What is your most recent (whisky) purchase.

[Ed]

Hello All,
Bought an Old Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey. Like it a lot. I posted elsewhere about that.
Got a Bottle of Ardbeg 10 yo. 3, 600 yen. Much cheaper than I usually see it. Now I can drink the open bottle without thinking I am depleting something too precious to, well, deplete. I ought to go back and buy it all at that price.
Ed

[Spirit of Islay]

Just Purchased a very nice SMWS CI this afternoon from the Vaults. Is this a first ? i'm writing this on the Wireless network of a Train on the way home , Viva GNER !

[Tom]

brought home two Ardbegs from the festival, the TEN and Uigadaele.

[/george]

Just came back from Paris where I bought two bottles at 'Maison du Whisky' which I recommend to everybody.

Mortlach 1991 13yo, Sig UC, 46%
Ben Nevis 1972 32yo, OB bottled for MdW, 52,3%

I simply like these two distilleries.

[Lawrence]

Last night I bought a bottle of Glengoyne 10, very nice.

[Deactivated Member]

Found myself at Table & Vine, our fine wine, liquor, and specialty foods shop, looking for a nice bottle of wine for Easter dinner. (What the hell goes with ham, anyway?) Somehow ended up in the whisky aisle. I don't know how that happens. A number of bottles called out to me--Laphroaig CS, 'Laddie Links, HP 18 at a very reasonable price ($55-60? I forget). But I thought I'd best sock away another bottle of the G&M Cask Bruichladdich 1989/15 while it was still available. I'd better grab one of those Links pretty soon, too.

[Mr Fjeld]

Found myself at Table & Vine, our fine wine, liquor, and specialty foods shop, looking for a nice bottle of wine for Easter dinner. (What the hell goes with ham, anyway?) Somehow ended up in the whisky aisle. I don't know how that happens. A number of bottles called out to me--Laphroaig CS, 'Laddie Links, HP 18 at a very reasonable price ($55-60? I forget). But I thought I'd best sock away another bottle of the G&M Cask Bruichladdich 1989/15 while it was still available. I'd better grab one of those Links pretty soon, too.

I know, whisky shelves just draw you to them like a black hole. Usually far too much of my money goes into the very same hole!
Anyway, if you say a little more about what kind of ham you are thinking of I might help you. Is it a "Pata Negra"/Parma/Serrano kind of ham? If so you should consider a nice Amantillado sherry!
Alsacian Gewurztraminer based wines and some Chiantis are other alternatives.

Cheers!
Christian

[Deactivated Member]

Thanks for the advice, Christian (although it's too late for this year). I'm not a huge wine drinker, and generally stick to a couple of familiar things--merlot, and sauvignon blanc/fumé blanc; California, Washington/Oregon, Chile, Australia. That makes me happy with most everything I eat--except ham. (We're dealing with pretty basic American hams here.) I wonder if I ought to try something a little sweeter to stand up to the saltiness, but I don't really like sweeter wines. Never would have thought of a sherry.

When eating out, it's almost always a glass of the house wine, or a half-litre if sharing; I'm not fussy, I don't want much, and the markup on bottles in restaurants is ridiculous. With what I save, I can have a pint and a dram for dessert!

Now I need to stay away from that black hole for a while. If I keep buying whisky like I have the past couple months, I'll never make it to Scotland in October.

[hpulley]

Why not try some whisky with your food? For ham, Clynelish and Glenfarclas are very good or even Talisker with an especially salty one.

Harry

[Mr Fjeld]

Why not try some whisky with your food? For ham, Clynelish and Glenfarclas are very good or even Talisker with an especially salty one.

Harry

Now that is an interesting thought! I think Mr Tattieheid bought a bottle or two of the norwegian potato based Aquavita the last time he was here. It's primarily used to clean disolves the fat covering the mouth and accompanies beer during "fatty" traditional norwegian meals. Whisky should be perfect in that respect - also together with beer/ale but I don't realy see whisky as a propper substitute for wine because it ends horribly bad if used to quell the thirst.

Actually, this subtopic deserves it's own thread! Anyone agree?

Skål!
Christian

[Deactivated Member]

Fire it up, Christian. Although I think if you search, you'll likely find a "whisky & food" thread around here somewhere.

Almost forgot about the aquavit--I have a package of ten mini-samples I picked up at the duty-free on the way out of Bergen. It took care of the last of my kronur. I haven't touched it yet.

