Show us your whisky!
Discussion
Heartworm said:
Cal Mac do run on a Sunday, and they do run the Islay-Kennacraig on a Sunday. There are 3 sailings from Islay to Kennacraig on the 31st of May, but booked up if you need a car on it.
It was just showing as no sailings whatsoever both times I looked. Maybe as it's the fest it just got booked up months and months in advance. I managed to get a hotel though so can't have been that late! Not even the infamous bowmore hotel either... 
Blown2CV said:
It was just showing as no sailings whatsoever both times I looked. Maybe as it's the fest it just got booked up months and months in advance. I managed to get a hotel though so can't have been that late! Not even the infamous bowmore hotel either...
It's crazy how busy the island gets during the festival, I do a lot of work on Islay, and it's fairly regular for it to be last minute and it's pretty much impossible at festival time, normally end up a foot passenger and requiring a taxi if I need to go across.What hotel are you going to? I've done the Bowmore once, it was an experience!
Blown2CV said:
ClubSmed said:
Blown2CV said:
30 May - Ardbeg Day, 200th anniversary of both Ardbeg (and Laphroaig), although how you get hold of some is being withheld for now. I'd anticipate committee release first, and i'd be surprised if you can secure some via the Internet before it all goes. Infuriatingly, we were going to be there in Islay for Ardbeg Day and Feis Ile but Cally f
king Mac don't run on Sundays so we can't get home when we need to!!
CalMac do run on a Sunday, or do you mean that you did not plan ahead enough so when you tried to book a ticket all the ferries were already fully booked?king Mac don't run on Sundays so we can't get home when we need to!!king Mac" and I work for a shipping company I took offence. I felt it was uncalled for as you had not done your research before slagging off this company, the timetables are available on thier website to inform of when they sail, the booking form just shows you what is available.If there are still walk on passenger tickets you can get a bus from Glasgow direct to the ferry terminal or even fly from Glasgow to Islay if that helps at all?
Mr Trophy said:
Embarrassingly, coming from Scotland I've never been to a distillery. Glenfarclas will be the first one though 
What. The. fk.Seriously?
You're missing out - the fill your own stuff from the distilleries are great. Glenfiddich's Solera 15 is their best dram (£90), the Glenglassaugh offering is a real treat (£30 small bottle), Aberlour have bourbon AND sherry casks...
ClubSmed said:
Blown2CV said:
ClubSmed said:
Blown2CV said:
30 May - Ardbeg Day, 200th anniversary of both Ardbeg (and Laphroaig), although how you get hold of some is being withheld for now. I'd anticipate committee release first, and i'd be surprised if you can secure some via the Internet before it all goes. Infuriatingly, we were going to be there in Islay for Ardbeg Day and Feis Ile but Cally fking Mac don't run on Sundays so we can't get home when we need to!!
CalMac do run on a Sunday, or do you mean that you did not plan ahead enough so when you tried to book a ticket all the ferries were already fully booked?king Mac don't run on Sundays so we can't get home when we need to!!king Mac" and I work for a shipping company I took offence. I felt it was uncalled for as you had not done your research before slagging off this company, the timetables are available on thier website to inform of when they sail, the booking form just shows you what is available.If there are still walk on passenger tickets you can get a bus from Glasgow direct to the ferry terminal or even fly from Glasgow to Islay if that helps at all?
Podie said:
What. The. fk.
Seriously?
You're missing out - the fill your own stuff from the distilleries are great. Glenfiddich's Solera 15 is their best dram (£90), the Glenglassaugh offering is a real treat (£30 small bottle), Aberlour have bourbon AND sherry casks...
I know, it's pretty terrible to be fair.k.Seriously?
You're missing out - the fill your own stuff from the distilleries are great. Glenfiddich's Solera 15 is their best dram (£90), the Glenglassaugh offering is a real treat (£30 small bottle), Aberlour have bourbon AND sherry casks...
