General Booze thread

[Sand]

Possibly so. But when people talk about the hints of peat (scotch) or caramel (bourbon) or whatever crazy thing they claim they taste in distilled spirits all I taste is "HOLY SHIT MY THROAT AND MOUTH ARE ON FIRE!"

I once poured a coworker a dram of my favorite 18-year-old scotch, and watched in horror as he took it all in one shot and then made a face.  After I finished sobbing uncontrollably I poured him another and asked him for FUCK'S SAKE to try sipping it instead of gulping it this time.  

He was shocked to find that good whisky tastes better when you, you know, take the time to taste it.

Well you and I ever hang out, I will follow your lead. Just not sure I am willing to go buying bottles of random stuff (other than to use for normal home bar, mixed drinks for company), hoping I will find something I like to sip. Although as we use up bottles at home during the holidays or from company coming over I guess I could replace them with better grades of liquor and try those. Not that I buy shit mind you, usually grey goose, meyer's rum, etc.

Until then I will stick to my craft beers and good wines and be happy.

[Samwise]

I recommend going to a tasting.  That's how I discovered scotch, anyway, and it didn't require any sort of "acquired taste" thing where I had to work my way up to it.  Much more cost-efficient than buying whole bottles or even whole drinks if your aim is to discover what you like.

[Reg]

If you're happy with your beer and wine why bother adding a new and expensive vice on top of that?  Unless you feel like you're missing something or you're embarrassed about being the only guy at the sports bar drinking a slushy with a miniature umbrella out of a ceramic coconut. 

Seriously though. Being able to appreciate good wine and beer is as good as being a scotch aficionado any day.

[K9]

Yeah, I figured. There is something about spirits in novelty bottles that is quite compelling though 

There certainly is...

Do want

[Surlyboi]

Possibly so. But when people talk about the hints of peat (scotch) or caramel (bourbon) or whatever crazy thing they claim they taste in distilled spirits all I taste is "HOLY SHIT MY THROAT AND MOUTH ARE ON FIRE!"

I once poured a coworker a dram of my favorite 18-year-old scotch, and watched in horror as he took it all in one shot and then made a face.  After I finished sobbing uncontrollably I poured him another and asked him for FUCK'S SAKE to try sipping it instead of gulping it this time.  

He was shocked to find that good whisky tastes better when you, you know, take the time to taste it.

I've had similar experiences with sake. I spent a season in a brewery in Aomori making and drinking some incredible stuff. When I met the missus's brother for the first time, he took us to his favorite sushi place and complained about how he didn't like sake but was willing to try it. Then he ordered a bottle of some low quality crap that had been heated to within an inch of its life. After we were kicked out of that establishment because I pointed at the bottle and screamed like I was in Invasion of the Body Snatchers, I gently explained to him that anything heated was generally shit. Whisky, tequila and vodka are similar. Get crap, you'll hate it.

As for the crystal head, it's actually not bad. And the bottle is the the hotness.

[Speedy Cerviche]

If you're happy with your beer and wine why bother adding a new and expensive vice on top of that?  Unless you feel like you're missing something or you're embarrassed about being the only guy at the sports bar drinking a slushy with a miniature umbrella out of a ceramic coconut. 

Seriously though. Being able to appreciate good wine and beer is as good as being a scotch aficionado any day.

On the whole wine is a pretty overrated beverage IMO, chicks like it because it resembles juice. I find it's more difficult to get into a nice zone with wine, it's hard to pace properly with it, and you get meaner hangovers.

hard liquor goes does real smooth after a meal, as a digestif and it's lower volume easier to handle when you are full.

[Minvaren]

On the whole wine is a pretty overrated beverage IMO, chicks like it because it resembles juice. I find it's more difficult to get into a nice zone with wine, it's hard to pace properly with it, and you get meaner hangovers.

hard liquor goes does real smooth after a meal, as a digestif and it's lower volume easier to handle when you are full.

I find it's harder to pace hard liquor myself, unless it's straight up.  Especially mixed drinks with top shelf liquors, as you don't realize how much you've had to drink until the room starts to spin a bit and you go "oh fuck."

