[acidbasement]

Well, this is exciting. The very fellow who founded Isle of Arran has set up the first Canadian single malt distillery on Vancouver Island. Their website doesn't say when we can expect the first bottling.
Canadian Single Malt Whisky - Shelter Point Distillery on Vancouver Island, BC

"Shelter Point Distillery will initially produce traditional single malt whisky from barley grown, malted, and distilled on the Evandale Farm on Vancouver Island. The company will also carry a number of other products including private label blends of imported Scotch, Cream Whiskey liquers, and other distilled products from the growing Vancouver Island wine industry."

 

[ear8dmg]

Should have seen this thread before I started another. I can feel some tasting notes coming on later.

 

[Landis]

Although whiskeys are usually like audio gear, where everyone hears differently and likewise everyone tastes differently, but I'm a little hurt by your distaste for Cutty Sark, Tyson! It's my favorite cheapo scotch! However, it does get notably better as you get into the aged batches.

 

[SleepyOne]

Love scotch (Islay) but weather is way too hot this last few weeks. A pimm's would be ideal at the moment (fruits cut very finely).

http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/pubsandb...ature-996.html

 

[DoKwan]

Warm weather changes my drink choices too.
Whisk(e)y does always seem more of a Fall/Winter choice for me.

When its hot outside I tend to reach for Rhum Agricole (Ti Punch on a hot summer night = a very good thing), bone fide Tiki, Tequila/Mezcal, or the occasion Gin concoction.

Maybe its all that oak and smoke. In the Summer Im looking for tropics and sand.

 

[SleepyOne]

Yup love a good tequila lemonade too for summer.

 

[DocHamm]

I'm not much on scotch. Cognac is my flavor. 20+ year old straight from France. In the summer I like fruity Rum or Vodka drinks with a dash of sunshine on a hammock. Ahhh...

 

[ear8dmg]

Just thought I'd add some of my tasting notes that I'd already posted on another forum. I've scored them based on the criteria in Jim Murray's 2008 whisky bible. This rates each of the following up to a maximum of 25 each and then adds the final score togeter to give one out of 100. n=nose, t=taste, f=finish, b=balance

Overall score worked out at something like this:
Quote:

0-50: Nothing short of absolutely diabolical 51-64: Nasty and well worth avoiding 65-69: Very unimpressive indeed 70-74: Usually drinkable but don't expect the earth to move 75-79: Average and usually pleasant though sometimes flawed 80-84: Good whisky worth trying 85-89: Very good to excellent whiskies, definitely worth buying 90-93: Brilliant 94-97: Superstar whiskies that give us all a reason to live 98-100: Better than anything I've ever tasted

Oban, 14yo, Western Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 43%.
n: bouquet of flowers. toffee. Pollen tickles the nose like the mildest possible hay fever. 20
t: irn bru. Oak. Peppery Heat. Slight soapiness. 20
f: root beer. White pepper. Hint of iodine. Fairly long and lingering ending in tree bark. 22
b: Slightly unusual and disjointed. Good separation of flavours. 20
Overall 82.

Lagavulin Aged 16 Years, Islay Single Malt Scotch, 43%
n. Something difrerent each time I smell it. Sausages barbecued to black over a peat and oak fire. Then furniture polish. A hint of vanilla after you've tasted it. 22
t, Smoky before the liquid hits the palette, like smelling with your mouth. "Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hands... And he laid it upon my mouth" Isaiah 6:6a. 25
f. Lapsang souchong, then black pepper. Peat, staying there for a good while. Eventually a faint hint of peppermint. 25
b. Hold it in your mouth and inhale. It's like a good Havanna cigar. Add a drop of water and the nose gets smokier. Never seems quite as good as the first time I tasted it though. 23
Overall 95.

Talisker 10 yo, Isle of Skye Single Malt Scotch Whisky. 45.8%
n. Ice cream soda at first then alcoholic fire at the back of your nose. 21.
t. Peppery heat - maybe a hint of capsicum. Spicy. Burned oak. There's something I can't quite place about this one. Maybe oily fish like smoked mackarel with chillies. 23.
f. Hot. Long and lingering. The burned oak stays with you. Maybe slightly oily. 23
b. Long and complex from start to finish. 23.
Overall. 90.