Whisky/food pairings may well be worth trying, Harry, but the other folks at the table will be looking for a glass of wine. Remarkably, I seem to be regarded as the family expert, despite my stubborn wallowing in the merlot/sauvignon blanc bog. Nobody else around here has any taste at all--I'm always appalled to come home and find my visiting brother drinking one of my last remaining bottles of some unusual beer or other, since he'd probably be just as happy with a Bud Light. Happier, if his complaints about the bitterness of my beer are any indication. (I exaggerate slightly--he's happy with Newcastle Brown, which I think is terribly bland in the bottle. And he doesn't ever actually complain.)

Anyway, the trick is to make everyone else happy (not really all that hard) while satisfying myself (not all that hard, either--except when we're having ham). And after dinner, I think it will be a Calvados; I picked up a piece of Pont L'Evêque cheese while at T&V. It's sitting in the fridge, double zip-locked to prevent it stinking up the whole house!

[hpulley]

Pleasing others, ah yes. Then I too will suggest an Italian Chianti or a German Riesling most of the time though it is surprising often how good a $7 Chenin Blanc from KWV (ZA) can be (though as you say, it becomes a $22 bottle at the restaurant! At the restaurant you might as well spend a bunch as the markup is lower on higher priced bottles for some reason). Local Rieslings are also good. I like red chardonnays, gamay noirs, pinot noirs but again I am no expert as I find there are select $7 bottles which are as good as $30 bottles and more expensive bottles and some terrible $40 bottles even when they are supposed to be ready for drinking.

Pleasing others is also the reason why I have vodka, tomato, clamato, Kalhua, gin, tonic, Bailey's etc. in the house right now. We had 3 parties last weekend and it seems each relative has their own special drink and they are often offended if we don't have it. Black russians, Bloody Marys, Caesars, Gin & tonics, etc. Had a bizarre vanilla vodka and cacao liqueur 'martini' the other day so sweet it was tough to get down, orange liqueur 'martinis' that nosed exactly like C Plus drink. There are weird bottles out there but people buy them.

I did get my dad to try a porter though. He is usually a lager man but he enjoyed the Sleeman Fine Porter when we had nothing else.

Harry

[Deactivated Member]

Clamato! I was at a pub near a ski area in Maine, and the fellow next to me at the bar asked for a Caesar. The bartender looked blank. "What part of Canada are you from?" I asked him. No one south of the border has ever heard of a Bloody Caesar, or clamato juice!

Fortunately--or unfortunately--I never have to worry about keeping a well-stocked bar for large gatherings.

Did I tell you about the time I gave my dad (a guy who used to have an occasional 7oz Budweiser) a drop of Lagavulin DE? "Jesus! " he exploded. It was the best reaction I'd got out of him in years! Maybe not the best starter malt, though.

[Crispy Critter]

No one south of the border has ever heard of a Bloody Caesar, or clamato juice!

Which border? I've seen billboards in Chicago that read:

Clamato y Cerveza

[Deactivated Member]

Okay, I'm being a bit hyperbolic. Hey, I'm south of the (US/Canada) border, and I've heard of it.

Clamato and beer? Yuck!

[hpulley]

Tomato juice and beer must be a western Canadian thing. That's where my parents are from and my dad used to love a "redeye" as they call it. The "Tijuana Taxi" drink is beer and vodka in Clamato.

Clamato and beer is also popular. Bringing this back onto topic somewhat there is "Pablo's Boilermaker" which is Clamato and Boubon! How bout some Elijah Craig & Clamato? Anyone???

Check out the Clamato web site, http://www.clamato.com, for more ideas for not just drinks but recipes. Yes, we cook with the stuff too! It's good in stews and sauces. Instant surf'n'turf

Funny, on the US site they don't call it a Caesar, they call it Clamato Vodka (complete with 'English Sauce' for Worcestershire). The language choices on the main site are "English - Espanol - Canada" All they talk about on the Canada site are Caesars.

Harry

[Deactivated Member]

On the rare occasion that I'm in the mood for a bloody, I use V8. That needs another name...a Bloody Chevy, maybe?

What was it about Caesar that was presumably so clammy, anyway?

I've always been squeamish about mixing things with beer. If you have a good beer, it seems to me you're just ruining it. If you don't have a good beer, then you should get one. As for boilermakers (or "Depp Charges", ho ho), I suppose if you're using cheap beer and cheap whisky, there's no harm done. I decline to touch either.

