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So, what are you drinking now?

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By @Wodha @Wodha on 15th Jan 2010, show post

Replies: page 506/645

@RianC
RianC replied

@Hewie - anytime's a good time for mince pies yum

3 years ago 4Who liked this?

@bwmccoy
bwmccoy replied

Last night, Girvan SMWS G7.15 (34 year - May 1984) "Mind-altering hugs" - After 32 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, transferred to a new oak hogshead, heavy toast/medium char for the final 2 years - 57.2% ABV.

Glendronach 12 Year Old - Original Double Cask (Next to last dram in the bottle - yeah!).

Ardbeg Wee Beastie 5 year old. I had a couple of small drams of this over a couple of hours. I still don't get Ardbeg's marketing of this one. To me, it's not a "monster of a dram" or a "wee beastie". I think that's why I've struggled to understand this one. It's a very good dram, especially for the cost, but it doesn't compare to a Port Charlotte or an Octomore or a Society peated whisky; those are monster drams to me.

3 years ago 2Who liked this?

@BlueNote
BlueNote replied

@bwmccoy I gave most of my Glendronach 12 Original away. Just couldn't be bothered to spend anymore valuable dramming time trying to like it.

3 years ago 4Who liked this?

@Victor
Victor replied

@bwmccoy, @BlueNote, I am a relative stranger to Glendronach. I adored the samples I've had of Glendronach Cask Strength, but I have never had the privilege of owning a bottle of it. I was disappointed in the two different samples of Glendronach 15 Revival I've had, because I didn't like the sherry quality. I do not think that I have ever had a sample of OB Glendronach 12 yo. When I've read reviews of the OB Glendronach 12 yo, which IS available to me if I want to buy some, I seldom see enthusiasm. I do not see the response to Glendronach 12 yo that I see to Glenfarclas 15 yo. That response is what I want to see. When I buy my first bottle of Glendronach some day I expect that it will be Glendronach Cask Strength, either OB or from an IB. In the meantime, in the category of low ABV sherried Scottish Malt I am content with several bottles from a good batch of Macallan 12 Sherry Oak, and when I am in a special and festive mood, my remaining supply of Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX and Glenfarclas 15 yo. As I previously mentioned on this site, I like Sonnalta PX so much I've named two cars after it.

3 years ago 5Who liked this?

@bwmccoy
bwmccoy replied

@Victor and @BlueNote - for me, there is nothing technically wrong with Glendronach 12, it just doesn’t do anything for me. I wouldn’t recommend the 12 year to anyone, but honestly, it would probably be ok as an introduction dram for someone who is unfamiliar with Scotch. It’s better than Glenlivet 12 or Glenfiddich 12, in my opinion, but that’s a pretty low bar. I don’t remember anything about the Glendronach 15 year, but I do like their 18 year as well as every single cask, cask strength bottling that I’ve had whether it was an OB or IB (Society, mostly).

3 years ago 3Who liked this?

@Victor
Victor replied

Yes, @bwmccoy, you show that exact lack of enthusiasm that keeps me away from OB Glendonach 12 yo. I want my money spent to generate enthusiasm!

I can drink and enjoy McClelland's Islay Single Malt too, when in the right mood and out of the right glass, but I doubt that I'll be buying a second bottle of it.

3 years ago 2Who liked this?

@Hewie
Hewie replied

@BlueNote @Victor @bwmccoy I completely agree with you all. Glendronach 12 is often recommended as an entry level 'sherry bomb'. I too struggled through the one bottle I bought and found no love for it. It was flat, hot, and bitter from memory. To my mind a better, well sherried but more complex bottle for the same price here is Bunnahabhain 12. The Glendronach 15 revival was just ok for me but I've really enjoyed samples of the Glendronach 18 and 21 - quite different beasts from each other (different cask make up). I've loved the Glendronach single casks that I've tried but they are expensive. I've found BenRiach to be much more accessible and excellent quality - the poorer cousin?

3 years ago 3Who liked this?

@Nozinan
Nozinan replied

@Victor I was "fortunate" to be offered a dram of the McClelland Islay. This saved me the need to buy a bottle and I still got to review it!

3 years ago 1Who liked this?

@BlueNote
BlueNote replied

@bwmccoy @Victor @Hewie First off @Victor, let me say that if you still have a supply of Sonalta PX I am deeply envious. That one is a true, much missed classic. I finished mine off a few months ago. I agree with @Hewie, the Bunna 12 is far superior to the Glendronach 12. The Bunna 18 is even better. I console myself with the fact that I have 3 bottles of Glenfarclas 15 in the bunker and planning to buy more. This, to me, is the benchmark for affordable sherry cask matured whisky.

