Favorite Whiskey?

11 days. 11 days ago I posted I was going to open my next bottle (Belvenie Double Wood) and last night I finished it. 10 days is how long it lasted. Not sure what that means, but there it is.

So I had a choice of what to open next and narrowed it down to 2 disparate choices; the Lagavulin 16 or the High West Rendezvous Rye. I've been curious about Islay scotch so I decided to try it and had some tonight.

My relatively new interest in decent Scotch may not be developed enough to appreciate the Lagavulin because I did not like it. Couldn't even finish a glass. When I read taste descriptions of whiskey/whisky like leather or chocolate I never taste that, so I take it with a grain of salt. When they say Islay tastes of bandaids/iodine, they are not fracking kidding. Bandaid. That was the dominant taste. Added water, didn't help. I'm going to have to put this in the back for awhile and revisit it down the road.

 

I’m a big fan of high west but never tried that rendezvous rye, so let us know what you think of it when you open it up.

 

Picked up a bottle of Elmer T Lee, anxious to try it. It's one I've been looking for for a long time.

 

Went to a tasting last night. Felt the need to share since super rare goodies were had! Bowmore ended up being my fav, followed close by the pappy's 23yr from 2014, first time I had had pappy's and wow, seriously tasty stuff.

 

Super Jealous of you for that Laphroaig 32; that's a $1000 bottle. Closest I'll ever get to one would be through the glass in a locked display case at the liquor store

 

Seriously! I paid 200 to taste all of that. Expensive, but considering what I was tasting I feel like it was a steal. That stuff is wayyyy outside my price range lol

 

Balvenie DoubleWood and Lagavulin 16 are on the opposite ends of the scotch spectrum. Peat smoke does get compared to bandaids or overcooked bacon. For better or worse, it's a bold taste, that's for sure.

Either way, Ron Swanson is disappointed.

Great score! Did you find it on a shelf somewhere? That stuff is really hard to find.

Holy crap, that's an incredible spread. Lot's of people will go through life never trying a Pappy 23, let alone four of them. Not to mention that Laphroig 32.

Where is this place that does that sort of tasting? $200 is a steal for all of that, even if tiny "sampler" pours.

 

Bar 3 piece in San Diego. You have to be invited onto their mailing list or come as a guest of someone who is on it. They shut the doors on everyone else. But once you're on it you get a heads up on the private events they put on.

 

I'm half way through the rendezvous rye and I like it a lot. It has a good peppery bite to it in the back of the mouth but doesn't incinerate your chest going down (I just add a few drops of water and that's it). I still prefer Pikesville rye, but it's about $10 more.

 

Lol. I know the Balvinie is completely different than the Lagavulin - apples to oranges - but I wasn't making a comparison. I'm just making my way through different types of Scotch and bourbon to see what I like. This was the first Islay I tried. Wish I'd tried it in a bar first so I didn't spend so much $ on something I really doubt I'll ever like. Too bad your not closer - coulda worked out a deal/trade or something!

 

No kidding! I have some Gelnmorangies that, given how much you enjoyed that DoubleWood, would probably be right up your alley .

I know you weren't comparing, it's just one of the things I enjoy about drinking scotch. Two spirits that fall under the same umbrella that can have such a contrasting flavor profile. You don't get that crazy wide spectrum with bourbon/rye (still like bourbon the best, though).

Curious to hear your thoughts on the Rendezvous Rye when you crack it open.

Have you had High West Campfire, by the way? Besides Midwinter Night's Dram, it's my favorite stuff from them.

 

I liked the Glenmorangie Lasanta, but so far it was the only Glenmorangie I've tried. It is interesting how different they can be, and fun trying out new ones. I was on a bourbon bender for a time - chasing down bottles of Blanton's and the like - but now looking at Scotches.

My post a couple up has my comments on the High West Rendezvous rye - in short its pretty good. I haven't had the Campfire but I've been eyeing it. I like the smokey flavors (wood smoke, not peat, apparently). I have a bottle of Corsair Triple Smoke that I like.

 

I did find it in a store, was in FL for work and found it there. First time i have seen Elmer T Lee on a shelf in years. Life is a bourbon safari.

Did do a tour of a bourbon distillery in St Augustine. Generous tasting but wasn't worth picking up a bottle.

 

My current favorite:


Just picked this up a couple of weeks ago. Tried some at their tasting room in Vail and really enjoyed it!

 

I completely agree on the tasting notes. I call it Lagerfeld because it tastes like drinking cologne.

 

That’s Diamond Peak iteration and I like it better than the regular version. Snowflake is the best one tho and very limited release every December.

 

Article in this months United Air inflight mag Hemisphere on Suntory

http://www.unitedmags.com/no-translation-necessary