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Spirits, what you drinking...

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Soniclife

Soniclife

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A gift from an uncle just getting into whiskey (bought a case of this stuff). Very weird and processed. Smells like nail varnish and cheap pine like you find in Ikea.
I find all their expressions to be awful, your description fits right in with how I expect them to be.
 

Ilkless

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I find all their expressions to be awful, your description fits right in with how I expect them to be.

Unfortunately, Auchentoshan and Dalmore are marketed in my country as the next step up from Johnnie Walker/the more dodgy Macallan/Glenfiddich/Glenmorangie expressions. So he bought into that. But Auchentoshan has always struck me as the worst of the bunch. A shame, because there is plenty of better stuff at unusually-low prices for this place now due to the pandemic - I can get Laphroaig 10, Ardbeg 10, Bowmore 12 or Talisker 10 for a similar price to that Auchentoshan.
 
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Soniclife

Soniclife

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Unfortunately, Auchentoshan and Dalmore are marketed in my country as the next step up from Johnnie Walker/the more dodgy Macallan/Glenfiddich/Glenmorangie expressions. So he bought into that. But Auchentoshan has always struck me as the worst of the bunch. A shame, because there is plenty of better stuff at unusually-low prices for this place now due to the pandemic - I can get Laphroaig 10, Ardbeg 10, Bowmore 12 or Talisker 10 for a similar price to that Auchentoshan.
Dalmore I usually like a lot, not had any for a while though.
Are there dodgy Glenmorangie expressions?
 

Ilkless

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Dalmore I usually like a lot, not had any for a while though.
Are there dodgy Glenmorangie expressions?

Dodgy was perhaps the wrong word - it's really a bit watery for me, but inoffensive compared to Auchentoshan. I was more thinking of all the overpriced gimmicky non-age statement stuff that Macallan/Glenfiddich frequently come up with.
 

Alexanderc

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Anyone ever use dishwashing soap and a sponge with a glencairn? Ever since I poured a peated whiskey, the peat has lingered despite multiple washes with filtered water (we have a dispenser), and it intrudes on my unpeated stuff (especially the glorious buttercream, honey and cola syrup of the Craigellachie).
I have not had that issue (thank goodness, sounds awful). I do have one of these:
https://www.cairncraft.com/products/cairncleaner-whiskey-tasting-glass-brush
 
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Soniclife

Soniclife

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I was more thinking of all the overpriced gimmicky non-age statement stuff that Macallan/Glenfiddich frequently come up with.
I ignore those 2 brands, they may as well not exist. The no age statement random wood / peat thing is throughout the industry now, I can see why, it's within the rules, but they rarely seem to be great.
 

Wes

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No good Scotch on sale at the state store, so I switched to Japanese whiskey - I think the name is Asahaki
 

Ilkless

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1596815577384.png


Yum.
 

Ilkless

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I might need one of those myself, bet it's wonderful.

I had a (generous) dram at a whiskey bar, somehow balances sweet dessert with gasoline and savoury meat in a very tasty way. So easy for a whiskey to fall apart when it has notes that are so far apart. Totally recommend.
 

Ilkless

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Weirdly that always seems to be in their whiskys, but in a good way, which I don't understand.

Has the sweet petrol fumes like from a free-flowing revving engine, not so much the sooty, noxious stuff.

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The other dram of the night, a cask strength Craigellachie. A surprising amount of similarities with the Springbank, unexpected from a Speyside distillery.
 

Racheski

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I ignore those 2 brands, they may as well not exist. The no age statement random wood / peat thing is throughout the industry now, I can see why, it's within the rules, but they rarely seem to be great.
I have really enjoyed all of the Macallan No expressions I have tried. I have a bottle of the 2,3, and 4, with 4 being my fav. If you are talking about the watered down NAS stuff Macallan sells at airports, I’m with ya there.
 

cistercian

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Normally I drink red wine. If I am drinking high proof it is Chartreuse, preferably VEP.
I am out. Time to get some more!
 

Ilkless

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A bottle from an uncle a few years back.

In other news, the duty-free stores at the airport have been throwing out whiskey with deep discounts (discounted and with taxes absorbed). Can't believe I slept on some really good bottlings. The only stuff that interests me now are a couple of cask strength Edradours and Caperdonichs. There's also some cheap Ardbegs, Balvenies and Laphroaigs. My inclination is to get either of the first two because the rest can still be found later elsewhere. Laphroaig 10 in particular has been almost half off for a month, and they are still restocking. Yamazakis have also been the cheapest they have been in years - good riddance to the flippers.
 
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