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Single Malt Scotch!
- Thread starter tombowlus
- Start date
As soon as I can convert my wife to scotch I would love to do this. I've already got her drinking good beer, so shouldn't be much longer.
This one, if you can find it:
Not filtered, so it's got way more texture but not so good over ice. (But if you're putting ice in single malt you might as well drink the cheap stuff anyway). No added caramel so it's a lot paler and more honest tasting.
Caol Ila doesn't ever have caramel added (as far as I'm aware). Non-chill filtered is still fine with water or ice, it'll just turn cloudy as the esters are still present. Ice and water are perfectly fine with a single malt, helps open up the flavours.
It's definitely a lot paler than the regular 12 year old. As far as I know most (=almost all) whiskies have some amount of caramel added. I assumed that was the reason for the difference, though I could be wrong.
Water yes, ice not really.
With ice, you lower the temperature so a lot of flavor components are lowered in intensity and you lose half of the taste. Sometimes this is a good thing - the reason Budweiser tastes better cold is that it's cheap crap that basically tastes like ass so reducing the flavour is a good thing. But with good Scotch, why remove half of the experience?
(Hey, it's your money and your mouth, so do what you want. I just get mad when bartenders put ice in my Scotch without me asking for it.)
I was pretty taken with the Lagavulin 16 but must admit that there are times when plain old Laphroaig 10 or Ardbeg 10 are the best thing there is, depending on my mood.
Impossible for me to pick an absolute favorite but I might have to say Corryvreckan if price is no issue. But then again, I can't choose and guess I need them all.
- Apr 3, 2003
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- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
+1, but that's just my preference. I still say drink it how you like it. But at least try it neat...
- Apr 3, 2003
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- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
Caol Ila 18 is really quite heavenly, and worth the price if you can find it. The 12 is very much in the same vein, though, and one of the better scotches in its price range, IME/IMHO.
I could be wrong on the Caol Ila but it certainly doesn't look like a typical E150a whisky. I can't compare as I've only seen the picture of the signatory edition, but the standard Caol Ila 12 is far from being a dark whisky, also being very pale.
I'd say it's probably still the majority, but I wouldn't say almost all. If you have a scout online you might be pleasantly by the number of distilleries that don't add caramel colouring.
A lot of the smaller distilleries like Benromach (who also do an interesting all-organic line, organic from field to bottle!) and Benriach go without. Bunnahabhain and Bruichladdich are also going without caramel colouring.
Many of the larger boys go without it too, Highland Park* and Macallan are both caramel free (or at least for the most part, not 100% sure if it carries over all of their own current bottlings).
Many other high end brands avoid it too, like Port Charlotte and Octomore.
*HP, like some of the other distilleries, have used colouring before, but don't add it anymore (the colour is falling out of fashion), so if it's a concern, do a bit of checking on the year of your bottle.
Generally wouldn't hold a Budweiser in the mouth to appreciate the flavours
It'll have a big impact on the nose, the alcohol being less volatile at lower temperature, but I let each sip of whisky sit in my mouth for a good 15-30 seconds (at least).
What I like about adding ice is that the experience changes as you go. Granted, they'll open up anyway over time, but you start off essentially neat and slowly dilute it a bit, akin to adding a little spot of water between each sip
I will agree that they shouldn't be doing anything to your drink without asking, thankfully something that rarely seems to happen here!
Will have to try some.
It's one that was A) generally out of my price range and B) quite hard to find (a lot of shopts, even online suppliers, always seem to be out of stock)
There's a few bottles of the Glenfiddich Distillery Edition 15 in the shop near me, unfiltered and cask strength. The regular 15 is still a favourite of mine, so nice and fruity, great in the summer or on christmas day!
I go with Glenmorangie 10 or Glenfiddich 12. But that's based on what I have in my cupboard.
Mine's interested enough to enjoy distillery tours but not interested enough to have more than a small sip. Perfect for me - double free measures and a designated driver.
This Islay trip is already developing in my mind - visit every distillery, get a bottle from each.
You could probably manage that in a day
There generally isn't a huge difference in price between the Glenfiddich 12 and 15, if you haven't tried it, the 15 is a massive improvement over the 12 (IMO) !
You could probably manage that in a day
Manage - yes. Remember - probably not!
I've tasted the 15 and enjoyed it. I quite like the 12 as something completely different to my usual tastes - it's light and almost fruity (a hint of pear, I reckon). A good aperitif.
I think there is some colouring in Caol Ila 12, but not a whole lot. It's definitely lighter in colour than most single malts. One of my go-to whiskies. Can't get it here so I always buy a bottle when I go to the US.
All in all, if I was told I could only ever drink one whisky for the rest of my days, it would be Lagavulin 16.
All in all, if I was told I could only ever drink one whisky for the rest of my days, it would be Lagavulin 16.
- Apr 3, 2003
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- Disclosures
- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
Good suggestions. Balvennie Double Wood is my go-to "intro" scotch, though the Glenmorangie Nectar D'Or which I recently picked up would do the trick nicely, as well. Same for Oban 14.
- Apr 3, 2003
- 35,515
- 19,943
- Disclosures
- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
