What WHISKEY have you been drinking?

Over the past week, I've had Crown Royal Black and Black Bush. But my delight was sitting down last night after dinner and enjoying a nice glass of Knob Creek. Along with Maker's Mark, KC is my favorite. I don't have the money to go higher end.

Black Bush is one of my favourites, but I haven't had any since St Patrick's Day.

Had some Johnnie Walker Gold label the other night and was hoping it might assist in killing off a chest infection I've been battling.
It's medicinal qualities are sadly lacking, but it a nice drop regardless.

I splurged last week and picked up a bottle of Glenlivet. It's a bit smokey for my taste, but it's a far cry better than the Clan MacGregor I've been drinking ever since the child was born.

beuks33 wrote:

I splurged last week and picked up a bottle of Glenlivet. It's a bit smokey for my taste, but it's a far cry better than the Clan MacGregor I've been drinking ever since the child was born.

Clan MacGregor might be the only Scotch that's improved by dumping cola into it. I have emptied a bottle or two as well, mostly in the college days.

Currently there's a few fingers of Johnnie Walker Black left, and most of a bottle of 12 year Macallan and 16 year Lagavulin in the house. I ran out of Crown Royal a while ago, and it hasn't been seen at a reasonable price nearby lately.

I haven't bought a bottle of bourbon in a long time, so I guess I should remedy that. Not much drinking recently, life has been kicking my ass. A beer now and then has been about it.

I'm sadly polishing off the last dregs of my last bottle of Laphroaig 15-year. The 15 is a mere $15 more than their common 10-year; however, it has a far more subtle [and tasty] flavor profile goin' for it.

Unfortunately, Laphroaig, in their infinite wisdom, ditched this beautiful $75 liquor and replaced it with a 10-year Cask Strength, which is utterly (and absolutely) dreadful and an 18-year at $115-150 (cheapest I've found it is $115 at an online store in San Francisco; most other places--and everywhere here in DC--price it much closer to $150). While I expect wines to come and go, this is the first commonly-available whiskey I've ever had go "out of print" on me.

You can spot it on the shelf by its dark green-on-green tube as opposed to the 10-year's white; I think I've managed to clean out the DC metro area and am now constantly on the hunt for any remaining stock wherever the wife and I travel (I managed to find 3 bottles in Austin last Halloween; that was the cherry on top of a great trip). I'm starting to feel a bit like Captain Nixon in Band of Brothers on the hunt for Vat69 in occupied Germany and Austria.


<whiny rant>
Laphroaig's 15-year is the Prince of Wales' favorite single malt and they've taken it out of production forever. I can't decide if it's because all these fucking new single malt snobs (who are making the transition from Cigar Snobs now that their trophy wives won't let them smoke in their house) littering the liquor stores have more money than sense and will just make the jump to something twice the price without thinking "because it must be better" (much like the Cabernet snobs who think that insane price equates directly to best flavor (as the ridiculous prices for Sterling Silver Oak demonstrate--if ever a $80 wine should be $35, that's the one) or because the Scots just want to stick their thumbs in the eyes of the English Royals.

I'm betting it's the former.
</whiny rant>

Edit: I also forgot that there's also a new "Quarter Cask" that is supposed to replace the 15, which tastes remarkably like someone steeped a bale of peat in something between a California Chardonnay and a bourbon like it was tea. I can't figure out who the hell was clammoring for a and *peatier* version of the 10-year, but it feels like drinking a mouthful of Islay mulch....

Yeah, the Laphroaig 10 is like being hit in the head with a bag of peat, then dunked in a tidepool. I like it on occasion, but the Lagavulin has the peaty smoke without the iodine to it.

I may have to pick up a bottle of 15 before it goes away, though. I don't think I've ever tried it. Looks like I can still find in my area, so score one for the boondocks.

I wouldn't be terribly surprised if it comes back eventually, sometimes the expressions go in and out of availability based on stock, which is pretty hard to predict 15 years down the road. The stock that would be used to make 15 is probably going into the more expensive 18 at the moment, especially if there was a short year or two in production. Scotch has gone nuts in the last few years, and I'd imagine there's been more than few problems over the amounts put down a decade or more ago.

Not Sure wrote:

Yeah, the Laphroaig 10 is like being hit in the head with a bag of peat, then dunked in a tidepool. I like it on occasion, but the Lagavulin has the peaty smoke without the iodine to it.

Lagavulin is my *other* favorite single malt. Apparently, I'll be supplying the liquor should you ever come east. (Come out for the WBC, we'll get a table full of folks together for a few days of wargaming and drinking.)

my current bottle is a Balvenie Doublewood, i bought it because i liked the shape. it's nice but i don't know shit about whisky except i have no comprehension on why my dad tries to save money by buying awful mass produced stuff when for only a few quid more you can get something that tastes quite decent.

the Lagavulin 17 yo is one of my favorite malts. I'm currently _very slowly_ working my way through a bottle of Edriadour 10 YO. it'as the smallest distillery in scotlans and produces , I think, 800 bottles a year-- it's like a mom and pop operation almost!

Think Cardhu only with more of cinnamon bun character, with a nice smokey/spicey finish.

Awesome stuff.

And what the fuck is up with the heat in the North East?! I sooooo don't regret investing in A/C and buying a pool...

Christ, I would kill for a bottle of straight regular Bushmills. I actually prefer it to the Black... the cask adds too much on the Black. Lately with the economy as it is, I am lucky to have beer... Natty Ice is the regular these days (yes, yes I know...).

Anyway, thanks for spelling it right. Without an 'E', well that's just Bourbon as far as I'm concerned.

Had a glass of Bulleit on the rocks last night before a pre-shift concert then wound down with a Blantons neat once I got to work. Ended with a shot of Jim Beam black with my other bartender at the end of the shift. My whiskey drinking has been largely done at work lately, with the exception of an old fashioned or a sazerac before dinner. The liquor cabinet at home has the dregs of a bottle of Eagle Rare, two thirds of a Bakers, and most of a bottle of Michael Collins Irish Whiskey that I got as a gift. It looks like we're planning a BBQ for the weekend so I'll be stocking up on Jim Beam to mix with lemonade and mint, (My dead favorite summer cocktail. Newmans Own works best if you're not making your own lemonade) and maybe something a little nicer for the end of the night.

I'm much more of a Tequila drinker but I have been working my way through a bottle of 12 year old Macallan. Sometimes I drink it neat but I think I prefer it with ice. Next time I go to the package store near my place I'll check for that Laphroaig 15. They have a very decent selection of Scotch and I think I remember seeing that particular one there.

-Will

Glenlivet is my favourite.

I tried a new one on Sunday night at dinner and it was buttery smooth. Totally awesome. I forget the name. Fail

Blanton's is such an excellent bourbon. Really, really good.

I don't know where you Northeast folks are getting this heat wave from. It's 55 degrees and cloudy here. Looks like November, not almost June. Scotch-drinking weather, though. Better get on it before it goes away.