I have a bottle of malort, I keep it around when the mood for mutually assured destruction strikes me when unsuspecting company is over.
Hard to tell what I dislike more, that or Jaeger meister. Couldn't cleanly tell you, I haven't had Jaeger in over a decade, while I've had malort in the last few months.
Stampie said:I've never been a scotch drinker because it's a bland grain. I like my flavor to come from the grains. Now the one I had Monday was Dalmore 12 year but from the 90s I think? That's the first scotch that I really understood the smoky peat flavor.
Dalmore 12 is NOT peated. The majority of Scotch is not peated.
If you like Dalmore 12, it is a highland single-malt that is first aged in ex-broubon casks and subsequently in ex-sherry casks. This is a relatively common practice and you should be able to easily find other similar whisky. You would probably like Balvenie Double Wood.
Look out for other whiskeys that are aged in first ex-bourbon and then in ex-sherry casks.
I'm not sure what you mean about Scotch being a "bland grain". Malted barley is the second most flavorful grain that I know of used to make spirits with any regularity. Only Rye has a stronger flavor. Much more flavorful than wheat, corn, or spelt. More variety in flavors than any other grain because the act of malting imparts flavors.
Scotch usually has a milder flavor than American whiskeys, but that's because of the barrels used. Bourbon and other American whiskeys use new charred oak barrels and Scotch whiskey uses second-hand barrels.
If you want other recommendations of Scotch whiskeys that are likely to have flavor profiles you enjoy, there are a lot I can steer you towards.
Apexcarver said:I have a bottle of malort, I keep it around when the mood for mutually assured destruction strikes me when unsuspecting company is over.
Hard to tell what I dislike more, that or Jaeger meister. Couldn't cleanly tell you, I haven't had Jaeger in over a decade, while I've had malort in the last few months.
I still haven't had malort, but liquid time travel is evil and should never have been put on the market.
In reply to Beer Baron :
Well now I'm going to have to try it again and see why I like it more than other scotch. Rye is my favorite so maybe I'm just comparing everything to that.
In reply to Stampie :
What other Scotch have you had as comparison?
Many people have trouble getting into Scotch for the same reason as craft beer - loudmouths pushing extreme and polarizing flavors. People pushing smokey Scotch in the same way as bros pushing ultra-hoppy IPA.
Rye has a stronger flavor than malt, but I think malt has more complexity. The used barrels allow that milder malt character to come through more easily.
It could be that what you like are strong but not harsh flavors. Smoke is harsh. Rye is herbal, spicy, and grassy (not harsh). Sherry cask scotch (like Dalmore) tends to have really big, thick, dark and stewed fruit flavors. Strong and overt, but round.
I can steer you towards other interesting malt whiskies. Do you want more herbacious, spicy, and/or briny? Big, think, and jammy? Bright tropical flavors? I've got a mental list going already...
M2Pilot said:In reply to logdog (Forum Supporter)
My son started selling Malort in his bar earlier this week. It's doing OK saleswise. His is the only bar in this small town that has it. I haven't decided whether or not I like it yet.
I've argued that we should keep a bottle of Malort at the bar for anyone that just wants a shot of "something".
Beer Baron said:M2Pilot said:In reply to logdog (Forum Supporter)
My son started selling Malort in his bar earlier this week. It's doing OK saleswise. His is the only bar in this small town that has it. I haven't decided whether or not I like it yet.
I've argued that we should keep a bottle of Malort at the bar for anyone that just wants a shot of "something".
I was working on a project a few weeks ago with a team from the California office. They had never heard of it and the local Chicago guy and I kept telling them how awful it was but how it was a rite of passage like eating dipped beef sandwiches. We picked up a 6 pack of shooters for the end of project celebration. I thought the newbies were going to drink the river water to get the taste out of their mouth!
My buddy introduced me to a Japanese scotch called Hibiki that was surprisingly good.
In reply to Beer Baron :
It's been a while since I've had any Scotch so hard to remember. Floating Doc gave me a bottle of Johnie Walker Black Label 12 and it's what I remember from trying Scotch before. It's ok but nothing special. I guess I could tell you want I like. Koval Millet is my favorite. Unfortunately I can't get it down here. Angles Envy Rye is next, Koval 5 grain, Rittenhouse Rye, then the bourbons from Angles Envy and Koval.
