A night of Islay...

What is feckin whiskey doing on the net's leading independent rum website? There's a reason, read on, but it's not my fault! Honest...
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Capn Jimbo
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A night of Islay...

Post by Capn Jimbo »

Did you ever have one of those nights...


...when things had been a little tough, and a few Scotches seemed appropriate, perhaps with a bowl or two of a good pipe? I did and started out with a rare treat: an Ardbeg 10. Quickly all the peat, smoke and camphor for which it is known became apparent, followed by some medium fruity tones. Islay's are an acquired taste, one that I long ago acquired.

After perhaps two drams, for the fun of it I switched to a Bowmar Legend - which in comparison lacked the peat and smoke I'd remembered (even though it was less even then), but in comparison it actually came across as rather light and actually citrusly with light tones of - I'm serious - grapefruit. I was rather shocked, so I then moved to an old favorite, Laphroig 10.

Now no one doubts that this Laphroig is a classic and serious Islay, but not in comparison to the Ardbeg. A bit more peat than the Legend, but still in the light to medium fruity tones.

The point: a semi-horizontal tasting can be quite interesting, and will give you a new perspective on old favorites. What say you? Any comparisons you'd like to share?
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The Black Tot
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Post by The Black Tot »

It sounds like any whisky that would follow Ardbeg would seem less peaty and smoky in nature, so yes, that strikes me as a great way to dig into a different area of a following whiskey's taste profile.

Perhaps it might be a good strategy for a whisky one considers to be a little "too peaty" (should there be one) to start with a whisky of a peat level on the strong side of your enjoyment level, such that you could switch to the monstrous one next and have things pleasantly subdued by the peat normalization achieved through the first whisky.

...and then we could think this way not only of peat and smoke, but also other flavors in any spirit we don't really fancy, but might if it followed another... An interesting thought.

Incidentally, I had a breakthrough regarding a debate we had a few months back about the addition of water to whisky. Let me see if I can find the link...

ah, here it is:

http://www.maltmaniacs.net/e-pistle-...-water-whisky/

Basically it attempts a layman's description of what happens molecularly to whisky when water is added.

What struck me as most cogent about the article is it describes that the addition of new water causes a warming effect, due to the agitation at molecular levels. I was unaware of this.

It therefore makes more sense to me that changes in nose and taste are indeed plausible by through the adding of recent point-of-consumption water vs. water added at the distillery and allowed to settle. I'm willing to guess that the temperature rise has much to do with this.

I recall a store owner in St Petersburg FL telling me once that he would put his rum pours in the microwave for 2 seconds. He said it really opened up the nose. I never tried it, but I remember him saying that these several years later.

So I'm a water-addition convert. Just wanted to follow up with you on that.
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Capn Jimbo
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Post by Capn Jimbo »

Tot...


I think your link is defective, is this the link?
http://www.maltmaniacs.net/e-pistle-200 ... er-whisky/

BTW, here's another link to a comparison of different waters (I wish they'd tried distilled):
http://www.maltmaniacs.net/e-pistle-200 ... r-tasting/

And if you like me are big Maniacs fan, here's a summary of all their cool "Epistles":
http://www.maltmaniacs.net/e-pistles/
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The Black Tot
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Post by The Black Tot »

Thanks for the alley-oop on that one, Jimbo. Yes, that's the one. I'll check out the rest of those epistles soon!
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