3 years ago 4Who liked this?

@BlueNote
BlueNote replied

@Nozinan I had that once, a very long time ago. I stress the word ONCE.

3 years ago 1Who liked this?

@OdysseusUnbound

Hmmmm, I enjoy Glendronach 12, I might buy another McClelland’s Islay, I was lukewarm on the sample of Mac 12 Sherry Oak I had, and I’ve yet to try a Bunnahabhain for which I would pay the Ontario price tag. I guess I’m the odd man out.

3 years ago 2Who liked this?

@Victor
Victor replied

@OdysseusUnbound you are not so much the odd man out. Glendronach 12 can have some good batches, no doubt. I just don't trust it enough to buy it. To me McClelland's Islay isn't bad, usually, though one bottle of it goes a long long way. Especially my 1.75 Litre bottle. And not all batches of Macallan 12 Sherry Oak are especially good. I've seen a lot of variation in Macallan 12 Sherry Oak. I just settled on stocking up on a batch I especially liked.

Also I have always found Bunnahabhain more expensive than I want to spend, though one day I'll probably buy a bottle of the 12 yo.

3 years ago 4Who liked this?

@BlueNote
BlueNote replied

@OdysseusUnbound The Macallan 12 Sherry Oak is $130 plus another 15% at the till here in BC. I think I would buy 2 Glenfarclas 12s for that kind of money, I might even try harder to like the Glendronach 12. Actually, I should try it again in case mine was just an off bottle. I found it kind of musty, more sulphourous than I like. Have you reviewed it?

3 years ago 4Who liked this?

@OdysseusUnbound

@BlueNote I’ve only reviewed a bottle that I sipped extensively with my wife’s grandfather here. I’ve owned several bottles since then, with most being between 84-87 points for me. I’ve never hit a sulphured bottle, but I don’t doubt they exist.

3 years ago 2Who liked this?

@Victor
Victor replied

@BlueNote sulphur was what put me off Glendronach 15 yo Revival, though I didn't taste any in the Cask Strength, Batch # 3, I think.

3 years ago 1Who liked this?

@bwmccoy
bwmccoy replied

@OdysseusUnbound - I rated my GlenDronach 12 an 81, so not too off from your 84. Again, for me, there wasn’t anything wrong with it; not musty or Sulphur, just not my cup of tea, so to speak.

Tonight, I’m on a business trip in Spokane, WA. Like a lot of other places, Covid cases are spiking here, so my co- worker and I didn’t feel like taking the risk by going out, so dinner on the hotel’s terrace deck. After dinner, I headed back to my room for a whiskey. I brought all 3 Heaven’s Door 200ml bottles with me. I opened the Tennessee Bourbon tonight. As most of you know, Bourbon is not my first choice in the whisk(e)y department, but I really like this one. I can’t wait to try it head-to-head with Maker’s Mark cask strength when I get home. The nose on the Heaven’s Door is huge; “a bouquet” or “alive” are a couple of words that come to mind; Vanilla and sweet oak on the nose. The palate is more oak, but toasted, maybe toasted coconut? The oak is balanced with vanilla and bread dough. I’m not a bourbon guy, but I’m enjoying this.

3 years ago 4Who liked this?

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@RianC
RianC replied

@OdysseusUnbound - I enjoyed the bottle of GD 12 I had a few years back and won another bottle I'm yet to open. From memory, it was just an easy going, but well-made, sherried whisky with a bit of character (and not too sweet). I really like the 15 as well - I think I enjoy their style of sherried malt more than a lot of others that do a similar thing.

3 years ago 2Who liked this?

@TracerBullet
TracerBullet replied

@Victor I wish I had purchased more bottles of the Sonnalta PX when it was widely available. As it stands, I believe I am down to my last two bottles. Were you able to get a bottle of the 2013 release, Ealanta? If so, what did you think of it. Jim Murray named it the best whisky in the world in his 2014 Whisky Bible. I would have loved to try it but it got crazy expensive when it was named 'Best Whisky in the World"! *** Nevermind, I just found your review. grinning

3 years ago 3Who liked this?

@Victor
Victor replied

@TracerBullet while I did not think that Glenmorangie Ealanta would be in the running for world whisky of the year for me, I did find it extremely interesting, and wished that I had bought a second bottle. I have never seen any whisky change so much in its first 60 days open as Ealanta did. It was interesting to watch, and I wish I could have seen that show again.