In reply to Stampie :
Okay. Johnie Walker black is not a good representative of other Scotch. Given your stated preferences, I would not expect you to like that outside of a mixed drink. It is a blended whisky, *not* all malt, and has a portion of smoke. High end Johnie Walker can be good, but all of them are overpriced.
For broad guidelines, you (Stampie specifically), should look for Single Malt whisky that is either "Highland" or "Speyside". (Dalmore is Highland). These will be unpeated and and tend to have rich flavors tending towards honey and clover.
Here is a curated list of things you might like. I'm giving flavor profiles to judge for yourself if they sound interesting:
In reply to Stampie :
Get one of these little Glenlivet sampler packs. They're <$20 and good stuff. Give you an idea of aging practices and flavor profiles you like.
In reply to Beer Baron :
I'm wondering if this Dalmore is different. I grabbed the bottle and I can't find this label anywhere online. Looking closer there is an url so maybe newer than 90s? This label also says aged 12 years in sherry cask.
In reply to Stampie :
That appears to be an EU market bottle. So, pre-Brexit.
Looking at The Dalmore's website, this is what would now be The Dalmore Sherry Cask Select 12. I'm guessing they got a big influx of bourbon casks in the 2000's.
Seems that you like Sherry cask Scotch.
Oh! I bet they reuse the bottles in the EU market. So they want a simpler form factor that's easier to clean and re-label.
In reply to Beer Baron :
That Dalmore bottle was packed in a family member's luggage when they came from Edinburgh for my daughter's birth. She's 16 now.
DjGreggieP said:Anyone ever tried Screech?
As a Canadian, I still need to try this.
From some Newfies I know:
Screech is like rum, with rum in it.
Once the bottle is opened, nobody is allowed to leave the table until it's empty.
Bookmarking this for later
Racebrick said:Put some wood chips in it, and let it sit for a few years.
Ugh. there is a company trying to make "fast aged" bourbon-like whiskey by putting it in barrels with charred oak chips and pressurizing the vessel for six months.
It tastes like E36 M3 and costs more than Elijah Craig which is a very nice inexpensive 9 year bourbon.
logdog (Forum Supporter) said:2 pages of crappy booze talk an nobody mentions Malort? This board needs a Chicago roadtrip!
Taken at my neighborhood store in Westpark, Cleveland, Ohio.
My sister from another mister out in the wilds of the far upper Midwest swears by the stuff. Her reaction to it was "This tastes like my soul!"
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
Your sister now scares me...
Has your family considered an exorcism?
everytime this thread comes up, the title reminds me of this sarcastic scene from "Mr. Roberts":
I'll leave it up to Beer Baron / others whether or not anyone should try the above at home.
Apexcarver said:In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
Your sister now scares me...
Has your family considered an exorcism?
She's not a relative, just a very close friend for a long time. It is creepy that we both have independently acquired an affection for that beverage.
Beer Baron said:In reply to Stampie :
Get one of these little Glenlivet sampler packs. They're <$20 and good stuff. Give you an idea of aging practices and flavor profiles you like.
I read your advice and took it to heart. In traditional GRM fashion I did differently. I went to a bar and asked if they had Dalmore 12. They used to but did not. I asked if they had any sherry cask scotch and he actually checked but they didn't so he offered Balvenie 14 Caribbean. I said berk it pour me a shot. It was ok. Above 90% of the scotch I've had but not close to what I had last week. About half way through slipping that I asked if he had a peated scotch. He said well if you want strong peat we have Laphroaig 10. It was definitely peated. First impression was slight dung with some smokiness. I could see why people like Islay but too forward for me. That said I preferred it over the Balvenie.
TLDR I went to a bar asked for scotch heard something Caribbean, said rum good then asked for peated heard the peat is strong with this one, came home to look at the receipt so that I could figure out what I actually drank.
In reply to Stampie :
An entire paycheck.
Pete. (l33t FS) said:In reply to Stampie :
An entire paycheck.
Yes expensive but not quite that bad. Honestly can't remember the last time I went to a bar. Microbreweries don't count.
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