Whisky and Scotch Recommendations

Robear wrote:

It's true. I still have some of the port finished AE Rye from a few years back. The Port flavor is even more pronounced with the Rye than with the Bourbon, so if you enjoy Port, it will really knock you over.

High West, I think it is, went one step further and actually mixed Port into one of their Rye blends. It's fantastic.

Isn't that Basil Hayden's?

Here's an old 2015 review of angels envy. And it mentions high West, Jeffersons ocean, and a couple other finishes.

Could be, Natus. My memory is not what it was.

just catching up on the thread...

JC wrote:

I’ve never developed a taste for peaty scotch. Especially after lagavulin. Really enjoy the other types though!

What’s a good peaty style that won’t make me feel like I’m drinking from an ashtray?

Talisker was suggested, it's a good one, a little salty and a little peaty.
Also highland park, is delicious and has a light bit of peat.

Also if you can find it, take a look at Longrow, it's the lightly peated line from Springbank. I've found Springbank is mostly just OK until you get into the expensive fancy bottlings, but I haven't met a Longrow I didn't absolutely love. They hit on the magic formula with a touch of peat added in.

d4m0 wrote:

Funny how different everyone's tastes are. Back real quick on the Octomore, I have a bottle of the 20.3 version and I would say it's one of the best things I've ever tasted. I think it's amazing, well beyond any other scotch I have tried. It's certainly the most expensive individual bottle I've purchased by far but it was at the height of the initial pandemic quarantine and I figured I'd splurge. I'm really glad I did!

Hell yeah. I'm a huge fan of Bruichladdich and especially Port Charlotte and Octomore. Jim McEwan recently retired (from Bruichladdich) and he has a whole bunch of barrels of his own that he's slowly been doling out through DramFool. Strongly recommend getting on their mailing list, they are a tiny independent bottler who have put out some truly amazing stuff.

I also really like pretty much all ryes, but I have to say, I was just not all that excited by Angel's Envy. Not sure why, it just didn't grab me. It makes a good cocktail whisky though.

Ranger Rick wrote:

Hell yeah. I'm a huge fan of Bruichladdich and especially Port Charlotte and Octomore. Jim McEwan recently retired (from Bruichladdich) and he has a whole bunch of barrels of his own that he's slowly been doling out through DramFool. Strongly recommend getting on their mailing list, they are a tiny independent bottler who have put out some truly amazing stuff.

And now I'm on their mailing list! Thanks for the recommendation.

It's a damn shame I live in a state that prohibits the purchase/shipping of alcohol. Can only purchase through licensed in-person businesses.

Farscry wrote:

It's a damn shame I live in a state that prohibits the purchase/shipping of alcohol. Can only purchase through licensed in-person businesses.

Yeah, well, I am too... <_<

Same here. Not sure why. I could have it shipped to a liquor store but... Why? Most things I want I can already find there...

Robear wrote:

Same here. Not sure why. I could have it shipped to a liquor store but... Why? Most things I want I can already find there...

Because MD is a Democratic state, yet we still sure do have a lot of conservative Democrats in the Annapolis Big House. If we could get booze shipped to our homes, what's next? MARIJUANA?!

Isn’t it more the liquor store and winery owners not wanting competition?

When I was visiting family in Nashville this spring I went to order food on doordash and noticed you could order alcohol straight from the liquor store, delivered to you.

Never here in NC with the state owned ABC nonsense.

Robear wrote:

Isn’t it more the liquor store and winery owners not wanting competition?

Yep. The state of Minnesota within the last few years finally authorized Sunday sales, and it took years of fighting with the industry for that to happen. In their mind, people were less likely to spend more in total, but you'd have another day of salaries and other costs, and it would pull down your profit margins. All beer, wine, and liquor in MN are sold through liquor stores for the same reason. It's just a powerful lobby.

If I may offer a counterpoint: Don't seek out High West, it used to be I could easily snag a bottle of Midwinter Night's Dram on my early February birthday, but about 3 years ago everyone else realized its amazing, so last year I was told not to expect to find any the first week after release, and this past November had to watch like a f*cking hawk to find out which store would get bottles, rush to be there the second they opened and battle my way through a day before Thanksgiving crowd to grab 3 bottles, because f*ck it, I may as well if it's going to be like this!

It's like when Converse came back into fashion, and suddenly I couldn't buy my usual pair for $20 anymore.

This is the one advantage of being in an ABC state. If you can get something, you can get it at retail without "this is popular" markups. If you win the lottery for a bottle of Pappy's, it's $60 or whatever, instead of $1k. That said, the entire state gets a tiny amount of cases, total, so you probably won't win the lottery.

Ranger Rick wrote:

This is the one advantage of being in an ABC state. If you can get something, you can get it at retail without "this is popular" markups. If you win the lottery for a bottle of Pappy's, it's $60 or whatever, instead of $1k. That said, the entire state gets a tiny amount of cases, total, so you probably won't win the lottery. :D

My Mom, who has played lottery for years wrote:

You can't win if you don't play.

