The OCUK Whisky (and Whiskey) review thread
- Thread starter Uriel
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- 29 Nov 2011
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I made the mistake of drinking some smartprice scotch last night. I don't think it needs reviewing, I'll let you all draw your own conclusions but needless to say I have felt awful all day. It was like poison.
Soldato
some friends and I once ran out of all other whisky..all that was left in the back of the cupboard was a bottle of passport scotch used for cooking
it was vile satright out of the bottle so we tried it with ice..didnt improve matters...and then we ran out of ice...we resorted to frozen peas..this improved the blend no end!
moral of the story..even when blind drunk, crap whisky is still crap
it was vile satright out of the bottle so we tried it with ice..didnt improve matters...and then we ran out of ice...we resorted to frozen peas..this improved the blend no end!
moral of the story..even when blind drunk, crap whisky is still crap
Soldato
Bought myself a really lovely 1982 Mannochmoor from Cadenhead's to see in new year (this year), I spent last year dry as a personal challenge, so wanted to come back with something of quality.
It certainly is that!
I've got just over half the bottle left, I plan to finish it this coming new year, which seems like a neat way to polish it off.
I also bought a 1974 Demerera Rum for the same purposes, which is pretty much the best bottle of alcohol I've ever had, not much of that left, I'm now trying to eke it out! Annoyingly it was the last one they had, so once it's gone, it's truly gone
It certainly is that!
I've got just over half the bottle left, I plan to finish it this coming new year, which seems like a neat way to polish it off.
I also bought a 1974 Demerera Rum for the same purposes, which is pretty much the best bottle of alcohol I've ever had, not much of that left, I'm now trying to eke it out! Annoyingly it was the last one they had, so once it's gone, it's truly gone
Soldato
Six of us have gone away to the Yorkshire Dales and only stipulation was to bring a whisky each.
(Yes there are more than six and not all are whisky)
I'm looking forward to trying some new stuff.
I hope the joker who brought the Teachers go the stick he deserved!
Haha, yes the Teachers was only put in for fun/mixing or something by someone else.
I've got a picture of the bottles at the end of the week, we did ok!
The Mezcal was really interesting, like a mix between peaty whisky and sweet tequila. Quite potent and the two of us that drank it most had some really bad headaches the next day.
I hadn't tried Auchentoshan before but it is quite a good place between peaty and sweet. Bowmore being an Islay was more peaty again.
I picked the Arbelour as I thought my non-whisky drinking friend would like it, smooth, sweet and a good budget for an entry whisky. I always try and pick a bottle up at £20 or less.
Then we had two Bourbons - Bulleit but it was the Rye version, it was probably my favourite, very smooth and sweet and I'd like to get a bottle myself to try more. Then Buffalo Trace which was quite creamy in comparison to the single malts we had.
Excellent stuff and I'm getting ideas of other bottles to buy.
I've got a picture of the bottles at the end of the week, we did ok!
The Mezcal was really interesting, like a mix between peaty whisky and sweet tequila. Quite potent and the two of us that drank it most had some really bad headaches the next day.
I hadn't tried Auchentoshan before but it is quite a good place between peaty and sweet. Bowmore being an Islay was more peaty again.
I picked the Arbelour as I thought my non-whisky drinking friend would like it, smooth, sweet and a good budget for an entry whisky. I always try and pick a bottle up at £20 or less.
Then we had two Bourbons - Bulleit but it was the Rye version, it was probably my favourite, very smooth and sweet and I'd like to get a bottle myself to try more. Then Buffalo Trace which was quite creamy in comparison to the single malts we had.
Excellent stuff and I'm getting ideas of other bottles to buy.
Man of Honour
So i went for a world whisky tour at the St Georges - the English Whisky company over the weekend (http://www.englishwhisky.co.uk/) and had an amazing time - the guide/head distiller was a really friendly, interesting guy and he took you through the tasting process getting you to realy make your own mind up about the flavours and tastes.
Had 5 different whiskys from around the world, all pretty damn good and very different:
English Whisky Chapter 6, Classic Unpeated Whisky - lovely smooth non peated with a really fresh fruity nose. Bought one of these
Amrut Indian Malt - really interesting one this, some nice liquorice and stone fruit flavours - far richer and deeper flavour than your expect from for its age but apparently the heat drives a much faster maturation
English Whiskey Distiller's select - Unfortunately i found this one to be the weakest of the bunch (didn't like to say that to the distiller... It had been part matured in wine casks. Can't remember much more about it i'm afraid but you can only buy it from their store.
