Soldato
There's one at the capital centre in Preston which isn't too far
Cheers mate, may bob over tomorrow then! Even after living in Preston for uni, I never knew there was a Waitrose there!
The OCUK Whisky (and Whiskey) review thread
- Thread starter Uriel
- Start date
Cheers mate, may bob over tomorrow then! Even after living in Preston for uni, I never knew there was a Waitrose there!
Soldato
92/100 as opposed to 91/100 or 93/100? Aye right
Whereabouts was the wrong pricing? Would be very interesting if it's nationwide!
Ha yes well one must give an accurate scoring
It was in my local Irma in Copenhagen I'm living abroad I'm afraid.
Yesterday I got myself a bottle of the laphroaig quarter cask. Has anyone else tried this yet?
I found the first and second to be very pleasant. Punching on the nose and setting the tastebuds alight with it's fiery salty peatiness. After a couple though I found the taste to be a bit on the intense side. This is definately no gulping whiskey!
Associate
If you were gifting a bottle as a leaving present what would you lovely folk recommend?
Permabanned
Had my first taste of Doublewood last night. Much nicer than Jura!
Whats the best way to enjoy whisky as a beginner? I am still finding it very harsh on the throat. Same as most spirits. When does that pain go away and the enjoyment take over?
I am drinking with a couple splashes of water, but it still tastes too strong. Should I add more, ice maybe, something else?
Whats the best way to enjoy whisky as a beginner? I am still finding it very harsh on the throat. Same as most spirits. When does that pain go away and the enjoyment take over?
I am drinking with a couple splashes of water, but it still tastes too strong. Should I add more, ice maybe, something else?
Add water until it's pleasant to drink. No two whiskies are the same and no two people are the same. I've been drinking whisky for years and I still have quite a few whiskies that I prefer with a bit of water. Whatever you do, don't add ice - ice will dull the aromas and flavour and make it pointless.
Permabanned
Ok thanks for the advice. Sorry for all the questions.
Looking forward to being able to taste all the different flavours and not just the harsh burn every sip
Looking forward to being able to taste all the different flavours and not just the harsh burn every sip
Associate
Hah, budget? Any idea what they like?
Macallan/Balvenie Doublewood or Signature are safe bets.
I'm not too sure on what they like but I have someone trying to find out for me
It's Glen Gerioch time! Yum.
Also, get it in a fairly wide glass and give it a good swirl around. A wine glass is pretty good for it. I find that the extra air in the drunk can make it a bit smoother. It seems a bit mad, but it does work.
Ok thanks for the advice. Sorry for all the questions.
Looking forward to being able to taste all the different flavours and not just the harsh burn every sip
Also, get it in a fairly wide glass and give it a good swirl around. A wine glass is pretty good for it. I find that the extra air in the drunk can make it a bit smoother. It seems a bit mad, but it does work.
Soldato
I was told that if adding water, having the water warm is the best thing. Is this true?
Permabanned
Thanks man!
I also read that adding tap water is a bad idea due to imbalanced ph levels and impurities and that it's best to use bottled spring water. Any truth in this?
Total crap Sleeve. Unless you happen to live in Egypt or something and your tapwater is terrible then it'll be fine. As for the temperature, never heard of a 'perfect' temperature. I'd just use whatever the temperature the water was when it came out my tap. I'd say it should match the temperature of the whisky.
I don't drink tap water anyway and I certainly wouldn't put it in my whisky. The amount of crap that gets added to it (never mind the crap it picks up form the pipes) is shocking.
As for warm water, that's a new one on me. I've always had my whisky and my water at room temperature and it's been fine. As Ahleckz says, a wide glass is good. The narrow nosing glass is good for trying out a new whisky but a wide glass allows a larger surface area exposed to the air. I assume it reacts with something in the air or something. Whisky glasses are always wide - there has to be a reason why.
As for warm water, that's a new one on me. I've always had my whisky and my water at room temperature and it's been fine. As Ahleckz says, a wide glass is good. The narrow nosing glass is good for trying out a new whisky but a wide glass allows a larger surface area exposed to the air. I assume it reacts with something in the air or something. Whisky glasses are always wide - there has to be a reason why.
