Single Malt Scotch!

[Mark Reccord]

This has already been mentioned here in this thread, but I just got an absolute GEM.

I picked up the 2013 "bible" and the Ardbeg 10 got a 97! It's only $50/bottle so I picked one up. It is wonderful!!

D'uh... You're just figuring this out now?

It's not stocked locally but I always pick up a bottle at the local whisky fest and any time I'm somewhere i can get it. It's down between that and Lagavulin 16 for my all-time favorite whiskies. Never-ending smoky finish!

Edit: I'm enjoying a dram of Ardbeg 10 as I'm writing this.

 

[ThatGermanDude]

Just had a glass of Highland 12 year old. And will probably have some Glenlivet 12, Bunhabhain 8, Arberg something or another and Johnny Walker black tonight as well. It'll be a good birthday.

 

[Mark Wilson]

Well, since i'm officially done school and out in the world, i've decided to start a scotch collection.

Nothing fancy yet, but started small and bought a bottle of Glenfiddich. That 12 year old bottle that's readily available at every liquor store.

Nothing big, but have been enjoying it. Small steps!

 

[Mark Wilson]

Also, i bought Whisky stones. Have any of you guys tried em? Basically, you keep these stones in the freezer, then put them in your drink. Keeps the drink cold and doesn't dilute them. I love them. Would love some other opinions.

 

[line6man]

Also, i bought Whisky stones. Have any of you guys tried em? Basically, you keep these stones in the freezer, then put them in your drink. Keeps the drink cold and doesn't dilute them. I love them. Would love some other opinions.

Yes. I use stones in every glass I drink. Some people say that they don't chill the whiskey as well as ice cubes, and that's probably true, but I won't use anything that waters down a drink, and the stones do the job well enough.

 

[Mark Wilson]

So, maybe you guys can help me actually.
Years ago, my grandfather owned a company in...Scotland (Maybe it was Ireland? Can't Remember) and it was called "Silver Stag".

I did some research online, but to no avail.
I know my grandfather died, and my grandmother took over, and ended up selling it because it was too overwhelming. She kept the last 7 bottles made for her kids. And 4 have been drunk to this day. (This is all from memory. My mum can clarify)

I know nothing about this, but if anyone has heard of anything? Who knows what happens here. I'll get a few pics of it tomorrow from my Mum and post em up.

 

[Mark Wilson]

Also, it is NOT Glenlivit, or Dalmore.

 

[Akami]

Not too surprising, a fairly hefty proportion of what we pay here is tax. :-(

The lucky part for us over here is that if you like Yamazaki 12, it's more affordable here than anywhere else, and I suspect that any single malt fan, regardless of stylistic preference, would like it very much.

I picked up the 2013 "bible" and the Ardbeg 10 got a 97! It's only $50/bottle so I picked one up. It is wonderful!!

I just got a bottle of Ardbeg 10 through a buddy for the same price, and it's sitting in my room now, next to a bottle of Laphroaig 10.

Anyone care to explain the difference between highland, speyside, islay, and lowland to me?

I know they are regional, but what are the taste and other differences?

The Islay whiskies are renknowned for their strong, peaty and smoky characteristics, particularly Ardbeg, Laphroaig and Lagavulin, but Caol Ila and Bowmore and much milder and considered by many, myself included, to be better options when it comes to introducing someone new to Islay single malts.

It's down between that and Lagavulin 16 for my all-time favorite whiskies. Never-ending smoky finish!

Edit: I'm enjoying a dram of Ardbeg 10 as I'm writing this.

Ardbeg 10 and Lagavulin 16 are two of my absolute favorites and a customer bought me a double of Ardbeg 10 in a snifter that lasted me most of the night. Unfortunately, they had theirs in shot glasses and, you guessed it, slammed them!
They both liked it, but when I told them that single malts were really largely wasted when consumed so quickly, they both said that they wished they'd waited since they were immediately regretting the empty glasses.
Chalk it up to experience, and two new Ardbeg 10 fans!

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Yes. I use stones in every glass I drink. Some people say that they don't chill the whiskey as well as ice cubes, and that's probably true, but I won't use anything that waters down a drink, and the stones do the job well enough.

