[1MOREMOD]

Yeah i have the michters bourbon also and not really a fan.

[WhiskyPat12]

Originally Posted by WhiskyPat12

So my wife surprised me with a Flaviar membership for a year. Anyone familiar with it or use it?

I get a "premium" bottle and tasting box every quarter. But so far I've found they have a few bottles I've wanted and had a hard time finding near me. Free shipping is part of the membership.

Got the two bottles I ordered, excited to try the Rye!

[lakefront]

Anyone hear of or try Sagamore Spirit Rye Cask Strength? Never heard of it but local guy was selling it for $29.99 and saw it online for $70+. Just opened it and really like it.....a Maryland distillery?

[Hawkeye]

Originally Posted by lakefront

Anyone hear of or try Sagamore Spirit Rye Cask Strength? Never heard of it but local guy was selling it for $29.99 and saw it online for $70+. Just opened it and really like it.....a Maryland distillery?

$30 is a great price. I have a few bottles of the cask strength and it is good. Takes a few drops of water to bring out all of the flavor due to the higher proof but I would jump on it for that price. I think I paid close to $50 (retail)

[Joekerr]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

Pretty much any of the Ardbeg day releases will also have the fruitiness overpowering the peat. There is also the Laphroig PX cask that is a sherry cask finish that is really good. Those are really my favorite kinds of islays, will have to try and find this Smokehead stuff!

Just as a followup, had another glass of the smokehead sherry bomb last night and again really enjoyed it. Have lost the nutty nose, though I still think the nose is fantastic.

Have bought another bottle to keep for a little while.

[Hawkeye]

Originally Posted by WhiskyPat12

Got the two bottles I ordered, excited to try the Rye!

Great choices. I love that American Whiskey!

[WhiskyPat12]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

Great choices. I love that American Whiskey!

It's such a good one! I can never find it when I wanted it, so I'm glad I have a bottle to enjoy now.

[lakefront]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

$30 is a great price. I have a few bottles of the cask strength and it is good. Takes a few drops of water to bring out all of the flavor due to the higher proof but I would jump on it for that price. I think I paid close to $50 (retail)

Thanks for the review....gotta try it again with a little water. Thanks again!

[TheHaze]

Finally cracked this open tonight.

[WhiskyPat12]

Originally Posted by TheHaze

Finally cracked this open tonight.

Damn that description made my mouth water

Give us some details man, how is it?

[TheHaze]

Originally Posted by WhiskyPat12

Damn that description made my mouth water

Give us some details man, how is it?

I don't have a ton of expertise on scotch, but I really like it. It's definitely smoky, but not overbearing. Not sure I can taste the fruit pudding and bitter cherry haha. The only other Ardbeg I have that I can compare it to is Uigeadail, and I think I like this more. This seems to be a little sweeter with less of the iodine and band-aid smell. I'll have to do a side-by-side sometime.

[Hawkeye]

Originally Posted by WhiskyPat12

Damn that description made my mouth water

Give us some details man, how is it?

Originally Posted by TheHaze

I don't have a ton of expertise on scotch, but I really like it. It's definitely smoky, but not overbearing. Not sure I can taste the fruit pudding and bitter cherry haha. The only other Ardbeg I have that I can compare it to is Uigeadail, and I think I like this more. This seems to be a little sweeter with less of the iodine and band-aid smell. I'll have to do a side-by-side sometime.

The Blaaack definitely has some cherry flavor and like most of the Ardbeg day releases it is much lighter on the peat. I enjoy these releases a lot but they are hard to justify for over 2x the price of Ardbeg 10 as that is also a very solid Islay (just not fruity at all).

[TheHaze]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

The Blaaack definitely has some cherry flavor and like most of the Ardbeg day releases it is much lighter on the peat. I enjoy these releases a lot but they are hard to justify for over 2x the price of Ardbeg 10 as that is also a very solid Islay (just not fruity at all).

