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Drinking Thread: Beer, Whiskey, Rum, Vodka, Wine - Raise a Glass, All Are Welcome!

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Re: Drinking Thread: Beer, Whiskey, Rum, Vodka, Wine - Raise a Glass, All Are Welcome

The problem is, we're already heading into bourbon season and won't be back into scotch season (unless it's a heavy double barrel scotch, but none of that Laphroaig or Lagavulin level of peat). Among the Islays, Bowmore is by far my favorite. Just finished a bottle of it. That's a scotch worth a winter sip IMHO.
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Beer, Whiskey, Rum, Vodka, Wine - Raise a Glass, All Are Welcome

Eh, I'd get rid of the 45th Parallel Rye, although I'm not a huge fan of ryes, anyway. They're ok.

I still have yet to open mine. I might give that a stab in October.
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Beer, Whiskey, Rum, Vodka, Wine - Raise a Glass, All Are Welcome

The problem is, we're already heading into bourbon season and won't be back into scotch season (unless it's a heavy double barrel scotch, but none of that Laphroaig or Lagavulin level of peat). Among the Islays, Bowmore is by far my favorite. Just finished a bottle of it. That's a scotch worth a winter sip IMHO.

The Bowmore is my favorite value Islay (or even just good scotch overall).
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Beer, Whiskey, Rum, Vodka, Wine - Raise a Glass, All Are Welcome

Value? That's a scotch that doesn't deserve that kind of label. It cheapens it by just saying it. :mad:
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Beer, Whiskey, Rum, Vodka, Wine - Raise a Glass, All Are Welcome

Value? That's a scotch that doesn't deserve that kind of label. It cheapens it by just saying it. :mad:

I look at the other Islays, and their prices...the Bowmore is a steal. That's what I meant by "value."

Edit: think Elijah Craig and their price, versus more expensive bourbons. EC is a helluva value. :)
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Beer, Whiskey, Rum, Vodka, Wine - Raise a Glass, All Are Welcome

EC isn't a steal anymore. They fcked everyone over by discontinuing their 18, introducing a 21, and nearly doubled the price.
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Beer, Whiskey, Rum, Vodka, Wine - Raise a Glass, All Are Welcome

EC isn't a steal anymore. They fcked everyone over by discontinuing their 18, introducing a 21, and nearly doubled the price.

I don't buy the 18 (or the 21). A little rich for my blood right now.
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Beer, Whiskey, Rum, Vodka, Wine - Raise a Glass, All Are Welcome

The 18 was cheap as hell. Something like 42-45ish when I bought it.

For an 18-year whisk(e)y, that's absolutely phenomenal.
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Beer, Whiskey, Rum, Vodka, Wine - Raise a Glass, All Are Welcome

The 18 was cheap as hell. Something like 42-45ish when I bought it.

For an 18-year whisk(e)y, that's absolutely phenomenal.

That it is. That it is.

I know if I'm up in bbdl's neck of the woods, I get the Stagg Jr for about that price, otherwise, I'm a bit pickier when it hits that level of pricing.
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Beer, Whiskey, Rum, Vodka, Wine - Raise a Glass, All Are Welcome

I plan on cracking my Stagg Jr the first gopher hockey away game.
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Beer, Whiskey, Rum, Vodka, Wine - Raise a Glass, All Are Welcome

Nice. I probably will crack one of my Surly SeVIIns for the first Gopher game.
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Beer, Whiskey, Rum, Vodka, Wine - Raise a Glass, All Are Welcome

Top islay is hands down Lagavulin Distiller's Reserve Pedro Xi Ximenez aged. Followed closely by standard Lagavulin 16. Caol Ila 12, Bowmore 12 follow closely. With Bunnahabhain 18 somewhere in there as well.

I think my the Basil Haydens is going to be culled.
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Beer, Whiskey, Rum, Vodka, Wine - Raise a Glass, All Are Welcome

Top islay is hands down Lagavulin Distiller's Reserve Pedro Xi Ximenez aged. Followed closely by standard Lagavulin 16. Caol Ila 12, Bowmore 12 follow closely. With Bunnahabhain 18 somewhere in there as well.

I think my the Basil Haydens is going to be culled.

The Caol was tasty.
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Beer, Whiskey, Rum, Vodka, Wine - Raise a Glass, All Are Welcome

And I think the deep smokey flavor of a Lagavulin is perfect for winter. If only I had a fireplace.
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Beer, Whiskey, Rum, Vodka, Wine - Raise a Glass, All Are Welcome

This discussion inspired me to have a Caol Ila 12 nightcap. Pretty good stuff, fairly mild smoke flavor.
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Beer, Whiskey, Rum, Vodka, Wine - Raise a Glass, All Are Welcome

And for the record, the mash bill has a massive effect on taste. I don't buy for a second that the distillates will taste similar.

Well you can buy whatever you want to, but you are incorrect. The main portion of a run has basically no taste as it is pure ethanol. The tail of the run does have more taste as it has less ethanol content. A vast amount of the taste comes from the finishing or aging after the run.
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Beer, Whiskey, Rum, Vodka, Wine - Raise a Glass, All Are Welcome

Tried the Ashtray Heart by Evil Twin (smoked porter). As a hater of smoke beers, Evil Twin is 2-for-2 in this dept (Cowboy is a smoked pilsner). Love it.

Mikkeller Not Just Another Wit was also had recently. REALLLLLLY citrus-y. Wish I would have split that bottle (bomber). But it was tasty.

And bbdl was correct on that tonic he has. Holy hannah what a difference.
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Beer, Whiskey, Rum, Vodka, Wine - Raise a Glass, All Are Welcome

Well you can buy whatever you want to, but you are incorrect. The main portion of a run has basically no taste as it is pure ethanol. The tail of the run does have more taste as it has less ethanol content. A vast amount of the taste comes from the finishing or aging after the run.

So rye whiskey gets its taste from the barrel? I'm sorry but the mash bill is extremely important to the taste.
 
So rye whiskey gets its taste from the barrel? I'm sorry but the mash bill is extremely important to the taste.

When distilling from grain the grain plays a pretty big role in the final taste -- IF you distill with a pot still, which is almost always the way whiskey is distilled.

When using a reflux still, almost all if not all taste is stripped out if you have a clue what you're doing. Which makes sense as things like gin and vodka get infused after the fact in most cases, so the goal is to simply rip off the purest ethanol possible.

It's why a lot of the craft gin and vodkas that make a big deal about being distilled from grain amuse me highly. It's nothing but a marketing ruse for the most part. It's also inefficient.

Long story short, grain selection makes a huge difference in taste when running whiskey in a pot still and wont make a lick of difference if you're competently making clear spirits in a reflux still.
 
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