Armagnac or 18yo First Cask Highland Malt?
what a choice to face!
help an old soak decide?
( blaireau69 , the Cumbrian Travis Bickle., Tue 15 Dec 2009, 19:06, 21 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

Single Malt every time
Just try to remember that after the first four or five, switch to blended, as you won't be able to tell the difference by then.
( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 19:11, Reply)

With or without water?
There's arguments to be made both ways. There are subtle taste changes that are only revealed with the addition of water.

I'm told.
( The Light in Chains don't touch the Pope's boner, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 19:29, Reply)

generally i reckon if it's over 40%vol then a wee drap o' water is required.
but i guess it depends on the drink in question.
for instance i would never add water to 60%vol citrinowka (lemon vodka as made by my "unkle" Swavomir) but generally i find Whisky benefits from a minor dilution.
maybe after the first wee sip...just for the flavour...
( blaireau69 , the Cumbrian Travis Bickle., Tue 15 Dec 2009, 19:36, Reply)

With cool water, no ice.
when hammered, with coke.

Sorry, I have no class.
( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 19:40, Reply)

never drink the good stuff when pissed!
and yes, never ice in malt.
rum, bourbon, gin, whatever...but never ice in malt!
( blaireau69 , the Cumbrian Travis Bickle., Tue 15 Dec 2009, 19:44, Reply)

Damn right
So hard to get people behind bars to understand that.
Someone tried to put ice in Mr Bin's brandy the other day.
( Mrs Entity is in hiding., Tue 15 Dec 2009, 19:50, Reply)

WHATTHESHUDDERINGFLUFF?
ice in brandy?
pffft.
( blaireau69 , the Cumbrian Travis Bickle., Tue 15 Dec 2009, 20:02, Reply)

I fucking know
and the woman wondered why I looked at her like she was raping my dog with a frozen turd.

Ice in brandy, when I'm king it'll be a hanging offence.
( Mrs Entity is in hiding., Tue 15 Dec 2009, 20:07, Reply)

thai whisky
tastes like brandy and is served ice cold

rather nice stuff
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 20:24, Reply)

Single malt
water is for poofs.
( Mrs Entity is in hiding., Tue 15 Dec 2009, 19:39, Reply)

no even a wee drappy?
seriously?
am i a poof?
( blaireau69 , the Cumbrian Travis Bickle., Tue 15 Dec 2009, 19:45, Reply)

yes.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 16 Dec 2009, 9:31, Reply)

I put water in a single malt once
and it just ruined it.
But what do I know, my Pa drinks Bells!
( Mrs Entity is in hiding., Tue 15 Dec 2009, 19:48, Reply)

ive spent most of my adult life marketing booze, some of the best brands globally
im also a scot and have been in more distilleries than i can remember

single malt needs some cool scottish water to 'tease the finer aspects out'. the cheapest supermarket scottish water you can find is just fine. it has to be soft scottish water though - hard english lime pish will knacker even cheapest of blends

if you want ice - put only one or two chunks in a generous measure - the ice will melt and you will experience honey citrus when chilled then wood, peat, spice and smoke as it warms.

the laws around whisky (note spelling) are so strict there is no such thing as a bad scotch - only one that is not to your taste

BTW 18 is the 'magic' age for malt. the highland park 18 YO is deservedly regarded as one of the finest things you can put in your mouth
( spimf ™ is whoever you want him to be, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 20:05, Reply)

I think it
suffolk water that had gone through a Britta filter didn't do it much good.
( Mrs Entity is in hiding., Tue 15 Dec 2009, 20:09, Reply)

this is an 18yo first cask ben nevis.
46%vol from laithwaites wines aka wines direct.
tbh it's achly raaaaaaather good with just a dash of cold filtered tap water. tasted the water first to clear the palette and check for chlorine.

edit: i had 14 "wilderness years" in the licensed trade, mainly boutique hotels and so-on. i used to get a wee bit frustrated by the moneyed idiots and the ways they mistreated good drink.
( blaireau69 , the Cumbrian Travis Bickle., Tue 15 Dec 2009, 20:19, Reply)

I agree, the Highland Park 18 yr
is wonderful stuff (I miss the old lable though).

I thought he had cask strength by the way the first post was written and that can sometimes take a little water but I do prefer even the strong stuff without any added water. My wife bought me a 39 yr old cask strength Glenfarclas for my 50th that was amazing and I would have hurt anyine adding any water or ice to it.
(MichaelS wasn't picked again, Wed 16 Dec 2009, 12:09, Reply)

How comes I always find girls to fall in love with at the hospital?
There was a lovely girl sitting across from me, such a good sense of humour. I should have asked for her phone number, she doesn't live to far from me eaither.

Then there is my nurse, oh my goodness, she could be a model, and she's so kind and nice to me, takes time to talk to me.

:: Sigh :: Why can't I be the one breaking hearts for once? =(
( G/PP 💩💩💩💩💩&#128, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 19:40, Reply)

Oh god, I'm actually, genuinly, creepy.
=(
( G/PP 💩💩💩💩💩&#128, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 19:41, Reply)

Next time you are visiting hospital
Wear a white lab coat. I'm sure it will break the ice, and you can talk to anybody easily.
( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Tue 15 Dec 2009, 20:09, Reply)

Okay, so i plied him with scotchness...
and he plied me with Polishness.
it is not even 10pm and even now the matrimonial bed beckons...
( blaireau69 , the Cumbrian Travis Bickle., Tue 15 Dec 2009, 22:33, Reply)