OT: Scotch thread

[Drumguy]

Never had one (they don't make sense to me). All they are doing is filtering them through activated charcoal. That strips the color. It also strips some other barrel aging character as well (both spice and vanilla come from the barrel). The result would probably be more mild overall. I would guess somewhat fruitier. Some people don't like the wood notes, especially in a mixer.

If stripping away some of what made the extra anejo so tasty is what they were after, mission accomplished! I guess is might be better chilled?

 

[AreBee1969]

It may be cliche and/or overpriced, but damned if Lagavulin 16 isn’t the best expression of that style for my tastes. Caol Ila is fine but Lagavulin is just…better.

And no, @HuskyHawk , I still haven‘t tried Wee Beasty, but I think it needs to be the next Islay I buy when the Caol Ila kicks.

I don’t see myself souring on the Lagavulin though.

I decided against the $100+ bottle and bought a bottle of Wee Beastie and bottle of Four Roses Small Batch Select. Haven't tried the Beastie yet as I am still drinking my favorite summer Scotch, Casamigos Reposado. So far, I'm not convinced that the Four Roses Small Batch Select is worth the $20+ premium over the Four Roses Small Batch.

That's a pricey bottle now. Discontinued in 2016. You've actually found one I have haven't had. Should be quite good. The age will mute the medicinal phenols a bit. All ex-bourbon cask and 48%.

I bought a bottle of the 18 after the 15 went by the wayside. I enjoyed the 15 more and when the 15 came out as a special edition a few years ago, I confirmed it. I'm pretty sure it was just a matter of taste. I think the 15 was "Goldilocks" of the Laphroaigs with the 10 being the Papa Bear (big and burly) and the 18 being the Mama Bear (soft and squishy).

 

[HuskyHawk]

I decided against the $100+ bottle and bought a bottle of Wee Beastie and bottle of Four Roses Small Batch Select. Haven't tried the Beastie yet as I am still drinking my favorite summer Scotch, Casamigos Reposado. So far, I'm not convinced that the Four Roses Small Batch Select is worth the $20+ premium over the Four Roses Small Batch.

I bought a bottle of the 18 after the 15 went by the wayside. I enjoyed the 15 more and when the 15 came out as a special edition a few years ago, I confirmed it. I'm pretty sure it was just a matter of taste. I think the 15 was "Goldilocks" of the Laphroaigs with the 10 being the Papa Bear (big and burly) and the 18 being the Mama Bear (soft and squishy).

Give the Small Batch Select a little time. It gets quite a bit better with some oxidation. I think it's worth the premium. I hope you like the Wee Beastie. It's a bit Papa Bear, but the casks they use softens it a bit despite the youth.

What you describe for Laphroaig works for all peated Scotch. The peat phenols will fade with age in cask. The other factor is abv, or as I like to think: how much they watered it down. Then you've got things like wine, port and sherry casks that can give the peat something to compete with. I think the sherry casks are why Wee Beastie works for me, and why I usually like the Laphroaig Cairdeas from wine or sherry casks (burly, but tamed by other cask influences). It is why Lagavulin 12 costs $60 more than Lagavulin 16.

 

[HuskyHawk]

As I was saying about peat plus wine/sherry cask. Look at this beauty. This is evidently the 2021 Cairdeas. PX stands for Pedro Ximinez, it’s a sweet sherry, similar to port. Those casks were clearly very wet.

 

[pepband99]

As I was saying about peat plus wine/sherry cask. Look at this beauty. This is evidently the 2021 Cairdeas. PX stands for Pedro Ximinez, it’s a sweet sherry, similar to port. Those casks were clearly very wet.

View attachment 68581

I'm not even a scotch guy, but that looks outrageous.

 

[billybud]

A friend just gifted me a bottle of The Balvenie Double Wood.....12 year

Very good for my non scotch drinking taste....