Well in this case, our "lottery" is: give them a list of what you want from the "limited stock" list in order of preference, and they'll draw people at random, and let them buy one bottle of the highest thing left on their list. If you don't get drawn, you don't lose any money, so it's very different in that sense.

I'm in an ABC state, alas, it was still madness.

How have I missed that the last 7 years living in NC?

Need to sign up for some bottles just in case

Stele wrote:

How have I missed that the last 7 years living in NC?

Need to sign up for some bottles just in case

Well, every county handles it differently, because of course they do. Wake does a lottery, others do first-come, first-serve, from what I understand.

One thing that has changed in the last few years is that you can special-order stuff through your local ABC folks, as long as it's available through a distributor they already work with. Used to be you had to buy a whole case, but now you can do just a bottle and they'll disburse the rest of the case around to ABC stores.

I special-ordered a Kilchoman limited release bottle a couple years ago.

Bottle of Talisker 10yr opened and sampled per the recommendations. Definitely smokey compared to the Highland Park 12yr that I usually drink. After the first tipple, the smokiness isn’t as noticeable.

Its not bad. I’ll certainly drink the bottle. Just realizing that it’s not my style. Gonna stick with the sherry/bourbon aged ones.

Ranger Rick wrote:
Stele wrote:

How have I missed that the last 7 years living in NC?

Need to sign up for some bottles just in case

Well, every county handles it differently, because of course they do. Wake does a lottery, others do first-come, first-serve, from what I understand.

One thing that has changed in the last few years is that you can special-order stuff through your local ABC folks, as long as it's available through a distributor they already work with. Used to be you had to buy a whole case, but now you can do just a bottle and they'll disburse the rest of the case around to ABC stores.

I special-ordered a Kilchoman limited release bottle a couple years ago.

Thanks. I found the special order section on the website when I went to look for lottery. Also visited a friend tonight and he told me Davidson county had more bourbon than Forsyth so I need to just drive down to the closest ABC there.

Even better he had a fully stocked bourbon and whiskey cabinet to try. There was an open bottle of Peerless, which was a bit disappointing for the price. But he also had a bottle of High West Double Rye that we cracked open and it was spectacular. Probably my favorite non bourbon whisky at this point. Now if I can actually find it myself.

High West continues to excel, even with all their weird offerings.

Arise!

Balcones Texas Pot Still

Classic bourbon flavors. Brown sugar and woody notes.

Oh right I didn't update at the holidays.

Not really a Jack man but was gifted a bottle of Jack Daniels Single Barrel Rye and it's been spectacular.

Also finally got the Angel's Envy Finished Rye from my dad back in Sept that was supposed to be a gift from a friend way back at the start of 2022. It's gone already, was so very good.

And I got a Michter's Rye back in Aug or Sept as well. I bought a glass of it when I was out with my wife one night, tried neat and on the rocks and it was great both ways. One of the few drinks I didn't feel the need to mix anything with it and could just sip.

I never followed up with that last post about ABC in NC either. I did go to that other county store with my dad shortly after that post last summer. It was glorious.

Picked up Wild Turkey Rare Breed and a couple other nice things that day. Most of those are gone now too.

That Rare Breed is surprisingly good juice. Want to try some rye but not sure if it is for me. Starter rye suggestions?

A lot of stuff is high rye even if it's not labeled. Things like Wild Turkey 101, Four Roses, Old Grand Dad, etc.

I've been keeping Redemption Rye in stock most of the last year, it's pretty great and not too expensive. If you like anything in the first paragraph go try this next.

I've had a bunch of other specific rye whiskeys like Knob Creek, Basil Hayden. They're all similar and keep going up in price.

Then the others I mentioned from last year, Double West High Rye, Michters, etc are a bit pricier but pretty great. And then the top end is stuff like Whistle Pig. 80 or 160 for bottles. I've bought as a gift but haven't had the pleasure myself. Probably not worth it but maybe next time I visit my friend he'll share what I got him.

High West Double Rye, I think? Should be able to find it in the $35 to $40 range. (It's called Double because it's made with two different ryes and is intended to have a spicier flavor than single ryes.)

Try it on the rocks but also use it in some classic whisky cocktails. Try a Brooklyn, maybe, in addition to the usual Old Fashioned and Manhattans. Some people really like it mixed but not straight; you never know.

My current go to Rye is Lot 40. Heck, it's my go to whiskey overall right now.

That being said, I've been enjoying Jameson Stout Edition Irish whiskey lately too. I didn't go looking for it but my wife surprised me with a bottle and it was a pleasant surprise.

Smooth Ambler Contradiction is a rye blend which would be a good way to start getting into ryes.

WhistlePig and Michters (straight ryes) are pretty tasty too!

I prefer rye as I like the spicy flavor it has both straight and in a Manhattan.

Ooooh lots of stuff to try. Gracias! I typically lean wheat but am looking to expand. I rarely do cocktails and always try new sips neat. Will progress to drops of water next and ice as a last sip. I have found over time that my proof range is 100-112 or so.

I lean smoke and peat for scotch.