Here are six of them :
Posted on 01/22/2009 1:15:02 PM PST by Daffynition
Take a load off with one of these wonderful scotch whiskies.
[1]Johnnie Walker Black Label Perfectly rounded, deep and full, this is the blended Scotch most admired by blenders. If I had to take only one whisky to a desert island, it would probably be this one. 40 per cent ABV
[2]Lagavulin 16 Year Old The prince of the Islay malts, this is deep and dark, with notes of fruitcake and sweet seaweed. A voluptuous texture and a fragrant, smoky finish. For drinking with poetry, late into the night. 43 per cent ABV
[3]The Glenrothes 1985 A big, rich Speyside, with notes of dried fruits and peel and some spicy or tannic dryness. Drink with roast Aberdeen Angus beef. The last remaining drops of this vintage have now been bottled. 43 per cent ABV
[4]Old Pulteney 12 Year Old An elegant malt from Wick in the far north of Scotland, this has a lightly "maritime" character and goes well with fish and seafood. The distinctive bottle features a traditional Wick herring drifter. 40 per cent ABV
[5]Clynelish 14 Year Old A North Highland malt, from the coast of Sutherland. Fresh and heathery, with waxy notes reminiscent of a High Church. Drink from the deep freeze in chilled glasses with dessert ? you will be amazed! 46 per cent ABV
[6]Auchentoshan 18 Year Old A triple-distilled Lowland single malt, from a distillery overlooking the River Clyde. Refreshing, even invigorating, and light in style, this makes an excellent apéritif. 43 per cent ABV
[7]Asyla An uncommon (and uncommonly good) blended Scotch, from the Signature Range of the artisan whisky maker Compass Box. Sweet and delicate, this is ideal as an aperitif. 40 per cent ABV
[8]Highland Park 18 Year Old bA distinguished, rich, complex and slightly smoky malt from the Orkney Islands, to accompany coffee, dark chocolate and cigars. A most satisfactory balance of sweet and dry, with dryness winning in the finish. 43 per cent ABV
[9]Bailie Nicol Jarvie An entirely different creature ? light in style, clean and zesty. Easy to drink, this is a blended whisky from the Glenmorangie distillery in the Highlands, named after a character in Walter Scott's novel, 'Rob Roy'. 40 per cent ABV
[10]Talisker 10 Year Old From the Isle of Skye, this is THE malt to accompany haggis (and many other dishes). Sweet and lightly smoky, but watch out for the chilli-pepper hit in the finish. Robert Louis Stevenson regarded Talisker as "the king of drinks". 45.8 per cent ABV
“All I know is that Spanish “Scotch” tastes sort of like sherry - because they make it in Scotland but age it in sherry casks, which is a flavor the Spanish like.”
In our tour of the Oban Distillery, I recall (possibly not correctly) that a single malt has been aged only in an oak cask, usually purchased second hand from the US bourbon makers. If it’s a double-malt, then the whisky is aged for an additional period in a sherry cask.
And we’re all making a terrible mistake here. We were told it isn’t “Scotch” - it’s Whisky - no ‘e’ before the Y! :-)
That is the beauty of winter in Houston....sandals and outdoor dining (summer is impossible because hell is happy they aren’t located here during those months!)
“They make a lot of cheap stuff in Scotland”
That is interesting. I would not have thought of the Scots making cheap stuff, but I have limited knowledge of them too.
Years ago I worked for a company that had a contest for something - you entered by filling out a small slip of paper and dropping it through a tiny slit into a Jack Daniels bourbon cask. I would wander over several times a day and just lean down (pretending to see how full the cask was) and breathe deeply..... the cask carried the scent of that bourbon.... I jokingly ask for a cask for my patio.
I enjoy good tequila too!
Not sure I’d know how handle that kind of weather year around. I like the changes in season. I just don’t like the freezing cold and iced up water pipes.
Can you source that? I’d be interested in learning.
I’m another. Hubby has always said there’s something sexy about a woman who likes Scotch.
It’s going to be a LOOOOOOOOONG four years. Think of all the Scotch we can sample? Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeehah.
We miss the change of seasons we had in PA, but Houston is growing on us. Winter here just means a reprieve from mowing the lawn - but nothing really dies.
I’ll have a wee dram of Oban, MaCallan and Laphroaig in that order please...........
Lots of great Scotch whiskies discussed on this thread. Any thoughts on Glenfarclas? Hard to find, but yummy!
Forgot to mention: Don’t miss the Scotch shop in the Duty-free area of Heathrow.......samples of EVERYTHING.
I'm a single malt guy married to a single malt gal. The Glenlivet is our fall back. The fifteen year old French Oak Cask Limousin is what we have on deck. Highland Park is pretty good. I don't mind Talisker but I'll take Laphroaig over it any day.
I’ll give those a try. Wish I were more of a connoisseur; I mostly stick with the old reliables like Maker’s Mark and Wild Turkey.
The flavor - well, at least the scent, unless we’re down there licking the casks - remains in these casks. I used to live in California and I did lots of winery tours and discovered that the casks are actually a very important part of the flavoring process.
“I like Johnnie Red better than the Black.”
Me, too, L.
Johnnie Red is my favorite blended whiskey.
(I’ve never had Green or Blue)
Well, it’s nice to meet another one! Actually, I think that’s true, judging by my bar experiences when I lived in NY. I met lots of interesting guys - while my beer or white wine drinking girlfriends were just sitting there twirling their beads. But down here in Florida, as I mentioned, people just stare at you when you order Scotch.
I’ve never tried Highland Park or Glenfarklas. That’s what I love about FR - you learn something new every day.
Here are six of them :
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