Home Distiller

for me it's Ardbeg or Port Ellen.

Uncle Jesse wrote:for me it's Ardbeg or Port Ellen.

Port ellen is indeed brilliant.

it is also extinct.

Caol Ila is a good substitute, but not the same. I have a local liquor store which stocks over 300 single malts so some of these mothballed malts are still available.

BunnahabhainWhisky
well it looks like no one has been here for a very long time but maybe someday it'll take off.
Bunnahabhain scotch whiskey is my #1 drink (neat)

I see a pattern here. All mentioned bottles are Islays. Great choices all. Lagavulin, Bruichladdich and Laphroaig are other favorite drams from the wind swept island off the west coast of Scotland.

My ultimate goal is to make the best scotch whiskey I can.

My favorite is probably a balvanie 12 at room temp with a splash of cold water.

I love a goood single malt. The best I have had was Oban 14 Year Old Single Malt.

Excellent! Oban 14 years old, I would never turn it down

DSM Loki wrote:My favorite is probably a balvanie 12 at room temp with a splash of cold water.

Some times I will also put a tad bit of water in, too me it seems to bring out the flavor more Balvanie is also a fantastic drink.

The Belvenie Caribbean Cask. If I'm winding down after work and Ardbeg Alligator if I'm enjoying a nip by a the campfire.

Jday wrote:The Belvenie Caribbean Cask. If I'm winding down after work and Ardbeg Alligator if I'm enjoying a nip by a the campfire.

Same here, I love that stuff. I've decided I'm going to take the oak sticks I have my rum sitting on and throw them in my first scotch run to see if I can get some of that lovely flavor to come through for me.

Peat Monster from Compass Box would go over well with this crowd. That's my current moderately priced favorite.

All great whiskies so far! Poured a Benromach 10 last night. Ralfy whisky of the year 2014. It took about three months to get my hands on a bottle. Just delicious stuff, a tiny bit of water to open the flavor and nose and had my nose stuck in the Glen Cairn glass grinning for ten minutes before I tasted it. Great whisky! Favorite whisky, great question! I will continue my quest to find the one! If you get a chance for a quiet evening with Benromach don't miss the change.

Old Pulteney 21. Any of the Belvenie wood expressions are dandy too.

I have some Campbletown Blended Malt Scotch that I bought while in Scotland and Cadenhead's (Cadenhead's is the Oldest Independent bottler in Scotland) thus I bought it from the cask at cask strength 55.9 %.

I can't say I'm an expert, I prob not had more than 20-30 different Scotch, but I'm partial to Talisker, lovely drop in my humble opinion.

My niece brought over a bottle of 21 year old Auchentoshan that had been finished in Oloroso Sherry casks.
They let her bring it on the plane as a carry on in one of those sealed plastic bags when she came back to the states from Edinburgh.
That was damn fine Whisky.

I feel like a misfit here as the Islays dont tickle my palate ..

Looking back on bottles past, one i have relished and reminisced the most was Glengoyne cask strength that was distilled in 1967. came in a nice brown wooden box. caramel vanilla oaky spicey... it is not peated they claim they use oak to roast the barley malt.... of course not commonly available or affordable.

if going for a more available Bottle i like and have purchased more Cragganmore than any other single malt Scotch.

but thats just me

Sad Scotch story:
A number of years ago I bought and had shipped from Scotland a bottle of 1968 Glen Keith Speyside Single Malt.
I thought it expensive at the time, little did I know then that as bottles of it were sold the remaining would become much more expensive (stands to reason though).
The sad part, my (then) 18 year old son broke into the locked cabinet and took that bottle to share with his friends.
He had no real idea of what he had taken, just that it was Whisky.
Later in his early 20's I asked him if he remembered it and how it tasted, he said it was really smooth.
Not looking for any comments about my son or what he did, he passed away unexpectedly last fall so please just take this as the sad and untimely demise of a good bottle of Scotch. I'd give all the Scotch I've ever had or will have again to have him back.
Now I believe I need a glass of Scotch.

Nerdybrewer
So sorry for your loss, I truly believe your son will have that drink of scotch with you.

What about Jimmie Walker? I've never had the blue label, I like the ones that I've had but there's just something about them that stops me from saying I'd like another.


what are your thoughts ?????

I'm a speysider mostly.. often a "cherryed" Macallan... or Always!.. Yep, Macallan!...

Very sorry for your loss, Nerdybrewer. I am glad your son experienced your fine old bottle.

idiidaz wrote:I'm a speysider mostly.. often a "cherryed" Macallan... or Always!.. Yep, Macallan!...

i have been through several Macallan bottles and do admit they have been good each time... Speyside does ring my bell more than any Islay... just my personal preference....

i did recieve a bottle of a local mexican drink called Bacanora, which as i understand is a Sonora version of Tequila and its distinctive flavor that reminded me of all things Islay... although slightly.... but in the depths of the flavor it evoked the piñas being roasted over a fire, ahhh and sweet senioritas on a warm evening... under the palms Mariachi playing in the background... ....

but that is another topic.... mind wanders.... ADD... sorry bout that.... turn on the wind and the rain, and blow on the bagpipes! LOCH SLOY!!!!

life is good.