What did you drink last night?

by **Stephen** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 2:39 pm

Springbank 30yo Millennium Set 46%
Springbank 35yo Millennium Set 46%

Brora 24yo 1977/2001 (56.1%, Rare Malts)
Brora 20yo 1981/2001 (43%, Signatory, cask 575)
Clynelish 1983 20yo 46% Murray McDavid - Mission 3

Brora and Clynelish are both malty, salty and smoky.
i don't like Brora, and Clynelish is just OK.

Springbank 30yo has an ace nose, but a little weak in palate and finish.
Springbank 35yo has rich palate and complex finish, but a little flat in nose.
They both deserve 90-94.

by **Lawrence** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 5:34 pm

Stephen, I found that the Brora from the Rare Malts took a lot of water to open up and quite frankly I have not had one decent dram from the Mission Series, especially when you take into account the high price.

by **Stephen** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 12:25 am

Lawrence, i had tasted some Mission Series, they are very good in average, here are three you must try, they are brilliant:

Lagavulin 24yo 1979/2003 (46%, Murray McDavid Mission two)
Linkwood 1973/2003 (46%, Murray McDavid, Mission two)
Old Rhosdhu 24yo 1979/2004 (46%, MmcD Mission III)

by **Lawrence** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 4:57 pm

I've never tried the Old Rhosdu from any bottling, it would be interesting to taste such an unusual dram, I will be in Edinburgh in early August so I will try it then.

However I still sceptical about the whole mission series, I don't think they're living up to the hype.

PS, I had some Aberlour 10 last night and finished with a OB Clynelish 14 sitting out in the sun, wonderful.

by **Stephen** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 12:37 am

Longrow 10yo 1993

Last night has tried, added some ice piece, moreover unfolds bold Peat and Springbank's sweet.
I seldom add the ice piece, but recently i will try more often in Summer.

by **hpulley** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 4:17 am

Sig 13yo Caol Ila first, THEN Ardbeg TEN OB, finally Bruichladdich '89 13yo Fullstrength. Nice little Islay tour. Right order, though TEN is the best of the lot.

Harry

by **Lawrence** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 7:18 am

Harry, the Ardbeg Ten is a classic, I was less than impressed with the Bruichladdich Full Strength, I thought there was nothing there, I've never tried the Signatory Caol Ila so I cannot comment. However I have tried other Signatory's they have been quite excellent.

Last night I opened a bottle of Laphroaig Cask Strength, the way an Islay should be. I visited Islay one summer with some members of my scotch club and at the end of the distillery tour Ian Henderson gave us a dram from a cask in one on the bonded warehouses, I remember it as being the same ask the cask strength. It was wonderful.

by **hpulley** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 12:01 pm

Lawrence, I still haven't tried the Laphroaig CS. An Quaich was supposed to bring it in and a friend of a friend was supposed to give me a try but so far, no luck, just the 40% chillfiltered regular Laphroaig that isn't much to write home about. I'll keep my eyes open for the CS.

Actually I don't mind the Fullstrength. Of the new Bruichladdichs I've tried it is pretty good but the body is thin compared to something like the Ardbeg. The 15yo is more balanced but is quite sweet; the Fullstrength at least seems like more of an Islay. The '70 is good but way out of my price range. Even the 20yo seems really overpriced, at least in Ontario. The Fullstrength is about the price of the 15yo so it is decent for the cost.

Harry

by **Stephen** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 1:38 pm

hpulley, you must try Laphroaig 10yo Cask Strength ,no matter 'green stripe' or 'red stripe', they are both very nice.

But, i am afraid that Laphroaig 10yo (43%, OB) is going down year by year.

by **hpulley** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 2:15 pm

Heck, I'd take 43%! For some reason it is 40% here. OTOH, Ardbeg 17yo is 43% here while it is 40% in the UK. I don't understand all these local and import bottling differences. I guess the USA still doesn't allow 700mL bottles so there are some 750mL USA only bottlings too, etc.

Must see if I can order the CS Laph.

