunity to try some new tastes.  The bartenders were quite knowledgeable and helpful as well.

 

I tried Yellow Spot, Green Spot, and their latest release Red Spot, a 15 year single pot still whiskey aged in "a combination of casks pre-seasoned with Bourbon, Oloroso Sherry and Marsala fortified wine. "  Supposedly the varietal has been shelved for 50 years so it's a bit of a newsworthy release.  I liked it well enough to pick up a single bottle in the duty free shop at the airport.  Here's a piece on it if anyone's interested.  https://thewhiskeywash.com/whiskey-styles/irish-whiskey/red-spot-irish-whiskey-returns-to-the-fold-after-a-50-year-hiatus/

 

I keep Redbreast 12 in my cabinet, but they had a new one on the list, a RB 12 cask strength for just a couple of euro more, so I bit on a taste.  Wow!  117 proof, I swirled a cube in it for 15 seconds and pulled it back out, what a smooth (for the proof), delicious dram.  Clove, cinnamon, plum.  For more see the Whisky Advocate Editors Choice selections in the winter edition, they gave it a 95.  I didn't know that at the time, I just liked the higher proof as reason enough to order. 

 

I tried to buy it at the airport duty free as my first choice but it was already sold out.  "settled" for the Red Spot.

 

Searsons whiskey menu:  http://searsonsbar.ie/whiskey-bar/

 

Cask Strength Redbreast 12yo has been available in the US for several years so you might find it locally. I prefer it to the regular 12 as well.

 

Red Spot has been rumored for years. There was also a Blue Spot back in the day but that was younger whiskey and not likely to be remade as they went straight to Green. Of course Green used to be a 10yo and now it is more like a blend of the 7yo Blue and the original 10yo Green. But it has been along time coming for Red Spot (more than just 3 years of additional aging). Hopefully it will come to the US at some point but I haven't seen it here yet. A little concerned about the "seasoning" of the barrels rather than aging in true Marsala casks like the original Red Spot was but I suppose it is too much to ask.  I will still try it if it ever shows up. A bit afraid of what the price is likely to be. Yellow Spot is already typically $100 or more. 

 

 

 

Edited by tanstaafl2
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Finished up my annual shamrock in the front yard in time for St. Paddy’s Week...  :D  Bermuda grass is great.  You can totally thrash the crap out of it...and it loves you for it!  

Now, relaxing back with a Redbreast Cask Strength.

 

683C6BD3-4A74-4AFE-97E0-E7D5656EEAFE.jpeg

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30 minutes ago, smokinjoe said:

Finished up my annual shamrock in the front yard in time for St. Paddy’s Week...  :D  Bermuda grass is great.  You can totally thrash the crap out of it...and it loves you for it!  

Now, relaxing back with a Redbreast Cask Strength.

 

683C6BD3-4A74-4AFE-97E0-E7D5656EEAFE.jpeg

Nice!

 

Is it celebrated all week over there? 

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31 minutes ago, smokinjoe said:

Finished up my annual shamrock in the front yard in time for St. Paddy’s Week...  :D  Bermuda grass is great.  You can totally thrash the crap out of it...and it loves you for it!  

Now, relaxing back with a Redbreast Cask Strength.

 

683C6BD3-4A74-4AFE-97E0-E7D5656EEAFE.jpeg

You want to come over Friday and do that in my yard in preparation for the weekend???

 

:lol:

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14 minutes ago, beasled said:

Nice!

 

Is it celebrated all week over there? 

Well, at this house it is... :D

 

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15 minutes ago, tanstaafl2 said:

You want to come over Friday and do that in my yard in preparation for the weekend???

 

:lol:

Heehee!  That wouldn’t be as fun as watching Troyce go into JimmyLand and try and carve it at 2:00 AM!  :D

 

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