Favorite Whiskey?

I'm attending this Live Stream if anyone wants to tune in.

https://youtu.be/Ya3vFWckwH4

 

Pretty cool, the comic relief guy in red was a bit annoying. Lol I wanted him to stop and let the lady give me all that info

 

Can't wait for your report on what all you get to try!

 

If you were watching at the 36:15 mark, yours truly made a brief appearance . My nickname is "The Voice of God". During one stream, I was asked to chime in about something, but I didn't get on camera, so it sounded like the questions were being answered by a higher being. .


Elise did the live stream first, then led the full tasting event afterwards. There were only about 10 of us invited to the live stream, but about 60 or so people at the tasting event. She was more concise and engaging in the live stream. For the tasting event, she talked a little too much during the first pour. The rest of the pours went a little smoother, but she could have spread that info out a bit.

We had the following:

Macallan 12 Sherry Oak
Macallan 12 Double Cask
Macallan 12 Triple Cask
Macallan 15 Triple Cask
Macallan Classic Cut (Cask Strength) - 2018

Highland Park 12 - Viking Honour
Highland Park Valknut
Highland Park 18 - Viking Pride

The Macallans are a pretty quintessential scotch. All are very approachable and have varying levels of sherry cask influence. The 12s were a little too standard for me. They were fine, but almost too refined or, at the very least, not complex enough. Don't get me wrong, I'd drink them any day of the week - and they'd be a hell of a recommendation for someone looking for a scotch to try - but I like more layers to my whiskey. The Double Cask was probably the best of the age stated. It had a little oak spice to it that balanced the sherry without it being too much. The Triple Casks were a little more oaky - the 15 especially so. That said, the best Macallan of the night was the Classic Cut. 51.x% ABV added the challenge that was missing from the other expressions. Slight heat up front that gives way to some sweeter notes. I thought of whipped heavy cream with a little white sugar blended in to it.

The Highland Parks were - to my palate - better as a whole than the Macallans! The 18 Year Viking Pride married a little peat with a bit of ginger among other spices. There is a bit of fruit sweetness in it as well from the sherry casks, but it is like a rich fruit - think plum or black cherries.

Outside of the tasting, I was fortunate enough to try two other things. The first was a 1986 Highland Park that is a "Scott's Selection". Robert Scott is a master distiller that was highly respected for his ability to pick out tasting notes, smells, and other characteristics of whisky. When he retired, he started a list of his favorite single malts. The "Scott's Selection" version of scotches are not special blends or anything, just the best expression of some of his favorite whiskies. This stuff was outstanding:




The biggest treat of the night was getting a healthy pour of Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year.



That had the finest nose that I've ever experienced in a bourbon. Just perfectly balanced between the sweetness of a wheater and the alcohol from a bourbon (granted it is just 90 proof). On the palate is was almost equally as enjoyable. It pushes the boundaries of how many years of aging are too many years of aging. The oak is definitely prevalent. My hunch is that the 23 is probably too much (though I'd love to find out!). I have had Old Rip 10, the 12 year Lot B, and Poor Man's Pappy. Frankly, the PMP gets you pretty damn close to the 20 year, if I'm honest, and the Old Rip Van Winkle at least brings a little heat at 107 proof. It was a very enjoyable pour, though. Very appreciative of my buddy for sharing with me.

For what it's worth, that bottle was a little over half full when the night started and about an hour after my pour, it was killed completely . I think he's only had it for a few weeks and only had it out twice. That guy knows how to enjoy some good whiskey!

 

I cant read all that!

 

thanks for the report, getting my vicarious on...

 

Had the wife help me with a blind flight again to help narrow down future bottles. My guesses were right 3 of 5... I had trouble placing the Peat Week and Lore since they're so new to me. I didn't put any heavily peated stuff in this lineup on purpose to give the unsung heroes a fair shot at making the cut. Biggest surprise was Lag 16 falling last for me. I immediately knew what it was due to the added coloring and the viscous feeling of an older whisky, but it's also the lowest ABV of the bunch. The Corry was obvious since it's 9 abv higher than the next highest % bottle. I love the stuff. Lore is the most expensive of these and is quite complex, but at the end of the day I'm an Ardbeg man. The Peat Week is very strong for a Speyside peated whisky, much better too me than Lag 16. Don't get me wrong I still love the classic Lagavulin, but each of the other four were better to me tonight.

