504 replies to this topic

[biodork]

nfreeman, on 11 July 2011 - 07:45 PM, said:

BTW, I just picked up a new (to me) single malt at the duty free called Ancnoc.  Very nice.

Braedon, on 11 July 2011 - 08:06 PM, said:

I haven't tried an Cnoc in it's current form, however have had a dram of Knockdhu which was the name of the same distillery for over 100 years.  I like Oban as well, however always seem to return to the peat on Islay.  

Okay, just so I don't embarrass myself in the event I ever need to say this one out loud: how on earth do you pronounce that?  In my head I'm hearing the Three Stooges but I'm pretty sure that's not it.

[Suffer_enuff]

ParkMeadow, on 11 July 2011 - 09:31 PM, said:

So glad this thread was revived - it's one of my favorite OT's!
Some great comments on bourbons (thanks, Weave) and new suggestions for single malts to try - I'll begin my search tomorrow.

As far as Manhattans, here's another suggestion for everyone's consideration.  If you've never had one made with Carpano Antica Formula vermouth, do yourself a favor and do so.  This is supposedly the original vermouth from Italy, and it tastes nothing like the sweet Martini & Rossi types that we are so used to.  It is expensive (like $40 or more a bottle) and made in small quantities.  It is hard to describe the taste, but there are notes of dried fruits, dates, spices and vanilla - it is unique!  However, mixed with a smooth bourbon like Woodfords, and a dash of bitters if you prefer, and you have a smashing drink (pun intended!) I can not go back to a plain old Manhattan anymore.  You might want to order one out at a bar the first time, just in case it is TOO different for you and you don't want to invest in a whole bottle of the Carpano Antica, but I think you'll like it!

Keep the suggestions and anecdotes coming!

Lest we forget - there are two types of vermouth:  sweet (red) and dry (white).  Most Manhattan recipes call for the dry (like the "Perfect" Manhattan) and are served with a lemon twist.  Then there are those (like me) who like a sweet Manhattan made with Southern Comfort (not a whiskey, really), red vermouth, a splash of Maraschino cherry juice and at LEAST two cherries.  Yeah, it's really sweet but I only drink them when its cold outside.  They taste like....cough syrup.  Hmm...

I was never a fan of Scotch, Canadian whisky or rye.  I like Bourbon, but was never into Maker's Mark.  I've always preferred Wild Turkey or Baker's 107 (a single-barrel bourbon that is 107 proof).  Never cared much for Jack Daniel's (although a sour mash brew, not technically a bourbon since it is made in Tennessee, well outside the delimited area for bourbons.  Also, try Jack and Wild Turkey back to back.  IMHO, there is no comparison.)

Chz, you may have already tried it but I'm a fan of Corazon tequila - all three versions (Blanco, Reposado and Anejo) are good.

[biodork]

Sabre Dance, on 13 July 2011 - 02:38 PM, said:

Lest we forget - there are two types of vermouth:  sweet (red) and dry (white).  Most Manhattan recipes call for the dry (like the "Perfect" Manhattan) and are served with a lemon twist.  Then there are those (like me) who like a sweet Manhattan made with Southern Comfort (not a whiskey, really), red vermouth, a splash of Maraschino cherry juice and at LEAST two cherries.  Yeah, it's really sweet but I only drink them when its cold outside.  They taste like....cough syrup.  Hmm...

Maybe I have it wrong, but I always thought dry vermouth was for vodka/gin martinis and sweet vermouth was for Manhattans?  Never heard of someone using dry vermouth for a Manhattan.

[Spndnchz]

Sabre Dance, on 13 July 2011 - 02:38 PM, said:

   Chz, you may have already tried it but I'm a fan of Corazon tequila - all three versions (Blanco, Reposado and Anejo) are good.

Cabo Wabo is my favorite.  Uno is awesome, Anejo is nice, Blanco's the mixer.

[Eleven]

biodork, on 13 July 2011 - 02:53 PM, said:

Maybe I have it wrong, but I always thought dry vermouth was for vodka/gin martinis and sweet vermouth was for Manhattans?  Never heard of someone using dry vermouth for a Manhattan.

