have we spoke of single malt properly?

[austrotard]

I think I bought the last amber in perth... solely for the purpose of shelving.

in some places shelving means the art of shoving something up your ass.
I didn't do that.

[T.J. Brayshaw]

[austrotard]

I'm pretty sure that's not me.

[markl]

Really enjoying the blended scotches from Compass Box. Delilah's, Oak Cross, Peat Monster and the Great King St blends are all getting good time in my glass. Well worth exploring, and well worth the price. In Canuckistani dollars, less than half the price of Oban and I get to explore some truly different and interesting scotches. It's kinda like starting to get into the blended reds. Not all successes, but totally interesting when it works. Not damn bad. You still want your stand by's - Lagavulin for me - but, these guys are charging up the charts for saving my sanity.
Though out of the UK, the best part for you Yanks, is that their whiskey maker is one of your own.
http://www.compassboxwhisky.com/index.php
Cheers to guys breaking the mold. A great story.

If you're gonna go blend make sure you try Monkey Shoulder.

It's on my list, and Christmas is coming : )

[markl]

Keep in mind that the term "blend" by itself is too vague. Monkey Shoulder (and Peat Monster, I think as well) is a blended malt Scotch whisky, not a blended Scotch whisky. Some of the others from Compass Box are blended Scotch whiskies.

And most of your single malt Scotch whiskies are blends of different whiskies as well. They're just not blended malt Scotch whisky, or blended Scotch whisky.

Understood. But, at the end of the day, it's how it goes down.

[T.J. Brayshaw]

Keep in mind that the term "blend" by itself is too vague. Monkey Shoulder (and Peat Monster, I think as well) is a blended malt Scotch whisky, not a blended Scotch whisky. Some of the others from Compass Box are blended Scotch whiskies.

And most of your single malt Scotch whiskies are blends of different whiskies as well. They're just not blended malt Scotch whisky, or blended Scotch whisky.

Understood. But, at the end of the day, it's how it goes down.

Oh yeah, I'm totally with you on that. I have no prejudice, whatsoever, against any particular kind of whisky. I just think if we're going to get our panties in a bunch over what it should be called a "steelhead" or not, then we might as well do the same for our whisky terms.

[T.J. Brayshaw]

Keep in mind that the term "blend" by itself is too vague. Monkey Shoulder (and Peat Monster, I think as well) is a blended malt Scotch whisky, not a blended Scotch whisky. Some of the others from Compass Box are blended Scotch whiskies.

And most of your single malt Scotch whiskies are blends of different whiskies as well. They're just not blended malt Scotch whisky, or blended Scotch whisky.

You're starting to bore me.

But hey…

Local shop had a tasting event. Below is what I tried. There were 16 I didn't get to try. I'm quite sauced right now. At this point, all I can tell you is that they all tasted like whisky.

Inchgower 2000 13 year old
Glennallachie 14 year old
Dufftown 8 year old
Caol Ila 2006 8 year old V&T exclusive
Benromach Port Cask
Linkwood 1991 20 Year Old Cote Rotie Finish
Old Pulteney 15 year old
Old Pulteney 21 year old
Scapa 2000 10 year old
Benromach 10 year old
Benromach Peat Smoke
Benromach Sassicaia
Tamdhue 8 year old
Secret Stills 15 year old
Brenne French Single Malt

[austrotard]

fucking lightweight.

[Spudnik]

Cause I'm drunk.

[T.J. Brayshaw]

A few I've picked up recently...

I'm a big fan of Highland Park 12 year old. This stuff from an independent bottler was about $32, so I had to buy it. Not quite as beefy as the regular 12 year old, but a good deal.



Not all single malt comes from Scotland...

The Brenne is a French whisky that's unlike any other whisky I've ever had. Really interesting if you're looking for something different.

The Amrut is from India. I've tried a few of their whiskies, and they've all been top shelf.

[austrotard]

Not all single malt comes from Scotland...

here's a trick I want you to do.

take a slug of that indian single and jump off the table placing your heels close to your ass (like you're kneeling).
hold this position and land on your toes.

will it taste different or better?
no.
but it's the closest way I can get you to kick yourself right up the fucking bollocks.


and you can have all the tassie single. yapanese as well... the whole fucking lot of it.
pa-tooey.

[T.J. Brayshaw]

Speaking of Scotland:

Resembling a fierce ancestor of the Loch Ness monster, the first fossil of a shark-like reptile that lived at the same time as the dinosaurs has been found in Scotland.

The fossil of the top-ocean predator that lived 170 million years ago was first discovered lying on a beach on the Isle of Skye in 1959 by an amateur collector – but it has only now been recognised as a new species of ichthyosaur, an extinct group of marine reptiles that dominated the oceans of the Jurassic Period.

Scientists have named it Dearcmhara shawcrossi, after Brian Shawcross, the amateur collector who donated the specimen to Glasgow’s Hunterian Museum, and the Gaelic word for marine lizard, dearcmhara – pronounced “jark vara”.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/scien ... 71248.html

You probably will recall that Isle of Skye is where Talisker fossils are found.