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Bushmills 10 for £24 in Sainsburys at the minute.
Going to open one of these lighter sips tonight and can't decide...which would you choose?
Nikka Days
Bushmills 10
Teeling Single Grain
I've only had the Bushmills 10 before but it was once and a while ago...
Went for this again just to see. All honey and vanilla
My first foray
Im looking at scotch have had monkeyb shoulder, aberlour..
Thinking of trying something peaty, what would you suggest? Im nervous about buying a full bottle incase I hate it.. Any advice?
Are you in Dublin?
The Celtic Whisky Shop have loads of miniatures and I'm almost certain they had Laphroaig (though it's been a while since I was in there)
Or can anyone take a delivery for you in the north? If so...
If you’re on the fence then best try a sample or two if you could. Or visit a decently stocked bar.
Something like Highland Park 12, Talisker 10 or Lagavulin 16 would be good options to get something peaty but still approachable.
There are even more gently peated highland options as well.
Laphroaig, Ardbeg… Some people take to them like a duck to water, but it’s far from a sure thing.
My dad shared some Slane whiskey ysterday and I have to see I was pleasantly surprised! Muted nose but a bueatiful sherry bomb nonetheless. Are they selling their own distillation yet? Would be interesting to see a few more varieties of it.
When I was getting into peated whiskey I started with some scotch blends that have a hint of smoke, like John Walker Black, maybe The Glenlivet12 etc. The peat content is low enough so chances are you won't dislike it and bin it. I then started looking into the PPM of scotch whiskeys and started at the lower end so as to 'acclimatise' to the taste. I wouldn't recommend going straight to Islay whiskeys just yet, I bought a bootle of Speyside whiskey, Benromach 10 (PPM around 12-14) and then worked up from there. Now I barely get a hint of peat of Benromach and find Ardbeg relatively mild. Someone here said, enjoy the journey, don't rush it, your taste buds will evolve and whiskeys that once offended you could become your favourite. Here's an example of some scotch PPMs:
Remember too that the ppm relates to the malted barley before it's milled etc and not the final spirit. If you excuse the pun there can be a bit of smoke and mirrors going on and factors like how long or how many times it's distilled or when the cuts are made can have a huge impact on how smokey/peaty it is. A starting point of 40ppm might produce a more peaty whiskey than 55ppm. I remember trying an Octomore with a ppm of over 250 and actually being nervous about it. There was no denying it was heavily peated but it wasn't far removed from the Ardbegs of this world either.
Over the past few months I've complied a massive list of tasting notes from a number of sources. Here's an excerpt on peat for those interested.
Peaty (also called phenolic) – these scents are abundant in Islay malts and range from wood-smoke to tar, iodine to carbolic. Almost all phenols are imparted to the malt during kilning. The different types of phenols and how they contribute to aroma and flavour are listed below.
What’s the difference between peat & smoke in whisky?
Peated whiskies are generally compared using a measure of phenol parts per million (PPM). This refers to the quantity of phenols in the malt itself rather than the contents of the finished whisky.
For the price it's a lovely drop...I keep forgetting that and always have a nice surprise when I go back to it!
As someone who did two science degrees and hated/dodged chemistry as much as possible whilst doing them I'm not going to get into a chemistry debate. Shudder the thought! It's probably worded clumsily but it gives an idea of the subtle differences for the amateur whiskey enthusiast.
Remember also that if you did jump in at the deep end that’s ok too. My friends and I began with Ardbeg and it didn’t “turn us off” peaty whisky. If anything it was so extreme at the time it piqued our interest. If you could access samples I would definitely put something like Ardbeg 10 down as one.
A bit of an adventure ordering from MyBooze.eu, but collected my order from Customs today 😂
Bottle of Teeling Single Malt
Tullamore DEW rum cask
Eagle Rare 10
Copper Dog blended Scotch
So, I probably wussed out on getting one of the more authentic types of Scotch, but otherwise excited for the weekend
Did customs picking it up negate any savings in the end… And, if they did, will the company pay anything?
I think we have all been there.
Still worked out about 60/70 cheaper than Irish retail, but the company also gave me a voucher that matched the full customs & excise charge.
I'll be keeping any future orders smaller.
As you would expect, really.
Where did you pick that up?
Won a lottery to buy it at RRP from Master of Malt a while back.
I would be a very occasional whiskey tippler but a mate bought me a bottle of Old Pultenay 16 year old (traveller exclusive)
And I've flown through it, absolutely love it. Would anyone have an idea of which Irish Whiskey might come closest to it in terms of that Christmas Cake style flavour?
Tried to link to it but not working.
Amber
Rich and warming. Full-on spicy fruitiness tempered by honeyed vanilla and a faint floral fragrance. Comforting chocolate notes hint at the indulgence in store.
Packed full of juicy spices and mouth-coating Christmas cake richness. Hints of fresh green apples and seductive sweet toffee lend this whisky a long, delicious finish.
@9320 Have seen 'christmas cake' in the tasting notes for Knappogue Castle.
There was a tasting set of 3 different Knappogues (12,14,16) in some places like Celtic Whiskey shop a while back, if you don't want to take the plunge on a whole bottle. Out of the set the 14 year old was my favourite. I've had the Old Pulteney 12 and liked it a lot. If that helps.
Got my hands on 3 bottles of a Redbreast 16 made exclusive for Sweden today
1 bottle for the Brother and 2 for myself.
Really excited with this!!
To be honest, the closest would be other Highland distilleries.
If there is a particular reason to want an Irish distillery as an alternative then realistically you will have to just try a bunch. Nothing springs to mind as having the maritime or saline quality regularly associated with OP. I think any attempt at any easy comparison would be spoofing.
“Christmas cake” Sherry finish tasting notes are ten a penny and sometimes you wonder is just a lack of imagination of the part of some reviewers.
Thanks - main reason for seeking an Irish Distillery was just to buy local, might try the Knappogue so.
Out of interest, how did you manage that?
Enjoy, very jealous.
I live in Sweden and it was released today. I was surprised they let me buy the 3 and had the gf on standby in work to go to one of the off licences it was at just in case
OP 12 is regularly on offer in the major UK supermarkets so if you're up North at any stage, it's well worth looking out for. Right now it's only £25 in Sainsbury's.
Similarly for other comparable whiskies like Highland Park and Talisker.
Sounds like your girlfriend is a keeper!
I have a bottle of Knappogue 16 here. I don't think the Christmas cake description is true. I'd say fruity/sweet, but it lacks the sherry/caramel finish I associate with "Christmas cake". If that's what you're after, I highly recommend a Dalmore 12 (if you can find one). I got a bottle in LMulligan a few weeks ago, but looks like it's sold out now.
http://www.lmulliganwhiskeyshop.com/Dalmore-12-year-old-p/dalmore12.htm
