ShadowsDad
Gem Star
None boring shaver!!
"It's not the bow, it's the Indian"
Posts: 4,534
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Post by ShadowsDad on Mar 21, 2017 14:22:12 GMT -6
OK, so we did a side by each taste test. Relax, we're professionals, just don't try it at your home. Toward the end I knew I needed to take a bit of a break before pouring any more.
It was Ballantines vs White Horse vs Monkey Shoulders vs Teachers. The last 2 are so different from each other and the first 2 that they stand on their own. They are very nice, each in their own right, and I intend to get very close to a few fingers of MS very soon to get to know it better. Yup, very peaty, and the Teachers is very smokey. Of the White Horse vs Ballantines we both prefer the Ballantines. But I have 1.75L of WH to test further. I might change my mind. Understand, I wouldn't turn my nose up at WH if I was offered some. The same goes for Cutty Sark, yet another "loser" (merely in comparison) to the others. They are all quite good and offered any of them I would accept.
The real losers, yet if that was all I was offered I'd take a taste, are John Begg and MacGregor. I just can't bring myself to buy any more JBegg since they changed their blend. MacGregor is also far too tasteless. They simply have no character. I need to compare The Famous Grouse to the line up of winners but from memeory I don't think it will compare. It's not bad, just lacking something. I need to taste it again though. There is another blend of Famous Grouse (black) and I remember that being quite smokey. I know I prefer Teachers over the FG black; it was just too smokey for my taste.
Bird, you did good. Thanks!
In looking at the FG website I see they have a 26 year old scotch, but I'm not spending $300 on a bottle. I'll taste it in my dreams.
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Post by birdlives on Mar 21, 2017 23:25:31 GMT -6
Alright!!! Very happy to hear you two are enjoying yourselves tonight...Whoot! Coolness has been achieved!!! I can think of worse things, than having a litre of White Horse around the house...At least you are always ready for company...and can keep the Teachers and Monkey Shoulders on a higher tier....ha,ha! Although, like you said; you could develop a real affinity for the White Horse...it's a winner aswell. It's not as smooth as the other two though I agree...
You know...I've had the good fortune to have some friends who could afford Scotch 50 years old...and these folks liked Jazz enough, that I've been offered more than one dram of Whisky in the 25, 30 even 50 year old age group...
I don't know,.....Actually I think I can say without fear of recourse....that it's really not aboot the age with Scotch...I was highly disappointed with the older vintages...and actually I'm quite glad I was...I was afraid I would fall in love with a $6,000 bottle of Whisky...lol! Talk about a monkey on your back...whew!
But in all sincerity, the oldest truly GREAT Scotch I've had was probably 18 yrs...and some 15 and 16 yr olds consistantly knock me out....Hey, hey, HEY!....I am talking about Whisky here, you guys arn't right!!!! But I do think for a refreshing dram, Scotch can reach a point of diminishing returns after 18...
Unfortunately, Lagavulin 16 or the Macallen 18 are still out of my price range...but I'm very happy Glenfiddich 15 Solera is so resonable...and Monkey Shoulder is priced nicely...shoot I'm having a wee dram as we speak of Glenlivet 12 and I'm very comfortable with it...Yep I think those 20 years plus bottles really are for show! Definitely not what I would call an enjoyable or refreshing drink....We all dodged a bullet on that one...lol!
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Post by birdlives on Mar 22, 2017 0:12:14 GMT -6
@shadowsdad Hey Brian....I remembered a review of White Horse I read a few years ago before I had checked it out...I thought you would dig this quote: Three Great Blended Scotch Whiskies There are three truly great economy blends that you must become familiar with in this life of yours: (1) Teacher's Highland Cream; (2) Black Bottle; and (3) White Horse. This statement came from Jason's Whisky Reviews...I've always liked reading his reviews and in my limited experience I agree with him almost always... Heres a link to his take on White Horse...After I read the review, I went out and tested it...In those days, Teachers and White Horse became my daily drams...I personally think WH is a well kept secret and a winner for sure....I'll be interested to see how it grows on you... jason-scotchreviews.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-white-horse-blended-scotch.html
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Post by wchnu on Mar 22, 2017 2:16:13 GMT -6
Yeah, It's FUZZY! RM, I'd probably try it. Enablers... My brother accuses me of being a bad influence on him. I freely admit it, what are brothers for? Plus it gives him an excuse and someone to blame, I use him for the same "out". Then you and I must be brothers too, because I blame you all the time for enabling me.....rotflmao! You, Tom, Fuzzy, Alan, all you cats should have burning ears.... When I HAVE to get a hotrodded 1935 you'll feel your enabling ears burning off!!! Ha,ha... I know nothing of what your speaking of. Nope not a thing at all.
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ShadowsDad
Gem Star
None boring shaver!!
"It's not the bow, it's the Indian"
Posts: 4,534
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Post by ShadowsDad on Mar 24, 2017 17:29:25 GMT -6
I got close to some WH late last night and by itself it's quite a nice scotch. It might actually be my new everyday scotch and I was thinking that very thing as I was tasting it all by itself and not comparing it to any other scotch. There is truth in watching a fire, and that's exactly where this came from last night.
