Malts, malts, malts...

[Celtpastor]

...that's what this topic shall be about:

Vatted Malts, Pure Malts, Single Malts -
Your experiences with Malt Whisk(e)ys from whatever part of the world they may come!

What are Your favourites - at the moment and all-time - and for what reason?

What's the greatest bargains - and what the biggest ripoffs?

What was the biggest surprise - and what the most exotic one?

C'mon, let's share and learn!

[CHasR]

...that's what this topic shall be about:

Vatted Malts, Pure Malts, Single Malts -
Your experiences with Malt Whisk(e)ys from whatever part of the world they may come!

What are Your favourites - at the moment and all-time - and for what reason?

What's the greatest bargains - and what the biggest ripoffs?

What was the biggest surprise - and what the most exotic one?

C'mon, let's share and learn!

Well I cant drink as many as I'd like to anymore (Dont ever get an ulcer, CeltP.)

First of all, for single malts, if its not Scots, it's cr@p.
That includes Bushmills, Jamesons, Suntori, Jim Beam, Seagrams, etc.

Favourite: Talisker 10. (Drinkability & complexity) Followed closely by Mortlach16.(power + robustfullness) Followed closely by LochNaGar (...ooo...sexy!). Followed closely by Clynelish14..(Friendly). Folowed closely by well, all of them really. Not partial to Islay malts, personally.

A Bargain single malt is one that's purchased in New Jersey! (because my state has strict control over spirits, a cash-cow hangover from prohbition),

As for biggest ripoff, it's a blend. UDV Johnny Walker blue label.

Biggest surprise, Highland Park (I forget the year).

Most exotic; Jura.

[Celtpastor]

First of all, for single malts, if its not Scots, it's cr@p.

That doesn't sound like You tried any...

That includes Bushmills, Jamesons, Suntori, Jim Beam, Seagrams, etc.

As I expected - of the mentioned, only Bushmills and Suntory launched Singlemalts as well (ever tried them? Since most offered under these brands are cheap blends - even if they're sold expensively!). The others mentioned offer only blends so far - so You can't possibly have tried any of their malts (yet)
You should really give them a chance before saying something like that! I mean - Suntory-malts are, due to their rareness, really way too expansive - but they'll be a nice surprise on Your palate! The 16yr Bushmills-Malt is pretty good, too. And You should know, that in blind-testings, GlenBreton from Canada was voted best 10yr on ther market (two times in a row!). Which was my biggest surprise, since the 8yr was, in fact, crap... Just try them Yourself!

Favourite: Talisker 10. (Drinkability & complexity)

Hard to disagree

Biggest surprise, Highland Park (I forget the year).

The 18yr is adorable...

[anniemcu]

Chocolate isn't bad in a malt, either.

[Celtpastor]

Though the sweetness spoils the abilities to taste anything else properly, I always found the good-old sherry-cask-matured-malts (the old Glendronachs and Macallans in particular) to go really fine with chocolate...

[CHasR]

I stand corrected, Seagrams is a blend. However, Jameson's and Beams do produce malts, neither of which is worth seeking out.

[kkrell]

[Coffee]

I've a particular fondness for Edradour, but I've not been able to find it since coming back to the US.

[chrisoff]

I tend to stick to the 10-12 year range as there's usually offers to be had and you can pick up decent stuff for £15-£20. Has to be Scottish though, because my Dad would probably kill me if I drank anything else.

Like Talisker, but the peaty stuff tends to give me a migraine if I drink it at the wrong time. Closer to home Aberlour is a great, easy to drink Speyside and there's the old faithful Glenfiddich which always seems to have a bottle on my shelf.

If I'm feeling like upping the quality then Balvenie is usually a good option. The Portwood was great and I've had a couple of bottles of the Doublewood as well.

Hard to go wrong with 12 year old Highland Park as well.

Generally I'll give any whisky a try. It's not as though I'm limited for choice around here...

[Celtpastor]

Edradour is great stuff - try finding it on the internet

The Jameson distillery sells blended Whiskies exclusively - under their own name, that is. There is, however, under the name "Middleton" a pretty rare malt to be found from that distillery as well - usually only sold by independent bottlers. Most Middletons I tried so far were a bit faint, but there's potential - just give them some more years in decent casks. But I wonder, where You may have sampled that...

Jim Beam, however, is not capable of producing Malt Whisk(e)y, since they're a Bourbon-distillery, and Bourbon by law is obliged to contain at least 51% of corn-spirit.

[taity]

can drink any of the scots whiskys but have to go for highland park and Glenfiddich
just very hard to put them down till there all empty

[dwest]

My wife and I use to belong to various Cuideagh O' Corn O' Uisghe Beatha societies so at one time we had tasted more malts than I can remember. My wife likes them all especially Talisker and Islay malts. I have never been able to develop a taste for Talisker and Islay malts. We both remember a Glenmorangie from about twenty plus years ago that was quite exceptional. One of our members who was writing a book about single malts at the time had just returned to AZ from Scotland with this bottle that looked suspiciously illegal. I haven't tasted the like ever again. I am going to be getting a bottle of a Virginia produced malt tomorrow, Wasmund's from the Copper Fox Distillery, we'll see how it is.

[DCrom]

My wife and I use to belong to various Cuideagh O' Corn O' Uisghe Beatha societies so at one time we had tasted more malts than I can remember. My wife likes them all especially Talisker and Islay malts. I have never been able to develop a taste for Talisker and Islay malts. We both remember a Glenmorangie from about twenty plus years ago that was quite exceptional. One of our members who was writing a book about single malts at the time had just returned to AZ from Scotland with this bottle that looked suspiciously illegal. I haven't tasted the like ever again. I am going to be getting a bottle of a Virginia produced malt tomorrow, Wasmund's from the Copper Fox Distillery, we'll see how it is.

Your wife sounds like a woman of good taste. Though I've had malts from all regions that I've loved, my heart belongs to the maritime malts.

At any given time, I may have 3 or 4 different malts on the shelf at home. I've noticed that the majority of non-Islay bottles that show up arrive there as gifts from family. Not that I don't enjoy a good Highland, Speyside, or Campbelltown malt, but there is something about the peaty, iodine-tinged complexity of a good Islay that I find immensely satisfying.

Malts currently on the shelf: Laphroig 16, Bowmore 12, The Macallen 12

Also on the shelf: Tullamore Dew irish, Cazadores Anejo tequila, Tanqueray gin, Reynaud brandy, Kahlua, no-name slivovitz, and drink-at-your-own-risk bottles of grappa and potcheen.

I hadn't realized what a selection I had until I listed them just now. Seems like a lot, but the inventory only changes by about a bottle every couple of months. I'm definitely a sip-and-linger drinker.

[The Weekenders]

My wife and I use to belong to various Cuideagh O' Corn O' Uisghe Beatha societies so at one time we had tasted more malts than I can remember. My wife likes them all especially Talisker and Islay malts. I have never been able to develop a taste for Talisker and Islay malts. We both remember a Glenmorangie from about twenty plus years ago that was quite exceptional. One of our members who was writing a book about single malts at the time had just returned to AZ from Scotland with this bottle that looked suspiciously illegal. I haven't tasted the like ever again. I am going to be getting a bottle of a Virginia produced malt tomorrow, Wasmund's from the Copper Fox Distillery, we'll see how it is.

WHAT A WIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEEEHAWWWW!!!!

[I.D.10-t]

Chocolate and malt, I know chocolate goes well with a martini, never tried with the dark stuff though (usually had something smoked with extra sharp cheddar on a cracker with whiskey). Haven't had a bottle of Rye in years.