[quote=“Kiwi”]Bourbon producers MUST use new oak barrels. That means an awful lot of used bourbon barrels to get rid of.
Scotch producers can use any barrels to age their product but prefer used oak. First, new oak imparts a strong woody taste that is not wanted in Scotch. A big part of the ‘tannin and vanilla’ profile you get in bourbon comes from new oak. Second, used oak barrels are also cheaper than new ones. The large quantities of used Bourbon barrels with no home make them the cheapest option around. Not only a used Bourbon barrels cheaper than new ones, they are also cheaper than alternatives like Sherry, Port, Rum and other barrels - all of which can keep being reused by their original owners.
Many Scotch purists also like used Bourbon barrels because they influence the final Scotch less than do used port or sherry barrels. Sherry or port barrel finished Scotches tend to be darker, heavier and sweeter, often with a sort of ‘fruitcake’ taste. Bourbon barrel finished Scotches tend to be lighter, with the characteristics of the original spirit shining through more clearly.[/quote]
For Christmas I got a bottle of Aberlour 16-year old single malt, double cask. Double cask means it spent eight years in a bourbon barrel, eight in a sherry cask. Bit dark in color.
No fruitcake at all. Some malted barley in the nose, zero peat on the tongue. I’d certainly buy another, though, with my own money. Unusually sweet for whisky - as Kiwi notes - but there’s a helluva lot of other flavor goin’ on here, too. Complements nicely what I’m just now digging out of the Milka advent calendar the Germans gave me a while back at work.
This is dangerously delicious whiskey. Pot stilled, single malt. Only 40% ABV, and takes no more than a single large drop of water. Wish they’d amp the ABV so it could take a bit more water, and more opening up. I would love to taste a cask strength version.
isle of jura 10yo, dark in color and rich, honeyish but clean and crisp, some peat but much more like a highland malt than an island one. for $700 i think i’m going to be getting a bit more of this. tried the 16yo at the shop, that was a lot peatier. there was a reserve of some kind too but couldn’t really tell after trying the first two.
Forgive me if I don’t have high expectations…[/quote]
Hey Chris,
What are you saying now that this whiskey has come out of the closet (so to speak)?
Also Iv been wanting to buy a bottle of this at TraderJOes. I bought two bottles during Christmas for other people but I have not yet heard the feedback (other then one of the two persons passed away without having sampled the whiskey)
I have not read all the posts here, but I concur with many that I have read.
For a blended Scotch whisky, I prefer Famous Grouse by far over anything else I have ever tasted. I like the varieties of Chivas that I have had, and consider every Johnny Walker variety that I have tasted to be horribly overpriced, with Blue Label being good but nothing special, Black being drinkable but not much more, and Red being undrinkable unless I am already quite drunk.
For single malts, I have only tried maybe 20. My preference so far is for Laphroaig and Talisker, which are both considered peatier than average. I’m not sure if I have tried any Islay malts other than Laphroaig.
For Bourbon, my favorites are Maker’s Mark and Knob Creek, but there are a lot of good (and bad) ones. Of the more easily found brands, Wild Turkey 101, Jim Beam (esp. Black Label) and Weller’s are all decent.
For Tequila, I prefer reposados, with Cazadores being my hands-down favorite and a real bargain. Don Julio is my favorite anejo of the ones I have tried. Any variety of Patron is overpriced for the quality, but at least the more expensive versions are typically pretty drinkable even though they are not a good value. I had some firly cheap (for Patron) blanco/silver that was ghastly. Jose Cuervo 1800 is not too bad, but any of the cheaper tequilas form Cuervo should only be used for mixed drinks–but if you are drinking a margarita made from a mix, it does not really matter what tequila you use since nothing can save it.
I like Irish whiskey but have not tried enough different versions to comment. I don’t care much for Tennessee whiskey like Jack Daniels. It reminds me of bad bourbon. Canadian whiskey seems rather bland, but Crown Royal is reasonably pleasant if nothing special. I’m not a rum drinker, so no opinions there.
Which one has the least odor? I can sneak a pint of Jim Beam into the movies, but I’m afraid other people will smell it. Tequila would be best, but they don’t sell it at the seven.
:roflmao: