34 votes

Does anyone here enjoy a whisk(e)y ?

A little background:
I’m an Irish man who lived in Scotland for a long time and developed a penchant for good Scottish whisky.

I’ve since moved back to Ireland and am on a quest to find good Irish whiskey.

I’ve been looking for double distilled, single pot (or single malt) and have found a couple of nice ones, though this is somewhat counter to the Irish market which favours triple distilled and has (imo) a narrower taste profile, especially when compared to scotch.

Currently drinking: Shortcross rye and barley

Its really pleasant and quite different to the traditional Jameson/bush. There’s a bit of depth to it, some spice from the rye and a lovely classic malty finish.

Any other whisky enjoyers out there ?

28 comments

  1. [8]
    aphoenix
    Link
    I enjoy good scotch or rye, and have also enjoyed Irish whiskey and some bourbons. I'm in Canada, so we don't get the cream of the Irish crop over here; I keep it simple with Jameson's Black...

    I enjoy good scotch or rye, and have also enjoyed Irish whiskey and some bourbons. I'm in Canada, so we don't get the cream of the Irish crop over here; I keep it simple with Jameson's Black Barrel. Red Breast Single Pot is also great.

    My current scotch of choice is Lagavullin 16, though I also enjoy a nice smokey Talisker that my wife brought back for me from Scotland a while ago.

    My current favourite Rye is Dillon's small batch rye. It's a very nice, smooth rye, and Dillon's is full of good people. I've done the distillery tour there, and they also make great gin and gin based cocktails.

    7 votes
    1. [3]
      Roobxyz
      Link Parent
      Black barrel is a good shout, as is Lagavulin 16. Lagavulin released a (limited edition) nick offerman edition, finished in Guinness casks. My pal got me a bottle (it was retailing for a...

      Black barrel is a good shout, as is Lagavulin 16. Lagavulin released a (limited edition) nick offerman edition, finished in Guinness casks. My pal got me a bottle (it was retailing for a reasonable price at the time) and a few of us nearly finished it in one night! It was one of the best whiskies I’ve ever tasted though.

      3 votes
      1. [2]
        aphoenix
        Link Parent
        I realized I didn't speak about boubon at all. I have purchased what is probably the last bottle of bourbon I'll ever have, and that's a Weller Special Reserve, on the recommendation of...

        I realized I didn't speak about boubon at all. I have purchased what is probably the last bottle of bourbon I'll ever have, and that's a Weller Special Reserve, on the recommendation of @AugustusFerdinand. It is probably the best bourbon I've ever had, and I have enjoyed it quite a bit.

        2 votes
        1. AugustusFerdinand
          Link Parent
          Glad you like it! Is it the last bourbon you'll ever have in the sense that you'll never need to buy anything different, you're quitting drinking, or because the fascist-in-chief has ruined your...

          Glad you like it!
          Is it the last bourbon you'll ever have in the sense that you'll never need to buy anything different, you're quitting drinking, or because the fascist-in-chief has ruined your great Canadian tastes for products south of the 45th parallel?

          1 vote
    2. [3]
      countchocula
      Link Parent
      I always enjoy discovering canadian spirits and it just so happens that Dillon's is sold at the bcl nearby so ill pick up a bottle this week. Thanks for the rec!

      I always enjoy discovering canadian spirits and it just so happens that Dillon's is sold at the bcl nearby so ill pick up a bottle this week. Thanks for the rec!

      1 vote
      1. [2]
        aphoenix
        Link Parent
        Fun Dillon's fact: during the height of the pandemic, they switched from distilling spirits to creating hand sanitizer, at a huge loss, and while doing so, they put out a promotion to purchase...

        Fun Dillon's fact: during the height of the pandemic, they switched from distilling spirits to creating hand sanitizer, at a huge loss, and while doing so, they put out a promotion to purchase gift cards for later use. We bought a distillery tour at that time, and held onto it until last summer when we used it, and we really enjoyed the facilities, the people, and the whole vibe.

        If you can get their cocktails I definitely recommend doing so. They're pretty great.

        2 votes
        1. countchocula
          Link Parent
          I was surprised to find they did actually carry the cocktails even though theyre not listed on the site. So i grabbed some of the espresso martinis since the lady is into those and i could pretend...

          I was surprised to find they did actually carry the cocktails even though theyre not listed on the site. So i grabbed some of the espresso martinis since the lady is into those and i could pretend it was for her ;)

          I tried the a small glass of the rye and was surprised by how smooth it was. Thats a whiskey i can sip all night.

    3. dsh
      Link Parent
      I'm not a whiskey guy, but I am a Gin drinker and can attest to how good Dillon's is - always have a bottle at home.

      I'm not a whiskey guy, but I am a Gin drinker and can attest to how good Dillon's is - always have a bottle at home.

      1 vote
  2. tomorrow-never-knows
    Link
    I'll throw in another vote for Redbreast 12yo. It's risen significantly in price in recent years but still reasonable enough, given the quality, to remain a fixture in the cabinet. Some nice...

    I'll throw in another vote for Redbreast 12yo. It's risen significantly in price in recent years but still reasonable enough, given the quality, to remain a fixture in the cabinet. Some nice alternatives in Irish single pots are Green Spot and Yellow Spot, both lovely and lively without any harshness.

    I'm not very well-versed on the Scotch end of things, though I typically turn to a Glenfiddich 12 when the mood strikes, but a nice related avenue that I've been exploring is Japanese whiskeys which are very much in the Scotch tradition. It's up on the 'special occasions' shelf but I've a bottle of Suntory Hibiki that is a beautiful blend.

    Sláinte!

    6 votes
  3. [3]
    Shevanel
    Link
    I’m a big fan of Redbreast 12 Year. It’s a single pot still and manages to provide some nice complexity while still maintaining the well-rounded profile I’ve come to appreciate in Irish offerings....

    I’m a big fan of Redbreast 12 Year. It’s a single pot still and manages to provide some nice complexity while still maintaining the well-rounded profile I’ve come to appreciate in Irish offerings.

    That said, I’m also providing this parent comment as an outlet for folks who may prefer offerings from across the pond—I’m a pretty big bourbon hound and would love to talk shop about American (or American-styled) whiskey and rye offerings!

    5 votes
    1. Tannhauser
      Link Parent
      For a mid priced bourbon (like $60/bottle), I really like the Henry McKenna 10 BiB (or at least the bottles I've tried, I hear there's some variance between barrels). I would also say the RB 12...

      For a mid priced bourbon (like $60/bottle), I really like the Henry McKenna 10 BiB (or at least the bottles I've tried, I hear there's some variance between barrels).

      I would also say the RB 12 cask strength is excellent for its price. (And the 27 is phenomenal when I was able to try a sample)

      1 vote
    2. cdb
      Link Parent
      I enjoy Redbreast pretty often. It's nice when Costco has it in stock. I tasted the Redbreast 12 and 15 side by side and actually preferred the 12. I think the 15 is more refined and balanced, but...

      I enjoy Redbreast pretty often. It's nice when Costco has it in stock.

      I tasted the Redbreast 12 and 15 side by side and actually preferred the 12. I think the 15 is more refined and balanced, but also somehow more boring. I guess it saves me some money since I don't feel the need to go for the more expensive bottle.

      1 vote
  4. V17
    Link
    I love smoky peaty whiskies. I grew up thinking I didn't like whisky because I only ever tasted the most common mainstream stuff like Jameson (least bad but still not great), Tullamore Dew, Johnny...

    I love smoky peaty whiskies. I grew up thinking I didn't like whisky because I only ever tasted the most common mainstream stuff like Jameson (least bad but still not great), Tullamore Dew, Johnny Walker Red or Jack Daniels. Thought it was decent with a coke but that's it. I still dislike most cheap blended whiskies with the exception of Grant's, which I think is surprisingly good for the price.

    Then a few years later in a café/bar I randomly decided to order a glass of Laphroaig 10 and immediately fell in love just from the smell. A completely different world. And I just recently got back into it after not drinking at all for a few years so I do have a few discoveries that were new to me, though perhaps well known to real enthusiasts.

    I still really like L. 10 and even prefer it to other classics like Lagavulin 16 or Talisker 10, although it is certainly made worse by watering it down to 40%. I love Laphroaig An Cuan Mor, which is kind of like a stronger spinoff, and I bet the cask strength is great as well, but both are too expensive and not really worth it these days. Just like Lagavulin. And Ardbeg is supposedly not nearly as good as it used to be either.

    Of the slightly less known stuff I'm a fan of As We Get It, independent cask strength bottling of anonymous distilleries - they buy quality whisky that doesn't really fit a distilery's profile and sell it as is. They do two editions: Highland and Islay. I've tasted three or four different bottles of Islay and while one was noticably better than others, all were great. Obviously very young, carrying a hint of the new make taste, but good quality and interesting. I thought the Highland edition was slightly less interesting, but that may just be my preference.

