Whiskey Secret Santa

Cazale

A standalone thread for the whiskey secret santa night organised by the regulars on What whisk(e)y are we drinking? (Part 2). There will be 15 of us getting together to try our samples on 23 Dec from 7pm.

Those who can't make it on the night can sample them beforehand and post their opinions on the night if that's easier. The more pictures and tasting notes etc we get the better it'll be. I'm looking forward to seeing what everybody got and what they think.

Cazale

I've matched with two people as we had odd numbers taking part. Both of my samples arrived safe and sound along with some very interesting tasting notes!

Beanstalk

Good work Cazale! Looking forward to it. I will blind taste them then just look at the notes after a few sips.

Hodors Appletart

Want to echo the sentiment on the organisation of this, it's a great idea, nice one Cazale!

I'll drink my two samples over this week and post opinions and thoughts on the 23rd. As I said in the other thread, I received two samples that kind of mirror the ones I send, so I'm happy that my match will enjoy what I've sent, and I'm intrigued to try my ones.

Just as a point of interest, I'd be up for doing an exchange once a quarter or something like that, if there was interest in keeping this up, I'm not as prolific at buying new whisk(e)y as others, but I've an interesting enough collection I think, and usually buy or receive a bottle of something about three or four times a year.

Black Sheep

I could definitely see more regular exchanges being a thing. We could also see about being more specific on the pairings?, For example, we could try matching people who want Irish only, Scotch only etc ?

I should be OK for the 23rd.

Hodors Appletart

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120013590#Comment_120013590

Are people really that set against Scotch, or Irish - what about other expressions? Japanese, Indian? Dare I say American? 🤠

I'm of the opinion that taking part in something like this is a way to open horizons, experience something you might not have ever thought to buy before possibly because of bias, or previous experience with drinks from certain places.

odyssey06

I think there's pros and cons to the different approaches.

'pairing up' creates overhead for the organizer, if they're ok to take it on, grand.

Or, maybe have an Irish only night around Paddy's weekend.

Burns Night is a bit soon for a Scotch night but maybe a Scotch only night would worth trying.

But rest of the time a free for all.

Black Sheep

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120013642#Comment_120013642

I've drank very widely, so it's not really a case of expanding horizons at this point. I wouldn't even say I'm set against anything... I still drink the odd Irish for example... but at the same time I do have a preference for scotch or world whiskies over it. I don't dislike anything, it's all interesting, but equally given the choice...

I suspect there are a fair few others who would have a similar view, I know there are people here who are very much focused on Irish whisky for example.

Its opt-in anyway, you could still go in for a completely blind exchange and perhaps others might opt into particular categories.

For this Christmas I actually sent an unusual blended scotch and a bourbon incidentally...

Cazale

I would definitely be up for more sample swaps and theme tasting nights. A quarterly organised sample swap would be brilliant.

I did have an idea for a Burns night tasting thread on the 25 January where we try Scottish whiskey from our own collections rather than a swap. I'll get the secret santa out of the way and post about it in January.

Electric Nitwit

Another echo, thanks for organising Cazale

My mum arrives for Christmas on the 23rd so I'll have to do my drinking in advance and have notes prewritten, but I hope to be able to follow the thread on the evening

My plan is drink half blind and make notes, them see what it is and have the second half. I suspect I have preconceptions (good or bad) about some whiskies so I'm intrigued to see if my opinion changes!

Black Sheep

It's too late now to go back, but I'm starting to regret not taking that approach now, Electric Nitwit. Good compromise.

Hodors Appletart

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120013687#Comment_120013687

I think we're fairly similar, but I wouldn't be able to take part in a St Patrick's swap, for example, as I've really no Irish that I'd be comfortable sending out, never mind 2 samples - I've the end of a bottle of 3 Swallows, and a bottle of Teeling Single Malt here, I never go out of my way to buy Irish at all and everyone I know, knows I'm a "scotch drinker" so I usually get gifted bottles of that.

I'd LOVE to have my horizons broadened in the Irish regard though.

********

I'm also a little confused about the pairing aspect, is it really necessary even with an odd number of people? Could it not just be a complete running order, where Person A receiving from Person B doesn't necessarily send to Person B - like this

A --> B

B --> C

C --> D

D --> E

E --> A

That also works and is better for odd numbers, and it's how any work or friends & family Secret Santa's have worked for me in the past.

Electric Nitwit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120014553#Comment_120014553

I'll also drink until I'm half blind 🤣

1901Rory

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120013909#Comment_120013909

Good idea. I think I’ll take that 2-step approach too

irish_goat

Not got mines yet, but we've had some postal strikes up here so that might explain the delay.