You have it right.  Some people do drink Manhattans with dry vermouth (especially those who drink SoCo Manhattans, in my experience, coincidentally), but there is no way that "most recipes" for a Manhattan call for dry vermouth and a twist.  Whisky, sweet vermouth, bitters, cherry is the standard.

[weave]

Sabre Dance, on 13 July 2011 - 02:38 PM, said:

Lest we forget - there are two types of vermouth:  sweet (red) and dry (white).  Most Manhattan recipes call for the dry (like the "Perfect" Manhattan) and are served with a lemon twist.  Then there are those (like me) who like a sweet Manhattan made with Southern Comfort (not a whiskey, really), red vermouth, a splash of Maraschino cherry juice and at LEAST two cherries.  Yeah, it's really sweet but I only drink them when its cold outside.  They taste like....cough syrup.  Hmm...

biodork, on 13 July 2011 - 02:53 PM, said:

Maybe I have it wrong, but I always thought dry vermouth was for vodka/gin martinis and sweet vermouth was for Manhattans?  Never heard of someone using dry vermouth for a Manhattan.

Bio, you are correct.  The classic "Manhattan" is made with sweet vermouth.  A "Perfect Manhattan" is made with equal parts sweet and dry vermouth.  There is a variation of a Manhattan called a "Dry Manhattan" that is made with dry vermouth but that is not what you will get if you ask for a "Manhattan".  If you go to any bar and ask for a Manhattan you will get a cocktail made with whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters (well, they always should be made with bitters   ) and a cherry.  That is the classic.


Edit- Eleven has quicker fingers than I do.

[SDS]

weave, on 13 July 2011 - 03:45 PM, said:

Edit- Eleven has quicker fingers than I do.

That's what she said!

[R_dudly]

Man I love this place for the width and breadth of topics. I missed this original thread but but picked up on the recent bump.

Liquor consumed neat is an acquired taste. For me the choice of drink has a lot to do with the environment, setting and activity that I am engaged in. For example bourbon by the pool doesn't work for me like a vodka and tonic with lime will.  

Bio never brought the vodka into the dicussion but I will just briefly mention dry martini's up with olive and on the higher end Grey Goose, or kettle one and for a real good on the cheap Tito's or Lukosova. Cut my teeth and suffered many a vodka poisening on vodka and ice tea and kamikazee's for shots.

I also started my bourbon drinking ala manhatten and have long since moved on. All the manhatten advice is excellant down to the bitters vs vermouth options which is a taste preference IMO. Interesting Manhatten variation is with a 100 proof Southern comfort, dry vermouth over ice with a lemon twist.

Bourbon of choice for me is rare breed over some ice where the ice allowed to melt for all the water I need or want to add. I also enjoy Gentleman Jack as a straight up bracer from my flask on the golf course chased with water, gatorade or beer  depending on how hot it is that day. Oh and it is a must to dip the end of my cigar in the bourbon.

For Scotch I defintely agree that starting with the blends is probably the best beginner advice here. I second Chz post as Dewers and water with ice is where I started my scotch drinking. I have since settled on single malt and will agree the Johnny Walker Blue, green and gold label is just fantastic scotch neat, no ice or chaser needed. I have tried glemorangie, Glen Fiddach, JW Black, etc. settled on Glen livet as my bar stock option of choice. I will say an upscale macallum aged 25+ yrs that was bought on a vendors dime as an after dinner appertif was the best I have ever had by far.

Ta kill ya, I agree after much experimentation on cabo wabo by chocie but boy i really don't like the way i feel the next day after tequila. Oh and chaz on autheticate mezcal I have ate the worm.  

Gin, well that love affair started as gin and tonic w/lime or gimlets for shots but has long since been replaced by vodka and tonic. When I still occasionally gin it's Tanquery.

Great finally found the time to type all this up, let me know when you all decide to do the cigar thread GODD mentions.

[biodork]

R_dudly, on 13 July 2011 - 03:53 PM, said:

Man I love this place for the width and breadth of topics. I missed this original thread but but picked up on the recent bump.

Liquor consumed neat is an acquired taste. For me the choice of drink has a lot to do with the environment, setting and activity that I am engaged in. For example bourbon by the pool doesn't work for me like a vodka and tonic with lime will.  

