Greetings from a Single Malt Whisky Newbie

[gambler]

Hi all!

I have recently jumped into the deep pool of whisky, primarily single malt scotch whiskies!

Mostly I got into it initially, due to a friend from Edinburgh who lived on Cape Cod for a bit. Unfortunately, he went back to Scotland before I really got hooked.

My current collection:

Glenfiddich 15 year old Distillery Edition (102 proof)
Lagavulin 16
Talisker 10
The Macallan 12 Sherry Oak

Untried
Ardbeg Corryvreckan
Glenmorangie Nectar d'Or
Highland Park 12

The Glenfiddich 15 Distillery Edition was my first scotch whisky, and the main reason was, of course, the packaging. It's also the one I can't really get into. I've tried a number of times, but it just doesn't grab me. I'll probably try again this weekend to see if I can pin down why.

Talisker 10 was the second that I tried, and at first I didn't care much for it. Tried a dram again this past week, and discovered that I rather like it a lot.

I bought the Lagavulin 16 and The Macallan 12 Year Sherry Oak at the same time. I anticipated not necessarily liking the Lagavulin at first and that I would prefer The Macallan. It turned out that I much preferred the Lagavulin, and in fact that was when I first 'got' Scotch whisky. I was nosing it, and thinking "Wow. Who would want to drink this? All I smell is smoke... and.. hold on... where did it go.. and where did all these other lovely smells come from?" The odd thing is, I've had the reverse happen at a party where I shared this with a couple of friends afterwards - the smoke came late in the nosing. I do like The Macallan 12 Sherry Oak also.

Tonight I'm probably going to break into the Highland Park 12, and follow it up with Talisker 10 a bit later in the evening.

Additionally, I'm discovering the collector in me is taking to this new hobby.. which could be bad for my wallet. I'm trying to track down a couple of bottles of the Bunnahabhain 18 (unchillfiltered edition), but it's proving tough to do in Massachusetts, particularly Cape Cod. Looks like Boston is where I'll have to go. I'd actually found two stores in Rhode Island which carry the older version (chill filtered, 43% ABV), when I was checking because I'll be visiting there later this month, but remembered at the last minute to ask... one of the stores has 14 bottles of the older version!

Another whisky I'm trying to track down isn't a Scotch Whisky, but it is a Single Malt.. McCarthy's Oregon Single Malt 3 Year Old. I have some good leads on that, including the stores in Rhode Island.

I'll compare drinking Single Malt Scotch Whisky with one of my other hobbies.. stargazing, and as a specific example I'll use the Orion Nebula. When I first got my good telescope over a decade ago, I turned it on the Orion Nebula at my first opportunity and thought "Is that it? Just kind of a dark splotch with no stars..." and quickly went back to the planets, some beautiful double stars, star clusters and the like.. you know, the flashy, accessible stuff.

A year later, when the Orion Nebula was visible again, I tried it again.. I'd been becoming a bit more patient, finding more subtle things in the sky, and this time I noticed the smoky look to that dark splotch, though at the time it seemed two dimensional still. Each year, when it returned, I picked up on new things... the faintest hint of color, the three dimensional look of the nebula in front of some stars, and so on... Yup, I still like the accessible stuff, especially when I'm showing friends for the first time.. but for those quiet, introspective nights, I like going back to something I know to see what new facet will be revealed.

[gambler]

So I started a touch later than I wanted, so I only tasted the Highland Park 12, and liked it a lot. I still have problems articulating what I smell and taste, but the combination of sweet and creamy smells (butterscotch/caramel) combined with light smoke, and some floral notes had me nosing it for quite awhile. The tastes were similar with a touch of spice (pepper?).

I had seen the post where a number of people are saying that HP12 has changed, with less smoke than previously, but I personally found it to be a quite lovely dram.

Tonight I plan to start with The MacAllan 12, and then the Talisker 10 or the Lagavulin 16.

[pillliwinx]

Hello fellow newbie.

I am having my Edradour and a wee taster bottle of Macallan 18 that I got from the Whisky Shop.

[gambler]

Sounds like a good selection!

So, starting with the Macallan 12 yo Sherry Oak.

Other times I've had a dram of this bottle, I've enjoyed the smell more than the taste.

Let's see how it is this time.. Poured it half an hour ago. Added a few drops of spring water and covered with a plastic lid after a thorough nosing and small sip to prime myself...

Nose: Honey, sherry, butterscotch, vanilla, floral notes... I actually smelled a touch of smoke on my first nosing half an hour ago, but that's absent now.

Taste: Butterscotch, faintest hint of banana, touch of citrus.

Finish: Pretty smooth, long, banana and butterscotch...


I think I still prefer the smell over the taste, but I'm warming up to this one.

[DavidUK]

Try and get hold of the 46.3% 18yo Bunnahabhain if you can. Allternatively the 12yo at 46.3% is also very good

[gambler]

The Bunnahabhain 18 is the one I'm actively trying to track down. Unfortunately, the only two places I've found nearby that can get it or have it, have the 40% (one has 14 bottles at 74.99 ). One place in Massachusetts that I called thinks they can get it, and if not then I'll go through The Whisky Exchange.

Also trying to track down McCarthy's Oregon Single Malt 3 yo, and the Talisker 18.

On my next level to get are:

Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban
Bowmore 15 Darkest

(I'm curious how chocolate notes in a whisky taste )

[gambler]

So, tonight I had the Lagavulin 16 while a friend was over. Yup, that's my favorite bottle of the ones I have. So tasty, and oddly smooth.

[outamyway]

The McCarthy's Oregon Single Malt is available at a store here in Kentucky, they ship too.

http://www.thepartysource.com/express/results.php?i=McCarthy%27s+Oregon+Single+Malt
_________________
A thrill a minute might sound pretty good, but a minute is a long time to wait between thrills. -Jeff Roberts

[gambler]

Hey, thanks for the tip, but I live in Massachusetts and they don't ship there. I did find a place in RI in the area I'll be in 2 weeks that has it.

[gambler]

So, my current "wants" are, in order:

Bunnahabhain 18 (2010+ version)
McCarthy's Oregon Single Malt 3 YO
Talisker 18 (I'm hearing this may be being discontinued? Any confirmation?)
Bunnahabhain 12 (but if I can get the 18, this will probably slide down the list a touch in favor of 'breadth' rather than depth for my collection)
Glenmorangie Quinta Ruben
Ardbeg Uigeadail
Bowmore 15 Darkest
Highland Park 18
Glenmorangie Signet (I actually have plans to pick this up for my birthday in June - the first 'showcase'/special occasion Scotch I'll own - so, likely this one will be bought before at least a couple of the above)
Auchentoshan 12
Oban 14

[Mark]

I dont think the Talisker 18 will be discontinued but due to the shortage of 18 year old stock i think it will not be available in many markets

[gambler]

So sounds like I should grab the bottle (Talisker 18) I discovered in an area I'll be in next week.

Was in my local store, and saw a Bunnahabhain 12 (46.3% ABV version) on the shelf, so picked up that + Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban.

Next week, the Talisker 18 and the McCarthy's should find their way to my growing collection.

Yup, the addiction is in full swing (the collection aspect, not the alcoholic aspect!)

[Samson]

It has been a while since they have sold the Talisker 18 in Canada. I still have 1 unopened bottle in the cabinet. gambler it is an outstanding whisky if you can get it.

[gambler]

So, I was able to snag two Bunnahabhain 18's (46.3% ABV version). Am on a business trip in Rhode Island, staying with friends. As mentioned above, this whisky was one of my top 'to get' ones. A shop up here was able to get them in yesterday, and so I took the chance and grabbed two. And boy am I glad I did. We cracked a bottle open tonight and had some. I'll do a more proper tasting soon but -to me, with my limited experience so far - was spectacularly good. Extremely tasty, full bodied, just fills your mouth so easily. Based on one tasting, this may be my favorite whisky so far, but will have to see if it holds up on repeated tastings.

[DavidUK]