The OCUK Whisky (and Whiskey) review thread
- Thread starter Uriel
- Start date
Looking to try and get back into drinking malts again ordered a bottle of Bunnahabhain Stiuireadair as I used to drink lagavulin, but
gave up whisky many years back (always made me sick with wind and bile) so anyway how would you drink it neat,mixer or what ?
Thanks
gave up whisky many years back (always made me sick with wind and bile) so anyway how would you drink it neat,mixer or what ?
Thanks
I would drink it neat, but I don't have issue with wind and bile. I would say just try small volumes and with some water certainly. If you enjoy it with a mixer then by all means give it a go but do consider you're masking a good amount of the flavour that makes buying a single malt worthwhile.
Associate
- Joined
- 5 Oct 2022
- Posts
- 1,157
- Location
- Brum town
Well, the Speyside trip was a great success (from what I can remember...)
Stayed in Grantown on Spey for the 2 nights and spent the 3 days touring distilleries and sightseeing.
Lindores
Probably my favorite of the trip purely for the background and history of the distillery. Built on the spot where the first recorded instance of Barley being malted specifically for Whiskey was found, it's a really grounded yet modern feeling site. The Whisky's are still very young, the oldest being 5 years, but they where exceptionally well balanced and even their aqua vitae was some of the best I'd tried. Would recommend if anyone's ever up that way.
2 drams + the aqua vitae
Glenallachie
Second favorite of the trip. It started with a tasting which always helps and the tour was short and sweet. The tasting Drams where very healthy and the quality of the distillery speaks for itself. Don't think I've ever met anyone who doesn't like a Glenallachie, especially the 15.
4 very healthy drams. Probs 4cl at a guess.
Dalwhinnie
The drive up there was beautiful and they where the only distillery to actually ask if we wanted a tour (we declined as it was the last of the trip).
It was OK. Never been a fan personally and they only offered up the usual supermarket fair. The hook was chocolate pairings which where truly excellent. Genuinely some of the best I've tried and it was a cool spin that did actually effect the palate when tasting the Whisky.
4 decent sized drams + chocolates.
Cardhu
Easily the worst of the trip. The tour was dull and overly long at just over an hour and the tasting was poorly presented and offered even less value then Dalwhinnie. A shame as I;ve always been an ardent defender of Gold Reserve and was hoping for more. The best thing about it was the JW Black Ginger Ale cocktail.
3 average drams + a cocktail.
Aberlour
We didn't actually tour the distillery as it's in silence at the moment and being refurbished, but the little shop did us a tasting of sorts which was very pleasant. For me Aberlour is the king of Speyside value and that was really summed up in the tasting. A big shame they don't do a peated variant, but the assistant hinted that may change when the refurbs are completed.
3 sample cups generously filled.
One of the best stops wasn't a distilery at all, but in fact a shop I'd wanted to visit for ages. The Whiskey Castle. I feared we weren't going to make it there at all as it shut early on the Saturday, but the tour guide knows the owner and managed to sweet talk them into opening the doors for us after hours.
Considering we hadn't paid a penny for a tasting they where EXCEPTIONALLY generous. 6 drams a piece with a really well put together selection of Speyside classics as well as a few single cask exclusives to the shop. Looked around the shop after which isn't massive, but some of the limited edition bottlings they've got there had me drooling. Left with a few bottles including a peated Highland Park 12 made exclusively for the shop.
Stayed in Grantown on Spey for the 2 nights and spent the 3 days touring distilleries and sightseeing.
Lindores
Probably my favorite of the trip purely for the background and history of the distillery. Built on the spot where the first recorded instance of Barley being malted specifically for Whiskey was found, it's a really grounded yet modern feeling site. The Whisky's are still very young, the oldest being 5 years, but they where exceptionally well balanced and even their aqua vitae was some of the best I'd tried. Would recommend if anyone's ever up that way.
2 drams + the aqua vitae
Glenallachie
Second favorite of the trip. It started with a tasting which always helps and the tour was short and sweet. The tasting Drams where very healthy and the quality of the distillery speaks for itself. Don't think I've ever met anyone who doesn't like a Glenallachie, especially the 15.