Absolutely!  Especially in the off-season, when there isn't nearly enough hockey news to keep everyone entertained.  Definitely agree on the drink for every environment, too... I usually go back to vodka (Stoli O) and cranberry when out with friends, and I make mojitos at home when it's hot since they are so refreshing.  The whisk(e)ys I generally only do if I have time to relax and sip, and I'll probably have more occasion / inclination once it's colder outside.  It's fun learning about all the different types and experimenting with new varieties.

[Barnabov]

Some wealthy taste buds on this board - good recommendations by all.  I subscribe to the drink what you like and how you like it rule and have never shifted from scotch & soda to the more traditional ways of drinking whiskey.  Also, while I don't dislike single malts, I prefer blended scotch and Famous Grouse is my every day stuff but pretty much any Johnnie Walkers, J&B or the other major brands work when drinking with club soda.

On the topic of gin & tonics, does anyone mix Rose's Lime with theirs?  My British brother in law started us on that and it's now our Summer drink of choice (somehow Scotch is preferable in cooler weather which is about 2 months out of the year here in Texas).

Cheers!

[SDS]

So, what's y'all favorite flavor of Smirnoff Ice? The pineapple is righteous....

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Duds...Tanquery is my go-to. Do you ever drink their TEN? If you want to obliterate a group of people in a hurry, including women, make a pitcher of Lime Rickeys with TEN. It goes down like nectar water. It sounds counter-intuitive to waste such good stuff in a mix like that....but I have seen the truth in action.

[R_dudly]

 Ghost of Dwight Drane, on 13 July 2011 - 07:05 PM, said:

Duds...Tanquery is my go-to. Do you ever drink their TEN? If you want to obliterate a group of people in a hurry, including women, make a pitcher of Lime Rickeys with TEN. It goes down like nectar water. It sounds counter-intuitive to waste such good stuff in a mix like that....but I have seen the truth in action.

Haven't tried the Ten yet but will have to give it a try on your recommendation.
For a cheaper party and still good with the ladies alternative you might try a simple gin bucket. Take a new clean large bucket and start with a handle of cheap gin add two regular frozen concentrates, I personally recommend one 5 alive and one tropicanna lemonade or limeade, chop up one full lemon and one lime and add two 2 liter bottles of pop like 1 diet fresca and 1 diet 7up and fill the rest with ice. Travels pretty easy if you want to take to a party your invited too ladies love it and it goes down too easy. Have bucket will travel.      

Only problem with me and Gin is I am a bit like the WHO song. Dr Jimmy and Mr Jim he only comes out when I drink my gin. Darndest thing, I am a pretty happy go lucky drunk on every other type of liquor but Gin brings out that little bit of Mr Hyde.

Strange thing about these elixir's, I have always suspected we all have a Mr Hyde brew.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

 R_dudly, on 13 July 2011 - 08:05 PM, said:

Haven't tried the Ten yet but will have to give it a try on your recommendation.
For a cheaper party and still good with the ladies alternative you might try a simple gin bucket. Take a new clean large bucket and start with a handle of cheap gin add two regular frozen concentrates, I personally recommend one 5 alive and one tropicanna lemonade or limeade, chop up one full lemon and one lime and add two 2 liter bottles of pop like 1 diet fresca and 1 diet 7up and fill the rest with ice. Travels pretty easy if you want to take to a party your invited too ladies love it and it goes down too easy. Have bucket will travel.      

Only problem with me and Gin is I am a bit like the WHO song. Dr Jimmy and Mr Jim he only comes out when I drink my gin. Darndest thing, I am a pretty happy go lucky drunk on every other type of liquor but Gin brings out that little bit of Mr Hyde.

Strange thing about these elixir's, I have always suspected we all have a Mr Hyde brew.

Barnabov.....I'll use the lime juice in the Rickeys. The TEN doesn't have the strong perfume of a lot of gins, and when you combine it with the lime juice, it is smooth as can be.


Oooh.....Fresca is a beautiful mixer. When I was a youngin' at the Mickey Rats I would live on Vodka/Squirt. Five Alive....I haven't had that in years but used to love it. I'll give it a whirl.

