Spirits

[Theli]

Yea I like rye stuff usually. I really like rye beer, though it's hard to find.

I do too actually, haha. It's popping up a bit more lately, but yeah, not common.

[bugen]

I recently tried a Scotch that I quite enjoyed at a whiskey bar the other day, Glenmorangie (I don't know the vintage unfortunately), almost apple-y and floral, not like the peaty-er Scotch's I had in the past.

The Glenmorangie is an excellent drink. I've only had the 10 but have heard it referred to as the best single malt Scotch whiskey you can buy for the money.

[Theli]

Do you generally prefer the Islay peaty taste more than the other style's of scotch? Though I don't mind it, when it's in strong abundance I find that peatiness can be a bit too overpowering.

Though with that said I'm still quite new to scotch, could be more of an acquired taste.

[bugen]

The Islay's that I've tried have too much peat, so much so the drink develops a medicinal taste. Laphroaig was one I thought I should like, but when I picked up a bottle that particular flavor was overpowering for me, too. That's the reason I've never tried Ardbeg. Besides being a little too expensive, it's supposed to be the king of peat.

The smoke is mostly what I'm after. It's my understanding that the smokey flavor comes from burning peat, but too much peat causes it to develop a taste like the bottle's been hospitalized. I think that's why I settled on Highland Park 12 as my favorite. It's got a little peat, heavy smoke, is complicated but still young enough so the spice is elevated instead of rounded out like with the older ages.

Of my favorites the Glenlivet 15 and the Bank Note (5) don't have much of that smokey quality but have other attributes that make them exceptional for their price categories, and it's nice to have a variety on hand. The others pictured have a good deal of the smoke I love so much.

[bugen]

Here's a pic, perhaps one of the last since the line has been rebranded as Famous Grouse Smoky Black, of the wraparound box for one of the greatest standard blended Scotch whiskys in history:

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[Theli]

Very nice! I saw that it at the liquor store by my place, but decide to pick up Glenmorangie Ten Year instead. Really smooth and aromatic.

[Theli]

I'm gonna pick up a new scotch to try out this weekend, a blended scotch this time, I think. I thinking of Black Grouse or JW Black Label, and I've also heard Ballantine's is good (and quite economical).

[bugen]

Ballantine's is really good considering the super-low price point (I should add that it's much sweeter than most scotches). It's a lot cheaper than Johnnie Walker Red and I like it better--you can still drink it neat. JW Black and Black Grouse are two of my favorite blends and leaders in their class. You'll probably like them a lot.

I think I'm going to pick up a bottle or two of the 1.75L Famous Grouse. I haven't had it in a while and it's cheaper than Bank Note. For both of these I like to buy the big bottle and pour some into my glass whiskey decanter. It's economical and looks cool on the bar.

[Theli]

There's thinking! I saw a whiskey decanter at a garage sale, but passed on it, mostly because it seemed pointless to pour a 700/750 ml into a container of the same size, but I always liked the elegant old school look.

Have you ever tried the double black Johnnie Walker? Or Japanese whiskies?

[bugen]

Johnnie Walker Double Black is fantastic! I like it a bit better than the Black, but the price goes up high enough that in that range I'll usually go for a single malt. I haven't tried the Japanese whiskies but have heard they're really good, competing with the scotches.

Here's a pic of the rebranded Famous Grouse. This is supposed to be the exact same blend as the classic formula. I'll probably get into it this weekend (tonight) and report back.

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Black Grouse (now rebranded Famous Grouse Smokey Black) has conflicting reports. Some say it's still the same blend, but I've seen some statements from the company saying they're including a single malt Glenturret, and from sentence context it looks like that may be new with the rebrand. I'll pick up a bottle one of these days and do a side-by-side.

[Theli]

I'll look around town and see if I can find the original Black Grouse so I can compare as well.

The latest two whiskies I've cracked into are Booker's Bourbon and Gibson's 18 year old. Both pack a punch, Booker's specifically is probably the strongest whiskey I've had clocking in at 63.1%.

Booker's: Sweet caramel and toffee with molasses and spice notes with a strong burn that leaves your mouth mildly numb and throat dry. Add a little water or ice (I know, sacrilege! ) and it becomes perfectly balanced. I like it neat or cut a bit, depending on my mood.

Gibson's 18 year old : spicy and sweet with hints of caramel, cinnamon and ginger with a bit of oakiness (maybe pine too) and a peppery finish. I've really been enjoying this but have been savouring it, at the price it runs I don't want to guzzle it down.

[Theli]

Black Grouse has been obtained, with the original moniker, not the re-branded one. Having my first sip now...

A definite smokey smell, and a fruitiness too, it actually reminds me of barbecue sauce, with just a bit of the peat.

The flavour is distinctly smokey and a bit peaty, but a nice smooth finish with just a hint of spice. I'm digging it. Like you said this is some damn good bang for your buck.

I also tried the JW Black Label at the lounge of a hotel I was staying at over the weekend (was celebrating my 1st anniversary dating my current girlfriend and we'd mostly been drinking cocktails that night). A bit of a peaty smell, but a very smooth taste, a bit floral and fruity. I quite liked it too.

[bugen]

Glad you liked them! I'd probably give Black Grouse a slight edge over JW Black, but I've got a lot of respect for them both. The plan is to pick up 2-4 bottles of JW Black tomorrow for $46 per 1.75L on a local sale, which is about $19 per 750ml (a steal). It'll be the first time I've used the decanter for that level of liquor, usually reserved for (cheap) good scotches, not great ones.

The Famous Grouse (rebranded) did not hold up like I remembered. I still liked it overall, but at first it seemed rough like JW Red and would benefit from ice. Without a side-by-side I can't say if the formula's changed at all, but it's been so long since I've had a scotch I'd brand as rough I didn't have any ice on hand to smooth it out. I've got those frozen steel cubes though and ended up using them. With the rebrand anyway, my advice is spend a few extra bucks and get Bank Note instead of Famous Grouse if you're buying on the lower end of good blended scotch.

[Theli]

Well I have to say, despite my first approval of The Black Grouse, it has grown on me even more! It is a very drinkable scotch. Perhaps not as nuanced or subtle as some, but just damn tasty!

Tried a couple other new experiments to, first was Ballantine's Finest. The initial peaty smell caught me off guard, as did it's taste. But after a couple sips it settled on my palate. At first a bit abrasive, it mellows out quick and you kind start to pick some fruitier tastes along with the prominent peat taste that I had a slight aversion to initially. Yet like the Black Grouse I find myself wanting to come back to the distinct flavour again and again.

Next up is Jim Beam's Devil's Cut. A fairly priced bourbon with a nice bite and burn, but not overpowering. It balances out with a buttery and toffee flavour that is quite nice.

[TJCams]

Theli - you ever try Wiser's Lot 40, or Special Blend? I was reading about them this weekend, and heard they both got fantastic reviews.