I don't even care for those Guinness floaters that some people are so fond of--if I want a Guinness, I want a Guinness. (I knew a bartender of Irish heritage who bristled whenever anyone asked for a Black & Tan. "It's a Half & Half," he insisted. He said the Black-and-Tans were the occupying British soldiers. "They just want you to set them up so they can knock them down," I reasoned, but he'd have none of it.)

[MGillespie]

By the way, T...congratulations are in order! Looks like someone just achieved gold member status...

I, for one, really appreciate your contributions to the forums.

Mark

[Frodo]

Here, here! Congrats Mr. T.. Your contributions are valued and respected!

[Deactivated Member]

Thank you for the kind words. I'm sure that not everyone is pleased to find, upon logging on, fifteen more shaggy dog posts from the scatterbrained Mr. Tattie Heid. If I would only get a life, I could stop being so O/C about this forum. On the other hand, if I would only stop being so O/C, I could probably get a life.

The thing I'm most proud of is the fact that, of my first 500 posts, fully 87 were actually about whisky!

Mark, you joined two days after I did. You've got to pick up the pace, man!

Frodo, you'll be along shortly. And incidentally, I believe I will be in your neck of the woods April 7-10. Meet you at the Tasting Tower?

[Frodo]

Sounds like a plan!

[MGillespie]

The thing I'm most proud of is the fact that, of my first 500 posts, fully 87 were actually about whisky!

Mark, you joined two days after I did. You've got to pick up the pace, man!

Since only about 10-15 of my posts have actually been about whisky, we're actually at the same pace percentage-wise!

I'll try to do better...

Mark

[Lawrence]

SMWS Glen Keith 32 Year Old and a SMWS Caol Ila 10 year old

[Old Bollard]

Brought these home three days ago:
Balvenie Doublewood (it was on offer, but I don't need an excuse to buy this one)
Laphroaig 10 yrs (Likewise)
Ledaig 7 years
Tullibardine 10 yrs

Old Bollard

[Frodo]

A 700ml bottle of XO Calvados. I tried a shot a little while back, and I think I'd like to try it again. Also, a mini of Balvinnie Doublewood as the price was right.

OB - I agree completely! An excuse to buy this one is not needed.

Frodo

[Deactivated Member]

Mmmmm.... Calvados! Which distillery, Frodo? I toured a half a dozen of them in 2003.

[Frodo]

Henry-Gerard XO. I don't know anything else about the stuff, other than it was on sale (15% off).

[Deactivated Member]

Don't know that one. I've forgotton exactly what the XO designation means, but I'm sure one of the cognac afficionados can tell you--I believe the system is the same. 8-10 years old? I have some described as "Hors d'Age", which is 15yo. It should be pretty good. The most commonly available one in Quebec is Boulard Grand Solage, which is quite young (probably about 3yo) and rather harsh--it's not really meant to be drunk straight. It's interesting to compare with whisky--there are comparable flavors, an education in wood influence.

In most of Calvados, a single distillation is done in eau-de-vie (column) stills. But in the heart of the region, called le Pays d'Auge (it will say this on the label if applicable), a double distillation is done in recycled cognac stills. This is mandatory for the appellation.

(Edit--photos of stillhouse, storage vats, and mountains of apples deleted.)

[JimHall]

My last purchase was a bottle of Balblair ....why ... because of the recent Whisky Mag article on the distillery.
I have also recently bought the double matured (diageo's words not mine) Dalwhinnie Distillers edition... very nice . I also bought a bottle of Edradour at the distillery. A lovely fruity little dram that is worth offering to anyone.

[JimHall]

Ah well if you include the day to day blends then my last purchase was a bottle of that great blen Teachers Highland Cream..... don't dare rubbish it I'm easily offended.

[Lawrence]

Another bottle of Ardbeg Very Young to repalce the open one and a bottle of Glengoyne Cask Strength.

[hir0]

i picked up a bottle of balvenie double wood 12yr. at first it was quite pleasant, but shortly became overly sweet in my opinion.

[MGillespie]

Just added a bottle of Strathisla 12YO to the collection...about to wipe out my bottle of Bruichladdich 15YO.

[hir0]

grabbed a bottle of laphroaig 10yr so i could try it out. it tastes and smells like seaweed smoked over an oak log. seems to be an aquired taste for sure, a little on the salty side. it does go down very smooth though.

[Crispy Critter]

Well, I decided to swing by my nearby Binny's, and found something new on the shelf: the Bruichladdich 3D "Peat Proposal." Needless to say, I picked up a bottle. Also, I noticed they had the Forty Creek Canadian whiskies at an insanely low price, so I picked up a bottle of Barrel Select.