Cask Strength, love them/hate them, which are your favorites

[LagaDrinker]

I think you may be right Ganga althought it could be G&M

[shoganai]

I actually have a Scott's Selection HP Cask Strength on it's way and I'm pretty excited for it.

Which one?

Cheers!

1985 19YO

[Wave]

I actually have a Scott's Selection HP Cask Strength on it's way and I'm pretty excited for it.

Which one?

Cheers!

1985 19YO

I have that one opened, it's very nice and peaty. I think you'll like it a lot!

Cheers!

[JCSkinner]

Not many Irish are bottled at cask strength.
Of those I am aware of, Connemara's CS is epic and the most widely available. A big, beefy peaty malt.
Bushmills have been known to do the odd CS whiskey too, but they're rare and priced proportionately as they're usually single cask limited bottlings.
If you are the sort of person prepared to drop 100 euro plus on a bottle of single cask CS whiskey of c. 14 years old, then there is a plethora of CS Bushmills out there, some from sherry casks and some from bourbon, a rare few even from rum casks.

[Reggaeblues]

I must admit I haven't compared a 40-43% diluted with a CS diluted but you have given me a good idea to try.

Ganga - Let the research begin!

Never thought to do a direct comparison myself...just an impression I have. Too much water in any whisky takes away its identity IMO, and somehow, diluting a CS to@ 40-43 % it ends up tasting "thinner" than one bottled at that strength.

But that could be because I would generally drink a lower strength scotch earlier in the dramming sequence so giving the illusion of fullness that would be the opposite if going from a stronger to a weaker dram. And usually, I will taste any whisky neat first, so too much dilution would have the same effect.

Again, no scientific study here...yet!!

Forgive me banging on about the Glen Moray "Jim Clark Malt"(see sep. thread) but I was drinking it last night and thinking it's one of those dangerous whiskies which doesn't "behave" like it's strength(60%-ish - Abunad'h is another - someone poured me a batch 20 "blind" the other night - I thought it was either an Aberlour 12 or a 'farclas 12!) ...meaning its so easy to drink neat, as if it was a 43%.

So I pour another. Then it blows my head off!!!

And that folks, is the peril of a good CS!

[borgom]

Well I guess there just isn't too many bad cask strength bottlings!
Cracked open an Ardbeg Rennaisance recently which is one of the best scotches I've opened in a while.
Also like most VHP'd Jura's, especially single barrel bottlings!

[shoganai]

Which one?

Cheers!

1985 19YO

I have that one opened, it's very nice and peaty. I think you'll like it a lot!

Cheers!

On my first dram right now. This is great. Much needed after having no Highland Park other than the mediocre 16 for the past month and a half. This one's sure got some bite, though. Definitely a weekend whisky!

[BruceCrichton]

Any Adelphi, virtually any A. D Rattray - especially 1976 Bunnahabhain, any Duncan Taylor grain whisky and that includes 1979 Carsebridge, 1979 Cameronbridge and 1973 Port Dundas.

Glenmorangie Astar is brilliant.

Glenlivet Nadurra is superb as well.

[BruceCrichton]

Not many Irish are bottled at cask strength.
Of those I am aware of, Connemara's CS is epic and the most widely available. A big, beefy peaty malt.
Bushmills have been known to do the odd CS whiskey too, but they're rare and priced proportionately as they're usually single cask limited bottlings.
If you are the sort of person prepared to drop 100 euro plus on a bottle of single cask CS whiskey of c. 14 years old, then there is a plethora of CS Bushmills out there, some from sherry casks and some from bourbon, a rare few even from rum casks.

Connemara CS is brilliant and there is a cask strength Cooley available from Dewar Rattray which is 15 year old.

[Islayguy]

I have been collecting scotch for 40 plus years. Most of my collection is cask strength. However, there are great bottlings that are not cask strength. Bang for the buck...the best priced, quality cask strength is the Macallan cask strenth 57.8% abv. under $60 in Montana. If you want to spent a lot more the new Rosebank 25 year old, 61.4% abv. for $250.

[Deactivated Member]

The thing I really like about cask strength whiskies is the nose prickle and the fizzy tingle on the tongue. Does that make me weird???

[Reggaeblues]

Definitely.

Sounds like you're mistaking whisky for your pet hedgehog...

What gets me about a good CS is how smoooth it is!!

[Dubois]

I love them, especially Aberlour A'bunadh and Ardbeg Uigeadail

[SoMK]

I like CS for the versatility of them.. The fact you can take a sip at it full strength or vary the % with water depending on your mood.
I'm too very fond of A'bunadh, Macallan CS, Uigeadail or Connemara which is indeed tasty. I have yet to try a Glenfarclas CS.. if anyone knows of a great one at the SMWS, I would try...

