Thread: First Step in to Single Malt

Originally Posted by trewornan

I know a lot of people love the heavier whiskies like those you mention but I really don't think they're a good choice for somebody who hasn't tried malts before.

Well, there's something to that, which is why I said,

Originally Posted by SteveS

Macallans are good whiskies, but, if you like big, heavy flavors, and pairing with cigars . . .

It's typical to suggest starting any new epicurean endeavor with lighter examples of the class. But not everyone's palate appreciates the lighter stuff as much as the heavier stuff.

When I started smoking cigars, I was advised to try Macanudos; I wasn't too impressed with cigars until I smoked heavier Hondurans, Nicaraguans, and Cubans. When I started drinking malts, I was told to try Glenfiddich and Glenlivet; I didn't really enjoy scotch until I tried Laphroaig some years later. I had similar experiences with beer and wine.

Based on my own experiences, I'm inclined to suggest that men who know their own palates begin where their palates are likely to lead them.

Originally Posted by SteveS

Based on my own experiences, I'm inclined to suggest that men who know their own palates begin where their palates are likely to lead them.

I'll admit to a certain partisanship. Although I enjoy some of the Island malts on occasion, I do prefer the lighter, and most especially, smoother stuff in general.

There's some similarity between straight razors and malt whisky in that it's highly individual and everybody's preference will be different. Do you start of with a 5/8 hollow or a 9/8 wedge? There'll always be the ones who do start with something extreme and love it, but what would you recommend to a beginner?

Ideally - buy a bottle of Macallan AND a bottle of Laphroaig.

Originally Posted by trewornan

Ideally - buy a bottle of Macallan AND a bottle of Laphroaig.

Now you're talking.

OK I am hooked Lynn and Bill say this could be one of the worst AD

Originally Posted by Don

OK I am hooked Lynn and Bill say this could be one of the worst AD

It could be bad. At least with RAD, HAD, SCAD or whatever you don't run the risk of falling off your barstool

And then there is CAD (cigar acquisition disorder).....

But with all of those, you at least have something other than a headache and $0.50 worth of glass in the morning.

Another round of clays is sounding good and then some single malt, a pyro, a fireplace and rocking chair. We will have to do that again. I have a 3-bird shoot at Indian Ridge on Easter weekend, those are a blast.

Just 1 tip that was given to me by a master: remove all of the seal, and not only the part that allows you to open the bottle.

Drops will crawl into the remainder of the seal, and might fall into our glass the next time you pour.

A lot of seals are still made of lead, and while we are talking only about trace amounts, it is always a good idea to avoid lead ingestion.

Finally it was a warm day for a short walk so here it is. I've decided to get 100 proof 'cause I've read a few reviews and they were better for 100 proof than regular.

Funny story about the 100 proof:

Most standard malt bottlings are blends of different malts of the same distillery. The phrase 'single malt'only means that all the whisky inside is malt from the same distillery.
unless 'single cask' is specified on the label, you can be sure that they mix a number of casks to get a balanced whisky.

The age of the whisky that is reported on the label is that of the youngest whisky in the mix. So a 10 year old might have part 12 or 15 year old in it to bring balance to the taste.

Several years ago, the master blender (the one who is in control of what gets bottled when) at Springbank had a sudden lapse of common sense and for some unknown reason, used 20 - 40 year old malts in the 100 proof bottling.

I was told they fired him for it, and noone know why he did it.
The bottles should be recognizable by the rims of the label, which is red instead of black. I was told by someone who is an insider that it was an incredibly good whisky, and very cheap for what you got

Don't get your hopes up on finding such a bottle though.
This happened a long time ago, the number of bottles this happened to is limited, and once people found out what happened, those bottles were quickly bought by those in the know.