whisky lovers

[gannonball]

On 22/10/2023 at 13:12, Bairnardo said:

Re tasting notes, there are a couple of things I have/can pick out in a whisky.

I can get apple, furniture polish (specially in bourbons), honey, and that Christmas pudding thing from sherry bombs. Not every time tho, these are just ones where iv noted exactly that flavour.

The rest tastes like whisky, and the majority of things people claim they can taste strikes me as absolute made up pish. 

I like peated whisky but I often find younger stuff can taste grassy. I also get a woody taste off particular whiskies. Basically my tasting notes are of things you shouldn't really be eating.

[Derek Patterson]

1 hour ago, gannonball said:

I like peated whisky but I often find younger stuff can taste grassy. I also get a woody taste off particular whiskies. Basically my tasting notes are of things you shouldn't really be eating.

Ever tried the 5 yo Wee Beastie?

I get an almost resiny sort of thing from it.
Almost a pine note but it pairs well with the smoke.

[Derek Patterson]

I imagine there's a few on here who follow Ralfy on Youtube.

Just hit his 1000th review.

 

Great 5 parter at Springbank blethering to the staff at the distillery.

 

Ralfy 1000

[gannonball]

11 minutes ago, Derek Patterson said:

Ever tried the 5 yo Wee Beastie?

I get an almost resiny sort of thing from it.
Almost a pine note but it pairs well with the smoke.

Yeah was given 3 different half bottles of Ardbeg at Christmas there and the wee beastie was surprisingly nice. Would say it would go great at this time of year with a campfire.

Edited October 23, 2023 by gannonball

[Enigma]

3 hours ago, HeartsOfficialMoaner said:

I've opened a 7 year old Kilkerran from Cadenheads. I said in the shop that £60 was expensive for 7 years old but I was told it was worth it.

It's lovely, smokey and sweet. 

I bought a bottle of 12yo Kilkerran recently, which I saw off fairly quickly. Lovely stuff. I’ve tried a heavily peated number as well which was nice but even as a fan of peat I prefer their not-so-peaty general stuff.

Edited October 23, 2023 by Enigma

[badgerthewitness]

Finally got round to opening a Christmas gift, Paloma Linkwood 14 y/o bottled by Goldfinch. Rich, sweet & fruity with a hint of spice. A beautiful dram. Highly recommended if you're a fan of Glengoyne 18/21. At 53.8%, I went with one small ice cube and barely noticed the alcohol. 

Would love to try one of their Caol Ilas.

[HeartsOfficialMoaner]

18 hours ago, Enigma said:

I bought a bottle of 12yo Kilkerran recently, which I saw off fairly quickly. Lovely stuff. I’ve tried a heavily peated number as well which was nice but even as a fan of peat I prefer their not-so-peaty general stuff.

Yes, heavily peated is not a daily dram but a nice change. I got a taste for yesterday though. 

[Cairn Terrier]

On 22/10/2023 at 18:08, HeartsOfficialMoaner said:

Had a Glen Old that tasted like the sweets Pear drops. It was like someone had dropped the sweets in the whisky. I had to search what pear drops were made from. I found this site about esters that is quite interesting.

https://www.douglaslaing.com/blogs/news/esters-the-stars-of-the-whisky-world

I recently bought a SMWS bottle from an auction. It's from India, it's called 'Spice up your life' and it does taste like there are spices in it. It is a weird bottle.

When bringing stills in (starting a run), and especially on wash stills you do get a strong whiff of pear drops. It’s the more volatile esters that come off first.

[HeartsOfficialMoaner]

21 minutes ago, Cairn Terrier said:

When bringing stills in (starting a run), and especially on wash stills you do get a strong whiff of pear drops. It’s the more volatile esters that come off first.

Never knew that. I have never thought of it before but the experts here will be chemists so I had a wee search and they are involved in the whisky production. 

[Bairnardo]

46 minutes ago, HeartsOfficialMoaner said:

Never knew that. I have never thought of it before but the experts here will be chemists so I had a wee search and they are involved in the whisky production. 

There's various ways to direct the formation of esters/avoid the undesirables. Matters just as much in beer as it does in spirits. Ultimately every ester that's created is done so by the yeast, but the act of distilling and failing to get the cut points right can leave you with nasty concentrations of them. 

