Was my liquor shop's advise right?

[Feldrin]

A while ago me and a friend went to buy some bottles we've had our eyes on for quite a while. Now one of these bottles was bought without...'divine intervention' from the store-owner, that was the Longmorn 15y.

Now the other two we bought were not the ones we were looking for but we happen to be quite happy about them afterwards anyway. The only problem is that, what we wanted to buy, we haven't bought, thus we do not know what we might be missing out on.

The first one is the Johnny Walker Green Label, which seems to be the best of the Johnny Walker series and since neither of us had tasted it and it seemed to have an Islay character about it, we thought we'd give it a try. This one was 'divine interventioned' into a Monkey Shoulder, which I find to be a very decent dram.

The other one we were aiming for was the Bushmills Black Bush. This one turned into a Redbreast 12y of which we're very charmed. The distinctive Irish character makes it a nice change from the other whiskies and was certainly worth the money in our opinion.

Now, was he right to give that advise and were we right in following it? Oh and if the shop owner is reading this, no offense. We were already planning to return one day with just some cash and the question what to buy.

These two whiskies certainly didn't turn out to be a disappointment; I'd just like to know whether it's still worth getting the other two we were planning to get at first.

Edit: Oh and an entirely different question, what is the usual word for a shop that sells whisky, wine, liquor etc? My dictionary says something like 'victualler' but I've never heard that before.

[les taylor]

Victualler in the Oxford dictionary says. A publican licensed to sell alcoholic liquor. A vintner sells wine. Then of course in the Uk we have off licences.

[Deactivated Member]

"Liquor store" would seem to cover it best. Local names can depend on local laws. Around here, we call it the packy--short for "package store". Massachusetts law says you can sell by the drink (bar or restaurant), or by the package, but not both. I've noticed lately that some brewpubs sell growlers to go, but that's the only exception I know of.

As for the advice, it seems to me that only you can answer that. I'm usually annoyed when I have in mind to buy something and someone tries to sell me something else, but in other circumstances I am open to persuasion. When I visit Joe Howell at Federal in Boston, we usually yak for an hour, and when it's about time for me to go, I ask him, "Joe, what do you have that I can't live without?" I may not care for his first suggestion, but we usually arrive at some mutually agreeable option soon enough.

[Feldrin]

Thanks for the responses.

Yeah that's sorta what happened here as well. We weren't pressured into anything, he just made the other two whiskies sound a hell of a lot better. And I don't mind having them, or actually almost any whisky. I was just wondering whether the Johnny Walker Green label and the Bushmills Black Bush are also worth getting.

In the Netherlands we have the word 'slijterij' for a liquor store, my N/E dictionary said 'victualler' and the internet said 'licensed victualler's shop' both of which terms sound overly complicated, and then they don't even seem to describe the same. In German it's 'Spirituosenhandlung' which seems even less a word I'd ever use.

'packy' actually sounds pretty nice compared to all of that

[les taylor]

Thanks for the responses.

Yeah that's sorta what happened here as well. We weren't pressured into anything, he just made the other two whiskies sound a hell of a lot better. And I don't mind having them, or actually almost any whisky. I was just wondering whether the Johnny Walker Green label and the Bushmills Black Bush are also worth getting.

In the Netherlands we have the word 'slijterij' for a liquor store, my N/E dictionary said 'victualler' and the internet said 'licensed victualler's shop' both of which terms sound overly complicated, and then they don't even seem to describe the same. In German it's 'Spirituosenhandlung' which seems even less a word I'd ever use.

'packy' actually sounds pretty nice compared to all of that

In these places if you referred to a store as "packy store " you'd be viewed a racist.

[Ganga]

I thought "Packy Store's" catered to elephants.

I don't know who is giving out the reviews that JWG is "the best in the series". I've tried the Red, Black, Green, Gold and Blue. I place them in this order. Gold, Blue, Black, Green, Red (best to worst). I wouldn't argue against interchanging Black and Green but it is nowhere near the Gold and Blue in terms of quality.

[Deactivated Member]

Well, you wouldn't say "packy store"--you'd say either "package store" or simply "the packy". I concur that this is a usage unlikely to gain favor in certain neighborhoods, or anywhere much beyond its current range in New England. It's a foreign word in most of the US.

[Feldrin]

I thought "Packy Store's" catered to elephants.

I don't know who is giving out the reviews that JWG is "the best in the series". I've tried the Red, Black, Green, Gold and Blue. I place them in this order. Gold, Blue, Black, Green, Red (best to worst). I wouldn't argue against interchanging Black and Green but it is nowhere near the Gold and Blue in terms of quality.

Well, seeing as how Gold weights in at around 50 euro's, Blue makes an easy 140, while green only costs 32 euro's, it seemed the best 'cost/quality' at the time. Also, the site I was using back then to get a basic rating of whiskies placed the Green label rather high, 86 actually, and gave Blue and Gold 83 points.

The Bushmills Black Bush was an equal kind of judgement. It got a rather high ranking and it's fairly cheap. Since some time ago I've come to base my pre-buy judgement on more then that site and the price though, of which one of them the whiskymag site has become. And as this topic shows, the blokes over at the liquor shop.

I've got to get rid of the mindset that everything can be as good as the Laphroaig 10y for just 24 euro's

[Deactivated Member]

There have been others here who have expressed a preference for the Green over the Gold. The only way to know how you will place them is to drink them yourself.

[irishwhiskeychaser]

Fine Wine , Spirits and Beer Consultants


You should get the Black Bush too as it is quite different to Redbreast and a great value high malt content (circa 70%) blend.

Basically you should buy everything that you would like to try it just takes time

[Feldrin]

Basically you should buy everything that you would like to try it just takes time

Yeah I noticed that.

But thats quite alright with me. Even though I'm somewhat impatient and wouldn't mind having a lot of new bottles fast, getting them at a slower pace makes me learn appreciate the ones I already have, finding the more complex notes. I've been getting better and better at guessing the right whisky when tasting blind with a friend.

The first one we did was with 6 whiskies, I felt a bit stupid for not being able to keep a Ballantine's Finest and a Glenfiddich 12y apart back then.

Oh dear, I'm jabbering again. I'll better stop now before I'm off into another 500 words essay.

[Aidan]

I think the shop owner gave you good advice. The others are worth trying too, however.

We call them off-licenses here, but I don't know what they're called elsewhere.

Liquor isn't a term used much in Europe, I don't think. It's an American term.