Talking about Whisky

[Old Grumpy]

Amazon currently have a very good offer on Talisker whiskeys - 35% off but the offer ends at midnight today.

Talisker Skye: £19.99
Talisker 10 Yr Old: £22.99
Talisker Storm: £22.99

It is unusual to find Talisker at these prices - and I would go for the Talisker 10 Yr Old (which is becoming increasingly rare in supermarkets).

(In general I prefer age statement whiskeys to those without an age statement. No age statement whiskeys can be very good indeed but there is always the lingering suspicion that the distillers are switching to them because they didn't lay down sufficient quantities in past years and are now running short of aged whiskey stocks.)

Over the last couple of days I have bought bottles of both Glenfarclas 21 Yr Old and Clynelish 14 Yr Old (via Amazon Lightening Deals) so I am finding it difficult to justify spending yet more on whiskey (even at such good prices).

Johnb - Talisker is a whisky, not a whiskey (as I am sure you will know) - how much have you had already!

OG

[johnb]

Johnb - Talisker is a whisky, not a whiskey (as I am sure you will know) - how much have you had already!

OG

Whoops! I must have had too much of the Irish.

Duly currected.

[Beef Oven!]

I bought a 1 litre bottle of Johnnie Walker Green Label at Gatwick last week and the week before that I was gifted a 1 litre bottle of JW Gold Label. I also bought a bottle of Dalwhinnie Winter gold Gold for £24 in Morrisons recently. Unfortunately I'm on the wagon until March 2017, so I can only look at them.

[Vox Humana]

I'm currently enjoying a bottle of Ardbeg 10yo. It's the malt to which I keep returning again and again. IMO there simply is no finer malt in the world - with the arguable exception of the Ardbeg Corryvreckan.

One of my more recent discoveries has been Benriach - rather an unsung gem of a distillery if the expressions I've had are anything to go by. I've not tried their basic 10yo expression, but the Curiositas (lightly peated), Birnie Moss (more strongly peated) and 12yo Sherry Wood (sweet and full-flavoured) are exceptional. The 15yo Pedro Ximenez expression is splendid too. Being a peathead, the Birnie Moss (48% abv) is my favourite of these. It's a much cleaner, less smothering peat than you get with the Islays and a great alternative. Also, most of these are very reasonably priced and I see that the Whisky Exchange currently has a multi-buy offer going.

[Beef Oven!]

I helped a friend out with something last week and he kindly gifted me a bottle of JWBlueL. I’ve never had a drop hitherto and I’m looking forward to sampling it in March 2017 when I’m back on the wagon

I don’t think I would have spent over £100 on a bottle of Johnny Walker (but I’m very grateful, all the same). Has anyone got a view on this probably over-priced trophy-whisky? If Black and Green Label are anything to go by, it should be quite good.

[Nick Armstrong]

I helped a friend out with something last week and he kindly gifted me a bottle of JWBlueL. I’ve never had a drop hitherto and I’m looking forward to sampling it in March 2017 when I’m back on the wagon

I don’t think I would have spent over £100 on a bottle of Johnny Walker (but I’m very grateful, all the same). Has anyone got a view on this probably over-priced trophy-whisky? If Black and Green Label are anything to go by, it should be quite good.

Never tried it but always been curious. Look forward to reports.

Shouldn't the phrase in red involve you being back OFF the wagon? Or is your wagon not as others' ?

Any road oop, I'm watching the sensational 'Call Me Mr Tibbs' arrangement at the Quincy Jones prom (with a wizard on Hammond organ) with a large nightcap of Aldi's 'Highland Black' best, and it's slipping down an absolute treat at £12.99 a bottle

[Beef Oven!]

Never tried it but always been curious. Look forward to reports.

Shouldn't the phrase in red involve you being back OFF the wagon? Or is your wagon not as others' ?

Any road oop, I'm watching the sensational 'Call Me Mr Tibbs' arrangement at the Quincy Jones prom (with a wizard on Hammond organ) with a large nightcap of Aldi's 'Highland Black' best, and it's slipping down an absolute treat at £12.99 a bottle

You’ve still got some of that left!!?? Amateur

Yes, it should be off the wagon - a simple Jungian slip!

