What Whisky/Whiskey are we drinking this month?

VW 1

Cazale wrote: »

Slightly off topic but I've picked myself up four bottles of Two Hundred Fathoms. It's Galway Bay stout aged for nine months in Teeling whiskey casks. Comes in at 10% and only 800 bottles produced. Anybody try them?

Where did you see only 800 bottles made? I'd be surprised, they're generally available for a few weeks across most off licenses each year, unless they're restricting it.

Pretty sure its available (very selectly) on tap as well.

Padraig Mor

beardybrewer wrote: »

Ardbeg is more akin to Lagavulin but with iodine! They are beautifully balanced yet powerful stuff and quite different with Ardbeg being more raw and Lagavulin perfectly well rounded neat.

Laphroaig revels in smacking you in the face like a cartoon mallet. You feel intoxicated by merely nosing the glass. Select is more rounded so strait, 10 more concentrated, and the qtr cask best with a small drop of water so you can appreciate all the flavours beneath the alcohol. I'm a bit of a fan. :pac:

How would you compare the Ardbeg 10 v Uigeadail?

Have a very peaty holiday!

Would mostly agree with this. I've long been a fan of Laphroaig (having tried the 10, select and Quarter Cask, the 10 wins it for me) and have recently got bottles of Ardbeg 10 and Lagavulin 16 (the Lagavulin just this week). All are lovely whiskies but I do find the Ardbeg very slightly 'rough' (it's a little stronger anyway) and less peaty than the Laphroaig. Just cracked open the Lagavulin Tuesday and was mighty surprised to find it with far less peat / smoke than its reputation suggested - it is very nice though and definitely the 'easiest' of the three and most likely to be appreciated by the Islay uninitiated. The Laphroaig is the Daddy though (IMHO) - head and shoulders above the other two to my tastes. As above, it's no shrinking violet though - this is BIG peat! You'll either love it, or really hate it. Handily, Laphroaig 10 is the cheapest of the three (by a significant margin), sourced from the UK at any rate.

Cazale

VW 1 wrote: »

Where did you see only 800 bottles made? I'd be surprised, they're generally available for a few weeks across most off licenses each year, unless they're restricting it.

Pretty sure its available (very selectly) on tap as well.

From O'Briens wines.

54and56

Hi all.

I need to buy 6 bottles of "decent" whiskey/whisky as Xmas presents for some business contacts.

Personally my weekly tipple is usually something like Gold Label Powers, Clontarf 1014 or Black Bush so not much of a connoisseur I'm afraid. I also like a glass of Laphroaig from time to time.

I want to get 6 decent/interesting bottles as Xmas presents for some business contacts tomorrow and am thinking of getting the following:-

2 X Redbreast 12 Year Old @ €60 a bottle.

2 X Green Spot @ €50 a bottle.

2 X Laphroaig Islay 10 Year Old @ €50 a bottle.

Am I making a good selection in terms of value for money and desirability for recipients who are unlikely to be connoisseur's but will appreciate something that's good quality and interesting?

Also, is O'Briens the best place to purchase? I know it's a bit last minute dot com but is Tesco or even Musgrave Marketplace worth going to?

Quackster

Je_suis_Jean wrote: »

Hi all.

I need to buy 6 bottles of "decent" whiskey/whisky as Xmas presents for some business contacts.

...

Also, is O'Briens the best place to purchase? I know it's a bit last minute dot com but is Tesco or even Musgrave Marketplace worth going to?

As has been mentioned here over the past few weeks, Tesco has a very good sale on some decent whiskies running at the moment.

Particular standouts would be Talisker 10 and Cardhu 12, both for €30. Others in the sale worth considering too are Bushmills 10 (€30) and Writer's Tears gift box (€35).

Also, there's a €10 off €45 spend voucher doing the rounds at the moment that makes this even better value again (you can use the voucher multiple times in the one transaction - €20 off €90 spend etc).

VW 1

Cazale wrote: »

From O'Briens wines.

Cheers for clarifying - I suspect I've missed the boat but will check Baggot Street Wines and Stephen Street News at lunch to see if they have anything left.

EagererBeaver

Je_suis_Jean wrote: »

Hi all.

I need to buy 6 bottles of "decent" whiskey/whisky as Xmas presents for some business contacts.

Personally my weekly tipple is usually something like Gold Label Powers, Clontarf 1014 or Black Bush so not much of a connoisseur I'm afraid. I also like a glass of Laphroaig from time to time.

I want to get 6 decent/interesting bottles as Xmas presents for some business contacts tomorrow and am thinking of getting the following:-

2 X Redbreast 12 Year Old @ €60 a bottle.

2 X Green Spot @ €50 a bottle.

2 X Laphroaig Islay 10 Year Old @ €50 a bottle.

Am I making a good selection in terms of value for money and desirability for recipients who are unlikely to be connoisseur's but will appreciate something that's good quality and interesting?

Also, is O'Briens the best place to purchase? I know it's a bit last minute dot com but is Tesco or even Musgrave Marketplace worth going to?

Those are three absolutely stonking whiskeys for that price range. Anyone who got them as presents should be more than happy.

Do you know what the intended recipients drink? If they don't like smoky scotch, don't give them the Laphroaig.

Whiskey Eire

Just picked up the litre bottle of Glenfarclas 105 for 42 euro at a duty free. Anyone given it a go before? It's cask strength at 60%. Never see it in ireland so said i'd give it a go.

Whiskey Eire

EagererBeaver wrote: »

Those are three absolutely stonking whiskeys for that price range. Anyone who got them as presents should be more than happy.

Do you know what the intended recipients drink? If they don't like smoky scotch, don't give them the Laphroaig.

