The Whisky Topic
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This is the Whisky topic. No whiskey allowed. Feel free to create a list of bottles, price, and if it's shit or not....
- Aberlour 12yo, non-chill filtered (cask strength): 40€. Great, definitely not shit.
- Bowmore 18yo: 79€. Expensive, very smoky, but definitely not shit. Cheaper, similar alternative: 15yo Bowmore
- Bruichladdich: £42.00. Not shit.
- Glenfarclas 15yo: 50€. Not shit.
- Macallan Amber: 53€. OK, but not great.
- Talisker 10yo: 35€. Classic. Not shit.
- Balvenie 12yo: 41€. Smooth, with a little edge.
- Balvenie 21yo: 151€. Extremely Smooth, pricey, worth every penny.
Continuing the discussion from I Moved to Linux and It’s Even Better Than I Expected:
@Lorne_Kates said:
@asdf said:
@blakeyrat said:
Craggonmore 12 year old
If you like Cragganmore, you'll probably like the 10-year-old Talisker as well. It's a bit more peaty, but still balanced and not as peaty as e.g. Laphroaig. So unless you absolutely hate even slightly peaty whiskys, you should try it.
Since we have a
thread, how about a 
Whisker thread? 99% of the whiskeys I've tasted are like paint thinner laced with AIDS needles. I'd like to find more of the 1%.My favorite is Bruichladdich. Great flavor but no peat. Pretty hard to find, but you can buy it online (they ship to US and Canada).
What I buy most often is Oban: not too peaty, not too sweet.
I will buy Laphroaig when I want something peaty, but if I drink too much it's like I'm licking a chimney.
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but you can buy it online (they ship to US and Canada).
What's the legality of that? I've always wondered. There's tons of sites that claim to ship whisky all over the world, and I'm always too wary of being hit by some huge tax bill to do it.
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What's the legality of that
Their website says they can't ship to the US and recommends you find a "stockist" in the US.
A local chains sells this: "BRUICHLADDICH * 1992 20YR CH. DYQUEM CASK STRENGTH [SCOTLAND]" at $195 for a 750ml bottle if it's in stock, plus whatever taxes and domestic shipping would apply--although this particular stuff's only available in store, not ordered online.
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Depends on the state. IIRC you can't have liquor shipped to you in NC, but you can import up to 4 liters from other states (e.g. in your car).
Fake Edit: Hey look I was right
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Right but if you "import" those 4 liters, how do you pay duties on them? The tax rate is vastly different in different States. Are you on the hook for that?
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I'll start by recommending some Scotch that I like and most other people will probably like as well:
- 12yo Aberlour, non-chill filtered: Great fruity Highland whisky from bourbon and sherry casks
- Bowmore Darkest and Bowmore 18yo: Usually a bit expensive. But pretty balanced and the great smoky finish is worth it. That's the whisky that made me fall in love with Scotch.
- Glenfarclas (15yo/21yo): Great sherry cask whisky. Used to be incredibly cheap considering it's been in a sherry cask for a pretty long time. Not that cheap anymore, unfortunately.
- 10yo Talisker: Cheap but great whisky. Slightly salty, a bit of peat and smoke.
I used to like the 18yo Macallan Sherry Oak as well (when it was still sold in Europe and available for <80€). A shame the new Macallans are just overpriced crap.
Other whiskies I like, but which might not be for everyone:
- Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban (12yo)
- 16yo Lagavulin
- Laphroaig Quarter Cask
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Well aren't you posh. Some of us like our Jameson and we're happy to stick with it. And none of that aged 25 years shit either. I like my devils piss straight from the bottle too.
glenlivet xxv on the other hand....
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What's funny is there's SO MANY BRANDS I've spend the last 6 months going through a bottle every week or two, I haven't bought ANY of the brands you listed.
Except the Lagavulin, but the 10 (I think? Maybe 12?) not the 16.
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My collection (honestly, I'm not drinking that much but ever since I told family and friends that I like the stuff, I get at least one bottle per birthday or christmas):
Glenfarclas
Laphroaig
Dalwhinnie
Lagavulin
SlyrsAnd I got a new one which I promptly forgot at my parents' home.
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Can you list and rate them? I always love to find new good stuff.
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You don't? You paid the tax to the state you bought it from.
I mean, I guess you technically owe use tax, but you owe use tax on, e.g., every online purchase shipped to you from outside NC where you didn't pay NC sales tax. It's a box on your tax return to fill in. I estimate roughly 0.25% of people fill that in correctly, mostly because you can use an estimated amount based off your income, or, you know, put a 0 in the box. There's roughly a 0% chance someone is going to audit you for it.
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Slyrs
Love that one, but lots of my friends disagree. It's a very special whisky, and definitely a bit expensive (you pay for the fact that it's a rarity).
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Right but if you "import" those 4 liters, how do you pay duties on them?
Probably by paying sales tax where you bought it.
The tax rate is vastly different in different States. Are you on the hook for that?
If so, you probably report it via use tax on your state income tax form. The page @jazzyjosh linked didn't specify.
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'ed!See also: http://www.dor.state.nc.us/faq/use.html
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'ed!Like ten posts came in while I was Googling. It turns out "liquormart.com", when you fill in a delivery address, has NC in the state dropdown, but I didn't bother making up an address to see if it would be rejected.
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Can you list and rate them?
No. It's not like I keep a database or something.
I can from now on as I buy new bottles.
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glenlivet xxv on the other hand....
Holy shit, 300€ a bottle? I frequently spend up to 80€ on a single bottle, but that's too expensive even for me.
The only 25yo whisky I've ever bought was Glenfarclas (50ml bottle, was incredibly cheap). It's in my cellar room, waiting to be opened for a special occasion.
I also keep a 18yo Macallan Sherry Oak miniature in my cellar room. I'll either sell it for a lot of money some day or open it on a special occasion and remember the times when Macallan was still great whisky.
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@NedFodder said:
but you can buy it online (they ship to US and Canada).
What's the legality of that? I've always wondered. There's tons of sites that claim to ship whisky all over the world, and I'm always too wary of being hit by some huge tax bill to do it.
I have no idea about the legality, and I can't remember what I paid in taxes. The last time I ordered from them was 2002. The website asked me for my country, and I figured "there's no way the US is on their list," but it was. I expected the next page to say "we don't ship to the US," but it said "we ship in the USA via UPS." I checked UPS's website, and they said they won't ship alcohol. So faced with this conflicting information, and too much disposable income, I ordered a bottle anyway. Sure as shit, it showed up a month later. I ordered several more bottles to stock up (I still have one bottle left).
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Huh.
I guess the whole business runs slightly under-the-table.
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Bruichladdich
Great whisky, but I managed to get a bad bottle once. I'm not really sure what was wrong with it, but it had absolutely no taste when I opened it. I wanted to give it away at first, but after I put it into another bottle (the cork broke) and let it sit for a few weeks, it suddenly started to taste better. No idea what happened there, but I haven't bought it again since.
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@asdf said:
Can you list and rate them?
No. It's not like I keep a database or something.
I can from now on as I buy new bottles.
Or we can edit the OP with a compiled list of bottles, price, and if it's shit or not.
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@Lorne_Kates said:
Or we can edit the OP with a compiled list of bottles, price, and if it's shit or not.
I'd be cool with that, but one of the admins/mods/overlords will have to set that up for me.
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Have at it. OP is wikified.
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@Lorne_Kates said:
if it's shit or not
Flamewar in 3, 2, 1…
Please keep flames away from the 80 proof, thank you flambe much.
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added Balvenies. I love them.
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added Balvenies. I love them
Hm, maybe we could organize some kind of whisky exchange for the more pricey ones some time? (Everyone buys a bottle, splits it into smaller bottles and sends them to the others.)