I'd like to get a Bowmore handfill. I'm off tomorrow and Monday ... ROAD TRIP!
After jaunts to Islay and Japan, I finally took my whisky senses off to Kentucky!
Starting in Bardstown, and heading through Nashville, Memphis and Atlanta, it was a chance to start a Bourbon Trail passport, and it's quite different out there!
First stop; The Jim Beam Stillhouse. A big, tourist-aimed facility which is obviously very new with lots of space to move around and linger. They just do the one tour, which is mostly based in a small distillery to explain the distilling process before moving onto the main facility with its enormous column still producing enough spirit to fill a barrel a minute! The whole thing is really slick, and ends with a tasting room containing the whole Beam range to try. The tour is really good and covers a lot of production areas and is both informative and entertaining.
Next up was Makers Mark. A much smaller, quieter facility, with a lot of emphasis on heritage. There's a lot of family artifacts, the traditional print shop making labels, a porch to wait for your tour on and distillery cat wandering around. The stills and spirit safes look a lot more traditional, and you get the chance to wander amongst the active washbacks, dipping a finger in to taste the mash. Once you're done (and have shopped!) we wandered amongst the buildings, taking photos and enjoying a clear Kentucky morning.
On the way back, we stopped in at the Heaven Hill distillery. Actually, we didn't, we stopped at the Bourbon Heritage centre where we ended up doing a tour. Actually, it wasn't a tour, but having the history of Heaven Hill pointed out on a board, before going into a broom cupboard to taste some whiskies.
I applaud Heaven Hill for building an interesting visitors centre, but we did the Whiskey Connoisseur Experience and it was really underwhelming. Some nice bourbons were tasted for sure, but it wasn't great. If you're going to go, I'd suggest the Behind the Scenes tour... We didn't even get to use the barrel shaped tasting room. We did, however, pick up some Georgia Moon moonshine.
Now, on a slight tangent, I think moonshine is going to be huge in a few years - although as a Shoreditch fad. There's a lot of moonshine brands popping up, with big marketing campaigns. TV adverts featuring pretty folk in their early 20s passing around a jar and laughing and joking. We bought a jar of Apple Pie as the bars of Bardstown tended to shut quite early, and once mixed it's very drinkable. I even found out yesterday that the Popcorn Sutton (As featured on Moonshiners on Discovery) distillery has brought the former George Dickel master distiller on board.
Our final bourbon stop was the Evan Williams experience in Louisville. This is about as far as you can get from walking around the cramped, hot equipment of Ardbeg or Bruichladdich. The Evan Williams experience is all about walking through a narrative of Evan Williams' whisky career and how bourbon is made - including the customary small distillery set up doing a barrel a day - before doing a tasting in a mock up of an old time bar. Very slick, very good for the casually interested and still interesting for those of us who know the process. I did glimpse the event space they have in the basement by the loos. It's a nice looking bar accessed through a speakeasy door. Would have been a fun thing to do, but it's not on the tour...
As a whisky fan, but not a bourbon devotee, it's been a really interesting trip. I wish I'd had more time to see some of the craft distillers as that's not something so prevalent elsewhere. I've certainly got more of a taste for American whisky now.
One thing that did surprise me was the tastings, or rather the lack of them. At no point did anyone mention drinking and driving, and when we asked, we were told that tastings only added up to a maximum of 1oz. This was a stark difference to Laphroaig where bottles were passed round at the end in case anyone wanted a top up! Even Yamazaki had a paid bar, but in the US you get your 1oz and after that it's full bottles only. For Makers Mark, where there's only four things to taste, it's not a problem, but Jim Beam required some careful choices with a limited number of glassfuls. That said, it made driving a lot easier. Also they really have their merchandising down. I can't imagine there's much you can't buy with Makers Mark or Old Granddad printed on it.
Overall a really fun experience, and a really nice area to spend time. Well recommended.
Starting in Bardstown, and heading through Nashville, Memphis and Atlanta, it was a chance to start a Bourbon Trail passport, and it's quite different out there!
