Single Malt Whisky Thread

Kalimna

I live 5 minutes walk from the Deanston distillery, and its a very fine malt.
However, nothing beats a 21 yr old Highland Park from Adelphi.
I bought a bottle of Hillside 25 yr old (rare malts collection) with my first paycheck some years ago. I have a little left, and the price for another bottle aint far off 4 figures. I paid somewhat less.
If you can find it, i have nothing but praise for Old Perth Malt, a blend. I guarantee you wont find a tastier sip under £30.

And bourbon? I love me an Evan Williams  

RandallFlagg

ThePrettyDamned said:

How do you drink them? 

I went to a whisky tasting in a shop and couldn't make much out between them - which surprised me as I'm generally quite good at identifying flavour in coffees, wines, beers etc. The whisky was neat - so I mostly could taste alcohol burn and not much else. 

Maybe I'm just not a fan?

A Glencairn glass, neat with a dribble of water for me. Smell it first and hold it in your mouth for a few seconds. After a few sips you get past the burn

Chalky

Water in whisky? They've gone to all that trouble to give you the best and you put the recycled local piss in it? )

camf

Springbank. I've been drinking the stuff for nearly 50 years and grew up in a hotel/pub in Inverness surrounded by all classes of alcoholics and I've never tasted anything better than the Campbeltown malts.

camf

I like Speyside (the place) a lot, but Springbank still for the win 

Flink_Poyd

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-40960983

ThorpyFX

Chalky said:

Water in whisky? They've gone to all that trouble to give you the best and you put the recycled local piss in it? )

https://www.forbes.com/sites/samlemonick/2017/08/18/yes-you-should-put-water-in-your-whiskey/

Apparently there is a reason dilution enhances the flavour, less burn more taste

Legionreturns

ThePrettyDamned said:

How do you drink them? 

I went to a whisky tasting in a shop and couldn't make much out between them - which surprised me as I'm generally quite good at identifying flavour in coffees, wines, beers etc. The whisky was neat - so I mostly could taste alcohol burn and not much else. 

Maybe I'm just not a fan?

I have whisky stones and very occasionally a drop of water. 

dano

I'm currently on a bottle of Tamnavulin which has a very nice vanilla and sherry flavour.  On offer at Tescos at the moment for £22 iirc.

Recently enjoyed good bottles of Old Pulteney 12 yr, Glenfarclas (12yr and the 105 I picked up.in duty free), Glenlievet and my recent favourites was a bottle of Linkwood 15yr which was superb.

LoFi

At home, Laphroaig or Jura.

When out, Macallan.

Either way, 2:1 with water.

octatonic

cj73 said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

How do you drink them? 

I went to a whisky tasting in a shop and couldn't make much out between them - which surprised me as I'm generally quite good at identifying flavour in coffees, wines, beers etc. The whisky was neat - so I mostly could taste alcohol burn and not much else. 

Maybe I'm just not a fan?

No ice., just a few drops of water...release the flavour 

Same here- often just a single drop of water.
Sometimes no water at all- depends on the whisky.

I even have a glass dropper.

Cirrus

Chalky said:

Water in whisky? They've gone to all that trouble to give you the best and you put the recycled local piss in it? )

I was amazed the first time I tried putting just a couple of drops in at the suggestion of a more seasoned drinker than I - totally enhances the flavour with some of the more peaty ones.

Laphroaig, Ledaig, Talisker (I named one of my cats after that one)... all good for when I want something nice that smells terrible to the wife.

slacker

Glenlivet for me

DiscoStu

I rarely touched whisky until I went to a Diageo tasting evening in Elgin. Whisky was always too rough on my stomach straight, and diluting it with water the way my mum used turns it into piss.
The Diageo master distiller told us to try each dram straight, then with a small amount of water added, and the difference was marked especially the TCP ones which I find disgusting but with a wee drop of water were almost drinkable! He went so far as to say that the distiller creates the whisky recipe with the intention of water being added at the end to release flavinoids and without it you are not drinking the flavour which was intended before the whisky was designed.
That could all be marketing shite but the splash of water definitely works for me!
I live in the capital of Speyside and really really want to be a whisky man but beer will always be my vice.

Kalimna

Beer is just undistilled whisky with added hops

DiscoStu

Kalimna said:

Beer is just undistilled whisky with added hops

This is very true! The other way to look at it is that whisky is distilled beer!

Bennyboy-UK

cannot be doing with that peaty stuff, Speyside all the way for me. It may not be considered (by some) more than a beginners single malt, but if I'm asked to choose a whisky then it's Balvennie Double Wood every time. Comfortable to drink and zero burn.

dogload

I discovered a rather nice Spanish whisky a few years back when we werer having a jaunt across the border into Spain from France.

I initially bought a bottle because it was a bit of a novelty and really cheap (something like 15 Euros) but it actually turned out to be very good stuff indeed. 
I've had another two bottles since then but couldn't find the stuff this year. Turns out they were limited editions (the company usually just does blends apparently) that were produced in 2010 and 2013. Bummer. 

pintspiller

I like The MacCallen.

RandallFlagg

Chalky said:

Water in whisky? They've gone to all that trouble to give you the best and you put the recycled local piss in it? )

Many distillers recommend that a small amount of water is added to release the flavour, the correct way to have whisky served is with a small jug of water.