Which Water of Life Did You Purchase Today?

[ChainWhip]

Ardbeg Uigeadail

[ThomasH]

Over the weekend while in Ky. I purchased a bottle of Singleton 12yr. SMS and A Gordon and Mcphail Rosebank 19yr. SMS. The Singleton was 10.00 less than in Ohio and the Rosebank was the last one in stock!

Thomas

[DeanSheen]

Red Breast 12 Cask Strength

The two best current offerings I tried in KY were that and Nikka From the Barrel.

[T Comp]

Red Breast 12 Cask Strength

The two best current offerings I tried in KY were that and Nikka From the Barrel.

You weren't alone on the RB Cask Robert. Between Jimmy's and mine about a bottle of it was inhaled on Friday night. Not bad for a bunch of folks from Straight Bourbon at Bourbon Sampler weekend :cool: .

[Gillman]

The more I think of it, the more I see connections between good Irish and bourbon and rye. Sorry I missed out on that, but I was beguiled by your superb offerings of vintage bourbon, Thad, especially the Weller SR 90 on the Gazebo table (S-W of course).

Gary

[Clavius]

Ardbeg Uigeadail

Good stuff right there!

[ThomasH]

Redbreast Cask Strength Irish, Pendleton 1910 rye and Ballantines 18 blended scotch!

Thomas

[DeanSheen]

You weren't alone on the RB Cask Robert. Between Jimmy's and mine about a bottle of it was inhaled on Friday night. Not bad for a bunch of folks from Straight Bourbon at Bourbon Sampler weekend :cool: .

Yeah, I'm thinking of hoarding some. Was this a one off release?

[T Comp]

Yeah, I'm thinking of hoarding some. Was this a one off release?

It was announced as a permanent release and part of Irish Distillers/Pernod Ricard's increased marketing of single pot still whiskeys started back in 2010 per the Shanken release on it. It was first available here in January and is pretty scarce now. I'd guess it to be an annual release.

The more I think of it, the more I see connections between good Irish and bourbon and rye. Sorry I missed out on that, but I was beguiled by your superb offerings of vintage bourbon, Thad, especially the Weller SR 90 on the Gazebo table (S-W of course).

Gary

The bourbon that reminds me the most of a standard Irish is the current Jim Beam Black label. Certainly no oily pot still component but its lightness, fruits and dough tastes are what I find similar.

[Gillman]

I think most would agree that Beam bourbon isn't really heavy on the barrel, you have to go up to 9 years old - Knob Creek - to get some noticeably assertive barrel influence. Even then Knob Creek isn't a bourbon heavy on tannin and wood sugars, neither is Booker's, or Baker.

Therefore, I'd argue the raw grains tend to show up more in its profile - not a raw taste, I'm talking about the effects on the palate of distilling mostly from non-malted grains.

This is exactly the case with pure pot still Irish, now called single pot still Irish. The majority of the mash is from unmalted grains (barley in that case). And there is likewize no charred barrel to cover over that taste. And both this form of Irish and bourbon are typically sold at 6-8 years aging, a bit higher in some cases.

Scotch malt is 100% barley malt which results in a softer taste to begin with and also, the grains taste often is modified with a peat flavour. Finally, Scotch malt is typically aged rather longer than most bourbon and pot still Irish on the market. Redbreast at 12 and 15 years is the outside limit for pure pot still aging but most comes in from 8-10 years age, this is the range of Green Spot for example, and the pot still elements of regular Jameson and Powers are probably around 6-8 years.

Putting it a different way, I think other bourbons would show a similar connection to pure pot still Irish whiskey but often the barrel effect of U.S. straight whiskey obscures it. But I get an Irish-like connection too with WR, with it's pot still component. It presents assertively the raw grains taste - the triple pot stills do even at 159 - yet at 5-6 years aging the barrel doesn't have time to cover it over and transform it. Or take any young bourbon from HH or Buffalo Trace, say, that doughy oily taste from the grains is similar to good Irish pot still.

Just a theory, but to me it makes sense that Irish methods would inform early American ones. I've read that before Bushmills in Ulster - home of the Scots-Irish who emigrated in significant numbers to parts of Appalachia - used all-malt, it used a typical Ireland mashbill of unmalted grains and barley malt...

Gary

[bad_scientist]

Am I right that you're saying they used unmalted barley with barley malt? If that's the case, do you mean that they added extracted liquid to the unmalted grain?

A general question - can you get the same amount of sugar from fermentation of unmalted grain, or is it just impossible, no matter how long you wait? Also, I'm guessing that specialty yeast strains are needed - would this also be true?