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@asdf said:
Can you list and rate them?
No. It's not like I keep a database or something.
I can from now on as I buy new bottles.
Please do.
What are your general preferences in whisky btw? Same question for the other participants in this thread.
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What are your general preferences in whisky btw?
- I love sherry cask whiskies, and smoky whiskies as well. Which is why Bowmore is my favorite: It combines both.
- I can't stand whiskies that smell/taste too much like medicine (with some exceptions). So I don't like peaty whiskies if they only taste peaty and don't have other flavors in them.
Other than that, it really depends on what I want to drink at that exact moment. In general, there's not a lot of food/drinks that I genuinely dislike, I love to try new stuff.
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I needed some whisky a while back, and bought this:
http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo/product/whyte-mackay-special-blend-scotch-whisky/195834
http://i.imgur.com/IxuUoRX.png
Whyte & Mackay Glasgow Special Blended Scotch Whisky
It cost about $40
dollars. It is perhaps the first bottle I've bot that didn't make me thing I was licking Medusa's asshole. Nice woody flavor, and not too burny. Not shit. If I had to buy another bottle of whisky, and wanted to keep it affordable, I'd buy it again.
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@DogsB said:
glenlivet xxv on the other hand....
Holy shit, 300€ a bottle? I frequently spend up to 80€ on a single bottle, but that's too expensive even for me.
The only 25yo whisky I've ever bought was Glenfarclas (50ml bottle, was incredibly cheap). It's in my cellar room, waiting to be opened for a special occasion.
I also keep a 18yo Macallan Sherry Oak miniature in my cellar room. I'll either sell it for a lot of money some day or open it on a special occasion and remember the times when Macallan was still great whisky.
Balvenie 30 Yo and Macallan 1851 Inspiration are my preciousss bottles.
The Balvenie I've opened for a special occasion. (Definitely not shit! Incredibly long tasting) The Maccallan is still unopened.
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I frequently spend up to 80€ on a single bottle
Ooooooh looks whose a posh bastard. Fuckoff back to villa ya git.Holy shit, 300€ a bottle?
Yeah definitely something you only bring out for special occasions and not something you neck. I got an inexplicable bonus at work and bought it for shit and giggles. I can't drink cheap scotch anymore. If you see it on sale you should probably buy it. It's wonderful. Imagine what unicorn tears would taste like.
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villa
Just FYI, I live in a very small apartment (~50m²). Mostly because being able to spend a lot of money on little things like good food and drinks without even thinking about it makes me happier than having a large house and nice car. (Also, because I'm single.)
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The wine and cheese topic is
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Like a good whiskey, this topic is well aged and in need of a visit.
Tried two new ones. One on @blakeyrat suggestion, and one by mistake because I couldn't remember which "Glen" Blakey had recommended.
The Glenlivet 12 Year Old
Price: ~$57 CAD for a 750ml bottle
Taste: Light. Harsher start, light finish and the taste ends very quickly. Easy.
Is it shit: No
https://i.imgur.com/X7oDRfi.jpgThe Glenfiddich 12 Year Old
Price: Also ~57 CAD for a 750ml bottle
Taste: Wonderful. Woody and bold flavor, with minimal burn. Beautiful pepper finish that lingers for a nice, long time. I love this. It's a great taste experience, and a single sip hangs around nicely. Makes a small glass last longer.
Is it shit: Absolutely not
I tried a 375ml of each, and ended up buying the 750ml of the Glenfiddich. Unless stated otherwise, I think this'll be my go-to for a while. The Whyte & McKay from before is good-- probably still equal to the Glenlivet.
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@Lorne-Kates I tried like 3 dozen brands and didn't take notes or anything on any of them, haha. So I don't remember which I like or don't.
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@blakeyrat said in The Whisky Topic:
@Lorne-Kates I tried like 3 dozen brands and didn't take notes or anything on any of them, haha. So I don't remember which I like or don't.