I don't drink a ton of scotch, but I saw this bottle at MSRP in my state and figured I'd jump on it. I usually stick with A'bunadh, but I like trying new things. I've never had the Ardbeg 10, I'll have to pick that one up sometime. Thanks for the recommendation!

[Run Silent]

Alright all - need some recommendations. I've looked at the 'malt map' but am still struggling to find some 'mid price' single malts I really enjoy.

Right now, here is where I am at:

Macallan 12yr classic cut: My absolute favorite, but at $140 a bottle, too expensive for a nightly drink before bed each night.

Macallan 12yr original: Cheaper, at about $90 a bottle, but far less enjoyable than the above.

Glenmorangie 10yr: This is my current 'go to' bottle. Nice flavor and notes for a price point around $40

Glenn Moray 10yr Sherry Cask: This is my other 'go to' bottle. Love everything about it and hard to beat at around $35 a bottle.

Dalmore 12yr: This is probably the closest I've found to the Macallan classic cut I love for a more reasonable price, but at about $80 a bottle, still on the high end for a daily drink.

Craggenmore 12yr: I DID NOT like this at all. Way too much floral notes.

Oban 14yr: Same with this one, way to floral for me, didn't like it at all.

Glenfiddich 12yr: This one I am on the fence with. Good price point, but like several others better.


Anyone have any other recommendations?

[Hawkeye]

Originally Posted by Run Silent

Alright all - need some recommendations. I've looked at the 'malt map' but am still struggling to find some 'mid price' single malts I really enjoy.

Right now, here is where I am at:

Macallan 12yr classic cut: My absolute favorite, but at $140 a bottle, too expensive for a nightly drink before bed each night.

Macallan 12yr original: Cheaper, at about $90 a bottle, but far less enjoyable than the above.

Glenmorangie 10yr: This is my current 'go to' bottle. Nice flavor and notes for a price point around $40

Glenn Moray 10yr Sherry Cask: This is my other 'go to' bottle. Love everything about it and hard to beat at around $35 a bottle.

Dalmore 12yr: This is probably the closest I've found to the Macallan classic cut I love for a more reasonable price, but at about $80 a bottle, still on the high end for a daily drink.

Craggenmore 12yr: I DID NOT like this at all. Way too much floral notes.

Oban 14yr: Same with this one, way to floral for me, didn't like it at all.

Glenfiddich 12yr: This one I am on the fence with. Good price point, but like several others better.


Anyone have any other recommendations?

Sadly, scotch is just more expensive when it comes to whisky.

Based on your preferences I think you would like Arbelour 16y (one of my favorites ~$80) and you might like the Glenmorangie La Santa and La Quinta Ruban. Around the Christmas holidays Costco usually does a package deal for the Glenmorangie 10y, La Santa, and La Quinta Ruban all for under $100, which is pretty unbeatable at that price.

Most people really like Balvenie 14 carribean cask (tad sweeter but very good) and you can usually find for around $50.

[ASAP]

Here is what is currently at my house-

Macallan 12 Sherry
Macallan 12 Double Cask
Macallan 15 Double Cask
Macallan 18 Double Cask
Macallan 15 Triple Cask

Balvenie 14 Carribean Cask

Dalmore 12

Lagavulin 16

Aberlour Abunda'h

Aberloud Abunda'h Alba

Glenfiddich 18

Highland Park 12

Woodford Reserve

Maker's Mark

I could provide my opinions on any of those if anyone cares...

[hooligan_G01]

Originally Posted by Run Silent

Alright all - need some recommendations. I've looked at the 'malt map' but am still struggling to find some 'mid price' single malts I really enjoy.

Right now, here is where I am at:

Macallan 12yr classic cut: My absolute favorite, but at $140 a bottle, too expensive for a nightly drink before bed each night.

Macallan 12yr original: Cheaper, at about $90 a bottle, but far less enjoyable than the above.

Glenmorangie 10yr: This is my current 'go to' bottle. Nice flavor and notes for a price point around $40

Glenn Moray 10yr Sherry Cask: This is my other 'go to' bottle. Love everything about it and hard to beat at around $35 a bottle.

