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Post by beccabear67 on Jun 6, 2020 19:44:15 GMT -5
I got really ill on Southern Comfort once, that kind of cured me of throwing caution to the wind as far as alcohol is concerned. I don't know how Janis Joplin ever managed to go through a full bottle in a night. Nowadays some pills I am on mean I have to be even more careful, I can't seem to enjoy the zinfandel like I once could, but beer which I was never too crazy about agrees with me, so it's that, hard cider, or nothing. I usually choose nothing.
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Post by Batflunkie on Jun 6, 2020 20:08:07 GMT -5
I got really ill on Southern Comfort once, that kind of cured me of throwing caution to the wind as far as alcohol is concerned. I don't know how Janis Joplin ever managed to go through a full bottle in a night. Nowadays some pills I am on mean I have to be even more careful, I can't seem to enjoy the zinfandel like I once could, but beer which I was never too crazy about agrees with me, so it's that, hard cider, or nothing. I usually choose nothing. I'm not big into booze, never really cared much for the flavor. If I do drink, which is incredibly rare, I tend to go for something fruity
For the most part, I just stick to soda with lots of caffeine like Pepsi Zero Sugar/Max or Mountain Dew
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Jun 6, 2020 23:03:11 GMT -5
My sister is turning me into a binge drinker. Many people go through periods where they overdo it. Just be careful, man. I've been drinking like it's Christmas since lockdown began back in March. I went two consecutive days without a drink this week and that's my longest "dry" period in about 10 weeks. Not that I've necessarily been hammered every night during lockdown (although sometimes I definitely have), but I've had at least a couple of beers or a gin & tonic almost every day since early March. If the virus don't get me, the alcohol will.
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Post by tartanphantom on Jun 7, 2020 0:23:08 GMT -5
OK, so now we're talking adult beverages. While generally don't drink on a daily basis, I probably average 3-4 drinks a week-- beer, rum, absinthe, occasional wine, but my Achilles' heel is whisky-- mainly single malt scotch. I also enjoy bourbon, Irish whisky and home-made small batch moonshine as well. I don't go out of my way to "advocate" alcohol, nor do I admonish teetotalers-- I think it's a personal choice, some people enjoy it, some people abuse it, and some people live happy lives completely without it. In this realm, I also happen to be a collector. It's been a passion of mine since around 1993. However, we are often talking some very expensive whiskies, so it's not like I go through a bottle a week or anything like that. These are better described as "sipping whiskies" . I've had several people in the scotch whisky field ask me to write a book (or even just a blog) on the subject of scotch, but I tell them there's several books and blogs out there already, and aside from personal opinion, there's not much else I can offer. Mrs. Phantom (who also appreciates scotch) laughs every time we go to the liquor store, because she says that almost every time I end up "holding court" in the whisky section with other store patrons. Hey, people just ask me for recommendations, what else can I say?
To give you an idea, here's a photo of "scotch cabinet #1", with the contents of "scotch cabinet #2" in front. I have three scotch-dedicated liquor cabinets in all. All other liquor types are kept in a fourth cabinet.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 7, 2020 0:34:46 GMT -5
Best Scotch I ever had was a cask strength single malt my thesis advisor brought home from Edinburgh that he opened so we could toast the completion of my master's thesis.
I rarely drink any more, when I do it's usually Irish Whiskey, single malt Scotch or high end Bourbon. Sometimes a Guinness or other ale or stout only if its on tap though. My thing is, I don't like to drink alone, so unless I am with one of my few drinking buddies, I rarely imbibe, and all my drinking buddies have moved away (or are still back in New England), so I rarely indulge any more.
-M
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Jun 7, 2020 3:00:23 GMT -5
I'm certainly no whiskey or bourbon connoisseur, but I like both a lot. Actually, I'm not sure I can really tell the difference. Bourbon just takes like Scotch whiskey to me. When it comes to whiskey, I generally tend to enjoy the blended malts more than the more expensive single malts. They just seem less "rich" to my palate. Bulleit bourbon is my go to bourbon... And I think my favourite whiskey is probably Canadian Club. I initially sought it out because it's what they all drink on Mad Men, but it soon became my new favourite -- it's just so smooth...
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Post by impulse on Jun 7, 2020 10:54:43 GMT -5
OK, so now we're talking adult beverages. While generally don't drink on a daily basis, I probably average 3-4 drinks a week-- beer, rum, absinthe, occasional wine, but my Achilles' heel is whisky-- mainly single malt scotch. I also enjoy bourbon, Irish whisky and home-made small batch moonshine as well. I don't go out of my way to "advocate" alcohol, nor do I admonish teetotalers-- I think it's a personal choice, some people enjoy it, some people abuse it, and some people live happy lives completely without it. In this realm, I also happen to be a collector. It's been a passion of mine since around 1993. However, we are often talking some very expensive whiskies, so it's not like I go through a bottle a week or anything like that. These are better described as "sipping whiskies" . I've had several people in the scotch whisky field ask me to write a book (or even just a blog) on the subject of scotch, but I tell them there's several books and blogs out there already, and aside from personal opinion, there's not much else I can offer. Mrs. Phantom (who also appreciates scotch) laughs every time we go to the liquor store, because she says that almost every time I end up "holding court" in the whisky section with other store patrons. Hey, people just ask me for recommendations, what else can I say? To give you an idea, here's a photo of "scotch cabinet #1", with the contents of "scotch cabinet #2" in front. I have three scotch-dedicated liquor cabinets in all. All other liquor types are kept in a fourth cabinet. Now THAT is a thing of beauty. Since you mentioned being so into recommendations, might I ask you for some of your favorite single malts? My best bang-for-your-buck without blowing the bank category is the Oban 14 year old single malt. Around $80 a bottle and IMO a lot better than some of the more expensive ones I've tried, but I've barely scratched the surface and would love to hear from a pro. I'm certainly no whiskey or bourbon connoisseur, but I like both a lot. Actually, I'm not sure I can really tell the difference. Bourbon just takes like Scotch whiskey to me. When it comes to whiskey, I generally tend to enjoy the blended malts more than the more expensive single malts. They just seem less "rich" to my palate. Bulleit bourbon is my go to bourbon... Can't go wrong with Bulleit as a go-to Bourbon. I've had better, I've had worse, I've had more expensive and I've (regrettably) had cheaper, but it seems to be a solid good value default. Best I've ever had in my (admittedly limited) bourbon exposure is a store-pick single barrel Eagle Rare bourbon. It was DELICIOUS and what won me over to bourbons from Scotch and Irish whiskey. Well, more like added to the club, not replaced. Sadly, since it was a limited run single barrel pick, I'll never get to have it again. I tried another bottle of Eagle Rare after and it wasn't even close. Oh, my favorite go-to non-bourbon whiskey is Jameson's Caskmates Stout Edition. It's Jameson Irish whiskey aged in stout beer barrels, so has kind of a chocolatey sweetness. We call it liquor candy. It goes down a little too smooth...
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Jun 7, 2020 13:02:06 GMT -5
Oh, my favorite go-to non-bourbon whiskey is Jameson's Caskmates Stout Edition. It's Jameson Irish whiskey aged in stout beer barrels, so has kind of a chocolatey sweetness. We call it liquor candy. It goes down a little too smooth... Mmmm...that sounds right up my street. I love stout: it's my go-to drink in a pint glass (although porter is a good alternative), so a whiskey with "a hint of stout" sounds great. I just looked and it's on special offer on amazon at the moment -- £19.99 tor a 70cl bottle. Now that is tempting. EDIT: Aww hell, I just pulled the trigger and bought myself a bottle. You're a bad influence.
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Post by tartanphantom on Jun 7, 2020 14:12:31 GMT -5
Now THAT is a thing of beauty. Since you mentioned being so into recommendations, might I ask you for some of your favorite single malts? My best bang-for-your-buck without blowing the bank category is the Oban 14 year old single malt. Around $80 a bottle and IMO a lot better than some of the more expensive ones I've tried, but I've barely scratched the surface and would love to hear from a pro. Can't go wrong with Bulleit as a go-to Bourbon. I've had better, I've had worse, I've had more expensive and I've (regrettably) had cheaper, but it seems to be a solid good value default. Best I've ever had in my (admittedly limited) bourbon exposure is a store-pick single barrel Eagle Rare bourbon. It was DELICIOUS and what won me over to bourbons from Scotch and Irish whiskey. Well, more like added to the club, not replaced. Sadly, since it was a limited run single barrel pick, I'll never get to have it again. I tried another bottle of Eagle Rare after and it wasn't even close. Oh, my favorite go-to non-bourbon whiskey is Jameson's Caskmates Stout Edition. It's Jameson Irish whiskey aged in stout beer barrels, so has kind of a chocolatey sweetness. We call it liquor candy. It goes down a little too smooth... When you ask for some of my favorites, I'm going to break it down by price point and regional style. Many people don't understand that all scotch is not created equal. It is a realm as varied in style, taste and price as the world of fine wines. When people ask for recommendations, I usually counter with a few questions regarding their budget, taste profile preferences and sometimes food pairing questions (e.g.- are you buying this with a special meal or event in mind, or are you just looking for a nice evening dram?)
Also, I try to recommend brands that are readily available in their area. I could recommend specific independent bottler offerings like those from Cadenhead's, Gordon & McPhail or the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (of which I am a member), but these are not readily available on most US store shelves. Consequently, I will tend to stick to brands that are available in most mid- to large markets.
Another important point is regional style, because there are people that absolutely love classic Speyside whiskies, but shudder at the thought of drinking a heavily peated Islay whisky. Here again, it is all about taste preferences. I happen to enjoy all styles, but particularly gravitate toward Islay and Campbeltown whiskies. However, I fully realize that many people do not care for these whisky types.
Finally, it's very important to not get "hung up" on age statements. It is largely a marketing tool used to justify higher prices. While it is true that with the majority of whiskies, age often improves the character, this is not an immutable axiom. There are plenty of relatively "young" (8-10 yrs old) malts on the market which are extremely enjoyable and won't break the bank.
So here we go-- If you go back to the picture in my previous post, you'll see quite a few of these in the photo. USA price ranges will obviously vary slightly by location depending on state liquor excise taxes. For the sake of brevity, I'm going to lump Speyside and Highland malts together, as they are similar enough in style that most novice scotch drinkers won't be able to distinguish between the two. Furthermore, the sub-category of island malts (not to be confused with "Islay") is quite varied in style, and tends to bridge the gap between Highland and Islay whiskies in the flavor spectrum.
Less than $50--
Highland/Speyside style: Tomatin 12yr bourbon/sherry cask. Priced in the $40-45 range, this whisky is fairly light in body, but very well-rounded in flavor. Little to no peat smoke. Great as an aperitif or as a "social whisky" with friends. Island malts: Arran Malt 10yr. Priced at $40-50. This whisky is somewhat spicy-sweet on the palate with a touch of peat smoke in the finish. Lowland malts: Auchentoshan American Oak (no age statement). Priced at $40-50. Aged exclusively in ex-bourbon casks, this one is lighter in body (not color) and with a drier finish than the previously mentioned malts. A good summertime malt. Islay malts: Bowmore Small Batch (no age statement). Priced at $40-45. I chose this one because although it is an Islay whisky in the traditional sense, it is not peated as heavily as many other Islay malts. It's a good introduction to the style at a price that won't break you. There's a bit of sea salt on the palate, but it balances well with the oak/mild peat finish. A good springtime after-dinner malt. Campbeltown malts: no recommendation in this price range.
$50-100 range-- Highland/Speyside malts: Aberlour 12yr. Sherry Cask. Priced at $55-65. This is one of my "Go-To" malts of any price range. Rich, full-bodied and complex. No peat smoke here, just lots of sherry character, which puts this in a class with fine cognac in terms of an afternoon/evening relaxation dram. Highly recommended. Island malts: Talisker 10yr. Priced at $70-80. This is classic Talisker, which is to say that it's a total assault on the senses. Talisker is a very assertive whisky-- smoky and peaty but without pungency. It has a lingering spicy, peppery finish. Not for amateurs, but consistently a favorite of aficionados. Lowland malts: Glenkinchie 12yr. Priced at $55-65. No surprises here, just a smooth, light-bodied lowland whisky with plenty of sweet malt notes. Would be a good "bedtime dram" if I were inclined to that sort of thing. Islay malts: Laphroaig Triple Wood. Priced at $70-80. This one is my personal favorite in this price range. The name comes from the fact that the whisky goes through three separate maturations in different casks-- ex-bourbon American oak, ex-sherry European oak, and a final maturation in a smaller European oak "quarter cask". This whisky is so complex that it's hard to describe. The best analogy I can think of is that it starts out as a Speyside on the palate, with plenty of toffee and dried fruit notes and finishes like a traditional Islay, with long assertions of sea air and peat smoke. Like Talisker, there are no "training wheels" for this one, but it's worth the education at this price. I like to think of it as an "Islay malt wolf" in "Speyside sheep's clothing". Campbeltown malts: Hazelburn 10yr. Priced at $75-85. I thought about suggesting Springbank 10yr. here, but since I have already included two full-bodied peated whiskies in this price range, I decided to go with Hazelburn. It is produced by the same Springbank distillery, but it is not peated, and has a very different character from it's parent distillery's classic product. Hazelburn is a real charmer, with lots of vanilla treacle and marzipan notes on the palate. The finish is slightly sweet, medium bodied with a warm lingering note. Very pleasant.
Well, I hope that's enough to get you started. I was going to do $100-200 and $200+ ranges as well, but as usual, if you get me rolling on scotch, it's hard for me to just sit back and shut up. Besides, for most people on this forum, $100-200 equates to a WHOLE BUNCH of comic books, so I doubt that there would be much interest in pursuing those recommendations here.
Apologies in advance for the non-drinkers here, I'm sure you were bored to tears and your eyes glazed over after the first paragraph.
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Post by brutalis on Jun 7, 2020 15:05:51 GMT -5
Thanks for the informative lesson our kilted ghost who malts! I am not a true connoisseur and only dabbled in tasting a touch of the mother's milk. Now you have supplied me enough info to delve into the deeper end of the barrels and possibly hurt myself in the most wonderful way! Not being a real drinker yet enjoying a wee dram or two or three (me dear departed mother's maiden name is McAnally don't ye know) I do know if your going to enjoy, then go for the good stuff which u like.
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Post by beccabear67 on Jun 7, 2020 15:17:31 GMT -5
I like rum and coke, or at yuletide, rum and eggnog, but have used more 'with the band' drinks tickets on plain ginger ales actually.
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Post by tartanphantom on Jun 7, 2020 15:28:50 GMT -5
I like rum and coke, or at yuletide, rum and eggnog, but have used more 'with the band' drinks tickets on plain ginger ales actually. Try rum & ginger ale on ice with a lime twist or a splash of lime juice. Great refreshing summertime cooler.
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Post by berkley on Jun 7, 2020 19:45:57 GMT -5
Many people go through periods where they overdo it. Just be careful, man. I've been drinking like it's Christmas since lockdown began back in March. I went two consecutive days without a drink this week and that's my longest "dry" period in about 10 weeks. Not that I've necessarily been hammered every night during lockdown (although sometimes I definitely have), but I've had at least a couple of beers or a gin & tonic almost every day since early March. If the virus don't get me, the alcohol will. It's like hearing Elvis singing "Why Can't Every Day Be Like Christmas?" and thinking, "Well, why can't it? Let's give it a try!"
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Post by impulse on Jun 7, 2020 20:28:19 GMT -5
EDIT: Aww hell, I just pulled the trigger and bought myself a bottle. You're a bad influence. Good for you! I hope you like it. Lots of wisdom about whiskey Well, thank you for very much! That is an extremely thorough response that will take me some time to digest (ahem). If you feel like sharing, I'd be happy to hear about your higher-end recommendations, as well. I am not quite in the position to buy them now, but I'm far more likely to spend money on whiskey than comics these days when I have any to spare.
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Post by beccabear67 on Jun 8, 2020 16:54:07 GMT -5
This cartoon was published earlier this year, but I just saw it now... sums up our shared experiences at one point, hopefully good for a laff...
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