The OCUK Whisky (and Whiskey) review thread

[Jiffy]

I'm relatively new to the whole whisky thing. I've drank a lot of it over the years majority of it has been "swill"... your bargain basement *****. only in the last couple of years or so have I ventured into the more cultured brands.
I can hands down say that I'm a huge fan of the traditional Islay flavor profile. It started with being given a dram of Talisker storm on a Mess function by a friend and has then developed into a love/fascination with that heavily peated/smokey taste. I've tired a number of different whiskys since from many different regions but Islay/peated whisky's keep pulling me back in. Its probably a bit controversial but Talisker Dark Storm was my favorite, and I've recently just polished off a bottle and awaiting delivery of my next bottle, as well as a Lagavuilin 16.

However in the meantime I'm enjoying a Laphroig 10 that I grabbed at tesco. Whilst I eagerly await my delivery. I'm sitting here wondering why I hadnt given this a try before. Its a revelation! What a taste. I can understand how it could be considered as a bit of a marmite flavor profile but damn... I'm re-evaluating purchases here...

Laphroaig Quarter Cask is one of my all time favourite whiskeys. If you can't stretch to the superb 10 Cask Strength as dl8860 recommends then try the QC. A quarter cask is what it says a quarter sized cask. Due to the greater surface area the cask has a greater influence on the whisky. So, while it lacks the age and ABV of the cask strength, I think it's almost as strongly flavoured. I've bought many, many bottles of it. My local Asda used to sell it for £25. Then Amazon would have it on sale at £25. Now it's much higher priced but still worth £35 to £40 in my opinion.

Be warned, don't drink it all the time. It was my sole whisky for a long while and, as a result, all other whisky tasted dull as dishwater until I went cold turkey for a while and my taste buds recalibrated!

 

[dl8860]

Laphroaig Quarter Cask is one of my all time favourite whiskeys. If you can't stretch to the superb 10 Cask Strength as dl8860 recommends then try the QC. A quarter cask is what it says a quarter sized cask. Due to the greater surface area the cask has a greater influence on the whisky. So, while it lacks the age and ABV of the cask strength, I think it's almost as strongly flavoured. I've bought many, many bottles of it. My local Asda used to sell it for £25. Then Amazon would have it on sale at £25. Now it's much higher priced but still worth £35 to £40 in my opinion.

Be warned, don't drink it all the time. It was my sole whisky for a long while and, as a result, all other whisky tasted dull as dishwater until I went cold turkey for a while and my taste buds recalibrated!

Yeah 'peat blindness' is definitely a thing, you can desensitise yourself to it, which is shame.

 

[steve45]

Thanks for the recommendation! Just put an order through for a bottle of Quarter Cask so we'll see how it compares, looking forward to trying it. Stuck a Port Charlotte 10 in the order too I've been watching a lot of reviews of the Port Charlotte recently so my expectations are quite high, I hope it dosnt disappoint.
The Lagavulin 16 is wonderful. Its still a strong peated flavour, but its a lot more nuanced and sophisticated than the Laphroaig 10. I lack the vocabulary or experience to describe the flavors but its less of a punch in the face or assault on the senses than the 10. The 16 is something that I think is easier to savor and play in the mouth. Whilst the 10 is an experience unto itself. Both have earned rightful places on my shelf.

I think I'm on a bit of a honeymoon period with peated whisky. Everything is new and exciting. I will have to seriously take your comments about "peat blindness" into consideration. Mix things up every now and then.

 

[Jiffy]

The Port Charlotte 10 is a cracking buy. I had Lediag 10, Longrow and the PC 10 open at the same time once and the PC10 was miles ahead for me.

 

[Blackvault]

The Port Charlotte 10 is a cracking buy. I had Lediag 10, Longrow and the PC 10 open at the same time once and the PC10 was miles ahead for me.

The Port Charlotte 10 is a fantastic whisky. What did you think of Lediag, obviously not as good as PC10, but your opinion would be nice. I'm thinking of getting a bottle sometime in the future.

 

[ArcticHeron]

The Port Charlotte 10 is a cracking buy. I had Lediag 10, Longrow and the PC 10 open at the same time once and the PC10 was miles ahead for me.

It's the bottle I recommend to people most often. For the price it's astonishingly good.

 

[hughtrimble]

The Port Charlotte 10 is a fantastic whisky. What did you think of Lediag, obviously not as good as PC10, but your opinion would be nice. I'm thinking of getting a bottle sometime in the future.

Not the person you asked, but I found Ledaig to be a rubbery/car tyre smoke whereas PC is more of an ashy bonfire. Preference for PC therefore.

 

[Blackvault]

Not the person you asked, but I found Ledaig to be a rubbery/car tyre smoke whereas PC is more of an ashy bonfire. Preference for PC therefore.

Rubbery/Car tyre smoke is just what I'm looking for in a whisky I can see why people prefer the Port Charlotte over it.

 

[dl8860]

The Port Charlotte 10 is a cracking buy. I had Lediag 10, Longrow and the PC 10 open at the same time once and the PC10 was miles ahead for me.

Just boshing a PC10 for the first time now. Was it the standard Longrow peated you were referring to? I would agree the PC is a cut above, even though I loved my Longrow, especially at £30 a bottle. The PC10 was £8.30 for a pour though, so a tad pricey.

Eyeing up a Talisker 18 or Glenfarclas 105 next.

 

[dl8860]

Went for Arran Port cask finish and regretting it. Way too sweet and not very interesting. Probably would appreciate it more if it wasn't following a peat monster.