Dalmore 12yr: This is probably the closest I've found to the Macallan classic cut I love for a more reasonable price, but at about $80 a bottle, still on the high end for a daily drink.

Craggenmore 12yr: I DID NOT like this at all. Way too much floral notes.

Oban 14yr: Same with this one, way to floral for me, didn't like it at all.

Glenfiddich 12yr: This one I am on the fence with. Good price point, but like several others better.


Anyone have any other recommendations?

Bruichladdich "Classic Laddie" (teal bottle) a try. Unpeated and quite tasty, IMO. Sells for ~$60 in MI, even with our crappy booze taxes.

[Run Silent]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

Most people really like Balvenie 14 carribean cask (tad sweeter but very good) and you can usually find for around $50.

I need to come back around and give Balvenie another try. I gave one of their sample packs a shot many months ago before I really knew what I was tasting. They were 'good' but nothing stood out. Perhaps I need to check again.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by hooligan_COLD

Bruichladdich "Classic Laddie" (teal bottle) a try. Unpeated and quite tasty, IMO. Sells for ~$60 in MI, even with our crappy booze taxes.

I've never heard of it. Will have to see if my local store has it in stock. Remember I live in the middle of nowhere, lol.

Appreciate the recommendation and will check it out.

[Joekerr]

Originally Posted by Run Silent

I need to come back around and give Balvenie another try. I gave one of their sample packs a shot many months ago before I really knew what I was tasting. They were 'good' but nothing stood out. Perhaps I need to check again.

Thanks.



I've never heard of it. Will have to see if my local store has it in stock. Remember I live in the middle of nowhere, lol.

Appreciate the recommendation and will check it out.

There are a number of Balvenie's that aren't much to write home about so to speak. His specific recommendation was the Caribbean cask, which is good, but definitely on sweeter side. So I would only look for that one. It is one that I enjoy as well from time to time, just recently bought another bottle of it a month ago or so.

The dalmore is honestly probably your best bet out of the ones I've had. It is a pay to play type game though. I've just modified my drinking schedule to only the weekend so that the bottles don't drain as quickly. They still do become empty at an alarming rate.

But Macallan will always hold a high place in my heart, so much so that I named my dog Macallan on his papers...just Mac for short though. So I understand your fondness for Macallan scotch.

I think I may have said it before, but don't be too surprised if in 5 years or so your tastes wander to the the peaty brine of the typical Islay scotches. You sort of have to force down a bottle or two at first, but then you really grow to like them. I like having a mix of Islay and Speyside/Highlands in the cabinet and choose based on what I'm feeling like that night.

[Hawkeye]

Originally Posted by Joekerr

There are a number of Balvenie's that aren't much to write home about so to speak. His specific recommendation was the Caribbean cask, which is good, but definitely on sweeter side. So I would only look for that one. It is one that I enjoy as well from time to time, just recently bought another bottle of it a month ago or so.

The dalmore is honestly probably your best bet out of the ones I've had. It is a pay to play type game though. I've just modified my drinking schedule to only the weekend so that the bottles don't drain as quickly. They still do become empty at an alarming rate.

But Macallan will always hold a high place in my heart, so much so that I named my dog Macallan on his papers...just Mac for short though. So I understand your fondness for Macallan scotch.

I think I may have said it before, but don't be too surprised if in 5 years or so your tastes wander to the the peaty brine of the typical Islay scotches. You sort of have to force down a bottle or two at first, but then you really grow to like them. I like having a mix of Islay and Speyside/Highlands in the cabinet and choose based on what I'm feeling like that night.

I would also add the Balvenie 15y Sherry Cask to the great options from them, but at $110+ it doesn't fit his criteria.

I took the opposite approach, instead of modifying my drinking schedule, I just upped my collection so I don't notice stuff draining as quickly.

[Hawkeye]

Had a little sample session of stuff I've been seeking out. Star of the show was definitely the Willet 12y.

[ASAP]

The Balvenie Carribean Cask is OK at best... has a sharp bite initially... certainly not a top choice for me.