Cheap Tequila gets me Hyde. I am usually a peaceful drunkie. I just talk louder and take my censor down a notch, if that is possible. Now I always have a bottle of Don Julio reposado at the ready as that is some smooth stuff.

This is not good.....now you all got me drinking and ordering cigars online......

[Eleven]

 Barnabov, on 13 July 2011 - 04:30 PM, said:

Some wealthy taste buds on this board - good recommendations by all.  I subscribe to the drink what you like and how you like it rule and have never shifted from scotch & soda to the more traditional ways of drinking whiskey.  Also, while I don't dislike single malts, I prefer blended scotch and Famous Grouse is my every day stuff but pretty much any Johnnie Walkers, J&B or the other major brands work when drinking with club soda.

On the topic of gin & tonics, does anyone mix Rose's Lime with theirs?  My British brother in law started us on that and it's now our Summer drink of choice (somehow Scotch is preferable in cooler weather which is about 2 months out of the year here in Texas).

Cheers!

I don't even like tonic with gin.  If it's a nice summer night, I'll take a very aromatic gin with club soda.  If I'm putting it up in a martini, I'll take a less aromatic one.  And Rosie's lime really never enters into my equation, but I'm not the gin expert who will call it a foul (or say it isn't one).

 SDS, on 13 July 2011 - 06:24 PM, said:

So, what's y'all favorite flavor of Smirnoff Ice? The pineapple is righteous....

Most of the posters on this board are men, so I'm not sure how many responses you'll get there, SDS.



Oh, and on edit:  I got carded tonight for a drink.  At a decent place, too.  I FREAKING LOVED IT!

[SDS]

 Eleven, on 13 July 2011 - 09:10 PM, said:

Most of the posters on this board are men, so I'm not sure how many responses you'll get there, SDS.

I'm hoping no one thought I was serious... I would think "pineapple" anything would give that away.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

 SDS, on 13 July 2011 - 09:37 PM, said:

I'm hoping no one thought I was serious... I would think "pineapple" anything would give that away.

OK....since I am now marinating in gin and just broke into the Drane armageddon humidor, I will give you one of my gayest suggestions ever. Pizza....you do it with sausage, hot pepper and pineapple. My ex ordered this and I made fun of her to no end. Until I tried it. It was awesome. I think it's because you have the hot and the sweet and the salty all working together. Either way...a large and a 12 pack gets you through the day.

Don't worry...no "I love Tim Connolly's game" secrets coming.

[SwampD]

 R_dudly, on 13 July 2011 - 03:53 PM, said:

Man I love this place for the width and breadth of topics. I missed this original thread but but picked up on the recent bump.

Liquor consumed neat is an acquired taste. For me the choice of drink has a lot to do with the environment, setting and activity that I am engaged in. For example bourbon by the pool doesn't work for me like a vodka and tonic with lime will.  

Bio never brought the vodka into the dicussion but I will just briefly mention dry martini's up with olive and on the higher end Grey Goose, or kettle one and for a real good on the cheap Tito's or Lukosova. Cut my teeth and suffered many a vodka poisening on vodka and ice tea and kamikazee's for shots.

I also started my bourbon drinking ala manhatten and have long since moved on. All the manhatten advice is excellant down to the bitters vs vermouth options which is a taste preference IMO. Interesting Manhatten variation is with a 100 proof Southern comfort, dry vermouth over ice with a lemon twist.

Bourbon of choice for me is rare breed over some ice where the ice allowed to melt for all the water I need or want to add. I also enjoy Gentleman Jack as a straight up bracer from my flask on the golf course chased with water, gatorade or beer  depending on how hot it is that day. Oh and it is a must to dip the end of my cigar in the bourbon.

For Scotch I defintely agree that starting with the blends is probably the best beginner advice here. I second Chz post as Dewers and water with ice is where I started my scotch drinking. I have since settled on single malt and will agree the Johnny Walker Blue, green and gold label is just fantastic scotch neat, no ice or chaser needed. I have tried glemorangie, Glen Fiddach, JW Black, etc. settled on Glen livet as my bar stock option of choice. I will say an upscale macallum aged 25+ yrs that was bought on a vendors dime as an after dinner appertif was the best I have ever had by far.

