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

awec

Picked up a bottle of Laphroaig for the first time oddly, and I love it! Peatyness is great!

Also have a bottle of Ardmore, another Scotch and it's also very nice.

Micil in Galway appear to have released another whiskey, Micil Madeira, I have a bottle of it on the way. Will report back!

DARK-KNIGHT

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119982592#Comment_119982592

What is the talisker 10 like

Black Sheep

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119988755#Comment_119988755

It's a classic expression of an island whisky (Although technically you could also consider it a highland whisky I suppose, there's a bridge to Skye now). A bit peaty, a bit maritime but pretty approachable.

I have to say it was one of my all-time favourites but maybe my tastes have evolved... Now I would say it is still good but I'm less enthusiastic. I'm tempted to say that it's not as good as it used to be, and blame Diageo, but I have absolutely no basis for that one way or the other, I doubt it to be honest.

Not as heavily peated as Ardbeg 10 or Laphroaig 10, it's not dissimilar in phenols to middle-of-the-road Islay whiskies such as from Lagavulin. It's more peated than stuff from the likes of Bowmore.

Quite well-balanced as a whisky, if someone likes Lagavulin 16 and wanted a cheaper alternative it would worth a whirl.

The label was re-designed of late and it looks cheap, they've introduced a kind of island silhouette design that just doesn't work for me. The old label was understated elegance. That being said, Talisker 10 is often quite cheap, it's frequently been on sale at Tesco, so fill your boots if you get the chance.

MacDanger

Opened a bottle of Connacht Batch 1 this evening, 47% single malt. Have been meaning to buy a bottle for ages. Not really knowledgeable enough about whiskeys to post a proper review but I really enjoyed it

Hodors Appletart

only getting around to sending the samples for the secret santa today, sorry - I'm sending a 30ml and a 50ml sample of a couple of (hopefully) interesting things that the person may not have had before.

HenryCase

Only getting around to sending mine today too. I have gone with 2 non-Irish so hopefully the person is open to more than Irish! Only had 50 ml sample bottles so they will have to forgive me for that too :)

gordonl

Thank you Secret whisky santa:

I'm looking forward to trying these next week.

The Tiny Tipple bottles are class, i'm sorry I didn't get anything in their closing down sale.

Electric Nitwit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119994116#Comment_119994116

Tiny Tipple are back. Not sale prices, of course, but looks like the same deal being run by a new crowd...

Hodors Appletart

I sent mine via Registered Post, and the lady in the PO said it would be with the recipient by Thursday of this week. Should say I also sent non-Irish

Hodors Appletart

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119994116#Comment_119994116

I'm confused, are the bottles behind the samplers what's in them? How did you know and how did you have the boxes

Hodors Appletart

Postman's just been and I've received my two samples - thanks to the person who sent them.

Just want to ask something - the people who sent the whiskies received from the person they sent to right?

It's such a co-incidence then, because I received almost the same "types" of whiskies as I sent, so I at least know the person will appreciate my selection (I unfolded the cheat sheet), and I now regret not sending a third sample that I think they would absolutely appreciate.

gordonl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119994485#Comment_119994485

No, I just put the samples on the whiskey shelf to have a nice backdrop. No relation between them.

odyssey06

Thanks to my Secret Santa... arrived safe and sound.

Beanstalk

Look at the colour of sample 2! I suspect a particular type of cask finish but will keep schtum...😁

HenryCase

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119994751#Comment_119994751

Funny enough I was thinking the exact same thing today when mine arrived! Also looked at the cheat sheet. Was also going to post a third bonus sample but it's hard to know tastes, especially when branching outside of Irish whiskey.

I did open the samples I received for a quick nose and really looking forward to tasting.

janiejones

Mine arrived yesterday. Very exciting

Cazale

I changed roles in work last week so apologies if I haven't replied to a couple of messages as I've been super busy settling in. I'm delighted to see everybody getting their samples. Should be interesting next week to see what everybody thinks!

DARK-KNIGHT

I'll be sending mine tomorrow folks I am a healthcare worker and services are under massive pressure so working day and night

I'm off tomorrow afternoon so I'll get them in the post

fmul9798

Red spot back at Mitchellandson.com. can't justify it myself for what is almost the price of 2x yellow spot in my mind.(obriens sometimes reduce it). Anyone else had it and felt it was worth the price ?

kuang1

I have only ever tasted it once. 6/8 years ago. So can't remember anything other than the fact that I enjoyed it!

It's not at all a "hard-to-get" one though, despite mitchellandson's suggestions to the contrary.

Very available compared to blue spot for instance.

alias no.9

I received a Lough Ree Distillery giftset today, The Bridge - Portrunny with 2 highball glasses. Anyone tried it? It will surely get opened over Christmas and I'll post an update.

Black Sheep

Got a sample of the Redbreast Christmas special. I was surprised at the high abv, hadn't copped it is 58%. Makes it a lot more interesting to me.

ZV Yoda

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119999810#Comment_119999810

I love Red Spot. One of my favourite whiskeys. I never took to Yellow Spot (I gave it a good go).

Red Spot has crept up in price though. The first bottle I bought (about 3 years ago) was €115. Then it jumped to €130. These days, it's €135-140. Can be tricky to get hold of sometimes.

Black Sheep

And so the Christmas whiskies start...

Paul John Oloroso select cask.

Cracking, love this distillery, always bringing intense spice and a buttery mouthfeel. You get a lot of bang for your buck here!

Electric Nitwit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120004941#Comment_120004941

Interesting. The only Indian whiskey I've had is Amrut (can't remember which one even) and I really didn't like it. Should investigate again, stupid to write off the whole country based on one dram 🙈

Black Sheep

I've never had Amrut but Paul John is consistently very good in my experience- and keenly priced too.

The climate means they lose far more from each barrel in India through evaporation / the angel's share. I've heard it said that from a taste point of view this has a positive impact on what's left, like a faster aging process effectively, but I don't know how true that is.

Electric Nitwit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120005170#Comment_120005170

I'd heard roughly the opposite 😋

Probably a biased story from a Scot, but someone once told me the change in seasons means the barrel expands and contracts, so the whiskey soaks in, then gets pushed out each year, and this helps the flavour. They told me that consistently warm climates don't work as well, as it's the seasonality that contributes to the aging

They probably all say what makes their product sound best though 🤣

I'd imagine they must lose a serious angel's share in India though, that's true. Must add quite a bit to the production expense

Black Sheep

I understand Paul John has a lot of barrels aging underground, which cuts it down a lot, but if it's above ground then yes they can lose huge percentages.

I guess we don't get the cheap domestic whisky from the bigger John whisky family that they're drinking over there, we just get the cream of the crop.

Indians are massively into whisky. A friend of mine married an Indian girl and the bride's family that were US based flew over for the wedding, but it seemed that their main itinerary was a ten day tour of Scottish distilleries which began the day after the wedding.

I was also promised that there would be whisky drunk out of the backs of cars, before the wedding, in the car park, and that this was an Indian tradition, but not sure if they weren't winding me up on that one.

Cazale

A lot of the cheap Indian whiskey is actually rum because they are made with molasses and not grains.

Paul John produce 'John's Original Choice' for the domestic market and it's 70 cents for a 180ml TetraPak. One of the lads I follow on twitter managed to get a carton of it. A bland vodka or rum taste was the consensus.

I'm a fan of the premium Paul John brand. Paul John Kanya is a stunning whisky albeit a tad overpriced. I have a nice selection of Paul John 50ml miniatures in the collection and I think a full size bottle will be next on the list.

The Nal

Now this is some tasty business