Does Anybody Collect Scotch?

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I have a couple of very fine bottles of just whiskey, but only one real "great" bottle of Scotch. It's a bottle of Chivas Royal Salute, 50 years old. Well, I guess it's 54 years old now; got it in 2003. I can't bring myself to open it. Apparently it was made in monstrously limited production and is worth in the 5 figure neighborhood.
 
very fond of malt whiskey and know many you have in you list. Also like the Islay ones, Laphroig for example, and of the Highland Malts, do you know Highland Park? a fine floral finish!
 
I love scotch. I have friends who have some nice bottles and one that has a great "collection" of them that we sample from time to time. My favorite would be the Lagavullin 16 yr old. It seems it's one of those things you love or hate. With it's taste being compared to iodine, salt, peaty, smokey, seaweedy and medicinal it's no wonder. I have also had the 50 yr old Crown royal and Johnny Walker Blue. These were great but I would rather get 3 or 4 bottles of Lagavullin the spend the money on 1 bottle of the others.

JDP
 
And I would thoroughly agree with you!
Lagavullin has to be one of the most exquisite Islay malts, although I can say that I've tried all the most common ones: Laphroaig 10 yr, 10 yr Cask Strength (59% proof!),15 yrs; Lagavullin 16 yrs; Ardbeg ( can't remember how old, but VERY smoky and peaty and seaweedy!); Bruichladdich, Bunnahaibin, Bowmore 12 and 17 yr (my least favourite - a little too "floral" for my liking), Caol Ila 12 yr - delicious!
I never got to try the 1981 Black Bowmore when I was on the island 6 years ago, because it was priced at $1800. PER SHOT!!!No, I'm not joking - I almost fell off my stool when I saw the price, but the barman assured me there were people who bought the stuff...
 
No, but I should, when I did my family "roots" trip in Scotland I learned they came from the area where they make it - The Whiskey Trail. I'm a wine girl myself.
 
Ok Scotch lovers, I just had my first glass! I bought 3 small bottles that Sainsburys had to try out. All which are distilled and bottled in Scotland. First one I tried was 12 year single malt Highland. Added just a splash of water and its going down nicely!

My good friend from back home has recommended [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Balvenie Single Malt Scotch 10 year. Ive been reading around online about scotch all evening!

Next 2 I have to try are 10 year Islay Malt and 12 year Single Speyside Malt.
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I used to drink Scotch exclusively...Now it's only Kentucky Straight Bourbon!
I still have a couple of bottles of Scotch..not the "top shelf" stuff..A couple of blends. I like it for a change somtimes
 
redkitty said:
Ok Scotch lovers, I just had my first glass! I bought 3 small bottles that Sainsburys had to try out. All which are distilled and bottled in Scotland. First one I tried was 12 year single malt Highland. Added just a splash of water and its going down nicely!

My good friend from back home has recommended [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Balvenie Single Malt Scotch 10 year. Ive been reading around online about scotch all evening!

Next 2 I have to try are 10 year Islay Malt and 12 year Single Speyside Malt.
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Since I don't know which "highland" malt you've been sipping, I can't really comment. However, the Balvenie malts are beautiful - they have a port wood finish, a sherry finish, etc. and they're all delicious!
The Islay malt ( again, I don't know exactly which one it is) should be smoky to the palate, with a hint of the sea. It's a small island on the west coast of Scotland, open to the Atlantic.
The Speyside malt must be smooth, clean and malty. Balvenie is a Speyside malt.
Slaínte!
 
I saw the title of this thread, popped in, and am not at ALL surprised to see our Clive here.;) ;) :) Besides hot and spicy stuff, Whiskey ( with an 'e') is his passion.
Anyone noticed that at all??? lolol:ROFLMAO:
Well, I just wanted to say that I cant ask for any info from Clive or any other expert here. Sad to say, I had an unfortunate experience with whiskey maaaaaany years ago and still suffer. Even a liqueur like Drambuie is untouchable. And fruitcake soaked in the stuff. Hair of the dog is not applicable in my case, Im a lost cause!!