First stop; The Jim Beam Stillhouse. A big, tourist-aimed facility which is obviously very new with lots of space to move around and linger. They just do the one tour, which is mostly based in a small distillery to explain the distilling process before moving onto the main facility with its enormous column still producing enough spirit to fill a barrel a minute! The whole thing is really slick, and ends with a tasting room containing the whole Beam range to try. The tour is really good and covers a lot of production areas and is both informative and entertaining.
Next up was Makers Mark. A much smaller, quieter facility, with a lot of emphasis on heritage. There's a lot of family artifacts, the traditional print shop making labels, a porch to wait for your tour on and distillery cat wandering around. The stills and spirit safes look a lot more traditional, and you get the chance to wander amongst the active washbacks, dipping a finger in to taste the mash. Once you're done (and have shopped!) we wandered amongst the buildings, taking photos and enjoying a clear Kentucky morning.
On the way back, we stopped in at the Heaven Hill distillery. Actually, we didn't, we stopped at the Bourbon Heritage centre where we ended up doing a tour. Actually, it wasn't a tour, but having the history of Heaven Hill pointed out on a board, before going into a broom cupboard to taste some whiskies.
I applaud Heaven Hill for building an interesting visitors centre, but we did the Whiskey Connoisseur Experience and it was really underwhelming. Some nice bourbons were tasted for sure, but it wasn't great. If you're going to go, I'd suggest the Behind the Scenes tour... We didn't even get to use the barrel shaped tasting room. We did, however, pick up some Georgia Moon moonshine.
Now, on a slight tangent, I think moonshine is going to be huge in a few years - although as a Shoreditch fad. There's a lot of moonshine brands popping up, with big marketing campaigns. TV adverts featuring pretty folk in their early 20s passing around a jar and laughing and joking. We bought a jar of Apple Pie as the bars of Bardstown tended to shut quite early, and once mixed it's very drinkable. I even found out yesterday that the Popcorn Sutton (As featured on Moonshiners on Discovery) distillery has brought the former George Dickel master distiller on board.
Our final bourbon stop was the Evan Williams experience in Louisville. This is about as far as you can get from walking around the cramped, hot equipment of Ardbeg or Bruichladdich. The Evan Williams experience is all about walking through a narrative of Evan Williams' whisky career and how bourbon is made - including the customary small distillery set up doing a barrel a day - before doing a tasting in a mock up of an old time bar. Very slick, very good for the casually interested and still interesting for those of us who know the process. I did glimpse the event space they have in the basement by the loos. It's a nice looking bar accessed through a speakeasy door. Would have been a fun thing to do, but it's not on the tour...
As a whisky fan, but not a bourbon devotee, it's been a really interesting trip. I wish I'd had more time to see some of the craft distillers as that's not something so prevalent elsewhere. I've certainly got more of a taste for American whisky now.
One thing that did surprise me was the tastings, or rather the lack of them. At no point did anyone mention drinking and driving, and when we asked, we were told that tastings only added up to a maximum of 1oz. This was a stark difference to Laphroaig where bottles were passed round at the end in case anyone wanted a top up! Even Yamazaki had a paid bar, but in the US you get your 1oz and after that it's full bottles only. For Makers Mark, where there's only four things to taste, it's not a problem, but Jim Beam required some careful choices with a limited number of glassfuls. That said, it made driving a lot easier. Also they really have their merchandising down. I can't imagine there's much you can't buy with Makers Mark or Old Granddad printed on it.
Overall a really fun experience, and a really nice area to spend time. Well recommended.
ClubSmed said:
Blown2CV said:
ClubSmed said:
Blown2CV said:
30 May - Ardbeg Day, 200th anniversary of both Ardbeg (and Laphroaig), although how you get hold of some is being withheld for now. I'd anticipate committee release first, and i'd be surprised if you can secure some via the Internet before it all goes. Infuriatingly, we were going to be there in Islay for Ardbeg Day and Feis Ile but Cally fking Mac don't run on Sundays so we can't get home when we need to!!