I think most would agree that Beam bourbon isn't really heavy on the barrel, you have to go up to 9 years old - Knob Creek - to get some noticeably assertive barrel influence. Even then Knob Creek isn't a bourbon heavy on tannin and wood sugars, neither is Booker's, or Baker.

Therefore, I'd argue the raw grains tend to show up more in its profile - not a raw taste, I'm talking about the effects on the palate of distilling mostly from non-malted grains.

This is exactly the case with pure pot still Irish, now called single pot still Irish. The majority of the mash is from unmalted grains (barley in that case). And there is likewize no charred barrel to cover over that taste. And both this form of Irish and bourbon are typically sold at 6-8 years aging, a bit higher in some cases.

Scotch malt is 100% barley malt which results in a softer taste to begin with and also, the grains taste often is modified with a peat flavour. Finally, Scotch malt is typically aged rather longer than most bourbon and pot still Irish on the market. Redbreast at 12 and 15 years is the outside limit for pure pot still aging but most comes in from 8-10 years age, this is the range of Green Spot for example, and the pot still elements of regular Jameson and Powers are probably around 6-8 years.

Putting it a different way, I think other bourbons would show a similar connection to pure pot still Irish whiskey but often the barrel effect of U.S. straight whiskey obscures it. But I get an Irish-like connection too with WR, with it's pot still component. It presents assertively the raw grains taste - the triple pot stills do even at 159 - yet at 5-6 years aging the barrel doesn't have time to cover it over and transform it. Or take any young bourbon from HH or Buffalo Trace, say, that doughy oily taste from the grains is similar to good Irish pot still.

Just a theory, but to me it makes sense that Irish methods would inform early American ones. I've read that before Bushmills in Ulster - home of the Scots-Irish who emigrated in significant numbers to parts of Appalachia - used all-malt, it used a typical Ireland mashbill of unmalted grains and barley malt...

Gary

[unclebunk]

Went on a small spree yesterday and picked up bottles of Laphroaig Quarter Cask, Talisker 10 and Caol Ila 12. Along with the Highland Park 12 and Lagavulin 16 I bought not long ago, I now have (nearly) all of my favorite single malts back in the cabinet. I'll be turning my attention to Speysides soon and have my eye on Aberlour 16 (I love that whisky!) and Balvenie DoubleWood. (I still have a few bottles of the now-discontinued Balvenie Founders Reserve 10 in the bunker which I hope to stretch for years to come.)

[unclebunk]

I bought a small bunker-load of LaphQC (found it for $35/700ml bottle-taxes, shipping an' all) and just opened up one after dinner- and I swear to God that SMOKE :bigeyes: (or something that looks just like it) came out of the bottle when I wrenched out the cork (which seemed a lot tighter than usual ... if that has anything to do with it.) I took a whiff and it sure smelled like Islay peat smoke! :grin:

Damn!

I also got Arran 10 y.o. and Knockando 12 y.o. - but haven't ever tasted them ... yet.

Man, that's a seriously good price on the Laphroaig QC. I'm looking at $55 most places around here and that's before taxes! So, now those clever Scots have even figured out a way to bottle actual peat smoke? Very cool! I enjoyed my bottle of Arran 10 but you should expect something light and refreshing, not briney and rugged. Let us know what you think of it and the Knockando as well when you get around to them.

[ebo]

I was going to replace my bottle of Lagavulin 16 today, but, at almost $90.00...... I'll pass.

[sutton]

Glenfarclas 21 y.o. ...

[onewman]

Airigh Nam Beist - the 18 year old version.

[redbear]

Dalmore Cigar Malt (the older one)

Sheep Dip Old Hebridean

[ChainWhip]

Airigh Nam Beist - the 18 year old version.

How is it? /me jealous

[onewman]

I've it in the past and it is excellent. This bottle is for the collection.

[bad_scientist]

How is it? /me jealous

The Beast was one of the first scotches I purchased. If you like Ardbeg but don't like the intensity of its flavors, then the Beast is for you.

It wasn't for me.

[unclebunk]

Airigh Nam Beist - the 18 year old version.

Never had it but can't wait to try it. What's that go for in your neck of the woods?

[onewman]

I know I paid a premium, but I got it for $95. Figured it was worth it since it is disappearing.

[macdeffe]

A bottle went for 90£ at Scotch Whisky Auction today and I bet you got 5cl extra as well, so it's almost a bargain

I stocked up on a couple of them last year

Steffen

[onewman]

Picked up a bottle of Auchentoshan Valinch and Ambassador 25 year old. The collection grows.

[onewman]

If anyone here lives in Fl, I stopped by an ABC Fine Wine and Spirits in St. Augustine and picked up a bottle of Scott's Selection Glenlivet 1977 (bottled 2004) for $47.00 on clearance. You may want to check around you.