Lagavulin 12 CS, Lagavulin 16 or Lagavulin 25 CS

[bernstein]

. It would also heat the whisky, via heat of dissolution.

Never thought about that one before, Aidan. Interesting idea! But nevertheless, I very, very, very seldom use any water. Most of the time I just enjoy the whisky the way it leaves my bottle - sort of fated to do so...

[bernstein]

Oh - and I'll definitely vote for the Laga 16 (somehow I can't do that here - dunno why). Although they should skip this colouring thing, takes away part of the fun!

[Aidan]

. It would also heat the whisky, via heat of dissolution.

Never thought about that one before, Aidan. Interesting idea! But nevertheless, I very, very, very seldom use any water. Most of the time I just enjoy the whisky the way it leaves my bottle - sort of fated to do so...

There are probably other ways to get the same effect as adding water, all the same. This effect would be very short-lived, if it happens at all.

[Admiral]

Without meaning to sound silly, we don't water down other beverages that are already mostly water, do we?

No one opens up a bottle of wine or a bottle of beer and adds water to "open it up" or to "improve the experience". Now I grant you that these drinks aren't as high in alcohol, but the philosophy is similar. As an aside, do cognac drinkers add water?

Cheers,
Admiral

[Deactivated Member]

My buddy Bob likes to quote a old fellow he met in a pub in Ireland, who had just ordered a whiskey. The bartender asked him what he wanted in it, and he answered, "More whiskey!"

[Frodo]

I believe blenders water whisky down to 15% and sniff it rather than taste it. That's what Noel Sweeney from Cooley does, anyway. Probably common practice. Was there something in whisky mag about this?

Hey, Noel Sweeney is coming to Spirit of Toronto. Might be interesting to ask why he does this.

[Frodo]

The back label of Rare Malts bottles suggests whisky to water at 1:2. I say they're insane. After experimenting quite a lot in my early days, I now almost never use water, and the phrase "opening up" is a complete mystery to me. All I experience is dilution and weakening.

Clearly you've never tried Tullibardine 1993.

[Deactivated Member]

Nope! And what would I now know if I had?

[Frodo]

That water opens it up! Still not impressed with the "opened up" version, but water does change it.

As an aside, another whisky that water helps with is Three Grain from Fourty-Creek (Cdn whisky). On its own, a little intense. But add some water as Dave Broom suggested in his Whisky Handbook, and those custardy flavours come out rather well.

[Deactivated Member]

I went to the Tullibardine Distillery yesterday and tried the 1993. I was actually rather taken by it - very sweet, vanilla, toffee and drying slightly at the finish. It left a long vanilla toffee finish.

[Aidan]

I believe blenders water whisky down to 15% and sniff it rather than taste it. That's what Noel Sweeney from Cooley does, anyway. Probably common practice. Was there something in whisky mag about this?

Hey, Noel Sweeney is coming to Spirit of Toronto. Might be interesting to ask why he does this.

Yeah, I think many blenders do this. Let us know what he says if you talk to him.

[Lawrence]

Finally! Another opinion about Tullibardine! I'm going to try and find a few bottles, thanks Nick.

[Admiral]

I believe blenders water whisky down to 15% and sniff it rather than taste it.

Bill Lumsden from Glenmorangie does all his nosing at 20%.

Cheers,
Admiral

[The Fachan]

Admiral,

Virtually Blenders nose at around 20%, to the best of my knowledge the only one who doesn't is Richard Paterson who prefers cask strength.

Regards

Ian

[Admiral]

Well, hats off to Richard then!

It's a difficult scenario, I'm sure.

Richard is the only one nosing at the same strength we nose the whisky at, so this is a good thing! It's always struck me as a little strange that whisky is taken from the cask at around 60%, nosed at 20% so that the blenders can get the balance "just right", and then bottled at 40%!!! It makes it hard to argue how best to enjoy a whisky when everyone involved from the distiller to the drinker takes it at a different strength.

As for Richard nosing at cask strength, I wonder how he avoids "burning" his nose?

Cheers,
Admiral

[Lugarteniente]

People who have tasted lagavulin DE: Tell me about this malt please and compare it with Laga 16.