CalMac do run on a Sunday, or do you mean that you did not plan ahead enough so when you tried to book a ticket all the ferries were already fully booked?king Mac don't run on Sundays so we can't get home when we need to!!king Mac" and I work for a shipping company I took offence. I felt it was uncalled for as you had not done your research before slagging off this company, the timetables are available on thier website to inform of when they sail, the booking form just shows you what is available.If there are still walk on passenger tickets you can get a bus from Glasgow direct to the ferry terminal or even fly from Glasgow to Islay if that helps at all?
Mr Trophy said:
Podie said:
What. The. fk.
Seriously?
You're missing out - the fill your own stuff from the distilleries are great. Glenfiddich's Solera 15 is their best dram (£90), the Glenglassaugh offering is a real treat (£30 small bottle), Aberlour have bourbon AND sherry casks...
I know, it's pretty terrible to be fair.k.Seriously?
You're missing out - the fill your own stuff from the distilleries are great. Glenfiddich's Solera 15 is their best dram (£90), the Glenglassaugh offering is a real treat (£30 small bottle), Aberlour have bourbon AND sherry casks...
I'd like to get a Bowmore handfill. I'm off tomorrow and Monday ... ROAD TRIP!
PurpleMoonlight said:
This one is for drinking but I haven't yet, a vintage cask edition. Bought in the Caribbean last December.
Well I'm gutted, this is horrible.
It's one of those that smells and tastes of TCP, at least to me, and not to my taste at all. I didn't realise Glenfiddich made those.
PurpleMoonlight said:
PurpleMoonlight said:
This one is for drinking but I haven't yet, a vintage cask edition. Bought in the Caribbean last December.
Well I'm gutted, this is horrible.It's one of those that smells and tastes of TCP, at least to me, and not to my taste at all. I didn't realise Glenfiddich made those.
Is it slightly peaty / smokey?
Blown2CV said:
I work for an IT company but I don't get upset when someone gets annoyed with their computer. It wasn't clear fr their website, and I can only go off what I see. Anyway did you come on to PH to talk about cars, whisky and girls or did you come to find something to get offended about?
I too work in IT, I work in IT for a shipping company (see where this is going?).You are right though, I came here to talk about cars, whisky and girls so on that note:
Next weekend I am travelling to Islay, but as I am going with my Wife and Daughter we have to take the bubble (Xsara Picasso) due to all the accessories that they travel with (but on the plus side more room to bring whisky back). I have already booked on 4 tours (Laphroaig - Distiller's Wares / Lagavulin - Warehouse Demonstration / Ardbeg - Across the Decades / Bruichladdich - Warehouse Experience) and am also hoping to get a few more in during the week. Any recommendation of other tours?
PurpleMoonlight said:
Well I'm gutted, this is horrible.
It's one of those that smells and tastes of TCP, at least to me, and not to my taste at all. I didn't realise Glenfiddich made those.
To those of us who like smoky heavily peated sounds like it must be pretty good :-)It's one of those that smells and tastes of TCP, at least to me, and not to my taste at all. I didn't realise Glenfiddich made those.
If you want to swap it for a bottle of Glenfiddich 15 year old Solera (unopened), I'd be interested in taking it off your hands. Assuming not too much has already been sampled :-)
Podie said:
Aberlour have bourbon AND sherry casks...
The Aberlour sherry cask is absolutely stunning, my Dad and I have a bottle that we are slowly working through. Was a great tour as well, recommended. Shamefully that is the only one I have ever been on, despite living here my entire life
ETA - meant to ask this on here a while back. What is Jameson / Irish whiskey like? I like Scotch whisky a lot, big fan of bourbon too, so what should I expect with Irish stuff? Worth a go?
Edited by BorkFactor on Friday 3rd April 14:46
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