[benpritch]

springbank - another fave, not island whisky but still some peat and smoke.

[jordysi]

Thanks Slopes, there is a wine and whisky shop near me bro's in Bridge of Allan, will ask in there.... also Magpie they have just opened a shop in I believe Edinburgh and it is Awsome.... but I end up spending over £100 every time I  go in.... btw it's called Wood Winters... they do tasting nights as well...

[magpie]

I found a whisky shop at lunchtime, I think I might go in there and have a look about one day.  Ta for all the recommendations, I will definitely try them out when I get the chance.  I do tend to prefer the rougher, peaty ones to the really smooth types.

[Tris]

Magpie - have you tried the Cask Strength Laphroaig? It has a very strong peaty flavour and also blows your socks off at 57%  maybe one to add water to 

I know you said you liked Laphroaig, but not which ones?

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-10882.aspx

I have a bottle for special occasions.. (apparently it was the best single malt in the world in 2005!)

[Sloper]

My current collection includes an Edradour 'Straight from the Cask' Sassicia finish and a Clynelish Chateau Lafite finish.

Both seriously to be recommended.

Also the Abelour A'bundah and Laphroigh.

[magpie]

Magpie - have you tried the Cask Strength Laphroaig? It has a very strong peaty flavour and also blows your socks off at 57%  maybe one to add water to 

I nearly bought the cask strength last time but then couldn't decide if I would like it and ended up with the usual stuff, which is just the bog standard 10 year, I think I tried the 15 year old one in a pub at one point but can't remember it being that different. 

[fatkid2000]

Well it looks like the Taiwanese have learnt to copy the Scots, with the benefit of a warmer climate.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article7000931.ece

[benpritch]

My current collection includes an Edradour 'Straight from the Cask' Sassicia finish and a Clynelish Chateau Lafite finish.

Both seriously to be recommended.

Also the Abelour A'bundah and Laphroigh.

i'm intrigued as to why you like whisky that is flavoured with wine. i've noticed whisky that has bbeen kept in  barrels previously used for other stuff for a while but never thought to try it. i find the flavours of whisky adequate in much the same way i don't want a mocha frappacino double mint skinnny latte when i go for a coffee.  am i missing a trick by not trying these flavoured whiskies?

[Sloper]

Most whisky is matured in refilled sherry casks, a few use new oak.  The colour in whisky comes from the tanins and residues in the barrel it's matured in.

As for the flavours, yes you're missing a shit load of tricks, I, like you, regard the flavouring of coffee with utter disdain but this is entirely different.  Flavouring coffee is to disguise the fact that the coffee is shit, varietal maturation is at the other end of the spectrum it's intended to show the complexity and class of an artisan product.

Independent bottlings are only a few £ more than the main brand (no advertising to pay for) and in my experience well worth it.

Try Murry McDavid, Provenence, Signatory as your starting points, but remember some whisky is expensive because the still has shut rather than the quality of the product.  Eg Port Ellen, a very decent whisky but priced for rarity.

[magpie]

From the ones I have tried, I would say no, you're not missing much, they do taste different but not in a totally amazing way and I think they taste less like proper whisky should.  I would buy tiny wee bottles to try them but any time I have bought a full bottle I've been bored and wanting to get back to proper stuff before I got half way through it.  But it's all down to personal opinion, isn't it. 

Edit:  Sloper and I seem to be of rather different opinions here. 

[Sloper]

Yeah, another 20 or so years experience    and you'll probably begin to agree.

[Yossarian]

Most whisky is matured in refilled sherry casks, a few use new oak.  The colour in whisky comes from the tanins and residues in the barrel it's matured in.

I was under the impression that the most popular casks for whisky maturation (in Scotland) were used bourbon casks, which are readily available because bourbon must be matured in new charred oak and so that process leads to a lot of used barrels kicking around...

Also, bizarrely, the Italian market apparently favours Scotch that has had a minimal period of cask maturation.  Like 2 - 3 years or something.  I don't know whether this is blended or a single malt...

[Sloper]

Yoss, you may be correct, when I say most I'm thinking of the stuff that I drink.

[Pitcairn]

This month I have mostly been drinking:

Ardbeg Uigeadail - Earthy, smokey spicey cask strength malt with bourbon barrel and sherry butt influences.

Well nice.

I also like Springbank as it tastes mildly of glue.

[slackline]

I also like Springbank as it tastes mildly of glue.

Tried some of this last Saturday and found it very pleasent (from one who isn't well versed or even keen on they whisky).

[GraemeA]

http://www.laddieshop.com/acatalog/shop.html is a pretty good place to start if you want something a bit different. Try the Renegade Rum, its gorgeous, I had a 7 year bottle from there a couple of years back.

They have some stuff that is the same but use different casks, might have to splash out a bit and get a couple of the Sixteteens from http://www.laddieshop.com/acatalog/16_First_Growth.pdf and see what the difference is between a Sauternes cask and a Pomerol cask. All in the name of educating others of course

[slackline]

Spare £6000 for a half-bottle?

Full selection of bottles up for auction

[jordysi]

OK so it's me old man's 70th this year, and I know the 25 year old Macallam is £300 touch anyone else got any ideas as to a very good 25year old that is not quite as pricey?  come on Joe this is your in your relms of cost!!

[SA Chris]

Don't go on price, go on a type of whisky he likes. Spending £300 on a bottle that tastes like TCP is going to be a waste of money if that's not his thing.

[Eddies]

http://www.gizmag.com/rare-1937-glenfiddich-whisky/15042/

[jordysi]

teah he had a bottle 18 year of Glen fiddie and it is really nice we opened it last week, he is after the 18 yr old Highland Park at £60 but with it being his 70th.... was thinking of something around the £100-150 mark and was after advice... he has has the Macallam at £7.50 a shot and aparently it is awsome... hence thinking about that one but was just wondering if there was anything in the price 100-150 that he is missing out on....   

[magpie]

Spending £300 on a bottle that tastes like TCP is going to be a waste of money if that's not his thing.

Where as I actively seek out stuff that tastes like TCP. 

[Yossarian]

I'd spend quite a lot on a 25 year old whether she tastes of TCP or not...

[benpritch]

just brought the gf a bottle of lagavulin (a personal fave) that had been meddled with by the 'cheif distiller' at said distillery by keeping it in a sherry cask.

what a disaster, if i'd wanted sherry i'd have gone down to threshers and got a bottle - totally ruined as far as i'm concerned, ... avoid at all costs.

[GCW]

Which one is it?  I thought the 21 year old first fill sherry cask was excellent.