Most wines off the shelf (white ones especially) hardly resemble juice to me, but many of the ones I make do.  Pacing beer is trivial, pacing wine requires you actually set the glass down for a few minutes at a time.  But there are few things to compare to a mead hangover, I'd agree.

[Hoax]

I make almost all of my what drunk do I need in this situation decisions based on women. How many women are around. What are they drinking. How bad would it be if I was rude and insulting towards them. Do I want to sleep with any of them. Am I sleeping with any of them.

Stuff like that. Its a fairly solid system.

Using it there is essentially never a time for wine unless its a rare time spent with girl you are sleeping with and her family and its not inappropriate to pass out and that might even be a good thing because its you know, someone else's family. In that case I'm going for a red asap.

Pacing shouldn't enter the equation you can poor pace anything usually because you want to or you are nervous. I worried about pacing when I was still occasionally throwing up from drinking too much which hasn't happened since I was 20 or 22 thereabouts its been a long fucking time.

[Speedy Cerviche]

Well pacing for me enters the equation when it's a longass day and I want to be coherent still after some hours (like if it's a wedding, family type function, or say beach + dinner + bar/club later). Mixed drinks work well for me since I like my hard liquor neat (or with vermouth), so in one of those pacing situations, caesars or G&Ts work nicely.

[Hawkbit]

I don't drink enough anymore to require pacing myself.   Wife and I split a bottle of pinot noir or prosecco with pizza, depending on mood.  Either of those wines fit pizza perfectly.  Actually, that sounds good for dinner tonight.  Hmmm.

[Paelos]

Back in the tailgating days, pacing myself usually involved switching to beer.

[ghost]

Yeah.  "Pacing" now involves going to bed after my second glass of wine. 

[Sky]

I recommend going to a tasting.  That's how I discovered scotch, anyway, and it didn't require any sort of "acquired taste" thing where I had to work my way up to it.  Much more cost-efficient than buying whole bottles or even whole drinks if your aim is to discover what you like.

I got lucky, just picked a bottle of Laphroaig pretty much at random and I love the stuff. Well, kind of lucky, taint cheap. My football buddy who hardly ever comes around anymore (thanks walmart computerized scheduling) is one of the 'slam shot' types. To be honest, it's my fault, as he met me when I was a slam shotter, between a course of a six pack each. Last game he came over for, I tried to introduce him to sipping whisky. He tasted some of the Laphroaig and decided he liked the 10yr Bushmills (that he had bought for shots previously) better. After finding my favorite flavor, the Bushmills tastes decent, but just very alcoholy, where as the Laphroaig is nice and smooth, full of flavor. When I run low on the Laphroaig I'll have a glass of the Bushmills and it's not even close to hitting the spot.

And I got to have my highbrow moment at the library's annual dinner, with local 'society', our board and major benefactors. I hit the bar with a bunch of guys in four-figure suits, they were drinking bud with one cabernet and I had to grill the poor bartender (who should've known better imo) on their scotch offerings. I just wanted to try another Islay, they had none. I sighed and told her that at least it's a chance to have some Speyside without buying a bottle. I turned to the other guys and they're all like "who the hell is this guy?" (of course, they remember me with long hair and a beard, and I'm all clean cut in a three piece suit, heh)

Pacing - I finished the glass of whisky with my dessert over an hour later. Used to be in a band, nobody could drink more than me and stay coherent, I've earned my stripes. Haven't done heavy drinking in a good thirteen years or so and don't miss it a bit. Nice to just savor a tasty beverage and have full use of my faculties for the evening.

[Polysorbate80]

I bounce between Lagavulin and Balvenie, with the 10-yr Bushmills for mixing with Diet Coke (and a bottle of 21-yr for sipping straight).

I also keep a bottle of gin, but the martini is more for soaking blue-cheese stuffed olives in than it is for drinking.  Unless it's a Godiva chocolate martini, then it's for soaking raspberries.