 

[Drumguy]

Finally had some of the Bozal mezcal. I have to say I'm not a huge fan of the smokiness, I was underimpressed. Has the same burn as tequila but seems like its smoked just to make it different. I'm sticking to the extra anejo for sipping - lloks like the mezcal will be used for mixing. I'm not a big smoky porter fan either, so makes sense.

Slightly off topic since that's a Boneyard specialty, made a reservation for a tasting last week at Hill Farmstead and had some incredible and rare beers - one called Still Art is an uncarbonated barrel aged Farmhouse ale. wierd but very good. Also a 10 year old stout - Madness & Civilization #1 - I think their first stout, it was delicious!

 

[HuskyHawk]

A friend just gifted me a bottle of The Balvenie Double Wood.....12 year

Very good for my non scotch drinking taste....

That's a fairly standard bottle, one of the first bottles I ever had. Glad you are enjoying it.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I grabbed a Glenlivet Enigma yesterday. This was a special release in 2019, a bit of a gimmick for sure. Glenlivet Enigma - Whisky Advocate
They provide no real information and the bottle is black so you can't see the liquid. It includes a 3-D cryptic crossword puzzle to unlock information. Prices range from about $110-150. My local has it for $70, so I followed the advice of Joel's friend Rutherford in Risky Business. Will comment once I try it.

 

[storrsroars]

Gonna be in CT next weekend. Any bargains for Scotch I should be aware of? Is Total Wine still the best go-to for price/selection or is there anywhere else in Ffld Cty worth looking into?

 

[storrsroars]

I saw Lagavulin 16 is $75 at Total Wine in Norwalk. Is that the regular price for it there or a sale? As that's $40 less than here in PA, I'm all over it.

@HuskyHawk - is the Bozal you like the Ensamble? We have little in the way of Mezcal here, so might pick up a bottle of that too.

 

[8893]

I saw Lagavulin 16 is $75 at Total Wine in Norwalk. Is that the regular price for it there or a sale? As that's $40 less than here in PA, I'm all over it.

@HuskyHawk - is the Bozal you like the Ensamble? We have little in the way of Mezcal here, so might pick up a bottle of that too.

Total Wine is where I have purchased it for the least-expensive price (I bought three or four bottles for $70 or less there a few years ago), but I haven't seen it that low there of late and I would jump all over that and buy at least three if I were you. I just paid $89 for it at my local store last week because the Total Wine closest to me (Orange) is out of stock until September and I have no upcoming plans to be down in Norwalk or up in Manchester. I considered that a small victory because the stores up the road had it for $95 and $99, respectively.

The Bozal Ensamble is the one I have. The other one is around $20 more iirc.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I saw Lagavulin 16 is $75 at Total Wine in Norwalk. Is that the regular price for it there or a sale? As that's $40 less than here in PA, I'm all over it.

@HuskyHawk - is the Bozal you like the Ensamble? We have little in the way of Mezcal here, so might pick up a bottle of that too.

The Ensemble is a good one, but profiles and preferences vary. Mezcal can be pretty wildly different. The Vago Espadins are also a good choice if the price is right ($55 or so).

Your PA Lagavulin price is crazy. Wild that it is far above distribution price in a control state.

 

[AreBee1969]

I had just finished a dram of the Ardbeg Wee Beastie on Saturday night when my daughter came home from the mall with a Lindt Chili Chocolate Bar. I had to pour another dram and found the combination fantastic!

 

[Fishy]

I saw Lagavulin 16 is $75 at Total Wine in Norwalk. Is that the regular price for it there or a sale? As that's $40 less than here in PA, I'm all over it.

@HuskyHawk - is the Bozal you like the Ensamble? We have little in the way of Mezcal here, so might pick up a bottle of that too.

Two great places - TotalWine in Norwalk and the place near the Porsche dealer next to Danbury Fair Mall. I don’t know the name, but they always have a nifty selection.

There is also a really, really good place in way eastern Conn, but I have to look up the name.

 

[storrsroars]

Two great places - TotalWine in Norwalk and the place near the Porsche dealer next to Danbury Fair Mall. I don’t know the name, but they always have a nifty selection.

