I love Lagavulin. Cheers! http://youtu.be/5HgTPs2_ut8

Both for me. Neat drinking and Old Fashioned's

I drink most everything neat, but will use for mixing too.

I was able to find some HW Rendezvous, but seems rather highly priced here (65 euros per 700ml).

On another note, got to taste some Aberlour A'bunahd and Lagavulin 12 for NYE. Enjoyed both tremendously.

foobar -- I got around to reading that linked thread for context and that's amazing. I hope the bottles are tasty in addition to already being historically significant!

Husker and Jusbe -- on the bourbon list I'd suggest Eagle 10 and Elijah Craig. For ryes I don't know of cheaper brands that I've enjoyed neat. I like Sazerac (as mentioned earlier) for mixing but don't drink it straight.

I've already got quite a few bourbons. It's my usual drink.

It's just rye's that are new to me (for now)

My contribution to the recent crappy phone pic collection. I put a serious hurting on it and my liver NYE, though.
Still meaning to review a few of the more interesting ones. Most recent addition is the four roses 12 yr 8mo which is delicious. I've never been a huge FR fan. Favorites ATM are the michters 10yr and the Old Potrero.


Do you know what proof your bottle was? The 11 yr 111 proof has got to be pretty close to cs I'd think. I really want to try the boss but can't really justify that mark up on 1 extra year of aging IMO. Especially since I preferred the 10 to the 11. Hopefully Ill come across a glass somewhere soon.

Woah! Bring on the tasting notes!

Druid,

134.2 and smoother than stagg, Willet and other great super high proof stuff I've had. Way less hot than you'd expect.

Husker: "I'm gonna buy a bottle of Bulleit Rye (first rye for me)." Bulleit is a perfectly fine rye, and a very good buy. I find it a little too harsh for sipping neat, but like it just fine on the rocks or in cocktails. Overall, I'm a fan.

Jus: Bulleit Bourbon for that price compared to the others is definitely the best value. If you're buying two bottles, I'd prob buy one bottle of that and one of the following, I like all of them but prob like Rowans Creek the most:
Rowans Creek 100,1 Proof Small Batch 700ml, (35)
Eagle Rare 10y Single Barrel 700ml, (33)
Four Roses Single Barrel 700ml, (27)
I actually like most all of the bourbons you had listed.

Of the ryes you listed, the Rittenhouse and Old Overholt are very good for cocktails, but I find them a little harsh for drinking straight (neat or rocks). The Templeton is excellent and one of my favorite ryes in that price range.

Anyone got any thoughts on Knob Creek 9 yr old?

I had it neat a couple of weeks ago and thought it was pretty good even though I'm not usually that much of a bourbon drinker.

Thanks ElD and others. I think I'm gonna go with Rowans and Makers (Makers @ 700ml was the same price as Bulleit, although I'm not sure if it's any better) plus Rittenhouse for rye. Also got some other stuff, so I probably have to make an appearance at the OOT CQ Bar thread too!

Got this book in the mail today:


Seems pretty cool, with tons of pictures and brief descriptions of every bottle. I also have the whisky Bible, but that one is more focused on Scotch, while this one has pretty sizeable sections on Irish, American, and Japanese whiskies.

For n99:

so lately i have been trying to make a move from bourbon to scotch and to start out i bought a balvene 12 double wood, a laphroaig 10 and a talsiker 10. You guys are going to have to bear with me as i don't know enough to describe the flavor profiles well but here was my take:

Talisker 10 - the smell was somewhat overpoweringly smoky and the taste was not much different. I couldn't really drink this stuff and ended up giving half the bottle away.

Laproaig 10 - again very smoky on the nose, but very different on the palette than the talisker. It tasted like an oak bomb with hints of smoke and vanilla. I liked this, but i don't know if i would buy again.

Balvene 12 doublewood - this was by far my favorite of the bunch, and i have almost killed the bottle o i will probably buy another.this one was much sweeter on the nose and easier to get into than the other 2. on the pallet it was a little nutty.spicy with a nice sherry finish (almost reminded me on Angels Envy, which is one of my ATFs).

Can anyone recommend any other good ones to try based on this? fwiw i am newish to scotch so i am trying not to just go buy the real expensive stuff before i can appreciate what i am actually drinking. The three i had above were al $45-$55

Some that quickly come to mind based on your description:

Macallan 12: you should try a sherried whisky to see if you like the flavor profile. Aberlour 12 is a similar choice.

Glenmorangie Quinta ruban: a bit on the sweet side but delicious.

Bunnahabbhain 12: unpeated islay, no smoke at all, but lots of maritime flavors.

Highland Park 12: this one will have some peat but not nearly as overpowering as with talisker or laphroaig.

thanks for the rec's i will have to try those out.

I have had the macallan 12 and 18 and thought they were great.

and fwiw, i just had some of the laphroaig 10 with ice (I usually take my scotch neat) and it opened up really well. I found it to be much more enjoyable than when i had it neat.

That's probably because you mellowed all the flavors with the ice. But as said many times in this thread, just enjoy it the way you like it, ice, water, whatever makes it taste good to you.

Went to Reno for New Years and got to try some new stuff at the casino for free when playing vp. Macallan 12 was comped they wanted $33 for the 18. Also got to try glenfitich 12. I had to trade in 3 sports book tickets and $10 for balvein 21 port wood it was really smooth. I also had bAlvine double wood, glenmorange, wild turky rare breed and some other bourbon I forgot. Overall a lot of good whiskey at the silver legacy just for playing quarter vp at the main bar.

Anyone here tried Blanton's Gold? Have an opportunity to have some shipped to me from a friend internationally and am curious to hear some independent reviews.

Also tried Smooth Ambler Rye at a bar the other night and was generally impressed with it - smoother (as the name may imply) than most ryes I've had sipping neat.

Has anybody had Wathen's Kentucky Bourbon? Had some in the spring while celebrating my great uncle's 90th birthday and watching the Blackawks win in triple OT.(yes, great uncle was partaking as well). Anyway, I thought it might have been the special occassion, but I thought it was really good. Fast forward to Christmas, and I get a bottle from my sister(she married a Wathen, yes they are related, but didn't know it until recently). I cracked the bottle this weekend and I'll be damned, it really is good.

Its 94 proof, but doesn't taste "hot". Its got a nice dark caramel color but a smooth taste. I'd say its similar to Blanton's and at under $30 a bottle, the price is right.

I've had it. Thought it was good, nothing spectacular. Def a solid bourbon.

Ended up ordering Blanton's Straight From The Barrel (very high avb, apparently not available in the US?) and Willet Single Barrel Rye. Also some scotch and other stuff too.

do let us know how you enjoy them!

I tried a Scapa 16-year tonight, totally random pick off the list of something I've never heard of before. My friend described it as having a nose of caramel apple which I would have to agree with -- like a spicy caramel Granny Smith apple. It's not at all what I was expecting from a Scotch and really quite refreshing.

it's particular enough that I would have to be in the mood for it, but I would happily buy a bottle if there was any stock locally. It's $120 usually (for reference, Ardbeg 10 and Glenmorangie Nectar d'Or are $90 here)

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Started with one bottle nine months of this thread made it grow.

Whisk(e)y lovers,

Awesome collections, loving the pics. Here's mine:



Top shelf:
George T Stagg, Willett 16, Booker's
Willett 9, Vintage Bourbon 17, Black Maple Hill 16 (almost gone, dammit)
Whistlepig 10yo Rye, Willett 5 Rye, High West Rocky Mountain Rye 16
Signatory Benrinnes 12, Gordon McPhail Rosebank 19, Glenmorangie Signet
Highland Park 18, Highland Park 15, Samaroli Evolution 2011
Bruichladdich Black Art 1989, Balvenie Peated Cask, Glenmorangie Artein (prob my fav row)
Sovereign Caol Ila 15, Gordon McPhail Portwood Caol Ila 11, Talisker 10
Port Charlotte PC7, Laphroaig Triplewood, Laphroaig Quarter Cask
Ardbeg Uigeadail, Ardbeg Corryvreckan, Ardbeg Ardbog

Bottom shelf:
Grapefruit, Rhubarb, Chocolate Mole, Angostura, Peychauds, Orange bitters
Benedictine, Gran Classico, Cynar
Eagle Rare 10, Compass Box Great King Street, Johnny Walker Double Black
Sovereign Bowmore 11 Cask Strength
Pierre Ferrand Ambre 1st Cru Cognac, Remy Martin 1738, Tariquet Armagnac
Pays d' Auge 15 Calvados, Ron Zacapa 23 Rum, Captain Morgan's
Pierde Almas Dobadaan Mezcal, Del Maguey San Luis Del Rio Mezcal, some ****ty cachaca
Don Julio Reposado, Cielo Reposado, Cielo Añejo
St. George Absinthe, Hendricks Gin, Plymouth Gin
Herbsaint, Grey Goose, Hangar One Raspberry Vodka


Underneath:
Lagavulin 16, Templeton Rye, Balvenie Portwood 21, A.D. Rattray Aberlour 18 (all almost finished)
Highland Park 18

In the fridge:
Cocchi vermouth de torino, Dolin red vermouth, Vya dry vermouth

In the freezer:
Absolut, Ketel One, Skyy

Seeing the Black Maple Hill just makes me sad that I have not been able to find a bottle locally after getting it in a bar in Nashville. Gooooooood stuff.

Donk,

I have very little of that left and haven't been able to find any variety of that locally for a long time. It was only a few years ago that the younger version (red label?) was an affordable and easy to find everyday bourbon. Things changed so much so fast in the bourbon and rye world!