Ta kill ya, I agree after much experimentation on cabo wabo by chocie but boy i really don't like the way i feel the next day after tequila. Oh and chaz on autheticate mezcal I have ate the worm.  

Gin, well that love affair started as gin and tonic w/lime or gimlets for shots but has long since been replaced by vodka and tonic. When I still occasionally gin it's Tanquery.

Great finally found the time to type all this up, let me know when you all decide to do the cigar thread GODD mentions.

It's funny you mentioned this because a few weeks ago, I decreed this "The Summer of the Icepick".  

Someone handed me their vodka and iced tea at a party a couple of weeks ago to try, and I said that 1984 called and wanted it's drink back.  Been drinking them ever since.  They are great for the back yard in the sun.

Gin also angries up the blood in me as well.

[R_dudly]

 SwampD, on 14 July 2011 - 06:57 AM, said:

It's funny you mentioned this because a few weeks ago, I decreed this "The Summer of the Icepick".  

Someone handed me their vodka and iced tea at a party a couple of weeks ago to try, and I said that 1984 called and wanted it's drink back.  Been drinking them ever since.  They are great for the back yard in the sun.

Gin also angries up the blood in me as well.

that's funny and exactly just about right timeframe for my original go around with them. I still drink them.

Not that I do not love and crave ice cold beer in the summer, it's just that now that I am older they go right to the waist and they contribute to that going problem or is it a growing problem   .    

Beer is great but liquor is quicker and I'm down on that physics volume in volume out formula.

[korab rules]

swamped at work, no time for a post of consequence on a topic I hold dear.  Love brown liquors, not clear.  Can drink vodka, but Gin makes my eye turn in.  drinking a lot of irish whisky lately.  not too many real high end one available.  Powers is the best of the <$25.00 bottle crowd.  Red breast is as good as any that cost more than that.  Black bush is interesting, but too sweet - is it sherry barrels that does it?  can't remember.

[MattPie]

This thread is having a bad influence on me. Gin and tonic at a wedding on Saturday, Gin and Tonic Monday night (using the fancy-pants tonic at Wegmans), Eagle Rare bourbon Tuesday, and Speyburn single malt last night. And, for the first time in many moons, I am out of scotch.

[korab rules]

If you are going to drink tonic - drink Q-tonic - made with agave - not sweet like schweppes and all that crap - really good stuff - once you have had it you will never want to drink any other kind of tonic.

Q tonic

[MattPie]

 korab rules, on 14 July 2011 - 11:31 AM, said:

If you are going to drink tonic - drink Q-tonic - made with agave - not sweet like schweppes and all that crap - really good stuff - once you have had it you will never want to drink any other kind of tonic.

Q tonic

I should try Q now that I'm back into it. I had Fever Tree, which isn't nearly as sweet as the big brands. Q claims the sell at the Wegman's in the area. but I don't remember seeing them. I'll have to look again...

[nobody]

 Ghost of Dwight Drane, on 13 July 2011 - 07:05 PM, said:

Duds...Tanquery is my go-to. Do you ever drink their TEN? If you want to obliterate a group of people in a hurry, including women, make a pitcher of Lime Rickeys with TEN. It goes down like nectar water. It sounds counter-intuitive to waste such good stuff in a mix like that....but I have seen the truth in action.

Why ruin Ten with anything other then an ice cube?  

It is summertime  - I was going to say it is time to put away the brown and drink your gin & tonic.  But I have been drinking mostly rum this week.

[nobody]

 Eleven, on 12 July 2011 - 07:58 AM, said:

Just let me know and I'll set it up somewhere.

Let us all know when that event is going to happen!

[SDS]

 nobody, on 14 July 2011 - 10:25 PM, said:

Why ruin Ten with anything other then an ice cube?  

It is summertime  - I was going to say it is time to put away the brown and drink your gin & tonic.  But I have been drinking mostly rum this week.

Am I the only one who doesn't drink alcohol every week?

[nobody]

 SDS, on 14 July 2011 - 10:36 PM, said:

Am I the only one who doesn't drink alcohol every week?

