What Whisky/Whiskey are we drinking this month?

mik_da_man

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

At that sort of price level does it matter what it tastes like? Who is going to actually drink a 2k bottle?? :eek:

You'd be surprised!

Seth Brundle

Seems like a strange combination what with drinking and driving but I'd be interested in a taste (not sure when it will be out)...
https://www.astonmartin.com/en-us/our-world/news/2019/11/27/aston-martin-partners-with-bowmore-on-exclusive-limited-edition-whisky-bottlings-and-innovative-lifestyle-experiences-nbsp-

Mellor

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

At that sort of price level does it matter what it tastes like? Who is going to actually drink a 2k bottle?? :eek:

$2k a bottle isn’t really beyond the bounds of drinking.
It’s equivalent to around 3 bottles of wine. And wine costing 600-800 is not common on wine lists and the like.

A 2k bottle of whiskey is nowhere near the top of the range. A rare collectors item worth 6 figures, probably doesn’t matter what it tastes like.

Twee.

Seth Brundle wrote: »

Seems like a strange combination what with drinking and driving but I'd be interested in a taste (not sure when it will be out)...
https://www.astonmartin.com/en-us/our-world/news/2019/11/27/aston-martin-partners-with-bowmore-on-exclusive-limited-edition-whisky-bottlings-and-innovative-lifestyle-experiences-nbsp-

Very surprising! I'd be interested to see what the rest of the campaign looks like in terms of the "extraordinary experiences", and whether they're promoted in other regions. I've had a slap on the wrist from ad standards for a lot less than featuring a car and alcohol!

Heading through the airport tomorrow so will probably pick up something for Christmas. Generally seems to be better deals in O'Briens and Dunnes for the more widely available products, so I think I'll look out for something a bit different than my usual Christmas stash (RB12 and Yellowspot!).

Hotblack Desiato

mik_da_man wrote: »

You'd be surprised!

Meanwhile back in the real world I'm in the bad books with herself because she found out I spent €150 on a few nice bottles... sigh

Rew

Hogzy wrote: »

Its insane that the Dreamcask 32 is fetching that much and the Dreamcask 20 is only fetching around 500 euro on the market. I know there is vast differences in the age profile but not so much to justify such a difference in market value.

DK32 is in reality about €1,200 and if you keep an eye out maybe €850-900. DC20 has fallen back to about 500 as you say.

There are a lot of bottle flippers getting into "collecting" and when they are all trying to flip the prices take a hit.

Hogzy

Rew wrote: »

DK32 is in reality about €1,200 and if you keep an eye out maybe €850-900. DC20 has fallen back to about 500 as you say.

There are a lot of bottle flippers getting into "collecting" and when they are all trying to flip the prices take a hit.

Where would I source a bottle of DC32 at that price? :eek::eek:

Rew

Hogzy wrote: »

Where would I source a bottle of DC32 at that price? :eek::eek:

Ask around all the facebook groups you might get a bite, i haven't seen one less then 1,200 in a while to be fair. A set of both 20 and 32 went for 2.1k last month at auction.

Useful.Idiot

54and56 wrote: »

Any suggested alternatives other than Laphroaig?

Laphroaig is the daddy IMO. You can get the Select pretty cheap in Newry. Lagavullin is the other obvious alternative to Ardbeg, though a bit more on the pricey side. Bowmore and Caol Ila are two other well regarded peaty whiskies.

Dunville's Three Crowns Peated is an interesting peated Irish blended whiskey consisting of "Single Grain Whiskey, a 10 Year Old Single Malt & a 15 Year Old Oloroso Sherry finished Single Malt, all married in a peated cask".

I'm also still beating the drum for the very great value Lidl Ben Bracken Islay scotch, if its still in stock. Very tasty.

Hotblack Desiato

Gave the Aldi 12 year old another go, I'm warming to it.

Effects

Useful.Idiot wrote: »

Dunville's Three Crowns Peated is an interesting peated Irish blended whiskey consisting of "Single Grain Whiskey, a 10 Year Old Single Malt & a 15 Year Old Oloroso Sherry finished Single Malt, all married in a peated cask".

I had that at Whiskey Live and liked it.
Finished in a Laphroaig cask.

