Armed Polite Society
Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: Scout26 on September 10, 2012, 05:53:45 PM
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No hints, have to read.
http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/food-and-drink/features/whisky-waste-offers-water-of-life-1-2515029#.UE0HDNtxrgk.facebook
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I'm doing my part :angel:
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I would expect a brewery to generate a lot more draff than a distillery. (I'll do my part to support both)
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I try to be a good white person and like whiskey, but I just can't get into it. Am I doing it wrong? Should I get a certain brand, or dilute it with water, or something?
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I try to be a good white person and like whiskey, but I just can't get into it. Am I doing it wrong? Should I get a certain brand, or dilute it with water, or something?
Try Wild Turkey 101 rye whiskey. IMHO you want something stronger than 80 proof at first because it will deaden your taste buds to the harsher notes, but the sweetness and spiciness and "heat" will still come through. You can water it down later, when you acquire a taste for it.
I'm not there yet; I still drink my whiskey neat, or in mixed drinks. And I don't like Scotch :(
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I wish I liked whiskey. I feel like I'm missing something.
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I can't stand sour mash whiskey mostly due to overindulgence in my youth. However, I'm very fond of a good Rye. Old Overholt is my favorite, though Bulleit makes a good one as well. I must acknowledge Ben's contribution to my whiskey/rye education. =)
I also like blended Canadian whiskey, like Crown Royal or Canadian Club.
The difference between either of these and sour mash (think Jack Daniels) is tremendous. Rye and blends are delightfully smooth and I have no problem at all drinking either straight, over ice, or mixed with something.
Zahc and Sergeant Bob, I'd recommend trying Crown Royal first, rather than Turkey 101. How can one have a proper appreciation for whiskey if one has no taste buds left??
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If I were to tell someone to try whiskey for the first time, it would be Old Overholt, on the rocks. Old Overholt is an incredibly underrated rye whiskey. It's like the Two Buck Chuck of whiskies - very cheap price, but in a blind taste test, I bet most people would rate it as a high quality whiskey. To me it tastes better than many high dollar small batch ryes.
On the rocks may be sacrilege to some, but for a first time whiskey drinker, I think drinking it cold makes it more palatable. If you decide you like whiskey, there's plenty of time to become accustomed to it and drink it neat.
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Zahc and Sergeant Bob, I'd recommend trying Crown Royal first, rather than Turkey 101. How can one have a proper appreciation for whiskey if one has no taste buds left??
They grow back! :laugh: Seriously, looks for a bottle of Elijah Craig 12 year old Bourbon. It's cheaper than Crown Royal and it tastes better. Another tasty one but a step down is Jim Beam rye, with the yellow label (I like rye.)
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I've tried to like straight hard liquor. Just isn't going to happen; I'm not built for it.
I would expect a brewery to generate a lot more draff than a distillery. (I'll do my part to support both)
Agreed, would think a brewery would be to go-to source for this.
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Blech.
Sprouted, dried, roasted barley with some hops, brewed into the magnificent elixir we call BEER is king.
Distilled spirits were only on-scene when ol' what's-his-name (Muslim distilation dude) figured out, well, distillation.
Y'all partake of your devil water. Purists know where it's at.
=D
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Blech.
Sprouted, dried, roasted barley with some hops, brewed into the magnificent elixir we call BEER is king.
Distilled spirits were only on-scene when ol' what's-his-name (Muslim distilation dude) figured out, well, distillation.
Y'all partake of your devil water. Purists know where it's at.
=D
So what is a Boilermaker? Syncretism at its worst?
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Syncretism at it's worst? That would be religion. Different discussion; though I'm willing to oblige the debate.
Children/adherents of malted barley. Not so syncretic as you would think. And i was kidding, hence the smiley.
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I try to be a good white person and like whiskey, but I just can't get into it. Am I doing it wrong? Should I get a certain brand, or dilute it with water, or something?
Johnnie Walker Red is pretty good. Best with ice.
