Laphroaig and Aphrodite

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Matey, we knew this at post 1 of this thread but you took every inch of the rope we gave you and knotted the noose yourself .

Shame it was derailed by the alcohol, I was hoping to hear more about the French knickers.

Come on man. Nobody gave me any rope. I was joking from the get-go.

I don't drink any longer but I do have knicker stories!

[Bash]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

I find Laphroaig a little too peaty for my liking

Disappointing. Have you tried Lagavulin? I understand that some prefer it to Laphroaig, but I'm not certain why such people want something less peaty.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by Bash

Disappointing. Have you tried Lagavulin? I understand that some prefer it to Laphroaig, but I'm not certain why such people want something less peaty.

No, I haven't, but Talisker (particularly the 18 year old stuff) is good. I can handle a little peat . I just don't like it be be the overpowering characteristic.

If you like peat, I understand Ardbeg Supernova is a good drop.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

Come on man. Nobody gave me any rope. I was joking from the get-go.

I don't drink any longer but I do have knicker stories!

Mr Blue Crab, I sincerely hope that I have not caused you any offence but I suspect (and hope) you are winding me up . Methinks most (all?) posts to this thread are largely tongue in cheek - mine are anyway - well maybe not all. Now about those knicker stories of yours.......

Originally Posted by Bash

Disappointing. Have you tried Lagavulin? I understand that some prefer it to Laphroaig, but I'm not certain why such people want something less peaty.

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

No, I haven't, but Talisker (particularly the 18 year old stuff) is good. I can handle a little peat . I just don't like it be be the overpowering characteristic.

If you like peat, I understand Ardbeg Supernova is a good drop.

Let's put some perspective on this name dropping and allow me to add to my take on the argument .

First, variety is of the essence but as I will never be able to sample and know all alcoholic bevies, I have intentionally limited any deeper understanding to that of single malts. Not to say I don't enjoy a fine Gin or Rum, I can't say I have studied them to any depth.

So on to SMs, I don't believe there is any "bad" ones, some suit one occasion better than others but they all are worthy of taste and selection. The trick is to know which is going to suit you in the moment. I have never understood those who say they only drink "blah blah" as it is the best. That is hogwash and such people (in MarkJ's language and my opinion) are gooses. Of course I might be wrong .

Now how does one know what will suit them without the knowledge of what the SMs taste like - exactly! Fortunately the answer is simple - try as many as you can, keep trying until you can remember how they taste and how they are different. Some say this is difficult to achieve, but again fortuilously, I have a solution and I am willing to share the same.

This is my method, next time you are shopping and have some spare dollars, don't get that boat part, buy instead a SM that you haven't tried. Anyone will do but you might prefer something that someone else has suggested or whatever.

Now comes the important part, don't mess this bit up: Whenever the bottle is empty, replace with one exactly the same and get a another untried one.

To recap, buy anyone first and then whenever any bottle is empty replace it with two - one the same and one untried. While one will see that this method can't be continued ad infinitum (and I understand that), I can safely report that I have not yet been able to reach the logical endpoint.

Depending your rate of consumption, you will have a nice collection of 20, 30 or more SM's to sample at your leisure.

Trust me, it works

Being a pedantic sort of fella, I now keep them in alphabetical order.

So over to you guys, how do you do it?

[Pelagic]

Good Advice Wotname and as a Scotsman, one of my few national commitments.

Personally, I am a sipper and nibbler of fine food along with a full body peaty S-M, keeping away from the iodine medicinal tastes of some.
This guy is probably a bit more ‘pedantic’ than you… and does have a **** list…
The best Scotch whisky - a list of candidates

So other than the Aphrodites of the world…. What is your favorite nibble along with your best S-M?

[Blue Crab]

My personal knowledge of Single Malt is, ahem, Internet-based.

[Bluefuss]

Now thats an excellent bit of advise Wotname! I had the same streak going many years ago. Unfortunately work took me away from home for a couple of months one time and when I returned I found that the wifes boyfriend had taken it apon himself to sample most of my unopened bottles and put a severe dent in the whole collection. I got even tho, i took what was left of my collection and left him my wife.

[nigel1]

At some stage, I hope to follow the Malt Cruise, a sailing cruise along the west coast of Scotland, and the Islands, where you get to visit a few distillery's. Best of both worlds really.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by Wotname

....Let's put some perspective on this name dropping and allow me to add to my take on the argument .