It's ok. If you've gone through 3 dozen bottles of whiskey, you notes might not have been that-- umm-- coherent anyways.
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@Lorne-Kates said in The Whisky Topic:
I tried a 375ml of each
:o How did you manage to stand afterwards? Or did you mean 37.5ml?
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@dkf said in The Whisky Topic:
@Lorne-Kates said in The Whisky Topic:
I tried a 375ml of each
:o How did you manage to stand afterwards? Or did you mean 37.5ml?
Well, I was standing at 37.5ml...
I meant I tried a 375ml bottle of each (over time).
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@Lorne-Kates I… don't think I hate my liver that much.
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@blakeyrat Maybe the limit of 4 liters already account that you're not paying this tax?
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@Lorne-Kates said in The Whisky Topic:
The Glenfiddich 12 Year Old
Price: Also ~57 CAD for a 750ml bottle
I mock your Canadian booze prices.
EDIT: wait the Canadian jerk-dollar is only 77 cents? Damnit, you got yours cheaper!!! Also your dollars suck. "Oh it's a dollar. Ok well 3/4ths of a dollar but we still call it that because durrr Canadians here!"
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@blakeyrat said in The Whisky Topic:
EDIT: wait the Canadian jerk-dollar is only 77 cents? Damnit, you got yours cheaper!!! Also your dollars suck. "Oh it's a dollar. Ok well 3/4ths of a dollar but we still call it that because durrr Canadians here!"
Yeah, we're getting a bit fucked because of oil prices. It was on par not too long ago because of that whole "US economy collapsing"-- so really it wasn't so much that the CAD was doing better-- just that we weren't doing AS horrible as the USD.
But dang, that's some not-good booze prices you have there. Ontario has the highest, most tariff-fucked booze prices in the entire country. Why is Seattle so expensive? I thought everywhere in the USA was cheap booze and/or firearms.
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@Lorne-Kates Texas maybe.
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@Lorne-Kates said in The Whisky Topic:
I thought everywhere in the USA was cheap booze and/or firearms.
Taxes and regulated competition make a huge difference from place to place.
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One photo to describe my day today (x-post from the status thread):
Whiskys worth mentioning:
- I tried a Signatory Caol Ila today. Usually, Caol Ila is not exactly a well-balanced whisky, but this one was pretty nice:
http://www.signatory-shop.de/product_info.php?info=p1062_Signatory--Un-Chillfiltered-Collection--Caol-Ila-2007---8-years-.html - Also, this is a particularly great, slightly peaty sherry cask whisky:
https://www.masterofmalt.com/whiskies/michel-couvreur/michel-couvreur-candid-malt-whisky/
I got it for half the price shown on that page.
- I tried a Signatory Caol Ila today. Usually, Caol Ila is not exactly a well-balanced whisky, but this one was pretty nice:
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I tried the Oban Distiller's Edition,
Oban Distillers Edition 2019 Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Oban Single Malt Whisky is made using barley that is malted to the distillery's exact specifications. After the barley is malted, it is partially germinated and gently dried over a peat kiln, giving it a slightly smoky, malty flavor profile. Then, the malted barley is mashed and fermented before...
It was underwhelming! I like Oban's smokey taste, and decided to try something a little more expensive this time. It is good whiskey, mind you, but not better than the one that Costco has:
https://www.masterofmalt.com/whiskies/oban-14-year-old-whisky/
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@dse
Never buy a "Distiller's edition" if it's significantly more expensive then the standard product. It's supposed to be "from the best casks", but in reality it's just the same whisky sold for more money to people who can afford it.
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@asdf You should have mentioned this earlier, but now I know. The distiller's edition was not even the same whiskey, the taste is different (was more like Glenlivet). Oban has a light smokey flavor that I like (Oban in whiskeys is like the Lapsang Souchong in teas, both the best).
