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What is your favorite Scotch Whisky?

Fly Boy

One of the Regulars
Messages
243
Location
Glasgow, Scotland
The two you bottled were choices they allowed you to make---tasting from barrels?
You had a good day there. I would have as well. Any day with Scotch is a good day. :cheers1:

Yup! Though I usually like a sherry cask from Aberlour, they had a first fill bourbon 16 year old that was utterly sublime. Lovely floral and vanilla flavours with a gentle hint of oakiness, and 60.3% abv! :D
 

Fly Boy

One of the Regulars
Messages
243
Location
Glasgow, Scotland
What's the deal with sending spirits to the States anyhow? Apparently it's very tough to do.

I could otherwise make a fortune providing finest malts to the discerning drinker across the pond!
 

Levallois

Practically Family
Messages
676
I obtained two bottles of Glenlivet 12 year old from my mom's house that I believe have been there, unopened and sealed, since the 1970s. Sipping a glass right now it seems very good - better than I remember this brand being. I know the consensus is that Scotch does not age in the bottle and maybe because I know that it's really old my mind is playing tricks but, man, it's smooth as silk. Maybe it was just a really good batch?

John
 
I obtained two bottles of Glenlivet 12 year old from my mom's house that I believe have been there, unopened and sealed, since the 1970s. Sipping a glass right now it seems very good - better than I remember this brand being. I know the consensus is that Scotch does not age in the bottle and maybe because I know that it's really old my mind is playing tricks but, man, it's smooth as silk. Maybe it was just a really good batch?

John

I am not sure. Send one bottle and I will let you know. :p
 

Levallois

Practically Family
Messages
676
Yes, James, no problem, what was that address again? What? You're fading . . . . . We seem to have a bad connection . . . . . . . :D
 

Hamletsghost

New in Town
Messages
39
Location
Merrillville Indiana USA
Started years ago with good ol' J&B & soda.
Graduated to Chivas (Royal Salute is unbelievable)
First learned about singles with Glenlivet
THEN
I found Glenmorangie on a trip to England in '78 & the rest is history
I've tried quite a few tastey singles & blends over the years but I always return to Glenmorangie.
For a real treat try Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban - Extremely rich & velvety
 
It's a blend specially made for a company I used to work for.

I recently was treated to a few Drams of Compass Box whisky:

Compass Box Double Single (I had no idea of the price when I tried it!)
Compassbox Hedonism
Compass Box Spice Tree

All in all I like the Hedonism best although the Peat Monster is quite good too.

Are these available in the US?

They are indeed available here---especially Peat Monster. How was Spice Tree?
The creator, John Glaser, came from this country. :D
 
Whilst reading some of my regular fare concerning single malts, I found something interesting concerning the true source of McClelland's source for its various offerings.
Their Lowland is from Auchentoshan. Their Islay is from Bowmore and interestingly their highland is from Glen Garioch. This is actually quite a solid range of distilleries for McClelland's and quite a bargain at their prices.
Glen Garioch has been around since 1797.
The Auchentoshan Three Wood won "the best Scotch Whisky and Cigar Combination" in the World when paired with the Bolivar Inmensas so that works for me. :p
Bowmore goes back to 1779 so it has been around a bit as well.
I have not found out who makes their Speyside just yet. ;)
 

Fly Boy

One of the Regulars
Messages
243
Location
Glasgow, Scotland
Whilst reading some of my regular fare concerning single malts, I found something interesting concerning the true source of McClelland's source for its various offerings.
Their Lowland is from Auchentoshan. Their Islay is from Bowmore and interestingly their highland is from Glen Garioch. This is actually quite a solid range of distilleries for McClelland's and quite a bargain at their prices.
Glen Garioch has been around since 1797.
The Auchentoshan Three Wood won "the best Scotch Whisky and Cigar Combination" in the World when paired with the Bolivar Inmensas so that works for me. :p
Bowmore goes back to 1779 so it has been around a bit as well.
I have not found out who makes their Speyside just yet. ;)

That sounds like a good relationship with Morrison-Bowmore as they own all three distilleries. I've come into contact with most of their output at one time or another.