P.S. I must catch that Prom on iPlayer.

[Nick Armstrong]

You’ve still got some of that left!!?? Amateur

I buy them six at a time and have made two or three trips over the last year...

Only one full one left - Hatfield here we come!!

[Beef Oven!]

I buy them six at a time and have made two or three trips over the last year...

Only one full one left - Hatfield here we come!!

I’m relieved!

[Beef Oven!]

Morrison are doing Famous Grouse at £15 a litre. Worth a punt for when friends come round

[Dave2002]

I buy them six at a time and have made two or three trips over the last year...

Only one full one left - Hatfield here we come!!

6 x 2 = 12 or maybe 6 x 3 = 18. Seems quite a lot to me, though maybe you don't drink anything else - wine, beer, gin etc.

The Highland Black is OK, but I/we now ring the changes between a range including Talisker (various), Aberlour, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Glen Morangie, Highland Park etc. and we probably only get through a few (1-3?) bottles a year even so. We have some JW (good one I think) which has been in our drinks cupboard for a decade. Recently had some Bells on a train.

Drinking the same whisky each day is like listening to Rachmaninov every day. Substitute your own composer for tha analogy.

[Nick Armstrong]

6 x 2 = 12 or maybe 6 x 3 = 18. Seems quite a lot to me, though maybe you don't drink anything else - wine, beer, gin etc.

The Highland Black is OK, but I/we now ring the changes between a range including Talisker (various), Aberlour, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Glen Morangie, Highland Park etc. and we probably only get through a few (1-3?) bottles a year even so.

Amateur! In the best sense of course! I should think 1 - 2 bottles a month disappear round here which over the 8 months since discovering HB is about right. The first trip was in December I recall, 4 bottles were bought but it was en route to a Christmas party in the countryside and one of them was left as a present.

[Dave2002]

Amateur! In the best sense of course! I should think 1 - 2 bottles a month disappear round here which over the 8 months since discovering HB is about right. The first trip was in December I recall, 4 bottles were bought but it was en route to a Christmas party in the countryside and one of them was left as a present.

If you don't drink anything else then perhaps a bottle of whisky - maybe even two per month - is not so bad.

See http://www.nhsggc.org.uk/your-health...units/spirits/

Might need to add in water to avoid other problems, and make sure you don't overdo things.

Of course maybe you are sharing your bottles with others. I think since HB was mentioned here that we've had a couple of those, but we do like a choice/variety, and I believe it hardly deteriorates if left in the bottles! The other thing about HB is that it is cheap enough to use for "outlawed" purposes, such as adding in to coffee.

I suppose stocking up on HB in some areas is harder, where there are not so many <strikeout>Morrisons</strikeout>Aldis.

[Nick Armstrong]

If you don't drink anything else then perhaps a bottle of whisky - maybe even two per month - is not so bad.

See http://www.nhsggc.org.uk/your-health...units/spirits/

Might need to add in water to avoid other problems, and make sure you don't overdo things.

Of course maybe you are sharing your bottles with others. I think since HB was mentioned here that we've had a couple of those, but we do like a choice/variety, and I believe it hardly deteriorates if left in the bottles! The other thing about HB is that it is cheap enough to use for "outlawed" purposes, such as adding in to coffee.

I suppose stocking up on HB in some areas is harder, where there are not so many Morrisons.

HB is from Aldi... and yes, consumption here is within the prescribed guidelines - actually, rather below (did some detailed calculations for a pre-retirement health check-up) ! There tend not to be any other spirits in the house, or beer save when younger relatives are staying in which case quartets of San Miguel or Corona seem to find their way into the fridge. I'll have the odd pint here or there if I happen to be in a hostelry serving one of my favourites.

The only other thing that makes a regular appearance at Château Caliban is red wine - a bottle will do a couple of days, every other weekend or so (and a red wine day won't be a whisky day ). Oh and in hot weather, it's nice to have a screw-cap Vinho Verde in the fridge to accompany the odd salad or fish dish....

[BBMmk2]

HB? Pray tell, Cali. I went to the pub last Friday. Had a great night. Food, beer and whisky. I was enjoying the whisky(Laphroaig) very much! Had two doubles and a single, with three pints of Badger Fursty Ferrett! :)