spirits The Whisky Thread

SmokenFire said:
Nice bump, bumper ;)
 
I'm currently in love with Elmer T Lee; excellent single barrel bourbon whiskey from the Buffalo Trace distillery.  Usually able to find it for around $30 USD which is a great price for such a good whiskey.  Try it sometime!
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It's on my list.  We are screwed with taxes here. A bottle of Elmer will set me back $90 Aus (about $80 US?) here.  My favourite bourbon is the James E Pepper 1776, but at $100 a bottle here it is a keeper not a swiller.  
 
sicman said:
Ive drank my share of buffalo. 
 
Im on a beam kick,have been for a while. Its cheap and realible.

Who wants to drink up bumps stash?
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BUMPER DOES!!  I'll do a pre drink photo next time I crack them and you can all live vicariously.
 
Only beam I have had since uni was Devil's cut.  Not bad at all for the money.  I tend to have my whiskeys neat after dinner, so they go further and I can afford to get a better bottle.  
 
How did I ever miss this thread?
 
Another Buffalo Trace fan here, but Eagle Rare is my choice. I hope one day to be able to afford some Pappy VanWinkle, as I have heard it is the best Bourbon.
 
To my taste, Bourbon is the only whiskey I like, and straight up, no corrupting good whiskey with adulterants.
 
Admittedly, I have only tried a few Scotch (Cutty Sark, Dewars), and did not care for either.
 
alkhall, try some Famous Grouse. It's not expensive but sure taste like it is. It will change your mind about Scotch if your mind can be changed.

I like Beam Devil's cut for a cheap bourbon it's not bad and I use it in my Bourbon Fatalii Apple Butter. Right now I have some dark toaster Oak Chips soaking in it for a Vanilla Bourbon Barrel Stout I want to do.

Edit: Oh, yes Siccy, I current have a glass with ice and Devils Cut in it. Only other way I enjoy it is as a Jim and Ginger :)
 
RocketMan said:
alkhall, try some Famous Grouse. It's not expensive but sure taste like it is. It will change your mind about Scotch if your mind can be changed.

I like Beam Decils cut for a cheap bourbon it's not bad and I use it in my Bourbon Fatalii Apple Butter. Right now I have some dark toaster Oak Chips soaking in it for a Vanilla Bourbon Barrel Stout I want to do.

Edit: Oh, yes Siccy, I current have a glass with ice and Devils Cut in it. Only other way I enjoy it is as a Jim and Ginger :)
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Recipe for the stout please!  Kegging an oatmeal stout on my day off on Friday, so there is room in the fermenting fridge….  
 
Alkhall, if you find single malts a bit rough to manage, you could try some of the Yamazaki japanese single malts, or a Glenmorangie.  I find I prefer american whiskey as a regular drop, but go to the single malts in winter.  Glenmorangie do some sherry and bourbon barrel aged singles that are a great way to bridge the gap between sweeter bourbon and single malt.  https://www.danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_21887/glenmorangie-the-lasanta-scotch-whisky-700ml 
 
I like to divide Scotch into two main groups: Speyside and Islay
 
It's not 100% technically correct because even Speyside can be further divided into two groups - the light fresh ones (Grants single malt) or the more sherry, sweeter types (Glenmorangie).
 
But if you not a Scotch fan I suggest you try the Speyside sweeter brands - Glenmorangie is superb!  The 12 year olds are amazing - Nectar d' Or is sublime.
 
As a noob avoid the Islay stuff.  They are very serious smoky/peaty/medicinal whiskys.  I have tried a few and they are very moody.  I can only have 1 or 2 of them and then its a break for a while again.  Top of the pops in this style for me was Highland Park 21 year old.  Although not a true Islay it has that moody, peat smoke coupled with very warm flavours.  Very complex and not one to sip on when already having a few under the belt - the intricacies get lost on a numb palate.  But not one for everyday.  In fact once or twice a year is enough for me.
 
I introduced my wife to whisky via Ballantine's Finest.  It is a cheap cheerful whisky - with a lot of the nuances of some of the more expensive brands.  I find it most similar in flavour to the Glenmorangie 12's.
 
Avoid Bell's, Johnnie Walker (ALL of them - rubbish!!!), J&B etc.  They are filth.  Give Scotch a bad name.  Try Ballantine's Finest and soon you'll be asking yourself why you never liked the stuff.
 
Been on a Pendletons kick lately. Its been on sale for $19 a bottle. Matter a fact there is three dead soldiers behind my monitor and a half full bottle on the side of it, right now.
 
alkhall said:
How did I ever miss this thread?
 
Another Buffalo Trace fan here, but Eagle Rare is my choice. I hope one day to be able to afford some Pappy VanWinkle, as I have heard it is the best Bourbon.
 
To my taste, Bourbon is the only whiskey I like, and straight up, no corrupting good whiskey with adulterants.
 
Admittedly, I have only tried a few Scotch (Cutty Sark, Dewars), and did not care for either.
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Ahhhhhh.  I see the problem - Cutty Sark - hideous stuff!  I have tasted better detergents!  Oh man I can still remember the day I bought a bottle.  I had three doubles - just to be sure.  No man.  No.  I can't get that taste outta my head.  Horrid.  Definitely made to be used in cocktails or with a serious taste-masking mixer.
 
Dewars also a mixing whisky.  I haven't tried their more mature offerings yet but in all honesty it is like Johnny Walker to me.  I have not found one that is decent - and I've tried them all (way back when I was the personal barman for the world's best car advert director - I got to taste everything in that bar!). 
 
If you want a very well-priced whisky give Ballantine's a go.  After that you're ready for Glenmorangie!
 
 Another dram (well 2 actually) of the Ardbeg this evening, I am like you Rob, I can only enjoy one every few weeks, it is not a sessional or even regular drop, but an experience. Lovely drop though.
 
If I had to choose one of the two I posted earlier again, I would grab another of the Glenfarclas 15.  Slightly sweeter, a little smoke, smooth and lingering finish.  
 
RobStar said:
 
As a noob avoid the Islay stuff.  They are very serious smoky/peaty/medicinal whiskys.  I have tried a few and they are very moody.  I can only have 1 or 2 of them and then its a break for a while again.  Top of the pops in this style for me was Highland Park 21 year old.  Although not a true Islay it has that moody, peat smoke coupled with very warm flavours.  Very complex and not one to sip on when already having a few under the belt - the intricacies get lost on a numb palate.  But not one for everyday.  In fact once or twice a year is enough for me.
 
 
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I hear ya!  The Ardberg sounds like what I typically associate with Islay whisky - medicinal!  The heavy peat smoke that comes through and can be quite palate numbing.  You really need to take your time with it.
 
The Glenfarclas is more the style I enjoy.  Typical Speyside whisky.
 
Quite strange - I've had the Highland Park 18 and the HP 21 - the 21 was like an Islay and the 18 was like a Speyside.  My first taster was the 21 - a shock to the system as I was not expecting that - I sat for about 20 minutes with that dram and was glad it was over.  After a dram of the 18 I tried the 21 again and this time discovered it's nuances.  Still.  It's not an everyday drink.
 
I wish Glenmorangie 12's were my everyday drink!  Jeez, I'd also be living in the Caribbean on a yacht then I guess.
 
Just picked up a bottle of Elijah Craig 12 year old small batch.  Giving the Eagle Rare a run for its money! Needs a drop or two of water to open it up though
 
Who else can remember grabbing a big ole bottle of Rebel Yell Whiskey for like 10 bucks before heading down to the <enter your high school hang out here> River for the party. Cheap stuff but it got the job done back when ;)
 
Robstar - that is a very good introduction to the world of Scotch. I am a Speyside fan myself, Glenlivet and Glenfiddich, the whole range of both.
 
Does anyone have experience with aging barrels?  I picked up a 2-liter barrel at the Houston Hot Sauce festival and had my company logo and tag line engraved.  I have used it twice now.  The first was with some free "essence" they provided that was supposed to make it taste like Makers Mark when aged with cheap vodka.  I aged it for 3 months and it sucked.  They say 58 days in a 2-liter is equivalent to 1 year in a 55-gallon barrel.  30 days in a 1-liter is equal to a year in a barrel.
 
On my second run I bartered 3 cases of my hot sauce for a local blue corn whiskey.  Best barter ever - they gave me three fifths of whiskey and $40 and I gave them 3 cases of hot sauce!  Anyway, I aged it for 3.5 months, so I added almost 2 more years to the original aging and it turned out fantastic.  Pic is below.
 
So my question is this:  Has anyone used these before?  The secret is to use a cheaper whiskey/bourbon and age longer.  I was thinking Jim Beam might be a good candidate for a 6-month age (= 3 years).  Any other ideas on relatively cheap whiskeys and bourbons that would be stellar with a few more years of aging?  
 
This can also be used for other liquors as well.  I have been thinking about getting some 1-liter kegs for tequila, sake and brandy. 
 
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jim beam already has 4 years on it, so you could go longer if you wanted, but I would take something cheaper
 
however, you have to realize, you arent just looking for the oak flavor from the barrel, you are looking for a chemical exchange that happens between the oak and the liquor itself, not just the tannin extraction
 
you are also looking for micro oxidation factors as well, so another way to do it would be age one in a barrel for a month or two to extract half the oak flavor, then age a second one in there for like 9-12 months, and if you are missing that oak character, toss in a small spiral into the small barrel for a week or two to compensate, that way you get the best of both worlds
 
Yea i mean they blend a boatload, and I mean a BOATLOAD of barrels to get their final flavors they are looking for. That is the downside to home aging
 
That's a little more ambitious than I had planned on. I can't imagine aging 2 liters for three months and waiting for another 2 liters to age for a year just to mix them together (did I read that right).  I would need several barrels going in tandem to have the willpower to pull that off.
 
I'm just looking for a cheap whiskey that, when aged, becomes smoother but the individual notes still come forward.  I still want to taste the vanilla, caramel and other notes.  I have heard that these small barrels can over-oak and the limit is 1 year.  So maybe a whiskey or bourbon that would be fantastic if it just weren't so harsh.
 
I guess I always thought of Jim Beam as great for manhattan's but not so good on the rocks.  I have a friend who's dad bought a 55-gal barrel of Seagrams several years ago and now it's delicious.  Seagrams on it's own is nothing special.
 
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