Question for the single malt gurus

**Freelander Sporrano** · 6th February 07, 11:03 PM

10 y Laphroaig isn't what I'd call smooth.However thats my own opinion.

Taste is relative . I find it has a lot to do with what I have eaten or drunk beforehand ,mood that kind of thing.I always find at tastings it's always best to leave the powerful Islay malts until last.This is to give the more delicate malts a chance to shine .

You ask if your palate is out of whack ? Why should it be we are all individuals

**SnakeEyes** · 6th February 07, 11:33 PM

I gotta say, I'm not into scotch. Born and raised middle-class Albertan, so it's nothing but Crown Royal for me.

**Pour1Malt** · 7th February 07, 03:08 AM

Originally Posted by Warhoover

... A friend many moons ago (15 yrs) gave me a bottle of 12 y.o. Glenlivet. I had tried it several times and "ok" with it. Since coming here to Xmarks I have read the threads on single malts and noticed that some guys enjoy the 12y.o. Glenlivet, so I got it out of the back of the cupboard and decided I would see if my palate had matured some. ... But, I continued telling myself it was an adjustment thing. The only way I can describe it is that it has very strong "bite" to me, almost "abusive". ...
...Laphroaig.. I picked up a bottle of the 10 year old. When I got home, I tried a small dram. A totally different experience. Smooth! Complex flavor, none of that real harsh bite I got from the Glenlivet. I LIKE IT!!!
My question is this, I have read on here that the Islay Malts are something you have to grow into basically. Why would I then not take a liking to the Glen but immediatley enjoy Laphroaig? Is my palate that much out of whack?

Brad

e'ery yins palate is different... ya soond like ya dae no fit the "norm"... nay big deal...

if that bottle of Glenlivet has been open fur maire than 6 months... an if it is less than half fou.... it is nay langer tastin as it shuid... mix it wi soda, lemonade, ginger ale, whit e'er... it is nay langer tastin like a single malt oiny maire....

ai also think Glenlivet has a "bite" (it is a lack of maturity i' the wood, actually... alcohol taste is tae prevalent, an' it is the type o' wood used... Livet is aged in ex-bourbon casks that still contain a lot o' strong tannin an other sharp wood flavours...) ai dinnae drink Glenlevit aften mysel....

maist folk have tae work slowly (many many months tae yeares) tae develop they's palate tae gae frae coke & JD, tae blended whisky & water, tae malt whisky, tae aulder maire intense malts... (but "maist" certainly does no mean a' (all))

maist people (the "norm" again) prefer the lichter "woody, grassy, lemony, pear-like, flavours o' Glenlivet , Glenfiddich, Glenkinchie.. when they start drinkin malt... maire matured palate malt drinkers will drink these lichter flavour malts wi' heavily flavoured foods....

Peat monsters like Laphroaig, Ardbeg, Lagavulin, Caol Ila- arr usually no liked by non-malt drinkers an non-matured palate malt drinkers.... they arr intensely flavoured.... flavours in these micht run frae-- burnt treacle, plasticine, bandaids, turpentine, auld fish boxes, rubber bands, smoked fish, salted herring, mushrooms, root cellar, antiseptic, iodine, phenolic, arr seaweedy....

sae although ya dinnae meet the "norm"- that is nay big deal... folk arr the same wi' food... ai still dinnae like sea urchin even though ai luv sushi an sashimi... nay big deal...

the important thing is tae keep tryin' new an different malts ... each distillery maks a muckle huge variety tae choose frae...

have fun...

and share yur malt wi' yur friends!!!

slainte

**Pour1Malt** · 7th February 07, 03:25 AM

while ai'm oan ma wee saipbox...

here arr a few warnings...and helpful hints...

1- Single Malt Scotch Whisky- can ainly come frae Scotland- an' must bae made by yin distillery ainly- an' must bae made frae 100% malted barley... an it must bae aged in wood in Scotland fur nay less than three years... (ai refer tae this as "malt")

2- Blended Scotch Whisky- can ainly come frae Scotland- an' will bae a blend o' many many different single malts alaing wi' a lot o' grain alcohol (this is like vodka- but it is aged in wood like malt whisky is)... it is no made frae 100% malted barley... it is a mix o' malted barley, unmalted barley, wheat, maize (corn), rice, an other grains... an it must bae aged in wood in Scotland fur nay less than three years... (ai refer tae this as "whisky" arr "blended whisky"")

3- check the alcohol strength afore ya taste... (it is oan the label)
most are around 40-43% alcohol... an' dinnae need watter...
if ya get a bottle o' "cask strength" malt -the alcohol will bae 50-71%... an' anything o'er 50% will burn yur taste buds richt aff... which will ruin yur tastin' ability fur the nicht...
ya need tae put a couple wee drops o' watter in it - just enough tae lower the alcohol tae 40-43%....