    No idea how well known Ledaig 10 is, but I recommend it to everyone who likes smoke and wants to try something different from known Islay distilleries, it's also one of my favorites. In a local whisky bar it used to be the second most ordered drink after Laphroaig 10 for a while.

    I'm also a fan of Glen Scotia 15, which is more expensive than it used to be, but it's one of the few non-peated whiskies that I really enjoy. Next from the non-peated category I recently (slightly less) enjoyed Inchgower 14, which is sadly not InchGrower and does not make your dick bigger, but it still tastes good.

    Another recent discovery was AnCnoc, which makes a couple excellent whiskies for a very good price. Supposedly the 12 yo is excellent (I only gave it as a gift to a friend, but he was very happy), non-peated, and the Sherry Cask Finish Peated is really great as a cheapish "everyday" drink as well, not too peaty (and I usually don't enjoy sherry cask).

    5 votes
  5. WeAreWaves
    Link
    I live in Scotland and have really come to enjoy a good peated whiskey. I recently picked up a bottle of Kilchoman that’s delicious. My wife tends toward non-peated whiskeys that have spent some...

    I live in Scotland and have really come to enjoy a good peated whiskey. I recently picked up a bottle of Kilchoman that’s delicious. My wife tends toward non-peated whiskeys that have spent some time in sherry casks. I like those too from time to time but for me it’s the earthy smokiness that I’m drawn toward.

    As for Irish whiskeys, a friend of ours in Dublin gave us a bottle of Yellow Spot that was fantastic. Other than that, I can’t say I have much experience with them.

    3 votes
  6. [2]
    Promonk
    Link
    I used to enjoy whiskey quite a bit, though I rarely invested in the better class of spirits. That's partly due to how liquor is regulated in my state, and partly due to how I approached drinking....

    I used to enjoy whiskey quite a bit, though I rarely invested in the better class of spirits. That's partly due to how liquor is regulated in my state, and partly due to how I approached drinking. I was almost always out to get pissed rather than to enjoy one of life's little fineries. It's not really worth spending $100+ on 750ml of a nice scotch if all you're really looking to get out of it is shitfaced.

    I did get pretty adept at finding whiskeys that punched above their price class, but I don't think those are really the kinds of tipples you're interested in. I doubt you're looking for recommendations on $20 bottles that can beat $40 bottles in blind taste tests, but if you're looking for nicer swill, I'll send along my suggestions.

    I share your assessment that Irish whiskeys tend toward the monotone, though that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's usually a pretty damn nice monotone, and besides, I think some liquors are just a little too complex. A lot of scotch falls into that group for me, and it's why I never got into gin beyond the occasional Rickey. I think three, possibly four notes is all I can jive with when it comes to spirits.

    3 votes
    1. V17
      Link Parent
      Do share. It's nice when one just wants to bring an okay bottle to a party. My vote normally goes to Grant's. According to some awards Queen Margot 5 is really well done, but I haven't had the...

      I doubt you're looking for recommendations on $20 bottles that can beat $40 bottles in blind taste tests, but if you're looking for nicer swill, I'll send along my suggestions.

      Do share. It's nice when one just wants to bring an okay bottle to a party. My vote normally goes to Grant's. According to some awards Queen Margot 5 is really well done, but I haven't had the opportunity to try it.

      3 votes
  7. cdb
    Link
    I like whisky enough that I went on a distillery tour of Islay this year. We visited Bunnahabhain, Bruichladdich, Kilchoman, Bowmore, Laphroaig, and Lagavulin (Ardbeg was closed). Bruichladdich...

    I like whisky enough that I went on a distillery tour of Islay this year. We visited Bunnahabhain, Bruichladdich, Kilchoman, Bowmore, Laphroaig, and Lagavulin (Ardbeg was closed). Bruichladdich was my favorite. I'm a fan of heavily peated whiskies, so the single cask Octomore I tasted was my favorite. I'd love to drink more of the stuff, as they have ~3 versions each year, but at $200-300 a bottle it's a pretty big investment in something with steeply diminishing returns on price like whisky. The Port Charlotte 10 and Ardbeg Uigeadail are still pricey but slightly more affordable alternatives that I can have more often. Another whisky I liked recently was Benromach 10, which is a lightly peated speyside whisky aged in bourbon and sherry barrels.

