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The Cocktail (and Spirits) Thread

Bazal

Post Whore
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99,403
Ahhh, from my former employers!

Westward overall is an excellent product, problem is that people spending that kind of money here in Australia expect an age statement.

I'm finding the whiskey drinkers I know aren't bothered UNLESS it's proper Scotch. And just chatting around the place it seems there's a trend away from needing an age statement for other whiskeys in favour of trying something new, largely coming out of the hype around Japanese whiskey and the growth of Aussie stuff
 

Bazal

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99,403
Bump.

So I got sick of seeing Caol Ila for 130 bucks, Laphroiag, Ardbeg and Port Charlotte for 120, Lagavulin 16 for f**ken 200 bucks! Used to get Caol Ila for $60 on sale FFS.

Anyway I bought a Kirkland Islay Single Malt for $90. It's actually...good? Not great, but good. 50% ABV too which is a big tick. It's probably Caol Ila base spirit but it does taste like Bruichladdich to me as well.

It's definitely the Caol Ila/Bruichladdich/Lagavulin peat style, driftwood fire on the beach. Quite sweet in a way, like barbecue meat with the meatiness as well, a little iodine, it gets a bit ashy. Nice and oily too. It's not better than the others I mentioned but if you're saving $30+ it's worth a go for sure.
 

Bazal

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99,403
Sounds like a very classic Islay without the branding. Not my kind of Scotch, but I'm sure it will have plenty of fans. Particularly at that price and ABV.

Yeah definitely, any Islay fan who turns their nose up is a snob tbh.

Polishing off my open bottles one by one now cos I have too many.

Tottori Bourbon Barrell Blended, Japan (and all whiskies in the blend are actually Japanese AFAIK). It's just really nice. Very vanilla on the start, dried orange peel, some dried flowers and a bit of charry caramel malt. Really easy but a nice dry finish and 43% ABV just gives it a touch extra oomph. Being Japanese I would say you can get Scotch that hits these marks for $20 less but it's still notably Japanese in style IMO, so if someone wants a relatively affordable Japanese option or an intro to Japanese whiskey it's worth a go at $80.
 

Bazal

Post Whore
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99,403
No one cares anymore and the FFB is deadsport but I just wanted to talk about Nikka Yoichi Single Malt.

As close as you'll ever get to the original Japanese single malt, it's the whiskey they make in the image of what Masataka Taketsuru originally came home from Scotland to make. He worked in Campbeltown and he wanted to make whiskey in that style. Except he couldn't get peat.

So he dried the barley with the coal fire they used to fire the stills. I dunno what the old school version tasted like but I love this one tbh.

You don't get much of the smoke on the nose, like you would an Islay or even necessarily a Campbeltown. It's sweet and and malty and soft and loaded with citrus and then the smoke feels like it hits you out of nowhere. Nutty and oily and briny on the end. Just a magic whisky IMO. I should note that I think it is peated now so the smoke is very much in that green peated direction (Highland more than Islay), but I might be wrong.

Self quote! Cos this was the next bottle with dregs that I needed to finish, so interesting for me to compare given how your senses can change day to day.

Look, it's still a f**ken belter. Got more smoke on the nose this time than I said here, also a green peppery vegetation thing that fits with a Mainland scotch peat. I also get more of a blacksmiths coal fire type smoke. But otherwise yeah. Buy it.
 

Bazal

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99,403
Am just teeing these up cos I have a few bottles with a dram or two in them and I use these threads like my own notes now lol

Teeling Single Malt. Off the back of the Yoichi it kind of tastes like water cos I am not smart and should have had this first, but anyway. Even that I think is interesting given it's higher ABV than the Yoichi.

It's nice. It has that shortbread that most Irish whiskies have, but a bit less prominent. I feel like I can taste the white burgundy cask but that's definitely just psychological IMO, in that I know it's got some of those casks and I associate that to some of the flavours. Mostly stonefruit and citrus. I don't necessarily get a lot of sherry/fortified cask oddly enough, but I do pick up the red wine casks if only as a creamy chocolate note on the end.
 

Bazal

Post Whore
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99,403
I have done a silly thing and joined The Whiskey Club. Got around the Talisker Wilder Seas. Finished in XO cognac casks.

I like Talisker, it's not a fan fave like Laphroiag or Ardbeg but it's rustic and almost a bit rough thanks to the pepper note it always has, a little firewater character. Feels like proper scotch for an island gale.

Anyway this is super good. Still has that Talisker character but it's rounder and richer. Dried fruit, golden grapes and honey from the cognac casks mixed with peat smoke and pepper.
 
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23,952
Whitton Malt House x Corowa Distilling Company - Single Malt Australian Whisky American Oak Port Cask Solera: Volume 1. 55.3% ABV, 500mL, $120 per bottle.

