Really top-notch, yummy whisky

[evanstonwhisky]

Glenlivet 18 - berryfull, baked apples, cinammon, strawberry

man that was good

[d4m0n]

Yup. I'm on my 2nd bottle of the stuff. Very good whisky for the money. For a lousy $53 @ BevMo, I may just pick up another bottle to keep in reserve.

[The Third Dram]

18 years of age seems to represent a 'benchmark' of sorts for many single malts, including (amongst others) Glenfiddich, Caol Ila, Bowmore, Highland Park and Macallan.

I really like the gently smoked fruit quality of the 18YO Glenlivet.

[kyorke1]

18 years of age seems to represent a 'benchmark' of sorts for many single malts, including (amongst others) Glenfiddich, Caol Ila, Bowmore, Highland Park and Macallan.

I agree, thanks for the notes evanstonwhisky, I'm thinking of buying especially at about £35.

[LagaDrinker]

I love the Tali 18 and Coal Ila 18, the Glenlivet you mention defintately sounds worth a try

[evanstonwhisky]

kyorke1, let me know what you think.

I just bought a bottle Glenlivet 18 today. the top 2 inches of the bottle were rather light and energetic tasting, with some pepper and smoke. After I got under the skinny part though, it got the round, fruity, cinammon taste I had tasted in my tasting of it at a restaurant.

Do bottles necesarily change taste (independant of aging) based on just settling of the contents, like different flavours rising to the top, or does oxygen in a couple minutes completely open up and change the flavour?

My stupid question: Does the heavier whisky settle to the bottom, the light whisky settle to the top? Does that effect flavour?

[Viridian]

While not really a fan of Glenlivet, I do agree that the 18 year old expressions are often exemplary.

I simply love the Talisker, Macallan, HP, Caol Ila 18s; I'm sure I've forgotten something, though.

Has anyone had the Dalmore 18 ? I remember trying this and loving it, but I can't find anything about it on the internet!? I must be insane and delusional.

[Reggaeblues]

kyorke1, let me know what you think.

I just bought a bottle Glenlivet 18 today. the top 2 inches of the bottle were rather light and energetic tasting, with some pepper and smoke. After I got under the skinny part though, it got the round, fruity, cinammon taste I had tasted in my tasting of it at a restaurant.

Do bottles necesarily change taste (independant of aging) based on just settling of the contents, like different flavours rising to the top, or does oxygen in a couple minutes completely open up and change the flavour?

My stupid question: Does the heavier whisky settle to the bottom, the light whisky settle to the top? Does that effect flavour?

I can hear a roomful of whisky "experts" laughing into their sleeves at your post evanstonwhisky!

Perhaps we should all give our bottles a good shake, like with a bottle of milk to distribute the cream!!

But seriously, your concerns have crossed my mind many times, and have been discussed throughout the world of whisky. I think 3 things happen when you open a new, unfamiliar bottle. First, your tastebuds need stimulating if you haven't drunk anything alcoholic, merely to acclimatise.(Try a small Laphroaig first - a wonderful palate cleanser!)

Two, you need to familiarise yourself with a new whisky, so you probably won't grasp its subtelties immediately, and three, yes, in my exprience many drams do change, especially when around half empty! I often drink 2 thirds of a bottle before I "get to know " a new whisky. This, I recall , happened with my first HP18 many years ago< and also the Ardmore OB released a year or so ago. I remember it started quite austere, and mellowed as the bottle got lower.

Lastly, as for the "heavier" flavours lurking on the bottom, if anything the opposite is true. I've had whiskies, usually in a pub, from the last dram or two, and they are often sweeter, and lighter, having probably been stuck in the bottle with all that wicked oxygen for God knows how long! i once had a Talisker 10 that was in this state. It was unrecognisable, and not very nice. I've also paid for a dram of glenfiddich and a Bushmills, that were stored with one of those spout pourers bars sometimes use, thus constantly "under attack" from the air. They were so disgustingly sweet, I might have been drinking Southern Discomfort...

[RogerB]

Glinlivet 18 is a very nice whisky, and I'll need to pick up a bottle soon. I've currently got the 16yr Nadurra and 21yr Archive(both outstanding), in my collection.

[vrbin]

18 years of age seems to represent a 'benchmark' of sorts for many single malts, including (amongst others) Glenfiddich, Caol Ila, Bowmore, Highland Park and Macallan.

I really like the gently smoked fruit quality of the 18YO Glenlivet.

I must recommend also the new 18 years old Auchentoshan. For me this was one of the best bourbon barrel aged whiskies...

[The Third Dram]

I love the Tali 18...

And of course I neglected to mention one of the top 18YO choices out there!

[jazz lover]

Talisker 18

[lincoln imp]

[quote="Reggaeblues"][quote="evanstonwhisky"]kyorke1, let me know what you think.

!

But seriously, .(Try a small Laphroaig first - a wonderful palate cleanser

ReggaeBlues surely you mean a wonderful paint cleaner regarding Laphroaig

But seriously imho the last thing i would recommend toc cleanse your palate is something as medicinal as a Phroaig
It would overpower your palate ( assuming you were going to try a Glenlivet 18 afterwards )

[kyorke1]

I agree, I have toyed with the idea of sipping and swilling vodka before whisky as a palate cleanser and to prepare it for alcohol. Does anyone have any other suggestions for this?

[TheTross]

I agree, I have toyed with the idea of sipping and swilling vodka before whisky as a palate cleanser and to prepare it for alcohol. Does anyone have any other suggestions for this?

I'm with Collector57 in that I wouldn't recommend Vodka for refreshing the palate. If anything you may tire it more quickly because of the alcohol, even if there's a largely neutral taste to it. That said, I wouldn't use Laphroaig either - but it seems to work for Reggaeblues, so there's no harm in trying it to see if it works for you.

Personally, I just use water in between drams to help cleanse the palate. I've also found crackers and digestive biscuits work well, as does leaving enough time between drams - but admittedly this can be quite difficult!


And to evanstonwhisky - Glenlivet 18 is really good stuff! Ran out of it a long time ago and never got round to replacing it, which is criminal really. I got chocolate, vanilla, lots of fruit and a good dollop of sherry from it. Really should get another bottle!

[pkt77242]

Glad to hear that you enjoyed the Glenlivet 18 Evanston. When I first opened my bottle I didn't enjoy it, too floral. Now that it has been open for a while it has become much more fruity.

Sean