The OCUK Whisky (and Whiskey) review thread
- Thread starter Uriel
- Start date
Can't say I've ever had anything from them. I'd be interested to hear your opinions. When is the tasting?
A tenner for 6 drams sounds like good value - they're presumably confident of making sales if their ticket price is that low.
It's not until 21st November, however it's sold out already. I'm going by the assumption that people who know a lot more about whisky than I do have bought tickets early must mean that it's good. I'm more than happy to follow the crowd.
It's at my usual place in Glasgow, I'll let you know in November how it goes!
It's at my usual place in Glasgow, I'll let you know in November how it goes!
Associate
I've only had the Yamazaki 10 Year Old and Taketsuru 12 Years Old so far and I would say they were both very good and well worth the occasional purchase (I think there are better whiskies out there for a lower price). FYI, the Taketsuru 17 Years Old was named the worlds best blended malt whisky this year by the World Whisky Awards and the worlds best single malt award went to the Yamazaki 25 year old. There has also been at least one Japanese winner in all the previous years dating back to 2007.
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Almost paid for a bottle of Ardbeg Galileo today, umh'ed and ahh'ed about it and when I decided I would the shop had sold out. Bah!
Just as well, £67.50 is a bit rich but I guess it would have been a safe investment if I went down that route.
Just as well, £67.50 is a bit rich but I guess it would have been a safe investment if I went down that route.
Soldato
Just got back from a week in Islay and Jura. Drank at least 40 different whiskies and come back with a bit of a collection 
I'll try and come back with some reviews at some point...
I'll try and come back with some reviews at some point...
Damn. I meant to reply to this but obviously never got round to it.
First time I tried Yamazaki 10yo I thought the barmaid had made a mistake and given me a Speyside malt. My first impression was that it was a nice whisky but needed another couple of years in the cask. This was confirmed when I tried the 12yo - that is a very nice whisky. Tried the 18yo shortly afterwards and that is an excellent whisky.
Only problem with the Japanese whiskies is the import premium. The 10yo is over £30, the 12yo is over £50 and the 18yo is over £100. They're very good whiskies but the import premium makes them not worth the money - you can get much better Scottish malts for the same price. It's a pity as they're damn good whiskies and deserve to be drunk by more people. By all means try them, they're nice whiskies, just not value for money, sadly.
I've also had Hakushu 12yo (also from Suntory) and that is another good whisky but, again, not worth the £50 price tag.
Just got back from a week in Islay and Jura. Drank at least 40 different whiskies and come back with a bit of a collection
I'll try and come back with some reviews at some point...
I hate you
I've had most of those; except the 16yo Bruichladdich and the Ardbeg Galileo. I look forward to your reviews on those. Out of the ones I have tried from that group, the Lagavulin is probably the stand-out dram - lovely whisky.
If you get the opportunity, try the 1995 Lagavulin Pedro Ximenez Finish - fabulous whisky and one of the best in the £80odd range.
Soldato
I went up to Oban a couple of weeks ago and picked up a Gordon and Mchpail secret stills
distillery number 6 (highland)
after about 2 minutes on the internet this is the Glen Garioch distillery just north of Aberdeen and I had just had some of their 12 year old and its very nice
what swung it for the secret stills though was it was distilled 1988 and bottled in 2011...23 year old for 40 quid.
also picked up a bottle of Oban and Blair Athol.
distillery number 6 (highland)
after about 2 minutes on the internet this is the Glen Garioch distillery just north of Aberdeen and I had just had some of their 12 year old and its very nice
what swung it for the secret stills though was it was distilled 1988 and bottled in 2011...23 year old for 40 quid.
also picked up a bottle of Oban and Blair Athol.
Soldato
I hate you
I've had most of those; except the 16yo Bruichladdich and the Ardbeg Galileo. I look forward to your reviews on those. Out of the ones I have tried from that group, the Lagavulin is probably the stand-out dram - lovely whisky.
If you get the opportunity, try the 1995 Lagavulin Pedro Ximenez Finish - fabulous whisky and one of the best in the £80odd range.
The Lagavulin is good indeed, I was a bit disappointed when visiting though as they had run out of the 12yo cask strength.
I think my favourite is the PC10. The Galileo is v nice, quite gentle for an Ardbeg IMO, certainly on the other end of the scale to the Corryvreckan which is an absolute beast!
The Jura is the 1999 cask btw, not sure it shows up in the photo. I tried just about every Jura I could whilst staying on the island, the Hotel there had 13 different bottles. I really wasn't impressed by the "elements" range but some of the single casks were very nice, and we polished off a bottle of superstition on one evening!
I bought some Yamazaki the other day. It's not bad at all.
Soldato
I did think about getting two bottles but sod that!
Just for the record, I despise whisky 'collectors'. Whisky is meant to be drunk, not ****ing looked at! What good does looking at whisky do anyone? - ****ing none, that's how much? What a crock of ****
Buy whisky, drink and enjoy it. It's not a work of art, it's a drink - drink the ****ing stuff, don't look at it
I hope my views on whisky collectors is clear from this - if not, please let me know and I will expound further
Buy whisky, drink and enjoy it. It's not a work of art, it's a drink - drink the ****ing stuff, don't look at it
I hope my views on whisky collectors is clear from this - if not, please let me know and I will expound further
I doubt it
All Johnnie Walker whiskies are overpriced and not particularly good blends. They sell well overseas for some reason. Maybe our foreign friends don't know what good whisky tastes like
Just had a taste (half a 'normal' dram or so) of Flaming Heart by Compass Box. It's a blended whisky, and 48.9% but it's very nice. Big, strong, flavour but a bit of sweetness comes through.
It was very, very, good and I'd happily have bought a bottle if funds were a bit more... umh... there.
It was very, very, good and I'd happily have bought a bottle if funds were a bit more... umh... there.
Associate
Maybe overpriced but JW Green is a top whisky better than many good single malts.
Not the bottle I had. The green label I had was about on a par with Grouse but double the price. Certainly nowhere near as nice as any good single malt I've tasted.
Associate
That's not my experience, I found it to be really good no where near on a par with Grouse. It is after all a vatting of malts and contains no grain whisky at all.