After a glorious summer of cider, IPA’s and light sparkling stuff I’m contemplating a long run of dark nights and a return to more serious beverages. What does STW recommend?

I love the ‘Christmas cake’ whiskeys. Did a tour of the Glenfarclas distillary aged 8-10, came out with some boiled sweets which must have got me hooked.

Used to like the 30 year old but it’s too rich for me now. Anything out there to rival the 21 or 25?

Not Christmas cake but keen to try these

https://www.bruichladdich.com/laddie-shop/port-charlotte/port-charlotte-mrc-01/

Glenfarcas is up there for the flavour like that, some great sherry stuff around there though, the odd red wine cask getting close

https://www.glendronachdistillery.com/en-gb/single-cask-releases/

This would be somewhere to look

I’m going to add in what whisky/bourbon cocktail recipe for Christmas.

Go Classic

https://www.thespruceeats.com/whiskey-sour-recipe-761273

Strange you say that – sitting here with a bourbon and dry ginger

Bourbon, my go-to is Maker’s Mark.

“Christmas cake” whiskies, I assume you’re into the sherried sort of thing.  Maybe look at Jura, Tobermory, Dalmore (the 15 is superb), Balvennie.  My favourite “bang for your buck” whisky is the Benromach Organic (if you can find it), it’s hard to beat at its price point.

Strange you say that – sitting here with a bourbon and dry ginger

Shame on you for ruining perfectly good bourbon.  Unless it’s JD in which case, as you were.

(-:

Oh, yeah, and whisky snobs might turn up their noses up at it, but look at Glenmorangie’s ‘finishes’ range.  The Quinta Ruben might float your boat.

Nothing wrong with some of the more interesting series from the big boys cougar, they have access to a huge range of stuff in there. Though best to know what cask brings out what flavour so you can pick what you are after

I’m intrigued by this.

https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/aldi-glen-marnoch-1988-speyside-single-malt-whisky-4999-3103451

Nothing wrong with some of the more interesting series from the big boys cougar

I don’t disagree, point was though that some would.  One of my all-time favourites is Highland Park.

One of my all-time favourites is Highland Park.

Problem with that is which one!

Seeing as everyone is mentioning single malts on a “what bourbon” thread I thought I’d try to get it back on track:

Rowan’s Creek – it’s lovely.

Problem with that is which one!

True.  The duty-free exclusive 16yo was really good but I don’t think they do it any more.  Beyond 18yo it’s really diminishing returns.  Some of the independent bottlings can be excellent too.

I like Woodford Reserve, that’s quite a fruitcakey one.

Given a broadly similar brief for Scotches, the Aberlour 12 and 16 are worth a try, also Balvennie’s Doublewood.

If your usual price point is 21-30 year old whisky then they’ll all be absurdly affordable.

absolutely love the Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition. its in supermarkets, usually 27 or 28 quids but saw it in Tesco for £21 a while back.

Lagavulin 16 is great if you want to push the boat a bit but not too much, it’s got a cask finish but isn’t overdone like some are, possibly because lagavulin is a bit more punchy than a speyside / highlands that are usually

if you like highland park I’ve heard it said that the black grouse has a fair bit of it in the blend, black grouse is my go to inexpensive sipper – and the aldi / lidl ones are fine too

I’ve bought from master of malt a few times and can recommend, no problems with delivery and easy to find something in the price ranges to depart from what you get in the supermarkets

and the aldi / lidl ones are fine too

That’s interesting.  The one and only time I bought bourbon from there it was really good… for cleaning paint brushes.

Lagavulin 16 is great if you want to push the boat a bit but not too much, it’s got a cask finish but isn’t overdone like some are,

The peat just about overpowers most stuff, not sure what the regular cask finish is, but for the fruit lovers the sherry finish version is well worth digging out.

Most interesting I’ve had in ages is octomore virgin oak, so just the wood no previous experience in the barrels, I like it but my distiller mates seem like it more, well they are used to trying fresh spirit most mornings!

Well worth hunting down something with a port finish to it for some variety.

If anyone is passing through Edinburgh have a look in the smws bar, hundreds of things you can’t afford but something for every palate and great help tasting.

whisky snobs might turn up their noses up at it, but look at Glenmorangie’s ‘finishes’ range. The Quinta Ruben might float your boat.

