Calling all Scotch drinkers...

[brettwasbtd]

No ones mentioned one of my faves... Glenmorangie. It is usually pretty cost effective. Has a solid citrus/oak character. I am not sure I would want to use scotch in a beer. It is my understanding that liquors are used in beers to get more of the extracted flavors from the wood itself. So you should really have certain flavors you are trying to extract and then determine if that liquor is going to best give you those flavors or if another medium should be used

 

[Golddiggie]

Went to the same store again on Saturday and talked with the man who knows more about Scotch... Ended up getting a bottle of Balvenie Doublewood as well as a smaller bottle of The Macallen 12 year old... I'm thinking of sampling them over the next few weeks in different ways to get a better understanding. I have the soapstone cubes in the freezer, some good glasses to pour into, and some ice in case I want to try it that way too. Both of what I bought were aged either partially, or completely, in sherry barrels. Which, I understand, gives them more of what I'm looking for (flavors and character). So, I could like one, or both of these.

 

[kellzey]

The Balvenie Doublewood is excellent and probably the best value. I have consumed MANY a bottle and gifted others and created new fans.

If you can find a bottle of Balvenie Caribbean Cask, get that! Aged in old rum barrels! Yum!

 

[kellzey]

I am working on some Glenlivet 18, at room temp but cut with a few drops of distilled water. I feel the addition of the small amount of water opens the Scotch up a little.
.

You are correct. Adding some spring water (or distilled) will enhance the oils in the Scotch which will bring out the flavors.

I like a very small ice cube (just one). I prefer my Scotch "on a rock".

 

[Golddiggie]

Well, I'm brewing the brown ale that I'm thinking of putting the scotch soaked oak cubes into (in a month or so)... Hopefully, that will give me enough time to really sample at least these two bottles and decide if either is a good fit for the brew. The brown ale is one I've brewed before, and it's solid on it's own. Since it's an English/UK brown ale I will be using the good scotch to add some distinct flavors to it. I might use the oak spirals I have too (American oak I think, medium plus toast level, from Farmhouse)...

I expect to have one of my aging kegs free in time for this batch. Probably going to pull my old ale that's been sitting with some medium toast cherry wood in it for a while.

 

[Zuljin]

Got a bottle of Highland Park over the weekend. Single malt. 12 year. My palette has experienced the peat flavor of scotch.

 

[pedimac]

Only one I buy on a regular basis is The Glenlivet 18 @ $84.80.

You and me both. That's about what I paid for it last. So tasty.

 

[gavball6]

The Balvenie Doublewood is excellent and probably the best value. I have consumed MANY a bottle and gifted others and created new fans.

If you can find a bottle of Balvenie Caribbean Cask, get that! Aged in old rum barrels! Yum!

+1

Balvenie has definitely become my go-to "everyday" scotch. Good flavor & relatively affordable. The Doublewood is my stock scotch, but the Caribbean Cask was really good too.

I save the longer aged stuff (18+) for a special treat every now and again.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

The husband of one of my friends at school is a pilot and used to fly with one of the Balvenie family members. I wish they kept in contact so I could have a scotch hook up.

 

[rwagner23]

Aberlour 16 year old http://www.aberlour.com/en/therange/aberlour16yearold

Absolutely my most favorite scotch. I've tried almost all listed here, but this for me is the tops. Kind of expensive at about $60, but worth it. Still have yet to drop the big money on the 18 year.

 

[motobrewer]

resurrect-

Just picked up a Laphroaig 18 - fantastically salty. definitely not as peaty or harsh as the 10

 

[naiek]

Im going to second the Talisker. Big fan of Laphroaig but bigger fan of Talisker

 

[Zuljin]

Salty?

 

[motobrewer]

yeah - seaweed, ocean air - salt. lol.

it's not like overpowering or anything.

 

[Jacob_Marley]

No ones mentioned one of my faves... Glenmorangie. It is usually pretty cost effective.

+1 on Glenmorangie. That's always been my go-to scotch when I was out somewhere casually ... such as Detroits Tipperary Pub (a moment of silence for the Tip ...). At the Tip to start I usually ordered a shot of Glenmorangie, and pint of Guinness or a Priest Collar - a "half-and-half" made with Guinness and hard cider.

Another inexpensive choice for the single malt taste are the blended scotchs from "Teacher's" ... both the "Teacher's Origin" version (65% single malt) and the "Teacher's Highland Cream" version (45% single malt).
The Highland Cream version is $17/fifth locally for me. Far-and-away the best deal out there on single malt taste.
Teacher's also makes a good straight single malt.

 

[static]

resurrect-

Just picked up a Laphroaig 18

I like the quarter cask even better

 

[Penguinetti]

So I noticed at a pub in RI that they have a Laphroaig. 40 year. $740/drink

 

[Jacob_Marley]

So I noticed at a pub in RI that they have a Laphroaig. 40 year. $740/drink

A single shot of Laphroaig 40yr on the U.S. East Coast ... $740.

February 23rd (middle of the cheap season)
Detroit to Glasgow ... $552
Glasgow to Islay ..... $70
Total airfair cost ........ $622 U.S.
Difference available to purchase shots once you get there ($740 - $622) ... $118 U.S.


ah ok ... so at $622 those were one-way tickets ...

 

[EnjoyGoodBeer]

So I noticed at a pub in RI that they have a Laphroaig. 40 year. $740/drink

That just makes me sick, not in the alcohal way either.

 

[pdxbg]

+1 to Aberlour, The Macallan and I, too, have Glenlivet 18yo as my usual go-to.

I also keep some Dewars 12 year around because that's my father in law's go-to.

 

[m3n00b]

Oh hi. Just picked this up. Needed a step up from the balvenie double wood. This stuff is amazing.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

picked up a bottle of Glenmorangie Original for my FIL for Christmas. almost got a bottle of Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban for myself. dammit, I should have.

 

[stevedasleeve]

I grew up in Scotland, went to school in Aberlour, across the Spey was the Macallan distillery. I sometimes get a hankering for the west coast peaty whiskey but truly the best of the best is the 25 YO Macallan IMHO. They used to age the whisky in Sherry barrels, now they do both sherry and bourbon oak barrels I believe. The sherry barel 25 YO is the nicest, better than the 30 YO IMHO.

Sds

 

[m3n00b]

Good stuff Steve!