If anyone takes umbrage at the ice, well, I'm an American. I drink my pepto bismol with ice and eat my altoids with ketchup.
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Whiskey is good. Beer is better.
My first experience with whisky was Maker's Mark. It took a couple of whisky sours before I was able to drink it neat.
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Whiskey is good. Beer is better.
My first experience with whisky was Maker's Mark. It took a couple of whisky sours before I was able to drink it neat.
I call no further witnesses and rest my case.
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Try Wild Turkey 101 rye whiskey. IMHO you want something stronger than 80 proof at first because it will deaden your taste buds to the harsher notes, but the sweetness and spiciness and "heat" will still come through. You can water it down later, when you acquire a taste for it.
I'm not there yet; I still drink my whiskey neat, or in mixed drinks. And I don't like Scotch :(
SILENCE, BLASPHEMER!!! :laugh:
Seriously though, I don't know much about rye whiskeys - about most whiskeys, really. If you don't like the taste, Cosine's suggestion (for whiskey) of Maker's Mark and sour mix is a good one. I have not (and likely will not) do that with a single-malt, but whiskey sours are pretty good.
I've always liked Speyside single-malts Scotches (Glenfiddich, Balvenie, The Macallan, The Glenlivet are all good, even at the "base level" of 10-12 year bottles); I've tried Laphroaig and did not particularly like it, as it's very peaty (I'm given to understand that the Islay Scotches are all like that). Don't do shots - just pour a healthy drink and sit there and drink it slowly. It's for enjoying, not for downing rapidly just to get drunk.
Beer sucks. :laugh: [popcorn]
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Jamison's, Elijah Craig, Makers Mark, Woodford Reserve and Knob Creek are all pretty palatable to me. And yes, I know one of these is not like the others. =D
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In my experience (which is not inconsiderable) it is rare that a person enjoys their first taste of whiskey or any spirit, resulting in the Distillation Doctrine*. The true test is the ability to persevere through the distaste until you decide you really do like it after all.
*The Martini Corollary: This is also true of the properly prepared martini. Eventually, the icy tendrils become fire in your belly until the brain says: "Hey, that's not bad. I'll have another."
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Never been a fan of bourbons. They're OK, but not something I'll seek out or spend money on. If it's freely offered I'll try it though.
Only tried one, maybe two rye's - can't remember which as it's been 3+ years. I'd like to try more of them.
I do, however, have quite the taste for single male Scotch. Best I ever tried was a single sip of and Ardbeg Provenance. That amount represented by that sip was probably worth $50. That almost literally made me weak in the knees it was so good.
My preferred go-to Scotch is Ardbeg's Corryvrecken bottling. Not tooooo expensive (~$60/750ml IIRC) but really good. Hard to find unless I get my buddy in LA to help me out. I also quite like Tallisker 57deg North for when I want a non-peaty Scotch. That one actually has some floral notes in the aroma and flavor. Lots of dimensions to the flavor.
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Johnnie Walker Red is pretty good. Best with ice.
If anyone takes umbrage at the ice, well, I'm an American. I drink my pepto bismol with ice and eat my altoids with ketchup.
Interesting, I take better to the J.W. Red than the 12 y.o. Black Label. For some reason the Black label gives me terrible gastritis every-single-time. I wonder what's going on there.
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I like Johnny Walker red.
Johnny walker blue tasted like rubber bands, to be honest.
Favorite for sipping is Maker's Mark.
Favorite for a night out with friends is Red Breast.
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I can't stand sour mash either, but have recently discovered Bulleit Rye and love it. It's good neat, with ginger ale, and even Dr Pepper.
Chris
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OK, somebody on here in the past, suggested "Makers Mark". [barf]
That is the foulest bourbon I've ever had.........
Give me a Jim Beam Rye or Gentleman Jack.
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To me, Crown Royal on the rocks is about the easiest sippin experience there is.
Sour mash anything takes me back to my misspent youth - to many commode hugging mornings -felt like Jack Black *expletive deleted*it.
I've tried to like Scotch for years - still don't like it, never will most likely.
Rye whiskey is pretty good, but the flavor is pretty strong. That can be bad or good, depends on your preferences.
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I may prefer beer, but I wouldn't consider Makers Mark as "foul." What's better about Jim Beam Rye or Gentleman Jack? I haven't had either, maybe I should branch out.
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OK, somebody on here in the past, suggested "Makers Mark". [barf]
That is the foulest bourbon I've ever had.........
Give me a Jim Beam Rye or Gentleman Jack.
I had Jim Beam for the first time at a bar last friday.
It was the "well whiskey" of the night. =D
EDIT:
As I mentioned earlier, I thought JW Blue tasted awful, so my opinion is likely that of a pleb and not worth much :)
I did have some very fancy whisky in a Scot's house that was amazing, though.
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Slightly off the topic at hand but I thought this was marginally interesting.
Oklahoma made vodka
http://www.twisterdistillery.com/ (http://www.twisterdistillery.com/)
The local news did a piece on them this evening. Apparently the building the distillery is in has been hit by a tornado twice. God don't like vodka?
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I am a big fan of Bourbon Whiskey. I have several different brands on hand. Buffalo Trace, Bullett, Booker, Rowan's Creek and others. My favorite though, and one that I have been drinking for better than 40 years now, is Old Fitzgerald. It is in limited distribution, and hard for me to find. Recently, I made the drive from here to Atlanta (4+ hours one way) to buy all that a store had in stock. :O
(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi626.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt349%2FKnocky%2F2013%2520First%2520Half%2FOldFitz5.jpg&hash=f9a1088dcc865e7f93d6fe5c121a40c60c76a865)
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Any decent single malt scotch is substantially improved by a medium to medium-full 45 minute cigar.
Scotch and cigars are meant to be enjoyed together.
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I think anything with either oak or peat marries well with a good cigar... :)
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The flavor really depends on how you do it. Sour mash isn't as much a flavor, as a time-honored distiller's technique.
(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmauser98.com%2Fsnowbeltsourmash2012.jpg&hash=6de530dcd1dbdcd180317c7039f2661a11a6e3eb)
The sour "backset" or leftover slop from a distilling run is returned to the grain fermentation.
It keeps the pH consistent from lot-to-lot (makes yeast happy), and conserves water.
The distilleries will use at minimum 25% of the backset from previous runs in subsequent batches, which creates a "Sour Mash", something they can then legally use for marketing purposes.
In the end, the flavors are a product of the master distiller's palate as he/she makes cuts between heads, hearts, and tails during the run, and then samples over time to determine the best casks to bottle or blend for sale.
That's probably why the master distiller for Jeremiah Weed gets paid less than the master distiller for Red Breast or one of the Glens.
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Try Black Velvet as a cheaper alternative to Crown Royal if you like blended whiskey. Very smooth.
I enjoy bourbon neat or with a cube or two. Mattingly and Moore provides a very full bodied, aromatic sweet bourbon at rock bottom prices. Most of the pricey bourbons are too harsh for my taste.
I am fond of Irish whisky neat or on the rocks. There are many good brands, but I'll take my old faithful Jamison or Red Breast if I want to get spendy.
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I knew you had at least one redeeming quality Grampster. >:D
I love a wee glass of Jamison with two ice cubes. Also like blended whiskey, the Canadian's are good at that.
Still on my rye kick though.
Sour mash - the smell of it is enough to activate the gag reflex. Blech.
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Promptly proceeding to my proximate purveyor of potent potables ;), I acquired a bottle of Crown Royal Black on a whim, as well as some 80 proof Wild Turkey Rye, which I haven't had in years.
At 90 proof, the CRB is nice, having a body and character closer to American whiskies, the absence of which is my gripe with Canadian whiskies generally.
The Wild Turkey has good rye flavor and spice notes, while being too easy to drink neat.
