Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - OT: Whiskey, Bourbon, Scotch

I recently started getting into the whiskey land after a friend gave me a bottle of Makers Mark. Then I moved onto drinking gallons of Jameson but now I am experimenting. Just bought a thing of Black Label and I am loving it! It has a coffee like taste, almost like a good stout then it finishes with a smokey campfire feeling. I am really liking this Black Label and how it makes me feel like I was just sitting at a campfire.

Anyone else into whiskey have any knowledge to impart on me?

P.s. I always drink mine with two / three ice cubes. I was told it "opens up" the flavor.

old fashions
thread locked.

I'm partial to Glenlivet Scotch. The 18 year old is very smooth. But I think my favorite is my 34 year old Beam's Choice Bourbon Whiskey. Yes, 34 years old. My better-half's father bought it at 8 years old in '82 and didn't want it anymore. It's damn near the smoothest, best tasting alcohol I've ever had. And it leaves an incredible aftertaste.

single malt scotch and scotch is whisky

Canadian Leaf Blended Whiskey. $14.99 USD for a lovely shatterproof bottle of mistake juice.

I like most rye. I tend to drink crown on the rocks when I do drink.

If I'm drinkin mixed drinks it's gotta be Early times. Aged in oak barrels for a taste worth the wait.
IF it's straight up I like makers mark and such

We had a bourbon-tasting among friends back when I was young and foolish (now just foolish). Rebel Yell (107 proof) was a tasty one, I remember. Of course, that's about ALL I remember. After you sample a shot of 7 different bourbons, your memory leaves a bit to be desired.

Been a single malt Scotch drinker for about 10yrs after visiting London and getting a taste of the good stuff. Fan of the Balvenie, A'bunadh, and pretty much anything else not from Islay. Lately I've been trying out American Bourbons because the dollar is weak and I can't keep track of all the Glenn's. Makers Mark and Johnny Walker are pretty low end, so if you're like that then it will only get better.

NYTimes had a good article on this recently: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2007/11/28/dining/20071128_TASTING_FEATURE.html

ten high
bloomington?

I like most rye.
My current favorite.
I'm also enjoying the bottle of Ridgemont 1762 (bourbon) I have in my cabinet right now.

Chivas, Black label, and Jameson!
this is kind of sad. my first post is booze related.
definitely an ice cube or a splash of water with your scotch!

There is a huge debate that seems to be ongoing on the scotch message boards about ice or no ice. Most of the 'purists' prefer no ice. Of course... then ur drinking a room temperature beverage. Most of the 'regulars' will drink scotch and purified water (however there is also debate on what type of water... purified, filtered, tap etc etc) Then theres the squad thats drinking it on the rocks. They don't really ever complain.

pendleton on the rocks. bushmills, jameson..... black bush if you are moneybags mcgee. whiskey is the cats pajamas. i like mine on the rocks ftw.

I like Laphroiag for scotch, although it is a stronger flavor than most scotches and a lot of people don't like it. I also like Glenlivet. With no ice! Although occasionally a little bit of water. It doesn't actually seem to water down the scotch, a few drops actually change the flavor instead of making the flavor weaker.

EDIT: I should add that I also like Jameson, it has a very smooth flavor.

I had thought Irish whisky much too harsh. Most of it is. Bike clubs members regularily drink Jameson with orange juice. I found it tolerable. Bourbon. much too harsh. For us. Cognac , Armagnac , or brandy thank you.

hennessy biltch.

for the win!!!

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh101/DeeDubbayoo/PICT0084.jpg

From Left;
Glen Breton 10 Yr., Nova Scotia (and yes, its a single malt scotch), Laphroaig 1/4 cask strength, Bowmore Mariner, Balvenie 17 year old new oak, Dalmore 12, Auchentoshan 10, Springbank 10 ( a really smooth malt) Aredbeg 10, Glen Rothes 15 un-chill filtered collection, Macallan Cask Strength, and finally, Jon, Mark and Robbos Malt Scotch Whisky.