There is also a really, really good place in way eastern Conn, but I have to look up the name.

I used to also use BevMax in Stamford a lot as I stayed there often. Just checked and their prices are similar to Total Wine.

This trip is Norwalk & Danbury though so I'll stick with those two. I agree on the Danbury place, been there a few times. But always worry about accidentally bumping into a bottle as those aisles are tight.

 

[8893]

Been a while since I‘ve logged my recent purchases (and consumptions) here.

Don’t remember if I mentioned that I finally picked a bottle of Monkey Shoulder. Agree with all the favorable comments here; I was pleasantly surprised. I think @storrsroars nailed how I feel about it. It won’t replace my Famous Grouse because it has a different place, in that I drink the Monkey Shoulder neat and I drink the FG over crushed ice. But definitely a blend that good Scotch drinkers should enjoy.

Couldn’t find the Lagavulin 16 under $90 for a few weeks and finally picked up a bottle of the Ardbeg Wee Beastie; @HuskyHawk , you’re right, it does scratch that itch (although not nearly as smooth as Lagavulin 16, which I have restocked since).

Also picked up a bottle of the Lagavulin Game of Thrones 9 year after reading some really good reviews. I’ve only had one dram so far but I really enjoyed it and hope this may replace my 16 addiction because it’s a much better value.

I also restocked another Auchentoshan Three Wood, my “dessert” Scotch and usually the last drink of the night.

On the Mezcal front, really liked the Juu Bal as a mixer, still enjoying the Bozal and finally found the Fidencio Classico, with which I have been making some great cocktails. One that I really like at one of the local joints in town has the Fidencio and a liquor called Clockwork Orange, which is like a triple sec with cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla and coriander. They add a touch of sour, jalepeno simple and fresh cilantro then rim with a mixture of spices and sugar and garnish with a dried chili pepper. It‘s amazing and dangerous, so of course I am trying to replicate that. I finally found the Clockwork Orange yesterday and have yet to use it, but in the meantime I found another craft liquor called Tepache, an 80-proof pineapple liqueur blended with Mexican spices. I mixed that with the Fidencio, a fresh lime, a touch of Gran Marnier, rhubarb shrub, island plum bitters, fresh jalapeño and fresh cilantro. Shook with ice and then poured into a highball glass and topped with mandarin orange seltzer. It. Was. Awesome. That was Sunday night. Monday morning was not so awesome.

 

[LIuconn]

Bought a bottle of Nikka by the barrel for $80 over the weekend. When I was in Japan they sold it in convenience stores for $30. Should have stocked up then!

 

[HuskyHawk]

Been a while since I‘ve logged my recent purchases (and consumptions) here.

Don’t remember if I mentioned that I finally picked a bottle of Monkey Shoulder. Agree with all the favorable comments here; I was pleasantly surprised. I think @storrsroars nailed how I feel about it. It won’t replace my Famous Grouse because it has a different place, in that I drink the Monkey Shoulder neat and I drink the FG over crushed ice. But definitely a blend that good Scotch drinkers should enjoy.

Couldn’t find the Lagavulin 16 under $90 for a few weeks and finally picked up a bottle of the Ardbeg Wee Beastie; @HuskyHawk , you’re right, it does scratch that itch (although not nearly as smooth as Lagavulin 16, which I have restocked since).

Also picked up a bottle of the Lagavulin Game of Thrones 9 year after reading some really good reviews. I’ve only had one dram so far but I really enjoyed it and hope this may replace my 16 addiction because it’s a much better value.

I also restocked another Auchentoshan Three Wood, my “dessert” Scotch and usually the last drink of the night.

On the Mezcal front, really liked the Juu Bal as a mixer, still enjoying the Bozal and finally found the Fidencio Classico, with which I have been making some great cocktails. One that I really like at one of the local joints in town has the Fidencio and a liquor called Clockwork Orange, which is like a triple sec with cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla and coriander. They add a touch of sour, jalepeno simple and fresh cilantro then rim with a mixture of spices and sugar and garnish with a dried chili pepper. It‘s amazing and dangerous, so of course I am trying to replicate that. I finally found the Clockwork Orange yesterday and have yet to use it, but in the meantime I found another craft liquor called Tepache, an 80-proof pineapple liqueur blended with Mexican spices. I mixed that with the Fidencio, a fresh lime, a touch of Gran Marnier, rhubarb shrub, island plum bitters, fresh jalapeño and fresh cilantro. Shook with ice and then poured into a highball glass and topped with mandarin orange seltzer. It. Was. Awesome. That was Sunday night. Monday morning was not so awesome.

If you like the Lagavulin 9 GOT (which they aren't making more of), then try the Lagavulin 8. It's very similar, and the 8 is less expensive. In my case, it's a crazy low $40 here in town. I should really buy a case. It is $60 at Milford, CT Total Wine, $48 at my Total Wine.

I grabbed another value yesterday. Went to lunch at Depot Street Tavern, Milford MA and remembered that the store on the way back has Laphroaig Cairdeas at a good price, so I popped in. It's not the $65 I paid last time, but $75 is still below normal. That was the Triple Wood from 2019. I'm still hunting the 2021 PX Cask. Haven't seen it.

Those cocktails sound great. I mostly make rum cocktails, classic daiquiris and Trade Vic Mai Tais. I should try some creative drinks like those with Mezcal. If you need to replace one, and want a mixer with lots of smoke, try the Del Maguey Vida. Makes a good smoky mixer, if lacking in the clay/wet stone and fruit I like in others.

 

[8893]

If you like the Lagavulin 9 GOT (which they aren't making more of), then try the Lagavulin 8. It's very similar, and the 8 is less expensive. In my case, it's a crazy low $40 here in town. I should really buy a case. It is $60 at Milford, CT Total Wine, $48 at my Total Wine.

I grabbed another value yesterday. Went to lunch at Depot Street Tavern, Milford MA and remembered that the store on the way back has Laphroaig Cairdeas at a good price, so I popped in. It's not the $65 I paid last time, but $75 is still below normal. That was the Triple Wood from 2019. I'm still hunting the 2021 PX Cask. Haven't seen it.

Those cocktails sound great. I mostly make rum cocktails, classic daiquiris and Trade Vic Mai Tais. I should try some creative drinks like those with Mezcal. If you need to replace one, and want a mixer with lots of smoke, try the Del Maguey Vida. Makes a good smoky mixer, if lacking in the clay/wet stone and fruit I like in others.

They had the 8 where I got the GoT 9 and it was only like $5 less expensive. The Del Maguey Vida is next on my list; they seem to sell it almost everywhere so I keep choosing what appears to be the rarer (to me) find.

 

[8893]

We now have an official theme song!

 

[storrsroars]

Just got back to Pgh from CT. Both BevMax and Caraluzzi's were out of Laga 16 with no idea when they'd get more. If I had more time I would've checked in at Total Wine, but didn't. So I bought a Laga 9 Lannister at the latter and an Ardbeg An Oa at the former (which was also out of Uigeadail}, both of which I can't get at my local state monopoly store. I cracked open the An Oa and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it, given it's a "weaker" Ardbeg. It seems I have the exact same palate as @8893. Also picked up a bottle of Prairie gin, Alacran Joven, and my usual Zu, none of which are on the shelves here. And a six of Schaefer ;-)

 

[Deepelm]

Any Irish Whiskey fans in the crowd? I normally drink Rye or Bourbon and need to get a gift for a person that likes the Irish style best. No clue what to buy, budget would be $40-60 range.

 

[8893]

Any Irish Whiskey fans in the crowd? I normally drink Rye or Bourbon and need to get a gift for a person that likes the Irish style best. No clue what to buy, budget would be $40-60 range.

Green Spot is probably your best bet in that price range.

 

[Deepelm]

Green Spot is probably your best bet in that price range.

Have had multiple folks suggest this one now. Grazie