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Tell me about whisky
LoneIgadzra
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
The wikipedia page is confusing the shit out of me. I just need to buy some of this... strongly-flavored liquid, and would like to know what's good and what's shit or some basic idea thereof. I don't really care about the science of it all (I'll never remember) so much as subjective takes on brands.
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As far as "what's good" it's generally completely up to preference since as I said, the flavor can vary quite a bit. Buying whiskey is a lot like vodka in that in most cases you get what you pay for, in fact likely even moreso since unlike vodka whiskey is very often consumed straight, or with a little water and some ice.
In terms of what to try first, you can't go wrong with some nice American Bourbon or Scotch whiskey. Irish whiskey is also good but it's also very expensive, so buying a handle of Jim Beam to start out is perfectly acceptable.
You left out method of distillation, and the type of grain used in each, which also sets different whiskeys apart. Irish is triple distilled, for example, and scotch uses a peat smoked grain for that smokey taste, while bourbon has a higher corn content required.
I am very fond of Dewar's Scotch Whisky, very good taste and affordable price, there is also the one branded Dewar's 12 (12 years old).
most of those are specific to the region as I stated, though, similar to common foods differ depending on where they're made.
I suppose that's true, as the specifics of the processes are sort of traditionally linked to the regions. You could make something similar to Scotch outside of scotland, but I've never heard of anyone doing so, and it wouldn't be called Scotch at that.
For Bourbon Jack Daniels is pretty much where it is at, Single malt is better but JD is fantastic as a blend.
I don't drink too much whiskey so I can't tell you about that
single malt scotch that is
or if you are in canada get a wisers 12 year.
but they're listening to every word I say
Now If you are just looking for something to drink to get hammered on. Jack Daniels like others have said is the way to go. Also jim beam and crown royal if you are up north.
If you are looking for something a bit more refined but still distinctly American you can't go wrong with a good bourbon. In fact one of my favorite drinks is the mint julep. (mint sugar bourbon) Its a bit more complicated than that but you get the idea. As far as bourbons go the two best that are reasonably priced are knob creek and makers mark. I have actually been to the makers mark distillery and hand dipped my own bottles. Its pretty cool.
Now once you get an appreciation for American whiskey and you feel like expanding your horizons. You can try some scotch. They tend to be a bit more pricey and I recommend you stay away from the blends. Unless its chivas.
Hands down some great single malt is glen levit. it will be in every liquor store in the country pretty much because its good. Some others of note if you can find them are, Dalwhinney 15 and Macallen 12, as previously mentioned. They both are excellent. Also look for some scotch aged in oak or cherry barrels for differnt flavors than normal.
Whiskey should never be served with coke. or anything else for that matter. One or 2 ice cubes is ok as the water will bring the oils in the whiskey to the surface for a better aroma and more appreciation of the booze. YOu order it at bar on the rocks for with ice or Neat for no ice.
Bars are good places to try different scotches and whiskeys because they have lots and you can get 3 or 4 differnt shots and find which ones you like before you buy the 40$ bottles at teh liquor store.
If you plan on mixing it with coke or sour or any other damn thing then just buy some old grand dad and ignore everything else i said.
Store your booze at room temperature. Unless its vodka or gin Those you can keep in the freezer.
Delicious!
It's unfortunately gotten a reputation as a white-trash drink. And I suppose it's technically a bourbon. But damn, it's a man's drink. Serve it straight, room temperature. Sip, never shoot or chug.
Personally, I'd stay the hell away from Jack Daniel's. It's like the candy version of a real whiskey. So sweet as to be cloying. Even mixed with coke it's like a whiskey with a Sweet-Tart infusion. You might as well just buy a bra and drink SoCo.
I prefer the Islay region scotches, with their strong peaty/smokey character. Laphroaig Quarter Cask and Lagavulin 16 year are my favorites. mmmm
In a glass with a small splash of water to "open it up". Don't use ice, you'll be left with watery scotch after it melts.
took out her barrettes and her hair spilled out like rootbeer
Suntory is made in Japan, and Amrut is made in India. Both are Malt Whiskies intended to be similar to Scotch. Never tried either, though.
I'm a fan of Glenlivet as a general drinking whisky. It's the kind of thing that anyone who drinks whisky isn't going to dislike. I'm also fond of Laphroaig and Caol Ila, which are smokier, peatier, and a bit more of an acquired taste, though Caol Ila is a good introduction to Island Malts.
Glenlivet is very nice but rather expensive. Jameson surprised me when I tasted it, but I always used to drink Famous Grouse, or failing that, Bell's. They're pretty standard bar whiskies as opposed to anything sophisticated.
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This person speaks the truth. Glenfiddich is a beautiful whisky with a smooth oaky taste, personally I've always preferred the oaky whiskys but it really is a matter of personal taste.
Glen Devron is also a good single malt its one of my dads favourites and he knows a thing or two about whiskey.
Only mix away rubbish. Good drinks should be neat or with a little bit of water/ice, otherwise you can't taste it.
JD and coke is nice though. Reminds me of being 17.
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That's why you use coke to cover the taste of it.
That's why you drink something that isn't terrible.
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Whisky was made to be enjoyed. Therefore, mix your whiskey with what ever the hell you want so long as you enjoy it. This message officially endorsed by a scots man. Seriously, we don't care what you throw in there, just buy plenty and enjoy it like crazy. That's the whole point. Oh, drink responsibly also.
JD and coke is a fine way to get started, nothing special about it but it does the job. For an all purpose, Johnny Walker Black Label is rather versatile. It's a bit pricey, but not so special that you don't feel guilty about throwing it in some coke if you just want to booze but still tasty enough to have it on ice, with a dash of water or just neat. If you want to experiment with flavours, take a metaphorical round trip of the Islands and Highlands. There are lots of great single malts that give a good representation of the various regions at a reasonable price and easily obtainable such as Dalwhinnie, Talisker etc.