Nikka whisky from the barrel - Now this was the standout from the bunch for me. All the Japanese whisky i've had in the past has had a very bourbon like flavour (which i'm not a big fan of) but this really didn't. A blend of their grain and malt whiskeys (thus the less bourbon flavour) Really full bodied, rich and woody with loads of caramel and vanilla. Bought a bottle of this as well
Ledaig, Single Malt - slightly peated, good flavour but again not one of my favourites.
all in all a really good afternoon out tasting with very generous measures, totally worth the price and highly recommended.
Had 5 different whiskys from around the world, all pretty damn good and very different:
English Whisky Chapter 6, Classic Unpeated Whisky - lovely smooth non peated with a really fresh fruity nose. Bought one of these
Amrut Indian Malt - really interesting one this, some nice liquorice and stone fruit flavours - far richer and deeper flavour than your expect from for its age but apparently the heat drives a much faster maturation
English Whiskey Distiller's select - Unfortunately i found this one to be the weakest of the bunch (didn't like to say that to the distiller... It had been part matured in wine casks. Can't remember much more about it i'm afraid but you can only buy it from their store.
Nikka whisky from the barrel - Now this was the standout from the bunch for me. All the Japanese whisky i've had in the past has had a very bourbon like flavour (which i'm not a big fan of) but this really didn't. A blend of their grain and malt whiskeys (thus the less bourbon flavour) Really full bodied, rich and woody with loads of caramel and vanilla. Bought a bottle of this as well
Ledaig, Single Malt - slightly peated, good flavour but again not one of my favourites.
all in all a really good afternoon out tasting with very generous measures, totally worth the price and highly recommended.
Caporegime
If it isn't in it, you can't taste it, and are just as bad as those wine drinking weirdo's 
I may or may not be entirely serious.
I may or may not be entirely serious.
Man of Honour
I always buy my dad a bottle every year, here's the last 2 years fun.
I will admit to being much more of a Wine man, however I am learning to enjoy the brutality / power of these
I will admit to being much more of a Wine man, however I am learning to enjoy the brutality / power of these
I see Lidl's £13.49 blended Queen Margot 8yo just took an award at an international spirits competition. Might be worth a pop. If it's not great you've not lost much.
If anyone's interested, the Whisky Exchange have got a range of whiskies on buy 2, get £5 off at the moment. I think that basically makes them free standard delivery.
EDIT - In fact, the discount stacks, so you can get £5 off for every pair of bottles
EDIT - In fact, the discount stacks, so you can get £5 off for every pair of bottles
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Soldato
so my unopened ones at the moment...just came back from Oban with 3 of these
opened at the moment and nearly finished are a 15 year Aberlour and a 21 year old Mortlach
the Aberlour in particular has been very enjoyable..an export exclusive I think, but if the 16 year old is as good here in the uk then its well worth trying
and I know the whisky exchange and royal mike whiskies are two of the biggest online whisky retailers...but I stopped at the Green Welly stop on the way home and they had a really good selection, particularly of the Gordon and Macphail stuff, postage is not bad either (I made arrangements to collect mine as I had to drive past it anyway!)
http://www.thegreenwellystop.co.uk/whiskyshop/
opened at the moment and nearly finished are a 15 year Aberlour and a 21 year old Mortlach
the Aberlour in particular has been very enjoyable..an export exclusive I think, but if the 16 year old is as good here in the uk then its well worth trying
and I know the whisky exchange and royal mike whiskies are two of the biggest online whisky retailers...but I stopped at the Green Welly stop on the way home and they had a really good selection, particularly of the Gordon and Macphail stuff, postage is not bad either (I made arrangements to collect mine as I had to drive past it anyway!)
http://www.thegreenwellystop.co.uk/whiskyshop/
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I went looking in Lidl for this and they didn't have it.
They did have a 5 yo blended malt called Glen Orchy for the same price. I'm actually impressed with it. It's comparable with a ligher Speyside malt or a lowlander. I'd put it on par with something like Monkey Shoulder. Not bad for under £14.
Edit: Turns out Glen Orchy 5 yo has won awards and got an 88.5% review in Jim Murray's Whisky Bible.
http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-re...ands-nearly-10-times-the-price-236912201.html
In other news, I will be heading for Bakewell's Wee Dram fest on 18th October. £23, includes a Glencairn tasting glass to take home, 5 hours and as many whiskies in the time as you care to try. Sells out every year months in advance, including this one.
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I would recommend Yamazaki 12yo. Very nice whisky and reasonable money (~£50). I had a look on The Whisky Exchange and, for some reason, the 10yo is £99
Maybe it's discontinued - it seems to have been replaced in the price range by "Distiller's Reserve". Anyway, I digress. The 12yo is much better than the 10yo and, I would wager (although I've never tried it), that it will be better than the Distiller's Reserve.
Hakushu is quite good too.