What whisk(e)y are we drinking? (Part 2)

Insect Overlord

I took a break from drinking for the past 2 months, but treated myself tonight to a little selection of samples (mostly based on items that were recently highlighted on offer in the Bargain Alerts drinks thread). Ranking them in order of preference, even though I must say I enjoyed them all.

Jameson Triple Triple.

Clonakilty Single Pot Still.

Tullamore DEW 12 year old.

Ardfallen 10 year old.

Timistry

Still working through a bottle of Crested Ten I got in the autumn. Hits the spot

Electric Nitwit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123288605#Comment_123288605

I think Tullamore D.E.W. is very underrated. Dirt cheap in duty free usually and a very decent drinker

Insect Overlord

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123289181#Comment_123289181

Yeah, I'd been meaning to try more of their stuff for a long time after only having the XO rum cask last year. Looking forward to finishing the 50ml sample of the 12 y/o tonight anyway! 🙂

flended12

Interesting...

https://www.mensjournal.com/food-drink/what-is-infinity-bottle

FlicFlak

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123285557#Comment_123285557

Its been a while since i had it, but from what i remember it was decent. Didnt get much influence from the tequila cask, but the whiskey was nice. Now if im really honest, it is overpriced for what it is, if it was 55 or 60 then it'd be a good buy, but at 90 or more, id definitely go for something else.

artanevilla

Obviously switching to cardboard on the VR boxes wasn't enough.

Hooked

Treated myself to a 70cl bottle of Green Spot leaving Shannon airport Paddys' day… headed to Lanzarote. Plan was to sip on it for the week.

Checked in to hotel around 9pm Paddy's night (Monday). By the time I hit the hay on Tuesday (prob 2am) it was GONE, I'm part ashamed to admit!

Not a boast. Not a 'flex'. Just one man (and his wife) REALLY enjoying a few. I didn't touch a drop of whiskey for the rest of the week. LOL. Just a few beers and the odd Negroni.

2011abc

Yeah I find myself binge-ing far more than I should of late ( a bottle in seven days easily and sometimes just a few- days not bottles ! ) but then can go on the dry for a month or two so console myself with that ( probably naively )

Anyway despite not finishing my Dunnes /Great Oaks 46% I picked up another Ardfallen 10 from Aldi .I still maintain this is amazing stuff for under €30 with nothing to touch it if you like a bit of nuance .

I’d almost maintain it’s like 20/30% of Barry Crockett for 10% of the price but that’s possibly overgilding the lily …

Still if you like a light dessert wine influenced whiskey it’s half the price of many of its cheapest rivals

Highly recommended still AND I’ve had a 50ml bottle of Barry Crockett in the last month ( ‘palate’ probably was at its best to do it justice at the time …meal not long before etc )

Electric Nitwit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123303660#Comment_123303660

No harm when you're on your hols 🙂

Just been through Dublin duty free myself. Sampled 4 Glendalough (Malt, Pot Still, Peated, another). I've not been impressed by Glendalough before but these were very nice, especially the Malt and Peated. Still sourced, of course, but nice to see an improvement on what I've had from them before

There was an Egan's bonders stand too. The Endeavour was nice, and only €30 there, would be worth that. I'm flying home tomorrow though, and don't want to "do a Hooked" and finish the bottle in one night 🤣

Black Sheep

Glendalough will never not be sourced.

I don't mind sourced whisky but wish they'd be more up front about that.

Going to buy a bottle of either the Boann marsala or madeira tomorrow.

Electric Nitwit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123308222#Comment_123308222

Yeah, when I asked he said the distillery was in X (can't actually remember now 🤣) and the gin was made there but the whiskey was currently sourced. The way he worded it sounded a bit weasly, they definitely don't want to be too up front about it

Unlike Egan's to be fair

Just had some very nice Highland Park, an exclusive, single barrel bottling for Milroy's in London, was a rather fine drop 🙂

flended12

The ardbeg is as you'd expect, lovely. I am a smokey fan in fairness.

The caol ila on the other hand deserves a leather chair, complete silence and time to experience! Absolutely quality!

chards

One more vote for the Glenmorangie whiskey. I really like it.

Black Sheep

Caol Ila 12 is underrated, really enjoyed a litre bottle of it last year.

Black Sheep

Got a Boann marsala finish.

Cracking... more subtle than the PX finish many have said is the best of their 3 releases.

The PX is very good in an obvious way. But it's like a splash of actually PX was chucked in each glass at times... so overpowering of the spirit.

This is more unique, has a stonkingly good nose... sweet - like candied orange maybe - but also saline... And in the mouth it's chunky and big from the 47% abv and lots of pot still spice. Great combo.

