A marriage made in heaven

[Anna]

Just to revert to the whisky postings. Waitrose have 20% of all 10, 12, 25, etc., malts. They look very nice in their boxes (probablty destined for Christmas presents to Uncle) but I wouldn't have a clue. When, one Christmas, the Host brought out about 15 for tasting I thought one was nice and one was so pure iodine I didn't know where to look, or where to spit it out. I have a small bottle of Grants, useful for tipping a small nip into coffee during the chilly Winter evenings, or with honey and lemon when suffering from a cold, that is the extent of my whisky experience.

As to flavour combinations, my favourite of cheddar and HP sandwich has been mentioned, but crispy bacon sandwiches with stilton, or watercress, or marmalade are really good. As are digestive biscuits, buttered, with strong cheddar. Sprouts stir fried with marmalade are also very good.

[MrGongGong]

Ah, I am currently making use of the litre bottle of Bells I got from Tesco for £15 last week. My mix, however, is with dry ginger ale. I seem to have gone off whisky macs of late. Tonight, however, it's 10 year Talisker with spring water from certified organic land in the Ochil Hills.

According to Mr Worby
Talisker was John Cage's favourite whisky
and I guess he should know

[EdgeleyRob]

I used to love that unique smell of beer, fags , chewing gum, pies, and whatever else. Its all so sanitised now.

Same with pubs,they don't smell like pubs anymore.

[french frank]

Sprouts stir fried with marmalade are also very good.

Ho, ho - how times change!

This eve I had raw sprouts, chopped, with chopped apple and crumbled vintage cheddar, dressed with olive oil, pepper and herbs.

[cloughie]

A great food/wine match is a Cornish Pasty and Chardonnay preferably Chilean or Argentinian. I think the match is probably clinched by the swede in the pasty.

[mangerton]

Just to revert to the whisky postings. Waitrose have 20% of all 10, 12, 25, etc., malts. They look very nice in their boxes (probablty destined for Christmas presents to Uncle) but I wouldn't have a clue. When, one Christmas, the Host brought out about 15 for tasting I thought one was nice and one was so pure iodine I didn't know where to look, or where to spit it out. I have a small bottle of Grants, useful for tipping a small nip into coffee during the chilly Winter evenings, or with honey and lemon when suffering from a cold, that is the extent of my whisky experience.

The iodine would be an Islay malt, I think, probably Laphroaig. Very much an acquired taste. I prefer a Speyside malt.

[salymap]

The Devon part of my family do very nicely for whisky, son in law, late Scots Guards, now in a top job in NY promoting the stuff.

Little old me just gets what is on special offer at the Co-op

Co-op have Tia Maria at £11, down from £16 plus. Haven't had it for yonks but used to love it at Christmas.

[teamsaint]

The Devon part of my family do very nicely for whisky, son in law, late Scots Guards, now in a top job in NY promoting the stuff.

Little old me just gets what is on special offer at the Co-op

Co-op have Tia Maria at £11, down from £16 plus. Haven't had it for yonks but used to love it at Christmas.

Drinks like Tia Maria....not a nice hangover if overdone, i suspect . Not that there are nice hangovers, of course...
Not suggesting , obviously.......

[Barbirollians]

Why not treat yourself salymap ?

I really do not like liqueurs very much at all - much rather have a cognac or armagnac .

[vinteuil]

I really do not like liqueurs very much at all - much rather have a cognac or armagnac .

... yes, usually an armagnac or a cognac for me too.

But also a good calvados.

And a good ( but it has to be really good... ) grappa.

And one liqueur I still find essential - a chartreuse verte vieillissemente exceptionnellement prolongé [VEP] *

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chartreuse_(liqueur)

* as Saki put it : "people may say what they like about the decay of Christianity; the religious system that produced green Chartreuse can never really die."

[MrGongGong]

Unicum is rather good
particularly after goulash and a dip in the baths
but very much an acquired taste

[vinteuil]

..- a chartreuse verte "

... apparently Debussy was reduced to guffaws and tears at King Ouf's 'Chartreuse Verte' duet in Chabrier's "l' Étoile" - and had to be shepherded out of the Opéra ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6Q0bUUpnDk

[Anna]

Vinteuil's post reminds me I haven't had Chartreuse for years, it was always brought back from holidays, ditto Galliano and Strega, all of which I loved.

I misled people about the Waitrose malt offers, it's only on selected ones but amongst the offers is Glenmorangie 10yr old, 70cl, for £26. Referring to the one I thought awful, mangerton was right, it was Laphroaig. (The one I liked was in a dumpy style bottle, something whinnie or vennie I think)

[ahinton]

I misled people about the Waitrose malt offers, it's only on selected ones but amongst the offers is Glenmorangie 10yr old, 70cl, for £26. Referring to the one I thought awful, mangerton was right, it was Laphroaig. (The one I liked was in a dumpy style bottle, something whinnie or vennie I think)

Laphroaig's very much an acquired taste, I'd say. The one you're probably thinking of is either Dalwhinnie or Balvenie (it's certainly not Abergavenny!)...

[Anna]

Laphroaig's very much an acquired taste, I'd say. The one you're probably thinking of is either Dalwhinnie or Balvenie (it's certainly not Abergavenny!)...

I think it was Balvenie - certainly not Abergavenny but there is Welsh whisky of course, it's called Penderyn and made in the Brecon Beacons, and No, I have never tried it but evidently Prince Charles drinks it all the time.