Just as well I love brandy and cognac. :) :)
 
Lynan said:
I saw the title of this thread, popped in, and am not at ALL surprised to see our Clive here.;) ;) :) Besides hot and spicy stuff, Whiskey ( with an 'e') is his passion.
Anyone noticed that at all??? lolol:ROFLMAO:
Well, I just wanted to say that I cant ask for any info from Clive or any other expert here. Sad to say, I had an unfortunate experience with whiskey maaaaaany years ago and still suffer. Even a liqueur like Drambuie is untouchable. And fruitcake soaked in the stuff. Hair of the dog is not applicable in my case, Im a lost cause!!

Just as well I love brandy and cognac. :) :)

Nah, Lyn - Whiskey (with an 'e') is Irish, or American. Whisky is Scotch. No belittling either of the three! Try an Old Bushmills or a Jamesons and you'll soon discover the delicious smoothness the Irish distilleries add. I'm not sure, but I have a feeling that Irish whiskey is distilled 3 times rather than 2.
I can't give you any feedback on American Whiskey, since I've never really tried it.
Bourbon? Now that sounds French to me. What's the difference?

Hot stuff? Gimme a fresh chile pepper and I'm a happy man!!
 
Update: Did not like the Islay, wayyy to smokey for me! (although I did finish the glass!)

Liked the Speyside though, will be getting a bottle of the Balvenie, already found where to order it online!

The blog I read voted Balvenie Best Distillery Tour:
Small and intimate - you see it all on the Balvenie tour. Limited to just a few people - and priced to keep out the tourists, it really is a great tour. You get to see the whole process including a working cooperage. As if that weren't enough, you get a tutored tasting of the entire range. Best of all? No multimedia presentations.



We are going to take a visit to Scotland sometime this year and Id love to visit a distillery. :)

Thank you Clive for the reply!! :)
 
I hear tell

That there's a fella around goes by the handle Bbelly that knows his Scotch, care to weigh in?

Did you try it with that 20year old Rocky Patel?
 
Ok, I just got back from Sainburys and bought my first bottle of Scotch! So exciting! I got the 10 year Balvenie. But my dear friend back home just informed me of proper scotch glasses, which I dont have. Bug.
 
redkitty said:
Ok, I just got back from Sainburys and bought my first bottle of Scotch! So exciting! I got the 10 year Balvenie. But my dear friend back home just informed me of proper scotch glasses, which I dont have. Bug.

Don't let that stop ya Miss Kitty. You can get the glasses later. Just open it up and take a "swig":LOL:
 
Scotch was never one of my favorite liquors. My mom used to drink it (Johnnie Walker) with milk.

Voda was the main thing that I drank.
 
My bf started the Johnny Walker collection and we finished it off with the Blue Label bottle last year.

We are going to be doing a Chivas collection.

I like Johnny Black as a preferred drink.

Bowmores is alright for a smokey variety lol
 
Haha Sydfan, does the name Actionsquid ring a bell? :D

I've gotta say Lagavulin is definitely at the top of my list. I love the thickness and smokiness!

Also, if yer on a budget... I think Grant's is pretty fine for a blended at $14!
 
Dave Hutchins said:
I used to drink and collect single malts till I got disabled and went on ssi
now I am lucky to afford beer (Cheap beer)

Sorry to hear that...

If you ever crave Scotch, well, Grant's is a blended that's actually pretty enjoyable for sipping, I will say. And it's usually $14.

It's no $50 bottle of single malt, granted, but it's not bad at all- actually quite tasty- and it won't break the bank!
 
How did I not find THIS thread earlier?

Anyway, I drink a fair amount of Scotch, but I've only recently gotten into "collecting" it.

A good friend of mine's family owns and operates the Aberlour Distillery (Yes, one and only). He gets a couple of cases of "family reserve" every year, which is a 50 year old Single Malt that they distribute in unmarked bottles. I get a bottle a year from him and it's just bewitching stuff.

I've got a current bottle open and then another one I got in 2004 that's still sealed (so, I surmise, bottled in '54). I'll be sharing that with my kids 25 or so years from now, methinks.

My favorite "every day" Scotches are Talisker and Oban, although I go through a bottle of Glenlivet 18 every 3-4 months as well.


EDIT: I saw on the first page someone mentioned that they'd had a tough time finding Talisker. It may just be a regional thing, but it's on the bar menu of most nice restaurants in DC and it's available in nearly all decent liquor stores here. When I can't get it in restaurants I tend to order Glenlivet 12 or something more widely available, but most places have my Talisker.
 
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