Omacron

Cazale wrote: »

Talisker in my Tesco wasn't on shelf. Had to ask to get them from storeroom.

I know its subjective but the Talisker 10 year is not great. It has got that pronounced band aid smell that I just can't get my nose or taste buds around. Not a huge fan of the Scottish stuff but this would put most people off.

I would take black barrel over it any day.

Wailin

Well that's the thing with heavily peated scotch whiskies, you either like them or you can't stand them. Personally I love the islay stuff, nothing Irish compares to it and connemara doesn't come anywhere near. Talisker is from Skye and it's decent but not as nice as Lagavulin or Ardbeg.

L1011

Omacron wrote: »

I know its subjective but the Talisker 10 year is not great. It has got that pronounced band aid smell that I just can't get my nose or taste buds around. Not a huge fan of the Scottish stuff but this would put most people off.

I would take black barrel over it any day.

All smokey scotches have that taste/smell - if you don't like it you don't like if you don't like it, there's an acquired taste element to it but some people just don't like it.

Rows Grower

Mellor wrote: »

$2k a bottle isn’t really beyond the bounds of drinking.
It’s equivalent to around 3 bottles of wine. And wine costing 600-800 is not common on wine lists and the like.

A 2k bottle of whiskey is nowhere near the top of the range. A rare collectors item worth 6 figures, probably doesn’t matter what it tastes like.

You'd want to be very fond of wine to drink 3 bottles at that price.

sceach16

Rows Grower wrote: »

You'd want to be very fond of wine to drink 3 bottles at that price.

I used have a nice collection of wine....none more than 100ish, Problem was I drank a cheapo, a semi cheapo and then when flutered opened the good stuff. Total waste. I sold all I had left and now buy cheapo...stocking up on bargains etc.


IMO and for me, 20 is a max for enjoyment/price ratio. I do well as an "expert" on cheap plonk/wine within this parameter.


There will be others who spend more per bottle. Each to his/her own.

Omacron

Wailin wrote: »

Well that's the thing with heavily peated scotch whiskies, you either like them or you can't stand them. Personally I love the islay stuff, nothing Irish compares to it and connemara doesn't come anywhere near. Talisker is from Skye and it's decent but not as nice as Lagavulin or Ardbeg.

I would like to try Ardbeg as it's repeatedly highly recommended. I don't know though if Talisker is an ok example but clearly an example of the heavily peated whisky style I just don't get it.

L1011

Omacron wrote: »

I would like to try Ardbeg as it's repeatedly highly recommended. I don't know though if Talisker is an ok example but clearly an example of the heavily peated whisky style I just don't get it.

If you don't like Talisker you REALLY won't like Ardbeg*

*exceptions may exist.

Cazale

Redbreast are sampling a 53.8% with ruby port influence in Sonny Molloys tonight for a future release.

Wailin

Omacron wrote: »

I would like to try Ardbeg as it's repeatedly highly recommended. I don't know though if Talisker is an ok example but clearly an example of the heavily peated whisky style I just don't get it.

I'd recommend you try lagavulin 16 over ardbeg to be honest. It's sherry finished so it doesn't have that sharp medicinal taste you get with ardbeg.

171170

I'm really liking Roe & Co. - and O'Briens currently have it for only €30 in their Christmas sale - excellent value.

Omacron

Wailin wrote: »

I'd recommend you try lagavulin 16 over ardbeg to be honest. It's sherry finished so it doesn't have that sharp medicinal taste you get with ardbeg.

Ok done will look out for it. I would like to diversify a little from the Irish and American styles. I am clearly missing something on the Scottish ones with that medicinal (band aid) taste as so many seem to appreciate them.

L1011

Omacron wrote: »

Ok done will look out for it. I would like to diversify a little from the Irish and American styles. I am clearly missing something on the Scottish ones with that medicinal (band aid) taste as so many seem to appreciate them.

There's plenty of low- or non-smoked options from Scotland. Most (nearly all) Speysides would have no smoke element.

If you're looking at a specific distillery, its peat/peating you're interested in and you may occasionally see phenol counts - parts per million of phenol go from zero to low triple figures but low double figures at most is probably what you want. This is such a major part of why people like or dislike specific distilleries that those figures are usually available.