 

[hughtrimble]

Rubbery/Car tyre smoke is just what I'm looking for in a whisky I can see why people prefer the Port Charlotte over it.

Ah then Bowmore and Talisker may be worth a try too (the wonders of tasting sets). Kilochman (two of their NAS offerings, yet to try any others) was somewhere in the middle.

 

[Jiffy]

The Port Charlotte 10 is a fantastic whisky. What did you think of Lediag, obviously not as good as PC10, but your opinion would be nice. I'm thinking of getting a bottle sometime in the future.

Ledaig 10 is a lovely drop. I've always liked Tobermory. I have the Ledaig 18 too and it still packs a punch despite it's age. It's definately improved after being open for several months.

 

[Jiffy]

Just boshing a PC10 for the first time now. Was it the standard Longrow peated you were referring to? I would agree the PC is a cut above, even though I loved my Longrow, especially at £30 a bottle. The PC10 was £8.30 for a pour though, so a tad pricey.

Eyeing up a Talisker 18 or Glenfarclas 105 next.

Went for Arran Port cask finish and regretting it. Way too sweet and not very interesting. Probably would appreciate it more if it wasn't following a peat monster.

Yes, standard Longrow. Despite being a peathead, the Longrow is my least favourite Springbank. It's actually the unpeated Hazelburn that is my favourite.

 

[steve45]

Just put an order through for a bottle of Quarter Cask so we'll see how it compares, looking forward to trying it. Stuck a Port Charlotte 10 in the order too I've been watching a lot of reviews of the Port Charlotte recently so my expectations are quite high, I hope it dosnt disappoint.

Sadly I have to report that I'm not that impressed by the Laphroaig Quarter cask. Whilst still a decent whisky in its own right, it has left me wanting. Its by no means offensive but there is little character on the nose and there is no lasting finish at all. Dont get me wrong, still an enjoyable whisky. It just feels a bit shallow.

The PC10 on the other hand That I can understand the hype about!

 

[Scam]

Eyeing up a Talisker 18 or Glenfarclas 105 next.

I haven't had a whole bottle but a taste of the 105 was lovely. Like the 15 but with a punch in the face. I may just get myself a bottle with a £50 voucher I have burning a hole in my e-wallet.

Sadly I have to report that I'm not that impressed by the Laphroaig Quarter cask. Whilst still a decent whisky in its own right, it has left me wanting. Its by no means offensive but there is little character on the nose and there is no lasting finish at all. Dont get me wrong, still an enjoyable whisky. It just feels a bit shallow.

The PC10 on the other hand That I can understand the hype about!

That surprises me. I've had two bottles of the QC and thought it was immense value. Obviously it's younger, but from what I can remember that just gave it a little more headiness/punch.

The PC10 is a wonderful whiskey mind, it's probably not fair to compare the two as they're totally different budgets.

 

[Richie]

Not sure if it been posted but:

Legendary 'ghost distillery' to reopen after more than 40 years

The fabled Port Ellen distillery on Islay reopened on Monday.

 

[dl8860]

Not sure if it been posted but:

Legendary 'ghost distillery' to reopen after more than 40 years

The fabled Port Ellen distillery on Islay reopened on Monday.

This has obviously been done in reaction to the boom of recent years. Can't help but wonder if the whisky market might be back into a very quiet period by the time they've managed to age anything.

There are enough interesting non-mega corp distilleries for me to not be too fussed about Diageo's latest cash cow attempt. Still wouldn't mind tasting some old Port Ellen at somepoint though.

 

[steve45]

Sadly I have to report that I'm not that impressed by the Laphroaig Quarter cask. Whilst still a decent whisky in its own right, it has left me wanting. Its by no means offensive but there is little character on the nose and there is no lasting finish at all. Dont get me wrong, still an enjoyable whisky. It just feels a bit shallow.

That surprises me. I've had two bottles of the QC and thought it was immense value. Obviously it's younger, but from what I can remember that just gave it a little more headiness/punch.

I think I might have been a bit hasty to judge on the QC. I'm about third of my way through the bottle now and I dont know if its just grown on me but it feels like its picked up a lot of the character that I felt it was lacking. Maybe the neck pour was just disguising its real personality? It has turned out to be a little gem.

Tamdhu 12 and Ardbeg Uigeadail are next on the list. Hopefully have them for the weekend!

 

[dl8860]

Almost every peated malt improves a lot between first pour and halfway. If you ever try Kilkerran Heavily Peated, it's a 6/10 to start and a 9/10 once you get to halfway. For the first 5 or so pours you want to give it 10 minutes in the glass before touching it.

I just pulled the trigger on the Port Charlotte 18 limited release. The most I've ever spent on a bottle by some way, but I loved the 10 year I tried recently and by most accounts the 18 is a knockout and I've never tried a well aged cask strength Islay before.

 

[steve45]

I wish I had the budget to try the older more limited releases. I just cant justify it at the moment. Maybe in the future. Do please let us know how you get on with the PC18 though I'm very intrigued!!!

If anyone is looking, Masters of Malt has the Lagavulin 16 for a "reasonable" £64, just ordered two bottles, ~£80 seems to be the RRP these days, just finished the last of my current bottle. Very much my favourite still.
Recently gone back to Talisker Dark Storm. I dont know if my taste has developed/moved on but I'm enjoying the standard Talisker 10 to the dark storm, it is a fresh bottle but it dosnt have the same smoke profile I remember. I guess it helps that our SNCO Mess stocks Talisker 10.