 

Brought Elmer to Key West for me and the ole lady to enjoy. Good stuff but not worth the hype IMO. I like it with a little water or ice. Seems to expand the profile a bit more. Neither of us are fans of Blantons...and sipping neat it reminds me of Blantons. I seem to prefer buffalo traces Mashbill 1 over 2... minus eagle rare. Can’t stand that stuff.

Nice write up @bvbull200 Super jealous of that pappy pour.

 

Macallan good, Highland Park better. Had rare Scott's Selection and Pappy 20. Yummy.

 

I picked up these 2 bottles last week. Both are good. Especially the Wild Turkey. 117 Proof.

 

Found some Stagg Jr. at a pretty sketchy out of the way Tobacco/Package store. Never had it before, but it was the first time I've ever seen it on a shelf anywhere. They also had some Weller SR and 107, one bottle of Elijah Craig Barrel proof, along with a RVW 10. The Stagg was a decent price but the Weller's, EC and RVW were insane.

Picked up a 375 of Wild Turkey 101 to try since it was recommended by a lot of folks I've talked to, and was pretty underwhelmed. Has a really strange note upfront to me, so I'm going to revisit it in a week or two and see if it changes any.

Gonna let the Stagg sit for a bit before I tackle it. Gotten so many things since right before Christmas I need to pace myself.

 

How much was insane??

 

Weller SR $75
Weller 107 $100
ORVW 10 $500

 

I've never had it, But I'd pay that for a bottle of Weller just to get to try it.

 

I was at my In-laws in Knoxville at Christmas and hit one of their local Mom & Pop stores. They had one bottle of Weller SR for $35 and a Blanton's for $65, so I bought them both.

The Weller is a solid bourbon for me, but I wouldn't really pay more than what I did for it. Yet again, that's just me, some people can't get enough of it. Right now, for that price point I'm enjoying Eagle Rare more. Really liking the High West Boureye and Double Rye too.

I'm relatively new to drinking things neat, so take that into account as well.

 

Special reserve for $75? That is excessive.

 

so you're the guy who likes Corryvreckan. i gifted my bottle to my brother in law. i couldn't make sense of the stuff.

since you're an Ardbeg guy, i'd like to ask you what's your top pick(s) for a sea spray influence with smoke on the low side? i like peat, but like the smoke mellow at most. i know i'm repeating my question here but am still looking for the most sea essence i can get within balance.

 

That is a BOLD lineup! Some really challenging scotches, there. Awesome that you did a blind tasting with it. Those are a lot of fun - good to see what you think without any preconceptions going in to the taste.

Is that picture the order that you tried them or the order that you ranked them? Either way, I'm with you on the Corryvreckan. Great stuff.

Enjoy! That ETL is such a nice pour.

Which batch (proof) is the Stagg that you have? I think I have another bottle, still. It is one hot SOB, but pretty rich in flavor once you get past the octane .

The 107 is something I've seen before (though still really high). I've seen stores do ORVW for $500 (still about $100 over secondary), but that WSR for $75 is absolutely NUTS! Stores around here have *cases* of that stuff stacked up in the middle of the aisle. $30-35 for a 1.75L. I've seen the shortages of the other Wellers, but it's foreign to me to see WSR being a hard-to-find bottle.

I could see paying $100 for the OWA 107, just to try it. That's a steep mark-up, but I get it if you're wanting to try it out. Don't, spend that on a WSR, though. I can Cost + Ship you that stuff all day long for probably about $30 - which is about the price that the WSR would start to feel overpriced. It is really good for a cheap bourbon, but can't punch with the $50+ crowd, I don't think.

 

You're looking for something in the Talisker wheelhouse

 

DE is good. so far everywhere i've been is quite spare with Talisker, i can only find the 18. happen to know where in DFW to find a good selection? even the big Spec's had just those two last time i was there.