What's your fav whiskey or bourbon

Highlandsflyer wrote:

No single malt should be drank neat. You need water

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After experimenting, I have found I generally prefer it neat. I expect to not add water is in some way not unlocking the full potential of the flavours and thus detracts from the quaffing experience..and risks being frowned upon by purists!

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/B-40-Ardbeg.aspx - bookmarked this. Thanks. That's my birthday sorted!

highlandsflyer":e0fw7xif said:

No single malt should be drunk neat. You need water.

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Well said sir...I even had an argument with a Scottish person over this!

I do not drink much but prefer big and rich flavours like Dalmore and Longmorn. Jura is brilliant for a lighter style.Not keen on Islay but tolerate a 16yo Bowmore.
Japanese whisky like Hibiki are awesome, I would also recommend Amrut from India.
Woodford Reserve and Wild Turkey are my bourbon favourites but I am not very experienced.

i forgot to mention, i quite like Bushmills....

Jamesons if I'm feeling trashy, Chivas 18 is ok, Sam Barton Canadian if I've got a cold, cheap but not nasty. Tried a lot others, not really fussed on any one in particular, used to be rather fond of Sheep Dip in my early 20s. Never with coke and if with water only half as much water as there is whisky.
We went to a bar in St Lo when we lived in Normandy, the guy was a true whisky/scotch connoisseur, he had over 200 different in the bar including some that he had aged himself, every 8 years he travels to Scotland around the distileries and chooses a few small barrels to bring back, then he 'treats them better than my own children' one that I tasted was honestly like gold on the tongue with heather and honey. We moved soon after that and never went back, the local wine shop round here sell 90 euros bottles of iodine.

Koupe":wtqzn60j said:

My parents have an unopened bottle of Glenfiddich bought in 1985. I've been dropping hints that they should leave it to me in their will. I'm guessing that it'll go down like honey....

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Sadly whisky only improves with age when it's in its cask. Unlike beer and wine, once it's bottled it stays as it was.

Have tried many a single malt but still nowhere near enough to call myself an expert. But I do seem to go back to the same three malts every time when buying for myself. And I'm an Islay man: Talisker, Laphroaig and Caol Ila.

Whyte and Mackay is my favourite of the cheaper whiskys and Paddy for the Irish stuff. Makers Mark if someone was to make me drink a bourbon.

And water vs. neat. - it depends what mood I'm in. As I'm a creature of habit with the whiskys I know well - it's usually neat as I know what to look out for in the flavour. For tasting new one's I'd probably add a little water.

I don't get this drinking neat thing

Water releases the phenolic compounds which greatly improves the flavour of the spirit, plus drinking at a minimum of 40% is asking a hell of a lot from your taste buds and olfactory glands.

PS I have a few bottles of whisky from a private collection that I am selling if anyone is interested and I am not breaking any rules, trouble is P&P adds a fair amount to the overall cost. 70cl £6.95 100cl £8.95
Ex. UK shipping
Bushmills 10yo Malt 100cl £30
Wild Turkey 1855 75cl £45
Glenkinchie 10yo 100cl £35 Old label and discontinued 10yo
Cragganmore 12yo 100cl £35
Balvenie 15yo 100cl £60
Highland Park 12yo 70cl £30 Old label

http://www.whisky-academy.com/nosing_kit/index.htm

The inventor of these kits nose a thing or two. He drives a really nice car too.

And for wine/armagnac/coffee

http://www.lenez.com/

dbmtb":1e7p5uz4 said:

Koupe":1e7p5uz4 said:

My parents have an unopened bottle of Glenfiddich bought in 1985. I've been dropping hints that they should leave it to me in their will. I'm guessing that it'll go down like honey....

Click to expand...

Sadly whisky only improves with age when it's in its cask. Unlike beer and wine, once it's bottled it stays as it was.

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:facepalm: