Non-Scottish Whisky: Japanese, Indian, Dutch, et al?

[Lallans]

I seem to recall that a Suntory scotch won a World Gold Medal a few years back. And of course they were featured with Bill Murray in that great movie.

[Lallans]

Last year I was in an Ontario Vintages outlet and the sampling counter guy gave me a wee sample of Connemara Single Malt without charging me the $10 the LCBO mandated. I was so charmed that I bought a bottle (around $140) and have never regretted it. A wonderful whisky, Irish, but as good as many of more expensive Scotchs I've tried. I'm a collector in a very small way and hope to keep the same bottle throughout my life as a singular instance of Ontario liquor liberality- but by the time I cash out, I expect the bottle will have been long empty .

[Dale Seago]

. . .Connemara Single Malt. . .I was so charmed that I bought a bottle (around $140) and have never regretted it. A wonderful whisky, Irish, but as good as many of more expensive Scotchs I've tried.

One of only a couple of Irish whiskies that are still peated, and I couldn't agree more with your assessment! The Irish were still doing that a lot up to the 19th century. The only other Irish single malts I'm aware of that are peated, and which I haven't tried yet, are Clonmel and Cadenhead.

[EHCAlum]

Not that big of a whiskey fan, though I enjoy Makers Mark. Kluge vineyards in Charlottesville VA has a really nice wine called Kru. Its a a chardonnay fortified with local distilled brandy and then aged for 6 months in Jack Daniels barrels.

Its crazy pricey like all Kluge wines though