4- use yur nose maire than yur mooth.... yur nose is far maire sensitive than yur tongue...

5- Rinse yur glass an mooth wi' watter atween each malt whisky...a biscuit (cracker) is guid now an' then tae.... (ai usually fill my glass wi' watter- then pour it intae my mooth an' wash my mooth.. then drink the watter...)

6- NEVER add ice tae malt... it actually changes the molecular structure... an' kills the flavours...

7- malt is best a' a cool room temperature... beware o' warmin' yur glass tae much wi' yur haun... ai also frequently 'cool aff' my mooth wi' cool watter atween sips o' malt... oor mooth temp is 98.6F... which is tae warm fur malt....

hope that helps...

have fun and

Slainte mhath!

**Fearnest** · 7th February 07, 03:54 AM

Originally Posted by Dreadbelly

I'll probably be hung for this, but I can't tell the difference between most Scotch and Listereen. I don't mind drinking it, but all I can taste is the not so subtle taste of burning dog in my mouth. Or something.

Now rum or red wine, I can taste all of the flavours in there.

Maybe it is a genetic thing.

BURNING DOG??? If you know what burning dog tastes like, then perhaps that goes a long way towards explaining why your melt your kilts...

**ckelly327** · 7th February 07, 05:52 AM

If I was a single malt drinker I would listen to anything that P1M had to say. For whatever reason I never developed the taste for Scotch Whiskey that I have for Irish Whiskey. There is a relatively new Irish Whiskey called Michael Collins that I found rather smooth and palatable.

It's been a few years since my last Scotch so maybe I'll have to give it a retry soon. I'll have to make a list from this thread before I head to the store.

**Pour1Malt** · 7th February 07, 06:27 AM

Originally Posted by ckelly327

If I was a single malt drinker I would listen to anything that P1M had to say. For whatever reason I never developed the taste for Scotch Whiskey that I have for Irish Whiskey. There is a relatively new Irish Whiskey called Michael Collins that I found rather smooth and palatable.

It's been a few years since my last Scotch so maybe I'll have to give it a retry soon. I'll have to make a list from this thread before I head to the store.

Irish Whiskey is triple distilled an' efen quite smuith...

try Bladnoch, Glenkinchie, Auchentoshen... ya shiud like them as weel....

**Warhoover** · 7th February 07, 06:38 AM

ya soond like ya dae no fit the "norm"...

I have been accused of this many many times in my life!

if that bottle of Glenlivet has been open fur maire than 6 months... an if it is less than half fou.... it is nay langer tastin as it shuid... mix it wi soda, lemonade, ginger ale, whit e'er... it is nay langer tastin like a single malt oiny maire....

Well, since its been open for many years then I guess that would explain why I feel that it was kind of "off" then. Thanks for that bit of info, I will just mix the Glenlivet then.

Thanks for the the tips P1M, I did not realize that even the temperature of my mouth would affect the malt! I learned long ago to follow my nose. I enjoy wine as well and have been to many tastings. I have yet to attend a Scotch or Whisky tasting. I will definately be on the look out for one in my area now.

If Laphroaig is a Peat Monster then I am enjoying Halloween! Thanks again for the education P1M!

Slainte mhath,

**beowulf67** · 7th February 07, 06:44 AM

I'm like you, I used to drink mostly tequila, or as I like to call it "The breakfast of champions!"
Anywho, then I started with Irish whiskey because I heard it was smoother and I liked it, so moved to a couple of blended Scotchs. Now I'm entering the world of single malts, and finding it quite enjoyable. I have found that I like the ones with strong, intense (to me anyway) flavors, but haven't had the chance to try anything in the Laphroig class yet.
Thanks to Beuth Sim, I did get to enjoy some Glenkinchie thought. Very nice.

I'm still not much of a burbon drinker though. And I try to steer clear of moonshine as much as possible.

**Nick** · 7th February 07, 07:48 AM

I like Glenlivet 12. In fact, I like the 12 better than I like the 18.

I had been a scotch drinker for a bit before I got a bottle of Laphroaig. Before that, it was Glenlivet and Highland Park. And I am a definite Laphroaig man. I've liked all the single malts I've had, and most of the blends. I love scotch! But I only drink it occassionally. Besides not imbibing very often, I can't afford to buy a new bottle when the current ones run out.