Quite happily survived 40 odd years drinking good beer, wine and the occaisional rum, but I’d basically got a bit bored with booze.

Then someone bought me a bottle of Bushmills as a present a couple of years ago.

I’d convinced myself I didn’t like whisk(e)y, but thought it’d be rude not to invite them round and crack the bottle.
Whaddya know, I actually liked the stuff. Took me about three months to finish the bottle, so I bought another.

Then I started reading the threads on here and accepting the odd glass of malt off friends.
Oooh, very pleasant – and all different.

Bought a bottle of Ledaig a few months ago, then a bottle of Glen Moray and am just sitting here with a glass of Aberlour.

Impressions?
Well, the Ledaig is excellent – I’ve avoided reading too much on the net (s’all bollocks, isn’t it? 😀 ) but to me it’s light, I can taste loads of different flavours and it’s not harsh in the slightest.

Glen Moray I didn’t like as much – bit harsh and overpowering – nicer with a drop of water but one I’ll come back to when I’ve tried a few more.

Aberlour – wow. That’s really, really nice – very different to the others, sweeter and not as light as the Ledaig but I can still taste individual flavours (and more of them) without any hashness. Probably my favourite so far.

If this is a load of pretentious old toss, please feel free to flame away, but I’m well chuffed that I’ve discovered a nicer way to enjoy getting a bit pissed occaisionally.

And thanks to everyone on here for the advice given in the various whisky threads over the last year or so – much appreciated.

I dont yet get whisky.

Im a huge fine wine fan for which my palette seems to have got atuned. I just cant get past the fire and flame of strong spirits yet.

A friend is a whisky hound and always brings a bottle when he comes to visit. I sit and try and enjoy it with him, but it goes unsaid that I’ll leave him to enjoy what he’s brought while I go rifle around in the cellar for something from the grape for me 🙂

I fell back into whiskey a couple of years back. I tried a few different ones before deciding I liked Ardbeg but couldn’t afford it regularly so settled on Laphroig

Worth trying whiskey at the ends of the taste spectrum to find the type you like and then narrow it down whl

Good stuff. People are sensitive to different esters so taste different things in different proportions. The only ledaig (tobomory) I’ve tried is a port finish I got got dead cheap. Port finishes have a winey tang so this could be a doorway drug to get you into the whisky. Most people get the sherry finished stuff like MacAllan so that is a safe bet to buy. I generally avoid the spirity speysides finding some a but sour. I gave some knockando kicking about unopened (it was a gift)

+1 for Laphroaig.

Lagavullin is even better – but sadly it is also more expensive.

i cant do with the ‘strong burn you gob’ that some malts are.
but i drink edradour, which is a very mild pale easy to sup malt.

Ton and stoner…don’t drink it neat, dilute it.

Having had a long break from whisky following a bad 21st birthday experience ( 😳 ) am now also really enjoying the good stuff and finding new things to try. Much prefer smoother, less peaty ones – Glengoyne, Benromach and Linkwood have all been good finds this year! 🙂

don’t drink it neat, dilute it.

^ this! The 50%+ stuff is sold like that so you can dilute it to your taste (if wanted).

A bit like going to bed early and wishing i’d done better at school, loving whisky is definitely something that hit me once I’d reached a certain age. My current fave is Clynlish, it’s got this slight sea-salt thing going on, amazing 🙂

Ton and stoner…don’t drink it neat, dilute it.

It’s not often you’re right, but you’re wrong this time.

Is a bottle a week too much?

I should qualify that.

Different whiskies react differently to water, but they all react. Adding water separates hydrophilic and hydrophobic flavours (so a chemist tells me); the latter escape as vapour, ie aroma.

Thing is, it doesn’t take much. Literally a drop can massively change the flavour of the whisky. I’d suggest, with all whiskies, taste, add a drop, taste again, add another drop, and work out what’s best for the dram you’re sampling. Once you’ve added water, you can’t take it out again.

In my personal opinion, the smoky / peaty whiskies react best to water; your Ardbegs and LPs of this world. The heavily sherried ones, eg Jura, tend to die on their arse. I adore Jura in all its forms but I’ve yet to find one that isn’t utterly destroyed by adding even just a drop of water. Conversely, a Laphroaig will just explode with flavour. In my opinion.