ZV Yoda

Received mine today.

Thx Secret Santa!

Electric Nitwit

Had my whiskies. I wrote proper notes for Friday but the short version is that I won this game!

I mean, I know it wasn't a competition

...but I still won 🤣

HenryCase

Think I am coming down with something. If I can still smell and taste on the 23rd I will do it then, otherwise I may have to leave until after Christmas

irish_goat

Got my samples today. Looking forward to tasting.

Black Sheep

I've drank both of mine! While the going was good... I'll write them up tomorrow though.

Cazale

Here is the original draw for the whiskey Santa. We had a couple of late entries so had to change a couple to the matches below -

ZV Yoda - runningonwhiskey90

Cazale 1 - Beanstalk

The plan is to drink and post what we thought tonight from 7pm but that's just a guideline. There is no problem if people want to drink them later in the week or have already sampled them. Just post here when you do!

HenryCase

Confirmed with COVID unfortunately. I'll try to do a small taste of mine to see how I get on later but will leave some until after Christmas to do the samples justice

Beanstalk

Gonna dip into mine shortly. Just gotta wrap all these presents so will be well deserved after!

Cazale

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120029129#Comment_120029129

Same here. Hope all is well.My sense of smell is totally gone and my sense of taste is severely dulled. Tried an Ardbeg Uigeadail yesterday and couldn't smell or taste any peat. Just got ethanol off it. Looks like I'll have to sit the tasting out as like you say I wouldn't be able to do the samples justice.

Black Sheep

I'm going to put my notes up now if that's OK- might be tied up later with family stuff.

First of all, thanks to DARK KNIGHT for participating and sending two really good samples... One in particular was an eye-opener for me and I have to say thoroughly exceeded my expectations.

In tasting order:-

1. Bushmills Causeway Collection, 10 year old, 46% ABV

The notes that DARK KNIGHT sent me advised that this was a single malt finished in Oloroso but a final 2.5 year stint in Cognac. He wrote a slightly deprecating note that it was 'something different'.

I wouldn't say I dislike Bushmills as a distillery but I find them mixed... I might be the only person on the forum who doesn't really like Black Bush, but I've enjoyed some of the age-statement whiskies that Bushmills release, and their older ones are very good value. I've also really liked the Bushmills sourced by some bottlers/bonders... In particular I had a 13 year old Friend at Hand from Belfast that was Bushmills and it was top notch.

I don't know much about the Causeway Collection other than they are Ireland only releases, I think? And possibly a focus on unusual wood finishes.

This was a revelation of a whisky for me - sometimes timing really matters, and it was the right whisky at the right time. I had it a couple of days ago in the early evening, when I had just finished a 12 hour shift. Unlikely probably most of you, my 'days off' are now, not over the Christmas period... I'm working on Christmas Day and St Stephen's Day, and likely to get pulled in on New Year's Eve as well.

So having that whisky at about 4pm was kind of my sigh of relaxation as I knew I had a few days break before the 25th. Well, a few weeks to do jobs around the house and clean the place for family!

My palate was clear of anything sweet or spicy, I could smell and taste the whisky immaculately. Not always the case when we have a whisky in the late evening I think, eh lads?

It has a light body but the 46% ABV is reasonably punchy, quite an alcoholic wash... Again, could have been because my palate was very clear. What knocked me for six was the phenomenal depth of nose... Very vinous and beguiling. I like a whisky that I spend as much time nosing as I do drinking. A few mouthfuls and I found it did not dissapoint. Well structured and sharp, but that cognac finish is very evident and I really really liked it.

I've had one cognac-finished Irish whisky before - the Lambay small batch - and also enjoyed that. It's obviously it's something that gels well with my palate.

I don't know what a bottle of this goes for now, but I think at one stage they were around 100. For a 10 year old this good, great value if so.

1. Redbreast 12 year old cask strength 57.2% ABV

DARK KNIGHT's tasting notes referred to it as 'one of the best cask strength released to date'. In an Irish context, hard to argue with. The Redbreast 12 year old has become an iconic Irish whisky, a benchmark by which other whiskies are measured... Not just pot stills... But also age statements in that range... And perhaps more importantly, whisky at that price point. Although a lot of fans remember the days when it was markedly cheaper than it is now, I don't think anyone would seriously try to argue that the regular 12 is 'bad value' at the price it currently is.