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I always liked the Black Velvet magazine ads. http://pacocamino.blogspot.com/2012/01/vintage-ad-black-velvet-whisky-1977.html
For some odd reason, I've not been able to get this goofy song out of my mind since reading grampster's reply.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icfq_foa5Mo
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Thanks for the ear bug, Lee. :facepalm: =D
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Well, well Mrs. Smith. For a wee tad of a girl you have good taste in whisky, Irish whisky that is. =D
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"Mighty, mighty pleasin', Pappy's corn squeezin's..."
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She ain't sampled my corn squeezin's, otherwise she'd sing a different tune re: sour mash. ;)
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I think anything with either oak or peat marries well with a good cigar... :)
I'm a fan of the Islay peat-monsters myself.
Even better, you acquire that taste, and the pool of folks who might pilfer your stash is quite limited.
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A much better Earworm.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkXNEmtf9tk
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Being clean and sober, I no longer drink.
However, I recall that drinking 50 plus year old Whiskey was extremely pleasurable, if you're having a hard time enjoying Whiskey I advise you to find some really, really old stuff, probably very expensive but worth it.
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I may prefer beer, but I wouldn't consider Makers Mark as "foul." What's better about Jim Beam Rye or Gentleman Jack? I haven't had either, maybe I should branch out.
A lot smoother, without the bite.
I second the Crown Royal as well............
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Back when I started my foray into "better" whiskies (i.e., better than the JD I drank in High School), Maker's Mark was the first "good" whiskey I started with. I hardly ever drink it anymore, but I see nothing wrong with it as a starter whiskey for those working their way into small batch stuff.
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Makers Mark is decent, not the best out there but it's FAR from the bottom.
Though they are monkeying with the product. New batches will go out with 3% less ABV, which doesn't sound like much until you consider that just means an additional 3% water added to the final product being bottled. Not that I care much about alcohol content, but any time a recipe is monkeyed with and claims of "we're watering it down but it'll taste just the same!"...well color me skeptical.
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Sour mash - the smell of it is enough to activate the gag reflex. Blech.
Here, and I thought we could friends... Wait a tick, this means we won't be competing for the same hooch! All is forgiven.
After an absolutely disastrous experience as a youngster with Bacardi 151proof, as in, my only ever blackout/memory loss alcohol poisoning, I never thought I would enjoy rum. Was wrong. It won't displace good bourbon or sourmash, but really good Jamaican (Edwin Charley's) is, well, really good.
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OK, somebody on here in the past, suggested "Makers Mark".
That is the foulest bourbon I've ever had.........
Your taste buds must be messed up! =D
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Well, well Mrs. Smith. For a wee tad of a girl you have good taste in whisky, Irish whisky that is. =D
:angel: I haven't done too much experimenting with Irish Whiskeys. Jameson works for me so no need to look for better! Had Bushmills, but apparently it wasn't memorable.
Here, and I thought we could friends... Wait a tick, this means we won't be competing for the same hooch! All is forgiven.
After an absolutely disastrous experience as a youngster with Bacardi 151proof, as in, my only ever blackout/memory loss alcohol poisoning, I never thought I would enjoy rum. Was wrong. It won't displace good bourbon or sourmash, but really good Jamaican (Edwin Charley's) is, well, really good.
That's exactly the sentiment I have toward the odd person who doesn't like bacon: I don't have to share! With regard to rum, you should give Mount Gay rum (original) a try. Very smooth, excellent flavor. Bahamian, IIRC. Also, Angostura (same company that makes bitters) makes a pretty amazing rum, 1824 I think, that's a blend of various rums, extremely limited editions.
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:angel: I haven't done too much experimenting with Irish Whiskeys. Jameson works for me so no need to look for better! Had Bushmills, but apparently it wasn't memorable.
That's exactly the sentiment I have toward the odd person who doesn't like bacon: I don't have to share! With regard to rum, you should give Mount Gay rum (original) a try. Very smooth, excellent flavor. Bahamian, IIRC. Also, Angostura (same company that makes bitters) makes a pretty amazing rum, 1824 I think, that's a blend of various rums, extremely limited editions.
Mount Gay is produced in Barbados. It is also delicious, and, incidentally, my base liquor for macerating fruit when baking fruitcakes.
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If one is mixing rum with coke and lime, I pretty much don't mind lower shelf. Mixing any good booze with foreign objects like carbonated stuff, don't do it. The cheap stuff is ok.
Good stuff should be neat or a tad of water or ice.
I like Pyrat rum neat. I like its bouquet and it's taste.
Ice cold Tito's vodka from he freezer in a glass from the freezer is terrific sippin' neat.
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If one is mixing rum with coke and lime, I pretty much don't mind lower shelf. Mixing any good booze with foreign objects like carbonated stuff, don't do it. The cheap stuff is ok.
Good stuff should be neat or a tad of water or ice.
I like Pyrat rum neat. I like its bouquet and it's taste.
Ice cold Tito's vodka from he freezer in a glass from the freezer is terrific sippin' neat.
No need to waste the good stuff by mixing. I won't mix any of my Scotch (but will use the sour mix experimenting with the rye whiskey I picked up last week, I think).
Can't find Pyrat around here, but Appleton's Reserve (? - the 12-year-old dark stuff) is absolutely delicious.
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Mount Gay is produced in Barbados. It is also delicious, and, incidentally, my base liquor for macerating fruit when baking fruitcakes.
I knew it was one of those "B" islands. =D
Can I be on your fruitcake mailing list???
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Great.
Now the favorite "Makers Mark", is lowering the proof, 'cause they can't fulfill orders fast enough.
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Great.
Now the favorite "Makers Mark", is lowering the proof, 'cause they can't fulfill orders fast enough.
:mad:
This is why I haven't purchased any Jack Daniels in a number of years. Make less of the same historical quality, and raise the damn price. Don't change the recipe or sell me a smaller weight at the same price and think I'm just going to take it like a dipsomaniac sheep sucking a mechanical nipple at my place in line. Part of my brain isn't yet completely sotted, and still able to see through the marketing BS.
:mad:
ETA: I may just resign my MM Ambassadorship in futile protest.
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I knew it was one of those "B" islands. =D
Can I be on your fruitcake mailing list???
When I feel festive enough to bake another batch, it could happen. Afraid I may have fully rounded curmudgeon corner, as my post above gently intimates. ;)
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Being curmudgeonly and baking fruitcake don't have to be separate endeavors. I'm not so proud as to not eat a curmudgeonly cake. =D
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Being curmudgeonly and baking fruitcake don't have to be separate endeavors. I'm not so proud as to not eat a curmudgeonly cake. =D
Understood. But it is an expensive, time-intensive labor of love. This requires caring sufficiently about the world and/or some of its occupants to put forth the effort, not typically the province of the true curmudgeon. If I make it to that place, fruitcake is a possible result. Of course, I am a disciple of the gospel of fruitcake, and inclined to proselytize, so we'll see.
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I know folks around here prep for end times and all that, and fruitcake does have an impressive shelf life, but I just want to say I'm glad he doesn't put proper whiskey in there. That would make the Baby Jesus cry. =(
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I know folks around here prep for end times and all that, and fruitcake does have an impressive shelf life, but I just want to say I'm glad he doesn't put proper whiskey in there. That would make the Baby Jesus cry. =(
Rum and brandy only, thank you. I learned long ago that "proper" whiskey is exclusively for drinking. If it's a real apocalyptic emergency and I have to clean a wound or something, I'll use fire.
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I'm having my last drink until Easter: three fingers of Willett Reserve pot still Bourbon. Unless I decide to have a beer chaser. Sipping the whiskey nice and slow, and enjoying the aroma as much as the warmth and the flavor...
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Picked up a 16-year old Lagavulin from Costco today and am trying it right now. Never tried a peaty whiskey before. Very interesting, very smoky. This would go really well with a cigar. To just sip by itself, I think I like the Kirkland Speyside I picked up a couple of weeks ago better. But yeah, this would make an excellent cigar whiskey.