The easiest and most commercially obvious example is weissbier, where a few degrees difference in fermentation temperature is the difference between it tasting like cloves or like bananas. 

[HeartsOfficialMoaner]

11 minutes ago, Bairnardo said:

There's various ways to direct the formation of esters/avoid the undesirables. Matters just as much in beer as it does in spirits. Ultimately every ester that's created is done so by the yeast, but the act of distilling and failing to get the cut points right can leave you with nasty concentrations of them. 

The easiest and most commercially obvious example is weissbier, where a few degrees difference in fermentation temperature is the difference between it tasting like cloves or like bananas. 

I don't have the room in the flat to brew beer but would a damp cellar be okay? I don't think I will do it because it seems a bit complicated but just out of interest.

[Bairnardo]

24 minutes ago, HeartsOfficialMoaner said:

I don't have the room in the flat to brew beer but would a damp cellar be okay? I don't think I will do it because it seems a bit complicated but just out of interest.

A damp cellar is fine aye. My garage is fairly damp. It's always under an airlock or in a keg. Temperature matters more than anything else environment wise

[vikingTON]

Master of Malt are doing a buy 2 bottles, get 1 bottle free promo with some of the Bunnahabhain, Tobermory/Ledaig and Deanston range. Delivery is £6.95 under £100 so you might want to add a fourth bottle to your order, but there's definite value for anyone looking to add a selection of solid choices. 

I've taken two Deanston 12s (new to my taste), a smoky Bunnahabhain Toiteach a Dhà (also new - thank you copy and paste), and another bottle of Ledaig Rioja Cask finish which remains my favoured and IMO outrageously good go-to option. 

[GiGi]

Deanston 12, much their sister malts, is fantastic.

[Le Tout P'ti FC]

I’ve found a bottle of Dalwhinnie Winter’s Gold in my crockery cupboard. Hiding whisky from myself clearly.

Hardly high-end. Probably acquired it from an end of aisle supermarket promo and it was swiftly forgotten about.

Anyway, I’ve cracked it open, and I’m really enjoying it. Tastes quite fruity. Would buy again. Next time I’ll hide it in my sock drawer or something.

[Soapy FFC]

1 hour ago, Le Tout P'ti FC said:

I’ve found a bottle of Dalwhinnie Winter’s Gold in my crockery cupboard. Hiding whisky from myself clearly.

Hardly high-end. Probably acquired it from an end of aisle supermarket promo and it was swiftly forgotten about.

Anyway, I’ve cracked it open, and I’m really enjoying it. Tastes quite fruity. Would buy again. Next time I’ll hide it in my sock drawer or something.

Spookily I just found a bottle of that as well and cracked it open. It is quite pleasant. 

[Enigma]

2 hours ago, virginton said:

a smoky Bunnahabhain Toiteach a Dhà (also new - thank you copy and paste)

I was given a bottle for Christmas the year before last. Nice, smokey but not too much of the medicinal tcp taste you might expect with a peated Islay. 

[GiGi]

Had a brief half in the Smokin Fox blind after work earlier, malt of the month but didn't see what it was before I left. My best guess was Springbank 10. Shocked if it's not of theirs anyway.

I didn't want to be too right in front of my work mates you see.

[gannonball]

11 hours ago, virginton said:

Master of Malt are doing a buy 2 bottles, get 1 bottle free promo with some of the Bunnahabhain, Tobermory/Ledaig and Deanston range. Delivery is £6.95 under £100 so you might want to add a fourth bottle to your order, but there's definite value for anyone looking to add a selection of solid choices. 

I've taken two Deanston 12s (new to my taste), a smoky Bunnahabhain Toiteach a Dhà (also new - thank you copy and paste), and another bottle of Ledaig Rioja Cask finish which remains my favoured and IMO outrageously good go-to option. 

Aye 2 of my pals are also Deanston fanboys so got 6 in the end to save on postage so we all ended up with 2 deanston 12's for 50 quid. Can't remember ever paying that low for Deanston 12.

 

Was at a Bladnoch tasting laste night which I never had before all were surprisingly nice. Will be keeping an eye for their bottles but don't think they are ever on sale really.

[mathematics]

Couldn’t help myself on that MoM 342 deal.