Not generally a name dropper LOL, but it is easier than trying to describe the bottle (hmm, you know, the tall one with the nipped in neck and the creamy label and plain dark writing, no not that creamy label the other one.....). There is a HUGE difference between the various Scottish drops and names are by far the easiest way of distinguishing them .

Originally Posted by Wotname

First, variety is of the essence......

A male perspective LOL. I'm generally of the opinion that if you find a good thing stick to it

Originally Posted by Wotname

So on to SMs, I don't believe there is any "bad" ones, some suit one occasion better than others but they all are worthy of taste and selection.

Have you tried any 10€ single malts from Liddl supermarkets? They are OK only for pouring over plum pudding and lighting it and only if it is not a home made made plum pudding that I've lavished love and time on.

Originally Posted by Wotname

Now how does one know what will suit them without the knowledge of what the SMs taste like - exactly! Fortunately the answer is simple - try as many as you can, keep trying until you can remember how they taste and how they are different.

Once you find a few you like it can actually be really hard to compare them unless a direct comparison is made (before imbibing too much beforehand - after a few nips anything starts tasting wonderful LOL).

Originally Posted by Wotname

This is my method...
To recap, buy anyone first and then whenever any bottle is empty replace it with two - one the same and one untried.

Nah, not keen on that idea at all:
- I would need to start taking over some of hubbie's workshop space for storage and WWIII may erupt on board .
- I am not keen on spending money on a SM that hasn't pushed all my buttons just to have some variety.
- Open bottles deteriorate in time.
- Single malts are rare as hen's teeth in Greece (they seem to be Johnny Walker fans and personally I would prefer to be drinking rum) so it would only frustrate me trying to source something new.

Originally Posted by Wotname

So over to you guys, how do you do it?

Buy two and do a blind taste test to see what you prefer (a lot of fun, particularly if you can line up a few). Keep repeating this till you have found a few that give you orgasms (oops, family forum) you really like .

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

What is your favorite nibble along with your best S-M?

If it's single malt you are referring to, nothing beats vegemite on toast. Dark chocolate comes close though .

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by nigel1

At some stage, I hope to follow the Malt Cruise, a sailing cruise along the west coast of Scotland, and the Islands, where you get to visit a few distillery's. Best of both worlds really.

Need crew?

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

My personal knowledge of Single Malt is, ahem, Internet-based.

Don't let that hold you back
You have access to a much larger database comprised of fine minds and educated palates than my somewhat biased purely personal empirical uneducated raw palate

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

Good Advice Wotname and as a Scotsman, one of my few national commitments.

Personally, I am a sipper and nibbler of fine food along with a full body peaty S-M, keeping away from the iodine medicinal tastes of some.
This guy is probably a bit more ‘pedantic’ than you… and does have a **** list…
The best Scotch whisky - a list of candidates

So other than the Aphrodites of the world…. What is your favorite nibble along with your best S-M?

Nice link - Thanks P Not sure if I could ever match his database and not sure if I want to - there is a lot limited release product there and that doesn't fit so well with my method - too hard to replace like with like as time goes on

As for nibbles, I tend to eat whatever others provide but if pushed -

I do like oysters with the lighter Speyside S-Ms say a Glenlivet or perhaps some soft creamy cheese with a stronger Aberlour.

For the smoky Isaly malts, probably a blue cheese early on after eating but if the night is late, the conversation deep, the company excellent, then a rich bittersweet dark chocolate would be my choice with a 16 year old Lagavulin.

However if I could only have one all-round S-M and one all-round nibble to suit all occasions, I would have to chose Brazil nuts with an original 10 year Glenmorangie.

For those who are interested, a very top quality internationally awarded S-M is produced right here in West Oz. They have taken on the best of the Scottish brewers and have not been found wanting. See Awards

Yes, I’m biased but it is darn good!

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by nigel1

At some stage, I hope to follow the Malt Cruise, a sailing cruise along the west coast of Scotland, and the Islands, where you get to visit a few distillery's. Best of both worlds really.

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

If it's single malt you are referring to, nothing beats vegemite on toast. Dark chocolate comes close though .

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

Need crew?

Be careful here Nigel, your vegemite eating crew might find a S-M that delights her and after a few, well.......... she has warned you .....and you might not be invited back

[nigel1]

Just hoping the GF is not reading this thread