Bourbon, Irish Whiskey or Scotch?

Brothers of Briar

Help Support Brothers of Briar:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
My basic goto bourbon is Bulleit. I like Bulleit Rye a lot. But then, any whiskey has to be pretty nasty for me not to like it. Irish, I can drink Bushmill's White, but I really like John Power's Gold Label. Scotch is a bit outside my comfort realm. I got a couple bottles of Jura Single Malt, which was not too far from a bourbon in taste. Most Scotch whiskey just seems a bit too peaty.

I am perfectly happy drinking Clyde May's. Rather have the barrel strength, given the choice. My really good stuff. That's Calumet Farm. The 15 or 16 year old.
 
I’m fortunate that my local Costco stocks lagavulin. I also have a bottle on my desk at work that I was gifted. I’m saving it for the day I quit 😂

Edit: oops, I thought I quoted Idlefellow. I’m not great at this forum format.
 
Donk93953 said:
If you enjoy a wee kiss of peat in your scotch whisky, a wee touch of honey, and a wee touch of cream try Caol Ila.
That is pronounced 'Cull-Eela'.
It doesn't have the winter peat taste or smell of Laphroaig that alienates some folks.
It seems to me to have all the elements that make a great whisky.View attachment 12690
Click to expand...
true Laphroaig is a bit too peaty for some. Generally i prefer the quarter cask if i can find it, to me its a little smoother.
 
gbann57 said:
true Laphroaig is a bit too peaty for some. Generally i prefer the quarter cask if i can find it, to me its a little smoother.
Click to expand...
I understand the hesitancy with too much peat.
It can be off-setting for many.
In its defense Laphroaig, which I've enjoyed many, many a-times, is a delightful journey on a snowy evening in the highlands whilst the fire frames the conversation.
"Just a wee bit more in my glass, to take the chill from my body, as I finish my story."
 
Two things to consider on the subject of whisky with a prominent peat flavor.
I may have suggested this before, but I'm of an age, I'm allowed to repeat what little wisdom I have.
If you are one for hot cereal, porridge , oats, etc in the morning....splash a wee amount whisky in your cooking cereal.
The alcohol will mostly likely burn off, but the whisky flavor is a nice change of direction in you bowl.
Secondly, Aer Lingus (the traditional Irish airlines) serves a peat based tonic with their G&Ts...Its called SlingShot and takes a-bit of getting used to....I found it easier just to ask for the gin and one ice cube.
 
Donk93953 said:
Two things to consider on the subject of whisky with a prominent peat flavor.
I may have suggested this before, but I'm of an age, I'm allowed to repeat what little wisdom I have.
If you are one for hot cereal, porridge , oats, etc in the morning....splash a wee amount whisky in your cooking cereal.
The alcohol will mostly likely burn off, but the whisky flavor is a nice change of direction in you bowl.
Secondly, Aer Lingus (the traditional Irish airlines) serves a peat based tonic with their G&Ts...Its called SlingShot and takes a-bit of getting used to....I found it easier just to ask for the gin and one ice cube.
Click to expand...
I’m going to have to try the whiskey in porridge. My gal likes that in the mornings but it’s always tasted like bland mush to me. But whiskey flavored bland mush I may be able to get behind!
 
I don't know if this is the case any longer (treated myself to the final season of Mad Men with a bottle, so it has been a while), but Laphroaig Quarter Cask used to be a really nice Scotch value. Peaty, but also very briny, almost too briny sometimes. If you're a salt fiend, it might be for you. Balvenie Double Wood used to be another solid Scotch value, but I did watch the prices creep up, which is why I tried the Laphroaig Quarter Cask. I think it was maybe around $55 at that time.

I'm frugal in life everywhere, so I'm not putting on a front with this, but with the prices as they are, I find it more fun to seek out the hidden gems and value whiskeys that have somehow managed to not bust bank (yet). Evan Williams continues to be a steal, and Jim Beam products pretty much all give me a headache, even after only a finger or two. Cannot drink Beam distillery.
 
Zeno Marx said:
I don't know if this is the case any longer (treated myself to the final season of Mad Men with a bottle, so it has been a while), but Laphroaig Quarter Cask used to be a really nice Scotch value. Peaty, but also very briny, almost too briny sometimes. If you're a salt fiend, it might be for you.
Click to expand...
Interesting point. I’ve had laphroaig a few times, and while I like the smoke, there’s something that I’ve always identified as almost medicinal that I don’t love about it. I wonder if that’s the briny note you mention. I’d be curious to try it again with that in mind.

Because of that note that I interpret as medicinal, I tend to prefer my Lagavulin or Ardbeg. I remember wanting to like highland park (12 year) but found it consistently too malty for my taste.

I visited Oban while in Scotland and they made me an old fashioned with their scotch and orange bitters that was quite good. I never think to pick up a bottle of theirs to sip neat. I should change that.
 
I never cared for Laphroaig until one extremely hot day walking The Plaza in Kansas City with my girls. I stumbled into a bar thinking about a cold beer when my eye fell on the Laphroaig bottle, and for some unknown reason I forsook the beer and ordered one neat. Can't explain it but at that point in time it was delightful, and I've usually had a bottle on hand since. I enjoy it occasionally (though never with the relish of that day), but I have to admit it always seemed like something you'd rub on a pulled muscle rather than drinking it :ROFLMAO: .

Bowmore is another Islay malt that's a bit less "medicinal" than Laphroaig; haven't bought it in a while but it used to be available at reasonable prices. Unlike my friend Rasher I quite like Highland Park too.

ilaLIIYl.jpg
 
Last edited:
I should have mentioned that I never bothered with Laphroaigh until Lagavulin 16 was no longer competitively priced. It very quickly went from $40-45 to $70+, and I know it is even more now. Lagavulin is one of my favorites, but there's no chance in hail that I'm paying $90 for a bottle.
 
Zeno Marx said:
I should have mentioned that I never bothered with Laphroaigh until Lagavulin 16 was no longer competitively priced. It very quickly went from $40-45 to $70+, and I know it is even more now. Lagavulin is one of my favorites, but there's no chance in hail that I'm paying $90 for a bottle.
Click to expand...
I can't buy a palatable bottle of scotch here for under $100. I treat myself to a bottle or two a year, birthday and Christmas. I'm a little snotty, neat or nothing at all. No cubes, no water and definitely no mix, even soda water.
 
Carlos said:
My basic goto bourbon is Bulleit. I like Bulleit Rye a lot. But then, any whiskey has to be pretty nasty for me not to like it. Irish, I can drink Bushmill's White, but I really like John Power's Gold Label. Scotch is a bit outside my comfort realm. I got a couple bottles of Jura Single Malt, which was not too far from a bourbon in taste. Most Scotch whiskey just seems a bit too peaty.

I am perfectly happy drinking Clyde May's. Rather have the barrel strength, given the choice. My really good stuff. That's Calumet Farm. The 15 or 16 year old.
Click to expand...
Love your signature!
 
Top