As I believe I reported in the review, I found Ealanta to be more 'interesting' than 'delicious'. I gave it a very good score, just not a best in the world good score.

3 years ago 5Who liked this?

@RianC
RianC replied

Some Green Spot (from a sample) after a Modelo Especial with steak and chips for dinner. I was surprised how much apples and pears I was getting on the nose but just checked my review, and it could be the same bottle! Good batch consistency then.

3 years ago 4Who liked this?

@bwmccoy
bwmccoy replied

Tonight, I opened the other two bottles in the Heaven's Door trio;

Heaven's Door Double Barrel Whiskey and Heaven's Door Straight Rye Whiskey.

Unlike the bourbon last night, the nose on the double barrel is almost non-existent. What was there was muted bourbon notes, but also an industrial / furniture stain or polish component and a slight rye note. The palate is better than the nose; caramel, oak, citrus and spice. It's OK, but it is my least favorite of the three.

The Rye is more "rounded" in my opinion due to being finished in hand-toasted oak cigar-shaped barrels from Vosges, France. By rounded, I mean the spice of the rye isn't as apparent in the nose or on the palate. The official tasting notes states that this makes it a more approachable rye, but I disagree. For me, I like the spice in rye. If you are diminishing that, then that is a negative for me. Other notes on the palate are orange peel and coriander. This is better than the Double Barrel, but wouldn't be my first choice when picking a rye. It is my second favorite of the trio.

I'm surprised that my favorite of the three was the Tennessee Bourbon.

3 years ago 3Who liked this?

@Nozinan
Nozinan replied

Had an "emergency" zoom session today. I happened to have an opportunity and the inclination to have a dram. Those two have not been coinciding much, with COVID and our current heat wave.

@paddockjudge, @cricklewood and @fiddich1980 answered the call. Really, it is more fun dramming with friends. We all had different spirits (and one smoothie), and my two 10cc pours were Wiser's 23 CS (whatcha gonna do about it Davin?) and then some Lemon Hart 151.

3 years ago 5Who liked this?

@bwmccoy
bwmccoy replied

Last night, while playing on-line poker via Zoom with my brother-in-law and several friends, I killed off my bottle of Talisker Select Reserve "House Greyjoy" Game of Thrones Limited Edition bottling - 45.8% ABV.

I also had a couple of small drams of Caol Ila 18 year.

3 years ago 3Who liked this?

@Hewie
Hewie replied

Getting ready to share some Springbank love with friends tonight. 2x Springbank, 2x Longrow, 1x Hazelburn, and 1x Kilkerran. Any guesses (apart from the obvious SB10)?

3 years ago 9Who liked this?

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@Hewie
Hewie replied

Well Springbank 12 CS was the winner on the night. Ate homemade burgers and a sticky date, espresso croissant pudding with marmalade glaze!

3 years ago 8Who liked this?

@bwmccoy
bwmccoy replied

Last night, Royal Brackla SMWS 55.53 (12 year - Aug. 2006) "The Old Curiosity Shop" from a refill ex-bourbon hogshead - 59.3% ABV.

Followed by Ardbeg Wee Beastie 5 year old. This is getting better each time I have a dram of it. It’s still no “monster of a dram”, but it’s a very good dram!

3 years ago 3Who liked this?

@MadSingleMalt

@Hewie, I think the other obvious one is Kilkerran Heavily Peated. :)

What were they others? How'd you like them?

3 years ago 2Who liked this?

@bwmccoy
bwmccoy replied

Jerry Thomas Manhattan’s

3 years ago 0

@Hewie
Hewie replied

@MadSingleMalt Although the Kilkerran tube looks fat it's actually the latest 8CS 57.1%. Others were a NZ special release 13 yerar old Longrow single cask from a refill sherry quarter cask, Longrow Red 11 Pinot Noir, Hazelburn 14 Olorosso, and a Springbank 12 CS (Batch 18). Out of all those they enjoyed the SB12 - it really is a beauty. The Longrow Red felt more muscular than I remembered last night.

3 years ago 4Who liked this?

@RianC
RianC replied

@Hewie - My better-half is very upset she's not getting any of that pudding grin

What a line up, mate! I'm still to try my Kilkerran 8 cask strength (bourbon cask) but will soon have some shelf space. Mmmm, decisions ...

3 years ago 3Who liked this?

Liked by:

@Nozinan@NamBeist@fiddich1980@Timp@RianC + 61 others

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