Talking about Whisky

[LeMartinPecheur]

Single Malts neat.

Fhg: I attended a proper whisky-tasting in Edinburgh some years back and this was my conversion to whisky.

The first thing demonstrated was the extraordinary release of extra flavour that a tiny addition of water produces, even with the palest malts. Just how much more water you then add is entirely a matter of personal taste but our 'instructor' was most insistent that the tiny bit was mandatory. Do try it!

[teamsaint]

I prefer people singing about whisky (or more often Whiskey). Shall I link............

Oh Whats the harm?

[Gordon]

And just how do we drink our whisky??? (Today seems a good day to start a small war...)

With single malts I add room-temperature water only. Ice is an abomination (kills flavour) and as for adding anything else...

Tend to drink mine neat - even Talisker and Lagavulin. On tastings in Scotland at several distilleries the advice tended to be: don't add anything, if you must, a tiny drop or two of water can enhance flavours. But this was always followed by good marketing: on the other hand, drink it as you like [as long as you do]!!

When I have a blend - which isn't often - I'm partial to a whisky mac (whisky Mac? Whisky Mac?)

Would that be whisky with some Apple in it?

[Beef Oven!]

Fhg: I attended a proper whisky-tasting in Edinburgh some years back and this was my conversion to whisky.

The first thing demonstrated was the extraordinary release of extra flavour that a tiny addition of water produces, even with the palest malts. Just how much more water you then add is entirely a matter of personal taste but our 'instructor' was most insistent that the tiny bit was mandatory. Do try it!

Same with blends.

[Beef Oven!]

I hope the water is Highland bottled, and not London tap!

Whisky mac (dreadful concoction!) is whisky and green ginger wine.

Another Dreadful Concoction is a "rusty nail" - whisky and Drambuie.

1) Natch

2) Yuck

3) Yech!

[hedgehog]

With regard to water or not with single malts, I've found that it's always best to try, but not every whisky yields a better taste with water added.

One that most definitely is better with a few drops is Ardberg. Without water it's a bit rough, but on adding a few drops of water - wow! A totally different experience.

[Beef Oven!]

With regard to water or not with single malts, I've found that it's always best to try, but not every whisky yields a better taste with water added.

One that most definitely is better with a few drops is Ardberg. Without water it's a bit rough, but on adding a few drops of water - wow! A totally different experience.

I've never tasted Ardbeg. I understand that it's very peaty. Not cheap either.

[hedgehog]

I've never tasted Ardbeg. I understand that it's very peaty. Not cheap either.

It is peaty, but that's my preferred taste - Lagavullin, the better Bowmores

Ardberg isn't cheap, but is often to be had at a good price on duty free (unlike Lagavullin which mostly isn't to be had at all duty free).

[Beef Oven!]

It is peaty, but that's my preferred taste - Lagavullin, the better Bowmores

Ardberg isn't cheap, but is often to be had at a good price on duty free (unlike Lagavullin which mostly isn't to be had at all duty free).

About 15 years ago someone gifted me a bottle of Lagavullin or Laphroaig (my memory fails me here, but it began with 'L'!!) and it tasted like TCP!

A friend came round one Sunday afternoon who is a whisky buff, and he happily polished off the whole bottle while I enjoyed the bottle of Turkish Raki that he brought with him (he's Turkish). No robbery in a fair exchange. We were a bit inebriated, though

[LeMartinPecheur]

About 15 years ago someone gifted me a bottle of Lagavullin or Laphroaig (my memory fails me here, but it began with 'L'!!) and it tasted like TCP!

They're both Islay malts. Most of these have a hint of iodine in the taste, apparently from windblown sea-salt in the water, hence your association with antiseptic. You either like it or you don't but it's a marker for malts from this island.

[hedgehog]

About 15 years ago someone gifted me a bottle of Lagavullin or Laphroaig (my memory fails me here, but it began with 'L'!!) and it tasted like TCP!

A friend came round one Sunday afternoon who is a whisky buff, and he happily polished off the whole bottle while I enjoyed the bottle of Turkish Raki that he brought with him (he's Turkish). No robbery in a fair exchange. We were a bit inebriated, though

Yes I can imagine Lagavullin tasting a little in the area of TCP - it has a slightly oily taste - but it grows on one! I don't like Laphroaig, I find it rough and one dimensional, though I did once taste a quarter cask Laphroaig with water and that was a different beast.

For Christmas I was given a 22 year old "The Ultimate" - a pale straw whisky but with a depth of taste - so much so that a small glass is enough, it doesn't get better with a second glass.

[Nick Armstrong]

They're both Islay malts. Most of these have a hint of iodine in the taste, apparently from windblown sea-salt in the water, hence your association with antiseptic.

Yes, plus (possibly more so) the iodine/seaweed/salt content of the peat over which the barley is malted.

Legend has it that Ian Hunter - the last family owner of Laphroaig - introduced his whisky, among the strongest and most 'iodine' flavoured, to the USA during Prohibition by convincing authorities of its "medicinal" purposes....

[Dave2002]

Wahoo! Dave's bringing us all back loads of cheap whisky! Orders via PMs?

Sorry, - no!

This site has an Ardbeg for just under 70 Euros - so not cheap, but maybe it's cheaper than it would be in the UK.

http://www.wine-calais.co.uk/213-malt-whiskies-cellar-calais

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

About 15 years ago someone gifted me a bottle of Lagavullin or Laphroaig (my memory fails me here, but it began with 'L'!!) and it tasted like TCP!

That would definitely be the Laphroaig (Inspector Rebus' favourite dram) which is too intense for me*. Lagavulin, in the other glass, is my personal ideal in whisky.

Thanks for the suggestions re adding water - it occurs to me that those few malts that I haven't enjoyed may well benefit from a drop or two of water added. <sigh> I'll just have to try them all again.


(* - in Umberto Eco's The Mysterious Flame of Queen Leona, the narrator describes how occupying Allied troops arriving in Italy towards the end of the War brought malt whisky with them, which became a craze with young Italians to the horror of their parents who thought it was like drinking creosote!)

[Beef Oven!]

That would definitely be the Laphroaig (Inspector Rebus' favourite dram) which is too intense for me*. Lagavulin, in the other glass, is my personal ideal in whisky.

Thanks for the suggestions re adding water - it occurs to me that those few malts that I haven't enjoyed may well benefit from a drop or two of water added. <sigh> I'll just have to try them all again.


(* - in Umberto Eco's The Mysterious Flame of Queen Leona, the narrator describes how occupying Allied troops arriving in Italy towards the end of the War brought malt whisky with them, which became a craze with young Italians to the horror of their parents who thought it was like drinking creosote!)

This guy is the tops, and he explains the water thang........