    3 votes
  8. [3]
    Zorind
    Link
    I do like Whiskey, but I’m in the US, so no real recs I can give. I’m also don’t buy anything too expensive (at least, not yet), and still have a bunch of Bulleit Bourbon leftover from my wedding,...

    I do like Whiskey, but I’m in the US, so no real recs I can give.

    I’m also don’t buy anything too expensive (at least, not yet), and still have a bunch of Bulleit Bourbon leftover from my wedding, so that tends to be my current drink of choice. I think I like Ryes more than bourbons, but Bulleit is a rye-heavy bourbon and I like it decently enough.

    I’ve been making “Sazeracs” with it recently, and they’ve turned out pretty decent.

    I have had an American Single Malt Whiskey from Stranahan’s in Colorado that was pretty good (100% barley mashbill, they claimed it’s similar to a Scotch but I certainly couldn’t tell you).

    3 votes
    1. snake_case
      Link Parent
      In the US and prefer bourbon, bulleit is also my drink of choice. Ive had more expensive bourbons and I guess I’m just not cultured or something but I really cant taste much difference. Bulleit is...

      In the US and prefer bourbon, bulleit is also my drink of choice.

      Ive had more expensive bourbons and I guess I’m just not cultured or something but I really cant taste much difference. Bulleit is already sippable straight.

      2 votes
    2. PnkNBlck71817
      Link Parent
      I'm US based as well and also enjoy Bourbon. It started with a dram of 1972 in 2018 and has ballooned from there. Bulleit is a staple in our house, especially for mixed drinks. I enjoy both the...

      I'm US based as well and also enjoy Bourbon. It started with a dram of 1972 in 2018 and has ballooned from there. Bulleit is a staple in our house, especially for mixed drinks. I enjoy both the Bourbon and rye. If you're out and looking for something new to try, I really like Pikesville and New Riff for ryes (New Riff's Bourbon is also good and kind of on the rye side IMO).

      1 vote
  9. knocklessmonster
    Link
    I'm probably not as well-versed but have a broad appreciation of whiskeys. I've been really into white whiskeys (aka Moonshine) after my brother went to Tennesee last year. There's something about...

    I'm probably not as well-versed but have a broad appreciation of whiskeys.

    I've been really into white whiskeys (aka Moonshine) after my brother went to Tennesee last year. There's something about a good one that has this sort of corn flavor, smoothness, and sweetness to it. I can't find anything that compares to the stuff he brought from TN, but Sugarlands' Backpacker is pretty close. Hudson Whiskey, out of New York, has a pretty good one, but Backpacker has more of what I like (corn), and less of what I don't. A side note to Mellow Corn, which is an interesting barrel-aged, but still corny moonshiney whiskey.

    Otherwise I'm often in bourbon and rye. I think Sazerac Rye is one of the best in the segment, but there's plenty of great Bottled in Bond (legal classification requiring 50% standard), like Rittenhouse that has a nice flavor profile. Evan Williams has a surprisingly nice bonded rye as well.

    I've been into Uncle Nearest for bourbon. Basically this distilliery is run by the descendants of Earnest "Nearest" Green, one of the original master distillers of Jack Daniels. Their whiskey is a bit smoother, more barrelly (sweet, vanilla, oaky notes), less harsh burn that Jack. I would recommend Nearest Green as a comparison to the standard Jack Daniels for a comparison. 1884 was the first I tried and was an improvement, but not quite twice the improvement for the price.

    For scotch I like Islay but am not particularly versed. I prefer the nasal peatiness of Islays (like Lagavulin 16, but 8 is also pretty nice), or the Johnnie Walker blends (Green and Double Black for me, blue doesn't offer as much for the price point, IMO). I haven't explored much in the highland scotches, but definitely intend to.

    1 vote
  10. [2]
    TaylorSwiftsPickles
    Link
    Honestly, absolutely not me. Even in the times of my life where I was into drinking (now I'm a teetotaller), whiskey was the one alcoholic beverage I always legitimately could not get myself to...

    Honestly, absolutely not me. Even in the times of my life where I was into drinking (now I'm a teetotaller), whiskey was the one alcoholic beverage I always legitimately could not get myself to enjoy.

    I'm genetically predisposed to find lots of normal things bitter, and I'm also oversensitive to bitterness. And no matter how many I've tried (and, no, I don't remember which or how many) I genuinely could not enjoy it. Even if I diluted it with a sweet substance like Green Cola (pls don't kill me) it was still way too bitter for me.

