Whiskey - It's the water of life!

[Takayuki Yagami]

I'll say you're starting from something that's fairly sweet, and as for smoothness... honestly not too difficult to get smoother than JD (though it's not as bitey as Jim Beam or ryes/Canadians IMO). So far some of the smoothest whiskies and such I've had the pleasure of drinking are Tomatin Dualchas (scotch, and usually not much more expensive than JD because for some reason Tomatin is criminally underappreciated) and Willett Pot Still Reserve (bourbon, bit pricier than JD but worth it if you want something bourbony).

It might be worth looking into rum as well if they like sweet. Probably not most Jamacian ones though.

 

[Bassomatic]

Sis in town and she loves her little autistic bro basso, so scotch is a whiskey and we cleaned our guns after a nice day shooting working on some of my old school fav highland park 18. Happy basso dance.

 

[Desu Vult]

Since the thread has drifted away from whiskey, here's a short brandy/cognac rundown. VSOP only, since most VS is crap and XO is too expensive for my poorfag ass to get plastered on.

Braastad: says "smooth and round" on the label, and it is. A bit too smooth as a matter of fact, doesn't even feel like drinking a cognac. Simple and slightly on the sourish side.

Larsen: says "fruity" on the label and it kinda is. Smoothish, balanced, probably the safest one if you're not into brandy but want to bring a bottle to a party or something.

Martell: way more bitey than other VSOPs, OK for a winter evening in the subarctic shithole I currently live.

Hardy: middle of the road in every sense, nothing special but way cheaper than youd expect from taste ( available in PLASTIC 0.5 liter flasks here).

Hennessy: seen it described as "raisin water" and the description, while kinda harsh, is fitting. Not a bad thing to get drunk on by any means, (although ridiculously overpriced), just not my taste. Like JD, you either like it or not.

J. P. Gaultret (Jules Gaultret) : Hennessy without brand markup.

Courvoisier: nice and complex, slightly too sweet for me, but still genuinely good.

Meukow: personal favourite, perfect balance in smoothness and taste FOR ME, generally considered too simplistic by connoisseurs, your taste may vary.

Honorable mentions:

Maxime Trijol: smooth and fruity IIRC, it's been a while since I last drank it. Has aleays been a bargain. Their VS is total shit.

Ararat 6 star and above: old Poiltbureau favorite, way sweet for my taste, but really good for what it costs (<50% over JW Red).

 

[Pop pop fizz fizz]

Courvoisier: nice and complex, slightly too sweet for me, but still genuinely good.

Nice choice.
You may also want to try an Armagnac for a richer mouth feel and a finer flavor, I like Larressingle VSOP as it's readily available and not too pricey.

 

[TFT-A9]

Since the thread has drifted away from whiskey, here's a short brandy/cognac rundown. VSOP only, since most VS is crap and XO is too expensive for my poorfag ass to get plastered on.

Braastad: says "smooth and round" on the label, and it is. A bit too smooth as a matter of fact, doesn't even feel like drinking a cognac. Simple and slightly on the sourish side.

Larsen: says "fruity" on the label and it kinda is. Smoothish, balanced, probably the safest one if you're not into brandy but want to bring a bottle to a party or something.

Martell: way more bitey than other VSOPs, OK for a winter evening in the subarctic shithole I currently live.

Hardy: middle of the road in every sense, nothing special but way cheaper than youd expect from taste ( available in PLASTIC 0.5 liter flasks here).

Hennessy: seen it described as "raisin water" and the description, while kinda harsh, is fitting. Not a bad thing to get drunk on by any means, (although ridiculously overpriced), just not my taste. Like JD, you either like it or not.

J. P. Gaultret (Jules Gaultret) : Hennessy without brand markup.

Courvoisier: nice and complex, slightly too sweet for me, but still genuinely good.

Meukow: personal favourite, perfect balance in smoothness and taste FOR ME, generally considered too simplistic by connoisseurs, your taste may vary.

Honorable mentions:

Maxime Trijol: smooth and fruity IIRC, it's been a while since I last drank it. Has aleays been a bargain. Their VS is total shit.

Ararat 6 star and above: old Poiltbureau favorite, way sweet for my taste, but really good for what it costs (<50% over JW Red).

Henny's pretty much only priced that way because they know people will pony up to look like X celebrity. Pretty much straight up conspicuous consumption.

I'm fond of the Armenian stuff like Ararat, it is sweet but I've come to associate brandies/cognacs with sweetness. Personal favorites if I get caught drinking brandy/cognac are Hine and Metaxa. Metaxa's got an anise-y flavor to it that works pretty well IMO.

I will say slivovitz is a damned rough ride, friend described it as "fruity gasoline" and that's... pretty accurate. There's also applejack (trying to remember the name of the one brand I had last, it was pretty boozy but not terrible really).

 

[AnOminous]

Henny's pretty much only priced that way because they know people will pony up to look like X celebrity. Pretty much straight up conspicuous consumption.

It's okay but the price is ridiculous. It's really popular with blacks because it was one of the first brands that directly advertised to the black community. That was so unprecedented at the time for a luxury brand that the brand loyalty has continued to this day.

 

[Boris Blank's glass eye]

I will say slivovitz is a damned rough ride, friend described it as "fruity gasoline" and that's... pretty accurate. There's also applejack (trying to remember the name of the one brand I had last, it was pretty boozy but not terrible really).

Quality-wise European fruit spirits vary greatly. Some of them - usually locally produced moonshine intended for immediate consumption - are worse than rot gut, some of them are practically bottled fruit.

 

[Lone Outsider]

Always go for Irish Whiskey if I can, Jameson's is a good one, especially Crested if you are going for a cheep one but Teelings is the good stuff. I prefer the ones made with grain, not malt.

 

[Desu Vult]

Always go for Irish Whiskey if I can, Jameson's is a good one, especially Crested if you are going for a cheep one but Teelings is the good stuff. I prefer the ones made with grain, not malt.

I can only readily get the basic bitch version where I live on anything but scotch. Tried Irish lately after a long hiatus and IMHO Tullamore Dew > Jameson. Or more "Irish" at least. Both the basic ones, Jameson actually cost a few cents more.

Remember Bushmills Black Bush being a good one, but not in stock here. Any comments about plain Bushmills vs plain Tullamore/Jameson?

I'm fond of the Armenian stuff like Ararat, it is sweet but I've come to associate brandies/cognacs with sweetness. Personal favorites if I get caught drinking brandy/cognac are Hine and Metaxa. Metaxa's got an anise-y flavor to it that works pretty well IMO.

Metaxa may be a brandy or cognac or whatever technically, but I do consider it completely it's own thing. Kinda nice and summery and tropical, as much as hard liqueur can be that.

 

[Lone Outsider]

I can only readily get the basic bitch version where I live on anything but scotch. Tried Irish lately after a long hiatus and IMHO Tullamore Dew > Jameson. Or more "Irish" at least. Both the basic ones, Jameson actually cost a few cents more.

Remember Bushmills Black Bush being a good one, but not in stock here. Any comments about plain Bushmills vs plain Tullamore/Jameson?


Metaxa may be a brandy or cognac or whatever technically, but I do consider it completely it's own thing. Kinda nice and summery and tropical, as much as hard liqueur can be that.

Haven't tried Bushmills but I am considering it now that you've mentioned it.

 

[Takayuki Yagami]

Since the thread has drifted away from whiskey, here's a short brandy/cognac rundown. VSOP only, since most VS is crap and XO is too expensive for my poorfag ass to get plastered on.

Braastad: says "smooth and round" on the label, and it is. A bit too smooth as a matter of fact, doesn't even feel like drinking a cognac. Simple and slightly on the sourish side.

Larsen: says "fruity" on the label and it kinda is. Smoothish, balanced, probably the safest one if you're not into brandy but want to bring a bottle to a party or something.

Martell: way more bitey than other VSOPs, OK for a winter evening in the subarctic shithole I currently live.

Hardy: middle of the road in every sense, nothing special but way cheaper than youd expect from taste ( available in PLASTIC 0.5 liter flasks here).

Hennessy: seen it described as "raisin water" and the description, while kinda harsh, is fitting. Not a bad thing to get drunk on by any means, (although ridiculously overpriced), just not my taste. Like JD, you either like it or not.

J. P. Gaultret (Jules Gaultret) : Hennessy without brand markup.

Courvoisier: nice and complex, slightly too sweet for me, but still genuinely good.

Meukow: personal favourite, perfect balance in smoothness and taste FOR ME, generally considered too simplistic by connoisseurs, your taste may vary.

Honorable mentions:

Maxime Trijol: smooth and fruity IIRC, it's been a while since I last drank it. Has aleays been a bargain. Their VS is total shit.

Ararat 6 star and above: old Poiltbureau favorite, way sweet for my taste, but really good for what it costs (<50% over JW Red).

Any recommendations for a reasonably priced brand? My state’s selection isn’t very good as far as brandy goes and I want something to mess with in cocktails.

 

[Friendly Mudcrab]

I'm very new to whisk(e)y, for the longest time I thought I don't like it because my only experience have been cheap scotch blends and I didn't know anyone knowledgable about the subject, but recently I found out I enjoy bourbon.

Prices and availability isn't the best in my country but this is what I enjoyed the most so far:

• Woodford Reserve - woody and less sweet but really good tasting, it almost gives me tea flavors.
• Wild Turkey 101 - big, bold and nutty, I was really surprised how drinkable it is, as it was my first time drinking above 50% whiskey neat. Definitely one of the better values for the price.
• Maker's Mark - sweet and pleasant, but I can see how it can be just too uneventful for many people.
• Maker's 46 - much stronger flavors and spicier than regular, to me it's similar intensity to WT101, and I think people who don't enjoy regular Maker's might like this one.
• Evan Williams Black Label - I like this one a bit less than the rest but it's also cheaper than all of them, sweet and spicy on the cheap.

I also tried bit of irish and scotch to have a better idea of them (Bushmills, Jameson, Jameson caskmates stout, Chivas 12, Monkey Shoulder) but bourbon flavor profiles are definitely more to my taste. I will try an Islay down the road to know how that feels.

 

[Desu Vult]

Any recommendations for a reasonably priced brand? My state’s selection isn’t very good as far as brandy goes and I want something to mess with in cocktails.

Sry I'm absolutely no help as for mixing. No experience besides pouring JW Red into a half empty coke bottle (so I could drink it in train unmolested, back when I was a serious alkie). Also I'm in EU version of Bumfuck, Missoury, so the pricing probably won't carry over. And, stuff that's a negative for sipping may turn out to be a positive for mixing, and... Basically I admit I don't know shit.

For neat drinking, Hardy makes probably the best VS. Which could technically be VSOP (matured for 5 years rather than typical 2), and is ridiculously close to their VSOP (cheapest on the market) in both taste and price. It's also very "typical", middle of the road french cognac (albeit a cheap one), so if you're serious about your mixing you might give it a try. As a reference point of sorts.

Also, lol. Visited a mall I normally seldom go to today. Took a look at the liquor section. In brandy/cognac section there were two kinds of liquor that the shop thought worthy of having antitheft tags slapped onto them. XO Cognacs, and EVERYTHING Hennessy including the smallest cheapest 10 buck flasks of VS. And to answer the inevitable question, NO, the area is like 99% white.

 

[Takayuki Yagami]

The way I’m considering is to take an insulated cooler, ripping off the lid, removing the waste water and cutting rocks to fit my glasses with a serrated knife and an ice pick. The one directional cooling from the lost lid means you’re pushing any trapped gasses in the bottom with the still liquid portions. This’ll produce really clear ice, but it takes a full day for the ice to set, and I need to clear out my freezer for room. For now silicone molds that I can leave in the shelves on top of other things is fine. I don’t make enough things on the rocks to care much about it being clear so long as I can keep the freezer taste out with plastic bags.

Following up on this. It worked but I probably want to keep the cooler in for a few more hours next time. The slab was just a smidgen too thin after 24 hours.

 

[scallion]

Wild Turkey 101 Rye changed my life

 

[Takayuki Yagami]

Wild Turkey 101 Rye changed my life

Rittenhouse is also a fantastic choice that that price range. It’s only 51% rye so it skews a little closer to bourbon, same way Bulliet and Wild Turkey are skewed towards rye now that I think about it, than most rye whiskeys; but again it’s very good. Sazerac and Knob Creek rye are also worth trying.

 

[Kornula]

Santori

 

[Takayuki Yagami]

Following up on this. It worked but I probably want to keep the cooler in for a few more hours next time. The slab was just a smidgen too thin after 24 hours.

Another followup. 30 hours with an 8 liter cooler seems about right. I now have enough ice for a while. @Boris Blank's glass eye if you had to choose one of the budget range blended scotches, which one would you use for highballs? My monkey shoulder is getting low and I can get Grouse, Johnny Walker, and Cutty Sark pretty easily.

 

[TFT-A9]

I think I'm going to break out the Glenfarclas or Tomatin tonight because jesus I feel like shit. Still waiting to see if that liquor store can get the Fid Street gin in - they said a nearby city has access to it from their distributors so there's a decent chance they can swing it, and I really want something nice for summery weather around.

 

[Boris Blank's glass eye]

My monkey shoulder is getting low and I can get Grouse, Johnny Walker, and Cutty Sark pretty easily.

Go with JW out of these three. Generally non-offensive and guests are going to recognize it as well.
Better yet try and get a liter bottle of Teacher's Highland Cream which is very good for its price - it's just as good as Chivas 12.