And go to a whiskey bar to try stuff rather than buying bottles; some of what's been suggested by name or by type so far is well over 50 a bottle. Expensive mistake if you dislike it!

VW 1

Currently supping on a Barr an Uisce 1803 10 year old purchased for me by the missus. She got on 50% sale at 30 euro, and tastes pretty good to my tastes, what's the regular retail on this? For me, it's close to as good as a regular redbreast and certainly better than black barrel. Well worth 30 quid when you taste next to others in the range.

171170

VW 1 wrote: »

Currently supping on a Barr an Uisce 1803 10 year old purchased for me by the missus. She got on 50% sale at 30 euro, and tastes pretty good to my tastes, what's the regular retail on this? For me, it's close to as good as a regular redbreast and certainly better than black barrel. Well worth 30 quid when you taste next to others in the range.

Currently €60 - down from €65 - in O'Brien's sale. €30 sounds like a real bargain!

odyssey06

L1011 wrote: »

There's plenty of low- or non-smoked options from Scotland. Most (nearly all) Speysides would have no smoke element.
If you're looking at a specific distillery, its peat/peating you're interested in and you may occasionally see phenol counts - parts per million of phenol go from zero to low triple figures but low double figures at most is probably what you want. This is such a major part of why people like or dislike specific distilleries that those figures are usually available.
And go to a whiskey bar to try stuff rather than buying bottles; some of what's been suggested by name or by type so far is well over 50 a bottle. Expensive mistake if you dislike it!

To continue on that theme...

Some LIDLs might still have the Ben Bracken Scotch whisky sampler set in store.
For €10 it had three miniatures for Speyside, Highland and Islay style whisky.

I liked the Speyside a lot, Highland was nice, not a fan of the Islay as it was peated but that probably reflects that I like the Glenlivet \ Glenfiddich Speyside style.

There are some distilleries which are harder to categorise, e.g. Jura, I really like their non-peated stuff but they have some peated ones also I think.

Mellor

Rows Grower wrote: »

You'd want to be very fond of wine to drink 3 bottles at that price.

I was comparing it to a number of standard drinks.
You don't have to drink all 3 bottles in one sitting. Just like you don't polish of every bottle of whiskey you open. I was making the point that it's in the same range as bottles of that price. Expensive, sure. But not so astronomical as to be undrinkable by anyone.

I'm not suggesting I'm suppin' at the range. Just point out that drinsk list regualarly go into that range. And it's a long way from the crazy end

54and56

Cormo87 wrote: »

Got the chance to try this at Whiskey Live at the weekend and was really impressed. Very fruity with lots of pear and then you get a slow warm punch from 59%. I tasted this after having tried Middleton 2019 very rare and a redbreast sonny molloy and in my opinion it's just as smooth as those two which is high praise. Shocked its going for €58 in obriens, I'm definitely going to pick up a bottle.

Just opened the Roe&Co cask strength. Having a generous pour with a tiny drop of water. Very smooth vanilla with a hint of spice for me and you're spot on about the slow warm punch.

Definitely a keeper.

mik_da_man

54and56 wrote: »

Just opened the Roe&Co cask strength. Having a generous pour with a tiny drop of water. Very smooth vanilla with a hint of spice for me and you're spot on about the slow warm punch.

Definitely a keeper.

Interesting to hear.
I was in the distillery 2 weeks ago and they had none.
Spotted it in O'Briens yesterday and was thinking of grabbing a bottle.
Worth the price?

54and56

mik_da_man wrote: »

Interesting to hear.
I was in the distillery 2 weeks ago and they had none.
Spotted it in O'Briens yesterday and was thinking of grabbing a bottle.
Worth the price?

Well I managed to get some bargains in Tesco this week (Talisker 10 & Jameson Black Barrel for €30 each) so at €58 it's probably not as good value as those BUT it's an entirely different experience and not only am I glad I bought it but I'll buy it again at €58 unless I spot a deal somewhere. The slow warm after punch of the cask strength is definitely worth the premium IMHO but then this is my first cask strength bottle so my opinion is very unqualified.