[Deactivated Member]

Do you mean the Distiller's Edition (DE)? It has been finished in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. As I'm sure you are aware, PX is a very thick and sweet dessert sherry, very raisiny, and the finishing gives the Lagavulin a boost in the fullness and sweetness of the body. It's released as a vintage, and I haven't had any recent ones--apparently there is some variability, and one wonders whether the PX casks are being repeatedly reused--but the ones I've had have been marvelous. I haven't had much Lagavulin of any kind for quite a while (except for the 25 I just opened, which I really like), but I recall liking the DE more than the 16--there was more to it, and the sweetness and extreme peatiness balanced very well, in my mind.

[Lawrence]

Jim Murray noses and tates all his whiskies for the Bible without water also, he states that it's the only way to ensure that he and the reader are talking about the same product because everybody adds water to different levels. Not to mention the different tempertares of the water and natural variations.

[MacLover]

I am voting for the 16YO, but caveat this with saying I am voting for the 16YO White Horse not Port Ellen bottling. The PE lost quite a bit for me and I prefer the 12YO CS to it.

[Eat P]

i´m casting my vote for the 12y cs, i also like the distiller´s
edition to be better than 16y and 25y...
...at least my first meeting with the 25 year old wasn´t
so impressive, compared to the 12y cs, for what it did...

[Admiral]

Dude....that's a seriously unfortunate username to adopt in the presence of British and Australian colleagues!

[Deactivated Member]

I wasn't gonna say anything....

[hpulley]

Enquiring minds want to know... in Finnish, what is a wänkä, anyways?

Harry

[Lord_Pfaffin]

Enquiring minds want to know... in Finnish, what is a wänkä, anyways?
Harry

I'm guessing it could be a whisky-soaked couch-potato with hairy palms and thick eye-glasses.
Laga 12 CS hands down no contest. The 16 is nice but a tad over priced, i prefer the DE at the same price. Never tried the 25yo, i would think way too expensive. I quite enjoy an IB 8yo Laga frequently and concider the 12 CS a real treat full of character.

[MGillespie]

Enquiring minds want to know... in Finnish, what is a wänkä, anyways?

Harry

I'm glad you guys jumped in first on this one...

Mark

[Lord_Pfaffin]

Ooops! Where are my manners? Certainly not at the bottom of my last bottle.
Welcome to the forum Wanka!

[Deactivated Member]

Let us be gentle, folks. For all we know, that's the fellow's name. Or maybe he's having one over on us all. (Or she.) In any case, it ill behooves us to casually insult a stranger washed up on our shores.

[Eat P]

Enquiring minds want to know... in Finnish, what is a wänkä, anyways?

Harry

it´s just my nickname among friends and also my username in a Finnish Whiskyforum. Mayby i should change it
to something more familiar for the english speaking audience?
wänkä=pronunciation to a word,every male in the planet is more or less familiar to , "wanker"

[Deactivated Member]

I believe there is no letter "w" in the Finnish language - therefore I presume the username was chosen quite intentionally as a troll.

[Eat P]

I believe there is no letter "w" in the Finnish language - therefore I presume the username was chosen quite intentionally as a troll.

Audiatur et altera pars

the letter "w" is a part of finnish alphabet.believe me, i´ve been
Finnish for thirty years...
i rest my case

Dixi, et animani levavi

[Deactivated Member]

Perhaps it is a similar situation to French? "W" is not to be found in any native French word (which might explain...oh, let's not go there), but it is in the alphabet, as it appears in words of foreign origin.

Just glanced over several Finnish paragraphs in the liner notes to a Maria Kalaniemi album--not a w to be seen.

You don't run a chocolate factory, do you, wänkä?

[Dubois]

Lagavulin 16 Yrs is one of the best Whisky's out there and also one of the most well-known,but my preference goes to Lagavulin 12 Yrs CS, one of the greatest gems ever...

[irishwhiskeychaser]

Laga 16 gets my vote also... wonderful stuff

[Aidan]

I don't think I've had a whisky as rich as the Lagavulin 16. The Uigeadeal comes close I suppoe. Anyway, it's the Kind of the Islays, for me.

[lexvo]

Lagavulin 16Y for me. But I've only had one dram of the 12Y CS, so I can't really judge I guess. BTW, the CS was great.

Three months ago, I had a bottle of Lagavulin 16Y where the smoke (nose and taste) had gone within weeks. Anyone had the same experience? I bought a new bottle last week, so I will see if the same happens with this one.