I'm on vacation - give me a little slack; Scott!  

The rest of these lushes - I can't control.

[SDS]

 nobody, on 14 July 2011 - 10:43 PM, said:

I'm on vacation - give me a little slack; Scott!  

The rest of these lushes - I can't control.

Other than the very occasional beer, I rarely drink outside of social situations. By the time I found a drink I liked I'd forget it by the next time it was appropriate to have to again.

[nobody]

 SDS, on 14 July 2011 - 10:52 PM, said:

Other than the very occasional beer, I rarely drink outside of social situations. By the time I found a drink I liked I'd forget it by the next time it was appropriate to have to again.

What?  You forget what you drink?  Sounds like you may have a serious drinking problem.  

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

 SDS, on 14 July 2011 - 10:36 PM, said:

Am I the only one who doesn't drink alcohol every week day?

[korab rules]

 SDS, on 14 July 2011 - 10:52 PM, said:

Other than the very occasional beer, I rarely drink outside of social situations. By the time I found a drink I liked I'd forget it by the next time it was appropriate to have to again.

You need to involve yourself in more social situations.

No Irish whisky connoisseurs on this board?  WTF?  I am looking for new GOOD brands to try.

[X. Benedict]

 Ghost of Dwight Drane, on 13 July 2011 - 07:05 PM, said:

Duds...Tanquery is my go-to. Do you ever drink their TEN? If you want to obliterate a group of people in a hurry, including women, make a pitcher of Lime Rickeys with TEN. It goes down like nectar water. It sounds counter-intuitive to waste such good stuff in a mix like that....but I have seen the truth in action.

What's your mix?

A Lime Rickey is just gin, lime juice, and club.

[Glass Case Of Emotion]

 R_dudly, on 13 July 2011 - 08:05 PM, said:

Haven't tried the Ten yet but will have to give it a try on your recommendation.
For a cheaper party and still good with the ladies alternative you might try a simple gin bucket. Take a new clean large bucket and start with a handle of cheap gin add two regular frozen concentrates, I personally recommend one 5 alive and one tropicanna lemonade or limeade, chop up one full lemon and one lime and add two 2 liter bottles of pop like 1 diet fresca and 1 diet 7up and fill the rest with ice. Travels pretty easy if you want to take to a party your invited too ladies love it and it goes down too easy. Have bucket will travel.

/snip/    

This travels even better if you mix it in an (unused) 2.5 GAL gasoline container. Comes with a spout for easy pouring into a cup or, more likely, an open mouth. Proper tailgate requirement.

[biodork]

 korab rules, on 15 July 2011 - 10:11 AM, said:

You need to involve yourself in more social situations.

No Irish whisky connoisseurs on this board?  WTF?  I am looking for new GOOD brands to try.

Can't vouch for it personally, but my friend's husband loves FECKiN.

[weave]

 korab rules, on 15 July 2011 - 10:11 AM, said:

You need to involve yourself in more social situations.

No Irish whisky connoisseurs on this board?  WTF?  I am looking for new GOOD brands to try.

I've dabbled a bit with the big labels.  I do like the Irish whiskeys I've tried.  But I've yet to really explore it at all.  I have a bottle of Jameson's 15 yr old sitting amongst my stash. I bought it to entertain with on St. Paddy's weekend (go figure).  Nice stuff.  It's been a few months since I've last taken a glass from it but if I remember correctly it had some nice soft peaty notes and hints of sherry to go along with the soft sweet malt that usually makes up Jameson's profile.  A nice interesting upgrade from the Jamesons we all see on the back of the bar.  It still gets third billing at my house though.  I'm a bourbon drinker at heart with a growing soft spot for single malt scotch.


I'll make a point of pouring a dram tonight and refreshing my memory and post my thoughts.

[weave]

 SDS, on 14 July 2011 - 10:36 PM, said:

Am I the only one who doesn't drink alcohol every week keep a bottle of booze in my desk at work?

