OBAN 14,,,, is a tasty whiskey worth a try...

How do you connoisseurs typically take your whisky.  Neat, on ice, with water, with a (gasp) mixer?

(This question is from a non whisky drinker, if you gave me a nip from a $50 bottle and one from a $500 bottle I probably couldn't tell you which is which.  Brandies on the other hand.  Love a good cognac or armagnac.  Typically drink Chatelle or St. Remy though.  The volumes I get through I'd soon be bankrupt if I had the good stuff.)

floydbloke:

 

How do you connoisseurs typically take your whisky.  Neat, on ice, with water, with a (gasp) mixer?

 

(This question is from a non whisky drinker, if you gave me a nip from a $50 bottle and one from a $500 bottle I probably couldn't tell you which is which.  Brandies on the other hand.  Love a good cognac or armagnac.  Typically drink Chatelle or St. Remy though.  The volumes I get through I'd soon be bankrupt if I had the good stuff.)

 

As per my previous reply, a few drops of water.

How to drink Whisky? As with all things, it depends - on the environment, the drinker, the mood, the whisky, the glass, the company...

Generally (although rules are made to be broken) :-

Most/any nights, in the mood for sipping - neat.

Cold night, want to warm up - neat (but a double quaffed rather than sipped).

Warm night, in the mood for quaffing, large block of ice (you don't want it melting too fast) and you want to drink it before well before the ice melts. Tip for new players - get some large silicon ice molds, distilled or at least filtered water and forbid children from touching them ;).

Super peaty/strong whisky like most Ardbegs - drop or two of water otherwise it's just too strong (for me).

Occasionally in strong coffee on very cold mornings - typically smokey's work best but sometimes the sweeter stuff depending on mood.

Very occasionally (and this is potentially controversial) - some of the sweeter types like the Japanese Hibiki are a revelation when 'accidentally' spilled over ice-cream (that particular one over hokey-pokey)... I'll just say try it before you pass comment ;).

Oh and if you're really in the mood for experimentation - baste your next steak with a dram or two on your next barbie - it adds a certain something.

Celebratory - drinkers choice, but I have some nice oldies I break out for special occasions and you can't pollute those with anything that would be such a waste.

Have to say we were really surprised (and happy) to find a very decent whisky bar in Hamilton while there for the Geekzone IRL (also conveniently it was World Whisky Day):

For those of you that like your peaty smokey whiskys - W & M site has Lagavulin 16 at just $103 right now.  That's a pretty good price for this yardstick of the peaty/smokey whiskys.  It's usually, IIRC, about $150/160?

I still think it's a little overpriced.  A really good value for money similar whisky is the Finlaggan currently also on W & M site at $47.  I think it's usually about $60?  Very hard to beat for the price.

I think the BEST of this type of whisky though (although it's fair I reckon, to call the Lagavulin the yardstick by which to measure the big peaty/smokey whiskys) is the Coal Ila (pronunciation: cul lee la).  I've not tried better.  Both the 12 and 15yr old's are fantastic.

Have to say though, that big smokey whiskys aren't totally my cuppa.  Nice to have a bottle or two for that after dinner big hit.  But not a session whisky iMO.

My  favourite whiskys right now (and I'm lucky in Christchurch, 'cos we have Whisky Galore here in town! - it's just unreal) are:

a. both Campbeltown whiskys...

The Hazelburn 10yr old is just yummy.  Um... lemon? honey?  bit of spice.  Fantastic stuff.

And a couple of weeks ago, the yummy Kilkerran 12yr old. Very similar in tasting to the one above, definately a little more peaty though.  Just fantastic stuff.

Yum, I wish I had more! 

Cheers,  Duncan.

@DuncanMcC - re Lagavulin 16: a post on the previous page shows W&M standard price is $110; another post from me explains I found it for $105 including shipping from Scenic Cellars, so that's a little cheaper if one can't pick up from W&M.

That said, that's a bit more off the Finlaggan, and certainly a great price for an Islay whisky - not sure if I can justify buying two within a week though...

Looking forward to trying the Lagavulin this weekend - arrived Monday, but I'm a firm believer in delayed gratification!

jonathan18:

 

Ah, a bit more digging paid off - I've found the cheapest online price for the Lagavulin 16, AND it's in stock: Scenic Cellars, a great wine/booze shop in Taupo, have it for $105 including delivery. (Free delivery over $100).

 

https://www.sceniccellars.co.nz/results.html?q=lagavulin

 

So I won't need to be patient, and I'm only 5% over budget! Thanks for the recommendations and advice.

 

And yeah, nah - I'll stick with the type of whiskies I actually enjoy, which can't be bought for $30, rather than "work my way through the cheap blended", thanks... 

 

that's the best price i've seen for that (other than when it's on sale at W&M)... free delivery nails it!

Well I've been re-edumacated on the Lagavulin pricing :) .  Been a while since I've purchased a bottle I admit.  That's much greater pricing, thanks guys.

Do check out a Finlaggan - great value.  Not a Lagavulin or Caol Ila, but it's surprisingly good (for the money). :)

And that Hazelburn - amazing.  Dunno what you guys think (re non-huge peaty/smokeys) - but I find the Sherry finished whiskys just too easy to drink, LOL.

Cheers,  Duncan.

DuncanMcC:

 

Dunno what you guys think (re non-huge peaty/smokeys) - but I find the Sherry finished whiskys just too easy to drink, LOL.

 

@DuncanMcC: Given you mentioned you like Caol Ila, have you tried their Distiller's Edition, which is (partly?) matured in moscatel barrels so has a fantastic smoothness and richness to it - I finished the last of my bottle in the weekend, and will miss it greatly! Certainly on my list to replace...

https://www.whiskyandmore.co.nz/products/buy-caol-ila-distillers-edition-700ml-online

jonathan18:

 

DuncanMcC:

 

Dunno what you guys think (re non-huge peaty/smokeys) - but I find the Sherry finished whiskys just too easy to drink, LOL.

 

 

@DuncanMcC: Given you mentioned you like Caol Ila, have you tried their Distiller's Edition, which is (partly?) matured in moscatel barrels so has a fantastic smoothness and richness to it - I finished the last of my bottle in the weekend, and will miss it greatly! Certainly on my list to replace...

 

https://www.whiskyandmore.co.nz/products/buy-caol-ila-distillers-edition-700ml-online

 

Cheers mate - don't know for sure.  The bottle looks familiar.  All the Caol Ila's I've tried have been fantastic.  I'll be sure to get one - great price.  D.

PSL: I'm sure that moscatel sherry finish will make it very smooth.  Like I say, they're almost too easy to drink - very moorish :) .

Have purchased a bottle of Lagavulin 16yo. If you lot don't slow down with your recommendations and suggestions, I'll be drinking it all from the comforts of the dog kennel! 

Might be brave enough to suggest SWMBO buy me a bottle from the Caol Ila range for my birthday next month. Maybe.

I just received and sampled this week a bottle of Caol Isla 13 year old bottled by Gordon and MacPhail - I enjoyed it very much. Mind you - there are not many I don't enjoy for some reason :)

Dark Storm is a nice one.

I had a great lunch at Portlander (Wellington) today: dry aged steak on the bone with Lagavulin on the side.

On terrible news, this situation at home is catastrophic and must be rectified at once: