Single Malt

[Strange]

my first single malt was a macallan.
i started with chivas 12 yrs with water, then with less and less water, then on the rock.
but i would say glenlivet should be d first one cos it reminds me of pineapple;
like a tropical fruit - a little exotic but approachable
cheers

[Teazer]

Having said that, what is a good "beginner scotch"? Something that is a little easier to drink for a newbie like me who enjoys beer...

You can start with most single malts. I started on Jura since it happened to be on special at the time! Just start with ultra small quantities, nothing more than a drip at a time to appreciate the flavour. Things'll progress naturally from there.

[juz]

Must try...Springbank 21...THE NICEST MALT I have ever tried ( although I haven't managed to try royal lochnagar special reserve yet, and maybe never will )

Longmorn..pretty label with a sweet burnt toffee taste ..chased 12 of these last time I had a Highland Hoghmany

Standard favourite malt Talisker...Ardbeg as mentioned earlier is a best mates fave...

One of my uni-mates swears by Lagavulin, fiery compared to taliskers peatiness...

Laphroaig is YUMMY! Macallan (and any other sherry cask conditioned malt) is a whore of a malt and very forthcoming...

I don't know how widely available "As We Get It" is but it was the malt equivalent of "clean skins" and really good fun as every bottle was different.

[juz]

Beginners malt= Glenmorangie.

Then work around the various areas...speyside,highland,lowland,islay (my faves) etc.I forget the others...
I've seen other countries producing malts and frankly I can't wait to try them...shame on me for not trying an Irish malt seeing they (probably) invented the stuff.

[nianfong]

springbank's from campbeltown, and is its own beast, away from all the other major regions.

I have a springbank 15 at home. spicy and bold. I love it.

[TaoJoannes]

Talisker is about as bad as the Laphroig, I can't drink it because it reminds me of pain.

[nianfong]

TJ's relationship with the islays....

[TaoJoannes]

Just call me TJ ChadBroChill17

[nianfong]

this is gonna be great, bro! wish me luck!

[Strange]

the Glenmorangie last night was nice, like citrus and for me there was a toffee like finish at the end. the flavours became more open with a dash of water; better than drinking neat.

i'll see if i can get a Talisker 18 yrs next ke ke ke

as an aside... single malt story: Monkey Wine 猴儿酒 - A Conversation with a Manchurian Girl

fucha: my grandpa and father use to go the deep jungle in the winter to exchange monkey wine from the monkeys...

S: what!?!? exchange wine with monkeys?? like how?? you sure??

fucha: yes, they bring food and fruits, then they leave it on a stone and then leave. they come back the next day to find monkey wine on the stone. there is an 'exchange rate'; more food more wine; in winter monkeys have no food you see, and they don't hibernate, so they need food...

S: you sure?? where do they get containers for the wine??

fucha: oh they will go find bottles and stuff themselves, the wine is made of fruits, mainly peach, its very strong, very fragrant, and very easy to get drunk on it...

S: your sure about this??

fucha: yeah, my grandpa and dad use to do this

S: .....(incredulous look with gaping mouth)

fucha: ...so i see you really appreciate your liqour, you tried chinese wine?

S:... (awakes from the monkey wine reverie) ... er yeah, i'd realy like to but its not like they carrie them in the pub and i dun really know what to buy, there's so many types... where to start, you know...

fucha: ok monday i'll bring my dad's 100yr old Du Kang (杜康), i think you will love it; i'll also bring some good tea. for chinese wines, you are suppose to have it with good tea not water, however good...

S: what? 100yrs, i'll bet my surname its good!! you sure your dad wont mind? of course its a great honour, i, er... i'll see you on monday then!

fucha: you be sure to come, or i'll be lugging a bottle of wine for nothing!

[juz]

The only bit of gallic I ever learnt was Aquae Vitae Mal Sur Toley (spellings out)

If whisky reminds you of something then you aren't drinking enough to forget.

The last time I was in the highlands on the scoraig peninsula the local water was already brown from the pete...a splash into a glass of malt and o'baby I had it good...mmmmm

Bunnahabain has quite a hefty medicinal quality to it...first bottle of malt I ever bought ('88)

[Strange]

some song some where said something like some dance to remember and some dance to forget
i'm thinking it could be the same for drinking

wiki peat: "It is composed mainly of marshland vegetation: trees, grasses, fungi, as well as other types of organic remains, such as insects, and animal corpses".
now we know where all that real smooth flavour comes from ke ke ke

[juz]

took the plunge and bought a bottle of irish malt (bushmills10) ...I love irish whisky chasers with a good guiness/guillespies/Murphy's but I have to say i was a little disappointed with this Malt...tastes woody with a sort of licorice finish...not really enjoyable or satisfying IMHO.
Come August it'll be Australian Malts...any pointers anyone..

oh as for animal corpses they've used animal corpses/meat to get fermentation juiced up in many a live product...still do with the BEST ciders...(not that tv-pushed pissy sh!te)

[Strange]

Glenfiddich 12 yrs - Valley of the Deer
Handsome, handsome triangle shaped bottle. beautiful colour (got myself a stem glass from Schott), bouquet of sweets, toffee, caramel and fruits. taste of sweet smoky caramel, with lingering aftertaste of plum. a happy and joyous kind of flavour; like a child in an old-style funfare with a pocket full of candy. delightful.

Du Kang Chinese Wine 98 yrs
"what can lay my troubles, there is only Du Kang"
Strong bouquet of bubble gum sweetness with sourness at the end of nose.
High alcohol content, very fragrant, with very sweet grain and nectar like taste; very complex for a total beginner
cheers, S

[maxashton]

I'm a fan of Laphroaig. To the point where i drank a litre bottle of 20 year old in one sitting and found myself in hospital (I am told. Don't remember, won't admit it, woke up at home, it's a fix.)

I am glad someone else notices the salty note at the end, but i can't say i noticed seaweed. Perhaps it's a quirk of the 15, i've ne'er had it.