Whiskey Review and Recommendation Thread

[scotchnrocks]

I got my 12 year Balvenie for ~34 cash. It is a good drink, not too much difference from the Glenlivet but I'm not too selective about these things.

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Balvenie 12yo DoubleWood

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Sold out when I went because they'd just had a tasting. That did mean I got to have a taste from the open bottle though. It was nice, light, and very forthright. It wasn't quite as complex as I'd expected for something called "double wood", but it definitely has a nice balance. I think I'll buy a bottle unless I can find and taste the 21yo portwood around town.

Thanks for the recommendation. Even my girlfriend said that she'd never understood the appeal of scotch before tasting this one.

[troymclur]

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troy,

I haven't had the Michael Collins. Do you know if your friends had the blend or the single malt?

Looks like the blend is around $25-30, so it is probably comparable to stuff like Bushmill's or Jameson.

One of the ones I have listed in my OP (murray mcdavid cooley 12) is from the same distillery and is excellent. I'll give that another taste and write up a full review.

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Sorry it took so long to get back to you. He had the single malt

[El Diablo]

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"It wasn't quite as complex as I'd expected for something called "double wood""

Most double woods or "finished" scotches aren't necessarily any more complex, that more often comes from longer aging. It usually means that the scotch is going to be a little easier to drink because it is finished in a barrel that will impart a little bit of a sweet flavor to the scotch. Sort of the opposite of a really peaty or an intense cask strength scotch. As you noticed, it will often feel more "balanced" than other scotches, especially to newer scotch drinkers. It's less common than what I just described, but there are some double woods that are just different types of barrels w/out any sweet flavor, which gives the added complexity without the sweetness.

[Entity]

Thanks for the thread recommendations. I'm just getting into Scotch lately. While I've generally been a big fan of peatier scotches, like Laphroaig, I picked up a bottle of Dalwhinnie 15yr the other day (our liquor store has pretty limited selection) and it's quite impressive.

Over the course of the year I'll definitely be ordering from Klwines at least a few times.

Thanks again for the recommendations and the thread. I definitely have to recommend the Dalwhinnie 15yr. Very smooth, with a vaguely honeylike aftertaste. Good stuff.

Rob

[MrWookie]

El D,

As you may have seen, some of us over in the Lounge (as you've likely seen) have recently become enamored with the Dalmore Cigar Malt and Bowmore Darkest Sherry Casked. I didn't see these on your list, but if you've tried them, I'd be curious for your opinion.

If El D doesn't have anything to add, you can check out some more full reviews in the thread I linked, but I think that both of those Scotches are great ones to pick up for the price. The Balvanie 12 may still be a better introductory Scotch, but these two are great ones to try next if you want to explore a little more of the wide world of single malts w/o breaking the bank.

[Entity]

It appears that Bevmo won't ship liquor to Washington State. Dunno why. Klwines doesn't stock Dalmore. Anyone have any other suggestion for mail-order liquor stores? I'll be getting a bottle of the doublewood and one of the Dalmore Cigar Malt for sure. I'm pretty sure that these places can ship liquor to Washington State residents, but I'm not 100% positive (klwines lists Washington State as a place that they will ship to, FWIW).

Rob

[MrMon]

I'm going to take a wild guess and say that you may be able to ship wine to Washington state, but not liquor. Since Washington seems to have state stores, you're pretty stuck. However, they have a pretty cool website and you can find anything on it as well as which stores in the state have things, as well as how much they have in stock. The do have the Dalmore Cigar and Balvenie Doublewood listed, BTW.

Washington State Liquor Control Board Search Page

[Entity]

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I'm going to take a wild guess and say that you may be able to ship wine to Washington state, but not liquor. Since Washington seems to have state stores, you're pretty stuck. However, they have a pretty cool website and you can find anything on it as well as which stores in the state have things, as well as how much they have in stock. The do have the Dalmore Cigar and Balvenie Doublewood listed, BTW.

Washington State Liquor Control Board Search Page

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Wow, that's pretty impressive. Thanks.

[PITTM]

el d,

possibility of a similar vodka review thread? i just do not like whiskey at all but am a big vodka fan(maybe because my whole family is polish?). ive had black label and some better ones and i just feel like im drinking charcoal or something.

rj