Second this. Keep away from Islay unless you know the person is into it.

Wailin

Never had it but heard it's very nice. If you like sherried whiskies it should hit the spot.

I have Glengoyne 25 year old single malt, a christmas present so can't touch it yet:( The natural colour from 25 years in sherry casks is glorious! One to savour after the turkey and ham...

brinty

Wailin wrote:

Never had it but heard it's very nice. If you like sherried whiskies it should hit the spot.

I have Glengoyne 25 year old single malt, a christmas present so can't touch it yet The natural colour from 25 years in sherry casks is glorious! One to savour after the turkey and ham...

Looks fantastic sir,enjoy and savor it

Whiskey Eire

So beautiful that bottle - enjoy! I'm still undecided on the christmas day bottle myself. Probablly MVR for a few and then swap over to do a red breast flight.

Padraig Mor

mik_da_man wrote: »

Good stuff, I found some local too last night, so looks like they got more stock on the way just in time. Let me know if you get a metal or cardboard tube.

Got it today. Metal tube, and a free 50ml bottle of Green Spot.

mik_da_man

Padraig Mor wrote: »

Got it today. Metal tube, and a free 50ml bottle of Green Spot.

Nice!

Cazale

Wailin wrote:

I have Glengoyne 25 year old single malt, a christmas present so can't touch it yet The natural colour from 25 years in sherry casks is glorious! One to savour after the turkey and ham...

Was watching Ralfy there and he was recommending letting the whiskey rest in the glass a minute for every year it's in the cask. Lets it breathe and open up. Not sure I could wait 25 mins for this one though!

Cazale

VW 1 wrote:

Cheers for clarifying - I suspect I've missed the boat but will check Baggot Street Wines and Stephen Street News at lunch to see if they have anything left.

Thinking about it now and you might be right. I'm thinking the blurb from O'Briens might be from the first year it came out. I saw a picture of them being barreled on Twitter and it's more than 800 bottles going by that.

EagererBeaver

Cazale wrote: »

Wailin wrote:

I have Glengoyne 25 year old single malt, a christmas present so can't touch it yet The natural colour from 25 years in sherry casks is glorious! One to savour after the turkey and ham...

Was watching Ralfy there and he was recommending letting the whiskey rest in the glass a minute for every year it's in the cask. Lets it breathe and open up. Not sure I could wait 25 mins for this one though!

Pseudo scientific nonsense.

VW 1

Powers three swallows this evening, holding off for a gift or two to appear over the next few days, hopefully!

Cazale

EagererBeaver wrote:

Pseudo scientific nonsense.

It's a bit of romance isn't it.

VW 1

Cazale wrote: »

It's a bit of romance isn't it.

It isn't romance in my book if you're sitting looking at it for 25 mins, tis torture

Cazale

VW 1 wrote:

It isn't romance in my book if you're sitting looking at it for 25 mins, tis torture

Nosing the whiskey and the anticipation is part of the fun.

Kevin Finnerty

Redbreast 12 year old with a drop of water.After a Connemara peat before that this leaves it for dead. Forgotten how deep and layered it is. Nice present to myself:-)

EagererBeaver

Cazale wrote: »

VW 1 wrote:

It isn't romance in my book if you're sitting looking at it for 25 mins, tis torture

Nosing the whiskey and the anticipation is part of the fun.

Fair bit of difference between nosing a whiskey and leaving it sitting in a glass for 25 mins!

54and56

EagererBeaver wrote: »

Those are three absolutely stonking whiskeys for that price range. Anyone who got them as presents should be more than happy.

Do you know what the intended recipients drink? If they don't like smoky scotch, don't give them the Laphroaig.

Na, didn't have a clue but know I like Laphroaig and howi needs to be presented/explained to recipients :-)

Ended up buying 2 X Bushmills 10, 2 X Cardhu 12 and 2 X Green Spot.

The Bushmills and Cardhu were great value in Tesco and I got 2 X Green Spot in O'Briens for €50 a bottle which didn't feel such good value but I hope will be valued by the recipients.

I purchased one of each for myself as a Xmas treat (and to educate myself a little) and just tried some Cardhu 12 with a tiny amount of water (filtered through the fridge but literally a tiny splash) and in fairness it has a ton of aromas and flavours which I find amazing and never associate with my usual Clontarf 1014 much and all as I like it.

Thank you Quakster for your suggestions and to EagerBeaver et al for supporting such a novice!!

RasTa

Enjoyed opening the Lustau RB last night

EagererBeaver

Have just seen a new (or at least to me) Japanese blend in my supermarket, Yamazakura. Must give it a go.

Cazale

RasTa wrote:

Enjoyed opening the Lustau RB last night

Had this at whiskey live and its on my ever expanding list of bottles to buy next year. An amazing whiskey for the price. Enjoy!

Cazale

EagererBeaver wrote:

Fair bit of difference between nosing a whiskey and leaving it sitting in a glass for 25 mins!

Maybe you should be less of an eager beaver.

EagererBeaver

Cazale wrote: »

EagererBeaver wrote:

Fair bit of difference between nosing a whiskey and leaving it sitting in a glass for 25 mins!

Maybe you should be less of an eager beaver.

Maybe others shouldn't be complete twats and make up nonsense about drinking whiskey based on absolutely nothing scientific whatsoever.

Cazale

EagererBeaver wrote:

Maybe others shouldn't be complete twats and make up nonsense about drinking whiskey based on absolutely nothing scientific whatsoever.

Master Distiller (Master Twat?) Jim McEwan recommends it too. But it's only a recommendation. If you don't like it you move on.

Lets not distill something as majestic as drinking whiskey down into something as boring as science. Where is the fun in that.