Scotch/bourbon, one better than the other?

[rob]

Rob, Interestingly, most of the replies (myself included)are from bourbon drinkers who enjoy Scotch. But to your point, how many Scotch drinkers would say they enjoy bourbon?

I'm glad you asked that, because that is exactly the feeling I've been getting when I read all your answers (thanks everyone) on this forum: bourbon drinkers are more open to Scotch than vice versa. I honestly think that's great.

I should be able to say to my wine snobs, or the single malt afficianados "I love bourbon" with out a befuddled look of bedeviled bewilderment.

You nailed it right on the head! This is a major source of irritation for me (yes I know - I should not care at all, just enjoy what I do and not care what others say, but I can't help myself! ). I really think that as a whole, the American bourbon market has more quality to offer than the whole Scottish single malt. Sure, I do not like Jim Beam White or the Rye, I do not care much for the 4-year-old Ancient Age etc, but generally, America is the Mekka/Heaven/Hell/Nirvana - whatever catches your fancy - of quality whisky.

But part of the appeal to some luxuries for a few people is the "look at me and how refined I am" attitude. Me, I just enjoy what the good Lord has blessed us with.

I hear you loud and clear. I could not agree more. If you have time to kill or waiting for the wife to..., you may get a kick out of reading my columns ("Rob's column") on my site.

/Robert

[Hedmans Brorsa]

My take on this, based on, ahem, sociological observations made at my home front is that what we´re dealing with is ignorance and insecurity masked as cocksure snobbery.

I recently learned that Sweden is, in proportional terms, the leading single malt Scotch consumer of the world. That may be flattering but most of the people behind these statistics are Johnny-come-latelys.

Two or three years ago these people gulped down Jim Beam and Ballantine´s but now they regard themselves as having moved one step up the ladder. Part of this "promotion" is to regard Bourbon and blended Scotch as more or less undrinkable.

Now, you are hard pressed to find any more zealous adherents than recent converts. They "know" the truth, period. The last thing they need is some smartarse informing them that Jim Beam also offer premium bottlings and that the 17yo version of Ballantine´s is actually a world class whisky.

This kind of information shakes their very foundations so it just bounces off them. A fascinationg psychological phenomenon which I have encountered on many an occasion.

[brian12069]

I don't mind trying Scotch. My problem is I have never tried any that tastes good. I kind of wish I could actually find a Scotch that I enjoy. Now on the other hand...I enjoy almost all bourbon.

[kbuzbee]

I don't mind trying Scotch. My problem is I have never tried any that tastes good. I kind of wish I could actually find a Scotch that I enjoy. Now on the other hand...I enjoy almost all bourbon.

Brian, do you like strong flavors?? Kick ass chili? Booker's? Strong BBQ?? If so, try Laphroaig 10 yo. It is monsterously peaty. Scotch drinkers will tell you not to try this until you have spent years developing a Scotch palate but it's like the second Scotch I ever tried and I love it.

Let me know,

Ken

[barturtle]

I have been drinking bourbon since...well let's not get into that as I was much too young, but I didn't really "get" scotch until I had Highland Park 12yr. After drinking many scotches and not really disliking them just not really liking them enough to pony up the cash to have them at home, that is the one that opened my eyes

[brian12069]

kbuzbee ....I just wrote myself a note and I will try it.

[Bamber]

Personally I love Bourbon and Scotch and drink both to excess. I think the very best whiskies are American, but that Scotch has more variety.

Anyone who dismisses either, without really exploring it, is being closed minded by definition.

With a lot of Europeans I think bourbon-bashing comes down to anti-amercanism pure and simple.

I do however note that Americans and Brits seem to have very different food tatses. I speak to Americans regularly on the net and if I had a pound for everyone who says the food in London and Edinburgh is terrible .... Anyway I think it is great but have been generally unimpressed by the food I have eaten in the US. Now I like America and have plans to move across the pond one day, but having been raised in this country (UK), I think somethings may have been hardwired. Maybe that is why some Bourbon lovers just hate Scotch.

Something to do with corn vs. malt and sweet vs. savoury ?

[kbuzbee]

One of my favourite European jokes is that “Heaven is an

English policeman, a French chef, a German engineer, an Italian lover, and

everything organised by the Swiss, whereas Hell is an English chef, a French

engineer, a German policeman, a Swiss lover and everything organised by the

Italiansâ€.

[brian12069]

kbuzbee...I tried Laphroaig 10 yo....ahhhhhhh....all I can say is it tasted like battery acid mixed with moss and bark...really didn't like it...

[CrispyCritter]

I speak to Americans regularly on the net and if I had a pound for everyone who says the food in London and Edinburgh is terrible .... Anyway I think it is great but have been generally unimpressed by the food I have eaten in the US.

The funny thing is, when I visited the UK in 1999, staying in Manchester for a week and a half with my sister's fiance while she was there on a three-month visit, I didn't have a bad meal the whole time I was there. Indeed, I made it a point of pride to not once set foot in a McDonald's, KFC, or any other American chain.

One particular standout was the fish and chips I had in a backroads pub in north Wales - absolutely to die for! Unfortunately, I couldn't partake of any ale or whisky, as I was driving - let me tell you, when you're sitting in the wrong side of the car driving on the wrong side of the road , it takes every bit of concentration you can muster. I put 1500 miles on that rental, mostly criscrossing Wales, with a couple of trips across the Pennines as well. It returned to its garage undamaged.

The Ocean Haze Hotel in St. David's had a wonderful breakfast, with enough on the plate to keep you going all day.

As a postscript, my sister married him, and they're now living in Michigan. I'm going to have to turn him on to bourbon - he does like Scotches, both of the sherried and peaty persuasions. I think I'll take some Stagg with me the next time I head up there, and maybe a Van Winkle of one sort or another as well.

[Bamber]

Of course you don't mind a drop of Scotch yourself CC ! So you not minding British food does not completely refute my theory.

I hope your brother in law learns to appreciate Bourbon. All those lovely bottles sitting at cheap prices, waiting ro be grabbed .... I recently converted a very hard nosed Scotch only man to Bourbon, with Knob Creek. Bear in mind he had turned is nosed up at VWFR rye 13yo, VW 15yo, MM, Stagg and the majority of WT's offerings. Bizarrely he now prefers WT 8yo, aftering hating it before.

[kbuzbee]

kbuzbee...I tried Laphroaig 10 yo....ahhhhhhh....all I can say is it tasted like battery acid mixed with moss and bark...really didn't like it...

I think that is the general reason most Scotch drinkers say not to start with it. For me, it took me back to days working off shore, listening to the ocean and smelling that salt spray. It is such a fantastic experience. I'm sorry you didn't enjoy it. It will remain one of my all time favorites until the peat moss runs out and it can no longer be made (a time coming all too soon, I'm afraid).

Ken

[Bamber]

A life without Islay whiskies - barely worth thinking about

[brockagh]

I like Irish, Scotch and bourbon, but, unfortunately, the range of bourbon and other American whiskies over here is poor, so there are many I have yet to taste.

In general, those who limit themselves to scotch and comment about other whiskies they don't know about are pompous twits. They're not the kind of people you want to drink with anyway.

That said, there are lots of poeple who have tried all the variations and just don't like some - this is fine.

[kbuzbee]

A life without Islay whiskies - barely worth thinking about

I don't know about that but I do find the Lagavulin and Laphroaigs to be delicious. In Scotland this Spring I had a couple different Bruichladdich expressions. They had no where near the characture of the other two. Someday I want to try Ardbeg as well.

I might modify your quote to say ' Scotch without Islay Malts - barely worth thinking about'

Ken

[Bamber]

kbuzbee,

Ardbeg is positively definitely the best Scottish distillery. Ardbeg 10yo is mind blowingly good and sits next to a bottle of WT 8yo, AAA 10yo as my daily pour.

In reality it is comprised of malts ranging from 13-15 years, from the pre-Glenmoranige period. When it is gone it will be gone forever. If you like peaty whiskies, this is an absolute must !! (Thankfully the Ardbeg Very Young is also very good and shows good promise for the Glenmorangie-owned version).

People talk about Ardbeg 1977 and Laphroaig 30yo as great Islays but if I could only have one more bottle of Scotch this would be it.

[kbuzbee]

kbuzbee,

Ardbeg is positively definitely the best Scottish distillery. Ardbeg 10yo is mind blowingly good and sits next to a bottle of WT 8yo, AAA 10yo as my daily pour.