Harry

by **Lawrence** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 3:55 pm

Try the Companions of the Quaich for the Laphroaig CS, they have a larger membership and better purchasing power.

by **hpulley** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 3:57 pm

I suspect they've had to change their operations too (LCBO stuff) but perhaps I should look into them again. I mainly chose An Quiach because they have more conventient chapter locations for me.

Harry

by **Lawrence** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 4:00 pm

There's a Laphroaig CS on ebay however it is quite expensive, about C$118 with shipping.

by **Spirit of Islay** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 7:11 pm

Last night i actually got round to opening the Laddie Legacy 2 bottling , a stunning 1965 . All the pre 72 laddie bottlings i've tried have been brilliant . Still don't know if it's better than the 1970 bottlings i've tried , mind you the whisky Scam 1970 bottling is the very best one i've had and a bargain at £30 , wish i'd managed to get my hands on one !
Slainté
Gordon

by **Lawrence** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 4:59 pm

Nothing last night :cry:

Gordon, what's this:

"mind you the whisky Scam 1970 bottling is the very best one i've had and a bargain at £30" ???

by **Spirit of Islay** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 9:28 pm

Hi Lawrence ,
This could get long and complicated so i'll try and keep it simple .
You would be able to read this on their website but it's down at the moment for legal reasons apparently.......Back in the 1990's i think there was a bit of a scam going on with whisky casks (good investment for the future etc etc) which a lot of people got caught with , a guy in the Lake district has since been bottling these casks to try and get the owners a bit money back . There have been numerous bottlings (all single cask) such as "The Ard Bog" 10yo for £19 , "The Bowmorish " 12yo for about £21 , the Orkney Special reserve (25yo Highland Park) for about £28 and the Islay Special Reserve (Laddie 1970/30yo...this one just sold out before i got to it but a friend managed to get some and it's superb) for about £30 . All 70cl single cask bottlings and all extremely good . They've done all sorts and as you can see very good value !
If your ever passing through Kendal in the Lake district drop into the Wheatsheaf pub and see whats on offer .
Slainté
Gordon

by **Lawrence** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 6:05 pm

Thank you for the answer, I would like to see a WM follow up article on these "scams", I think there was one way back in the beginning. I wondered what happended to all those casks once the dust settled.

by **Stephen** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 3:05 pm

Linkwood 10yo 1990 (52%, CS, Inverallan' s)
Very good Linkwood! The only shortcoming is possible because too young therefore the sense of smell chokes me a little, but from sense of nose, palate and finish all are very rich, and shows Linkwood's characteristic "Rose water".

THE Color is not pale, possibly aged form the new Sherry butt.
The nose has fruit and flower's fragrance, the wood taste with some honeys fragrant.
THE palate has the suitable Sherry fragrance, the sweet with a little acid, tobacco and coffee taste.
THE end feeling has Linkwood Rose water, the black chocolate and the pure cake taste, and good finish feeling, although the end feeling is the young style, but is worth savoring.
After adding water, it also has the change, appears the salty taste and the flower fragrance.
Above 88 points.

Individual serious prejudice, Linkwood can be one of the first level distilleries.

by **Lawrence** » Mon Jul 26, 2004 4:25 pm

Last night was the Macallan Cask Strength (with the red label), a very good Macallan, half between a 25 YO and the Gran Reserva, full deep red color, full oloroso nose, sweet plums, currents etc, oloroso in the taste with huge sweetness, a slightly prickly mount feel that smooths out and a long sweet finish. Well done the Macallan, especially after recent events!

by **Stephen** » Wed Jul 28, 2004 1:42 pm

Inverallan's Pure Malt Scotch Whisky 12YO Vat No.1646
This Pure Malt is also good that eight kinds of single malt compromise.
It is light Sherry style, the flower fragrance, the peat , sweet and spicy all displayed, the center-section has been weak, and the finish is a little monotonous, but also lasting.
I thought some ingredients should surpass for 12 years.

by **Lawrence** » Wed Jul 28, 2004 2:29 pm

Last night was Springbank 15, slightly more sherried than the 10 thus being a bit of a "butt head" I really enjoyed it.

