You guys are terrible! I'm at work and you've got my mouth watering and it will be nearly impossible to concentrate on anything else for the rest of the day (I guess it serves me right, I should never have taken a break to peruse these boards).

X, I tend to agree with your tastes...a bit of a bite is typically a good thing. Rye has a really pleasant astringency so long as it's not overdone. I too like Cragenmore, but Dahlwinnie is too light and sweet for my taste. Have you ever had Lagavoulin 16 yr.? It's peatier than Tallisker or Laphroaig (my two favorite malts by the way).

I tend to run hot and cold on Irish whisky (traditionally there is no 'e' in whisky--a new world addition). It has been my experience that run of the mill no name irish whisky is better than the same quality scotch (or burbon for that matter), but really good irish whisky (and burbon) is not all that much better than the average. Conversely, really good scotch takes one to nirvana.

Did I ever mention that I plan to spend retirement on a perpetual pub crawl across Scotland?

Ed