Permabanned
Thanks all. I feel prepared to take on my bottle of Doublewood tonight!
I best do as I preach, so I just poured a Laphroaig Quarter Cask into my Laphraoig nosing glass (L) and also one into a wide brimmed Auchentoshan glass (A). Let's have some comparisons:
Nose:
L - Sweet, tabletlike.
A - Saltier and more muted.
Taste:
L - Sharp, grassy. Got a fair bit of burn (it's only the first dram of the night, so that'll go down)
A - It does seem to taste different, after a fair old swirl. Peatier, I'd say and more hay likE rather than grass.
Overall:
There is a difference between the two glasses, no doubt from the amount of air that has touched the one in the Auchentoshan. I'm not sure that there is a great deal of difference in the taste, though the nose is pretty different. I think all this experiment has done has made me drink two drams very quickly...
Nose:
L - Sweet, tabletlike.
A - Saltier and more muted.
Taste:
L - Sharp, grassy. Got a fair bit of burn (it's only the first dram of the night, so that'll go down)
A - It does seem to taste different, after a fair old swirl. Peatier, I'd say and more hay likE rather than grass.
Overall:
There is a difference between the two glasses, no doubt from the amount of air that has touched the one in the Auchentoshan. I'm not sure that there is a great deal of difference in the taste, though the nose is pretty different. I think all this experiment has done has made me drink two drams very quickly...
Might try the same experiment myself later. It just so happens I have a bottle of QC in the house (I almost always do). I'm a little bunged up but, hopefully, the pungency of the QC will overpower any sinal weakness on my part. Just need to get through this bottle of delicious Rioja first
Soldato
Just got myself a bottle of QC in Tesco for £26. Had a tiny bit before tea this evening and quite liked it, will have some more later tonight, possibly with a bit of water as the taste is still quite strong. Still shocks me as to how smooth it is though!
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Next up, Glen Garioch 12. I love Glen Garioch (and I'd love to hear some pronunciations!) (It's 'Glen Gheaa'Reeee'. Two syllables). This one is nice and creamy, and a fair bit of pear on the nose. It is very smooth and hardly peated/smoked at all. Certainly an interesting one to try after the Quarter Cask. I'm not sure how widely available their whiskies are, and won't be found in supermarkets, but the Founders Reserve & the 12 are both great whiskies at great prices.
Doing the same as above, nosing glass and 'normal' glass.
Nose:
L - It's like a candied PCP. Pretty salty. Lots of iodine
A - Much more mellow and more mineral coming out.
Taste:
L - Caramel, cream. Lots of cream.
A - The sherry is really more prominent. Taste doesn't seem to linger as long.
Overall:
It's getting on, and I'm getting tired so that has some bearing. But for this one I prefer it in the wider glass because it's that bit gentler on the finish. However, the nosing glass does seem 'fuller'.
Though, I do believe that there is something in this different glass malarky!
More I drink this, from both glasses (I'm alternating) the bigger the finish is getting. I think it was flattened by the QC that I had before. A great whisky, though IIRC from when I first had it at a tasting; water totally killed it so keep it neat.
Doing the same as above, nosing glass and 'normal' glass.
Nose:
L - It's like a candied PCP. Pretty salty. Lots of iodine
A - Much more mellow and more mineral coming out.
Taste:
L - Caramel, cream. Lots of cream.
A - The sherry is really more prominent. Taste doesn't seem to linger as long.
Overall:
It's getting on, and I'm getting tired so that has some bearing. But for this one I prefer it in the wider glass because it's that bit gentler on the finish. However, the nosing glass does seem 'fuller'.
Though, I do believe that there is something in this different glass malarky!
More I drink this, from both glasses (I'm alternating) the bigger the finish is getting. I think it was flattened by the QC that I had before. A great whisky, though IIRC from when I first had it at a tasting; water totally killed it so keep it neat.
I give this 84, Craig.
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