I have a minor beef with the 12 in that it is the whisky equivalent of 'Godwin's law' (In an online argument, someone at some point must make a Hitler / Nazis comparison). At times the Redbreast 12 has become like that, no matter the discussion or the request for a recommendation, someone reaches for Redbreast 12 to suggest. It's hard to argue with, it's a great whisky, but sometimes I think it has become over-exposed.

Enter the cask strength... Here we have all the beauty of the single pot still 12 but the depth and punch of cask strength. It's certainly an improvement for those of us who have drank a decent amount of 12 and want more. Among the core Redbreast offerings I would opt for the cask strength 12 as a 'step up' from the regular 12 before I'd suggest the 15. I am not sure about Lustau... Haven't had it recently enough to say.

I drank the cask strength without water for the first few sups, and then diluted it to about 50-53% which is still punch enough to make it an invigorating experience.

Concluding remarks - thanks for participating, DARK KNIGHT, and I hope you enjoy what I sent you.

Funnily enough, I think we picked similar whiskies in a way... One with an interesting finish, and one cask strength.

Electric Nitwit

That crap timing @Cazale and @HenryCase, hope you're not too bad and it doesn't mess up Christmas for you

Great notes @Black Sheep, the Bushmills Causeway sounds really interesting, will keep an eye out for it

Beanstalk

@Cazale and @henryc@HenryCase that's thats really unfortunate get well soon!

Sunds great @Black Sheep and well done @darknight. Also I know what you mean about tasting whiskey earlier and the day and the palate being mmaculate! I haf mine just now.

I got mine from @Cazale and I was definitely intrigued on tasting. Here they are and here's my initial tasting notes:

"1a. Sherried. Seems younger but after a bit of water there's a lot more cloves. Almost heather. Theres definitely peat or some kind of smoked malt in it. Needed a lot of time to open up but now its lovely. Is this scotch?

Sample 1b. Gorgeous smell very unique. Butterscotch, citrus, desert wine. Like an old sweet of some sort that I can't place. There's a slight funkiness. Strange whiskey. I like it. "

Both very unusual for me tbh. I've never had anything like them. Delighted. 

Here's @Cazale's notes:

The Highland Park is very fiery, volatile and delicate at the same time. I really needed to give it time and it's ends up being very complex with a beautiful finish. The Dark Silkie Component I loved. Very unusual and also I absolutely love the peated whiskies and i really like the funkiness and was delighted i recognised that element. I should add this sample was unpeated.

Totally surprised by these samples. And delighted! Thanks very much @Cazale ! Merry Christmas folks!

Cazale

Great notes @Black Sheep. I've worked too many Christmas and Stephens days over the years so I feel your pain! I hope you get a rest and a few drams in between.

I've always had an indifference to Bushmills and whilst I've enjoyed some of their stuff I'd subconsciously never seek it out. The father in law is a big fan of Bushmills 16 and I'll always get a sup when I'm visiting but it's never excited me the way some of the Midleton stuff does.

The causeway collection has thrown up some interesting releases with different wood finishes. Helen Mulholland who was one of the brains behind that collection has recently joined Lough Gill Distillery which was taken over by Sazerac. It'll be interesting to see what they do there.

The Redbreast 12 Cask Strength is in my top ten whiskey list. It's hard to beat especially at less than €100.

odyssey06

As a general point I sampled some of the Bushmills Causeway this year - Pomerol, Vermouth and Cognac Cask and thought they were all delightful. But then 'Black Bush' was a gateway for me :)

Onto my tasting notes. I'm obviously not a super tasted as I can't hold a candle to the excellent notes above!

Sample #1

Craigallachie 10

I enjoyed this one. Obviously a Scotch. Nice to broaden the horizons as I don't drink much peated Scotch and I like a chance to try a new distillery. This has just the lighest touch of smoke to it I think.

Sample #2

Glenallachie 13 Batch 6 PX Cask Strength

I couldn't tell if this was Scotch or Irish, PX muddies the waters I guess.

This was a sensational whiskey, really hit the spot. Have had Glenallachies before and this one is a blockbuster.

Information I'll crib from CWS:

The whisky was matured in a combination of Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry puncheons, Rioja barriques and virgin oak casks... Waves of dark chocolate, treacle, mocha, heather honey and almonds, fused with cinnamon, marmalade and grapefruit.

Whiskey Samples.jpg

Black Sheep

I am a Glenallachie fan boy at the moment.. So that sounds awesome.. thinking of trying to go to the CWS dinner and tasting on the 26th if I can wrangle it at home.

Cazale

I'm glad you enjoyed the samples @Beanstalk I'm raging I can't try yours as the sample notes were something else! I look forward to trying them and reporting back in the next week or two. I haven't tried either which is a bonus too.