Oh, and get a copy of this for pretty comprehensive tasting notes, helpful to identify flavours you enjoy and find similar styles of single malts.
In my humble opinion, Johnnie Walker Blue is not nearly as good as its price tag would lead you to believe and those who purchase it usually know little about scotch or are trying to show off.
OP: I'll tell you about my personal preferences in regards to Bourbon and Scotch, but there have been several alcohol threads detailing the subject thoroughly. I suggest you search for them.
Scotch:
The first thing you'll notice on a bottle of scotch is the age. After it is distilled, scotch is stored in oak casks that were previously used to store other alcohol (though usually sherry). The age on the bottle is the number of years it has been allowed to mature in the barrel. Usually the longer the better, though some experts will tell you that a scotch will really peak at about 18 - 21 years.
The second thing you need to know is that the two general types are blends and single malts. Single malt whiskey is made from 100% of a single type of malted grain. Blends are a mixture between malted whiskey and grain whiskey. Personally I find single malts to have a little more character than blended whiskey but it's up to your preferences.
My absolute favorite single malt is the 18 Macallan. Typical affordable single malts you'll find common are 12 year glenlivit and 12 year glenfiddich, though for not to much more you can usually find a 12 year Macallan which I prefer to the former two. If I'm in the mood for something really peaty, I'll go for a Lagavulin which usually runs about $70, though I've often found for much less and will always snatch up when I do.
Bourbon:
Bourbon is made in Kentucky and is mostly corn. It tends to be very sweet as far as whiskey goes.
I personally like Wild Turkey, though in a pinch I'll also drink Jim Beam. Of the higher end bourbon's I personally prefer Knob Creek, but Maker's Mark is good as well and wildly popular.
I usually take my Bourbon in perfect manhattan form which is made using equal parts sweet and dry vermouth, a dash of bitters, and garnished with a maraschino cherry. I'd give you proportions, but I've been making them for family since I was a kid and have never really measured it out. If you get it right, they're absolutely delicious.
JD and Jim Beam are easy choices and can't go too wrong there. I do enjoy the Jim Beam Black which is aged at least 8 years, sometimes it is a little too sweet, but worth trying.
Michael "The big guy" Collins has a very smooth flavor.
Cutty Sark always seems to be on sale or just cheaper than others and that isn't half bad either.
Just my taste buds, but I find all Johnnie Walker to be trash, whether it be Blue, Black, Green, Red whatever color label. Friends always try and impress me with ooooo look I got the super expensive Blue label and make a big deal of it. I've really disliked every single product no matter how fancy it should be. That really is a testament to why people always say, drink what YOU like and don't worry about what is supposedly "the best" because you may just wind up not liking it no matter how expensive it is.
Steam
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evan williams and woodford reserve are my favorite bourbons, and cheap too.
B.net: Kusanku
I do not exaggerate.
It's a bit pricey, probably $9-$16 for a glass at a bar and around $70-$90 per bottle at the store.
However, you get what you pay for.
The scotch that got me hooked was a Talisker 18 though - since then I've pretty much been drinking only Islay malts though, Laphroaig 10 & Ardbeg Uigeadail are what I find myself in the mood for most often these days.
Anyway, if you're looking to get into single malts, I think it depends a lot on your tastes - personally I don't much like the smooth/sweet Macallan 12, which was my first introduction to single malt scotch. I sort of kept after it out of curiosity though until I ran into Talisker 10 & 18 as mentioned above. I would recommend sampling a few before you go out & drop 80$ on a bottle only to find out it's not where your tastes lie. Friends (and enthusiasts) are great for this, a decent bar would be my second choice.
My only real convictions about good single malt - use the right glass (not a rocks glass, I recommend a brandy snifter or #2-4 here) and avoid ice.
A few drops of room-temperature water are fine, they can actually help 'open' up the whisky, but ice pretty much kills the nose and can affect the palate pretty poorly as well. Not to say there aren't whiskies I don't enjoy on the rocks once in a while, but they're usually cheaper blends.
If you're interested in reading more, I'd recommend checking out Dr. Whisky. He writes fairly apt tasting notes in my experience, provides a fair bit of history, and doesn't confuse matters with arbitrary numerical scores. He also has a decent collection of links for further reading.
I've found the Suntory Yamazaki 12 Yr Single Malt to be hit and miss. Over the last year and half I've pick up 5 bottles. The first two had cork tops and the whiskey was very smooth with nice warm finish. The last three, one of which was a gift for my brother, a whiskey fanatic, had screw tops and the whiskey had an awful burn to it. I don't know if the first two bottles were mislabled 18 year or if their production is erratic.
Another really nice whiskey, is Anchor Brewing Company's Old Potrero. This an early American style whiskey. I've had it once in Anchor's pub at SFO, but can't find in any local stores, only mail order. Delicious.
I have to second this.
Taking a shot of Makers Mark is like having an orgasm in your mouth
EDIT: left myself wide open for an easy one there......
I do like indulging in JW Gold when I'm overseas, as it's much, much cheaper outside of the US. I can pick up a bottle for $40 bucks in Taipei, which usually results in my brother, myself and my grandpa drinking ourselves silly.
Start with the 12, but the 15 is amazing.
Bowmore and Laphroaig are also affordably priced, and are much peatier in flavor. Aberlour is sort of a good catch-all. Personally, I stay away from Glenfiddich and Glenlivet since they're at every bar, so if I want to have one of those I can wait till I'm with my friends. Same goes for Johnny Walker. Generally, you want single malt scotch. For the same price as a comparable blended whiskey, you get much more bang.