Last week I finished my bottle of Dalwhinnie and Balevenie 12, so they didnt make the picture.

DW

I want Whiskey. I want Scotch. I want Beer.

But seriously, I can't stomach either Whiskey or Scotch. I just end up coughing and feeling wheezy like I just drank the stuff for the first time. Beer and Wine are fine, I love the stuff, but the liquors ugh. I wish I could appreciate the stuff more.

for the win!!!

From Left;
Glen Breton 10 Yr., Nova Scotia (and yes, its a single malt scotch), Laphroaig 1/4 cask strength, Bowmore Mariner, Balvenie 17 year old new oak, Dalmore 12, Auchentoshan 10, Springbank 10 ( a really smooth malt) Aredbeg 10, Glen Rothes 15 un-chill filtered collection, Macallan Cask Strength, and finally, Jon, Mark and Robbos Malt Scotch Whisky.

Last week I finished my bottle of Dalwhinnie and Balevenie 12, so they didnt make the picture.

DW

Well done, Sir. Well done.

I am a fan of Laphroaig 1/4 cask and Ardbeg, among others.

Got a buddy with 150+ bottles, he always directs me to what I am looking for in terms of flavor.

That's one of the great things about whiskey, you can have many bottles open at the same time and leave them like that for months. Can't do that with wine. Whiskey makers are also much more experimental than wine producers. You can get cask strength, oak/port/sherry/madiera barrel aged, double barrel aged, Xyr, etc. It gets gimmicky, but adds variety.

Whiskey makes me friskey.

I've been going through bottles of the Tullamore Dew lately. It's "The Legendary Irish Whiskey". So clean and delicious.

P.S. Hey Noestaecasa, can I come over for a drink? That is one of the finest selections I've ever seen in one home.

Whiskey makes me friskey.

I've been going through bottles of the Tullamore Dew lately. It's "The Legendary Irish Whiskey". So clean and delicious.

P.S. Hey Noestaecasa, can I come over for a drink? That is one of the finest selections I've ever seen in one home.

Thanks!

Sure, if you want to come to the DW open house in April.
I live in Speedway Indiana, btw...

DW

Thanks!

Sure, if you want to come to the DW open house in April.
I live in Speedway Indiana, btw...

DW

dw you should make him bring cigars atleast

good to see your still giving the old liver a work out
I truly believe that a good whiskey is not properly enjoyed without the accompaniment of a fine cigar or pipe

dw you should make him bring cigars atleast

good to see your still giving the old liver a work out
I truly believe that a good whiskey is not properly enjoyed without the accompaniment of a fine cigar or pipe

The liver aint as young as it once was, so instead of going for quantity, I go for quality.
I might only have 2 a night, but I make em count!

I agree about the cigar, but, I have found that I have a bad case of the "Zactly's" in the AM, so I gave em up.

You know, where your mouth smell/taste Zactly like your @$$....

DW

I once had an $80 glass of scotch... turns out i wasnt as depressed as i thought i was... that happied me right the eff up!! if you dig the black label... take a stab at the BLUE label... campfire nothing... this like an inferno...

It seems the last 2 Friday's nights for me, I end up blacking out after i go to parties for a few hours and drink my ass off with free beer, then somehow I end up at this townie bar(i live in a tiny college town) that doesn't card(i'm only 20) and getting a shot of Buschmills.

I typically stick to Wild Turkey 101, though I have this awful habit of drinking fifths of that to my dome piece, not remembering most of my night, and feeling like hell for the next day.

Also, best thing ever is strong coffee with a few jiggers of wild turkey.

"If they had proper fruit they wouldn't be making stuff from grains, poor things" - some Hungarian guy.

This (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palinka)is where it's at.

Time for the Kentucky boy to step in...

I am a fan of all three.

Bourbon does not have to be from Ky, but 99% of it is because of the limestone beds that the water has to come from (among other things). I have toured a few distilleries here and it is an amazing process, very traditional. When I was in scotland I had a few different scotches from different places we stayed. Some good, some not.

My favorites on the somewhat cheep are:
Woodford
Wild Turkey
Bulleit Bourbon

Two Cubs of ice, or out of the flask:)
I ****inghate mixed drinks made with bourbon ewww, give it to me straight.

"If they had proper fruit they wouldn't be making stuff from grains, poor things" - some Hungarian guy.

This (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palinka)is where it's at.

I brought over some Palinka on my trips to Budapest. Could never get usde to it, always ended up being gifts for other people.

Unicum on the other hand.... we can't get it in the states :(

I love peaty stuff and kentucky bourbons. Makers Mark, though not exotic or anything, remains among my favorite. Knob Creek, same story.

To one of the first few posters; A 24 year old bottle of 8yr whiskey is still an 8yr whisky.

I brought over some Palinka on my trips to Budapest. Could never get usde to it, always ended up being gifts for other people.

Unicum on the other hand.... we can't get it in the states :(

Hahaha, remember what it said on the bottle? Vilmos is pretty good I think, but obviously there's a bunch of ****ty stuff out there. Plus one man's unicum is another man's whisky if ya know what I mean;)

Uincum seems to be a hit with many foreigners somehow.

Also, I have an unnatural longing for mezcal and tequila (and for Strongbow cider) so I feel your pain... Gotta go back to Mexico:)

Sorry for the hijack attempt, but this is ssfg after all...

got to have some of my roommate's makers mark last night and it was good. unfortunately i'm running low on funds, so i've been going for the cheapest of the cheap, which has been rich & rare the last few weeks. i can't lie, i kind of like drinking cheap alcohol sometimes. makes me feel like i'm really earning my drunkenness.

when i'm not so broke i go for wild turkey to pay homage to my great grandma, she refuses to drink any other alcohol. she was part of the family that ended up here in the north by running from the police for bootlegging during the prohibition, so i guess it makes some sense.

Ah, a topic I can really dig my teeth into... or at least my taste buds... :D

I don't like to use ice because I find that the cold tends to deaden the tastebuds. Also I tend to sip over a long time and I don't want it to water down the booze that way. However I tend to add about a desert spoon of water to open up the aroma and taste. Some it helps and others it doesn't seem to make any difference.

I'll have to try the cold again but I'll get there by storing it in the fridge instead of using ice.

Bourbon- The one's I've had...

Jack Daniel's single cask- lots of flavour but it's got an edge like a sharp saw.
Knob Creek - again lots of powerful flavour but a seriously firey finish.
Maker's Mark - flavours are a bit more subtle but it won't blow your head off or make your throat bleed like the first two :D
Woodford - VERY refined. A rich flavour that sooths the taste buds rather than walking up and punching them in the nose.
Buffalo Trace - My current favourite. A little more flavour and a little smoother than MM but without the quiet nature of Woodford.

Candian Rye- for sipping rather than making mixed drinks. There's three out there that are 18 years or older.
Wiser's deluxe Extra Old 18 year. OK but I don't find the flavour as defined as Gibson's.
Gibson's 18 year old - Really nice rich flavour and aroma with a definite rye quality. You won't mistake this for any other booze by accident.
Danfields 21 year old - Just found this a couple of months back. Has the flavour of the Gibson's but with a smoother finish. The epitamy of the phrase "There isn't enough o's in smooooooth to describe .... ".

Scotch whiskey I'll leave because the list would be so long. Some friends and I meed up a couple or three times a year and we all bring a single malt or two. THis is a BYOB&TB affair (Bring Your Own Bottle and Tooth Brush) since no one is in shape to drive home after.

JW Black is nice stuff but being a blend it has been accused of lacking soul and identity by some because it's always the same. If you like a little tasting adventure then there's a whole universe of stuff out there that ranges from almost a bourbon like carmel like taste to stuff that literally tastes like putting liquid dirt in your mouth thanks to the massive peat flavour. (obviously not one of my favourites) I think it's safe to say that there's a Scotch for pretty much everyone out there.

Straightedge > Whiskey.

Heroin addict > Straightedge.

Protractor > straightedge.

Protractor > straightedge.

i just found my new sig.

old fashions
thread locked.

you can even spell it. you expect us to believe you know anything?
where is dutret?

Though I am not irish, irish whiskey is what I enjoy.

Powers. If the bar doesn't have powers, jameson will do in a pinch.

Unicum, Palinka...blargh.

I'm partial to Glenlivet Scotch. The 18 year old is very smooth. But I think my favorite is my 34 year old Beam's Choice Bourbon Whiskey. Yes, 34 years old. My better-half's father bought it at 8 years old in '82 and didn't want it anymore. It's damn near the smoothest, best tasting alcohol I've ever had. And it leaves an incredible aftertaste.

Whisky, unlike wine, doesn't continue to age once it's bottled. An 8-year-old whisky is an 8-year-old whisky, no matter when you drink it. Your grandchildren can drink it and it will be the same then as it was the day it was bottled.

And, for all you Irish whiskey drinkers out there, Powers (I believe one poster mentioned this) is, to my mind, much better than either Bushmill's or Jameson's. If you can find a bottle of Redbreast anywhere, it's amazing, but it's also about $40 for a fifth.

Tequila.

haha, i knew DW was gonna post in this thread. i like a nice single malt. a bit of water will usually just extend the flavor some....similar to pulling a good strong double shot of espresso and adding a bit of water.
when i was little i used to climb up on the counter and pour my dads scotch into my little sipper cups...i got busted once trying to make it out the front door after loading up...my mom came walking down the hall, asked me what i was drinking. i said apple juice but i guess i looked guilty because she smelled it...it got took aways.

And, for all you Irish whiskey drinkers out there, Powers (I believe one poster mentioned this) is, to my mind, much better than either Bushmill's or Jameson's. If you can find a bottle of Redbreast anywhere, it's amazing, but it's also about $40 for a fifth.

Once you hit the Powers, it's kind of hard to go back to Jameson or that Protestant whiskey. For the record, it's the biggest seller in Ireland, and Jameson is marketed worldwide by Bacardi or something like that. Read into that what you will. And I'll concur with the Redbreast, though I find it to be richer and sweeter in a aperitif kind of way. I think it's only about 25 a fifth here in PA.

For Scotch, any Islay whisky is where you want to go for smoky, peaty and campfire, the Laphroaig someone mentioned is one. Talisker, Bowmore... that exhausts my knowledge, but a tasty way to get exhausted.

I find Evan Williams to be perfectly respectable bourbon for 8 bucks a fifth (in PA). In my experience the more you pay for bourbon, the more likely it is to be gussied up and toned down for the premium booze crowd, though Booker's was pretty dope by memory. My pick is anything on the middle shelf not made by Jim Beam or Wild Turkey, though I like the 101 myself.

I like my whiskey like my trails - thoughtfully made, but with some rough edges; not smooth.

for the win!!!
From Left;
Glen Breton 10 Yr., Nova Scotia (and yes, its a single malt scotch), Laphroaig 1/4 cask strength, Bowmore Mariner, Balvenie 17 year old new oak, Dalmore 12, Auchentoshan 10, Springbank 10 ( a really smooth malt) Aredbeg 10, Glen Rothes 15 un-chill filtered collection, Macallan Cask Strength, and finally, Jon, Mark and Robbos Malt Scotch Whisky.

Last week I finished my bottle of Dalwhinnie and Balevenie 12, so they didnt make the picture.

DW

I was drinking the Balevinie just the other day! Nice!

I would add the Glen Morangie series in there as well. Especially the Sherrywood and Portwood... some of the best scotches ever.

Powers is right on for Irish whiskey... i wish i could get it here.

Have you ever drank Bailey's from a shoe?

maker's mark is ol' reliable.
I recommend woodford, elijah craig and basil haydens. sweet stuff.

Powers rules! Much better than Jameson in my opinion (not that I'd turn down a bit of Jameson, but if I'm
buying a bottle it'll be Powers).
I only drink it neat, sip or shoot depending on the situation.