Bostik Bailey Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 Caol Ila used to be a good whisky, same with Jura. Commercial pressures have forced them to either go mainstream with cheaper techniques and ingredients or fold. Most of Jura's whiskies these days are unaged with fancy names that came out of a marketing committee. Caol Ila will go the same way in the next few years. This is a big concern, laphroig, McCallan to name two, are now cashing in on their previous high quality, by bottling different ages together and giving them a fancy name, but still charging single age prices. I still can't get my head round how they can still call them single malts. It's all about maximising profit at the expense of quality. There is a reason that blended whisky tends to be considerably cheaper, due to the fact that it is not held for such a long period. (This isn't a slight on blended mind) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckn Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 This is a big concern, laphroig, McCallan to name two, are now cashing in on their previous high quality, by bottling different ages together and giving them a fancy name, but still charging single age prices. I still can't get my head round how they can still call them single malts. It's all about maximising profit at the expense of quality. There is a reason that blended whisky tends to be considerably cheaper, due to the fact that it is not held for such a long period. (This isn't a slight on blended mind) Laphroaig Select just tastes like watered down unfiltered 10yo. Rather than concentrate and refine, they've just added water. Really poor stuff. Still better than many. It's like driving an Aston Martin with a 1.8 Ford Mondeo engine, the Ford engine is quite good, for it's job, but it's no Aston Martin. "When in deadly danger, when beset by doubt; run in little circles, wave your arms and shout" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerjon Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 I had some of that Glenmorangie in my house the other day. All gone now. *hic* Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuffer Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 (edited) Glenmorangie Can't knock it, it's probably the 1st whisky I tried as a young man that I actually didn't dislike. Not that I mean to damn with faint praise but what I mean is that, up until that point, all whisky that I'd tasted I disliked - this was the first that "converted" me, so to speak, as I could appreciate it for the smell/ flavour rather than the burning sensation in my throat that I'd previously assumed was all that whisky could deliver. Still enjoy it now, it's the kind of whisky you might get given as a present at Christmas by friends/family and I'm always more than chuffed to receive Edited November 9, 2015 by chuffer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerjon Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 Can't knock it, it's probably the 1st whisky I tried as a young man that I actually didn't dislike. Not that I mean to damn with faint praise but what I mean is that, up until that point, all whisky that I'd tasted I disliked - this was the first that "converted" me, so to speak, as I could appreciate it for the smell/ flavour rather than the burning sensation in my throat that I'd previously assumed was all that whisky could deliver. Still enjoy it now, it's the kind of whisky you might get given as a present at Christmas by friends/family and I'm always more than chuffed to receive It was quite ridiculously drinkable. Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuffer Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 (edited) As the memsahib said I couldn't access my kiwi whisky she happened across aldi on the way home this aft and brought home their 8yo blend after reading the reviews . Bum end of the market my ar se. This stuff is more than acceptable as a dram. Nowt special but it's not crapola either Is that the Highland Black 8yr? I read that it's won awards on a par with much more expensive stuff. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/11645568/Aldi-12.99-whisky-wins-top-medal-at-drink-awards.html I have to go to Aldi tonight so might be tempted to get one in "for the xmas drinks stock" Edited November 9, 2015 by chuffer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Evans Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 Try one. I'd got the blonks on cos the memsahib wouldn't let me open the kiwi. She brought the Highland black 8yo in from aldi... It is prob best in class.... "I love our club, absolutely love it". (Overton, M 2007) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuffer Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 Well I picked up a bottle of the aldi highland black 8yr up while doing the food shop and thought id try a cheeky sample before putting it away with the rest if the Xmas booze stock. Id say its a little disappointing given all the rave reviews, tastes like bells IIRC...not much of an aroma, sweetish taste but thin and no other flavours coming through other than industrial alcohol....tbf though, it was £12 so yeh, unsurprising really. Might get the sainsbury's own soon and line up this, the highland park and the sainsbury's in a comparitive tasting exercise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Futtocks Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 (edited) Sainsbury's own label is worth a punt, even at the full price of just £20. At £18 (discounted in my local branch), it is a total no-brainer. It isn't too thin and fiery and it isn't too sweet or bland - it is a really decent single malt that will appeal to all whisky fans. I am currently on Bowmore, which is a good balanced entry point to Islay - it is smoky, but not the iodine hit of Laphroaig or the old socks pungency of Lagavulin. Plus it was discounted by £10 at my local supermarket. Edited November 10, 2015 by Futtocks Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted. Ralph Waldo Emerson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiny Tim Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Laphroaig Select just tastes like watered down unfiltered 10yo. Rather than concentrate and refine, they've just added water. Really poor stuff. Still better than many. It's like driving an Aston Martin with a 1.8 Ford Mondeo engine, the Ford engine is quite good, for it's job, but it's no Aston Martin. I think I had a bottle of that from Tesco a while back. For a worrying moment I thought my taste buds had packed up and I no longer enjoyed whisky. A quick look online supports what you said that this is far from being the good stuff. I made the same mistake with a bottle of Talisker (Talisker Storm or some such nonsense), it really was not very nice. Enjoying my bottle of Bunny Heaven, that's disappearing far too quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerjon Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 The distilleries are churning out so much guff at the minute that I'm spending serious time looking at reviews before I part with what few pennies I have. Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Futtocks Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 The distilleries are churning out so much guff at the minute that I'm spending serious time looking at reviews before I part with what few pennies I have. They are killing their own industry and killing the public's trust in what used to be a premium product. Even my corner shop sells Jura now, and they are certainly not an upmarket establishment. Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted. Ralph Waldo Emerson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerjon Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 They are killing their own industry and killing the public's trust in what used to be a premium product. Even my corner shop sells Jura now, and they are certainly not an upmarket establishment. As per a couple of pages back, Jura 10 is not a mistake I will be making again. Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Futtocks Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 As per a couple of pages back, Jura 10 is not a mistake I will be making again. I have occasionally received a bottle of Jura as a present. At that price, I don't sniff at it, but... Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted. Ralph Waldo Emerson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiny Tim Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Amazon are currently doing 18yr old Glenlivet at a pretty good price on one of their lightning deals. I just ordered a bottle to give it a go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuffer Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Amazon are currently doing 18yr old Glenlivet at a pretty good price on one of their lightning deals. I just ordered a bottle to give it a go. Last Xmas the missus gave me a gift box containing samples of the glenlivet 12, 15 and 18yr..Think all of them were decent IIRC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiny Tim Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Last Xmas the missus gave me a gift box containing samples of the glenlivet 12, 15 and 18yr..Think all of them were decent IIRC I've had the 12yr old before so imagine the 18 will be nice too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Futtocks Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 BTW, if you're in London, Milroys whisky shop is now independent again, and while it stocks less than it used to in its great days, it has come back to life a bit. They have a bar as well. Worth a very short stroll from Tottenham Court Road tube station. Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted. Ralph Waldo Emerson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Evans Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 My birthday tomorrow. The boy has given me a bottle of glenfiddich. Not in my top 20..... but still happy to be given it. He also got me a vinyl copy of sunburst finish as mine got damaged.... Tomorrow could turn out to be a good day. "I love our club, absolutely love it". (Overton, M 2007) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomdooley Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 I a always find any blend with a drop of sparkling water does the trick! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuffer Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 My birthday tomorrow. The boy has given me a bottle of glenfiddich. It'll be better than that Aldi stuff you've got!..... Glenfiddich probably suffers a similar fate to Highland Park in that it's around and popular so much that people think it's standard fodder....but it's pretty decent imho....this was another one where I got a gift box sample pack of minis - 12, 15 and 18 yr and I remember they got progressively better the older the sample (as you'd normally expect) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Evans Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 It'll be better than that Aldi stuff you've got!.....the aldi stuff I had "I love our club, absolutely love it". (Overton, M 2007) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckn Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 It'll be better than that Aldi stuff you've got!..... Glenfiddich probably suffers a similar fate to Highland Park in that it's around and popular so much that people think it's standard fodder....but it's pretty decent imho....this was another one where I got a gift box sample pack of minis - 12, 15 and 18 yr and I remember they got progressively better the older the sample (as you'd normally expect) The Glenfiddich Solera Vat range was a long-term favourite of mine until a few years ago then I've just not had any in ages. A lovely smooth whisky that was perfect for just mellowing out and relaxing with a good book. "When in deadly danger, when beset by doubt; run in little circles, wave your arms and shout" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerjon Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 I a always find any blend with a drop of sparkling water does the trick! The Co-op 3 year old blend ... Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuffer Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 aldi highland black 8yr ....Might get the sainsbury's own soon and line up this, the highland park and the sainsbury's in a comparitive tasting exercise Well I've purchased the Sainbury's own and had all three lined up (15ml shot of each in separate glasses - small, I know but it's a school night!) for said experiment. All measures were neat with no ice added. I had a separate glass of cold water to take between sips and also to "cleanse" between glasses. The verdict: Glass 1 - Highland Park 12 yr (£33 from Co-op) Pale colour, has the strongest and most pleasant fruity aroma of the three, taste is rich and fruity with a hint of smoke/peat that doesn't appear in the others - there's a lingering taste that Glass 2 doesn't have but it's less powerful/complex than Glass 3, probably describe it as the smoothest of the three. a sip of water and the smoke/peat flavour lingers Glass 2 - Aldi Highland Black 8yr (£12.99) Has a similar pale colour to Glass 1, very slight aroma - taste is sweet but can't identify any other flavours coming through. A sip of water does nothing to bring out anything noteable afterwards.....that said, when i came to finish the glass at the end of the session it's taste seemed to have improved - this could be that it gets better with sips or that my tongue/pallete had been tainted by the others! Glass 3 - Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Highland Single Malt (£18) Has a darker colour than the other two glasses, aroma is stronger than glass 2 but not as pleasant as glass 1 - smell reminds me of a bourbon (which I'm not really a fan of), thankfully it doesn't taste too much like a bourbon but it has much more complex and rich flavour than the other two, not so much fruity or really peaty - can't really put my finger on what flavours are coming through but I quite like it. My order of preference would be 1-3-2. It was a close call between 1 and 3 for my fave - 1 was smoother and had the best aroma/rich flavour but I thought 3 had a stronger taste and was the most interesting. Given the price difference I'd say the Sainsbury's is definitely the best value for money - it would be interesting to find out what it actually is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now