I thought scotch was just a name for whiskey from Scotland. So scotch is whiskey.
I don’t think one refers to if it’s a blended or single malt or not.
[quote]i_am_ketosis wrote:
[quote]bluebrasil wrote:
[quote]i_am_ketosis wrote:
[quote]pat wrote:
[quote]i_am_ketosis wrote:
[quote]Nards wrote:
I just tried Johnnie Walker Red Label for the first time as my local supermarket had it for about $15.00 US and y’know what? It’s alright. I have no problem with it.[/quote]
Johnnie Red gets a bad rap from whisk(e)y snobs for whatever reason. Honestly, I prefer it over the Black. Beyond that, Johnnie Walker can go fuck himself. I’m not dropping $50+ for blended scotch. If I’m dropping some hefty coin you can damn sure bet your ass I’m going after a 20 year Macallan or Laphroaig. [/quote]
I don’t like any label from Johnny Walker. I had some green label and almost spit it out. I don’t like Scotch, I like Whiskey. I know the difference is subtle, but scotch has a ‘thin’ taste to me and I don’t like it. Whiskey has a more full bodied taste and Americans are the best at it. The Canadians aren’t bad but I hate Irish whiskey.[/quote]
I can appreciate that comparison, and there is some truth to it. For me they are two different animals. I’m more of a scotch guy but it’s hard to beat a good whiskey.
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please enlighten me. what, pray tell, is the difference between “Scotch” and whisky (theres no e in whisky)[/quote]
How can you be from Scotland and not know the difference between scotch and whisk(e)y? Single malts can only be made from malted barely. Blended scotches can include other grains but still have to be produced in Scotland. Whiskey can be produced anywhere, including Ireland where they traditionally spell it with an “e”. Aside from that, scotch and whiskey taste different, but I don’t think that’s what you were asking.
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Basically its the mash. The base for scotch is mostly malted barley and whisk(e)y’s are more corn based. Now everybody adds a dash of this and a dash of that to make theirs a little different and presumably better. After that the process is the same. Some filter the distilled product others just dump in in charred barrels and let them sit for a few years.
Blended whiskey and scotch means that the batches all mixed together from different barrels to minimize variations in taste. That’s how you get a consistent taste that is brand specific and identifiable. The single batch or barrel whiskeys are batches that come from obviously a single barrel and because of that, they may taste different from batch to batch. Things that affect that is the storage and weather when these barrels are kept. A barrel from the hotter part of the storage area will taste different then the cooler stored areas. They mix them together to get that consistent flavor.
The hotter stored barrels are the more desirable ones, so those are usually singled out for the special batches.
6 years is the average mellowing time for a pedestrian whiskey…12 and higher seems to be the magic number for the good stuff.
as I understand it, whisky is the Scottish spelling and whiskey is the Irish spelling
blended whisky/whiskey is a blend of malt whisky (or with an e from now on)and grain whiskey. malt whisky contains no grain.
clearly most whisky we have here in Scotland is made in Scotland, with an occasional Irish whiskey just for a bit of variety. Thus we here have no real need to differentiate between what is “Scotch” and what isnt, as nearly everything is Scotch (Scottish)
but for the rest of the world I can see why you would have a want to have different names for different varieties. hence you would call some stuff Scotch and some stuff whisky
but I could be wrong
[quote]RTJenforcer wrote:
Johnny Walker Black Label FTW. Haven’t been able to afford Gold Label yet to try it…
[quote]
Skip the gold label and go for the Blue Label. The difference between gold and black is slight. The difference between blue and gold is shocking. Very, very fine Scotch.
Caution should be had, however, as it tends to cause children in our house.
I like rye. Sazerac is ok, Russell’s Reserve 6y is better.
Haven’t found an irish whiskey I like, and I’m almost completely inexperienced with scotch. For bourbon, I like Basil Heydon’s.
[quote]Jewbacca wrote:
[quote]RTJenforcer wrote:
Johnny Walker Black Label FTW. Haven’t been able to afford Gold Label yet to try it…
[quote]
Skip the gold label and go for the Blue Label. The difference between gold and black is slight. The difference between blue and gold is shocking. Very, very fine Scotch.
Caution should be had, however, as it tends to cause children in our house.[/quote]
Disagree on the difference between gold and black being slight - but it is a difference of opinion. IMO, noticeable difference. Much smoother. Dangerously tasty. Still, for the same price, highly recommend Lagavulin.
Blue is usually between $200 and $300 per bottle. Lovely stuff - I have a bottle myself - got it as a gift from work. Not something that I can rationalize spending that much money on at this point in my life. Kids are expensive.