[Spirit of Islay]

virtually any A. D Rattray - especially 1976 Bunnahabhain,

Dammit Bruce don't let everyone know this is a great whisky ! It'll sell out.....
My Favourite of this year is the Renaissance , stella Ardbeg !

[Wave]

virtually any A. D Rattray - .

I quite agree! I was very impressed with the A. D Rattray representatives and their bottlings at the Whisky Fair in Dufftown last May during the Speyside Whisky Festival. A Glenglassaugh 34yr old 1973 was particularly scrumptious!

Cheers!

[pkt77242]

I have really come to enjoy CS whiskies especially George T Stagg, Lagavulin 12yo, Abunadh, Talisker 25yo and Caol Ila 25yo. I also have really enjoyed any of the Scotts Selections that I have tasted (I have been at two of their tastings and loved everyone I have tried).

Sean

[BruceCrichton]

virtually any A. D Rattray - .

I quite agree! I was very impressed with the A. D Rattray representatives and their bottlings at the Whisky Fair in Dufftown last May during the Speyside Whisky Festival. A Glenglassaugh 34yr old 1973 was particularly scrumptious!

Cheers!

Did I meet you there? I was certainly in Dufftown for the festival.

[Mr Fjeld]

I have no particular preference for cask strength. As long as the whisky is good it makes no difference to me. My favourite cask strength so far would be the obvious choice; Laphroaig CS!

[adogranonthepitch]

I have bought another bottle of Illeach CS.

Still trying to like it ....

[Wave]

virtually any A. D Rattray - .

I quite agree! I was very impressed with the A. D Rattray representatives and their bottlings at the Whisky Fair in Dufftown last May during the Speyside Whisky Festival. A Glenglassaugh 34yr old 1973 was particularly scrumptious!

Cheers!

Did I meet you there? I was certainly in Dufftown for the festival.

If you came across a big Yank wearing a Aussie ballcap then yes you did!

As seen here, 3rd pic.
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=9387

Cheers!

[Admiral]

Cask strengths are my malt of choice.

The problem (my problem!) is that once you start to drink a considerable amount of cask strength whisky, your palate develops a habit of not being excited by lower strength whiskies.

By this I mean that regular whiskies bottled at 40-43% start to seem fairly weak and tasteless.

It's a bit like people who eat a lot of chillies in their diet, i.e the cuisine of the sub-continent. Their palate is so used to having fiery-hot curries and chillies that they can't taste anything if the dish has no chilli at all.

My favourites are chiefly SMWS bottlings, although being single cask, there's obviously little chance to repeatedly enjoy these unless you buy multiple bottles from the one cask.

Of the OB's, I reckon Aberlour a'bunadh is good; Glenfarclas 105 is easily the best. Recent bottlings of Macallan CS have been out of balance and bitter. The Glenlivet Nadurra was very impressive. Lagavulin 12yo is a beauty too.

Cheers,
ADmiral

[Knolly]

Like most here, if possible, I'll buy a whisky at CS for sure.

Luckily, many IBs and lots of special releases are now done at higher ABVs, so CS bottles are easier to come by.

Some of my favourites are Islays of course: CI (some great IBs available of these), Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Bruichladdichs, a few IB Bowmores and of course Port Ellens (speaking of AD Rattray, some of their PEs are fantastic!).

A'bunadh is definitely a staple as is Oogie and Laphroaig CS. I definitely prefer most A'bunadhs over the Macallan CS (though the Nadurra is really good as well).

I find that most of the good ones are quite approachable and drink nicely. The only CS whisky that I have that I have to drink in TINY sips is my Haz-Mat Stagg at 72+% Abv. That one you have to drink in very, very small amounts!

Cheers!

[upright]

My first CS was the Laddie '89. It isnt the best, but i still love it.

[cathach]

Not many Irish are bottled at cask strength.
Of those I am aware of, Connemara's CS is epic and the most widely available. A big, beefy peaty malt.
Bushmills have been known to do the odd CS whiskey too, but they're rare and priced proportionately as they're usually single cask limited bottlings.
If you are the sort of person prepared to drop 100 euro plus on a bottle of single cask CS whiskey of c. 14 years old, then there is a plethora of CS Bushmills out there, some from sherry casks and some from bourbon, a rare few even from rum casks.

I was on to the Bushmills shop there and after much confusion over me wanting to buy a cask they informed me that they no longer stock any SC offerings. And haven't for the past three years!!!

Their sherry ones are beauts in my experience. Likewise the CWS is all out.