The OCUK Whisky (and Whiskey) review thread

Kanifee said:
After a little advice please, im looking to try some nice whisky/whiskey. I have only ever had jim beam or jack daniels and there ok, jack has some nice coconut notes to it but they seem unrefined from what i have gathered and after bringing a period of near sobriety to an end would like a nice sensible sip.

Not having a clue about whisky or what i like or they offer id like some recommendations, i love smoky food, the smokier the better so does this translate across to whisky am i more inclined to favor a smokey drink.

What does a petey whisky exactly translate to too?

Im looking to spend around £30-35 and would preferably like to walk into a local supermarket and pick up a bottle, im unsure of any shops that offer varied selections in my area so local sup's would be easier.

Any thoughts?
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Ardbeg 10 can be had from your local supermarkets , might be about £40-£45 though , see it in Sainsburys over Christmas.

First quality whisky I tried and to date still my favourite , (not tried that many though) , I remember it having smokey notes.
 
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Anyone know of Caol Ila? How does this stack up to others?

I'm getting into whisky a little more these days (a bad breakup a few months ago has led to a new fondness for alcohol), and I'm slowly going through a bottle of Grant's until I feel I can justify buying something nicer. I was recommended Caol Ila by a barman a few weeks ago, had it a few times since and I really like it. This website seems to have plenty of good reviews, it's often compared to a Laphroaig, which I've never tried. I definitely like Caol Ila, so I'm almost certain to pick some up soon, but I'm curious as to what others think of it?
 
I have never tried but I'd stake my life on it being better than grants - at least you're not drinking bells! Laphroaig is a classic...probably cheaper than caol ila too!
 
Same price on that website, not sure about high street shops. We have a decent bottle shop in town, just haven't been by to see what they have yet. And yes, it is certainly better than Grant's. :p
 
sjt269 said:
Anyone know of Caol Ila? How does this stack up to others?
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The 18 year old is wonderful stuff but the 12 is a bit meh to me, not bad but not all that interesting. Laphroaig has a lot more tcp taste to it, I don't personally rate their young stuff at all but plenty do, the quarter cask is nice, the 18 nicer still. Lagavulin (16) and Ardbeg (10) are both very very good. bunnahabhain is nice but unlike other Islay whisky's, bruichladdich concentrate more on their marketing than making good whisky though they have produced some interesting stuff.
 
Gribs said:
The 18 year old is wonderful stuff but the 12 is a bit meh to me, not bad but not all that interesting. Laphroaig has a lot more tcp taste to it, I don't personally rate their young stuff at all but plenty do, the quarter cask is nice, the 18 nicer still. Lagavulin (16) and Ardbeg (10) are both very very good. bunnahabhain is nice but unlike other Islay whisky's, bruichladdich concentrate more on their marketing than making good whisky though they have produced some interesting stuff.
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I have Lagavulin (16) at the moment. An absolute joy to drink. Currently my favourite whiskey. I think I need to take a look at Ardbeg.
 
sjt269 said:
Anyone know of Caol Ila? How does this stack up to others?

I'm getting into whisky a little more these days (a bad breakup a few months ago has led to a new fondness for alcohol), and I'm slowly going through a bottle of Grant's until I feel I can justify buying something nicer. I was recommended Caol Ila by a barman a few weeks ago, had it a few times since and I really like it. This website seems to have plenty of good reviews, it's often compared to a Laphroaig, which I've never tried. I definitely like Caol Ila, so I'm almost certain to pick some up soon, but I'm curious as to what others think of it?
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Gribs said:
The 18 year old is wonderful stuff but the 12 is a bit meh to me, not bad but not all that interesting. Laphroaig has a lot more tcp taste to it, I don't personally rate their young stuff at all but plenty do, the quarter cask is nice, the 18 nicer still. Lagavulin (16) and Ardbeg (10) are both very very good. bunnahabhain is nice but unlike other Islay whisky's, bruichladdich concentrate more on their marketing than making good whisky though they have produced some interesting stuff.
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I agree with a lot the above. The Caol Ila 12yo is a nice enough whisky but the 18yo is superb. I had one a few years back that was matured in some sort of wine cask and it was fabulous. I do rate the younger Laphroaigs but I agree with Gribs in that, the more you pay for a Laphroaig, the better it gets. If you ever get the chance to try the 30yo (sadly discontinued and as rare as hen's teeth nowadays), do so - it's the best whisky I've tasted yet.

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the Ardbeg 10yo, I think it's overrated but many people do rate it so maybe I'm in the minority. I'm a huge fan of Lagavulin. The bog standard 16yo is fabulous and the Distiller's Edition is out of this world.

As Gribs says, Bruichladdich have a tendency to release too many different whiskies of mediocre quality but with fancy names and labels to try to sell more whisky. I'd rather they concentrated on making good whisky like they can do.
 
Well, after being dead set on Caol Ila, I went and picked up a 10 year old Laphroaig on a whim at my local Tesco for £25.50, which seemed like a pretty good price to me. Haven't opened it yet, but I'm looking forward to it. I'll still get a Caol Ila as soon as the opportunity presents itself, but for tonight at least, my attention is on the Laphroaig. I really want to try a Talisker too, but that's another one for the future.
 
With the snow i couldn't get my self down to my local Tesco and Morrisons being the only place i could reach in this weather didn't have the quarter cask Laphroaig so i grabbed the 10 year old and i suppose it will make for good reference for next time i pick up the QC.

What a treat! as soon as i opened the bottle i was hit with a smell i have never had or associated with any of the cheap nasty whisky i have tried in the past, rich smokey odors wafting out of the bottle, very excited to try it now. The taste is no let down, i honestly had not realised a whisky could taste so different, smooth and sillky.

Very very happy with this bottle and plan to make it last me a while and enjoy it, a real treat and i think i have found my preferred style. i picked up a Glenfidich mini complete with glass and ice mold that had been reduced to £3.50 (bargain) and i wasn't overly keen on the 12 yo, it was better than ithe stuff like bells/teachers i have had the misfortune to try but really didn't interest me or make me think i would buy it after trying, this however is wonderful!

sjt269 you are in for treat i think!
 
Btone said:
anyone tried the Highland Park 18 Year Old, thinking of buying this next, was wondering if anyone has had it
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Yes. If you like the 12 then you'll enjoy it. As usual with older whiskys it's smother but the taste isn't all that different. Having had a bottle I wouldn't buy it again though as it's not worth 2 to 3 times the price of the 12.
 
Kanifee said:
sjt269 you are in for treat i think!
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And I was indeed!

I really enjoyed it. It wasn't as harsh as I was expecting from some of the reviews I'd seen, and I didn't think it was quite as smoky as the Caol Ila, but it really was lovely. I was a little unconvinced at first; I liked it, but it didn't blow my mind like I'd expected. I did drink it with a few drops of water, as the leaflet that came with it advised, but perhaps I put a little too much in. Then later on I had some more and I AB'd it against the Grant's and damn, the difference was like night and day.

For £25, I'm certainly happy with it. Of course, I'll need to experience more whiskies to be able to fully appreciate the differences between them. :p Tesco also has a Jura for £23, but it's the unpeated one, and I think I'm liking the smoky whiskies at the moment. Talisker and Caol Ila will be the next two on my list, I think, unless I have a weak moment and see a good price on something else in Tesco.
 
hi fellow whiskey drinkers

I have £50 from Christmas that I would like to spend on a good whiskey , the best to date I have tried and liked is Ardbeg 10 , so I have the urge to spend it on the Ardbeg Uigeadail which I'm yet to try , I have tried others like Laphroaig and Talisker but I just seem to remember the great taste of the Ardbeg 10 the most.

Would you say the Ardbeg Uigeadail is good , all I see is good reviews of it.

cheers
 
Ardbeg Uigeadail was in my opinion the best whisky Ardbeg do when I tried their range at the distillery a few years ago and the first couple of bottles I had were very very good. However the couple I've had in the past year haven't been quite as good, lacking some of the sherry casked flavour it used to have. At a guess they're running out of the pre Glenmorangie sherry casked stuff. Despite this it's still good though.
 
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