You should always add a splash of water to a malt whisky.

The true lover of whisky will drink their whisky as the professionals do, with a little clear water.

just don’t use anything too chlorinated!

I find superstition works with a drop but agree on laphroig

It’s not often you’re right, but you’re wrong this time.

How so? You know more than those teaching at the classes I’ve been to, or the SMWS?

Or are you just someone on the internet with an opinion?

You know more than those teaching at the classes I’ve been to

Get you with your Whisky evening classes!

Ah, so…someone on the internet with an opinion…and an expert mate!

Nice link Druidh.
Anyone have any more sites they’d recommend?

Good job I got this Aberlour cheap btw.
It’s going down very nicely indeed.

How so? You know more than those teaching at the classes I’ve been to, or the SMWS?

I was taught that by Richard Paterson. So, yes. Sorry.

while all the experts are on, my edradour is just about gone.
ideas for a mild easy supable malt please fella’s.

Dalwhinnie
Oban

ideas for a mild easy supable malt please fella’s.

Based on that; Jura, Highland Park.

Cougar are you shitting me?

Nope (-:

To be fair,

The ‘correct’ way to enjoy whisky is “however the hell you like.” What works for me may not work for you. Find your own mojo.

+1 for Dalwhinnie Ton.
Old Pulteney’s pretty easy going as well.
Love Edradour me!

My taste buds are crap though, I’ve never yet tasted a malt I don’t like. There’s some I maybe won’t buy again but would happily still sup them in an emergency!

Re: the link above,

It’s well worth getting hold of a Glencairn glass. Channels the flavours and adds to the whole ‘experience.’

Some frantic googling going on tonight

I don’t do Ardbeg and find most of the Islay stuff unpalatable.

I find superstition works with a drop

Agree with that.

also, agree that Highland park is a very drinkable starter.

Waters a funny one for me, i add it to most whisky I drink,, just to take the edge off a bit. Currently got a glas of Balvenie signature in front of me, and I’ve added maybe 25% water, compared to a drop with the Jura superstition. last year I got bought a bottle of the Glenmorangie 15 year, aged in Sauternes barrels, and I couldn’t drink it without adding a lot of water, it was just too much on it’s own. Highland park, Dalwhinnie, I’ll drink neat,,,

I just picked up a bottle of Signature from Sainsburys for about £26 that’s quite good. My hands down favourite though is Suntory Yamazaki, a more pleasant whisky you will not find.

That’s just my opinion though. Try as many as you can, as often as you can.

The ‘correct’ way to enjoy whisky is “however the hell you like.” What works for me may not work f

No need to tell me that, just yourself a few hours ago.

Oh and nice U turn.

Rusty Spanner – Member
Anyone have any more sites they’d recommend?

[url=http://m.youtube.com/#/user/ralfystuff]Ralfy does an entertaining vlog[/url]

I love the stuff and have drunk it for years but have to admit I’m pretty clueless really. Mrs bedmaker poured me a glass last night, I sipped it.
Is it the Talsiker? No
Jura then, it’s definately a peaty island one? No
Ah it’s a blend, the JW? No
Ah **** go on then tell me – it’s the Aberlour. The sweet, easy going malt that is far removed from the fiery peaty island ones 😆
Should really just buy 1.5 litre bottles of bells and save myself som cash. 😳

Aberlour, one of my favourites.

Old Pulteney is rather nice too but Bunnaharbhain s simply wonderful, if you can find it.

Seek out a whiskey tasting map on the tinter web bad see where your preferred malts sit compared to others.

Dalwhinnie & Bowmore are well worth the investment

Pete, i have a few bottles of the island whiskies, you’re welcome to come round and try a dram or two over Xmas 🙂

Pete, i have a few bottles of the island whiskies, you’re welcome to come round and try a dram or two over Xmas

Hi Muddydwarf, Pete here, where do you live again? 😉

On the dilution subject I had a very good time tasting lots of ardbegs out while over visiting the distillery during a personal tasting and I found some were better without water some were better with water and some needed just a drop, but all in all I found an awful lot of horseshit is handed out and you just need to try it and see how you like it yourself there are no rules 😉

Essel, any time you’re near Rochdale 🙂