Whitton Malt House is a relatively new venture down here in the Riverina (give or take 5 years old), but through Voyager Malts they supply malt to a number of breweries and distilleries; the best known being Archie Rose. This is their first collaboration with someone they supply, using the sherry Solera method for Australian whisky. It is a blend of 4 and 5 year old whiskies from Corowa Distillery.

To quote Ron Burgundy, the colour is a rich mohogany. Since it was 36 degrees here today and the whisky is 55.3% ABV, the initial nose was pure alcohol. I bunged it in the fridge (in glass) for 20 minutes to bring the temprature down to something more palatable. The nose now is almost pure hot caramel (the alcohol still pokes its head through) with a very good whiff of that American oak at the end. The nose suggests a whisky I will love, something in the vein of GlenDronach, but that tried in vein to survive boxing with someone like Mike Tyson. The initial taste is quite different, almost earthy but still sweet. My mind goes straight to licorice, toffee and Maduro cigar tobacco.

Once cut with a few teaspoons of cool water, the nose opens up considerably. The caramel is still there, but it is gentle. The oak becomes light. In its place are some classic whisky notes, the biggest being sultanas. Nutmeg and an almost "cannoli" scent come through, even a whiff of Creme Anglaise. The palate belies that, on the bolder side of an approachable whisky: malted toffee pushed to within seconds within being burnt, well roasted sweet potato and a finish that continues the roasted vegetal theme of nicely done carrot. This is a unique whisky. Tasty.
 

Bazal

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99,403
Laphroaig Lore

I thought for a minute that some of the Westward offerings might have overtaken this as my top whiskey pick.

Nah.

Non age statement (!), but the official line is a minimum age of 7 years and max of 21. Blended from bourbon cask, oloroso cask and quarter casks.

This is nothing like the 10 year old. The nose is definitely related, thick smoke and iodine, lanolin and salt water. But then you get more inland peat notes. Forest floor and earth, malt. Then honeysuckle and candied citrus.

Tastes like smoked honey, big sweet sherry dried fruit notes behind the smoke, salted caramel, and long dark chocolate on the finish with smoke the whole way. It's not the brutal 10 year old smoke though, it's so well integrated. Ridiculously good whiskey.

And tbh when you can spend 110 or 120 bucks on the 10 year old, I'd be shelling out 150 for this instead every f**ken time
 

horrie hastings

First Grade
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7,280
@Bazal, the better half wants to start making margaritas at home, what is the best tequila to use, gold or silver ?
I have a couple of mini Jose Cuervo Especial which we will use first but once they are done what would be the best just for the standard margarita, i'm thinking the silver mainly only for the colour but just not sure as i have never made one before.
 

Bazal

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99,403
@Bazal, the better half wants to start making margaritas at home, what is the best tequila to use, gold or silver ?
I have a couple of mini Jose Cuervo Especial which we will use first but once they are done what would be the best just for the standard margarita, i'm thinking the silver mainly only for the colour but just not sure as i have never made one before.

I think silver or lighter aged ones. Depending how much tequila flavour you want. I like a Reposado, blanco is the cleanest, anejo is too strong (and a waste).

Cuervo is probably the standard but I find it very astringent esp the silver. It's been a long time but if the ones you can regularly find, Espolon or El Jimador are decent
 

horrie hastings

First Grade
Messages
7,280
I think silver or lighter aged ones. Depending how much tequila flavour you want. I like a Reposado, blanco is the cleanest, anejo is too strong (and a waste).

Cuervo is probably the standard but I find it very astringent esp the silver. It's been a long time but if the ones you can regularly find, Espolon or El Jimador are decent

Thanks Bazal, have the Espolon and El Jimador in stock at work. Lets see how keen the better half will be in making them once i bring a bottle home.
 

soc123_au

Moderator
Staff member
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18,444
Apart from all the "tasting notes" wankery, is it worth $120 a bottle?
I enjoy reading the tasting notes. I dont understand it, but enjoy it. I get images of @Bazal trying a new bottle of something, then heading off into a rainforest to lick the ground and eat berries, the finishing off with a drift wood bonfire on the beach and gnawing on a half burn piece of wood. Then knocking over a bottle of iodine in the car on the way home.
 

nick87

Coach
Messages
12,250
1x shot bicardi
1x shot malibu
1x shot Curacao
1/2 shot of sugar syrup

Shaken with 4-5 cubes of ice and a sprinkle of desiccated coconut... Top with pineapple juice
Tremendous refreshing hot weather cocktail
 

nick87

Coach
Messages
12,250
Its definitely a distant cousin of a pina colada with all it's coconut flavours but it's not nearly creamy and has a different taste profile. Love me a Pina colada though!
 

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