    1 vote
    1. Protected
      Link Parent
      I could never stand the flavor of the stuff either. No disrespect meant to those who love it. I'll drink some other alcoholic beverages socially on rare occasions, but never whisky.

      I could never stand the flavor of the stuff either. No disrespect meant to those who love it. I'll drink some other alcoholic beverages socially on rare occasions, but never whisky.

      1 vote
  11. fifthecho
    Link
    You’re Irish? You have/had one of the best whisk(e)y bars in the world in Dublin! The first time I went it was called Dingle Bar, then Distilled. Looks like it may be named Harty’s Bar or sadly be...

    You’re Irish? You have/had one of the best whisk(e)y bars in the world in Dublin!

    The first time I went it was called Dingle Bar, then Distilled. Looks like it may be named Harty’s Bar or sadly be out of business.

    From my trips to Dublin I learned about Teelings which have some lovely whiskies that may be smoked or smooth. Last time I learned about Glendalough who make AMAZING whiskies and have become my go-to in the US when I can find it.

    1 vote
  12. Bullmaestro
    (edited )
    Link
    Aside from Jameson, the only other Irish whiskey brand I've tried is Perase. I went to Dublin for my birthday four years ago and visited the Guinness Storehouse and Pearse Lyons Distillery. We...

    I’ve since moved back to Ireland and am on a quest to find good Irish whiskey.

    Aside from Jameson, the only other Irish whiskey brand I've tried is Perase. I went to Dublin for my birthday four years ago and visited the Guinness Storehouse and Pearse Lyons Distillery. We originally planned to tour the Jameson distillery but they were heavily overbooked.

    It was a really nice tour where they went through the history of the church it was built upon, and talked about how they restored the nearby graveyard and converted the building into a distillery.

    My only regret was that we went to Dublin while COVID restrictions were in place. There was an 11pm curfew in place on all bars, you had to show proof that you were vaccinated to enter most places, and the whole tourist experience felt pretty watered-down. Had we gone just two months later after we saw just how mild the Omicron variant was, none of this would have been in place.

    You can buy 700ml bottles of Pearse Original from €50 - €85 directly on their website, depending on if you want whiskey that's been aged in a barrel for 5, 7 or 12 years..

    I'm not much of a whiskey drinker but I do recommend Pearse.

  13. myrrh
    (edited )
    Link
    ...we've a couple hundred single malts in our collection, mostly scotch + about a shelf of world whiskies, acquired a few bottles per year over the past couple of decades... ...almost anything...

    ...we've a couple hundred single malts in our collection, mostly scotch + about a shelf of world whiskies, acquired a few bottles per year over the past couple of decades...

    ...almost anything over 62% ABV gets my attention: i've yet to meet an unadultrated single-cask cask-strength sipping whisky which i couldn't learn to appreciate, so independent bottlings get very high marks from me in general...

    ...that said, most of our collection are mass-market single malts; i recommend any of the springbank campbeltons for a reasonably easy-to-find quality scotch (hazelburn/triple-distilled, springbank/two-and-a-half-distilled, longrow/peated), but amrut's indian cask-strength malts i think might be the deal going these days...

    ...i've yet to find an irish malt which i've fallen in love with; i've had a few but the regional style tends to thin whiskies out of the market, and i say that despite appreciating english-style lowland malts...my current favorite is probably teeling's single cask, which is a perfectly respectable whiskey but doesn't sit particularly high on our shelves...

  14. Asinine
    Link
    I've had a few, and had the opportunity to visit Ireland and visit some of the larger offerings, but personally Fercullen's (at Powerscourt) options were some of my favorite. We're also able to...

    I've had a few, and had the opportunity to visit Ireland and visit some of the larger offerings, but personally Fercullen's (at Powerscourt) options were some of my favorite. We're also able to get a 12 year here in New England, though if I were to buy a case, I could save money by flying back and getting them in person. I believe Bushmills had some good options as well (sorry, I am not generally into whiskey enough to remember which types or cask styles, etc).

    Other than that, I don't care for the peaty sorts, and sadly on my visit to Scotland in July, our bungalow in Speyside (where we had three whisky tours lined up) was flooded out. Since I was leaving the next day we had to stay about an hour away, which made the easy ride back for the night no longer doable.

  15. nrktkt
    Link
    Killowen is incredible, particularly the experimental series doing some interesting things and succeeding at it. I've heard it's harder to find domestically than in the US though.

    Killowen is incredible, particularly the experimental series doing some interesting things and succeeding at it. I've heard it's harder to find domestically than in the US though.