[j4100]

Just as well the courier people are still delivering! Thanks to the guy who delivered these to me this afternoon.

 

[KcMsterpce]

This is quite tasty, and I like it a lot. It's one of those rare occasions where I like it with ice instead of sipping it straight.

 

[mrscotchguy]

Just as well the courier people are still delivering! Thanks to the guy who delivered these to me this afternoon.

Scotch Malt Whiskey Society?

 

[j4100]

Scotch Malt Whiskey Society?

Yes. I joined because they were opening a new members room in Glasgow. It opened the week before the lockdown! However, the whisky is good. They have started doing gin and brandy. I'd like to see them bottling US whiskey too.

 

[j4100]

Haven't been on here for a while. I got a litre of this Tamnavuilin the other week. Nice dram.

 

[j4100]

I also poured one from my treasured Octomore 5.1.

 

[Whazzzup]

Peaty

 

[Whazzzup]

 

[Wyville]

A friend recommended me this one a while back and I really enjoyed it, very easy going:

 

[mrscotchguy]

I also poured one from my treasured Octomore 5.1.

Yumm. I have loved every Octomore version I've tried.

 

[mrscotchguy]

Yes. I joined because they were opening a new members room in Glasgow. It opened the week before the lockdown! However, the whisky is good. They have started doing gin and brandy. I'd like to see them bottling US whiskey too.

Wonderful! I visited the Edinburgh's with a group of members nearly a decade ago. It was one hellof an experience. Fun malts, I do hope they come stateside one day..

 

[KcMsterpce]

This isn't what I was expecting. I am quite fond of The Glenlivet 18, it's really good for its price point. Good flavor, and a step above regular, mid-shelf sippers.
I always wanted to try the XXV, and now that I have, well... it wasn't all that great. I know there are different batches, and apparently some are tastier than others. I must have had a less than stellar batch, or it just isn't to my taste preferences.
It has a very nice crawl, and the smell is full and open. I registered hints of honey, molasses and/or vanilla, with an almost subliminal skew to tangerine. I was impressed with initial visual and aromatic presentation.
Then I took a sip, and it was nothing like it smells. The first thing that hit was the oak. I did not taste any fruity or citrus characteristics. It was almost smokey more than chocolatey or smooth with vanilla. To be honest, this reminded me a lot of the Suntory Hibiki, but even that has more honey richness to it. This was kind of harsh, and didn't have any smoothness to it. It's definitely a sipper, but it also hit harder in the throat than any 25-year old whisky I have ever had.
I didn't read flavor profiles for this whisky until after I drank it, because I like to try and recognize what my palette discovers. However, after reading about "morello cherry", "almond", "vanilla", and "fruity citrus blah blahblah", I had to wait a couple days to try it again. I thought that I must have been in the wrong mindset or something. Nope. Still didn't taste any of that stuff. Just a fairly oak-like harshness that smelled nothing like it tastes.
It took me a long while to kill this bottle. Several weeks of small servings here and there. I hoped I would have eventually warmed up to it, but alas that was not meant to be.

I would love to try another bottle from a different batch, but for the price... I would rather move on to another experience than gamble on getting the same result.

 

[mrscotchguy]

I tend to avoid the super old malts mayself. I've had opportunities to sample whisky as old as 42 years and they become so cost prohibiting that it's hard to justify a bottle. Sampling them at tastings or a nice pub, or even through internet trades are fun ways to say I've tried a whisky.

I received a 25yr old Bunnahabhain as a gift that was at the time around $300 that would be well worth it, but I would still personally drink the 12yr and 18yr over it. Same goes with the Glenfarclas 17yr vs 25yr.

I will say if money was not a factor... There was a Douglas Laing bottling 42yr Glenglassaugh, 36yr old Bowmore, and the 1968 Glenfarclas Family Cask that blew my mind...

 

[Whazzzup]

super Old super rare super expensive, if you can buy, do it. They never stay in stock long. There’s a 27 year dalmore king Edward 3 at 2500 cad, the 8 bottles were gone from lcbo in a month.

 

[mrscotchguy]

super Old super rare super expensive, if you can buy, do it. They never stay in stock long. There’s a 27 year dalmore king Edward 3 at 2500 cad, the 8 bottles were gone from lcbo in a month.

I'll stick to buying a dram once I feel comfortable going back to the bars. My point was of the thousands of whiskies I've tried, of the few dozen super aged, there's few I would even consider buying. I feel age is overhyped. Some are mindblowingly good, but my experience, they most affordable super aged whiskies, you get what you pay for.

Most distilleries just don't have ideal aging conditions to produce stunning super ages where they are perfectly setup for 12-20yr old malts. The big guys use their super aged malts as a trophy or showcase, not unlike a luxury car, and are selling an idea or a showpiece rather than the juice inside. It's not always the case, but I have learned over the years that a great 12 year old malt that consistently tastes great every time is more enjoyable than the chance that super premium will "taste what it's worth"...