4 very healthy drams. Probs 4cl at a guess.
Dalwhinnie
The drive up there was beautiful and they where the only distillery to actually ask if we wanted a tour (we declined as it was the last of the trip).
It was OK. Never been a fan personally and they only offered up the usual supermarket fair. The hook was chocolate pairings which where truly excellent. Genuinely some of the best I've tried and it was a cool spin that did actually effect the palate when tasting the Whisky.
4 decent sized drams + chocolates.
Cardhu
Easily the worst of the trip. The tour was dull and overly long at just over an hour and the tasting was poorly presented and offered even less value then Dalwhinnie. A shame as I;ve always been an ardent defender of Gold Reserve and was hoping for more. The best thing about it was the JW Black Ginger Ale cocktail.
3 average drams + a cocktail.
Aberlour
We didn't actually tour the distillery as it's in silence at the moment and being refurbished, but the little shop did us a tasting of sorts which was very pleasant. For me Aberlour is the king of Speyside value and that was really summed up in the tasting. A big shame they don't do a peated variant, but the assistant hinted that may change when the refurbs are completed.
3 sample cups generously filled.
One of the best stops wasn't a distilery at all, but in fact a shop I'd wanted to visit for ages. The Whiskey Castle. I feared we weren't going to make it there at all as it shut early on the Saturday, but the tour guide knows the owner and managed to sweet talk them into opening the doors for us after hours.
Considering we hadn't paid a penny for a tasting they where EXCEPTIONALLY generous. 6 drams a piece with a really well put together selection of Speyside classics as well as a few single cask exclusives to the shop. Looked around the shop after which isn't massive, but some of the limited edition bottlings they've got there had me drooling. Left with a few bottles including a peated Highland Park 12 made exclusively for the shop.
Last edited:
I'm after some Speyside recommendations. I like Islay's, PC and Octomore firm favourites, Cambleton's, Tobermory's Leadaig, Talisker, Raasay..... You get the idea.
I've had some CS Benromach, which I love, but not much else from the region.
So which whiskies would you recommend? Up to £100.
Cheers
Al
I've had some CS Benromach, which I love, but not much else from the region.
So which whiskies would you recommend? Up to £100.
Cheers
Al
Soldato
- Joined
- 25 Aug 2010
- Posts
- 3,030
Not Speyside but try an ardnamurchan, just across the water from Tobermory...
Why do you want a Speyside if you like the peated Islay ones? There's a couple of smoky Ben riach's a 10 and 16 maybe... Nice but not sure what a bottle goes for...
Why do you want a Speyside if you like the peated Islay ones? There's a couple of smoky Ben riach's a 10 and 16 maybe... Nice but not sure what a bottle goes for...
Associate
- Joined
- 5 Oct 2022
- Posts
- 1,157
- Location
- Brum town
There's a lot to choose from but I would reccomend anything Aberlour and if you're willing to spend up to £100, get the A'Bunadh which imo is the best made in the region. It's hard to get a great peated Speyside Whiskey if that's what you're specifically after. All the one's I've tried are fine, but pale in comparison to the Islay alternatives.
You also can't go wrong with pretty much any of the Glenallachie bottles, particularly the 15 which is almost universally loved.
If you're set on peat what I would reccomend is the bottle linked below which I mentioned buying in my previous post. It's a Highland Park 12 single cask peated variant. Very, very good indeed I thought and is the only peated Whiskey I've tried outside of Islay that I though was as good as what they have to offer.
A Secret Taste Of Orkney 13 Year Old
Yeah, a lot of the distilleries in Speyside aren't keen on making peated variants as it goes against the regions trademark characteristics as well as it being environmentally unfriendly (having to ship the peat, make their own etc.), though as you mentioned there are some who make variants.
Last edited:
Soldato
- Joined
- 22 Jan 2014
- Posts
- 3,860
It's worth noting though that some Islay distilleries also use European peat. There's also the barley shipping for lots of distilleries, where that's imported from overseas and indeed then sent to maltings which also aren't often part of the distillery. Then the spirit is often shipped off to be casked elsewhere in Scotland. Then once matured it needs to go to a bottling facility.
As such I'm not sure the Speyside distilleries use of peated barley is therefore that problematic in the overall whisky context!
Associate
- Joined
- 5 Oct 2022
- Posts
- 1,157
- Location
- Brum town
Aha yeah that's true. Sounds good when you're selling the moral high gound to a room full of newbies though, I'm sure...
Soldato
- Joined
- 22 Jan 2014
- Posts
- 3,860
Absolutely. It was refreshingly open of Lagavulin when I went for a tasting. I really thought that casks were kept locally by distilleries, but of course, that's just not practical or cost effective for most (including them). It now amuses me when you see the careful wording by distilleries who say things like 'You can taste the influence of the Islay sea air in our whisky' when in reality whilst the spirit is distilled there, it's sent off in tankers to central Scotland for casking and dunnage!
I think most distilleries try to keep some casks on site/nearby, but a lot is kept elsewhere simply due to the absolutely enormous volume they shift.
I guess it's why some distilleries make a real song and dance when they use local or even Scottish barley/peat, and actually keep their product nearby. Must be mighty expensive!
Last edited:
Associate
- Joined
- 5 Oct 2022
- Posts
- 1,157
- Location
- Brum town
I'd imagine they spread them across sites for fire safety purposes as well. Wasn't it Jim Beam who had a warehouse completely gutted costing them millions?
Soldato
- Joined
- 22 Jan 2014
- Posts
- 3,860
Very true and entirely logical. It would be fascinating to know the underlying calculations for the allocation of barrels to different sites, especially given the rotation within the warehouse that some distilleries undertake (though that may be more of a US than Scotch thing).
Cheers All,
Not necessarily after a peaty Speyside, I know my way around peaty numbers. I'm just a bit ignorant of the Speys. We're staying near Aviemore at Easter and fancied visiting a couple of distillerys whilst we're there.
I'll add some of the recommendations to a sample set. @ArcticHeron I'd seen the A'Bunadh might give that a go.
That looks interesting, we've planned a stop at the whisky castle on the way up.
Associate
- Joined
- 7 Dec 2004
- Posts
- 1,103
- Location
- England
Johnnie Walker Green contains a lot of Speyside and quite a bit of peat.
One peaty speyside to avoid is the Glenfiddich Vintage (gold label). Smelt rank when I opened it and didn't taste much better. Burnt rubber tones worthy of a cheap bike light moving to a fishy after taste like someone had dipped a decaying mackerel down your gullet and you'd responded with a bit of reflux.
Maybe I got a bad sample. I shan't be revisiting it to find out. Not sure who ended up with the unopened bottle I had ready for a tasting that never happened. I pity them either way!
Maybe I got a bad sample. I shan't be revisiting it to find out. Not sure who ended up with the unopened bottle I had ready for a tasting that never happened. I pity them either way!
Sounds lovely might get a couple.
I've gone for the GlenAllachie 15, should be here in time for little Friday dram.
Associate
- Joined
- 5 Oct 2022
- Posts
- 1,157
- Location
- Brum town
Nice! Was really glad we got a chance to go as it had been on my list for a long time.
It's a touch pricey across the board, but some of the single cask stuff they have in there is amazing and the owners are a joy. Just make sure you're prepared to spend...
Associate
- Joined
- 5 Oct 2022
- Posts
- 1,157
- Location
- Brum town
Good choice! If you're up in Aviemore you're not that far away from the distillery, maybe 40 mins? Defo worth a visit. Tour is short and sweet and they give you 4 VERY healthy drams.
Hunt defends alcohol duty hike after criticism from Scotch whisky sector
The Scotch Whisky Association is demanding an urgent meeting with the Chancellor after he announced a 10.1% increase in alcohol duty from August.
www.standard.co.uk
Bad news! Not surprised he saw an opportunity to cash in on some duty though, prices just keep going up so distilleries/retailers must have been seeing some fairly nice profits in the last couple of years. Here's hoping the market won't really sustain much more price rise - but that's clearly wishful thinking. Better stock up...!