In reality it is comprised of malts ranging from 13-15 years, from the pre-Glenmoranige period. When it is gone it will be gone forever. If you like peaty whiskies, this is an absolute must !! (Thankfully the Ardbeg Very Young is also very good and shows good promise for the Glenmorangie-owned version).

People talk about Ardbeg 1977 and Laphroaig 30yo as great Islays but if I could only have one more bottle of Scotch this would be it.

Cool, Bamber, It's definately on my list. Nice to hear from someone who's tried it. I've tried some of the older Laphroaigs, didn't like them as much as the basic 10. It's that raw peat smoke that really wows me. You loose a lot of that even with the 15 yo. The 30 is almost mellow! (an aside, we stayed at a place in Inverness - Dunain Park, they had pours of almost every Scotch you ever hear of... Hmmm.

I'll look for the Ardbeg Friday when I go out.

Ken

[Speedy_John]

I second the recommendation of the Ardbeg 10. Great whisky at a "reasonable" price (for SMSW, that is). If you like the Laphroaig 10yo, I would most heartily recommend trying the Laphroaig 10yo Cask Strength. Outstanding stuff! A true taste of Islay...

SpeedyJohn

[Dave_in_Canada]

And let's not forget to mention another great Island malt, TALISKER from the Isle of Skye. The 10yr IMHO beats out Ardbeg for it's much longer finish. While the last few years' bottlings were rumoured to be less than up to snuff, the recent bottlings of 10yr. are back in stride. I am slowly working my way through their new release, an 18yr. that is truly remarkable.

[brockagh]

There's been a lot of complaints recently about the Talisker 10. They were supposed to have toned it down.

The Ardbeg 10 is beautiful. I prefer the Lagavulin 16, but that's much more expensive.

[kbuzbee]

And let's not forget to mention another great Island malt, TALISKER from the Isle of Skye. The 10yr IMHO beats out Ardbeg for it's much longer finish. While the last few years' bottlings were rumoured to be less than up to snuff, the recent bottlings of 10yr. are back in stride. I am slowly working my way through their new release, an 18yr. that is truly remarkable.

I tried the Talisker a while back. didn't like it nearly as well as either the Laphroaig or the Lagavulin. Between those two the Lagavulin is my favorite but when you want the killer peat only the Laphroaig will do. I did pick up a quarter cask Laphroaig in Scotland that is still sealed on the shelf. Probably have it around Christmas. Haven't tried the cask strength. Sounds nummy though. The other island I haven't tried yet is Jura. Any opinions there??

Ken

[CrispyCritter]

There's been a lot of complaints recently about the Talisker 10. They were supposed to have toned it down.

They may have had a spell of toned-down product, but it appears that some of the latest Talisker 10 bottles have returned to character. Also, the Talisker 18 that was released earlier this year is excellent - and not that much more expensive than the 10. It's well worth a grab if you find it.

[Dave_in_Canada]

There's been a lot of complaints recently about the Talisker 10. They were supposed to have toned it down.

They may have had a spell of toned-down product, but it appears that some of the latest Talisker 10 bottles have returned to character. Also, the Talisker 18 that was released earlier this year is excellent - and not that much more expensive than the 10. It's well worth a grab if you find it.

Hey crispy, didn't I just say that?

[chasking]

The other island I haven't tried yet is Jura. Any opinions there??

The regular Isle of Jura SMSW is not peated to speak of, and to my recollection is a pretty 'dry' whisky---I didn't like it the first time I tried it, but it has sort of grown on me. But, it's nothing like any other Island Scotch I have ever tried.

Recently, however, they came out with an expression called "Superstition" which does have some peat smoke in it and is really quite good. High on my list of things to get.

[kbuzbee]

The other island I haven't tried yet is Jura. Any opinions there??

The regular Isle of Jura SMSW is not peated to speak of, and to my recollection is a pretty 'dry' whisky---I didn't like it the first time I tried it, but it has sort of grown on me. But, it's nothing like any other Island Scotch I have ever tried.

Recently, however, they came out with an expression called "Superstition" which does have some peat smoke in it and is really quite good. High on my list of things to get.

I saw an ad for Superstition recently. Have not seen it in the stores here though. I did find Laphroaig Cask Strength. It is almost twice the cost of the standard 10 yo. Is that about right???