However you choose to spell it, any snobs care to take part?

I took up the hobby of whisky snobbery about 18 months ago after a set of really weird circumstance I won't elaborate on, and the road has been an interesting one.

Funny thing is...I'm absolutely not a drinker- gave it up near 20 years ago, but I found myself enjoying the spirit on a pretty deep level. I do not mix, and only use ice for enjoyment. To appreciate the drink, I have the obligatory assortment of Glencairns and snifters.

It's been said there are basically 3 ways to consume whisky:
1. slam it, chug it, shoot it
2. enjoy it- with ice or mixer
3 appreciate it- neat only.

I prefer neat myself, chewing it, holding it, allowing air to oxidize it...a true pleasure I wish I had discovered years ago.

Now, some 4 dozen or so bottles in of American, Scotch, and Canadian- they are all as different as people you meet. All have their own personalities. All are a different ride.

Of course I found some duds along the way, and then a few unexpected gems.

Any partakers of the craft? What's the current favorites, what would you not give your worst enemy?

I went through a major- and expensive- Scotch run for about a year, lately been enjoying the American creations- notably Angel's Envy, Stranahan's, Bulliet, Buffalo Trace and George Dikcel. Dikcel 12 has me quite captivated at present...

Recent Scotch gems: Lagavulin 16, Balvenie Caribbean Cask, Glendronach 12, Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban and Highland Park.

 

Whiskey is my favorite spirit. Of all I have tried, probably my favorite is Crown Royal special reserve. My preference is over the rocks, but neat is also acceptable depending on the mood I'm in. One sure fire way to **** me off is take such a fine beverage and add it to coke. I like coke as well, but to take fine whiskey and mix it with coke just ruins both coke and whiskey. My other choices are 40 Creek, Jack Daniels Single Barrel, Gentlemen Jack, Jack Black label, and Maker's Mark, all in that order. I will on rare occasion mix Jack Black label with ginger ale, but thats rare.

 

40 Creek is my current favorite Canadian, but Canada is stepping it up!

CR Black was a pleasant surprise- some black cherry notes in there. Pendleton is another fine Canadian- one I have taken on a long camping trip for pure enjoyment.

Right on about mixing Coke or other sodas in good whisky...just not right. Save that for bad booze and people who don't appreciate it! People who want to mix don't get the good stuff in my house!

Cuz I'm a snob now...

Next on my pick up list for this weekend is some Aberlour A'bunadh or Ardbeg Uigeadail...can't make up my mind...

 

I LOVE whiskey, unfortunately it doesn't love me so I don't partake in it much. When I do it usually something premium. Gone through two bottles of Belle Meade in the last month. That is some mighty tasty brown liquor for as young as it is. Worked on a bottle of Aberlour 12 last weekend at a friend's wedding. I always keep a bottle of Talisker in my home supply and there's usually some Crown, Jack, and CC around here for mixing purposes.

 

I once took a tour of the Jack Daniels distillery, unfortunately it was after a night of heavy drinking downtown Nashville and about puked in the mash tank...

Definitely not a snob, but do enjoy a nice whiskey now and then.

 

I seldom drink any more, but when I do, I like a good Scotch. I can take it neat, on the rocks, or with water. The only domestic Scotch blends I care for are Johnny Walker Red, Dewar's, and Chivas Regal. I also like trying premium imported stuff including single malts - Glenlivet and Glenfiddich are decent. Anything really expensive is a waste though, I'm nowhere near being that much of a conoisseur.

I haven't found a decent "well" Scotch so I usually specify if I'm at a bar. The WORST Scotch made in my opinion is Cutty Sark, it's just nasty.

 

I've taken the Jack Daniel's tour myself and have to say that I really enjoyed it! The thing that was so amazing to me was how the facilities there really do hearken back to a different place and time -- I was expecting a modern, high-tech plant, and instead was surprised to find out it's manufactured using pretty much the same facilities and equipment that were used from Day 1. I also liked going down in the room where they keep the individual barrels of Jack that the "rich and famous" have bought for their own personal enjoyment -- reading the names of these folks was like paging though a copy of "Who's Who".......

 

As far as scotch goes, I tried Johnny Walker Red, didn't care for it so I gave it to my neighbor. He recommended Johnny Walker Black so I bought a bottle of it. It ended up with the neighbor as well. Now my neighbor is recommending other scotch. I think he wants another bottle and I'm not buying just to stock his liquor cabinet.

I like the taste of Jack Daniels. But Jack straight gives me heart burn for some reason. Crown, 40, and Makers Mark don't give me heart burn so they get more of my business. I did try Crown Black and liked it, but for the cost, it's almost as expensive as Special reserve, which gets me every time. Price wise, 40 creek comes home more than anything. It's very smooth, has good flavor, and cost's about as much as Jack black, meaning it's about $12-15 cheaper than the same size of special reserve.

Now, on to something important, well more important, well, different I posted on the 2009-2014 lift \ level forum a question and haven't got a response yet...........hint hint.

 

Im a college student, and have tried many different kinds, mostly the cheap stuff, currently my palet is set on Evan williams. Nothing too fancy but I have been told by several people is bottom-barrel Jack, but a looot smoother. I like to mix with Dr. Pepper. The flavors is what I go for, usually it helps me relax before I go to bed.

 

01f1502wd, if you like Evan Williams, give 40 creek a try, you just might like it. Cost is similar.

 

and a freshly opened bottle of whisky seems to always taste better than one that has been open awhile. IDKW. I enjoy my whisky neat from a clean clear shot glass at room temperature with a beer chaser.

 

seagrams 7 for daily or pendleton whiskey

 

Whiskey is my drink of choice. I don't really drink beer or much else with any regularity. I'll try any rye or corn whiskey but I don't like JD (sorry). My usual is Alberta Springs (made right here in Calgary), very tasty and a decent price but not cheap. Gibson's makes a fine whiskey too. I also like the Crown Royal Black, Cask 16 and I have a bottle of XR in the basement. I love my Whiskey but I use mix, I just never liked straight booze of any kind. I use PEPSI (with a bunch of ice, usually just below the rim of the glass), not Coke, or diet soda (diet soda is awful IMO). If I don't have PEPSI I won't have whiskey, period.

 

This right here is where I sit just about opposite. Very few bottles taste as good at first poor as a mid-bottle pour. George D is the only one that comes to mind and on my palate just blows the doors off Jack. For me, it is essential Tennessee whiskey as Buffalo Trace is essential Kentucky straight bourbon.

Scotches are notorious for needing to breathe and oxidize in my opinion. The exceptions would be some of your cask-strength bottles. Likewise, Islay malts seem to me to be about the same from start to finish, but Speysides and Highlands...let 'em breathe and they come alive mid-bottle. Best example is Macallan 12. Didn't like it much at first, but mid bottle it blew my socks off- all those flavors came alive.

Man, if you have the slightest bit of palate for whiskey, take some time to really learn how to drink it (yes, there are right ways and wrong ways for getting the flavor profiles- there are even videos to help!) and you'll soon find that it truly is a hobby. Tasting the nuances is something that takes time and practice- at least for me. I've really come to appreciate the craft, but still a total novice at it.

There are times though, when I invite a couple guys over and we each bring a new bottle to taste, that you just feel....right. One night in particular, we had just finished eating some rare elk tenderloin, sipped on some choice bottles, lit up some fine cigars outside by a backyard fire- man, that's hard to beat, it don't get much better. I'm no fancy guy. I'm just a guy who appreciates the old art of manhood, and boy did that night make me feel like a king!

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I do like my $20 handle haha

Ill look into it!