Really so impressed with these guys. Still have to try the madeira finish now, as a priority.

furiousox

Sounds interesting, I called into the distillery a while back and got a bottle of the PX.

I thought it was delicious (I did add a drop of water which I felt removed the burn, made it much smoother and really opened out the flavour)

I was torn between the PX and the marsala, will give that one a go too.

furiousox

There's a lovely detail on their bottles too.

The mrs wanted to keep it as a lamp holder 😃

Appletart Upsetter

The last bottle I finished was the Boann Marsala cask, I haven't enjoyed a bottle of whiskey as much in a long time. It went down incredibly well with everyone who sampled it too.

Citizen Six

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123309062#Comment_123309062

I picked one up last year coming home from holidays. Was the best value in the duty free, compared to the price of it here. Lovely drop.

MacDanger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123311008#Comment_123311008

I had a bottle of that maybe 3-4 years ago and I thought it was very average. I just looked it up online though and the bottle has definitely changed, would they have been using sourced whiskey back then? Or have they just improved?

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123311075#Comment_123311075

Was that under the Whistler branding or Boann?

If it is Whistler it is sourced iirc

Also the new Boann is Single Pot Still.

https://www.boanndistillery.ie/product/the-whistler-mosaic-marsala-cask/

MacDanger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123311098#Comment_123311098

That's the one, thanks for clearing it up. I might give the Boann stuff a go

Hooked

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123310998#Comment_123310998

fyi… saw somewhere online where they were selling little battery powered led ‘lampshades’ that sit into bottles. Must try find the link

Hooked

‘Do a hooked’

lol.

Well it was a little over 24 hours (I finished it Tuesday night/wed early hours) but yes, a lot to go through even if the wife helped.

Home a week and am happy to report that I only entered the man cave once. Friday night. Opened the powers 3 swallows. Had one very large measure. Then bed.

Normality resumed. 😂 although i might have a nightcap later

Hooked

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123310998#Comment_123310998

found it!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/FOTEMIX-Wireless-Rechargeable-Lampshade-Restaurant/dp/B0DH2D41BB/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_sspa?crid=3AZCTUXWMVLJV&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.J9JDQFKLAOzDP_PBs36U5FeuZRS9Gpe_D3ufl_1PH1k8Rh961RS7oWplFDRjUO6FxP6UZ-u_ctkyes7YAEwCuRbzl_gMGVMailFeOVAeP2r1pEpVq0TPcQCH3cAFo5B2BDJ58Jmp3aI7AcDQT-jDVyziBNM_VGzrGE-6_xvDj05FYY4G9TnS4BiK99pf3uXGTkT0z6Ik8QcvnZ96I3x2Cg.S_VUKjF9HXd84wvkt1mheivHRU_86je7WRDzT4HrVWg&dib_tag=se&keywords=led+bottle+lamp&qid=1743365008&sprefix=led+bottke+%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1

Hooked

https://www.amazon.co.uk/FOTEMIX-Wireless-Rechargeable-Lampshade-Restaurant/dp/B0DH2D41BB/ref%3Dmp_s_a_1_2_sspa?crid=3AZCTUXWMVLJV&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.J9JDQFKLAOzDP_PBs36U5FeuZRS9Gpe_D3ufl_1PH1k8Rh961RS7oWplFDRjUO6FxP6UZ-u_ctkyes7YAEwCuRbzl_gMGVMailFeOVAeP2r1pEpVq0TPcQCH3cAFo5B2BDJ58Jmp3aI7AcDQT-jDVyziBNM_VGzrGE-6_xvDj05FYY4G9TnS4BiK99pf3uXGTkT0z6Ik8QcvnZ96I3x2Cg.S_VUKjF9HXd84wvkt1mheivHRU_86je7WRDzT4HrVWg&dib_tag=se&keywords=led+bottle+lamp&qid=1743365008&sprefix=led+bottke+%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1

found it

JMcL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123308690#Comment_123308690

I picked up a bottle of Ardbeg Smoketrails (the 2023 Cote Rotie one) last year and I just can't warm to it. I'm not sure if it's the finish or the young(ish) spirit but I just find it overly harsh. I would be a fan of the regular 10 year old (albeit I haven't had a bottle in a few years) but, and not just pointing the finger at Ardbeg here, there seems to be this ever greater push to dress up younger spirits in some marketing and put them out at a premium price. I will give some of the other expressions a go at some stage before passing final judgement - I'm keen to have a taste of Uigeadail for example - as I realise this is on the basis of a single release that may just not have been to my liking.

Black Sheep

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123313097#Comment_123313097

Was that Smoketrails the only Ardbeg you've tried - have you had the 10 year old, for example?

JMcL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123313554#Comment_123313554

I have had the 10yo - though a few years back now - and do remember liking it. In general I'm a fan of Islay peat monsters for reference.