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Post by PJGH on Mar 25, 2017 12:01:17 GMT -6
I'm open to suggestions for an "everyday" scotch similar in taste to Chivas and Ballantines. Glenfiddich. NOT Bells.
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ShadowsDad
Gem Star
None boring shaver!!
"It's not the bow, it's the Indian"
Posts: 4,534
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Post by ShadowsDad on Mar 25, 2017 12:48:58 GMT -6
I like Glenfiddich.
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Post by PJGH on Mar 25, 2017 15:17:30 GMT -6
Sorted, then ...
When I do get a bottle in, it's almost always a single malt and it's almost always an Islay. Smoke, for me. Every now and again, I like to bag that impulse buy in the supermarket which is the little trio of 12, 15 & 18 year old miniatures of Glenfiddich. I forget ... but every time, I remind myself it's the simple and straightforward 12 that I enjoy as a simple and straightforward good drink of whisky (no 'e').
Otherwise, Laphroaig ... any year, any vintage. Love it! Little else.
Same with beer, it's Guinness. Little else. Love it!
For "every day", which for me is weekend sipping as I don't drink on a school night, it's Lamb's Navy Rum over ice.
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ShadowsDad
Gem Star
None boring shaver!!
"It's not the bow, it's the Indian"
Posts: 4,534
|
Post by ShadowsDad on Mar 25, 2017 16:31:48 GMT -6
Paul, I wrote that I liked it, not that it was affordable as an "everyday driver". I don't have school nights and I do like my toddy before going to bed. Glenfiddich is a treat as is the frog.
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Post by birdlives on Mar 25, 2017 19:25:01 GMT -6
Paul, I wrote that I liked it, not that it was affordable as an "everyday driver". I don't have school nights and I do like my toddy before going to bed. Glenfiddich is a treat as is the frog. Glenddich Solera 15 is a Special, when the occassion calls for champaign sort of whisky for me too..... And, I'm glad you are continuing tasting the White Horse with an Open Mind, Brian...I really do think White Horse is a very special blend and a very special daily driver....It's very much like Lagavullin, which it has a large dose of...It took me a few times before I realised how Special Lagavullin was too...I wish I could get White Horse here in WA State...After hearing you're sitting on a litre of it, I have developed a hankering...I know after I got used to WH, I couldn't go back to my previous daily sippers...I personally think its on another tier from Ballintine's Finest... Let me know what you think after you get a handle on where it's coming from..
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ShadowsDad
Gem Star
None boring shaver!!
"It's not the bow, it's the Indian"
Posts: 4,534
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Post by ShadowsDad on Mar 25, 2017 22:40:45 GMT -6
correction, 1.75 liters. :-)
It doesn't appear to be a problem getting it. I think I was told that Teachers was the problem scotch. But if I intend to keep it on hand I'll just keep it on open order and keep one on hand ahead.
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Post by birdlives on Mar 25, 2017 23:05:21 GMT -6
correction, 1.75 liters. :-) It doesn't appear to be a problem getting it. I think I was told that Teachers was the problem scotch. But if I intend to keep it on hand I'll just keep it on open order and keep one on hand ahead. I was just told by an old friend, that Teachers was sold....and the new owners are a huge international conglomerate and they have drastically changed the recipe of blends and that now it's a shell of it's old self...He said the new White Horse was definately better.... So there is no way of telling which vintage of Teacher's that you got...But I wouldn't worry about keeping some around in the future...Thats probably why RM is not fond of Teachers...He's probably tried the newer stuff... I wouldn't worry about WH too much...I believe that might be the oldest Scotish blend still in production...}8^)) As far as Famour Grouse goes...I remember it being very grainey...a little like drinking cologne...lol...But the Famous Grouse Malt 12 in the Green bottle was excellent and discontinued...Although I hear there are still alot of bottles of it still on liquor store shelves...But I imagine that situation is changing quickly as folks have already started hoarding! Thats one thing about White Horse...as inexpensive as it is...I don't detect any grainyness....Hard to say that for a whisky near this price point...
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Post by PJGH on Mar 27, 2017 14:26:49 GMT -6
Blimey! That sort of stuff flows like water over here ... it's the single malt you pay a premium for.
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ShadowsDad
Gem Star
None boring shaver!!
"It's not the bow, it's the Indian"
Posts: 4,534
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Post by ShadowsDad on Mar 27, 2017 16:53:35 GMT -6
Shipping Paul, shipping. At least that would be my guess. The single malts are pricier yet.
Alcohol that's made here is fairly inexpensive in comparison; but it isn't scotch.Correction, some of the finer (newer on the scene) potato vodkas can be pricey.
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Post by Alan on Apr 1, 2017 18:45:55 GMT -6
I’m not a very knowledgeable scotch drinker but usually when I drink it out I go for Glenfiddich; tastes good to me and it’s the only name I remember. About 4 years ago I was shopping at Costco and bought a bottle of a scotch called Oban. It cost me $85. For all I know it could be the “Old Urinal” of scotch but it also tasted OK to me.
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