Whisky snob here – and QR totally floated my boat.  Lasanta has similar boat floating abilities

Also, if you can get our hands on it, Singleton of Glen Ord is very christmas cakey, but only available in the uk from the distillery, everything from Glen Ord is exported mainly to Taiwan

Sipping on the Bushmills 10 year old tonight – few quid off at Sainsbury’s and a quick fix for no whiskey in the house. Tempted to order either the Woodford reserve or Rowan’s Creek. One review said the Rowan’s was quite sweet. Is that right?

Will have a look through the whiskeys too – likely to try stuff I’ve not had before – possibly the organic Benromach.

Having a run of barbecues so great to have a few warmers on hand to choose from while I’m stood outside.

Beef brisket anybody?

Gone for the Woodford Reserve Double Oak and the Glenfarclas 25 – lets say they are for Christmas 🙂

See someone already mentioned Glendronach above, 15YO Revival would fit the Christmas Cake bill pretty well.

https://www.glendronachdistillery.com/en-gb/our-whisky/revival-aged-15-years/

The Woodford Reserve Double Oak is really nice – rich full of Christmas. Been drinking it straight with a little crushed ice. Not particularly complex but rich and smooth

Glenfarclas 25 is not what I remember. Lots going on but not especially rich. Will have to come back to it.

Its it’s actually quite nice and cheaper than many blends.

I’m intrigued by this.

https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/aldi-glen-marnoch-1988-speyside-single-malt-whisky-4999-3103451

Laphroaig down to £20 in Morrisons

Laphroaig down to £20 in Morrisons

Laphroaig what though? That’s a good price for Select, a great price for the 10 and an absolute steal for the Quarter Cask.

(I’m assuming it’s none of the more esoteric Laphroaigs!)

Slightly out of the loop on recent releases, but some of the sherried Glendronachs are impressive in that style, and not crazily expensive. I once tried the Glenfarclas 40 which was the definition of Christmas cake!

Tomintoul 14 is a lovely spicey one as is knockando…

Lasanta is lovely!

Singletons do 2 whiskys but Glen ord is export only n it’s a shame.

As a blend have you tried green label?

Dalwhinnie is my personal fave – I find it light and very aromatic. My value for money tipple is Loch Lohmond single malt  🥃 My dad used to have Bells in the cupboard when I was a kid, which has put me off blends for life…

Laphroaig what though? That’s a good price for Select, a great price for the 10 and an absolute steal for the Quarter Cask.

Select

The Quarter Cask is £26.90 on Amazon at present which I reckon is pretty good value.

In case anyone doesnt know, the convention is Whiskey is from the USA and Ireland, whereas Whisky is from Scotland (and perhaps anywhere else that wants to produce it e.g. Japan, England etc.)

Looked at getting a bottle of Glenfarclas 15 last week, however it’s now £50 a bottle and so is the 105. Anything out there a little easier on the wallet by £10-15 or so?

If my suprise at £50 at bottle seems odd, it could be because I’ve not bought whisky (or whiskey) in a long while

Just drink it a little slower 😉

Coming back from Oz with it’s massive alcohol tax everything looks cheap these days!!

I’ve a Cragganmore 12yr open at the moment.

Hoping for an Aberfeldy 12yr old for Christmas. 😁

Also I think I suggested it above to take a look at the SMWS they have some partner bars

https://www.smws.com/about/partner-bars

But a really good way to try flavours, cask influences and variations from a heap of places, maybe keep an eye out for a tasting

Recently given a Tamdhu 12 Year Old single malt for my birthday, I’m no whiskey connoisseur but this is very nice neat and on ice. This will be in the hip flask for rides and going to the rugby games.

Bit of a tasting and sharing rules thing here but how about giving a short description/tasting notes for the stuff people are suggesting – no right or wrong answers as it’s all about what you can taste, bit of fun but can also help see if it’s something you fancy trying later

Hoping for an Aberfeldy 12yr old for Christmas

My personal fave and I have 3 bottles in my drinks cabinet, Tesco had them at £25 each a few weeks back.

🥃

To start…

Travel exclusive from  Glenrothers, available in most Euro Duty Free as a 1l bottle

Vanilla and slight spice on the nose, good little sherry finish to it too with some of the spice but hard to tell sometimes