Glenfiddich Special Reserve Aged 12 Years Speyside Single Malt Scotch 43%
n: Sherry. Maybe a little vanilla. 20
t: Smooth, toffeish. Slighly medicinal and oily. 18
f: Hint of peat and peppery heat. Remains slightly medicinal - more so at the end. Quite long but not that pleasant. 18
b: Pleasant nose and long finish are its redeeming features. It's too oily and medicinal for my tastes. 19
Overall 75

Monkey Shoulder. Scotch vatted malt (triple). 40%
n. Sweet malted barley. Toffee. A hint of wood varnish. Maybe bourbon. 20
t. Buttery and a little salty. Toasted teacakes. Shortbread. Dry. Building to hot and peppery. 23
f. Peppery - or maybe peppermint. Moist and juicy. Quite long. A bit of bourbon about it again. 23
b. If I was just commenting on undiluted it would be a score in the 80s, but add a splash of water and all sorts of stuff comes out. Something about it sort of reminds me of an unsweetened Aftershock but I'm not sure why. Something of cereal about it too. 24.
Overall: 90. Not bad for £20 from Sainsburys.
Edit: forgot to mention it's kind of oily. Takes longer than most whiskies for visual uniformity to be restored when diluting.

 

[Skylab]

NICE! I am not able to describe scotches anywhere close to that well - very impressive.

I have been enjoying a new one (for me) though - Bruichladdich 15 - a nice Islay scotch.

 

[steviebee]

Your rating & description of Lagavulin is spot on: class.

But Monkey Shoulder? Man, I must go visit Sainsburys, just to see the label

 

[ear8dmg]

Just thought I'd give a mention to a bottle I finished before I started making detailed tasting notes - Auld Reekie. Think it was 10 years old. It's a single malt Islay 46%. The specialist whisky shop I bought it said they thought it was actually a Caol Ila. They'd had it out on the counter so people could try it. When I realised the finish was still going on 15 minutes after leaving the shop I decided to go back there and buy it. Definitely one for the peat and smoke lovers. It's like if Lagavulin had a rather unsubtle younger brother than was into body building. One of the most powerful whiskies I've tasted and generally less than £30 a bottle if you can find it.

 

[murphyb74]

My favorite scotch this year is Macallan 15 Year old Fine Oak. Matured in Bourbon & Sherry Oak Casks. Very smooth, fantastic stuff. On the 0 - 100 scale above, I give it a 95.

It is summer and as others have mentioned, when it gets really hot I like a good gin & tonic - specifically Tanqueray, Schweppes and fresh lime. I keep the Tanqueray in the freezer.

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

Originally Posted by murphyb74 /img/forum/go_quote.gif My favorite scotch this year is Macallan 15 Year old Fine Oak. Matured in Bourbon & Sherry Oak Casks. Very smooth, fantastic stuff. On the 0 - 100 scale above, I give it a 95.

That is my "fallback" scotch. It's a very nice scotch. I personally prefer a peatier scotch, but I do enjoy the MaCallan 15 F.O.

 

[ear8dmg]

I'm more of an experimenter. I tend to go for something I don't know, even if something I like is available. Never bought the same bottle of whisky twice yet.

 

[ear8dmg]

Just back from that Ardbeg tasting. The Beastie Mobile tour Ardbeg Beastie Mobile

Didn't take notes but will post some general impressions.

Got to try 3 different whiskies. Firstly there was the very lightly peated Ardbeg Blasda. Very nice and malty with a hint of peat and smoke. Very smooth though, not at all harsh. It's an easy drinking islay, possibly a good introduction to peated whisky for someone that generally likes speysides or lowlands.

There's the standard Ardgeg 10 yo - very peaty and smoky, long finish. Bought a bottle (as it was the cheapest. They were all nice).

Finally, got to try Ardbeg Uigeadail. Wow. This was interesting stuff. Cask strength and with a very peaty kick to it. I didn't use water but maybe I should have. First impression of the nose was strong sherry. The sort of nose I'd expect from a MacAllan. The peat comes through eventually but isn't the first thing to hit you. Once in your mouth there's no mistaking it's an Ardbeg. Wonderful earthiness, leading to a long and powerful dry peaty finish. When I think back I'm almost regretting getting the 10yo rather than this, in spite of the price difference.