It takes more energy to convert a cube of ice into water than it does to increase the temperature of the stones (which is why they don't cool it as well).

I'll either go neat, a splash of water or a cube of ice depending on the malt and how I'm feeling. Taming it out towards the end isn't always a bad thing

Will likely pick up some whisky stones or river soapstone in the future, but right now spare moneys goes into more whisky!

So, maybe you guys can help me actually.
Years ago, my grandfather owned a company in...Scotland (Maybe it was Ireland? Can't Remember) and it was called "Silver Stag".

I did some research online, but to no avail.
I know my grandfather died, and my grandmother took over, and ended up selling it because it was too overwhelming. She kept the last 7 bottles made for her kids. And 4 have been drunk to this day. (This is all from memory. My mum can clarify)

I know nothing about this, but if anyone has heard of anything? Who knows what happens here. I'll get a few pics of it tomorrow from my Mum and post em up.

What did the company do? Were they a distiller or an independent bottler? There are even some smaller companies which will do independent bottling.

Pictures would be good, but as you've noticed, the stag motif is quite a common one (also used by Glenfiddich) so it could be a hard search!

 

[smperry]

My bottle of Ardbeg was only ~$50 too. It was the first thing I looked up in the Whiskey Bible...not that I was going to stop drinking it if it had a low rating!

 

[Mark Wilson]

Okay. Got some info from my mum. Here's what she said:
"Your Great Grandfather bought the Company, J.C. Buchanan and he found or made the recipe for a whiskey and called it Silver Stag. When the company was sold a provision was that they keep the recipe the same, and when they didn't agree to that the whiskey was never made again."

So, if that helps any of you connoisseurs narrow this down, I'd be appreciative.

 

[smperry]

Very cool, Mark. Hope you can find out more.

 

[SoVeryTired]

This talk of whisky stones is new to me. I've heard both sides of the 'water or no water' argument, with the tour guide at Highland Part suggesting that some of the younger and/or more heavily peated malts can benefit from a few drops of water to open the flavour up.

But chilling a single malt? Blasphemy!

 

[nickbass79]

But chilling a single malt? Blasphemy!

+1. I will chill my bourbon, but never a single malt. I do put a splash of water in the cask strength malts, it takes some of the burn out and opens up the flavors.

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

This talk of whisky stones is new to me. I've heard both sides of the 'water or no water' argument, with the tour guide at Highland Part suggesting that some of the younger and/or more heavily peated malts can benefit from a few drops of water to open the flavour up.

But chilling a single malt? Blasphemy!

You could just think of it as replicating the environment in which the whisky was produced and consumed ;-)

 

[NOLA Bass]

I think I will pour myself a glass tonight. I have a bottle of Glenlivet 12 and Glenfiddich 15. Maybe I'll crack open the 15, I have not opened that one yet.

I really want to try a few new ones as Glenlivet, Glenfiddich and Glenmorange are the extent of what I've tried. Any suggestions on some good next steps to try? There are so many, it is a bit overwhelming on what to try.

 

[Ziltoid]

I think I will pour myself a glass tonight. I have a bottle of Glenlivet 12 and Glenfiddich 15. Maybe I'll crack open the 15, I have not opened that one yet.

I really want to try a few new ones as Glenlivet, Glenfiddich and Glenmorange are the extent of what I've tried. Any suggestions on some good next steps to try? There are so many, it is a bit overwhelming on what to try.

You could take a peak at some Bruichladdich, highland park, auchestauchan or old pulteney. If you like the glenfiddich 15 I don't think you could go wrong. But that's not really my field of knowledge, lacks peat

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

An Island or Islay would be the biggest jump, particularly a heavily peated Laphroaig or Ardbeg for instance. Bruichladdich or Balvenie are other solid bets without the kick of the Laphroaig or Ardbeg.

Something coastal like Old Pulteney is another option.

 

[Ziltoid]

Oh yeah, I forgot the Balvenie, another solid choice.

 

[line6man]

But chilling a single malt? Blasphemy!

That wasn't in a single malt in the picture of the glass and stones I posted.