Bowmore is sometimes fantastic, but they have suffered real problems with consistency. A major mistake was making the 15 yr old mariner a duty free exclusive bottling. The replacement, darkest, isn't bad, but it's not the mariner. If you can find it, tempest is rather good. The 12 year old is pretty dull but not unpleasant and surf/legend (whichever name they have bottled it under, it's the same stuff) is really wretched stuff.

Auchentoshan three wood is a fantastic dram, the 12 is unremarkable, but still pleasant. Avoid the entry level - classic. It's acrid and a little coppery.

Glen Garioch is really quite horrible. I've yet to have any dram from them that I wanted to finish, let alone buy a bottle of. They have only fairly recently started to ramp up production (they reopened after some renovation in '97) on a more industrial scale. Don't be taken in by the founding date of the distillery as any indicator of quality. They have a long way to go before they get their product right.

I've heard a rumour the Speyside is Craigellachie. If so, then it's certainly worth a punt, it's damned fine stuff.

Hope this is helpful in choosing malts wisely across the pond! ;)
 
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That sounds like a good relationship with Morrison-Bowmore as they own all three distilleries. I've come into contact with most of their output at one time or another.

Bowmore is sometimes fantastic, but they have suffered real problems with consistency. A major mistake was making the 15 yr old mariner a duty free exclusive bottling. The replacement, darkest, isn't bad, but it's not the mariner. If you can find it, tempest is rather good. The 12 year old is pretty dull but not unpleasant and surf/legend (whichever name they have bottled it under, it's the same stuff) is really wretched stuff.

Auchentoshan three wood is a fantastic dram, the 12 is unremarkable, but still pleasant. Avoid the entry level - classic. It's acrid and a little coppery.

Glen Garioch is really quite horrible. I've yet to have any dram from them that I wanted to finish, let alone buy a bottle of. They have only fairly recently started to ramp up production (they reopened after some renovation in '97) on a more industrial scale. Don't be taken in by the founding date of the distillery as any indicator of quality. They have a long way to go before they get their product right.

I've heard a rumour the Speyside is Craigellachie. If so, then it's certainly worth a punt, it's damned fine stuff.

Hope this is helpful in choosing malts wisely across the pond! ;)

Interesting. I figured there was a dcecent relationship with Bowmore there. :D I think Bowmore owns McClellands as well. :p
Thanks for the run down on the brands---quite helpful here.
 

Fly Boy

One of the Regulars
Messages
243
Location
Glasgow, Scotland
Interesting. I figured there was a dcecent relationship with Bowmore there. :D I think Bowmore owns McClellands as well. :p
Thanks for the run down on the brands---quite helpful here.

Aha - Parent company and all that! We don't really see much of McClellands as a marque on this side of the pond.

Glad to be of assistance. Out of interest, what's the supply of single malt like over in the states? Do you get much variety?
 
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Aha - Parent company and all that! We don't really see McClellands as a marque on this side of the pond.

Glad to be of assistance. Out of interest, what's the supply of single malt like over in the states? Do you get much variety?

Well, we have to go to specialty shops to get the really old or little known brands over here---then there are the ones like Greenspot that we just can't get at all. :eusa_doh:
There are sources on the web though that will ship you anything you want but it costs quite a bit. We do have a supporting magazine to help us source hard to find bottles in The Malt Advocate magazine. :D
 

Fly Boy

One of the Regulars
Messages
243
Location
Glasgow, Scotland
Well, we have to go to specialty shops to get the really old or little known brands over here---then there are the ones like Greenspot that we just can't get at all. :eusa_doh:
There are sources on the web though that will ship you anything you want but it costs quite a bit. We do have a supporting magazine to help us source hard to find bottles in The Malt Advocate magazine. :D

Do any independent bottlers cater for the USA specifically?
 

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