[Typhon]

Dammit, make a bourbon/scotch/whiskey post - I drink Tequila and I'm unsatisfied with what I have been drinking and I'm hoping that f13 solves my problems... so, you know, I don't have to do research.

Ok! so I'm lazy, still doesn't mean you aren't off-topic!

[Polysorbate80]

Nah, I hate bourbon.

I don't hate (good) tequila, but I avoid it.  It attracts women, who drink it all and then get crazy and mean and scary.  I don't know why.

[Hoax]

I drink Tequila and I'm unsatisfied with what I have been drinking and I'm hoping that f13 solves my problems... so, you know, I don't have to do research.

Here are my this isn't total shit and you can probably find it without too much hassle (USofA) tequila options coming from someone who doesn't drink nearly enough tequila to give you useful information and if you do try any of these or have tried them you better report back because its been quite some time since I've had most of this stuff:

-Gran Centenario
-Partida
-I also once knew someone who swore Cuervo Traditional wasn't complete ass. Who knows don't remember ever taking him up on it.

[Abagadro]

-Gran Centenario

Ya, I forgot about this one and was actually coming to post it as an article I read today sparked my memory that it is good and not outrageously expensive.

[Surlyboi]

Dammit, make a bourbon/scotch/whiskey post - I drink Tequila and I'm unsatisfied with what I have been drinking and I'm hoping that f13 solves my problems... so, you know, I don't have to do research.

Low to high on my preference/price list.

Aberlour 10-year. Averaging 35-40 bucks a bottle. Peaty, complex, passable.

Bruichladdich 12-year second edition. Matured in Kentucky bourbon casks. Solid. about 50 bucks.

Oban 14-year. Rich, peaty, with a hint of orange. 65-70 bucks.

Lagavulin 16-year. Smoky as fuck. I'll chase a good meal of barbecue with this. About $80.00. Also good for throwing into a smoky martini. (Substitute the whisky for vermouth in a vodka martini. serve with a twist. Insanely good.)

Murray Mcdavid Bunnahabhain 1997 12-year. aged in bourbon casks before a finish in Premier Cru Sauternes casks from Château d'Yquem. Bottled at the Bruichladdich distillery in 2009 and taken down to bottling strength using Islay spring water. A release of 480 bottles. I just finished one of the three I bought last night, so get one if you can. About $120.00

Bruichladdich Black Art 1989. An absolutely fucking bizarre concoction. Apparently every bottle is different, but the two I've had have been possibly the most complex, well-balanced whiskys I've ever had. About $160 a bottle.

And now, the the stuff that comes from somewhere other than Scotland...

(ri)1 Canadian rye. Smooth and fruity start with a dry finish. Not bad straight, but better in old fashioneds and sazeracs.

High West 12-year rye. Apparently, they rescued this rye from some distillery in Kentucky that was going to blend it with something else. It's a good thing they did, because this is a nice sip.

Suntory Yamazaki 18-year. As time goes on, Japanese whisky gets better and better. This is some good shit.

That's a start. This is by far not a complete list. Everyone else pile on. And just as a side note, those of you in the Bay Area should swing by Nihon in the Mission if you're into the golden drams. They've got a stellar selection there.

[Yegolev]

I only recently started on scotch, and I don't like peat.  Macallan, Clynelish and Balvenie for me.  Went through a couple bottles of Balvenie Founder's Reserve which I really enjoyed for its incredible smoothness.  I drank some Laphroaig once and I thought my face was going to prolapse.  Some people swear by it, though.

[Abagadro]

High West 12-year rye. Apparently, they rescued this rye from some distillery in Kentucky that was going to blend it with something else. It's a good thing they did, because this is a nice sip.

Love this stuff (drinking some right now). If you can find their Bourye it is really good too, a combo of bourbon and rye.  Their 12-year blend is indeed great (I prefer it to the more expensive 16 and 21 year blends they do) and I can't wait for their own home-distilled stuff which should be ready in about 5 years or so.

They are also now making a "Silver" whiskey which is basically moonshine but they are trying out different grains and it is fun to mess with (good for mixed drinks). Not sure how much of this stuff is getting outside of Utah (Rendezvous obviously is though, which is good). The guys who make it are super cool. If you are ever in Park City the place is very fun to visit and they have a killer restaurant attached to it in a historic building they have restored.

[Surlyboi]

Yeah, hit the restaurant at Sundance a couple of years back, really cool place. Also grabbed a couple of bottles of their vodka too. Not a bad sip from those guys yet. I just saw the bourye for the first time on their website yesterday. Had my local guys order some, should get it by next week.

Oh hey, post #4000. Of course, it's about booze.

[Teleku]

I really need to work on getting one of these high paying jobs here in the bay area. 

I keep wanting to go out to Nihon whiskey lounge, but dear god its going to blow a giant hole in my wallet.

[Pennilenko]

I like my scotch on the less peaty side.

Scotchs that I perceive as being nice and smooth with a soft peaty open and a sweet finish are:
Macallan 12 Year Sherry Cask aged. The 18 year can be quite good too. I also have a soft spot for Macallan Sherry Oak Cask Strength(guaranteed 12 year old, though I am currently aging 4 bottles)
Balvenie 15 Year
Glenrothes 19 Year
Glenlivet Malt Archive 21 Year

Those are my favorites. I find though, a lot of people disagree with me on their quality. For our anniversary though my wife bought me a 350 dollar bottle of Glenfiddich 30 Year that is the most amazing thing i have ever sipped on. I cry a little every time i pour myself an ounce or two to sip on. I break out the good heavy crystal snifter for that one.

Edit: I have also been considering experimenting with some blends that just became available at my local liquor outlet.

[Sky]

Aberlour 10-year. Averaging 35-40 bucks a bottle. Peaty, complex, passable.

Bruichladdich 12-year second edition. Matured in Kentucky bourbon casks. Solid. about 50 bucks.

Oban 14-year. Rich, peaty, with a hint of orange. 65-70 bucks.

Lagavulin 16-year. Smoky as fuck. I'll chase a good meal of barbecue with this. About $80.00. Also good for throwing into a smoky martini. (Substitute the whisky for vermouth in a vodka martini. serve with a twist. Insanely good.)

Nice to have a list of stuff to work toward as I look at my secret xmas present to myself standing at one glass left... Especially the el-cheapo, I need something affordable so I can get my saturday night sip on. Interesting take on the smoky martini, I used to dig vodka in a younger life, and when we'd go x-country skiing, we'd mouth-mix martinis  

I mentioned in the illegal immigrants of booze thread that I'm all about Laphroaig, how do you rate that among the many you've experienced? My bottle collection is mostly stuff left over from my apartment, bought by the guy I mentioned who likes to do a shot between beers, mostly because pre-Laphroaig I was a cheap bastard and didn't buy any booze. So I've got a pretty awful list that I don't touch (Bushmills, Bushmills 10yr, Cuervo, E&J XO, Ouzo, Patron silver, Yukon Jack). The two whiskies and the XO are the only things younger than probably 5 years and I can't really see cracking anything but them. Yukon Jack, ye gods we used to polish a bottle of that warming up for a show, nasty stuff (we'd cut with lime juice, ech). Scotch is so much nicer.

Now that I think of it, I did get into some brandy a few years ago for sipping. Got a bottle of Courvoisier XO on a deal and got totally spoiled (that E&J XO was a gift and not hitting the spot).

[trias_e]

Ardbeg 10 year is heaven.  To be honest, I have a hard time drinking any other reasonably priced scotch (<$60) after being corrupted by this peaty beast.  Every time I finish a semester I go straight to the liqour store and buy myself one (or two) to reward myself.

I have also enjoyed Oban and Lagavulin, but Ardbeg takes the cake for me.

[trias_e]

High West 12-year rye. Apparently, they rescued this rye from some distillery in Kentucky that was going to blend it with something else. It's a good thing they did, because this is a nice sip.

Love this stuff (drinking some right now). If you can find their Bourye it is really good too, a combo of bourbon and rye.  Their 12-year blend is indeed great (I prefer it to the more expensive 16 and 21 year blends they do) and I can't wait for their own home-distilled stuff which should be ready in about 5 years or so.

They are also now making a "Silver" whiskey which is basically moonshine but they are trying out different grains and it is fun to mess with (good for mixed drinks). Not sure how much of this stuff is getting outside of Utah (Rendezvous obviously is though, which is good). The guys who make it are super cool. If you are ever in Park City the place is very fun to visit and they have a killer restaurant attached to it in a historic building they have restored.

How have I not gone here?  I've had the high west rye, and their 'normal' whiskey, which were both quite good.  But I had no idea about their restaurant.  Something to put on the to-do list.

[Abagadro]

Ya, wait until the off season and then head up there. It is small plates stuff and quite good.

[stu]

I only recently started on scotch, and I don't like peat.  Macallan, Clynelish and Balvenie for me.  Went through a couple bottles of Balvenie Founder's Reserve which I really enjoyed for its incredible smoothness.  I drank some Laphroaig once and I thought my face was going to prolapse.  Some people swear by it, though.

Although it is not a classic label, and is new, Singleton was formulated as a smooth single malt, entry-level scotch. What it lacks in character, it returns in accessibility. I like it, but once you start branching out, you'll probably not go back to it. I've yet to find the one that gets me whipped.

I'm not ashamed to say my friends and I get a bottle (the big, plastic one) of Clan Macgregor for poker nights haha. It's the opposite of everything listed so far.

I read an interview about Warren Buffett's daughter who is a big so-and-so in the scotch world, I guess, and she said her favorite was actually a third shelf blended 12. You never know where you'll find the one that keeps you coming back.

[Hawkbit]

I read an interview about Warren Buffett's daughter who is a big so-and-so in the scotch world, I guess, and she said her favorite was actually a third shelf blended 12. You never know where you'll find the one that keeps you coming back.

This is true... we have an acquaintance that spent 10yrs as a sommelier for a few top end NY restaurants.  He said that he'd tried $200/bottle wines and he always kept coming back to his favorite 3 reds, all of which were $5-7/bottle.  Funny stuff, but it just goes to show that everyone's tastes are different and sometimes taste doesn't account for everything. 

[pants]

Talisker is from the Isle of Skye, and while its not a beginner's Scotch, its very peaty and smoky and I loves it.  Highly recommended if you want to know you're drinking a Scotch.

[apocrypha]

Since this has now morphed into a general booze thread... I have recently discovered chilli sherry. Buy a bottle of sherry, pour a little bit out, pop in 5-10 birds-eye chillies and 5-10 whole peppercorns. Leave for at least a week, preferably two.

Works great with either dry or sweet sherry and the effect is markedly different. Personally I've found I prefer the dry ones. Cheap sherry is fine too! Don't drink more than a glass or two at a time or else the day after can be a bit... painful.

[IainC]

I have a 28 year old Port Ellen 7th release which is currently my favourite whisky. It has the smokiness of an West Coast malt but is super-smooth. It isn't cheap though as the distillery closed 30 years ago and only a limited amount is bottled every year.

[Oban]

Needless to say, I enjoy Oban immensely.  If you want to try something special, the thirty-two year old Oban is as close as Scotch can be to the nectar of the gods (which is a nineteen sixty-seven Yquem sauterne).

Other fun things:

Gin (Hendrick's) and tonics garnished with cucumbers

Havana Club (seven year old) mojitos

Innis & Gunn oak aged beer

[Typhon]

I drink Tequila and I'm unsatisfied with what I have been drinking and I'm hoping that f13 solves my problems... so, you know, I don't have to do research.

Here are my this isn't total shit and you can probably find it without too much hassle (USofA) tequila options coming from someone who doesn't drink nearly enough tequila to give you useful information and if you do try any of these or have tried them you better report back because its been quite some time since I've had most of this stuff:

-Gran Centenario
-Partida
-I also once knew someone who swore Cuervo Traditional wasn't complete ass. Who knows don't remember ever taking him up on it.

  !  Thanks!  I will report back with my findings.