...and a Strathisla 12.

by **bond** » Wed Jul 28, 2004 3:43 pm

Haig Gold Label it was, last night.. eminently drinkable with a pleasantly sweet finish.

by **susywong** » Wed Jul 28, 2004 4:09 pm

1990, 13yo Adelphi bottling of Glenrothes, 56%. One of the best i've tasted, and that's saying something, considering my dad has worked there for the past 25years!!

by **Lawrence** » Thu Jul 29, 2004 5:15 pm

Last night it was quite warm, so I had my favourite warm weather drink, Ballantines over ice with a dash of lemon/lime cordial, with a little water, an excellent cooler.

by **clayton jr** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 6:56 pm

Van Winkle 12 Year Family Reserve. Delicious wheated bourbon, but not as rich as the 15 Year Old.

by **Lawrence** » Sat Jul 31, 2004 6:08 pm

Last night was an out nigth so I had a OB Cragganmore 12, it's a very nice dram, perhaps a little lighter than most of the other Speysides, a nice one for a summers evening.

by **brian12069** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 2:48 am

last night...too much Van Winkle 15 year :wink:

by **Admiral** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 4:19 am

At the risk of offending my good fellow forum users, may I suggest that this thread is a bit meaningless and annoying?

Telling other people what we drank the night before is pretty self-indulgent and mundane , unless you have a comment or question arising out of the tasting - in which case, it should be posted as a separate topic so that people can easily find it and refer to it.

Some interesting things have been discussed, (i.e. Lawrence & Spirit of Islay discussing cask scams), but these hardly belong under a topic entitled "What did you drink last night?"

How about we wrap this one up, eh? :roll:

by **brian12069** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 12:17 pm

Geez, I look at this thread every night, I always liked it. Considering how many posts are on it I would have to say others like it too. I enjoy seeing what others are sampling. Not to be a jerk Admiral but if it's "meaningless and annoying" to you, wouldn't it make more sense for you to stop reading it?

by **brian12069** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 12:18 pm

by the way...last night...just water... :lol:

by **Aidan** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 7:43 pm

I had Whisky Galore's Rosebank last night. There were very small suspended solids in it, but you wouldn't notice unless you looked closely. Is this normal?

by **Ash** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 11:10 pm

Aiden,
Chillfiltered or unchillfiltered? Cask Strength? You never said.
Ash

by **hpulley** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 11:20 pm

First dram? Last dram? Last drams often contain some stuff, usually just some cork coming off every time you open and close it. Also, if it is cask strength, unchillfiltered then there are often bits floating about that show up especially well if chilled.

Harry

by **Ash** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 11:23 pm

At the risk of offending my good fellow forum users, may I suggest that this thread is a bit meaningless and annoying?

Telling other people what we drank the night before is pretty self-indulgent and mundane , unless you have a comment or question arising out of the tasting - in which case, it should be posted as a separate topic so that people can easily find it and refer to it.

Some interesting things have been discussed, (i.e. Lawrence & Spirit of Islay discussing cask scams), but these hardly belong under a topic entitled "What did you drink last night?"

How about we wrap this one up, eh?

I am with Admiral on this one. Several good discussion points have been buried in these 10 pages of meaningless posts about what we drank last night. I feel I have wasted my time downloading the thread to hear that someone had an 8yo Glen Haggis blend last night or, even worse, a 10yo John Boy Walton's Special Family Reserve Bourbon. Lets create threads for the interesting topics and discuss them. If you want to talk about what you had last night, then there are places to post your tasting notes. :twisted:

Ash

by **Admiral** » Tue Aug 03, 2004 4:22 am

Not to be a jerk Admiral but if it's "meaningless and annoying" to you, wouldn't it make more sense for you to stop reading it?

Nothing jerky about your reply, Brian, but I think Ash has summed it up very nicely....some very interesting things have come up in this thread, but they are buried amongst guff & trivia.

For example, Aiden's question about solids in his dram is worth its own thread, and if it were listed separately under "Questions & Answers", then some of the more knowledgeable contributors on this list may be able to give him a helpful answer.

However, I note that many of the frequent posters and more learned contributors have avoided this thread, and so their opinions, expertise, and assistance are not able to be utilised.

Cheers,
Admiral