[Glass Case Of Emotion]

With the wife all knocked up and nesting (I've We've renovated our bathroom, built a nursary into a previously unused nook on the second floor, built a guest room in the basement, and replaced every sheet, curtain, and towel in our house...all in the past month.) I haven't found the time to sit down and have a glass out of the Four Roses Single Barrel that's been staring at me from our bar. Tonight may be the night. Just the thought has me all happy inside.  

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

 X. Benedict, on 15 July 2011 - 10:43 AM, said:

What's your mix?

A Lime Rickey is just gin, lime juice, and club.

Pretty much that, except we'd add a Canada Dry lemon peel concoction. I can't find it in the stores anymore.

All I know is I had my girlfriend and her cousin end up in my bed, "playfully" waking me up after a night of drinking these. The girls were happily lit, but not sloppy. After that I was a believer.

[weave]

 LastPommerFan, on 15 July 2011 - 11:19 AM, said:

With the wife all knocked up and nesting (I've We've renovated our bathroom, built a nursary into a previously unused nook on the second floor, built a guest room in the basement, and replaced every sheet, curtain, and towel in our house...all in the past month.) I haven't found the time to sit down and have a glass out of the Four Roses Single Barrel that's been staring at me from our bar. Tonight may be the night. Just the thought has me all happy inside.  

Have you tried your 4R SB yet or is the bottle new?  We went to Kentucky last year on vacation and toured the 4 Roses distillery.  Before then I was only dimly aware of that brand.  I fell in love with 4R SB at that tour.  Bought a couple bottles from that batch to take home and am now on my 3rd bottle of it (different batch though).  Each batch is a little different.  Long story - short, but they have a very complicated blending for their plain yellow label 4 Roses.  They have 10 recipes that they cask separately to age and then blend them to the master distillers taste.  Their single barrel bottling could come from any of those casks and any of the 10 recipes. And each recipe is distinctly different in flavor and character from the others.  The master distiller chooses which one to use for their single barrel bottling based on what he thinks turned out the best.  We got the opportunity to sample several of the different recipes on that tour and a couple differnet blendings of the finished product.  It was very educational.

[korab rules]

 biodork, on 15 July 2011 - 11:05 AM, said:

Can't vouch for it personally, but my friend's husband loves FECKiN.

I have seen it, but haven't tried it yet.  The label throws me off - looks like some new age concoction, not a traditional Irish WhiskEY

 weave, on 15 July 2011 - 11:05 AM, said:

I've dabbled a bit with the big labels.  I do like the Irish whiskeys I've tried.  But I've yet to really explore it at all.  I have a bottle of Jameson's 15 yr old sitting amongst my stash. I bought it to entertain with on St. Paddy's weekend (go figure).  Nice stuff.  It's been a few months since I've last taken a glass from it but if I remember correctly it had some nice soft peaty notes and hints of sherry to go along with the soft sweet malt that usually makes up Jameson's profile.  A nice interesting upgrade from the Jamesons we all see on the back of the bar.  It still gets third billing at my house though.  I'm a bourbon drinker at heart with a growing soft spot for single malt scotch.


I'll make a point of pouring a dram tonight and refreshing my memory and post my thoughts.

First my apologies, for screwing up the whiskey/whisky. Not paying attention to what the hell I am doing here.

Jameson is my least favorite of the big names.  It's entry level is basically undrinkable for me.  Tullamore Dew is only slightly better.  Bushmills is better yet, but the upgraded Black Bush is too sweet for me.  As I said previously, Powers is th best of the entry level Irish whiskeys I have tried to date - perfect for filling that flask for cold weather events.

I have to say that I am so turned off by Jameson that I haven't bothered to try their higher end offerings. I have had the 12 year old special reserve Tullamore Dew, and while it is a substantial improvement over the entry level dew, it is not as pleasing to me as red breast despite being in a bout the same price range - $35-40 for a fifth.  I would like to try Tullamore's single malt, but haven't seen it in stores yet.

My tastes run all over the place - I like just about everything.  Irish whiskey is a go to favorite, but I love to drink scotch under the right circumstances - for scotch, there are so many options that it gets confusing, and I have trouble remembering what I have tried and liked.  I love the heavy peaty, smoky ones, especially at cask strength.  Makes my mouth water just thinking about it.  I think I am going to drink my lunch today.