Burns Night, haggis, neeps n tatties etc

[ahinton]

Is Caol Ila one of those iodiney type malts you politely spit out when appropriate to leave the room as it tastes of decaying seaweed?

Glendronach 18-y-o for me (or it would be if only I could find any! - Lagavulin 16-y-o or a really good Bowmore instead, methinks).

You Gælic beats my Welsh into a cocked hat, I'm ashamed to admit (and even though I'm still living in Herefordistan I haven't even started to learn the local Polish yet, let alone Welsh!)...

[mangerton]

Is Caol Ila one of those iodiney type malts you politely spit out when appropriate to leave the room as it tastes of decaying seaweed?

Well, it's an Islay malt, so your description probably fits, yes.

[Flosshilde]

Mr & Mr Flossie will be attending a performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream by Britten.

The first Burns Night I went to was in London, hosted by a lesbian friend. The first course was Cock-a-Leekie soup, but without the ...

[BBMmk2]

If you're going to eat animals at all, does it really matter what they are? Except that some don't taste nice, though. I heard that horse tastes quite good. I am tending away from regular meat eating myself.

Apperantly it tastes like game but, for all we know, most of us here may have had it without reliasing it!!

[french frank]

I will raise a wee dram of Glenmorangie (recommended by frenchie)

Well, that's not my regular - I prefer the soft smoothness of Jura or Oban, neither, I think, prticularly favoured by the connoisseurs - but what do they know? . Also Linkwood and Smith's Glenlivet but I tend to avoid the peatier ones. If I want to taste peat, I'll eat peat.

[Flay]

Well, it's an Islay malt, so your description probably fits, yes.

That's just how it is. But it grows on you.

IMHO, Caol Ila is the most challenging, followed in descending order of by Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, and Bowmore.

I would probably rate Bunnahabhain as the best for most occasions. But tomorrow night is not just any occasion...

[scottycelt]

Burns was a politically-incorrect reprobate.

He was all things to all men, religious, 'rationalist', revolutionary, conservative, liberal, Scottish Nationalist, British Nationalist and, most important of all, adored women and, it seems, they willingly and eagerly reciprocated. He also worked as a farm labourer.

Rabbie ... you are unique in the history of mankind ... how on earth did you manage all that and still manage to write the some of the most meaningful poetry on earth not to mention the world's favourite unofficial 'international anthem' and all of that in 37 short years ?

Jammy *******

To The Immortal Memory ...

[Beef Oven]

That's just how it is. But it grows on you.

IMHO, Caol Ila is the most challenging, followed in descending order of by Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, and Bowmore.

I would probably rate Bunnahabhain as the best for most occasions. But tomorrow night is not just any occasion...

Teachers and Lucozade can't be whacked! Gotta be with Ice though.

[Belgrove]

Last weekend, my father broached a celebratory bottle of Ardbeg 'Alligator' , one of their special editions so named because of the appearance of the interior of the barrel in which it is stored. This was a hefty 51%, but devoid of the alcohol burn that usually accompanies such proof. A little water released the extraordinarily complex aromas which filled the room. To taste it was very smoky, tarry and having the characteristic iodine-seaweed of Islay (sounds great eh?), but with delicate traces of ginger and caramel. For all its power, this had finesse and perfect balance. A scotch to savour and revel in.

[Nick Armstrong]

That's just how it is. But it grows on you.

IMHO, Caol Ila is the most challenging, followed in descending order of by Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, and Bowmore.

I would probably rate Bunnahabhain as the best for most occasions. But tomorrow night is not just any occasion...

On a family whisky tour, we stayed on Islay - I was the only one to hack round to Caol Ila - [Pvt. Fraser voice] a desolate, lonely place.

I'd agree it's pretty strong stuff, but delicious. I came off the island with a bottle of cask-strength Laphroaig. It took about 15 years to get through - you could only take a drop on the tongue, and it evaporated almost instantly. More an experience than a drink.

[Flay]

I bought a friend a bottle of cask-strength Bruichladdich for his 50th. It guaranteed the loss of the next day whenever we drank some....

[ahinton]

Mr & Mr Flossie will be attending a performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream by Britten.

The first Burns Night I went to was in London, hosted by a lesbian friend. The first course was Cock-a-Leekie soup, but without the ...

...indefinite article, yes, we understand...

[ahinton]

Teachers and Lucozade can't be whacked! Gotta be with Ice though.

It needs to be whacked - hard, so that the glass falls on the floor and breaks, with the glutinous and incompatible contents in it. If you believe that Teachers is the best Scotch (and there are far worse blends), you either have yet to experience or are unimpressed by the massive range of malts on offer; for your sake, I hope it's the former for, if so, you have much to which to look forward!

[ahinton]

Last weekend, my father broached a celebratory bottle of Ardbeg 'Alligator' , one of their special editions so named because of the appearance of the interior of the barrel in which it is stored. This was a hefty 51%, but devoid of the alcohol burn that usually accompanies such proof. A little water released the extraordinarily complex aromas which filled the room. To taste it was very smoky, tarry and having the characteristic iodine-seaweed of Islay (sounds great eh?), but with delicate traces of ginger and caramel. For all its power, this had finesse and perfect balance. A scotch to savour and revel in.

That sounds really interesting! A word of warning to the unwary, unwise and inexperienced, though; if adding water to a fine malt whisky, always use a good bottled water or, better still, water filtered through a reverse osmosis unit and/or a device that removes the chlorine, otherwise even 1 part (tap) water to 2 parts whisky can risk ruining a great whisky!

[Nick Armstrong]

I bought a friend a bottle of cask-strength Bruichladdich for his 50th. It guaranteed the loss of the next day whenever we drank some....

To mis-quote Withnail: "miss out Sunday and come up smiling Monday morning"....