I can see how some don’t like non-blended whisk(e)y. They have a very particular taste and tend to be somewhat harsher on the taste buds. Blended I prefer to use with coke because it seems to enhance the whisk(e)y a little. I.e. JD with coke IMO tastes better than JD on ice or straight. Whereas I think a Glenlivet 12y (or other single malts) taste better straight or on ice than mixed with coke.
To each their own I guess.
Either way, the low end stuff regardless of blended or non-blended tastes like a course, Tabasco covered asshole usually. Only exception I’ve so far found is Canadian Club.
[quote]Teledin wrote:
I can see how some don’t like non-blended whisk(e)y. They have a very particular taste and tend to be somewhat harsher on the taste buds. Blended I prefer to use with coke because it seems to enhance the whisk(e)y a little. I.e. JD with coke IMO tastes better than JD on ice or straight. Whereas I think a Glenlivet 12y (or other single malts) taste better straight or on ice than mixed with coke.
To each their own I guess.
Either way, the low end stuff regardless of blended or non-blended tastes like a course, Tabasco covered asshole usually. Only exception I’ve so far found is Canadian Club.[/quote]
The 6 year Canadian Club is utter swill, but the 12 year is a whole different animal. The Classic is divine and still pretty reasonable.
Scotch is whisky from Scotland, just like Champagne can only come from the Champagne region of France.
JWB was created out of swag for the Japanese market where they can charge a crazy amount of $$$ as Japanese business man will pay anything. Scotsmen have no problem with blends at all, they just love to sell us single malts. This comes from many Scotsmen I’ve spoken to and drank with in Scotland. Old Pulteney, now that’s the stuff…
sorry, reposted below, wanted to clarify JW Blue
Scotch is whisky from Scotland, just like Champagne can only come from the Champagne region of France.
JW Blue was created out of swag for the Japanese market where they can charge a crazy amount of $$$ as Japanese business man will pay anything. Scotsmen have no problem with blends at all, they just love to sell us single malts. This comes from many Scotsmen I’ve spoken to and drank with in Scotland. Old Pulteney, now that’s the stuff…
do they make whiskey out of bannaners?
Laphroig 15 year was my favourite, unfortunately they stopped making it.
Aside from Lagavulin, any recommendations for guys who like peat bombs?
[quote]PimpBot5000 wrote:
Aside from Lagavulin, any recommendations for guys who like peat bombs?[/quote]
Highland Park and Talisker are both really good
[quote]PimpBot5000 wrote:
Laphroig 15 year was my favourite, unfortunately they stopped making it.
Aside from Lagavulin, any recommendations for guys who like peat bombs?[/quote]
Bruichladdich Octomore or Ardbeg Supernova if you like peat bombs. I’d personally stick with Lagavulin.
Welcome to college boys and girls. $13 a bottle (for the BIG bottle, 1.75 L).
When I’m feeling fancy I’ll bust out the crown.
The supposed reason you go to college is to be able to afford things like better booze. But then you graduate and you actually have to go to fucking work. So, enjoy college, even if you have to put up with cheap booze while you are there, because unfortunately the best part about college is actually being there, not graduating.
[quote]jjackkrash wrote:
The supposed reason you go to college is to be able to afford things like better booze. But then you graduate and you actually have to go to fucking work. So, enjoy college, even if you have to put up with cheap booze while you are there, because unfortunately the best part about college is actually being there, not graduating. [/quote]
Heh, I’ve graduated a couple of times, yet still in college. Nothing quite like have two diplomas (one advanced) hanging on the wall and STILL being a poor college student!
I’d bet a bottle of expensive whiskey that many people that speak badly about blended versus single malt wouldn’t know the difference.
People just know that if they want to sound smart and like they have good taste, then act like blended whiskeys offend their refined palate.
[quote]Nards wrote:
I’d bet a bottle of expensive whiskey that many people that speak badly about blended versus single malt wouldn’t know the difference.
People just know that if they want to sound smart and like they have good taste, then act like blended whiskeys offend their refined palate.[/quote]
I completely agree. Johnny Walker Blue is a blend, and is considered to be one of the finest whiskeys on the market.
Small batches and single malts are more interesting because of the variations, but it’s just risk. You could better or worse, depending on the year, barrel location, whatever.
Besides JW Red, are there any other good scotches that are at a relatively low price?
For bourbons, IMO, Knob Creek used to be the best value out there - judging by price vs. quality. They’ve gotten smart and jacked the price over the last few years.
Chivas used to be a lot cheaper too, then they jacked the price - it’s even become a marketing term - the Chivas Regal Effect. http://www.ehow.com/facts_7569473_chivas-regal-effect.html
I’d agree there are some great blended whiskeys. Johnny Walker Blue is fantastic. Midleton Rare and Jameson Gold are both blends, and they are both fantastic. Blending is more consistent. But the downside is blending is more consistent. There is a little more excitement when you find a great single malt, and they vary from batch to batch.